Chapter 138 - My Uppercut for Your Sake (6)

“But you promised me!”

My screaming voice echoed in the small room.

My mother was holding a feverish Shouhei in front of my eyes as I let my emotions explode with rage.

“I’m sorry, Kunpei. Sho caught a cold, so we’ll have to go to the department store another time, okay?

Mom’s face had an unusual reddish tinge as she said this.

I was throwing a temper tantrum, and as a kid in the true sense of the word, there was no way I could have noticed the change in her condition. I was just sad and lonely that my promise to go out, which I was looking forward to, was broken.

The disappointment that the promise wasn’t kept became a wave of strong anger that swirled around in my chest and I couldn’t stop it.

“You also promised to go to the zoo last week! We didn’t go!”

“That was because of your father’s urgent work…”

Mom’s face clouded over as she looked really apologetic.

It was raining heavily outside the window, and I vividly remember how dark it was in our apartment even though it was daytime.

“Eho, gho…”

“Shouhei? Do you have a sore throat? Shall I take your temperature and give you some medicine?”

Shouhei, dazed from the fever, coughed.

He cried and hugged his mother, desperately grabbing at her clothes.

It’s natural. Everyone wants to be pampered when they are sick. Besides, Shouhei had just started kindergarten at that time, so there was nothing strange about it.

But as the tantrum thrower, I found such a gesture irksome.

“… What the hell.”

“Eh? What did you say, Kunpei?”

Mom asked me as she stood up while holding Shouhei and took out a thermometer from the dresser .

I didn’t like the fact that she asked me back, even though I had muttered it in a small voice that she couldn’t possibly hear.

“What the hell! Dad and mom are all about Shouhei, Shouhei! It’s always Shouhei! We didn’t go to the beach during summer vacation because you thought Shouhei would get sick! No matter where we went, we’d always go home because he’d get tired! You never listen to me! You’re not listening to me at all!”

“Kunpei…”

Mom’s face twisted into a sad expression.

It made me sad, too, but I couldn’t stop myself.

If you think about it calmly, it’s obvious.

Shouhei was born with a weak body, and he was prone to catching colds and falling asleep when the temperature changed or he was tired.

I was well aware of this, and normally I would never have thought or said such a thing.

He was four years younger than me, and he was so cute. I loved the way he always followed me around, pinching my clothes when he could walk.

“I’m sorry, niichan… ehohohohoho!”

Seeing Shouhei apologize so weakly, even though he couldn’t open his eyes properly, made me feel even more pathetic.

But such patheticness only fueled my anger that I had nowhere else to go. Even if I say so myself, I was really a helpless kid.

“Kunpei, Kunpei is the older brother, so can you endure it a bit? It’s hard for Sho too, you know?”

“Ugh…! Uuuuuuh…!”

It was an answer I didn’t want.

Maybe I just wanted a word of comfort.

What was it about that day, that time, that was different from usual, what was it that I didn’t like?

Now that I think about it, I can’t remember that at all.

I regret and regret and regret, and even now, seven years later, I can’t help but want to apologize to my mother.

If only I had been a little smarter.

If only I had been a little more honest.

If only I had been a little more calm.

“Mom, you and Dad don’t like me, do you? Because Shouhei is more important to you! You always break your promises to me!”

Even though I wouldn’t have said such an irreversible line even if it killed me.

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“Guh!”

I clenched my teeth and endured the incessant rain of blows.

It had been quite a while since the first round had started.

Since the first time we put our gloves together, I’ve been beaten up in the middle of the ring, helpless to do anything about Prince Atol’s onslaught.

“Kunepi! Don’t lower your guard!”

I heard my father’s angry voice in my ears between the continuous sounds of blows.

Even through the thick glove, Prince Atol’s fist, which was extremely fast, was painful in its own way.

The arms that I held out in front of my face were tossed left and right, if I lost focus, I wouldn’t be able to maintain my stance.

Why is this guy jumping the gun so early in the game?

“Fuuh!”

Prince Atol, wearing a black tank top, attacked me while skillfully moving the pure white wings on his back.

That’s the reason for the weight of this fist.

In addition to body twisting and muscular strength, the centrifugal force generated by the movement of the large wings is also applied to the fist.

“Guh! Nnngh!”

The combination of his right and left fists.

I take advantage of the one-two rhythm and thrust out my right fist with all my might.

My stance is unstable. In addition, I’m not used to wearing gloves.

Even so, with my strength, which I’m proud to say I’ve been working on for some time, I should be able to shake the prince’s body, even if I can’t hurt him.

But I couldn’t do that.

“Fuhn!”

Not again!

Those wings are a real hindrance!

It’s completely unexpected and unplanned for, you idiot!

My straight right was blocked by the prince’s wing and ended in failure.

My arms were not fully extended, and there was no way I could transmit any power to them. They were so weak that they were pushed back by the wings.

This is it.

This has been really annoying since a while ago!

I’m not going to just sit back and be beaten up.

I can endure, endure, endure, and calmly find an opening like I was doing.

But all of that is blocked by the white wings that symbolize the demon prince Atol.

At first I couldn’t believe my eyes, but then I quickly understood.

Those wings are not just for flying.

They are an extension of the body for the demon prince, just like hands, feet, mouth and nose for us humans. Rather, it is a part of him.

If you want to move it, you can move it freely, and if you use it well, you can even use it for defense.

I thought, “Oh no.”

I hadn’t thought of that at all.

Wings are for flying.

I was bound by this stereotype.

The rules restricted the use of magic, but not the use of wings that are connected to the body.

What a blind spot. I didn’t have enough imagination.

In my imagination, the prince was supposed to be flying in the ring right after the start.

It was so unexpected that it killed my enthusiasm.

“Kunpei! Step away from him at once!”

I regained my composure at the sound of my father’s voice and back stepped with all the strength I could muster in my legs.

The prince’s right fist, cut through the air.

Hi fist ripped through the air like a heavy blunt weapon, and I heard a heavy sound that I didn’t want to hear too much.

“Fu… fu…”

My shoulders raised up and down as I desperately tried to gather the oxygen I was lacking.

The mouthpiece in my mouth was getting in the way. I couldn’t swallow well and I wanted to spit it out.

I’ve never used anything like this in a fight before, so I’m not used to it at all.

This is so hard!

I don’t remember three minutes being this long!

I feel like I’ve been beaten up long enough!

But more than that. I felt uncomfortable.

The current one-sided slug fest was accompanied by a sense of discomfort other than the mouthpiece in my mouth.

“Round one is over!”

The sound of a loud gong was followed by Nanairo-san’s loud voice.

Prince Atol, who had been bending down and closing in on me, came to an abrupt halt in his bent position and slowly straightened up, wiping the sweat that was seeping out of him with his arm as he headed for his corner.

At his side of the corner, Kayone’s face was clearly clouded with worry.

She tried to hand the towel in her hand to the prince, but was rejected without a second thought.

“Hey! Hurry up and come back, Kunpei!”

“O-oh.”

I was looking at the prince and Kayone in a daze when my father’s voice brought me back to my senses.

I took a deep breath to regulate my ragged breathing and returned to my corner.

“Take a seat.”

“Mogo, muga, ah, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

My father pulled out a round chair and forced me to sit on it. He put his hand in my mouth and forcibly took off my mouthpiece and shoved a straw from a plastic water bottle into my mouth.

Why is he so experienced with this? Eh?

“Just drink it. How about it? Do you think you can do it?”

Before I replied, I took a mouthful of water and swallowed it with a loud gulp.

Aah, it’s delicious.

My tired body regained its energy.

My thirsty throat was moistened again.

Once again, I took in a large amount of water and washed my mouth, which was covered in saliva.

When I finished gargling, I spat it out vigorously into the bucket.

Again, I’m not sure why you’re so used to it.

“Puh-uh! Uh-huh.”

I leaned my back against the corner post and finally replied to my father’s question with a nod.

The headgear has narrowed my vision and I shook my head in annoyance.

My head is heavier than usual, and it’s bothering me a lot.

“No, I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve been hit so hard, but it’s not affecting me much. There were a few times where it felt weird, but why?”

Yes, that’s what the strange feeling was.

Even with that seemingly one-sided onslaught, somehow I still had room to spare.

It is true that each shot was heavy, and a clean hit could end the match, but Prince Atol’s fists have yet to give me an effective strike.

There have been a few times when I thought, oh no.

I tried to brace myself for the pain this would cause me, but for some reason, the prince’s fist didn’t take advantage of the opening.

“Who knows, maybe that’s the prince’s weakness. You should take the initiative next time, maybe you’ll understand something.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Just try.”

Well, I have no choice but to try.

I wonder what it is.

When the duel began and the prince and I actually exchanged fists, I couldn’t muster up any fighting spirit.

It wasn’t just me.

Prince Atol in front of me doesn’t seem to have any spirit or vigor at all.

It’s as if we’re punching at the air.

It’s like a ritualistic farce.

At this point, all we can see is Prince Atol’s ability and the results that don’t match it.

As expected of a man who survived the insane selection process of the “Sea Dragon’s Servant”.

He is keen-eyed, he doesn’t miss a single move I make, and he always takes the initiative.

Damn, it’s starting to feel a little unreasonable.

“Seconds, you’re out!”

Nanairo-san, who was somewhat uneasy, lowered her hand toward us and Prince Atol’s side.

Behind her, Gasara looked worriedly at Nanairo-san as he prepared to ring the gong.

Outside the ring, Seijitsu-san, the timer, was glaring at Nanairo-san with his sleepy eyes.

Ah, he’s on alert because he might needs to intrude.

“Okay, for this round, just go for it. You may be outclassed in experience and skill, but you are not inferior in physical strength. After all, your opponent has been attacking you for the whole round. Well, if you lose in physical strength as well, then just get defeated honorably.”

“An honorable defeat, you say….”

“We can find another way to get to the continent and back, right? I’m just saying, don’t get too worked up about it.”

Even if you say that.

What kind of idiot goes into a match thinking he’s going to lose?

Yeah, I’m pent-up.

“First of all, I’m going to punch him.”

“That’s the spirit. Here’s the mouthpiece.”

“Ahmm. I’m going.”

“Ah, go ahead.”

I stood up from the round chair with a mouthpiece shoved in my mouth and a pat on my back.

I spun my arms around and though for a moment.

That’s right. I still haven’t managed to punch the prince in the face once yet.

Up until yesterday, I was a little frustrated, and I thought I would definitely dent that composed face.

“Alright!”

I couldn’t speak well because of the mouthpiece, but I said something to pump myself up.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been losing so much lately that I’ve been thinking in a way that’s not like me.

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I’m an idiot.

So I’m just going to go straight ahead like an idiot.

Anyways.

I don’t care about boxing or dueling anymore. Let’s just beat that prince to a pulp.