#1231 Momoko’s S-Rank Adventurer Visit Hopping: Fisticuffs 

“A sparring match... with Kato?” 

The suggestion leaves me, Momoko, totally confused. 

A sparring match? With Kato? 
That means a duel, right? Or maybe a fistfight? A full-on battle? 

“Is it really that surprising? You see this all the time in manga, right? Any issue comes up and it’s either settled with a fight or a food contest.” 

Yes, in manga. 
I know this kind of thing happens in this world now and then, but even so, I never expected Kato to be the one to say it. I mean, seriously? 

He’s not exactly the combat type. 

Even though he’s an S-Rank adventurer, Kato was summoned from another world and granted skills to become a hero. But those skills weren’t suited for combat, so he got kicked out. 

He didn’t climb his way to the top of the adventurer world through strength... he did it through pure survival skill.  
Honestly, he’s got the same vibe as Golden Bat: not flashy, but impossible to kill. That’s what real adventurers are like—not winning through brute strength, but surviving no matter what. 

And now, of all people, I’m supposed to do a mock battle with him? 
This feels seriously off to me...! 

“It’s the fastest way to understand someone’s strength. A quick spar is really efficient.” 
“It also doesn’t take long,” Pink Tonton adds, calm as ever. 

You’re okay with this? 
I may not look it, but I’m pretty confident in my fighting skills, you know? 
Your husband might end up as a red smear on the lawn! 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m still an S-Rank adventurer, after all. Now, let’s get started. I want to finish before my son wakes up from his nap.” 

...All right, if you’re that determined. 
Time to show you the battle strength of the legendary hero Momoko, the one who once turned entire battlefields into hellscapes!!! 

*** 

The fight takes place in Kato’s backyard. 
It’s huge... 
Guess being a dual S-Rank couple pays off... 

“Now, this is just to get a read on your strength, so I’ll let you take the first move. I won’t fight back for a while.” 

…Kato, are you mocking me? 

I’ve made a name for myself through raw power. 
Even without using my instant-death skill, which I won’t, of course, I can definitely hurt you with regular attacks.  
Honestly, I’m a little worried I might kill him by accident. 

I really don’t want to make Pink Tonton a widow! 

“No need to worry. Just come at me. ...Or do you really think you can hit me?” 

…Oh, you said it now? 
Fine. You asked for it! 

Momoko Grand Crescent Slash! I’ll cleave through you and the ground! 

Whoosh— huh?! 
He dodged?! Guess I can’t underestimate someone just because they don’t look like a fighter.  

Still, I didn’t expect to win with one swing. 
Let’s see how long he can keep dodging when I really go all in! 

Yah! Toh! Yah! Toh! Yah! Toh! Yah! Toh! 
Yatto! Yatto! Yatto! Yatto! Yatto! 
Yato! Yato! Yato! Yato! Yato! 

Yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya! 
Totototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototo!!! 

Yatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyatoyato!!! 

Toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh!!! 

...Why?! 

Not a single hit landed?! 
How is nothing connecting?! 

At this rate, if I were using a Stand, the enemy would already be reduced to molecular debris and out with the trash on collection day! 
And yet Kato doesn’t even have a scratch. Not even out of breath. 
Meanwhile, I’m panting like crazy and drenched in sweat?! 

“Momoko, your fierce assault was impressive, a real display of strength. But thinking that alone can defeat any enemy is short-sighted.” 

His aura shifts.  
He’s not the laid-back family-oriented man anymore. He's someone else entirely. 

“For someone like me, who's mastered the ultimate evasion technique, standard attacks won’t ever land. Not even in a lifetime.” 

So, this is the real Kato… 

“It’s not like I was keeping it a secret or anything. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned my skill to you before, Ten Thousand Black Threads.” 

Yes, I remember. 
Kato’s skill lets him infinitely extend his body hair, using the strands to detect things. 

It sounds ridiculous, but in practice, it’s brilliant. He can sense danger without putting himself at risk, even from far away. 
It’s an insanely valuable ability for an adventurer. 

And it's how he clawed his way up to S-Rank. 

“Yes, the skill helped me a lot. But S-Rank isn’t something you can reach with just one trick.” 

Urk. 
I get it... I really do...! 

“When I first started out, I could only rely on that one skill. So, I decided, if it was all I had, I’d take it as far as it could go. I trained it with everything I had. Even in my dreams, I was extending those threads.” 

Then, one day, a change happened. 

“I didn’t need to consciously extend the hairs anymore. My body just knew. My hair began to sense everything, air currents, heat, vibrations, light shifts, even the tiniest particles in the air.” 

And once it reached that level, there was no stopping him. 
No attack could hit Kato anymore. He could sense everything before it even began. 
 

Unlike eyes, there are no blind spots. Which means ambushes, sneak attacks, none of it works. 
He fights with a sixth sense, using touch as his primary mode of perception. 

That’s why nothing I did landed. 

“Insects have similar sensory hairs, you know. My entire body works the same way now. You can’t catch me. And I’ve trained my body, too.” 

Through relentless effort, he evolved his skill into something beyond recognition. 
That’s the secret behind Kato’s rise to S-Rank...the terrifying truth! 

“All right... You’ve done enough attacking. Now it’s my turn.” 

Huh? 

“You didn’t really think you could make it to S-Rank just by dodging, right? I’ve trained my offensive techniques too. I’ve read the entire A*r Master series, after all.” 

And then, before I can react, he’s already inside my guard. 
He lands a shoulder tackle, and my whole body goes flying. 

I brace for the ground or a wall, but suddenly, I’m gently caught midair by Pink Tonton. 

“You can’t let a girl of marriageable age get injured like that…” 

Oh... Thank you...! 
That wasn’t even worth calling a fight...! 

I’ve survived wars. I’ve conquered dungeons. I’m Momoko... 

And yet, is this what it means to face an S-Rank adventurer? 
A power that separates them completely from the rest? 

“That concludes our sparring session. And as for the result…” 

…Yeah. I know. 
I failed, didn’t I? 
All those attacks and I didn’t even land a scratch... 

“You passed. Looking forward to what you’ll do next.” 

Huh? 
Why?! 
I didn’t do anything remotely impressive! 

“You realized something through this fight, didn’t you? That just doing what you’re good at isn’t enough for S-Rank. That lesson will push you forward.” 
“And with that growth, I’m sure even Golden Bat will come to recognize you. I’m excited to see where your path leads.” 

Seriously? 
Did I just get a passing grade for learning something? 

Is that what this was? 
Some kind of kickstart for my growth?