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"Do you believe you could defeat Tecchou in an actual fight?"
When Jouno first uttered those words, Tachihara wondered whether his senior was just making a mockery of him again.
After all, at this morning's combat training Tecchou knocked him down so badly, Tachihara was required to go to the infirmary.
Luckily, he didn't have to undergo major surgery to fix his wounds and was able to rejoin the squad at lunchtime.
Though, Tachihara was hardly hungry after such an endeavour.
Instead, he sat alone with Jouno who always refused to eat the 'horrid and overpriced' cafeteria food.
"Are you kidding?
I required 78 stitches and he was holding back."
Tachihara ultimately responded, resting his head on his palm as he looked towards the queue.
Tecchou and Teruko were fairly far back.
It'd definitely take them a couple more minutes until they'd join them at the table.
Jouno mimicked Tachihara's gesture yet turned his sightless gaze towards the junior, a breathless chuckle escaping his lips at the other's vehement denial.
"That wasn't a real fight."
"I don't even wanna know what he could do to me in a real fight."
Tecchou is far stronger than him.
Anyone can see that with a single glance.
There's a reason he's his senior and superior.
Tachihara is, admittedly, the weakest one of the Hunting Dogs.
Partially due to not having received the entire extent of their modification surgeries but also because Tachihara simply isn't as physically gifted as someone like Tecchou.
Sure, Tachihara works out for his job but he certainly doesn't take it as seriously as Tecchou does.
And then there's the fact that he's taller than him.
The other most definitely has a physical advantage that Tachihara could never make up for.
"You're thinking too much about martial arts, Tachihara.
Just consider your abilities."
Tachihara certainly cocked a brow at that.
Their abilities?
What about them?
"Tecchou can extend swords.
I can manipulate metal."
"You can take the very thing Tecchou requires for his ability."
"Yeah and then he beats me up with his physical strength."
Tachihara really doesn't know what Jouno is trying to get at.
Everything seems so obvious from the start to him.
Yet Jouno huffed in annoyance, using his free hand to wave it dismissively.
"You obviously don't know anything about tactics or you severely underestimate yourself.
Everyone's afraid of the vice commander regardless of whether she's a child or not."
"She's different!"
"How so?"
"Well… her ability's just pretty gruesome, I guess."
Ageing people whatever way one pleases?
Tachihara didn't like it when she did it to him as an effort to protect him.
To have her use it when you're the bad guy?
He certainly doesn't want to think about that…
Yet Jouno seems to view everything a bit different:
"With her ability, she can always change herself but only others once she's able to touch them.
You can use your ability within a certain range."
Tachihara supposed that's true.
He has a certain range within which he can use his metal manipulation whereas Tecchou requires direct contact like Teruko.
In that case, Tachihara shall play along with Jouno's spiel once more.
"Alright, so I take Tecchou's sword while I'm out of his reach.
He cannot attack me immediately.
And I… could shoot my gun?"
"Like a gun has much of an effect on him.
You'd have to hit him directly into the head or his heart."
"I mean, I could certainly control the bullet's trajectory.
Though, that's always such a hassle.
Fast moving objects always take more energy to control.
They're either a pain in the ass to stop or annoying to keep at the same speed."
"So you'll dictate your actions in a fight on whether they're annoying?"
Jouno snickered, obviously poking fun at him for such a pointless rant about his ability.
Tachihara does suppose that maybe there was no need to elaborate that much on it.
"Well… no.
Obviously not.
If I have to use it, I'll do it.
And I guess it might be necessary in that fight because the second I attempt to use a sword on Tecchou again… it's gonna be over for me."
"Couldn't you move Tecchou's sword even while he extends it?"
"I believe it could be a matter of speed again.
Nevermind the fact that I wouldn't be able to tell where Tecchou extends his sword to.
I'm also uncertain of how fast it extends.
If it's quicker than my ability, I got no chance regardless of how far away I move it or or how much I turn it."
"Mhm, I suppose you're right in that regard.
You must give it your best shot then."
Still, Tachihara believes Jouno is thinking far too opportunistically.
It can't just be as easy as taking Tecchou's sword and shooting him with his gun.
Therefore, Tachihara decided to lay his head further down, arms crossed on the table before resting his head atop.
Like this, he's speaking against his sleeves but he figures Jouno of all people will be able to understand him.
"There's a lot of things you need to consider, though.
How far are Tecchou and I apart?
What if he activates his ability before I can activate mine?
What if Tecchou is fast enough to reach me before I can pull out my weapon?
And what if Tecchou has a hidden blade I somehow didn't notice before?"
"My my, now he's suddenly considering all of the possibilities.
Tachihara, I believe you truly need to have more confidence in yourself.
You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of the strongest people of this nation."
Tachihara doesn't feel like one of the strongest people of this nation, though.
He's just some kid they discovered along a mission.
If he hadn't tried to crack that safe in hopes for big money, he would've never even had that chance encounter with the Hunting Dogs.
"How am I any different from anyone else daring to challenge Tecchou?"
At that Jouno just sighed, using his spare hand to pad his junior's head.
"You still have much to learn, Tachihara.
Self confidence seems to be one of those things.
I believe you're far stronger than you yourself realise."
Tachihara scowled at the other's demeaning gesture.
He's not some kid that needs to be consoled.
Is Jouno just mocking him?
Is that why he brought up this topic?
Well, whatever, he can see Teruko and Tecchou approach.
Hopefully, Jouno will shut up now that the other Hunting Dogs are here.
Yet he turned out to be very wrong in that assumption.
In fact, the first thing Jouno did was bring it up to Tecchou himself:
"Tecchou, Tachihara wants to have a proper fight with you."
At that, Tachihara immediately sat up straight again, hands hitting the table unnecessarily loudly as he exclaimed:
"I do not!"
But Tecchou obviously wasn't listening to him, instead just agreeing to the proposition Jouno made.
"Of course.
I can fight Tachihara again after lunch."
"I-
I never said that!"
And yet, it was as though no one could hear Tachihara's voice at the table.