The WANAGE match was, in a word, absurd.
Alice, the World Rank 1st... the moment the match began, she launched ten out of her fifteen rings high into the air. She then proceeded to use her remaining five rings to completely neutralize the attacks of the 16th-ranked player—some guy whose name was so long I couldn't even begin to memorize it. With a calculated time delay, the rings she'd thrown upward literally rained down like a meteor shower, bypassing her opponent's defenses to rack up a massive score.
Honestly, if not for the live commentary, I wouldn't have had the slightest clue what was happening. Rings zig-zagged through the air with impossible maneuvers, and I could hear things that sounded like small explosions every time a ring was blocked... it wasn't a game anymore; it was a full-blown combat sport.
"Wow, that was an incredible match! As expected of Nightmare."
"Indeed. The Announced Shooting Star has never been countered by anyone, with the sole exception of the World Rank 2nd, 'Baby Castella Mask'."
"Oh, that match was legendary! For a moment, I thought Nightmare was finally going to suffer her first loss, but then she turned the tables right at the end!"
"..."
Something felt off. I had a nagging suspicion I knew exactly who that second-place person was. That’s Kuro, isn't it? Come on, that’s definitely Kuro.
"I really like Baby Castella Mask," Fia-sensei continued. "Since they wear a mask, I don't know their face, but I suspect they must have a lot of respect for Chrome-sama. I always root for them, but they rarely appear in official matches."
"They are likely someone of significant status, so perhaps their position keeps them busy," Noin-san added. "Even so, they remain undefeated against everyone except Nightmare and hold the World Rank 2nd spot."
"For some reason, they stopped participating in the 'Night Games' since the start of this year. Since I can only watch those after the clinic closes, I haven't seen them at all lately."
"Perhaps they started a family or something and now spend their evenings at home?"
"..."
It’s Kuro, right? It’s absolutely Kuro. The only reason she isn't participating in the Night Sessions is that she’s over at my place every single night, isn't she?
Alice is Rank 1, and Kuro is Rank 2... looking at these world rankings, I had a feeling I’d recognize even more names if I kept digging.
"...I personally support the World Rank 5th, the 'Mermaid Who Returned from the Royal Palace,'" Noin-san said. "Her face is hidden, but I have best friends among the Mermaid race, so I can't help but be biased."
"Ah, that Nagelist is known for her solid, steady play. Although, she does have a habit of forfeiting and rushing off in the middle of a match whenever people who look like knights show up, doesn't she?"
"Since she apparently works at a Royal Palace, I imagine there must be some urgent matters to attend to."
"..."
I have a pretty good idea who that is, too... Laguna-san, right? The reason she forfeits when the knights arrive is that she’s probably playing hooky from conferences and sneaking out, isn't she?
In fact, if Laguna-san—the woman known as the Strongest in the Human Realm—is only 5th, then there's a high probability that the people ranked above her are all acquaintances of mine. I wouldn't be surprised if Megiddo-san was in the mix; there was no way a battle-maniac like him would ignore a sport like this... Just thinking about it gave me a headache.
"Oh, sorry, Miyama-kun. We got a bit too excited about a topic that’s hard for you to follow."
"Ah, no, it's fine..."
"My apologies. I inadvertently let my passion get the better of me. Let’s leave the talk of WANAGE here and head to the next attraction."
"...Alright."
Seeing my strained expression, Fia-sensei and Noin-san seemed to think I was just lost in the technical talk and considerately suggested moving on.
Well, it was certainly true that I couldn't keep up, though for entirely different reasons. I nodded gratefully and followed them away from the arena, which was still buzzing with feverish excitement.
"Even so, there really are a lot of people here with monsters. Seeing so many of them in one place is quite a sight."
"Come to think of it, are monsters expensive to keep?" I asked.
As we strolled past the rows of stalls, we passed numerous people accompanied by various creatures. There were normal animals mixed in, but the presence of monsters was unmistakable.
"Yes. You generally need to be quite wealthy to afford one. I suppose it just goes to show how many of the people invited to the Six Kings Festival are well-off."
"I see... Still, for someone like me who hasn't seen many monsters, it's a fresh experience. Just watching them is actually pretty fun."
"Right? Oh, look—a Wildcat! How cute!"
As we chatted, a person walking from the opposite direction came toward us with a cat about two meters long. Apparently, it was a monster called a Wildcat... It was certainly adorable with its thick, fluffy fur. Though, in my heart, Bell was hundreds of times cuter!
When Fia-sensei reached out a hand toward it, the Wildcat suddenly moved with terrifying agility, diving behind its master and beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
"...I'm not that scary, am I?"
"Fia’s magic power is immense," Noin-san explained. "Weak monsters are especially sensitive to such things."
"...It's not like I was going to eat it or anything. Sigh."
Fia-sensei's shoulders slumped as she dejectedly continued walking. I followed her, letting out a wry smile at her surprisingly sensitive reaction.
As we passed the Wildcat and its owner, the creature stole a quick glance at me.
"Nyan."
It gave a dismissive snort, as if laughing at me.
I felt a pang of shock, quite different from what Fia-sensei had felt. It probably looked down on me because my magic power was so pathetic.
"Grrrrrrrr..."
Just as my own shoulders were about to slump, a low, menacing growl rumbled from behind me. I turned around fearfully to see Bell. Sparks of electricity were crackling around her jet-black horn as she glared at the Wildcat with undisguised fury.
On one hand, there was the Wildcat that had cowered just from sensing Fia-sensei; on the other, there was Bell, a member of the species known as the Legendary Magic Beasts. Under her intense gaze, the Wildcat began to shake so violently that even a casual observer could see its terror.
"B-Bell, calm down! No intimidating!"
"...Gau."
"There, there. You were getting angry for my sake, weren't you? Thank you."
"Kuun."
Seeing the Wildcat frozen like a frog before a snake, I coaxed Bell into relaxing. I offered a quick apology to the cat's owner before hurrying after Fia-sensei and Noin-san.
Dear Mother, Father—apparently, my magic power is laughable even to monsters. But putting that aside... Bell is still just a baby, isn't she? If she can inspire that much terror already, I guess a Behemoth really is—an incredibly strong monster.
Monster Language Translation Version
Wildcat: "Nyan. (Check out this human. His magic power is a joke.)"
Bell: "Grrrrrrrr. (Huh? You insignificant stray, how dare you insult Papa? Do you have a death wish?)"
Kai-chan: "B-Bell, calm down! No intimidating!"
Bell: "...Gau. (Hmph. Only because Papa said so.)"
Kai-chan: "There, there. You were getting angry for my sake, weren't you? Thank you."
Bell: "Kuun! (Papa praised me! I'm so happy!)"