#793 The Third Assassin

Neptune Queen and the Demon General.

In an unbelievable match set up by the genius promoter, Horkosfon, Letasreit faces formidable opponents!

Both of them stand at the top tiers of the merfolk and demon race!

How will Letasreit handle this intense situation?!

“I, Miss Bean Crush, the envoy of beans, will endure and overcome any challenge! Let’s get this match started already!”

“But first...”

Platy, still in her mask, plays it coy.

“Don’t be hasty. Did I ever say the only challengers are just the two of us?”

“What?! Don’t tell me...!”

There are more?

Just facing Platy and Mrs. Astres is overwhelming enough!

Spare a thought for the husband watching his wife wreak havoc in the ring in a leotard!

“You’ve been calling yourself the envoy of beans, right?”

“That’s right! I initially stepped into the ring to promote the greatness of beans! It’s all for advertising!”

Even if it’s true, please don’t boldly self-advertise.

“That determination to do whatever it takes for a cause is admirable! But you’re not the only one with such a cause!!!”

“What do you mean?!”

“Let me introduce another fighter who’s entered the ring for a similar reason! Come on! The teal warrior from the tea fields!!!”

Rumbleeeeeeee... A massive green smoke rises. 

How’d they do that?

From the midst of that green fog emerges...

“…Aileron?”

It’s one surprise after another.

Why is Aileron, the elf craftsman known for making pottery at our farm, in the ring?

Originally a nature-loving elf, then a resentful thief, and now a passionate potter living on a farm, why has Aileron now appeared in the ring?!

“I have something to say to everyone gathered here...!!!”

Aileron speaks out amidst the confused murmurs of the audience, saying, “An elf...?!” “They’re even letting elves enter the ring...?!”

“Drink tea! Tea is delicious! Green tea sipped from a meticulously crafted cup is divine!”

What’s she going on about?

Did she step into the ring just to say that?

“Miss Aileron has taken it upon herself to promote tea around the world,” explains Horkosfon in a matter-of-fact tone.

Is this another one of your setups?!

“Sipping delicious tea from a piece of art you’ve crafted yourself... Miss Aileron truly believes that’s the greatest joy in the world. She’s made it her new life’s mission to share this experience with people everywhere. To do that, she’s determined to introduce as many folks as possible to the delights of tea.”

Before me lay a similar success story.

Letasreit, a devout bean enthusiast, brilliantly capitalized on women’s pro-wrestling events, aggressively promoting beans and remarkably skyrocketing their popularity.

Perhaps inspired by this, or maybe out of sheer envy, Aileron ended up resorting to imitative business tactics to cash in.

“A thief steals intellectual property, too! We’re in the age of follow-the-leader business strategies!” proclaims Aileron.

Wearing a leotard reminiscent of a wrestling costume, she has covered her face with a mask. 

The mask gives her an air of someone with something to hide.

“I am the masked wrestler and messenger of tea! Bean envoy, let’s put what we believe in on the line and battle it out in the ring! I’ll surely convince the audience here about the wonders of tea! I’ve got tea leaves and tea utensils for sale at the souvenir corner! Make sure to grab some on your way out!”

“Don’t forget the bean snacks available in various varieties, ladies and gentlemen! All right, seems like I’ve got a worthy opponent here! Let’s hear your name!”

Letasreit plays along.

Since Aileron is also masked, she also needs a ring name?

“Hmph, I’ve donned this mask and entered the ring for the love of tea. My name is...!”

And the ring name that embodies her love for tea is...

“Matcha Mucho!”

...That’s too much of a stretch.

After that reckless mic performance, Platy, still masked, takes over.

“These three surprise wrestlers are challenging you! Can you defeat all of them and protect your mask?”

“Hmph, you bet! I’ll show you that I’m no longer the newbie who used to get beat up and cry because of you!!!”

Letasreit confidently picks a fight, delivering a striking mic performance. 

However, the farm members are clearly of a different caliber than the usual wrestlers she’s faced.

If she loses this match, her mask will be removed, exposing the face of the former Human Kingdom’s princess. 

Can she prevail in this must-win battle?!

And she better win! Not just for her, but for everyone in the world!

What are Platy and the others thinking?! They must know the potential chaos if Letasreit’s true identity is revealed. 

Are they just getting carried away in the heat of the moment? 

That’s just like them!!!

“Let’s begin! First challenger, Matcha Mucho!”

“I’ll take any challenge for tea!”

Aileron, aka Matcha Mucho, is the first to step forward.

What kind of fight will she show as an elf and a former thief?

“Hmph, I’m aware of an elf’s silent killing abilities! I won’t underestimate you!!!”

Letasreit prepares herself.

“But powers like yours are the least effective in this ring! You’ve got no choice but to face me head-on in this confined field! This ring! I’ll crush you with my sheer strength!”

She’s confident as always.

But never underestimate an elf. 

Letasreit and Aileron clash head-on, grappling with each other, hands interlocked.

Under normal circumstances, Aileron would’ve been pinned down in less than a second, given Letasreit’s immense strength.

However, just before that second passed, Aileron, or rather, Matcha Mucho, made her move in the match.

“Shaaaaaaaah!”

“Ngyaaaaaaah!”

She sprays something mist-like from her mouth onto Letasreit?!

Is that poison mist?!

A poison mist killing technique?!

Could she have held some toxic substance in her mouth and sprayed it at close range? 

No matter how invincible Letasreit may be, if it hits a soft spot like the eyeball, agony is inevitable!

“Gyaaaaaaaah! My eyes! They burnnnnnn!!!”

“Hahaha! What I sprayed was super-concentrated matcha tea! Only a true tea lover like me could bear it in their mouth!!!”

That’s the true nature of the mist? 

Still, no one would expect to get sprayed with something like that, and even the superhuman Letasreit stumbles back.

Aileron seizes the moment, lunging at her opponent and striking her face.

“Orah! Ryah!”

Thunk, thunk...?!

Hm? Wait a minute. That doesn’t sound like a punch. 

As it turns out, Aileron is wielding a weapon!

Is that... teacup used for brewing tea?!

“Hah-hah-ha! My specially crafted teacup is so hard it can withstand a blow from steel! A perfect weapon! Feel its wrath!!!”

Bloodshed is the essence of wrestling!

But this isn’t the time for that! Aileron is fighting dirty! Isn’t that against the rules?!

If we allow this, the whole competition will fall apart!

What the hell is the referee doing? They need to stop this!

Just like the surrounding audience, I was about to voice my disapproval when all of a sudden...!

“Bean Chop!”

“Huwaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Aileron takes a direct hit from the karate chop Letasreit unleashed.

She was sent flying out of the ring, effectively deciding the match.

A one-hit KO. 

As I thought, Letasreit’s immense strength, honed by training with beans, was clearly beyond any mere foul play.

Letasreit emerges victorious.

“Foolish warrior... you fought the wrong way,” she says, as if realizing something. “You love tea as much as I love beans. But by resorting to foul play, you only diminish the value of what you love.”

“Is that the reason for my defeat...?! Because I couldn’t let go of my thieving ways...?!”

Staggering back into the ring, Aileron was consumed with regret over her mistake.

“You need to reflect more and deepen your love for tea...! If you do that, tea will surely grant you its power. Just as the beans gave their power to me.”

That seemed like a pretty good note to end on.