After confirming my own standing using the information I borrowed from Megumi, all that's left is to polish myself so I can climb even higher.
Just as I planned, I've picked up a few ideas to kill some time, and now I want to turn them into something proper and stabilize them as extension techniques.
To that end, I've been working hard on my independent training for the past few days... but honestly, even if I'm not participating, prioritizing training over the Goodwill Event would be heartless. So, I'm spending this weekend watching the exchange.
That said, the results were pretty much as expected. In the team battle, the well-rounded Kyoto School launched a quick assault, targeting Shoko Ieiri and Kiyotaka Ijichi to gain a numerical advantage. They stuck to the combat basics of 'surround and conquer' to secure a victory over Kento Nanami and Yu Haibara.
Conversely, in the individual battles—where participants are forced into matches against those of similar grade or rank—the Tokyo School won. Nanami, the strongest melee fighter who has mastered Invincibility and Critical hits, and Haibara, the "Demonic Superhuman" who executes lethal moves with a smile, both won their matches unilaterally. Shoko Ieiri also secured an overwhelming victory against Kyoto's Negi by unloading a machine gun. Although Ijichi lost his match, Tokyo took the overall win based on the number of individual victories.
Each fight had its highlights, but Ijichi is truly hopeless at anything other than barriers, isn't he? That boy might be a bit too kind-hearted to be a sorcerer. On the other hand, for an assistant director, being able to use shikigami a little and excelling at barriers would be a huge advantage. I think he's much better suited for that.
And so, a shikigami battle between Ijichi and Kyoto's Negi, both acting as pilots, is taking place today...
"Satoru, what does that Tokyo shikigami look like to you?"
"Looks like a 1/24 scale Hi-ν Gundam, doesn't it?"
"Thought so. By the way, is it just me, or is the armor on the chest area exceptionally thick?"
"Well, a total rip-off design might get us in trouble, so maybe it's an 'arrangement'?"
"I see. And what was the name again?"
"RX-708 Oppai-nu Gundam."
"I see. I'm going to beat the hell out of you later, Satoru."
"Why!?"
"I told him, 'Everyone will know immediately that Satoru put you up to this, so you should stop,' but he didn't listen..."
"Suguru, you should have stopped him more firmly."
"Well, I heard they set a 'Binding Vow' where it would self-destruct if Naoya found out—using last year's Kyoto team as a reference—so it was hard for me to step in."
"Let the damn thing explode. Make something serious for once."
"You say that, Naoya, but look at the Kyoto shikigami. Isn't that just as bad?"
"Is it? Isn't it just a coincidence that the Gundam theme overlapped?"
"Then Naoya, what does that look like to you?"
"No matter how you look at it, that's Nobel Gundam."
"Right? And what's the model number for that shikigami?"
"I think it was NY-708."
"And the name?"
"If I remember correctly, it's 'Satoru Gundam'."
"You're the one who gave Kyoto the idea!"
"What are you talking about? That's a false accusation. It wasn't me."
"No way, you're the only one who would do something like—"
"Sorry, Satoru. That was me. I did it when I was snapped because you kept teasing me about my engagement. But I only leaked the Gundam theme and the fact that Satoru's type is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Nordic beauty, so it probably won't affect the outcome. Rest easy."
"It was you, Suguru!?"
"And how much are you going to pay me for the false accusation?"
"Ummm... Sowwy! ♡"
"I've decided. I'm definitely beating you later. I'll hit you with that technique I came up with the other day."
"But I apologized!?"
Just as that conversation suggests, for some reason, what was supposed to be a shikigami battle has turned into a Gundam Fight.
Well, the original Robot Wars often features parody machines, but surely this is going to be a problem? I bet there'll be an official notice saying 'excessive parodies are prohibited' starting next time.
By the way, according to Ijichi's introduction, the material for this shikigami, 'Oppai-nu Gundam,' is apparently a Hi-ν Gundam made of epoxy putty, scratch-built piece by piece with a curse infused into every single part. I wondered why anyone would do something so tedious, but apparently, Ijichi is good at this kind of thing. If he excels at meticulous, steady work, he might have an aptitude for shikigami and barriers even if he's not suited for direct combat. He really is cut out to be an assistant director.
It seems Satoru and Suguru thought the same thing. "Rather than Ijichi working super hard to defeat a Grade 3 curse on his own, wouldn't it be more efficient to have him as an assistant director supporting the extermination with barriers and shikigami?" "True. I heard his academic grades are great, too. It would be reassuring to have him as support."
Well, the jujutsu world is a hard place for people who are purely the 'good' type. Even more so if they're weak. It's probably better for a weakling like Ijichi to consider how to position himself.
I like weaklings who know their place, so if he works hard, I wouldn't mind protecting him. Though, if it's between a woman and Ijichi, the woman comes first.
While we spectators were trading opinions, the shikigami battle began to reach its conclusion. It looks like Tokyo is going to win, partly because Ijichi's piloting is so skillful. He's doing 'predictive beam shots' like he's Amuro Ray; Ijichi definitely seems more suited to making things fight than fighting himself. Since he doesn't have the cursed energy to keep a shikigami of that level fully operational on his own, isn't it better for him to manage others?
After watching the match end while having such discussions, this year's Goodwill Event concluded peacefully following the usual unofficial joint dinner and karaoke party.
Shortly after this, a meeting will be held with the three of us Special Grades, Masamichi Yaga, and Atsuya Kusakabe, where it will be decided that Ijichi will become an assistant director after graduation—but that's a story for another time.
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