Chapter 79: A precious thing

Out of nowhere, a blue machine came flying in. Its cylindrical body sprouted arms and legs, giving it a distinctly humanoid shape.

"A robot…?"

What the hell is this thing? Was there ever a machine like this in the original story?

Utaha? No, the shape’s wrong. Avant-garde? Too small. I don’t remember anything like this. Something uncertain—something I can’t place.

…Well, whatever it is.

"Who the hell are you!?"

Irregularities get destroyed. I can’t afford to let even one unstable element slip past.

"Shield—deploy!!"

"You think that’ll stop me!?"

I swung my fist straight through the projected shield, shattering it and sending the thing flying. But then—

"Whoever you are, thanks for the assist."

"!?"

Mika’s face was suddenly closer—no, she had closed the distance. The air shook with a deafening blast.

"I just copied your move."

"Damn it—!"

A leg came slicing through the air. I couldn’t react in time—her kick slammed deep into my gut.

"Guah—!"

Even so, Mika should’ve been at her limit by now. She must have gathered what little Mystic energy she had left into that leg—just to stand up and stop me.

"Too soft!"

"Kh…!"

This time, I aimed the shotgun at her leg and fired. She didn’t even scream. Before the pain could register, before her leg could give out, she forced herself forward again.

"Raaahhh!!!"

I drove a punch into her abdomen—keeping my fist buried deep instead of letting her fly back.

"Gh… kah…!! Cough, cough! Ugh…!"

"…"

Blood spilled from Mika’s mouth, dripping down my arm. A clear sign of internal damage—probably to her organs. Judging from the accumulated hits, her body had already reached its breaking point.

"Did you even think for a second… that a tiny opening like that would let you beat me?"

"Heh… haha… what, I thought you were finally being honest with me, but you’re done already…?"

"…"

Even as her lungs struggled for air, Mika laughed—a soft, broken laugh, like she already knew how this fight would end. I tried to pull my arm free—

"…!? It’s stuck!?"

"I can’t beat you anymore, Suou-chan… but I can still stop you…"

No matter how hard I pulled, my arm wouldn’t budge. She was already far past her limits. Her right arm’s bones were shattered, her left hand had a bullet hole clean through—and yet, with those ruined hands, she was holding me in place with everything she had.

"Well done, Misono Mika…!!"

"! You again…!"

The same blue robot from earlier—sparks crackled across its frame as it walked toward us.

"I rushed the transmission, but it looks like I made it just in time."

"…!"

"I’d knock you both out right now if I could, but…"

The moment the machine touched me, a numbing current ran through my body—and through Mika’s as well. But the shock wasn’t strong enough to cause any real harm.

"…In this body, I’m afraid that’s the best I can manage."

It withdrew its hand, keeping a cautious distance.

"…Who are you?"

"Ah, careful with your questions… I’ve got a hostage, you know?"

"Hostage…?"

"Suou…"

"!!?"

That voice—Saori. No mistake. Even through the relay, I couldn’t possibly mishear it.

"Heh… and what about it? Didn’t you watch the broadcast? I’ve just been using the Arius Branch all along."

"Oh really? Then what about this?"

"—Ghh!"

A gunshot rang out—followed by pained groans. Saori’s voice… and others from her squad.

"You bastard…!!"

"You sound worried. Don’t move, and nothing happens."

"…Tch!"

Damn it. The worst possible turn. I’d already accepted turning the entire Kivotos against me—but this? This was a whole new level of bad. No—wait. Something’s off.

How would they even know Saori and the others are my weak spot? Watching the broadcast alone wouldn’t make that connection.

So… they’d have to know quite a bit about the Arius situation to pull this bluff. Let’s test that.

"Drop the act. Someone like you couldn’t capture Saori and the others… could you, former Arius member?"

"…!"

"I’m guessing Saori and her squad are just cooperating with you. Hmph. I don’t remember teaching anyone to use tricks like this…"

"Well, you got me. It was a bit of a stretch anyway, so I’ll admit it."

The robot raised its metal palm upward with a mechanical hum, shrugging as if to say, you got me. Quite the expressive machine.

"…Suou… what are you doing?"

"Come on, you saw the broadcast, didn’t you? I used you all—"

"Enough!!!"

"…!"

Saori’s furious shout drowned out my words. That tone—completely emotional. Saori never raises her voice unless she’s truly angry.

"You think that cheap act will fool anyone now!? Don’t say things like that—not even as a lie…!!"

"…"

It wasn’t just anger in her voice. There was grief—something heavy and real behind it. The way she spoke, trembling but firm, left me speechless.

"This shady thing told us your plan…! Don’t you dare! You—how long have you been thinking like this!? How long have you been planning something this insane!?"

"…"

"Hey, Suou. You told us once, remember? Even if it seems pointless, don’t give up—because it might mean something someday. So why are you the first one to give up on living? Don’t throw away your own words like that!"

…That’s not it. It’s not about giving up or not giving up. It’s way past that. This is what I have to do. There’s no other way. I have to be the one to do this.

"Y-Yeah…! I don’t want you to disappear either, Suou-san…!"

"Suou… I don’t know what happened to you, but I get it. Honestly, I might’ve made the same choice—if it meant saving everyone alone. But Suou… you’d be the first to tell me that’s wrong, wouldn’t you?"

"Ah… ngh…"

…Yeah. If it were someone else doing what I’m about to do, I’d stop them too. But what does that have to do with me right now?

"…Suou… I don’t have much to say. I’m acting selfish too. But please… don’t die."

"See? Told you… they all need you, Suou-chan."

"And what of it? That’s got nothing to do with me."

"Then why… do you look so sad…?"

"…!!"

Enough. I’ve had enough. There’s nothing left to say—and I don’t plan on saying more. I’ve already prepared everything I needed to tell them. No loose ends left.

"…Sensei. You’re there, aren’t you?"

"…!!"

"You’re a little late, but no matter. I’m done wasting time."

"Suou… what are you planning to do?"

Without answering, I pulled the pin from a grenade with my teeth and pressed it against Mika’s body—then blasted her away with all the Mystic power I could muster.

"Guuh…!!"

"I should’ve done this from the start. Talking was never necessary. I knew Sensei was here all along—there was never a need for words."

Whether I truly believed that or was just lying to myself, even I couldn’t tell anymore. Still, I sent a signal to Maestro.

"They might not like this, but allow me to make an introduction."

Behind me, a radiant explosion of holy light burst forth—like sunlight breaking through leaves. The ground quaked and cracked beneath it.

"Sorry to cut this short, but this is where the game ends. Let these final words be your parting gift for the afterlife."

Gradually, the light began to take shape—a human form coalescing within it.

"Mystic and terror—both are merely fragments of what the Sublime represents. Yet not even Gematria could master the Sublime… only imitate its fear. Just like this."

Sensing danger, Mika lunged to attack—but I summoned the Saints who’d been guarding Sensei, using them as living shields to block her strike.

"But this one… belongs to neither. It is not Mystic, nor terror, nor Sublime. Something beyond all of them—an incarnated Doctrine. One that acts, lives, and proves its own existence."

The human form solidified, cloaked in a red veil that hid its face—or perhaps there was never a face to begin with.

"Allow me to introduce it. The incarnated Doctrine—an angel born of creation itself. Hieronymus."

With hands folded in prayer and a glowing halo above its head, the divine being radiated overwhelming presence. I turned my gaze toward the blue machine’s camera.

"That’s what the Maestro said. He wanted you to see this, Sensei. What a troublesome guy, huh…"

Before Hieronymus could even start moving toward the path leading deeper into the catacombs, I pulled back the Saints who’d been dealing with Mika and made a run for it.

"…This thing’s beyond my control. I didn’t create it, after all. If we’re talking in game terms—yeah, it’s basically a cheat. Even Mika over there wouldn’t stand a chance against it."

At the very end, I flashed my brightest smile—first at Mika, then at Sensei.

"Take good care of your precious princess, alright? Se-n-sei?"

"“Suou!!”"

The ceiling came crashing down. Maybe it had already reached its limit during my battle with Mika, but now it completely gave way—collapsing and cutting Mika and me off from each other entirely.

"…"

Everyone’s voices echoed in my chest, swirling together.

"…Sorry."

It wasn’t directed at anyone. It didn’t even carry real meaning. But somehow, an apology slipped out—toward something I couldn’t name.

Even with that strange feeling gnawing at me, I pressed forward. Down that dark, dark road. The road leading to Arius Branch School… to Beatrice.

"Tch…! Couldn’t stop it…!"

Staring at the tablet screen, Mayumi stomped her foot against the ground in frustration.
The blue machine she’d sent to track Kirika Suou had transmitted a clear image—an unmistakable defeat.

Losing Mika here would be a huge blow. And more than that, Suou herself was weakened. They could capture her now—that was the plan. But the result had been failure.

"But at least we bought some time!"

"Bought time? The catacombs collapsed!! What good is time now!? …Ah, damn it…! Sorry, I’m just venting."

"It’s fine… The catacombs aren’t the only entrance to Arius Branch School. As long as we know where Suou is, we can still catch up."

"…Huh!? Seriously!?"

Misaki’s eyes went wide, then lit up again with renewed determination.

"Then let’s save Mika and head out right now! The drone tracking Suou’s position still has a signal!!"

"When did you—"

"I made it follow from behind so she wouldn’t notice. Her guard should still be down…!"

It had been a bluff, slipped naturally into their earlier conversation. Even if Suou was a monster, she was a wounded one—she wouldn’t have the composure to notice. Acting on that reasoning, Misaki had secretly sent a small drone equipped with a transmitter to follow her.

"First, we need to repair that robot… and as for you, Misono Mika! Please, hold on until we get there—just survive that monster somehow!!"

"…Ah, um—can you hear me from your side?"

"Mika?"

There was something off in Mika’s tone—different from usual. Sensei noticed immediately and called out to her, but she didn’t respond.

"…Is Azusa-chan there with you?"

"No… she’s not. She’s working separately right now."

At that moment, Azusa had her hood pulled low and a gas mask covering her face to conceal her identity from Sensei.
In truth, he had already figured her out, but she—and even Saori—still believed they hadn’t been discovered.

"I see… Then tell her something for me. What I’m about to say—it’s for all of you, too."

"Wait. What are you planning to do?"

The video feed was too unstable to make out clearly, but the sound of metal echoed through the speaker—Mika reloading her gun. Heavy. Mechanical. Final.

"…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for things to turn out this way. I never wanted it to go like this… It’s just… Suou-chan looked so lost, so hurt… I thought, if I didn’t save her—"

"You don’t need to apologize. We understand the situation now. We’re already heading to the catacombs. Just hold out a little longer."

"Yeah… about that… There’s another way in, right?"

Suddenly, a deep rumble thundered through the speakers—a violent blast, followed by the sound of something collapsing.

"…I’ll hold them off here. You all need to go after Suou-chan. Now—before it’s too late."

"Wha—!?"

Her voice was faint. So fragile it could’ve been swept away by the wind.

"Mika, no—you can’t!"

The first to react was Sensei.

"…Sensei. Remember what I told you? I said, ‘Choose Suou-chan.’ Even if the one on the other side of that scale is me—it’s the same. Choose Suou-chan. Save her."

"…!"

"You know, I’m actually kind of awful as a person. Honestly, I even thought about giving Seia-chan a taste of her own medicine once… and I still really hate Gehenna. But Suou-chan stopped me from doing that… and she still accepted me, even like this."

Each word came slowly, gently—like she was savoring memories dear to her. About Suou… and about herself. Bit by bit, Mika began to speak.

"She’s so much kinder than me. Stronger, too. But also… more fragile. So please, Sensei. Everyone. You have to save her. I’ll be fine—I’m tougher than I look, you know?"

"No!! We’re not abandoning anyone!!"

"Just go!! Hurry!!"

From Mayumi’s tablet, a sharp crack rang out—something shattering.
Before anyone could process what it was, Mika’s hand crushed the blue machine she’d been holding.
The next instant, she hurled it far, far away.

"Ah—! That idiot…! Are you seriously from the Tea Party!? You’re way too much of a musclehead!!"

Mayumi glared at the now-black screen, venting every ounce of frustration she had left.

"What do we do…!?"

Panic followed immediately.
If they went to save Mika now, they’d never make it in time. But leaving her was unthinkable. The thing she was facing was almost certainly a weapon designed to destroy a Halo—a forbidden device created through unnatural means, impossible for them to replicate or even understand.
There was no way they could just leave her to deal with it alone.

"What if we send the other Arius students—?"

"No good. They won’t make it. They’re still near Trinity territory, on standby with the Supplementary Lessons Department."

"…"

Cornered. Even thinking felt like a waste of precious seconds.

"Then we’ll have to split up. One team buys time until the others can join—"

"Wait."

Sensei’s voice cut through the chaos.

"…Leave this to me. I’m going now."

In his hand, he held a single black card.

"Ah… so this is the end, huh."

Blood poured from her body as Misono Mika pulled the trigger—but all that answered was the hollow click of an empty cartridge.

Before her stood a single massive red monstrosity, still frozen in its posture of prayer.

"…There’s no way."

The moment she realized that, her strength left her. Maybe she had lost too much blood. A vague thought flickered through her fading consciousness.

The Squad and Sensei probably hadn’t even realized what was happening. They might not have understood that she could die here. Before anyone could comprehend the threat this monster posed, communications had already been cut.

"If… I go outside… this is going to be really bad…"

Summoning the last of her strength, she gripped a nearby rock. Channeling every remaining trace of her mystery, she forced her broken body to move. Trembling, she rose to her feet.

"I won’t… let you go outside… and I won’t let Suou-chan die…"

With a stomp, the ground shattered. She converted the momentum and force into throwing power, hurling the rock down the path that led from the Old Cathedral to the catacombs.

The passage collapsed under a cascade of rubble. The underground chamber remained intact but suffocated beneath the debris.

"I… I wanted to… play with Suou-chan, even just once… Have tea… eat cake…"

Muttering with a distant gaze, she collapsed onto the hard floor. Not even a finger would move anymore.

"…I wonder if I could’ve… been a little… like her…"

Light approached. Death drew near, her body breaking apart. Swallowing her fear and dread, she slowly closed her eyes.

"Danger!!"

It wasn’t heat or impact she felt—but a gentle embrace.

"…Sen…sei?"

"…"

She blinked up at his calm face, realizing what had happened. Sensei had come to save her—not Suou, not anyone else, but her.

"Why…!"

Relief twisted into self-loathing, spilling out as anger.

"It’s not… me… it should’ve been… her…!"

"Mika. You’re mistaken in two ways."

Holding a black card in his palm, Sensei ignored the red giant and looked straight at her as he spoke.

"I have no right to choose anyone."

The red giant—Hieronymus—launched a furious assault, but its strikes were blocked by thin, translucent blue barriers.

"I am not a special person. I have no right to judge anyone… I cannot erase all suffering. I cannot eliminate every sin."

"…! Then…!"

She wanted to cry out—Then at least choose someone! Choose the right one!

"I am a teacher to my students. I cannot choose. All I can do is stand beside them—support them—so they don’t make the wrong choices… the ones they’ll regret."

"…"

Then, Sensei turned his back to her. Facing Hieronymus, he held the black card—the Adult Card—between his index and middle fingers.

"But… no matter what kind of student it is, even if they’re as ‘bad’ as Mika says she is… no teacher would ever abandon a student for that."

"…!"

"I can only walk alongside my students, making the best choices together with them."

He raised the black card. Light spilled out, reflecting off him—radiant, almost divine.

"What I can do alone is very little. That’s why I rely on everyone else, too."

Thinking of the Squad and Mayumi—sent to Suou—he guided the light to its peak.

"Mika. Thank you. Thank you for fighting all this way. Thank you for trying to stop Suou. We’ll handle her somehow… so leave the rest to us."

"……yeah…!"

"…"

Turning, Sensei nodded at Mika’s reply, his eyes lingering on her battered, burned body. The wounds were clearly inflicted by Hieronymus.

"My…"

He faced the monster. His emotion was unmistakable—rage.

"What are you… doing to my precious student!!"

"Eh… eeh…!?"

The words were almost absurd, yet the fury behind them was real.

"Hahaha… wow."

The light from the card erupted, striking the Saint who had served as Hieronymus’ vessel.