Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 4 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 8===

The Vampire Race was relatively difficult to deal with, especially their foremost representative.

Not only could they suck blood or transfuse blood causing their opponents to turn into their own kin, their, physical abilities far exceeded that of a Human’s, and they could utilize abilities with magic; additionally, with their demonic eyes, they could forcefully induce hypnotism and control a target’s consciousness, and they could even turn their bodies into mist or bats or other things at will.

--In other words, they were an opponent one must be very cautious about. Ever since the battle started, Basara had been forced to be on the defensive under Tachibana’s many various offensive attacks, but the tide of the battle was slowly turning in Basara’s favour.

Tachibana’s aptitude was really surprising. If it was the Basara who had just met Mio and reunited with Yuki, he would probably not be able to win; but – the Basara now was different.

Although the gap of those five years of his life had not been completely filled up, the senses of a real battle had already almost recovered, and adding on that he had done the Master-Servant Contract with Mio and Yuki and had deepened their relationship, his battle power has received a considerable power-up.

Also – experience from training only wouldn’t win a battle. Basara had fought against the high-class demon Zolgear with Maria who turned into her adult form and desperately broke through the death perils which came one after another, raising Basara’s strength to the next level.

--Right now, in the dark space replicating barrier.

The battle that had started in the field, had already moved into the school buildings. The sharp metallic clashes rang out in the second floor corridor – that is the sounds of Brynhildr and Tachibana’s claws striking each other in the battle. Amidst the two of them clashing—

“——————!”

Tachibana jumped far backwards and with a hand on the floor, he expanded a purple magic circle. Instantly, countless large conical pikes thrusted up from the floor, aiming to bore holes in Basara’s body.

But Basara was already a step ahead, having evaded it. Utilizing the speed from a Speed-type fighter, he rushed up to the ceiling from the left wall, and then circling to the right wall, he began running towards Tachibana; the pikes followed him closely, chasing him along the walls and ceiling with large sounds.

Just as the pikes appeared before Basara as if to block his path, he kicked off the surface, jumping straight towards Tachibana. Seeing Basara coming towards him in a straight line, the action Tachibana took was to simultaneously fire out all the pikes on the floor, wall and ceiling, and Basara readied his posture to slash with his sword—

“Haaaaaaahhhhhh!”

Twisting in mid-air while slashing out with Brynhildr, shattering the countless pikes coming from behind his back, before twisting his body again.

Smoothly transitioning from defence at his back to attack at Tachibana before him, he slashed out without a drop in speed.

Tachibana changed his state while retreating backwards, and Brynhildr brushed past his body which had changed to mist—

“……!”

But Tachibana’s expression still distorted from pain. He was late in transforming, so he had sustained injury from not being able to escape Basara’s attack. Despite that—

“Ku – Aaaaaaahhhhh!”

At the moment Basara touched the ground, Tachibana rapidly thrusted out his right hand, but the claw’s speed and path was already seen through by Basara. He pushed the tip sideways a little, utilizing minimal movements to evade Tachibana’s claw, and used Brynhildr’s hilt to impact lower jaw; Tachibana, whose brain received a shock, had his movements come to a stop momentarily.

Basara immediately slashed at his body with his sword – with the back of the blade.

With the sound from the impact, Tachibana crashed through the door of the classroom on the right back-first, and fell to the ground.

“Kuu… uu…!”

Despite having a face distorted with pain, Tachibana still tried to stand up.

“ ! …Do you really look down on me that much…!?”

Tachibana glared at Basara with eyes filled with hostility. Those blood-red eyes, showed that Tachibana’s hostility was undiminished. While receiving that hostility head-on, Basara thought—

''…What is going on?''

Going y the situation, Tachibana who was actually a vampire was very likely to be the culprit; but perhaps due to hiding his identity and powers for a long time, he clearly never had any real combat. If it was just that, it didn’t matter—

''…His movements are too direct.''

Every attack of Tachibana’s was like an emotional outburst, it was very simple. Indeed, The Tachibana Basara had known had a very frank personality; in a tight situation, attacks of someone like him would also be easy to guess.

However – Tachibana’s attacks was already direct right from the start. The enemy this time had no qualms in getting innocent people involved, the attack at the station and the tornado just now was the proof of that; at the same time, the enemy was someone very cautious, causing Basara to not be able to guess the enemy’s identity. The above characteristics, were completely different from Tachibana who was before him. Hence—

“…………”

Thinking of a certain possibility, Basara grabbed Tachibana’s wrist and forcefully pulled him up, and pressed him against the blackboard, and then tried something that could not be done in the middle of a fierce battle.

“W-What are you doing…!”

“—don’t move, keep quiet first.”

Basara brought his face closer towards Tachibana’s alarmed face, and concentrated on gazing at Tachibana.

In order to activate [Banishing Shift]’s banishing ability, the target’s root of existence, [Origin]<ref>天元Tengen, if anyone has got a better suggestion, please say it</ref>, needs to be severed. Since a very long time ago, Basara was able to see the [Origin]; and recently, as if due to the deepening of his relationship with Mio and Yuki after their kiss, his strength was considerably higher than before, and he could now see the manifestation of the fluctuation of magic powers whenever he just concentrates.

''Indeed…''

Basara did not find any foreign fluctuations in Tachibana’s body – which shows that his consciousness is not being controlled by someone. However, Tachibana’s fluctuations was completely different from the barrier around them.

In other words – the culprit was someone else, not Tachibana. Then, the reason Tachibana attacked Basara, was probably—

“…Tachibana, could it be, you are thinking that I was the one responsible for the tornado just now—…?”

“What are you saying this late!? You’ve already put up a barrier like this, why are you doing something so bad…!”

Pressed against the blackboard, Tachibana’s shouted angrily with tearful eyes.

"Involving innocent people, and even messing up the Sports Festival! Just kill me inside a barrier if you wanted to kill me, there wasn’t a need for something like that!”

Hearing the shout with emotion poured into it—

''…Damn it, I got tricked!''

Basara finally realised that both of them who was within the barrier, were led on by the real mastermind. Basara and Tachibana hoped to be able to trust each other, so when they think that the other party is the traitor, they’ll be even more unwilling to forgive. The real mastermind used these feelings and tricked the two of them who had become friends after much difficulty, using the meaningless battle to break down the trust built up between the two of them.

''…But, even then…''

It great that the worst case scenario did not happen, and the both of them are still safe. So, when needs to be done now is to not let the mastermind have their way. Thus Basara kept away Brynildr.

“W-What are you doing…?”

The unexpected action, caused Tachibana to become wary.

“Tachibana – look into my eye with your demonic eye, this way you’ll be able to find out why I kept my weapon.”

“Eh…?”

“As you know, we Heroes have some resistance against magic; if we concentrate to defend, controlling our consciousness would have no effect unless it’s a really strong power. The demonic eye able to control consciousness disrupts the subconsciousness through the eyes, so you’ll be able to see through my intentions.”

Then—

“If you do that – you’ll understand why I chose to quit the battle.”

What Basara said was [Quit], not something like [Stop], displaying his intention to no longer fight. However—

“…Just what are you planning? You've come up so close to a vampire and chose to keep your weapon, so even if my demonic eye can’t control you, I can still suck blood to make you into my slave…”

Tachibana kept his guard up. That was for sure, since no matter what Basara says now, his trust cannot be regained again.

“Because I hope you’ll see for yourself clearly…”

Yet Toujou Basara said out a truth – his own real intentions. And that is—

“Tachibana… I had really hoped to make the Sports Festival a success together with you, and that holds true even now.”

Those words caused Tachibana to shudder unconsciously. The subconsciousness is affected by the words the person says, so Tachibana would be able to immediately know if what he said were lies or not by using his demonic eye to look into Basara’s eyes.

“…Alright then. If you lie, my teeth will definitely pierce your neck."

Saying that, Tachibana then looked into Basara’s eyes.

With his red eyes that can read thoughts, he gazed intently at Basara. Not long after—

“……!”

Those two eyes widened, and what immediately appeared them, were tears.

“How can that…be…, then… we were…”

Tachibana who found out the cruel truth, then murmured while at a loss. His head hung feebly, and large tears flowed down his face. Thus, Basara released his hand that was holding Tachibana, and Tachibana slid down the blackboard and fell into a kneeling position, both shoulders shaking. To this reaction of his friend—

“Tachibana…”

Toujou Basara, other than saying out his name softly, did nothing else. He clearly understands, that this was just a misunderstanding.

But despite that – what has been done, has been done. What has been broken, cannot be recovered completely, ever.

No amount of consoling would be able to undo the current status, and he could not stay here forever.

Since Tachibana was not the mastermind, the real enemy is still somewhere out there.

''…The enemy couldn’t have closed us in here to deal with '''them''', or not?''

An uneasiness grew within him.

“ ! ————…?”

At that moment, Basara suddenly felt a certain air, which caused his hairs to stand on its end and his whole body to stiffen up.

“ ? Toujou-kun…?”

Not knowing what happened, Tachibana raised his tearful face and asked.

“Tachibana, wait here for me… ——understand!?”

Shouting those words, Toujou Basara rushed out of the classroom as if he suddenly received an electric shock.



Where Toujou Basara was headed to, are Mio and Yuki’s location as the reaction from the locating ability of the Master-Servant Contract gave him.

--If the two of them are outside the barrier, Basara who was inside the barrier wouldn’t be able to find their location.

However, the Master-Servant relation with them and Basara had been strengthened significantly. With that, would he be able to find their locations through the barrier? …Thinking that, Basara is going to try using that to try to locate Mio and Yuki.

And then, he really got a reaction from them – but it was not outside the barrier, but within it.

''…Damn it! Could it really be related to '''that person'''…!?''

As Basara ran towards their location, his expression gradually became bitter.

He had already eliminated possible suspects right to the end, and he had already prepared his heart to face the truth; but in a certain corner in Toujou Basara’s heart, there was still trust – that this is not that person’s doing. Yet—

“That is…”

When he ran down the stairs and saw his destination around the corner, Basara saw a scene he did not wish to believe.

It was a brilliant white. It was the coat that was like her trademark, and she had her right hand directed at the door to the room she was in charge of – and a golden glow was around her hands.

“ ! –Hasegawa-sensei!”

Basara shouted the person’s name, and she must’ve heard it, but—“

“——————”

Hasegawa Chisato ignored Basara, and in front of the raised right hand – a magic circle appeared on the door. The infirmary room’s door and wall then turned into gray with a sharp sound, and Mio and Yuki’s reaction then disappeared. This scene, was similar to when Mio was trapped into a special barrier that was at Zolgear’s nest.

--Only after that, then did Hasegawa Chisato turn around.

While still exuding the usual peerless beauty, she gazed at Basara with silent and calm eyes. Hence—

“…Sensei, please leave this place.”

Basara stopped around ten meters before Hasegawa, and said while facing her.

The bundle of reluctant hope that was in Basara’s heart had vanished, and what’s left is the acceptance of the truth before his eyes, and the thought of accomplishing his goals no matter what. So despite seeing Hasegawa using magic, Basara who held Brynhildr was not surprised, and had no desire to ask how. Knowing that Hasegawa had closed Mio and Yuki into some kind of barrier – was sufficient enough.

“Please leave that place… Mio and Yuki are inside there, aren’t they, please hand them over to me.”

Basara held Brynhildr’s hilt tightly, displaying the intention that if Hasegawa is not willing to leave, he’ll settle this with his weapon. However—

“…My apologies, I cannot do that.”

When Hasegawa lightly shook her head – Toujou Basara already began moving his body.

''…Screw that barrier…!''

No matter how strong a barrier is, [Banishing Shift] will be able to eliminate it.

--Sure, [Banishing Shift] can only be activated when the opponent attacks.

But right now, Basara is confined within the barrier covering the school and field, so the condition to activate [Banishing Shift] has been fulfilled. With that—

''…If I activate it and set the target as the barrier confining Mio and Yuki…!''

It was a somewhat direct brute-force attack. Basara as of now is still unable to clearly see the Origin of two targets, so it might not really be possible to completely eliminate the barrier; but even if that if the case, it should probably be able to eliminate part of it. Once there is a hole in the barrier, breaking of the barrier can proceed from there. Hence—Toujou Basara moved.

“Ooooooooohhhhh!”

Basara who began moving in the corridor and almost immediately reached a speed amazing even for speed-type fighters, directly swung Brynhildr horizontally at Hasegawa; in response, Hasegawa only gently raised her left hand. Hasegawa’s choice is not to avoid, but to defend, probably planning to use a magic barrier or materialise a weapon to receive the attack – no matter what it is, Basara will be able to use the momentum from this attack as a pivot to further increase his speed. Brynhildr’s blade moved towards Hasegawa’s raised left hand—

“Wha…!?”

But Basara who already prepared to increase his speed, stopped and stood there, stunned.

Reason being, Brynhildr’s large sword blade, was being held in place by Hasegawa’s slim arm; forget about gaining speed, even movements had been sealed.

“—looks like you miscalculated.”

Saying that, Hasegawa began moving her right hand towards Basara, and dazzling golden light emitted from within that hand—

“—get down, Toujou!”

A shout came from behind him at that time.

“ ! ——…!?”

Toujou Basara reflexively kept Brynhildr, and hurriedly moved away.

At the same time, a pillar of fire enclosed Hasegawa within it together with a boom and a shockwave.

Basara who was still safe while facing intense heat, looked backwards. The one standing there, is someone who Basara is familiar with – homeroom teacher Sakazaki Mamoruda.

“Why is sensei…?”

“What are you staring around for, quickly run!”

The teacher's sudden appearance, caused Basara to stand there, stunned. Sakazaki then grabbed onto Basara’s hand and ran, aiming to bring him away from this scene, but Basara forcefully put strength into his legs to stop, and said:

“W-Wait! Mio and Yuki is still…”

Just as the words left his mouth, the air around him suddenly swirled with a boom, and the fire pillar enclosing Hasegawa opened.

“————!”

It was not wind. What undid Sakazaki’s flames, were many three-dimensional magic circles forcefully twisting the space. Hasegawa emerged from the intense flame attack unharmed—

“You damned…”

Saying that in a low voice, a golden aura surrounded her body. Sakazaki’s attack seemed to have enraged her, and she looked this way with hostility that wasn’t there when she faced Basara.

“……!”

The pressure she released, was bigger then what Zolgear or Maria in her adult form had released. What kind of joke is this, this means that she was way past the level of an S-Class. At this mment, Sakazaki shouted towards basara who had gasped:

“Winning against her head on is not possible, we better retreat and think of a countermeasure first!”

“…You really think you can run away?”

Sayng that, Hasegawa raised her right hand towards them.

But before she attacked, a bundle of black surrounded her thickly, and—

“—quickly run, Toujou-kun!”

A shout came from the other end of the corridor. It was Tachibana Nanao who he had told to remain upstairs.

Tachibana’s tone and anxious expression, were all trying to persuade him to immediately retreat.

--he can’t leave Mio and Yuki behind, but what Sakazaki said was also the truth. Going up against Hasegawa without a plan, would mean that their chances of winning were super low. Hence—

“Damn it…!”

Basara tightly gritted his teeth, and ran away from the scene with Sakazaki.