Chapter 9

## Chapter Chronology

**“Pacifier Battle”** (おしゃぶり決闘 (けっとう) , *Oshaburi Kettō*) is the ninth chapter of the *Kill Blue* manga series, written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki.

## Summary

Presently, Juzo finds himself in a rather peculiar situation. His classmates have been poking fun at him for possessing a pen gifted by Noren's father, a symbol of his status as Noren's boyfriend. The twist is that the holder of this pen is obligated to accept challenges from potential suitors, with the final possessor of the pen being deemed Noren's fiancé. This somewhat unusual set of rules had apparently been posted online, much to the amusement of their female classmates. Juzo feels a sense of unease about the whole situation, while Noren is deeply disheartened by her father's decision to turn her into a prize in what she views as a big tournament. Amidst this commotion, Ryo expresses genuine concern for Juzo's well-being and reassures him that he will not falter, no matter the challenges that lie ahead.

The duel between Shin and Juzo, which was initiated by Shin challenging Juzo for Noren's affection, is about to commence. Shin lays out the terms of the duel, which is set to last for an hour. In a rather bizarre twist, Shin's objective is to insert a pacifier into Juzo's mouth within the time limit, and if he succeeds, he will be declared the winner. This bizarre challenge leaves everyone present dumbfounded, with some criticizing Shin's habit of constantly sucking a pacifier.

Before the duel kicks off, Shin takes a moment to once again profess his love for Noren. He shares his desire to find comfort in her lap if he emerges victorious in which Noren obviously rejected. As the hourglass marks the start of the game, Shin immediately begins his relentless pursuit of Juzo, who skillfully dodges each attack while clutching the pacifier. Juzo's evasive maneuvers earn him compliments from their schoolmates. In a strategic move, Juzo decides to flee towards a nearby door, seemingly out of fear, in an attempt to avoid exposing himself. Kotatsu on the other line can't help but acknowledge his clever thinking.

While making his escape, Shin launches another attack, this time using kicks. Astonishingly, Juzo once again manages to evade the assault, with spectators wondering whether it's luck or genuine skill. As Juzo continues to evade, he reflects on how he hasn't encountered such a formidable opponent and finds Shin's challenge involving pacifiers rather insane. Shin interjects with the notion that, after being rejected by Noren, he questioned the difference between himself and Juzo. To his mind, it boiled down to one being a baby and the other not. This statement perplexes Juzo, but Shin tries to convince him that by using a pacifier, they can both experience the soothing feeling of being babies, with Shin considering himself the superior baby. Juzo dismisses this notion and continues to dodge Shin's advances.

Throughout the ordeal, Shin persistently declares his love for Noren, suggesting that Juzo can't compete with his feelings. Juzo agrees, realizing that he's outgrown such sentiments and that he got caught up in this nonsensical challenge due to his stubbornness. As he thinks of his own daughter, Kozue, he then sees Noren as a daughter figure and genuinely cares about her well-being.

With only five minutes remaining in the duel, the crowd continues to cheer for Juzo as he skillfully evades Shin's attacks. However, when they reach the school's exterior, Shin pulls a hidden string, causing a barrage of pacifiers to rain down on Juzo. It becomes clear that this was a trap all along. Juzo manages to escape the pacifier onslaught but inadvertently steps on a rake with a pacifier perched on top. He's left with no choice but to face the impending pacifier that's inching towards his mouth. The tension builds as everyone watches to see if Juzo can block or evade it.

In a surprising turn of events, the rake abruptly stops, leaving everyone, including Shin, in shock. Shin realizes that Juzo had strategically placed chisels from the art room just before stepping on the rake. This clever move secures Juzo's victory in the challenge.

The results of the duel leave Shin defeated and questioning the depth of his love. Juzo, who had been thinking about his own daughter during the duel, comes to the realization that when he looks at Noren, he sees a reflection of Kozue, his daughter, and acknowledges that he has feelings for Noren, albeit of a different nature. He recognizes that what he couldn't do for his own daughter, he may be able to do for others. Noren, observing Shin's devastation at the outcome, is disappointed by the cruelty of making people fight for her affection.

The following day, Chisato introduces Shin as the newest member of the club, as he stands by Noren's side, determined not to give up on her, regardless of the circumstances.

## Quick References

### Chapter Notes

* Juzo possesses a pen given to him by Noren's father, symbolizing his status as Noren's boyfriend. This pen carries significant weight, as it designates the holder as Noren's potential fiancé.
* **Challenge Rules**: Unusual rules surrounding Noren's romantic status have been posted online, leading classmates to tease Juzo. These rules involve accepting challenges from suitors, with the pen holder ultimately becoming Noren's fiancé.
* **Shin's Duel Challenge**: Shin initiates a duel with Juzo, with the unusual condition that Shin must insert a pacifier into Juzo's mouth within an hour to win Noren's affection. The duel involves Shin relentlessly pursuing Juzo to insert a pacifier into his mouth, and Juzo skillfully evading these attempts.
* **Shin's "Baby" Analogy**: Shin suggests that the difference between himself and Juzo is like that between a baby and someone who's not, using pacifiers as a metaphor.
* **Juzo's Change of Perspective**: Juzo begins to see Noren as a daughter figure and genuinely cares about her well-being, realizing that he has feelings for her of a different nature.
* **Trap with Pacifiers**: Shin sets a trap during the duel, releasing a barrage of pacifiers towards Juzo, who narrowly escapes but steps on a rake with a pacifier atop it.
* **Chisel Strategy**: Juzo strategically places chisels from the art room before stepping on the rake, securing his victory in the challenge.

### Characters in Order of Appearance

**Baba**
**Takada**
**Juzo Ogami**
**Ryo Shiraishi**
**Noren Mitsuoka**
**Shin Kohazame**
**Kotatsu Nekota**Other Line
**Chisato Shiraishi**3rd Appearance