Horizon:Volume 1 Prologue

Prologue: Those Lined Up Before the Horizon

Whether to be lost.

Or to be explored.

The reason to keep hold of your heart's compass is something.

Point Allocation (Protagonist)

●

A sky exists.

A clear morning sky. In the blue floated two pale white moons, and below the clear air, waves of dark green mountain gorges overlapped, reaching far.

The mountainous region, the expanding sky above the many-edged mountains.

In the sky, divisions which appeared to be pillars were there. Stretching from the earth to the sky, divided segments which held the appearance of pillars existed. Through the reality in which the clouds and wind traversing the sky disappeared as if reaching an invisible wall, and the division of the vegetation of the ground, those wide yet numerous pillar-like segments flaunted their existence.

Though the segments were uncountable, the spatial relationship was sporadic, and their wideness too varied.

The sky, divided in that manner, held three things.

The first was wind. The atmospheric flows of the mountainous region rose, appearing to be entwining, and birthing clouds, they faded away.

And, another one was the waves. In the sky, waves ran. Lines, not of clouds, but where the surf broke were many, stretching out toward the sky, outlining the character [八].

Things in the sky. The last was that which traveled between the clouds and created the waves.

Ships.

Through the pillars of the divisions of the sky reaching past the mountains, raising the sound of the surf, eight white ships sailed.

The Aerial City Ships, bearing towns and natural parks on the surface segment, brought their shadows together, descending towards the mountains. The shadow of the group of ships, two ships lined up in the center and three ships lined up to the left and to the right, engulfed themselves in one of the gorges, which stretched multiple kilometers from head to tail.

Each one of the ships created waves, which streamed from the bow and into the sky, and carrying the echoes of break of each wave, they continued on through the heavens.

Breaking the waves, advancing through the skies, each of the ships were connected to the ships close by with tens of thick ropes. Occasionally, when the group of ships changed their path slightly, the ropes which connected them would be drawn in and pulled out.

At the bows of the eight ships, the name was there. First, on each one of the ships, the name 'Musashi' was written with black characters. Next to that, the ship-names were, as expected, written in black characters.

First Starboard: "Shinagawa"

Second Starboard: "Tama"

Third Starboard: "Takao"

Center Leading: "Musashi Field"

Center Trailing: "Inner Tama"

First Port: "Asakusa"

Second Port: "Murayama"

Third Port: "Oume"

The three ships to the left and to the right acting as outer hulls around the two ships in the middle, with that formation, these eight ships sailed the sky.

And, a sound rang out.

The sound was a voice of song.

From the graveyard in the surface-segment of the bow of Inner Tama, the echoes of that slow voice sang a trembling rhythm.

"--Let me pass--"

Let me pass, let me pass.

If I go, if at some point it becomes a narrow pathway.

The narrow pathway, which goes toward God.

Though you say 'Thine thoughts art useless, thou cannot pass'.

To celebrate this child's tenth birthday.

I go to dedicate two offerings.

The path there is calm, the return is fear.

I wonder, is it the passage of the fear in me--

The song traversed the air, and eventually it disappeared.

In its place, a new, resounding sound was there. Other than the sound of waves from the ship's passage, ringing out was consecutive clangs of a bell.

Sounding once, twice, three times, continuing like music, the sound of the bell which told the time was covered by the voice of a broadcast.

"Our citizens, I inform you that in Quasi-Bahamut Class Aerial City Ship - Musashi, by the bell of Musashi Ariadust Academy it is currently 8:30. The ship is currently withdrawing from the Sagarmatha Corridor and sailing southwest. In the afternoon, we will be docking in main dock Far East Representative State Mikawa. At the habitable high-skies, we will be entering stealth flight, and will experience information cutoff, therefore we wish for your co-operation. --That is all."

Where the sound and voice were sounding was above the Middle Trailing Inner Tama. A construction atop it was the source of the sound.

Next to each other, two long, wooden, three-story buildings stood. The two structures, ringing the chime, had metal nameplates at the doors of the entrance. Nameplates with "Musashi Ariadust Academy" written.

Between the gate and the school building, Musashi Ariadust Academy had a schoolyard and a bridge crossing over it.

The schoolyard held a wideness which was nearly a 100-meter line diagonally. The bridge crossing over started from the gate, and using steps, it ascended, connecting to a hatch in the second floor of the frontal school building.

And, the chime which told the time ended, and as if in its place the voice of a woman came from above the bridge.

"Alllllllllllright."

The voice, traveling quite far, flew out towards the school building.

"Third Year Plum Group--. You alright?"

In front of Musashi Ariadust Academy, where the voice rang out, atop the bridge, several figures were there.

First, by the door, one woman was standing. A woman wearing a black, light armor style-jersey, whose back was straight.

Behind her short hair, a single line was on her back. A longsword, painted white, with a hilt of metal.

The scene in front of her she was seeing. The school building. There, wearing black and white uniforms, were youths. Those that might have been human, and those that were not human too were there. Towards them, who were like this, the woman smiled and said this.

"Then, --let's start the physical education lesson!"

●

The teacher said this to the students gathered atop the bridge. With a tone which acted humble-

"Now then, the rules are simple."

-so she said. And, sticking her chin forward, she indicated the tip of the group of ships.

"Alright? --Now, I'm going to run with all of my strength to the Yakuza office at the front of Shinagawa for some Yakuza beating, so I hope everyone can follow along. After getting there, it'll be a practical, all right?"

In reaction to the teacher's words, from the middle of the group in student uniforms, the students, voices went "Eh?"

However, the teacher ignored their voices and smiled.

"If you're late, I might have you do the early morning classroom clean up. --And, your response? Jud.?"

"--Jud."

In answer, everyone returned these words which carried the meaning of 'understood'.

At the same time, a hand was raised. A tall boy to whom the armband 'Treasurer: Shirojiro Bertoni' was attached-

"Oriotorai-sensei, --What kind of relationship does physical education have with the Shinigawa's Yakuza? Is it money?"

"Don't be stupid, Shirojiro. Physical education is doing exercise, you know? And, beating people up is an exercise. A simple thing like that--if you don't know it, there's a problem."

The figure clad in a female uniform tugged the sleeve of the student whose name had been called. The long-haired person to which the nameplate 'Treasurer's Assistant: Heidi Ogezevara' was affixed, smiling all the while-

"You know, Shiro-kun, recently, Oriotorai-sensei was assigned a solitary house on the surface, and when she was rejoicing wildly, her land was bought up, and she went to the bottom level, and she drank some beer, and she　got violent, and she cracked the wall, and she was seriously scolded by the teacher's department.--In short, everything past the middle was her own fault, but without forgetting her original intention, it's revenge, I think."

"It's not revenge. It's just that I got kind of irritated, so I'm just returning the favor."

"That's the same thing!!"

Everyone Tsukkomi'd, but Oriotorai-sensei didn't even seem to care.

And, taking the longsword and sheathe on her back into her hands, clasping it to her side. Rubbing the emblem of the brand name IZUMO, which was on the surface of the sheathe, and she laid her fingers on the hilt, which had a slightly twisted design from IZUMO's unique slicing effect focus.

"Is somebody missing? There's no helping Miriam Polk. Other than that, it's about how Azuma finally returns noon today, but as for any others--"

At the question, the group looked around at each others' faces.

Having done that, a girl wearing a black three-cornered hat, the golden-haired girl to whom a "Third Special Duty: Margot Knight" armband was attached opened her mouth. While shaking her six golden wings at her back, she-

"As far as Nai-chan can see, Seijun [正純] and Chancellor aren't here."

In response to that voice, the girl with black wings who she was hugging, "Fourth Special Duty: Malga Naruze" shook her head.

"Masazumi [正純] is going to Tama's Elementary Academy as a Elementary Instructor, and in the afternoon she's going to send Academy President Sakai to Mikawa, so today she should have a free absence. Chancellor...I don't know about Toori."

"Mmm, then, is anybody who knows about "Impossible" Toori here?"

At the question, everyone looked at one place. At a place a little bit backward and below the middle of everybody. Standing there was a girl with tea-coloured wavy hair. She folded her arms, making a bow-shaped smile, and-

"Fufu, everyone, you want to hear about my idiot brother Toori that much? You want to hear about him, don't you? I mean, he's Musashi's Chancellor and Student Council President, isn't he. Fufu. --However, I won't tell you!"

'Ehh?" Everyone raised a questioning voice. With that, she who was going against them nodded a meaningful nod,

"Because around eight in the morning, when I woke up, he wasn't there already."

"Even though you're always so lively, you wake up really late, you know!"

"Fufufu, it's all right, my make-up was done, and I, Belle Flore Aoi, will make clear my time in the morning. But, that idiot brother, waking up early without making my breakfast, it would be good if at the judgement after death he would receive the foul ball judgement by the umpire and drop to hell! After all, it's about time the world ends from an apocalypse!"

"Umm, Kimi-chan?"

At Knight's call, Kimi turned around. With an expression where her eyebrows were slightly raised-

"Margot...not that name, you know? Something like Aoi Kimi [葵・喜美] if it's something like "Blue yolk [Aoi Kimi(青い黄身)]" then what kind of name is it when it's like you don't know if it's something you ate and came out of your ass? So, call me Belle Flore, alright?"

"Nai-chan is just thinking, but wasn't it Josephine three days ago?"

"The Nakamura-san three over named the dog she's taking care of the same name, so it's not that! That girl has a cute hobby of, with the enjoyment of an old person, attaching a collar to that animal with long and soft-looking fur just like a little girl, and training it while it's nude! It was frustrating, so next time she'll let me hug it, you know!? Hey, aren't I the underdog like this!?"

'I wonder' As Knight, who was being grabbed by the collar and being shaken, said those words, Oriotorai was silently adding check-marks to the attendance record she had taken from out of the chest-area of her jersey.

"Then, Toori is...late?--Even though he's the Student Council President and Chancellor...this won't do."

At her line, everyone smiled helplessly. Voices going, 'We-well,' could also be heard.

And, Oriotorai, who was against them, too faced everyone, who was like that, and smiled wrly.

"Well, yeah. It'd be dangerous if Musashi's Chancellor were to get a hold of himself...There's a reason, after all."

After sweeping her gaze about as if looking at the surroundings, she opened her mouth.

"Well, this is troublesome. Even though the Divine States, below us, was our territory, it's now being provisionally controlled by every country, and people're being chased into the Far East residency area--Can't believe the direct control territory which are the Divine States is going to become that of just Musashi."

●

Oriotorai slowly said those words while looking up towards the sky.

"...Currently, this Divine State, which fell from the Harmonic World in the 'Destruction of the Harmonic World' roughly a hundred and sixty years ago, merged with another Divine State, leaving cracks in between. After the 'Harmonic Unification War', it was effectively completely occupied by each of the world's countries, and the name Divine State was even changed to the name 'Far East'."

Within Oriotorai's vision, its owner looking at the flow of the clouds in the sky, which were divided by numerous pillar-shaped spaces, everyone tensed their bodies slightly.

However, Oritorai continued her words.

"At the time, with the treaty of not applying military control or governmental dominion, each of the countries of the world established the Union of the Testament, they held the academic institution which is the Academy, which acts as a military and governmental facility, and with that, they committed. That's why, currently, under the name of the Testament Union, the principal countries place the Academy as the most important governmental and military facility, and provisionally occupied the Far East, dividing it. While using the monarchs who had been placed under control, they enacted the original Territory War as a fight between students of the Academies, didn't they?"

And,

"This Musashi is different from the Far East residency area which was prepared by the temporarily controlled territories and countries on the ground, it is the only acknowledged territory of the Far East, but we're really going to be under the Testament Union's surveillance. Anyway, as for the Far East Academy's Chancellor and Student Council President--"

she said it.

"--from the midst of the Academy, the least powerful, the least able person was picked. Someone like Toori. And, an urban nickname like "Impossible" was even given to Toori."

"But, the reason for doing something like that was: 'That is what proves the reality of which the Far East is peaceful,' isn't it?"

Throwing those words out was a boy wearing glasses. He, who had the armband "Secretary: Neshinbara Toussaint", closed a Torii-gate design signframe which was displaying in the air.

"It's already been that since a hundred and sixty years ago. In that time, the Far East has made excuses for its mistakes, and for the sake of avoiding being targeted by each country, we have always kept our head down, supported others, and used our money, so even though this Musashi has become the core of the Far East, with the tattered power of just moving around, nothing can be done.

Anyway, even though each country's students have an unlimited upper-age limit, Far East's students graduate at 18--if that is exceeded, one can't participate in the government or military."

"The Far East is well talked about, isn't it--The students are privileged, or so they say."

"That's what the Testament Union affiliated countries say. 'Those that aren't students aren't people' right?"

At Neshinbara's words, from the middle of those gathered, voices saying "Hey..." could be heard. While one boy in the middle, a nameplate with "Ohiroshiki" attached to his round body, brought some packet snacks to his mouth,

"Shousei, isn't saying things like that kinda dangerous--?"

"It's all right."

Neshinbara said.

"Around the ship, the Testament Union's Gods of War fly, in the midst of observing us, but they don't have the time to to pick up on our voices one by one, and we're about to go into the controller of the Far East and the owner of the Musashi, Lord Matsudaira Motonobu's Mikawa after all. Mikawa is under the Testament Union's observation, but they've allied with P.A.ODA, who've half-ceded from the Testament Union and opened hostilities, so in its vicinity, the Testament Union can't move carelessly. --It's not something to care about."

"Ehhhh, so mature. But this time, it's not just the Tres Espana who're observing Mikawa; K.P. Italia's Pope Chancellor's large-scale destruction armament　Loizmoi Oplo's new model is coming, completely innocently. Please have a little care. --It's fine if it's just a little, though."

So said Oriotorai, keeping a smile at the edge of her mouth. Neshibara, facing her, spread his arms outward exaggeratedly, did a bow, and everybody took a breath.

'But, well...' Oriotorai muttered softly. A smile stuck to her face, she cocked her neck,

"Like that, this country has troublingly been suppressed, but do you all know what you want to do from now on?"

At the question, everyone remained silent.

Was it because that silence held an answer? Oriotorai did not ask further.

...But, everyone's a third year already, aren't they?

Around this time next year, we'll probably be at a place which is the answer to that question, but-

"Now, the world is pretty noisy. The history book of prophecy, the Testament, had not been re-enacted, and with the end of the last described contents, the "Westfallen Conference", it's being said that it's probably the end of days where the world will end.

Everyone knows that the Earth Pulses are disturbed, and everywhere, phenomena happen often, don't they? Things like the M.H.R.R's 'Disappearance of the Man Who Played Pipes' or Soviet Russia's 'Null Land'."

At those words, the battle-able Lineage-type and Ability-type students hardened their expression. Incidents where they had been deployed to exorcise monsters born from the disturbance of the Earth Pulse had happened, and they had detailed information concerning these phenomena.

Everyone passed normal days, but occasionally, a question which set them off flew.

That was,

"If the world is to end this year, what will our route become, right?"

But, so Oriotorai said.　Whilst re-stopping the parts fixing the the hilt to the base of the sheathe.

"Well, it's troublesome, but the reality that we'll probably be able to go to a pretty good place exists, you know. We'll eventually know what the world will become, so until then do what you can."

"...You also feel that way, Sensei? 'It's troublesome that we're being suppressed, but do what you can.'"

At the question which Naruze, who had tilted her head, asked, Oriotorai looked at the sky. And,

"That's right."

'Well', with that, Oriotorai loosed a small laugh. After a little while,

"If it's me, thinking about dying is what I'm thinking about. That's something from a while ago, though."

Returning her gaze to everybody, Oriotorai smiled a little wider.

...Well, I wonder if the time will come where eventually these kids too will understand the pain of that place there.

She thought, and after nodding, 'Then', the female teacher lowered her body slightly.

And, she looked at those who had instantaneously responded to that movement-

"Alright then, if you have the abilities of a Battle-type, you'd have to "come" then. So--just a little, follow me ready to die. The rules are simple, until we reach the office, if you're able to hit me with an attack--"

She told them.

"I'll give you five more attendance checks. Do you understand? --The ability to skip five times."

At those last words, everyone changed their expression. At the words "five times", everyone whispered to each other-

"In other words, we'll be able to skip five times in the morning...? If that's the case--"

-with that, while everyone was mounting their own hopes, raising his hand with a "Yes," was a boy to whom the armband "First Special Duty: Tenzou Crossunite" was attached. Wearing his hat such that he covered his eyes, along with the Aviation-type half-dragon "Second Special Duty: Kiyonari Ulquiaga" next to him,

"Sensei, having the attack "hit" and not "graze" should be fine, should it not?"

"Well, well, the Battle-types are thorough, aren't they? --But yes, that should be fine, you know? I don't care about your methods either."

At those words, Ulquiaga folded his arms. With his dragon-eyes, he looked down at Tenzou beside him-

"Did you hear that? This female teacher has said that it's fine no matter what we do, Tenzou. Is it fine if I use my power of imagination?"

"Jud. I heard it. But, that female teacher, outside of Oge-dono's story earlier, I 'nearly' touched her butt the other day, and she managed to start the disturbance which removed the floor of the residential area herself."

"Fuu, Tenzou, even when faced with reality, the power of imagination is unmatched. That a ninja like you has not noticed that is regretful."

"I understand. --Then, um, Oriotorai-sensei, no matter where we touch or grope Sensei's parts, we won't have points deducted, right? Further, as opposed to that, we should get something like bonus points."

"Ahaha, it's you two that want to die before the lesson even starts, right?"

Saying those words with her eyes half-closed, Oriotorai stuck her tongue out-

"--Then."

'Eh?' Faster than everyone could react, Oriotorai jumped.

It was a leap towards what was behind her. Descending the bridge, towards the stairs going down towards the tip of Inner Tama, Oriotorai jumped as if laying her figure in a black-jersey flat.

To reach her destination, first below the stairs, the path out of the second schoolyard which headed towards the bow. Reaching the large wind tunnels used for ship-interior air flow, at the nature park which split to the left and right, take the Inner Tama mid-starboard passage which exits toward the starboard side.

...The mid-starboard passage which is called "Remorse Way".

Ten years ago, after Musashi's Great Renovation, that way was appended that name.

Oriotorai knew the reason why it started to be called that.

The entrance of the mid-starboard passage, in a shoulder of the road on the right, one stone plate was there.

A stone plate decorated with flowers about 50 centimeters in height. On its surface was one sentence.

--1638 All those who reside in Musashi pray for the girl, Horizon A's happiness in her next life.

"Horizon, huh? For those kids, that's definitely the name that became the beginning of everything..."

While she muttered, atop the bridge which had become the top of her vision, everyone was caught in the delay of their instantaneous reaction.

Naive. If there were a cannon strike from an opposing battleship, they would have died.

Did they notice that? From the direction of the bridge, audibly leaking out-

"--Sh-"

Oriotorai heard that voice.

That was the start of the word, 'shit', right? Were they regretting? But, that's fine.

...If they had been outwitted, they'd have to be regretful.

I thought. Of the current Musashi's Chancellor's Board and the member's of the Student Council.

...Those that aren't here and absentees are many, but with only this, that which was strange had been gathered.

Not only them. For everybody else, they were overloaded with great things.

'Interesting, isn't it?' she thought, and as she smiled, the students jumped from atop the bridge.

"...Chase her!!"

●

Those who heard the noise was everyone who was on the surface-section of every ship.

Gunshots, the clash of swords, and the sound of metal and destruction reached them from out of the Middle Trailing Ship - Inner Tama.

That noise continued to move, and from the watchtowers on every ship where people observed for the sake of dealing with the danger,

"Go through 'Remorse Way' to the bow--!"

The sound traveled from the starboard of Inner Tama to the Second Starboard Ship - Tama.

Because of that, the residents of the port-side's surface-segment patted their chest in unison and descended, making the preparations for the afternoon's work, and the surface residents of the Third Starboard Ship - Takao gave three shouts of 'Banzai!' from the front edge of the deck, where they were visible by the people on the Second Starboard Ship - Tama.

As opposed to them, the residents of the Second Starboard Ship - Inner Tama were seriously using Curse Abilities and Attack Abilities on the people of the Third Starboard Ship who were going 'Banzai!', so-

"--This won't do."

Along with those simple thoughts, the entrances of the small shops closed, and the shutters were closed to protect themselves, and because of the shops, protective barriers were put up through Ability. But, a shop which was partially opened-

"Well, this happens all the time. I just pray that this doesn't become the path they take. --If it does, I'll cry though."

"We too played around, doing things like we used to do. --If this continues through generations, it'll be a specialty."

Along with those thoughts, resisting by putting the account book in the counter furthest in, before the danger approached, the shopowners gathered and started to bet on "Who will win this time?"

"--But, that Nee-chan Sensei, in athletics, she's apocalyptically strong. She's IZUMO's tester, isn't she?"

"Jud., and also, right now, the Chancellor's Board doesn't have a Vice-Chancellor, so the vital point of her attacks isn't here."

"Even so, how've the all-on-one's been recently? They couldn't even hit her once. The last time was a shame, wasn't it?"

'Mmmm' so mumbled the shopkeepers, and matching the uneasy sounds which approached from Inner Tama, each of them wrote their choice on a memo and handed it to the bookkeeper.

And in that manner, many such movements sprung to life in the midst of the town.

But, in its center, only one store, whilst staying open, did no kind of reaction.

On the Second Starboard Ship, in an alley close to the center of Tama's surface-segment, a snack-shop on that road.

On the bakery and snack-shop to which the sign "Blue Thunder" was attached, in front of the open shop, two signs saying "Shopkeeper making a delivery" and "In business" were hung.

There were no customers in the shop, but at the counter perpendicularly facing the street, one figure was there.

A female-form doll with white-hair the size of a human. It was the type enveloped by a design in which whilst for a large part of her skin, biological parts with the same makeup as a human's were used, a large part of her joints were made out of black supple parts.

Occasionally, she would breathe, and her two shoulders and chest would rise and fall.

A doll which moved autonomously, an automaton.

●

Across the counter of "Blue Thunder", the female automaton stood there in an apron, her head bowed. She placed the baked bread upon the shelf behind her, not even looking in the direction of the road.

But, that face suddenly turned towards the back of the store. Over there was an oven used for baking bread, and above it a kitchen counter which held a stove which used the excess heat.

The automaton faced her gaze towards the kitchen counter and the cooking equipment next to it.

And, continuing to face that direction, she stopped moving, as if she had taken interest. However,

"----"

From the path, numerous footfalls of a brisk walk as well as a group of voices could be heard.

"--We've got to hurry up and get back, it looks like they're comin' this way. The town carpenter won't be able to stop laughing."

"If we're being worked at a pace where we die from overwork, even if we get paid, we won't have the time to use it, y'know. But, at your place, that part-time working automaton--P-01s was it? Can't it be sensible and close the shop?"

"We're not gonna close, ya know. I'm a former samurai, so closin' shop durin' business hours is kinda embarrassin'. That child understands that too. Even at this kinda time, she's waitin' for people comin' to eat their breakfast."

The approaching voice said.

"All of you, it's rare, but to our place, which is renowned for openin' early in da mornin', that child's been comin' every mornin' for a year. I was pretty surprised when that child stood outside our door, and outside of da name P-01s, she didn't know anythin', and she had no shelter, so it was pretty troublin', but well--I'm glad I hired her. She's got spirit. Anyway, recently, I haven't even had ta check da morning's repertoire."

"A soul doesn't have anythin' ta do with an automaton, right? They don't have anythin' like feelings, after all--"

At that point, the voices stopped. Because, the row of figures had come to the front of the store.

A middle-aged woman, the owner of the store, within the crowd, who was passing by, she turned to some people and showed a smile at the edge of her mouth,

"For me, she's my pride. Now, I've even started ta think about my own repertoire. Even if I put that in da menu in da future, I won't be servin' that ta any noisy people, y'know?"

"Jud., that's horrible."

While laughing with a 'Haha', the men and women left. The woman shopkeeper who entered the shadow of the store--

"Really, even though workers are supposed t'be equal. It's not a big deal, right, P-01s?"

At that question, the automaton returned her gaze and a nod-

The shopkeeper across from her placed her hands on her hips and sighed,

"Well, don't worry about the noise. Then--I won't close da store, but I'll have ta keep the sign out in front and throw out da water. When the din is all over, and I can take a breath, you can go home already. You can take as much of the baked bread as ya want. Why don't ya bake it a little more in the oven?"

With that said, the automaton nodded slightly. And, the reason her gaze moved slightly was not to look away from the shopowner,

"The kitchen?"

Being asked that, after a short while the automaton returned her gaze, and she nodded.

Towards that nod, as if confirming it, the shopkeeper-

"You memorized my repertoire, so when ya think about what ta make yerself, it was always somethin' plain, and there were a lot of failures, but...well, the basics're important."

"--Jud."

The automaton softly said. With an emotionless voice,

"To increase the repeatability of Shopkeeper-sama's work, around one year is needed. If we speak about the current situation, other than being asked "isn't your soul trapped?" by the customers, there are no problems. Currently, P-01s is in the midst of researching P-01s' original breakfast, but as a result of the desired product being unclear, P-01s is in the midst of pondering to which level should P-01s investigate."

"If that's the case, then just do it 'till yer satisfied. The depths of egg fryin' are pretty deep after all."

The shopkeeper laughed a little. Sticking her hand out towards the automaton's head, she patted it as if mussing her hair.

"A child who does their work seriously is a good child, y'know. --When yer done, make one portion just like we always did in practice. Yer an automaton, but yer type needs food after all."

'Jud.' the automaton nodded. With that, from the stern of the ship, a voice with a sense of urgency could be heard.

"Th-they've finally come--"

●

The Second Starboard Ship - Tama had a stone-made town and park on its surface-segment.

Because the signpost on which was written "Tourist Town - Tama" standing everywhere in the town also displayed foreign languages side by side, to even the people looking at the clamor outside, from the windows of the streets European faces were many in number. And, everyone one of the gazes of those who lived on the surface segment, looked up in the same manner. The top of the roofs of varying heights. Above the wooden, thatch, and stone roofs, they looked.

There, at a place which could be said to be above their heads, the clamor ran.

The run of the noise was sudden.

First, above a commercial street at the port-side, a group of light burst forth.

"--?"

Seen by anyone who was looking out from inside their house were several bullets and arrows of light, an attack like a wall of linked lines of light.

The owner of the stationery shop muttered while closing the armored door.

"Non-blessed shots with a rapid-fire focus, huh? They're using the same kind of ability. If it's on the roofs where there's a direct line, then that's enough and there's no wastage...If they were trying to hit a normal opponent, that is."

The opponent. As if being chased by the barrage of flying light, the figure of an opponent running the roofs existed.

It was a woman. While running, she readied her sword in front of her chest, and put power into her sheathe.

"--!"

She received the chasing light and bullets, cutting them out of the air, deflecting them away.

The place she was running backwards on was a roof. However, for the sake of not sending the building materials flying, she sprinted in a manner where she focused upon stepping on support pillars or rafters and jumping forth.

That was not all.

In her movements, there were also evasions. Evasions which dealt with the incoming attacks. Just the roofs of the street's central commercial town were already tens of meters, but the speed of she, who was sprinting, did not fall the slightest. It could at the very least be seen that she was increasing her speed each time she received an attack.

The chasers were also going all out. Hidden by the shots, even acting such that they overlapped, people who carried out attacks against the woman wielding a longsword existed. Keeping co-operation with the marksman squad behind them, certain people traveled a straight line above the rooftops, certain people were traveling around the eaves of the first floor, and certain people were showing themselves flying around from above, firing to distract.

Therefore, deflecting even those attacks with her sheathe, being battered away by the spinning hilt-

"--Hup!"

People blown away by kicks also existed.

Doing that, because of the whirl of speed and attacks as well as the sound, and the evasions, and the blocks, the wind howled.

The overlapping sound of clashing metal shook the windows of the houses, and from time to time, a large attack which had been brought forth would resound like thunder.

The trembling sound shook the pillars of the houses, and even the ground was made to tremor.

The decorations were all the colour of light. The deflected light became spray and scattered in every direction, the white fragments tore through the air.

And, everything went past.

But, even whilst the sound and speed and light gained the Doppler effect of distancing, they did not lose their power.

With that, the woman with the longsword suddenly let her voice ring out.

"Hey! Adele and Hassan have retired!"

Looking past her flying voice, atop the commercial street's thatched roofs, two figures had fallen.

Breathing erratic, the people who had fallen face-flat, becoming the [大] character was a girl with the tip of her ear pierced, holding a white longspear and a boy with a turban wrapped about his head.

In the midst of the running group, the boy with glasses-

"Itoken-kun! Rescue them along with Nenji-kun!"

Along with those words, a shadow flew out from the midst of the group. He looked like a nude man with a strong body, but the black batwings on his back were the proof of his being a Spirit-type Nightmare Race. An Incubus. He, who was bald, raised one hand once, and-

"--Good morning! I'm not someone strange! I am called Itou Kenji, an Incubus of perversity! Everyone of the commercial street, my apologies for this impoliteness!"

Everyone ahead flashed him half a glance, but Itoken didn't care.

And, from between everyone, who were running, a half-sphere shaped object 1 meter large separated. A scarlet coloured, translucent sticky body, on the upper part of its front, black sensory parts were stuck to him, forming eyebrows, eyes, and a mouth.

It chased after Itoken, who was going forward on his tiptoes, hand on his waist, approaching the two people who had fallen on the opposite roof. Doing that, Itoken raised his hand to the creature who was coming up alongside him-

"Hey! Nenji-kun, today too you look as beautiful and lively as ever with your stickiness and transparency! You're so sticky!"

At those words, the sticky bodied Nenji answered. Raising his sensory-organ eyebrows,

""Mm. This time, it's saving people, isn't it. If that's so, then this is my spec--""

Nenji was stepped on by the girl with the nametag Aoi Kimi, who was slow and had come running from the back.

"Ah."

Ahead, chasing after Oriotorai were the Close-Combat-type and the Pointblank Marksmanship-type, and among the following Ability-type, people who weren't Athletic-type were many, and they were slow. Other than Kimi, other figures who were such were visible, but Kimi included, whilst they were going past-

"Fufufu, I'm sorry, Nenji! I think I did a horrible thing, Eeh, I'm serious! I'm always serious, you know!!"

At Kimi, who had raised his voice, a girl who was running down the street herself shouted. Whilst shaking her voluminous silver hair,

"Kimi, when you apologize, please have a little more sincerity. Ladies--"

"Kukuku, you little scolding demon girl. However, Mitotsudaira, why are you running on the ground? Wouldn't it be fine if you just went 'Smash' with those chains you always use?"

"This area is my territory, you know!? To that, those girls are...Really!"

"My, my, the female knight who can't win Sensei is barking like a wolf. Because, you're a Heavy-Combat-type."

The voice which said that too, Mitotsudaira's retort too, immediately distanced itself through the Doppler effect. What was left afterward was Itoken, raising his hand 90 degrees to everybody, and Nenji, who had splattered all over the rooftop.

And, when Itoken, who was waving his hand to everybody, looked at Nenji, the splattered scarlet coloured stickyness slowly gathered to each other, as if crawling. The telepathy, interrupting at intervals, in Nenji's voice-

""Fu, fufu, that was pretty dangerous...""

"Nenji-kun! You seem like a man with a lot of spirit, but if we speak like this is a game, you're a slime with nothing but three hit points, so you can't be reckless, you know!?"

""Mmmm, I had taken a tight guard position, though...""

"Guard?"

""Like this...""

The gathered Nenji showed his guard position.

After a little while, Itoken, who had knelt down, placed his hand on what seemed to be Nenji's shoulders-

'Aah', Nenji muttered.

""There's always tomorrow...""

With that, on the other side of the lined up rooftops, a voice resounded from the bow.

Everyone who was chasing after Oriotorai had initiated combat.

●

Those who had initiated combat were those of the Close-Combat-type who made up the vanguard.

The location was Tama's bow, on a roof in the business area, which was at a place slightly removed from next to the residential area. Also, it was atop a roof where to the left and right the tall buildings of major businesses were lined up.

That was the aim. If the walls on the left and right become tall, then we're able to constrain the evasions to the left and right.

With the walls of the buildings to the left and right, sprinting atop the roof of a structure like a valley, everyone thought this. That they had to hurry.

This was because, they were just about to run through Second Starboard Ship - Tama.

If they exit the area they're running through now, the business area where businesses reside, they'll be jumping off of the bow towards the outside.

Outside the ship, on the other side of the stern, the First Starboard Ship - Shinagawa's stern will be there. The top-segment of Shinagawa is the cargo area, so all that was there were wooden large-scale cargo containers, all lined up. The target area was the Yakuza's office in the small residential area at the bow deck, but the roofs of the cargo containers which were the road there was a completely flat area without a hint of an obstacle.

If they enter Shinagawa, chasing her will be difficult.

'So' What everybody thought after those words was the same. 'It's about the time we're supposed to take victory'.

And, the first to move was-

"I will go myself...!"

In the midst of running, shouting and issuing his challenge was Tenzou.

Oriotorai, against him, gave a small whistle.

"I thought that it would be you to come first."

At her voice, Tenzou gave a short answer.

"Jud.!"

●

The running Tenzou thought this.

...Indeed, this is my area of expertise!

Now, on the top of the roofs, which had bad footing, Oriotorai was sprinting in a straight line. Vaulting over the roofs' constructions, chimneys and things sticking out, even at the times she jumped the roof, her speed did not drop the slightest.

Opposed to that, I cannot do the same. When a woman jumps something, her speed drops, but even if a man tries to raise his speed, his feet can be caught on top of the unsteady roof.

But, I am a ninja. I chose lessons where we practiced stepping in bad roads, and in times where Musashi enters port in a mountainous territory, I received mountain running training as well as survival training.

In this kind of situation, I knew that the first to catch up to Oriotorai would be me, I have to lower Oriotorai's speed here, and I know that I can take an irreversible advantage.

So, I will go.

Already, simple sword strikes have been deflected, gunshots etc. too have been sliced out of the air. If I go, it will be a strike for real.

The ninjas who specialize in bad roads follow the style-division of the school rules which were set down by the English method-

"Style: Ninja Forcer, Tenzou--"

"Hey now, when a ninja starts shouting, what's wrong with the world?"

I don't care.

"Take this!"

Together with his shout, Tenzou increased his speed. The distance to the running Oriotorai was roughly fifteen meters. On the roof between them, Tenzou ran in a low posture, as if scaling a wall.

Go. Get closer.

Oriotorai's weapon is a longsword. It is not a weapon made to attack while in a position where one is running backwards. No matter what, it is especially difficult for long things to attack low places. For the sake of having the sword's trajectory be a round one, it cannot reach low places. If she tries to have it reach a low position, and she drops her waist, bending forward, her sword will hit the roof, and in that position she will no longer be able to run backwards.

Therefore, if I move in a way to counter longsword-usage, it would be in a low position.

And before my eyes, Oriotorai drew the longsword on her back with her right hand. Along with her sheathe. As expected, it doesn't seem as if she wants to smash the blade into her students. She's a good teacher, Tenzou thought. Occassionaly, she raises rumours of violence, but she will not point the blade of her spear towards me. Someone safe inside is a good teacher. If things don't turn out that way, I don't know though.

Anyways, Tenzou calculated their speeds. Thinking of the current closing-speed, and the speed at which Oriotorai would bring her sword this way whilst running.

The trajectory, the position and distance stacked atop each other in an instant,

...From a low position--

The thoughts he thought screamed a warning signal.

...!?

At full speed, the way to shorten the distance too, and the number of steps too were optimal. With all my strength, I can insert an attack while standing up. But, above that-

... I cannot. At the combination already directed at me...!

Just before, when she placed her hand on the longsword's hilt, a combination was carried out. As she stretched her right arm upward, her right knee had been raised. In the midst of her running movements, it was a movement that nearly escaped my eyes, but she appeared to slide her right buttcheek forward, pulling her waist in for the sake of moving into her next movement.

I can predict it.

Oriotorai's next movement was a movement where she brought her outstretched right foot downward, as if pounding with a hammer. At the same time, she will swing her long sword down, swinging it into me, but with her right foot, drilled into the roof, she will forcefully jump backward. Faster than the longsword can strike the roof, Oriotorai will perform a large bound backwards.

The conclusion. I, who charges in, will not be able to dodge, and I will be smashed from above, becoming a [大] on the ground. If I do it badly, I'll be buried in the straw of the roof.

Instantaneous. Oriotorai's longsword burst up in that upward-arc.

It comes. So, Tenzou shouted.

"Go, Ulqui-dono!"

"Yes...!"

Responding with that was something above his head. Towards the area above Oriotorai, who had already swung her sword, a shadow flitted down.

The form of the shadow was large, forming an angle.

The half-dragon Ulquiaga had jumped from the roof of the adjacent tall building.

●

"...Heh!"

Oriotorai raised a voice of admiration.

'I see', she thought. When Tenzou darted in first, shouting his self introduction was for the sake of averting my attention away from Ulquiaga, who was climbing the adjacent wall.

...It was a feint.

But, that stack is important.　'Against an opponent who is unbeatable with power, it is essential to think of a strategy', it is necessary that a teacher teaches that to her students.

What also has to be taught is that there are opponents that won't be defeated with a small feint. Therefore,

"--!"

Oriotorai moved.

●

Ulquiaga, flying in towards the area above Oriotorai's head, was in the middle of an instantaneous movement.

I am an Aviation-type half-dragon, I have wings on my back, so I can accelerate and fly for short periods. So, after Tenzou jumped in, from behind everyone, I kept my body low, I flew to the roof of the adjacent building, and from there I jumped to the roof above the tall walls in one motion.

Regarding Oriotorai, I would do a power dive from outside her field of vision.

The weapons I use are my two hands. My half-dragon arms are wrapped in scales and shell, just with that they become striking weapons. On my waist, several pieces of equipment are attached to my body, but I will not use them.

Oriotorai, bringing her long-sword down, with common language that could be processed at high speed-

"You're not gonna use the things on your waist!?"

"The Starter Kit is not to be swung against those who are not heretics of the Tsirch Church!!"

Ulquiaga's family is of the lineage of the Tres Espana inquisitors. Locally, it was well established, but because of over-hunting, they were no longer able to support themselves. Now, his parents are making and selling bedclothes at the third underground floor of Oume, but custom-made beds had become part of his family's skills, and had become popular amongst a portion of people. The type of people who said: "The restraints are good when they're tight."

Therefore, Ulquiaga too, like his parents, thought that he wanted to perform the job that passed his ancestors' techniques down until now, and he chose to take Catholic Inquisition classes in the afternoon.

Because of that, he always attached equipment suited for that purpose to his body. Those were tools for interrogation, for fighting with people who gazed with hostility upon the Inquisition, weapons for performing his duties.

However, now was not the time to use those equipments.

This was because heretics and people of different faiths were different. Heretics were people who, while being of the Tsirch Church, which were the same as the Catholics-

...They twisted the teachings of the Tsirch Church and spread them, 'they' being people who could no longer be saved.

As opposed to that, people of different faiths were people who were not of the Tsirch Church but followed another church, but because of that-

...They were people who could probably be saved were they to know the true teachings.

Oriotorai, being a resident of Musashi, had a western name, but other than her eyes being blue, her appearance and way of life was as a person of Musashi. Her church would be Shinto, so she comes under 'person of different faith'. Therefore,

"As an inquisitor, I cannot do anything but punch a Musician of Shintou! Because this time, the humble I will offer up a personal strike!"

"That's impossible!"

Words came. At that line,

...Impossible!?

Ulquiaga thought that question. (Currently, Oriotorai is swinging her sword. Her right hand already passed by under me with a one-handed strike.)

It was close. Right behind the passage of the sword is the timing where I drift downwards and hit. I am a race with wings on my back, so this is also because I applied slight adjustments, which I am capable of.

To Oriotorai, who was against me, she could not make any movements to stop her sword. For the sake of flowing from that one strike to jumping backward in one chain, if she does any other movements she will destroy her balance.

Therefore, Oriotorai's attacks will already not hit me.

However, it hit.

"--!?"

Ulquiaga, looking down, looking at Oriotorai, took a strike to his outstretched dragon face.

"Tch!"

Losing the control of his airborne position, he was blown away.

●

Why did Ulquiaga get blown away? Tenzou's eyes saw the reason.

It was the sheathe. Whilst slicing her longsword with her right hand, she released the sheathe's clasp.

The sheathe, sliding off the blade like it was a rail, held the same effect as extending extending the reach of the longsword.

"Guh...!"

Along with that voice, Ulquiaga vanished to the back.

And, Tenzou saw it. That Oriotorai was biting the strap of the sheathe with her mouth.

The strap was pulled back by a twist of her neck.

The sheathe returned.

That done, the longsword, with the returned sheathe, now held a trajectory which would pierce me.

My weapon is a tantō, held at the back of my waist. When I bought it, for the sake of placing the thickness of the blade first, it was a product of the Hankou brand, but the grip I use is a wooden hilt of the Shirakigo brand. That is more familiar to my hand, and the grip, original material dyed with black, is coated with matte, so there is no reflection in the midst of the darkness of the night.

For Tenzou, it was an important piece. He drew it. From the stance of a backhand draw with his right hand, whilst he brought it up, he also brought his left hand to the hilt, holding it on the pommel. However, without charging in towards Oriotorai,

"Nori-dono!"

Along with his voice, Tenzou changed his stance to one where it seemed he would pass the tantō up above his head, dropping his hip-

If he drops his position for the sake of forcibly erasing all forward velocity, it will become a stance where he defends up against the area above his head.

He planned to take Oriotorai's blade, enduring it. As he withstood it,

"--Quickly!"

A signal came. A signal which came from the rear, bursting out from behind his back.

●

Oriotorai saw it. Saw that from behind Tenzou's back, suddenly, one boy came flying out.

If behind Tenzou, a figure that should have been seen. The reason that he had not been visible was,

...Ninja technique!?

Ninja techniques are a Ninja's special physical techniques. Moving while erasing all noise, the control of the sense of sight etc. were specialized for use in stealth activities. Categorized in that was also the ability used in the protection of VIPs, the ability to sever any indication of a VIP from the outside.

What Tenzou had used was that. And, as for the pointy-haired boy wearing his uniform really roughly who had flown out of Tenzou's shadow, Oriotorai shouted his name.

"Noriki was the real thing!?"

"If you know, then you don't have to say it."

The boy, Noriki, closed the distance in a heartbeat.

At the same time, my longsword's sheathe hammered into Tenzou's tantō.

The feeling which was sent into my hand was warm, as if my sword had sunk into mud. This was because Tenzou had instantaneously sunk his body downwards to absorb the shock. Because of that, the sword did not bounce back, and it did not immediately try to return to my hands.

My longsword is an important weapon. If this was not here, until the tip of Shinagawa, many troublesome things would have happened. The level of which would be my talented students.

I cannot let go.

However, precisely because of that, it had become such that I allowed Noriki's approach. For Oriotorai, Noriki, darting in, was intensely tensing his eyes as always, expressionless. A child whom I did not know what he was thinking. It's more than enough if he understand teamwork.

And, Noriki's weapons were his fists.

His right side was pulled back, the palm of his clenched fist facing upwards. The reason his left shoulder was slightly sticking out was because he planned to thunder his right fist straight forwards with the recoil of him pulling his shoulder back. The timing of Noriki's attack is the instant of the next time I step with my right foot, isn't it? When I slice my sword downward, for the sake of immediately pulling it back, the right foot I hammer down to act as a stopper. Noriki is aiming for that instant.

Coming in from a running trajectory, the attack would be after vaulting over Tenzou, who had curled up as if dropping prone. An attack that would come from above the longsword I slashed downwards.

Therefore, Oriotorai moved. For the sake of responding to the attack.

●

Translator's notes and references

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