Chapter 845: December 19th: Elegant Phrasing to Reach for Unattainable Heights
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Eleventar. Despite falling within the range of the storms stirred up by the Kingdom Turmoil, it wasn't as noisy precisely because it was distanced from the fiercely contested zones. Right now, there were two players in that city of Eleventar.
"Should I say, nice to meet you?"
"Yes. This is the first time we've met directly like this......... Argent Owl-san."
The man who desired this encounter spoke to the woman who accepted this encounter.
It was the reward for his betrayal; the man had sold out the information of his own faction entirely for this single moment.
"I heard you went through a lot of trouble just to fight me?"
"Yeah, well........."
The man let out a wry, bitter smile. The things he had done to reach this point......... they surely went against her "aesthetics." Or perhaps, precisely because of those "aesthetics," she tolerated actions like his......... Sure enough, the woman before him didn't condemn him, nor did she praise him; she simply tilted her head as if asking, 'Why?'
"You're an acquaintance of Kei, right? Then you could've just invited me to a private match normally."
It was a perfectly reasonable question. If he had a connection to Uomi Kei, there was no need to go out of his way to request a 1-on-1 in Shangri-La Frontier, a non-fighting game. Whether it was the currently hottest Galaxia Heroes: Chaos, or its predecessor Burst, they could have just fought in a fighting game.
".........Do you know the Japanese rankings for GH:B?"
"......? Yes, of course I do."
The rankings based on official tournament records, rather than in-game rate-match records. Why bring that up now? Argent Owl floated yet another question mark, but the man continued speaking, as if that itself was the answer to her question.
"The qualification to enter the World Tournament is to be Top 8 or higher in the Japanese rankings......... My highest record was eighth place, two years ago. Slipping in at the very edge that one time was my last."
Argent Owl......... or rather, the woman standing at the apex of fighting game pros, recalled the information of the man before her...... Kaisoku.
Kaisaki Hayate. A pro gamer active in Japan, whose competitive field is fighting games...... among them, he primarily focuses on the Galaxia Heroes series. His active period......... he should have been active since the days of the first-generation Galaxia Heroes "A." In other words, he is a veteran who has been active as a pro gamer for at least ten years or more. And as for his competitive record—though it was slightly rude to think about it right in front of him—she let out a small breath and opened her mouth.
"That's right, your average is around tenth place...... Over the past few years, excluding two years ago, you were mostly eleventh or lower."
"Hahaha......... Unlike you, who only needs to remember '1', mine scatters quite a bit...... I don't know whether to say I'm honored you remembered, or what."
Perhaps that was why..., Kaisoku let out a deep sigh. More than the embarrassment of having his competitive record accurately memorized by the player renowned as the strongest in the world...... it carried a heavy accumulation of emotions. After looking around and confirming there were no other players, Kaisoku spoke her name.
"Sylvia Goldberg. There is no fighting gamer who doesn't admire you."
"That's bad manners, though I don't really mind...... Should I say thank you?"
"Before you made your debut, there was no one who could seriously hold up the signboard of 'Absolute Champion'...... You are truly a hero who absolutely wins."
When Sylvia Goldberg made her full-fledged debut in the world of pro gaming, people went as far as to say "the era changed right then." The strongest fighting gamer.
A first-magnitude star that everyone aimed for, reaching out their hands. However...... human hands cannot stretch infinitely. The only ones who can reach a first-magnitude star are those who can arrive in its proximity.
"Everyone has dreamed of matching up against you, aiming to defeat you. But...... in the end, there truly is a wall that cannot be overcome."
The World Tournament two years ago. Argent Owl recalled the details. If her memory wasn't mistaken, she hadn't faced the man in front of her at that time. That's right...... Yes, she remembered.
"If I recall correctly......... yes, that's right. In your first match, you faced Amelia, and......"
"Embarrassingly enough, I was beaten to a pulp."
Amelia Sullivan—one of the people Sylvia predicted would make it to the finals, and if not a "fated nemesis," then certainly a "worthy adversary"—had defeated him in the first round. And Kaisoku himself affirmed that.
"Or maybe, I might just get lucky and face you in a tournament. But that would...... just like winning the lottery by now, wouldn't it?"
Besides, Kaisoku floated a lonely smile.
"When you've been doing this for a long time, there are things you start to understand. Like the fact that I've already long past my prime......... you know?"
It was the lament of a veteran gamer. The realization of having passed one's peak, knowing that only decline awaited.
It is unavoidable. People deteriorate, and the brain is no exception. Even in a cyber world where everyone from toddlers to the elderly can obtain the same physical specs, a vast gap in reflexes remains.
"The reason I chose here was...... my final pride as the pro gamer Kaisaki Hayate, I suppose. Just because I have a connection through an acquaintance...... I absolutely cannot allow myself to obtain the right to challenge you—the right everyone aims for—in a fighting game. It's just that kind of petty pride."
He had already missed his once-in-a-thousand-years chance; there surely wouldn't be a next time.
Even if this face-to-face meeting was merely a stroke of luck brought about by an acquaintance's connection, at the very least, he wanted it to be outside of a fighting game.
"I see."
She didn't entirely fail to understand his feelings.
Therefore.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Argent Owl decided to beat Kaisoku to a pulp—without a shred of hesitation, without holding back, thoroughly, and completely.
Author's Afterword
Kaisoku, a genius at turning something that could be said in a two-kanji word into a long-winded speech. [*1]
Translator's Notes
- [1] Note: Kinda vague, there's 未練 (Miren — Lingering Regret/Attachment), 記念 (Kinen — Commemoration / Memento),. etc there's a whole bunch that fits. All in all he just want to fight his idol.
Comments
Silver + Gold = Silvia Goldberg
"a heraldic term meaning gold (or sometimes yellow representing gold) in blazonry, the language used to describe coats of arms and heraldic devices.
A few details:
It comes from the French word or, meaning "gold."
In heraldry, it's one of the two "metals" used in tinctures (the other being argent, meaning silver).
It's typically depicted as yellow when rendered in color, but as gold when the design is meant to be physically realized (like in metalwork or embroidery).
So if you've seen a coat of arms described as having "a lion or on a field of azure," that means a gold lion on a blue background.
Outside of heraldry, "or" isn't really used as a general English word for gold — you wouldn't say "I bought some or jewelry." It's a specialized, technical term confined mostly to heraldic and historical contexts."
So i guess if the TL want to focus more on getting the meaning across, yes it can be "Argent Or", though if i remember correctly the author actually explained her SLF IGN back when she first appeared with it?
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