Chapter 3

……

Whoa—?! Hang on, you’re not even gonna respond, just come at me with a front kick…?!

I–I feel like if I hadn’t dodged it, my head would’ve been knocked clean off… You’re really serious, Taishou. Ngh, I just barely managed to dodge, but I totally landed on my butt.

Hmph. All of you talk way too much shit… A real man keeps his mouth shut and talks with his fists, so quit your yappin’ already.

But you did a damn good job dodgin’ that, Tetsu. It’s ‘cause you were aware of what’s happening on this battlefield and kept on your guard.

Looks like you’re not all talk, after all… Nah, actually, I wanna see you prove that to me.

If you pull it off, I’ll even pat your head ♪

Ohhhhh, come on! Can’t you stop treating me like a kid for once in your life…!

Haha, your tsukis, kicks, footwork, all just like how you were taught…

You’re not gonna land a hit on me like that, ‘cause I’m the one who taught you all those katas. I know your every move like the back of my hand.

How ‘bout you try using your head? Wise up, or you’re gonna end up like me.

I want to be like you! I’ve always…!

“W–wait a sec, there’s a system to how this works y’know! Don’t just ignore it and start fighting~? What the heck, even if this isn’t official, you guys are way too wild and free here!”

Haha ♪ It’s pretty fun watchin’ it all go down from the sidelines!

C’mon, get him! Show him who’s boss! That’s what this time in our lives is all about! Gyahahahaha ☆

“Quit heckling them, Oogami-senpai! Umm well, it’s already gotten pretty off course, but I guess we can say it’s Kiryu-senpai’s turn now~?!”

“Tetsu-kun! While Kiryu-senpai is performing his song, you’re allowed to use violence!”

“You’ll win with a KO if you disable your opponent or knock him out of bounds. And you’ll win with a TKO if he goes down for a full count to ten!”¹

“If you can’t take him down, it’ll be left up to a normal vote!”

“Well, the only one who can vote is Anzu-san, but—Man, this whole thing was barely put together from beginning to end!”

“Like, isn’t the Dragon King Competition supposed to be a one-on-one battle~?”

“If it’s supposed to be a showdown between Oogami-senpai and Kiryu-senpai, then what’s Tetsu-kun doing up on that stage, seriously?!”

Fine by me, I’ll take on anyone who challenges me.

Don’t call it quits after just one round, Oogami. I’ll keep going ‘til my strength gives out. So rest up, then get back up here.

If I’m bein’ honest, you were right. I was gonna lose to you on purpose and hand over the title of “Yumenosaki’s strongest” to you.

And then, next year… Tetsu would fight to reclaim the title I passed down to you.

It was s’posed to be my last gift to him, so he’d have a goal in mind.

That’s what this Dragon King Competition was for. But I guess I’m not as great at tellin’ stories as Hasumi, huh.

But none of ya ever listen to me, and I don’t gotta butt in on your lives either. You just grow up all on your own…

I should stop tryna do stuff I suck at. Hasumi does that a lot too.

But whatever, I don’t need to dangle some goal out for you. You’re not some baby who can’t even open his eyes yet, Tetsu…

You can find all that out on your own, right?

You can decide for yourself what you want to grasp in your hands.

Morisawa said somethin’ ‘bout you takin’ up the responsibility for Ryuseitai’s future too… I shouldn’t be weighin’ you down with some unnecessary burden ‘til you can’t move.

I was just tryna protect you, I was just tryna dress you up and show you off… But it’s pretty overprotective of me to force you into all those pretty clothes. I get it, Tetsu.

Haha, turns out I’m just like some helicopter parent. Well, I better get over myself—You said it yourself: You’re not a baby. You’re a grown-ass man.

It’d be rude of me to go easy on ya. So let’s face each other head-on, right?

Whether I get kicked off the throne or you guys can’t keep movin’ and give up, this is the end.

I’ve made up my mind—I’m goin’ all-in ♪

“Wow~ Kiryu-senpai’s all fired up!”

“All righty, then let’s go with that~! It’s annoying to keep up with you guys all the time, so let’s put an end to this ASAP, okay?!”

Ahaha, I’ll give it my all—That’s all I’m good for, right?

Ossu! I’ll show you my burning, mud-stained fighting spirit, Taishou…!

Right. Show me every single treasure you got this year, with your eyes shining bright like always.

That’s the sight I’ve spent every day looking forward to.

Tetsu. Clumsy, awkward Tetsu. You were covered head to toe in mud from all the times you fell down, but your eyes never, ever stopped sparkling.

Even when I was worn down, I could still catch that light… And ‘cause of that, I feel like I was able to shine just a li’l bit this past year.

I’m glad I was able to live with a sense of pride.

You’re my sun, Tetsu. No… You’re gonna become something even greater than that—

A man so big you can grasp the sun in the palm of your hand.

And then, I know I’ll be able to see you no matter how far you go.

Ossu! There are always flames raging under the black lava! Bright red flames, the same color as you, Taishou!

And when the volcano erupts, it’ll unleash scorching hot magma that’ll reach up into the heavens!

If you catch sight of it, then go ahead and call out! Like “Hey! Full of energy again today, huh Tetsu!”

Just like you always have up to now!

Taishou! I love you so much! Thank you for giving me this year with you…!