Editing City Series:Volume4a Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 4===

'''11:14 PM

Kasumi watched in a daze.

He understood what had happened.

He had seen it with his own eyes.

First, Aoi’s left hand had shot forward while drawing an outward-facing spiral.

At the end of the jab, her palm was facing upwards.

By then, the knives should have reached her body, but they had changed direction again.

They seemed to have been swallowed up by the spiraling motion of her left arm. They were like branches caught in whirlpool. It had only lasted an instant, but they had clearly swam along with the motion of her left hand and then been deflected.

He could see a large outward-facing wrinkle in the left sleeve of her blouson.

He did not know what kind of power it was or even if it came from within or without, but a great power had created a current there to apply a twist to the straight movement of the knives.

…''What was that?

A simple touch had caused the blades to fall despite each one flying in from a different direction.

She was entirely unharmed.

…''What was that!?

No one answered his question.

Meanwhile, Aoi silently spun the hexagonal rod in her right hand.

She pointed the grip toward Kasumi so the knives stabbed into it were closer to her.

She grabbed the hilt of the topmost knife and slowly pulled it out.

With a sound that brought a chill to his teeth and she held the knife’s long hilt in her slender fingers.

Ether light glowed in her hand and her lips parted.

She produced upbeat drum and bass Words.

''Beyond the farthest reaches of time

''Beyond the most distant lands

''Where power becomes a harmony of destruction

That was Kasumi’s song.

She did not have an MD. She simply uttered the Words from her own mouth.

“!?”

She ignored his confusion.

—''Aoi – Draw Tech – Take – Rapid Throw – Hit!

The knife moved swiftly but horribly silently.

Its speed as it flew straight toward his chest filled him with vivid fear.

“…!”

—''Kasumi – Mind Tech – Take – Emotional Control – Miss!

:—''Kasumi – Gym/Dodge Tech – Multiple Take – Leaping Dodge – Hit!

As soon as he took a large jump backwards, Aoi jabbed her metal rod into the railroad crossing the bridge.

A solid sound rang out.

—''Aoi – Explosion High –Take – Remote Control – Hit!

An explosion suddenly appeared on the back of the knife and it ricocheted.

“!?”

Before Kasumi could feel surprise, the knife stabbed into his left leg.

It plunged deep into the limb.

“…Wha-!?”

His voice of question was accompanied by pain racing through his brain.

She had definitely used his techniques and Words.

The force of the throw, that way of using the Explosion High, the intensity of the blast, and the Words that should only have belonged to him were no different from what he had used.

…''What is going on!?

“You deflected all my attacks…and copied them…?”

The answer to his question contained an overwhelming meaning.

“I surpass you.”

He tried to oppose her words, but his voice of protest would not come.

Instead, the pain from the knife in his leg brought a scream.

And that voice was answered by a steam whistle behind him.

A mechanical roar and artificial light washed over him from behind.

The freight train was rushing toward his back as he crouched at the edge of the bridge.

The tracks shook and let out a metallic groan to tell him of the great weight approaching.

With his leg injured, he had no way of avoiding the train.

“…!”

He gasped.

“Do I really have to go to the trouble?”

With that question, he heard Aoi sigh right by his ear.

…''!?

By the time he saw her graceful face in front of him, she had already grabbed his collar.

“What are you doing!?” he asked in utter fear.

“The loser doesn’t get to speak.”

With that, she threw him into the river below.

…''!

A cry of terror and surprise escaped his throat.

As he flew through the air, the metal bumper of the freight train’s first car grazed his feet.

That first car continued on and passed through the position Aoi had stood in.

It had hit her.

He could not imagine any other outcome, yet he was confident that girl who claimed to be Tokyo’s Vice Chancellor had not been hit.

A beat later, he fell into the winter river and broke through the surface.

He sank deep into the chilly water.