Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume16 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 5===

Advancing cautiously, Haruaki's group finally reached the school. Thinking they absolutely had to avoid getting attacked by the Knights Dominion in town, they spent several times longer than usual to get to school. However, for Fear who had not walked on her own two feet&mdash;It was actually quite difficult to get a grasp on the passage of time.

(Ah...)

After the school gates came into view, Fear squinted her invisible eyes.

The school gates were illuminated by the slanting rays of sunset.

The Knights Dominion was very dangerous right now. It was possible they might eliminate eyewitnesses without warning, even if they were ordinary uninvolved people. Hence, Haruaki's group did not dare make a reckless move even after reaching a place where they could see the school gates. Cautiously, they waited for an opportunity without any people around&mdash;But there was no need to do so. From the start, there was not a pedestrian in sight. Perhaps coincidence or the Knights Dominion had used some kind of cursed tool&mdash;Such as a tool for making people avoid the school unless they had particular business, a tool with the kind of power to drive humans away.

Regardless of this speculation's correctness, the truth was that there was no one in front of the school gates to begin with.

Normally, it would not be strange for students to be leaving school at this time. However, let alone pedestrians, there was not a single student before the school gates. Silently spreading was a space with a bizarre sense of bleakness and rejection hanging in the air.

Haruaki's group walked forward with apparent resolve on their faces. The school's iron-barred gates were shut tightly. Having been destroyed by Lilyhowell several months earlier, they were recently repaired and brand new.

"I somehow get the feeling that the school gates will end up destroyed again..."

Konoha searched for nearby presences while continuing to approach the school gates. Then she frowned&mdash;At the same time, Fear noticed too. Something was entangled on the inner side of the iron bars. Haruaki also tilted his head and said:

"Konoha, what's that?"

"Looks like... barbed wire, but why is it set up on the inside...?"

Just as Konoha described, the inside could be seen through the gaps between the iron bars&mdash;in other words, the side facing the school&mdash;where a single barbed wire was hanging. The wire was thin and old. If used to fortify the school gates, it was not going to have much of an effect.

Without lowering her guard towards the surroundings, Konoha carefully reached towards the iron bars.

"Just as expected, the gates can't be opened... So, let me break the area near the lock."

"Hold on, Konoha, all the people have been taken hostage... I don't want to cause a commotion. If the lock breaks, anyone patrolling would see it immediately. Is there no way to enter more discreetly?"

"Indeed, there is no need for Muramasa-sama to trouble herself. Why walk through the front gates lawfully when all you need is to traverse this wall? First, allow me to&mdash;"

Kotetsu took a decisive leap at the school wall while speaking. Although the wall was several meters high, it posed little hindrance for a superhuman body. However&mdash;

"Nnnguh!"

"Huh? W-What happened?"

Kotetsu's body halted suddenly in the air just as he was about to fly over the wall, then he fell to the ground in an unnatural posture. For some reason, he was covering his nose a little tearfully.

"Kotetsu, could it be that&mdash;"

"Yes. It seems... There is an invisible wall there."

Kotetsu was replying in a slightly mumbling voice. Konoha suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"Perhaps... The current situation has developed beyond the point where we can afford to care about causing a commotion. I shall test out a spot as inconspicuous as possible..."

Konoha extended her index finger at an iron bar and stroked lightly. Then her gaze turned even harsher when she moved her finger away.

"Impossible to cut. Unbelievably, my blade did not even produce the slightest scratch."

"Then that means the lock over there can't be broken either."

Kirika concluded with a frown and Konoha nodded gravely.

"Indeed it is impossible. The same as for Kotetsu just now. This can only be some sort of power at work."

"The possible candidate at hand being... that barbed wire."

"Yes."

Konoha slowly reached her hand towards the gap between iron bars and tried to touch the barbed wire hanging on the other side. However, her hand was blocked from entering the gap by something, halting her.

"It's like some sort of invisible wall... The same obstruction that Kotetsu met just now? Of course, it feels impossible to cut too."

"Absolutely ridiculous... A Wathe that prevents physical intrusion? If that Wathe really is this barbed wire... and suppose this wire has encircled the entire school..."

Just as Kirika whispered, the barbed wire was not hanging only on the inner side of the school gates. It apparently followed the surrounding walls and continued to extend.

"Kotetsu."

"This is a wall yet not a wall. Truth be told, it feels the same as the invisible wall just now. My blade cannot pierce through either... If one intends to break the wall in an attempt to invade, this method will likely run into trouble."

This time, Kotetsu did not jump. Instead, he touched the surrounding walls with his hands and spoke with a scowl.

"H-Hold on, now that you mention it..."

Haruaki remarked with a face filled with surprise.

Fear was the same. She felt shocked and terrified.

Unable to break the lock. Unable to open the gates. Unable to go over the wall. Unable to break the wall either.

This, these things meant&mdash;

"Forget about saving everyone... We can't even enter the school...?"

Kirika, Konoha and Kotetsu.

All of them could only stare at the school gates in silence.

They really wanted to deny but could not find any words to deny. That was what their gazes were saying.

(Ooh, ah...)

Fear could not help but direct her invisible gaze towards the same direction.

Even with an invisible wall, the view was not blocked. Hence, they could see the school building, where they attended classes every day, on the other side of the school gates' iron bars. Fear felt a certain emotion surge in her heart the instant she saw the school building.

&mdash;It truly dawned upon her that the students were right there.

The students, same as usual, inside the school, same as usual.

Yet in an extraordinary state.

(Clearly... They must be rescued...!)

A sense of powerlessness rose in her heart. Pathetically. Massively. Despairingly.

No&mdash;It had been like this for a while now. It was the same as during Pendragon's battle against Haruaki's group.

She must stay like this.

Power... Perhaps it might hurt Haruaki again. Clearly she wanted to protect him, but power had forgetten this fact. Hence, all she could do was tremble&mdash;

(Powerlessness...)

Since things would end up this way in any case, she would have done this from the beginning had she known earlier.

That was what she thought.

Because&mdash;Everything happening before her eyes currently was all her fault.

Had she powerlessly and obediently allowed Peavey to destroy her in the very beginning, perhaps the Knights Dominion would not have pushed further. Honatsu would not need to risk his life for Indulgence Disks or even go through a sex change to evade pursuers. There were many more. Aiko would not have been sent to hunt her down. Nor would she end up in a coma. There were Yume, Lilyhowell and many more&mdash;

Just at this moment&mdash;

"So... What to do...?"

She heard a calm voice and the touch of a palm. She looked in surprise to see that Haruaki had crouched down and placed his hand on her corner to pat gently. He seemed like he was no longer in shock and was starting to ponder what to do next.

But immediately, he went "ow" feebly, his patting rhythm became irregular and his face twisted momentarily. This was probably subconscious. He was patting her with his left hand&mdash;the left hand bearing emptiness and pain, impossible to turn back to the way it was, standing as evidence of her sin.

Pretending nothing had happened and switching to his right hand, Haruaki began to pat in a lively rhythm again.

Then he shifted his gaze slightly away from the gates.

"What's on your mind? It feels like you're thinking about something weird."

"..."

When she kept silent, Haruaki deliberately turned his lips into a frown and lightly applied more force in his right hand. Instead of patting, he switched to pressing with a twisting motion. Then with a wry smile, he said:

"At least say something. Weren't you talking to Kuroe just now? Since I can't see your face, at least let me hear your voice, or else I'll worry... Okay?"

She gave up and sighed, responding to his demand.

"Nothing... I'm not thinking of anything."

"Really? That's fine. But if you come up with some kind of solution, please tell us too."

Too difficult. Currently, her head was filled with pessimistic notions such as "if only I didn't exist from the start" or "if only I were powerless to let others destroy me"&mdash;How could she possible think of solutions?

Clearly, she was thinking "perhaps it's not too late" constantly. Indeed. Powerless as she was, she should act powerless accordingly, as long as she was handed over to the Knights Dominion, perhaps&mdash;No wait, it probably would not work. Their target was no longer her alone but probably included Konoha and Kotetsu too. By this point, her disappearance would not be enough. She had missed her chance. She knew she should have from the beginning...

"Hey~ You're giving off weird vibes again."

Knock knock. This time, Haruaki used his fist to hammer a corner of her cube as though knocking on a door.

Haruaki. Haruaki. Clearly she had said nothing and was not in human form, but to think he could see through her thoughts. Was he an esper? Or did this imply he understood her so much? Always keeping her in his thoughts so single-mindedly?

"Also... Once you're tired of this, you're welcome to change back to your original appearance any time. After all, clothes can be bought anywhere."

Original appearance? Which one did he mean?

So happy. But she could no longer... Ahhh, what should she do&mdash;?

"But... to be honest, what should we do?"

"Yes, if we stay here, chances of the Knights Dominion discovering us will just keep increasing. Standing here stupidly is a waste of time and also absolutely ridiculous... Let's retreat first?"

"Wait, Muramasa-sama, I still have not swung my blade at full force. If I try to break through seriously, maybe the outcome might be different, it is worth trying&mdash;"

Just at that moment&mdash;

Konoha and Kotetsu suddenly stopped talking and rapidly spun around.

Fear also noticed after a moment's delay.

The figures who had appeared behind them.

Seeing that&mdash;Fear understood. ''That time'' was starting again.

In other words, the time for her to hope for powerlessness yet regret her inability to act.


"Oh my~ What a great crisis~ Although someone weak like Satsuko can't help at all, if only there was a way to rescue these students safely."

"Although to be blunt, this has nothing to do with us..."


It was also what these two arrivals looked forward to as part of the process in their quest for strength.

Time to fight.