8. Believe in Yourself
The issue was the amount of fire.
That was the one thing he needed to focus on.
“Now!”
Moguzo pulled on the stick passed through the pot’s handle. From low, to medium, to high heat, then let it simmer. He cooked skillfully, changing the temperature like this. He didn’t know if it was past knowledge from before he came to Grimgar, or what, but he knew that controlling heat with a cooking stove was difficult. If he tried to do anything to the flame itself, it would eat up all his attention, which might lead him to neglect the condition of the pot and mess up as a result. That’s why Moguzo kept the fire at a consistent level, and opted to change the distance between the pot and the flames instead. It was a simple thing, and yet quite hard to think of.
“I’m still under-experienced...!”
He was dripping with sweat. There were handles on either side of the pot, and he had a sturdy pole passed through each of them. If he didn’t keep things level, the stove would shift, and the pot would spill, so it took a lot of strength.
“Kuh, kuh, kuh, kuh...! Guh, guh, guh, guh...!” Moguzo grunted and groaned.
“Moguzo! Keep on givin’ it your all...!”
“D-Don’t give up, Moguzo-kun...!”
Yume and Shihoru were still cheering him on.
“Um, Moguzo...” Haruhiro came over. “Should I help? If there were two of us each holding one end of those poles, rather than you just holding a single side, I think it’d be an easy win...”
“I-I’m fine, Haruhiro-kun...! This is my... my and Ranta-kun’s one-on-one fight!”
“Well, yeah, sure. But you look like you’re having a hard time. It’s pretty hard to just watch. Ranta’s in the cooking area, so if you keep quiet, he’ll never know...”
“You can’t, Haruhiro.” Manato, who had been sitting beside Yume and Shihoru, stood up, and he spoke in an uncharacteristically strict tone of voice. “If you do, Moguzo won’t really have won. No matter how Ranta breaks the rules, no matter how ridiculous the stunts he pulls are, Moguzo will fight fair and square. And he’ll win. That’s important!”
“...Huh? I-Is that how it works?”
“Yeah. Moguzo understands that. That’s why he’s trying to fight alone, no matter how hard it is.”
“He’s right, Haruhiro-kun...!”
No matter how much sweat got into his eyes, Moguzo squinted but did not close them. He held his quivering arms stable, not letting the height of the pot change, no matter what.
“I...! I...! I know it’s weird for me to say this, but I’m timid, and indecisive, and I lack confidence in myself! I have hardly anything I can take pride in! But this is the one thing...! When it comes to cooking, I can’t lose...!”
“...Moguzo. You’re that devoted to cooking. Hold on, why are you so focused on cooking...?”
“This is...!” Moguzo turned his sweaty face to Haruhiro, and grinned. “...My pride!”
“...Well, okay, Moguzo. But you’re a warrior, not a cook, aren’t you?”
“Haru-kun...!” Yume shook her head. “If you start sayin’ that, it’s all over!”
“...It is?” Shihoru seemed a little doubtful.
“It is!”
When Manato immediately declared it to be so, Shihoru gave a firm nod.
“...Y-Yeah! It’ll be over, right...!”
“It’ll be over...” Haruhiro seemed persuaded.
Moguzo felt like if he lost focus, the pot would lower.
“Hungh...!”
Moguzo kept shouting to keep himself on task.
“Nwah...! Hahh...! Houaghhh...! Kuuoahhhhhhhh...!”
It was all in the simmer.
He had to keep it simmering.
“Fwah?! Moguzo, you’re gettin’ all smokey...!” Yume shouted.
This was—steam.
There was an unusual amount of steam rising from Moguzo’s entire body.
“Moguzo-kun, a-aren’t you reaching your limit?!”
“Not yet, Shihoru!”
“...Manato-kun?!”
“Moguzo’s nowhere near his limit! Even if he is, I know Moguzo can break through it! Believe in Moguzo’s hidden potential...!”
“Potential...” Haruhiro seemed overwhelmed. “I don’t think he needs to use his potential on this...”
Moguzo was almost there. If he could just endure this.
“Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks...!”
Moguzo bellowed, and Manato flexed his arm.
“There it is! His super move, the Thanks Slash...!”
“...Uh, he’s not slashing anything, though?!”
“Haru-kun! You’re hurtin’ Yume and everyone’s feelin’s!”
“A-Am I...?”
“Haruhiro!”
Manato gave him a complex hand signal, and Haruhiro nodded slightly.
“...G-Got it. Uh, no, I don’t really get it, but whatever...”
“...Yeah!” Shihoru had tears in her eyes at this point.
The meaning in all this came across fully. To his comrades.
“Right now, my soul...!”
Finally, Moguzo moved the pole, and set the pot down on the ground.
“...Is boiling! I can’t take the lid off yet...!”
“It’s smellin’ great.” Yume sniffed the air, a sparkle in her eye. Shihoru seemed entranced.
“...It really is.”
“But the issue is...” Manato, who had been so excited a moment ago, had already regained his composure. “The meat that was going to be the main dish is gone. What will you do, Moguzo?”
“It’s okay.” Moguzo wiped the sweat from all over his body, and took a deep breath. “I have it sorted out in my head. There’s a way to win. I’m going to believe in the hidden potential that you believed in, too, Manato. I won’t lose...! Because that is my justice...!”
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