CH 21

Now then, although mom took me shopping, I don’t really know what to look for.

Honestly, in my opinion, I think someone like him would be easily defeated in just a single punch if I put extra strength in it.

「Ara, Toto is there something wrong? Isn’t it rare for you to show a dissatisfied face like?」

「Nn~… preparing really big deal?」

「Of course, it is always important to be prepared for everything. Especially because Ornica-san will definitely try to use specialized tools, and I don’t really want Toto to lose. You don’t want to lose either, right, Toto?」

「Right」

It certainly isn’t okay to lose at this point, but well it sure is true that my opponent this time overcame his disadvantages against Virgilio-san san by using specialized tools, so I need to at least take some countermeasures.

「Okay then, first we will go to a clothing store」

「Clothing?」

What are we going to buy in a clothing store? Seeing both Benihana-san and Etoile-san I observed that their clothes have been used for quite a while. It also shouldn’t be a problem if I wear the clothes mom will buy for me, but well I don’t really need to wear new clothes though.

As soon as we entered the clothing store, mom went to find Hankies, bandanas and other such types of clothes, so it’s not clothes… I see it’s for that purpose.

「If only normal size, will it be useful?」

「I’m thinking he might use it gain, so it’s a countermeasure for that. It could also help not only against dust but some for some other tools too, those that have airborne effects」

I did think only about its main use, but I should definitely try it out. There are various situations where it could be useful.

「About gems, anything to counter?」

「Hmm, I can’t think of anything, there is no precise counter to be exact since those gems may have different effects enchanted in them. Toto, you did say that most physical attacks won’t affect you, right? 」

「Nn, won’t」

「How about magic?」

「Haven’t tested yet」

「Hmm, then maybe a bandana would do, one that would probably help resisting it」

Mom then finds a nice looking bandana and handed it to me, but she then started thinking about something again.

「But maybe, the other party may have also taken a lot of measures…… now then, what to do」

「Counters, troublesome?」

「Yes, of course, and our information is also in a blank state so we can only assume. I can’t really think about what set we will be needing」

After that we proceeded to a pharmacy store, grabbed a small bottle of purple liquid, then we bought pills the size of a candy.

「If you feel like something is wrong with your body, this medicine with purple liquid would delay the effects and let you be in a stable state for a while. The pills are medicine that would heal ailments but I don’t know what negative effect it will be. So taking the purple medicine is much better while the drug should be used when your state starts collapsing」

「Nn」

There isn’t something like a drug that could immediately cure any negative effect, only those that could recover a bit. Well if there are such medicines, they would definitely cost a lot more than normal ones.

Noticing that I was thinking of, mom answered about what was troubling me.

「The purple medicine might only make the effects slow down only but it is applicable to a wide variety of effects, and even the effects that couldn’t be cured by the magic Panacea would be delayed」

「I see」

If I did use this, I won’t feel any negative effects on my body, and I won’t really need to single out what effect was applied to me, so even if I continue with the match until the end, I will have enough time before the negative effect could properly activate.

After confirming the vial of medicine and pills were properly stored in my pocket, Mom held my hand again.

「It’s just about time we get back. You should prepare things right, but if we don’t start going now then we won’t have enough time」

「Nn」

When I returned to the arena, I split up with mom to go to the waiting room while mom was going to the entrance of the audience area.

「Well then, good luck」

「Nn, will do my best」

She then went up the stairs after I showed her a guts pose, it seems like mom isn’t that worried anymore so I waved at her until she can’t be seen from the stairs.

◇―――――――――――――――――

Now then, I wonder if this fight will end in seconds.

Well, I was also wondering what it will be like if I got a little serious against people.

Above everything else, even if I get a little rough, the magic used for recovery should be able to save him.

If possible, I have really liked if Virgilio-san, and A Rank adventurer, was the one who will fight against me, but such luxuries won’t really happen, because Ornica-san also won his match properly, even if not in the cleanest of ways.

「Are you done with your preparations?」

Being asked by that knight, I wrapped the bandana under my eyes. Even if I look weird it doesn’t really matter because I like how those bandits looked in western movies.

When I got out of the waiting room and climbed on stage, my presence seems to have excited the audience as I could hear a lot of voices cheering for me.

On the other side, Ornica-san also received a lot of praise for defeating someone on the level of Virgilio-san, who was considered superior, so there were also a lot of cheers supporting him.

When I stood face to face with Ornica-san, his look sharpened and he strengthened the grip on his sword. I wonder what countermeasures he has prepared against me.

Everything begins with light introductions as always, and then the referee raised his hands.

「Let the match begin!!」

Immediately after dropping his hand the sound of the gong was heard, and I jump stepped, dashing straight towards Ornica-san. There was a part of me who wanted to do things a little more seriously from this point on.

「Probability of rushing forward as the match starts, 95%」

He says that as forecast of what I would do first, then immediately throwed something towards me as I approached, which exploded in the air the moment I came close to it.

With a slight delay, from the object thrown in front of me, a mysterious liquid spread out, but before contact I was able protect my face with my hands. It is a good thing that I was able to close my eyes at the last moment.

This sure has a really irritating smell. It’s not really impossible to open my eyes but it’s a little scary. There are no damages but I don’t know what I should do next.

Once I got rid of this annoying liquid, I think of the many ways Ornica-san would try to attack in order to beat me.

First idea is a penetrating attack. But if he did have such an option, he wouldn’t really need to use all those tactics when fighting against Virgilio-san in the first place, so that is out.

Second is poison or paralysis. Ornica-san seems to be handling them well so that possibility is high, but will it actually have an effect on me? If I open my eyes now and feel nothing, then the probability of that affecting me is close to zero. I don’t open it because I’m kind of scared.

There is also the possibility of making me consume it. But well, I am currently covering my mouth so that won’t easily happen.

While I was thinking about it, I confirmed that he’s stepping away from his original location by hearing his footsteps. Then at that moment, I thought of another possibility.

Third, it will be throwing me out of the ring!!

I decided that it was safe to retaliate now and moved to attack in a flash, aiming at where Ornica-san’s last footsteps were heard. But when I reached that place I heard a snapping noise somewhere I just passed.

「Tsk!」

I was thinking on my own that it would be ok to go on the offensive, so I didn’t really think about other things, but when I reached that point, for a moment I felt like something passed by me so I also stopped.

After stopping, I immediately grabbed my bandana and pulled out medicine from my pocket and drank it. The purple medicine tasted like mint, and with a color like that, well it was very unthinkable that it would taste so.

I was thinking that the poison used to block my sight was a type of delayed poison so I immediately used that medicine, and then I opened my eyes but my vision was slightly distorted and tears flowed out a bit. It is quite a weird sensation but I’m thankful that there was no sense of pain.

When I got a glimpse of Ornica-san who was still blurry in my vision, it seems like he was carefully moving around while checking on my reaction, so I quickly pulled out and swallowed one of the pills I had.

「Don’t think that you’ve already won after just succeeding on one attack…」

I screamed towards him while pointing my finger while unable to suppress the tears from flowing out, because of that liquid’s effect.

「I don’t feel any pain from that you know!!」

「No, are you sure you are not just enduring it!?」

Looking at my condition, Ornica-san immediately retorted back. This person has a Tsukkomi attribute, and is now acting the same way as when he fought Virgilio-san. Well, I doesn’t really matter.

By the way, Ornica-san might be thinking that I’m in a bad situation, but I don’t really think that I’m in a pinch.

The bandana still has some of that irritating liquid soaked in it so I’ve thrown it away. That liquid also caused some abnormal status and I was thinking that it would only worsen my situation if I leave it on.

I understand the general location of Ornica-san but because of the tears and constant blinking, the view became blurry so it was hard to properly grasp his position, and if he used something else from this point on then sight would be rendered useless.

However, it’s absolutely no good if I just wait for the tears to calm down.

So there’s no other choice but to attack.

When I charged once more towards him to attack, he pulled something out with his right hand, then I felt like I was pounded by a stick… was that his sword?

The moment that sword-like something was out of his hand, powder was poured on my face.

「Ku, kuschu~!」[TL: Sneezing]

I have received a smash and a powder shower, but there’s not much change in my physical condition. It was thanks to the delaying medicine and pills.

「……you, that was delaying medicine after all!!」

He tried to escape why I was still sneezing, but that was meaningless. I did approach with the intent to crush him after all, and before he was able to escape I managed to land a successful blow. It was a firm hit, like hitting someone’s torso.

「Guhah!!」

My vision was still blurry, but I was able to catch a glimpse of him flying from the punch and rolling somewhere far.

I don’t know where I exactly hit him but definitely not in the head, and it didn’t look like his torso got blasted off so, well, it is fine.

Still suffering from the non-stopping tears, I looked around to confirm the situation. Even before my tears stopped, I could confirm that the recovery magic activated.

「Winner, Toto!」

It was confirmed by the referee, who raised his hand and declared that Ornica-san got blown away and out of the ring, and was now fainted.

Raising my hand towards the audience, I declared my victory then slowly left the stage and returned to my waiting room.

The last thing to do is to fight the knight commander-sama tomorrow. I will definitely get the final prize.