Chapter 22

1.

First, the following prerequisites are necessary for Captain America’s fighting style to work.

Firstly, physical abilities worthy of the Super Soldier Serum.

This part didn’t really require much attention. Considering the durability of Kiburatos people, who shrug off bullets, combined with my own – ‘Silk’s – monstrous physical abilities, I was confident that it wouldn’t be insufficient, if anything, it would be excessive.

Secondly, it comes down to the presence of a ‘shield.’

The shield, an alloy of the Earth’s strongest material, ‘Vibranium,’ and other metals. The existence of this shield, which Spider-Man himself described as an item that “violates the laws of physics,” is essential to execute the ‘Captain America style’ fighting method that I envisioned.

Moreover, the third requirement is a strong mentality and fighting skills.

Leaving aside his beliefs, the necessary accompanying ability is precisely that. Aside from throwing the shield, Captain’s fighting method is always close-quarters combat. Therefore, one must excel not only in fighting but also in psychological warfare. Standing at the forefront of war, reading and countering enemy attacks with the shield, and breaking through the frontlines – this is Captain America’s fighting style.

Could I, then, engage in this style of combat?

Even though I had devised the method myself, numerous doubts still lingered in my mind.

Perhaps, for that very reason, I accepted Neru’s suggestion. I thought that if I gained experience through a battle with her, I might gain confidence in my choice.

And that thought…

Turned out to be exactly right.

2.

kwaaang-!!

The sound of kicking off surged like lightning.

In the blink of an eye, Neru and I closed the distance. We instantly drew our respective weapons and pointed them at each other.

One held a gun, and the other held a shield.

tuuuda-daa-daa─!!

The bullets fired by Neru bounced off the shield.

I advanced toward Neru without stopping my step while holding the shield out front.

“Pretty annoying, aren’t you…!”

“Hhhwaap-!”

Reacting to my sudden charge, Neru immediately moved backward, but I didn’t lose sight of her movement and reached for my pistol with my free hand from the side of the shield and fired.

Bang-! Bang-!

However, Neru easily dodged the bullets as expected and smiled cunningly. It seemed she had already read the stance I was about to take and leaped forward while rolling swiftly on the ground toward me.

As I raised the shield, Neru pushed off with her foot mid-action, reading my movement beforehand, and swiftly maneuvered behind me through the air. And… click.

Confident that she had the upper hand, the sight of her gun aimed at me appeared in my vision.

Behind it, her smirk that suggested amusement entered my field of vision.

But.

There was one thing she didn’t know.

“End of the line, buddy-!”

Clang!

Her sense wasn’t as sharp as mine. Neru stared at me with her mouth wide open, clearly surprised by the scene in front of her.

Surprised? I was too. As Neru moved behind me, I instinctively turned and blocked all the bullets with my shield.

Moreover, right from the moment she leaped, I calculated the trajectory of every bullet she fired.

“You, you, this crazy…!”

“Hmph. This time, it’s my turn, senior.”

“Damn, you’re funny, man!”

Without giving Neru a chance to speak, I rushed toward her. This time faster than before.

Her eyes flashed with excitement at this.

The moment my figure darted toward Neru like a cannonball and was about to reach her, Neru’s lips curved up into a sly smile as she crouched down.

And then…

“Arrogant junior, huh─!!”

Tukwaaang─!!

She fiercely kicked the shield with her foot.

A hammer-like impact was transmitted through the shield.

Thrown slightly off balance by the powerful recoil, I began to retreat and noticed a strange grinding sound near my ear.

At that moment,

Neru smirked eerily and said,

“Come on, give it your best shot, damn junior!”

“……!”

Chhirruurrrk-!

The moment Neru kicked the shield, the chain attached to the top of it moved, causing my guard to fall for an instant. I realized that Neru was trying to take my shield as the pressure on it grew stronger.

A fleeting thought crossed my mind to let go of the shield and fight using only the gun, but I quickly noticed Neru’s expression—she was observing my reaction without firing.

Soon, I understood her intention.

Her words about me being “arrogant” made sense now. She had figured out what I was doing.

“Ha!”

I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh, admiring Neru’s keen insight for catching on instantly. Hence, I didn’t hesitate.

And then I ‘activated’ my senses.

Not the heightened sensing I had been using subconsciously, but the ‘real’ ultra-senses.

At that moment, my world expanded instantly.

A realm of senses that far exceeded human limits unfolded before me.

I found myself submerged in an ocean of information too overwhelming to handle.

I could see Neru’s gun barrel aiming at my forehead.

I saw the chain still interfering with my shield.

I saw Neru’s amused expression as she looked at me.

And, every single thing in this training room was ‘visible.’

I could feel, hear, and even comprehend everything.

In that split second, my action was…

“Alright. I concede this time.”

-acceptance.

I recognized her extraordinary abilities. I acknowledged my own inexperience. I acknowledged that I couldn’t win this way.

Therefore, I decided it was time to get serious.

Booong-!

Rolling my foot, I delivered a powerful impact to the entire training room.

I revealed all my hidden strength without reservation.

I no longer underestimated Neru.

-I didn’t hide the fact that I am ‘Silk.’

“I was inexperienced. Senior. Thus-”

This was my decision.

The respect (銳意) I showed toward Mikamo Neru as an opponent.

Setting aside any fear of revealing my identity and focusing solely on the fight.

Trusting the character and words of Neru displayed in the game,

I revealed my true intentions to her, holding onto the shield tightly with all my might, and then pulled it backward.

Ca-rr-rrck!

The chain still attached to the shield made the sound of cutting metal, but it didn’t matter. If it didn’t come off, I’d just break it.

Thorooong─!!

“I will fully devote myself.”

The chain snapped. Neru was pushed back, and I regained my stance. We locked eyes with each other.

“Arrogant kid. Dared to deceive your senior?”

“What can I do?”

“Hah! Talking back so casually! Still, well, if that’s your identity, I guess I understand.”

“I apologize, and from now on, I’ll give it my all.”

“That’s only natural, junior!”

Neru laughed happily.

I smiled faintly as well.

The only emotion that clearly surfaced in our gazes, which were different from before, was the desire for victory.

A fierce competitiveness toward a true rival.

And a bit of pleasure.

“I’m going.”

“Come on!”

I dropped the pistol on the floor. Neru lowered her stance.

Fueling our competitive spirits, we rushed straight at each other with fierce determination.

3.

After that, the scene that unfolded in the training room was not something that could be described as within human capability, even as a joke.

The two of them, with physical abilities that seemed to have increased by one, or maybe two levels compared to before, rushed towards each other.

What followed was a ceaseless roar.

A battlefield that looked as if the world had come to an end. An irresistible pressure that tore everything around them apart.

Firing, blocking with the shield, rushing while throwing punches, dodging, and then retaliating.

Hitting the gun with a punch, and hitting the shield with the gun.

In the process, the two of them no longer regarded ‘the ground’ as a concept. Everywhere their feet touched became their ground as they moved between the walls and ceilings, attacking each other.

Kwa-a-a-a-aang──!!!

Debris flew everywhere, and dust rose thickly.

Through the cloud of dust, the two women laughed and continued their fierce brawl and gunfire without end.

Firing, blocking, hitting, retaliating, and then firing again.

Amidst the dust, red and blue auras flashed, linking into lines and colliding repeatedly, only to fall.

If anyone had watched this scene, it would have been utterly unbelievable.

Because a first-year student who had just entered the academy was evenly battling Mikamo Neru, known as the strongest of Millennium.

However, Neru had wisely chosen an isolated training room where no one would come, so this scene escaped the eyes of others.

Just the two people immersed in the fight, acknowledging each others’ strength and skills, fueled with competitive spirit.

“Kuh-kekeke- Really, you’re insane, this guy! Hiding this level of skill?! Not bad at all!!”

“F*ck! You’re really strong too, damn!”

“Aaang?! Such a foul-mouthed junior! Cursed-!”

Neru, finding enjoyment in meeting a strong rival after a long time.

And Nanashi, who hadn’t had the chance to unleash full power because he had to be mindful of others’ eyes.

Though they spoke different words, in this moment, they shared the same sentiment.

It’s fun. And they wanted to win.

With no need for ‘restraint’ against an opponent, both felt an unprecedented feeling of liberation and competitiveness.

One through a superhuman combat instinct, and the other with ultra-senses that surpassed the human realm. The two, transcending different areas, were indeed far apart. However, the actual gap between them was rather slim since they had compensated for their weaknesses with their own strengths.

Of course, as time went on, the gap began to widen little by little, tilting toward Neru’s victory.

Kwaaang-!!

Nanashi, getting struck by Neru’s kick, was thrown into a wall and bounced off. While trying to rush her without losing consciousness, his exhausted body wouldn’t follow.

As a result.

Paak─!

Neru’s knee struck Nanashi’s face.

Nanashi’s head, vomiting blood as he fell back.

Some might say Nanashi is amazing for engaging in such an even battle in close quarters against Neru, reputed to be the strongest in Kibotos at close range.

Others might marvel and praise his unwavering spirit for relentlessly rushing at Neru even in this situation.

But the two here present had different thoughts.

“Damn, you’re quite good… crazy kid.”

“You’re still lacking in experience, junior.”

Both of them knew the best who had won and who had lost.

If we were to say that Nanashi’s potential is far superior, then at the current point, it was Neru who had the upper hand with her physical abilities and combat experience.

It was simply impossible to catch up to Neru, the strongest at Millennium, with just one month of training.

Moreover, the factors of Nanashi’s relatively inferior shield and mass-produced handguns were also contributing to him being pushed back. Adding to that, his lack of complete adaptation to his ultra-senses, and no matter how much he gave it his all, Neru remained unbeatable.

Still, excuses didn’t matter here.

Nanashi managed to rise, despite his heavy body.

Seeing the junior standing up despite everything, Neru exhaled a heavy breath and asked with a chilling smile,

“Do you want to continue?”

“…Yes. Of course, I will continue.”

Nanashi replied as if it were the most natural thing.

After all, that was why they started the fight in the first place.

Nanashi’s purpose was to ‘learn.’

Even if defeating Neru was considered another goal, his foremost objective was learning and growth.

Taking all the experiences he could from Neru, the strong rival.

And using that to grow himself.

Therefore,

“I’ll keep going, even for an entire day.”

“Kek! You’re just as I expected. Let’s see how far we can go─!”

Nanashi who, in the past, would have recoiled in shock,

Had already improved his combat skills through the fierce battle with Neru, so retreating was no longer an option.

“I’m going to try again.”

“Right. Come anytime, junior!”

Nanashi positioned himself, and Neru followed suit.

Just as Nanashi was about to lunge forward, raising his nearly destroyed shield,

I had no choice but to stop the action.

“–Stop.”

A very familiar unwelcome voice blocked Nanashi and Neru’s way forward.

The two who were about to happily rush at each other paused their actions and brought the unwelcome guest into their field of view.

Long, gray hair reaching down to the waist.

Wearing the same maid uniform as Neru.

Holding a large bag and pistol in each hand.

Upon recognizing these characteristics, Nanashi and Neru began to turn pale.

“Both of you, what are you doing here?”

Murokasa Akane stood before them, observing them with a menacing smile on her lips.

Both Nanashi and Neru shared the same thought.

“Ah. We’re dead.”

“Damn.”

“Director, and junior.”

“Look around.”

Following Akane’s subsequent rebuke, Nanashi and Neru, for the first time, looked around at the moment they regained composure.

The destroyed training room.

The shield turned into a piece of paper.

And the battered and bruised looks of the two of them.

“…”

“Understand what you’ve done wrong now?”

Akane’s admonishment. Only then did Nanashi realize his excited mind growing cold with rationality.

I see. With this understanding, fear began to creep in.

Moments later, as my heightened senses that were also entangled in excitement slowly returned to normal, they whispered to me about the future.

“Uh… I’m going to get scolded by Himari-senpai again…”

You seem to be in big trouble.

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