Pandora of Fantasy And Reality Chapter 126

Idol

At the arena of the Capital of Purity.

It seemed that place was modeled after a cultural heritage that once  existed in the past. There the female announcer raised her voice with a  mike in one hand.

「Who’s the top player! Become the Pandora strongest! Grasp glory with that fist!」

Ponsuke was bewildered by the program that suddenly started. He looked at the players around him.

A lot of players were crowding the audience seats.

But, inside the arena――the participating players were confused.

Players with forbidding appearance, like a minotaurus who looked really strong were gathered there.

「Who’s she calling top player?」

「I look like this, but I’m a magician.」

「This isn’t what I was told.」

Just what in the world was the host thinking?

While they were thinking like that, players other than the one that  the female announcer gathered, players who had been waiting there from  the start entered the arena.

「The rookie idol [MAKOTO]! Is his strength truly number one in  Pandora!? Can you believe it, he suddenly decided to join this program!」

A man with outer appearance of an idol and also was the real idol inside was waving his hand while entering the arena.

The players at the audience seats were apparently girls at the inside. They were all getting heated up.

「No way-! That’s Makoto! That’s the real Makoto!」

「I want his autograph!」

「Don’t tell me he’s playing with his real data even inside the game? As expected from Makoto!」

Ponsuke thought.

(That person seems popular.)

He didn’t really know much about idol. At best he had seen this person once or twice in internet news or video.

And then other players entered one after another behind the idol.

But, those players……were hardcore players.

「Why are there hardcore players here huh?」

One player looked dumbfounded. In respond the hardcore players――the  clearers approached Ponsuke and others and lined up before whispering.

「Sorry. But we want to buy paid item using the appearance fee from this show.」

It seemed they showed up here due to the lure of appearance fee.

One of them looked at Ponsuke’s group.

「You guys got tricked. This is a TV show y’know. They bring out us  who are somewhat famous while the rest of you guys are here as extra.  They want to promote some young idols or actors with this.」

The clearers waved their hands to the surrounding.

But the audiences were obsessed with the idols and actors.

There were also female idol and young actress among the group.

To Ponsuke it looked like they couldn’t ignore the popularity of  Pandora and wanted to raise their popularity with this kind of event.

(T-they also have it hard huh.)

He came here because he heard he would get interviewed, but it seemed that he was getting dragged into something troublesome.

He could decide to not read the atmosphere and questioned the female announcer, but if he did that…….

(I guess it’ll be better if I don’t break the atmosphere.)

There were seats for commentators among the audience seats.

A popular commentator and combat sport athlete that he had seen from somewhere before were sitting there.

Their voices reverberated through the venue.

『Wow~, it’s starting. It seems that gathered here are top players  who’re representing Pandora. How far do you think the representatives of  the entertainment industry like MAKOTO can go against them?』

The martial artist answered with a difficult expression.

『I can’t give a prediction because this is the first itme but, the  celebrity team has been training. I want to believe that they will be  able to give a good fight.』

The commentator who was putting on the airs of an expert was expressing his personal opinion.

『I can’t imagine that someone who trained like MAKOTO or [Azusa] can  lose against players who’re spending all their time gaming. Certainly  they’re idol and actress but, game players in the end are just amateur  who can play game. They won’t pose any threat against the celebrity team  that has trained in real martial art.』

Ponsuke and others smiled wryly hearing that opinion.

The clearers were laughing even while they were feeling exasperated.

「Our side just care about making this show exciting, so you guys can just do as you like without caring about it.」

It seemed that they were in the know of what was going on.

Ponsuke was dumbfounded.

「Eh, isn’t this a fixed game――」

『Now, let’s begin the first match! The first batter is MAKOTO! And  his opponent, “I’m using joke race, you have a problem with it!?”The  atrocious, greedy, and malicious player “Ponsuke”!』

Booing immediately rose from all over the venue.

Ponsuke yelled angrily.

「Oi, that’s just too much no matter how you slice it! I’m not a malicious pla――」

『Anyone other than the fighters, please make your way out of the stage.』

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The duel was started forcefully.

In front of Ponsuke was the idol Makoto.

His body was quite muscular from training and his hair was set stylishly――and he was also handsome.

「So I’m facing the baddie right from the start. This is just right in order to let me show off.」

Makoto was acting as though he was drunk with himself. He didn’t look  like he was concerned at all with Ponsuke. He must be thinking that  this was just a game anyway.

(What’s with this baddie treatment?)

He got the feeling that he was turned into the villain here just  because of his appearance and because an orc like him was rare. And in  fact that was what was going on here. The female announcer kept spouting  out lines to heat up the venue.

She looked like she wasn’t really interested with game.

It was as though she was just doing her job.

『Then everyone! First match begin!』

A gong was hit at the same time with the female announcer’s signal. The duel started with that signal.

It was a simple fight using bare hand――the rule was that no skill and  weapon could be used. It was really lacking the attraction for a game.

「Let’s do this orc-kun! I’ll reform your mistaken way!」

「No, I’m not orc-kun but Ponsuke.」

Makoto closed the distance instantly. Then using his physical ability――his game specs, he moved to launch a kick.

Ponsuke immediately,

(Ah, crap)

He blocked the kick with his left hand before immediately sending that left hand to hit Makoto’s jaw.

There was a sound *bam*.

The arena became wrapped in silence with only that small sound reverberating through.

Makoto fell on the ground from that clean hit. He didn’t stand up anymore.

The silence continued before the referee started the countdown――Makoto didn’t get up till the end.

「Makotooooo!」

「Don’t screw around , this is just a sham!」

「Begone you orc!」

Items were thrown from the audience seats toward Ponsuke who reflexively moved.

「O-ouch. Stop. Stop it!」

『……Dear audiences. Please don’t throw garbage to the arena.』

The female announcer gave a warning.

And then she whispered something like 「This is why amateur who can’t read the atmosphere is――」.

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Inside the waiting room.

A male wearing glasses and suits ran toward the unconscious Makoto.

It seemed that he was his manager.

「Makoto-kun, great work. You’re on top of your game too today!」

Makoto too turned toward his manager with a nice smile.

But, his HP was low so his smile looked painful.

「I see. So I’m on top of my game.」

「You’re the best! To get knocked out in one hit like that after  rushing forward so energetically――it fit your style perfectly! You had  worked hard just for this day and even videoed and posted it online to  stir up your fans to only end up getting knocked out in one punch and  laughed at by everyone online, as I thought you really have the talent!」

「Manager, show me the video later on.」

「Of course!」

The manager greeted the bewildered Ponsuke with a smile.

「Ah, sorry to ignore you. Don’t mind this.」

「B-but, I messed up the arrangement」

「Hm? Aa, the plan? It’s not really a problem for our side. Makoto-kun  is promoting himself as this kind of character. This is just exactly  what we wanted. He’ll actually be worse off if he get a normal win.」

Makoto was promoting himself as this kind of character, and it seemed that his way was working.

Makoto gave Ponsuke a thumb up with a smile.

「Orc-kun……nice fight. Let’s do this again someday.」

「I’m telling you, it’s Ponsuke.」

Both Makoto and his manager were wearing a satisfied smile.

It was the TV program’s staffs who weren’t amused by this.

They were clicking their tongue at Ponsuke inside the waiting room.

The manager led Makoto outside.

「Now then, to the next job. Before that do you want to take a day off inside the game?」

「We need to prepare right? How can I rest when my fans are waiting!」

「As expected from you Makoto-kun!」

The two immediately logged out like that. Ponsuke could only shrink  down with his large body inside the waiting room with an awkward air.

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「That damn brat!」

「Perhaps it would be better to not make him participate? Even though I thought he would be perfect for the baddie role.」

The female announcer and the staffs were complaining. At the side  [Azusa] who had somehow won her fight was waiting for her turn.

Her manager was standing near her.

Azusa sighed.

「Their event management is slovenly.」

「Looks like they wanted to give the event an air of realism by making  amateurs participating. But, Pandora is extremely popular, so you  should do your best here Azusa for your career too. Look, if you show  off your skill here, there might be action movie offer coming for you.」

Azusa had a lean body with her black hair tied into ponytail.

As for her breast size, it was just barely there.

「I want to study acting.」

「……This is also work. Ah, come on, the next fight is starting.」

Azusa looked down at the arena from the audience seat. The orc from  before was making his entrance. It was laughable when Makoto was  defeated in one hit, but that was all Azusa thought about it.

(I can’t comprehend why anyone would want to become a monster intentionally.)

The female announcer switched off her mike and cheered for Ponsuke’s opponent.

「Right there! Come on, do it properly! Geez! And you call yourself a first rate player like that!」

The staffs wanted Ponsuke to leave quickly and matched him with a hardcore player――a clearer as his next opponent.

Azusa watched that match…….

(He’s somewhat amazing)

And thought like that.

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『There’s no movement down there.』

『They used skill in game right? They can’t do anything because  they’re always relying on that kind of method. This match is just  boring.』

At the commentator seats.

The commentator declared that the match was dull.

But the martial artist was watching seriously.

『No, this is――』

Ponsuke was focused toward the opponent in front of him.

The opponent’s shoulder twitched. Ponsuke reacted by moving his leg slightly.

An invisible exchange was unfolding between him and the opponent.

(This person, I can’t draw the image to win against him no matter what.)

But, that also applied to the opponent.

Even though Ponsuke was a casual player, he was an orc that had high specs.

The opponent was also a clearer with the role of vanguard, so he was confident with his specs.

The problem was the inside――their player skill.

The martial artist yelled.

『They’re moving.』

The next moment the opponent closed the distance. Ponsuke deflected  his attack and tried to finish the duel with counter――he swiftly took a  distance.

The opponent was also preparing a counter, but he immediately  switched to offense with a kick. Muscles collided against each other  with a fierce sound.

It wasn’t the sound of *bam* like with Makoto. Both sides continued to launch attacks that were reverberating until the bones.

The opponent was laughing.

The opponent became unbalanced when Ponsuke landed a hit on his face.

He immediately followed up with a rush that rained down hits on the  opponent, but the opponent then caught his hand and kicked his head  before finishing the duel with a joint lock.

Ponsuke lied spread-eagled on the ground.

「You’re good! What’s your guild? Join our place! Our time slots are  different but, it’s fun being clearer, you can always enjoy close fight  like this!」

「That sounds fun but, I’m a guild master despite my look――I refuse!」

「That’s too bad――oi!」

It couldn’t be helped that the opponent was shocked.

Ponsuke who got his arm held in a lock used his spec to forcefully lifted up the player and stood up.

Then he swung down his arm to smash the opponent to the ground, but the opponent let go of the arm and landed on the ground.

They both closed the distance and it was a fist fight from there.

They simply rained blows on each other.

Sometimes they would dodge in a hair’s breadth, sometimes they would let themselves got hit to push back the opponent.

Like that Ponsuke was gradually gaining the advantage――.

『Time’s up! The winner will be decided by the judges!』

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The arena was heating up.

The audiences also got excited by the fierce fist fight. They must also felt good seeing the orc lost.

Azusa kept looking down at the arena even when the next fight started.

Her manager was looking worried.

「D-did it scare you? I, I can talk to the staffs if that’s the case.」

He must be planning to tell the staffs to arrange it so that the next  opponent would go easy on her. But Azusa wasn’t listening to her  manager.

「……Just now, it was the orc who won wasn’t it?」

The one who won was the opponent.

The opponent also tilted his head with a dissatisfied look by the  decision. The martial artist was also looking somewhat baffled.

The commentator followed the venue’s mood and atmosphere to make his  explanation. He said some appropriate sounding words and the match was  over with the audiences accepting the decision. They too didn’t look  that interested with the result.

The staffs were also looking relieved seeing that the bothersome orc was gone.

Ponsuke left the arena because his match was over. Azusa was hesitant whether she should chase him or not.

(It’ll be my turn soon. ……Will I run into him again I wonder?)

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Ponsuke was walking through the Capital of Purity on his own.

He was scratching his head.

「Hmm~, I thought I could win but it was no good huh. As I thought, the clearers are strong.」

He was frustrated to lose, Ponsuke thought that his opponent was just too strong and looked up to the sky.

The sun was setting. He thought that he should return to the base soon or get dinner somewhere.

He looked around and found a suitable bar.

When he entered, there――.

「Ponsuke, good work today~!」

……He found Alfie and others.

The other guild members also came. They were holding a small banquet.

「Everyone is drinking here? Eh, don’t tell me――」

Ponsuke was about to say something, but SOLOLY――the most mysterious player in the guild was standing beside Ponsuke.

「Ahaha~, we watched it. I heard that there would be some kind of  interesting program and took a look. And then I found our guild master  making an appearance there! I called everyone here because I thought it  would be a good show. But man~, it was fun. Oops, perhaps I should say  that it’s too bad you lost?」

SOLOLY began to talk pointlessly. Ponsuke felt it was out of place for some reason even while he accepted the explanation.

(Eh? So everyone was at the audience seats? Even so they were really quiet……has everyone calmed down?)

Mariela handed a tankard to Ponsuke.

「Here, just drink and forget it. But, it was too bad. Even that losing by decision felt somewhat suspicious.」

Everyone said things like You should be the winner and the like while livening up the banquet.

Ponsuke felt embarrassed. Even so he joined in the party and talked about Makoto.

When he said how that idol was unexpectedly funny and a good person,  several person said things like 「Aa~, I get you. That’s MAKOTO-san for  you」.

(He must be an amazing person.)

Ponsuke thought that today was fun.

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