A Wonderful Aspect of Autumn: Action (30)

I watched the battle before me with bated breath. In the arena, Jigoro, wreathed in fire and lightning from head to toe, dashed freely about while holding his own against the strongest party.

His opponents had the advantage in numbers, superior coordination, and powerful martial techniques. Jigoro narrowly dodged, knocked aside, and blocked their attacks to avoid taking serious damage, then hammered blows into their vital points whenever the slightest opening appeared.

'Hahahahahahahaha!'

Jigoro's booming laughter echoed through the arena and reached the spectator stands through the glass. Since he was outnumbered, he appeared to be on the defensive and at a disadvantage, but Jigoro was the one constantly laughing, while Rook-kun and the others wore increasingly grim expressions.

Still, I could understand how they felt. Jigoro laughed no matter how thoroughly he was cornered. He was enjoying himself from the bottom of his heart, but to the people fighting him, it looked as though he still had plenty of room to spare.

That pressure gradually wore down his opponents mentally. You could call it being overwhelmed by the atmosphere. Rook-kun and the others had fallen into that state. Jigoro's natural enjoyment of fighting was functioning as a battle tactic.

'Take this!'

'W-wait!'

Those of us who occasionally sparred with Jigoro were accustomed to that pressure, but it must have been tough for anyone who was not. I had been the same way the first time.

Those overwhelmed by that pressure tended either to shrink back or to unleash a wide, forceful attack in an attempt to break through the situation. They had held out well for their first experience, but the shield-class player finally could not take it anymore and launched a heavy blow...