Chapter 82: The Optimal Action

The ancient cathedral was in ruins, barely holding what remained of its original form. Even walking through it would’ve been difficult, yet Sensei ran—gasping for breath with every step.

“Hurry…!”

Panic tightened in his chest. Saori, Misaki, Hiyori, Atsuko, Mayumi… even Azusa—though she probably thought she’d kept it secret. They had all asked him for help. They had entrusted him with one thing: to save Suou, no matter what.

“If I start from here… it shouldn’t be too far…”

Sensei, having come from outside Kivotos, lacked the physical ability of his students. Even something as simple as running was harder for him. But still, he ran—desperately, breathlessly—pressing a hand to his aching side as he forced himself onward.

Maybe it was because he was at his limit that he failed to notice the shadow ahead—and crashed right into it.

“Ugh…!”

“Ah—! I’m sorry, are you—wait, Sensei!?”

The impact knocked him backward. As he rubbed his sore head and looked up, he saw her—battered, exhausted, yet still searching for something. Sorasaki Hina.

“Hina! You’re okay!”

“That’s my line… I’m just… glad…”

Relieved to see him safe, Hina’s legs gave out. She sank weakly to the floor, leaving a faint trail of blood along the path she’d walked.

“Hina…”

She must’ve woken up—and immediately gone searching for him.

“…I’m really glad you’re safe. But please, you need to get out of here. Those black-clad people are gone, but… this place still isn’t safe.”

“…”

Sensei couldn’t help but think—who was she to say that? Of all the people who needed to leave immediately, the one in the most danger was clearly Hina herself.

“I’m fine… at least until I get you to safety… This time, I won’t fail…”

Her steps were unsteady, her eyes unfocused, her face pale. She was in shambles—completely spent. Yet she still stood, lifting the heavy machine gun that didn’t suit her small frame.

“Hina, please… you need to rest. And… I’m sorry. There’s somewhere I have to go.”

“Eh…?”

Somewhere he had to go. In a situation like this. It was just like him, Hina thought hazily. And then, through the fog in her head, she realized what he meant.

“…No.”

“…”

“I can’t… I can’t do it anymore…”

Even though she’d used what little strength she had left to stand, those words crushed that effort instantly. Her body went limp, collapsing back to the ground.

“Please, Sensei… stay with me… No, you don’t have to. Just… go back. Somewhere safe. Otherwise… otherwise I…”

Even with her incredible strength, she couldn’t suppress what overflowed from her heart.

“…I… can’t rest easy.”

“Hina…”

Once it started spilling out, her emotions surged uncontrollably, blurring her vision with tears.

“I can’t anymore… I just can’t keep going… No matter what you do, Sensei… I can’t help you…”

“Hina, it’s okay. You don’t have to push yourself anymore. We’ll handle the rest together.”

“—!”

It wasn’t hard to tell—it was Sensei’s way of being kind. But to Hina, the words felt like a curse. As if saying she could never be like her. That she was useless, unworthy of trust, expectation, or understanding.

“Why…”

“…?”

“Why won’t you blame me!?”

“—!”

She had almost wanted to be scolded—to be relied on again. Being yelled at, even if it hurt, would have been better than this. If only she hadn’t shown this pathetic side of herself… if only she hadn’t wanted him to see it.

Her voice cracked as she forced the words out, swallowing the pain that had nowhere to go.

“I was supposed to be the one… to do it! Even if no one understood, I was supposed to! But instead, I lost… again! I couldn’t even protect you…!”

Sensei had seen it—a small student in a white coat. One glance was enough to tell: there had been no chance of winning. Even if Hina had been in perfect condition, she wouldn’t have stood a chance.

That girl had the power to protect Gehenna, to protect everyone—to protect him. As long as she kept fighting, she could be like her. For Hina, that belief had been her final defense.

“I… I can’t be like Takanashi Hoshino! After everything she’s been through, she still stood tall in Abydos… and I… I broke over something so small!”

“…Hoshino?”

Even knowing that fragile hope could shatter, she clung to it anyway.

“And now I’m just… troubling you again! I can’t do anything but rely on your kindness! I hate it… and yet I can’t stop myself!”

If it had been her usual, composed self, she would’ve buried that shame deep inside. But now, she couldn’t stop.

“H—”

“But I tried! I really tried! I kept pushing forward, doing my best, trying to make it work! But in the end, I just…”

Tiny tears fell to the ground, one after another. Her trembling lips could only release broken sobs.

“Hina…”

“I’m sorry… I know saying this just makes things harder for you… I just wanted you to notice me, to praise me, that’s all…”

“I’m sorry. I said something cruel.”

She curled up, hands over her ears—yet she couldn’t block out his voice. When she heard that unexpected apology, she looked up slightly.

“Why… why are you the one apologizing?”

“It’s okay. I know how hard you’ve been trying, Hina. I’ve always relied on you. I’m sure so many other students feel the same.”

“…Right. That’s why… I was supposed to…”

“Thank you—for always doing your best. But… no. That’s exactly why, for now, I want you to rest.”

“…!”

He hadn’t blamed her. He hadn’t turned his back on her. Just a single “sorry” and “thank you” from him—yet even that was enough to spark a faint ember of strength inside her.

“If you don’t rest up… you won’t have any energy left for going out later, you know.”

“Eh…?”

She didn’t understand what he meant. Before she could ask—

“When are you free? Is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Ah…”

That was when she realized—she’d just blurted out that she wanted his attention.

“I—I didn’t mean that! I mean, earlier I just…”

“How about the beach? Or maybe we should start with shopping—”

Even as she tried to hide her embarrassment, Sensei paid no mind. He spoke as if it were already decided—as if the desperation from before had never existed.

“So don’t worry about pushing yourself too hard anymore, okay?”

“…”

Clumsy, yet somehow skillful. Every word he offered—awkward as it was—was exactly what she’d always longed to hear.

“…Sense—kyaah!?”

Before she could finish, a thunderous roar drowned her voice completely.

“Sorry, I have to go. Looks like my ride just showed up—in style.”

“…Heh. What’s that supposed to mean?”

Her body felt weak, but strangely light—almost peaceful.

“…Sensei. Are you really going to be okay without me?”

“Just this once. Honestly, I’d rather you were coming along, but…”

“It’s fine, I get it. You’ve got your reasons, right? Something that makes it hard for me to be there.”

“…Yeah.”

Atop the massive machine that had landed nearby stood a figure in a white coat, wielding a cold, mechanical-looking gun. They were from the Arius Branch School, most likely. She didn’t know why Sensei was working with Arius, but she didn’t question it—or force herself to follow.

Just those few words. That brief conversation. That simple promise. It was enough to put her completely at ease.

“…Then promise me, okay? You’ll come back safe.”

“Yeah. Leave it to me. I’ll be back.”

“Sensei! I’m here to pick you up! Hurry and get in!”

The voice from the loudspeaker made him jump a little. Her tears had already dried, and for the first time in a while, she could clearly see him again—his back as he turned to go.

“Sensei, can you climb up!?”

“Sorry—might be a little tough…!”

“…”

The sight wasn’t exactly reassuring. But they’d made a promise. It would be fine—she believed that much.

“Get in the cockpit! It’s a tight squeeze, but it can fit two!”

“Wait, doesn’t that mean we’ll be, uh… pressed together?”

“The cockpit, huh…!”

“You sound way too excited about that…”

Hina leaned back against the rubble, feeling the cool stone against her back. Then she remembered—the communicator she’d barely managed to keep intact. Her trembling fingers fumbled to pull it out.

“I need to contact Ako… let her know to start searching for the missing…”

Her shoulders, her back—her whole body—felt just a little lighter. Holding on to that feeling, she watched as the blue machine—a giant robot—rose into the sky and disappeared.

A massive fireball hurtled toward me. My countermeasure—my one trump card—was already thrown: a timed explosive, set to detonate just before impact.

“This… can’t be…!”

Heat flooded through my body as the wall of flame descended. I braced for the shockwave, channeling my power through every limb—

“…?”

But the impact never came. No pain, no roar, no death cry. Beatrice was still alive.

“...!”

I had to kill her. I had to finish it. Driven by an obsessive compulsion, I clawed my way up from the debris. Beatrice had already crawled out of the ground, standing nearby. The crimson halo floating behind her still burned bright.

“….”

I watched as the halo began to shrink—slowly, steadily—until it vanished. Then her body started to crumble.

“…Did I… kill her?”

Maybe I did. The thought sent a thrill through every nerve, though my mind stayed eerily calm.

“That was… too easy.”

I glanced back. The ground and walls around us were shattered from battle. Beyond them, the Justina Council of Saints was still fighting. …Still fighting?

“Haah!!”

“Gah—!!”

It wasn’t over. By the time I realized it, it was too late. Massive arms, slick with blood, slammed shut around me and crushed me between them.

“I’ll crush you where you stand…!”

“Kh…!”

Pressure tore through my body, twisting my insides. My bones screamed, a creaking sound echoing inside my skull.

“Ghhhaaa!!”

I bit down hard on Beatrice’s palm, shaking off the fog closing in on my mind. Instead of bleeding, her outer shell cracked like brittle stone.

“Y-You barbarian…!”

“Haha… thanks, Mika.”

Turns out biting works pretty damn well. Not that it mattered. What mattered was—

“So you’re still alive, huh.”

“….”

“Didn’t hurt you?”

“…I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb.”

Feigning innocence, Beatrice raised a hand to her mouth in mock modesty. I didn’t miss that brief lapse. Instead of leaping, I blasted forward along the ground—my bomb propelling me like a rocket. The countless eyes tracking me couldn’t keep up; her movements lagged, sluggish and delayed.

“Hah!”

“—!?”

I reached the base of her body. I could’ve blown apart her feet—or whatever passed for roots—but I wasn’t after a temporary hit. I only needed one thing: time.

“Pretty big weak spot you’ve got there! You know, in MMA, grabbing hair’s against the rules?!”

“You…!”

Before she could react, I dug my feet into the ground, grabbed her thick, expanded hair—now massive from her transformation—and yanked with everything I had.

“Ghh—!”

Her torso snapped back toward me. My numbed left arm barely held the shotgun, but I managed to pull the trigger. Multiple rounds—each charged with power—slammed into her slender, branchlike frame. They struck deep but didn’t break her.

“Be crushed!!”

“—!”

Abandoning restraint, Beatrice hurled her massive body at me in a blind attack. I caught the joint connecting her chest and lower body—the equivalent of a human spine.

“O-oooooooaaahhh!!”

“…What?”

“Raaaaaaghh!!!”

I roared, heaved her up with my right arm, and flung her sideways with every ounce of strength.

“Phew… nice throw.”

Normally, I’d follow up right away—but instead, I signaled through my comm device. I knew the Justina Council of Saints could detect specific frequencies.

“You… you dare! You dare throw me like that!?”

“Now then… let’s see what’s really going on here.”

Facing Beatrice as she steadied herself, I pieced it together.

Why was she still alive even after the halo vanished? Simple. She’d only temporarily canceled her monstrous transformation. She knew I’d assume she was dead—and used that moment of carelessness against me.

Next question: did the Halo-Destroying Bomb fail to work?

“I’ll burn you alive—slowly!”

“….”

I ducked behind rubble, blocking her flames as I ran through the possibilities.

I didn’t know. I’d seen the explosion myself—the blast radius, the timing—it should’ve hit her. But there was no guarantee it hadn’t been neutralized. With the kind of mad science that created Atsuko’s mask and the Halo-Destroying Bomb, it made sense she’d build in a safeguard. More than that—the fireball she’d launched had vanished just before the detonation. That was her opening to finish me off. Meaning, it was deliberate.

So what now? Should I risk another Halo-Destroying Bomb before she catches on?

“…No!”

I looped a strand of my rope-like hair around her, yanked, and launched myself into the air. Releasing it mid-swing, I hooked another spot and swung again—dodging her attacks in rapid succession. Between movements, I fired short, sharp shotgun bursts, chipping away at her strength bit by bit.

If the Halo-Destroying Bomb doesn’t work on Beatrice… then I’ll just have to find another way to kill her.

"Guh—hah…! You little pest!!"

That was still within my expectations. The method to destroy the Halo. The way to break through Beatrice’s durability and take her life.

No matter how tough, no matter how strong, no matter how fast the recovery—everything living has a weak point. A limit. And ultimately… death.

If you keep inflicting irreversible damage on the body, it’ll eventually break down. Even gunfire alone can do the trick over time—that’s what I was taught. Otherwise, there’s death by illness, starvation, suffocation, blood loss, freezing. The common thread? Continuous damage following a mortal wound.

“Haah!!”

“—So that’s your move, huh…!”

A massive burst of fire engulfed the field, swallowing even Beatrice herself. The flames stretched and ballooned outward. Dodging with bombs would only increase the risk—I was better off taking it head-on.

I scattered the force as much as I could using my hair ropes and braced myself. What I felt wasn’t heat—it was impact.

“So that’s what this is… a knockback attack, huh!”

She wanted distance. Even a brief reprieve to reset her stance—that was her goal. Meaning she was cornered.

“Too bad I don’t feel like playing along!!”

I blasted a bomb in the opposite direction I’d been thrown, closing the gap instantly—

“Ugh—!”

I slammed into something hard. Not as tough as Beatrice’s body, but solid enough.

“A rock!?”

“It’s not the most elegant tactic… but for you, it’ll do.”

She was mimicking Mika’s trick—using her massive frame to recreate a pseudo-attack through sheer weight. A blunt, mass-driven strike.

“I see how it is…”

Mixed with her fireballs, it was a real problem. And when I tried to snag her with my hair ropes again, the rocks intercepted, knocking me back.

“Not bad for someone with half a brain!!”

I pulled out a canister of tear gas from my bag and hurled it straight at her face. One shotgun blast cracked the casing open, scattering the contents.

“Gyaah—!”

“Bet that stings, huh!!?”

“Kh… g-ghah!!”

She clenched her flower-like form tight, trying to suppress the pain—but even then, her empty hands tracked me. How she was seeing me, I had no clue.

…But I learned two things.

The gas I used—CS gas. A synthetic chemical compound. A toxin. The kind that causes inflammation. And just now, she choked on it. Same as earlier—she screamed, she writhed.

Even if her organs aren’t visible, she’s breathing. She can inhale poison. And not all, but some toxins clearly affect her.

“Kh…! This smell—!!”

“Ah, damn, guess you caught on.”

I’d hoped to keep it secret a while longer… oh well.

“Poison gas…!”

“Bingo. Dropped it from above.”

“You’ll poison yourself too…!”

Yeah, maybe. Even with this mask on, gas is gas. After all the fighting we’ve done, the respirator functions are probably shot. No guarantee I’m safe. But—

“I’m used to this poison.”

“Wha— you can’t mean…!”

This poison can be broken down in trace amounts by the human body. I built up tolerance—bit by bit. Increase the digestible dose through repeated exposure. Normally, it’d wreck your organs, but my body’s that of a Kivotos student—it can take it. Mix it into meals, and you can ingest it without noticing.

“Of course, it eats away at you plenty in the process…”

Still, it’s another tool for sustained lethal damage. And besides—

“Lucky me. I’ve got all the weapons and supplies I could ever need.”

“Kh—!”

I caught a supply crate dropped from above, loaded fresh rounds into my shotgun, and took aim again.

Support fire from the airship. Poison gas cover. With both, I could hold the advantage—pressure her until the Justina Council of Saints finished their part, and together, destroy Beatrice’s Halo completely. Once her numbers fell, her death would be inevitable.

This was my second arrow—the backup plan for when the Halo-Destroying Bomb failed. I’d hoped to avoid this method, since it risked Beatrice being retrieved by Golconde before I could finish her off.

But if she thought the first Halo-Destroying Bomb had been my last, that worked in my favor. Seia’s assassination had succeeded publicly, and she’d assume I used up the weapon I’d been given for Nagisa.

“…”

Worst case—she might already know I’ve got two more Halo-Destroying Bombs left. Which meant I had to be careful. Watch. Wait. Strike when there’s no time to defend.

“Alright then… round two starts now!!!”

Don’t rush. Don’t lose focus. Find the move that guarantees her death.