video;

[yeshou]

[ Wen Kexing looks thoughtfully through the projection cast by the coin, as if he's trying to see the people on the other side of the network. He can't yet, but he's judging anyway. ]

Who is a leader here?

[ That's not very helpful. He considers and tries again. ]

It looks like a lot of the people brought here belong to groups or sects of some kind. Isn't that weird?

Anyway, the most important question is which of you is the strongest?

[ He folds his arms across his chest. ]

We're all from different places, so how can we tell?

Comments

[yeshou]

You don't have to fight me. I don't really care who you fight.

[He is totally going to forever call a call out a personal ad now.]

If you're not a leader, then what are you? Are you a sect disciple?

[prophylactic]

A what? Like at a temple...?

[That's the only thing he can think of that has disciples, and he says it with a profound do-I-look-like-I-go-to-temples expression. He looks like his face is stuck like this most of the time.]

I'm a third-year in high school, I guess.

[yeshou]

No, not a temple! Not unless you're a monk.

You're not a monk?

[He doesn't look like a monk, but in this weird world, Wen Kexing can't assume he knows what monks look like. There were snake people, after all. Maybe this guy is a monk.]

But you can fight.

[prophylactic]

Do I look like I'm a monk? [Whatever, this could go on forever--] I'm not.

....I know how to fight. But I don't give a shit who's the strongest, so you can leave me out of your plans.

[yeshou]

I thought so.

[That he's not a monk or that he can fight? Either way, Wen Kexing looks happy.]

Okay, okay, fine. What's your name?

[prophylactic]

[Hm, does giving his name put him on the fighting no-call list or doom him to being in fight club, he'll find out-]

Shinjiro Aragaki. You didn't answer me before. You trying to be in charge?

[yeshou]

Aragaki? So you're a martial arts master?

[He totally remembers that name! There wasn't much of a takeaway besides that.]

I never said that. I want to know who here knows how to fight and to lead. What's wrong with that?

[He'll fight you for questioning him too!]

[prophylactic]

Uh, what? Who told you— [Just kidding, he realizes a split second after he starts asking that it was definitely Kotone. Girl... please... He sighs.] I'm not. I had to teach myself to fight.

[Martial arts is taught in, like, schools? Right? So no, that would not apply to him, Kotone...]

What are you asking about that shit for if you're not aiming for the spot?

[yeshou]

[Wait a minute.]

You weren't trained by a master?

[Excuse him? Do you mean some girl lied to his magically projected face?! Someone had the gall to misinform him when he asked a question? Wen Kexing looks completely offended, as if he's never once considered being lied to. Obviously this is Shinji's fault because he must have told her that!]

But you're supposed to be a martial arts master! You can really fight, right?

[Yup, he totally overlooked that question again. He's too invested in the martial arts title drama he thinks he just stumbled into.]

[prophylactic]

[Answer his dang question... Now, what on earth is that girl telling people about him, good god--]

I've never even met a master. But yeah, I can fight. If martial arts is what you do, then the way I fight's not gonna be as fancy, or anything. And my axe is at home.

[.....uh,] The axe ain't for people.

[yeshou]

[He's leaning forward, clearly very invested in this new information.]

Then I want to see how you fight! Even if you don't have a teacher, that doesn't mean you can't be strong. It just means we can't judge before we see you fight.

[There's a pause.]

Then what's the axe for?

[What else would he have the axe for?]

[prophylactic]

No.

[Will he elaborate on that no... evidently not. Anyway,]

The axe is for- [deep inner sigh, because he feels like a dipshit every time he says this, but,] -monsters.

[yeshou]

[Rejection has never once touched Wen Kexing in his life. He grins at being shut down, clearly amused, and doesn't argue.

But then raises a brow at the next part.]

Monsters? What do you mean by monsters?

[prophylactic]

What do you think? Monsters are monsters.

[yeshou]

...You mean like people?

[Monsters are monsters? That doesn't tell him anything!]

[prophylactic]

What did I just say? [it's not for people--!!!!] Like— creatures.

[yeshou]

What kind of creatures?

[He needs more details!! If it's a combat axe, he wants to know what Shinji is used to!]

So you just don't fight people at all? Are you sure you're not a monk?

[prophylactic]

If I fight some guy, it'll be with my hands. I don't cut people up.

[Please... he's not an axe murderer... And he doesn't know how to nor does he want to explain what Shadows are, so he goes with:]

Creatures like— lions.

[technically not a lie]

[yeshou]

So you kill lions? Because they kill people?

[ Okay, that does make some sense. He's not sure he really buys it, but it does at least sound right. ]

Are they common where you live?

[prophylactic]

[Surely this won't come back to haunt him later as an increasingly ridiculous lie.]

....Yeah, they're dangerous. Dunno about "common," but sorta... Hn. Close enough.

[yeshou]

[Okay, so he hunts man-eating animals. That makes perfect sense!]

What if a human attacks you? Some men are more vicious than tigers. You won't fight then?

Even if I came for your life, you wouldn't fight for yourself?

[What a weirdo. He's totally a monk.]

[prophylactic]

[It's not technically untrue... Shadows are just not animals, specifically, precisely. This will be fine.]

I told you, not with my axe. I'll knock you out if I gotta, but I already turned you down, so don't get any ideas.

[yeshou]

Tch, if I were a man-eater, would I accept your refusal? You don't invite dangers like that. They do whatever they want.

[He is then king of venom, after all. He would know.]

You're too good-hearted. But I guess that makes sense.

[prophylactic]

[...

........]

Why does that make sense. I'm not.

[yeshou]

If you're a monk living out in the wilderness hunting wild beasts, of course you'd be too kind-hearted.

[Logic! And selective hearing.]