Day 3: Eternal Feasting in Paradise

There they go...

I may not have been able to teach her everything I know, but at least I was able to get through the basics.

Still...in the end, a fighting style is nothing more than an opportunity. Especially since she isn't a saint.

But even so, I'm certain we value the same things.

She holds all that is holy and righteous in her heart, even as she faces down all that is wrong.

I helped her to build a foundation, in hopes that it might be of at least a little help in regaining the strength she has lost.

Good luck, Bradamante. It may not be much, but I'll be praying for your victory...

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Deee see see see! It's about time you showed up! We've been out here for ages!

So that is our next opponent, hmm... Their laugh is so unnatural I can't help but be suspicious, yes!

YOU are going to talk to ME about being unnatural while you're dressed like that!?

Never mind that, Quetzal Mask. Don't you think it's strange that there's only one of them?

True. Can't fight a tag team battle alone. And if their partner had been injured, they would have had to forfeit.

So where could the other one be...?

Deee see see! So you haven't figured it out? What am I saying? Of course not!

My partner...is already here!

Huh!? Why is the ground moving!?

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Fou, fooou!?

I think...there's a giant that's shaking this entire pyramid!?

Wow! Even I have to admit that is one amazing entrance, yes!

That's it! Way to make an impact!

This is exactly the sort of forward-thinking innovation we intellectual Servants live for!

...That said, don't you think that's enough now, partner? I'm starting to feel a little...urp...dizzy myself.

'Kaaay! I'll go back to normal then.

Huh? That other one seems a lot smaller now...

I mean, they're still plenty big, but nowhere near big enough to pick up a whole pyramid.

They can shrink and grow their body at will? Then they must be

Everyone done with their warm-ups? Then let's see who you're up against, meow!

Deee see see see! I am the Direct Current Superhuman...Lionman!

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My ring name, of course! It signifies my love for direct current and my superhuman capabilities!

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...Sí, sí! This is the perfect lucha show I've been waiting for!

What a wonderful lion mask you made!

I'm so happy to finally find an opponent using a ring name!

So that strange laugh you were doing was all part of your character... Estoy extática!

Hehehe... I mean, dee see see see! (Delighted) And I'm glad you understand, madam.

As you surely know, professional wrestling is hugely popular in the United States as well.

Every moment of a wrestler's performance, from their entrance to their exit is a grand spectacle. Music, video, gunpowder, the works!

We may have fallen behind Japan's genius promoters for a time, but there's still no wrestling like U.S. wrestling!

I guess this means that Edison

My name is Lionman!

Er, Lionman, and his partner, Bunyan, must be representing America then.

Yup! I'm gonna do my best!

Too bad the ring's so tiny... It reminds me of land that's been cultivated, since there's not even a blade of grass on it.

A man with a lion's head, and a child... What an unusual combination.

So the two of you are seeking Santa Claus's power as well?

Indeed. Well, I should say that I am not personally seeking to become Santa Claus.

Rather, it is the future that Black Quetzal Maskor rather, this eventpromises to create.

Hm? So, you aren't trying to become Santa yourself?

You just support my arrogant other half's idea of making the victor of this tournament into Santa?

Correct. According to her, whoever becomes the true Santa Claus will have the power to make Christmas last forever.

And a never-ending Christmas would be cause for celebration, regardless of who the true Santa ends up being.

Why, you ask!? Because Christmas every day means there will be presents every day!

And that means every factory in the world will be kept running at full capacity all the time!

...!?

And not just toy factories. There's food processing plants, artificial Christmas tree mills, Santa outfit shops...

All forms of mass production will be synonymous with joy! And, of course, each of these wonderful factories will positively guzzle down direct current!

Mass production AND massive consumption! That is what Christmas is all about!

...Which is why I don't care who the true Santa Claus ends up being, as long as they make eternal Christmas a reality, it would bring me immeasurable joy.

As for my partner here

Christmas every day would be lots of fun! You all think so too, right?

Besides...if I got to be Santa myself...

...then I could go around giving out presents with little Jeanne and the other Santas! Hehehe.

...And there you have it.

Now do you understand!?

With my pure heart and my direct current, Lionman fights for children! For presents! For justice!!!

Justice!? Are you kidding me!? That's just blatant, self-serving commercialism!

Eternal Christmas might sound good at first, but people can't stay in paradise forever! They will always fall eventually!

He fights for children? Oh my, this is going to be tough, yes. Children love luchadors with animal masks.

It's so hard when two faces go up against each other. The audience never quite knows who to cheer for...

Oh yes, I almost forgot to activate the modifications I made to the ring. There we go.

Wh-what the!?

I switched out the ropes for something with a little more...spark. A direct current spark, to be precise! Dee see see see!

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Still, at least they're confined to the ring here.

And that's got to be a disadvantage for her, since she's so big!

She won't be able to use her massive size to overwhelm us without touching the electrified ropes herself...!

Did I mention I treated her entire outfit with a special insulant? She'll have no problem touching the ropes.

.........Qu'avez-vous dit!?

Deee see see see! How long do you think you'll be able to keep to the middle of the ring, given her massive size!?

It's only a matter of time until she has you up against those dangerous ropes!

Not to mention that the electrified ropes mean you can't use your aerial lucha moves!

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It's called using your head!

So you're actually a heel in face's clothing! Well, we can't afford to lose to a team like that, no!

Dee see see, trash talk us all you like! My brains and her brawn will soon send you packing!

I was a little shocked by this twist myself (not literally) but since Dark Kuku hasn't said anything, I'm gonna give it the all clear for now!

In the red corner, representing America, we have Lionman and BigBody! And in the blue corner, representing Chaldea, we have the Quetzal Sisters!

Now, on your marks...get set...die!

I think the American team meant to finish this...

...but when the Quetzal Sisters dodged out of the way, Bunyan, growing bigger by the minute, ended up running into Lionman...

...and now the ropes are electrocuting both of them...!?

That tingles! Oh, but my shoulders were all stiff from cutting down trees, and I think they feel better now...?

This...this can't be right. My suit should be completely insulated from external direct current shocks...!

The only way this could happen is if...someone switched out my direct current for that infernal alternating current... Oh, now you've done it...!

I'm not quite sure how changing the current would affect his suit's insulating properties... But anyway, now's your chance!

You underestimated us! A true luchadora doesn't need ropes to pull off an aerial attack, no!

Bradaman, crouch down and put your hands together, please!

I get it! You want me to be the rope and post for you! Okay, I'm ready!

Dee see. (Wind knocked out of him) Impossible...

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Yes, I'm glad too. It helps that our opponents did some of the work of digging their own grave, though.

...? Is something wrong, Quetzal Mask?

...No, it's nothing. I just felt like I'd realized something very important for a moment...

Please, don't mind me. I was just caught up in my own thoughts, yes.

Anyway, these matches sure are getting tougher every round. Though I guess that makes sense, since they've all had to be strong enough to make it this far.

We were lucky this time, but we need to stay on our guard and keep training hard for the matches to come.

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I-it's nothing special. Any knight would do their best to secure victory.

And I still have a long way to go, so I have to try extrahard to make up for all my shortcomings.

Please don't be so hard on yourself, Bradamante. I've already learned a lot from you about being a Shielder.

I think it's wonderful how you're so dedicated to improving.

I'm just flailing around trying my best to catch up to where I should be.

For example...back when I got captured by monsters because I wasn't paying enough attention...

...a true knight would have gladly chosen death over the humiliation of being taken prisoner.

But I couldn't do that. Even when I told them to kill me, I kept trying to think of a way to turn the tables...

That...doesn't sound like you were doing anything wrong to me...

...You think so?

...Fooou?

Hm? Wait. Do you hear something?

Now that you mention it... Yes, that sounds like a child. They might be lost. Let's go check on them!

Ugh. Ugh!

I know how you feel, but please try to stay calm.

It's unfortunate that we lost, but we fought as fairly as we could. You should be proud of that.

All the more so given that our opponents resorted to base trickery and borderline cheating.

I-I know! But this stinks... You don't know how it feels, Sanson! You're too grown-up!

Oh, I don't think that's it. I'm just good at finding the middle ground. Although...I wonder if Marie might be disappointed... Phew.

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Oh, hello, Master. I didn't know you were competing, too.

I can understand Santa Lily's reasons, but I'm a little surprised to see you here too, Sanson.

I am indeed here. Though, of course, it is our little Santa here who is the team's heart and soul.

Thanks for the invitation! So you need a reindeer, huh. That sounds so fun! Would a glass horse work?

...She was coming dangerously close to competing in this tournament, so I felt it was incumbent on me to volunteer in her stead.

Reindeer Master!

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Well of course I am! I'm Santa, after all!

I can't let some im...imp...ipmonsters try to take over being Santa themselves!

An official Christmas has to have an official Santa! I'm sure my mentor would say the same thing!

B-but I really did inherit this title from Altera, you know? I'm as official as they come! Really!

That's what I heard...but I don't know. You're showing an awful lot of skin...and there's that whole samba thing too... (Staaare)

A-at any rate, you seemed pretty upset earlier. Is everything okay?

Yes, well, part of it is just the usual frustration that comes from losing a match, but

It would have been fine if we'd lost fair and square!

But they cheated! They totally cheated!

Cheated? Well no wonder you're upset! That goes against everything we knights stand for!

Thank you, lady with the vaguely French color scheme!

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Well

Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you guys think you're doing!?

It's a good thing I just happened to pass by and sense danger when I did!

Getting firsthand info about a team still in the running from a team they beat is purrhibited!

No way this cat's letting that happen on my furry watch! Now go on, get outta here!

Hmph. I didn't see you caring that much about the rules during our match...

Just goes to show that the rules here can change on the organizer's whim.

It's unfortunate, but since we didn't sign a contract to compete, there's nothing we can do about it.

The best thing we can do is accept loss with some grace. By the way, when will we know the tournament's results?

We'll be broadcasting the final match on every monitor here, meow. By that point, we won't need to bother keeping info about every team's secrets.

I see. Then it will be worth staying around to cheer for the other teams.

...All right then, we'd better take our leave, but we'll be praying for your victory.

(Pout)

Say, have you ever seen this? If you take a smooth, flat stone, and throw it at a body of water like so...

Wooow! Was that some kind of spell? Huh? Anyone can do it? Teach me! Teach meee! Pleeease!

Hehe, you're better with children than I thought, yes.

...Very well, I hear you loud and clear.

I promise you we'll do our very best to win this tournament for your sake as well as ours, yes!

I still wonder who the other team was, though. The cheating must have been egregious for Lily to be that upset...

Well, it is natural to focus on the negatives when thinking back on a loss, yes.

So if you want to have a good, clean lucha, and respect your opponent one-hundred-percent even if you lose, your only option is to keep practicing diligent

Fou!?

I don't think so. They look like they mean business, and not the fun kind. Get back, Fujimaru!

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You the Quetzal Sisters?

We sure are! Did you come here to dance the samba with us?

Nothing personal. We're just following orders.

Don't worry, we won't kill you. We'll settle for an arm or a leg!

Orders...? You mean someone told you to do this? You should be ashamed of yourselves!

Well, at least this should make for a nice post-match cooldown, yes! Let's get them!

...And that's what happened, yes.

Fooou!

Given the highly suspect timing, I'm guessing the team you're up against next must have sent them.

That would mean you're probably going up against the cheaters Santa Lily was so angry about... Good grief.

...!

So that's how Bradamante got injured...?

Ow ow ow... I'm sorry I was so careless. Normally, I could handle opponents like that no problem, but I was still a little tired from having just fought a match.

But it's okay. I think I'll be fine before it's time for the next match! And even if I'm not, it would be unbecoming of a knight to complain!

Tha...

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That does it! Now I'm pissed!!!

How dare they do this to my studentmy friend! A little mischief is one thing, but I will NOT tolerate this sort of cowardice!

...

Oops! Silly me! I apologize for my unladylike behavior! Teehee...

I'm a saint this time. A purehearted holy maiden. I won't be cracking my knuckles or sending dolphins flying. Nope.

But even so...there are some things I just cannot simply allow to happen.

R-right...

...All right, I've made up my mind. If your next opponents are this unscrupulous, and you're starting at a disadvantage as well...

...something even worse could end up happening in the ring tomorrow. Something my fighting styles can't stop.

Eep! ...D-don't worry, Coach, I'll be fine! With you here teaching me, I'm sure I can handle anything!

Effort alone won't solve this. And so...I'm going to teach you something I never intended to.

I'm not sure if you'll be able to use them, but I have to teach you all the same.

It's time for you to learn the fifty-two fighting styles I sealed away for being too dangerous!

Fifty-two!? You mean you still have fifty-two more techniques I don't know about, Lady Martha!?

My full fighting style has many different techniques. Unfortunately, some of them have...issues.

At any rate, we only have a single day for you to learn these styles before your next match.

I don't know how much they'll help you to counter their dirty tricks, plus the training will be hard and grueling...

I won't force you, but I think knowing these styles may help you in the fight ahead. So...what do you say?

I'll do it!

That's the spirit! I couldn't ask for more from a partner than the determination to keep moving forward, yes!

Say, Martha, I don't suppose you could teach me too while you're at it, could you?

No, I couldn't. There wouldn't be any point, since my styles would not mesh well with yours.

Besides, I think you already have everything you need.

After all, it's not as though you faces only know how to fight clean, right?

Hmm, yes, I suppose you have a point.

Wh-what are you saying? Of course I will. Now, would you please stop looking at me like that?

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Ahem. All right then, let's begin. Go ahead and get into the ring. And whatever you do, don't let your guard down.

My forbidden Fifty-Two Street Fighting Moves are all ultrapractical techniques meant to be used in live combat.

Come at me with anything less than your best, and you WILL end up on the mat!