"Yugo, I get the feeling you stumble into these bizarre situations at every turn. Are you cursed or something?"
"Don't put it like that. It’s not like I enjoy being a trouble magnet."
The scene had shifted to the training grounds. Yugo, having been escorted there by a group of upperclassmen, was currently engaged in a conversation filled with weary sighs with the friends who had rushed over after hearing the news from Fee.
He’d tried his best not to think about it until it was pointed out, but looking back, Yugo realized he really did get swept up in some kind of incident every time he accepted a Request or stepped off-campus. Still, he shook off the grim possibilities by reminding himself that during the Duels with Rush and Isaac, the trouble had sought him out first.
"Well, it’s not like we’re putting anything on the line for this Duel. I’ll just treat it as a slightly aggressive introduction and take it easy. I doubt it’ll turn into anything serious."
"True. With your skill, you should be able to make short work of guys like that, even if they are our seniors."
"Actually, please try not to overdo it, Master," Fee added.
Feeling like they were overestimating him quite a bit, Yugo left his companions and stepped toward the center of the grounds.
A single student detached himself from the circle of upperclassmen and approached. When they stood face-to-face, the boy spoke first.
"Alright! You ready? The rules are basically the same as a Duel. Look, we don't plan on making this too intense, so just relax."
"Understood... By the way, what’s your name, senior?"
"Hm? Oh, I’m Darom. Nice to meet you, Yugo-kun."
As he spoke, Darom drew a knife from the sheath at his waist and dropped into a combat stance.
He’d claimed he didn't intend to fight too hard, but Darom was practically radiating motivation and a faint trace of bloodlust. Yugo wished the guy would at least make his words and actions match, but he deployed his Blaster to prepare for the fight regardless.
"Alright, time to get fired up. Three, two, one... Transform!!"
After twisting his torso left and right, Yugo swung his left arm wide and snapped it into place beside his face while shouting a mysterious countdown.
Bellowing his signature phrase, Yugo extended his right arm high toward the sky. Once the Crimson Radiance emitted by the Blaster’s deployment faded, he leveled his fist at Darom.
"Okay, transformation complete! Yugo Clay, Blaster! Let's settle this one-on-one! ...Huh?"
Yugo had tried to boost his lagging enthusiasm by mimicking his favorite Hero... but in the middle of his delusion about cosmic energy raining down upon him, he noticed a strange sensation.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but his body felt heavier than usual.
The dissonance was slight, but as he tilted his head, wondering if his Blaster was acting up, Darom suddenly lunged into his personal space.
"Whoa!? S-starting already!?"
"We both have our Magic Items equipped, so that means we're ready, right? Besides, you said it yourself—you're taking me on one-on-one!"
Darom closed the distance with Agility perfectly suited to his small frame and slashed out with his knife.
While Yugo managed to react to the sharp strikes from the blade imbued with Magic Power, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with his armor.
(This is weird... Was it always like this?)
He had eaten a full, delicious meal and soaked in a hot bath; between that and his initial lack of interest, it was possible his mental state simply wasn't primed for combat.
Thinking the lag might just be a reflection of his own sluggishness, Yugo took a deep breath beneath his helmet to calm his scattered mind and began to parry Darom's flurry of attacks.
"What’s the matter?! Is this all you've got, Yugo?!"
Yugo ignored Darom's provocation. He focused entirely on the knife-work of the man unleashing full-power strikes, observing the patterns.
High to low, right to left... When he saw Darom’s arm pause for a split second after a series of slashes and pull back deep, Yugo predicted the next move and shifted into a counter-stance.
"Hmph! ...Eh?"
"Gotcha."
Reading the incoming Thrust from the knife, Yugo snatched Darom's arm and spoke in a casual tone.
Stunned that his attack had been read so perfectly, Darom froze, unable to even try and shake his arm free. At that moment, the match was effectively over.
"Oguah!? Gah, hah...!!"
Yugo pulled the gripped arm toward him while pivoting his body. Loading Darom's small frame onto his back, Yugo executed a high-speed One-arm Shoulder Throw.
Before he could process what was happening, Darom was sent flying. To him, it felt like the world had flipped upside down as a massive impact slammed into him.
"Sorry about that, senior. I have some bad memories of knives, so I’ve been practicing countermeasures for a while."
Yugo spoke quietly as he retrieved the knife from the hand of the wheezing Darom, who was sprawled out on the ground.
Having completed the suppression and disarmament in a single motion, Yugo deactivated his Blaster. Under the stunned gazes of the other upperclassmen, he walked back toward the friends who had been watching the match.