Chapter 56

We won...... I'm the only one left standing on this vast field.

The sky gleams gold, the letters "∞VICTORY∞" floating in the heavens. A storm of flower petals whirls through the air.

"Haaaaaaahhh!!"

I collapse to my knees.

(It's been so long...... This feeling, the feeling of shooting down a formidable foe......!)

My hands are still trembling.

Drool drips from the corner of my mouth.

My face relaxes as if it's melting.

Electric current races from my head to my toes. I feel like I'm going to pass out from the sheer pleasure.

"It feeeeeeels so gooooood!!"

At the very least, I've never experienced this in any previous game. GunFight had brutal bosses and unfair dungeons, but none of them were as difficult as this, to the point that all others pale in comparison.

Tsubasa-san, you were just that good a target......!

"Ah......"

Before I knew it, the scenery had changed.

I'm inside a capsule bed—probably in the operator room. I open the capsule and stand up.

"Everyone, we somehow managed to—"

A soft sensation envelops my entire body.

Sheena-san, Niko-san, and Chacha-san all hug me at once.

"Wh-wh-wh-wha—!? Wh-wh-wh-wh-what's going on!?"

"Well done, Shiki-san. This is the first time Crimson Wings has ever lost in a game we entered!"

"I'm so moved, Shiki-ccho! That last battle! Man, that was a rare and brilliant match in recent years, I swear!!"

"Since when were you planning that strategy!? You didn't tell me a thing! My heart nearly burst out of my chest! Well, whatever, doesn't matter! We beat Crimson Wings, who were said to be A-rank level! Amazing, seriously!!"

Right.

In a team fight, when you lose, the frustration multiplies by the number of members. With four people, you end up carrying four times the regret.

But the joy of victory...... that also becomes four times greater.......

(I really am glad we won......)

Just as I try to hug them back, a chime goes "ping-pong!" Hearing it, everyone steps away from me.

"Hm? What's that sound?"

"It's the bell announcing a visitor, y'know~. Who could it be?"

"I'll get it."

Sheena-san opens the door. Standing there is—

"Hey there, Marshmallow Smile folks. That was a total defeat for us," says Kurenai-san, with Tsubasa-san and Len-san behind her. Tsubasa-san looks...... kinda sulky.

"I wanted to meet you! Leather-jacket sniper!"

"Whoa!"

Len-san comes up and puts a hand on my shoulder.

I already thought so from the footage, but he's a really small guy.

"Where did you hone your sniping skills!? Do you have a mentor!? What brand of scope do you use!!"

"Uh, um......"

"For now, let's swap friend codes!"

I obediently exchange friend codes with him.

"If I get any good intel on rifles, I'll share it with you. Snipers ought to get along, right!"

"Y-yes. Please do......"

Len-san flashes a big grin. He's the super-social type.......

Meanwhile, Kurenai-san is talking with Niko-san.

"That hidden trick really got me. I lost fair and square."

"I only surpassed you at the very end. In terms of basic combat skills, I'm the one who lost. I keenly felt my own lack of ability."

"We're still rivals, but how about we duel every now and then to sharpen each other?"

"I'm in! There's a lot I can learn from you. Seriously."

The two of them also exchange friend codes.

And then—

"......"

"......"

Sheena-san and Tsubasa-san keep staring at each other in silence.

After thirty seconds of awkward quiet, Tsubasa-san finally speaks.

"I haven't lost to Sheena-chan."

"That's right. In terms of team battles we've lost more, and in individual fights we never actually got to finish."

"......Couldn't you at least act a little triumphant?"

"I've already shared my victory with my comrades. That's enough for me."

"Kids these days act all enlightened. So annoying."

"You still seem to dislike me as much as ever."

It's getting tense.

(Sh-should I say it...... the thing I noticed? I should tell them, right? If I do, maybe they'll get along better?)

I've picked up on a certain emotion from Tsubasa-san.

No, I can't be certain...... but I think it's worth saying. Okay, go for it, me!

"U-um!"

Both Sheena-san and Tsubasa-san turn to me with puzzled looks.

"I—I don't think Tsubasa-san hates Sheena-san!"

"Eh, wait, Shiki-chan. What are you saying—"

"I—I heard! Tsubasa-san said she isn't obsessed with being an idol in her current team!"

Back on the Gold Planet, Tsubasa-san did say, "Right now I'm not aiming to turn the team into idols."

"B-but when she was on the same team as Sheena-san, she wanted to make the unit into an idol group...... which means, um, Tsubasa-san isn't angry at you for not recommending her as leader, but because you wouldn't do idol work together...... I think."

I'm not just guessing. I have evidence.

"Uhhh, Shiki-ccho, maybe you should drop this topic—"

"I—I analyzed Tsubasa-san's personality by reading her interviews. About four months ago, a reporter asked her, 'If you could form a unit with anyone, who would you choose?' and she answered, 'There's this cheeky middle-schooler who isn't even an entertainer, but I'd like to team up with her.'"

Both Tsubasa-san and Sheena-san gasp in unison. I keep going.

"I'm pretty sure she meant you, Sheena-san. Tsubasa-san doesn't hate you at all—she actually loves you so much she wants to be idols together, but she can't be honest and ends up acting harsh...... Deep down she definitely loves you! Once you see it that way, everything she's said and done makes sense. So the two of you should be able to get along better!!"

Yes! I said everything I wanted!

Tsubasa-san likes Sheena-san. Sheena-san properly respects Tsubasa-san and doesn't seem to hold any ill will. Once the misunderstanding is cleared up, they should become friends. This has got to be a brilliant play on my part, right!?

"—Huh?"

This is weird. The air has frozen.

Both Tsubasa-san and Sheena-san are bright red. Tsubasa-san especially looks totally flustered.

Len-san pats my shoulder.

"Yer like that, huh. You can read people's hearts, but...... you can't read the room!"

"I'll be blunt. You're gonna hurt someone."

"You're just being tactless."

"Even a tactless Shiki-ccho is loved by Chacha-san!"

Eh? Eh!? What is happening? Did I screw up......?

"Th-that's impossible!!!" Tsubasa-san roars.

"Y-you're an idiot, Shiki-chan! Interviews are just live improv, and there's no way Tsubasa likes—likes Sheena-chan!! She's gloomy, flat-chested, and socially awkward!!!"

Sheena-san's face turns from red to white.

"I'll accept gloomy and socially awkward. But insulting my physical traits is unforgivable. Besides, my real body might not even have a small chest."

"I can tell by your voice! It's a super flat-chest voice!!"

"What kind of voice is that!?"

"So what, you're saying you're busty in real life?"

"Well...... I think they're a bit bigger."

"'A bit' isn't much. Just admit it. Tsubasa's real breasts are huge, okay! They're even bigger in real life!"

Tsubasa-san jiggles her chest. Sheena-san glares at them with narrowed eyes.

(Whaaa!? This is nothing like what I imagined would happen!!)

"What does breast size have to do with anything? Not everyone prefers large breasts. Th-there are certainly people who like chests like mine......"

"I think more people like the big ones, though? Hey, Shiki-chan, you prefer bigger ones too, right?"

Y-you're throwing this to me here!?

I have no idea what the right answer is. At the very least, I'll answer honestly from the heart.

"W-well... if I had to choose... I do prefer the bigger ones, I guess......"

"Shiki-san......"

"See! That means big boobs are superior!"

"What a ridiculous argument. As I thought, we'll never understand each other......"

Huh? Huhhh!? The tension's getting worse!?

Wh-why did it turn out like this......? I just wanted them to get along.

"If you have no business here, then leave. You're an eyesore."

"You don't have to tell me. C'mon! You two, too!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Our leader just ain't honest, huh."

The three members of Crimson Wings leave the room.

And just like that, the room falls silent again.

"......Let's save the match review for another time. For today, let's call it a day. I'm exhausted."

Sheena-san looks completely drained.

M-maybe I did something bad......

"Yeah. I dropped out early so I'm fine, but you stuck it out till the end, Shiki. You must be really worn out, right?"

"Yes...... I'm a little tired."

"Get some good rest today, okay? Shiki-ccho!"

"Y-yes. Well then, thank you all for everything up to now!"

I bow deeply. When I raise my head, the three of them are looking at me with question marks over their heads.

"U-uh, this Rank Match I fought alongside you all—I'll never forget it. Even after I l-e-a-v-e the t-e-a-m, I want to use this experience to keep improving."

"Wait, what?"

I bow deeply again.

"W-w-wait a second! Huh, you're leaving the team?"

"Yes. I got to settle things with Crimson Wings, and I fulfilled my contract with Sheena-san during the last Rank Match."

When we lost the previous match, I asked, "Can we fight together just one more time?" That one time is already over.

"True, you never said we'd form a team permanently......"

Sheena-san looks like she's come to terms with it.

"Um, well...... the Rank Match was really fun. I haven't felt this fired up in a long time. I'm glad you invited me...... I, uh...... I want to do more Rank Matches."

The expressions on their faces turn puzzled again.

"Then why are you leaving?"

"Th-that's...... um...... after spending time with Sheena-san, Niko-san, and Chacha-san...... I guess I, uh......"

I scratch my cheek, take a deep breath, open my eyes wide, and declare:

"I've started wanting to shoot down Marshmallow Smile too. I want to fight you all."

Three seconds of silence. Then—

"I see. That makes sense."

Niko-san flicks my forehead with her finger.

"To be honest, I've been wanting to fight you too."

"Losing Shiki-san is a big loss, but gaining the chance to fight you is also a big gain."

"Shiki-ccho totally has a battle junkie streak, huh~. Maybe that's what makes you so strong."

I want to take on Niko-san's four-sword style, Sheena-san's railgun and Rikka. And they've got Chacha-san, an excellent supporter. No doubt about it—they're formidable foes. If I can defeat them, I know I'll feel that same thrill I felt today.

"So that means you're going to build your own team from scratch, Shiki-ccho?"

"Y-yes. Someday...... that's the plan."

Building a team, huh. Assembling a squad that suits me sounds fun. But it takes a lot of social skills to form a team.

Can I do it? No—I will. I know this much: there's no point in always running away from things I'm bad at. If I'd kept doing that, I never would've experienced today. I'll build it. My ultimate team...... with my own hands.

W-well. Not right away, of course. Slowly, at my own pace, someday......

"For now, at least......"

I say with a smile.

"I think I'll go back to solo for a while."

The C-rank Rank Match arc—concluded.

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