WTtl

Ch163: Ema Yuzuru②

[Approaching the next battle…]

>Chika in the middle of combined sniper training. Using the radar to seek out targets.

Chika: (Towards 1 o'clock, 90m low.)

>With accuracy, Chika hits her target.

Narration:
Today's training: Radar Search Training
Following the radar directions, seek out and shoot targets.
If targets are not found using the radar then it does not count.
After landing one shot, move on to search for the next target.
Scores are based on how many targets are hit within the time limit.

>Natsume is 41/135 people

Natsume: “All right! Personal best!”
Touma: “Doing pretty well, huh?”
Natsume: “It’s all thanks to Yuzuru and Touma-senpai.”
		“But I still have a long way till making the top 15%.”
		“Those guys can become official agents after all.”
Yuzuru: “Even among those so-called official agents there are people who are absent from practise. There are also people who aren’t diligent, you know.”
Touma: “Why don’t they just promote the top five C-ranks or something?”
Natsume: “That sort of benchmark is too difficult.”
Oki: “Oh, a kitty.”

>Oki calls out to Chika who is walking with the cat in her arms.

Oki: “Good job today, kitty and Amatori-chan.”
Chika: “Thank you and you too.”
Touma: “Oh.”
		“If it isn’t Oki, the man from last match who missed at the critical moment.”
Oki: “Not at all, you’re mistaken, Touma-san.”
Touma: “Just how so?”
Oki: “Being an only child, I’ve always thought someone like Amatori-chan would be great to have as a little sister.”
Touma: “You just flinched when you both aimed at the same time, didn’t you?”
Oki: “No, that’s not it. I’m sayin’ it’s hard to shoot at a cute girl.”
Chika: “Huh, that’s-“

>At that point, Yuzuru shields Chika.

Natsume: “Oho.”
Yuzuru: “That’s enough, Oki-senpai. You’re making Amatori-san uncomfortable.”
Oki: “Oh? Somethin’ wrong, Yuzuru?”
Akane: “Oki-senpai, what about me?
Oki: “Yeah, Hiura-chan is also tough to shoot.”
Akane: “Yay!”

>And then, Yuzuru’s phone rings.

Yuzuru: “Ah, it’s Kage-san.”
		“It seems everyone is going to Kage-san’s place.”
Touma: “That sounds fun.”
		“Are Izuho and Chikako doing anything after this?”
Chika: “Reiji-san is coming to pick me up at 6pm…”
Natsume: “Until then we’re training with Hiura-senpai before going home.”
Akane: “Kitty cat!”
Touma: “All right then, see you guys.”
Chika: “See you in the next match, Yuzuru-kun.”
Yuzuru: “…Yeah, next match.”

[Okonomiyaki Kageura]

>Yuuma and co. have gathered at the okonomiyaki shop owned by Kageura’s parents.
>Besides Kageura and Murakami, there’s also Yuzuru whom they called along with Touma and Zoe-san.

(Flipping the okonomiyaki) Yuuma: “Hoh.”
Touma: “Hey, not bad.”
Zoe: “Good job.”

>Sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes are used as toppings.
-Fluttering-

Yuuma: “Wow, the bonito looks like it’s alive.”
(Cheeks stuffed with piping hot okonomiyaki) “D’licious”

>Everyone watches Yuuma warmly.

Kageura: “So? Delicious like I said, right?”
Yuuma: “Really good.” (huffing hot air)
Murakami: “Don’t burn yourself.”
Touma: “Still, what a surprise Kage.”
		“You’re pretty taken with Kuga aren’t you?”
Kageura: “Hah?”
Zoe: “Isn’t he? Even bringing him to the shop himself.”
		“Zoe-san is so happy Kage has more friends.”
Kageura: “Shut it!”
		“It’s because this guy is different from the others.”
		“When ordinary guys are going to attack, before that their “I’m going to attack” feelings end up pricking me”
		“because of my crappy side effect.”
		“But this guy doesn’t do that.”
		“He’s like a robot or a bug and I can’t read his emotions.”
Yuuma: “Bug?”
Kageura: “He’s able to attack while completely hiding his intentions.”
		“The only other one who can do that is that old man Azuma.”
		“That’s why it’s exciting to fight with him. That’s what I care about.”
Murakami: “I see. An uninhibited sword, huh.”
Yuuma: “Hm, I don’t really get it.”

>One by one, they all finish eating.

Kageura: “Oh, right. This is off topic, but hey, Kuga.”
		“It seems”
		“this guy likes your team’s little sniper.”
(Choking on his juice) Yuzuru: “!!?”
Yuuma: “That so? How ambitious.”
	“Someone earnestly pursuing Chika has to be a good guy.”
Zoe: “Yuzuru has a girlfriend…”
		“Zoe-san is so happy.”
Murakami: “You’re so happy you’re crying, Zoe.”
Kageura: “This isn’t a good thing.”
		“He has thoughts of losing the next match on purpose.”
Zoe: “You mean you’re going to just let Amatori-chan win?”
		“Yuzuru.”
Yuzuru: “…”
		“…I mean”
		“it’s not like our team is aiming for the expedition team.”
		“So wouldn’t it be fine to yield the expedition spot to the squads who want the to join?”
(*Yuzuru specifically uses the verb 譲る (to assign/hand over/surrender) which, surprise surprise, is pronounced “yuzuru”.)
Zoe: “That’s why you were thinking of losing…”
Murakami: “…”
Yuuma: “Ah, if it’s about that then we’re fine. Don’t worry.”
		“Chika was already chosen for the expedition.”
Yuzuru: “Huh…?”
Touma: “What do you mean?”
Yuuma: “Since she has a lot of trion, with Chika there the expedition ship increases in size.”
		“Kido-san asked us to lend them Chika so that this way a lot of the lower ranks can also join.”
Zoe: “Speaking of…”
		“The other day we got a notice that some people among the B-ranks would be chosen as expedition members.”
Touma: “The expedition ship is pretty cramped.”
		“So with Chikako’s trion we can expand it, huh.”
Kageura: “Then there’s no problem.”
		“Since she’s already been chosen to go, don’t keep feeling like you should lose.”
Yuzuru: “Amatori-san was the only one chosen to go though, right?”
		“Going alone without her squad is a huge cause for concern, isn’t it?”
Yuuma: “Hm?”
Murakami: “He has a point.”
Kageura: “Aah, we say one thing, he has to say another, you little~”

>Kageura ruffles Yuzuru’s hair.
>Arafune and Hokari enter the store.

Arafune: “Oh? What’s this?”
		“Some kind of meet-up?”

[B-rank Arafune Squad Captain]
[Sniper]
[Arafune Tetsuji (18)]

[Arafune Squad Sniper]
[Hokari Atsushi (18)]

Murakami: “Arafune, Hokari.”
Yuuma: “Arafune-san.”

Arafune: “…I see.”
		“I more or less understand.”
		“However, I don’t see an issue.”
		“If Ema individually aims to be an expedition member, then he can go alongside Tamakoma’s Chibi-chan and everything’s solved.”
Yuzuru: “…! Me, an expedition member…!?”
Arafune: “That way there’s no need for you to lose on purpose. It also won’t come down to Tamakoma’s Chibi-chan going alone.”
Murakami: “That’s a simple way to put it.”
Yuuma: “I get it now.”
Arafune: “If you’re worried about Chibi-chan, you yourself should go and protect her yourself.”
Ema: “I should…”
Yuuma: “Well, whether you choose to do it or not, we’ll be fine either way.”
		“In the end, we at Tamakoma are going to win against you.”

>Those words catch Yuzuru by surprise.

[Fearless!!]

[Next time, right before the rank war everyone’s prides collide!!]