After transferring data to around thirty kids nearby, uplifted by Miyazaki-san's praise, I finally managed to catch the train home.
Tired. I should drop my stuff off at home and head straight to work.
But at least Miyuki-chan returned safely.
Now that I know Miyazaki-san, today feels lucky.
Even though I lost in Monster Battle, spending 17,800 yen, today is a happy day.
Absolutely a happy day~
A little later, as I got off the train, I hurriedly started running, pressed for time.
The station was crowded because it was rush hour for office workers.
So busy~ Amidst the people streaming into the station, on my way down the stairs...
I bumped into a middle-aged man head-on.
You know those moments when, if you try to move to the right, they do the same, and if you try the left, they block you again...
Just then, as the signal for the train's arrival chimed, the man roughly pushed me and sprinted up the stairs. But due to his push, the shopping bag with my figurines slipped from my hand, tumbled down the stairs, and coincidentally, a lady coming down stepped on the bag.
"Oops!!"
Even hearing it made me involuntarily let out a scream at the ominous sound.
"Ah... sorry. It suddenly dropped underfoot..."
"Oh... no, it's fine."
I wanted to check the contents immediately, but time was pressing.
Hoping nothing happened to Miyuki-chan, I grabbed the bag and dashed out of the station, panting.
As I neared home, a voice called out from behind.
"Uchimura-san!"
"Huh? Yoda, what's up? I'm a bit busy right now..."
The one calling me was Yoda Junichi.
He's got a somewhat unusual 'last name,' reminiscent of the Force Master 'Yoda' from Star Wars, but it's one of the few 'unique' names in Japan.
This Yoda was a kid from the neighboring 3-story apartment where I live.
"Where've you been? I've been waiting for you all day!"
"Me? Why?"
"My mom allowed me to get a TamaGo from the monsters. Finally, it's my turn to show off your skills in getting five consecutive Final Frontier Tamagos!"
"You want it now?"
"Yeah! That's why I've been waiting for you here after school!"
"But I'm a bit busy with work..."
"What? So when are you going to get it for me?"
"Well... can it be tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? You're telling me to wait until then?"
Yoda seemed on the verge of tears at my words.
Just putting in some coins could get it, why does he insist on me doing it?
By chance, while turning the lever for the neighborhood kids, I kept getting normal Tamagos consecutively. But they were amazed at me, calling me the 'Hand of God.'
What a hassle just turning a lever!
Suddenly, Miyazaki-san's voice echoed in my head.
- Uchimura-san is quite kind. -
Feeling oddly uplifted, I nodded at Yoda's stubborn expression and said, "Okay. Okay. But don't blame me if it's a regular one."
"Yay! Exciting!"
In response to my answer, Yoda followed me, smiling as if to say, "When were you not?"
"Hurry. I'm really busy today. I'll just turn the lever and go."
Luckily, at the nearby stationery store where they handled TamaGo monsters, it took less than a minute to put in the money and turn the lever.
Still, to get Yoda the Tamago he wanted, I put two 1,000 yen bills in after praying a bit with the money on my forehead.
With a weird sound and a green light on the lever, I turned it vigorously after swallowing my dry saliva.
"Come out!! The TamaGo of the Final Frontier!!"
Clatter-clatter~
Finally, a white capsule rolled out from the dispensing slot.
Originally, I was going to turn the lever and leave, but I was curious about the result. Handing the capsule to Yoda, I said, "Go ahead, open it."
With eyes full of anticipation, Yoda twisted the capsule and, after a while, looked disappointed.
"Why...? It didn't come out?"
Yoda weakly shook his head and showed me his own TamaGo figurine.
"It's okay, Yoda. I went to the TamaGo shop in Akihabara today. Even with a regular monster... huh?"
"What's special? Why'd you stop?"
"Well... I met an amazing player there. Can I have that TamaGo for a bit?"
"Why?"
"It's a bit strange..."
As far as I know, there's no 'black-colored' TamaGo figurine.
But the one Yoda handed me was black like an onsen egg.
Could it be a new version of the TamaGo figurine?
Receiving the TamaGo figurine from Yoda, I examined it left and right.
"There's nothing particularly odd... huh!?"
At that moment, with my fingertip, I felt something engraved in braille.
As the surroundings grew darker, I brought the TamaGo figurine closer and examined the braille. I almost dropped Yoda's TamaGo figurine.
"This is... the Dragon Emblem's inscription?"
No, how can something from Pentagon Soft have the Dragon Emblem's inscription?
"What's wrong? Hyung?"
"Yoda, you wanted a TamaGo from the Final Frontier, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"How about swapping? My TamaGo has the 'Bahamut' data of a recovery seed..."
Suspiciously eyeing me for a moment, Yoda quickly snatched the black TamaGo from my hand.
"I don't want it~ Pfft!"
Yoda, acting like a childish brat, stuck out his tongue and dashed back home.
"Darn it... That's why I dislike kids who catch on too quickly..."
The next day.
After finishing my part-time job at the late-night rice bowl restaurant and dragging my tired body home, I collapsed onto my bed.
"I'm exhausted."
The rice bowl restaurant where I work is open 24 hours, and I'm in charge of the late-night shift from 8 PM to 4 AM.
The dish called Gyudon, a beef bowl, is priced at 210 yen per serving. It's a cheap meal that's enough to satisfy one's hunger.
The area around where I work has many adult entertainment establishments, so even in the early morning, customers kept coming, making me extremely tired.
"A TamaGo from Dragon Emblem? Could such a thing really exist?"
Throughout my part-time job, I couldn't help but be bothered by Yoda's TamaGo.
What monster data could be inside that thing?
Maybe it evolves into "Saint Katrina" or reveals "Pyro Sorcerer Mirea." Or perhaps "Hero Croel," who wielded the holy sword in Dragon Emblem, could come out.
I was tired, but strangely, my mind was racing.
"Let's start by repainting it. What do I need for that? Acetone! Yes, acetone. I need a large quantity of acetone."
Hurriedly putting on some clothes, I used the remaining money to purchase acetone from a nearby cosmetics store and began meticulously wiping off the paint from Yoda's TamaGo.
"Hold on a bit. Even if I have to borrow the power of the gods, I'll make your one-of-a-kind appearance a reality."
After the decision was made, I put it into action.
Although my body was exhausted, my mind was strangely active.
"First, let's repaint it. What do I need for that? Acetone! Yes, acetone. I need a large quantity of acetone."
After preparing, I started wiping off the paint from Yoda's TamaGo.
"Hold on a bit. Even if I have to borrow the power of the gods, I'll make your one-of-a-kind appearance a reality."
I continued my work on the figure restoration, dedicating my time to it outside of my part-time job. From a young age, I've heard stories that I have a talent for drawing.
Did everyone not like the illustrations of heroines that I drew?
And on one day, a few days later...
Finally, after removing all the paint from Yoda's TamaGo, I put on thin rubber gloves on both hands and prepared various colors of enamel paint.
"I've completed all preparations. Let's get started."
Taking a deep breath as I was about to start the work, the doorbell rang.
"Uchimura, are you in there?"
Is it Yoda?
With a wry smile, I took off the rubber gloves neatly and opened the door. Yoda, with a very disgruntled expression, was looking at me.
"Uchimura, is it so difficult to raise a TamaGo figure?"
"Why are you suddenly here, saying something like a pudgy idiot?"
"Other guys are raising theirs just fine. Why did mine die before even evolving?"
"What are you saying...?"
"Uchimura, remember when I asked to exchange TamaGo figures last time? Could we still do it now?"
"Huh? Uh, sure, it's fine."
"Really? Then, does it still have Bahamut inside?"
Since I hadn't raised a new TamaGo since then, the data should still be alive.
Nodding slightly, I handed the black TamaGo figure to Yoda.
"Let's exchange. Yours and mine."
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