Volume 6 Chapter 8 The Pteranodon on the Birdless Island ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I won!” Tamane declared.
While Tamane stood triumphantly, dripping wet, Suzuri and Ako lay sprawled on the ground beside her, completely spent. The two had been tossed around like laundry in a rough cycle; they were breathing heavily, coughing every now and then.
”It’s not ‘I won’ at all. You seriously went overboard, kid. Were you even listening to a word I said?” Naoshi asked, his voice full of exasperation at the disaster before him.
Tamane gave him a firm thumbs-up. “Better safe than sorry, right? More importantly, Big Bro, what do you think? Check out this girl, literally dripping with charm!”
Naoshi gave a dismissive shrug to the answer that showed no sign of remorse. “You don’t need to go out of your way to get soaked just to brag. If it’s you, you could say that kind of thing whenever you wanted.”
”O-Oh… I guess so?” Tamane replied, caught off guard by the unexpected response. She began to untangle her wet twin-tails with her fingers to squeeze out the water. As she did, the moisture clinging to her body—beyond just her hair—gathered at her fingertips, forming a perfect sphere.
”Wait, isn’t your character a bit different now? You didn’t used to say stuff like that…” Tamane muttered, grumbling to herself while skillfully drying her body. Ignoring her, Naoshi called out to Suzuri and the other girl.
”Are either of you broken anywhere? If you’re in pain, be honest and tell me.”
”…I think I’m mostly okay. Everything aches, but it’s nothing major,” Suzuri replied.
”I am also likely fine,” Ako added.
”Well, that’s a relief. So, any thoughts after fighting her?”
”I learned plenty, but… first of all, why is her nickname ‘Pterosaur’? With this power, she should be a ‘Dragon God’ or a ‘Water God’,” Suzuri complained, shaking her head to flick the water from her hair.
”If she took those names, she’d definitely end up in a feud with the Suwa family,” Naoshi noted.
”Also, the way she taunts people is exactly like Nao-nii, and it’s annoying.”
”I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
”Given her attributes, she is more like a Mosasaurus than a Pteranodon, honestly,” Ako said with a straight face, prompting Tamane to let out a bitter laugh.
”Well, Big Bro was the one who started the Pterosaur thing anyway. I’m actually troubled by how un-cute the nickname is. No complaints, please.”
At Tamane’s words, everyone turned their eyes toward Naoshi, their gazes demanding to know why he would do such a thing.
”Well, you see… I was trying to sound clever in front of Yuki-kun and the others, and it ended up spreading way more than I imagined, ya know?”
Tracing it back, it all started when Tamane’s discovery was reported at a gathering of young Exorcists¹ that happened to span multiple districts. At the time, Naoshi had let slip, “What the heck, that’s just like a Pteranodon on a birdless isle—scary.” Before he knew it, that became the “Pterosaur of the Birdless Isle,” which was eventually shortened to her current alias, “Pterosaur.”
”The reason was way worse than I thought…”
”Yeah, yeah! Even if we limited it to flying things, there are so many other options, right? Why Ptera?”
Haruno spoke sympathetically, and Tamane chimed in. “Exactly. What would have been better, specifically?” Naoshi asked, looking like it was far too late for regrets.
”Well, obviously a Phoenix or something?”
”A Firebird is the complete opposite of your attribute. At least a Ptera might have a chance of catching a fish.”
”Besides, if there were a Phoenix, it wouldn’t be a birdless isle anymore,” Ako noted.
”—Oh, now that you mention it, that’s true!” Tamane tilted her head at Ako’s words. As Ako watched her with a complicated expression, she shivered, and white steam billowed from her body as frozen moisture fell away in tiny flakes.
”Ah, that’s nice.”
”If you aren’t used to it, it can irritate your skin and chill your body. It is better to ask Tamane-san,” Ako said, brushing off the remaining frost as she spoke to the envious Suzuri.
”I don’t mind doing it while I’m at it. I have to tidy up the ground after this anyway,” Tamane offered casually, discarding the water sphere she had created into a side ditch.
”Then please do.”
”Everyone sure is handy.” Naoshi watched with admiration as the women handled their abilities so easily, comparing them to his own skill which, at best, could only brick a smartphone. He reached out a hand to help his stepsister up.
”—So Ako-chan, what’s your analysis?”
”I thought I could push through with the Spirit Power² of two people. It was a miscalculation.”
”Well, I can understand wanting to go for it before it becomes a war of attrition.”
In a mock battle where no one would die, there was value in the challenge. Though she looked as expressionless as ever, Naoshi sensed a slight hint of frustration and patted her shoulder twice.
”But considering the compatibility, a direct push is impossible. To begin with, Ako-chan, you’re better off reacting. Even if you can’t take over the whole thing, you can at least freeze a part of it to avoid a direct hit, right?”
”Yes.”
”Besides, the fact that you’re starting to coordinate with Suzuri-chan is a real harvest. If you’re gonna follow me, keep it up like this.”
”—Yes. I will certainly meet Big Bro’s expectations.”
”Good.”
”By the way, Big Bro,” Tamane interrupted, moving a water droplet she’d collected from Suzuri’s skin between her hands as the two finished their discussion.
”With this result, we can agree that I’m your top disciple, right?”
”As long as you put ‘self-proclaimed’ in front of it, I don’t care what you call yourself.”
”Then I’d just be a cringy kid!” Tamane pouted as Naoshi spoke dismissively.
”It should be fine. There’s even a girl who calls herself your ‘virtual fiancée’.”
”Why did you have to stab me, Nao-nii…!” Suzuri cried out.
”Eh, you’ve got it tough too, Suzuri-san.”
”Your concern hurts…”
”Anyway, you’re far too disobedient for a disciple. You’re expelled! Expelled!”
”Too bad! Since you never admitted me as a disciple, you can’t expel me!” Tamane stuck out her tongue. Naoshi felt a momentary urge to smack her.
”—Seriously though, why did you go this far? I don’t approve of you just showing off your hand like that.”
To his slightly reproachful words, Tamane waved her hands dismissively. “No, there was a reason. It wasn’t just to show off to you. Someone from the Bureau of Onmyo³ mentioned recently that there are signs of water-related trouble coming up.”
”—From the Divination Department⁴? Was that specifically for you?”
”No, it’s apparently everywhere. They said it might apply to every exorcist involved on the twenty-fifth.”
”Hmph.” If it were just about Narita to the east of the barrier, that would be fine—that was exactly why Tamane had been invited. To the south, Isehara was also near the sea, so that made sense too. But if it applied to everyone regardless of geography, that was worrying information.
”So, I thought I’d perform a Misogi⁵ with these two beforehand.”
”So you’re saying it was necessary, so I should just let it wash away?” Naoshi asked. Realizing a bad omen beforehand within a controllable range is a valid countermeasure, even if this time it was a bit too aggressive.
”Oh, as expected of a Naniwa man. You’re quick on the uptake!”
”Zip it, Awa woman. Well, I get the situation and I’ll say thanks, but don’t you dare let your guard down on the day.”
”Got it. As your disciple, I’ll take those words to heart.”
”Stop trying to create a fait accompli. You never miss an opening.”
”Ouch.” When he finally gave her a light tap on the head, Tamane laughed without a hint of guilt while rubbing her head.
”Well, let’s head back—Suzuri-chan?” As Naoshi called out, Suzuri was staring at a puddle left on the ground with a serious expression. “Suzuri-chan, we’re going.”
”Ah, yeah. Roger that,” she said, covering her mouth and mumbling something. It seemed she had found her own harvest. Naoshi smirked secretly at her resilience, which didn’t seem to care about the defeat.
”—By the way, Naoshi-san, what would you do if you were up against Tamane-san?”
At Haruno’s question, Naoshi thought for a moment before giving his conclusion. “It’d be a one-punch finish. Victory goes to the first strike; I’d settle it in one blow.”
As he swung his fist, Tamane spoke with a fed-up expression. “Could you not? It reminds me of the time I had dark urine after getting a gut punch from you.”
”Whoa, whoa, Tama-chan. What kind of thing is a young lady saying?”
”And who was the one who damaged that young lady’s kidney? I still dream about it sometimes, you know?”
”I’ve got about three people whose lives I’ve seriously damaged. I can’t take responsibility for yours, Tama-chan.”
”Ugh…”
”Big Bro… are your delicacy and sexual ethics just gone?”
”They’re gone, they’re gone. That’s why you should look for a different master and a different husband, Tama-chan.”
”I wouldn’t want the latter anyway. Someone like Big Bro is strictly for observation only.”
”How can you say that after talking about delicacy…?”
With the two of them trading barbs in the lead, the group of five left the garrison.
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Summary:
Following a mock battle where Tamane soundly defeated Suzuri and Ako using her water abilities, the group discusses her controversial ‘Pterosaur’ nickname. Tamane reveals her excessive force was actually a ritualistic purification (Misogi) to ward off predicted water-related disasters. Naoshi acknowledges the threat while teasing his stepsister about her lack of feminine delicacy. The chapter concludes with the group departing the training grounds while Naoshi and Tamane exchange their usual sharp-tongued banter.
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Character Insight:
Tamane demonstrates a surprising level of foresight, using a mock battle to ‘pre-realize’ a bad omen for her allies, showing that beneath her playful exterior lies a competent practitioner. Suzuri’s ‘toughness’ is highlighted as she immediately begins analyzing her defeat for future improvement rather than sulking. Naoshi, while acting the part of the cynical jerk, clearly monitors the emotional and physical well-being of his subordinates and stepsister, showing his leadership through ‘tough love’ and constant assessment.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘Birdless Isle’ (Tori naki shima no Pteranodon) is a play on the Japanese proverb ‘In a village without birds, the bat is king,’ implying Tamane is a powerhouse in a place lacking major threats. The banter regarding ‘dark urine’ and ‘kidney damage’ refers to past training incidents that define the rough-and-tumble relationship between the stepsiblings.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Tamane – The strongest and only First-Class exorcist in Shikoku. Known for her ability to handle multiple opponents simultaneously. A 21-year-old First-Class Exorcist and university student. Stands at 147cm with bronze-tanned skin and long black twintails. Wears sports brand tracksuits and carries a Boston bag. Loves beautiful people and weighs ‘three carrots.’
• Suwa – Male. An exorcist from the Suwa branch family. He has a medium build and is skilled in combat, demonstrating both physical strength and supernatural abilities. His relationship with Naoshi is professional, as they observe and discuss the ongoing matches together.
• Haruno – A cheerful, talented exorcist close to Yukinojo, related to Naoshi; confident, proactive, and supportive of her friends. Touma Yukinojo’s cousin. A second-class exorcist and daughter of the Kusurugawa family, one of the influential figures in Kanto.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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