Part 136: The championship finals begin

He dramatically takes off his sunglasses, revealing the face of that bald spot guy I got in trouble with before - six hours later, to be exact. If I'm not mistaken, he called himself 4ºC or something like that.

""Heh. I am the black peacock of the RaiNetter realm who swooped down upon the street. My name's 4ºC (Shido). The number 4 and ºC as in Celsius. 4ºC. The leader of the Viral Attackers.

"Viral Attackers..."

Hm? Viral Attackers. I think I've heard that name somewhere before...



This troublesome man's picking a fight. He's a dangerous character who suddenly headbutted me just a while ago, and he seems to hate Faris a lot, too.

"Seriously, you disappoint me, Champion."








(The arrival timing of the emails is semi-random, which explains why I got this now. I love the mental image of Okabe having his big high-tension showdown with 4ºC, and then taking a break to text Mayuri about her grandmother without any explanation.)

"That white fur of the Siamese cat you pretend to be: With this duel today, I'll dye it jet black. Gaia has thus whispered. The black cat is the sign of disaster. My black radiance will outshine your shadow, bringing about RaiNet's new generation. Women are already slaves to the living Rock Mind that is myself."

Damn, this guy can talk. About what, I don't know, though. Faris seems to be thinking the same thing.

"Why is everyone in Faris's way nya? I need it quiet so I can concentrate nya!"

Saying that, she quickly tries to enter the hall. I grab her hand to detain her.

"Faris, I told you to wait!"

"Let go nya!"

"Please, listen to what I'm saying--"



"No, we don't need you, so don't look this way."

"The hell you say...! Don't you know I am the black nobleman of the RaiNet realm?!"

"Weren't you the black peacock of the RaiNet realm? You're contradicting yourself, you know."

"I am the black peacock nobleman. 'Cause black is the symbol of RaiNet."

The promotional posters all have a blue and white motif. At least, it doesn't look like black is the image color.

"What, so you just like to say black?"

"You dumbass. Before the final duel, I'm going to dye that pussy black."



But I'm the angry one. Mayuri's life hangs in the balance, so I don't want him to interfere.

Faris won't listen to me at all, either. I'm about to explode from all this frustration. How should I drive this guy away...

After a little consideration, I decide to face him as Hououin Kyouma.

"Do you know what'll happen if you touch me? Dry ice can burn skin--"

"That's not burning, but frostbite."

"Wha--?!"

"I'm telling you not to meddle with Faris! If you're gonna do poetry, write it on the back of a leaflet!"

I hear giggles from all around.

"Hehhehhehheh, they're laughing at you, you corrupt pussy's l'amant!"

What the hell is l'amant...

"But that's wrong. They're laughing at you, you balding peacock."



"Fear not, 4ºC (Yondo C), for I am the insane mad scientist, and time leaper. The man who gazes at everything, Hououin Kyouma!"

"It's not Yondo C, it's Shido!"

(Boring language tangent: 'yon' and 'shi' are two different ways to pronounce '4' in Japanese. 4ºC pronounces the 4 as 'shi', because it sounds the same as 'death' and therefore is sort of badass in a trying-too-hard kind of way. Yondo is a far less cool-sounding mispronunciation of Shido.)

(Now that I've talked the joke to death, we can continue in the total absence of comedic timing.)

"I won't forgive... I won't forgive any of you. You put on pitiful pretentious names and summoned my garden, the black HELL...!"



That's a little payback for headbutting me.





"Didn't I say so? That I came from the future?"

"Ah..."

"More importantly, please, Faris. I want you to take them. It's okay if you just take them."

"...b-but I can't believe that Faris loses nya."

"You're superior in terms of ability, but you heard him talk. They're obvious trolls. They will do anything it takes for them to win."

"If you says that much..."

Looks like my desperation paid off. Faris reluctantly accepts the two items I present to her. She doesn't take them out of the bag, though.

"I'm really just holding onto them nyan. Is that okay nya?"

"Yeah, they'll be absolutely necessary for the finals, so don't let go of them."







A certain kind of solemn atmosphere. The tension of the crowd peaks as its voltage reaches a climax.



"These two teams are about to clash! First is our queen, last tournament's defending champion! The 'Moe Maid In Cat'! Fariiiiiiiiiiis Nyaaaaaaaaaaannyaan!"



She courteously smiles and waves her hands to the audience. Her popularity is a perfect fit for a queen.

She's not wearing the sunglasses I gave her.

"Facing her, the dark horse appearing this year like a comet, the dark peacock! The ones who won their first matches despite troubles like no-show opponents, the Black Absolute Zero! The Viraaaaaaal Attackeeeeeeeers!"



I couldn't see them as anything other than trolls you'd find in Ikebukuro. I set within the excited audience, bewildered at the atmosphere. Sitting next to me, Daru taps my shoulder.

"Okarin, cheer for Faris too!"

"Yeah..."

Disregarding my anxiety, Daru stands up, stretches out his body, and waves his hands.

"Fariiis!"
"Faris! I love you!"
"Moe moe!"



"Everyone, I'm gonna give it my all today, so cheer me on, nyaan!"

Faris's voice resounds around the hall through the mic. It looks like they gave the winning RaiNetters mics so that the entire audience could hear what they have to say. The opponents, the Viral Attackers also have mics.

"Ehehehe. Service shot nyan♪"

Faris gives an impish smile as she poses like a gravure idol, turning to the audience.







The entire hall shakes in commotion. Faris's popularity is overwhelming.

"It's here! It's here! Faris! It's me! Marry me!"

I've completely lost Daru. I wonder if Faris will be alright. Though, based on that fanservice, it looks like she's fine. I call out to Daru once the cheering settles down.

"Hey, how come Faris is all alone yet there are two Viral Attackers?"

"Wait, Okarin, you don't know that?"

I'm not quite familiar with the rules to RaiNet Access Battlers. I had Daru teach me the rules before the finals started, but that was just the basics.



"There's an obvious advantage with two people, but it's so cool she won the winter championships despite that, isn't it? That's what's so mind-numbingly attractive about her."

"These Viral Attackers, what sort of team are they?"

"Ummm, I don't know all the details, but it seems they're a pretty aggressive team. But more than that, I hear suspicious rumors about them. They have a lot of followers. They don't mind using those followers to interfere with their opponents during duels. About half the teams they faced in the championship didn't finish. Not just that, it's also said that they frequently appear in Akiba and Ikebukuro to hunt down otaku. They're really hated among RaiNetters."

"Why haven't those guys been disqualified?"

"Well, that's 'cause there's no evidence. Since RaiNetters are mostly kids and otaku. When threatened by such dark guys, they get scared and say nothing."

The Viral Attackers, huh... Faris said she lost because of their interference, but if she has the sunglasses and earplugs I gave her, she should be able to win. If she wins, she said that she might remember the D-mail she sent. I'll be in trouble if Faris doesn't win. Mayuri's life depends on it.

Please, Faris!