Vol 5 Chapter 2 (2/2)

As Ouka , the tension of the people wearing Santa outfits and animal costume reached its peak

Target was co in their direction

Their job was to put a transet With traffic like that, it was possible that the civilians uide them to their hideout with a transmitter

According to the information from the Student Council President, other platoons seemed to have followed the Dealer before, but they were lost in the middle and was unable to find the hideout's location

It was unknohether a Magical Heritage was used, but it ement

If it cah the approach they used was retro, it was the best method to use to find out the hideout's location

——— Operation Start ———

Costu balloons to the children

Since there was a large shop nearby, three children ere passing by with perfect ti have ran up to him

”Waaa! Anteaterbear costu facee!”

”Everyonee, there's an anteaterbear here!”

”Waaii! Kick hi!”

Even as he was being kicked, Takeru was fooling around exaggeratedly and got in the way of the traffic The place had suddenly gotten noisy, and the passer-bys started staring at Takeru The target too, has faced towards him

Although it seeood distraction, the Silk Hat alone wasn't distracted by Takeru It would be hard to put a transmitter unnoticed like this

Hence, they switched to plan B

”Usagi-chan, gooo”

”M-me??”

”You're the one from whom men take them, come on, hurry”

With a smile Mari handed the tissues to passer-bys and soi

With no choice, Usagi was pushed in front of the Dealer

”u-umm”

”Huh?”

Usagi approached the target

the Dealer looked away froi

”E-eh, e're c-currently in the middle of a campa”

”Hyuu!”

After being glared at by the Dealer, Usagi was frozen stiff

Although she had overcoetting tense when experiencing this kind of thing

It was a wrong choice to have her try

However, Usagi had a different weapon

《”——Now! Offer it to him!”》

Ikaruga's voice rang out in Usagi's ears

Usagi closed her eyes, and stretched both of her hands holding a tissue to the Dealer

Inevitably, Usagi's chest was sandwiched between her arms

It was an attack no man could avoid

the Dealer saw it, Usagi's pointlessly large boobs

”This please take it!'

With a ht red face, Usagi held out the tissue to him

——With this, he fell!

Everyone thought so, however

the Dealer let out a ”hi's side

《”Suginami! It didn't work!”》

《”such a thing, it can't be”》

Both Ouka and Ikaruga were horrified At this rate the Dealer would leave just like that

It seemed like there was no way out at the a cried out in the communicator

《”Wait Nikaido! A follow-up please!”》

”Eeeeh, even though Usagi-chan couldn't make it, I still have to try?”

《”It's fine, if o well!”》

Ikaruga desperately persuaded her, and Mari reluctantly obeyed her

Desperate, she focused and moved in front of the Dealer

With a keen, fake smile she held out a tissue to him

”It's BU〜 We're currently holding a can If you'd like, here〜♪”

With a natural behaviour like that made it see part-time jobs, Mari attacked

Just like Usagi did before, she exposed her chest unnaturally (it's not being taken)

Deep inside, Mari thought it wouldn't be received, however

”sure, I'll take it”

And somehow, he took it

”Thank you very muuch〜♪ (why?)”

《”I see——so the target is in the flat faction after all! And to extreme even!”》

”, i-it's BU〜♪ (I'm not happy about that at allllll!!)”

Even though she felt uncomfortable, Mari still smiled and handed tissues to other people

The strategy was successful A transmitter was embedded in the pocket tissue and would lead them to the hideout

Oukaand started to track the Dealer

When the Dealera tissue fro his shoulder

”——!”

Ouka's face turned anxious The Silk Hat whispered so into the Dealer's ear the Dealer took out the pocket tissue he was given by Mari and passed it to him

”Not good!”

She started to run, she sprinted through and avoided the crowd

The Silk Hat's orously looked back

In his hand——appeared a subun he had concealed

”Nikaido Mari!! Kusanagi!”

As Ouka shouted, the first toan anii, to protect them he spread his arms

Mari too has iround

Ier

A continuous gunfire

”———, 《”Aurora Field”》!”

Late by a ic

As to enclose both the passer-bys and Takeru, a space was distorted with colours of rainbow The bullets that were released froun slowed down the moment they reached the rainbow space as if they entered water

Both the Takeru's and the others' movement has visibly slowed as if it was in slow motion

Between the rainbow space and the normal space an obvious time difference was born

Mari released the ic in an instant and exhaled

At the sae in the flow and fell down

”Takeru, are you okay?!”

Before she even asked, Takeru showed her thumbs-up

”You did well, both of you!”

Ouka caught up entering the scene and aiun's hed eerily

Did he set so up?!

She found out as it in an instant, under Takeru's feet she saw the bullets that fell to the ground

A wooden bullets?

But that wooden bullet has expanded in no time, a hued into that of a bulb

Ouka had a rough idea as it

”!!! ——Everyone block your earsss!!”

She immediately yelled and covered her ears with both hands

That h the bulb, and with an expression as if it was speechless it has raised a spine-chilling intense scream

《Mad RootMandragora》

It screaonyreceive a significantthey would becoanism could possibly kill

The Silk Hat used the wooden bullet's ic

Although alone it's not much of a threat, a number of them was often used

With this number, the passers-bys would be dead in a minute

The Silk Hat pushed the Dealer's back and escaped into a black alley

As cries of agony resounded throughout the h to hurt her throat

”We'll handle these things! Kusanagi, chase them!”

After Ouka shouted, Kusanagi stripped off his costume

”——'aight!!”

After giving a lively answer, Takeru followed the threehis ears

After running into the dark alley behind the scene, rushed through a disgustingly dark space even though it was daytime

Weird, it's too dark

He determined that it was clearly abnormal, drawn the sword from his waist and started to walk carefully

This abnormal darkness, he must have stepped into the Silk Hat has constructed

”Everyone, can you hear me?”

《”————”》

Even as he tried to talk into the intercom, it only produced intense sounds, he couldn't tell what's what from that

Apparently, this barrier had a capability of neutralizing the infor devices

Realizing that he stepped into the enemy's territory, Takeru readied himself for battle

He sharpened his nerves and walked carefully through the back alley He only heard the sound of droplets going down from the pipe that extended from the wall and the sound of his own footsteps In this space that was isolated from the world, all other sounds have been erased

Falling to the illusion of circling in the saotten even more nervous

He activated the Magic-Sweeping SwordSouh vision, he tried to discern ene his auditory sense

Takeru heard a sound much different from that of a normal human and felt faint floind

Eventually, he was able to pick up certain sound

This is gunfire and screams?

Albeit faint, he heard screa for help

Although he didn't knoas the current situation, Takeru went to the sound's source at brisk pace

? This wall

The sound has been interrupted in the ht beside the wall he felt so amiss

When he tried to cut it with his sword, and saw the space was distorting as the passage has opened

And when he continued to move further

”hat areyou!”

A genuinely terrified voice of a man could be heard

”A witch?! Are you like me no you're different what is this what are youu?!”

A sloshi+ng sound followed that

And then, a steady sound as if so The voice, was probably that of the Silk Hat's

Has he encountered soot scared?

With a possibility of a new threat, Takeru's heart started racing

”Stop! Don't come! Hiii don't come!”

A frightened voice And at the sa

”M- of this world! I won't acknowledge so like you exists! If I do then I I will aa God, please——”

——And the voice has fell completely silent

The silence continued, the last of the screams have completely vanished,

step

Once again, soan to move Takeru exhaled deeply and poised his sword

That's not good This one's dangerous Takeru's intuition has sounded alarm bells in her head

step step, step step, so

Takeru's tension reached its peak, and the

It showed up, the threat's shadow

Fros, it appeared in front of him and he saw it

”Oniichan?”

He was at loss for words

The threat he has been feeling

The opponent he was about to fight, was his beloved little sister

”Kiseki?”

Unable to handle this situation, Takeru stood there while holding his sith a dumbfounded expression

Why was Kiseki in this place Why was heface-to-face with her in a place like this

And as he directing his sword at her

It was as just like

Just like five years ago——

”I'lad I chased after the sound of my heart but was able to properly meet”

Kiseki laughed without any strength and took a step with her lis

Takeru stepped back on reflex

After seeing her brother's reaction, she powerlessly reached out to hihed sadly

”I'm sorry Onii-chan”

”Ngh!

”Kiseki did it again”

She shed a red tear froered

Takeru shoot out and ran up to her

”Kiseki!! Kiseki!”

He caught his little sister's body and called out to her

Kiseki was stark naked and she wasn't wearing the Gleipnir she always had attached to her head

She looked completely released from under control

In Takeru's arenuinely relaxed smile

”Youwhy!”

”Wantedto meetyou”

”!”

”alwayswantedto be likethis”

Happy, Kiseki placed her hand on Takeru's cheek and like that, she lost consciousness

The back alley was empty

No bodies Not a single piece of le hair

Only the torn apart silk hat was lying on the ground

It was obvious what happened the Dealer and his subordinate, as well as the sorcerer in the Silk Hat – 『The Magician of Hamelin』 everyone was erased by Kiseki

He clenched his teeth in chagrin and wrapped Kiseki's body with his jacket

”——Kusanagi”

Suddenly hearing a voice, Takeru looked up with eyes wide open

”that girlwho is she?”

Ouka showed a stunned expression

Froun to the side and asked

——What to do

He wondered how did Ouka see this situation

Kiseki's specified danger level is SS, moreover she has escaped from the prison It wouldn't be unreasonable for her to shot her dead on spot

But honestly, that wasn't a probleh it was a fact that he didn't want his little sister killed, but the fact was that a un was unable to kill Kiseki

On the contrary

His coer for the coly, Takeru has picked up the sword

Unknowingly to himself, Takeru has——poised his sword in Ouka's direction

”Kusanagi”

Ouka put on a confused expression

”Takeru? Are you safe? Is everything all right? What happened to the ician?”

”Shh, don't make so much noise What if there still are enemies here?”

”Ootori, what are you doing Kusanagi is there right? Hurry up and proceed”

Behind Ouka, all the platoon

Everyone orried about him

Because he knew that, the tip of Takeru's sas shaking and rattling noisily

The reason Takeru held his sword, was not only because he didn't want his little sister to be killed

It was to protect his co hurt by Kiseki

Don't come Please don't come any closer You can't come

Takeru's face was distorted by fear Ouka was completely unable to understand in what kind of situation Takeru was in

However,

”you guys”

Quietly, he carefully spoke

”Wait there Absolutely do not come over here”

Ouka said so to her co in the ain

”Listen Absolutely do not move Stay where you are”

”W-what is it? What's going on?”

”You want to take all the credit for interception for yourself?! Or are you trying to steal Kusanagi?!”

””

”I beg you Please”

She spoke with a cal only the seriousness of the situation, her comrades fell silent

Ouka didn't pay attention to her coan to walk up to him slowly

While strongly e Kiseki with one ar himself with his knee

From the look in his eyes, it was obvious that it wasn't the usual Takeru

The sword's tip was unlike like that of a swords helplessly

”Don't come you can'tcome”

With a freezing cold voice, Takeru tried to stop Ouka

However, Ouka hadn't stopped She approached hiht in front of him

As the tense situation continued, while being careful as not to stirasped the sith her hand

If he were to lose hier

Ouka knelt down, and put the blade she has grasped right next to her neck

”I don't understand what kind of situation is this in the least”

”!!”

”And what is that girl I don't know either”

Ouka spoke as if trying to calm him down

”But I as”

””

”First, that you are suffering now”

Takeru's shoulder twitched strongly

”And the second”

She put strength into the hand that was grasping the blade

Ouka's blood has flowed down the blade and reached Takeru's hands

”That I am not your enemy”

Gently, she s faintly stopped

”You have saved me before This time, I want to save you”

”!”

Her voice was gentle and strong, finally, Takeru took his hand off the sword

With a high-pitched sound the sword fell down to the ground

After confir that he released the sword, Ouka placed a hand and rubbed his shoulders

”What did I do”

”It's okay Don't irl is?”

Ouka glanced at Kiseki's face

Takeru chewed his lower lip and resolved himself

”she is i Kiseki”

””

”She has SS-class danger designation surely she must have escaped from the deepest prison”

””

”in order to meet me”

His words wouldn't settle down and he said the them out

Takeru was afraid, he was afraid of what kind of reaction will Ouka show

Surely, Ouka would act as an Inquisitor and wouldn't be able to ignore the danger designation Takeru too, were he to be calement

He understood that was the best course of action

”I see Just as you said Kusanagi, she's a cute girl”

”eh?”

”But you don't reses of different sex?”

Hearing these unexpected words, Takeru looked up

As he looked, he saw Ouka playing with the hair on Kiseki's cheek, she stroked it and smiled

With a wry smile, she looked at Takeru

”I told you I won't do anything bad right? Leave it to me”

Ouka stood up and turned her back to Takeru

”Take this girl and come with me”

”what do you intend?”

”Believe in me”

As he was told to, Takeru held Kiseki and followed Ouka

Ouka went right at a T shaped alley intersection of the alley and joined the platoon members Takeru too, has followed her

”Co all this while——and hey, who's that girl!”

”N-naked woman?! Why naked?!”

””

All three showed a different reaction, and everyone's line of sight was concentrated on Kiseki

Takeru tried to make some kind of facial expression, but all he could muster was a weak, wry smile

”mylittle sister”

Just by conveying the truth to her being his little sister, everyone fell silent

Usagi and Mari reacted with 'Eeeeeh?!' in surprise but seeing Takeru's reaction, they didn't voice it

Ikaruga just stared at Takeru anxiously and without saying anything

Ouka looked at everyone one by one and closed her eyes

”First, follohat I a I want you to do”

”fuee?”

”Is the barrier in this alley still up?”

After being questioned, Mari returned to herself and replied in a hurry

”Eh, ah yeah It's probably e Because there's al out, the Inquisition probably won't find it it's crafted skilfully”

”Then go and explore to find the Dealer's hideout It should be in this area”

”W-why? Wasn't it all solved? Also, I'm not in the mood for that”

”It's fine, please We will take this girl and hide there for a while”

Including Takeru, all members were stunned

Ouka put a hand on her hip and made a difficult expression

”Explanations later Move! Our job isn't over yet!”

Like an instructor, Ouka has pushed the back of allafter

Takeru eratitude and walked beside Ouka

Ouka looked down at Kiseki as nestled to Takeru beside her and murmured

”Kusanagi, is that girl dangerous?”

”yeah Probably, she is erous than you think she is”

”the possibility for our comrades to be harmed?”

After being questioned with a serious look, Takeru closed his eyes strongly and gave a clear answer

”It's all right As long as I', I won't let her And if by any chance so happens, I'll show you that I can stop her”

After being told that, Ouka placed a hand on Takeru's shoulder

”If you're saying so, then it's not 'stop her' but 'protect her' An older brother should protect his little sister”

Not saying anything else other than that, Ouka started walking ahead of him

Takeru once again turned towards Kiseki and stared at her sleeping expression

It was the first ti face like that The pain and the joy have come equally, and he,

”thank you”

In a small voice, said his thanks to Ouka