Fia-sensei took me to a restaurant she recommended today. It was a refined, quiet place with a sophisticated atmosphere, making for a truly pleasant dinner.
“That was delicious.”
“Indeed. The food was excellent and the prices were quite reasonable. It’s a great spot. Thanks for the meal.”
“Hehe. Well then, next up is WANAGE!”
“Is there a specific venue for the match?”
Fia-sensei was clearly buzzing with excitement. Then again, if I set aside my preconceptions, it really was a high-stakes, powerful sport. To be honest, it was pretty fun to watch.
“Yes. It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s right near the entrance to the East District. There are two other venues in the Royal Capital as well.”
“Wait, three in total?”
“WANAGE is a popular sport, after all. And those three are just the certified venues for official matches. If you’re just playing for fun, there are plenty more places to go.”
“The player base is quite large, then. I figured there wouldn’t be many, given the physical ability required.”
“Ah, well, you certainly need a high level of ability for official matches, but it’s not that demanding if you’re just playing casually. The people with truly incredible physical stats are basically just the professional Nagelists.”
“I see.”
I suppose amateur matches weren’t nearly as spectacular, then.
As we walked and talked, a massive building rose up ahead. While it wasn't quite the size of a modern baseball stadium, it towered over the surrounding structures.
We purchased Ticket Boost Day Tickets and headed inside. The audience was fairly large and the atmosphere was lively, though the stadium wasn't quite at capacity.
“It looks like we’ll have plenty of room in our seats.”
“The match card is a bit mediocre today. Among tonight’s lineup, the only high-ranking Ranker is Baby Castella Mask. The others are a bit… it’s mean to say, but many of them are uninspired. There are some good players, of course, but compared to the Rankers… I’d bet most of the people here tonight are fans of Baby Castella Mask.”
“So matches between high-ranking Rankers are even more popular?”
“Oh, definitely. Especially when Nightmare, ranked first, faces off against Baby Castella Mask, ranked second. Those tickets sell like hotcakes. You have to be incredibly lucky just to get one.”
Wow, WANAGE really was a big deal here.
I still had some reservations about the sport’s concept, but I set them aside and watched the matches. Fia-sensei had called the card mediocre, but for someone like me who rarely watched the sport, it was a sequence of impressive battles. I found myself tensing up instinctively as I watched.
After several matches, the venue began to fill up. The empty seats I’d noticed earlier were quickly occupied.
“And now, the main event of the evening! Appearing now: world rank number two, Baby Castella Mask!”
I looked toward the arena as the announcement blared. There stood Kuro, wearing a baby castella mask just as her name implied.
Well, how should I put it… she looked exactly like Kuro. Rather than a proper mask, it looked more like she’d just strapped a festival mask to her face.
“Baby Castella Mask fights with incredible precision. She rarely uses flashy moves, but every single motion is refined. She usually wins matches using only the basics.”
“I-I see…”
“If her opponent were another high-ranking Ranker, she’d show us some powerful, flashy techniques, but… I don’t think we’ll see any tonight.”
Just as Fia-sensei muttered those words regretfully, Kuro—or rather, Baby Castella Mask—glanced toward us.
She then gripped six WANAGE rings in her left hand and seven in her right. Fia-sensei leaned forward immediately, her expression filled with shock.
“That stance?! No way… is it The End?!”
“Huh? What’s that?”
“A special move that Baby Castella Mask has only used a few times! It’s a supreme technique where she releases thirteen of the fifteen rings in a single throw! It’s a near-impossible shot that’s basically a guaranteed win!”
“I-Is that so…”
I understood it was an amazing move. I also realized that Kuro had probably spotted us and decided to perform it as a special service.
The match began, and Kuro swung her arms. The thirteen thrown rings soared through the air in incredibly complex trajectories, effortlessly bypassing the opponent’s defenses. Every single one caught a pole.
“I-It’s decided! Without allowing for a single block or counterattack, Baby Castella Mask has ended the match with her one-throw kill: The End!!”
In an instant, the stadium erupted in cheers. It really was spectacular. The trajectories of the rings were as beautiful as patterns drawn in the sky. It was only for a moment, but the display was so dazzling it stole my breath away.
Baby Castella Mask glanced toward us once more, gave a slight wave, and left the arena.
I’d actually ended up enjoying the WANAGE. By the time we left the venue, it was getting quite late.
“That was amazing! I can’t believe we actually got to see her special move. I’m so hyped!”
“It definitely was a sight to see. I enjoyed it.”
I held hands with Fia-sensei as we walked, happily discussing our impressions of the matches. We continued our conversation as we strolled, and once the streets had quieted and the crowds thinned, Fia-sensei spoke up.
“Say, Miyama-kun. Would you like a drink?”
“A drink? Shall we find a bar somewhere?”
“Hmm, that would be fine, but why don’t we drink at my house instead? I have plenty of alcohol I’ve received as gifts, but I’m not much of a drinker, so I have quite a bit left over.”
“I see. I have some bottles in my Magic Box as well, so that sounds like a plan.”
Come to think of it, I still had the alcohol I’d bought at Kaori-san’s shop, so this was as good a time as any to open them.
As I was thinking that, Fia-sensei leaned close to my ear and whispered.
“…Tomorrow is the clinic's regular holiday. So we can take our time.”
Fia-sensei smiled as she said that, looking quite seductive. As I processed the meaning behind her words, I felt my heart begin to pound with a frantic, nervous rhythm.
Serious-senpai: “W-What?! An interlude? Before, Middle, Interlude, After?! A new pattern emerges! And Fia is clearly going in for the kill! This is going to be one of those sugar-overload scenes, isn’t it?!”