Chapter 5 Just Like with Gambling, the Greater the Appeal, the Greater the Risk. I Realized As Much from Watching Someone Close to Me.
Back to the child rescue team.
“C’mon, kids! Follow us! We’ll keep you safe!”
“Wise may be a very pitiful person, but don’t worry. I’m a lot nicer and much more competent, so I’ll be the one keeping you safe.”
“Medhi! Will you just cooperate for once?! Seal that dark heart away!”
Wise and Medhi were attempting to escape the ruins with a dozen children in tow.
But these children were quite small, and speed wasn’t their strong suit. The two girls were forced to stifle the urge to rush them and instead kept pace with the children.
Then a group of monsters appeared in the passage ahead. What now?
“Wise, are you ready?”
“Okay! Leave it to me!”
Wise summoned her magic tome and leaped forward.
“I can actually use magic now, so trash mobs like these are easily…”
“Wise’s magic was sealed,” Medhi whispered.
“What…the…? Ughhh, I’m so done…”
“Ah, Wise, Wise, I was kidding, okay? Don’t take it seriously.”
“Medhiiiiii! There’s a time and a place! Arghhh! …Spara la magia per mirare… Purificare! And! Purificare!”
Wise chain cast. Twin glimmering lights of purification shot down the hall.
The light enveloped the skeletons, and they vanished in the blink of an eye, all forcibly sent to the afterlife.
The monsters were defeated!
“Mwa-ha-ha! This is my true power! ‘Wise, you’re amazing!’ ‘Wise, you’re such a beautiful Mage!’ Go on, tell me more!”
After that impressive display, the children showered Wise with praise:
“Wahhh! Monsters! I’m scaaared!”
“Mommyyy! Mooooommyyyyy! Wahhhhh!”
“Hey, why are the kids all crying?!”
“I-it’s okay! The monsters are gone! …Wise! This is the real struggle! Our fight has just begun!”
“I—I know! Let’s do this!”
A group of sobbing children appeared. What now?
Wise attacked.
“Um, um… L-looky here! I’m a fluffy bunny, hop, hop, hop! Don’t cry, everybunny! Let’s all hop together!” Hop, hop!
At her age, acting like this was still inherently mortifying, but she cast aside her pride, summoning her cutest voice and body language!
The sobbing children stopped crying, staring at Wise.
“Wahhh! She’s trying to distract us!”
“It’s so obviously forced! Wahhhh!”
“You’re awfully perceptive children! Who taught you those words?!”
“Sheesh, I should have known Wise wasn’t up to the task… Very well. Leave this to me.”
Medhi attacked.
“Hey, kids, you don’t need to cry. I’m here with you. I’m only thinking of you. I’m really, really nice like that.”
Medhi smiled like the holy mother herself!
The sobbing children stopped crying and stared at her.
“Wahhh, that’s really creepy!”
“She’s definitely hiding her true personality! Wahhh!”
“No!! No, I’m not! What you see is what you get with me!”
“These kids are so sharp; they instantly see your rotten core! …But we aren’t getting anywhere at this rate, so… Right, raw power it is!”
Morals be damned, Wise was ready to solve this problem with magic…
…But first…
The sobbing children attacked!
“Sniff, sniff… Um, lady? Um, um… I need to go potty…”
“Huh? Potty? …Oh, right, the bathroom… Not really any around here…” said Wise.
“I need to go, too!”
“You too?” asked Medhi. “…Wh-what should we do? I suppose we could head back to that room… No, the casino toilets might be closer…”
“I want a snack! Wahhh!”
“A snack? H-hold on, lemme solve the toilet problem first…”
“Ah! I just saw something moving! I’ll go look!”
“W-w-w-wait!! Don’t go off alone!” shouted Medhi.
They tried to give chase, but… “I gotta pee now!” “Whaa—?!” “Um… Over here?” And while they were helping with that, “Hey, hey, where are the snacks?” “Wait just a minute on those!” The situation was only getting worse. “Oh! I saw something!” “Something over there, too!” “Don’t wander off!” They were scattering in all directions, the children’s innocent chain attacks erupting all around them.
““…I just can’t deal…with kids…””
Wise and Medhi’s energy reserves ran out.
GAME OVER…
They were never heard from again…
Obviously joking.
“A-anyway, there’s bathrooms upstairs, and they have snacks and loads of games! So please, listen to us!”
“We’re almost there! Come on, I’m begging you. We’re seriously going to start crying soon. Give us a break!”
“““Okay, fiiine, I guess. If we gotta…”””
“Ack… Such condescension… Little brats…”
“Right, everyone hold hands! Don’t let go!”
Wise took the lead and Medhi took the rear, the children all grouped between them.
All aboard the bunny train! “Let’s go! Chugga-chugga…” “I thought bunnies went hop, hop?” “Yeah, they hop!” “Argh… H-hop…hop!” They pressed onward, embarrassing sound effects included.
Wise and Medhi were thoroughly exhausted—physically and mentally.
“Sigh… Dealing with children is seriously draining… It’s so much easier to fight monsters…” said Wise.
“You are so right…” replied Medhi. “Mothers with small children have to do this every day, don’t they? …Did I wear my mother out like this, I wonder?”
“For real. My mom’s an awful person, but even she managed to look after me when I was really little… I feel like I’m actually starting to respect her… Uh… Huh?”
A figure appeared in the hall in front of them. Another monster?
No, an elderly man in a black suit—the casino’s assistant manager.
“Wise, Medhi, well done. It seems you’ve successfully rescued the children. Splendid.”
“Thanks for coming to meet us. Of course, we could handle this.”
“The information you provided was invaluable. Thank you so much.”
“Not at all. I should be thanking you. I’ll take the children from here.” The assistant manager turned to the hall behind him. “If you would be so kind?”
A group of Bunny Girls came forward, securing the children. “Bye-bye, ladies!” “Let’s play again!” “Um, okay…” “If we get the chance…” They couldn’t very well say “never again,” but it was clearly written on their faces.
“My, my. Were they a bit much for you?”
“W-well, I mean, it just kinda felt a bit too soon for us, you know?”
“Y-yes… We’re a long way from having any of our own.”
“All the more reason to gain experience where you can. I recommend proactively pursuing any quests that will allow you to develop your maternal skills.”
“Ughhh… I’m soooo done with these day-care quests…”
“I believe only Masato should have to suffer where maternal things are concerned. We’ve had quite enough.”
“Now, don’t say that! I mean this for your own good… But that aside, first we must resolve the matter at hand.”
“Mm. Right. That.”
“Yes. Let us do what needs be done.”
The children were safely with the staff. Rescue mission: complete.
Their next mission was to assist Mamako and Shiraaase in the arena. Wise and Medhi nodded at each other and ran off in that direction…
…but before they did, the assistant manager stopped them.
“Oh, sorry. I know you’re in a hurry, but if you could spare a moment? There’s something I forgot to mention earlier.”
“Yeah? What?”
“The arena down below has a rather unusual functionality installed.”
“Unusual how?”
“One that will catch Sorella off guard and allow us to turn the tables and resolve this situation, guaranteeing a happy ending… In short…”
…it’ll be more fun to see it in action.
And now, back to the Alzare recovery team.
Not much of a team, though—it was just Masato.
“Entrusted with a vital task, throwing myself into solitary conflict… Heh… At last, I’m finally a hero!”
He was alone but thoroughly enjoying himself. He hadn’t been this excited in a while.
He was running down a corridor, the map Medhi had given him in one hand.
A group of skeletons blocked his path.
“Kah-kah-kah… Living one… Soon you will wander here for all eternity as we do…”
“You’re talking to me, right? Not to anyone else? You’re treating me, personally, as your enemy? Just me? You’re sure?”
“Huh? Y-yes, you! Tremble in fear as—”
“Ohhhh, this is great! I’m being targeted! Not Mom, not anyone else! Me! This is amazing! Hell yeah!”
“Huh? Why is he so happy?”
Thinking about it, Masato was pretty sure this had never happened before.
Mamako was always at the front of the party. Even the Four Heavenly Kings reserved all their aggro for her and never even glanced at Masato, the ostensible hero. That was just his life here.
But not now! For once, I’m actually the star!
He was overjoyed.
“Ohhhhh! Yeah! Identity Establishment Slaaaaash!”
“Eeeeeeek?!”
An improvised attack name, kinda crappy, but whatever.
Spraying tears of joy, Masato sliced his way through the skeletons.
The Holy Sword in his hand, Firmamento, was specialized in fighting flying enemies and generally not the best against surface foes.
But that didn’t matter now! Infused with the power of his joy, it was supereffective against the negative energy of the undead monsters! Extra fun!
“More! More! Bring it on! Keep ’em comiiiing! Ha-ha!”
“What’s wrong with this kid?! He’s terrifying!”
“Let me fight mooooore! This is my big momeeeent!”
Masato mercilessly kicked terrified skeletons out of his way. “I found more!” “He’s after uuuus!” A ghost tried to turn invisible and flee, but he cut it down, too! Joyous slaughter!
“So much fun! I’ve never had this much fun in my life! Too much fun! I’m so glad I lived to see this daaaaay!!”
“If I’d known I was going to be this scared, I’d rather not have died and come back as a monsterrrr!!”
Monsters tried to pretend not to see him and run away, but he caught and defeated them, too! Never even glancing at the heaps of gems they left behind, Masato ran on!
After a while:
“Ha-ha-ha-haaa… Oh… Look, a suspicious door!”
A stone door stood in the passage ahead. There were even carvings on it, clearly marking it as a place of importance.
He checked his map, and it was, in fact, where the Alzare was.
“Sheesh, already at the end point… I kinda wanna rerun that last path like ten more times, but I’ve got to complete my mission here and get back to the arena.”
Resisting temptation, Masato reached for the door. “If it won’t open, maybe then I’ll go back…” But the door opened easily. Too bad.
Inside was a wide-open space with dull stone walls and rows of ancient metal candlesticks.
As Masato stepped inside, the candles lit up, one by one…revealing a kingly figure at the back.
“Ho-ho… To come this far alone… I admire your courage, at least.”
The candlelight revealed a Gold Knight Skeleton, clad in golden armor.
“…I assume you’re the room guardian, then?”
“That I am! I am the protector of that which lies within this room, the treasure known as Alzare.”
“Cool, then this is the right place… Shall we?”
“Very well. Put your life on the line, and you may just stand a chance, brave boy.”
The Gold Knight Skeleton had a shield in its left hand and a sword in its right. It gave a knight’s salute and made ready to battle.
Masato raised his sword…but the tip was shaking.
“What’s wrong? Lost your nerve, boy?”
“N-no, that’s not it…”
“Then why are you trembling?”
“Obviously, ’cause I’m just so happy! I’m so happy I could cry!”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been waiting for a moment like this! My chance to shine! To get called stuff like, ‘brave boy,’ to have one-on-one fights like this! This is the adventure I’ve wanted all along! So that’s why I’m just so incredibly happy… Nng!”
The tears were blurring his vision. His nose was running. It was all hanging out.
“I-if you’re blubbering like that…you must have really been suffering…”
“I have! My tale is one of tears and woe!”
“I see… Hmm… I suppose I could listen to your story…”
“You will? Then let me tell you!”
“Hmm… Very well… But only after you die and become one of my minions!”
An instant later the Gold Knight Skeleton had closed the gap between them, swinging his ancient sword.
It was a blow designed to split his head in two, but Masato raised Firmamento, blocking it and letting it slide down the blade. He managed to jump backward, recovering.
“Whoa! You don’t hold back, huh?”
“This is a fight to the death! Why would I hold back?”
“Exactly! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”
His howl blasted away the momentary chill, and then Masato attacked, giving as good as he got.
Masato lunged directly toward the Gold Knight Skeleton…but that was a feint, and he took a quick step to the right, swinging. “Hah!” His blow was caught by the shield, but…
…he soon swung again. Using the momentum of the sword’s recoil to spin and swing from the other direction…
“Your counter is too slow!”
“What…?!”
…the Gold Knight Skeleton thrust his shield forward.
The shield released an unnatural light. This was…!
Tch! I dunno what that is, but I shouldn’t soak it head-on!
Masato quickly canceled his attack and thrust out his left arm.
He’d intended to deploy his shield wall, but the moment the enemy shield struck it, Masato’s arm jerked back with a sudden pain.
“Unh?! My shoulder…!”
“Don’t worry, that pain won’t last long… I’ll end it for you!”
“Death wasn’t the kind of painkiller I had in mind! Hah!”
An upward slash aimed at his throat, deflected by a mighty downswing.
Masato quickly backed away from the Gold Knight Skeleton, putting space between them.
Crap… My left arm’s so numb I can’t move it…
That shield’s attack must have had some sort of stun effect, preventing him from acting. He may have avoided a direct hit but had been unable to completely negate it.
He held his sword in his right hand, his left arm hanging limp. Masato’s defense was sealed.
His expression remained confident, but there was definitely a sweat on his brow.
Dammit! Time will cure this stun effect… I’ve got to hold out until then!
Masato slid his feet backward, slowly increasing the distance, trying to buy some time.
It wasn’t working.
“This fight is over! Ready? Here I coooome!”
“What the…?! You’re fast!”
The Gold Knight Skeleton was already right in front of him, committed to a fatal blow. Masato had been focused on buying time and was too late to block the blow with his blade. At this rate…!
But just before the blade sank into Masato’s shoulder, it froze.
“Huh…?”
He didn’t know why it had stopped. The skeleton’s bony face offered no clues.
But this was his chance.
He gave everything he had, swinging his sword frantically.
“Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Firmamento let loose a powerful swing.
The transparent sword snapped the ancient blade in two and cut the Gold Knight Skeleton’s head clean off its shoulders.
“Ah-ha! Hahhh… Hahhh……… Yessss!”
All the air in his lungs and fear in his heart came rushing out at once, and Masato crowed with victory.
The Gold Knight Skeleton’s head rolled next to him.
“Phooey. My head came off!”
“Holy crap?! You can still talk?! …W-wait, you’re not gonna revive, are you…?”
“Fear not. I am defeated and will soon fade… Enjoy your victory, boy. You may take the Alzare.”
“…Cool, I’ll do that.”
The fight was over. Masato put Firmamento back in its scabbard and headed toward the back of the room.
There was a pedestal made out like an altar and a small treasure box on it.
On the lookout for traps, he opened it…and found a single book inside.
“Is this Alzare…?”
It didn’t have a title anywhere. He opened it and found it crammed full of lines of ASCII code. “Ah, this has gotta be it.” Alzare, the program used to mess with the NPC configuration, had been turned into an item. That had to be the case here.
At least turn it into hieroglyphs or something! Anything that would fit the setting! But there was time to gripe about that later.
What mattered was that he’d achieved his goal.
“I did it… By my own hand… My own power alone… I finally did it… Yes, if I put my mind to it, I can succeed! I’m aaaaaaaaawesoooooome!”
His party wasn’t with him. There was nobody around to hear.
So Masato totally let himself cut loose, shouting things he’d normally never let himself say. “Ah, youth.” “You’re still here?!” Being overheard by a Gold Knight Skeleton was so mortifying he nearly died on the spot.
Masato turned to leave or maybe run away… But first:
“…Um, can I ask a question? Why’d you stop your swing back there? Was there a reason for that?”
If the Gold Knight Skeleton’s sword had followed through, Masato would have lost. His opponent should have won.
As it faded, the skull replied, “It was the shirt you wear, boy.”
“My shirt? …This is just something my mom bought for me when we were out shopping… What about it?”
“A gift from your mother? That explains it… In that moment, I sensed powerful emotions emanating from your shirt. It unleashed an intense protective power…strong enough to block my blow.”
Masato’s shirt had been given the power to negate a single attack of any type thanks to his mother’s special skill, A Mother’s Love Enhancement.
When purchasing the shirt, Mamako had hugged it tight, making a wish upon it.
“Did you not see it, boy? I suppose not. They say no child ever knows just how dear he is to his parents… You should thank your mother later.”
And with that, the Gold Knight Skeleton vanished for good.
“…Geez… Once again, it was all thanks to Mom…”
The tears flowed freely, and he couldn’t see a thing. He was forced to stand still for a time.
* * *
Masato left the room and hurried toward the arena, making smooth progress. He knew the way now, and all the monsters shrieked and fled when they saw him.
He was rather upset.
“Anyway, I recovered the Alzare! Wise and Medhi will have delivered the kids and be on their way back, too! So I gotta get back there first… and this time, this time, I swear, I’ll get to show my power! Somehow! Argh!”
Tears trailed behind him as he ran.
He soon found himself before a familiar arch. Beyond that lay the arena.
Masato drew Firmamento and, with the wind at his back, rushed in.
“Please! I begging! Give me a chance to shine…! Uh, wait… Something’s wrong… Why is the wind…? Whoaaa?!”
He suddenly felt like he was floating and quickly stopped in his tracks. He’d thought there was a wind at his back but it now felt like he was being sucked toward the gate.
He looked ahead and saw a tornado centered on the stage. Stones the size of casino chips, all caught up in the winds…
…No, wait. The stone chips were the ones generating the tornado.
“Yo! What is this? The heck’s going on? …Argh, is there nobody here? Porta? Shiraaase? …Mom?”
“Oh! I hear Masato! Masato’s here!”
“That you, Porta? Where…? Oh, I see you! And Shiraaase!”
Some distance from the tornado was a coffin, and Porta was curled up behind it.
Masato ran over to her.
“Well, at least you’re safe! Good!”
“Yes! I’m fine! Ms. Shiraaase is dead again, but that’s kept me out of harm’s way!”
“’Cause death invalidates all attacks, right? Thanks a ton, Shiraaase!”
He felt like the back of the coffin was proudly saying, “You’re welcome.” It seemed quite satisfied with itself. He would leave it in charge of protecting Porta.
Masato hid behind it as well, taking stock again.
A tornado in the center of the arena. Mothers in the stands, huddled with one another against the winds. Like a natural disaster unfolding.
“So what’s up with the tornado? …And where’s Mom?”
“W-well…”
“I can fill you in theeere,” a languid voice carried over the wind.
Sorella. She was sitting on a tatami-sized giant magic tome, which was floating on the wind.
“Where should I staaart? Hmmm… Hmmm…”
“Keep it snappy! Bullet points only!”
“Then I wiiiill. Mamako and I are fighting right nooow. Mamako said she was going to lecture meeee, and that sounded so duuull, so I decided to defeat heeer.”
“Okay, okay, so?”
“Theeeen… Once I wiiin, I’m going to make it so that Mamakoooo and all the moms in the staaands aren’t mothers anymoooore. Won’t that be fuuun?”
“They won’t be mothers? What the heck does that mean? …Whatever, not like Mom’ll lose this fight. A happy end is inevitable.”
“Mm… I’m not so suuure… I mean, look at the staaage. Seeeee? Mamako’s really struuuuggling.”
“Pfft, no way. Mom never struggles…”
He squinted, trying to see the stage through the tornado.
He could just barely see her standing on the stage, two swords equipped, swinging them over and over…
…yet the tornado around her just kept on swirling.
“Th-that’s not right… If Mom’s attacking…like, more things should be happening… Can she not break through the tornado?”
“That’s riiight. Mamako can’t do a thing about iiit! How straaange! The secreeeet…is right heeere!”
Sorella pulled a single stone chip out of her pocket and tossed it to Masato.
He reflexively caught it, but a moment later, it flew away. “Wha—? Aughh?!” It struck him on the chin, then flew away, joining the tornado.
“Wh-what was that? It moved on its own? And hit me?!”
“Of course it diiid! It’s a monsteeer! Made from old chips they used in this areeena, an undead monster powered by the regrets of losers who ruined their lives heeeere… Hmm… With all of them in the tornadoooo…there’s, like, a million of theeem.”
“A million… A m-million monsters?!”
“That’s riiiight. And Mamako’s attaaaacks…they split the damage evenlyyyy. Sooo…even if she did a million points of damage with each attaaaack…against a million enemiiiies…”
Her two attacks would only do two points of damage to each individual enemy.
“Tch, that explains it.”
“It dooooes. Mwa-haaa. This means I wiiiin.”
Mamako’s overwhelming firepower was at a disadvantage against overwhelming numbers. She couldn’t cut through them.
And the moment she slowed her attacks, they’d all attack, and she might well lose.
The mothers in the stands were clutching their heads, fearing the worst.
Gazing at them, Sorella inhaled a lungful of the mothers’ collective despair, smiling with immense pleasure.
But…
“To hell with that! This isn’t over yet! …There’s no way my mother will ever lose! After all, she’s my mom!”
Masato let his feelings spill out.
“Ohhh? Are you going to butt iiiin? …Hmmm… Fiiiine. You helping her out won’t change a thiiing. Suit yourseeelf. I’ll allow iiiit.”
“Well, thanks! I’ll make you regret underestimating me!”
This wasn’t a bluff. Masato was sure.
After all, the chip monsters were flying.
“This is my chance to shine! Leave flying enemies to meeeeee!”
Firmamento, the Holy Sword of the Heavens, was about to demonstrate its true potential.
He pulled and swung the transparent blade, and it fired a crescent-shaped light beam that rocketed toward the tornado with such force it seemed certain to cut it in half.
“Gooooooooooo!”
The beam hit one of the old chips at the edge of the tornado!
And as it did, the beam dissipated.
“…Mm?”
Masato defeated an old chip!
Freed of regrets, the old chip became an antique chip and fell to the ground at Masato’s feet! He got a drop item!
That was cool and all but not the point.
“Ah, right… My attacks are single target…”
“No matter how big the effect iiiis, you can only hit oooone. Such a shaaaame! Have fuuun!”
“Arghhh… I-in that case I just have to attack another 999,999 times, right?! Fine! I’m gonna do it! Damn it alllllllll!”
Masato attacked! Only 999,998 to go!
Five minutes later.
“…S-so…tired…”
His arms shaking from overexertion, Masato examined the results of his efforts.
At his feet lay around one hundred chips.
Inside the tornado, Mamako was still battling furiously. She’d seen Masato and glanced his way occasionally but was much too busy fighting. He had to do something soon, but…
“Th-this isn’t right… This isn’t all I’m capable of… I’m not just here to let Mom spoil me… I’m capable…!”
“And yetttt…you seem really tired and ready to give uuup. Masatooo… Capable isn’t the word you’re looking fooor.”
“Th-that’s not true! See? I’ve already defeated a hundred!”
“Trueeee… But a mere one hundred chips is a drop in the buckeeet. Completely pooointless.”
“Maybe not!”
“A hundred is plenty!”
Masato recognized those voices.
“Sigh… Geez… You two sure took your time! Were you goofing off somewhere?”
Not wanting to admit how glad he was to see them, he settled for grumbling.
Wise and Medhi came running out of the passageway and stopped in front of Masato. They both hung their heads, the rabbit ears flopping forward.
“Yeah, about that… Those little twerps…” Slump.
“It was just awful… Children are so…” Sulk.
“R-right, not goofing off. Mortal peril, got it. Good job… But, uh, let’s leave the catching up for later! Look at this mess!”
“Yeah, this seems bad. There’s a tornado and everything! Super-gaudy.”
“Is that Mamako fighting in there? Good! She’s in just the right place.”
The two girls seemed both aware of the significance of the situation and yet were weirdly enjoying themselves.
“Wahhh, wahhh. Don’t bother pretending you’re still confideeent. Besiiiides, Wise and Medhi are my staaaaff… Go back to the casino and do your jooobs.”
“Hate to break it to yaaa, but we paid off our deeeeeeeebts. We don’t work for you anymoooooooooore… Alsooooooooo…”
“Those children you locked uuuuuup? We freed them aaaaaall!”
“Mmm?! Well, that was unnecessaryyyyy! Now I’m peeeeeved! …Alsooo, why are you talking like thaaat? Take this conversation seriouslyyy!”
“Uh, we’re just talking like you do.”
“I don’t sound anything like that, stuuuupid. Besiiides…”
“Yeah, whatever. We’re done mimicking it, don’t worry.”
“Also, we’d like to introduce you to a special function of this arena!”
Medhi picked up one of the old chips from the floor at her feet and flicked it aloft with her thumb. The chip dissipated in midair.
An instant later, the arena grew darker, and the sound of a drumroll immediately followed.
Then a magic stone came flying in, glowing like a spotlight, and began orbiting over the mothers in the stands, around and around the circular arena.
“Wh-what the…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s drawing a winner,” said Wise.
“And the winner is… Over there.”
The magic stone stopped, illuminating a single mother. But she just looked around, unsure why she was being lit up.
“Yep, that mother’s the winner! Congrats! Now…”
“Everyone, eyes to the stage!”
Following the two Bunny Girls’ instructions, Masato, Sorella, Porta (from her hiding place behind the coffin), and the mothers in the crowd all looked to the stage.
Then light shot out of the stage, forming letters so bright they were visible through the tornado:
Status Up! Target: Mother
And there you have it.
“Um… Wise, Medhi… Explain.”
“Sure, sure, got it… The assistant manager told us this trick,” explained Wise. “This arena has a roulette function on it, a bonus for the people fighting on the stage. A random buff.”
“If you defeat one of the old chips that spawn here and use them, you can activate the roulette, and it’ll select a single person from the stands,” added Medhi.
“And everyone who shares the same job as that chosen person gets a huge ability buff.”
“So if there’s a swordsman fighting in the ring, and a swordsman in the audience gets picked, then the swordsman who’s fighting will get a huge status boost, too. If a person with some other job gets picked, that’s a miss, and the boost doesn’t activate.”
And thus, the Bunny Girls’ arena roulette tutorial concluded.
So now…
“That’s the first I’ve heard of thiiis… S-soooo…since the audience is made up of the mothers I brought heeere—and they’re all motheeeers—and Mamako is onstaaage…and she’s a motheeer… Th-th-th…that meeeans… Aughhhhh!”
Sorella started to panic, but it was already too late.
This was way beyond her previous spoiling.
Time to spin the arena roulette 100 percent guaranteed to buff Mamako only!
“Okay, let’s do this!” Medhi yelled.
“Spin that roulette round and round!” cried Wise.
“I’ll handle keeping Sorella at bay. The two of you kill more chips! …Porta, you gather the chips and use them!”
“Okay! Leave it to me!”
“R-right, let’s do this…” Masato said, belatedly trying to take charge.
“Um! Please let me help, too!” said one mother. She came running toward them with a glowing flyswatter in her hand.
“Um, and this mother is… Wait, what’s with that weird blinding flyswatter…?”
“She’s the mother from the general store! Mama gave her motherly powers, and they fought together! All the mothers did!”
Porta pointed toward the stands, where the mothers were all brandishing glowing rolled-up flyers, despite the raging winds.
“Whoa, you guys are fired up. I can feel that mother power from here… Are those rolled-up flyers? You’d think they could at least be transformed into some sort of holy weapon-like thing… Whatever! The more people help, the better!”
“W-w-w-wait, wait, waiiiit!! Please, seriously, just waaaait!!”
They did not wait.
The chip contingent swiftly began knocking them out of the sky.
Masato and Wise were up first.
“You’ve got magic so you can take on a whole bunch, but I’ve only got single-target attacks! Bear that in mind and give me a handicap, okay?”
“I refuse!”
“Wow, such a manly Bunny Girl…”
“You’ve already scored a hundred chips, Masato! And I’m gonna pass you in no time! …Spara la magia per mirare… Luce Sparo! And! Luce Sparo!”
Wise’s chain cast activated. Light bullets with purifying powers shot toward the chip tornado.
Over a thousand bullets of light instantly rocketed her score ahead of Masato’s…!
“I upped the bullet count! This way I’ll easily… Uh, wait…”
Nope. She got too greedy and split the power, making each bullet too weak to take anything down.
Old chips in critical condition came fluttering in Masato’s direction. “Oh, nice!” He took them out. Easy-peasy! “Those were mine!” Wise started stomping them to death.
But someone else was doing better than either of them.
“We can’t lose to these children! Come on!”
“They’re just like the insects that invade our homes and frighten our children!”
“We’re all mothers here! Time to show a mother’s true strength!”
The mothers in the stands were going wild. Flyswatters and rolled-up flyers going thwack, thwack, thwack, chip after chip falling to the ground. It was nuts.
“…Moms can be amazing sometimes,” said Masato.
“They’ve got that bug-swatting motion down pat. It’s kinda impressive, in its own way. Like, they look seriously reliable suddenly? But we can’t let them win!”
“Oh, right! I’ve got to demonstrate the hero’s power!”
Wise and Masato shook off their awe and set to work.
Around their competition, a game of tag was starting.
“Hngggg… Wh-wh-wh-what noooow?! I could stack my debuff skiiiill… Oh, I caaan’t! Because I’m controlling a million monsterrrrs! I don’t have enough power left for that skiiill!”
“So will you release your control of the old chips?” Grin.
“I can’t do thaaat! Mamako would get freeeee! …I’m top class when it comes to my debuff skiiill and undead control aaaarts but I’ve got no HP or defeeeense! I’m just a normal magic joooob! I can’t fight her directlyyyy!”
“Then what shall you do?” Grin.
“W-weeeell… I definitely think I should run away from you, Medhiii! The way you smile without smiling is really creeeepy!”
Sorella made the right judgment call.
Dark power was erupting from Medhi’s high-cut leotard, painting her normally beautiful smile black.
“You see, I’ve got a lot of pent-up frustration here… I’m not trying to be perfect all the time anymore, see? But my mother’s teachings are ingrained in me now… So everything that’s happened since we hit the casino has been sooo stressful…”
“A-about thaaat! I’m s-s-s-sorryyy! I’m sorry I used my skill to make you looooose! But, buuuut…you paid the debt baaack! Aren’t we eveeeen?!”
“I may have paid off the debt, but that didn’t cancel out the rage building within me! Arghhh, I really need to hit something! Is there nothing around here worth kicking? …I’ve got to dispel this fury somehow…”
“Th-there’s a wall right over theeere!! It looks ripe for kickiiing!”
“Oh, there you are.” Grin.
“She’s looking right at meeeee!!”
Sorella slipped down off her giant magic tome and began moving at the highest speed her languorous body could manage… Swinging her staff and kicking the air, Medhi was slowly gaining on her.
And:
“We’ve collected a whole bunch of chips! Porta, they’re yours!”
“Leave it to me! I’ll use them! …Will it win? It’ll win! Hyah!”
Porta tossed the chip, spinning the arena roulette.
The room went dark and the selection process began. The magic stone roamed the crowd, and the spotlight landed on… “Oh, gosh! Me?” …Naturally, another mother.
Status Up! Target: Mother
Again.
“Porta, here’s another!”
“Got it! Will it win? It’ll win! Hyah!”
And again, “What? Me, this time?” The roulette picked a mother.
Status Up! Target: Mother
And again.
“I’ve brought these from the stands! Can you take care of ’em?”
“Of course! I won’t waste the mothers’ efforts! Hyah!”
Porta quickly tossed the new chips! On we go! Status Up! Target: Mother. More! Status Up! Target: Mother. Even more!
So many announcements were made…that the time at last arrived.
“! …Here it comes!”
“What d’you mean, Masato?”
“Our OP party member’s OP attack! …Wise! Medhi! Get away from the stage! Porta, back behind that coffin!”
How did Masato sense it coming?
Because she was his mother. He just knew.
“Everybody down!”
A moment later:
The tornado and the chips within it swelled and burst.
A million chips came raining down on the stage, revealing a mother beyond compare. You-know-who.
“Whew… That all worked out somehow! Thank goodness.”
Mamako smiled, wiping the sweat from her brow.
Then her gaze locked onto Masato. She knew instantly where her beloved son was.
“Ma-kun, you’re safe! You all are!”
“Yeah, thanks… You had it pretty rough, too, huh?”
“I did! I’m every bit as tired as I am after spring cleaning!”
“I can’t really relate to that kind of exhaustion.”
“But now that I’ve seen your face, all my exhaustion just went away! I think I could clean another ten houses! Hee-hee!”
“Yeah, again, never cleaned a house, can’t relate… Sigh… Doesn’t matter… So… I think it’s time this mom casino shut down.”
Masato glanced at Medhi. She appeared to have transformed into a (dark) Bunny Girl, but she still caught his drift.
She put just a little more pressure on Sorella, driving her up onto the stage.
“Hahhh…hahhh… S-stoppp! Stop chasing meee! Uh… W-waiiiit?! Mamakoooo?!”
“That’s right… Sorella, we need to talk.”
“No, we doooon’t! I didn’t do anything wroooong! I just altered the way the NPC mothers and children thiiiink… Experimented with how they’d aaact… Then gathered them here so I could laugh at theeem!”
“Guilty,” said Masato.
“Alsoooo… I used my debuff skiiiill…so that nobody could ever win at my casinooo…”
“The assistant manager told us, but that’s super-obnoxious. Guilty!” said Wise.
“Definitely guilty. This shall not stand.” Medhi’s aura growled ominously.
“Also, uuum… I suppoooose…I did turn people who had debts into priiizes…”
“That’s really naughty!” piped up Porta.
The four jurors delivered a guilty verdict.
Time for sentencing.
“Mom, if you want to give her a lecture, I won’t stop you. But I think you need to give her a good scolding first or she won’t listen.”
“You think? …I suppose I should scold her properly first.”
Mamako held up an index finger.
“Gahhhhh?! W-w-w-waiiiitt!! Mamako’s scoldings even did in Amanteeeee!”
“Oh yeah, they did. She could reflect all attacks and had crazy strength and endurance, but one scolding and she was at death’s door.”
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I caaaan’t! I’ll never surviiive! I’m a magic claaaass! I’ve got no enduraaaance! And Mamako’s really, really, really buffed up right nowwww! You shouldn’t bully the weeeak!”
“That’s true. And, well…you seem quite frightened, Sorella. Making children listen because they’re scared is the wrong way to scold… It’s best if you listen willingly, understand what I’m trying to say, and appreciate the earnestness of my request. So…”
Mamako sat down in front of Sorella, putting her eyes on the same level.
“Okay?”
A big smile and a gentle, “Okay?”
In that moment, everyone present felt the world change.
The arena had been brimming with bloodthirst, but now it was like a meadow bathed in sunlight. A pleasant breeze brushed by, and birds sang. The perfect place for a chat.
“Okay?”
This was Mamako’s wish. And some supernatural power with control over space itself had altered their surroundings to allow that wish to be granted.
As a result: “Okay, I’m listening.” “Totally!” “What is it?” “I want to listen, Mama!” Even the party members Mamako wasn’t addressing gathered around her, sitting beside her, joining the conversation as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Even the coffin!
And, “Oh, a chat?” “I’m all ears.” “Me too.” Mothers began filing out of the stands and sitting down around Mamako.
As if that weren’t enough, “What are we talking about?” “Can we listen?” Undead monsters began filing out of the ruins, gathering around.
Sorella had stubbornly rejected the idea, but even she—
“Huhhhh? You’re all listeniiing? Umm… Then I guess I couuuld…l-listen to…what M-M-M-Mamakooooo… Nooooooooot!”
—stopped herself in the nick of time.
She banged her head on the stage several times, trying to clear her mind.
“I’m one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Libere Rebelliooon! Look, I admit you nearly had me for a second theeere! But I won’t give in to your weird poweeers!”
“Oh dear. Then whatever shall we do?”
“You’ll do nothiiing! This is all overrr! …Oh, I knooow!”
Sorella picked up an old chip from her feet.
“Mamakooo! Let’s battle with thiiis! Toss this chiiip! If it’s heads, you wiiiin. And tails, I wiiin. And if you win, I’ll listen to what you have to saaay! …But I have the ultimate debuff skill so victory will definitely be mine! Mwa-ha-haaa!”
Sorella’s body glowed repeatedly, chain activating her skill. Trying to win but cratering Mamako’s luck… But…
“Mm? Huh? No, wait, that’s—”
“I won’t waaait! Here goeees!”
Masato jumped up to stop her, but he was too late.
Sorella tossed the old chip.
And the arena roulette activated. “Huh?” “Uh-oh, she’s done it now.” The selection process began. The drumroll sounded, and the magic stone circled over the mothers’ heads…
…and a moment later, the stone’s spotlight locked onto Mamako. The light formed two letters:
JP
What?
“Ummmm… You, stunned-looking Bunny Giiiirl. Explaaain.”
“Is this—?! I’ve heard the legends, but could it be?!”
“The fabled Jack-Mom-Pot?!”
“Uh, wait, Medhi… It just says JP. This is just a normal jackpot. No need to ram a mom in there.”
Sorella hit the legendary jackpot! There was a thunderous fanfare, and the greatest prize in arena history was bestowed!
The old chips scattered around swirled up, suddenly turning into one ounce of gold before raining down on Sorella!
“I did iiiit! This means I wiiin! I’m making a fortuuuune! This is all miiine! I acceeeept! Um… Huh? These gold coins are a little weeeird…”
A single coin plopped into Sorella’s palm. It had an S on it. The next one had an O. Then came an R, and an E, an L, another L, and an A.
And after those: D O N T M A K E F U N O F M O T H E R S.
“D-does this meeean…? N-n-n-no waaay!! Aughhhhh?!”
Thanks to the “Okay?” effect, Mamako’s message was being spelled out by the gold coins!
A single one-ounce gold coin was about an inch in diameter, with each weighing…well, one ounce. A million of those amount to…over thirty tons. A rain of extremely heavy words swiftly buried Sorella completely.
“Oh dear! We’d better rescue her!” Mamako cried, turning white as a sheet.
“No, it’s too late… This is gold… She’s been crushed…”
Masato put his palms together. RIP.
“Wait! I thought I saw something really fast slide under the gold!” Porta shouted. Always eagled-eyed.
A second later:
The mountain of gold erupted, like something exploded within.
As the coins scattered, they revealed…Amante, with Sorella tucked under her arm.
“Yep, my reflection skill’s the best. It’s particularly powerful against the forces of physics.”
“You reflected a mountain of gold coins? Dang… Wait, why are you here?!”
“That would be telling. Look, she is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, nominally, so I figured I should at least collect her. In return, I grant these gold coins to the heroes who defeated Sorella… I think you get a bigger reward than I do, which is very irritating, but…”
She glanced down at the casino flyer, frowning.
Regardless, Amante slung Sorella over a shoulder, intact but unconscious, and ran away.
“Oh, thank goodness! I’m so glad Sorella’s all right.” Whew.
“Yo, Mom! This is no time to be acting all relieved! They’re getting away!”
It was all over in an instant.
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