Chapter 347: Tokyo Tournament, Opening
"Forcing myself..."
The smile on Yamauchi Sakura's face stiffened slightly, but she still maintained it and spoke in a playful, lighthearted tone.
"Oh my, Utsunomiya-san, what are you talking about? I don't really understand."
"If you don't understand, then forget it."
Asagiri crossed his legs, rested his hands behind his head, leaned back against the train seat, and chuckled.
"Anyway, congratulations on winning an award."
Yamauchi Sakura tilted her head, looking slightly confused.
"Winning an award? What award?"
Asagiri spoke in a matter of fact tone, as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.
"I've decided to experience that eroge called Tailing in the real world today. I'll play the male protagonist, and you'll play the female protagonist being followed by me."
"Tailing..."
Although Yamauchi Sakura had never heard that title before, she knew what an eroge was. Just from the name Tailing, she could more or less imagine what kind of game it was.
"Does that mean you're going to stay with me all day today?"
"Stay with you? You're overthinking it."
Asagiri waved his hand, looked straight into Yamauchi Sakura's eyes, and spoke in a gloomy tone.
"I will keep watching you from a corner where you won't notice me. Always. Always. Forever."
"Is that so?"
Yamauchi Sakura rested her chin on one hand and revealed a playful smile, her eyes sparkling.
"If you could keep your gaze on me all the time, that actually sounds pretty nice."
"Could you please cooperate a little?"
Looking at Yamauchi Sakura's smiling, cute, and dainty appearance, Asagiri sighed slightly.
"When I say things like that, I'm expecting you to show fear and panic. That's what's exciting. Who plays a direct attack against a stalker?"
Yamauchi Sakura covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Can't it be a pure love type of game?"
"Whoa, you're being picky now?"
Asagiri smiled noncommittally, then suddenly changed the subject.
"You're going to the hospital for a checkup today, right?"
Yamauchi Sakura's eyes trembled slightly, but she still put on a carefree smile.
"So you found out after all... I didn't want you guys to know."
"Why?"
"Because..."
"Because you realized that Asuna, Megumi, and Kotoko all see you as an important companion. If you said you were going to the hospital for a checkup, they would definitely abandon their original plans for the victory dinner tonight and accompany you to the hospital, right?"
Hearing Asagiri voice her true thoughts, Yamauchi Sakura froze for a moment, then nodded with a slightly forced smile.
"Yeah..."
Yamauchi Sakura shifted her gaze away from Asagiri's face. She lowered her head and looked at her hands, which slowly clenched without her noticing. Her voice grew soft, carrying a complicated emotion.
"It's just a routine physical checkup. It's no big deal... But I've experienced it myself. Every time I have a checkup, before the results come out, a small glimmer of hope rises in my heart. I think, will I hear good news this time? Or will there be a miraculous improvement?"
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"But it never happens. Every time, I have to experience the pain of that hope being shattered. I'm already used to it, but I don't want anyone, especially people who care about me, to go through that kind of pain. So... it's better if I'm alone."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Eh?"
Seeing Asagiri's calm expression, Yamauchi Sakura was actually a little surprised. She looked up at him.
"How can you be so calm? It's a terminal illness, you know. A cute girl suffering from a terminal illness, whose life is nearing its end, is pouring her heart out to you. Even just out of respect, couldn't you at least show some sadness or regret?"
"Sadness? Regret? Not at all."
Asagiri first replied nonchalantly, then turned his head and looked straight at Yamauchi Sakura's face.
For the first time, unprecedented seriousness appeared in his eyes.
Word by word, he said,
"I won't let you die. I will definitely find a way to let Yamauchi Sakura's life continue."
"Ah..."
Yamauchi Sakura's lips parted slightly, and a faint light shone in her eyes.
After several seconds, she finally reacted. Her face flushed, and she reached out to lightly tap Asagiri on the shoulder, covering her mouth to hide her shyness as she smiled.
"What is this, a confession? Typical of you. Confessing on a train, isn't that a bit too unconventional?"
"This isn't as simple as a confession."
Asagiri watched the scenery fly past outside the train window and spoke slowly.
"From the moment you joined the squad, not just me, but Asuna, Kotoko, and Megumi as well, we all prepared ourselves to shoulder your life and entrust our own lives to you. And as the lead singer of the band, shouldering the life of every member is my responsibility."
"The responsibility of a lead singer..."
Yamauchi Sakura murmured, repeating Asagiri's words, then spoke softly.
"But I don't want you all to shoulder things you shouldn't have to because of me..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Asagiri shrugged, completely unfazed.
"We come to save you, and you come to save us. If any member of the squad encounters difficulty, every member will do their utmost to help. Isn't that only natural? The bond between us means that no matter when it is, there's no need to say things like, sorry, or sorry for the trouble."
Yamauchi Sakura's expression turned complicated after hearing this.
After a long while, she spoke softly.
"Utsunomiya-san."
"What's the matter?"
Yamauchi Sakura raised her head, looked straight into Asagiri's eyes, and smiled.
"Since you've said that, I will believe in you. I will entrust my entire life, along with this hope that has been rekindled in my heart, to you. In exchange..."
At this point, Yamauchi Sakura suddenly paused and smiled prettily.
"In exchange, what should I ask for? I haven't thought of it yet. I'll let you know once I do~"
...
The next morning, on the outskirts of Tokyo, inside a massive building resembling an ancient Roman colosseum.
"Is everyone ready?"
Miwa Ashikaga stood at the entrance of the lounge, sweeping her gaze over Asagiri and the others before lowering her eyes to the grouping list in her hand.
"There are a total of 23 Player factions participating in this tournament, with 32 teams in total. Our Ashikaga Budo Association's Team C is Kaguya Shinomiya, Fujiwara Chika, Hayasaka Ai, and Sakurakawa Rikka. Team B is Yuuki Asuna, Iwanaga Kotoko, Kato Megumi, and Yamauchi Sakura. Team A is Utsunomiya Asagiri."
She paused slightly, then continued while checking the list.
"Now, let me see... The opponents for Team C and Team B aren't worth mentioning. They're just factions here to make up the numbers and show their faces. But Asagiri, your first round opponent is..."
Miwa Ashikaga's expression turned solemn as she spoke slowly.
"The Shijo Family's team. The Shijo Family only sent one team to participate, so it must be composed of their strongest Players... Can you win?"
"Oh, I've already encountered Players from Shijo."
"Huh?"
Hearing Asagiri say that he had already encountered Players from Shijo, Yuuki Asuna and the others could not help but sound confused.
"Yeah. A few days ago, in the Dead Realm manifestation zone where Walrider appeared, I met people from the Shijo Family. If I didn't see wrong at the time, they should have been Shijo Maki, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Sawamura Spencer Eriri."
"Kasumigaoka Utaha..."
Yuuki Asuna frowned slightly and carefully recalled.
"If I remember correctly, she's that second year student from Toyosaki Private Academy who participated in the joint exam last time, right? Eriri... is she Chika's friend? Are they both from Toyosaki Private Academy?"
Asagiri nodded.
"Yes."
Yuuki Asuna also nodded, then spoke meaningfully.
"All three are girls?"
Asagiri fell silent for a moment.
"...Yes."
"And all of them are the cute kind?"
"What do you mean? Are you being sarcastic?"
Asagiri rolled his eyes and said irritably,
"This matchup was drawn by lottery. It's not like I chose it myself. Don't be sarcastic, Asuna."
"It indeed wasn't something Utsunomiya-san chose."
Miwa Ashikaga first agreed with that, then immediately changed the subject.
"However, it was most likely chosen by the other side."
"What do you mean?"
"In this tournament, most factions are actually just here to make up the numbers. Aside from our Ashikaga Budo Association, the only factions with the real strength to take first place are Dai Sakura Bank, Shijo, and Shinomiya. They say it's a lottery, but it definitely isn't a truly random draw."
Miwa Ashikaga's tone remained calm as she analyzed.
"For the Shijo Family, who only sent one Player team to participate, to run into our Ashikaga Budo Association's Team A in the very first round is simply illogical. The organizers wouldn't intentionally offend us or the Shijo Family. The only explanation is that the Shijo Family used their connections to actively request a match against us in the first round."
"Is that so..."
Kato Megumi responded meaningfully, casting her gaze toward Asagiri, who was leaning against the wall, and spoke in a soft tone.
"It seems Shijo, Kasumigaoka, and Sawamura really want to meet you, the legendary Mr. Shadow."
"Can you all stop looking at me with suspicious eyes?"
Facing the meaningful gazes of the girls, Asagiri merely chuckled.
"Just watch how I crush them when I get on stage later. That's all."
...
Half an hour later.
"Now, for the first round, third match of the Tokyo Tournament..."
The female host stood in the center of the wide arena, holding a microphone. She swept her gaze over the thousands of spectators, including Players from various factions, official personnel, and Players living in Tokyo who were considering which faction to join, then smiled.
"First up, representing the Shijo faction, is their three person team!"
Accompanied by the host's introduction, the masked Shijo Maki, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Eriri slowly walked out from the corridor inside the colosseum.
Before they even had time to take their positions, the spectator stands suddenly fell silent.
It was as if everyone was waiting for something.
The host, knowing exactly what the audience was waiting for, immediately continued.
"Now, the contestant about to face the Shijo team is..."
"Standing at the pinnacle of current Players, the one who suppressed the most terrifying Dead Realm in Tokyo with absolute strength, the Player the Ashikaga Budo Association has always claimed to be the strongest."
"Is he truly the strongest?"
"The answer will be revealed today."
"Let us wait and see..."
As the host drew out her words, Asagiri slowly walked out from the passage.
The moment his figure appeared, all the spectators held their breath.
It was as if their very breathing had been stolen by that black shadow.
Even the intense morning sunlight of July could not dispel the solemn expressions on their faces.
"From the Ashikaga Budo Association..."
"Shadow."
.....
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