When I said, "You can be a hero," to a child with no talent, he really started to become a hero, so I acted like I knew what I was doing, like I was a wise master. - Chap 28.1: The Bad Girl

On the second day, the Women’s Warrior Tournament began. Candice Elemental and her maid Croco had already entered the venue as the participating members gathered individually.

“Miss, your first opponent is a martial artist traveling the world while training, known as Mew of the ‘Fish Sea Fist.’ Your ever-efficient maid Croco has researched for you.”

“Ahh, yes, yes. Thank you.”

“Are you even listening? Miss… you’ve been checking your hairstyle in your hand mirror since earlier.”

“Yes, I’m listening. But this is critical—Dan is coming, and I can’t settle on the position of my bangs.”

“Either way, won’t your hairstyle get ruined during the fight?”

“Yes, I’ll take that into account when I fight.”

“So, you’re declaring a handicap before the battle begins?”

Croco seemed somewhat exasperated with Candice.

“Oh, right. Croco, did you bring the lunchbox I made?”

“Yes, of course, I’ve brought it.”

“Good. Make sure not to lose or drop it, alright?”

“Certainly, but… isn’t this quite a lot? I don’t think you’ll be able to finish it all by yourself.”

“Oh, come on! Of course, I made it to share with Dan.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Right, then. I must go to the dressing room now, so I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“As you wish.”

Candice, commonly known as Candy, casually waved her hand and headed toward the dressing room. She spotted a man in an iron mask leaning against a tree along the way.

“Dan!”

“Keep it down. Be quiet.”

“I apologize. I just got too excited seeing you… So you came to cheer for me.”

“Heh, you got me there.”

“Yay, I’m so happy! I’ll do my best!”

“Keep your voice down. What will happen if people find out about our relationship—”

“—Yes, the relationship between you and me, Dan, is a secret… Hee hee hee hee, I’m the only one. I’m the only… disciple… hee hee hee hee.”

(Candy… why is she laughing so much? Suddenly breaking into a laugh like that makes me a bit cautious.)

With that, Dan’s encouragement for his disciple ended, and the Women’s Warrior Tournament began.

◆◆

“Ah, Will is here too?”

Watching the women’s division, I notice Will sitting far away. A girl is sitting next to him. Man, is he always this popular? Oh, come to think of it, I’ve seen that girl somewhere before.

Wasn’t she Will’s childhood friend Menmen or something? Ah, Will is about to feed her some potato. Man, Will, not realizing Menmen’s feelings while she’s providing you is a severe crime.

(TL|N: You” ‘ve no right to tell it, Hero Dan.)

Those who can’t notice their childhood friend’s love deserve nothing short of a death sentence. Especially if she’s a beautiful girl.

Well, the first round is about to start.

“Ban, you’re here too.”

“Ah, hello.”

Lin, with fabric wrapped around her face, shows up. And there are two more people with cloth around their faces behind her.

“So, you’re watching the women’s division too, huh? I mean, it’s fine, but what’s your motive?”

“Ah, just killing time, I guess.”

“I see… Oh, should I introduce these two who are also covering their faces? This is Sakura, the legendary hero’s swordsman, and Kaguya, the martial artist.”

“Hello again, it’s been a day. Ban.”

“Who… is this person?”

Ah, two familiar faces.

“…Sniff sniff…”

Kaguya approaches me and starts sniffing.

“You smell different.”

Could it be… the smell of aging!? Darn it, even though the grace keeps me youthful, am I emitting an old-man smell? I’m in my thirties!!

“Kaguya-chan, it’s rude to sniff someone you just met. I’m sorry, Ban. She’s still a child, so please forgive her.”

“I don’t mind, don’t worry about it.”

I think I smell fine, but… there’s always the possibility of emitting an old-man smell without realizing it. That could be a disadvantage at adventurer gatherings…

“It’s different, but… It’s a smell I’ve sensed somewhere before… Have we met somewhere before?”

“Who knows? Could we have?”

“… Where are you from?”

“This planet.”

“I’m from the moon.”

Kaguya has grown up, too. She was pretty childish when she fell from the moon… She’s still a child, but maybe she’s grown up a bit.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen! Yesterday’s men’s division was quite exhilarating, but we expect today’s women’s division to be just as exciting. So, let’s start the first round! From the Knight Training Academy, the daughter of the Elemental family, Candy Elemental!!”

“Uwaaaaaaah!!”

Ah, there she is. Candy makes her entrance. The whole venue is boiling with excitement. But then, the event organizer gulps down his saliva as he prepares to introduce the other competitor.

“Here it comes, here it comes!!”

What’s coming? The audience seems to be buzzing with excitement, but…

“And now, to think that the day has come when we can see this martial artist’s techniques in person!!! Traveling the world, battling strong opponents as a part of her daily life, dedicating her lifetime to honing her fists—”

“—’ Fish Sea Fist,’ Mew!!!”

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuwoooooooohhhhhh!!!”

“It’s Mew!!!”

“Woaaaaaah!!!”

“She’s so cute!!!”

“Give us an autograph!!!”

Huh? What? The crowd is getting hyped. Is she that incredible? I have no idea who she is… Lin, beside me, also seems clueless.

“Um, who is she? I’m not very familiar with martial arts…”

“Lin-chan, you don’t know? Fish Sea Fist is quite famous, you know? Right, Kaguya-chan?”

“Yes. Famous. I originally planned to go home without watching the tournament, but I changed my mind when I heard a practitioner of Fish Sea Fist was participating.”

“Oh… she’s that incredible, huh. Did you know, Ban?”

“No, I had no idea.”

“Kaguya-chan, can you explain?”

“Fish Sea Fist seems to be based on the inseparable relationship between fish and the sea. Fish can only basically live in water… Mew has been training in the sea for a long time, so she mastered Fish Sea Fist by living with the sea and the fish. Like the inseparable relationship between fish and sea, she uses clean, undistorted forms in a loop while fighting, making it a martial art suitable for prolonged battles.”

Hmm, so she’s quite a big deal then. I had no idea… Even after the explanation, Lin still looks like she doesn’t get it. But if Mew is that skilled, it might be difficult for Candy to win.

“…Martial arts is not a game. There’s still time. It would be better for you to forfeit, young lady.”

“I couldn’t care less.”

“Heh, now and then, there’s someone like you. I think you’re strong just because you attend a knight academy… But in my opinion, that’s nonsense. You can’t step out of your rigid world in such a closed learning environment. I, who have always been conversing with the free wilderness, always placing myself in danger and always spending my time in the sea, am unbeatable.”

“…Hmm? You don’t seem all that impressive for someone who talks big…”

“Is that so? Then let me show you, through action, just how vast the world is—”

“—I’m already aware, thank you.”

“Then!! Let the first match begin!!!”

◆◆

The first to rush out was Fish Sea Fist’s Mew. She spread her hands wide and punched Candy’s face, which Candy deflected with a backhand strike.

“Oh, you reacted to that… then how about this?”

She opens her hand and turns it into a slap. Candy crosses her arms to block it.

“Starfish Fall – Sea Urchin Slap”

“Gh!”

A loud slapping noise rang in Candy’s ears. Despite it being just a slap, smoke was rising from the arms she used to guard herself.

“I see, so this is also…”

“Quite a decent performance for an acrobatic show.”

“Oh? Bold words… then, it’s your turn… Turtle Shell Guard. This technique provides solid defense like that of a turtle.”

“Ah?”

Candy casually sends kicks flying, but Mew guards them perfectly. High lifts, heel drops, fist rushes. All were perfectly defended by arms as solid as a turtle’s shell.

“Hehehe, it won’t work.”

“…I see; I’m beginning to get the picture.”

“You can’t grasp the depths of my ocean-like techniques. My right hand is the Octopus Punch, and my left is the Squid Strike. Sixteen continuous attacks. Can you withstand this? Let me show you a glimpse of the Fish Sea Fist’s secret technique—King of the Sea Punch!”

In a flash, there were sixteen fists in front of Candy. She guards like before, dodging fists with her extraordinary dynamic vision and judgment. However, one managed to hit her forehead. A ‘pop’ sound was heard, and she tumbled back several meters.

“To think you would block all but one…I see. You have some knowledge of the ocean’s vastness—”

“Hey, you—You messed up my hairstyle, idiot.”

“…What?”

Candy’s hair shifted from a bright orange-brown to a deep red. Seeing this, Croco held her head.

“Ah, she’s snapped…”

Blood Rage Dress. When Candy gets emotional, her hair turns red, and her combat capabilities improve.

“First off, making me embarrass myself in front of the one I like makes you nothing but ocean trash.”

“… You’ve changed in personality, that’s surprising, but that alone won’t—”

“Sea Star Drop: Hitode Harite!”

Candy imitates Mew’s Fish Sea Fist technique and performs it before her. A loud slapping sound resonates just like before.

“What, my technique?!”

“Still more to come!”

It’s a rush of Sea Star Drop: Hitode Harite. Mew avoids it while expressing astonishment.

“How could you copy it… You’re not even from the sea.”

“Maybe it’s because I have a pet goldfish at home.”

“You think you can pull it off with that excuse?! Fine. Here is my full-powered ultimate technique! Right hand, Yate-style Fist Octopus Punch; Left hand, Yashoku Black Fist Squid Punch!! Sea King Fist: Daiōtako Punch!”

Mew’s high-speed assault closes in on Candy. However, Candy shows a fierce grin. Mew is stunned. Her movement closely resembles the ultimate technique she is currently performing!

“With the right hand, Yate-style Fist Octopus Punch… with the left hand, Yashoku Black Fist Squid Punch. A total of 16 strikes. Was it Sea King Fist: Daiōtako Punch!?”

“No, impossible!? Even this you’ve copied—”

That was precisely the case. She replicated it in an instant. Their fists collide.

(No way, this can’t be… How could she copy my ultimate technique? I can’t believe I’m losing in a contest of top moves!)

“Miss! Hero Dan must be watching! Please behave yourself and maintain your elegance!!”

“Miss! Hero Dan must be watching! Please behave yourself and maintain your elegance!!”

“Ah…”

Inadvertently, her inner voice slipped out. What was she like just now…? Her vulgar language, messy hair from her aggressive movements, and even the makeup she’d applied to catch Dan’s attention had started to smudge from sweat.

“Ah, ahhhhhhhhhh!”

“—A complete upset. The championship contender, Mew of the Fish Ocean Fist, was defeated in the first round. We thought she was a timid girl before the match, but perhaps that was just a disguise, a bluff. The battle had begun long before the match! Her true nature is that of a battle junkie, the complete opposite of demure! I’m looking forward to the second round with Crazy Candice!!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Her hair, previously dyed in anger to a red color, returned to its bright orange-brown. But conversely, her face turned red.

“Oh, what have I done…”

With a ‘whoosh,’ she left the scene like a bullet train. In the venue, cheers celebrating Crazy Candice’s first-round victory echoed.