Ch.304Academy Festival (9)

“The match!! We’re starting!!!”

The announcer shouted loudly.

“Beep beep beep… The end of the human era has arrived!”

Heichi, the humanoid android created by the Department of New Science, immediately assumed a boxing stance.

“Hmph. So it even has prepared lines?”

I smiled as I raised my sword. This might actually be a decent fight.

“Come at me.”

I smiled as I held up my sword.

“Beep beep… Arigiri Shota. Data collection already complete…”

Heichi’s eyes flickered.

“Technique… perfect copy complete.”

Immediately after, Heichi pulled out a practice rubber sword. But… his sword stance looked familiar. Yes, it was exactly my stance.

So he switched to my style for this combat.

“Hmph. I’ll personally judge how well you’ve copied me.”

I smiled as I raised my sword.

However, my relaxed smile quickly disappeared.

“…Kiryu Second.”

Heichi said that, then took his stance.

Hisssss-!!

Heichi’s legs began pumping, suddenly releasing steam. Simultaneously, his body turned red.

“What the… shit!!”

He’s copying that? Honestly, I was taken aback.

And it’s not Kiryu Second, it’s the Blazing Stance!! I wanted to nitpick, but there was no time for that.

Whoooosh-!!

Heichi closed the distance between us at an incredible speed.

Claaaaaang-!!

Sparks flew as Heichi’s sword collided with mine.

Craaaaaack-!!

My body was pushed far backward.

“Damn it…”

This wasn’t just copying my technique. Machines are naturally stronger and more durable than humans. In terms of physical specs, this Heichi was clearly my superior version.

Clang-! Clang-! Claaang-!

Heichi, with his body enhanced by the Blazing Stance, pressed me with tremendous speed.

This was far superior to how Tina had copied me on the Battle Ship. He had even replicated all my little habits.

“Aaaah!! Heichi!! He’s perfectly copying Arigiri Shota’s techniques!!!”

The announcer shouted.

“Hahaha!!! Heichi isn’t just a robot with a human appearance!! This guy is a masterpiece with artificial organs and even a respiratory system!!!”

Kisho shouted.

“Damn it! Then report it to the academic society right away!! Why are you wasting time here?!”

I yelled loudly. What a waste of talent!!

“That means, as long as he has a respiratory system, he can copy your special breathing technique!!!”

Kisho said.

I see. So that’s how he can copy this Blazing Stance thing. Plus, with artificial organs and artificial cells implemented, there was no reason he couldn’t use the Blazing Stance. It basically works by maintaining hyperventilation to rapidly supply oxygen and nutrients throughout the body to increase metabolism.

However, I had human pride!! I immediately dodged Heichi’s sword and launched a counter-attack.

Claaaaaang-!

But Heichi easily blocked it.

This… my attacks aren’t working. I realized that instantly.

I was a man who knew when to acknowledge reality—an acknowledgment man. This guy was clearly my superior version. Accepting that was the first step. I immediately headed for the corner of the arena.

Thud-!

Heading to the corner of the arena, I took a stance with my sword held tight against my body.

“No!!! Shota!! Is he giving up? He’s voluntarily gone to the corner!!”

The announcer shouted.

“No… that’s his best option.”

However, Kana seemed to understand my intention. As expected of Kana…

“I see… he’s deliberately going to the corner to reduce his target area.”

Sayaka seemed to understand as well.

“Hmm… interesting man. He plans to perfectly block all attacks.”

Fiora, the captain of the Fencing Club, stared at me intently while rolling her blonde hair. Like Madoka… why do all these blonde people always have rolled-up hair?

Anyway, my strategy was simple.

To perfectly block all attacks. With perfect timing, I could minimize my damage while breaking my opponent’s stance.

If my attacks were just going to be blocked anyway, I might as well focus 100% on defense and 0% on offense. Just keep my guard up, don’t give the enemy a turn, and focus solely on deflecting.

“Hehehe. Admitting defeat already? Is this the limit of humanity after all?”

Kisho laughed from behind.

“Well… fine. The star of the Battle Ship, Arigiri Shota, defeated by an android made by our Science Department. That’s achievement enough.”

Kisho’s eyes gleamed behind his glasses.

“Become prey for my achievement, Arigiri Shota!!!”

With those words, Heichi rushed toward me.

Claaang-!! Clang-! Clang-!! Claaaaaang-!!

Heichi’s consecutive attacks followed immediately. The barrage came at such incredible speed that my hands were kept busy.

However, focusing solely on defense made it manageable. I calmly deflected every attack with perfect timing.

My stance remained unbroken, but Heichi’s body was starting to stagger.

“Heichi!! Release all output!! Push through!!!”

Kisho shouted loudly from behind.

“Beep beep… full power release…”

Heichi’s speed began to increase.

Clang-! Clang-! Clang-!! Claaang-! Claaang-!!!

Heichi’s sword strikes became even faster.

But faster didn’t mean I couldn’t deflect them. Heichi was a machine. Increasing output meant he got faster by exactly that proportion. So I just had to increase my guard timing by the same amount.

And… the faster his attacks came, the more opportunities I had to deflect. With each perfect deflection, Heichi’s stance crumbled more quickly.

Claaaaaaang-!!

After the final deflection, Heichi’s stance rapidly collapsed.

“What…!! Get up!! Heichi!!”

Kisho looked panicked.

“Kisho. The cause of your defeat is simple. You’re an excellent scientist, but not an excellent warrior.”

I smiled as I closed the distance to Heichi.

If an opponent deliberately focuses only on defense while looking for an opportunity? A swordsman wouldn’t recklessly attack. They’d know there must be a scheme.

But… Kisho was too intoxicated with his machine’s performance to see that.

“My victoryyyy!!!!!!”

I immediately brought my rubber sword down toward Heichi’s head.

Whaaaaaaaam-!!!

The rubber sword cleanly struck Heichi’s head.

Thuddddd-!!

Heichi collapsed face-down on the ground.

Thump-!!

Heichi struggled, trying somehow to get up. But his head was oddly dented. As if I’d hit something important, Heichi couldn’t get up.

Whirrrr-!!

With that, Heichi fell silent.

“My victory, Kisho.”

I said.

But… winning itself wasn’t my goal. My objective was to rehabilitate Kisho, not to win. Something more… some event needed to happen here.

“Not yet… not yet!!! I can’t let our Science Department’s legacy… the former captain’s legacy fall like this!!”

Kisho, with a maniacal laugh, manipulated his terminal.

“Self-destruct… sequence activated…!”

With those obviously dangerous words, Heichi rose and approached me.

Click-!!

Heichi immediately restrained me and fixed himself in a mounting position.

“S-self-destruct?!! That’s dangerous!! Someone could get seriously hurt!!”

Hagenshtein shouted loudly, trying somehow to stop the fight.

“Hahaha!! I… must win!! I need achievements to… keep the Science Department alive!!”

Kisho shouted.

“Kisho!! Stop!!!”

Hagenshtein yelled.

Kana and the others were also trying to rush into the arena.

At that moment, my status window chimed.

‘Reincarnated Hero’s Persuasion activated!’

‘An atmosphere conducive to persuasion has been created!’

Yes. My characteristic related to the Art of Bullshitting seemed to be shining.

Click-!

Heichi, about to self-destruct, stopped.

“Heichi!! What are you doing?! Are you disobeying orders?!!”

Kisho shouted.

“I… enjoyed it…”

At that moment, Heichi turned his head with an awkward mechanical voice.

“The captain and… everyone… like children… tinkering with machines and laughing… always doing silly things… talking happily together… I enjoyed it…”

Heichi muttered.

“All together… happily talking… I liked it… don’t want to… hurt humans… all together… happily…”

Saying that, Heichi tore out the core containing the self-destruct function with his own strength.

Clunk-!

With that, Heichi shut down.

“Why… WHY!!!”

Kisho cried out, tears streaming down his face.

“I enjoyed those times too!! But!! Enjoyment doesn’t solve anything!!! That’s why… that’s why I became obsessed with achievements!!! What am I supposed to do?! Huh?!”

Kisho collapsed, crying.

Yes. The perfect environment for persuasion had been created.

“Oof.”

I got up.

And I pushed Hagenshtein’s back. Isn’t this the moment for Hagenshtein to step up?

Hagenshtein, with resolve, approached Kisho.

“I don’t have the answer either. But… people who don’t know the answer, together with Heichi… we can figure it out together.”

Hagenshtein said.

“Uhuhuhu… Senpai!!!”

Kisho and Hagenshtein immediately shared a passionate man-to-man embrace.

Hmph. It wrapped up in a youthful way. I smiled as I spoke.

Ding-!

At that moment, my status window vibrated.

‘Science Department Community Achievement Unlocked’

Ah… I was planning to tackle the Art Department first, but the Science Department was completed instead.

Ding-!

‘Art Department Community Unlocked! Lei Lifeng has developed a strong interest in you!’

Huh? The Art Department too? Originally, only one cultural club—either Science or Art—could be achieved. But… both opened simultaneously? That’s unusual.

‘Twist of Fate: Something impossible has occurred. This distortion can be converted into a strong memory to enhance your stats.’

And an unexpected bonus appeared on my status window.

In other words… this was a windfall.

Anyway, my advancement to the quarterfinals was confirmed.