Gambit - Night Stalker Chapter 20
Apr. 17th, 2025 08:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Winter
---
Location: Gambit Stage
Tsukasa: Heh... Ah, right, this was a Judgment, wasn't it?
You've spoiled me too much, Leo-san. You gave me far too many hints.
Ohji:: ......?
Well, no matter. I don't know what you're planning, but we have the overwhelming advantage.
Time to taste utter defeat, Knights.
Tsukasa: On the contrary.
We shall pulverize you, King Slayer.
We shall teach you how foolish it is for a child waving around a stick in a tantrum to challenge professional knights to a duel.
Ohji:: You always act like you're so superior!
I could never, from the very beginning, stand that attitude of yours!
Go! Leo Tsukinaga, Ritsu Sakuma!
Ahahaha! Despair, Tsukasa Suou! May you bemoan your pathetic existence as your former comrades mince you to pieces!
Ritsu: His Royal Brattiness has said his piece.
Leo: Hm? Oh yeah, what an energetic little guy... ♪
Ohji:: H-Huh? What are you doing? Wasn't the plan for you two to take vanguard and—
Tsukasa: Heh. Who exactly are those orders for, Ohji-san?
Do you not see their outfits?
Ohji:: ...? ...?
Ritsu: It's more amusing if you know the truth, so here it is...
Me and Tsukipi~ never actually formally left Knights to switch our loyalties to King Slayer.
Sure, we showed up in some videos with you, but no paperwork was ever signed.
And even then, in those videos, we were technically just unrelated bystanders who happened to be in the picture.
Ohji:: You... what? How were you unrelated?! Didn't you surrender to us and join King Slayer's camp?!
Ritsu: Say, do you know what "lying" means?
It means to say something that isn't true. That's what we did to you ♪
Ohji:: S-So you were just talking bull the whole time? You said you'd ally with us, and you looked like your spirits had been completely broken—
Ritsu: Huh, we did? I don't remember that. Do you, Tsukipi~?
Leo: You think I remember anything that happened in the past?
Ritsu: You're the one always dragging it with you... Either way, even a verbal promise is a proper contract under the law, so let me say it right now for good measure: that never happened.
Should've thought to record it, dummy ♪ No matter how you try to claim it's the truth, it's over for you as long as we feign ignorance.
There aren't any witnesses to back you up, either. Guess who's the liar now?
Ohji:: ......
Tsukasa: Heh. Now, I know some of us are saying some incomprehensible things...
But let us ignore them and begin our duel, shall we?
This is an order from your king. Listen with utmost care.
My knights, Leo Tsukinaga and Ritsu Sakuma of Knights—you shall ride to battle!
Leo: You got it~♪
Ritsu: Roger that ♪ I'll be expecting a handsome reward for doing my best—Your Majesty.
Ohji:: Y-You mean to say you two haven't defected to our side?!
Ritsu: More like we got rid of that "truth" entirely.
Leo: I mean, I did it at Ritsu's suggestion. I don't really care who I'm affiliated with, myself.
Ohji:: ......
Ritsu: Ahaha, look at you, so stunned. Why? Earning the enemy's trust by pretending to be an ally, like a spy—isn't that what you did to us?
Do you know what they call someone who gets surprised when they get a taste of their own medicine?
An "idiot"! ♪
Ohji:: ...Fine. You may have caught me by surprise, but that doesn't affect our advantage right now.
After incorporating the remnants of Chess and the newcomers split off from Knights, King Slayer has grown greatly in scope.
You two can easily be replaced.
A mere five people cannot hope to stand against such a powerful—
Arashi: Oh? Not even if they're the strongest five to ever exist?
Izumi: This is stupid. Looking back, Kuma-kun has a much higher rate of bullying juniors than I do, and yet, why the hell am I always the one getting picked on?
Ritsu: Maybe it's a difference in virtue? Or no, maybe I'm just more charming?
Tsukasa: Heh, I see you've deployed yourselves before I've even summoned you. Excellent initiative ♪
But for the sake of the rules, perhaps I should issue my orders nonetheless. Come, lend us your power once again, Arashi Narukami-senpai, Izumi Sena-senpai.
Arashi: As you wish, my king ♪
Izumi: Let's get this straight: I'm not doing this for you, got that, Your Majesty? I just need somewhere to vent my frustration!
Ohji:: ......
Tsukasa: Ohji-san. As you are a newcomer, I imagine you're unfamiliar with the basic rules of Judgment—a specialty of us Knights.
It is essentially like chess.
Leo: It has its origins in Chess the unit, after all. Numbers were the unit's only strength, so the members conceived a way to give themselves the advantage.
So, each round, both units select representatives they wanna send out to fight.
Then those representatives do a normal live showdown. The losing members are removed from the game board. They leave, having basically died in battle.
Losers don't get a second chance on the board. The winners stay on, though, and can participate in further rounds.
In the case of a tie, both sides have to leave.
As the rounds go on, both units' numbers dwindle until one side is either completely wiped out, or their king loses.
Tsukasa: Looking at it like this, it is very much just chess.
Leo: The most obvious difference with actual chess, though, is that each side can have a different number of pieces, and the strength of the pieces can vary.
So, obviously, the side with bigger numbers has a huge advantage. That's why Chess set these rules—to make it harder for them to lose.
Tsukasa: This is beyond the level of what one would call a koma ochi in shogi. It is far too unfair.
Arashi: Even so, the core principle of democracy is "majority rules". It was hard to raise any objection to those rules when they were set by the largest faction, Chess.
No matter the times, minorities always have it hard...♪
Tsukasa: Indeed. We ourselves are but an elite faction of only five members.
In terms of numbers, we are in a highly unfavorable position.
However, if you'll allow me to be so bold... each one of our pieces is worth a thousand warriors.
If, knowing that, you still think you can quash us with pure numbers, then I invite you to try.
We will beat you soundly at your own game.
We shall cut down countless foes, one after another—and at the end, we shall survive, and Knights shall emerge victorious.
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 19 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 21 >
---
Location: Gambit Stage
Tsukasa: Heh... Ah, right, this was a Judgment, wasn't it?
You've spoiled me too much, Leo-san. You gave me far too many hints.
Ohji:: ......?
Well, no matter. I don't know what you're planning, but we have the overwhelming advantage.
Time to taste utter defeat, Knights.
Tsukasa: On the contrary.
We shall pulverize you, King Slayer.
We shall teach you how foolish it is for a child waving around a stick in a tantrum to challenge professional knights to a duel.
Ohji:: You always act like you're so superior!
I could never, from the very beginning, stand that attitude of yours!
Go! Leo Tsukinaga, Ritsu Sakuma!
Ahahaha! Despair, Tsukasa Suou! May you bemoan your pathetic existence as your former comrades mince you to pieces!
Ritsu: His Royal Brattiness has said his piece.
Leo: Hm? Oh yeah, what an energetic little guy... ♪
Ohji:: H-Huh? What are you doing? Wasn't the plan for you two to take vanguard and—
Tsukasa: Heh. Who exactly are those orders for, Ohji-san?
Do you not see their outfits?
Ohji:: ...? ...?
Ritsu: It's more amusing if you know the truth, so here it is...
Me and Tsukipi~ never actually formally left Knights to switch our loyalties to King Slayer.
Sure, we showed up in some videos with you, but no paperwork was ever signed.
And even then, in those videos, we were technically just unrelated bystanders who happened to be in the picture.
Ohji:: You... what? How were you unrelated?! Didn't you surrender to us and join King Slayer's camp?!
Ritsu: Say, do you know what "lying" means?
It means to say something that isn't true. That's what we did to you ♪
Ohji:: S-So you were just talking bull the whole time? You said you'd ally with us, and you looked like your spirits had been completely broken—
Ritsu: Huh, we did? I don't remember that. Do you, Tsukipi~?
Leo: You think I remember anything that happened in the past?
Ritsu: You're the one always dragging it with you... Either way, even a verbal promise is a proper contract under the law, so let me say it right now for good measure: that never happened.
Should've thought to record it, dummy ♪ No matter how you try to claim it's the truth, it's over for you as long as we feign ignorance.
There aren't any witnesses to back you up, either. Guess who's the liar now?
Ohji:: ......
Tsukasa: Heh. Now, I know some of us are saying some incomprehensible things...
But let us ignore them and begin our duel, shall we?
This is an order from your king. Listen with utmost care.
My knights, Leo Tsukinaga and Ritsu Sakuma of Knights—you shall ride to battle!
Leo: You got it~♪
Ritsu: Roger that ♪ I'll be expecting a handsome reward for doing my best—Your Majesty.
Ohji:: Y-You mean to say you two haven't defected to our side?!
Ritsu: More like we got rid of that "truth" entirely.
Leo: I mean, I did it at Ritsu's suggestion. I don't really care who I'm affiliated with, myself.
Ohji:: ......
Ritsu: Ahaha, look at you, so stunned. Why? Earning the enemy's trust by pretending to be an ally, like a spy—isn't that what you did to us?
Do you know what they call someone who gets surprised when they get a taste of their own medicine?
An "idiot"! ♪
Ohji:: ...Fine. You may have caught me by surprise, but that doesn't affect our advantage right now.
After incorporating the remnants of Chess and the newcomers split off from Knights, King Slayer has grown greatly in scope.
You two can easily be replaced.
A mere five people cannot hope to stand against such a powerful—
Arashi: Oh? Not even if they're the strongest five to ever exist?
Izumi: This is stupid. Looking back, Kuma-kun has a much higher rate of bullying juniors than I do, and yet, why the hell am I always the one getting picked on?
Ritsu: Maybe it's a difference in virtue? Or no, maybe I'm just more charming?
Tsukasa: Heh, I see you've deployed yourselves before I've even summoned you. Excellent initiative ♪
But for the sake of the rules, perhaps I should issue my orders nonetheless. Come, lend us your power once again, Arashi Narukami-senpai, Izumi Sena-senpai.
Arashi: As you wish, my king ♪
Izumi: Let's get this straight: I'm not doing this for you, got that, Your Majesty? I just need somewhere to vent my frustration!
Ohji:: ......
Tsukasa: Ohji-san. As you are a newcomer, I imagine you're unfamiliar with the basic rules of Judgment—a specialty of us Knights.
It is essentially like chess.
Leo: It has its origins in Chess the unit, after all. Numbers were the unit's only strength, so the members conceived a way to give themselves the advantage.
So, each round, both units select representatives they wanna send out to fight.
Then those representatives do a normal live showdown. The losing members are removed from the game board. They leave, having basically died in battle.
Losers don't get a second chance on the board. The winners stay on, though, and can participate in further rounds.
In the case of a tie, both sides have to leave.
As the rounds go on, both units' numbers dwindle until one side is either completely wiped out, or their king loses.
Tsukasa: Looking at it like this, it is very much just chess.
Leo: The most obvious difference with actual chess, though, is that each side can have a different number of pieces, and the strength of the pieces can vary.
So, obviously, the side with bigger numbers has a huge advantage. That's why Chess set these rules—to make it harder for them to lose.
Tsukasa: This is beyond the level of what one would call a koma ochi in shogi. It is far too unfair.
Arashi: Even so, the core principle of democracy is "majority rules". It was hard to raise any objection to those rules when they were set by the largest faction, Chess.
No matter the times, minorities always have it hard...♪
Tsukasa: Indeed. We ourselves are but an elite faction of only five members.
In terms of numbers, we are in a highly unfavorable position.
However, if you'll allow me to be so bold... each one of our pieces is worth a thousand warriors.
If, knowing that, you still think you can quash us with pure numbers, then I invite you to try.
We will beat you soundly at your own game.
We shall cut down countless foes, one after another—and at the end, we shall survive, and Knights shall emerge victorious.
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 19 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 21 >
