The difference in ability was plain to see.

From my presently controlled ninja character 『Found』's movements and, Nakamura's fox-character 『Foxy』's movements, anyone watching would be able to tell that a level gap existed. Well, for a riajuu [1], he wasn't actually at all that bad.

I had, as soon as the match started, been certain of victory.

However, I was, with regards to «ATAFAMI», not one to be careless. That's why, even in this situation where Nakamura's remaining lives had already reached 1, despite me making a show out of straight up plunging in recklessly so as to prompt a reaction from him, I would be using 『Blink』 [2] mid-charge. Likely, if it's the case that his true strength only amounted to this much, he probably wouldn't even know what 『Blink』 was. Barely touching the ground by applying 『Midair Evasive Movement』 diagonally downwards, a quick, surface-skimming evasion technique.

Nakamura, discomforted by my actions, fired a blow. I let the shot pa.s.s behind me, using 『Blink』 to dodge, then took advantage of the opening and drew close. The fundamental of this game's combos was throwing. After throwing an opponent to the ground, for how long would an activated combo be able to connect? The character I was using, Found, was especially powerful in that aspect.

Nakamura's character was now held in place by Found. From here on out the fight would be my unrivalled sphere of activity. Though I phrased that rather simply, in truth this required the use of combos that each demanded delicate operation, strung together in rapid succession. It wasn't that a method of escape was non-existent, but that Nakamura, did not know how, did not have the ability to do so. Therefore, this situation as it was, naturally meant the end.

With that, Nakamura's lives were zero──。

「Yosh」 [3]

Yep. Whoops, I just went and won it. Well, for me to lose in ATAFAMI to an amateur was an impossibility, but for it to have been carried out with such ease was what brought about the problematic feeling. How should I put it, I was scared of what was to come.

Each player starting with four lives. An even stage devoid of gimmicks. Seeing each other's play for the first time.

Under those impartial conditions, Nakamura's remaining lives totalled zero. My remaining lives ── four.

That would be, well, a complete victory. I tried looking in Nakamura's direction, and found him examining the controller I held in my hands for comparison, with an expression of wanting to say something. This was somewhat surprising. Who would have known that during my high school life, from Nakamura I would have this kind of weak gaze directed at me. I had never imagined it.

A brown-haired ikemen [4], riajuu from a glance, even when it came to studies, sports, and popularity with the girls; the only thing missing was gaming skills, or else all aspects would be of the highest tier. With just his good qualities, already head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, countenance overflowing with confidence, the riajuu high school student, Nakamura.

That same Nakamura was, looking at me with weak eyes. At the likes of someone like me who, from one look, would be exposed as a kimo-ota [5].

「…the… ault.」

Nakamura was saying something.

「Eh?」

「It's the character's fault」

「…What?」

「The character was inferior. Because of that, this kind of thing is normal.」

「N-No, that character and this character, in terms of ability they're about the same, though…」

「Not that, I meant in terms of compatibility. No matter how you think about it, isn't the compatibility bad here?」

Nakamura spoke matter of factly. I was completely taken aback. That kind of, no-matter-how-you-think-about-it excuse.

Then with a, ahh I get it now, I realized. The reason for this kind of useless resistance, was the matter of how much he had immensely underestimated me. If he didn't do this much, he'd be unable to hold on to any of his pride after suffering such a humiliating defeat by me, so — since it's this person it's acceptable to make such a lame excuse — even that consideration existed. Since I possessed the prerequisite of being looked down upon. That's right, this was an unfair provision bestowed upon yowa-charas.

However. Only now was different.

This moment. Only at this moment where ATAFAMI was being played before my eyes.

「Cer-Certainly, Foxy falls fast, making combo connection very, very easy.」

「As I said. Then it was down to the characters' compatibility, that game.」

I breathed in, then looked straight into Nakamura's eyes. Scary. But.

「…That sort of thing, don't you agree that it's an excuse?」

I had gotten used to being looked down on. There weren't any particular feelings of frustration. Such a thing had become natural, after all.

「No, wasn't it actually like that? You're seriously happy about winning with that thing? It's a kusoge, isn't it. Pointless.」

However, to something like this, I was completely unaccustomed.

To me── the defeated persons, who without any exertion, used such justification, were an existence I disliked above all else.

「You bet I'm happy. That you think it's pointless, isn't it because you didn't win? You didn't taste the sensation of winning, and so don't actually comprehend anything, right? The one who has won and was elevated by their win, but even so calls the game pointless, that I can understand. However, for the guy who lost to, even after losing, say that kind of thing, it's just the whining of a loser.」

I, using the conviction of myself being on the ATAFAMI battlefield, spoke sharply.

「Ha? It's really just the character's affinity isn't it. It's a kusoge, a kusoge. Wins and losses don't exist.」

「Like I said, it's not a difference that was down to compatibility. The reason you lost is that you are weak. Even with our characters switched, I would have won.」

「Then, should we do it? Character exchange. In that case, I definitely would not lose to someone like you.」

With eyes fired up with fighting spirit, Nakamura said as such. To be able to declare at this timing something like he'd never lose, something like courage, or should I say, thick headedness, or should I say, something like groundless self-confidence, is really a unique characteristic belonging to one of Life's tsuyo-charas. As for me, as for a Life's yowa-chara, this is nonexistent. Despite being mistaken, the power to behave as if in the right. Possessing self confidence on the basis of 『It's me after all』. I did not possess the strength of such a living being.

Far removed from that, I had won this many flawless victories, but for some reason still felt slightly uneasy.

However, in the present moment I was nothing like a yowa-chara.

「…Err, but it's kinda bothersome, so.」

「What's up with that, if you're going that far with your words, we have to do another.」

「…NOT, afterwards if there's yet another worthless excuse, it'll be troublesome.」

「Ha?」

The me that is in the middle of playing ATAFAMI, is the strongest.

「Certainly there's the, let's switch characters, afterwards it'll be, let's also switch controllers. Then something like, the b.u.t.tons aren't functioning properly, that's why I was sluggish. Next could be, why don't we change our seating positions? The screen glare was～ or reaching something to that effect. Then, let's change the settings to eight lives. If it's a drawn out contest, wouldn't our true strength clearly come out?

Then, I wonder what next. Maybe, if you don't know how to get out of it, then something like let's not use inescapable combos? That's not an issue of technique, it's a matter of game knowledge after all. If we do so then it will be a battle of purely operating technique, reflexes, and judgement right? Uhhh, seems like there's probably more? …Shall we change clothes or something too?」

Ha ha ha. Now I've said it, now I've gone and said it. There'll definitely be regret later. For me.

「…Don't need those excuses. Don't get carried away. Seriously.」

Incredible, how I'm being glared at this intensively by those eyes. Glared at this intensively, I'm instinctively made to think that compared to him, I'm nothing more than a lowly animal, and the inferiority complex comes surging out. A given that I should apologize. Even though in this situation, no matter how you think about it, I'm the one in the right. These are the rules that have been established in Life.

Nakamura and I changed the stage, changed controllers, changed characters, configured the settings to eight lives, and as expected, without changing clothes, all that was left now was to press the start b.u.t.ton, and the battle would commence.

「If I win, properly accept it, Nakamura.」

「I get it.」

「You really don't, you know.」

「…No, like I said, I get it already. I'll properly recognize your true strength.」

「No, of course that's a given, but. After that, there's one extra thing you need to recognize.」

「What now?」

This guy, seriously doesn't know a thing.

「Earlier, you called ATAFAMI a kusoge, right?」

「Ha?」

The truth is, rather than the matter of him refusing to accept his defeat, it was this that I had been taking offence at.

「…That ATAFAMI is a kamige, recognize it.」

Naturally, in that bout, I ended up winning eight lives to none, a complete victory.

Translator Notes:yojusttestingtoseewhathappensonthosetranslationaggregatorsitesifidosomethinglikethislolkthanksbye

[1] riajuuリア充: Likely you've seen/heard this term used in other j.a.panese media. It's an internet slang originating from 2chan, directed towards a person who in 'real' (-> riaリア) life seems to be living it to perfection (juu充jitsu実). Basically they seem to have everything going their way. That's my interpretation, anyway.

[2] 瞬, with furigana しゅん. Possibly from 瞬間 (instant)? No idea, I'll just call it Blink for now, since for some reason the alternatives (Wink, Twinkle ☆彡) just don't seem to fit! Think SC2 Stalker Blink.

[3] yos.h.i.+ (よし): Honestly can't think of a fitting English translation. You should read it as 「Yosh」 here, I think. I a.s.sociate 「Yos.h.i.+」 with 「Yos.h.i.+ yos.h.i.+」 *comforts little kid*

[4] ikemen (イケメン): The nuance is pretty much 「Handsome guy」.

[5] kimo-ota: A portmanteau of the words kimoi (disgusting, gross) and otaku (you probably know the gist of this second word already, but note that while you might be throwing this term around proudly, in j.a.pan this tends to have negative connotations).

Well, I hope that was coherent. Probably a number of parts that I could have phrased better, but I’d rather not dwell too long on them.

I’ll aim to get a new chapter part out every week, but no promises.