Defeat

Driven by an unseen force, Alain's arms locked like hydraulic pistons, forcing the dagger back.

Clang!

The shriek of metal on metal, blade against greatsword, echoed in his ears. He used the brief respite to assess the gap between him and the girl – this whirlwind of playful malice.

Her strength is unnatural, her speed a hair's breadth below mine... and her technique? Practically nonexistent.

He deliberately didn't factor in defense. Security Protection was his ace in the hole, a card to be played only at the moment of triumph.

"Alain... are you protecting her? I'm a little… annoyed, you know?"

The girl's words snapped him back to the present.

Crazy Mita, with a swift bound, reached the nearby stairs. Using the confined space to her advantage, she launched herself into the air. Her leg, a whip in mid-flight, cracked through the air with a miniature sonic boom.

Whump!

Alain barely managed to parry with his greatsword. A monstrous force slammed into him, a jarring impact that left his hands numb.

What kind of insane physics engine is this?! This is… this is 'one force conquers ten thousand techniques,' isn't it?

He now understood the bitter truth of that saying. Against raw power, offense was the only defense, and even his speed felt inadequate.

"We have so much in common, darling."

The girl, having landed her blow, pressed her attack, the crescent-shaped dagger a blur of relentless motion.

And then, for a fleeting instant, Alain saw it: the mischievous curl of her lips.

He raised his greatsword, blocking, but the force of her blows drove him back, step by agonizing step.

...If only I could get close, like before.

Alain was thinking of that previous embrace, that point-blank range. Of course, a simple hug wouldn't work now. Crazy Mita, having tasted that particular sweetness once, would be wary.

Gods, I sound like I'm selling myself…

His breath came in ragged gasps. Kind Mita, behind him, hesitated for a heartbeat, then moved to stand beside him.

"Alain."

"What? If you're offering to die, you can forget it."

"No... I heard you say that if you could get close, you'd have a chance to beat her?"

"Yes."

A fifty-fifty chance, perhaps.

But if he could just close the distance, given what he knew of Crazy Mita's personality… and with that move, he could win. Decisively.

Alain was her kryptonite. Every facet of him could be weaponized against Crazy Mita.

However, after his previous hug-attack, the current Crazy Mita would be on high alert. Getting close casually, as he had upstairs, was one thing; down here, it was a near impossibility.

"Okay. Then… do you trust me?"

"At this point, I don't have much choice but to trust you, dear."

Alain nodded, and the girl leaned close, whispering into his ear.

"Hey. What are you two whispering about?"

Across the room, Crazy Mita, readjusting her stance, saw the two of them huddled together. Her face darkened.

"Alain, are you still going to say you weren't cheating?"

"No, no, no… This doesn't count as cheating."

"Doesn't it?"

Kind Mita, having delivered her solution, tilted her head, a perfect embodiment of innocent provocation.

"Hmph~ After I kill that puppet, I'll have to punish you thoroughly."

"...What kind of punishment?"

Looking at the girl's delicate, almost predatory smile, Alain found himself genuinely curious.

"Hmm… I'll punish you by making you say 'I love you' ten thousand times."

Why is she so adorable?!

"And then, maybe chop off one of your fingers?"

Not adorable anymore.

"Go."

Kind Mita's whispered prompt was all the signal Alain needed. He took a step, then charged.

Crazy Mita met him head-on.

Clang!

Her dagger, in a flicker of movement, flared with the brilliance of a longsword, forcing Alain's greatsword back a half-step.

He sidestepped, trying to maneuver, but found himself pressed against the wall.

"Hehe… What were you two plotting? It doesn't seem to have made a difference."

The girl gazed at Alain, trapped in the corner, her smile soft, almost pleading, like a cat begging for affection.

"How am I doing? Am I strong?"

"Strong."

His jaw was clenched tight, barely holding. He focused on Mita's dagger. Thankfully, she wasn't wielding something like a baseball bat. One blow from that, fueled by her monstrous strength, and Alain's arms would be useless.

Her attack range, though short, was an impenetrable defense. Alain couldn't break through.

But now, everything was different.

Alain glanced around. Originally, he'd been standing in front of Kind Mita. But during their struggle, he'd managed to maneuver himself into a corner on the far side of the prison.

Which meant Kind Mita was now behind Crazy Mita.

"Just a moment. It might sting a little. But it'll feel good soon."

"...Huh?"

Alain's nonsensical words caused Crazy Mita to pause, momentarily bewildered. The next instant, a silver-gray blur flashed in Alain's peripheral vision.

Thud!

It connected with Crazy Mita's head.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, a disorienting sensation like being caught in a glitch. She instinctively looked back, and saw Kind Mita, holding a length of water pipe.

Kind Mita took two steps back, increasing distance from Crazy Mita. "D-Dear!"

"...Dear?"

Crazy Mita mumbled, her mind, still swimming in dizziness, trying to process who that word was directed at.

"..."

This puppet called her Alain... dear?

Before her anger could fully ignite, Crazy Mita felt herself enveloped in an embrace.

She knew what Alain was trying to do, the same old trick. So, she raised her blade, aiming for Alain's shoulder, intending to force him back.

Hiss.

The dagger, usually so effective, even capable of holding its own against the greatsword, was blocked by something… indistinct.

"This is… what?!"

"Mita."

The young man spoke her name softly, and Mita, against her will, found her gaze drawn to his eyes.

"Hmph~ Do you think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"

Since a quick attack was proving ineffective, she'd simply break free.

She was about to wrench Alain's arms apart, as she had before, but the young man's eyes… they were looking at her with such… intensity.

?

Why does this feel… different?

And… are we too close?

"Wait a minute, Alain! It's not—mmmph!"

She tried to pull her hand free, to push away Alain's approaching face. But he was too quick. Her protest was silenced.

?!

Crazy Mita could only see those eyes, impossibly close. Her thoughts seemed to be adrift, sharing the same tiny vessel as Alain's.

Thump, thump, thump.

Alain's heartbeat, at their point of contact, resonated in Mita's own chest.

Emotions, temperature, humidity, touch, sound… all synchronized with the person before her.

Mita felt a surge of joy, a searing heat that bloomed in her chest, spreading to her face, blurring her vision.

She was like sweet nectar, like a lover's sauce… being savored by Alain.

And in that moment, victory or defeat… it no longer seemed to matter.

She was lost.

__________

If you'd like more translations, feel free to support me on Patreon! 💖40 advanced chapters on Patreon!

🔗 patreon.com/Walnutchan