The Rising of Tanaka – 82
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Pasifista
Unexpected Reunion
A lone man was walking through the street of Oedo Imperial Capital. His appearance was unapproachable, and he was wandering aimlessly like that of a ghost. Of course, it was just Tanaka-san.
「Calm down… Calm down, me. It’s still okay…, everything is not over yet.」
That figure of him continuously walking while muttering and mumbling something to himself was nothing but the pinnacle of suspiciousness. Even the hectic coming and going people involuntarily stopped to take a look at him. Amidst of it, the most frequent sights were–.
「Mom, what’s that?」
「Shh! Don’t look!」
And then, the parent-child pair hurriedly moved away.
If there were anyone from his former world who witnessed this scene, they would have surely been moved to tears. The way he sacrificed even himself to spread the promises of modern Japan was the epitome of a performer. It might not be an exaggeration to say that his performer spirit had reached the level of God. The kind of God with parenthesed lol attached, though.
「… It’s fine. I’m calm. I’m not going to stop on my path over something on this level. That’s right, it’s not like I’ve lost anything or something. It is true that the Imperial Tournament Festival was a regrettable event. However! The reason I came here in the first place was to participate in the get-together. Tournament festival is in the end nothing more than an afterthought. Since I will surely be popular at the real main event, a periodically occurring generic event is by no means something that shocking. I should just forget about this one.」
It indeed could be said to be a periodic event, but treating a four-yearly event like that of generic event, lightly severing and casting it away, what a terrifying game brain. And then, the way the man was able to somehow be intoxicated by his tragic protagonist-like self, that was surely the manifestation of the fact that he still had quite a composure in himself. Please by all means show us the disgraceful figure upon losing that composure–, no, show us what a true protagonist-likeness was.
「That’s right, I have to change gears and head to the get-together here. Begone, lingering affection~. Go away, worldly desires~. Evil! Spirit! Begone! Disperse! Alright! It’s switched! With this the get-together is sure to be a success now! Well, with this I’m also on a straight line toward a popular life, huh.」
What a swift switch. And then, what a figure overflowed with worldly desire. As if the fake tragic protagonist act from earlier had been nothing but a lie, he was now swaggering through the streets with a slovenly face with the bridge of his nose extended.
「–Huh? Isn’t that you, Echigoya-san?! So you were alright, weren’t you?」
「What?! Echigoya-san, you say?! Where is he?」
「No, that’s you, alright?! Even though it’s been a while since we’ve met…, why are you suddenly making such a joke?」
The one who happily let out such a retort was the man who gave Tanaka hope that there were also people in this world who could become a straight man–. It was the one and only Toby Saar, the man that Tanaka had ceaseless hopes for as the next generation straight man.
◇ ◇ ◇
A certain tavern in Oedo Imperial Capital–. Moving to another place, Tanaka and Toby were talking about their respective experiences thus far.
「How should I put it? I don’t even know where to start retorting about…. Why did you even use a fake name in the first place?」
「Huh? That’s because, don’t you think that…. Hiding your real name or something… is kind of cool? It seems to be a popular situation for a famous person to travel under a false identity, right?」
「That’s the reason?! You were thinking about such a thing when we were desperately locked up in prison? What a shock! To think that a comrade whom I once shared fate with would hide his name for such a meaningless reason, I’m too embarrassed to tell anyone about it!」
「How rude of you to call my popular technique meaningless. Well, in light for your sharp and nice retorts, I’ll forgive you! Now then, go ahead and make more retorts!」
「Shut it! Why do you look so happy about it?!」
Toby was furious, holding a glass in one hand. He was more belligerent than ever, probably because of the alcohol in his system. However, for Tanaka, who had been starving for good retorts for a long time, it could be said to be rather convenient instead.
Tanaka was convinced that his time had finally come to an end. He was in a really good mood in front of Toby, who had been letting out retort after retort since a while ago, and was enjoying his favorite milk with a satisfied smile on his face.
「Moreover, being the leader of the town of demons or something…. That’s definitely a lie, right? You should really stop making such a lie, Tanaka-san. In the first place, despite it being the town of demon, for its leader to be a human, that’s definitely not right, alright?!」
「Phew, if that’s what you think, then so be it. But remember this. The common sense you believe to be correct is actually nothing but a pretense. Yes…, for example, the old man standing solemnly by the wall over there. He might turned out to be your long-separated younger sister or something, you know?」
「As if! Moreover, calling that a younger sister, that’s just too scary! In the first place, why do you have to use such a dangerous-looking old man as the material? That’s the kind of guy you absolutely have to never get involved with, after all.」
「Is that so?」
Tanaka turned his attention toward the old man by the wall again. He indeed had pale skin, but as someone who had lived alongside demons for a while, Tanaka wasn’t bothered by it at all.
「When I and Yashichi-san were previously looking around this city, we stumbled upon him, but somehow he seemed to be observing us, at any rate, he’s an eerie guy.」
「Hee, well, there’s no need to be bothered about it, right? If anything happens, big bro will definitely take him down with one punch, after all.」
「No, the thing is, it seems that he’s pretty strong and rather famous. He’s someone who even has a nickname, you see… I think it’s ‘Currypan the Great Sword’ or something—」
「Buhoa!」
Hearing these words, Tanaka spat out the milk with all his might.
「Hey! That’s disgusting! What was that for?!」
Ignoring Toby, who was showing a sprayed figure with no shred of eros, Tanaka turned his gaze toward said old man once again.
The once long hair was now a skinhead with no trace of it. His masculine figure was the same as always, but his now turned pale skin was engraved with countless scars. If none had pointed it out to him, Tanaka would definitely not have realized that this man was the ‘Currypan the Great Sword’ he had seen before.
However, now that he had taken a good look at him again, Tanaka was convinced. It was because he was familiar with the sadness that was lurking within those eyes. It was undoubtedly the light of sorrow that only a man who had been bullied since childhood because of his name, Currypan, could possess. Don’t arbitrarily create someone else’s past, Tanaka.
「–I see. That one is indeed Currypan the Great Sword. I heard that he was rumored to be dead…, but it looks he has returned a size larger.」
The current him would surely be able to get over it even if he discovered a mold-covered leftover school lunch bread within his desk. Tanaka gave a heartfelt compliment to the growth of the man who was giving him such a sense of reliability.
「What are you so impressed about? Even though I’m having cold sweat here that I might have to face him in a match later.」
「What do you mean by match? You, are you still into card games or something? Even after going through such a bitter experience, to think you’re still going at it… Mom doesn’t remember raising you into that kind of child!」
Tanaka scolded Toby in a falsetto voice while exuding country mommy-ness airs.
「Who the hell are you?! That’s not it, it’s the Imperial Tournament Festival. Don’t you know it? Even though I thought for sure that you were going to participate too, Tanaka-san.」
「Ah…, you mean Tournament Festival, huh. Looking at guys like you, I can’t help but feel jealous. At the young’uns who can honestly be that enthusiastic over this kind of event.」
That figure of him sipping his milk was infinitely cool. He was so composed that none would have believed that he was the same person who was wobbling left and right due to an event known as Tournament Festival until just a moment ago.
「I’ve long since graduated from that kind of thing, you see. Well, just do your best not to bring shame to big bro.」
Despite graduating only just a moment ago, this man was cheering Toby on with the dignity of a veteran graduate.
「Yashichi-san also refrained from participating since he didn’t want to stand out or something, but why are the people around me so mature up, I wonder?」
「Come to think of it, where’s big bro?」
「There seemed to be something he wanted to investigate or something, so we’ve been moving separately these days. I’m participating in the Tournament Festival, after all. If you’re not going to participate in the Tournament Festival, then what are you here for, Tanaka-san?」
「I’m here for work, you know, work. Well, once you’ve become a man of my level, designated works will start coming your way, you see.」
Thinking that now was the right time, Tanaka showed a smug expression.
Whenever the chance arose, emphasizing that he was the superior one, he moved on the attack. His haughty style against someone weaker than himself was truly the same as always.
「Just right. Have you ever heard of Kinokuniya company? I happen to have some business with them, you see.」
「Kinokuniya company…. I feel like I’ve heard of it recently….」
Toby fell into thought. Without taking much time, he recalled the matter regarding this company.
「I feel that the company that was recently destroyed in a fire had such a name.」
「Say… what…?」
That company was the place where he was supposed to meet up with Echigoya. At that moment, Tanaka was attacked with the feeling as though the gem he was supposed to be holding was turning into sands and were slipping off his hand. Ultimately, what would be of Tanaka’s uhauha plan at the get-together?
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