Chapter 34

The veil... has been lifted?

"Come now. Let me show you the subtleties of martial arts."

A 50-meter radius field, known as the [Arena].

While it is sufficiently large for humans, it is not particularly spacious for the 6-meter-tall Kusanagi-type and Miki-type units.

This field is primarily used by military academy students to learn close combat techniques, but it is often avoided by military personnel who argue that "a battle would never start in such a state."

Indeed, the initial concept for the development of the earliest units in Japan was for unit-to-unit combat, so close combat techniques were not considered useless.

Moreover, it is not easy to conduct shooting training or coordination training with units, so in households without simulators, martial arts are often taught as basic skills.

As a result, it has become common to label students who cannot engage in close combat as "lazy."

Sazuki Watanabe, who topped the entrance exam, can perform close combat at a high level—albeit by student standards—due to this trend.

Incidentally, Kenjiro Kobata, who considers himself a commander and military politician, is also known to be poor at close combat.

Let's set aside what he is good at for now.

Among the students competing in their skills, Nana Tago, who is a top student, boasts such formidable strength that even Sazuki Watanabe, the top entrant, admits, "I might be able to match her in overall ability, but not in close combat."

Her appearance with a naginata alone is proof of her exceptional skills.

What about Keita? He has something like a Grav, but it's undeniable that he looks like an amateur.

"No, he's quite composed for an amateur, isn't he? Probably learned from a textbook or something. But the fact remains that he lacks overwhelming experience in human combat. He can't win against Nana."

The shorter the distance, the more the skill gap becomes apparent.

Given this, the difference between Keita and Nana is clear.

The remaining difference is between the Miki-type and Kusanagi-type units, but it is evident that the Kusanagi-type has the upper hand in close combat.

Of course, self-destructing and using incendiary grenades is prohibited in this scenario, so there is no mutual destruction.

"Nana wins, doesn't she?"

Shoko, who observed both from the outside, concluded as much.

It's not fun to see Keita, who has been losing consistently, lose again.

But it's also not fun to keep losing.

"Maybe I'll try the [Arena] next."

It feels a bit unfair to exploit a weakness, but in battle, it's all about targeting the opponent's weaknesses.

However, it's a complex matter to think that winning in close combat with a long-range sniper unit is something to boast about.

"Ah, no. Let's watch first. To show that the performance difference of the units is not the decisive factor."

Shoko shook her head and focused on the scene before her. In the end, her actions were correct.

---

[Scenario Start]

"Kicku!"

"Kyaa!"

[Scenario End]

---

Fifth match (first match for Nana Tago), concluded.

Time taken: 1.6 seconds.

Tago unit, heavily damaged.

Pilot, deceased.

---

"...What?"

"...Ah, I see. So this is what it looks like from the outside."

It was unexpected.

Shoko didn't think it would end so one-sidedly.

But perhaps it's a case of "a spectator sees the game better," as the result seems quite reasonable when viewed from the outside.

"Sho, Shoko!?"

"Yes. I understand. I get it."

The confusion Nana is feeling now is the same as what Shoko experienced just a moment ago.

Therefore, Shoko understands what Nana wants to say and what she wants to ask.

Shoko has no intention of teasing or provoking her confused classmates, nor does she have a taste for taunting.

"Shield Bash."

"Huh?"

"Exactly, Shield Bash. You were taken down by a Shield Bash."

"Um, that's, the thing where soldiers with shields do it, right?"

"Yes."

The battle cry was "Kicku" — or rather, "Kicku" — but the action was undoubtedly a Shield Bash.

(Misleading or trying to lure? Well, regardless of the battle cry, it makes sense when you think about it.)

The opponent is more than three times heavier — actually more than five times, but the latest information is not public — and has twice the number of legs, meaning four legs, giving it superior mobility and a shield that can withstand a 40mm machine gun.

Moreover, it can boost its mobility by releasing magic power.

Given these conditions, there is only one thing to do.

That's right. A charge.

Martial arts? What's that? A primitive and powerful strike.

The power of that strike is evident. The scene was like a traffic accident.

Nana's unit, hit directly, was crushed with a crunch, just like a small car hit head-on by a high-speed truck.

(Nana's unit didn't fly away because the other side was faster than the speed at which it would have been blown away. Anyway, it shows that a Kusanagi-type unit would be completely destroyed if it took the full impact of a collision with another unit. Another valuable piece of information. ...I don't know if it will be useful, though.)

Incidentally, Keita's unit is completely undamaged. There are no signs of the arm joint being destroyed by the impact, and the shield is still intact. He could probably continue fighting without any issues. It's frustrating how undamaged it is.

"Shield Bash? So the Grav was a bluff? Impressive!"

(You're showing your true colors. I understand your frustration, but I can't let you make a mistake.)

"No. He was holding the Grav with his other hand. He probably intended to sweep you off your feet after successfully dodging."

"...No room for mistakes, huh?"

To dodge, she would have to roll to the side.

But even if she dodged successfully, her stance would definitely be off balance.

If he took advantage of that, it would be over.

In the first place, there is no room for martial arts when facing a high-speed cavalry charge.

Well, maybe a master could do it, but Shoko certainly couldn't.

(Defense is impossible. Dodging is no good. Counterattacks don't work. There's nothing I can do. How can I deal with this? This is supposed to be close combat? Don't be ridiculous!)

Shoko, cursing inwardly, and Nana, who has probably reached the same conclusion and is desperately trying to think of a solution.

"Are you still going to fight?"

Keita, seemingly unaware of their thoughts, asked for the fifth time today.

"Y-You!"

"Calm down."

"...Shoko, but this is..."

When she was watching from the outside, Nana thought, "He's still willing to fight. That's great." But after actually losing, her perception changed. She mistakenly thought she was being provoked.

But Shoko knows better.

(He's not provoking us; he just wants the 100,000 credits.)

It's not provocation but expectation. Not for them to perform well, but for them to pay the money.

(It's frustrating, but we also don't think of our juniors as enemies when we guide them. Given the current gap, we have to accept his attitude.)

It's not that she doesn't have any thoughts about not being seen as an enemy.

But when she puts herself in his shoes, she can understand.

(It's because you think of it as a mock battle with a classmate. You should think of it as receiving guidance from an ace.)

What should they do in this situation?

Be angry at his attitude?

No. Keep challenging him.

"Nana."

"...What is it?"

"At the very least, do two more matches. One in the [Wide Battlefield] and one in the [Battlefield]. ...You know why, right?"

"...Yes."

One reason is that Shoko wants to see Keita's movements in the two locations.

The other is that she wants to see how Nana will move after observing her and Keita's battle.

Nana wasn't just watching Shoko get defeated.

She was simulating, thinking, "What would happen if I did this? How would Keita react if I moved like this?"

She didn't share this with Shoko because of the difference in their skills and the fear that Keita might get bored and say, "I'm done."

This might seem like overthinking, but given the lack of benefit from previous mock battles, it's a natural thought.

But unlike Nana, Shoko has a better grasp of Keita's character and isn't afraid.

"Keita. Next, one match in the [Wide Battlefield]. After that, one in the [Battlefield]. Then, two in the [Arena]. Can you do that?"

"Wh-What!?"

"No problem. I can do it."

It's not fun to be agreed to so easily, but this is where Shoko's main point begins.

Despite the veins on her forehead, she tries to keep her voice calm and explains her plan.

"...In the [Arena], Nana and I will fight you together. Is that okay?"

(How will he react?)

"Huh?"

The one who unexpectedly let out a surprised voice was not Keita, but Nana.

Ignoring Nana, Keita, thinking (I don't know if it's a good idea, but I'll do it if I can), decided to state his conditions.

"Hmm, hmm. If it's two-on-one, I'll charge each of you. Is that okay?"

"Wh-What!?"

(I'm impressed that he's not provoking us.)

Keita was more concerned about whether he would get 100,000 credits from each of them, not about fighting two-on-one.

From Nana's perspective, it feels like she's being looked down on. Shoko feels the same way. But the reality is different.

Keita just wants the money. If this is considered looking down, his record speaks for itself.

(We don't even have the right to be looked down on.)

"Of course, that's the plan. Nana, prepare accordingly."

While being aware of the gap between them, Shoko, who can still show a fair attitude towards her classmates—beautiful young girls in the eyes of others—agrees with a sigh.

"No, wait! Shoko!?"

Nana, who couldn't accept the decision made over her head, objected, despite understanding Shoko's frustration.

The mock battles in the [Wide Battlefield] and [Battlefield] are fine.

She wanted to test things she wanted to confirm.

If Keita allowed it, she would want to do two matches each like Shoko.

But what about the two matches in the [Arena]?

Of course, she can't win if they fight normally.

The gap is beyond the level of skill.

She understands that significant preparation or a handicap is needed to win.

But what kind of thinking is it to have a 2-on-1 handicap, especially in close combat, which Keita is poor at?

Is he telling her to toy with a non-warrior?

Nana, about to get angry, but Shoko isn't without thought.

"Nana, there is that much of a gap between us and him. No, even 2-on-1, we can't win. First, we need to acknowledge that."

"But that's—!"

"What we need is experience. Overwhelming, undeniable, complete defeat. Only by experiencing that can we eliminate the arrogance we have deep in our hearts."

"..."

Being from a military family.

Trained since childhood.

What good are these things in a battlefield filled with injustice?

Before the mock battle, Nana said, "Let me show you the subtleties of martial arts."

Before the mock battle, Shoko said, "Nana wins."

But what is the reality?

A battle? They aren't even on the same level.

What is this if not arrogance?

In the battlefield, the arrogant die first.

Isn't this common sense for warriors?

"Let's experience it. A defeat we can't explain away. Let's learn about injustice. That's what we need now."

"...That's right. Yes, that's right. As you say."

Originally, she didn't think she could win.

If that's the case, what else can she do but fight with all her might?

Pride? It's not needed in a mock battle.

Just fight desperately, without choosing means.

Isn't that the attitude of someone receiving guidance?

Thus, Shoko and Nana made their resolve.

To lose. To show the shame of losing 2-on-1 to a civilian.

Those who have made their resolve are strong.

"Haahaaaaa!"

"Aaaaaah!"

Even the war-hating Takafumi couldn't help but mutter, "That's not the kind of determination you'd expect from students," as the two, filled with such resolve, engaged in the mock battle.

The result was...

"Great victory. Make sure to pay up, okay?"

"..."

---

[Scenario End]

Shoko Takagai: 0 wins, 6 losses

[Wide Battlefield]: 2 losses

[Battlefield]: 2 losses

[Arena]: 2 losses

Nana Tago: 0 wins, 6 losses

[Wide Battlefield]: 1 loss

[Battlefield]: 2 losses

[Arena]: 3 losses

---

It was a complete defeat. A defeat so complete that Keita was completely undamaged, leaving no room for excuses.

...On this day, the two girls understood, not just intellectually but in their souls, that "the battlefield is not so forgiving that you can win with just determination and grit."

---

Many people misunderstood, but the battle cry Keita used was "Kicku," not "Kick," and the action he performed was a charge with a shield and blade.

In other words? A charge. Thank you.

Thank you for reading.