Lotus' [Tenji] doll, please!
A cute boy who was about to go to elementary school said with a full smile.
The boy's eyes are slightly red and swollen. Even so, she glistened her eyes with a pure gaze and tried to give the three thousand yen bills that she had cherished and clamped to the salesman's sister. The adults around me smiled as they stretched out their little hand as much as they could.
Yes, can I use this Lotus doll?
Yeah!
I think my father or mother cried and gave me a pocket money.
Inspired by the boy's pure longing, oneechan carefully wraps a small deformed doll in a shopping bag when she receives crumpled money.
I wonder if I like Lotus-san?
Lotus is the best explorer in the world!
"Yeah, yeah, it's cool." Then will I become an Explorer in the future? "
Yes, I'm going to be a cool explorer like a pelican!
"I'm looking forward to that, too, onee-san." Well then, can I ask you the name of the cool explorer of the future? "
Yeah. My name is - Tenjo Kenji!
† † †
The world was right in the middle of Christmas Eve when Master Xiao also entered Jingjie.
Here in Minato Mirai in Yokohama, there were stores lined with Christmas stores, as well as shops overflowing with goods related to the Explorer and collaborative menus. The downtown area is bustling with the scent of Christmas nuts, the sound of crispy baked sausages, and the cheers of children yearning for an explorer.
A shop in the corner.
There was Tenji, a third-year high school student who would be 18 tomorrow, lined up with children.
Next customer, please come to this counter.
The gaze naturally meets the sister at the shop.
Tenji leaned down and stood in front of the counter where her sister was waiting, embarrassed by the fact that there were quite a few young people lining up with their children.
Um, this winter's happy doll and...... Lotus doll, one by one, please.
"This is it, the payment is 5,600 yen including tax." Is the packaging safe for home use? "
"... yes, please do it at home."
When Tenji easily made the payment on his smartphone, he grabbed a shopping bag with an illustration of Kurodori Kurosaki printed on it. From the side, it was like a child who bought a toy.
In response to such an inappropriate age, the sister at the store smiled unexpectedly.
It was at that time.
Suddenly, as she remembered something, she gazed at Tenji's face.
"Ah. Could it be... Isn't it Jinji Tenjo?"
Huh? Ah, yes.
When she was suddenly called by her name, Tenji looked up at her face as if she had been poked into a void.
I never thought I'd be called by my own name in a place like this.
As an Explorer, I still didn't think there was anyone who knew the nameless Tenge. Of course, there are countless people who know Tenji, who is not a professional explorer and has no visible track record.
Could it be that your sister knew Tenji by name and was a student of Explorer High in Seeker Olympia's magazine?
That's why Tenji was as surprised as he was pushed into the void.
"Oh!? Are you sure you've become an Explorer, amazing!" I was surprised. I've been selling here for years... but I may have never been so impressed. "
"...... I'm sorry. Did you know him? Or do you know your father or your mother?"
"Oh, that's right!" It's impossible not to remember me because I was so small. In the old days, when I was still this small, do you remember buying a puppet here? "
"Lotus doll... ah"
Tenge finally remembers what he said.
Before I went to elementary school, I bought the Explorer doll that I loved at the time.
My parents and I came to see the Seeker Olympia tournament together, and at that time, I remembered that I had the Lotus Doll kneaded and bought. I clearly remembered that the Lotus doll was still importantly decorated in the room.
For Tenji, Lotus Fish was an aspiring explorer.
As a child, he was close to heroes and heroes. No, maybe even now you've been longing for it.
It was my parents who caught me interested in the Explorer. However, it was Lotus that really began to yearn for an Explorer. The explorer named Lotus Koi, who has kept the world busy with brilliant grades since then, has always been cool.
Tenge remembers such a small memory for a long time.
Tenge may have forgotten his long-awaited longing to start working desperately for money or to wake up and live a busy day.
Tenge laughed at the nostalgia.
“I remember, I remember! Wow, what a coincidence."
"That's true. That uniform... it's an Explorer High School uniform. Are you here for tomorrow's final qualifier? I think it's very enthusiastic and nice.”
Tenji smiled unexpectedly at the words, which were devoid of evil feelings.
(Well, well... it's true that you might be mistaken for this uniform.)
From the black uniform of Japan Explorer High School, there is no image of an athlete participating in the tournament. For better or worse, black uniforms were often said to be dexterously poor. Many of the Explorer High School students who have participated in the final qualification wear white uniforms that only selected students can wear, or blue uniforms that are also symbols of the attackers.
This tendency must have accelerated her mistake.
Tenge searches for kind words so he doesn't hurt her unintentionally.
"No, I'll be joining you tomorrow." It's confusing, isn't it? "
"Eh!?... oh, I'm sorry about that"
"No, no, it's totally fine." I've been used to this kind of thing for a long time. But surely, this uniform is confusing. I was a seed until the third qualifier, so I'm in production from here. "
"Seed frame!? That's amazing!" I will continue to support Tenjo-kun in this tournament. Good luck! "
“Thank you, and I'll do my best to compete in the main tournament.”
At the end of the conversation, Tenji slowly walked towards the qualifying venue.
"Hmm, the black uniform was bad." It might stand out from the crowd. "
Tenji murmured as he stared at his uniform.
If we were to wear the right uniform for the present, Tenji should definitely wear the blue uniform that is the hallmark of the attacker. Although Prison Beast Summoning was ultra versatile in nature, it should be classified as an attacker externally.
Nevertheless, this time I was supposed to participate in the tournament in my familiar black uniform. There was a reason for that.
Soon after returning to Japan, Leon smiled badly and said to Tenji, "Isn't it more interesting in black?"
Tenji thought it was a free word like Leon.
(It can't be helped whether Leon is interesting or not because it is a behavioral standard. I think I'm really blessed, even if I've been given the right to seed this far.)
Leon was undoubtedly the one who prepared a new uniform for Tenji, who had grown up over the past year and could no longer fit in his old uniform. Even the uniform is not such a cheap substitute, so it was not something I could buy with the current Tenge.
Tenge is still a student and not independent as an explorer. To be honest, for the last two years or so, Leon and the children of the sea have been in a piggyback state. Instead of complaining, it's just a word of gratitude.
Tenge suddenly looks up at Bill.
"When I look at it again, I really feel like a celebrity." No matter where you look, it's just pictures of Winter Joy. "
If you look around you, you'll see pictures of Kuroda Toshiki everywhere. Because the highlight of this time at the Seeker Olympia is the future zero-grade Explorer and the famous Kurotsuchi Tsubaki.
If you are sure to be a zero-grade explorer in the future, you will lose your attention. Until now, he trained in Majorca and finally made his debut in his native country.
As a special person, he also bought it to attract customers.
Until just a year ago, it seemed strange to Tenji that people who were close like brothers were treated like entertainers when they returned to Japan.
"Do you get sponsorship fees or something?"... next time I see you, I'll buy it for you. "
While doing such vulgar calculations in his heart, Tenji walked gracefully through the downtown Yokohama for the first time in a long time. Tenge then took the time to head to the athlete's entrance gate to participate in the tournament.
Not as an audience, of course, but as a participant.
As I opened the map that had been communicated in advance, I reached the back gate that was reserved for athletes. Suddenly, the gaze of the guide suddenly turned to the shopping bag that was in Tenji's hand, but Tenji hid it behind him in embarrassment.
Um... I was notified to enter the venue at 11 o'clock.
"Tenjo Kenji-san, I've been expecting you." Please be prepared to provide the QR code attached to the notification and verify your student ID. ”
Tenge proceeds with various procedures as guided.
Shortly thereafter, he stood in front of the cabin for the final qualifying round.
Only a handful of students in Japan can make it to this final qualifier. There were originally four gates before I ran up here.
As an explorer, I look at the basic academic ability and basic physical measurement required - document selection.
Every year, the selection content changes, but more practical judgment and action are required - primary qualifying by region, secondary qualifying by region, tertiary qualifying by region.
Only those who have dived through these can participate in the National Final Qualifier, which begins today.
After diving through this final qualifier, the "main battle" that has attracted the attention of the whole of Japan will begin.
If he can advance to the main battle, he will be able to spot a number of Alliance Scouts and countless offers will come in handy.
In other words...
The path to the Pro Explorer of their dreams will open in its best form.
Of course, you can become a pro even if you can't advance to the main battle.
However, those who want to participate here are not those who want to become the (...) Pu (...) (b) (...) of Pu (...). I want to be the best professional explorer. If you can prove your strength here, you can start your professional life better than anyone else.
Therefore, all the students who will participate in this final qualification will be challenged madly.
The Dragon Gate of such a professional explorer - "Seeker Olympia Japan Qualification".
Tenge was finally about to appear in front of the crowd on the waiting stage.