Now that I had a handle on the tournament's structure, I found myself intensely curious about the commemorative gift for the winner. Since it was Alice, I assumed it wouldn't be anything I truly despised, but I still couldn't help but wonder.
"By the way, regarding the prize for our victor—take a look! It's this trophy-style interior piece!"
"Hmm? Oh, that’s the necklace Kai-chan always wears!"
"Spot on. Since this is Kaito-san’s birthday commemorative tournament, I went with a design that incorporates his favorite necklace. Of course, this is just a decorative piece, not a functional magic tool, so the stone inside isn't a real magic crystal."
I see, so that was her angle. The item Alice produced was a trophy featuring a crystal-like pillar, inside of which was a replica of the black magic crystal necklace Kuro had given me. Since I wore it every single day, it really had become my trademark.
Relieved that my worries were unfounded, I focused back on Alice’s explanation. Apparently, she’d prepared training game consoles as well. Those who were nervous about jumping in cold could practice there first and join the second or subsequent tournaments instead.
As the recruitment for the first tournament began, everyone’s personalities started to shine through. For instance, Flare-san and the War King’s subordinates signed up immediately, seemingly eager to just dive in and give it a shot. In contrast, most of the Ten Demons and the Seven Princesses were taking a wait-and-see approach, likely aiming for the later rounds. Well, except for Blossom-san, who was already marching toward the registration with her usual gusto.
The sheer number of participants was impressive. Unlike the shipboard party, this event included everyone I could consider an acquaintance, even those whose contact information I didn't have. There were quite a few people like that—especially among the War King’s subordinates. I’d chatted with many of them during the banquets Megiddo-san hosted, but since we were just banquet buddies, we’d never formally swapped details.
A few people who’d played on my console before were already entering the first tournament. Of course, experience alone didn't make someone a front-runner.
Aoi-chan, for instance, was technically gifted and hated losing, so she was certainly good... but she had a distinct weakness for "romance" characters. She tended to pick high-risk, high-reward fighters—those sluggish types with massive, telegraphed moves that almost never landed, but dealt catastrophic damage if they did. Or she'd pick glass cannons with extreme speed and power that folded instantly if she missed a single frame-perfect dodge. Because she chose style over stability, her win rate against me or Hina-chan wasn't actually that high.
Hina-chan herself couldn't stand slow characters. She favored speed types and had a relentless, full-attack mindset. This made her an easy target for counter-attacks, but when she got into a groove, she was terrifyingly strong.
Then there was Amel-san. She had a habit of creating openings by trying to force flashy combos, but she also had the most raw experience. She played with me all the time, likely because she just enjoyed hanging out with friends, but since she beat me about seventy percent of the time, she was a clear favorite to win.
Tre-san had some experience too, but... well, she was abysmal. I suspected even a beginner could beat her, so she'd be lucky to survive even one round. Cento-san and Sien-san had struggled with the sensory lag when we played before, but if they managed to adjust, they’d be formidable. And Lilia-san... she was incredibly skilled, but her luck was so monumentally bad that I expected a random misfortune to take her out.
Still, those with experience definitely held the upper hand. Techniques like utilizing invincibility frames during aerial evasions or performing a cross-up from a defensive state aren't things you just stumble upon. So, for the first round... it was probably going to be Amel-san.
As I was mulling it over, I spotted Kuro heading toward the registration tool.
Wait, that’s odd. Kuro shouldn't have any experience with that game... and yet, my intuition was screaming at me. I had a feeling she was going to win.
Serious-senpai: "Come to think of it, didn't you play this with Shiro?"
Shiro: "Indeed. The final score was 1,865 wins to 1,864 losses. I ended with the lead. Therefore, I am the victor."
Kuro: "That’s only because you declared the session over the second you got ahead! I tried to call it a day so many times, but you wouldn't let me leave!"
Serious-senpai: "Seriously? You two have been grinding this like hardcore pros..."