Track 4

Cut it out!

!

Tch… Wh-What do you want?

Are you the emperor’s friend or something?

Excuse me? You think I’m friends with some loser Panda? Yeah, fat chance.

Huh?

And why’d you suddenly butt in like that? What? Are you trying to make me owe you or something?

Can you seriously stop with that attitude? I just stepped in because things were about to get physical and—

Wow, look at you being a hero. Try not to get too full of yourself, okay.

You’re the one with the ego problem here. I did what any decent person would do and somehow that’s an issue?

O-Oi! We’re not done he—

Stay out of it!!

Sorry, our bad.

Hm? The D-COUNTER on my glasses is reacting to sudden D-ABILITY fluctuations in the area…!

Oh!? That’s…!

Is that Asu High’s certified handsome boy, Nanamegi-kun, trading D-RUSHES on equal grounds with our very own D-BATTLE emperor, Kurama-kun?

This passionate exchange must be shown on the big stage…!

And what’s more, the appearance of two current ward mayors will definitely make headlines! This will be a worthy bat—

As if battling him would be worth anything!!!

Oooh! So you overheard me thinking. Then this will be quick. How about it, you two?

You can get a quantitative analysis of your dispute from D-BATTLING and objectively settle your score once and for all!

……

…Fine. Let’s do this.

Just what I was gonna say.

Great, then we’ll proceed with the booking procedures for the main stage immediately. At D-Club, we use challenge letters instead of application forms, so if you could just fill out this template for me.

A challenge letter? How do I even—

Ughhh, oh my god, you’re actually so—! Give it to me!

“To a wimpy and hypocritical loser panda”—

Hey! Did you seriously have to insult me in the letter too!?

It’s not like I made anything up.

Wow, you’re a real piece of work.

Alright, kids! Let’s get into teams!

I’m definitely taking you down!!

Ooh~ looks like you’re all raring to go!

…So in, three days… You’ll be battling, against Kurama…?

Yeah…

Whaaaat, that’s dope!! I wish I could’ve been there in person!!

Now that I’ve calmed down, I’m starting to think that might’ve been a dumb move…

Though honestly, I kinda want to wipe that smug look off of his face.

But he's… a tough, opponent…

Yeah, and I don't really have any experience…

Mwehehe.

What’s up?

Nanaki, my man, the movies say it all. It’s time for every main character’s canon event—

—The training arc!

Alright folks, our D-Training of the day will be the 1000 D-Drills!

*yawns* What, is this… about…?

Good yawn and an excellent question, Kinugawa-kun.

The point of this activity is to toughen up your mind so that you’ll be unaffected no matter what insult comes your way.

I appreciate you guys going out of your way to help me and all, but is this actually gonna work…?

I mean, it's better than doing nothing. So let’s get to it!

Nanaki, you idiot! Stupid! Dumb dumb rotten egg!

Ohh… Starting off with the classics, huh.

Aight, next! Your turn, Kiroku!

Me!? Uh… Ummm…

Y-You… pea-brained… dummy…?

…Mm, I’m not feeling any damage so far.

How can this be! You orange pumpkin! Shriveled lettuce!

Then… You hollow, beansprout… Empty, bell pepper…!

Take this!! Room-temperature croquette!!

Oh, wait, that’s not an insult. The croquettes Yukikaze-san made last time tasted amazing even after they cooled down!

I, agree…

Somehow, our training became a food wordplay instead.

Next are some D-Tongue Twisters! Kinari-san agreed to help us out!

Thanks for doing this, Azekawa-san.

IDM. I got a hot minute before breakfast, on god.

Let us begin. Exercise 1: Repeat after me, please.

Sleazy, sleepy sleeptalkers should stop sloppily sleeptalking in their sleepy-sleep before someone snatches their slippery tongues.

Sleazy, sleepy sleeptalkers should stop sloppily sleeptalking before someone snatches their slippery tongues!

A perfect execution. Moving on to exercise 2.

Persistently prattling, perpetually pestering chatterboxes provoke peacefully poised people past polite perseverance.

Pershistantly pra—

Arghhhhhh!! I bit my tongue!!

Blegh… Th-That’s really, hard…

Shall I interest you in some “Perpetually Spinning Step-Bit Tongue Balm”!

Uwah, Yowa-san!?

With just a smidge, you too can achieve immaculate articulation! It’s freshly made, certification free, and right outta the lab, so there miiight be a chance you pull your tongue… but it should be fine.

Heeeere Kisuke, Kisuke, Kisuke~ Stick out your tooooongue~!

Huh… Wha…

Skrrrnnnnnkkkk ow ow owie yow.

And there we have it, folks! Ryui-san’s silent camel clutch…!

Wherever Kotaro goes, Boss follows!

Mm. Kamina-san’s bento is as exquisite as always.

Especially the pumpkin croquette. It has been a menu staple ever since the order mishap…

…

Uu-chan, what is on your mind?

Huh… oh. Nothing really.

(Muu-chan’s one of the top brass of the student council… the organization that’s apparently been cracking down on D-BATTLES.)

(I initially got wrapped up in the whole thing to gather some info for him…)

(But now, I’m Diss Emperor K.)

(And I even went and sent Panda a challenge letter. What’s he gonna think…?)

But yeah… I mean, personally, I wish the pumpkin croquettes had more of a kick to them. They’re kinda sweet.

…I see.

…Alright. The room should be free right now, so I’ll do some D-Practice.

Even with the D-Speaker and all, it’s important to work on vocal projection.

(I’ll imagine Ushio standing right in front of me… then tweak the tongue twister a bit, and…)

You sleazy, sleepy sleeptalker! Stop sloppily sleeptalking!

Someone should snatch your slippery tongue so you can go sleepy-sleep already!

…Nanaki-kun?

!!!