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This somehow became a pretty big deal ... saying things like pacifying the entire continent!
When I pinch my cheeks, I know that it will hurt.
...I've tried it many times, after all.
Kazuto: Ryuubi, Kan'u, Chouhi...
These are probably names that most people have heard before.
Though I doubt there are many who have met them.
That's what people call a fantasy.
Kazuto: Standing alongside the heroes of ancient China and fighting together to quell the country by our own hands, huh?
I pinch my cheek one more time. Yep, it hurts.
Kazuto: Aaaaaaaah.
How many times have I groaned like that? I cross my arms as I walk and Touka, Aisha, and Rinrin's faces come to mind.
Three people with three personalities very different from how I imagined them and all of them are beautiful girls.
Touka is bright and cheerful with a healing presence, Aisha is an impressive cool girl with glossy black hair.
Rinrin is...
Haaah, Taaah! Yaa, Ya, Yah! Ha!!
Rinrin is the most different of the three girls, there's quite a gap between her and the Cho Yokutoku I imagined.
Swinging around a halberd taller than herself, her movements are very coordinated.
...Speaking of control.
Light reflected brightly off the sharp tip of the halberd she was wielding.
Like her fighting spirit is riding on the blade, perhaps? When she increases the pace at which she swings I can't even follow it with my eyes.
Ta, tah, ya, ha!
Watching the light that trails from her halberd when she cuts through the air is like watching a daytime shooting star.
Haaaaaaaaaaaa!
I take back what I said about her being not what I imagined.
Her elegant and powerful body does not shame the name of the continent's great general.
I started admiring her. I like martial arts, even if I am a complete amateur.
Haaaaaaaaaaa! Ha! Ha, Hah!
When I imagine myself standing in front of Rinrin, I get goose bumps.
The way she raises her elbow, the way she advances her step, there is no opening in any of her movments.
And the way she steps and pierces like the thunder.
Her skills must have been polished by swinging that halberd thousands... tens of thousands of times.
Rinrin's training was already beginning to look like a dance.
Kazuto: Awesome...
Haaaah!
Tah, ya, ta!
A sharpness and beauty that looked like a trained swordsmanship.
Kazuto: Rinrin..... Cho Yokutoku......
I muttered the name of the general that would eventually echo all across the continent.
My chest felt both uplifted and reverent...
Nyaaaah!
She tripped.
Nyah, who's over there!
Kazuto: It is me!
I lifted both of my hands and politely asserted myself.
...Ah, Onii-chan. I see!
What are you doing? Taking a walk? If you're bored, come play with Rinrin.
The fierce tiger turned into a cat in no time at all. Rinrin casually threw her halberd aside and skipped up to me, drawing her face close to me.
Kazuto: You shouldn't toss your weapon aside like that...
Huh?
Kazuto: It's like they say, "weapon is the soul of a soldier".
Weapon is just a weapon.
She looks up at me and adorably tilts her head.
It makes no difference if it's a halberd or a sword or a kitchen knife. The one fighting on the battlefield is Rinrin, and the one who hurts people is Rinrin.
Kazuto: That's quite a dangerous thing to say...
But... it's true, isn't it.
Huh?
Even if she is small and cute, Rinrin is a soldier.
Kazuto: It's nothing. You're pretty great, Rinrin
Somehow I ended up getting praised.
I convince myself while strongly patting her head.
This is the kind of world I got thrown into.
Onii-chan, are you trembling?
Kazuto: It's from excitement!
I decide to leave it at that. I bend down and lift the confused-looking Rinrin with my arms.
Nyaaaa.
Kazuto: So high, sooooooo high! (Kazuto, I wanted to not comment here, but... wtf?)
When I squeeze my voice from my stomache, strangely my heart feels refreshed.
Nyahahahaha, do that again! Once more! (Oh, right, after all the Gi, I was kinda expecting something bad)
Kazuto: So high, sooo high!
Nyaaaaaaaaaah!
But, at times like this... Rinrin's just a completely normal child.
Phew... so, what were we doing?
She was even having so much fun that she forgot.
Kazuto: Weren't you training?
Hang on. Rinrin was moving around that much and she isn't even sweating. Her tight skin isn't even flushed and I can smell the sunlight from her hair.
In the end, she's still pretty fearsome.
Oh no! Rinrin was in the middle of training.
Kazuto: But you were the one that...
Playing comes later. Sorry, Onii-chan! I can't spare the time.
She hops down from my body and blows me off with a mature remark
Kazuto: Sorry, sorry. I guess I was a nuisance.
You weren't really, it's just that Rinrin's in the middle of training and can't play with you.
Kazuto: You're sure doing your best.
I'm giving it my all!
Clenching her fists, she was already raising the halberd she just threw away.
Aisha always calls it "role division." Rinrin doesn't understand complicated stuff, so she leaves the complicated stuff to Onee-chan and Onii-chan.
With that, she sends me a sort of "go ahead" gesture.
In exchange, leave the fighting to Rinrin!
I think this voice can reach all the way to the sky.
Rinrin will be useful with a halberd! No matter what kind of enemies come, Rinrin will protect Onii-chan and Onee-chan, so don't worry!
Kazuto: Haha, you're pretty reliable, but... Are you not going to protect Aisha?
Aisha is second strongest after Rinrin, so she can protect herself.
Kazuto: Ahahahahaha!
But if she's in trouble I'll help her.
Kazuto: You're nice, Rinrin.
I got praised again.
No matter how strong Rinrin is, I don't have to be afraid of her.
After all, Rinrin is such a kind person.
Kazuto: Youfre amazing, Rinrin. Even though you're so small, you properly understand your role.
I'm not small!
Kazuto: Whoops, sorry, sorry. I'm not making fun of you. Okay?
I poke at her puffed up cheeks.
You shouldn't play with someone's cheeks. Rinrin will pay you back for it.
Kazuto: Ah, that tickles!
Nyahahahaha, poke poke
Since she started having fun so quickly again I started wanting to call her a kid.
Oh, no. I told you the Rinrin was in the middle of training!
Kazuto: Whoops, that's right... sorry. Rinrin was so cute that I couldn't help myself.
Rinrin is cute?
Kazuto: Yep.
Nyaha. This is the first time Rinrin's been called cute by someone other than Onee-chan.
Kazuto: Really? In that case, cute, cute, tickle tickle.
Nyaaa.
I grab her strongly. After that I unleash a tickle attack on her cheeks. Rinrin ducks her head ticklishly
Nyahahaha, stop that.
Hmmmm, Rinrin's cheek is super soft.
Come on, Rinrin keeps saying she's in the middle of training!
That's right.
If you're that bored, want to train with Rinrin?
Kazuto: Eh!? That's a little... I feel there is too much of a gap in ability
Nyahaha, Rinrin's the strongest on the continent, so there's a gap for everyone she fights. Don't worry about it, it's perfectly fine.
This confidence is refreshing... My cheeks naturally loosen up.
Rinrin was trained with the intention of helping everyone out.
Kazuto: There's a gap in strength, but on the other hand, I do feel safe... Alright, in that case I'll take you up on that.
That's the spirit!
Kazuto: However, make sure you hold back on me.
Sure!
She nodded strongly back at me.
Kazuto: Alright...
Hang on... My weapon is a short sword that I got from Aisha. Rinrin's got a 2 meter long snake spear.
My arms are itching.
Kazuto: You do understand, right!? It's practice, not an actual fight! You're supposed to be training me, like preparing me or teaching me useful techniques.
If we fight, you'll pick that stuff up naturally.
Kazuto: Before we fight!
.......?
This feeling in my heart... it's saying I might have misjudged.
For example, "If you get into a real fight, you should do this." That kind of advice.
When you're fighting enemies?
Kazuto: Right! I want to hear stories like "Rinrin got through the battle doing this!" Yeah, I want to hear stories.
My subtle(?) guidance seems to have worked. Rinrin hummed thoughtfully and tilted her head.
Kazuto: Go right ahead. I'm counting on you, teacher.
Teacher? Nyahahaha, leave it to me! Teacher will tell you all about it.
Alright, I won.
Hmm, so, when you are fighting enemies... Ah, that's right. First, you can't lose in terms of fighting spirit.
Kazuto: Ooh, good tip.
Rinrin's the enemy now, ok? When you face off with an enemy like this...
Worried she might say something like "Beat 'em in one shot!" and suddenly stab me or something, I cautiously take my stance.
........Muuu.
...Um? She's glaring at me pretty intensely.
What are you doing!? I told you not to lose in fighting spirit. If you're getting glared at, glare back at them.
Kazuto: Glare back?
Exactly! Give them a great glare. Make them think "wow, he's super scary, there's no way I can win."
Kazuto: Even if you say that..... uh, something like this?
More!
Kazuto: Muuuuuuuuu.
That's not scary at all! Like this!
Kazuto: Rinrin isn't being very scary either...
Did you say something!?
Kazuto: Just talking to myself! And you were kind of scary just now.
Do it just like Rinrin! Right now!
If you keep staring at each other on the battle field, I feel like you would just get stabbed from behind... Is this just about getting the right attitude?
If you keep staring at your opponent, they start to look weaker.
Kazuto: ...Really?
And the opponent starts thinking that Rinrin looks really strong.
I respond with a supportive, "huh".
Did you start feeling like you won't lose? Think you can win?
Kazuto: ...Probably.
If you do, then you will beat them.
Kazuto: I'm going to beat them!?
If you don't beat them then the fight will never end.
Kazuto: ........?
........?
We looked at each other with confused faces.
If you can at least do this, then you can win most fights.
It seems like Rinrin is being serious.
Kazuto: So you were saying you could decide a fight with feelings alone. I see, that's pretty informative. Ahaha
These are definitely the words of a genius. There's a limit to what a normal person can understand.
If you get it, then let's put it into practice right away.
Kazuto: When you say "put it into practice"...
With Rinrin! Come on, try doing it like Rinrin taught you.
Like she taught me...
Kazuto: Y... you mean this? Staaaare.
Yeah yeah! Think, "I'm going to win this!" be like that...Hiya!
Kazuto: Uwaaaaah!?
Ah, you can't pull your hips back like that! Even when you get attacked you have to keep your determination!
Kazuto: I get it, I get it, but...
Kazuto: Eeeeeeeek!
This isn't running away practice!
In the end, it really did turn out like this.
You can't just keep running away!
She was spinning her halberd like a helicopter blade. Her attack range is enormous.
Kazuto: At the very least... Aaah! Tell me how to deal with an opponent with a longer weapon than me!
Rinrin hasn't really fought with any opponents who use longer weapons than her.
I bet not, but still!
Oh! Avoiding it then leaping at your opponents chest. That's a perfect plan.
Kazuto: I understand the logic, but I need more tips or something!
Urya urya! Come on, leap at me.
Kazuto: I can't even get close! At the very least slow your thrust speed down to a tenth of that!!
Nyahaha, that's where fighting spirit comes in. The "let's do this! kind of feeling. See?
Kazuto: Geez, this isn't on the level of a staring contest!
Nyahahaha.
Rinrin was obviously starting to enjoy this. Not that noticing that matters at all.
I feel like I'm a mouse being toyed with by a cat.
Urya, Yaa, Taa!
Kazuto: Eeeeeeeeek!
After that... Rinrin's public humiliation continued for about one more hour before Aisha and Touka noticed the commotion and came out.