Fifty minutes had already ticked by since the start of my clay craft match with Megiddo-san.
Our workbenches were shielded so we couldn't see each other's progress, meaning neither of us had any idea what the other was creating. Out in the arena, the crowd was roaring with excitement as various shows played out to keep them entertained during the wait.
Since the theme was "Living Creatures," I had settled on a "dog" as my subject. Honestly, I knew that if an amateur like me tried to make something overly elaborate, I’d only end up failing miserably. My logic was simple: pick an easy subject and spend the remaining time polishing the quality.
I thought it was a pretty sound plan.
However, with only ten minutes left on the clock, I stared at my nearly finished creation and only one thought came to mind.
...What is this? What is this "nauseating creature" staring back at me?
Lumpy, rock-like skin. Feet that looked like nothing more than bruised, crushed fruit. A face that was inexplicably fused to the floor. And the tail... well, it wasn't a tail so much as a jagged stick jammed into the clay. Just what on earth was I making? No matter how objectively I looked at it, it looked like an extraterrestrial lifeform and nothing else.
Yeah. Well, the truth was... I was just no good at 3D art. I didn't even know what I’d been thinking when I gave birth to such a sorrowful monster.
I suspected the problem was that I kept adding more clay to try and fix the shape. What started out as twenty centimeters tall had swollen to five times that size. I’d fallen into the classic amateur trap of ruining a piece by over-adding... but if I’d been self-aware enough to realize that while I was working, I wouldn't have been in this mess.
The end result was a "bizarre, rock-like entity." I could say this with absolute certainty: unless every single judge’s eyes had rotted out of their sockets, there was no way this thing could win.
"Alright, five minutes remaining! Phantasm King-chan is finally back on the mic. To be blunt, there is a very scary person watching me from behind right now, so I will be conducting this commentary with the utmost professionalism. Now then, Fate-san, our expert commentator, please give us your victory prediction!"
"Hmm. The War King is actually quite famous in the art world, you know. I’ve heard his sculptures are especially incredible, so I think he has the edge in experience... Oh, and also, can we do something about that scary person behind us?"
"Impossible. She is currently standing by in a 'next time you mess around, I will grind you into dust' posture. Taking this seriously is our only path to survival."
Alice, who had returned from Kuro’s discipline before I knew it, announced the time. Apparently, Kuro was keeping a close eye on the two of them from behind, which was incredibly reassuring.
Still... five minutes, huh? There was nothing left to be done. No matter where I touched it, I could only see a future where I made it worse. This match was a lost cause.
As I sat there brooding, a bell chimed to signal the end of the round.
"That's a wrap! Good work, contestants! Now then, let's reveal the masterpieces one by one!"
At this point, I was perfectly fine with taking the loss. Could we just skip the reveal and move on so I didn't have to display this shameful legacy?
"First up, War King Megiddo-san!"
"You got it!"
At Alice’s prompt, Megiddo-san pulled away the screen hiding his work. What appeared beneath it was...
"Oh!? This is magnificent! Those lustrous jet-black scales, those razor-sharp fangs..."
"...It’s a Night Metal Dragon. Wow, that’s impressive. It looks exactly like the real thing."
Megiddo-san had crafted a dragon about thirty centimeters long. He must have polished every single scale to perfection, because the entire body seemed to give off a dull, metallic sheen. The pose was so fierce and powerful that it overwhelmed me, even though I’d never seen the actual creature it was based on.
This was bad. He was too good. Had he really done such delicate work with those massive, muscular hands? Megiddo-san was the real deal. There was absolutely no way I could compete with that.
"How’s that, Kaito! I'm pretty proud of this one!"
"I-It’s incredible..."
This wasn't even a contest. It was like putting a kindergartner’s craft project next to a masterpiece from a world-renowned artist. I really, really didn't want to show mine.
"Now then, next is the challenger, Kaito-san! Please reveal your work!"
"..."
I was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. To have to expose this disgrace in front of such a massive crowd... but since the call had been made, I couldn't back down.
With trembling hands, I tentatively removed the screen and unveiled my tragic—no, comedic—creature.
"Oh? Uh... hmm? This is..."
The announcer’s voice sounded completely bewildered. I wished the ground would just swallow me whole.
Drowning in embarrassment, I timidly glanced at my opponent. Megiddo-san was staring at my work, his eyes wide with shock.
Is he stunned by how terrible it is? Just as that thought crossed my mind, Megiddo-san suddenly collapsed to his knees and slammed his hands against the ground.
"...It’s my... 'loss'."
...Huh? Why?
"M-Megiddo-sama!? T-The judging hasn't even begun—"
Several demons who appeared to be the judges rushed over to the War King. Their confusion was entirely justified. If anything, I was the most confused person in the room.
"You idiots! Take a look at Kaito’s work!!"
"...Eh? I-Is that... could it be!?"
"...That rugged, rock-like hide... that distinctive long neck..."
"T-There's no mistake! That is undeniably...!"
"""A Gunrock Dragon!!"""
...No, it’s not. It’s a dog.
"What incredible quality! That neck stretching upward as if roaring toward the heavens is so full of raw power!"
...No, that’s the tail.
"He’s even perfectly reproduced that characteristic round tail!"
No, that's actually the head...
"B-But wait, for a Gunrock Dragon, aren't there a lot of 'unnecessary parts'?"
"Are you blind!? Look closer! That’s not part of the body! That’s the 'background'!"
"I-I see! That unnatural space is actually a 'canyon' being reproduced!!"
...Those are the legs!! Megiddo-san, what kind of nonsense are you spouting!? Just what do you see when you look at this thing!?
"A-And look at that! A-Are those... wings!?"
"I-Impossible! A Gunrock Dragon isn't supposed to have wings!"
"...Not in 'reality', perhaps."
"""!? """
No, no, this is all wrong. Why is Megiddo-san wearing such a smug expression? And why do the judges look like they’ve just witnessed a divine revelation? If the real dragon doesn't have wings, shouldn't I be losing points for accuracy?
"...This is an Arts Battle. Which means... his work is..."
"Yes, I see it now. I understand perfectly why Megiddo-sama declared his defeat..."
"A majestic canyon, a Gunrock Dragon spreading its wings as it glares at the heavens... that work is..."
"""A Gunrock Dragon taking flight into the sky!!"""
...Are all of you blind? It’s nothing like that! Not even close!
Wait, wait a second, this whole situation is insane... I have to say something.
"M-Megiddo-san’s work is incredible too! It looks exactly like the real thing!"
"Hah! Kaito, I don't need your pity. Yes, I created a Night Metal Dragon that was a perfect likeness. But that was nothing more than a 'copy of reality.' I can't hope to defeat someone like you, who possessed the outrageous vision to 'surpass reality' itself."
"..."
Why are you looking at me with such noble, graceful acceptance of defeat!? What is happening right now!?
"N-No, actually, the truth is—"
"You’re truly something, Kaito. The emotion you poured into that piece... it really resonated with my soul! To give wings to a flightless dragon and set it free in the great blue yonder... you imbued that work with 'dreams and possibilities.' It’s a total defeat for me."
But I didn't imbue it with anything! My intent hasn't reached a single person in this arena! Why is everyone clapping? Is this really decided? Am I winning in the most unsatisfying way possible?
"Hmm. Art is so difficult to grasp. I totally thought he’d just 'tried to make a dog and failed'..."
Fate-san! You're right! You're 100% correct!
"Art has many forms of expression. Some choose to faithfully reproduce reality like Megiddo-san, while others, like Kaito-san, 'intentionally deconstruct form' to invite a broader interpretation and convey a deeper message."
"Heeh~ How profound."
"Indeed. While such works are often complex, Kaito-san seems to have used the sheer scale of the piece to express power and grandeur. Truly remarkable."
"I see, I see."
Hey, stop helping! You're making it worse! Every word they said made me feel more like I was dying inside, but the atmosphere had shifted so far that I couldn't possibly tell them it was all a mistake now.
If I spoke up now, Megiddo-san would be humiliated. After declaring his defeat with such a dignified look on his face, finding out it was all a misunderstanding would destroy his reputation... I... I couldn't do it...
"And with that, the first match goes to the challenger, Kaito-san! Everyone, let's have another massive round of applause!"
...I hate this. I hate everything about this...
Dear Mother, Father——Art is a difficult thing, often giving birth to interpretations that go far beyond the imagination of an ordinary person. But as far as this is concerned——this is way beyond just contradicting the creator's intent!
Serious-senpai: "You actually won!?"
Best-of-three Match, Round One: Art Showdown Winner: Kaito Reason for Victory: It was so bad it circled back around to being artistic.