Editing IndexVSDRRR Crossover Academy City Chapter (section)

===Part 5===

Then, in a dirty alleyway with red graffiti everywhere, stood a girl who clearly did not belong there.

She had short, black hair and large glasses. She seemed timid, and that shone through not only from her looks but also from all of her small actions, ranging from slightly twitching and shrinking her body to hugging her body as if she were trying to protect herself. The girl, who had a blazer that looked like it was from some school uniform, would’ve seemed attractive to people who were into that sort of thing, yet annoying to people who found such things distasteful. From the air around her, one could tell she did not actively look for a long and eventful life, but however, the needle in her meter spasmed from left to right, always straining further from the “average.”

Sonohara Anri

Although she seemed the type to be reading obscure poetry anthologies in the school library, she was holding the very thing that would completely shatter such an image. Though from her posture, which looked like she was hugging herself, it could have been said that she was in fact embracing “that thing.”

So, what could be “that thing”?

The answer was a katana.

“Hey, you over there, you know that it’s actually the truth!?”

In front of Anri, who was retreating two, three steps backwards, was a pointy-haired high school boy who furrowed his brows as if he were in a conundrum.

His expression was desperate, and his voice carried a sense of unease.

“I have no idea where you came from, but it’s obvious that you’re not familiar with this place, and that you don’t belong here!”

His words weren’t making much sense in the first place, but even without that, Sonohara Anri felt an acute dizziness in her head. She realized that she was losing the ability to recognize the sounds coming from in front of her as words.

This was not simply a matter of speaking to a boy she had never met before.

The real reason lay within the katana she was holding.

Correctly speaking, it should be called a demonic blade.

Saika.

It was shouting loudly in the sweet voice of a woman directly into the mind of Anri, the owner of the blade.

The tone was completely different from her usual whisperings proclaiming her love of humanity.

“What is that; what is that; what is that; what is that; what is that? Wuhuhuhu! Ahh, ahhhh! That’s not good; that can’t be good; no matter how much I think about it, that’s definitely not good! I have no problems with being shattered, dulled, melted, or changed, and I would still be myself, but I have no doubt something terrible will happen if I were to glance off even so much as a fingertip!”

Kirikirikiri!! Anri’s vision was forcibly drawn to a certain place.

It was drawn to the pointy-haired boy, and especially to the part below his right wrist.

(What is… this person?)

Anri was, in a word, terrified.

This was not because of the unusual reaction of Saika nor the “something” hidden within the pointy-haired boy.

She didn’t know what, but something was definitely off.

She sensed danger that raced along her spine, mercilessly fanning the fear in her heart.

It was as if an invisible fishing hook was pulling her soul out to the other side of the “frame” Anri had predefined.

(I know Saika always whispers her love for humanity. Sure, there will be some exceptions whom she hates, but she’s never simply given up to fear like this…)

“It’s not too late yet.”

The pointy-haired boy spoke.

Another step.

Even if a knife was pressed into her neck, even if a gun was pointed straight at her forehead, as long as she was still within her “frame,” Anri would have never been shaken. But even she stepped back from a totally normal step, like a totally normal girl.

This was not good.

The only reason she had been able to stay sane against the whisperings, or the “curse,” of Saika was the existence of her “frame.” Anri could not imagine what would become of herself if she were to forget its existence.

“Anyway, I’m running out of time. Please tell me how many people are with you. And then all of you involved need to go back. There’s no other choice anymore!”

Uu!

And so.

In an instant.

Sonohara Anri drew her katana with a large motion. As if she couldn’t even feel its weight, she swung it around with one hand, creating orange sparks as the blade screeched against the wall, until its end was pointed directly at her opponent.

The action was in no way like one that would have been made by someone who has knowledge of kendo or swordsmanship.

It would be more accurate to say that Anri had merely acted out of self defense, much akin to a person instinctively protecting their face with both of their hands.

However, the pointy-haired boy merely clicked his tongue.

As if in response, he clenched his fist again and took a posture of his own.

“Damn it! Why did it have to come to this!?”

The moment the fist was clenched.

Kirikirikirikirikirikirikirikirikirikirikirikiri!!

Through Saika, an absurd amount of tension and sense of danger ravaged Anri’s consciousness..

Numerous fishing hooks from the other side of her “frame” grabbed onto her exposed soul and tried to forcibly pull her out. An unknown reality was threatening her very personality.

Starting from the edges, her vision began to lose focus.

She reflexively covered her lips with her hands as she could feel her stomach heaving uncomfortably.

(This is… bad)

Saika’s blade started glowing an ominous red.

No, that wasn’t it.

That was just the light reflecting off the blade. It was Anri’s own eyes that were really glowing.

(No…!!)

Her vision became nauseous.

Her consciousness began to fade.

Saika’s “whisperings”, which used to merely be continuous soft mutterings, began to pressure her heart little by little while accompanied by an unfamiliar, sweet smell.

But.

In fact, Anri never turned into a “slasher demon.”

The reason was simple yet difficult to explain.

Bagigokushyaaaaaahhh!!!???

It was because out of nowhere, a flying vending machine launched the pointy-haired boy into the wall.

Well.

It wasn’t as if the vending machine was made of sponge, nor was the wall an old and crumbling, earth wall. It was beyond any doubt that the vending machine was made of metal and the wall was a solid concrete wall.

Even so.

Nevertheless, what in the world just happened?

There wasn’t even a one millimeter gap between the wall and the vending machine, and no matter how you put it, it would have been most accurate to say that the pointy-haired boy was “buried.”

A dry sound followed.

Nobody knew what had happened to the boy.

“Fu fu fu! Ha ha ha!! Ah, that was amazing that was so good that’s what all human beings should be like if there’s a human with the highest specs right in front of me then I shouldn’t be afraid but instead love them love them love them love them!!”

When she came to, Saika was back to normal.

Accordingly, Anri also came up with an appropriate response. She pulled her “self” that was halfway out of her “frame” and began lightening the effects of the “cursed” whisperings.”

The red in her eyes slowly faded.

By the way.

The person who caused such damage spoke aloud.

“Yo, do you know anything about fleas?”

The girl who secretly hid the demonic blade behind her back shook her head gently.

''I don’t know.
''