Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 2===

The presence of the amassed killing intent disappeared. It was the same for the pressure which had been strangling his neck with tremendous force, and also the piercing feeling of tension.

In the same way as when he had appeared, the cat man disappeared like a passing wind.

The day's natural atmosphere came back, bursting free. His hips having completely given out, Kazuma could only sit still in that spot, dumbfounded.

He couldn't comprehend what had happened, even now. He couldn't accept it as a real incident. It felt like he saw the continuation of the strange dream from this morning.

The muffled ears of Kazuma heard approaching footsteps. Kazuma forcibly moved his stiff neck and looked at the direction of the sound. Familiar uniforms were rushing over from the gentle curve he faced.

It was Nine, also Trinity and Celica.

As soon as he saw the figure of the girls, strength left Kazuma's whole body. It might be because of the cleared tension that he got attacked by an intense dizziness which made him almost faint.

"Kazuma-san!"

As if sliding, Celica put her knees in front of Kazuma. Nine quickly looked around the surroundings. A bit delayed and out of breath, Trinity squatted beside Celica with a gloomy face.

"Are you all right, Kazuma-san?"

Trinity held up Kazuma's shivering shoulders. When her green eyes looking into him, Kazuma slackened his mouth and made a feeble smile in order to convey that he still had consciousness.

Near him, Trinity began to smile broadly.

"Thank god... What on earth happened?"

"Well... I also don't really understand."

Thanks to seeing a familiar face, he felt somewhat relieved. Even Kazuma thought that he answered with a pathetic voice. He missed her serene voice. He really thought he was going to be killed.

In the meantime, Celica touched Kazuma's left arm and opened her warm brown eyes wide.

"You're injured here. It's really deep."

"Ah, don't."

Immediately, the words escaped from Kazuma's mouth, he tried to warn her away. Again. He got shivers.

But Celica, who couldn't see what's in Kazuma's mind, interpreted his voice as hesitation. She nodded while smiling as if to encourage him.

"It's okay. It's going to be cured soon."

"Cure...?"

Looking to reassure Kazuma, Trinity explained.

"Celica-san is really skilled in healing magic~."

But behind the long bangs that were concealing his expression, Kazuma frowned.

"Healing..."

He hurriedly stiffened himself and trying carefully not to be rough as he removed Celica's hands. He forcefully dragged his exhausted body to get up.

Reflexively, he showed a strained smile.

"I, I'm fine. Wounds like this will be healed fast enough... Don't worry."

"Eh, but."

Celica's eyes that seemed like saying 'but it'll be healed instantly' looked up at Kazuma.

Kazuma averted his eyes with all his might. He wasn't very good in this situation. When he got an awful dizziness again, Kazuma leaned his back against the wall of a nearby building.

Nine put both of her hands on her hips and rounded on him as if blocking his way.

"Let's start with the explanation."

The voice changed suddenly from Celica and Trinity's gentle voice to a cautious voice.

While hiding the wound on his arm from Celica by covering it with his hand, Kazuma grimaced.

"Even if I explain..."

Worrying about the bewildered Kazuma, Trinity interrupted with gentle words.

"We came here because Nine said that she sensed an unusual force downtown. And then we saw that Kazuma-san was sitting at the roadside with the road like that~..."

"You must have witnessed what happened. Speak."

Nine glanced at the hollowed stone pavement before settling her glare on Kazuma.

He was weak against Celica's gaze, but he wanted to be pardoned from Nine's glare even more. He heard that she was the most skilled person in the academy, with offensive magic as her specialty. That fact made it seem like he was being threatened.

"Even if you say I saw it or got involved... A strange creature suddenly appeared and slashed around using sword. The absurd thing there is also its doing."

Wanting to get away from the concentrated gaze, Kazuma directed his line of sight at the ground, looking for sword cuts. The more he looked at it, the more splendid the slashing scars were which made them didn't feel like they belong in reality.

Nine folded her arms confusedly.

"An odd creature you said?"

"Yes. It's similar to both a human and cat..."

"Could it be beastkin...?"

Hearing Kazuma's explanation, Nine frowned and supported her chin with her hand as if she was pondering.

The term Nine used, beaskin, had been covered in the lessons for sure, but today was the first time for Kazuma to actually see it.

It was a strange race located at a point exactly between beast and human. Like magic, their figure never showed up in the front side of the history and only existed in the dark.

But why did one appear in Ishana and attack Kazuma? Nine's question was also Kazuma's question.

"Onee-chan. For the time being, let's take Kazuma-san back to his room. He might get attacked again."

Celica's straightforward voice broke the silence of thought.

Moment by moment, the evening grew thicker. Presently, the eastern sky was slightly blurred with the presence of night. If the sun sunk, this side of the island which was separated from the main street would get very dark.

Trinity agreed immediately as she nodded.

"She's right. We mustn't let something happen to him on his way back."

"You shouldn't burden yourself that much. I'm really all right now, so..."

"Kazuma-san."

Trinity took a step and drew closer to him.

She tightly joined her hands together in front of her chest as if praying. With height difference existing between them, her pleading eyes looked up at him as if reprimanding him.

"I beg of you, please let us escort you. I can't return and leave you alone here~."

Even though she used the slow tempo tone he heard in the classroom all the time, her sincerity was enough to make his heart ache. In Trinity's eyes, apparently ready to form tears at any moment, her truly genuine concern toward Kazuma was showing. Knowing that, why did he turn her down? 

(...Somehow, it feels like I've only been doing refusals today.)

Kazuma was corrected by the thought from inside his chest. Just like always.

As if giving up, Kazuma took a breath and pulled the sides of his mouth to make a smile. In truth, his condition got worse again. It really didn't feel like he was able to walk.

"...Understood. Then please do so."

After he spoke his resignation, Trinity smiled tenderly and grabbed Kazuma's arm. Supporting from below, she held his arm to her chest.

Beyond the uniform jacket, the sensation of a human body was transmitted. Rarely experiencing this sort of close contact, Kazuma didn't know how to react.

Since a normal human would certainly have the memory of being embraced by parents, they must have the fitting emotion in regard to the touch.

Kazuma sighed and thought that it didn't matter.

The feet he urged to step forward were aimless and felt light. Was it because of his poor condition and giddy head? Or was it because his memory-less self had this emptiness that couldn't be filled?

"Can you walk?"

Startled by the smell of custard on Trinity's voice, Kazuma slightly pulled his chin.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I offered after all."

Realizing Kazuma wouldn't resist anymore, Trinity finally spoke with the usual tone. Not outpacing him nor falling behind, Trinity matched her pace with Kazuma's while pulling his arm to urge him forward.

Although he was thankful of her compassion, Kazuma couldn't help but have complicated feelings at accepting Trinity's kindness.

There were many male students in the same year who admired Trinity and Nine. If he was seen like this, he would most likely be called behind the school building and get forced into a fight tomorrow.

With his consciousness receding from time to time while seriously wondering about that thought, Kazuma, accompanied by Trinity, Celica, and Nine, went toward the dormitory.







And then after taking twice as long as usual, Kazuma returned to his own room.

Since Trinity was worried, Celica said as they left that they will quickly come over if something happens. But Nine... only she watched Kazuma with doubting eyes.

After closing the door, his endurance was already at the limit. His head ached so badly. He could no longer grasp the feeling of the floor, he headed toward his bed.

But while it wasn't clear whether he had finally arrived at the bed or not, Kazuma lost consciousness.