Editing Kämpfer:Volume 2 Chapter 5 (section)

==Part 2: A Desperate Chase and a Shocking Motive==
My digital watch read 11:02, and I glanced around.

"This is my first time at school at night. It's so dark."

"Because the student council guys said they want to save electricity."

"It's dangerous, but it's better for us."

"So what's there to complain about?"

I'd been forced to go to the women's section several times before, so I had a general idea of what was going on inside. Anyway, we headed inside.

"Natsuru, where do you think the enemy is hiding?"

"It's not written on the challenge."

"That's right, so the battle started the moment we entered."

"It should be..."

We cautiously approached the first-year girls' school building.

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound.

A loud noise coming from a deserted place in the middle of the night. It wasn't the wind, so someone must be somewhere.

"...Finally?"

Akane waved her hand, and a stiff military pistol appeared. Then she waved the back of her hand, a gesture to get out of the way.

"Natsuru, stay away from me."

"Why?"

"You're useless without transforming, and you're getting in my way."

Damn it, but she's right, so I kept my distance. Akane,

in fierce dog mode, relentlessly observed her surroundings. I checked too, but besides the sounds I'd heard, there was nothing else.

"Where..."

It must be in the bushes to my right. I thought I'd heard leaves rustling just now, so it was very likely Akane was thinking the same thing and focusing on the same spot.

The school grounds were dim, and from a distance, it was impossible to tell what was happening on the other side. But even in this gloom, the stars still shone quietly overhead.

Suddenly, the starlight vanished.

For a moment, I thought it was clouds, but it wasn't. Something seemed to be lurking over there.

"...Up there!"

I yelled to Akane, and the next moment, something landed between us.

Her petite figure, clad in a Iron Star Academy High School sailor uniform, exuded a murderous aura and possessed impressive Gewehr gun skills.

A red glow emanated from her right bracelet; it was the enemy, a Kämpfer.

"Asshole!"

Akane turned and fired simultaneously.

The enemy fled, and I lay flat on the ground, fearing being hit by stray bullets.

The sound of gunfire continued. Akane, a battle-loving gunslinger, seemed to be increasingly excited by the act of firing, her adrenaline surging.

The enemy counterattacked, though not as ferociously as Akane, but still firing continuously, trying to contain her attack.

Suddenly, it turned towards me.

"Oh no."

My eyes met hers, and I stood up and rushed forward.

I hurried to escape, but the enemy seemed to be one step faster than me. Does becoming a Kämpfer also speed up my pace?

She caught up with me in a flash, grabbing me by the collar and forcing me face to face.
[[File:23756.jpg|thumb|Mysterious red gunman attack Natsuru and Akane during Night ]]
The enemy's eyes were just as sharp as before, but compared to Akane's, they had a different kind of fierce expression. 

"...Before transformation?"

The muzzle of her gun said hello to me.

"What happened?"

"...Yeah, so please spare me."

It was useless, but without weapons and nothing, I was no more than the average high school student.

"...I refuse,"

the enemy Kämpfer said, with the same cold words as Shizuku.

"Whether you transform or not, it has nothing to do with me."

"Wait...wait a minute."

I saw her hand about to pull the trigger, and I quickly spoke.

"Didn't you say before that you didn't have the time to fight me?"

"So what?"

"Then why are you sending me a challenge now? There's no point in defeating me before you transform."

Even if you're being unreasonable, there must be a limit. In the end, I couldn't help but lament how unfortunate I was.

"That's because..."

To my surprise, she blushed.

"...Why?"

"Shut up!"

the enemy kicked me hard, sending me flying.

"Things are different now. I won't forgive you. You know that!"

"Wait a minute! At least tell me why. What are you doing? Are you here to avenge Shizuku?"

"I'll deal with that guy later." That guy? This woman actually called her friend Shizuku that guy. What's going on?

But the question only lasted a moment, and then, perfectly suited to the dead of night, the all-black muzzle of the gun aimed at me again. "Hey, wait a minute, stop!"

"Stop begging for mercy."

"No, if you don't stop, I'll be in trouble."

Akane's shrill voice came from behind the enemy.

"That guy may be unreliable, but he's my friend. Put the gun down."

Akane's gun was aimed at the enemy's head. It seemed like Akane would shoot before the gun pointed at me was turned towards Akane.

"..."

"Don't think I'll let you go if you don't speak."

The woman gave up, her grip on the gun seeming to loosen, but then —suddenly, another gun appeared in her left hand.

"Double-gun woman...!"

The enemy woman didn't lower the gun she was pointing at me. She aimed her other gun at Akane, and pulled the trigger almost simultaneously.

"Yi!"

"Ouch!"

The first one was from me, the second from Akane. The bullet grazed my head and ricocheted into the muzzle of Akane's gun. The woman was probably nervous, so she missed, saving our lives, but even hitting the gun was terrifying enough.

Akane turned and kicked the woman in the shoulder with her left foot, causing one of her guns to fall.

"Run!" the

dog girl roared. I ran forward without looking back, and before I knew it, I was shoulder to shoulder with Akane.

"Damn it! Why didn't I hear she had two guns!"

"You only have one to use?"

"Generally speaking, one is enough!"

Thinking about it, Shizuku also wields two daggers, so this idea is possible.

We ran into the first-grade building. Though it was locked, Akane easily knocked the lock and chain open.

Behind us, we could hear the enemy woman chasing us. The door was no longer usable as a shield, so we decided to go up to the second floor.

The girls' building was three stories high, with only four classrooms on each floor. Usually, only two of them were in use, with the other two used as changing rooms. It was incredibly extravagant. The boys' building was old, but all the classes were barely crammed in.

I secretly turned my attention to the back.

"She's catching up."

"Oh no!"

We entered the nearest classroom, Grade 1, Class 3. I felt like I'd heard this somewhere before.

The desks and chairs were arranged much like my Grade 2, Class 4, but there was a touch of childishness, perhaps because it was for the younger students.

We hid in a corner, out of sight.

As we ducked, the enemy had already reached the second floor. She gave up running and walked instead.

She clattered open the classroom doors and began checking each room one by one.

"…Why are we hiding?" I said. "Can't you defeat her with your own strength?"

"You're just too unreliable!"

Akane cursed softly.

"Her firepower is twice as great as mine. With your Zauber magic, I should be able to handle her. You're still a boy!"

"How would I know about that?"

You're right, but I don't know why I can't transform.

"Stop arguing, or she'll find out." "Hmph,

watch out, I'll blow your head off first."

So, hurry up! Weren't you the one who just said you'd abandon me if I didn't transform?

But Akane didn't seem to have any intention of abandoning me, nor did she tell me to "get over there." As for why, I don't know.

The door to the adjacent classroom seemed to have finished its investigation, and it clicked open.

"…Don't come here."

"I think she'll come."

Akane glanced at her gun.

"Hey, Natsuru, should we try that method again?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Using the sprinkler."

During the fight with Shizuku, we used this method in a critical moment: using a large amount of water to dull the dagger's movement.

"Let's scare that guy into peeing her pants."

"I don't have a lighter."

Without a fire, there's no point. Right now, I only have my wallet, completely empty-handed.

Akane glared.

"Useless guy."

"Sorry."

"I can't help it. If she gets in, I'll kill her. Hitting her will send her to hell."

The mastiff girl pointed her gun at the entrance.

Nothing happened for a while, but the silence felt longer than the time it takes to wait for instant noodles to soak when you're starving.

The door moved slightly.

"Go to hell!"

Akane fired, nearly piercing the entire door. This guy truly has no sense of restraint. The noise was so loud that the first-grade classroom turned into a popcorn machine.

The door, battered beyond recognition, swayed and fell.

Silence returned.

"Is that woman dead?"

"Uh..."

I cautiously peeked out. It was dark, so I couldn't see anything, except for someone lying there.

I squinted my eyes and crept slowly into the hallway.

The only thing in the hallway was the collapsed door.

"No one!"

I screamed, and the sailor suit flew towards me, carrying two guns.

Akane fired at her. The woman ducked low, fighting with one hand while keeping the other pointed at me.

Ugh—I don't have any weapons!

I quickly kicked the table in front of me to use as a shield. It wasn't bulletproof, but at least it gave me some cover. Textbooks and handouts clattered out of the table. I checked the name on the handout: Kondou Mikoto. This was her classroom.

"Natsuru, get out!"

Akane fired as she moved down the hallway, and I hurried after her.

But before I could do that, the enemy woman blocked my path.

Oh no! This guy separated me from Akane. She must have been targeting me from the start, so even if she shot, it was just a response.

"Hey, Natsuru!"

Akane yelled over her shoulder.

"Don't move,"

she warned both me and the Mastiff Girl, both guns pointed at me.

"I won't let you escape."

A deep, terrifying voice —wow, it felt like it came from hell.

"I'll send you to that world... Wake up."

"Being sent there by you would be a disaster!" I raised my hands above my head, even if I struggled a little, I wanted to live longer.

"Please don't hit me. I don't have any weapons."

"It has nothing to do with me."

"No, it has everything to do with me. Why are you only killing me?"

"Because I hate you,"

she said clearly.

Akane shouted from the corridor, "I can't hear what you're saying —" But the enemy didn't seem to be showing any mercy.

I don't recall ever doing anything to deserve resentment. I didn't borrow money or bully my classmates. Just a week ago, I even fed sausages to stray dogs on the street. So, that counts as a good deed.

"No, you should know,"

the girl said.

"Someone got hurt because of you, and I'm here today to avenge her."

"Huh? What did I do?"

"You. That person was devastated."

The woman's eyes grew fiercer, and she gritted her teeth.

"It's all your fault... You're saying you have a crush on someone and hurt Sakura Kaede."

...Huh?

"I said you hurt Sakura Kaede."

"What?"

What the hell? What are you talking about? Sakura Kaede, what does that have to do with this woman?

The shocking thing was yet to come. The woman before me actually began to tear up.

"Sakura Kaede-senpai likes you as a girl, but you actually said you like me as a boy... Do you know how hurtful that is..."

"Hey, hey, I don't understand what you're talking about. Why would you be so interested in something like that..."

"Of course I'll investigate things about someone I like!"

So... this girl is already in love with Sakura Kaede!

Her hands are shaking, probably from anger, and her face is tense. She glares at me fiercely like a demon. I never thought a human could get so angry about someone other than themselves.

From my perspective, I really don't know what to say except that I'm baffled.

"Sakura Kaede-senpai is truly wonderful. I'd be content if she could find happiness, so even if it was you, I wouldn't say anything. But you, you dared to play her like that? I can't just stand by and watch her get hurt!"

"She should have gotten back on her feet by now."

"But the scars are still there. She's just putting on a forced facade, but I can't stand this."

"Just keep swallowing it!"

"If only you weren't here!"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Two guns pointed at me. Perhaps so angry, the guy forgot to even shoot.

"You...you don't have the right to make Sakura Kaede-senpai miserable!"

"I didn't make her miserable, seriously!"

I'd be furious if anyone dared to hurt Sakura Kaede, but that incident was really just an accident.

I tried to take the opportunity to escape, but there was no opening. The guns would react instantly if I moved even the slightest bit.

"Don't even think about escaping. If you do... I'll kill your true lover."

"Who are you talking about..."

"Don't play dumb. It's that guy in the hallway."

"No—!"

How could it be Akane? I'm not interested in the Bulldog Girl, I just got close to her. Please don't misunderstand me, okay?

But the enemy seemed to find me more unforgivable and ignored my nearly wailing defense.