Chapter 74: Crossed Feelings

Time rewinds a little. Asiri and the members of the Supplementary Lessons Department were gathered around the tablet, their faces tense with worry.

"Miss Asiri, have you found Sensei…?"

"No… not yet… but…"

On the screen before them spread a landscape painted in blood and fire—just looking at it was enough to make their stomachs churn.

"Sensei… are you safe…?"

Asiri scanned every inch of the footage, refusing to miss even the smallest clue.

"—Wait! Hold on! I just saw someone there!"

"Huh…? Ah, y-you’re right!"

At Koharu’s startled voice, who was peering over her shoulder, Asiri immediately issued a command, steering the device toward that direction.

"A-are you okay!?"

As the camera drew closer, they spotted a student wearing a black wimple. Her skin was unnaturally pale, like it had been dusted with ash. Parts of her uniform had fused with her flesh, leaving her looking like a half-finished doll crudely assembled.

Sensing their approach, the girl slowly turned her gun toward the camera.

"…!! Pee-chan! Dodge!!"

The cry burst out of Asiri before she could even think—more instinct than command. Machinery whirred, and gunfire erupted an instant later.

"…Haa… Pee-chan, smoke!"

At her order, the screen filled with thick white haze. Bullets tore through it for several seconds, but once they gained enough altitude, the gunfire ceased.

"Looks like… we somehow got away."

"U-um…"

Hifumi’s trembling voice drew Asiri’s gaze to where she was pointing.

"…!? What is… that…"

Down below, crawling over the rubble, were more of those same grotesque figures—each one sharing that same twisted, artificial appearance. Among them were students still clad in the white coats of Arius uniforms.

"W-what… are those…?"

"I don’t know… but one thing’s certain."

Hanako’s expression darkened.

"Right now, it’s too dangerous for us to go there. We’d only get in the way."

"…Yeah."

The room fell into uneasy silence as Asiri kept her focus on the controls. She tried reaching Mayumi again, but there was still no response. Was she even safe? What about Sayuri? Knowing her, she’d probably gone and done something reckless again.

And herself—what could she do? Even if she used “that,” would it make any difference against so many of those incomprehensible creatures? They didn’t even understand what they were facing.

"…Anyway, let’s do what we can."

First, understand the situation. Then act. With that resolve, she pushed the machine to move faster.

"…!! Sensei!!"

There—she finally spotted him. Sensei lay collapsed behind a pile of rubble, as if someone had tried to shield him. In his arms, he held the precious “Shittim Chest.”

"It’s dangerous—! We have to help—"

"Please wait! It’s not safe!"

"Eh—…!"

Hanako’s firm tone stopped her. A short distance away, about ten of those eerie “students” stood motionless, lingering like silent ghosts.

"It seems… Sensei is safe for now. He’s unconscious, but I don’t see any major injuries."

"B-but if he’s unconscious… doesn’t that mean someone attacked him?"

"T-then we have to hurry!"

"Calm down. There’s no bleeding, and he’s still breathing. If we lose this communication link by rushing in, that would be worse. Besides, those ‘students’ don’t seem to have any intention of harming him."

Hanako pieced together the information from the footage and calmly analyzed it. Of everyone present, she had the best grasp of the situation.

"For now, let’s record the coordinates and call for help—"

But just then, Asiri’s phone began to vibrate loudly.

"…Sorry, it might be Mayumi."

"Understood. Leave this to us."

Excusing herself, Asiri opened her smartphone and switched to MomoTalk. What Mayumi had sent wasn’t a message—but a URL.

"…?"

Frowning, Asiri tapped the link. It opened to a video site—the Kronos News Club’s official channel.

"Let’s turn up the volume…"

She raised it slightly—

"Hey-hey!! Citizens of Kivotos!!"

"Ugh…!"

A blaring voice nearly split her eardrums.

"Wait… this voice… I’ve heard it before…"

The tone was different, but Hifumi recognized it immediately. She’d heard it not long ago—back in the prison.

"Suou-san…?"

"Nice to meet those who haven’t met me! And to those who have—long time no see! My name is Kirihana Suou!"

With a bright, almost gleeful laugh, she beamed at the camera, brimming with confidence and mischief.

"Oh, you’re wondering, ‘Who the hell is this?’ huh? Then I’ll tell you! I am… the new ruler of Kivotos!"

"…!?"

The shift in Suou’s demeanor sent chills down their spines. But none of them could tear their eyes from the screen.

"It’s been a year since that idiot of a Federal Student Council President disappeared! Things must’ve gotten rough without someone in charge, huh?"

"…"

"So I decided to take over in their place!! To do that, I smashed up Trinity, Gehenna, and even Arius!"

"Arius… too…?"

Confusion. Disbelief. Then anger.

"That bastard…!!"

"I’ve got my forces ready too. Let me introduce them—the Justina Council of Saints! Look! Aren’t they delightful?"

Like a ringmaster presenting her show, Suou gestured grandly to a group of imitation Mimesis modeled after the council, grinning as she slung an arm around one of them.

"I’ve already captured the teacher from Schale. All that’s left is to reach Sanctum Tower, and the game’s over! The entirety of Kivotos will belong to me!"

"…Sensei…!"

The footage they’d seen earlier finally made sense—though they desperately wished it didn’t.

"But still… it’s not enough."

"…?"

Suou’s cheerful expression vanished, replaced by a cold, hollow stare.

"…There’s still time. Try to resist, you little brats. I’m in the underground of the Old Cathedral… the catacombs."

"Why would she go out of her way to say that…? It’s a trap…"

"…That’s possible."

"I’m the type who wants to complete the trophies, you see. So—let’s start the game."

With those words, Suou slipped her mask back on and left the camera behind, likely heading into the underground catacombs.

"What… what should we do… what should we do!! Hifumi-chan!! Everyone!! What should we do!!"

"C-Calm down, Asiri!"

"My sister…!! That person…!! Maybe even the kids from Arius, Sensei too!!! Again… just like back then!!"

Overwhelmed by the memories, Asiri began to panic. It was only natural—this kind of trauma left scars that never truly healed.

"Please, calm down, Asiri."

Hanako’s quiet voice brought her back to herself, if only a little.

"…Um, Asiri-chan, right? You all… you need to do what you must—help Sensei, and the kids from the Arius branch."

On the tablet appeared a refined girl draped in high-quality fabric resembling a dress, her presence radiating grace and authority.

"Ah… you are…!!"

"To put it simply, the star has arrived☆ Leave this side to me."

The one speaking was the princess who commanded Trinity’s strongest forces. Relieved to see her, Hanako exhaled slowly—and began to think. Kirihana Suou’s behavior. Was she truly the mastermind? No. That much was clear. If she were, she wouldn’t have called herself the “older sister.”

"…"

Then why do all this? The answer was simple—an external show. By invoking Trinity, Gehenna, and Arius, Suou was crafting an image of herself as the victim. Taking into account what Mika had said about her, along with the Eden Treaty attack, the conclusion was obvious.

"Everyone, listen carefully… this might be a dangerous situation."

"…Yeah. It really was the right call to get the Mimesis."

In the underground catacombs, the younger sisters had already arranged to escape through a separate back route. The council’s authority had also been temporarily transferred. Mai and Tsumugi may have seen the documents from the signing ceremony, but that wasn’t a problem.

Their window of opportunity was short. Gehenna, then Trinity—they had to act before those forces regrouped or before reinforcements arrived from other districts.

But it couldn’t be too short. At least not until Sensei woke. Without him, Maestro couldn’t be contained. Moreover, the Second and Seventh Squads couldn’t leave the district without the council’s approval, especially since the stronger Mimesis units had been transferred.

"Well… we’ll just have to manage somehow…"

The distributed council was split across the Arius District, the Old Cathedral on the surface, and the airship mentioned earlier… this was the limit. If memory served, control success depended on my own physical stamina. I’d have to be careful.

"…Ah, finally, you’ve arrived."

As I thought that, the sound of footsteps crunching against the rocks echoed through the catacombs. Even Mika couldn’t keep up with my speed, it seems. The extra time was a blessing.

"…Suou-chan."

"Whoa, no need for introductions, okay? I already expected you’d show up. Uh… what was it again? Gorilla-Gorinity Academy’s Saint Gorilla… Gorilla… Gorilla, right?"

"…"

…Might as well tease a little.

"I’ll make it simple so even a dumb kid can understand. This is an exhibition match. Thanks to you, our plan took quite a hit, you know?"

"…"

"But seriously, what an idiot that Kirifuji Nagisa is. Thinking she could restrain me with that little effort… The daydreams in her head must have their own limit."

"…Ahaha."

Mika, who had been silent until now, let out a laugh—unable to hold back her disbelief.

"…What’s so funny?"

"That clumsy act of yours. How long are you going to keep pretending? It doesn’t suit you. You should drop it."

…She noticed?

No, she’s always been like this. Still, I couldn’t just admit it with a simple “oh, yes.”

"Haha, thinking you’re some kind of detective, huh? Who are you to decide what’s in my heart?"

"…No, really, stop. It’s painful to watch. Also… what happened to your usual acting skills?"

…Those eyes. They looked straight through me.

Why didn’t I notice it back then? If only I’d realized earlier—no, stop thinking. It’s pointless. I’ll die soon anyway. Talking won’t change anything.

"…Then I’ll prove it. Perfect timing—you’ve been pissing me off anyway. I’ll destroy the Halo right here and now."

"…I really don’t want to hurt anyone. But if I don’t do this, Suou-chan won’t stop, will she?"

I raised my shotgun. Mika leveled her submachine gun. Both of us prepared our weapons.

"Yeah, I’ll beat you up good☆"

"I’ll make sure you’re completely defeated. No mercy."

In my left hand, I held a bomb. In my right, a shotgun. A strand of hair-rope was wrapped tight around my arm.

There should have been no openings—but with a single move, Mika made me feel as though everything could crumble in an instant.

"…"

"…"

The tension thickened, almost visible in the air, the faint wind between us carrying that pressure.

Ever since coming to this world, ever since gaining this strength—this was the first time in a while I could fight without restraint. A true battle.

This wasn’t a skirmish to buy time, nor a desperate escape. If it were, Mika would have seen through it as an act. There was no room for deception. I had to retrieve the bomb that could destroy the Halo.

A battle between equals—between the few who could truly stand on the same ground. A bead of sweat traced down my cheekbone.

…But Mika was feeling it too.

If we shared the same emotions, then—

"Haah!"

"!!"

Victory would hinge on the first move. Whoever acted first would gain the upper hand.

The key was maintaining control. I couldn’t let Mika dictate the pace; I had to draw her into my rhythm.

In raw strength and firepower, Mika had the clear advantage.

But with the bomb’s acceleration, I could neutralize that edge.

"I know that move—hey!!"

Of course, Mika had anticipated that as well.

"Well, of course!"

Using the cracks and shaking ground caused by her own strike, I leapt into the air, turning it into my counterattack.

Bullets ripped upward. Mika’s machine gun—there was no way a hair-rope could block that. I had to evade.

How to shift direction midair? Use the bomb’s blast? No, too risky. Then—

"…!"

"Gotcha!!!"

I snapped the hair-rope around Mika, yanking her toward me and dragging her into the air.

"Haah!!!"

"Ugh…!!"

A punch crashed against my cheek. But unlike before, my body was in perfect condition. Energy surged through me, and I struck back with a blow packed with everything I had.

"Not done yet, not done!!"

Relentless, I chased her down. Mika’s upper body slammed into the ground. No hesitation—I launched a follow-up strike, but—

"Too slow!!"

"Wha—!?"

Darkness swallowed my vision.

It took me a second to realize—Mika had flipped the ground beneath her.

"Raah!!…She’s gone!?"

I detonated the bomb to blast debris forward, hoping to catch her, but she was nowhere in sight.

"…!!"

Above? Left? Right? Behind? No.

"Underground!?"

I swung both arms, driving the bomb’s explosive acceleration into the floor to shatter it open.

"Close, huh!!"

The ground burst apart as Mika erupted upward, grabbing my legs and spinning me violently before throwing me aside.

"Ugh…!!"

My sense of balance spun out of control. Was that her aim? The world flipped like a revolving battlefield on a screen.

"But—!!"

"What are you—"

I attached a weight to the end of the hair-rope, swung it down, and slammed it into the floor. Using the impact as a pivot, I restored my balance through mystic enhancement.

"You’re the one who’s too slow!!"

"Whoa! You’re not bad at all!"

"!!?"

Chunks of rock hurtled toward me, glowing faintly from the mystic force behind them.

I overcharged the bomb, braided the hair-rope into a sling, and launched it.

"Shattered…!?"

"Take this!!"

Using the bomb, the hair-rope, and my own fists, I hurled the exploding fragments back at Mika—none of them wasted.

"Hmph!!"

She met them head-on. Her reinforced fists smashed the debris to dust.

"But—!!"

That motion created a brief opening.

I seized it, dashed in, and pressed the bomb-bearing hand against her abdomen, lifting her with a palm strike that sent her off balance.

"…!!"

Mika’s body rose slightly. She dug her toes into the ground to stop herself from being flung back—but that was exactly what I wanted.

"Fuh!!"

A counterattack came.

I turned my head, taking her fist to the cheek, and swung back immediately—my own punch colliding with her face in return.

That was enough. What I lacked in power, I could make up for with precision.

"Tch…!!"

"Ugh…!?"

Mika forced herself upright before she could fall. I aimed the shotgun—but before I could fire, she lunged in with full force.

"Ha, ah!!!"

Using the bomb for a reckless counter, I blasted her back.

"Ugh…! Hoo…!"

"…"

We both retreated, glaring across the gap—neither willing to yield. My instincts screamed that the real fight was about to begin.

"O-ohhh!!"

I roared, letting the tension crawling up my spine explode outward, and raised my fists once more to face Mika head-on.

"…Wow. Feels like a monster showdown, huh…"

Inside the ruined Old Cathedral, Mayumi Kashiwau muttered while watching the tablet. Not long ago, she had entrusted the pursuit of Kirihana Suou to that blue robot and taken a cautious walk around the cathedral grounds.

Around her lay wounded students from both Gehenna and Trinity. With no means to rescue them and little time to spare, she could only mark their locations for later recovery.

"Seriously… a battle between monsters. I’d just get in the way."

If she had known it would come to this, maybe she should’ve brought members of the Student Life Support Department. The rescue teams were probably already mobilizing. Some people seemed to be heading toward the markers.

"Asiri should be safe… The Arius students are probably managing their own escape. Sayuri… still in Gehenna, huh…"

She spoke aloud, half to organize her thoughts, half to push away the loneliness creeping in.

"…That ghost… Mimesis, was it? No, ghosts don’t exist. That’s just—some kind of hologram with a physical body. Definitely!"

Her face had gone pale, as if her hair had drained all the color from it. She slipped through the rubble quietly, careful not to draw the attention of whatever “ghost” she was referring to. She wasn’t searching for reinforcements—or for the Mimesis.

"…! There!!"

"!?!"

Finally—after ten long years—she found it.

"…Who are you!? You’re not from Gehenna or Trinity!"

The voice came from a student with long, deep blue hair, its hue leaning toward indigo. She wore a hat to keep it in place.

A long white coat draped over her—larger than the one she’d worn ten years ago. Underneath, her clothes were light, almost too light for this season, and Mayumi couldn’t help but wonder if she wasn’t cold.

"I mean no harm! We’re not your enemies, Arius students!!"

Around her stood four others, all from Arius. Only one face looked familiar, though the uniform differed—it was now the standard Arius design.

"…Please, just listen to me for a moment! This concerns you as well!"

Gathering the fragments—no, the gaps—in Suou’s earlier broadcast, Mayumi raised both hands and approached cautiously.