807: Anonymous Combatant
It was already pretty unreasonable even under the previous leader, wasn’t it? Lol
808: Hakase
Unlike now, we had more manpower back then, so I had time to enjoy my research.
But it seems Gorimacho saw me as an “arrogant upstart who did as he pleased yet gained the exceptional trust of the previous leader and Big Bro at an unprecedented pace to rapidly climb the ranks.”
Gori: “Oi, you. Getting too big for your britches?”
Me: “What’s up? I still have work to do.”
Gori: “That’s irrelevant!”
Me: “It is relevant. I’m repairing the base facilities you destroyed.”
Apparently, my sarcasm went completely over his head.
Gori: “I won’t acknowledge your promotion to the executive ranks!”
Me: “How coincidental. I don’t want that either, you know?”
I definitely don’t want that since it just means more work for me.
Gori: “I’ll give you credit for saving that kid. But! If you want to call yourself an executive, prove to me you’re worth it!”
With that challenge, Gorimacho stormed off.
809: Anonymous Combatant
What a gloriously meatheaded move.
810: Anonymous Combatant
From Gorimacho’s perspective, just being acknowledged by the previous leader and Big Bro he admired would rub him the wrong way.
811: Hakase
Even if I understood the dynamics, I was still young back then.
Gorimacho and I just couldn’t seem to get on the same page.
We didn’t interact much at work either, so I thought keeping the status quo would be fine.
812: Anonymous Combatant
Oh, a sudden development?
813: Hakase
Gorimacho, focused on combat duties, trained rigorously.
Sometimes he’d even monopolize the training room.
But he did it so frequently and routinely overstayed without permission that complaints piled up from others. Though the rank-and-file soldiers couldn’t really object.
So the issue got passed to me, a fellow executive: “Could you please do something about this?”
I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t just ignore it either.
In the end, I visited Gorimacho during his training session and entered the reserved training room.
814: Hakase
“Thunder, roar through the heavens! Earth, let out a growl! Swallow my furious roar! Supremacy King Demise Blast Raging Dragon Rock Cannon Blaaaaast!”
When I entered, Gorimacho was in the middle of performing the Supremacy King Demise Blast Raging Dragon Rock Cannon.
815: Anonymous Combatant
I know that one! Lol A famous technique from a shonen manga that little kids practice.
816: Anonymous Combatant
I used to do the Aerial Smasher too! Lol
817: Anonymous Combatant
Ah, memories…I got taken down by the Blazing Strike so many times by my classmates back then. Makes me wanna cry.
818: Anonymous Combatant
Well, magic and special abilities exist in the Hakase’s world, right?
Practicing signature techniques doesn’t seem that weird in that case.
819: Hakase
Yeah, that’s true. Big Bro, me, and even Catgirl have our own signature techniques we’re skilled with.
Catgirl especially has some family heirloom techniques, but that’s not the issue here.
Gori: “No, that wasn’t stylish enough. And the enunciation of the technique name was off too. The pre-attack banter needs work as well.”
He was practicing the poses and pre-attack banter for looking cool, not the actual technique, which was just a basic magic beam.
He must have racked his brain coming up with that name.
820: Anonymous Combatant
How embarrassing! Lol
821: Anonymous Combatant
But I get where he’s coming from. Lol Guys want cool-sounding special abilities when you’re a kid.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
822: Hakase
As Gorimacho continued training and I observed:
Me: “……”
Gori: “Alright, here goes. Behold my ultimate secret technique!”
Me: “………”
Gori: “Oh, that pose was decent. But I need to make it more forceful…”
Me: “…………”
Gori: “‘Supremacy King’ isn’t quite right with the boss around. Maybe ‘Battle King’ instead…? Hm?”
Me: “……………….”
That’s when our eyes met.
Gorimacho froze. I froze.
Gorimacho trembled. I remained expressionless.
Gorimacho’s face reddened, then paled. I just stared at him silently.
When I motioned with my thumb for him to come over, the dejected Gorimacho obediently complied.
823: Anonymous Combatant
No mercy! Lol
824: Anonymous Combatant
That challenge from earlier is ringing pretty hollow now.
825: Hakase
Gori: “No, you see, the boss and Big Bro have these amazing signature techniques…”
Me: “Uh huh.”
Gori: “But me, I can only do basic magic manipulation. Empowering, focusing and releasing energy is about my limit.”
Me: “And?”
Gori: “So uh, I at least wanted a badass pose and banter to go with it, you know?”
Me: “Which is why you monopolized the training room to practice?”
Gori: “……Yes.”
826: Anonymous Combatant
So embarassing! Lol So very embarassing! Lol
827: Hakase
Having his secret exposed, Gorimacho was utterly dejected.
I had no intention of piling on or mocking him, so I gently explained:
Me: “Don’t be embarrassed, Gorimacho. Take a look at this.”
Gori: “This is…wait, what!?”
What I showed him was a file containing drafts for numerous villains.
Gori: “They all have the same abilities…but the designs and motifs are completely different for each one!”
Me: “Exactly. I can’t mock you either. Even with the same abilities, the image is totally different depending on the villain’s design.”
Gori: “Oh, I get it now!”
As a researcher, I care not just about functionality but design as well.
If the ability is pyrokinesis, I’d prefer a phoenix motif over a mechanical design.
I understood Gorimacho’s desire to develop stylish poses for his signature techniques.
828: Hakase
Gori: “Hakase, it seems I had misjudged you.”
Me: “Heh, likewise it would seem.”
Gori: “Say, could you use your tech to build me a battle-axe?”
Me: “With a special magic converter, it could even discharge lightning bolts.”
Gori: “Ohhhhh! Yeah, the axe can have lightning attributes! We’re speaking the same language now!”
And so we reconciled.
From then on, I optimized Gorimacho’s weapons, and he achieved tremendous battle accomplishments wielding them.
We rarely fought alongside each other, but our combo inspired dread in many warriors.
829: Anonymous Combatant
Ah, so you two get along. Which means you’re both just idiots of the same feather, eh? Lol
830: Anonymous Combatant
I see there are those afflicted with such…eccentricities even in other dimensions.
831: Hakase
And that’s how we became friends who now regularly go out drinking together.
Ah, but I should get going and have dinner. I’ll sign off for today.
832: Anonymous Combatant
Don’t drink too much now!
833: Anonymous Combatant
Still, having dopey friends you can be idiots with is pretty enviable, honestly.
“Ahh, that hit the spot. I really do love amberjack the most. Japanese food is just amazingly delicious.”
“Indeed. Shall we go for yakiniku and invite Lord Zeros next time?”
“Sounds good to me. Halvie, give him a heads up, will ya?”
The man referred to as Gorimacho in the thread – Reng Zan Niebe, a former executive of the Delnkeim organization – had just finished eating sushi with his friend Halvied. Pleasantly buzzed from the alcohol, he was in high spirits.
After being ousted along with the supreme leader Zeros, Reng had left the organization and now lived in Japan.
Halvied had forged his records. He held no ill will toward the current leader Vilaverit, but felt no draw to the organization without the former leader Selraizer or Zeros.
“Say, you’re not thinking of leaving too, are you?”
“Ah, no. I wish to serve as an aide to Leader Vilaverit.”
“You’ve always been soft on Vilaverit. The Kid’ll just work you to the bone.”
Though fellow executives, Halvied had a closer relationship with the previous leader.
As a result, his attitude toward the leader seems driven more by familiarity and simple concern than loyalty. My friend is an odd one, needlessly taking on burdens in my view.
“More importantly, Reng, I’ve entrusted you with that request.”
“Oh yeah, no problem. But are you sure? Without meaning to doubt you, won’t that just put Vilaverit in an even tighter spot? Not that I have any right to say after abandoning her so readily.”
“If you time it right, that won’t happen.”
To be frank, Reng isn’t very bright.
Today Halvied made a “request” of me, but I can’t comprehend what it could mean. Carrying it out seems like it would only back Delnkeim into a corner.
“You’re the only one I can ask. Keep it confidential from Leader Vilaverit too.”
Pressed, Reng nodded his assent.
Halvied is trusted friend and a brilliant strategist. There must be some greater scheme he’s failing to grasp.
“Alright, let’s head to my place then. We can keep drinking.”
“Ah, I’ll take you up on that.”
More than anything, Reng looked forward to rewatching classic pro wrestling matches from years past while savoring this rare time with his old friend.
In his cheerful mood, any lingering doubts were quickly forgotten.
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