I left the venue thinking, "I hope the model matches will help to enhance the reputation of Nankuru-ryu karate. At the exit, Shihan Otsuki and Shihan Mitsuhashi were talking.

You have a wonderful pupil. You must be very good at teaching them."

　When Master Mitsuhashi was told this, he laughed bitterly.

It's not that my teaching is great; it's the efforts of my disciples that are great. That player Nirasaki was good too."

......Your disciple was better than me in martial arts skills. However, you cannot have your Nirasaki judge the Yumeban style of martial arts. If you doubt me, I will prove it to you in a hand-to-hand contest."

I understand, there's no need for that."

　Two people notice me and say, 'Good job.

Master, let's go home.

I see. Now, if you'll excuse me."

　Me and Mitsuhashi Shihan left the Yamato Budokan. On the way to the subway station, I started talking with Mitsuhashi Shihan.

How was the Yumekan style of fighting?"

　Master Mitsuhashi asked.

Yes, I was amazed at the variety of his techniques. And his feints are amazing."

I don't use feints as much as I do the Nancl style."

　Mitsuhashi Shihan eliminates what should be called the preliminary movement of a technique, and aims to have the technique hit the opponent when he realizes it. Therefore, he does not emphasize feints very much.

Speaking of which, if Master Mitsuhashi and Master Otsuki had a hand-to-hand combat, who would win?"

"Well, it depends on the rules," he said. If it's a tournament, I'm at a disadvantage, and if it's anything goes, I'll probably win."

You said, "Whoa, you said we're going to win. What's your reason?"

I have the advantage because I am good at kinteki kicking. Unless you have mastered 'kotsukake,' I have the advantage."

It was the first time I heard of it. Was your master's specialty the kinteki kick? And what is 'kotsukake'?"

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　According to Mitsuhashi Shihan's explanation, it is a technique to protect a man's crotch by taking into the body what would be a weak point in the crotch.

Do you really have that kind of technology?"

I have. I've met martial artists who can actually do it."

　We returned to Shibupashi City after hearing a number of interesting stories from Master Mitsuhashi.

　The day after we returned from the martial arts competition, me, Arisa, and Metis were talking in the workroom.

Speaking of which, I hear more adventurers are interested in joining Battaglion?"

　I chuckled at Alisa's question. I have been getting more and more people who are struggling to get to C level who want to join the program. I have turned them down because it seems that they are not interested in learning life magic, but only in becoming a C-level student.

　Excluding them, several living wizards have applied to join Battalion, and we intend to allow them to join after checking on their personalities.

'To Dr. Kalina and the others, what do you have for me?'

　I thought I had to give a special gift to Kalina and Tesshin because they have taken care of me in so many ways. By the way, the celebration is over.

'Yes, I suppose so. Tesshin and Dr. Kalina seem to have gotten the dropped weapons, so if I were to give them a gift, it would be something other than weapons. What would you like?"

How about a shadow puppet that could be used in the dungeon?"

　Alisa suggested a shadow puppet. She said that if possible, she would prefer a War Bear type like Tamegoro's.

　I own shadow puppets in the cat, bear, flying dragon, warbear, kappa, and human (with tail) forms. Among them, the most popular is Tamegoro the War Bear.

　He has become popular because he found out that Goro can fight in the vanguard because he has a shield. Since living wizards are basically in the middle or rear guard, they want someone like Goro to be in the vanguard.

　Since it was impossible to give him the same gift as Tamegoro, he proceeded to make a War Bear mold using ninety kilograms of shadow clay.

We'll get you the three-piece sorority set."

　Alisa and her team will provide sorcery eyes, etc. This is probably because Dr. Kalina and Tesshin have been taking care of them. Tesshin was said to have been consulting with Alisa and the others.

Then I'll put on a circular shield made of white bright steel."

'Then I will provide the magic pouch.

　Elmore, controlled by Metis, is raiding goblin towns to test the Zekkai spear. So he owns several magic pouches.

　We made a War Bear-type shadow puppet for Tesshin and Karina and presented it to them. Of course, they were overjoyed.

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　Arisa and I were headed to Hokkaido to attend the World Adventurers Forum in Japan. Arriving in Sapporo, we checked into a hotel and went to a famous crab restaurant for dinner.

King crab, yum!

　I raised my voice involuntarily. Alisa heard my voice and laughed.

But it's really good."

　I looked around the restaurant and noticed a lot of foreigners. Perhaps they were participants in the World Adventurers Forum.

　Among them was a group of what appeared to be adventurers conversing in English. We were at the next table, so we could hear what they were saying.

Tomorrow you'll meet the brave Schreiber.

"A brave man who defeated the demon king Balor, I wonder how strong he is?"

I hear he's an offensive wizard and uses a mythical magical weapon called the Karadborg."

　Hearing that, I thought it might be similar to my fighting style.

By the way, I heard that Japan is the birthplace of the Shadow Puppets, but I don't see many shadow puppets there.

　The adventurer seems to be French.

As for the size of the industry, France is probably the biggest."

　When Alisa and I heard this, we looked at each other. For me, it's a very poignant word.

I hear they've developed a new paint for the Shadow Puppets."

　The story has completely changed to shadow puppets.

Yeah, I quickly rebuilt the shadow puppet and used some new paint."

　The Frenchman produced from the shadows a leopard-shaped shadow puppet made of white, black, and brown. It was about sixty centimeters in size. It had a leopard pattern and was a magnificent work of art that could hardly be considered a shadow puppet.

　When Alisa saw the leopard-shaped shadow puppet, she raised her voice.

The new paint seems to be selling well."

It seems so. But I am sad to hear that it is France and not Japan. Can't we make shadow puppets popular in Japan?"