Chapter 5 I Don’t Understand Those Feelings Now, but…Maybe Someday?
Between the self-destruct fireworks of one competitor and the disappearance/annihilation of another (technically two others), the semifinals were certainly a roller coaster.
However, the results spoke for themselves—having both made lunches with A Mother’s Cooking, Mamako and Hahako were the victors.
Originally, the finals had been scheduled for that afternoon…but since the stage and building were in need of repairs, the finals were postponed to the next day. Currently…
“Where’d they go…?”
“Good question…”
…Mamako, Masato, and Porta were searching the deserted building.
Porta really shined at times like this. Masato was carrying her on his shoulders so she could get an even better view.
“Well, Porta? Any sign of Sorente or Hahako?”
“Hmmm… I don’t see them anywhere! I don’t think they’re nearby.”
“Okay… Sorente is whatever, but I definitely want to talk to Hahako…”
If their enemy had vanished, cool. But Hahako’s mysteries were bugging him.
Her appearance, mannerisms, and skills were near-perfect copies of Mamako’s… And she had gone so far as to call herself Masato’s mother. He needed to find out what she meant by that.
Then:
“We’re back!”
“Thanks for waiting.”
The light of a transport spell appeared over their heads, and Wise and Medhi dropped down for a landing.
From that angle, he could see right up their skirts, but Masato pretended he hadn’t. “Be grateful I’m such a gentleman.” “Huh? Why?” “I don’t get it, either…” The secrets of the girl in pale-blue panties and the one in pure-white panties were preserved. Anyway…
“Good work, guys. How’d it go?”
“I took a look around, trying to figure out what happened to Amante and Sorella, but they’ve vanished into thin air. If that scold beam took care of them, that’d be just fine by me, but…Amante, in particular, is pointlessly tough and fast, so I bet they’re still around somewhere.”
“I went searching for Hahako but was unable to find her. The moment the match ended, she left the hall and was nowhere to be found.”
“Huh… Well, thanks anyway.”
“The other mothers are searching as well! Did they find anything?” asked Porta.
“I’m not holding my breath at this point…,” replied Masato. “Better to gather everyone together and talk it over. Shiraaase included.”
“Talk it over—got it!” said Mamako.
Which meant…
The bath.
“Uh, why are we in the bath?”
They were at the public baths at the heart of Meema, the town where the World Matriarchal Arts Tournament was held.
To accommodate as many races as the tournament attracted, there were baths ranging from bucket-sized ones for fairies to a pool-like bath even the fifteen-foot-tall giants could relax in. There were over fifty different baths within the massive facility.
The party members were in one of these, a large all-inclusive indoor bath.
“Whew… The water’s perfect.”
“The bigger the bath, the better! I’m in heaven!”
“I can feel all the fatigue just washing away. So divine.”
“Ooooh… Baths this big always make me want to swim!”
The slightly flushed islands formed by Mamako’s breasts were so large and round, they looked extremely difficult to land on. Medhi’s islands were impressive, as well. Porta’s were age appropriate, and the way she kept her shoulder bag balanced on her head was a sight to behold.
Meanwhile, it was probably best to ignore Wise, who was keeping herself submerged, doing her best impression of an undersea volcano. Any comment might cause her to erupt.
Beyond them…
“I’ve never bathed with so many people!” “Oh, really? Our village is always like this.” “I’m swimming!” “Blub, blub!” “Hey! No swimming in the baths!” “Aw, really?” “Well… If you’re a mermaid, I suppose it’s okay.” “Fish soup!” “Hey! Don’t be mean!” “Sigh… This feels so good that we might split apart…” “Now then, maybe time to tempt someone…” “Go on!” “Wow, you’re really ripped!” “N-no…not at all…” “I wanna go play with Porta!” “Don’t move around too much; you’re making waves.” “Wah! Mom got swept away!” “A life adrift on the currents isn’t so bad.”
The elf mother, beastkin mother, ninja mother, mermaid mother, vampire mother, spirit mother, devil mother, angel mother, dragonewt mother, martial arts mother, giant mother, fairy mother, and all their kids were in the bath, too, each mother bringing their impressive physique and a whole lot of commotion with them.
And Masato was there as well, staring at the surface of the water, trying not to look at all the flesh tones around him.
“Why…why does nobody care? I’m not a kid anymore, but no one’s even batting an eye. You’d think I’d at least get an ‘Eek!’ or even a ‘Get out!’ like, normally speaking? But they all just accept it…”
The reason was obvious. After all…
Masato’s secret title, Mixed Bath Creep Level 3, became Mixed Bath Creep Level 4!
With this title, it was now possible to bathe with other mothers! “I really need to get rid of this title…” However, titles were not available for exchange.
Anyway.
“Knowing when to give up is vital when dealing with moms. As is our tradition, we reveal our hearts and bodies in a naked strategy session… So if the person in charge could go ahead and explain?” Masato asked, lacking the guts to do more than briefly glance in her direction.
“Sadly, I, too, was unable to grasp the particulars… However, I shall infooorm you of what little I could gather.”
Shiraaase was sitting right in front of Masato. Wearing nothing at all. Even Masato’s extremely brief glance had been enough to verify that she was sitting bolt upright, her torso well above the water’s surface. “Submerge those things!” “As you were, then.” As much as she enjoyed teasing him, this was serious.
“Let’s begin with Hahako… Hahako is simply the name submitted when she entered the tournament, so we have no way of verifying if that is her real name.”
“You don’t? That isn’t something you can check with admin rights?”
“For test players or ordinary NPCs, we have data stored and can easily investigate. But Hahako’s data isn’t saved anywhere.”
Shiraaase looked at him emphatically, checking to see if he understood what that meant.
Masato thought for a moment.
“So… Hahako is neither a player nor an NPC?”
“Exactly. She was neither invited here nor created by a programmer. She simply exists in this world somehow… The circumstances of her spawning are similar to Amante’s, but while we’ve been able to trace that girl’s history, this is clearly something else entirely.”
“Huh… Er, wait, you traced it back? You’re getting somewhere on your Libere Rebellion investigation, then?”
“Oops. I may have let that slip… I shall infooorm you about that at a later occasion. The situation is rather…complicated.”
Shiraaase gave Porta a sidelong glance. “Huh?” Porta looked confused, clearly unsure what that meant.
Shiraaase turned back to Masato.
“At present, our best theory is that Hahako is a character created independently by the game’s main system. This is little more than a guess, however.”
“Independently…?”
“You mean the system just…made her? It can do that?”
“The main system carries out a number of automated processes to make the world of this game as believable as the real world: weather control, seasonal plant growth—countless necessary operations, all handled and processed self-sufficiently. In other words, it had the permissions necessary to affect changes to this entire world…”
“And it’s used those permissions to create a new person? Then…why use all that to make…Hahako?”
“I’m not sure this is the right way to put it, but…perhaps out of…admiration? The purpose of this game is to create adventures for parents and children. It is particularly rich in information about mothers’ actions… And I hardly need to say who has been the most active in that department.”
“Yeah, the most ridiculous of all is right here with us.”
Masato glanced sideways. “Oh? Who?” Mamako asked vapidly, smiling. Seemed like she’d stopped listening the second they mentioned the word system.
He sighed.
“Take all the data on Mom…copy her appearance and skills…and you get Hahako.”
The most famous mom in this world—and one so powerful her hero son was frequently depressed. A super-mom who overcame any situation with powers beyond the pale.
Including her excessive youth, beauty, and generous bosom.
If you were gonna copy someone, who better than Mamako?
It made sense that Hahako’s appearance and skills were identical.
“There is still much we don’t yet understand, but given her strong interest in mothers and the need to investigate further, we allowed her to participate in the tournament… And the fact that she prevented the two Heavenly Kings from doing any harm in the last match is certainly a very positive sign. At the least, we shouldn’t consider her an enemy.”
“I agree. She didn’t seem like a bad person… Still…”
“I know. The last thing she said… If she genuinely believes you are her son, that is cause for very serious concern. After all—”
“Ma-kun already has a mommy—me! Mommy is his mommy!” Mamako proclaimed loudly, leaping to her feet. “Heyyy! Siddown!” His mother’s butt was right in front of Masato’s face… He felt a sudden urge to slap it but controlled himself.
Since the tournament began, other mothers had been trying to lure Masato away, making Mamako extremely jealous, leading to some very strange behavior… But the current situation was clearly different. She seemed far more desperate.
Hahako had clearly meant what she said.
And Mamako had taken that as a real threat to her motherhood.
In which case…I should probably say something.
He should say it out loud. As her son.
Masato pulled her arm, sitting her back down. Facing her as mother and son.
“…Mom, listen a second. There’s something I want you to hear.”
“O-okay. What is it?”
“When I ate the lunch she made, it tasted like a mother’s home cooking.”
“Ma-kun?! Don’t say that! Your mommy is—!”
“I know! I know that, but…when I ran into her, and she let me sleep on her lap, I got the same feeling. I know she’s not you, but…it was really confusing. Even so…”
To lose sight of who it was who placed absolute faith in him, loved him unconditionally, the one person in all the world who did…
That was inexcusable. It made him feel like a bad son.
There was only one way to make up for that:
Believe in what was plain as day.
“My mom is sitting right here in front of me.”
Masato cast aside the shred of doubt within him, speaking with conviction.
Tears welled up in Mamako’s eyes.
And a moment later, her boobs came rocketing toward him, smacking him in the face. Warm, soft breasts mercilessly pressed against him!
“Euuagghhhhhhhh!! My eeeeeeeeyes!!”
“Yes! Mommy’s your mommy! I knew you understood, Ma-kun!”
“I do! Just lemme goooo!”
“Oh, thank goodness! I’m so glad you said so! Now I just have to make Hahako understand that in tomorrow’s match! Mommy will do her best!”
“Roger that! Okay! We’re on the same page! Now let go of meeee!”
This naked mom hug was rapidly eroding Masato’s HP bar.
His party and the assembled mothers were all beaming with delight at such familial bliss… The kids mostly just looked confused, but whatever!
Shiraaase nodded, looking satisfied.
“Our original plan was to let Hahako act freely and observe what she does. However, if she perceives someone else’s child as her own, we can’t stand idly by. This game is all about the bonds between parent and child, and to ensure she does not become a threat, we need Mamako to guide her.”
“Then, by putting Mamako up against her… Oh, wait, we’re forgetting something important! There’s still that pain-in-the-ass duo who might’ve made it out alive.”
“Our plan for the two Heavenly Kings was to gang up on them… As impressive as your growth has been, can we ask you to beat the snot out of them the moment they show themselves?” asked Shiraaase.
The girls were not about to let that challenge pass.
“Hell yeah!” Wise shouted, utterly confident. “We could take those idiots down in our sleep!”
“There’s no way we’d lose to them. This should be smooth sailing.”
“We’ve got Wise, Medhi, and Masato, so we’ll be just fine! …But…”
“Porta? What’s wrong?” asked Shiraaase.
“I’m more worried about Mama’s match than the Four Heavenly Kings. If Mama fights a copy of Mama, that could get real scary.”
“Don’t worry! It’ll be fine!” chirped the beastkin mother, Growlette. “We’ll keep a close eye on the match for you. No matter what happens, we moms will take care of it! …Right, Invi?”
“Yes… Mamako may have outdone us, but this is a chance to prove how impressive we all are in our own right. This match’s safety is guaranteed. You can take this devil’s word for it.”
“And this elf’s as well. I’ll provide the protection of the Mother Forest!”
Chaliele’s oath was followed by a chorus of other voices: “I’ll give the mermaid’s word!” “And I the dragonewt’s!” “And the angels!” “And the spirits!” “Vampires!” “Fairies too!” “Me too! The giants!” “A-and martial arts…!” “And you’ve got the protection of a ninja!” They could probably count on an android oath, too.
“Well? With all of us offering guarantees, you gotta buy it! This offer’s only good for today! Right, Ms. Shiraaase?”
“This isn’t a home shopping program, but…very well. I’ll accept your offer. Thank you.”
Mamako would be facing Hahako directly. Mothers of all races would be backing Mamako while the rest of the party would be watching out for the Four Heavenly Kings.
So:
“Let’s all put our best foot forward in tomorrow’s match!”
““““Yeah!””””
The finals were tomorrow. Everyone was pumped. When Mamako shouted, the girls, moms, children who’d long stopped paying attention…all stood up, raising their fists in the air!
…Except for one. “Oh, Masato? Not joining in?” “Just leave me alone!” In a forest of mom-and-girl flesh, Masato was forced to stay seated.
The next day arrived. The World Matriarchal Arts Tournament. The final battle.
For the first time, the skies were overcast. Ominous clouds loomed over the tournament hall.
Fortunately, the hall itself was still packed—not an empty seat in the house, everyone into it, the crowd roaring even though the match had yet to begin.
The mothers who’d participated were in the stands this time—worried about what was to come. Their children must have picked up on the tension, because they were all sitting quietly.
Almost time.
“…Here we go.”
In the broadcast booth, Shiraaase turned on the mic.
“Thank you for waiting! We will now begin the final battle. Here come our contestants!”
A thunderous roar erupted, and a fanfare written for just this moment began to play.
From the entrance tunnel came…
“All right! …Ma-kun! Mommy’s gonna do her best!”
…Mamako. Walking straight forward.
Following behind her was the mysterious mother, Hahako. So many questions still remained.
“……?”
When Hahako reached the stage, her hollow eyes looked around the arena.
She seemed to be searching for Masato, but he was nowhere to be found.
“Next up, we’ll be deciding the contents of the match… The draw box, please!”
“Yes! Leave it to me!” Porta came out of the tunnel carrying the box and ran over to Mamako. “Here!”
“Thank you.”
Mamako drew a slip of paper.
Was it cooking? Cleaning? Laundry? Or—?
COMBAT
When she saw the slip Mamako held up, Shiraaase gritted her teeth. “Of all things to pull here… I’m certainly not looking forward to this.”
But she’d drawn what she’d drawn. Shiraaase had to announce it.
“The final round will be a trial of combat! To protect, to resist, and to follow through on one’s beliefs, we must all fight. Mothers are no exception. Let us demonstrate the true power of a mother who means business. If the contestants could ready themselves…”
Onstage, Mamako was prepping for battle. “Mama, here!” “Thank you. You’re always such a help!” Porta handed her Terra di Madre, the Holy Sword of Mother Earth, and Altura, the Holy Sword of Mother Ocean. Mamako equipped both swords, dual-wielding. She was ready. Porta quickly retreated.
Meanwhile…
“…Come.”
…Hahako held out her hands, palms facing the floor.
Two swords rose out of the ground: one the color of flames, the other a deep blue.
Two Holy Swords very similar to the ones Mamako held.
Forcibly suppressing her surprise and anxiety, Shiraaase made the final announcement: “Then let’s get this match started. Ready… Mom it!”
And with that, Shiraaase cut her mic, praying for Mamako’s safety.
The rest was up to the two women onstage.
Mamako and Hahako faced each other, swords drawn.
“Do you mind if we chat a bit first?”
“…About what?”
“Ma-kun already has a mommy—that’s me.”
“I am Masato’s true mother.”
An attack delivered with a gentle smile, resisted with another. Neither smile wavered.
“Hmm… This is a pickle. I mean, Ma-kun is such a good boy, so I understand why you’d want to make him yours.”
“That’s not what this is. I am a mother, and therefore, Masato is my child.”
“Because you’re a mother, he’s your child? …That’s a strange way to put it.”
“There’s nothing strange about it. I’m a mother—the strongest mother. And as the strongest mother, my child is Masato.”
“Um, pardon? That really doesn’t make sense—”
But in response, Hahako swung Terra di Madre. The earth at their feet responded by shooting a large number of rock spikes out of the stage, aiming for Mamako.
Mamako swung her Terra di Madre at almost the same time, activating her own earth attack. The rock spikes struck one another.
Evenly matched in strength, the attacks canceled each other out.
Hahako lunged forward, attacking Mamako directly with Altura.
Mamako countered with Altura, too. The blue blades clashed.
Blades pressed together, each stared grimly into the other’s face.
“Could you please listen to me for just a bit? That’s not what makes someone Ma-kun’s mommy. Strength has nothing to do with—”
“Masato’s mother is the strongest. This information is correct. So… If I defeat you, then I’ll be the strongest, and I’ll be Masato’s mother.”
Hahako suddenly retracted her sword and spun around.
Something whiplike came hurtling toward Mamako’s face. Mamako quickly pulled back, dodging.
The whip…was a fluffy tail. Two tails—one red, one blue. Growing from Hahako’s backside.
“Oh my! You have tails? Just like a beastkin!”
“You did, too. They were temporary, but you’ve been a beastkin yourself.”
Hahako thrust her swords into the stage and charged toward Mamako.
She swung her hands, attacking with a beastkin’s sharp claws. “Nng!” Mamako crossed her swords, blocking. The attack was repelled.
Hahako did an acrobatic backflip, grabbing her swords as she landed, before attacking again. Rock spikes and water bullets came in waves. “Hup!” Mamako quickly swung her swords, canceling the attacks in the nick of time.
“Y-you’re amazing! Three attacks in a row! It was all I could do to defend—”
“I’m not done yet.”
Hahako came slipping through the clashing spikes and bullets, closing the gap between them. She went directly into a spin, unleashing a two-hit tail attack.
Caught off guard, Mamako failed to block in time and was slapped on the cheek.
Fluffily.
“Goodness, that feels wonderful! Such bliss… But your attack hit me! That’s pretty frustrating, come to think of it.”
It had done no damage but was clearly a clean hit.
Without a chance to take a breath between attacks, the audience was left speechless.
In the broadcast booth, Porta and Shiraaase could barely believe their eyes.
“M-Mama took a hit… I’ve never seen that happen before…”
“We expected Hahako to be fairly strong, but…it’s like they’ve taken Mamako as a base and added other effective elements on top of that. And that isn’t good.”
Mamako was at a disadvantage. An unprecedented situation.
Yet, Mamako herself never wavered. Keeping a firm grip on her swords, she strode forward.
As a mother, this was a fight she couldn’t lose.
“I am Ma-kun’s mommy!”
“I am Masato’s mother!”
And with these declarations, they clashed again, the battle for Masato growing fiercer still.
Meanwhile, Masato…
…was crouching behind the tournament hall, clutching his head.
“How many times are they gonna shout my name?! This is mortifying…!”
Their shouts were even louder than the roar of the crowd. Inescapable. “Ma-kun!” “Masato!” Both sounding just like Mamako, they screamed his name over and over. It was horrible.
But he couldn’t let himself wallow in it.
“C’mon, Masato. Get the hell up. Let’s go.”
“We need to ensure the safety of the tournament hall. On your feet!”
“Y-yeah, I know.”
Masato ran off after Wise and Medhi, doing his best not to hear the voices coming from inside the hall.
“Geez… You’re always dragging your feet. What if Amante and Sorella did something while you were checked out?”
“If they’re still alive, we need to search and destroy before they can do anything stupid.”
“Uh, yeah… If they’re gonna try something, we need to take them down so the match doesn’t get— Wait. Uh… What the—?”
They were doing a circuit of the hall, and as the entrance came into view, Masato saw something:
A mob of people advancing down the large road leading to that entrance. All marching in step. And by people…
…he meant skeletons.
“Damn, an undead army!” cried Wise. “…That means—!”
“Sorella,” Medhi cut in. “She’s a necromancer, very good at making undead monsters do her bidding.”
“Sadly, she’s still alive and being a pain in our butts again! …That’s…a whole lot of enemies, and I’m already getting kinda depressed about it, but…let’s do this!” Masato ran out into the street, and the three formed a line of defense.
Thanks to the staff in charge of traffic flow, all civilians had been evacuated. The army coming down the road like they owned the place included humanoid skeletons, zombies, and ghosts. Terrifying to look at, marching relentlessly forward…
…and from above, a flock of skeletal birds swooped down.
“…Wha—? Huh? Seriously?”
Masato blinked, checking again… Yep, he’d been right the first time.
Hell yeah! Flying enemies!
“Right onnnn! Flying enemies are all MIIIINE!!”
The hero chosen by the sky would finally have a chance to unleash the full power of the Holy Sword of the Heavens!
Maybe this wasn’t the time to revel in that, but he really almost never got a chance to do this!
Masato ran forward, grinning from ear to ear!
“Wise, Medhi! Back me up! I got the flying ones covered!”
“You dumbass! The heck are you thinking?! Do you even see the ones on the ground?!”
“Hurry and back him up! …Spara la magia per mirare… Purificare!”
“Geez! Fine, I’ll do it! …Spara la magia per mirare… Bomba Sfera! And! Bomba Sfera!”
The approaching enemies were evaporated by holy light or blown away by explosions, clearing a path for Masato. “I love having reliable friends!” “You’re getting chewed out later!” “And some fun corporal punishment with it!” “Please be gentle!!” He raced through the dust clouds left by defeated evil, taking a stand.
Then he held Firmamento high above and said a prayer.
Please… I just want to accomplish something. Just one thing!
Masato had been in Mamako’s shadow for so long that he’d almost forgotten anything else was even possible.
And that wasn’t all; in the third round, everyone else in the party had proven how much they’d grown. Porta’s skills improved, Wise overcame her limits, and Medhi brought about a miracle.
But only Masato was left doing nothing… And that was unacceptable.
After all, he had feelings.
I don’t always admit it, but…I want to do something for my mom, too!
Thoughts like this definitely made him cringe.
But in this moment, he meant it. Every part of him was on board with it.
“Skies above! Heavens! Swirling clouds! Come on! For once, understand how a son feels and gimme a little help, too! …Right now, I just wanna blow the hell out of the enemies trying to get in my mom’s waaaaay!”
With that yell, he swung the Holy Sword as hard as he could. A massive beam flew from the transparent blade, rising upward.
Nothing different about it, just like every attack he made… Or not.
The heavens answered him.
The beam flying upward split into four, each taking the form of a hawk.
“Whoa! What’s happening?!”
“What the…? Masato’s attack changed!”
“Has Masato awakened to a new power, too? That’s absurd!”
“Yo, Medhi?! There’s nothing absurd about it! You’re so cruel!”
The beam hawks shot toward the enemy, attacking with sharp talons and beaks.
The bone birds crumbled instantly, their numbers dwindling in the blink of an eye.
“Are those Summons?! That seems like a really high-level power! I’m actually pissed now!”
“So am I. You have a lot of nerve! Unforgivable.”
“My party’s turned against me… But who cares?! Go! Get ’em, guys!”
He wiped away his tears, cheering his birds on.
And then:
! …Something’s coming?!
Trusting his instincts, Masato thrust his left arm forward, activating the function in his jacket to deploy a shield wall.
As he did, a tiger-striped blur crashed into him at inhuman speed, and a needlelike tip thrust forward, clashing with his shield and almost breaking through.
Amante had attacked him.
“Oh? You actually blocked that. That’s a surprise.”
“Yeah, it’s a slow grind, but we’re making progress… Hah!”
He swung, making her jump back and put a safe distance between them. “Figured you’d be here.” “Time for payback!” Wise and Medhi joined him. Three against one…
Nope, three against two. Sorella was here as well—wearing gear covered in a skeleton-like pattern, riding on a magic tome the size of a tatami mat, floating languidly through the sky above.
“Yoo-hoooo! It’s been aaaages!”
“No, it hasn’t! We met yesterday, Sorente!”
“Whaaaaat?! Wh-who are you talking abouuuut?! I’ve never heard of themmmm!”
“The suspicious mother, Sorente, was actually us, but I don’t—”
“Nah, you really don’t need to explain that.”
“Yes, we all knew the moment we first saw her.”
““What? That’s impossible!””
They were amazingly stupid, but that was irrelevant.
Masato’s party members were here to fight.
“What were you planning on doing with that undead army?”
“Our infiltration scheme failed, so we’ve come to smash everything by force! But I don’t need to explain that, do I?”
“Amante’s habit of explaining these things is sooooo tiresome. But fiiiirst…there’s something I want to aaaask. That other lady, the one who used ‘Tut, tut!’ just like Mamakoooo—who is sheeee? Mind filling us iiiiin?”
“Why would we? Don’t be stupid. Wait… You already are.”
“You’d better run away before we have to hurt you.”
“Sheesh… It’s obvious which of us is gonna get hurt here!”
“I thiiiink…you’re all taking us far too liiiightly. Perhaps we should teach you the error of your waaaays.”
Amante snorted, raising her rapier. Sorella got off her massive tome, gathering undead around her.
Masato’s party versus two of the Heavenly Kings. Everyone glared. The slightest thing could set them all off…
Then.
“Er, what?”
“Hmm? Whaaaat?!”
Amante and Sorella both blinked, staring over the party’s shoulders. Naturally, they weren’t dumb enough to fall for such an obvious trick…in theory.
But then there was a loud noise, like an explosion. The ground beneath their feet shook.
What followed was a crackling sound like a tree growing really fast.
“Wh-what the…?” Masato couldn’t stop himself from turning around.
Behind them, right by the tournament hall, a giant tree had fallen, taking part of the building with it.
“Yiiikes! That fight’s getting pretty inteeeense! Isn’t that an elf powerrrr?”
“I assumed Mamako Oosuki had this in the bag, but…could the worst have happened?”
“O-of course not! My mom would never let that… Ugh…”
Masato resisted the urge to dash off.
He couldn’t just leave the two Heavenly Kings and go running into the hall…
“Masato! Go! We’ll take care of these two!”
“We’ve leveled up! We can handle them. Go on!”
Wise and Medhi each gave him a push.
The two of them against the two Heavenly Kings was going to be a very hard battle. But…
But their eyes were serious. Telling him to trust his companions.
“Just to be clear…I’m not saying Mom is more important than you guys. Wise, Medhi, you’re both important to me, too! Don’t get the wrong idea!”
And with a tsundere cliché, Masato ran off as fast as he could.
As they watched him go, Wise sighed. “Geez… That idiot’s always gotta say one thing too many.”
“You look awfully happy about it, though. You’ve turned bright red, Wise.”
“I have not! And you’re looking pretty cheery yourself, Medhi!”
“Why wouldn’t I ? That was very nice… Anyway, enough girl talk.”
They nodded and turned back to Amante and Sorella.
“You sure you wanna just let Masato run off?” Amante asked.
“We’ll be fine. This is gonna be a super-fun girl’s party. Who needs boys anyway?”
“Girls versus giiiiirls, crushing one another in seeecret.”
“What a coincidence—I agree. You can never let people see any violence unfold.”
“I feel like you let people see that all the time, Medhi, but whatever. Let’s do this!”
Wise focused, raising her magic power. Amante pointed her rapier at her.
Medhi tightened her grip on her staff. Sorella opened the giant tome, her undead army forming rows.
All waited for the right moment to strike. And the first to attack…was Amante.
“I don’t need to tell you this, but none of your attacks will work on me!” Amante snarled, walking slowly forward. “I can reflect all attacks, and Wise, the Sage, can’t do a thing to me! Just you watch! Ha-ha!”
“Fine with me. Bring it! …Spara la magia per mirare…,” Wise started her chant.
“You’re gonna use magic? Useless!”
“No harm in trying! …Bomba Sfera!”
A sphere of explosive magic was released…but rather than hit Amante, it was reflected away.
And in that instant, Wise chain cast her second spell.
“And! Reflessione!”
A barrier that reflected magic appeared around Wise, reflecting the explosive sphere.
The sphere went back to Amante, and this time, it wasn’t reflected, scoring a direct hit. “Huh?” She looked totally surprised for a moment before the explosion’s wind hit her.
It did only a tiny amount of damage, but the magic definitely landed.
“Hell yeah! It worked! …I’ve been wondering if you could reflect reflected magic…and you can’t!”
“Tch! I had no idea a trick like that would work, but I’m not going to admit that! …In that case—”
“Oh, no you don’t! …Spara la magia per mirare… Lento! And! Reflessione!”
Amante tried to charge but was hit with a spell that slowed her down. A lot.
“Argh!” “Ha!” Amante tried punching anyway but was easily dodged.
“Well? Your reflection skill and ridiculous stats aren’t scary at all now! Now we just have to find out which’ll run out first: your health or my magic!”
“You little… Hey, Sorella! Help me out! Use your skill to lower this Sage’s abilities!”
“Wait, no, don’t do that!!”
Amante had turned to Sorella for help…but Sorella had her hands full.
“I can’t right noooow! I’m in trouuuuble! …Auughhh! Auuugh! Aughhhhh!”
Sorella was activating her debuff skill over and over. She’d already stacked it ten times.
But despite the concentrated effect, Medhi was moving normally, easily swinging her staff and smashing the undead monsters with it.
“Wh-whyyyyy?! Why doesn’t it woooork?! I’ve stacked it so hiiiigh! You shouldn’t even be able to staaaand! Whyyyyy?!”
“Oh, you’d like to know why? Then let’s discuss.”
Medhi cracked a skeleton’s skull, then stomped on it.
Black mist seemed to ooze from her entire body as she wore a sinister grin.
“I had a very strict upbringing. I was told to excel no matter what.”
“Th-that sooounds…really haaaard.”
“It sure was. I struggled a lot. But it also seeded this attitude inside of me. I must always be the best. And when my skills aren’t enough…I’m not satisfied. I’m disappointed. And I’m furious.”
“Th-theeen…because your skills are debuuuuuffed…you’re really angryyyy?”
“I’m about to snap.” Click.
“Eeeeeeeeek?! Did I just hear a switch fliiiip?!”
The more her skills were lowered, the more the frustration, gloom, and dark power rose within Medhi.
Her white robes were stained with that dark power, making her look like some sort of evil mistress.
Droves of the undead army took a knee before her. Recognizing Medhi as their mistress, they turned to face Sorella’s forces.
“Gahhhhhhhhhh?! You’ve wrested control of my monsterrrrrs?! But this is my powerrrr! My precious powerrrr!”
“Clerics are healers of a holy order. For one of us to enslave the dead…is delightful!”
“Do you even know what holy meeeeans?! …A-Amanteeee! Over heeeeere! Stand between us so her attacks don’t hit meeee!”
“I’m the one who needs backup! Argh!”
Amante ran over to Sorella, and she and the undead shored their defenses.
Meanwhile, Wise and Medhi joined forces and marshaled their undead, strengthening their attacks.
“Looks like we’re not so evenly matched.”
“Even? We’re cruising to victory… Now, Wise.”
“Got it! Here goes! With our power…!”
“We shall inflict pain on you that will make you curse your very existence!”
“Uh, no, we’re just gonna beat them, like, in a normal way… A-anyway, let’s go!”
This girls’ night out had never been peaceful, and they were about to turn the dial up to eleven.
Back at the tournament hall, Masato stepped through what the fallen tree had left of the entrance and saw…
“No way… Mom’s in trouble?!”
Onstage, Mamako was covered in dust and debris. She didn’t appear to be at all injured, but her shoulders were heaving, her breath ragged. She looked exhausted.
Meanwhile, Hahako was increasingly abnormal: two tails, pointy elf ears, wings like a devil that lofted her into the air.
They both noticed Masato.
“Ma-kun! You came to cheer Mommy on!”
“Masato! You’re here to cheer for me, aren’t you?!”
Mamako and Hahako were swinging similar swords, exchanging rock spikes and water bullets, even as they ran toward Masato. “Hey! Wait!” he pleaded, but they did no such thing.
Each grabbed an arm, pulling Masato onto the stage.
“No, wait, listen! I can’t be on this stage!”
“Oh, of course you can, Ma-kun! Mommy would be delighted to have you with me!” Grin.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you! You should be with your mother.” Grin.
“Not my point! The match is ongoing, and if I’m here—!”
“Those two are fighting over which of them is your mother, Masato,” came Shiraaase’s voice over the loudspeaker. “Your presence here will speed things along. Therefore, I approve.”
Masato turned to argue, but he saw Porta next to Shiraaase, nodding desperately, and thought better of it.
They want me here… So my absence makes things worse?
If Mamako was at a disadvantage, she needed help from Masato, the source of her energy. Maybe that was their point.
Fortunately, the audience seemed to approve of Masato’s participation, too. The two mothers both insisted they were his mother and were battling over a child… An entirely appropriate theme for a mom-off—and one that had the crowd pretty worked up.
Masato was the key to all that. What he did would decide the battle’s outcome.
“Sucks to get stuck with such a major role all of a sudden… But I guess this is a hero son’s destiny.”
“Come, Ma-kun! Be with Mommy!” Squeeze.
“Come, Masato! I am your real mother!” Squeeze.
“Okay, got it. First, both of you—let go.”
Once he was free…
…Masato immediately stood by Mamako’s side.
Hahako looked astonished.
“Masato? That’s not right! I’m your mother!”
“My mother’s a human. She doesn’t have a tail, or elf ears, or devil wings. She may have temporarily acquired each of those, but she doesn’t normally have any of them.”
“You like me better that way? Then, see, I’m your mother!”
Hahako eliminated all traces of other races, reverting to her original form.
Then she held out her hand, but Masato just shook his head.
“S-something still isn’t right? …Oh, I know! Your mother is the strongest of all… I just have to prove that’s me!” Hahako brandished her sword, pointing the tip at Mamako. “I am the strongest mother—Masato’s mother. I joined this tournament to prove that… Beating you will be the proof.”
“The strongest mother is Ma-kun’s mother… You keep repeating that, and it’s the strangest thing.” Mamako wasn’t even holding a sword.
“Mom…?”
“Oh? Abandoning the fight?”
“No. That’s not it—I simply realized: This battle isn’t going to be won with swords. So I gave the swords a break. I always get so carried away when it comes to Ma-kun. And I know I’ve got to stop doing that. Mommy’s mistake!” Mamako gently bonked herself on the head.
Then, smiling peacefully, she looked directly at Hahako.
“Everything Ma-kun and the others were talking about in the bath was too complicated for me, but I did understand one thing. You’re someone who wants to become a mother.”
“…………!”
This really seemed to rattle Hahako.
“And that’s a truly wonderful feeling! I think you should be proud of that desire. But…I also think you don’t really understand what a mother is.”
“Then what…?”
“Being a mother means… Well, see?”
Mamako reached into her dress and pulled out a slim book from her bosom.
The cover read MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MCH) HANDBOOK. “Wait, where were you keeping that?!” “It’s important! I never go anywhere without it!” Masato’s reaction aside, his mother’s body had kept the handbook warm.
“This is proof of motherhood. And proof of a child. It has detailed records of everything from the moment the child was born until they grow up. How tall they were, how much they weighed, medical reports from when they got sick… Happy or sad, all sorts of memories get written down here.”
“Memories…”
“Yes. These are my memories of Ma-kun. Proof we’re mother and son.”
“Proof… But I…”
Hahako reached into her bosom, searching… But no handbook emerged. She didn’t have one.
“Of course, that’s not everything. There are plenty of people not related by blood who fortune brought together that formed a wonderful parent-child relationship. However… And I do hate to be harsh, but let me make one thing very clear.”
“Wait… Please! Wait! I…!”
“Without anything built between yourself and a child…you aren’t a mother at all.”
Mamako looked very apologetic but forced herself to tell the truth anyway.
The impact was immediate.
A creaking sound came from Hahako’s heart as it ruptured.
Fissures ran across her face, neck, chest, sides, legs—her entire body.
“No… No, no, no! No! NOOO!”
“Um… Just calm down a moment…”
“Wait, Mom! Stay back! This looks dangerous!”
Masato leaped forward, putting Mamako behind him, and raised his sword.
Something emerged from inside Hahako. Crawling out from between the fissures were…hands, with the translucent beauty of noodlefish. But the way they moved—horrifying.
“I am a mother! I am! I’m the strongest mother in the world! …I have a child… A child… My child!”
Tears running down her face, she looked at Masato and Mamako, then at the handbook. Fear in her eyes.
Then Hahako turned to the stands—the stands filled with children of audience members, children of the other tournament contestants…and Porta.
“Oh… There you are! Eh-hee-hee! Now then, come to your mother!”
Countless hands reached out from all over Hahako, touching children in the stands.
They were adorable children. It would never do to be rough with them. The hands just lightly brushed their heads.
Nothing more.
“Oh, Mom’s calling me… Bye, Auntie! Bye-bye!”
“What are you saying?! I’m your mother! You know that, don’t you?!”
“Mommy!” “I’m coming, Mommy!” “Let go!” “Lemme go!” “Wah!”
“Hey, wait! Where are you going?! Mommy’s right here!”
Nothing seemed to have changed at all—but suddenly all the children thought Hahako was their mother. Their real mothers were desperately clinging to them, but some children got away.
Even Porta was affected. She quietly took the white hand in front of her and tried to follow it out of the broadcast booth.
“Ms. Shiraaase! I’m off to see my mom!”
“Wait! Snap out of it! You can’t go!” An unexpected note of desperation in her voice, Shiraaase threw her arms around Porta, holding her back.
That was certainly surprising, but…Masato couldn’t dwell on it.
“Ma-kun!”
“Yeah, I know! We gotta do something about these hands!”
Masato and Mamako attacked in tandem. His beam attacks and her rock spikes and water bullets began cutting down all the hands as they started to reach farther, extending outside the tournament hall.
But the severed hands quickly regrew. An endless supply, their numbers only increased.
And then the crowd turned ugly.
“What is wrong with you?! These are our children!”
“Only an idiot would try to steal children when their mothers are watching! You must be punished!”
“Y-you will learn the power of a mother who means business!”
The beastkin mother, Growlette; the dragonewt mother, Sammo Hung; the martial arts mother, Katou. The combat mothers leaped down onto the stage, attacking Hahako.
But…
“I’m a mother, and I mean business, too! I’m not going to lose here!”
“Don’t be ridicu— Wah!”
As Growlette tried to slash with her claws, a number of white hands appeared around her, each taking Growlette’s form and attacking at once. “Unh?!” With full beastkin power, she was slammed to the stage.
“This thing’s something else! So that means… Katou, we need to attack together!”
“R-right! Hyaaah!”
“It doesn’t matter how many of you there are. I’m the strongest mother. I can’t be defeated.”
Hahako caught both the dragon-breath attack and the mother’s iron fist with her white hands.
Then…
“Sorry to come at you from behind! But you need to cool your head a little!”
“Angels aren’t known for sneak attacks, but this is no time for principles!”
“Oh, but this is exactly what I’m into! I mean, I’m a devil! Hahhh!”
From Hahako’s rear: the mermaid mother, Nakasao, with a water cannon. From the left: the angel mother, Mamariel, with a holy spear. From the right: the devil mother, Invi, with a slashing scythe.
And…
“Even I get pissed when you mess with my kid! Raaah!”
…the giant mother, Kaide. Her hands clasped together, she dropped a giant hammer on Hahako’s head.
Concentrated attacks from five different directions!
“It’s all useless—I am the strongest mother.”
Hahako’s white hands easily blocked all the attacks, captured the mothers, and slammed them into the ground and walls.
She was too powerful. Masato gritted his teeth.
“Damn! She really is as strong as she is awful! This is really bad!”
“I’m worried about the mothers! We need to tend to their wounds—and quickly!”
“Yeah, I’d love to… But the only person who can use recovery items or magic is…”
The other mothers were scattered through the stands, desperately trying to prevent their children from being stolen. They knew what was going on but weren’t in any position to come to the rescue.
The party usually relied on Porta, but she’d been brainwashed, too.
Damn! If only Wise and Medhi were here!
Masato really wished they were. And as the thought crossed his mind…
“…Whaaaaaaaa—?!”
“…Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek?!”
“Mm? Whoa!!”
…Heaven heard him. Wise and Medhi came tumbling from the sky above. Admittedly, wrapped in white hands.
When he cut those arms, they were all “Hah!” “Humph!” “Bwa?!” Masato made an excellent shock absorber, and they landed beautifully on him.
“So I’m not okay, but I guess the two of you are?!”
“We are! But what the heck?! What just grabbed us?!”
“The moment those things touched us, it was like our mothers calling our names! So bizarre! What are these hands?!”
“They’re really dangerous! Anyway, I’m so glad you two are—”
“Gaaaaah?!” “Waaaahhhhh!”
“There’s more coming?! Wait, that’s…”
Amante and Sorella. Like the others, they were dragged in by the white hands.
In midair, Amante forcibly ripped the hands off them and hoisted Sorella onto her shoulders. “Masato Oosuki! Stay right there!” “Hell no! Go awa—mmph?!” Masato made an excellent shock absorber, and they landed beautifully on him as well.
“Hey! Why are you two here?!”
“Oh, shut up! It wasn’t voluntary!”
“B-buuuut… My moooom… M-my moooom…was caaaalling…”
“Sorella! Get a grip! Coming when your mom calls you?! We’re against moms! If moms— Augh, what are these creepy hands?!”
Mid-rant, Amante’s eyes had landed on what was left of Hahako—no signs of her original form remained, just a mass of countless, writhing hands.
“U-um, Masato Oosuki… What is that?”
“The one you were worried about. She’s capturing children, making them her kids, and trying to become a mother. Not that I need to explain that to you!”
“Yet, you just did. You’re an idiot, Masato Oosuki.”
“You’re the last person who should say that!”
“But in that case… Sorella, let’s retreat!”
“Yeaaaah… I don’t want to be turned into a chiiiild… And she looks hard to beeeat… Let Masato’s group handle herrr. Which meaaaaans… Bye-byeeee!”
Amante and Sorella hopped on the giant magic tome and flew away.
“Tch! They ran off!” groaned Masato.
“And just when we were about to finish them off after taking down their monster army! …Whatever! No time to mess with the Four Heavenly Kings now!”
“I’ve got the general idea, here! Wise and I will heal the wounded and draw the hands away! There’s no time to waste!”
“Yeah! Go for it!”
“Please! And take care!”
Wise and Medhi ran off. Having reliable companions was a magnificent thing.
“Right… Mom, let’s go.”
“Yes! Let’s!”
Masato and Mamako went after Hahako’s main form.
A sad mass of desire, so desperate to be a mother that it was blindly reaching out in all directions.
Masato lowered his sword, putting it back in the scabbard.
“She’s going about this all wrong… But in her own way, she’s just desperate to be a mother. I feel like defeating her by attacking it isn’t the right thing to do.”
“You’re right. We shouldn’t be defeating her. We have to show her what being a mother and son is really about. Which means…”
Mamako smiled and showed him the MCH handbook.
What was a son supposed to do with that? Masato was totally lost… But lacking other options, he reached out and touched it. And then… “Whoa…” “Oh my!” …The handbook began glowing and slowly floated upward.
This light hovered before them, growing longer and curving gently, like a saber—then it split in two.
Two swords appeared, the hilts joined by a ribbon.
Like an umbilical cord connecting the parent sword to its child.
“Are these…?”
“I’m not sure, but…I believe something wonderful is happening.”
“Huh… I dunno… I’m getting exactly the opposite vibe…”
“We should use them!” Mamako reached out and grabbed the hilt in front of her. “Oh my! What a lovely sensation. It feels so right in my hand!”
“You just grab it without any hesitation at all. Geez, Mom… Fine. Let’s just pretend these are some legendary swords, and…”
Nervous, Masato reached for the sword…
“Don’t worry! Mommy will handle this!” Snatch!
“Huh? …Waaaaaaaaaaait!!”
Mamako grabbed the sword hovering in front of Masato, too. Dual-wielding, like always. “I just feel better with two swords!” “Heeeeeeeeeeeey!!” Her son’s screams fell on deaf ears.
Swords in both hands, Mamako glared at the thing Hahako had become.
“With these swords, I know I can do this! Our mother-son memories will reach you! This is Mommy and Ma-kun’s memorial… Um… Memorial… Hyah!”
Mamako spontaneously acquired an ultimate attack.
The name—like she said, “Mommy and Ma-kun’s Memorial Hyah!”
Mamako swung the sword in her right hand—Genitore, the parent blade. A warm wave spread out around her in all directions.
Memories of their time together reached Hahako—and anyone else the wave touched.
“Wah! Wahhh!”
“My, my! Aren’t you a lively one! …Thank you. Thank you for being born.”
Lying on a hospital bed, looking just as young as she did today, was Mamako, rubbing newborn Masato to her cheek.
“…Mm… Mm…”
“Drink lots and lots of Mommy’s breast milk and get big and strong! Hee-hee.”
In the living room at home, Mamako smiled as baby Masato breastfed.
“Nngh… Mmm… Mm!”
“That’s it! Ma-kun, go on! Oh, look at how good you’re walking! So good!”
Masato was holding himself up, and he took a step forward. His first step! Mamako was equipped with a happi coat and headband to cheer him on, beside herself with joy!
Each scene was an illusion brought to life by Genitore.
But each was a day that had really happened. A memorial of their time together.
Then Mamako swung the blade in her left hand—Figlio, the child blade. Another wave went out, adding more memories of their time together.
“Mommy! A big doggy! Big doggy! Wah!”
“There, there. Don’t cry! Mommy’s right here.”
Masato was old enough to go out now, and they’d run into a Doberman on a walk. Scared, Masato started crying and threw his arms around Mamako’s leg.
He was only a kid, so you couldn’t blame him, but…it was still a little pathetic.
* * *
“Nuh-uh! I don’t wanna! Wahhhhhhh!”
“If you don’t go to the dentist, your toothache won’t get better! Okay, Ma-kun?”
The moment he’d realized they were going to the dentist, Masato had thrown a tantrum. Mamako wasn’t sure what to do, but he didn’t care. He just decided to lie down on the sidewalk, kicking his legs, crying and screaming.
He was only a kid, but seriously, that was maybe a bit too childish.
“So, um, da pwesent I want is…is Mommy!”
“You want Mommy? Then Mommy’s all yours, Ma-kun!”
Masato’s fifth birthday party. His present was Mommy. Mamako gave him a big hug, and Masato kissed her on the cheek. He loved Mommy!
Asking for Mommy as a present was quite something! So innocent! Kids!
These scenes were shared with everyone.
“STOPPPPPP!! Please, no moooooooore!! Don’t show people something this embarrassiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!! …Augh, it’s too much… Sob…”
Masato immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream, but everyone ignored him.
Their family memories caused a change.
The bewitched children snapped back to their senses and went running to their real mothers. “Mommy!” “Geez! You scared me!” Their mothers held them close, scolding them but weeping tears of joy and relief. So beautiful.
Porta was back to normal, too.
“Um… Why are you hugging me, Ms. Shiraaase?”
“Good question… Do you mind if we stay like this a little longer?”
“Okay! Go ahead!”
Even those who weren’t mother and child felt the need to fill the hole left in their hearts. Shiraaase had Porta sitting on her knees, arms tight around her.
The white hands filling the hall were vanishing one by one, washed away by the warm wave. Wise and Medhi breathed sighs of relief.
“Whew… Looks like that’s that.”
“It seems so. We shall have to discuss these memories with Masato in great detail later… But first, I need a rest.”
“You seriously have the best personality.”
The girls had endured two big fights in a row: the Four Heavenly Kings and whatever this was. Drained of MP and energy, they slumped to the ground, back-to-back, letting the fatigue wash over them.
When they glanced up, they noticed the skies had cleared, the oppressive clouds giving way to sunbeams.
Filled with a sudden urge to do laundry, Mamako let out a sigh.
“…Now, then.”
She tucked the MCH handbook—now back in its original condition—between her breasts and turned to Hahako.
No longer a mass of writhing white, Hahako was in human form once more. The flood of pale hands was gone, as were the cracks on her skin.
Her face was buried in her hands. She was crying.
“Being the strongest doesn’t make you a mother… Giving birth, raising them, making memories—these things make you a mother… B-but I have none of those… I was never a mother at all…”
“That’s right. You weren’t a mother. But…”
Mamako gave Hahako a warm embrace.
“You will be a wonderful mother. I mean, you want to be a mother so badly! I’m sure you’ll be one someday.”
“I…I will. Someday…I definitely will…”
“Yes! Become a mother! Let’s mom together! Hee-hee!”
Hahako nodded several times in response to this encouragement.
A beautiful smile on her tearstained face, Hahako’s body slowly faded away. She was gone.
Seeing this, Shiraaase switched her mic back on.
“And that’s the match! The winner of the World Matriarchal Arts Tournament is Mamako Oosuki!”
“Huh? Winner? …Oh, that’s right! This was the finals! My head got so full of Ma-kun, I totally forgot! I’m such a ditzy mommy! Hee-hee!”
Mamako may have only just remembered…
…but the crowd was cheering her victory, their applause mingled with laughter.
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