Masho no Otoko wo Mezashimasu

176.
The thoughts of the participants

…… Hmm. I thought about it a lot, but I guess the best thing is to fight in a straightforward manner. Giving money to other participants to make an acquisition over their territory will probably end in failure.

Based on most men I met in here, they might’ve bad personality.
There is a greater risk.
They might threaten me or not keep the contract. I thought it was safe to use the back door, but it’s too difficult to use it for boys in this world.

 Even if it succeeds, the people in power will definitely start to move, and if it turns out that the target is going to participate in the King of Boys, the program will end. The risk and the return are too different.

Also, if many of the contestants decide to abstain, the excitement will drop. In that case, even if the audience rating might be good, it cannot be said to be successful. I want to make this project a thing that can continuously earn a high rating even if it’s the second time or the third time.

Besides, since it’s on a TV, a medium that many people watch, it’s better to fight head-on and win, rather than win by doing cowardly things from behind the scenes. I mean, people like a beautiful victory.

…… Above all, it would be broadcasted, if people see that the winner is a man who made plots behind the scenes beforehand, they’ll be less impressed. Or they might sue me! Well, I still like Matsunaga Hisahide though.
[TN: He is one of many big figures in Sengoku period, infamous for cruelty, violent nature and cunning.]

So, as for how I should fight in the final round, I guess I need to beat the opponent in the battle with fair and square. That means, I can’t just wait while the other contestants are fighting, and beat the last remaining guy…….
But this will give me some restrictions… but if I fight openly, even if I lose, I should be able to improve people’s impression on me by admitting the defeat and praising the winner.

But…. I can’t lose… I don’t want to lose! 

I had a sheet of paper in my hand. It was a printout of an email from the program, that they sent after the broadcast. There was an explanation of the rules of the final round and a request for appearance because they want took a picture in the studio before the final round. One of the things that caught my eye was the statement about the winner.

The winner of King of Boys, would receive prize money and supplementary prizes from the sponsor. As far as what I saw on the TV today, the sponsors were lined up with major companies such as makeup, food, clothing, and automobiles.
Which means, you could expect what kind of prizes they would prepare. I would be very happy if it was a free meal at famous Tonkatsu Restaurant “Tonbei” for one year.
[TN: Tonkatsu is Pork Cutlet]

I’m not greedy, but for sure I’ll be very motivated if I know I’ll get to eat such a delicious food every time…….
Seriously, those people from TV station, they’re cunning. With this amount of sponsor, other contestants will be motivated too, which mean I can’t take it easy at all.

I tightened my mind for the coming day.

This means, I need to find someone to be my companions.
And for this I’ve some powerful prospect peoples. I haven’t consulted yet, but I’ll ask Shino-san and some from my class. They’re my good friends, and above all, in that sports festival and also that Minori-san’s battle… well, their performances were a little strange, but by far, they’re the best amongst a group of elites… maybe even amongst the same generation….? Anyway, they’re good at study and exercise, and also look good.

….
What if they’re actually cyborgs?

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

“Worthless… It’s all worthless.”

Kou Daikuji, a charming boy who exposed his trained body without hiding it, leaked a word after he read the e-mail he got earlier.

Prize money? Supplementary prize? I don’t care it all. 

The reason Kou Daikuji participated was because he wanted to know if there was another man who could compete with a man who represented the era called, “Kou Daikuji”. He wished he had gone to Seimei, where the selected men of the country gathered, but it was too far from the area where he lived.

One day, when Kou Daikuji was training himself with such a depressed feeling, “There are only few boys around, and most of them are small fish. It doesn’t burn your spirit even if you compete with such people.“…He saw a suspicious man wearing a mask making a fool of men all over the world from the screen. Which could be said that he was challenged by him.

At that moment, Kou Daikuji’s body became hot as if the blood had boiled. 

The preliminary was interesting. I wasn’t satisfied with my ability, but everyone challenged me with the intention of winning. I didn’t think that their struggles are stupid. The one who compete in other venues were also trying their best. That means, those who have won from such battle should be able to makes me enjoy the finals more….

Money and valuable things? …I see, a low-grade man might get in that trap, but we’re the one who passed to the final, the finalist, the best man in our generation, we’re not cheap enough to get in such trap like money and valuable things. After all, if you polish yourself and have confidence, money and valuable things will gather around you without permission. Even this tower apartment with a panoramic view of the night view where I live now, it was also given as a gift.

While watching the night view from the wide-open window, Kou Daikuji was thinking of the finalists confirmed on TV. 

Four people left an impression on me. An idiot who called himself, Taiyou Ouza, an elite who grew up sheltered in home, and a strange guy who spited out sweet words. In addition to that, the masked man who’s lurking around.

“KuKuKu… I’m looking forward to it, I’m really looking forward to it…”

Kou Daikuji didn’t doubt his victory. He thought that all the other men were inferior to him. That was why he said so.
Because he also thought that the others must’ve the same way of thinking as him.