Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 3 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 4===

“So all members have gathered.”

Reiri entered the conference room of the command headquarters. The room had the capacity of two hundred. It had half circle form with the seating in stair shape, giving it the atmosphere like the classroom of a university. It was a spacious room, but there was less than ten people here sitting all over the place.

The full members of Amaterasu, four names were taking their seat. Fortunately, both Yurishia and Himekawa were safely discharged from hospital in five days. And then, there were also four people participating from Masters. However two of them were people that Kizuna had only seen for the first time.

Other people were Reiri and a middle-aged American male that he was not familiar with. That middle-aged man was completely like a Hollywood action star with his rugged body, he was wearing several medals on the chest of his military uniform. He guessed that it was the commander of West USA’s side that he had heard of before. But, perhaps he didn’t plan to really talk, he was sitting at the seat on the corner and staring at the situation of the meeting room.

“One week has passed since the assault of Gravel. Currently Ataraxia has retreated until five hundred kilometers southeast of Okinawa. We are staying in this position.”

A huge screen like in movie theater was projecting a map, it was displaying Ataraxia’s current position.

“Surely those AU bunches are going to solve their cruising range problem sooner or later. If that happens then that’s the end for us. Not only for this Ataraxia, for Megafloat Japan, and also for West USA too, there is no doubt that we all will be sunk down. Before that happens, it’s necessary to establish a method that could possibly resist the enemy.”

Yurishia raised her hand.

“But, two Masters became unable to fight from the battle before this. We cannot even make any dent on that woman called Gravel. Is there some kind of strategy for this?”

“There is.”

The conference room became noisy once again.

“First I’ll introduce our reinforcement. There is an addition of two Masters from West USA.”

Two girls were standing up.

“E―rrr, I am Clementine Barrows. My specialty is long range shooting. Think of me as the replacement of Brigit. Well, take care of me.”

She had the characteristic of long orange hair that was braided in three. Her western fashion gave the impression of the good old days of America. Was she actually originated from the country side of America? Or else she might be merely a fan of the western genre.

After Clementine sat down, the other one opened her mouth.

“Sharon Cunningham. I’m doing whatever I’m please, so it’s fine to not take care of me.”

She was a grey haired girl with seemingly no motivation. Her half-closed eyes seemed to want to say that it was troublesome to even come to this conference room. But what bothered him even more than her attitude was her clothing. It was extremely out of place, black goth-loli costume was consolidated on her whole body.

“We, well, their skill is a certain thing you know! They are the most ideal as the substitution for Brigit and Gertrude.”

Scarlet added in a follow up.

“The name I mentioned just now, Gertrude is already transported back to West USA. Her treatment will continue in the hospital of the other side. And then Brigit, she can return to the front line after around a month, so she is staying in Ataraxia. However, she is recuperating for one month. You got that?”

Brigit was sitting isolated by herself at the back of the conference room.

“Are you listening, Brigit?”

There was no reply even when Scarlet called out to her. But, she was whispering as if in a monologue.

“……I’m still, able to fight. I have to defeat that woman, and accomplish my duty.”

Kizuna talked to Scarlet who was sitting in a place slightly separated from him.

“It feels like, she got done in mentally quite much hasn’t she?”

“Ye, yes. I’m a little worried. Just in case, I’m also having the doctor for counseling attending her though.”

Scarlet too knitted her eyebrows worriedly.

Putting aside the exchange of the two, Himekawa raised her hand and questioned.

“The reinforcement is appreciated, but in exchange, aren’t Megafloat Japan and West USA become understaffed due to this?”

“At present they are staying in a safe ocean area, so the danger is low. Rather than that, our situation here is in pressing danger. Rather than shaving off our battle strength for the guarantee of just in case, we judged that we should focus on the threat that is right in front of our eyes.”

Kizuna stood up.

“Leaving that aside, the problem is Aldea and Gravel. Tell us if there is a countermeasure against these two.”

“Certainly those two are strong. Aldea has shields that can block Pulverizer, and Gravel has the spear that can push back Differential Frame. Even with Corruption Armaments, it will be hard to defeat them. Accordingly we devised the plan C……that is, the new Hybrid.”

――A new, Hybrid?

“This is our new power, [{{furigana|Connective Hybrid|Connection Remodeling}}]!!”

Reiri looked up at the monitor.

“Kei, I’ll leave the explanation to you.”

{Roger.}

Windows started up in front of the faces of all present. It was the communication from Kei who was in the lab.

{Connective Hybrid was researched until now under the code name of plan C. The details of the plan is Eros and two other gears, in other words three Heart Hybrid Gear carrying out Heart Hybrid at the same time. With multiple gears carrying out Heart Hybrid at the same time, it will produce a resonance phenomenon with multiplied effect, that cannot be obtained from one on one Heart Hybrid.}

“The result is that the energy produced will be tremendous. It’s possible to supply the gear with energy high in offensive power even compared to the normal Heart Hybrid. And then, it also has similar effect for Climax Hybrid. By using this Connective Hybrid, you will obtain Corruption Armament with even higher attack power.”

“Err, just wait a second there. In other words, you are telling me to do Climax Hybrid with two other girls, in total three people together?”

{Exactly.}

Himekawa stood up in a chaotic state.

“Ple, please wait! No matter how, do, doing such……such perverted acts with other people, is impossible-!”

Reiri answered with a composed voice.

“Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid, are sharing the affection and pleasure, by making your heart and body into one. However, for even more power up, fresh excitement and violent feelings of corruption are effective. With this Connective Hybrid, the implementation of those are possible.”

“Tha, that’s, shameless! Licentious!”

{Not only that. With Connective Hybrid, a new feeling that cannot be obtained by pair Hybrid is changed into energy. In other words, twice the affection towards two people, and then the friendship and trust of fellow females, all of those emotions that cannot be produced from simple pair Hybrid will be combined. As the result, you can obtain an even more powerful strength compared than just doing it only in a pair.}

Scarlet raised her hand with a troubled face.

“E, err, I don’t really get what you are all talking about but……in the first place, what kind of thing are you doing in this Heart Hybrid?”

“It’s doing lewd things with Kizuna you know.”

Yurishia answered nonchalantly.

“Lewd……”

All the members of Masters were silent. After a while, Scarlet opened her mouth.

“……Just in case, I’m asking this to be sure. Seriously?”

Yurishia answered carelessly.

“I swear to god.”

After a moment, the shriek of the Masters resounded.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?”

“Wha-what the hell! I’ve never heard of this!”

“Impossible! Are you guys stupid!”

“The mystery of the east.”

And then Reiri dealt the finishing blow.

“You are noisy little girls! Don’t scream just from simple lewd thing, you puberty teenagers!”

Putting aside the clamoring Masters, Kizuna talked to Kei inside the window.

“Shikina-san, it’s great that the girls are powered up with that Connective Hybrid, but what will become of me?”

{I expect that most likely some kind of effect will also appear in Eros too. However, it’s completely unknown what kind of thing will happen. We won’t understand until we try it.}

“So this is just leaving it to chance.”

{There is no guarantee of absolute safety. Even so, you don’t have any problems?}

“I don’t mind. This is exactly what I wish for.”

Kizuna answered immediately.

If everyone powered up, then their chance of surviving would also be higher just as much. Then, he couldn’t pick his method.

“Hey, everyone also doesn’t have any objection right?”

Kizuna questioned the members of Amaterasu.

However what came back was the angry look of Himekawa.

“Pervert! Molester! There is no way anyone will wish for such shameless thing! There are also the people of West USA here, please be careful of your statement! What are you going to do if we, all the people of Japan are treated as perverts-!”

“Eh!? No, that’s a misunderstanding! I don’t mean it like that!”

Kizuna looked at the Masters to look for understanding. But――,

Scarlet was backing away with a red face.

“Ahaha……you are seriously Eros aren’t you?”

“You are really a walking desire just as the rumor said, rather that makes you refreshing instead. I don’t want to get involved with this though.”

“Japanese are Hentai. You all are ten years ahead of us only in this field.”

There was one girl that spouted a strange impression. That was what he thought, but he didn’t even have the composure to retort back.

“That’s a misunderstanding! This is duty, I don’t really――”

“Well then, about who will be actually carrying out this duty……”

Reiri crossed her arms and her gaze moved through the participants. Himekawa received that gaze and sprung up.

“I, I don’t want it! Something like that, doing it with three people is abnormal!”

“Then, how about Yurishia?”

“I don’t really mind.”

Yurishia brushed off her blond hair and answered with a composed attitude.

“That’s great. The combination that we think to recommend for the first is Aine, and Yurishia.”

“Ee……”

When Aine raised her face, her lips were closed tight in a ^ shape.

‘――I see. As I thought, she is reluctant to do Climax Hybrid.

But, from here on, I cannot imagine that we can survive without doing it. I can only ask her to bear with it here.’

Kizuna stared at Aine who was looking down with a tensed body.

Suddenly, he recalled Aine who was trembling in his arms that day.

‘No……as I thought, this is no good!

After seeing that appearance of Aine, there is no way I can just pressure her!’

It was another matter if her Hybrid Count entered red zone, but right now was different. Besides, it was still better if it was only Heart Hybrid, but thinking how scared Aine was towards Climax Hybrid, there was no way he could do that to Aine.

‘But, who will replace her?

Someone deeply associated with Yurishia, good relationship, matching rhythm――,’

In Kizuna’s mind, his three people date with Yurishia and Scarlet flashed.

They quarreled with abusive language at each other, but amidst all that there was also something that made him felt of their long association with each other. They understood about the other party, knowing all there was to know about each other. The exchange of their squabble also strangely felt in gear with each other.

And then, he recalled that dance game. It was as if that had been arranged beforehand, they were splendidly synchronized.

They looked like they had discord, but wasn’t their relationship great before this?

If he could just resolve the source of their argument――such convinced feeling was rapidly getting bigger inside Kizuna.

Kizuna stood up.

“Wait a second! I recommend a grouping of Yurishia and Scarlet!”

“HAAA!?”

Scarlet raised a hysteric voice and stood up.

“Do, don’t make a stupid joke! I’m not, a cheap……”

Kizuna’s eyes met hers with a force that seemed audibly jolting.

“woman…like, like that though.”

Her cheek puffed red, then her gaze was swimming all over the place. The end of her sentence became unintelligible and she looked down.

‘――What’s with her reaction?’

“Is something wrong, Scarlet?”

When Kizuna asked her once more, Scarlet came back to her senses and raised her gaze, she stared at Kizuna.

Her face turned red again in a flash.

“You, you are annoying! If, if there really is no other way, do, doing Heart Hybrid with Kizuna is, well I might be unwilling but, I might just allow it……Not that! I, I hate it but, I might just endure it somehow, a, anyway it’s that! Right! Just forming a pair with Yurishia, that’s the only thing that I refuse to do at all cost!”

Yurishia was listening to Scarlet’s consternation non-stop talk with her face completely scrunched up.

“……That’s right. I’m reluctant to agree with Scarlet, but only in that point I have the same opinion with her.”

Scarlet glared at Yurishia who talked without motivation.

“That’s really an infuriating agreement. Rather than doing this Connective Hybrid or something with you, it’s still better to do the Heart Hybrid with just me alone!”

“……I see. Do as you please.”

Yurishia stood up from her seat with a sigh and headed straight to the entrance.

“Wha-, what’s with that attitude! Wait, don’t run away!”

Yurishia ignored Scarlet’s provocation and exited the room like that.

――After that, they talked further, but in the end there was no conclusion.

The meeting was suspended and the matter of the pairing for the Connective Hybrid would be coordinated again at another day.

“Shit, what’s the deal with this……”

Kizuna exited the gate of the command headquarters and got out to the public street. The time was already turned to 9 o’clock and the sky had become completely dark. The digital signage displays continuing along the road were sparkling with variety of colors. The sight of the displays lining up in ordered line looked like a parade of light.

Kizuna was thinking while walking alone on the beautifully lighted street.

‘――Even so, is there no other way except asking Aine to bear with it?’

However, when he recalled Aine’s scared face, he became not really in the mood to force her.

Nevertheless, it was also difficult to rely on Himekawa. She had shown a rejection that strong already, he guessed that it would not be easy to persuade her.

Inside his heart, the image that was strongly stuck there was as expected, Yurishia and Scarlet.

“Hey, Kizuna.”

Suddenly a voice called to him from the darkness.

‘――Who?’

He turned around while keeping his vigil, there a long red ponytail came from the darkness under the street light.

“Scarlet?”

“That……I want to talk a little. You have time?”

Her gesture that was looking up at him shyly, was strangely sweet.

“I don’t mind but, what do you want to talk about?”

“Just a bit……it won’t take long.”

Scarlet sat on the bench of the bus stop. Kizuna also sat beside her.

Kizuna waited for Scarlet to start talking. However it seemed that Scarlet’s eyes were stolen by the dazzling radiance of the digital displays.

“Hey, about the talk――”

“I don’t want to lose to Yurishia.”

Scarlet suddenly began to talk.

“Aah, so this is about your bad relation with Yurishia, I know that Scarlet hates Yurishia. But, I don’t know about the why. Just what in the world happened?”

“What happened……that’s, because that woman is a coward.”

Kizuna tilted his head. The Yurishia that Kizuna knew was not a coward. Rather, she had an aspect that tried to resolve the troublesome matter by herself instead.

“Hey, if something happened with Yurishia in the past, can you teach me? If not, I cannot believe what Scarlet is saying.”

“Eh?”

Scarlet looked at Kizuna with a face that seemed to be taken aback.

“I’m the captain of Amaterasu. In addition, I’ve only known her for a short time, but I also believe that I know about Yurishia in my own way. I cannot connect the word coward with Yurishia. Just what in the world happened, tell me.”

Scarlet once again stared at the parade of light, and murmured.

“Fine. Then I’ll teach you. You see, that woman used me. For the sake of becoming Masters’s ace……Masters’s super ace, she used me as her stepping stone.”

 

――It happened right after the 2nd Another Universe Conflict. When Yurishia was still fighting as one of the American army’s members. Yurishia at that time was fighting together with Scarlet against the magic weapons that appeared from the Entrance at the North America front.

The American army promptly formed a unit of Heart Hybrid Gears that they received from the technology sharing of Japan. The number of their gears were the most numerous, it was a large unit that boasted the total number of fifty gears in the whole of America. However, the pilots at that time were still in a state of groping at the dark about the operation of Heart Hybrid Gear.

Even so, as the only way to defeat magic weapons, the female pilots that drove the Heart Hybrid Gears became the target of popularity, they were treated like first class sport players or Hollywood stars.

The time was also when the invasion from the Entrances still hadn’t progressed at full tilt. The people continued their livelihood the same until that time, they were swinging between happiness and fear from the battlefield report that appeared in the news. Even amidst all that, the war results of the Heart Hybrid Gears that soared in the sky defeating the enemies from AU made the whole America went crazy of it.

It was at such period. Excellent pilots were gathered from throughout America and a chosen unit would be formed, such rumor was spreading.

That was, the Masters.

The Heart Hybrid Gear was already popular under normal circumstances. If there was such a team where the tops gathered, it would attract the interest of the masses without fail.

A while after such rumor began to spread. Suddenly an Entrance manifested at the outskirts of Los Angeles, such news spread. And then, the large force of magic weapons that appeared from that Entrance was approaching the urban area.

It was an army of a hundred magic weapons in total. It was the first large forces since the 2nd Another Universe Conflict.

Los Angeles was safe until now, there was no unit that was stationed there. The ones who could head to intercept the enemy force were only the two people in charge of the Arizona Entrance. Those were Yurishia and Scarlet.

Since before the 2nd Another Universe Conflict, these two were receiving training in the same team, they became widely known due to their high individual battle power and splendid combination.

And then both of them sallied off on this day too.

But, what was different from usual was Yurishia’s late sortie.

“Scarlet!”

“Ah, you finally came! Geez, what’s wrong Yurishia?”

Yurishia caught up to Scarlet in the middle of heading to Los Angeles.

“Sorry. I couldn’t make contact because of the transmission malfunction.”

“Ah, I see. We are already quite near to the Entrance from here.”

The mysterious wall that spitted out magic weapons from AU. That thing which was called as Entrance caused transmission malfunction, there were a lot of cases where they couldn’t contact the base once they sortied.

“Just before I sortied, a new order came in.”

“Eh? Even though they told us to go to LA after this?”

“The enemy advancing to Los Angeles changed their direction, it seems that they are beginning to pull back to the Entrance. On the contrary it seems that there is movement in Arizona.”

“I see……so this is a diversion.”

“Yes. It’s just, there is no way we can also leave this alone, I’ve got the instruction to separate into two groups and observe each spot.”

“Roger. So, what are we going to do?”

“I’m going to LA. After confirming the enemy’s retreat, I’ll head to Arizona. That’s why Scarlet, you――”

“Go to Arizona! Roger-”

 

“――Then, what happened?”

Kizuna urged Scarlet that fell quiet to continue her story.

A bus stopped in front of Kizuna and Scarlet. The door was opened but they didn’t show any sign to board it, the door then closed angrily and the bus left.

“……When I went to Arizona, it was just as Yurishia said, there were magic weapons there. In addition, there was also something we had never seen before.

“Something you had never seen?”

“At that time, it was the first observed category A in the world, a [Dragre].”

‘――Dragre.

So it was that thing which fought Yurishia on the unpopulated island previously.’

“The fighters of the air force and the tanks of the army were crushed like toys. I didn’t know what to do against the enemy that I saw for the first time. Even so I fought it together with a different Heart Hybrid Gear unit that rushed from a different nearby base.”

Scarlet put strength into her crossed fingers.

“Combining our strength, we cornered the Dragre until there was only a little left to do. But, when we reached that point……everyone used up their strength, their energy ran out in succession and became unable to move. The mouth of the Dragre opened towards me, and I could see the flame gathering inside that mouth. If that flame was fired, that’s the end. I prayed to god.”

Scarlet lifted her face and looked up to the night sky.

“Then she appeared there.”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes at the night sky where there was nothing.

“It was a golden light that was like the fury of god. That radiance which fell down from the sky exterminated the Dragre in one attack. And then, the cloud split and she descended……Yurishia Farandole.”

Scarlet’s eyes were looking at that scene.

“It was completely like the descent of an angel. You must think that it’s an exaggerated clichéd expression but……but, at that time we were moved and cried. About how we risked our life, about the sublimity of Yurishia’s existence. At that moment, Yurishia was unmistakably our god.”

Saying that, Scarlet looked down.

“But that was not it.”

“Scarlet?”

“A few days after that, I discovered that the order Yurishia told me actually didn’t exist. The enemy heading to Los Angeles didn’t change their direction or anything, there was also no order that came out telling me to return to Arizona.”

Scarlet spoke with annoyance.

“Besides, the magic weapons that attacked Los Angeles were a lot, but mostly they were only opponents in category-C or D with low battle power. In exchange of that, the opponent that we faced was the A class that was seen for the first time……it was the strongest enemy at the time.”

Scarlet directed a harsh stare at Kizuna.

“Yurishia knew that the magic weapons attacking Los Angeles were weak enemies! She was late in her sortie because she was confirming that information. And then, so she could monopolize the achievement, she chased me away to Arizona and made me faced the formidable enemy!”

“No, wait a second Scarlet. Was that what Yurishia said?”

“There is no way that sly woman will honestly confess that!”

“Bu, but, about you actually gotten saved by Yurishia……isn’t that a fact?”

Scarlet leaned her body forward with a force as if she was going to bite at Kizuna.

“She was just waiting until we had severely whittled off the condition of the Dragre, before taking off the most delicious part for herself!”

Kizuna faltered from her menacing look.

“That whole day, Yurishia became a superstar. She defeated hundreds of magic weapons by herself, the hero that saved the city. Then she rushed to her comrades that were in a pinch and defeated the strongest enemy, the invincible hero. She was given really exaggerated nicknames, the [Hundred Queen], the [{{furigana|Ace of Ace|World Strongest}}], it was so fed up.”

Tears welled up at the corner of Scarlet’s eyes.

“And like that she was picked as the ace of the rumored Masters. At that time I realized. Aah, I got used.”

The hung down head of Scarlet bumped on Kizuna’s shoulder.

“Scarlet……”

“E, even though I was……thinking of her as a friend in all those times, even though I idolized her, even though if she just told me so right from the start, I would do anything if it was for Yurishia’s sake, yet despite so!”

Scarlet raised a voice that was mixed with sobbing.

“That’s why……I worked myself to death. Even after Yurishia was gone……I resolved that I will pay back Yurishia one day, and so I continued to fight. And then……I finally reached as far as becoming Masters’s ace……”

Kizuna gently embraced Scarlet.

“After a while……I heard that Yurishia’s Cross, is a gear that shaved off life to fight……I felt complicated from that but, I felt like forgiving her because of that……but”

Scarlet buried her face onto Kizuna’s chest, desperately enduring her crying voice from leaking out.

Kizuna softly caressed her back.

“Ki, Kizuna is……kind aren’t you……you are strong.”

“What are you saying? You are far stronger compared to someone like me right?”

“Because……you protected me from Gravel’s attack.”

“Aah, that one. That’s because I don’t have any good point except my Life Saver.”

Kizuna smiled bitterly.

Scarlet smiled with eyes that had become completely red.

“You were simply blown away just from a single minor attack from Gravel weren’t you? I heard it already, if you don’t do Climax Hybrid, your combat strength is equal to zero, isn’t that right? But, I think that’s amazing.”

“Don’t get sarcastic. Even like this I’m really bothered with that.”

Scarlet shook her head.

“No, that’s not what I mean. Even though you understand, that you cannot match your enemy with your strength, you still stand in front of the enemy. I think that’s an amazing thing to do……I, I think, tha, that’s……cool.”

“Ha!? Eh? A, that”

Kizuna darted his eyes about.

“Because, that time when Kizuna saved me, that time against the Dragre too……when I felt that I cannot match the enemy, I became unable to do anything at all.”

“Scarlet……”

“Hey, Kizuna……can I, be like this…….a little bit more?”

In place of an answer, he caressed at Scarlet’s head, and at her ponytail which stretched out from there.

――And then, he resolved himself in his heart firmly.