Chapter 808: Beach Swimming Final Part ④ (1/2)

<Author's Notes>

【Notice】The deadline for reservations for Volume 10's Special Edition is November 16 (Monday), so please be careful not to forget to make a reservation.

The order of the games was decided by lottery, and the first game was between the pair of Kuro & Sieg-san vs the pair of me & Alice. The rules were the same as in basic volleyball: You had to return the ball to the opponent team's court for no more than three contacts.

Since the purpose of this game was just to play, the game was played in a shorter format, being that the first team to score 5 points wins, and the four players take turns to serve, regardless of who scored in the previous set.

As for the matches I participate in, the other three will adjust to my physical abilities. The rules aren't so strict that they'll be disqualified if their power goes over by even a little bit, and it would be alright as long as everyone adjusts their strengths…… Well, the general rules are something like that.

[Now then, even if I were to match my physical ability with Kaito-san…… Reflexes and dynamic vision really aren't something that we could just adjust, so in terms of physical ability, Kaito-san would be at a slight disadvantage.]

[I see…… Do you have any good strategies in mind?]

A quick strategy meeting with Alice before the match…… In a place where everyone's in swimsuits, looking at this stuffed costume really makes me feel like it's out of place…… Well, it's Alice after all, so I guess it can't be helped. If I think about it too much, it would be my loss.

[Yes, of course. The difference in reflexes and dynamic vision doesn't necessarily work in Kuro-san's favor. In particular, since all of us will be adapting to Kaito-san's ability, patterns like ”I can react, but my body couldn't keep up” might occur, and that's the part that we will be aiming for.]

[Fumufumu.]

[Also, each of us would adjust our own physical abilities, so the ball closes in on the team playing against Kaito-san…… a time lag would pop in their minds where they would think that ”Will Kaito-san be able to respond to this ball?”, so being under these rules doesn't necessarily mean that Kaito-san is at a disadvantage.]

As expected of Alice, she is a very dependable guy who can analyze a situation like this very easily. I'd like to think that her wearing a stuffed costume in a situation like this, ruining the seriousness of the scene……. is nothing but a minor issue.

[……Well, even though I said all sorts of things, what I mean is that they would have openings that we could take advantage of. Please leave exploiting those openings to me, and Kaito-san, please respond to the incoming balls with all your strength.]

[Fumu…… That means……]

[Yes, it means that we should just enjoy this beach volleyball without worrying about winning or losing.]

[I see, that's easy to understand.]

Well, it's like a mini-game without any kind of prize, so rather than thinking about this and that, the best to do here is have fun.

After our strategy meeting, we headed to the court that Shiro-san had quickly prepared for us.

As Shallow Vernal watched each team make their own preparations, Alice approached and spoke in a voice that only Shallow Vernal could hear.

[……That ain't me though…… Heck, isn't that totally her……]

[……Just for today, I'll obediently apologize. My apologies.]

[No, well, looking at the situation, the one being unreasonable here is her…… What exchange did you have that the situation became like this?]