Road to Paradise (5) - 48

Sensei was being transported by Sena to the nearest and safest medical facility, the Remedial Knights.

And Sensei...

"Nice to meet you, Sensei. I'm Yurizono Seia... I've finally met you."

Was meeting Seia in a dream while hovering between life and death.

With Sensei's absence, the upper echelons of Trinity and Gehenna, despite Arius's attack, were on the verge of war, suspecting each other.

But...

"No."

"Mika-sama? But Gehenna......"

"It's not Gehenna. You're all so stupid, you don't even know that?"

"St-Stupid..."

"Or are you traitors who haven't studied history~? Don't you even recognize that Arius emblem? If Gehenna did it, why would the airship crash, and why would the Prefect Team suffer damage? It's because it's not Gehenna. Since Nagisa-chan is down, I'm the host now. So, do as I say."

"But......"

BANG!!!!

"What did you just say?"

"Eek...! N-Nothing, Mika-sama!"

At least Trinity had Mika remaining as a central figure. Mika knew that Arius was behind this. Mika didn't expect Arius to be so bold as to attack on the day of the Eden Treaty, let alone use cruise missiles. Moreover, Arius overwhelmed them with the sheer number of the Brotherhood, making up for the difference in military strength.

Mika thought it would be difficult even if she went out, because of the number of the Brotherhood. Moreover, even Tsurugi, who was called a strategic weapon, had fallen due to the bombing of cruise missiles and continuous battles. All the executives of the Justice Task Force had fallen, and the same went for the Sisterhood.

The only ones who could move were the Remedial Knights.

"Haa...... What should I do?

Mika was a member of the Tea Party and the representative of a faction, so she had outstanding abilities, but compared to Nagisa and Seia, she was rather average. She wasn't a genius like Hanako, nor did she have the charisma to lead everyone like Sakurako.

Therefore, she was agonizing over what to do in a situation where even Sensei was absent.

"Mika-sama! We have a call from Millennium!"

"From Millennium? Why... Just give it to me."

Then came a sudden call from Millennium. Mika took the phone from the executive, and a familiar voice was heard.

{It's been a while, Misono Mika.}

"Rio, it's been a while. But what's the matter? I'm busy right now~☆"

{Sensei.}

"......"

{Sensei asked me for a favor. To help if something happened at the Eden Treaty. Also, I can't reach him right now. So, I contacted you.}

"That's..."

{This is not a suggestion, but a notice. I haven't fully analyzed what exactly happened at the Eden Treaty... but it's the work of a third force, not a war between Trinity and Gehenna. Right?}

"...That's right."

{There's not much Millennium can do... but I'll send you a special forces unit.}

"That special forces unit..."

{C&C. There's no refusal. I won't count this as a separate debt either.}

"Hee... That's unexpected. I wonder what the penny-pincher who says ketchup is a vegetable is thinking?"

{...I owe Sensei, in a way. That's all. I'll handle Gehenna, so just take care of Trinity. War is not the answer. That's what they want.}

"I know that too, you know? But... thanks for the help."

{I have a lot to do now, so I'll hang up.}

Support from Millennium. That was a great help to Mika right now. A safeguard that Sensei had considered just in case. Millennium, which was neutral among the three major schools.

There was a belief that Rio could mediate and solve any problem. Trinity still had Mika as a central figure, but Gehenna currently had no central figure other than Ako of the Prefect Team. Even Ako was thinking of an all-out war with Trinity because of Hina's matter, so it was like a bomb that could explode at any moment.

And Rio from the neutral Millennium decided to intervene and mediate. At least thanks to Sensei's precautions, the imminent situation could be delayed.

The major terrorist incident that occurred on the day of the Eden Treaty, the General Student Council, which was still unable to grasp the situation, couldn't intervene......

"Yes, this is the end of a fruitless journey. This Arius incident will leave a big scar on everyone."

"......Did you see what happened after that?"

"...No. The ending after this is obvious."

"I see. Seia is the type who doesn't watch the ending and post-credits of a movie, huh? That's not good."

"Yes?"

"Once you start, you have to finish. Quitting halfway is not good manners. Who decided that the end of this story was a bad ending? You haven't even confirmed it yet, right? And... the power to see the future may be limited, but the power to change the future... everyone has it equally."

"What do you mean......"

"You were just wandering in a dream, afraid that even the ending would be despair."

"......"

"It seems it's about time. I'll be going first, Seia."

Sensei gets up from the dream chair. Time had passed, and it was now dawn, past the dark night that had begun in the afternoon...

"Sensei, unlike me, your body is not fully healed. In that state, where are you going? Even if you wake up, this outcome will not change. This is my prediction, the truth of this world that has existed since before the seven koans."

"What you believe to be true always changes. Because that's not the real truth. The person you thought was the culprit was innocent, and the Earth was thought to be flat but turned out to be round... those were all lies that were once considered truths. I don't care about the proof of paradise or the seven koans, Seia."

"Why... Shouldn't that be the task that everyone must solve?"

"I just, believe."

"...No, Sensei. Belief alone cannot change anything. Beliefs, and prayers are powerless! What is the basis for saying that belief can change the world......!"

Beyond the dream world, the sunlight shining on Sensei came in... and his appearance changed. Seia's eyes widen as she sees Sensei turning around.

"If you firmly believe that a swimsuit is underwear, then it's underwear."

".........The President of the General Student Council. No, un-under...? No, what is that? I've never heard of such a thing...... Huh?"

"Well, I'm off."

Sensei opens his eyes.

"Ah......"

"...It's still dawn. Are you, from the Remedial Knights?"

"Ah, yes! I'm Sumi Serina!"

"You're awake, Sensei. The treatment is all done. All that's left is to rest...... but you don't intend to do that."

"I'm sorry, so... Sena-san."

"No, if that's your choice."

Sensei gets out of bed. Then, he activates the Shittim Chest.

{Sensei! You're safe──Eh!?}

"Arona, can you send a message?"

{Wow... This feels really weird...... Yes. Where should I send it?}

"────────"

Arona is surprised at Sensei's words and quickly sends messages to those he mentioned.

After receiving Sensei's message, they start gathering in Trinity one by one. And Sensei went to find a student who wasn't answering his calls.

"You're...... Sensei, right."

"Hina. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Sensei went to find Hina, who had given up and let go of everything due to Sensei's injury. Sensei had a sincere conversation with her.

And... the Old Cathedral in the rain.

"Even if it's useless...... I can't stop struggling......"

"It's useless, Azusa. Are you still having such delusions? It's not too late. If you come back now, the Madame will forgive you."

Azusa was fighting Saori in a desperate struggle. To stop her friends who were like family.

However, Azusa was no match for Saori. Saori tried to persuade Azusa as much as possible and decided to knock her unconscious and take her with her. And... the light of the holy grenade's stops Saori.

"......Koharu. Hifumi, Hanako too..."

"I see... You've been tainted by them, Azusa. Just give up."

The Make-Up Work Club students come to help Azusa, and Saori, recalling Azusa (Sensei) who had come to her in the past, tries to take down Azusa, who no longer looked the same.

Ignoring Hifumi, who was wearing a bread bag and calling herself Faust while encouraging Azusa, Saori gradually approached them.

Due to shooting Misaki (Sensei), she was still not in good condition, so she approached to knock Azusa unconscious with her own hands...

Thud!!!

Then, she was suddenly kicked by a masked girl who came flying in. Saori was thrown back and crashed into the ruins of the cathedral.

"Wait, Hoshino-senpai! How can you just run off like that!"

"Uhe~ Sorry, sorry, I was angry~"

The Abydos Foreclosure Task Force of the Swimsuit Masked Gang appeared. Saori glared at the ridiculously masked Hoshino, but felt a strong pain in her ribs from the kick and realized that Hoshino was no pushover.

"Don't be ridiculous... It's not funny! No matter how much you struggle, you can't escape! Everything is meaningless and in vain!!! You couldn't even prevent Sensei's death, what can you do!"

"Murder, hatred... Don't force those things on Azusa-chan and everyone. I don't like that!"

At Hifumi's shout, Saori's body stiffened for some reason. Suddenly, the flow of the wind changed. The Kronos students who were still near the scene immediately filmed the scene and broadcast it live.

"I don't want Azusa-chan to become a murderer. Such... such a depressing and unpleasant story, a story with a bitter aftertaste, even if it's right, even if it's the truth of this world, it's not my cup of tea!! I like ordinary things!"

"Hifumi..."

"I may be ordinary and have no personality, but I have no intention of yielding my taste to anyone! Overcoming hardships through friendship, not having your efforts belittled, and even if it's childish, a story where everyone ends up smiling! And a story where everyone ends up happy in the end! I like that kind of ordinary story (happy ending)!! No one can force us! We decide the story we will create!! So, we will start now!"

The wind blew. The dark clouds that filled the rainy sky receded, and the brilliant sunlight shone through.

"Our story! The story of our school and youth (Blue Archive)!!"

Saori, Misaki, Hiyori, and Atsuko were bewildered by the changed weather with Hifumi's declaration, and Atsuko felt the signing of a new covenant.

Next to Hifumi, she revealed herself.

"The General Student Council President...?"

The scene was broadcast live throughout Kivotos. The person who appeared at the scene was Sensei in the form of the General Student Council President. Rin and the rest of the General Student Council were also watching.

"I hereby declare."

"What..."

Saori couldn't help but be surprised at that appearance.

"We are the true Eden Treaty Organization (ETO)!"

The authority of the General Student Council President, the first proponent of the Eden Treaty... Sensei declares in the form of the General Student Council President, with the authority of the General Student Council President. In the battlefield full of despair, light descended. Throughout Kivotos, the appearance and declaration of the General Student Council President spread.

The Brotherhood began to gradually lose power with Sensei's declaration, and Saori tried to deny and refute Sensei's declaration... but she had to stop when she saw the troops coming from afar.

"This is FOX 1. Following Sensei's orders, all students of SRT Special Academy have gathered."

The strongest unit in Kivotos. All the students of the SRT Special Academy arrived here.

Compared to Arius, their numbers were smaller, but the difference in combat power would obviously be overwhelming on the SRT side. Also, at the mention of Sensei, Saori hesitated for a moment, and at that moment, she felt a strong killing intent.

"Did you try to win? Or did you think you could run away? After doing this?"

Hoshino throws off her mask, wearing her old bulletproof vest. Slowly approaches Saori while tying her hair.

And the students approaching the Arius Squad. The specials that Sensei called arrived.

"No, you can't go."

Takanashi Hoshino.

Including her, the students surround them.

"It's a shame things turned out this way~ Saori."

"Kihik!"

"Misono... Mika?"

Misono Mika, Kenzaki Tsurugi.

"You've done well... Now, I won't let you do as you please anymore."

Sorasaki Hina.

"Rio sent me, and it was a pain... but things are getting interesting, aren't they? Right?"

Mikamo Neru.

"My darling called me... You're the one who hurt my darling."

Kosaka Wakamo.

They surround the Squad.

"If you messed with Sensei, you have to take responsibility."

At Hoshino's murderous gaze, Saori gulped and thought.

This is...... death.