Surviving a Shounen Manga

Hahaha! … What a Mess

"Back off! I’m warning you!"

Although she was saying that, Tanya herself was backpedaling in a hurry.

Her extreme wariness left me staring.

Honestly, I was a little perplexed.

‘Is this what you’re really like?'

She was definitely supposed to be a character with a strong and brazen feeling…

Although, yes, she’d already been attacked several times by now.

No, maybe the total number counting the times I hadn’t been there to help, was much higher.

Still, that didn’t mean she was in some kind of a life-and-death crisis.

As per the setting, the guys currently following Tanya were from Eastland, and their fighting power wasn’t worth talking about, no better than those riffraff mafiosi from Destomb.

After a while, as rumours about the treasure spread further and further, and characters from Westland appeared one after another, they’d naturally disappear. You could say they were extras, here to set the stage for the upcoming show.

She shouldn’t have become this vigilant just from being chased by those two-bit thugs.

Hmmm.

But soon,

‘No, no.'

I shook my head.

I was trying to judge her character with my useless preconceived notions.

My perception of certain characters didn’t match the current era. I was thinking of them as they’d been at the end of the original story, accumulating power and experience along the way.

This was especially true for characters with high significance who’d survived till the endgame. They had to be the ones who’d change the most along the way.

In other words, I needed to take a more delicate approach here.

"Whoa, hey, calm down. You must’ve misunderstood me."

First of all, it was important to reassure Tanya.

"What… do you mean?"

"Apparently a lot of people are on your trail. So I wanted to help lighten the load."

Moreover, right now, she was equipped with the leading point of view.

Readers were bound to empathize with her, since they were seeing things from her perspective. Provoking her right now wasn’t a good choice. Moreover, my current appearance was villainous enough that I ran the risk of being labelled as the ‘rookie who threatens women'.

"That’s not funny. I don’t need that kind of help."

"Well now, this feels awkward."

In the first place, I had no intention of snatching the Ramirez at this point.

If I’d had such a plan, I would’ve snatched it right away, instead of circling around her all this time.

Right now Tanya's role was to carry the ‘Ramirez', and it was her responsibility.

She’d been given the leading point of view at her very first appearance for a reason. Because the author wanted to imprint her character on the readers, and to slowly develop her into the hero’s future colleague.

If I tried to snatch that away, it wouldn’t be surprising if the author hit me with a penalty bomb and stripped a lot of character levels.

But since she herself didn’t know any of this,

"Go away, go away! I don't want any help from you!"

Tanya’s wariness showed no sign of diminishing. Even though the hunters were sneaking up behind us, it felt like she had eyes only for me, and no attention left to spare them.

"… How troublesome."

"Alright, I don’t want to associate with you anymore… No, I don’t want to trouble you anymore. So could you please tell me where you’re going? So that I can avoid going there."

"So you’re serious…."

I’d expected some vigilance. But this was a little too much.

However, there were several reasons why I’d asked if I could take over from her.

First, to elicit ‘doubts' about me.

To instil in Tanya, or more importantly, the readers, an idea that ‘he must know something'.

I'd been hovering around Tanya for the past few days and her eyes had been locked on me all the way, but I hadn’t really taken any action. I’d merely been cultivating a useless aura of mystery.

In point of fact, this wasn’t a situation where I had any room to do something. If I cack-handedly tried to help Tanya out or snatch the treasure, the preceding plot won’t leave me alone.

But I couldn’t continue this indefinitely, either. Who knew when the readers' questions might turn into frustration and anger?

So, I had to appeal a little to them to ‘wait'.

Second, to create a different source of tension.

Perhaps, without me, Tanya would’ve clashed repeatedly with those two-bit Eastlander hunters and cranked up the tension.

But because I was here, that tension had slackened significantly. Since Tanya's nerves were all focused on me.

If she herself didn't pay the raiders any mind, how could there be any tension in the chase?

Even now, it was me she was staring at, not reacting to their movements at all.

Therefore, I created a separate source of tension by revealing my ‘hidden true colour'. After all, I had to make sure the readers couldn’t just sit back and relax.

Although that didn’t mean I could forget what needed to be done or neglect to do it on time.

"Coocoo, Nero. Take care of the guys behind us. While I have a chat with this redhead."

"Why me!"

"You do remember that I’m not your subordinate?"

"…"

Didn’t they ever get tired?

"Whoo. You keep repeating the same lines every time, but end up doing it anyway. So? Are you going to let them run rampant? Are you going to let them attack us?"

"… God damn it."

"He's big like a bear, but clever like a fox…."

"Hey, is that something a cat should say?"

Seeing the two of them slither into the bushes, I turned back to Tanya.

Of course, this was all pre-planned.

Shifting the source of tension to me, instead of the pursuers.

In order to keep the flow of the story stable and yet get constant reappearances, this kind of trick were essential.

However, it was also a double-edged sword.

If I took away the attention and tension that should’ve been focused on Tanya, in the end, I also had to spit out something equivalent to replace it.

Especially now, I was getting the feeling that I was toeing a line. If I kept sowing suspicion and creating tension without showing any substance, I’d be ripped to pieces by the readers themselves before the preceding plot could have its way with me.

Therefore,

"Alright, I take it back. I wasn't being that serious about it, anyway. Do you really have to glare at me like that? You keep holding on to whatever it is that you’ve got."

"… Really?"

"But I'm serious about helping you. We’ve been travelling together for a while, haven’t we? Not to mention… it feels some nasty weirdos are about to catch up with us."

"… What?"

Actually, this was me trying to sprinkle some foreshadowing.

Those ‘nasty weirdos' –

Were the third reason why I’d asked Tanya if I could take over.

Simple. Just to lay a new side track for the plotline. So that the readers could stew in anticipation of these ‘new raiders'.

My first aim in this arc had been to become Tanya's colleague, at least temporarily.

However, there were two problems with this.

1. Tanya's vigilance,

2. Plausibility.

First. There was no easy way to befriend her. Not only was she hyper-vigilant due to having a treasure in her possession, her personality didn’t lend itself to trusting others.

Tanya wasn’t Leo. Only somebody like the latter, a pure boy who could readily reveal his weaknesses without asking anything in return, could become her companion.

Even the Huntingtons, her long-time companions, had eventually lost her to Leo in the original work.

In order to mitigate this, or to create a situation in which she had no choice but to ask me for help no matter how wary she was, I needed some suitable assailants.

Before the Westland guys could intervene in this fight, I needed some new people, not those Eastland idiots already chasing her, to join the hunt.

Next, plausibility.

Even if I got lucky and Tanya opened her heart, for me to stick with her for long, there needed to be new obstacles in her path.

The hurdles set by the author were at a level that she could overcome on her own. Then why would I get involved with her for no reason? Why?

It’d only lower the tension of the story, and the author would be chomping at the bit to beat me up.

Therefore, I needed to prepare enough assailants in advance if I wanted to become her travelling companion.

The question was where to procure such people.

My first thought had been of the ‘Troops’ section of the character shop. It might’ve been expensive, but I’d at least be able to hire better people than the current raiders.

But I threw the idea away after a while. Not because it was expensive, but because it needed character points.

The shop couldn’t be used once a chapter started. Therefore, I’d have to hire the troops as soon I set foot on Brindisi, and keep paying for their upkeep for at least a few weeks… A ‘penalty veto’ would be a better purchase if I really wanted to splurge my points like that.

In the end, there was only one person I could lean on right now.

Haka.

It depended on how hard he’d worked on his ‘homework', but it might be of some help.

So, I’d sent Cocoa over to him as soon as they arrived in Brindisi.

"You sure you’ll be fine by yourself?"

"Idiot Squatjaw. There’s nothing Lord Cocoavi can’t do!"

"Eh? Why are you still Cocoavi?"

"Haka likes goblins. So I decided to keep it going."

"… Good thinking. Alright, go, but don’t get involved in something weird along the way. Don't do anything else. This is urgent, so go straight to him and come straight back."

"Okay. Don’t cry just because I’m not here."

Cocoa must’ve met Haka by now.

She’d felt that he wasn’t very far, so maybe she was on her way back already.

‘That Haka… he hasn’t been playing hooky, right?'

Nah. He was a thorough guy, so he must’ve done his job to some extent.

And, well, even if not everything was sorted out, I could just play the attacker’s role myself.

I turned to Tanya, who was staring at me with anxious eyes.

Speaking in a much softer voice than before.

"I know you're wary of me right now, but soon you'll be asking me for help…"

"Boss, you have a guest."

"… Guest?"

Haka glanced at his subordinate.

A guest?

An odd choice of words. An awkward choice.

It was a word that shouldn’t have popped up in this study, at least.

Haka wasn’t fond of such vague terms.

If the identity of the subject hadn’t been identified, it wasn’t yet time to report it, and if identification seemed difficult, the situation should’ve been reported to him before this.

Moreover, to say that he had a guest meant that the person had already arrived.

An unidentified person came right to his door, and only the word ‘guest' was used to describe them? Not their name, status, position, affiliation, or purpose?

"Hmm…"

Haka’s lips twisted into a faint grin.

So as to not stain the coming reprimand and interrogation with negative emotions.

Then, while he was about to point out the faults of his subordinate –

"This is the guest you’ve been waiting for. Although, there’s only one woman, so I was worried about how to tell you…"

At that moment,

"… Aha."

Haka scratched his head.

"Good job. Let them in."

He’d forgotten that there were indeed some people who suited the appellation.

Soon after,

Creak–.

A familiar face opened the door and came in.

"Hey there, Haka. How are you?"

As his subordinate said, it was the face of one of the guests he’d been waiting for.

"… It’s been a while, Cocoa."

"It’s not Cocoa. It’s Cocoavi."

"Huh?"

"It’s been three months, eh? Aren't you bored?"

"Ah…"

Somehow, he’d thought that he’d have a lot to say, but nothing came out.

But, well…

"Yeah, I suppose. How about you, Cocoa?"

"Cocoavi. Cocoa-vi. Yeah, we had fun."

"Cocoavi… don’t tell me, you’re in high spirits because you saw some goblins?"

He could only respond normally.

Of course, it still felt good. Maybe shouting would’ve felt even better, though.

That was then.

"Come on, let’s go now."

Cocoa said all of a sudden.

"Huh?"

"Squatjaw’s calling. Chop chop."

"Ah…"

For a moment, Haka stiffened.

It wasn't because of hesitation or displeasure. Rather, it was because he’d been on the edge of giving an unconscious yell in joy.

Haka kept a firm grip on his facial muscles to hold back his laughter. It was quite the opposite from before.

"I see. Where are they now?"

Pulling out his coat from the hanger next to him, Haka immediately stood up.

"Oh, but he told me to ask you, did you do well? On your homework."

"… Homework?"

"So whatever you’ve managed, take it to him."

"What?"

"Those guys I saw in the back, right?"

Cocoa nodded at the gang members who could be seen through the window.

Only then did Haka realize.

"Does he need people right now?"

"I guess."

"Hmm, is that so? How many does he need?"

Haka considered whether or not to include a brief explanation of the ‘organizational integration' that he had achieved over the past three months.

Because naturally not only Cocoa, but even Squatjaw, couldn’t have guessed how big the organization had gotten. Probably, dozens of times larger than they would’ve expected.

And indeed, Cocoa's subsequent words made Haka's head throb a little.

"All of them."

Three days later.

The Roman River.

The border between the southern and central parts of Westland.

I tried my best not to laugh at the sight of the people in black suits I could see trudging along the riverbank in the distance.

Finally, it was here.

The homework sent by Haka.

The impatience in my heart was about to boil over. Tanya…

Today was the limit. If they hadn't arrived by today, I might’ve left Tanya's side first. I might’ve pretended that something else had happened somewhere, so the tension wouldn’t go to waste.

‘Anyway, I’ve been saved from the abyss…'

But I now just had some room for breath, nothing more.

Depending on the quality and quantity of these new raiders, the weight of my words would change.

If after all that fearmongering, the guys who popped up turned out to be no different from the Eastland idiots, or if they were very few in number…

‘No, let's trust Haka.'

I violently shook my head.

As I watched the riverbank –

"… Eh?"

I was a little perplexed.

Why did the line of black suits keep growing?

I’d thought of counting them one by one as they came, but before I knew it, the number had crossed a hundred…

"… There’s too many of them."

I’d relayed an order via Cocoa to immediately launch an attack on arrival.

I was in a rush, so let them conduct the first raid on their own, and then we'd talk.

But I’d also added that they should moderately adjust the number of attackers. Instead of attacking all at once, they should come in several waves.

Hopefully, Cocoa had delivered my orders without leaving out those words.

‘Surely… that guy isn’t trying to show off how well he did his homework, right?'

I looked at the riverbank again.

There were hundreds of black suits by now.

How puzzling.

I couldn’t properly understand the situation.

This arc, quite rarely for Adventure King, had a clear structure. Specifically, the level and number of participants in this scramble were supposed to gradually increase higher and higher, step by step.

But if there were so many attackers during these early days, what’d happen to the follow-up. Just how many raiders would I have to arrange in the future to raise the bar… This was a bit tough.

That was then.

"Squatjaw? You were right."

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

I turned around and saw Tanya walking out from the ridge behind me.

"Oh?"

"Save me."

"What?"

Then, once I turned my head towards where Tanya's hand was pointing –

"… Huff."

The mountain was full of people in masks, their dresses the same colour as those on the riverbank.

Hahaha! … What a mess.

Editor's Notes:

None for this chapter.

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