Chapter 107: Fired Up

Just putting weights on both hands and feet felt different from usual. In addition, with a little girl placed on my shoulder, it’s on a whole other level.

Normally, there wouldn’t be a problem carrying a child as small as Amae.

That’s why, I didn’t have much of a problem when I first started my roadwork.

However, I soon felt the weight. Furthermore……

“Ooh~. More, weee, take it! So gooood.”

“Gu, Nuh”

As she rode my shoulder, the balance shifted randomly, like when she hit my head, pulled at my hair, and tilted her weight back and forth, side to side.

It’s pretty difficult to run while trying not to drop her.

Balance and legs. Certainly this may be a good workout.

“Fuu, ha, fuu, amazing…”

“Aah. He’s wearing so much, has a kid on his shoulder and still running ahead of us.”

Well, even though I had a handicap, these guys were still following behind me.

However, it was from this point that they will get shaken off.

『Come on, dash! 30 seconds!』

After a short distance outside the city, the road opened to reach a sandy beach outside the island.

The sandy beach, which stretched on forever, I could see the beautiful scenery with no trash and the endless ocean.

I couldn’t see any other islands on the sea, and the moment I felt deeply moved by this island that was truly an isolated island nation, Tre’ainar gave me instructions.

“Right, dash 30 seconds!”

I also raise my voice to convey it to the guys behind me.

I mean, I can’t worry about them indefinitely. I have to do things my way.

“Gu, we’re sprinting from here!?”

“Oraaaa! You’re going to lose!”

“Hi, ha, hi, ha.”

“I, it’s hard!”

Dash for 30 seconds. A run on the sandy beach. My feet get sunk so I can’t step in as powerfully as usual!

This is tough for me too… exactly, the toes like he mentioned earlier…the ‘Big toe’ was being trained.

『Right, stop! Ten second interval for shadows.』

“Now, shadow… Imagine a virtual enemy on the spot and punch!”

“Pu, punch? Like this!”

“O, Ora! Ora, Ora!”

“Wow, it’s fast… I can’t see his hands, it’s beautiful…”

“Ze, ha, ze, ou…”

『Ten seconds have passed! Dash!』

“Dash!”

“”””Eh, a, already!?””””

With the weights, I work on my legs, feet and balance, and then work out my big toe on the sandy beach… this works… if you do it every day, you’ll get quite a workout… that said, I’m finding it demanding to this extent, so the other guys…

“Ha, ha, ha… ts…”

Mortriage still followed, although he spoke less.

Though he has a normal physique, his motor nerves were good.

He felt like an honor student who has been raised in a good environment.

As far as shadow is concerned, he punches very carefully.

I felt like he’s performing the basics in the martial art I was taught at school.

“Ora, can’t lose! Urah, Urah, Oraaaa!”

Oratski was still quite loud.

Because he wore out so soon, he probably doesn’t have that much endurance, but he kept up with me through sheer guts.

His physique is quite good, and he seemed to have some power.

He’s not serious at school, but felt like a battle junkie rascal.

As far as shadow is concerned, his punches were crude with big swings.

However, if the form is improved a little, he’ll be pretty good.

“Hii, haa, hii …”

Mobner was lagging behind the other two, but still trying to keep up.

Speed, strength, physique, power, it’s all normal.

Anyway, he’s normal… yes, that’s it, normal.

“Uoeeeee, e, enough, can’t, hard, u, uoeeeeee”

He couldn’t keep up with them from the start, and was spraying out of his mouth to the ocean.

That was out of the question in many ways.

The bulkiest of the four.

But that doesn’t mean he’s powerful, he’s just obese, Budeo.

“Hey… Tre’ainar… now, where’s the incentive?”

Even though it’s only the first day, wouldn’t he be screened out with this?

Well, then I can focus on myself…

“Come on, Budeo, let’s go for it. He’s wearing such heavy stuff, so it’ll be embarrassing if we can’t keep up with this much.”

“B, but, I’m, follow, u, ugh, h, hard…”

“But we’re going to change, right?”

In the end, Budeo stopped and looked down on the spot.

Mobner also rushed up and called out, but he couldn’t move.

“Budeo, don’t stop! If we don’t work hard here and now, we’ll stay the same forever!”

“Ora! Budeo! All right, this is it! Show some guts!”

Mortriage and Oratski frantically appealed to him, but Budeo shook his head.

“N, no good, no no, utterly useless! After all… I’ve been a loser since I was born! Just existing, I’m uncool, unpleasant, and girls see me as garbage… no one likes me, no one expects anything from me… as guys like José who are born with talent get fawned over, you can only watch, hii, t, that’s, a, all you can do!”

Finally, he stopped and started crying…… no….. it’s been awhile since he started… what should I do? Am I going to leave him now?

“…… Hey! Crying won’t help you do anything about it! So, bring out those feelings as you look back at that bastard and those bitches!”

For the time being, I’ll try calling out too.

And if he doesn’t stand up with this, I’ll really……

“Budeo… fight on!”

“Eh!!??”

That was when it happened.

Perhaps because everyone was calling out, or maybe that’s the way it was going, Amae also cheered Budeo from on top of my shoulder.

Thereupon, was that it?

“Ah, Amae…”

“Oh, fight on. go go you can do it, Budeo~, Fight OONN”

“Eh!? Oh, li, little Amae, ch, cheering m, me, f, for you… O, OOOOOOOOHH.”

His eyes, which had been crying, were wide open, and his mouth, which had only spat out the sounds of whining and weakness, was strongly tightened.

Whipping both feet, Budeo stood up and stared forward.

“Uooooooo, I’m burning, I’m fired up, Burn these tears awaaaaaaaaaayyy! An angel cheered me on!”

Budeo dashed with absurd power as if from the scene of a fire.

He had already forgotten the seconds for the shadow and the dash, and just dashed anyway.

“Hey, hey…”

“Oh, Budeo, you’re fast “

A girl…… perhaps empowered by her cheering, Budeo started running.

“Hahahaha… All right, we can’t lose too!”

“Ora, it’s us! It’s us after all!”

“W, wait! Me too…… me too!”

And if the dropout showed his guts and tried to go beyond his limit, they must have felt something too.

“Oh, everyone, fight on too.”

“”””Got it!!””””

Mortriage and others also seemed to have found their voice and energy, saying “We can still do it”.

“Fufufu, not just Budeo… I’m happy with this.”

“Ah. I didn’t think there were people in the world that would support us anymore…”

“Yes… I’m glad… somehow, my power is blazing…”

Even though it was a young child, there was someone to genuinely “support” them.

They’re happy with that alone… and felt empowered… somehow, that feeling… I felt like I understood.

“Jeez… such simple guys…”

『Ah. Tis no different than when you put great efforts for the sake of your maid’s bosom…』

“Nu!?”

As I was dumbfounded, Tre’ainar smiled at me and threw a retort.

『The motives for your efforts are impure. Rather, the reason is simple. The more honest people are… the more dedicated… do you remember me saying that shortly after we met?』

Dedication …?

『Child. In the first place, do you intend to climb high enough just to look down on others?』

“That’s…”

I’m training as Tre’ainar told me to, and I’m not thinking of slacking off.

But, I certainly don’t snort like that, I’ve only been doing what I’ve been told lately.

In the first place, there are people in this country who have more power than me, who are faster than me, and who are more talented than me… alright!

“That’s right! It’s hard! Train and train… Imagine yourself looking back at both that bastard and the bitch saying, ‘Have a look at this, you bastard?’ Then, you’ll still be able to run!”

“”””Ouh!””””

“Oh, fight on!”

『Fuhahaha, well, the simplest one here is you… child…… but if intend to be a big man eventually… not simply one person, you would have to also attract the people around you, lead others, and sometimes even inspire others…』

Such a burden is bothersome. If it doesn’t work out, I will leave them behind. I should have thought that way, but I was gradually speaking up more.

『Now… there is no issue with training. The policy has also been decided. However, if you can spend three months on special training… ultimately, I would like something that can dramatically improve your level…』

While looking at us running, Tre’ainar folded his arms as if he was considering something.

『Hmm…should I have you learn ‘giga-class magic’… or perhaps ‘summoning magic’… no, but what do you contract with… naturally ‘The Dragon King of Purgatory’ would be too heavy a burden… no, in the first place, the magic power capacity of the child is …』

Then after closing his eyes once, he opened them again as if he had come to a decision…

『Well, first of all… tis ‘magic breath’… to enable longer breakthroughs…』

It seemed something was decided before I knew it.

Author’s Note

Recently, to get reference material for the novel, I’ve been reading boxing manga and anime about a certain fishing boat owner’s son, and I spent August crying when I saw the story of a ghost with a childhood friend in summer… The month is over … September is coming soon.

And then I realized….

Today was my Birthday… (2019/08/27)