Vol 5 Chapter 1 (1/2)
Chapter 1 - Prelude to Collapse
The Witch-Hunting Festival has ended peacefully Currently, it's the winter season
As for the normal schools, it was the time where they approached the end of the second semester
Because the students were cold in just their uniforainst the cold has increased Colourful leaves were covering the ground and frustrated cleaners were tidying it
The students' ether with the season, they started to show a variety of different responses
Those who belonged to superior platoons; there were many students who have already fulfilled the quota and had lively, carefree expressions
On the contrary, the students who didn't have good enough results couldn't allow themselves to feel carefree
There were threethe vacations
The winter in AntiMagic Acade point for all the students
On such a winter day, in the residential area at dinner time
At this point of time, students and office workers were still on their way home
A girl was running with a fierce h the moderate pedestrian traffic on the road
”YOU WON'T GET AWAAAAYyyyyyyyyyy!!”
As the girl, Saionji Usagi, was sprinting through the road, her hair seeer
Ahead of her, ran aa reine was already warmed-up and it suddenly accelerated
”——That is a point get!”
Usagi knelt on one knee and shot the car's tire with her semi-automatic sniper rifle
Without h the rear tire and the sedan's huge body shook After swaying to the sides unsteadily, it buuardrail
Three i with sub-uns
The civilians in the vicinity started escaping while screa
Despite being shot at by threeone doith a single shot
The re two took a motorbike parked nearby and ii saw that and let out a ”Wha”
”O-Otoriii〜〜〜〜!”
《”I know!”》
As the men slipped away from her, Ouka's voice reached her from the intercom
Iht alley of the crossroads the heavy sound of an engine resounded, then, another motorbike has suddenly accelerated Its driver was Ootori Ouka, it was one of the Inquisition's machines nicknamed 'blue bikes', Ouka followed the tere running away
The tere turning into an alley looked back and screamed
Approaching them from behind with incredible momentum was a woman with sunset-coloured hair
With a loud sound of a siren ringing out, Ouka further approached them
《”Stop those al trade of D-Rank Magical Heritage Second, obstructing the Inquisition's enforcers on duty Third, illegal firear a motorbike without helmets on”》
Through a loudspeaker the uilty of
”You're the one without a fucking helmet!”
Thein the rear turned around to show her his er and shouted
Surprised, Ouka touched her head with one hand
《”it's an eency so it can't be helped”》
”Stop in convenient for yourself!”
《”I' on it I'll pay the fine I don't care as long as it doesn't decrease the amount of points”》
”If you want us to forgive it, then stop chasing us!”
《”This and that are two different things”》
Ouka's motorbike further accelerated
The driver who looked back over the shoulder took out a piece of paper that had a raved on it from his waist pocket
”no helpin' it Gotta use the charm”
”That's so we're supposed to sell! We don't have too many of them!”
”It's all for nothing if we get caught right? We need to lose them here”
The driver said so, and attached the charm to the motorbike's body
Magic power leaked froan to erode the motorbike
The engine's sounds turned clearly abnormal, the front wheel was raised up and therapidly accelerated
”Unlike nitro, on top of acceleration this doesn't put any burden on the engine!”
”Ahhh what a waste we could have sold this expensive char's sponsor”
”Adieu, test platoon! You fail at following through!”
He laughed ly as his motorbike accelerated
The 《DashHighway Fairy》 char improved by modern witches, it was possible to use them on machines now The spell didn't put any burden on the ic power has compensated for the fuel, it was very easy to use Moreover, theto make curve turns which required skill from the driver one could turn around freely
There was no way a normal motorbike could catch up with it
Their acceleration has paid off, and the distance between theradually increased——or it was supposed to
”W-wha?!”
Even though they had used a DashHighway Fairy char up with their speed
《”Who's the one who can't follow through here”》
After saying that along with a sigh, Ouka's motorbike explosively accelerated with its front wheel
In an instant, her motorbike lined up with the culprits'
”Our blue bike underwent devilish re of our mad scientist The insides are coular bike's”
As Ouka indifferently said the truth to the two,Ikaruga's voice sounded in her ears saying ”Could you correct what you just said?”, but she ignored it
”Gi instant charms here?!”
”The basic specs are just different That motorbike of yours which uses a char motorbike”
”Then what's up with that motorbike of yours!”
”No idea don't ask me”
Really not knowing, she looked away
But even though she was looking away, she still aimed her muzzle at the driver
”By the way, if I shoot you in this situation, you will surely die Of course, my bullets are anaesthesia ones, but it won't matter when you fall”
”!!”
”Will you surrender, or be shot which will result in you hitting the guardrail and turning into a slab of meat”
With her inborn ruthless gaze, Ouka gave the two grace time to decide
Theuneasy
”hat do we do”
”Haa, you've no sense of danger at all If we're shot, we die There's noheld responsible either, that's e have to outrun her like this!”
While saying so, the driver took out a new charm from his pocket
”I still have twenty charood your daasoline! With thatwill your fuel last!”
””
”If you want to shoot, then shoot! Unlike you, it was decided that there's no future for us right from the moment ere born! We're always prepared to die!”
As the driver displayed a sympathetic attitude, Ouka stared back at him coldly
Were it the Ouka from before, she would shoot them on the spot without hesitation
However, she was different now
Letting out a sh, she dropped the speed of her motorbike
Taking the chance, the two escaped
Ouka called out to the intercom with a cool expression
”I have led the to plan B Kusanagi, I'll leave it to you”
《”you serious I can't guarantee it'll succeed though?”》
”If I shot the both If you want that, I'll do so”
《”R-roger, roger that! I'll do it!”》
As Ouka heard Takeru's voice, at her own pace, she followed the two that were escaping
”Hehehe, seeave up”
”She has no guts If folks like that can join Inquisition, then we'll h in the future”
Using the DashHighway Fairy char
Like a water strider running through the water, the le
No one could keep up with thehway in this state, they'll definitely get away
The tere sure of that
”Hey! In front!”
The man in the rear seat yelled
Far ahead of thehway's entrance, a lone boy was standing there
”is he insane?”
”That test platoon's coainst a human”
”Won't you avoid him?”
”He's going to come at us anyway!”
The ht, it was perfect for a chicken race
The boy increased the ure at the moment
Takeru opened his legs wide and stretched both of his hands out to the left side
Despite being in front of Takeru as ilance and headed straight for him
Although he felt that it's eerie that Takeru didn' move away, he continued to step on the accelerator
It was the very instant they were about to clash, at that time
Takeru activated Magic-Sweeping SwordSoue
He released his twisted upper body and swung his arrabbed the collars of the two people riding astride on top of the motorbike
Of course, the motorbike left the two held by Takeru behind and continued to move forward
”——Ha!”
Without killing thethe necks of the two, he rotated his body
Naturally, Takeru's body swayed because of the ers' h speed, and he continued to turn round and round
Spinning like a top, he continued to rotate
The rotational speed was gradually lost
”Aaand therewe go”
Although Takeru staggered just a little, he was able to stop the rotation sorabbed with his hand
The caught tere treround not letting even a voice leak out
Takeru let out a breath and spoke into the intercom
”Securing coed somehow”
《”I saw it from here W-as that, just now”》
”Oh, if had I just caught theht? That's why I've been going around in circles to slowly reduce the speed”
《”As usual, you're full of unexpected and exaggerated ideas”》
”I don't want to be told that by sooon with just a pistol”
After he responded to her frankly, Ouka came over on the motorbike at a steady speed down the road ahead
She stopped the ot off, she handcuffed the two men and secured the charms
”Hmm the points will decrease because of the nues, but the nuhly fifty of the win”
”It's thanks to the Student Council President Despite having this anization was small, and we knehat kind of charms they had beforehand”
”There were a lot of preparations Were it our the usual selves, ould just suppressed them forcefully and wouldn't think of what to do if they ran away Certainly, without inforo this smoothly”
We need to thank the President, Ouka said
Takeru touched the intercoa
”It succeeded Cheers for the good work you two”
《”Fuffuun♪, it's thanks to the great trap I laid isn't it〜”》
《”Is that so them escape?”》
《”Wha!!”》
After hearing Ikaruga's words, Usagi cried out
《”Even though you were confident about taking out seven people which was in fact your duty, you missed and had to chase after five of them didn't you?”》
《”T-that ithin the predicted range of error! Also, I've p-properly stopped the car right?! In the end only two of them escaped!”》
《”So, you let theht?”》
《”GRrryaa!”》
Takeru smiled wryly as the two played around
”You did really well, Usagi You too, Sugina”
《”Messing around with motorbikes is my hobby too”》
《”isaround eapons a hobby for you as well?”》
《”Don't be stupid Weapons are , not a hobby”》
《”W-why are you the only one who has not changed at all!”》
《”I' ed haven't you, Usagi”》
《”Ah? Is that so? W-well, even I, in the olden days”》
《”Your boobs have grown even bigger”》
《”I'm not happy about it at all!!”》
As usual, they continued to bicker loudly
The noisy parts like this didn't change, but Takeru felt that everyone had grown Since the incident during the Witch-Hunting Festival, Usagi was no longer overco battles The problems with Tenmyouji Reiree, and finally she started to notice what she was capable of For her, who thought that she's so told that she's needed by so
Ikaruga too, even though she continued to develop andit with a clear purpose in mind Even if just a little bit, she started to rely on the other platoon s that she can't resolve by herself
The e was in Ouka
At first she repelled everyone, lived believing that she shouldn't rely on anyone, and now she was ether with her comrades like this
Before, she shot heinous cri to any explanations The re which she was despised as 《Crimson PrincessCalamity》 have faded away considerably
It could be said that her sharp edges have rounded, and as for herself, it seemed like she allowed herself to relax as well
As for Takeru hiht
Have I grown stronger? Have I grown more mature?
I wonder
He stared at his pal
Even if he's gotten stronger, that would be Lapis' strength His own perforh his self-control and situational judgeht have improved, his skills haven't In the first place, Takeru's swordsmanshi+p skills have reached the limit of how far he can improve them alone Because there was no other swordsman with skill comparable to his, it was difficult for him to improve
Then, how about the rowth for him as a person?
Suddenly, he felt like his palms have blurred
”Kusanagi?”
””
”hey, Kusanagi!”
”Sorry, what is it?”
Seeing his reaction which indicated he didn't listen at all, Ouka made a stern expression
”I-I said I'ry about that”
Although he said so with a fake sry
With the stern expression still on her face, Ouka intently looked into Takeru's face
”Kusanagi, you're tired aren't you?”
”He?”
”You have dark circles under your eyes It's obvious that you're lacking sleep”
He was astounded
Just as Ouka said, Takeru was lacking sleep However, he didn't feel tired anyhow If anything, since hi sleep was a daily occurrence, he was accustomed to it
He wanted to explain that but before he could, Ouka placed her hand on his forehead
”It's not hot, but you shouldn't force yourself Since a lot happened recently, you need to spend some time to rest a bit”
After placing a finger on Takeru's lips, Ouka scolded hihtly
Soesture, he felt like he was being scolded by an older sister
As for Takeru, 'not bad', he thought, and his cheeks were lightly dyed red
He was relatively weak against older people
Though, she wasn't older
”I ain't forcing myself Don't worry”
”But you you've got a part-ti the dayti, then a part-tiht with such a daily life, your body will eventually break down”
”I'll be careful not to have that happen but well, if I rest le to rebuild my life cycle afterwards? On the contrary, I'll end up tired because of that”
”Mgrr” Ouka growled
It seemed like she puffed her cheeks a little bit
Cute, he ended up thinking
Ouka looked up at hiaze
”I have no intention of interfering with your privacy but that's I've heard that your household has a debt Your parents too are no longer there, right?”
She asked, Takeru scratched his cheek
”Well, yeah But it's not a big deal”
”W-what?! It is a big deal! Having to suffer through debt when your parents are no longer there is not a big deal?!”
”As coerous world after all”
”it can't be, but haven't you noticed youryet? Even I think of o that far you know?”
”Unfortunate I never thought of h I'm not blessed, I think I live quite well Look hehe, I'irls it makes me kinda hap——”
”I' seriously here!”
She got angry again
Ouka's attitude was different fro Takeru confused
Noticing the inconsistency as she raised her voice, Ouka averted her line of sight
”No I'ry It's just that I”
She folded her hands in front of her chest and entwined her fingers
”There's been many difficulties recently and even if just for a little, I wanted to tell you that you should rely on me”
”? Rely you say, for what?”
”That's umm, if there's a debt, then let me do a part-time job to help”
So what Ouka wanted to say, is that they should have a fund-raising
While Takeru appreciated the offer, he shook his head rejecting it
”I'm happy to hear that, but could you quit that kind of talk?”
”W-why?”
”Nn it feels wrong to rely on comrades to help with money problems Also, this is a problem I need to deal with myself somehow”
”that's”
”Sorry But thanks”
With a s and stretched A sound of a siren could be heard fro the report, Inquisition would come to recover the criminals
When he looked back at Ouka, it seeain This is where I have to reassure her, he thought
”Well, it's just as you say though, I do need a little rest I'll take a break from tomorrow's platoon activities, I'll take time off the part-time job as well”
”Really?”
”Yeah, I'd feel bad if I worry you any more than that It makes me happy, thank you”
Takeru said as he faced Ouka with a smile on his face
Probably relieved, strength left Ouka and she relaxed her shoulders
”I see not just one day, it would be good to rest two or three days Oh, how about you go visit your little sister?”
”yeah, that ood”
”Is she living away from you?”
”Yeah, she's going to a normal school; a school in the north that has scholarshi+p”