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Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter3

2012-04-29T16:25:48Z

24.79.204.115:

==3rd Ammo: The Third Quadra==

The three girls from Connect had several simple single-earphone-type incams, and taking them, we established communication, sharing the same frequency.

Afterward, confirming that we had reached our respective positions...first, a message from Shiranui was transmitted through the incam.

"...Tohyama-kun. On Car 7, there are several TV staff of some location aboard and they have cameras. They understand that this is an incident, so it seems that all along, they have been using the train's wireless LAN to broadcast."

"Broadcast...in this situation?"

"Yes, they seem to be happy. They were able to be right at a scoop."

Really...They have no sense of reality.

Despite the fact that everyone might die in a heartbeat.

"...Leave them. Reporting is a freedom."

Scooping up the butterfly knife which I had dropped just now, that was all I said.

Because of the incident with Nii-san, I hate the media, but--in any case, I cannot stop the information leak. I can just pray that this doesn't lead to something bad.

--At the front of the train, next to me,

"Kinji, use your heel hook too."

Saying that, Aria put her white sneakers back on.

To prepare for a case where one has unstable footing, Butei normally carry a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_alloy titanium-alloy] hook around with them.

On the belt buckle or at the bottom of the holster, the concealed metallic components have the ability to fit together and change into several different forms for several different purposes, much like a transformer robot toy.

For the sake of not falling off the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen Shinkansen], Aria had attached those to her shoes, choosing spikes.

"During the bus-jacking, we had used wires attached to the roof as our support, but this time, we'll be in close quarters combat. There's the chance that the wire will be severed."

"--Correct decision."

And, while I too was attaching the spikes to my shoes... 

Having finished her preparations earlier, Aria turned her back this way, going through a series of stretching exercises.

"You know. In Osaka, the thing with you and Reki--"

After a while, as if for the purpose of breaking the awkward silence, Aria interjected.

"I don't really mind. For intruding too much on your private matters, I apologize."

This is...a tone which shows that you really do mind.

Apparently, she's still angry that I was together with Reki throughout the field trip.

"Aria. It probably made you misunderstand, but...at that time, I was under Reki's Sniper Restriction. Reki is silent, so she didn't say much, but it seems that she was trying to protect me."

"Fuun..."

Having said that, Aria turned her head, seeming to be half satisfied, half suspicious.

"--Well, it's fine.　I was waiting around there anyways. Waiting on my own."

"Waiting? For what?"

"It doesn't matter, right? Alright, this conversation is over. Ah, anyways, I'm so unlucky. Even though my birthday is so close, I've been dragged into this incident."

A glance flickering my way, Aria stamped lightly, seeming to be testing out the spikes.

"Really, I'm so unfortunate. It's my birthday next week."

...Why did she say it twice. Birthday, birthday. At least, I'll memorize it.

Thinking about that, I met her eyes, and Aria's expression seemed a little urgent,

"Ah, u-um. Kinji. Where's your hometown?"

She seemed to be deliberately leading the conversation away from that topic.

I don't really understand, but--I'll just go along with her.

"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugamo Sugamo]. My grandparents are living there."

"Sugamo...? Were you planning to go there with this Shinkansen? If so, it's a shame."

Saying that, it seemed that Aria wasn't very familiar with Japanese geography.

"Sugamo is in the city."

"In the city...Then, why do you live in a dormitory? Wouldn't it be fine to commute to school?"

"--Well, there are a lot of reasons."

Fixing my shoes, I faced Aria without explaining in detail.

So, the atmosphere turned to "Ready"--

Aria was patting her cheeks, mustering her fighting spirit, showing a cute movement.

Alright--from now on, it's time to fight. As if telling herself that.

It's just a theory that when a two-man cell hasn't fought together for a long time, they should have some idle chatter in order to synchronize, but we had just finished with that.　We had done it arbitrarily in the conversation just now.

"Let's go."

Immediately reaching out for the stairs, Aria's petite hand was--

-because I was on top, covered by my hand as if being embraced.

"Wh-what, all of a sudden. Hand, handhand."

Apparently weak against surprise attacks, Aria's face turned red in an instant, and I reached out with my little finger, flipping down her skirt.

"Only when going up stairs and ladders, ladies first is an exception."

The reason I was going to climb the ladder before Aria was...also for the sake of making sure that I would not have a hole blasted through me afterward, when Aria would notice the spatial relationship between myself and her skirt, but--

-it was also for the reason that, my mind in Hysteria Mode had had an uneasy prediction.

If this prediction turned out to fit the reality, the first person to exit would be in danger.

Leaving Aria, holding her skirt with both hands, her face having become red, below, I--

-extended my torso out from the rectangular exit leading out to the roof into the outside of the train, which had become completely dark.

"...!"

--''Whoosh''--

While I was doing that, an enormous amount of wind pressure assaulted my back.

The Shinkansen was operating at over 200 km/h--the wind-flow flowing over the roof was far more violent than I had imagined.

The sound of my necktie and bulletproof uniform being buffeted by the wind rang out.

(But, it isn't to the extent where it's impossible to stand up.)

Fighting against the wind, I relied on my spikes to stand up.

Koko was--there.

Having already moved to the anterior of Car 16, at the only pantograph there--a metallic component stemming from the aerial wiring above the car which supplies electrical energy to the vehicle--in front of it, a large installation had been set up, and it was flashing as if giving off some sort of signal. Alright. Her back was facing this way.

(...We haven't been noticed.)

Having bent over for the sake of reducing air resistance, at my feet--

''Clank''.

The sound of the lid of the door I had just exited slamming shut rang out.

''Rumble Rumble Thud!'' The sound of Aria, apparently having been trying to come up, falling to the floor resounded.

As I went "Tch", turning around--

''Bang! Bang Bang!''

I released bullets from the Beretta in my right hand.

''Clank! Clank''----!

Approaching me from the back, another Koko used the broad Seiryuutou as a shield, deflecting the bullets.

"Kihi--!"

''Creak!''

The spikes on her feet groaning, Koko dropped to all floors in that position.

"'''Sister Pao! Kinji came!'''"

"--'''Sister Mei! Hold tight!'''" 


The two Kokos, at the front and back of the car yelled to each other in Chinese--

Having noticed the sound of the gunshots, the Koko at the back of the car drew an SMG, an Uzi.

Taking that opportunity, I retreated from the Koko who had been called Meimei, the one holding the Seiryuutou, reaching approximately the middle of the car.

The position was such that I was caught exactly in between the two Koko's at my front and back.

(...As I had predicted.)

This Koko and Koko. They looked exactly the same, something like twins, right?

I had deduced that in advance, and ended up not being cut down--

-because my mind in Hysteria Mode had seen through this trick from two pieces of information.

The first piece of information is--the '''Explosive Bubble''' bubbles that had blown Aria away.

That was the same thing as the light that had injured Reki in the night-fight.

But, the range of that dispersal device, the atomizer, is short.

It isn't able to attack a sniper that is at least two kilometers away.

Which is to say, at that time, some other person had covered Reki with that '''Explosive Bubble'''.

The Koko that is strong in martial arts--Meimei was the offender.

Creeping in under the distraction of the hunting dogs, Meimei released that vapor explosive.

And, the second piece of information is--the conversation with Aria in the car.

From that conversation, I realized that the second Koko's appearance was exactly the same as the first's.

Aria had gotten angry over the fact that Koko looked like her, and apparently, on the day of Water Tossing, during their Aru=Kata battle, she had said, "I told you to get rid of it!"

But, Koko had said that she had no memory of such a thing.

Rather, she had said that this was only the first time that she had met Aria in person.

In other words, the person who had engaged in Aru=Kata with Aria at Butei High was another Koko. With the exact same appearance, one more Koko--and that was the person that was on the back end of the car right now, '''Paonyang''', right?

This trick...it's obvious to say it's obvious.

Koko had called herself "The Warrior of Ten-Thousand Techniques", but a single person cannot do everything.

Martial arts. Marksmanship. The Kokos had divided up their specializations, acting as '''Ten-Thousand Arms'''--"The Warrior of Ten-Thousand Techniques".

"Koko, Koko--It's time for your punishment."

While looking at the Kokos on the left and right of me, one after the another, I drew the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Desert_Eagle Desert Eagle] that was stored by my chest with my left hand.

Desert Eagle. The gun of my father's legacy can also be used by the me in Hysteria Mode.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_M92F/FS#92F_.2892SB-F.29 Beretta] in my right hand. Desert Eagle in my left hand.

Doubla, dual-wielding.

Now that I think about it, in terms of blades, I also have a butterfly knife and a scramasax.

I'm in the middle of a field trip, so I don't have many bullets. If I run out of ammo, against the two Kokos...I can do nothing but use twin-blades.

--Aria. Riko.

I'll be borrowing your specialty for a moment.

Tohyama Kinji Version--Quadra of Mimicry.

"Kinchi, you...went into Hysteria Mode, didn't you. How?"

Apparently noticing that my aura was different from earlier, the Koko holding a blade--Meimei glared at me.

"Did you use Aria? Did you use Aria who looks like Koko?"

Paonyang, holding her submachine gun ready, turned red with a surprised expression. 

They had realized that, with Aria, who was very alike to themselves, my Hysteria Mode--had been triggered by arousal. Realizing that, it seemed that for some reason, their alertness had increased.

...How impolite. Because I had had past experiences with going into Hysteria Mode with various women, you said it in a loud voice, but it's not like I can just do it with anybody, you know?

"Be-be careful, '''Sister Mei'''. There's a lot to be careful of."

"'''Yes''', '''Sister Pao'''. No matter how I look at it...it is impossible to capture HSS without injury."

The two people, saying that as if playing on stereo--their eyes, already very slanted, narrowed even more.

A stronger killing intent than before radiated from my left and right.

Almost numbing, it was a true killing intent--

--They finally got serious, huh?

Until now, it seemed that Koko had been showing themselves as relaxed in order to catch the enemy off guard.

Haha. As expected of the teacher, the martial style is extremely similar to the ''someone'' who wears Goth Loli uniforms.

"Kinji, it's me. After 10 seconds, we're accelerating. Don't fall off."

From the driver's seat, Muto communicated over the incam.

"What happened, Kinji! The door isn't opening!"

I heard Aria's high-pitched voice, which was almost as if it was trying to mask Muto's.

"I'm in the midst of battle. There are 2 people exactly like Aria on top of the train."

Answering with only that, I didn't say anything that might urge Aria to support.

The me as of now is in Hysteria Mode. I don't want to see girls in danger.

"Don't hold back, '''Sister Mei'''. It doesn't matter if you kill him."

"'''Yes'''. It doesn't matter if I kill him--!"

'''Thud'''---! Readying her Seiryuutou, Koko; Meimei ran towards me from the direction of advancement. 

--Quick. Aided by the 250 km/h tailwind, she shortened the distance in a heartbeat.

And, with a stance reminiscent of baseball's head-first sliding, she charged this way.

"--!"

''Thud!''

The Seiryuutou, the force of her entire body behind it, swung at my feet, and I jumped lightly, avoiding it.

I wanted to jump upwards normally, but I was immediately buffeted backwards by the air pressure,--

''PaPaPaPaPa!''

The Koko holding a gun fired her Uzi from behind me.

Twisting around in the air, I--fired the same amount of bullets from my Beretta - Kinji Model, defending with Billiard Shot.

The enemy's bullets all exploded into sparks in the air--

"-Ha!"

This time, as if stretching out from the roof, Meimei, doing a handstand, immediately kicked up at me.

I had no choice, kicking girls is rather painful for me, but--

My feet and Koko's feet met each other midair--

And, I leaped off her feet as if they were a jumping platform.

Meimei and the me in Hysteria Mode. I jumped with the combined power of two. High. Jumping over the flowing power lines and the hanger of the power pole holding them up, swiftly flying upwards for two, three meters.

From midair, using the Desert Eagle--boasting three times the stopping power of a Beretta, I fired at Meimei's Seiryuutou.

--''BANG!''

With the recoil akin to that of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortar_%28weapon%29 mortar], I hung in the air for a moment.

As expected of the automatic strongest-class Desert Eagle. This power isn't to be laughed at.

''Clank!'' Deflected, the Seiryuutou was torn out of Meimei's hands, sliding backwards on the top of the Shinkansen.

At the anterior of the car, just as Paonyang picked it up--''Clank.''

Still in the air, below my feet, the Shinkansen accelerated.

This speed--260 km/h--!

Paonyang embedded the Seiryuutou into the back of the Shinkansen, and I could see that she was using it as a pole to retain her balance.

"Yaiyaiya!" 

Having lost her Seiryuutou, Meimei knelt to the ground while screaming that out, fishing two large fans from out of her sleeves.

([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_fan#War_fans_outside_Japan Battle-fan]--huh? This is the first time I've come up against it.)

From the air, I looked down at the fans, dyed crimson and gold, widening.

I had seen Shirayuki use battle-function fans before, but they had been made out of bamboo and paper.

However, Meimei's Chinese fans were made of metal. The edge, gleaming in the moonlight, was a blade.

Running, Koko twisted her entire body, jumping upwards, trying to dice me like a mixer--

And against that edge, ''Chnk, Chnk!''

I kicked off of it with my spikes, dancing into the air once again.

And once more, I fired the Desert Eagle in midair.

---''BANG! ZNG!''

Meimei immediately overlaid the metal fans, somewhat deflecting the .50AE bullet.

However, the Desert Eagle's stopping power was cheat-level. Destroying the two fans, it forced Meimei towards the front of the car.

Once again hanging in the air through the recoil, I brushed the aerial cables in the air, modifying my trajectory--

Finally touching the roof of the Shinkansen again, I stretched my arms outward, pointing the Doubla at the Koko sisters.

The light from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamamatsu_Station Hamamatsu station] flowed past us like innumerable [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracer_bullets tracer bullets].

I--

This battle is no longer in desolate territory.

An Aru=Kata gunfight at 260 km/h. This isn't something one can see in even Kung Fu movies.

It's a shame that Hong Kong's famous director, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Woo John Woo's] camera isn't here.

--''SSSHHHHAAAAAAAAA''

Going onto a large curve, the Shinkansen leaned to the left as it tried to retain its bank angle.

For the sake of preventing the derailment of high-speed trains, they will take the curve like an airplane, banking.

The chassis moved with centrifugal force, and we were standing slanted along with the train.

Her back against the slanted ground beneath her, Meimei, having thrown away her broken fans, bent over--''Ba''

The flat of her hand standing erect, she stretched out her hands to retain her balance, her opened knees dropped till they reached right angles as she bent her hips.

And, ''Thud!''

Just like what Riko had did to Haimaki at Butei High station, she kicked up with her right leg.

"As expected, Kinchi. You really do have good skills. If it were possible, I don't want to kill you."

Immediately pointing her right hand at me, Meimei shook her sleeves--''Clank!''

She took something small out of her sleeve, holding it in her hand.

I can't see it...What is it. What did she take out?

I have a bad feeling.

That is something--like a finishing move.

Staying alert, from the opposite side of Meimei--the sign of a gunshot was--!

"!"

The moment I dropped down--''PaPaPaPaPaPa!'' The sound of gunshots rang out.

The bullets that Paonyang, walking this way, had fired with her Uzi whooshed over my head.

(...Danger!)

The stray bullets that I had just dodged were heading straight for Meimei, in front.

Thinking that, the me in Hysteria Mode readied the stance for Billiard Shot in an instant, but--

All the stray bullets passed through the air just left and right of Meimei. They didn't hit her.

Paonyang--as the Koko that specializes in marksmanship, had shot such that even if she missed me, she would not hit her sister.

With an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzi Uzi], she sprayed countless of bullets in that instant--with a submachine gun.

Amazing marksmanship. The level of Aria, Kana, and I.

Does someone like that still remain in this world?

No...That was not all I should be surprised at.

Meimei--another Koko, was completely at ease.

She trusted that Paonyang's bullets would not hit her. As if she understood that she would not shoot herself.

(They're alteregoistic. These sisters...!) 

I leaped upwards, kneeling on one knee on top of the car.

I tried to raise my Beretta to counterattack, but--

While switching the long-magazine of the Uzi, ''ThudThudThud'', Paonyang kicked my head and gun while running over me. Towards Meimei.

''Zuzaaaa'', Paonyang, doing a headfirst slide at the end of the Shinkansen--

-at Meimei's feet, she stayed lying down like that. As if protecting herself from whatever was about to happen.

"--!"

My eyes caught sight of the equipment that Meimei had whipped out from the palm of her hand.

"Time for the fireworks."

That is--

-the thing which fires the vapor explosive bubbles, an atomizer!

"--'''Explosive Bubble Dragon Chain'''!" 


Together with that scream, the '''Explosive Bubble''' that she released windward wasn't very visible in my dark field of vision--there were many of them.

Zig-zagging side by side, they rushed towards me like a miniature dragon.

(Damn...!)

I can't--dodge that.

A bomb's area of effect is normally an expanding "sphere". Even if its diameter is the extent of a vehicle, one can dodge to the front or back.

However--multiple explosions, stretched out in a row, encompassing the whole of the top of the train, cannot be dodged.

I'll have to take it. If I don't prepare myself to any degree of damage, then...!

As I went "Tch", crossing my arms over my head, protecting it--

At Meimei's side--if one were to call it a dragon, the first '''Explosive Bubble''' popped at the tail.

''BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM---!''

The explosion set off the next bubble, and then the next bubble--the explosions continued in a chain. As if a slender Chinese Dragon was blazing into flame.

"--!"

I put strength into my legs, trying to withstand the impact, but--''Clank!''

As if a raging dragon had just thundered into my body, I was blown towards the back of the train.

The impact and heat wave stopped my breathing, and for a second, my consciousness--went blank.

Even so, without releasing the guns on my left and right, standing up on the roof, in my ears--

"Meimei! Get Kinji off! '''Sister Juu''' came to assist! She came earlier than planned!" 

-could hear Koko's voice saying that.

Looking up towards the sky, from the air behind me, ''Barabarabarabara''...

As if brushing past the stars between the clouds, I could see a helicopter approaching.

(Now...Reinforcements for the enemy are coming now...!?)

Earlier, Koko had said, "Promise for a date".

It seemed that that was meeting up and extraction with the companion that was riding this helicopter.

Not even leaving me enough time to frown, Meimei fished a small gourd out of her sleeves, which were being buffeted by the wind--

''Guii-----! Thud.''

With a pose as if gazing up into the sky, she faced straight up, emptying the contents in one gulp, throwing it away.

"---'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zui_Quan Drunken] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baguazhang Eight Trigrams Palm]'''---"

''Sway''. In a moment, Meimei, looking as if she had lost her balance--

''TapTapTapTapTap!'' While her twin-tails were fluttering like ribbons in gymnastics, she closed in on me with frontal somersaults and cartwheels.

"--!?"

My reaction towards those erratic movements, which I had seen for the very first time, was late.

Movements like stepping on the gourd that she had thrown away and tripping mixed in, I could not keep Meimei in my sights.

Wh-what kind of movement is that? Drinking alcohol and then fighting...that's impossible!

"JYAAAOOH!"

''Thump.''

Meimei extended her legs, clinging to my waist, just as I was barely standing.

"Kuh...!"

No, not only her legs.

''Shh''--snaking around my neck was a twin-tail.

This is what I had been subjected to on the day of "Water Tossing", the irregular choke. That front...!

"ShanShiKeiKeiBa!"

In a heartbeat, Koko was holding her own twin-tails, ''Guiii!''

She threw herself backwards.

"...!"

The same as the day of the opening ceremony, my windpipe and carotid artery was clamped.

I grabbed hold of Koko's twin-tails as if we were playing tug of war, trying to resist, but--

-added to Koko's two arms, she was using the power of her back to pull the tails on her left and right completely tight.

I-I can't...I'm losing my strength...!

"Kihihi! From the beginning, you can't win against the princess of the middle of the world! Peaceful idiot '''Japanese!'''"

This is bad...my consciousness is starting to fade...

...I'm done. My mind in Hysteria Mode told me that calmly.

This is my loss. Once again.

The first reason being, this was two against one.

Moreover, those two could completely synchronize their actions exhibiting perfect co-operation.

Teamwork increases the power of individuals.

Yes, I had--been subjected to the figurative opposite of what we had always done to I-U's assassins.

(This too is...divine retribution...?)

The second reason for my loss was...Hysteria Mode. That weak-point had been exposed.

I did not want to hurt girls, without letting Aria join the battle, my battle ability dropped, and even the enemy, Koko, I tried to protect, creating an opening.

Naive. Too naive.

I...really am a peaceful idiot Japanese person.

I smiled a wry smile, tainted with self-derision, but even the muscles in my face...I could no longer put strength into them.

Blackout----when blood no longer flows to the brain, the optic nerves cease their function--at the denouement of that feeling, as I lost consciousness--

---''BSSHHHHH! BSHH!''

A jarring impact ran into my body from Meimei's twin-tails.

"Auoh!?"

''Clink,'' bent backwards, Meimei dropped towards my feet, the choking maneuver was--

-in an instant, released.

The bundle of silky hair was still wrapped around my hand.

Meimei did a backwards somersault, and her hair had--become short.

The twin-tails on the left and right had been severed.　Right at the foundations.

Still contorted, I saw that, at the bottom of my field of vision, two new bullet holes had opened up on the roof of the Shinkansen.

(Ju-just now was...a snipe!?)

And the instant I noticed,

''Bang...Bang...!''

I heard the sound of distant gunshots.

This--sound.

I hadn't forgotten it.

Time and time again, this sound had been heard as if engraving itself into my consciousness.

The sound of a ...[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle Dragunov sniper rifle]!

"Different--that helicopter is different from '''Sister Ju''''s! Who is it!"

Along with that gunshot, like a distant crack of a thunder, the sound of Paonyang's panicked voice.

From a swaying helicopter, shooting the roots of a person's twin-tails while they're grappling with somebody on top of a moving Shinkansen, severing two of them together. Furthermore, with a famous rifle, yet nevertheless anachronistic, an SVD.

Able to do something like that, a superhuman sniper....I know nobody besides one person.

"--Reki...!"

The helicopter, following the Shinkansen, was an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_OH-1 OH-1].

Inside the Hotogi shrine's garage, Kawasaki Heavy Industry's high-speed helicopter.

From the opened hatch--

Still bandaged in various places around her body, Reki had stuck her body out, holding her sniper rifle in place.

And with a speed which overwhelmed surprise, the muzzle of the Dragunov flashed.

--''BSSSSHHH!''

The supersonic 7.62mm x 54R impacted the ground by Meimei's left and right feet, looking as if it was brushing past them.

"'''Ah!'''"

Letting loose a truncated scream, Meimei pressed against her heel--''Thump.'' She fell upon the ground there.

This is...a manner of falling which suggests that while there was no blood loss, her [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles_tendon Achilles tendon] had been grazed.

Reki. As always, you are a goddess of sniping. Despite being heavily injured.

With just one bullet, you crippled Meimei's ability to stand.

"--!"

Unable to stay in place, Meimei was buffeted by the wind--

She slid towards the back of the car.

''Hssh'', Somewhat able to hold on to the signalling device at the foundation of the pantograph, Meimei stayed in that position, hiding herself in the shadow of the installation. She seemed to be trying to protect herself from Reki's follow-up.

"Kin-chan...um, hello? Sorry for interrupting while you're fighting."

A message entered the incam as I was still stunned.

Panicked for whatever reason, Shirayuki's voice.

"What's wrong?"

"From Hotogi's Makieda-san--from the chauffeur-san, there's a phone call."

Ph-phone call?

Frowning, in my ears, ''Click, Beep'', I heard what seemed to be the sound of Shirayuki's cellphone linking with the incam.

"--Tohyama-sama, my deepest apologies. This is Hotogi's Makieda. Right now...I am flying over the anterior of Hope 246."

...This voice.

This is the driver which brought us to the Hotogi Shrine by car.

From that high-speed helicopter, she was talking with Shirayuki?

"Wh-what is it...!"

"This is--our disgrace. The young megumi miko who were watching TV were talking, and Reki-sama, having heard them...took her gun, and kicking Kazayuki off, who tried to take this helicopter to come to Shirayuki-sama's aid, she ordered the pilot, myself, to fly her out."

Looking at the anterior of the vehicle, the helicopter had already descended to the point where it was nearly touching the Shinkansen.

In the co-pilot's seat of the OH-1, extending half her body out of the hatch, Reki--

-while her short hair was being beat down upon by the wind, she was looking down on the very back of the train.

And, giving some sort of order to the pilot's seat of the helicopter...

"--no, Reki-sama, we have already exceeded the vehicular speed limit. If we go any faster...the chassis won't be able to take it...!"

I heard Makieda-san's voice, apparently in response to Reki--

-and even so, Reki pointed her Dragunov at Makieda-san, and I could see her giving Makieda-san some sort of order.

...''Barabarabarabarabarabarabara''...!

The OH-1 descended even lower while accelerating. At the edge of the very back of the Shinkansen.

Do you plan to board...Reki!?

Impossible. Stop it.

You're injured.

Don't fight!

"Kinji! Pull back the helicopter! --in front of us is a tunnel!"

Reaching over the incam, Aria, apparently having heard the conversation between Hotogi's chauffeur and I, said as if screaming.

Looking back at our direction of advancement, while the vehicle was delineating the large curve, it was heading straight for a tunnel.

Above the tunnel was a mountain.

At this rate--the helicopter will crash right into it!

"Kinji! We're accelerating in another 10 seconds! We're exceeding 300!"

Muto's voice delivered the worst of the situation.

"Makieda-san, rise!"

"...!"

Apparently concentrating on the complex operation under the limit-breaking speed, there was no response from the helicopter.

"'''Reki!''' You can't hit anything except birds--'''Northern Barbarian'''!"

From the front of the vehicle, with the Uzi that Paonyang was holding by her hip--''PaPaPaPaPaPa!''

Although it was outside the gun's effective range, she let loose a barrage at the helicopter.

Without taking notice of that, Reki placed her toes on the handle of the helicopter, hanging upside down out of the hatch--she readied her Dragunov.

''Pa!'' Thinking whether the muzzle had flashed--''BSSSH!''

"Kyuu!"

Paonynang's Uzi was torn out of her hands, falling down towards the track.

The next instant, no longer able to bear the strain, the helicopter tried to avoid the fast approaching mountain, rising--

Feeling that, Reki, ''Flutter'', launched herself off the helicopter, into mid-air.

''Zan!''

At the very back of the Shinkansen, Reki pierced the roof with her bayonet, clinging on to it.

Her amber eyes immediately faced towards this direction--towards the Kokos and I.

--''WHOOOSSH''--

Staying at a speed of 300 km/h, the Shinkansen entered the tunnel--

--''Ban!''

In the midst of the darkness, the airflow around us intensified in a mere moment.

(Uu...!)

The air pressure changing in a heartbeat, my lungs seemed to rip apart.

Buffeted by the vortex of wind, I had no choice but to press myself against the back of the Shinkansen.

Grinding my teeth, straining my ears in the midst of the ever-present roar.

Listening to the operational noise of Hope Number 246, echoing in the tunnel--for whether the sound of the helicopter's explosion was mixed in.

Still tense, my ears searched through the ripping noise.

But...it was alright.

The OH-1 [Ninja] was a helicopter that was as maneuverable as its nickname boasted.

I had only been shown it in a video by Muto, but in case of emergency, it could perform an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immelmann_turn Immelmann turn].

The helicopter performed a maneuver in reaction to death, avoiding the slope of the mountain, escaping danger.

(Makieda-san--as expected of the chauffeur that armed Miko are entrusted with.)

Above my head, the lights lighting up the tunnel at regular intervals flowed past one by one like a meteor shower.

In that scene, as if out of a movie, at the very back of the train, around 400 meters away, was Reki.

Reki was somewhat standing, and step by step, she advanced. Facing this way.

--No.

Don't come, Reki! You'll die!

You are injured. Fighting under such torturous conditions, your body can't take it..!

"'''Re-Ki'''...!"

''Clatter!'' Turning my head to that sound, I could see that, while holding a new Uzi that she had taken out of her sleeves, Paonyang was slowly crawling towards the sloped head of the Shinkansen, which was taking the streamline-curve.

Hiding her body against that slope--when Reki comes into her gun's range, she plans to take the attack with her gun.

"Shira...yuki...!"

Not able to breath properly in the midst of the wind pressure, pressed on the ear which had the incam inserted into it, shouting.

"Kin-chan! Are you alright!?"

"I'm...alright! Rather than that, Reki has...boarded, from the helicopter! She has, severe injuries, can't let her fight...!"

"Re-Reki-san is...on the train!?"

''Pa---!''

With that sound, the Shinkansen shot out of the tunnel.

While Reki's skirt was fluttering as if it was about to be torn off, she was already crossing from the car at the very back to he next car.

--There's no choice. Telling her to stop won't stop Reki.

Finally able to breathe normally, I decided to put the final measure that I had been thinking of secretly all this time into action.

"Shirayuki, for the sake of not allowing Reki to fight, for the sake of saving the passengers--there is something a request for you."

"A request for me...?"

"The lead car of the Shinkansen, this Car 16...sever it. With your katana."

"...Eh...!"

"In truth, for the sake of that, I had you stay there. The vapor explosive is in the frontmost car--Car 16. Because the passengers are gathered in Cars 15 and below, if you sever it, casualties will be kept to a minimum."

"But, Kin-chan...will be left at the car with the enemy and the bomb...!"

Worried about me, Shirayuki didn't seem to be willing to immediately accept cutting the Shinkansen apart.

However, it doesn't seem as if I'll have enough time to persuade her.

This train was passing by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuoka_Station Shizuoka station], which was desolate after the people had evacuated.

I can't help it. I don't really want to do this, but...I'll put Hysteria Mode's techniques into action.

This is a technique which Nii-san, which is to say Kana, had showed me before, but--

In this kind of time, I can probably do it.

"Shirayuki."

Tone of voice; this kind of feeling is good.

Calm down, Kinji. If you calm down, then you should be able to do it.

"Shirayuki. Are you listening? Shirayuki."

With a voice that was a little deeper, I started speaking as if appealing directly to Shirayuki's heart.

"Ye-yes."

"Ever since before, Shirayuki has known me. Shirayuki, who knows me more deeply than anybody else--wants to say that the burden of this battle is too heavy for me? If that's so, then that truly is unexpected."

"Th-that's..."

"I thought that Shirayuki understood me, yet--was I wrong? Shirayuki."

Mixed with the sweetness of Hysteria Mode, my voice, Shirayuki, Shirayuki, called out that name, weaving it into my words.

"N-no, that's..."

Shirayuki's attitude immediately became as obedient as norm...no, changed into something even more obedient than normal.

Alright, alright, I managed to perform it well.

This is something that has been passed down through the Tohyama family, "Voice Captivation"--a type of hypnotism.

Recently, this was proven scientifically by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_acting_in_Japan Seiyuu]-training schools, but people are weak against the opposite gender's voice when a special tone and breathing method is blended in.

The Tohyama bloodline, which has Hysteria Mode, has already refined this to an art, passing it down.

According to that piece of knowledge, if one continually responds to girls with their own name, gently, sweetly whispering into their ear...it appears that their mind will gradually become more and more hazy, and they will leave any decision to boys.

"Shirayuki. The severing of the cars--you'll do it for me, right? This is something that only Shirayuki can do."

Controlling my impatience, I continued whispering to Shirayuki.

Because Shirayuki has an incam inserted directly into her ear,

I can expect that it's able to replicate the effect of the contact-distance of whispering.

"Kin-chan...you can...win?"

"Yes. Please leave the enemy and the bomb to us. I'll leave the passengers to Shirayuki and the others. You said that--recently, your Kidoujutsu has been unstable, but...you can cut it?"

"Ye-yes. If I use all my strength, then...definitely!"

At Shirayuki's voice, a wave of relief washed over me.

It seems that she'll do this job for me.

"Kin-chan, I'm cutting it. I'll definitely sever it well!"

"Ye-yeah."

It seemed that she was the type to be easily affected by hypnotism; it felt as if Shirayuki had been completely motivated.

"I'll cut it! Cut! Cut! For the sake of Kin-chan-sama, I'll cut it in half!"

No-now that I think about it...Nii-san had warned me about this. "Voice Captivation" is prohibited from being frequently used and abused.

I have no idea of how one could exploit it, but indeed, if I use this often, then it seems as if it'd be horrible.

It seemed that, in an instant, inside Shirayuki, something like 'loyalty' for me had been amplified...

The future is extremely uneasy.

"--Aria."

I returned my voice to normal, talking to Aria through the incam.

"Aria--please retreat to Car 15. You have Kanae-san's trial. You no longer have the time to be preoccupied with this stupid incident."

"N-no way! I...!"

"Kinji, I heard, you know? It seems that I've been put in the Detention group."

Just as it seemed that Aria was about to starts shouting, Muto's voice interrupted.

"Muto. I'm sorry. That things became like this."

"Heh. I don't care. It's been my dream ever since I was a kid to drive a Shinkansen. With that granted, I feel like it's fine even if I die."

Saying that, Muto's voice was really trustworthy.

Even though it was half-desperate at the same time.

"--Muto. There's also a pantograph at the back of the leading car. If we receive electricity from there, can we keep going even while severed?"

"I'm changing the settings to that right now."

As expected of Muto. He's quick at his job.

No wonder he's an honor student in Logi.

"If we sever the cars--what will happen to the cars in the back?"

"Don't worry. The Shinkansen was designed so that each car can run on its own. Because the New Automatic Train Control System is cut, it can be stopped through manual operation. The crying driver from earlier can do it for us, right?"

While listening to Muto's words, I watched the back end of the vehicle, and Reki had already crossed over the middle of the train.

"Shirayuki, do it, do it for me."

"Yes...! Kin-chan, may the God of battle bless you...!" 

Apparently having been conserving her power till now, Shirayuki took a deep breath--

"--Hotogi Soutenryuu--Hihihotogikami - Zankan--!" [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume7_Translator%27s_Notes]
[[File:Aria07 141.jpg|thumb]]
In the wake of that voice, ''Shing!'', the sound of a blade being drawn, reminiscent of a bell, rang out.

The next instant--without a sound, at the end of the front-most car, the linking portion, light burst forth all around it.

As if several burners were being used, a scarlet light.

"Kya...!"

Meimei drew her neck in at the sudden glare, and immediately after--

''Clank''...that heavy sound rang out, and Car 15 started drawing back.

"...!"

--Well done; is all that can be said.

The cars had been severed. With that one strike.

Having seen that, Reki started running this way as if trying to push the wind out of her path.

"--Reki! Stop!"

As I shouted, the severed car behind us got farther and farther.

1 meter, 3 meters, 5 meters--

Alright, it was no longer a distance that Reki could cross while fighting against the wind.

The forward-most car, having become solitary--seemed to have become unstable aerodynamically, and its shaking intensified.

In my shaking vision, Shirayuki, visible from the incision at Car 15--

Like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hishikawa_Moronobu Hishikawa Moronobu's] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e] "Beauty Looking Back", her back was facing this way.

Apparently and probably from some kind of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iaijutsu iai technique] was the flash just now, and she appeared to be still in the regretful stance which had caused it.

"Kin, chan...!"

Shirayuki--the blade in her hand, ''Clank'', dropped to her knees.

Her breathing ragged, with her exhausted face, she turned to look this way painfully.

Shirayuki, you did well.

Thanks to you, all the passengers are saved.

Reki as well. With this, she can leave the battlefield--with that, Reki, who I looked at again--

"...?"

While sprinting across the roof of Car 15, which had been severed from this one, she took something out of her breast pocket.

My eyes in Hysteria Mode caught sight of it.

(Butei Bullet--!)

That color is, Grenade. Triggering a huge explosion, it is a miniature vaporized fuel explosive. 

What do you plan on doing.

Reki--!

"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamoto_no_Yoshitsune Minamoto no Yoshitsune]...Eight Ship Leap...!"

Still collapsed, Meimei said something, pale--

Reki was coming.

Whilst spinning on the spot, ''Sparkle''--in the air, behind her, she released the Butei Bullet.

And once again, sprinting forth with all her strength, she faced this way.

--''BAAAAAAAAAAAAANGGGGGGGGG!!''

Manually detonated, the Grenade spun into a crimson vortex of flame behind Reki.

The shockwave blew away the wind from the front, acting as an reverse hurricane.

--Reki, while being blown away by the blast--

-cradled the Dragunov, and her skirt seemingly being torn to pieces--she traveled the gap between the two cars.

And--''Thud!'', she tumbled onto the brink of the leading car.

"--Reki!"

Rolling off the the edge, delineating a curve, Reki, her face unchanging, pierced the roof with her bayonet.

And, clinging onto the stock of her bayonet, her entire weight hanging upon it, she used it as a stepping stone, ''Paki---'', and just as the bayonet snapped, she somehow managed to climb onto the roof.

That body, wrapped in bandages here and there, seemed to have had its wounds opened from the impact just now, and they were soaked in blood.

Why...are you so reckless. Reki.

White smoke streaming from her burning bandages and shoes, Reki, standing on top of the train, as expressionless as always...

Meimei, and even Paonyang, stared up at her in shock.

...Reki.

Robot Reki.

Do you not know even terror?

You'll die if you do that...!

"Why...did you run this way!"

I shouted from the center of the car.

"The reason I ran?"

Removing her burning shoes and socks and tossing them aside, Reki stood barefoot on the back of the Shinkansen--

"--because, Kinji-san too ran for me. On that night, from the mountain, cradling me."

Her method of speaking completely emotionless, she answered with that.

My ears in Hysteria Mode caught that voice even through the wind.

"...Reki..."

After the sniper battle at Hieizan...I thought that Reki had fainted, but it seemed that she was slightly conscious.

Because I faltered in my words out of embarrassment, Reki turned towards Paonyang, who was looking at the situation from the front of the vehicle.

"Also, I made an oath. "I oath to become a single bullet, bringing destruction upon those who wish to harm my lord."--That."

''Click.''

As if readying a blade, Reki pointed the Dragunov at Meimei.

"Koko of Ranban. Just once, I will give you the chance to surrender. The number of people in battle is already two against one. You have no chance of winning. Disarm the bomb and stop the train."

From behind Reki--

"It's three against one."

''Shh'', Aria climbed up from the cut section of the Shinkansen.

"Aria...!"

In response to Aria, her jet-black and silver-white Governments drawn, my cheek twitched.

Aria. Although I told her to retreat from this car earlier, it seemed she had stayed.

Reki--continued to keep her back facing Aria,

"Aria-san. Please return to the interior of the car. I believe I told you not to approach Kinji-san."

While her bandages, slightly unraveled, and her short hair was being buffeted by the wind, she spoke a warning.

"...As for the wounded, return to the hospital."

Twin-tails being blown about, Aria answered as if arguing.

"Aria-san is the one that is supposed to retreat."

"That's you, right?"

"It is Aria-san."

"It's you!"

He-hey. Both of you.

Don't fight even here.

The fact is, the two of you being here together in this situation is reality. There's no helping it.

At that point, I thought outside the box. A place to return to, a road, none of that is here.

However--if we are fighting together, if we do not work together, it will be dangerous.

For a Butei and Butei, if they are able to cooperate well, 1+1 will equal 3 or even 4. However, if there is disagreement between them, 1+1 will not even equal 2.

The worst case is, they will drag upon each other, turning it into a negative number.

In the past, Shirayuki and Riko...were opposed to Aria, but if it was an emergency, they would cooperate and fight.

They were not people who would remain stubborn in even times of trouble.

--However, Reki cannot.

Her killing intent, as if the number of enemies had increased by one, was released at Aria, who was behind her.

Aria too, being Aria, was in a mood where she was ready to point her guns at Reki.

This won't do. These two...will fight. At this rate.

I frowned--and just as I clutched my Desert Eagle, nearly out of bullets, and the Beretta--

--''Zzaaa''--

Once again, the Shinkansen entered a tunnel, and the vehicular noise as well as darkness enveloped us.

However, the tunnel this time was short, and in a few seconds, the vehicle exited.

After exiting the tunnel--a glaring light shone down upon the train.

This light...what is it? Squinting while I looked up into the air--

...''Barabarabarabarabara''...

A news helicopter, making that noise, was flying in the air at a rather high altitude.　There were many of them. It seemed as if they were waiting for this train, Hope 246.

This light was the searchlights that the helicopters were focusing on one point.

The bloody media. From a distance where they would not be affected by an explosion, they were going to be bystanders from above, huh?

"Koko. It's over. Throw down your weapons and raise your hands."

Within the searchlights, which seemed to be carving out a path in the darkness--

I pointed the Desert Eagle, shining brightly, and the Beretta at Paonyang and Meimei respectively.

However...even with that, Paonyang's eyes had not lost their will to fight. The same went for Meimei, collapsed on the ground.

Why? Why won't they wave a white flag?

The Kokos are--

(...Waiting for something...!?)

At the exact moment that my mind in Hysteria Mode realized that...

The sound of the hovering news helicopters changed slightly.

Looking back at the sky, one of them--Eurocopter's AS365, approached from the anterior of the vehicle. Reckless. There's a bomb set on this train. Which location is this TV station from?

--No, wrong...!

That was disguised as a news helicopter--

"Aria! Reki! --Hostile vehicle!"

Right before I shouted, my eyes in Hysteria Mode had caught sight of the pilot.

A girl shouldering a sniper rifle.

She is, she too is, Koko!

Exactly the same as the Kokos that are here, the third Koko.

"Rather than twins, they were triplets...!?"

I went "Tch", glaring at the AS365.

This is one kind of infiltration method.

Even if we chase, even if we knock them down, the next Koko will appear.

"Ah...!"

"..."

Forced away by the descending air pressure that the helicopter was creating, Aria and Reki retreated till they were at my side.

Aria pointed her Governments at the AS365 as if in intimidation, but she did not fire.

It seemed that Reki was observing my order, "Do not kill,"--and she did not shoot the helicopter.

As if jeering at the two, the helicopter swept over the Shinkansen from the back to the front like it was making fun of them.

"Uah!"

Twin-tails pulled taut by the wind, Aria, behind me, was forced to retreat in the direction of advancement.

The helicopter--

"...Uu, Uoah!?"

Directly above Muto, who had shouted into the incam in surprise--it hovered in the air above the cab. No, to be more accurate, it was not hovering. At 350 km/h, it had started to run parallel to it. In the air.

From that helicopter, which seemed as if it was originally for rescue purposes, the hatch opened and--''Thud.''

Koko, a hook attached to her feet, descended to the tip of the Shinkansen.

The weapon that the third Koko was holding was the famous rifle, renowned for having the highest reliability in the world, an M700. The one that was destroyed by Reki was painted with camouflage paint, but this one, apparently for night-combat, was colored matte black.

"'''Sister Pao'''--I kept you waiting. Let's go to '''Sister Mei'''."

The Koko that came to reinforce ordered the second Koko, Paonyang, who had earlier called her, "'''Sister Juu'''".

I could understand it from her attitude, it seems that this sniper girl is the eldest sister.

"'''Yes'''--'''Sister Juu'''"

Paonyang responded to Juujuu with one sentence, ''Ba!''

While unfastening the buttons of her ethnic costume, she dived towards the right of the vehicle.

"--!?"

At these movements which appeared suicidal, I drew in a sharp breath--

Billowing in the empty space, Paonyang's clothes expanded into one large piece of cloth like an unfolding piece of origami--as I watched, it turned into a parachute.

This scene. I've seen it before.

Turning into a parachute in an emergency, it was the same as Riko's modified uniform.

Koko, using it not for airborne purposes but to glide, moved in a 'C'-shape next to the Shinkansen.

And, embracing Meimei, who was collapsed at the brink of the back end of the train, she gracefully descended.

Severing the parachute of clothes, Paonyang* was only wearing underwear--despite the fact that she was fourteen years old, she was wearing something like crimson lingerie--and she hid her body behind the installation at the base of the pantograph. 

Looking closer, in that one instant, the Seiryuutou that had been embedded into the anterior of the train had been pulled out as well.

(...This is bad...!)

My mind in Hysteria Mode told me that the situation had devolved in a mere moment.

While Paonyang was using the broad Seiryuutou as a shield to protect herself from the Dragunov, she planned to draw Reki into Aru=Kata. Because, if Reki did not have her bayonet, then close-combat was akin to impossible for her.

From the other side, the front of the vehicle, Juujuu pointed the M700 sniper rifle at Aria.

Aria too pointed her Goverments back at her, but there was 20 meters of distance between Juujuu and her. It was not a distance where one could shoot accurately with the accuracy of a pistol.

Each of their enemies having taken an advantageous position, Aria and Reki retreated towards me, who was in the middle of the train, as if clamping down on me with their backs.

And, as if symbolizing the two person's relationship, still unable to try and cooperate in this situation--they stayed like that, their backs facing one another.

"'''Sister Pao!''' This is it for business. There are no hostages anymore. The Japanese government won't give us any money.

"I understand, '''Sister Juu!''' Retreat and blow up the train. We can't take these people back with us either."

In the sky above the Meimei sisters, who were talking to each other, the helicopter, which had been vacated, rose by a few meters before it stood-by.

Apparently calculating the distance between it and the Shinkansen with a camera, while doing that, it preserved its speed and altitude. It seemed that auto-pilot functionality had been installed on it.

Functionality that was the same as something like the functionality of spacecraft flying parallel to and on the edge of a small planet.

That is amazing. As expected of I-U's engineer.

And--as expected, they are the descendants of China's General of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao. 

Despite the fact that we wanted to drive them to a dead end, at some point in time, we had had that inflicted upon us.

I had learned this from World History, it seemed that Cao Cao was also a scholar who researched and compiled ancient China's Art of War, "Sun Tzu".

And according to Sun Tzu's Art of War, the three conditions that were critical to victory are: "The time of the skies, the advantages of the earth, the peace between men." 

If one were to analyze it in Assault terms, 'the time of the skies' would hold the meaning of timing, 'the advantages of the earth' would hold the meaning of positioning, and 'the peace between men' would hold the meaning of teamwork.

The Kokos had chosen their perfect timing, successively attacking us, using the train and the helicopter freely in order to take the advantageous position, and since they were triplets, they had taken advantage of their synchronization...now, each of them had determined the target that they could defeat.

On the other side, we were limited by the timer of Non-Stop, we were thrown into confusion on the roof and the interior, and with Aria and Reki turning their backs on each other, I was clamped in-between them.

Even though we had higher numbers, even though our personal ability was not below theirs--we had been pressured, driven to a corner.

At this rate, Aria and Reki will be crushed, and then I will be killed in a crossfire.

If--we don't do something.

But, what do we do?

What do we do...!

My mind in Hysteria Mode driven into full operation, after a few seconds--

"...!"

The image of a method to turn this around flashed into my head.

But...Hey, me.

Is that image really possible?

To realize it, we have to have the same thing as the Kokos, the three conditions of heaven, earth, and men.

The time of the heaven--with the correct timing.

The advantage of the earth--creating an advantageous position.

But, for the sake of that, the peace between men--teamwork between Aria and Reki is required.

Right now, that is missing.

Therefore, we cannot help but create it.

--Create it. Who?

Me.

Even if just for a moment. I will make these two people link hands. For the sake of victory.

"Aria, Reki."

To the backs of the two, I spoke.

"I believe. In the two of you, in the depths of your hearts...I believe that you trust each other."

Juujuu is trying to maximize her profits--Paonyang is trying to charge outwards--now!

"--Then, a make-up handshake."

I threw my own Beretta and Desert Eagle up into the air.

And as the two lingered in the air--

Aria's and Reki's arms grasped each other behind their backs.

And half forced, their hands came firmly together.

"!?"

"?"

Aria and Reki were linking hands like girls that were really good friends with each other, turning around to face each other.

While leaning over like a dancer, I--

-with my right and left hand, I turned each of their arms to back to their waists. From a bird's-eye view, we would be in an S-shape.

And, as if I was a chess piece in an axis of revolution, I turned a semi-circle, bent on one knee.

--''Guru''---!

Using me as an axis--Aria and Reki twirled around as if in a waltz. For me.

--"Castling Turn"--

Two pieces moving in one turn to switch places, a special chess move.

Aria. Reki.

You're good girls. Both of you.

Aria trusted. Trusted Reki, who moved, trusting me.

Reki too trusted. Trusted Aria, who moved, trusting me.

Focusing our consciousness for the enemy's attack, at the timing where we could not defend or dodge--

The two used me as an intermediary, trusting each other, putting teamwork into play. In a mere moment.

But, the moment of that inversion was more than enough.

Their positions changed, each of Reki and Aria's opponents were--Juujuu for Reki, Paonyang for Aria, switching into that position. As I expected.

Sniping versus sniping. Pistol versus pistol.

We had set up that position. With that "Castling Turn".

"--!"

''Bang!''

Unable to cancel her shot out of reflex in that instant, Juujuu's bullets were--''Bch! Clank!''

Catching the Desert Eagle that I had released earlier, I used Billiard Shot with my last .50AE.

Juujuu's bullet deflected at an oblique angle, Reki counterattacked with the Dragunov--''Tan!''

She shot at the feet of the Koko that was a sniper, Juujuu.

"--'''Ah!'''"

Tripping in the same manner as Meimei from earlier, Juujuu slid towards the front of the Shinkansen.

"Koko!"

---''Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang!''

At the back of the vehicle, Aria, while shooting the Governments in both her hands, ran towards Paonyang.

At Paonyang, who was using the Seiruutou as a shield and planting her feet, I--switched the Beretta which I caught to full-auto, following up with a barrage which all but left my magazine empty.

As expected, apparently unable to endure the consecutive attacks of the Governments and the Beretta, Koko,

"'''Kyuu!'''"

-fell on her butt.

''Clank Clank!''

The Uzi and Seiryuutou held in her left and right hands were precisely torn out of her hands by Aria's .45ACP bullets. 

Finally disarmed...towards Paonyang, who was left with the ungraceful appearance of only wearing undergarments,-

"--You're under arrest!"

Without holding back, she charged forwards.

The weapons she was holding having been shot, her hands probably numb, Paonyang was bound by Aria, who had immediately bowled her over, with a wire.

"This is payback for tying me up back then!"

Because, shouting that, Aria had bound Meimei, who could not fight, too, I turned to look at the front of the car--

"..."

At the edge of the continuing slope at the head of the Shinkansen, Reki was crouching there wordlessly.

"'''Sister Pao! Sister Mei! Save me! I'm slipping! I'm falling!'''"

In that direction, apparently, clinging unseen to the bottom of the slope, I could hear the sound of Juujuu screaming.

"You are rather noisy.　Since you are also a princess, please know your position."

''Chchk--''

Taking a stance of placing the Dragunov against her shoulder, Reki's barrel was pointed directly at the helicopter in the air.

"...Uguu..."

It seemed that the thought of it being shot down was intolerable--at that, Juujuu fell silent.

--Koko, Koko, and Koko--

All three of them had been rendered useless in combat. Finally.

...There's nobody left, right? After this.

"It can't be that there's more of you, right!?"

Apparently thinking the same thing as I, Aria, ''Step'' 

Not able to hold back, she stepped on Meimei and Paonyang who looked exactly like her--

''Whoosh Whoosh'', spinning the pistols on her left and right, she inserted them back into the holsters below her skirt.
[[File:Aria07 159.jpg|thumb]]
And, facing upwards, Aria and--

-Reki, standing up, turned to face each other at the same time.

Those eyes, and those eyes, met.

"...D-don't misunderstand, Reki."

Blushing a little, Aria had started stuttering.

"Earlier...was just my body moving by itself."

"--The same goes for me, it was only that my body was moving by itself."

Reki too also said that, remaining stubborn, but--

Aria. Reki. I understand.

Your line of sight, meeting now, was different from earlier.

Those are the eyes of two people who acknowledge each other, the eyes of a Butei and a Butei. Earlier, the event of helping each other which I facilitated--I pray that that is the new first step between two people.

"---'''You flat chested girl! Remember this!'''"

From the tip of the car, Juujuu's voice--

"?"

Turning to that, '''Buwaaaaaa...!'''

Apparently having taken it out of her sleeves, a pink smokescreen was thrown up, whirling into a vortex.

Together with the smoke, Juujuu seemed to be washed away by the cutting wind--she flew towards the back end of the vehicle.

"--!"

Juujuu, flying extremely far to the back in the space of an, 'Ah', ''Whoosh''....!

Parachute expanding, she performed a rapid deceleration.

Where she was inside the pink smoke, I did not really know, but in the instant that the smoke parted, I saw--hugging her knees to herself, in that position, she had slowed to around 50 km/h.

And staying in that position, ''Zaaaaa''...she touched ground in a small field.

"--What a cold-hearted sister. She left you here."

At Aria, who said that to the Kokos at her feet, apparently slightly regretful that she had let one person get away--

""Kihi...Kihihihihihihi!""

The Kokos responded with an ominous laugh.

"A fight between a tiger and a dragon--We'll take you on the road with us."

"This isn't Kokos' loss. Everyone will be blown away by '''Explosive Bubble'''! Idiot, idiot, idiot!"

''Kun''--The Shinkansen sped up even more. With this, our speed is 370 km/h...!

Apparently not able to keep up at this speed, Koko's helicopter, in the air above us--began to lag behind.

Once it was a certain distance from the train, the helicopter decelerated...landing on the road next to the track.

"You can't do anything except for fight. You're different from Koko."

"Kinchi, you're a useless, slow, idiotic turtle."

There was no longer an escape route. For Koko. And for us.

The Shinkansen was operating in an urban area. No matter where it explodes, there will be casualties.

"--That's right. I'm not nimble like Riko or Aria. I cannot use any techniques like Shirayuki. I don't have the skills like Muto to be able to drive anything. By myself, I cannot do anything."

However, my ears had already caught it.

That noise.

"That's right. You can't do anything!"

At Koko, who said that in a high pitched voice--

"But, ''we'' can do anything--"

From behind me, who answered with that--the sound of a horn rang out--

Another Shinkansen had chased us.

""...?""

The Kokos, brows creased, looked at the Shinkansen that was chasing us in shock.

"In this Caravan I, that was something that we learned as well."

We used a wire, returning from the back of the vehicle to the interior.

And for once, the Kokos cooperated with Aria as she brought them inside.

The door to the vehicle was opened due to Muto's operation, and from the door of the rescue Shinkansen, traveling at the exact same speed along the straight railroad--

A tube, roughly 1 meter in diameter, was extended this way, automatically attaching itself with a hook.

"Aya, Ayayayayaya!"

Sliding down that tube as if it was a slide was--

''Thump'', Her butt planted on the floor, Amdo's Hiraga Aya.

"...I apologize, Hiraga-san. For dragging you into this."

"What are you talking about! If it's one of my customer's problems, no matter where it is, Aya will come running! Tohyama-kun, Reki-san, Riko-chan, everyone is my important customer!"

Hiraga-san tugged on the rope that she had brought with her in the tube, pulling several different tools and a piece of machinery that looked like a fire extinguisher with her--whilst she was doing that, her eyes blinked at me. It seemed that she was trying to wink, but apparently, she couldn't do it.

A girl whom I never know if she's skillful or not.

Bringing in her tools, the tube that was crossing the space between the two Shinkansen's was taken off. For the purpose of transferring signs and signals between each piece of track, there are poles, and this was for the sake of preventing the tube from clashing with them.

However, even though we had nowhere to run, for some reason, Hiraga-san was assembling her equipment in a good mood.

"A-Ayaya! I-i-it's leaking!"

I heard Riko's voice say that from the direction of the seats.

"Just hold on a little longer! If it leaks, then the switch in the seat will short-circuit!"

"Riko is short-circuiting too! Quickly, quickly! Save meeeee!"

Riko...wanted to go to the bathroom?

That's obvious. Because, she had drank far too much strawberry milk.

"Haven't you disabled it, Hiraga!"

''Kun''--Muto said while making the Shinkansen accelerate further.

With this--390 km/h.

"--'''''Nothing is impossible!!!'''''"

Flashing an innocent smile while working, Hiraga-san answered cheerfully.

We had passed Shinyokohama station. Time left till Tokyo station was--7~8 minutes, huh?

No. If you think about the distance that is needed for the vehicle's system to brake, it's even shorter than that.

Two instruments had been extended out of the fire extinguisher-like piece of equipment, and working very gently, attaching them to the window of the washroom, Hiraga-san--

"The vapor explosive will explode once it mixes with oxygen, I heard that earlier from Riko-chan through wireless."

-said that, and she started working cautiously, but skillfully.

It seemed that, with a cutter that was attached to the tip of the tube, she apparently opened two miniscule holes.

Inside those holes, from one side of the tube, something like a balloon began to expand outwards.

"This is...?"

To Aria, who was looking through the window, Hiraga-san thrust forth her flat chest.

"Inflated with nitrogen, it's a silicon balloon! When it has expanded to fill every corner, the vapor explosive will be forced into this vacuum cylinder."

''GoGoGoGoGoGOGo''...the sound of a compressor working.

After...three minutes. We had already entered Shinakawa station.

The balloon expanded, and the ''Explosive Bubble'' was forced into the gas cylinders while the balloon spread to every corner of the washroom.

Hiraga-san checked the pressure inside the cylinder.

The nighttime view of Tokyo flowed by on the left and right.

Tokyo station was already very close--!

"Kinji, the last acceleration...410 km/h...let's go!"

''Kun''---!

The shaking of the Shinkansen growing stronger, Hiraga-san stumbled a little.

Will she make it--as I watched over her--

''Beep'', the piece of equipment made a noise.

"...Aaalllright! I'm done!"

"--Muto, brake!"

Having shouted, I took Aria and Reki, as well as Hiraga-san, into the embrace of my two arms--

I braced my back against the wall of the vehicle.

--EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE--GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII--

In a heartbeat, along with the noise of the wheels gripping--an ear-piercing braking noise.

''CLANK!!''

The most intense impact up till now rocked the Shinkansen.

Decelerating--

''Bang!''

Turning to the sound of the explosion, beside us, the window of the washroom beside us blew outwards.

However--the vapor explosive did not explode. All of it had been sucked into the gas cylinder by Hiraga-san.

Because the cylinder rolled to hit the wall with a clank, I felt a chill run down my spine--

"<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>!"

I endured the G-force of deceleration with my back.

Outside the window, orange light started flashing up from below the car. Sparks raised from the wheels and the rails.

I had thought that after we hit the brakes, we would travel for over 1 kilometer, and we still had not stopped.

Staying like that, the Shinkansen entered Tokyo station--

''Giiiiiii''...''Gii''...

Along with that ponderous sound--outside the window, the JR station name display could be seen.

--"Tokyo"--

Visible in the direction of the smoke rising up from below the chassis, that display...stopped.

Stopping--

We achieved it.

With this...everything has been resolved.

I took a deep breath, and--tapped on Aria's back as she continued squeezing her eyes tight in the midst of my arms.

It's all right now.

As if telling her that.

Aria raised her head--

Her camellia eyes first looking out the window, she turned from it to look up at me.

As if looking at a man who had realized something like a miracle.

"Aria...the reason I stay in a dormitory despite my home being in the city, I will tell you now."

Towards me, who was acting as Aria, continuing the small talk that we had had before going up the roof...

"...?"

Aria blinked her large eyes.

"--I don't really like trains."

At those words, Aria, while smiling wryly, replied with one sentence: "Same here,"

Tokyo station, which had been evacuated beforehand, was desolate.

Apparently supposed to act as a shield at the time of detonation, the trains belonging to the empty stations of Yamanote line, Keihintouhoku line, Chuuouhon line and Oumidou line were gathered here.

Furthermore, around the stop signs, sandbags were piled up to prepare for the explosion.

...How polite.

Aria and I stepped onto the platform...

"Ahaa! As a reward for my work, I'll be taking this~♪ Ayaya will help herself!"

From behind, Hiraga-san exited while innocently hugging the canister holding the "Explosive Bubble" to herself.

I see. With that as her goal, she helped us very happily.

"...Careful when you play with fire."

While smiling dryly, I put my hand on Hiraga-san's head, she who had a strong mercantile soul.

"..."

Next was, slinging the Dragunov over her shoulder, Reki, barefoot, descended onto the platform.

"'Tokyo~, Tokyo~, may the customers who are disembarking please be careful not to forget anything'"

Lastly, changing his tone to that of an announcer, Muto, dragging the two Kokos, exited.

On top of each other in an X-shape, sprawled on the platform, the Koko sisters were...were looking between us with an expression which seemed to express that, if we came any closer to them, they would bite us.

Really, what a huge fighting spirit. I want to act like that.

"You two.　If you persuade your sister to give up--I'll connect your phones."

Aria sat on top of the two, her arms folded, triumphing over her victory with a serious expression.

"It seems like these people's helicopters have been locked down by the Kanagawa police. I'm not saying this just 'cause I'm Logi, but no matter what kind of person it is, they can't do anything while on foot. She's about to be caught."

While taking off the incam, Muto cracked his shoulders.

"Muto...you worked hard. Thank you."

"What's with the politeness? Butei Charter article 1. It says, do something something with your companions, right? Which is...hey, hey. Can we get out of this station? They really stacked up those sandbags. I was thinking about buying station-lunchboxes--rather, Ryuuyouken's Jet Sieuw Mai."

"Muto~kun! You can exit from here!"

"Kinji, I'll leave the rest to you. Bring them to Dagula and have them squeeze them a little for us."

Hiraga-san, apparently wanting to do the analysis of the Explosive Bubble, if even a moment earlier, and Muto, a station-lunchbox maniac, scurried from the platform of the Shinkansen.

(I think that the station has been locked down though...)

While smiling wryly at the backs of the two, I saw them off, and once again, I knelt down on one knee by the Kokos.

Looking closer, Aria was, from Meimei's sleeve--taking out tools and weapons one by one, knives, hooks, smokebombs, etc...I took a tool that Meimei was carrying, about the size of a rice ball, into my hand...

I tried pulling a strange string which was sticking out of it.

Doing it, ''Pon.''

(Oh...?)

In around a second, expanding out of it like an airbag was--

-clutching her knees, Koko.

A dummy balloon with the appearance of a person.

"......!"

Having seen that, my mind, still in Hysteria Mode, screamed out a warning.

This is bad.

This puppet's characteristics...

These are the characteristics of, the person who had used a parachute of clothes, escaping to the side of the line, Juujuu.

That was--an inflatable dummy. Which is to say...

"--Sisters, retreat. For now, return to Hong Kong."

Koko's voice resounded from the end of the platform, and Aria, Reki, and I turned towards it in unison.

Over there was...dragging her feet, there was the figure of Juujuu, holding an M700 ready.

(Fuck...!)

Juujuu did not fall of the train.

Throwing up a smokescreen, at that point, she switched with the dummy...even if she was not able to climb up, she clung to the side of the Shinkansen. Until Tokyo, the whole while.

Probably crawling along the rail, Juujuu had distanced herself 100 meters, creating the distance to use a sniper rifle.

Nothing can be done with guns.

That aim was...on me. I knew that her sights were meeting my head.

"Reki, don't move!"

At Reki, trying to raise her Dragunov, Koko shouted.

Reki--had noticed that I was being aimed at. She did not ready her gun.

Just, staring in the direction of Juujuu.

"...Ouch!"

Just flicking my eyes to look in Aria's direction, Aria--was having her feet tightly squeezed by the Koko sisters.

The Kokos were, with some sort of desperation, yanking on Aria's hair and skirt.

With that, Aria can't move.

Because, she had gotten carried away, sitting on Koko.

"The wind trained Reki well. It made you lose the heart of a human. In this battle, I understood that veeeerryyy well. You are a girl I cannot use. So, already, you, I do not need."

"..."

"Reki--I expect that you still have bullets. ''Die by them''. Right here, right now."

Juujuu was apparently still in pain from being shot by Reki, and while her foot was trembling--she gave that order.

The M700 aiming at my forehead was a bolt-action rifle, and it could not reload automatically.

If it shot me, in the time until the next bullet was in the chamber, she would be counterattacked by Reki.

She did not want to leave that opportunity.

So, Juujuu ordered Reki to shoot herself.

"If you die, I will not kill Kinchi. Kinchi is a piece I can use, Koko doesn't want to kill him either."

"Koko. As you say...I have one bullet. If I shoot myself, you won't kill Kinji-san?"

Towards Reki, saying that as if in confirmation--I turned in panic.

I had heard this from Jeanne at the Hotogi Shrine.

--Last Bullet--

When those of the clan of Ulus are backed into a corner, when they are hindering their companions--like the samurai which once existed in Japan, they perform [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigai Jiketsu]. A clan that continues the culture of ancient Japan.

This is dangerous. This situation is--

"Stop it, Reki! No matter what, she won't ki-"

"Kinchi, shut up! Reki, the words just now was an oath by the name of '''Koko'''."

My voice was drowned by Koko's words.

"Waiting is unfair for Koko. Reki, shoot yourself right now. If I have to wait, Koko will shoot Kinchi. Reki, it's fine if after that, you shoot Koko. Rather than letting some other person take Kinchi, Koko chooses to die together."

"Koko. Princess of Ranban."

Having said that, Reki--

-placed the stock of the Dragunov at her feet.

"The '''Reki''' of Ulus asks. The oath of just now--not killing Kinji-san, will you keep it?"

"It's not good to make fun of me. Koko is the princess of the prideful Wei."

"--If you break the oath, all the 46 girls of the Ulus will destroy you. With that everything, once having conquered the world, they will definitely take your life. You should have understood."

Straightening her back, Reki placed the barrel under her own chin.

"Stop it...Reki!"

"Kinji-san.　The girls of Ulus are equal to bullets. However, I was...akin to a defective, unusable bullet. Unusable bullets are meaningless pieces of iron."

"Stop it, Reki! You're being tricked!"

Aria's high-pitched voice pierced the air.

"Kinji-san. You ordered me not to kill a person, but now, I, for the sake of protecting my lord---will shoot myself."

"...!"

"However, please understand that this is not disobedience of your orders. Because--"

"...Stop it..."

"--''I am a single bullet.''--"

She placed the toe of the foot which had lost its shoe on the trigger of the Dragunov.

"YOU ARE NOT A BULLET!"

My cry was also in vain--

Her expression not even flickering, with her toe, the trigger was--

--pulled.

--''Click''.

"...!"

Once again, Reki's eyes opened.

Those eyes were--

-clearly opened in surprise.

The bullet--did not fire.

"Misfire..."

Camellia eyes opened, murmuring to herself, Aria too had an expression which conveyed her disbelief.

As for modern bullets, the chance of a misfire is low. It would be correct to say that it is mostly nonexistent.

Furthermore, Reki had her extremely meticulous misfire prevention, even going so far as to make her bullets herself.

The chance of a misfire was one out of a billion...No, it had been controlled to the point where it was one out of a trillion, right?

That had just happened.

Reki was, at that--surprised. Clearly.

"Because, this gun will not fail me."

The Dragunov she had trusted that much had--

-failed. Failed Reki. Now, for the first time.

--Reki.

Earlier, you said that you were an unusable bullet, that you had no meaning.

Misfires have meaning too. Think about that meaning.

"...Kinchi!"

Juujuu-

-in that one instant, understood the change in the situation.

Reki could not kill herself. However, she had no bullets but an unusable bullet. 

And, the next danger, the person who could fight was--me.

She is lost.

Kill me now and run, run without killing me and recreate this scenario, attacking us again.

In the space of that hesitation--I snatched the magazine out of the Dragunov that Reki was holding in blank shock.

"--Reki. Don't shoot yourself a second time."

While saying that, I took the last bullet out of the magazine before Reki's eyes--

And I clasped it in my two hands.

While doing that, I stared directly into Reki's eyes. I am furious. For the sake of telling her that.

"This is an order. You said that you would listen to my orders, correct?"

"..."

Reki matched my sharp gaze--''Nod''.

Wordlessly, she nodded.

Having confirmed that, I revealed the bullet in front of Reki's eyes,

"Now--be born again."

I told her that. ''Click''.

Returning it to the magazine, I slotted the magazine into the Dragunov.

"--Reki. The person you should shoot is that enemy. Once more, believe in me."

I said that to Reki--

''Bang''--

While I turned back, I stood in a position where I could protect Reki from Koko's sniper rifle.

She would definitely shoot before Reki, who was cradling the gun in a daze.

That one shot--well, if it comes, it comes.

As for my guns, I do not have anymore bullets. Billiard Shot is impossible.

Bullet slicing is impossible too. I don't have my knife anymore.

The Bite I did against Patra--that is also impossible.

That defense is imperfect. Because, I will faint from the impact. Koko still has bullets. If I fall, at the last, I will be killed by the second loaded bullet.

All the methods I had used till now could not be used in this situation.

--However, I will not die. Hysteria Mode is unmatched in this world.

My reflexes, 30 times faster than normal, thrust my hands forward before I could think.

That's right. Definitely, if I do this--!

Towards me, who had taken that stance--Koko--

"Kinchi!"

--''Bang!''

Along with the gunshot, a 7.62mm NATO was released.

The palm of my two hands, stuck out, was--

-just the index fingers and middle fingers of my opened hands were overlaid in a #-shape.

--Can I do it? This kind of thing?

I was only half-confident in myself, but I could not think of anything but this. In this instantaneous moment.

I surrounded the enemy's bullet trajectory with the square made of my fingers.

The bullet, showing no intention of stopping, approached my fingers--

"--!"

--''Whoosh''--

Using Edge Catching - Double Finger, I closed in on the bullet with the two fingers of my right hand--

However, the bullet was not restrained, and it flew through the space between my fingers, heading towards me.

A 7.62mm NATO's initial velocity is supersonic.

The full-metal jacket, heading straight between my eyes, was averted slightly to the left--

While spinning, it flew towards my left eye.

With my index finger and my middle finger, once again, I closed in on the bullet.

And, once again, I slightly changed its direction. Further to the left--

"--!"

''Whoosh!''

A sharp pain ran through my cheek.

And--the bullet--

''Clink''--

-left and behind me, far away, the glass of showcase of the flowers vending machine which had been hit was cracked.

As for me--I was not hit.

The bullet had just grazed my left cheek.

I did it--

It was theorized in but a moment, yet when I had tried to do it, it had worked.

With my bare hands, slanting the course of the bullet...a technique which changes it into something akin to the symbol, "/".

If I were to give it a name--Slash--would be what it would be called.

As expected of Hysteria Mode.

Finally, it seemed that I had become such that I was able to deflect a bullet.

Well...I had been injured quite badly though, spraining my fingers. On both of my hands. It really hurts.

"Kinji...y-you, just now..."

Her voice filled with shock, Aria's eyes had widened into circles.

From next to her--

"--In the midst of this darkness.--"

Reki's voice.

Turning to look at her, Reki was closing her eyes, and her Dragunov was raised once again. Aimed towards Juujuu.

That was something I would have never though would have come from Reki, an extremely irrational movement.

Reki trusted in the fact that the misfire from just now could be fired. That which was uttered just now--

-My words.

"A path of light exists--outside of the light, nothing can be seen, nothing exists. I--"

Reki's...poem when she was sniping had changed.

Opening those eyes once again, Reki--

"--am one who runs in the midst of that light."

-pulled the trigger.

--''Bang!''

"--!"

This time, having been fired, the Dragunov's 7.62mm x 54R--

--''Chiiiiii''--

--brushed past Juujuu's head as she was reloading, not hitting its target.

"Kihi...!"

Koko, having broken out into a cold sweat, laughed, holding up the M700.

Aria sucked in a deep breath. Reki, who had perfect accuracy, had, regretfully, missed--so she thought, however, that was wrong.

It is that sniping technique. I had seen it before.

"--!?"

''Bang!''

Koko, who was on the same level of Reki, fired.

Diagonally, in a completely different direction.

"...? ? ?"

And, ''Stagger, Stagger'', she stumbled about--

-and with an expression which revealed that she had no idea what was happening to her body, ''Thud''.

-at that spot, she toppled.

That was a sniping technique which Reki had used against the Caucasus Silver Wolf--the Haimaki of present, during the period where he had once infiltrated Butei High.

With a normal bullet, grazing one part of the body, applying pressure on one portion of the nervous system, a complex sniping technique which numbed the recipient.

It can be performed on humans too, that technique. As expected of Snipe's prodigy, Reki.

Getting a concussion, her feet unsteady, Koko used the M700 like a cane, trying to rise again, but--

''Thud!''

Hidden below the platform and above the track, Riko came charging out--and she clung to Koko's back.

"Mi-Mine Riko!"

"Cao Cao-! That's also Cao Cao, this is also Cao Cao. All three are here~. Kufu!"

Like a piggyback monster, she tightly squeezed Koko's body with her two legs, performing a full nelson on her with her hands--and very literally, Koko's two long twin-tails, like snakes, moved to tighten around her neck.

This choke, used in an attempt to kill me twice--Shanshikeikeihou, Riko-version.

"Go to sleep with your own technique, Cao Cao. The person who taught me this move has become my enemy."

"......! !"

Even so, Juujuu reached her hands out to Riko's face as she was behind her, trying to counterattack, but--

-having taken advantage of opportunity where Meimei and Paonyang were rooted in shock, she flew straight towards Juujuu.

"Koko--you really don't know when to give up!"

"Wai-! Aria! Time out, time out!"

Aria ignored Riko's voice, extremely panicked, ''Thud!''

Going into a double-legged dropkick from sprinting forward with all her might, she rammed into Koko.

Riko, ''Thump!'', along with Juujuu, blasted backwards--

"<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>..."

Finally, she seemed to have fainted. Riko, too.

While smiling wryly at Aria, binding the third Koko with a ferocity akin to that of a tiger devouring a panda--

This time, with this, everything is resolved--I turned my back on the Kokos.

(Reki...)

On the other side, Reki--apparently exhausted, collapsed to the platform, sitting completely straight.

From the Dragunov, which she had not been able to shoot herself with--

As if feeling some sort of message, she tightly, tightly hugged it to herself.

I knelt by her side, and...

I could see that, from Reki's eyes, a single tear fell.

"...Reki..."

"I...do not hear it anymore."

Those shoulders were trembling slightly.

"Hear what?"

"The voice of the wind--I can no longer hear it. The wind has already stopped speaking."

Reki has...

Until now, never made movements that she had thought of herself.

Just being ordered by the "Wind", with this, living like a robot.

Those directions had faded away--so she said.

That was probably the release of the delusion that had been engrained into her by someone.

I had learned this in Inquesta, that type of mind control could be released by a severe shock.

With the shock of her Dragunov failing her, which Reki had trusted from the bottom of her heart, she had been released from that unseen hold.

"The wind is no longer saying anything--huh. Isn't that the same as saying, "think by yourself"?"

Towards me, who had said that, placing my hand on Reki's shoulder...

Reki raised her head.

"I do not understand. From now on, what do I do? From now on, alone--"

"It's fine. The wind is something which blows where it wants, right? And also--you are not alone. I am together with you. Because, after all, you've already submitted our team registration to the school. Within this time, by yourself."

Saying that, I flashed a small smile, straightening my back.

Reki...was silent.

Staying silent, her left and right hands grasping the grip and stock of the Dragunov for support, she stayed in that position for a few moments--

And when a gust of wind blew through the station, ''Whoosh'', she raised her head.

"--'''''anu urus wennuia'''''...Eternity--"

Reki had--

...A song...?

"--'''''Celare clai ol....tu plute ire, urus claia''''' Sky--"

--started singing.

I knew not which country those words stemmed from. I could hear that parts seemed to be in Japanese.

Amazingly mysterious lyrics.

However...it was, a beautiful song.

Even then, its rhythm seemed was so nostalgic, so familiar.

And, Reki's voice. It was wondrous. Its volume was soft, but she sang like a true singer, with perfect tone, such that anybody there who was listening to that beautiful voice would be rendered speechless.

"--'''''Raios Zalo Ado'''''...Ясны, ясны на небе звёзды--"

Standing up, Reki sang, and it reminded me of a bird setting off from its nest, a beautiful, vibrant song--
[[File:Aria07_187.jpg|thumb]]
Along with that continuing melody, the wind flowing through the platform strengthened.

As if it was singing. The wind too.

Aah. This is probably--

-The parting song between the wind and Reki.

"--'''''Celare claia ol...tu plute ire, urus claia''''' Sky--"

At the refrain of the song, the wind, intensifying into a gust--

From the vending machine which I had broken earlier, the bouquet of flowers which the person who says farewell gives to the one who sets off on his journey was swept up, released into the air.

The flowers, coming loose, were caressed by the wind, with innumerable amounts of petals scattered into the air.

In the midst of that multi-coloured mist of flowers--Reki walked atop the platform.

Towards the end, which was completely desolate.

(...Reki...)

All words lost, we could not even open our eyes in the face of the intensified wind.

When I closed my eyes, the last thing I could see was--

"--'''''anu urus wennuia'''''...Eternity--"

-in the instant the song, returning to its first line, finished, turning around, Reki--

-as if having been reborn, her fresh, neat face.

That face still could not form anything but a slight expression, but...

...It was smiling, I thought.

The wind stopped--opening my eyes again, Reki's figure was no longer there.

Aria panicked at the fact that Reki had suddenly disappeared, but...I was not like that at all.

Isn't it alright? For the first time, Reki started walking by her own will.

She had stopped living by the orders of someone, and herself acting like a new wind, she walked towards freedom.

So, this is like Reki's second birthday.

Rather, I felt as if I wanted to give her my blessing.

'Happy birthday, Reki'--that.

Brought to our location by Muto and company, the Jieitai's bomb squad came out...

After them, a higher-up from the police, Butei High's Ranbyou and Tsuzuri, those teachers, and the aftermath squad--

A few Butei High students came with them.

After hearing of Reki's disappearance, Snipe's third year Shibaiko-senpai tried looking for her, but...I thought it is useless. Because, by her own will, Reki could completely erase anything like a hint of her presence. As long as she does not try to come out, no matter who looks for her, she won't be found. Even if you brush right past her.

Also...because she had erased her presence by herself, she should be doing things covertly. Right now.

While I was thinking that, I exited from the desolate, maze-like Tokyo station along with the others.

Exiting from the Marunouchi exit, there were several black Butei Cars waiting.

Apparently an Assault elite, and treated differently as such, Aria was taking a car together with Ranbyou...Each of us, Riko, Muto, Hiraga-san and I, were driven by freshmen from Logi, split up, sitting in the backseat of our respective cars.

"...Now that I think about it, did you make it to a toilet? There was no toilet on Car 16."

Hysteria Mode released, I asked lightly, and Riko planted her fist in my left cheek, pressing down on it firmly.

Ou-ouch. The bullet graze from when I had performed Slash, hurt a little.

"Ki-kun! You're not allowed to ask that question of girls! I certainly made it in time!!"

Apparently, Riko, blushing, had...well, somehow done it somewhere.

Pursue it any further, and she'll be pretty pitiable. Even the me of normal understood that.

Turning away to face the window of the backseat, Riko--

"--Kinji. You're a cheater."

-with the manner of speaking of the Other Riko, murmured that.

"What are you talking about?"

"This. My eyes cannot be cheated. Here. There's the mark of a knife."

Saying that, the thing that Riko took out of her pocket was--the shell of a sniper rifle's bullet.

That was the casing of the bullet which Reki had tried to shoot herself with, and after that had failed, shot Koko with.

"...You have sharp eyes, Riko. As expected."

Sinking deeper into the seat, I received the casing from Riko's small hand.

A normal bullet's casing has an ignition point known as a primer attached to it. If there is no primer, the bullet cannot be fired. In other words--the end result is a misfire.

I...

...after hearing about the "Last Bullet" at the Hotogi branch...if the situation became such that she had been pressured to the last bullet--Reki, as Jeanne had said, might shoot herself. That's what I thought.

So, at the sleeping Reki's side, when I was performing the simple disassembly of the Dragunov--I extracted the bullets from the magazine, and removed the primer from the last bullet in advance. In preparation for Koko's next attack.

Removing the primer from the bullet was a rather dangerous action, but if I used my knife, using the special method that I had learned from Nii-san, I could do it.

As I expected, Reki tried to shoot herself with the last bullet--and that bullet ended up being a misfire.

After that, I took the bullet out of the magazine, and I reattached the primer which I had enclosed in my pocket. Clasping the bullet, I acted as if I was concentrating on doing something.

And with that, loaded once again, this bullet performed its correct function, becoming the bullet which decided our victory.

"Kinji--planned this? The whole flow?"

"Well, about half. Rather, it doesn't matter anymore, right? That."

Riko looked this way with an expression of admiration, this time staring out my window.

Visible there was a large billboard advertising the 3D movie to be opened to the public shortly, "The Wizard of Oz"

Now that I think about, when I had eaten ramen with Reki at Odaiba too, that billboard was visible.

"The Wizard of Oz". When I was small, my mother read that to me from a picture-book--and one of the characters which appeared in it, the tin lumberjack who was missing a heart, received a human's heart at the end.

Every one of us is probably like that.

The wandering Dorothy, the cowardly lion, the stupid scarecrow.

However, everyone lent each other their strength, and each of them managed to take hold of their future self.

Like that fairy tale, immediately getting it before the ending...is obviously impossible.

However, it's fine if we approach it step by step. Towards our new self.

So, Reki--you should do that too, from now on.

"Ki-kun, why're you smiling? Are you so happy to be next to Riko?

While pushing Riko, who had returned to Normal Riko and was cuddling up against me, I noticed that I was smiling wryly.

I had been completely--drawn to Reki's side. I was just thinking about this.

Lima Syndrome, which I had planned to use on the night which I was placed under Sniper Restriction by Reki--

-the reverse of that psychological phenomenon, Stockholm Syndrome, exists.

The people who are imprisoned feels sympathy for the people who are imprisoning them...a phenomenon where they become completely allies of their capturers.

This was, probably, that.

I had planned to win her over, but I had been won over instead.

Of course, the other side was not conscious of this result.

Now, I am definitely standing by that wordless and expressionless beautiful girl who is out there somewhere--Reki.

<noinclude>
{{Hidan no Aria Nav|prev=Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter2|next=Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter4}}
</noinclude>

Hidan no Aria:Volume6 Chapter1

2011-10-11T23:28:40Z

24.79.204.115:

==1st Ammo: Manhunt==

--The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle Dragunov] Sniper Rifle

A slender body design, with a great aesthetic design.

It is very light, and it far surpasses other sniper rifles.

Also, its durability and reliability are not bad, and it is one of the world-class sniper rifles.

"Wa, wait. Wait a moment."

The Dragunov sniper rifle is entirely different than the sniper rifles which only have shooting as an advantage.

In a hostile environment it won't receive damage, it can continuously shoot through the semi-automatic function, and also, on the peak, there's a bayonet, making it usable as a pike......it's a terrifying 'warzone' sniper rifle.

"Why are you unhappy......Reki!"

That muzzle, for now, was pointing directly at me.

The one holding the rifle was the Snipe division's genius, Reki.

She is someone who has the potential of a genius, the S-ranked butei in the same grade as me.

"——You and Aria, cannot be together."

Her voice completely toneless, Reki replied the same way as before.

Behind her, there was a bit of Tokyo's chilly night view, with tonight's moonlight blooming with radiance.

I was stirred up by the sight of that scene with a feeling of uneasiness......

"United......is what?"

After she spoke those weird words, I was slightly blushing.

Just then, Aria and me——

After cleaning the Inquesta building, we were on this roof. Under the sunset. Just two of us.

Looking like this, maybe it looked like a scene of a pair of intimate man and woman who loves each other.

But, why did Reki, who seemed to have seen us two do that kind of thing, draw her gun!?

"Don't......don't say rubbish. The relationship between Aria and me isn't that kind. It should be just the opposite, just then we were
saying......that, from now on......we will be separated. Us two."　

"Were you talking about breaking up?"

"What, what do you mean by 'breaking up'?"

"If it's like this, then it is even better. Because Kinji-san, can be my husband without being bothered."

That, that point.

Only that point.

The weirdest thing would be that point.

After chasing Aria away from here, Reki is now pointing her rifle at me......

''(And actually, proposed to me!)''

"Reki, you, why are you talking about 'marriage'......!"

Also, from the beginning, I have the disease that is Hysteria Mode in my body. I must live far away from women.

That you, actually say 'marriage'. What the heck is that!

"——If it's like this, Kinji-san can become 'Ulus'."

"Ulus......?"

"It means 'family'" (T/L note: Ulus is in Mongolian.)

Family......family member?

Impossible. This is becoming harder and harder to understand.

I'm just about to cry.

"Well, that...after marriage, the man and woman become family. ......But I already have my brother, it's more than enough for me. If you want to have someone you can call family, you can find some other person to take care of you. What do you think?"  

I said that, trying to evade it.

" 'The wind says, that it's you' "

Reki, said that with her previous hard tone.

" 'The wind says, that it can only be you' "

——That tone, seemed to have an inexplicably strong confidence.

Her pupils, which looked like lenses, were glaring at me as if she wanted to pierce through me with that gaze. 

It is really transparent, the sniper rifle's scope.

''(......What the heck is that......!)''

This Reki, is different from the usual Reki.

This girl's nickname is 'Robot Reki'. She's always a wordless, emotionless, expressionless girl. But despite that, the Reki as of now, is making me feel some inexplicable intensity, as if I am her target.

——As if, she has received some kind of order.

"Lis-listen to me. Reki."

I wanted to move my body out of her shooting line, and stepped back a bit as if it was nothing.

"Your actions are far too contradictory. Since you want me to be part of the family, why are you pointing your gun at me? Put that down, and let's talk about this calmly. Alright?"

"Denied. Men and women should not talk to each other--"

And doing the opposite of my suggestion, Reki shifted the gun with the slightest movement possible, pointing it at me while saying:

"--but steal each other."

Men and women should steal each other.

So, that's how Reki views boy-girl relationships. Well, if one had to talk about whether it was right or not, one couldn't say that it's completely wrong.

But, you, isn't that a ''really'' wrong way of looking at things?

Performing a Tsukommi on Reki in my heart, in my line of sight...

<nowiki>*Whoosh*</nowiki>

A leaf-brown cloth rode the wind, fluttering down.

Fluttering precisely within my reach, it was the jacket that I had taken off earlier for the sake of cleaning.

I looked up at the direction that it had flown from--and there, standing on the air-conditioning unit precisely one level above the ground, a beast was looking down at me.

That jacket appeared to be something that it had carried in its mouth all the way from the Inquesta classroom.

''(Haimaki...!)''

That was the silver-white wolf that Reki was taking care of, Haimaki.

Not understanding why he would be holding my uniform...

I caught it, and a little agitated, I put my hands through its sleeves.

Butei High's uniform--The jacket and pants are made out of the bulletproof fiber, TNK.

It's useless against the armor-piercing rounds that Reki was holding earlier, but wearing it is a little reassuring.

After all, the bullets that are stored in that magazine may not all be pierce rounds.

"Kinji-san."

"...What?"

"I too, do not wish to immediately make Kinji-san marry me."

Naturally.

"As such--I think that I will give you seven minutes grace."

Just seven!?

"From now on, I will attack you seven times. If you are able to escape being hit for more than one minute, I will retract my proposal."

This is like...explaining the rules of a game.

A cold sweat breaking out, I looked down at my watch.

"You can run where-ever you like. But, I'll warn you first. My "Killing Range" is 2051 meters." 

--Killing range.

The farthest range at which a hit is a certainty...The people in Snipe have different names for it, but Butei call it "Killing Range".

Which is to say, that is the distance at which snipers will definitely take out the enemy--

"In short, no matter where you run to inside this 2051 meter radius, my rifle will be able to hit you. Because, this rifle will never betray me--"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kch* Looking at Reki, who had straightened her gun again, at last...

I too, strengthened my resolve.

--I get it, I get it.

It looks like no matter what, you're not willing to talk with me, Reki.

Then, as you wish, I will play this game with you.

The normal me would definitely be unwilling to listen to these words.

I don't know when Reki figured out how to make me change...But the me as of now has entered Hysteria Mode, where I will listen to anything that girls say, because...

Without heat or passion, but all the more stimulating because of it--Earlier, Reki's kiss.

"Then, please marry me before the seventh bullet."

But...Why "seven"?

I didn't have enough time to even voice that question--

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Thud!*

"!?"

Leaping off the air-conditioning unit, the silver-wolf Haimaki flew over my head!

I saw that--probably something that Reki had made him wear--on his back, thick metal plating, just like armor, was protecting it. This is...I no longer have the chance to use the paralyzing bullet technique to graze his back, like I did to his brother. 

"--Uu!"

I, standing at the edge of the Inquesta Building, where the emergency stairs were, was smashed into by Haimaki, pouncing through the air.

Colliding with me like that, I fell onto the rusty steps.

As if pulling out its prey's organs, Haimaki ripped my cellphone out of my pocket, and just as that happened--

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chnk!*

--The Dragunov's gunshot!

''(Armor-piercing bullet--!)''

I was in Hysteria Mode, but the blood froze in my veins.

I thought I was hit...but there was no pain. I was not injured.

As I felt a wave of relief wash over me, *Gchhng!*

"!"

Lumped together like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dango Dango], Haimaki and I tumbled over together. We struck the handrail of the stairs, breaking it, sending us falling into thin-air.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Don!*

Haimaki jumped off me, using me as a step, returning to the stairs.

Quickly deploying the cable in my belt, I, like the Spiderman in the movies, lowered myself down to the emergency stairs a few floors below.

"...?"

Feeling a strange sensation, I glanced towards my left wrist, and my bulletproof uniform--

One of the buttons on the cuff was missing.

I could understand from the tiny piece of broken metal that was left on the sleeve. Just before, Reki had shot it off. The button.

Reki...Hasn't changed. She's still as impressive as usual.

As I was rolling around with Haimaki, she managed to shoot such that she only hit the tiny button of my cuffs.

''
(But, why did she shoot that kind of thing...?)''

As I frowned, by my ear, *Kccccchhhhh*--

As its paws trod upon the steel stairs, I heard the sound of its footsteps fast approaching.

Haimaki was rushing down the stairs.

I stretched out the Beretta in my hand...before I stopped.

Haimaki's bulletproof armor. That should be the tactical body armor that police dogs or Butei dogs wear.

My 9mm bullet would be completely useless. Even if I used all my bullets, the best I'd be able to do is delay him.

With no other choice, I could only spin around, rushing down the stairs, just ahead of Haimaki.

--Haimaki.

Now that I think about it, I had spent some time chasing you around on a motorcycle in the middle of spring. That's when you were still under Vlad's control. But now...it's your turn to chase me. This is divine retribution, isn't it?

Having landed on the ground, I--

''(If another bullet comes, I'll defend using Billiard Shot--)''

-thought that for a moment, before I realized that It was impossible.

A prerequisite of Billiard Shot is the ability to see the stance of the enemy, and deduce the trajectory of the bullet. I have to link the timing of my shot with the timing of her shot, a technique that only has one chance of success.

And facing a sniper whom I can't see, it's impossible for me to predict when she will open fire--I can't use it.

Feeling Haimaki's breath from behind my back, I sprinted forward with all my might, nothing else I could do. Under the strange looks of pedestrians that passed by occasionally, I went under the monorail tracks, jumping the guardrail to enter the commercial district, ignoring the traffic lights--

And using the anti-sniper tactics that I had learned in Assault, I twisted aside at one of the crossroads, entering a tiny alley.

Bullets cannot curve, and as such, sniper rifles can only hit enemies that are directly in their line of fire. As long as I hide in this kind of angular place, I definitely won't be hit.

"Haa, haa, haa..."

I leaned my back against the wall of the building, glancing at my watch.

It's just about to reach one minute after the first shot. According to the rules that Reki set down, this should be my victory.

I thought this, turning my head towards the entrance of the alley to see whether Haimaki had caught up with me--

--*Giin!*

Suddenly, sparks burst forth from the pole of the traffic light by the side of the road.

"!?"

The next instant, *Bch!*, a feeling of numbness ran up my wrist.

''(I-I was hit...!?)''

I looked to my left wrist in panic--and again, I saw that yet another button on the cuffs of my sleeve had been ripped off by a bullet.

Reki. You--

-hit the pole of the traffic light, and you still managed to make the bullet ricochet and hit my wrist!

L-Snipe.

Like the concept of the V-shape bullet trajectory that my own Billiard Shot draws in the air, this is a sniping technique that allows the bullet to reach an enemy around an angle, a shot that draws an L in the air.

I went "Tch", and I ran deeper into alley, which continued to wind--*Gng! Gng!* The sound of ricocheting bullets resounded twice behind me, and this time, the feeling of numbness ran up my right wrist.

--L-L Snipe...!

The bullet hit the pole of the traffic light before it ricocheted off a roadside garbage-can, chasing me all the way up the street!

''(I-is that even possible...!?)''

While I continued to go "Tch", I ran through the automatic door of a select shop.

This is in an alley which has two corners, and what's more, this is a shop. Added to this, in front of this shop, there's nothing like a postbox or power-line pole to ricochet off.

(This place is definitely...safe!)

Quite unpopular, this shop was filled with mannequins of girls, but there was not a customer in sight.

--*Zccchh!*

I saw Haimaki, hurtling in front of the store like a hurricane...and the store attendant, seeing him, retreated into a corner of the shop.

Just right. I'm sorry, but I'm just going to hide here for now.

"...?"

Drawing my gun and pointing towards the open door, I--couldn't help but frown.

Haimaki was not entering the store.

He had stopped in front of the automatic door such that it would not close, and he lowered his head, stretching his front paws out, crouching down.

''(...!)''

I reacted violently, but it was already too late.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gin!*--*Gin!*--the bullet, having come here all the way through the alley, also--*Giiin!*

Ricocheted off the metal plating on Haimaki's back, facing this way--

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bcch!* It tore past my right sleeve in a heartbeat.

"--Uwoah!"

My wrist having been grazed by a bullet, I fell towards the feet of the mannequins.

I looked at my hand, sprawled out across the floor--and from my right wrist, one more button had disappeared from the cuffs.

My mind in Hysteria Mode told me what exactly that meant.

If you add the first and second button on the chest of my uniform and the 2 cuff buttons on each of my wrists---together, there are six buttons.

And Reki has been shooting them one by one.

--Reki's words echoed in my mind.

"Then, please marry me before the seventh bullet."

If all six of my buttons go missing, and I still haven't replied with "YES"--

The seventh shot--where are you going to shoot, Reki.

Could it be that, you are trying to kill...me!

"...Fuck...!"

Reki can see me. Reki can shoot me.

But despite that, I cannot see her. I cannot shoot her back.

''(This is a sniper...!)''

A battle between pistols and snipers is like a battle between a sword and a gun. If both sides are far apart from each other, the pistol's bullet will have no way of reaching the sniper. Even if it's the me in Hysteria Mode, that fact doesn't change.

Kneeling on one knee and looking up, I...in an instant, all the mannequins looked like Reki.

This terrifying feeling. I'm going to go mad. My consciousness was about to be pressured into reaching its limit.

The me as of right now is being run down by a silver wolf, and I am but prey that cannot evade the bullets of the hunter.

Yes...This is as Reki called it, a "hunt".

--Isn't this just a..."Manhunt"!!

I used all the bullets in my Beretta to chase Haimaki away, and Hysteria Mode, sending interrupted thoughts into my mind, had thought of a place where I could hide.

I don't know why, but...

The Hysteria Mode this time, triggered by Reki, went away extremely fast.

''(If "the exterior of an obstacle" doesn't work, then if I enter the "hollow interior of an obstacle"...!)''

Perhaps, I might have a chance.

Thinking that way, I ran, throwing my body about, piercing through the alleys, returning to the entrance of the campus. Hopping the fence, I ran into the Logi's garage. Rushing towards what appeared to be a very sturdy four-wheel drive, I used the multi-purpose tool in my Butei Handbook to open the door.

Butei cars are completely armored. Even if the enemy uses armor-piercing bullets, it's still able to withstand the attack.

As long as I hide here, there shouldn't be a problem--

But, as I had just entered and closed the door.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa!*

"!"

Cracks, running outwards like a spiderweb, appeared on the window of the car. That was Reki's shot!

But, the bullet didn't pierce it. It only damaged the bulletproof glass, ricocheting off.

A-as it should.

''(My...victory!)''

But, as I rubbed my hands, slick with cold sweat, I froze.

--*Pa!*

--*Pa!*

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa! Pa! Pa!*

The sniping...continued without pause.

And, they were all concentrated on one singular point on the glass, not straying by even a millimeter.

Reki, like hammering a nail into a plank--Finally--

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kch!*

Shot through the bulletproof glass!

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bch!* And, on my uniform--the second button on my chest was ripped off, spinning into the air.

My mind...thought back to Reki's other words.

"That's why, you should know that there are people who can easily destroy your existences through other means."

She was completely correct. If what Reki was aiming for was not a button...but my head, then even the me in Hysteria Mode would have had my brains blown out.

Jeanne, Vlad, Patra--

Even Sherlock I could beat when I was in this mode--Hysteria Mode!

Fuck! Ahh, I've understood! I understand it very well! You're stronger than me!

So, please stop it! Reki!

On my uniform, only one button was left.

I ran out of the four-wheel vehicle, which already had a broken window, and I used the last resort.

Understanding that running away had no meaning, I no longer ran to extend the distance.

(More like, I'm doing the opposite...!)

Just before Hysteria Mode had disappeared, the last place to run had flashed into the forefront of my mind--my starting point, Inquesta.

The building that Reki was on.

If she's still on that rooftop, then it's impossible for her to shoot downwards. Absolutely.

Even if she rushes down the stairs, preparing to shoot within the classroom, she will definitely take too much time, and I will win.

I sprinted into the building with all my might, running into the classroom that Aria and I had had a competition to clean this evening. I didn't turn on the light.

I glanced at my watch--It had been 50 seconds since the last shot.

10 seconds left. 9, 8, 7...

Alright. At the last of the last, I made a comeback. Thanks to the inverse logic due to the circumstances.

As I heaved a sigh of relief--

"!"

Her hair and skirt fluttering, Reki--

--*Bang*--!

Falling down in what amounted to a standing position, she shot me through the window!

That bullet, fired from point blank range, shattered the glass. And inexorably, it continued towards me, who couldn't help but flinch backwards. Towards the first button on the chest of my uniform.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kin!*

It was blown away...!

(I'm done...!)

Apparently having affixed her cable to the roof, Reki, *Shhh*...used a miniature automated reel to ascend up the cable and entered the classroom through the window. Standing in front of me, who was still in a state of shock.

[[Image:Aria06 031.jpg|thumb|right]]
Afterward, she raised that face, which looked like it belonged to the CG of a game character, drawn with painstaking care...

And like a robot, she raised the Dragunov towards me.

Pointing at the chest of my uniform, which was wide open--pointing it at my completely defenseless, vulnerable, heart.

"--I-I surrender. I understand. Don't fire."

Reki really is a girl whom I cannot understand.

So, she might really kill me with the seventh bullet.

Because before this, when we had fought with Patra, she had shot the opponent in the head as if it were perfectly natural.

"Whether it's marriage or something else, I will agree. Don't fire."

My last thread of hope, Hysteria Mode, having been released, I could only raise my hands in defeat.

And in front of me, who was in this position...

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kch.* Reki leaned the Dragunov against a desk by her side.

"--Then, Kinji-san. From now onwards, I am yours. I have translated the following edict into modern Japanese...If you don't understand, then please forgive me."

And with that, taking off her headphones, striding in my front of me--

In the empty nighttime classroom, she knelt.

Behind her...the moon, particularly enormous tonight, scattered its rays through the shattered window.

"From this moment onward, I am for Kinji-san to use. The strength of my gun is yours, use it as you will. My body has become but one of your possessions, use it as you will."

...He-hey...

"A bride does everything her lord wishes. I vow that my bullets will seek vengeance upon all those nearby who wish to harm my lord. I will eradicate them, not leaving a trace."

Wh...What did you say?

Just now, you set your wolf on me, and you shot at me...

But despite that, now, "my body has become but one of your possessions"?

"One of Ulus is all, and all of Ulus is one. From this moment onwards, us 47 girls of Ulus, no matter when, for eternity, will become your strength."

As if reciting certain requirements, she added this last sentence, in front of me, who was still stunned--

Standing up lightly, she wore her headphones again, and she picked up the Dragunov, shouldering it.

"... ..."

She was completely still. She just stood there like that. And that expressionless gaze was fixated upon the empty air in front of her.

This is probably...the normal Reki. I can already feel the lack of killing intent.

I may not know why, but that hunter form she was in just now, appears to have stopped.

"..."

Standing there in a daze, just like Reki, I felt a chill trickle up my spine...Using my mind in normal mode, I organized this sequence of events, which didn't seem to have fully registered in my mind.

Just now, that "Manhunt" was probably an exhibition of Reki's power.

--If you run, I will kill you.

That message had been deeply engraved into my mind.

And just after that, she announced that she would marry me.

--I am yours.

These 2 messages were completely contradictory, but without a doubt, she had conveyed such to me in reality.

(...)

I scratched my head, trying to ascertain the situation around me.

I've been captured by a sniper. If I run, I will be sniped. The Butei phrase for such situations is, "Sniper Restriction".

It conveys the situation of being trapped in the opponent's Killing Range--an invisible cage.

Following the rules that I had learned in Assault about being restricted by an enemy...I should pretend to surrender, not resisting, no matter what may come my way. Submit and obey the opponent's every order.

And, later, take the chance to escape, or call for support.

Well...right now, Reki probably won't interrogate me or kill me like a Yakuza or terrorist. So, the first movement that is laid down--"Surrender", should be the correct step to take.

But, although I waved a white flag--

"..."

-I had no idea of what to do afterward.

Reki seemed to have entered standby, and she didn't move at all.

"..."

I tested the waters, taking one step, two steps back...

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Tap Tap*

Uu. She followed.

I turned my back, leaving the classroom...*Tap Tap Tap Tap* She continued to follow, at my back.

...So hateful. This is like the incarnation of a ghost, haunting my back.

Thinking that, I quickened my steps, wanting to descend the stairs--

Appearing to notice this, Reki, *Shh*,

Grabbed my sleeve.

"...What is it."

"Please don't leave me."

"Why?"

"I cannot let the enemy attack you."

The enemy, she says. Who would want to attack me?

Now that I think about it, she said this before she started to attack me. Something like, "the enemies from now on,"

...Wasn't that about you?

But, if I just resist her, things will get ugly, right? If I push Reki's switch, and she becomes weird again, she might just deliver the seventh bullet a little late, directly to my head this time.

"So...what are you going to do, Reki? From now on?"

"I will obey you. I will carry out any orders you give."

"...Get away from me."

"I cannot do such a thing."

What is this. Despite the fact that you just said you will carry out any orders I give.

With that, I looked back, an unsatisfied expression on my face.

"Then...raise one leg."

I copied the old movie that I had seen on TV, "Terminator 2", and I tried saying something horrible.

And--*Shh*

On top of the stairs, Reki raised her right knee a little, standing there on one leg, just like a flamingo.

Hmmm...well, looks like she really will do anything I say.

...Alright. I've thought of something good.

"A little more up."

This could be my chance to escape.

I--will push Reki. I'll just pretend it's payback for the blow from before.

If she rolls down the stairs like that, I can steal the Dragunov before running away.

Diagonally above me, who had been putting this together in my mind, Reki raised her small, deer-like leg.

But, her center of gravity didn't change at all. That's amazing, that sense of balance feels like that of a gymnast.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Shhh*....*Shhhh*...

That snow white knee continued to raise up, continuing to reach towards the ceiling...

And her thigh, nearly horizontal now, brought her skirt along with it...

"...!"

Ah...Hey...

Th-the scene before my eyes is about to get da-dangerous!

"A-alright, alright! You can bring it down now!"

Turning my face around, I gave her an order, panicked.

--<nowiki>*</nowiki>Tap*

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Fuah*Reki brought her leg down, and her skirt returned to normal.

"?"

Seeing me so panicked, Reki twisted her head by one centimeter.

Hey, is there a need to go "?" If you had raised it more, I'd be able to see under your short skirt. If you're a girl, then be a little more embarrassed, a little more unwilling, alright?

Really--Reki really is a robot girl.

Now, have I been forced to take something I don't want at all, a remote control?

A defective remote control, one with a missing switch: "Go far away".

Me.

Reki, behind me.

Haimaki, behind Reki.

We walked through the nighttime street in a row, just like RPG characters...I was thinking.

To be honest, I was extremely, extremely angry. I wanted to return home and sleep as fast as possible.

But, at this time, if I were to bring Reki back to my own room--earlier, having misunderstood the relationship between Reki and I, Aria...Meeting up with her would be very awkward.

And, Shirayuki as well. She said that she was going to stay at the Meiji Shrine tonight...But, my misfortune has been proven again and again, so with that in mind, I followed the steps in my head: "I will return home before the agreed time!" → "Some pests have attached themselves to Kin-chan! Pests should be exterminated!" With that, there's the possibility that Dormitory War III will break out again.

As for Muto or Shiranui's place...that won't do either. As long as Reki continues to follow me, those places won't do at all.

With no other options, I told Reki this.

But, Reki didn't take it seriously at all, and she said:

"Then come to my room."

And at that moment, I finally noticed...I had already been pressured into a position where I had no choice but to do that.

(The girl's dormitory...how hateful...)

Stealthily, making sure that the teacher on duty didn't notice me, I walked into the 2nd girl's dormitory. Reki and Haimaki's steps were completely silent, but the same couldn't be said for me. Hey, Reki, how is it that you have such a perfect gait? You may have said "come to my room," so calmly, but isn't it obvious that if I'm noticed, things will get ugly?

Continuously complaining in my heart, I arrived at Reki's room...

"..."

Inside, was the same terrifying desolateness, without a trace of life.

The room, illuminated by a single lightbulb, had no furniture at all. Actually, why doesn't the wall even have a clock on it? It's amazing that you're able to live in this kind of sickening atmosphere.

It may have been the second time I had come here, but I still felt a vague feeling that I was intruding.

"... ..."

Now that I think about it, even though it looks like this, this room still belongs to a single girl.

And from now on, I am to live with Reki here, just a boy and a girl.

This...in terms of Hysteria Mode, is a huge pinch.

Because, if I go into Hysteria Mode, and spend a night with Reki, who has a personality like that of a hostess, doing something that I can't take back...

...I might really have to take responsibility. I might have no choice but to marry her. That really is a deathtrap. Also, the person in question won't resist at all.

(I have to stay alert...)

I couldn't help but twist my gaze away from Reki, who was bending down, removing her shoes on the bare concrete...couldn't help but twist my gaze away from the nape of her neck, slightly exposed...so white that I could hardly tell the difference between her skin and the uniform. 

Never having applied any makeup or cosmetics, Reki has never received a lot of attention, but in truth...

She is a breathtakingly beautiful girl.

In truth, her face as it is, is far more beautiful than a model's face, completely covered with makeup.

That expressionless face makes people feel that she is hard to approach...but, just as Reki's secret fanclub believes, she is amazingly cute.

"--Kinji-san."

"Hmm? Ah, um, what?"

Thinking about that, my voice a little agitated, I couldn't help but twist my head around to look at Reki, who had suddenly raised her head, looking my way.

Th-this expressionless gaze, looking upwards--Damn it, it's cute. It's like the gaze of a puppy.

"The keycard to this place. Please use it as you like."

Reki's slender, white finger...It was hard to believe that just few a moments ago, it had been pulling the trigger to a sniper rifle--passed the ID card to me.

(I don't want it! But, if I say something like that, her sniper rifle will spit fire again, right...)

With no other choice, I reached out, but my fingers...and Reki's soft, gentle fingers.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Shh*

For an instant. They touched. As if linking with each other.

--*Dogun*

My heartbeat, a strange sound.

For some reason, this seems to be the sound between "Dokin" and "Giku". It's pretty talented. My heart, that is.[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume6_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1]

"..."

"..."

Ahh...Damn it. I can't speak. Against girls...I am weak. No matter how much time may pass, no matter which girl it may be.

Reki strode into one of the interior rooms from the entrance. Inside, was the only piece of furniture--On the table, were various tools, which looked like metal brushes and anvils. Those tools were used for maintaining guns.

Having been standing in the living room in a daze, I didn't really want to stay inside the desolate living room...and so, I also walked into the other room, which was like a workroom.

"...Sorry for interrupting."

"..."

Reki didn't look at me. She was sitting up straight on the chair, preparing to maintain her sniper rifle.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Click Click Chck Chck*

The gun was dismantled under Reki's practiced movements, turning into a mass of components, laid out piece by piece onto the table.

There was nothing like a manual or handbook by her side.

It appears that each component and function of the Dragunov, down to the smallest screw, was completely memorized by her.

Her technique able to match any Amdo teacher, perfectly maintaining the Dragunov, Reki--

-*Kch*, pointed the reassembled rifle at the wall, checking it.

Almost like a swordsman who had just been given a katana.

"Kinji-san. I'm sorry, but starting now--please stop breathing for a while."

"...Breathing? What?"

"There is a chance that the water particles in your breath might stick to the bullet and affect it, somehow."

Finished talking, Reki pulled open a drawer and took a vinyl-sealed ziploc bag from out of it. From within it, she took out a 7.62×54mmR--a sniper round.

(...Breathing, she says. She really has some mental problems...)

But still, I lowered my breathing, staring at Reki as she worked.

Looking closely, there was a scale on the table. That was an instrument to precisely measure how much gunpowder to use in each bullet.

Which is to say, sealed inside the case that Reki had just taken out, were bullets, all of them made by Reki herself. She certainly pays a lot of attention to fine detail.

As for me, I always go to buy the pistol bullets that are resold by the army. Not even that, I always aim for the cheap ones.

"..."

Wearing gloves, Reki placed one bullet, two bullets on the table, in a neat row.

After she had finished laying them all out, *Shh*, she stared at the 20 bullets, spread apart... 

Her eyes, seeming like scanners, gazed upon the bullets, flowing from left to right in a meticulous order, unblinking....

She only picked one bullet up.

Continuing to scan the bullet from every angle, Reki made me feel as if she needed no instruments to measure anything. Rather, with just her eyes and fingertips, she could sense every microgram of fault, feel every nanogram of error.

"..."

Reki slotted the bullet, which appeared to have passed her test, into the magazine, and the remaining 19 bullets...*Clatter Clatter*. She threw them all into the rubbish bin by her feet. Once again, she took out another case, which probably held 20 bullets as well.

"What are you doing?"

"Misfire protection. I will only use the best bullet from the 20."

"...Don't be so wasteful. This is an eco-era, after all. And as for misfires, when they happen, they happen. There's no stopping it."

"Until now, that has not happened to me once."

Apparently having a lot of pride when it comes to matters involving guns, Reki answered me, the box clasped between her hands.

"That...I realize that maintenance is important. But, there will be times where guns, as well as tools, don't respond to our commands. The ability to adapt to such a situation, and overcome it is what it means to be a Butei."

"This gun will not fail me."

Reki returned those words, her tone slightly firmer, slightly louder, those cute lips tightly closed--

Her gaze returned to the desk, and she continued selecting the bullets.

It's true that...if one does such a thing, the probability of a misfire happening will become zero.

(But--this way of doing things, she won't even let one drop fall from her cup.) 

With just one battle, she completely dismantles her gun, maintaining it, protecting against any malfunctions.

All her bullets are made meticulously, and even after that, they undergo a strict selection phase to prevent any chance of misfiring.

Reki's attitude, obsessive to this level, leaves no room for error.

It may be that I, not wanting to be killed, decided to surrender first, looking for a chance to run...

But, looking at this scene, her meticulousness is such that, there will be no "chance to run".

(At any rate, were I to escape to any corner of Academy Island...as long as I am within two kilometers of Reki, I will be sniped...)

It looks like my plan to run was meaningless.

Since that's the way things are--The only thing I can do is, convince Reki to stop attacking me.

But, how do I do that?

I leaned against the wall, my mind whirring into gear, thinking of how I could regain my freedom.

Now that I think about it, I might have seen something in the appendix of one of the Assault textbooks--

When being used as a hostage, when the opponent has no weaknesses, when it's impossible to run...as the last resort, there's still the method, called: "Lima Syndrome".

Lima Syndrome is a situation where after a period of time, the offenders will begin sympathizing with the hostages and in the end decide to end the conflict of their own free will. It is named thus because of just such a situation that happened in 1996, when a large-scale kidnapping incident occurred in the Japanese embassy of Lima, Peru. 

(But, will that method work? On this robot girl?)

Thinking about those things, I--

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Click*

-heard the sound of Reki inserting the magazine, completely loaded with handpicked bullets, into the Dragunov. A noise so ominous, filled with despair.

After finishing the maintenance of her gun, Reki...*Tap Tap*

Strode into the living room.

As she walked, her clothes rustled, and in a flowing movement, she pulled her scarf, part of the school uniform, off.

...What's she doing now?

Not understanding, I gazed upon her back...

Inside a small side room, upon closer investigation, there was what appeared to be a miniature washing machine. Inside it, Reki took off her headphones...

"..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rustle* Her hands grasped the hem of her shirt.

"......"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rustle*

"--!?"

Sh-she pulled it up with one movement!

"--Wait! Wait! Why are you taking off your clothes!?"

Reki's exposed back, shining like a pearl, made me panic.

"Bathing."

"Do-don't turn around!"

"--The stains on one's body will affect one's health. Conversely, my health will affect the accuracy of my sniping and as such, I must constantly cleanse myself."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Zcch* She pulled her zipper down. *Fyuu*

A-and without a moment's hesitation, sh-she even took her skirt off.

Panicked, I twisted around, my back facing Reki, who had no qualms whatsoever about exposing her unadorned, white undergarments.

"Th-that's not what I'm talking about, I-I saw it all, you know!"

"I care not."

"I care!"

"--Haimaki, come here."

Reki didn't appear to understand the reason for my resistance--*Kch, Shhhhh, Fyuu*

-once again, the noise of rustling clothes reached my ears.

And the source of that noise--I had no wish of thinking about.

How dangerous is this girl?

I knew that she had no emotions, but I didn't expect that it would even extend to things like this.

Why is it that, in front of me...you can remove your clothes so calmly!

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Tap Tap Tap Tap* Haimaki passed by my side, and the sound of the shower door closing reached my ears...*Shhh*...the sound of a shower really started.

And my eyes, just like the shower, gushing water now, were watering. Damn it. What a horrible day.

--"Lima Syndrome"

Taking some time to establish a relationship with Reki, and afterward, convince her into letting me go.

That was my last hope of getting out of here.

(But...)

Relationships can only be formed between people.

But, facing the inhuman Reki, there doesn't seem to be any chance of success.

Which is to say, my plan has to start with educating Reki about human emotions.

And that--is a long, perhaps endless, path. But, if I don't act, there will be no way for me to leave this Sniper Restriction. So, I have to adopt an indomitable mindset and find a way to carry out, "Reki's humanization"...

<nowiki>After I too, had borrowed her shower--</nowiki>

-My head resting on Haimaki's back, lying on the ground, I pondered my plan in secret.

Before, his fur wet, looking like a dog, Haimaki shook himself violently on the balcony, throwing the water off and returning to normal. His fur was soft, and very comfortable.

"..."

I twisted my head to the side, and Reki, wearing a sailor uniform, was sitting upright against the wall. It appears that she has several uniforms, and she wears them alternatively.

"......"

Before, when I found out about it, I was extremely surprised, because Reki sleeps upright.

Some say that, during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sengoku_period Sengoku period], some warriors, for the sake of being able to react immediately to the enemy's surprise attacks, had the habit of clutching their swords while they slept. And in modern times, Reki still does that. Even while she sleeps, she does not show any weaknesses. 

(Well...but, as a girl, you're full of weaknesses.)

...Wearing that kind of short skirt, sitting like that, on your knees.

I can understand that, if one sits like that while holding a sniper rifle, that stance is very stable...but, could you tell me where my eyes are supposed to look?

As a result of your present, for the sake of not seeing anything...unnecessary, I chose a very uncomfortable sleeping position. Well, I may say that, but no matter where I lie, it will be cold, bare concrete.

"...It's time for lights out. May I switch off the lights?"

Hearing her words, I glanced at my watch, it was just 9:00, not 1 second more, or less. It's no wonder there are no clocks here, her body clock is as accurate as a robot's.

"It's fine. There's nothing to do in this empty place, anyways."

I responded, almost complaining.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa*

Reki used the muzzle of the Dragunov to push the switch of the light behind her, switching off the light. But, the Tokyo streetlights, by the sea, were shining in a little, and as such, it wasn't very dark.

"..."

Silently, Reki closed those eyes, which were like gems, floating in the midst of the darkness.

That gave me the feeling of a robot switching itself off, quieting down...But, she's still breathing. That chest, which could not be said to be well-developed, no matter how one looked at it, was rising and falling, in time with her breaths.

"..."

Reki's sleeping face, appearing in the midst of the faint light--

Such a terrifying enemy...has such an unparalleled beauty. Such that it makes me feel a little lost, a little confused.

More appropriately, this is some sort of allure, right? That face, so neat, seemed to be like a doll...fashioned from some sort of crystal, crafted lovingly by a famous artisan.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Fyuu*

An aroma, reminiscent of plant-scented shampoo, wafted over, in the wake of the wind. Reki's hair, damp from her shower, under the night breeze, coming in through the partially opened window, was slowly returning to its natural smoothness.

"...Are you asleep yet?"

"...Not yet."

Once again, Reki opened her closed eyes, looking this way.

It was only a vague feeling, but I felt that Reki was also thinking deeply, waiting for sleep to come. If it's now, I feel that I'll be able to converse with her calmly.

Thinking that way, I,

"Asking when things have come to this is a little late...but why did you take someone like me?"

I came straight out with the question that I had wanted to ask from the start.

"The 'wind' ordered me to do so."

"Wind...? What's that? Is it someone's codename?"

"Not a person. The wind is the wind."

Wind...?

Are you talking about the wind that's blowing around outside right now?

That's merely the flow of gas, a natural phenomenon. How could something like that give anybody an order?

"Then, what is the wind?"

"The wind is the wind."

...Unnn...

It looks like continuing to ask along this line of thought is a waste of time. There's a feeling that we'll back and forth: "What's that?" "That's the wind," for all eternity.

--Let's ask about something else to start up a conversation.

"...You said, 'order'? Then, this proposal, mm...is like an arranged marriage, and is not of your own free will?"

"Yes."

...Hey, hey...

I couldn't stop my face from twitching.

"...Will you obey that...wind, no matter what it says? I don't understand, even if the wind makes you marry someone like me...you don't care?"

I asked blankly. Reki--

"--I am a single bullet. A bullet has no heart. Therefore, it does not think--"

She used the mantra-like words that she always said when firing, to respond.

--It does not think.

Which is to say, as long as the wind wills it so, you will, just like a bullet, always flying out in response to the pull of the trigger, always obey?

"..."

I...had no way of asking anything about the restriction anymore.

Because, I had already realized that, no matter what I asked, it would be useless.

It isn't possible for Reki's thoughts to suddenly change. Because, she never had her own thoughts to begin with.

This may seem like a rhetoric, but in principle, it is impossible to make "nothingness" undergo "change".

Heaving a sigh at this conversation, completely meaningless, I--

"Then...since we're playing house, what should I do?"

I asked about something else I was worried about.

Is it fine if I just laze around, playing the part of a useless husband?

"I don't know."

...You don't know, you say. You didn't think about this at all, did you?

"But, Kinji-san and I are no longer children, physically."

Reki brushed off her headphones lightly, continuing tonelessly,

"While living together, just leave the rest to your natural instincts--that's what the wind told me."

"Natural instincts...?" 

"Yes. The wind said, we would naturally have children."

Children...

"Children!?"

Children!

My head slipped off Haimaki's back, the back of my skull violently colliding with the concrete floor.

Fr-from marriage, this topic turned to children.

...Which is to say, th-that kind of thing!

That's impossible for me! Absolutely impossible! From the beginning, as for girls, I--

-wanted to refuse, but Reki probably already knows about my Hysteria Mode. Which means, having already exposed my arousal from Reki's kiss, I have no right to say anything.

"Just, I don't know what I should do...so, I'll leave everything to Kinji-san. Kinji-san appears to be quite familiar with this, and wives should give everything to their husbands, as well."

Reki's calm voice made me sit up violently.

"Yo-you said that, "Kinji-san appears to be familiar with this,"...What is that supposed to mean?"

"Kinji-san is liked by many girls, so I believe that you are very familiar with the relationships between men and women." 

"I-I'm not familiar at all. If I had to use an adjective, it would be 'slow'. Because, I am somebody that always avoids girls. I think you know this too, but it's for the sake of not activating the sickness that is Hysteria Mode."

I said, as if venting my feelings, and I lay back down on Haimaki's stomach.

"Anyways, even if the one in a million chance that a girl likes me occurs...then, they'd just like the me in Hysteria Mode. The normal me is just a useless, uninteresting high schooler."

"--Wrong."

Reki directly refuted my words.

"Outside of HSS...of Hysteria Mode, you hide a different, amazing power."

"...?"

Outside of...Hysteria Mode?

This is the first time I had ever heard someone say this.

"--One of them being, your submerged charisma. Such things are hard for one to notice about oneself."

"Submerged...?"

Now that I think about it...Before, Tsuduri-sensei also said something like this.

She said that I have "a sort of charisma".

"That is the characteristic of a leader. The characteristic of a general."

...General?

She's talking about generals.

"When you were fighting with I-U, you activated a certain core ability, gathering numerous allies about you--even your enemies were swayed under your influence, becoming your companions. And this, is unquestionably the growth of your unique charisma. After all, once an excellent general appears, warriors will naturally gather around him."

"...Hey..."

I shook my head.

"Even in Hysteria Mode, I am weaker than you. My abilities, as compared to Nii-san and father is such that I feel shame over my inexperience. How could I have that kind of charisma?"

"A general does not need unparalleled intelligence, or power. That is something that each warrior should have. And, I'm not stating this in relation to Hysteria Mode, but stating this in relation to that particular part of Kinji-san."

"..."

I turned around, my back facing Reki.

Reki's personality...is such that she will not lie.

So, that probably isn't flattery, but her true beliefs.

"..."

I...

Without even looking at a mirror, I know that my cheeks are slightly red.

I may not know why...but, I'm abnormally embarrassed.

I feel that...having that kind of direct affirmation of something inside me that isn't Hysteria Mode, is too much. But, this is something that I have never heard before, throughout my entire life.

I had no idea of how I should react.

"Also, just now, Kinji-san said, you are 'weaker than me'--But, I know that if Kinji-san were serious, you would be stronger. You are still conserving, locking away, your true power."

"--Don't say any more."

My voice, a little deeper, halted Reki.

Reki wasn't wrong...that battle from just now...

If I had wanted to, I wouldn't have needed to run away.

If my heart could accept killing somebody...

I could have eradicated Reki and Haimaki. I could have wiped them out.

"...I don't wish to use that kind of power, and I will never use it again. Using my full strength against you, what will it achieve?"

"..."

"Guns, swords, whichever one is stronger--is meaningless for me. I'll take this opportunity to explain this to you, next year, I will drop out of this school and transfer to a normal high school. So? What do you think? That is how I truly feel. Unexpected, isn't it?"

"No--If you do that, I will drop out of Butei High as well, and follow you to a normal high school."

Reki's answer could not help but make me twist around.

This...was the first time I had seen such a reaction.

Despite the fact that, as long as they heard me say such a thing, Aria's, even Shirayuki's expression would freeze.

"--A person's personality is not reliant upon which school they go to. No matter which school you go to, Kinji-san will be Kinji-san."

Still sitting upright, Reki, just as always, was looking down at the floor, and she asked,

"Is there something that Kinji-san wants to do, going to a normal high school?"

Hearing Reki's counter-question, I was a little tongue-tied.

"...This..I'll think about it after I transfer."

"I see."

Reki's tone, seeming to carry a hint of the question, "that's not how it really is, right?" made me feel as if I was being led--

"Probably...there might be something."

The words casually slipped out of my mouth, retracting my previous statement, meant to disguise my true intention.

"But...that is just a dream, hidden in my heart. In reality...I've never worked for it at all. So now, I can just drag myself through my Butei High days. As if just hanging in the air, suspended by a string."

I understood very clearly that this wouldn't do. But, even with that, my heart...knew that the school I was attending now had no way of allowing me to take that very first step.

"..."

As if knowing my thoughts, as if understanding me, Reki...didn't say anything.

(Reki...)

To be honest, I...never thought that I'd be able to talk to her about this.

Reflecting on this in my heart, I glanced towards the side of Reki's face.

Reki has never showed any care for others. No matter who she faces, she will never form any reassuring expressions, never any promising smiles.

As a result, she has no friends. If I had to name one, Aria would be the only one she could call friend.

And I--

-had never thought that I would tell Reki my true feelings.

The me in Butei High would never speak my mind to anybody. That is because, there is nobody in this place that would be able to talk about this kind of thing with me.

Thinking about this, my feelings, full of rejection against Reki just a moment ago...

Seemed to have flipped slightly.

Flipped--which is to say, I felt a certain closeness.

"..."

I'm not sure whether she felt the same as I, but Reki, who seemed to be only moving her eyes, looked directly into mine.

"..."

That wordless stare, Reki's gaze...

Slowly...

I may be wrong, but it felt as if she was waiting for some sort of order.

(...Order...)

Now that I think about it, just now...I acquired an invisible remote to this person in front of me, Reki.

--Acquired that remote, which had only one missing button: "Go far away."

...

But, as opposed to that, there was a button which said, "Come here."

...

...No, no. I can't...!

Because I had relaxed a little, I had thought of it for an instant.

A little embarrassed, I turned my head a little, but those light-pink colored lips, opened in the midst of that shining porcelain-like skin, flashed into my eyes.

(...Just now, those lips suddenly...touched mine...)

Reki's lips--

Apparently reacting to my gaze, she shifted, perhaps a millimeter.

Suddenly feeling as if my thoughts had been seen, I became a little agitated.

...This isn't good.

I had only noticed it now, but Reki, whether it be in terms of strength, or in terms of Hysteria Mode...she was the strongest enemy I had faced so far.

To put it briefly, I had already understood that she was someone so beautiful, someone whom the more you looked at her, the more beautiful she seemed--

And, although I don't wish to admit it, but she definitely has...as compared to Aria, Shirayuki, Riko...a completely different allure.

"We...we should sleep. The opening ceremony for the 2nd semester is tomorrow. I don't want to be late on the first day of school."

I said, turning my head towards the ceiling. I used Haimaki's tail as a eyeshade, covering my eyes with it.

The moment that I had seen Reki's face before I turned my eyes away, it was expressionless, the same as ever, but--

For some reason, I had a slight feeling...

That that face was filled with an immeasurable sorrow.

<noinclude>
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</noinclude>