Part 137: The Next Head V

Video: Farewell, Goat-kun

"What...?"



"Well, it's true that there are uncertain elements in a fight. Let us admit that your power level has a slight scaling factor to it."



Virgilia and the goat guffawed together.

"D-Damn it... If I've got a one-in-ten-thousand chance, that means the payoff will be ten thousand times greater, right? A splendid dark horse. Seeing a ticket like that makes me want to buy it right away..."
"Hohohohoh! But the coin to buy it is your life, and you've only one of those, yes? However, I can understand why you'd still want to entrust that miracle to fate."



"...Come to think of it, what's that *bing*bong*bing*bong* noise I keep hearing?"
"...V-Very well. I'll take that challenge... Whether it uses its left arm or not, I'm sure I'd be killed with a single strike. I also only have a single chance at a strike. I can only bet everything on that."
"That's absurd, Krauss-san...! I know you used to do boxing, but wasn't that as far back as your college days...? No, no, even if you were a pro boxer, there's no way you could defeat a monster like that with one strike...!"
"...That would be true if it were a match in the ring. But while Krauss nii-san's chance to bet on this hope is faint, it does exist. He's betting everything on that hope..."
"Y-You aren't saying... But there's no way that would work out..."
"...Krauss-sama..."
"W-Watch me... I'll settle this with a single strike..."



If the goat and Krauss both step in with all their strength to settle the fight with a single blow, their power will be double what is normal. Both will crash together, so it's a relative four times normal. Even if, on top of that, the strike lands on a weak point for a critical hit, that will only double the power again. In short, Krauss's maximum power level of 6 times 8 would be 48 at the most. He might or might not be able to win if he repeated that lucky shot a full 20 times. Hohhohohohoho, if you're killed every time you take a hit and your damage still accumulates, let's see, perhaps you might finally win when we get to Episode 24, yes?



...Hey, seriously, what is that *bing*bong* sound?

"Let me bet everything on a single strike... You have no reason to hold back either, goat-kun. Come at me seriously..."
"Hohohoho, he's requesting that you go all out. Smash him with a single serious strike... and turn him into chunks of meat."

As the goat got excited and beat its chest over and over, it took a position as though preparing for a sprint. Hohohohoh, is this what you wanted?



It rang again! What the heck?! It's really starting to get on my nerves!

"Here I go... Ready?"

The goat howled in response. Then, with a matched timing that only the men confronting each other could comprehend, the two leapt forward like bullets shot out of a gun. The men howled, collecting the strength from all over their bodies into one arm each.





















BGM: Dread of the Grave

Loser Flags - A B

"You can't handle that punch, dodge iiiiiiiiiit!!"

It happened the instant before the two crashed and their punches crossed.

"You fool, Virgilia. Looks like you failed to make a calm and rational decision."
"You mustn't take that punch!! Knock it aside!!"
"?!?!"

The very instant the goat's left straight and Krauss's right straight crossed...! The goat obeyed Virgilia's order with super-fast reflexes and pulled his straight back, repelling Krauss's punch!

"...Nng-"



"That was close, if you had taken that punch after tripping so many loser flags, imagine just how great a force it would have been amplified to...!! Come on, from there, smash the completely open right side of his face with a right straight!! What? That promise about fighting with only your left arm?"



"Gyaah, tripped another ooooooone!!"
"I'm disappointed, Virgilia. You really have lost your composure."
"What's that...?! How was I not composed by noticing it beforehand and making him avoid it...?!"
"Wh-Why is that, Kyrie-sama...? If they had crashed like that, wouldn't it have been Krauss's..."
"...Ah, I-I see... even with 20 loser flags, that's not enough!"

Krauss's and the goat's double rush made for times 4. With a miracle as an ally, the firm promise of a critical hit doubled it again for times 8. On top of that, there was an amplification of times 20, equal to the number of loser flags, making for x160.



"That's why I said you weren't composed. It's your blunder. If they had crashed like that, you would have won."
"H-Hohohohoh!! Even if that were so, it all comes to the same thing if this right straight smashes Krauss's head!! Die, Ushiromiya Krauss!!!"
"...Take this, the strongest strike of the boxing world."

After repelling Krauss's right straight, the goat's right straight attacked the right side of Krauss's face, which had been left open... But there, it crossed Krauss's left straight... The two punches crossed, and time stopped as each aimed for the face of the other...

"Ho, hohohoho. To think that it would be timed for a simultaneous strike! But his power level stops at x160, making it 960!! It doesn't reach up to my child's 1000...!"
"...No. Virgilia-san, it's your loss."
"Why?!"
"You made him repel the first cross-counter. Certainly, if another right straight after that were to hit, Krauss-san would probably be in pieces."
"...However, that was crossed... That's no good. Sorry, but this is a complete loss for you and this goat."



And if it's blocked and the right straight hits, then it's a double cross-counter, with 8 times the destructive power. This is also common knowledge in the boxing world. And if that is crossed... Then, by the principle of leverage, the triple cross would multiply the destructive power by 12! This is also painfully common knowledge in the boxing world!! It's even written in a Minmeishobou book!

"...Krauss-san's power level is 6."
"The rushing from both sides is times 4."
"Th-The critical hit is times 8."
"And times 160 for tripping too many loser flags."
"...And times 12 again for the triple cross-counter."
"...T-Times 1920..."



"...This result was brought about by Krauss-san's persistence in not giving up on victory until the end... and your pride. Without either, this strength would not exist... You fought well. You may now fall..."

Nanjo clapped the goat on the shoulder...



As the sparkling drops from the goat's eyes scattered, he bent backwards, and fell on Virgilia.

"Ugyu-!! Heavyyyyyyy, get off meeeeee!"

The goat's massive body was too heavy for the slender Virgilia. She wriggled around with it on top of her, but it didn't look like she'd be able to escape. In that instant, the barrier Virgilia had sealed broke.

"Don't take it personally. It was the principle of leverage that led to your defeat."
"...I wonder how the principle of leverage applied to that counter. It's an eternal mystery."
"Let's escape while we can...!! You take care too, goat-san...!"
"W-Well then, excuse us, Virgilia-sama!"
"...*bow*."
"Waaaaaaaaiiit!! Wait uup!! Get this off meeeeee!! Kiiii---!! Gapgapgapgap!!!"