#607 Thousand Beans Girl

Everyone had their eyes on the masked wrestler who showed up last at the opening ceremony.

Who in the world is she?!

I was supposed to debut as an idol in today’s event, but there’s already a full-fledged idol in front of me! 

“She’s been active even before she joined us.”

“What do you mean?”

“After finalizing the event, she went around the Demon Kingdom to promote herself—street performances to showcase her strength, handshake events, and bean promotions. That’s how she steadily gained popularity.”

“Uh, what’s a bean promotion?”

Well, let’s just ignore that part.

So that’s what he meant by ‘touring’ earlier.

I slipped up. 

I didn’t know we could do that prior to the match to publicize ourselves.

The match had already started before the bell rang! I should’ve done something similar! I can’t believe I messed up! 

“No, Momoko, it would’ve been better if you hadn’t done it.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Many demons still consider the human race as their enemy. During the tour’s first phase, she was harshly rejected and criticized. Guards even chased her around because she came off as suspicious.”

“No way, really?”

“Still, she persevered and continued the tour despite getting rocks thrown at her. She earned her fame. Thanks to her efforts, today’s event went off without a hitch. Miss Bean Crush is truly the goddess of salvation!”

If that story is true, that masked woman must have nerves of steel!

If I were in her shoes, just one rejection from someone would’ve broken my heart and made me want to run away!

That masked woman can preserve through such shocking treatment! 

A golden gleam on the outside and a strong core on the inside...!

It’s almost as if she’s the personification of...

“Beans! Soybeans with a golden surface and a strong core! I, Miss Bean Crush, embody the bean’s strength!”

The masked woman continues her speech.

I’m burning with jealousy seeing the audience erupt in response to her words.

“Anyway, I’ve decided...! The target I have to defeat in today’s event... is that masked woman!” 

Beating that masked wrestler in the ring is my only way to get to the top!

I suddenly feel really motivated now!

I’ve got the outline of my story!

“Kato! When do I get to fight her?”

“That’s not part of our sched.”

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!” 

The outline of my story is already falling apart!

“We can’t have an inexperienced opponent fight Miss Bean Crush, who became a star player after working her way up through earnest work. As a finalist, we’ve already arranged a special match against the pinnacle of our organization, Pink Tonton.”

That’s like, the best position to be in.

Why is it not me?!

“I know you’re great, Momoko, but I can’t trust you to handle the important aspects of the tournament without the experience to back it up. The organization has just started, so we can’t afford any slip-ups!”

“No way!”

Doooooom!

“I was worried if Pink Tonton would be accepted in the Demon Kingdom given her history as a mercenary in the human army, but she seems to have a lot of fans here as well. I guess being popular is a plus, huh?”

“The Demon King’s Army even gave Bill Brunson (Pink Tonton’s real name) the aliases ‘Thick and Reckless Tank’ and ‘Thick is Justice.’ Many of the soldiers knocked down by her tackle have jokingly said it felt addicting...!”

Selena added her own explanation, but because of that, it made less sense to me...!

“You girls might not understand this, but men prefer thicker women more than you’d think...”

What’s with the distant look in Kato?!

Ugh, we’ve gone on a tangent. 

In short, that masked female wrestler has been on the battlefield for a few weeks or so and has built up a reputation alongside Pink Tonton, who has done so on the battlefield.

It’s impossible to accomplish this simply by being strong.

As I thought, she’s a born star!

Why can’t I, a main character, fight against such a powerful opponent when I am able to fight right away?

“Like I said, you lack the track record. And you have the nerve to call yourself a main character so naturally.”

“Told you, Momoko. You’re as bold as brass.”

Everyone is the main character in this world!

My story loses its zest if I can’t fight the stars in this event!

“Calm down. It’s not like this is the last event. If you prove your mettle here, maybe we can accommodate your wish in the next match-up to a certain extent. Try your best till then.” 

“If so, who’s my opponent today?!”

“You’ll be matched with a female adventurer of the same rank. It’s the third match, so get ready early.”

“So, it’s just some filler matchhhh?!”

People can skip matches like that as they see fit!

This event has given me a taste of an underdog’s sorrow! 

“Hmph, you’re slow!”

Who said that?

It’s the masked woman standing on top of the ring post, drawing the audience’s attention all at once—Miss Bean Crush!

“The audience will be bored to death if they see a tame match! Wrestling is a form of entertainment that involves bloodshed! It should be thrilling and exciting!”

W-What are you saying?!

“The weak take on the strong. Who knows, maybe there’ll be a miraculous underdog victory! If it doesn’t turn out like that, it won’t be worth the audience’s time! That’s why I, the mysterious masked wrestler Miss Bean Crush, demand a change of match format!”

W-Whaaat?!

“I propose a tournament! All participants will fight in a tournament to decide who is the best!”

A tournament?

What’s with this manga-like plot?

“Fight, fight, fight until the last wrestler is decided, people! Whoever comes out on top will be granted something!”

“Grant what exactly?!”

“The right to challenge me, the true champion!”

The crowd goes wild, ooh-ing in excitement!

That masked woman irreverently positions herself as the champion to accept the challenge without the slightest hesitation on her face!

What pride! What confidence!

In a sense, this is a challenge to all wrestlers! Including me!

The audience, too, is abuzz with this daring demand!

They are shaken up.

All here are being swallowed up by the masked woman’s noble spirit!

“Screw you! What makes you think you have the right?!”

“Yeah! The rightful champion is the organization’s representative, Lady Pink Tonton!”

Some of us managed to keep our composure, but some dared to raise their objections against this daring masked woman.

However, Miss Bean Crush responds unfazed, as if she waited for those people to take the bite.

“Hm, you have a point. Alright then, I’ll show you a little proof that I am the strongest here today... Holly!!!”

“Copy that, Letasreit.”

Huuuuuuuuh?!

The heck’s that?!

A winged human is flying above us!

Is that...an angel?!

People with wings are angels!

“Ueeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

And that angel is somehow lifting a giant boulder!

Where did she get that from?!

It’s more than ten times her size!

Who in the world is that angel that can lift such a thing mid-air?!

“Here it comes, Letasreit.”

“Yeah! Ready when you are!”

“Dropping boulder.”

Plop.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!

That angel...! That angel just let go of the damned boulder from so high up in the sky!

Without the support, it’ll follow the laws of gravity and fall!

And underneath it is none other than the prideful masked female wrestler, Bean Crush!

She’ll get squashed by that boulder into a pancake!

“Hyah!”

“?!”

The moment the masked woman’s fist, which she thrust skywards, touched the boulder...

It shattered into smithereens...!

I’m talking about the boulder, by the way!

“W-What theeeee?!”

“Aftercare Rising Tornado Uppercut!!!”

Miss Bean Crush raises her other fist, and the tornado caused by its momentum sends countless grit scattering in the sky.

Not a single spectator was injured by the debris.

“If anyone can do the same, please come forward. I’ll arrange a match for you right now.”

But not a single person spoke up.

Me included.

Who are you really, Miss Bean Crush?!

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im assuming the name of the human princess is not known to the public cause horkosfon literally just said it....twice