Unification by Force - Prologue

Location: ES (Exterior)

<Early October, in front of the front entrance of the ES Building>

Leo: ~♪ ~♪ 

Wahaha! I feel great, just great! Wonderful, wonderful!

Another day of perfect weather! Not too hot, not too cold, just perfect! I really feel like autumn’s gonna be my season, just like I thought it would!

This inspiration, this sense of hunger— it’s starting to flow, to burst forth! Hm hm hm, I’ll put the melody of these clear autumn skies to use~ ♪ 

Souma: Excuse meee!

Leo: …!?

Souma: Mmh! Careful!

Leo: …!? …!?

Souma: Phew... You would do well to mind your surroundings, Tsukinaga-dono.

You mustn’t write while standing with such a precarious foothold as that— Although fortunately I was able to catch you immediately, if I had failed to do so, you would have found yourself gravely injured.

Leo: U-uh, okay. The whole reason I fell was because you shouting at me out of nowhere scared me.

But you’re not wrong, and I am your senior, so I’m not gonna make a big deal out of it.

Souma: Mmh. Your behavior is perfectly befitting of a senior— I would have expected no less from a friend of Hasumi-dono.

Leo: Hasumidono… Who’s that? ...Oh, are you talking about Keito? Is he doing alright? I haven’t really heard all that much about him or what he’s been up to lately.

Back when we were all at Yumenosaki, you’d hear all about him, even if you weren’t trying to.

Souma: Mhm. Tsukinaga-dono, you have been sharing temporary residence with a boon companion of yours in a foreign country, have you not1? I suppose that alone would cause you to become unfamiliar with domestic affairs.

Leo: So that’s why, huh? But even then, I’m still hearing a lot about other units…

That’s because of Sena— He looks like he’d be the type to be like “Idols? Not interested.” but he still looks into what they’re up to a lot, and all he’s got is criticism.

Once you’re an adult, you’re gonna have to face the same issues as everyone else in this world does, so really, the best thing for all of us to do is work together. So why are you guys so set on bickering amongst yourselves? 

Souma: …

Leo: Well, maybe it’s not really my place to say that. Knights has been pretty peaceful lately and all.

...More importantly, I’m getting embarrassed still being princess-carried like this, so let me down, will you? Jeez, who are you again… Bunbunmaru-kun2, yeah?

Souma: Hmm. Although it is unclear to me just where that peculiar form of address came from, it does not seem to harbor any malice, and so I shall turn a deaf ear to it. I will put you down gently, Tsukinaga-dono.

Leo: Whatever works for you~♪ 

...Aaah, what a relief. I always get antsy when my feet aren't on the ground— not just in the literal sense.

Souma: Mhm. Lately it appears as though you have settled down at last, Tsukinaga-dono. My roommate from the dormitory, Suou, is quite pleased by that fact.

Leo: Ah, Suo~’s your roommate, Bun-chan?

Souma: Bun-chan…?

Leo: Everything okay with him? He’s not bothering you too much, is he, Bun-chan?

Souma: Ah, “Bun-chan” is meant to refer to me, then? Well, Suou is a good child, quite courteous and dedicated. I have no doubt that his family raised him with proper discipline.

Although there was a period of time where he fell into quite a poor temper. He believed that you and your companions were much too selfish, and felt beside himself with anger at that.

Leo: Aah… Yeah… That kid wants to be in charge of everything, even what other people do with their lives. If he can’t take control of things, his first reaction is to get irritated before anything else.

Souma: Mhm. He is prone to such things. I do wonder if it is a consequence of his upbringing being centered upon his eventual fate of becoming the head of his household, that Suou.

Nevertheless, he is quite a clever child as well. Through his desperate yet careful rumination, he procured your assent.3

One would think doing as such was surely the most optimal solution, but on the other hand, it is quite a pity that he was unable to arrive at such a solution through his own means— or so I believe.

Leo: Huuuh? Hearing you say that puts me in the mood to kick up a fuss, ya know? Maybe I should barge into Suo~’s room to stay the night and tell him Sena and I had a fight and broke up or something?

Souma: You are quite the contrarian. The inclination to actively seek to cause as many disturbances as one possibly can is not one that is often held in high regard.

Leo: Really? I mean, it is probably a good thing to settle down when you start to tire yourself out. It’s definitely a lot better to have a peaceful daily life, but if there’s nothing exciting involved at all, it gets so boring!

Even the god of music would lose interest and turn away from that!

Souma: I am not fond of extending entreaties to the gods. I believe it is none short of crucial to overcome hardship with one’s own strength, to make unceasing progress in one’s earnest journey forward.

Leo: Aah, that’s definitely the vibe I get from Akatsuki. I was pretty shocked to see you guys moving forward so composed this summer, even though you got stung bad by Crazy:B.

Souma: Mhm. I am disciplining myself for that express purpose. We shall never waver, nor shall we be felled, no matter the shock inflicted upon us.

That is our pride; our honor. And thus I believe that is precisely why our “fans” can look upon us with confidence.

Leo: Yeah. Anything that doesn’t move may as well be dead. Doesn’t really matter how pretty it is; I’d get sick of looking at something that doesn’t move. Like a lion in a zoo.

Anyway! We’re us, and you’re you, so! Our differences are our strengths~ Wahahahaha ♪ 

—But even so. You think you’re stable right now, but it might be just you guys who think that.

Just like you wouldn’t notice it if someone in your family started to get a little taller, any kind of gradual change is pretty hard to pick up on.

Souma: ? Just what could you mean by that?

Leo: That’s for you to figure out, kid. You’re even more obedient than our Suo~ is, and that’s just why you aren’t prone to questioning authority.

Kids who don’t go through a rebellious phase are bound to blow up out of nowhere someday, so I get worried, ya know? I was the same way. This doesn’t exactly mean I’m trying to say that Keito and Kuro are deceiving you, but— 

You may see Akatsuki as stable, but is that how things really are?

Souma: …?

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TL Notes:

1: The “boon companion” Leo is living with in Florence is Izumi, as mentioned in Next Door, Epilogue 6. 

2: The nickname Bunbunmaru consists of two parts, one being bunbun, an onomatopoeia for powerful swings of a sword, and maru, which is an old-fashioned Japanese name ending. The nickname has also been used for many athletes in the real world, namely Takahiro Ikeyama. 

3: Reference to Requiem. 

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 1

 Location: ES Hallway

<Ten minutes later, inside the ES Building>

Souma: (Fufu. I ended up deep in conversation with Tsukinaga-dono for quite some time indeed. At this rate, I will be late for our meeting.)

(At last, with my responsibilities coming to a close, I have managed to earn some flexibility in my schedule. Yet, in spite of that, I was told that I am meant to attend school from time to time, and that I must attend class as well. And thus, I am reluctantly doing as such—)

(And I have been caring for the fish tanks that belong to my club, as no one other than I has the capability to do so.)

(It was also requested of me by Hasumi-dono that I keep a close eye on Isara-dono, and so, although I am not a member of the student council— I have been lending a hand and such around there as well.)

(It was certainly quite taxing work, but I have handled everything quite well and completed my duties thusly. I have grown to be able to duly execute my responsibilities as an “aidoru”, free of anxieties about what is to come.)

(Although as of late it feels as if we as Akatsuki have too much time on our hands, which is far from comparable to our days at Yumenosaki.)

(I am certain that Hasumi-dono and Kiryuu-dono have already prepared a secret stratagem which we can use to continue our steady advance onward.)

(I shan’t wish to enter the realm of becoming a hindrance to such reliable seniors, so I shall, at the very least, behave as their trusted blade.)

(For the sake of playing such a role, I am sharpening and polishing myself accordingly for them.)

~...♪ 

Location: Dojo

Souma: Pardon me! I, Kanzaki Souma, have now arrived!

Kuro: —That’s why I told ya to quit talking like you know everything!

Souma: (Hm? J-just what is happening here?)

Kuro: That kind of thing’s been getting on my damn nerves for a while now.

I don’t give a damn how smart you are— are ya trying to say that you’re the only one who’s ever right, and everyone around ya is a bunch of brainless idiots that are always wrong?

Who the hell do ya think you are? Answer me.

Keito: You’re putting words in my mouth. What’s got you so riled up… Are you even listening to what I’m saying, Kiryuu?

Kuro: You can ask me to listen, but I’m still not gonna get it— ‘cuz I’m a brainless idiot, ya know.

Keito: You’ve got a bad habit of self-deprecation. I fear it likely stems from that past of yours— you did used to be a good-for-nothing delinquen— 

Kuro: Like I said, quit being so self-centered, and don’t act like you’ve figured out every little thing about me!

Souma: U-um… W-wh.. wh.. What is going on?

Are you rehearsing for some sort of play, Hasumi-dono, Kiryuu-dono? Your performance was so shockingly true to life, so much so that I had almost thought you two were quarrelling in earnest…?

Kuro: Oh, Kanzaki’s here. I told ya to go to school like yer supposed to and not just show up here, didn’t I?

Keito: The reason he showed up at ES this late in the first place is likely because he was at school.

Don’t take out your anger by scolding a diligent person like him; such irrational behavior from a parent will leave a child with nowhere else to turn but to a life of delinquency.

Kuro: What the hell do you think you’re saying, huh? Do ya just hate every single little thing I do, Hasumi?

Keito: I told you before, you’re putting words in my mouth. I’d like to think you aren’t stupid enough to not understand what I’m saying, so I think it’s more likely that you just don’t want to.

I should be asking you just what on earth about me you’re so displeased with. Or are you simply getting angry for the sake of getting angry?

Kuro: Who asked you for that input?

Souma: Umm… Although I do not know how this situation came to be, I ask that the both of you regain your composure, at least the slightest bit.

The entrance of this training room is open and we are visible to the public— if we were to garner the attention of passersby, we shall provoke unwanted speculation.

Kuro: Hmph. No one cares about us enough at this point to do that.

Keito: I disagree. What Kanzaki said is correct. That storm of turmoil that Crazy:B stirred up in the summer is still fresh in the public’s memory, so we should likely refrain from any sort of conduct that would needlessly disturb our surroundings.

Kuro: Yeah, yeah… Our great and admirable leader, the wonderful Hasumi Keito, and absolutely no one else, is right as always.

So it follows that ya don’t need the two of us. Do whatever you want, and do it alone.

Keito: ……...

Souma: Kiryuu-dono, Hasumi-dono— 

Kuro: ...Shoot, let’s cool off a little.

Keito: Y-yeah. Let’s. This isn’t over. We’ll talk this over properly later… Kiryuu. 

Kuro: ……... 

Souma: (...? What is this subtle atmosphere of distance between the two of you? Just what on earth happened while I was not present?)

(Although I do worry, I wonder if it should really be alright were I to ask.)

(Kiryuu-dono headed off without so much as a glance towards me. Hasumi-dono, as well, appeared to be rather overwhelmed— I shall contemplate this more deeply.)

(I do not believe that either of them desire my opinion, nor my consideration on this matter.)

(Rather, it appears as if they were concerned that this matter was not something to discuss in front of children, and so they brought their heated argument to a full and complete stop.)

(If I am to be honest, I am quite comfortable with such a position as that. It is the position that I desire. It is the very reason I was born to follow and be of service to those whom I hold in high regard.)

(But… Am I truly of use to Hasumi-dono and Kiryuu-dono? I am unable to do so much as even understand their argument, let alone able to admonish them— though I am not expected to do such a thing, am I?)

(Moreover. In the event that such a conflict as this should arise between Hasumi-dono and Kiryuu-dono again, both of whom I love and respect— in the event that they can no longer work together—)

(Just whose side am I meant to take?)

(I am but a well-sharpened blade; the only thing that I am capable of is severing all creation into scraps.)

(If that is the case, then to take the side of one of my seniors would be akin to killing the other by my own hand, would it not?)

(Until this very moment, I had never considered such a possibility, but…)

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Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 2

 Location: Cafe COCHI

<Afternoon the next day, in Cafe COCHI on the ES grounds>

Souma: —And it is precisely because I acquired such a concern that I have been pondering it. 

Leo: Ah, yeah. I getcha. You’re a pretty dedicated kid, huh?

Souma: Mmh. I am deeply humbled by your kind words— I do believe my dedication to such matters is one of my strengths.

Leo: They do say that a noble king should have both the strength of a lion and the wisdom of a fox.

But well, I don’t think you’re really aiming to be a king, so you should be just fine with what you’ve got now.

Souma: Mhm. I am no king, and in accordance with such a truth, I acknowledge my place as a loyal warrior who lives to serve.

Leo: It’s not like that mindset is unpopular these days — it might actually be the norm.

Every now and again I’ll hear stuff from working adults at award ceremonies and things like that, and they all seem to be pretty serious about their dedication to their company.

They’ll complain about how they’re in a toxic work environment, or how they’re in the middle of a recession, and hearing that many complaints just makes you think it’d be better for them to quit their jobs.

I wanna live my life just having fun; am I the only one?

Souma: Fufu. It is quite likely that those who would be able to live in such a manner are few— all of them being people who are endowed with talent.

Leo: Hm, yeah… A genius can go on and on about how hard it is to be a genius, but it seems like all the normal people out there have it waaay harder.

But as for me, on the other hand, I think I’m really lucky to be a genius!

Thanks Mom and Dad for bestowing me with so much talent! No no no, I’m genius-ly sorry for being so talented! Wahahaha ☆ 

Souma: Though it may not be my place to speak, I believe that it would be wise to refrain from saying such provoking things as that at such tremendous volume.

Leo: Yeah. Well, you might be doing this without realizing, but it’s not exactly good manners either to sit criss-cross applesauce on your chair in a coffee shop. C’mon, behave~ Chairs and tatami mats have different etiquette to go with them.

Souma: Ah, I see. I am not sitting “criss-cross”, but rather in zazen1. Such a method of sitting is most effective to put one’s mind at ease, and thus it allows for clarity of thought.

Leo: For real? I tried copying Keito by doing that before, but my legs just started hurting! It was the worst! They got all tangled up in each other, and I couldn’t move!

Souma: That is because it requires that you train your body to some extent.

...More importantly, Tsukinaga-dono, you called out to me with the intended purpose of giving me a warning in regards to some specific matter, am I correct?

At the moment, I am quite preoccupied with my thinking.

Leo: Ooh, this is the first time I’ve seen a guy who can say, “Alright, I’m gonna think about this!” and actually go through with it! You’re a pretty weird kid too; I love weird kids like you!

Keito’s probably the same way, so I bet that’s why you’re able to get along so well for some reason, even though your personalities are polar opposites, huh?

Souma: Well… I am not Hasumi-dono, so I cannot make such a determination.

Leo: Yeah. But if you don’t use your imagination, no matter how hard you think, it’s gonna be useless, totally useless!

“The Great, Wise Hasumi-dono” only exists in your mind— take off the rose-colored glasses and look at the real Keito.

Actually, speaking from experience, nothing’s gonna come out of your thinking if you agonize over this alone.

Rather, it’s more like… When you’re stuck in your imagination, your mental image of someone you should have loved is gonna stray too far away from who they really are, and morph into a monster or something.

So that’s why when you actually meet Keito, you’re gonna be shocked that he’s a person! Wahaha ☆ 

Souma: Just whatever do you mean…?

Leo: I’m telling you not to waste your time in a place like this— if you have something you wanna know about Keito, ask him face-to-face.

That’s why I’m looking for Rittsu, but as usual, I don’t have a clue where he is.

Souma: Rittsu?

Leo: Sakuma Ritsu. You seen him lately? He contacted me for some reason, but he’s been totally MIA since then— I’m worried, y’know?

Souma: Well. Though we are in the same year at school, I have had little interaction with him. However, I believe that Isara-dono may have some idea as to his whereabouts, so how would you like for me to attempt contacting him on “Hooruhanzu?”

I have been helping the student council quite often as of late, so I am able to contact Isara-dono relatively free of reservation or hesitation. He is far from the type of person who would find such a thing to be bothersome, after all.

Leo: Ah, that’d be a huge help~ Unlike all these other guys, I don’t really have much of a connection with my juniors— probably because I was gone from school for so long.

It’s a huge pain in times like this… But I guess I’m reaping what I sowed.

Souma: Hmm. So it seems that somehow you do come across some “toraburu” occasionally as well.

Leo: Yeah. That’s a natural part of life.

With a bunch of immature, unstable brats all crammed into a cruel industry like this crossing swords, it’d be more surprising if there weren’t any troubles.

Maybe one of these days everybody’ll find a way to stabilize themselves.

But if that’s a part of growing up, then it must be pretty lonely to get old.

Souma: …?

Leo: Ah, Sena just messaged me. Says he’s on his way over here, and he’s making haste… Sure has had a lot more work than usual these days, that guy. 

Maybe it’s because he said he’d take charge of managing me in front of our juniors, but it feels like he’s been worrying about me way too much. He’s been even more of a nagging mother-in-law lately, and it’s hella annoying.

Souma: I believe that alone simply means that he loves you.

Good and earnest children are, on the contrary, thought to manage quite well, even when left to their own devices. Thus it becomes the case that they receive little attention.

Leo: Ah yeah, you seem like you’d be that kind of guy. Selfish, spoiled brats get more attention from their parents and such. Really shows how unfair the world is, even these days. Wahaha!

Anyway, sorry to get in the way of your thinking like that. I gotta head out soon too.

Go ahead and give me the contact info of that “Isaradono” guy you mentioned earlier, yeah? I just wanna ask him where Rittsu is.

Souma: Umm… I cannot simply provide you with his contact information of my own accord, so I would quite like to obtain the consent of the other party in this matter before proceeding.

Thus, I shall first provide you with my own “Hooruhanzu adoresu” and nothing more.

Then I shall explain the situation to Isara-dono, and upon the occasion that I obtain his permission, I will contact you once more.

Leo: Gotcha. Thanks a lot. You’re suuuch a reliable guy, Bun-chan— Good boy, good boy ♪ 

Souma: I am grateful for your kind words. Now, I trust there are no other matters you require my assistance with, yes?

Leo: Nah, I’m all good. I’ll take care of this one myself. This is a problem for Knights to deal with, and you’re not really in a place where you can spend time worrying about other people’s issues either, yeah?

Souma: …?

Leo: Huh? Did you not hear? Well, this might just be a rumor, but I heard that Akatsuki’s standing within the long-established agency RhyLink is subtly headed downhill.

Keito and Kuro are both friends of mine, so this whole thing has got me worried. That’s the reason I reached out to you in the first place— to get serious and take a look into what’s really going on.

Souma: …

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TL Notes:

1: Zazen refers to cross-legged seated meditation.

 

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 3

 Location: Hanging Garden

<About an hour later>

Kuro: ……

(...Agh, shit! What the hell am I doing?! This is just plain shameful!)

(“Taking out my anger”, huh. ‘Cause nothing you say is ever wrong, right… Hasumi.)

(I used to hate that about you, way back when… But he’s got nothin’ but sound arguments. It was like gettin’ lectured by a teacher.)

(But if anyone and everyone can start heading down the right life path through a little change of attitude, there’s no point in all that.)

(This isn’t straight out of an old Buddhist tale, though. There’s gonna be guys who just can’t get themselves to go down the right path, even if they want to.)

(My mom was like Hasumi too. Felt like she was always scolding me.)

(“You look like a mess— fix your hair.” “Put anythin’ you used back where it belongs.” “Stop hitting Icchan.” Stuff like that.)

(So it did make me kinda nostalgic. Not to mention that’s the kind of thing that drew me to Hasumi back then when I was so unstable.)

(I promised I’d keep my childhood friend safe, and when I broke that promise, my only choice back then was to turn back to the violence I swore I’d given up for good.)

(Then I saw Hasumi, how stable he was, and I clung to him like a bratty kid you can’t wean off its mom’s milk.)

(He was always tellin’ me what the right thing to do was, so I ended up relyin’ on him so much that I couldn’t even think for myself anymore.)

(It was just easier that way— huh, Mom?)

(I’m ashamed of myself… Everyone’s always talkin’ me up, callin’ me the strongest in the whole school, actin’ like I’m a tough guy… But I really haven’t grown up at all.)

(But Hasumi’s always right, so he tells me off for that too. Told me to “just give it some thought”...)

(I’m stupid, but that’s no excuse. I gotta put these brain cells my parents gave me to proper use.)

(But… I’m still bad at thinking anything through right. So I always ran back to violence— it was easy.)

(...Even takin’ all that into account, maybe it’d be easier in a way if I could fight back instead, like that idiot Mikejima.)

(If I went back to actin’ all high and mighty, I’d just make everyone who thought I was a good guy look at me with frowns on their faces— yeah, I’d just hate that.)

(Man, Mikejima… Why’d ya do it?)

Souma: Kiryuu-dono!

Kuro: ...Whoa, don’t scare me like that, Kanzaki.

...Did ya go to school today?

Souma: Fufu. Do not ask such a thing of me every time we meet, Kiryuu-dono. I am quite diligently attending my classes as of late, so do let your spirits be at ease.

Kuro: Ah, sorry for naggin’ you like this… Looks like that bad habit of lecturing that Hasumi’s got has rubbed off on me too.

Souma: Whatever do you mean? It brings me great joy to know that you are concerned for my well-being. It is because you love and care for me that you are harsh with me; simply spewing sugar-coated falsities would be no demonstration of affection at all.

Kuro: Haha. Ya really are a good kid, ya know? What have ya been eating to grow up so nice?

Souma: Hmm, I suppose I do eat plenty of fish?

Kuro: Ooh, okay. Gotta eat more fish then, don’t I?

Souma: If you would truly like to, I would be more than glad to treat you. My field of expertise in regards to cooking is seafood, after all.

—Oh my. It was not my intent to become so engrossed in small talk— I have not come here to discuss cooking with you, Kiryuu-dono.

Kuro: Really? Kind of a bummer; I wanted to keep at it. Add to my repertoire, and all that.

My sister’s startin’ to whine lately about how my old man’s not all that great at cooking.

I don’t want her usin’ that as an excuse to go out to eat and get caught up in nightlife, so I wanna share some of your tips with my dad when I head back home.

He doesn’t even know the first thing about seasonin’ food, let alone anything else.

But I guess that’s just life. My dad’s workin’ to support our family, so I swore I’d take care of the housework for him.

It’s real shitty of me to go back on a promise like that now… But well, it’s all my fault that my dad never learned how to handle housework— I was so stubborn about pickin’ it up.

Souma: Hmm. In that case, I presume your father must be struggling quite terribly at the moment, what with you being away from home.

Kuro: Yup. My sister’s been tryin’ to help him out as much as she can, but it’s a lot of work. They told me that I was supposed to move into the ES dorms really last minute, too— 

When I really just wanted to stay livin’ in my parents’ home forever.

But food and utility expenses are tight, and I eat a lot. So with me bein’ in the dorms like this instead of back home, it gets a lot easier to handle money.

Souma: Hmm. You are enduring quite considerable hardships indeed, Kiryuu-dono.

Kuro: Heh. It’s in the name1. Well, you’re a rich kid, so you probably don’t understand where I’m comin’ from.

Souma: Though my family may be wealthy, I would truly like to sympathize with you if such worries and hardships plague you so.

At the very least, I would like to refrain from assuming that I will not understand from the very beginning. I would also like to avoid renouncing my attempts to understand as a result of such an assumption.

It is precisely because I have so long been content with my comfortable position that I have been so blind to even the hardships we face as Akatsuki.

Though it may be far too late for me to do so at this point, I would truly like to understand.

Kuro: Haha. Might not actually be true that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but I was just thinkin’ the same thing.

We’ve ended up forcin’ Hasumi to do all the thinkin’ here. Three heads are better than two, or however that saying goes, but there’s no point in havin’ three people if two of ‘em can’t think for themselves.

That’d be no different than doin’ it alone. At that point, there’s no need to come together as a unit. 

Well, Akatsuki was originally supposed to disband after we put an end to the conflict, but we just kept on going.

But I feel like we’re startin’ to wear out— or maybe it’s that we’re just not fit for the times.

We as Akatsuki were the blades of the revolution. We were a militant faction. But now everythin’ seems so peaceful on the surface, and we just look out of place totin’ swords around on our waists.

Souma: ……

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TL Notes:

1: The word Souma uses for “hardships” is kurou, which is homonymous with Kuro’s name (Kurou when romanized alternatively.)

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 4

 Location: ES Staff Canteen

<About an hour later. In the ES Staff Canteen>

Souma: Well now, Kiryuu-dono, please do relish in your meal.

Seeing as you requested that I prepare you fish, I have made great use of only the most fresh seafood products from local fisheries.

In fact, it fills me with joy when I am able to beautifully prepare a fish ♪ 

Kuro: Ooh, thanks. Ya really did do a good job at arranging this sashimi. It’s such a gem that it makes me feel like it’d just be a waste if I ate it.

Souma: Haha. However, if you do not eat this particular gem, it shall promptly decay ♪ 

Kuro: Yeah, you’re right. Gotta show how sorry we are for takin’ this fish’s life by puttin’ our hands together in thanks, yeah? Oh Amida Buddha, thank you for this food1 ♪ 

Souma: Hm? Giving thanks to Buddha as such is a part of Hasumi-dono’s religious denomination, is it not?

Kuro: Huh? You tryin’ to say that whatever I do is just me copyin’ Hasumi? Well, guess they do say that ya start takin’ after someone when you spend a lot of time with them, but— 

Lately all my fans have been praisin’ me about how I’ve miraculously straightened out, and I really owe that to you two.

Souma: Fufu. In comparison to your former self, you have indeed straightened up— it seems as though you have found your core.

Kuro: Well, without a good core, you’re not gonna be able to put any power into anything. Gotta use your whole body whenever ya throw a punch.

...But that’s somethin’ else entirely.

You’re not my waiter, so take a seat, Kanzaki. You had somethin’ ya wanted to talk to me about, yeah?

And yet ya still put whatever it is you’re goin’ through on the back burner to cook, or whatever the hell else— 

Souma: Fufu. Please do pardon my correcting you. I prepared food for you because I wanted to do as such— moreover, in this particular situation, it is much more economical for me to cook for you than it would be to purchase food from the staff canteen.

Kuro: Well, it’s free to eat here as long as we’re dorming. Akatsuki’s not so poor that we gotta scrimp on food costs.

We may be in a pretty bad situation at the moment, but it’s nothin’ that serious.

Souma: ......

...Mm. I heard a similar remark from Tsukinaga-dono, and thus was overcome with concern.

I also grew anxious upon realizing that it was only I, in my endless folly, that was unaware of the time of tribulation we are currently facing as Akatsuki.

As Akatsuki is and always has been my source of stability.

Kuro: Well, that’s all me and Hasumi’s fault for puttin’ up a front to look like we had it all together whenever you were around. It’s a bad habit of ours, so no wonder you’re tryin’ to push back.

Souma: If you are implying that I am in any way dissatisfied with the actions of you and Hasumi-dono, such a thing could not be further from the truth.

Kuro: Ya can’t just keep these things in your thoughts— ya gotta be sure to show ‘em through your actions too. That’s not somethin’ I’m too good at. 

It’s pretty sad that even a happy-go-lucky guy like Tsukinaga is worried about us.

I want him— and Nito, and Tetsu— to think of me as a strong guy at the very least, ya know?

Not to mention Itsuki, and of course Hasumi— and you, too.

Souma: Fufu. You are indeed quite prone to attempt to appear faultless in front of others, Kiryuu-dono.

Kuro: That’s just how life is as a delinquent. Anyone looks down on us, and it’s all over.

Well, even though I’m pretty much actin’ like an honor student these days, old habits do die hard.

Souma: I understand your sentiments well, Kiryuu-dono. I fear that one day I shall have to part with this sword that I have carried with me since childhood.

Kuro: Hasumi’s like that with his obsession with glasses too, but that feels more like some kinda weird habit than anything else...

Well, I might have a pretty similar problem. Takes one to know one, yeah?

Icchan still can’t let go of that old doll of his, so I can’t just laugh at him over it.

Souma: ……?

Kuro: What’s that look for? I know I’m bad with words, but c’mon… Well, to sum it up, that’s essentially my whole point.

Souma: ? What exactly do you mean by “your whole point”? I must apologize for my poor comprehension skills, Kiryuu-dono.

Kuro: Nah, it’s my fault too. I know Hasumi’s always rattlin’ on and on as much as he wants, so the two of us can never catch a break.

But right now it’s just the two of us.

Souma: Mhm. You have always offered me your guidance, and thus you are a reliable presence in my eyes.

I admire you. And it matters not if you are to show your shortcomings to this world— that admiration shall never falter.

If this trust and admiration I hold for you could be so easily broken, I would have left Akatsuki long ago, when the Sea God Battle occurred2. And thus I would like for you to be earnest and clear in sharing this with me.

I would truly like for you to inform me of the problems Akatsuki faces, whatever those problems may be.

Kuro: Gotcha. Well, let’s get into it— I’ll take ya through it in order, bit by bit.

Souma: Very well. However, I ask that you do as so while we are eating— if the sashimi were to lose its moisture, its flavor would leave with it.

Kuro: Yeah, I know. I’ll dig in. ...Ya know, when we’re eatin together like this, it kinda feels like we’re just like any old family.

Souma: Why is it that you sound so forlorn? We have always been so.

← Previous | Cover | Next →

TL Notes:

1: Kuro is reciting a Buddhist chant, Namu Amida Butsu. Contrary to the standard itadakimasu that is usually said in Japan before eating as a way of giving thanks for one’s food, the chant Kuro uses is a distinctly religious way to thank and pay homage to Amitabha Buddha.

2: Reference to Meteor Impact. 

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 5

 Location: ES Staff Canteen

Kuro: Well, I’m gonna start with my thoughts first.

Akatsuki’s not doing too hot right now. RhythLink’s a well-established agency, and we haven’t made a name for ourselves yet like UNDEAD’s doin’. So we’ve been goin’ downhill for a while.

But you know that already. We’ve been so out of any notable work that we’re free pretty much all the time— that’s why you’ve been able to go to school like normal.

Even though you were the only one holed up for that movie shoot of yours, that didn’t get in the way of Akatsuki’s activities one bit, yeah?

Souma: Well, umm… That is simply because “KureijiBii” had caused our downfall in the summertime, is it not?1

But we have devoted the fullest extent of our abilities to taking our blunder in stride and recovering from that situation, and thus— 

Kuro: You’re not wrong, but I get the feeling that we were already in a tight spot, even before we got stung by those rampaging bastards.

We just went on bein’ unnoticed, and we couldn’t achieve a single thing.

Souma: ..........

Kuro: But I guess ya could say that’s the case for every unit from Yumenosaki that’s now under RhythLink, yeah?

All the good jobs are goin’ to the agency’s veterans, so us rookies haven’t had much chance to get at them.

But even then. UNDEAD and Ra*bits have each managed to earn their place in RhythLink in their own ways. 

Well, I’m pretty sure UNDEAD’s only been able to climb their way up ‘cause Sakuma and Hakaze were so good at playin’ their cards right.

Ra*bits was always left in our dust back when Yumenosaki was the heart of things, but even they’ve overtaken us by now.

That’s not just how I feel— it’s the truth. You can see for yourself it in the numbers on the L$ per unit ranking.

Ra*bits have been workin’ really hard, givin’ this their all— and all that hard work’s payin’ off.

But we’ve just been doin’ the same thing as always— and we’re not growin’ at all.

We did have a chance to be in the spotlight for a minute with Vampire Shogun goin’ so well, but that was more an accomplishment for UNDEAD than anyone else.2

Souma: Mm… Though ultimately it was Sakuma-dono who had approached us with his proposal.

Kuro: Pretty much, yeah. We can’t get any jobs by ourselves right now.

Kuro: We’re just like little baby birds, chirpin’ and chirpin’ while we wait for a nice momma bird to bring us our food.

Souma: Little… baby birds… 

Kuro: You get why we’re in such a grim situation now?

Souma: Well… I suppose it is not the fault of “KureijiBii”, as you affirmed just a moment earlier. Then, do enlighten me… Why is it?

Kuro: Basically, they’ve just got more than enough guys like us.

Souma: Hmm…?

Kuro: Our biggest selling points are stuff like tradition, and our Japanese style. But they’ve already got more enka singers3 and other traditional musicians than you can count.

This is a long-established agency— if anything, all that traditional stuff’s their strong suit. Like the golden oldies, and all that.

I think that’s why Hasumi chose RhythLink in the first place, actually.

He wanted to put us in an environment where we could make the best use of our abilities, pretty much.

Really is just like him to always be on the offensive. But I like that about him, so I thought it’d be fine.

But ya can see where that brought us.

Souma: ..........

Kuro: Maybe we were just a little too cocky. We were pretty much invincible in every Dreamfes back in the Yumenosaki days and all.

That's why we were so sure we were a big enough deal to be chosen, even when we were bein' compared to the greats.

Souma: ..........

Kuro: But it’s a big world out here. It’s like our agency’s crawlin’ with monsters— those monsters bein’ enka singers who’ve been around for decades on end.

It’s pretty obvious that a group like that’s gonna have a way better reputation and a lot more accomplishments than a bunch of kids like us.

It’s also pretty obvious that our agency’s gonna send all the jobs their way. Or at least that they’ve got a tendency to favor veterans like that.

Souma: I see… Now that you have told me such, I feel as though it stands to reason that that is the case.

The reason why we have not been finding any work is simply a matter of our agency’s standard order of precedence, then?

When listing the order of precedence within our agency, we as Akatsuki are relegated to the very end, yes?

Kuro: Haha. I wouldn’t go so far as to say we’re dead last. We’ve still got lots of fans from our days at Yumenosaki— 

So I wanna believe we’d get something out of it if we had a chance to perform.

But we don’t. All those chances are already gone— taken by all those prideful old folks who already have impressive careers.

Souma: Hmm. It is only just that seniority be the judge of precedence, but I had not considered that our agency would go so far as to force us away from the stage in favor of our seniors. How vexing...

Such intense chagrin is a novel feeling to me.

Kuro: Really? Ya know, it’s a wonder we’re even eatin’ together all peaceful like this. The way we grew up couldn’t have been more different.

← Previous | Cover | Next →

TL Notes:

1: Reference to Main Story 2. 

2: Reference to Learning from the Past.

3: Enka is a Japanese music genre that consists mostly of ballads, but generally all songs under the enka genre use traditional Japanese instruments and stylistic elements reminiscent of traditional music. It is considered a nostalgic genre by many and most modern enka singers reached their fame in the late 20th century.

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

Unification by Force - Seamless Composure - 6

 Location: ES Staff Canteen

Souma: Hmm. However, in truth, I am at a loss on what exactly we should do. I understand well that we are trapped in the midst of an impasse from which it is difficult to escape.

Kuro: We’ve got two ways we can escape. Either we push those veterans who are takin’ up the stage to the side and earn ourselves our own seat at the table, or we start lookin’ for other venues.

UNDEAD and Ra*bits basically went for the latter. They just gave up their seats at the table to those old folks, and now they’re runnin’ around this wide world doin’ whatever the hell they want.

Souma: Hmm… As so seems the natural course of action— or rather, the beteransu of the industry are no foe of ours, and so perhaps we should follow the same path...

Kuro: Hate to break it to ya— we can’t follow that path. I mean, if we choose to, we’d just be throwin’ our best asset to the wind.

Japanese style, tradition, and things like that… Those are our selling points.

Back when we were at Yumenosaki, there weren’t any other units doin’ what we do, so those selling points became somethin’ that made us unique— it helped us catch people’s eye.

But now we’re in RhythLin, a long established agency, and it’s not somethin’ unique to us any more. Hell, ya could throw a stone in this place and you’d be bound to hit a real kabuki actor or traditional Japanese instrumentalist.

We’ve only been active for two years at best. No way we can just cross swords with the greats like that yet. There’s way too much of an experience gap.

Souma: However, surely that does not mean that you and Hasumi-dono will simply abandon all hope, no?

Kuro: Doesn’t mean that at all. We’re not just classic traditional performers like everyone who’s come before us— we’re idols.

‘S like, we’re tryin’ to think of a way to establish ourselves in the industry without gettin’ rid of our individuality, the stuff we’re good at— 

—and the like. Hasumi’s been sayin’ that for quite some time now, and he’s been keepin’ himself busy workin’ on it. He’s made one proposal after another. But so far, nothing’s come out of any of ‘em.

Souma: Ah… It did appear to me as though he was devoting his every spare moment towards making proposals.

So that is how this situation came to be, hm? Hasumi-dono had been working himself to exhaustion, to such an extent that he would doze off while seated, all for the sake of our future as Akatsuki.

Kuro: Pretty much. I get the feelin’ that he’s just goin’ nowhere, but… I’ve never seen Hasumi look so lost— not even during the war.

Seriously, whatever he does just ends up bein’ done in vain. We never even get any responses back, and every proposal he sends out just gets rejected, rejected, rejected— 

Well, Hasumi’s got thick skin, so it’s not like all these rejections have him heartbroken or anything.

But it seems like he’s gettin’ just as stressed as you’d expect in a situation like this, seein’ as how he’s always so on edge these days.

And yesterday’s just when all that stress finally exploded out of him. ...Man, I’m sayin’ that like it’s somebody else’s problem, but really I’m the one who lit the fuse, huh.

Souma: By which you mean what exactly?

Kuro: Hasumi sent out a new proposal— called it the ace up his sleeve.

He wouldn’t even spare a second for sleep until he had finished writing it up, until it was perfect— he even went down on his knees to beg me for help, so I helped him here and there.

Souma: I was unaware of such a thing… Why is it that only I was deliberately kept excluded?

Kuro: Yeah, about that… I’m sorry. I’ll say it again— we wanted to seem like we had it all together when you were around, me and Hasumi both.

We wanted to keep that image you had of us in your mind, that image of us as your cool seniors who ya can look up to.

Souma: ...In regards to that point— I shall refrain from mentioning it now, as the matter has already been put to rest. However, it is immensely disappointing to me that you do not think of me as a valuable asset.

If you continue to do the same, it is only natural that my fondness for you shall promptly fade.

Kuro: Alright, I get it. We’re havin’ a heart-to-heart like this, so it’s like my guts are spillin’ out on the table or something… I’m not gonna look good like that, no matter how full of myself I am… I’m not gonna do anythin’ stupid like that again.

To be honest, we’re at the point where even a cat’s paw would be a good helping hand. It’d be great if ya had any nice ideas for us that’ll breathe some life back into us.

Souma: I am not a cat. Nay, if I could be at the very least the wood of Hasumi-dono’s shamisen, which he is so skilled at playing, I would be of much greater use to him than I am now, would I not?

Kuro: C’mon, don’t pout. I’m sorry we left ya out...

This is gonna sound like an excuse, but I think Hasumi and I were just so exhausted. Or maybe it’s more like we didn’t even have the time or energy to pay any mind to the people around us.

Really, it had me so shocked that I didn’t know what to say. Never would’ve thought that a proposal we’d put so much time and effort into would be rejected just like that.

We really can’t do anythin’ else about it at this point. I’ve got my head in my hands wondering what the hell to do, just like a lost kid.

Souma: While we are on the subject, of what nature was this proposal of yours?

Kuro: I’ll tell ya more later. But to put it shortly, it was a plan for a project where we would’ve put all our selling points to good use.

It’d have used traditional court music and the costumes I made as a basis, and then we would have switched it up by addin’ some more modern — some more idol-like — aspects.

Souma: Ooh, as is typical of our Akatsuki.

Kuro: Yup. But that’s not all.

We did a lot of research into the fanbases of the veterans at RhythLin and what kinda trends they go for, and took a lot of care to make sure we weren’t too similar to any of ‘em.

It’s like we took to those jam-packed stages and looked for an empty seat.

On top of that, we dressed it up with tons of new and innovative ideas that none of those stubborn old veterans could ever come up with in their lives.

Plus, we took lots of care to go about it in a way where there wouldn’t be any financial burdens on the agency if they let this plan through— only benefits.

But the agency still gave us a big no. Said that there was no point in goin’ through with this project.

Souma: But why…? Perhaps it appeared as though we would be venturing too far into uncharted territory, and thus they did not understand the depths of the project?

Kuro: Hasumi handled that pretty well. He does wanna be a manga artist, so explainin’ concepts that are kinda out there in a way anyone could understand is his specialty.

The reason they turned down our plan’s plain and simple— 

‘Cause the main feature of the project — the costumes I made — they just weren’t good enough.

“There is no chance that we’ll let you perform while wearing these disgraceful costumes— do you intend to drag the reputation of our agency through the mud?”

Well, that’s pretty much what they told us, so our proposal was trashed.

So that’s why it’s my fault. My skill didn’t hold a candle to the greats, so I’m just holdin’ you all back.

...Maybe I’m just some kind of cancerous growth bringing Akatsuki down.

← Previous | Cover | Next →

Proofread by allegiantheart and Amagiiz.

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Ensemble Stars

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Sweets Box (Ch. 1, 3, 5, and 7, collaboration with Mika_Enstars)

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Underdoctor (Complete)

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