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Chapter 275

The Phantasm Chronicle Tournament will be held two weeks from now, on Sunday, September 14th.

We didn’t have too little time to practice.

[So? What are you going to do, Izumi?]

I thought carefully about Natsune’s question since we’re on the same team.

Natsune’s gaming skills are the weakest in Star’s Flow.

No matter how much I claimed to be the eighth star, that’s an undeniable fact.

A few days ago, in a group collaboration, her skills were clearly much lower than Hikari Kurokami’s…

But, you know, I still found Natsune charming.

Putting that aside, it was obvious that winning the tournament wouldn’t be easy.

So we needed to make it clear here and now.

“Natsune… do you want to win this tournament?”

[Hmm… can I be honest?]

“Yes. P, please be honest.”

[I’m not participating in this tournament with winning as my goal.]

As expected…

[I’m often busy with outside activities, so it’s not easy for us to all gather like this… So I thought that if it’s a tournament, it would be a good chance for us to have fun together.]

Natsune stammered.

Well, I expected this.

Natsune views games played with others as ‘fun,’ quite unlike Yuzuki.

Natsune purely enjoys games as “play”… which, in a way, is the personality most fitting for gaming.

It can’t be helped.

Let’s give up on winning and go with the mindset to enjoy it as Natsune wishes.

After all, for two weeks, we can collaborate anytime with Natsune.

Isn’t that a far more valuable reward than winning?

“So then…”

As I reached that conclusion and opened my mouth…

[But what about you, Izumi?]

Natsune asked me in return.

[Do you want to win this tournament… too?]

“…I, don’t really, care too much. Originally, I was going to sign up as a host, after all…”

[Honestly, Izumi, the reason you asked me if I wanted to win is because you want to win this tournament yourself, isn’t it?]

…This was a dilemma.

Why do the people around me read my mind so well?

Of course…

“Yes. I want to win…”

I naturally want to win.

Games are one of the fields where I’m most confident, right?

Even if we’re a team, it’s still a tournament by name, right?

So I don’t want to lose.

You might think it’s nothing, but… of course. I definitely want to win.

[Okay! Then it’s the Nanai Team! Our goal is victory!]

“…Huh?”

[Huh? Isn’t that what you meant, Izumi? You want to win, right? So, of course, our goal is to win!]

“But…”

[I know I’m not good at the game. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t aim for victory, right? We still have plenty of time, so there’s no need to give up already. Or are you perhaps saying that your desire to win is fake?]

“…No way!”

[I said earlier, I signed up for the tournament to enjoy it. But that doesn’t mean I won’t give my all. I’ll work just as hard as you do, and I’ll aim for victory. So let’s be sincere. If it’s you… no, if it’s us, we can do it. I’ll do my best, too.]

Natsune showed no hesitation or shadow in her words.

I could tell she was serious about aiming for victory with me, even without looking directly at her.

Alright.

If Natsune—my idol—says that, I can’t give up.

“I’ll, I’ll say it in advance… no matter how much it’s Natsune, I’ll be strict, okay?”

[I’m ready, Coach Izumi!]

With her answer, Natsune chuckled softly.

And I laughed, too.

“Then let’s log in right now.”

[…Huh? But it’s almost 11 o’clock? Isn’t it time for you to sleep…?]

“A little bit is f, fine.”

[But, you’ll have to go to school tomorrow since the break is over, right?]

“It’s okay.”

[I still think it’s better to start tomorrow, though….]

“Natsune.”

[…Huh?]

“Log in.”

[Yes….]

So, Natsune and I’s first day of special training continued until 3 a.m.

“Are you not feeling well, Kayanoh?”

“Ah, I’m so sorry…”

Thanks to that, I ended up dozing off in class on the very first day of the second semester and got scolded by the teachers…

[【Phantasm Chronicle】 Off-collaboration special training for the tournament! Our goal is to grow to at least a beginner’s level!!! #NatsuneNanase#KainohIzumi#StarsFlow]

-(☆≧▽^))☆☆

-─(≧▽≦)>Izumizumi!

-Starting the first day off with an off-collaboration?

-(☆≧▽^))☆☆

Today, as soon as class finished, I asked Yurie to take me to Natsune’s house.

The goal, of course, was special training for Phantasm Chronicle.

After checking Natsune’s skills until dawn yesterday, I realized that even if there were three Natsunes, I could win alone at this point.

However, there’s a limit to what I can teach over the phone, so I came directly to Natsune’s house today.

This is definitely not out of personal desire.

Our goal is, seriously, to win this tournament.

Yeah. It’s not like I scheduled this off-collaboration just because I wanted to play with Natsune, okay?

I hope you don’t misunderstand, really!

“I heard other teams also do some practice between each other…”

As Natsune said, I heard that the other members practice by battling within their teams.

But that’s not what we’re doing today.

After all, there’s only one computer in Natsune’s house, so it’s impossible to play games together.

Today, I came merely as a ‘coach’ to Natsune’s house.

“Hmm… then shall we start slowly, Izumi?”

“Ah, yes… I’m ready whenever.”

By the way, Natsune’s room always has a nice scent when I come over…

“Konhoshi! I am Natsune Nanase, from the shining star of dreams!”

-Konhoshi!

“Today, as I announced earlier during lunch, it’s the off-collaboration special training with Izumi! Our team’s goal is victory, right? I may be lacking, but I look forward to working well with you, Coach Izumi!”

What should I say? It’s a room that gives off a huge “girl” vibe?

-Mei is the coach, how awkward!

-Will Natsune really be able to grow?

“Izumi Coach?”

Is it that I will smell like Natsune when lying on the bed?

I’m curious about what it would feel like to bury myself under the covers up to my head…

Anyone hearing this might call me a creepy pervert, but it’s nothing like that; it’s pure curiosity about my favorite and nothing more!

“…Izumi?!”

“Eep?! Ah, yes…?”

“Can you please introduce yourself first?”

“Ah… I’m Kon Izumi, the atmosphere maker who came today to be Natsune’s coach…!”

-Hi Izumi!

-Concentrate on the broadcast!

-I feel like I do this every time I have an off-collaboration with Natsune.

No. I wish someone would understand what it feels like to have an off-collaboration with my favorite…

It’d actually be weird if I could concentrate!

“Hmm… to win, we need to be able to use at least three characters…”

“Eh? Really? Three seems like too many, doesn’t it?”

I nodded silently at Natsune’s question.

Technically, there are no bans in the tournament regulations, so it wouldn’t be problematic to train heavily on just one character. But still, to win, you need to handle many characters.

Since Phantasm Chronicle allows character switching mid-game, practicing with only one character would make it incredibly easy to counter.

“The character Natsune used last time was Natsuri, right?”

“Yeah! Natsuri was cute, so I liked her.”

“Then let’s start here today…”

For a moment, I took control of Natsune’s mouse and executed the following:

[Basic Practice Area]

Right away, it was the basic practice area.

“Eh? Really? We’re starting here?”

“Yes.”

In the basic practice area, you can learn the basic game mechanics and character play, starting from basic combos to buying and using items.

“No way, Izumi…? Even I think starting here would be humiliating…”

“Call me Coach Izumi…!”

“Huh?”

-The atmosphere has changed?

-What a strong presence!

“Natsune…. You must not ignore the basics!”

This is my gaming philosophy.

No matter how easy the game may seem, the basics are essential.

Whether you can pull off those basics in crucial moments can decide the outcome.

“…True. The basics are definitely important. Okay! I’ll start from the beginning, Coach Izumi!”

“Great! That mindset is vital…!”

Natsune seemed to understand my words as she nodded along.

“But if that’s the case, does that mean Coach Izumi has completed all the missions in this basic practice area?”

“…No.”

“Ah?!”

-Hahaha!

-I thought for sure you hadn’t done it.

“No. I, um, don’t need to do all this to say I’m good, do I…?”

“Do you have a lot of confidence?!”

But that’s the truth! Yeah.

Anyway, thus began Natsune’s basic practice area missions.

In a wide rectangular arena, Natsune’s character ‘Natsuri’ appeared in front of a shop at the starting point on the left.

[1. Buy the item – Sky Strike!]

And the first mission was to buy the item ‘Sky Strike’, which grants a 1-second stun when hit.

“Hmm…”

Natsune, with a somewhat dissatisfied expression, obediently purchased Sky Strike from the shop.

[Mission Successful!]

A phrase popped up on the screen.

“With this… Natsune has definitely leveled up…!”

“No, no! Don’t praise me just for this?! Anyone could do this! Are you perhaps my anti? Trying to humiliate me on the broadcast?!”

-Certainly too much, haha!

-Should I call Mei a ‘kuso-gaki’ today?

Huh?

Why isn’t my sincerity coming through?

I meant it…

[2. Use Sky Strike on the enemy!]

As I sulked, the next mission appeared on the screen.

“I thought usually practice like this involves two people competing… I don’t think anyone does such basic missions on a broadcast.”

-I haven’t seen anyone do this before.

-I’ve never even seen this practice area.

“See? It’s true…?”

While adorably pouting in confusion, Natsune targeted the sandbag with Sky Strike.

And then.

[Mission Failed!]

The Sky Strike Natsune threw missed the sandbag extravagantly and exploded beside it.

“…Eh?”

“Didn’t we… have to do that mission?”

Yep. As I said, basics are essential.

-Hahaha!

-Was it really right to start from here?

-What a great coach, Mei!

-I can’t believe this was the appropriate mission…

-Natsune needed basic missions at this level.

The opinions that I was being too harsh had all vanished, and now only praises for my coaching abilities filled the chat.

…But, can we really win?


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