Chapter 14 — Stand Proud, Tsukishima.

On the day we stepped into the Erabareshimono no Kyousou, I decided to send Tsukishima into the first fight. Things took a turn for the worse when Arataki Sieg, her opponent, used his Kikai while Tsukishima was overwhelmed by the pressure.


After taking the full force of Arataki's blow, Tsukishima let out a pained groan, but she had no time to waste. She froze the ground near Arataki's supporting foot, causing him to slip and miss a second blow, this time aimed at her head.


She dashed away, creating a safe distance between them that would last only for a moment once Arataki charged at her again.


The pain was agonizing, nowhere near as bad as the pain I had inflicted on her, but enough that, coupled with her doubts, Tsukishima couldn't concentrate on the fight anymore.


Arataki's power-up gave him an even greater advantage than he already had, and now Tsukishima was also weakened.


"This is not good," I murmured to myself.


"Yeah, no shit! As if sending Tsukimomo first was a good idea in the first place! Why didn't you stop him, Ryûko?"


"I... I thought the same as you, Waguri. But at the same time, I believed that the Newbie's judgment was more accurate than mine."


"What does this fucker know about Tsukimomo anyway? She's the worst at handling pressure, and now she has to face the crowd too... All because you aren't smart enough to make a plan!!"


Tonakura pointed her finger right at my face. She looked even more furious than she was during the trial... And... she wasn't wrong.


I watched Tsukishima's silk-like black hair wave around as she dodged as best she could. She was actually answering Arataki's questions well in this situation, but this couldn't last much longer.


Maybe I should've been smarter—throwing my strongest member to gain a lead was too obvious. Watanabe-senpai probably anticipated it and crafted this counterattack. Instead of preparing Tsukishima for her worst matchup, as I had with the others, I tried to teach her something that is partly holding her back now.


I've been reckless, and now my chances are... No, this is our tournament run. And even if it's just a point, for Tsukishima's sake, I have to find a way to help her win.


"Tonakura, I'm sorry that you have to see Tsukishima-san suffer like this, but I trusted her ability to win, and I still do now. That's why..."


"That's why...?"


"If Tsukishima-san feels like she is alone, we must remind her that the Erabareshimono no Kyousou is a team tournament."


I moved to the exit of our private stands. I glanced back at the others over my shoulder and said:


"Be ready to cheer as loudly as you can as soon as the audience falls silent."


"Eh? But how are you..."


Before Ryûko could finish her sentence, I rushed out. She stared at the door for a moment before rushing to the edge of the stands, the closest she could get to the arena.


"Get ready, everyone. Mori needs us."


Her gaze was sharp and serious, different from the usual bright and cheerful Ryûko. Yôsuke followed without complaints, and so did Akira.


Back in the arena, the one-sided battle carried on. Tsukishima had no choice but to retreat, and with only one arm, she felt like she couldn't do anything anymore.


"I have to pull myself together... or I’ll lose... or worse, disappoint them. They're counting on me, even if it's just a point... I want to prove to them, to myself, that I’m not as weak as before. but... but I... I'm just..."


"Combatant Arataki continues his offensive! With his newfound power, he's dangerously pushing Combatant Tsukishima toward the wall!! The end could be—"


Suddenly, Nanase’s commentary halted mid-sentence.


"Hey?! What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in your team's stands?"


"I'm here to deliver a brief message.”


"A message? Just so you know, advice is forbidden."


"'Yeah, I know that very well."


Caught off guard by the unfamiliar voice, the crowd fell silent.


Tsukishima's ear twitched at the sound of the voice.


"That voice... It's Harumaki-san's."


"Tsukishima-san, as I said, I'm not here to give advice. I think you’re more than capable of winning this fight with what I already taught you. But I need to remind you of something..."


I paused briefly. Even as the battle raged on, the pressure on Arataki was palpable—his luck could run out. Tsukishima barely managed to block an attack at the last second, her attention shifting to my voice.


"Tsukishima-san, stand proud. You're stronger than you think. If you had as much confidence in yourself as I do, this fight would have been over long ago. So... Go for it, Tsukishima-san, at full strength."


Tsukishima fell silent, my words resonating deeply as she backed away and narrowly dodged Arataki's attack. From the stands, the others' voices cut through the silence, carrying their cheers.


"MORI!! YOU CAN DO IT!!"


"DON’T GIVE UP, TSUKISHIMA-CHAN! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!"


"GO FOR IT, TSUKISHIMA-CHAN!!"


"Come on, Waguri! You’ve got to say something too!" Ryûko grabbed Tonakura's hand, bringing her right next to her.


"Dammit. That's so embarrassing..." Even after complaining, she still cupped her hands around her mouth and let out the loudest shout:


"HEY, TSUKIMOMO! DON’T YOU DARE LOSE, YOU HEAR ME?!!"


These powerful words pierced Mori's heart, shattering the doubt that had gripped her: her fear of disappointment and her feeling of being alone lost their hold in the face of this reminder of her strength, but above all, of her condition. Tsukishima was no longer alone.


A reluctant smile spread across her lips, betraying all her efforts to hide it. Her friends' encouragement sparked a joy within her that she couldn't hide.


"Honestly, you didn’t have to go all out like that. Encouraging me so much in the first fight is too much. I can't lose now, can I?"


Her heart pounding with renewed courage, she pointed her war fan at Arataki, holding it with her left, weakened hand.


"Arataki Sieg, let's end this."


Arataki tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.


Watanabe's warning echoed in his mind: Tsukishima's confidence was the key to her defeat. All he had to do was break her spirit and strike when she faltered, but even then, he couldn't do it.


The crowd's cheers for Arataki grew louder, but the tide had turned for good. Tsukishima's movements were graceful, her strikes precise, and each blow mirrored her confidence, leaving frost in her wake.


Tsukishima's dominance was overwhelming, making the crowd wonder if Sieg had any chance at all.


"Hey."

Back in Nanase Nana’s commentating booth, I paused mid-step at the door as she called me out.


"How did you know that would be enough?"


"Because I know how strong Tsukishima-san is. Even when she was on the verge of losing, she kept fighting through the pain and held on well. All she needed was a reminder that part of her strength comes from us as well."


Nanase hummed thoughtfully, arms crossed over her chest.


"You may look cold, but you're a really nice guy. But in my opinion, you trust her strength too much."


"... I doubt it."


The battle had ended. Arataki lay sprawled on the ground, frost clinging to his skin.


Tsukishima stood alone in the center, her eyes fixed on her opponent. She crouched down, taking Arataki’s hand and pressing it softly between hers, feeling the faint warmth still lingering.


"I'm so sorry..."


Tsukishima whispered, her voice heavy with regret. Such was the rule of Erabareshimono no Kyousou: it was either her dream or theirs.


Team Hinata 1 - 0 Team Watanabe.


To be continued...