Kämpfer:Volume 12 Chapter 4

Volume 12, Chapter 4  

    Sakura Kaede looked her usual self, with the gentle expression you'd encounter on the way

to school. Of the ten members of Seitetsu Gakuen, none of them wouldn't be captivated by

her.

    But she felt different now. She was the sinister, the "Dark Sakura Kaede" that Mikoto

Kondou had spoken of.  

    "Welcome,"  

    she said with a smile.  

    "Just now I was wondering if you wouldn't come."  

    "Sakura Kaede."  

    Mikoto Kondou and I slowly approached her, aiming to close the distance between us as

much as possible.  

    "Are you trying to lure us in?" "  

    Even though the white Kämpfers failed, and I lost consciousness, we still made it here, so it

wasn't a bad outcome."  

    She touched the statue and looked down.  

    "And they've caught Shizuku.  

    "

    "She's fine. But it looks a little strange to have her like this. Shizuku was actually tied up."  

    So true. Shizuku had previously used Sakura Kaede (the fake one) to lure us into a trap, but

now the tables have turned.  

    Sakura Kaede was still touching the stone statue.  

    "Do you know what this is?  

    "

    [Kondou -san, you've probably never seen one either.]"  

    Mikoto Kondou nodded.  

    "It's my first time seeing it either. Is this something from Earth?"  

    This girl is incredibly knowledgeable about ancient sites and artifacts. Not only does she

travel extensively, she even attends auctions of looted items. Yet she claims to be unaware of

this thing, which shows how rare it is. This is what we call an ex traterrestrial artifact.  

    "Good question."  

    She tapped the statue's head with her finger.  

    "It's said that this thing was created to mimic the Red Man and the Blue Man, the gods the

Mediators believe in. This means they share the same religious beliefs."  

    Religion. In that case, the Mediators might have originally lived on the same planet.  

    While I believe they're definitely different races, it seems their roots are the same.  

    Sakura Kaede continued.  

    "Don't you think this looks like something?" [ The text then abruptly shifts topics.  

    ] I

    tilted my head. I don't know what looks like this strange stone statue.  

    Suddenly, Mikoto Kondou called out,  

    "Could it be an Entrails Animal?!"  

    "Yes."  

    Sakura nodded slightly. "It looks like  

    a burning lion, right? Of course, I can't possibly know what statues from other worlds look

like, so the resemblance is just a coincidence. This was placed here by the mediator who

came to this underground some time ago."  

    "Why was it placed here?"  

    "I could tell you, but there are too many people listening."  

    She snapped her fingers. As the sound echoed, something fell to the ground with a

"clatter."  

    "Hey, what's wrong with you!"  

    Mikoto Kondou protested slightly. The Entrails Animals all fell to the ground in silence.  

    "What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly collapse?"  

    Mikoto Kondou picked up the fallen stuffed animals, but they didn't answer her.  

    "Come on, stand up!"  

    "Don't waste your energy. It doesn't matter if they hear it, but we don't need them

anymore."  

    Sakura said coldly. Even so, Mikoto Kondou didn't move away from the dolls, still staring at

them. "  

    It's not bad to be sentimental, but they're just containers. Their original purpose was to

explain things to the Kämpfers and monitor them. In other countries, they seem to use

humans or birds. Using dolls here was just a coincidence." "  

    Are you saying the choice of animals with internal organs was just a coincidence?"  

    I asked. Sakura affirmed.  

    "Yes, it was just a coincidence. But a certain girl doesn't think so."  

    Sakura glanced at the stone statue.  

    "A girl discovered an underground passage, explored it, and ended up here, deep

underground. Although it was difficult for a child to navigate, she didn't turn back; it was as if

she had been led here. Then she saw this stone statue. The girl thought i t looked too much

like the fiery lion she had imagined."  

    Sakura was talking about her own story. Was she speaking as if it were someone else's

story because it was something from Sakura's childhood?  

    She brightened up at the thought of the burning lion. Then she stared into the statue's

eyes. According to the girl's story, just looking into its eyes would make them friends.  

    Now, looking at the statue's eyes, it seemed like nothing more than stone, a hollow,

inorganic object.  

    Sakura Kaede hadn't even glanced at us.  

    And then the girl became its friend.  

    What friend?  

    Mikoto Kondou scolded. Sakura Kaede laughed.  

    "That's right. They weren't friends. That statue is a device used to manipulate

personalities. The mediators place it where they see fit and use it to find someone who

touches it or sees its eyes. They then give that person the necessary information an d a way

to get the Kämpfers to fight. That's what it is."  

    "Isn't that a brainwashing device? You see, it's like the Ludwig Therapy."  

    I remember seeing something called the Ludwig Therapy in a movie, and Sakura Kaede

didn't deny it.  

    It's something like that. Anyway, that girl, that is, I, decided to listen to the mediators.  

    Why? Because  

    this is my story.  

    She said it firmly.  

    Looking at her, she was indeed Sakura Kaede, but something felt off. Sakura Kaede usually

didn't express her feelings. The only exceptions were when she was collecting animal

entrails. And then there were the times when she confessed her feelings to me , a woman.  

    Yet, she's so determined now. Her pretentious actions might seem wrong to us, but to her,

they're right —in other words, she's a true criminal  

    of faith. [Is this really what Sakura Kaede wants?]  

    I tried to ask her.  

    [Is that what Sakura Kaede wants?]  

    [Yes. Isn't that natural?]  

    [No.]  

    I said.  

    [If that's the case, then why do you exist? You and Sakura Kaede are two different people.

If this is truly what Sakura Kaede wants, then she's enough.]  

    The unknown figure who had borrowed Sakura Kaede's body stared at me for a moment.

While her eyes were beautiful, I wasn't moved at all.  

    Then, with a look of admiration, she said,  

    [Yes, you're quite intelligent. As expected of the man Shizuku falls for.]  

    Thank you for the compliment. But my grades in school are just barely average.  

    [I'm still a little confused about this body. Although she won't remember what I did after

returning to her original form, she'll feel indifferent and uneasy. That's why she talks in her

sleep.] In other words, she's forcibly suppressing these things.  

    A bitter expression crossed her face.  

    This is all your fault, Natsuru and Shizuku. You tried to disrupt the Kämpfer divisions, and

things became unstable. So, I had no choice but to show up. So  

    , while you're physically Sakura Kaede right now, you're not her?  

    That  

    's fine.  

    I channeled power into my right hand. I felt my hand warm.  

    Then I could fight you mercilessly!  

    I launched my largest fireball yet at Sakura Kaede, hitting her in the blink of an eye. The

explosion unleashed a massive flame.  

    A wave of heat washed over us, and Mikoto Kondou and I ducked down, shielding our

faces.  

    Did we take her out?  

    I don't know.  

    After a while, the fire died down, and our vision cleared.  

    The attack had no effect on the statue. It missed. If things weren't handled right, it could

have even affected Shizuku. So, where did that thing that had taken over Sakura Kaede's

body go?  

    "That startled me a little. Just a little."  

    She placed a few millimeters between her fingers. She looked pleased.  

    "It's my turn now."  

    She conjured a gun in her left hand and, without even a second thought, fired at us.  

    Mikoto Kondou and I dodged on either side. The bullet passed right where we were.  

    "You're so naive!"  

    Mikoto Kondou shouted. Before I could say anything, she lunged forward, conjuring a

Japanese sword in her hand.  

    "Hey—!"

    This guy's the type who thinks shouting will have an effect. That's right; it can give you

even more power.  

    Sakura Kaede also conjured a Japanese sword in her right hand. The two swords clashed

with a sharp sound.  

    "Kondou -san, have you improved in your skills?"  

    "Humans do grow!"  

    "I don't think so."  

    We both leaped back, swords poised.  

    I was ready to cast magic at any moment. Now it was two against one. Normally, this

situation would definitely favor us.  

    But our opponent was Sakura Kaede. And she was now in her evil mode. She could easily

take on all four of us at once. So we couldn't let our guard down.  

    We remained in this position for a while. She didn't strike back again.  

    [Natsuru, do you think you can beat me?]  

    [How do you know if you don't try?]  

    [Excellent, such aggressiveness. But I can still do that.]  

    The Japanese sword in her hand vanished. Then, her hand immediately began to glow with

a faint bluish -white light. What happened?  

    She waved her hand. A light bullet flew towards us. It grazed the startled me and landed

behind me, exploding loudly.  

    [Magic?]  

    [Yes. How about this next?]  

    She vanished her pistol and instead conjured a chained iron ball. She swung it a few times

and threw it at Mikoto Kondou.  

    [Ah!]  

    Mikoto Kondou jumped back as the iron ball slammed into the floor, chipping away a large

chunk.  

    This is how to use a sword.  

    You know how to use anything, right?  

    That's right.  

    So, you're saying we have no chance of winning. Up until now, she's only used pistols for

long -range weapons, so if we're careful, we can still defeat her. But she actually knows how

to use anything. I hate to admit it, but it's a fact that our chances of winning have dropped

significantly.  

    She's made all her weapons disappear.  

    But I won't attack you again. It would be too boring to just casually injure you.  

    She's quite calm. She wouldn't act like that if she didn't have so much experience.  

    Hey, Natsuru. I want to ask you, why are you chasing me?  

    That's obvious. Of course, it's to help everyone. That  

    's right. So, why do you think I lured you here?  

    Because I'm necessary.  

    That's right. You're necessary to get Red and Blue back to fighting. I've said that before,

right?  

    I've heard that.  

    Shizuku's been causing a lot of trouble for me, so I have to restore order. It's not easy for

me to have a friend with such keen intuition.]  

    She gave a wry smile. While she felt it was strangely fitting for her, it was also disgusting.  

    "You may have heard that you, Natsuru, are indispensable for this. You can transform into

both a man and a woman, making you a symbol. The outcome between Blue and Red

depends on which side you choose. While this wouldn't be necessary if we were to fig ht

properly, I'd like to use you as a safety net. Of course, I haven't considered using you as a

safety net     ." [The following appears to be unrelated text fragments and should likely be

omitted.]  

    [     The     following     fragments appear to be     unrelated     ...     "You said before that you

didn't need me, didn't you?"     "That's right, I don't need you. That's why I was planning to

beat you, but."     Sakura Kaede continued.     "I'll let you go. It's okay if you return to your

original world."     "Huh?"     "That means I can give you freedom. You won't have to worry

about Kämpfer anymore. You can go on adventures in Africa or South America. Not only that,

I'll reward you. Whether it's  money, antiques, or even some ancient monument, I can give it

to you entirely."     Mikoto Kondou's eyes lit up. This girl just can't handle these rare things.

And the older the better. I heard she was even considering studying hard for a while in hopes

of getting a position at the British Museum. But if she's tempted here, she'd be a real

jerk.     "But."     Sakura Kaede paused. He looked at me again.     "We'll have to wait until

Natsuru agrees. Otherwise, I won't give it to you." And you     're still dragging me into

this.     "Okay, what are you going to do?" ]     She meant to restore everything to the way it

was. She planned to use people like Shizuku and me to provoke another fight between the

Kämpfers. This meant that the number of people like Shi zuku's senior and Kuzuhara who

were kept in the tank would increase.     [Natsuru?]     [I refuse.]     I replied immediately. It

didn't take even a fraction of a second.     [Don't kid me. How could I possibly do what you

say? I don't want to be anyone's subordinate anymore. Tell the mediators that they haven't

found anyone. Sorry, Mikoto Kondou, you can't be rich for a while.]     [Never mind, there's

nothing I can do.]     Mikoto Kondou shook her head. Her eyes, which had been filled with

material desire  just now, returned to their original state.     [Natsuru and you are fine.

Otherwise, it would be too boring.]     My childhood friend smiled the same smile she had in

kindergarten.     Sakura Kaede narrowed her eyes.     [Even if I beg you like this, you  won't

agree?]     [Yes, yes.]     Even if the target is Sakura Kaede, I can't back down.     She stared at

me intently, her expression unchanging.     [Natsuru, you're so stubborn.]     [That's

straightforward. But it depends on the situation.]     [Even if what I said isn't bad, you won't

agree?]     [It's bad.]     [Even if you know you can get it, you won't agree?]     I was speechless.

She said Sakura Kaede would be mine. Even though she's the prettiest girl in Seitetsu

Gakuen. Even though she's someon e I like.     But I still shook my

head.     [Impossible.]     [Disrespectful man.]     Sakura Kaede's lips twisted slightly.     [You're

insulting me, aren     t you?] [That's what you think.]     [I've changed my mind. It's okay if I

just chop off a few of your limbs.]     She moved. Mikoto Kondou and I were stiff with

nervousness.     She moved from one end of our sight to the other at a dizzying speed. The

Japanese sword appeared in her hand, but we had no idea when she had created it.     The

blade swu ng towards us with a sound that sliced through the air.     [It hurts!]     I swallowed

the pain as the tip of the knife slashed my shoulder, stripping away all the flesh.     "Natsuru,

you're a woman now, why are you screaming like a man?"     "Because I' m a man!" "     Hey—

!"     Mikoto Kondou roared from the side.     "Don't hurt Natsuru!"     She charged, her katana

drawn. This woman had always acted recklessly, and now she was even more energetic.

Mikoto Kondou swung     her knife down. Sakura Kaede dodged it with a sligh t shift of her

body. Mikoto Kondou's blade struck the floor, sending sparks flying.     "Phew, that's

dangerous!"     "You're so long -winded!"     Mikoto Kondou thrust her knife upward from

below. Sakura Kaede blocked it with her own. A momentary silence f ell. This was a contest of

strength.     "Hey—!"     With a powerful roar, Mikoto Kondou thrust her knife forward. Sakura

Kaede gave up on confronting her head -on and spun around quickly, almost like a

ballet.     Mikoto Kondou suddenly lost her footing an d stepped on empty

air.     "Hah!"     Sakura Kaede let out a sound like a breath, then dropped her own sword and

clamped her hands around Mikoto Kondou's blade. I couldn't help but think it looked quite

handsome.     Then she pressed her knee against the blade, trying to break it.     "I won't fall

twice in the same place!"     Mikoto Kondou let go and, with all her might, punched Sakura

Kaede's wrist. Then, picking up the fallen Japanese sword, she attacked again.  

    "Wake up!"  

    "You're quite capable!"  

    Sakura Kaede also picked up her sword and began to fight bravely.  

    What have I been doing all this time? Of course, I've been fighting. I cast a ton of spells. I

wasn't going to be polite with her.  

    "Mikoto, get out of the way!"  

    But I didn't even make sure she'd dodged before I unleashed my magic. Fireballs flew

towards them both. I showed no mercy and unleashed two, three, four, five more. I'll keep

attacking as long as I have the strength.  

    Thanks to my fireballs, my vision cleared. My sight began to clear from where the fireballs

landed.  

    "Ah—!" A fireball struck Sakura Kaede, sending her to the ground.     "Good job, Natsuru!"  

    she cheered.     "It's not over yet!"     I warned. Before it could reach Sakura Kaede, I saw

her using her sword as a shield to block the fireball.     "You guys are capable!"     Part of her

clothing was singed. Her elbows and knees were red. Yet she  seemed unharmed. Just how

powerful was she?     [My hair was singed. How are you going to make it up to me?]     [A

short haircut would suit you perfectly.]     Mikoto Kondou replied. She was the type who

enjoyed dealing with female arguments.     [Perhap s a bald head wouldn't be a bad idea.

You'd save the trouble of washing and drying it.]     [I'm not planning on becoming a

nun.]     Sakura Kaede shifted the knife from her right hand to her left. Then, her empty right

hand flashed with white light. Just as I thought it was magic, a laser -like beam shot towards

me.     The beam bounced off the floor with a sound like a short circuit. It wasn't that I

dodged it, but that Sakura Kaede missed.     [I'm not used to using it yet.]     Sakura Kaede

fired the las er again. As she'd said, it still missed me. But it served as a distraction.     And she

capitalized on it.     [Here I come.]     The white blade in her hand gleamed. I thought she was

coming, but she didn't. Her Japanese sword vanished, replaced by a cha ined iron ball.     She

swung it, making a whirring sound. Her hands were so slender, yet she swung it with such

ease. Then she threw it.     [Hai!]     The floor beneath our feet gave way. If we were hit by

this, both our hands and feet would be crushed. Sakura Kaede really thought that just

breaking our hands and feet would be enough.     [And more.]     The iron ball continued to

hit us, denting the ground, some even breaking the walls. This was almost like the Asama

Sanso Incident (Note: The Asama Sanso  Incident refers to the kidnappings carried out by the

United Red Army at the Kawai Musical Instrument Maintenance Center in Karuizawa Town,

Nagano Prefecture, from February 19 to 28, 1972). And I was the terrorist in the

villa.     Mikoto Kondou and I nim bly dodged the attacks, which was difficult. The laser beam

distracting us was quite effective. If we just stood there like normal, we probably wouldn't be

hit, but it might hit us while we were dodging the iron ball.     Jumping around and rolling

around on the ground was difficult.     Sakura Kaede smiled.     [Natsuru, Kondou -san. You

won't accomplish anything if you just keep doing this.]     We didn't even have time to

retort.     [You can't beat me, right?] She     said it all she wanted to say.     But there was no

way we could beat her at this rate. I don't think getting my hands and feet smashed to pieces

would be victory.     [Natsuru, what should we do?]     Mikoto Kondou was already too busy

just dodging the attack.     [Run away now?]     [No wa y.]     [Then what should we

do?]     [Follow me!]     With that, I rushed forward.     I slipped right under the iron ball, and

the laser beam hit my feet. Wow. But if I tried to deal with it, I'd be chopped into a pulp.     I

closed the distance between us and began to channel power into my hands. I watched

Sakura Kaede pull the iron ball back into her palm, and then I unleashed a fireball.

Technically, I wasn't going to attack her with the fireball, but rather with the light it emitted.

A dazzling radian ce spread out in all directions. Magic isn't limited to attacking the target.

Though the flash of     light lasted only a brief moment, it was enough. Then I quickly     rolled

to the side. [Mikoto!]     [Leave it to me!] She leaped high, shielding her face with one

hand     and     holding     her     weapon     in     the     othe r     .     [     Hahh     ... I've

underestimated you all so far.]     She threw away the chain. She'd probably just abandoned it

because the weapon was broken and temporarily unusable.     Then, Sakura Kaede adjusted

her stance.     [Let me try another m ethod.]     Sakura Kaede leaped up without a second

thought. Because she hadn't made any preparatory moves, we were slow to react. But I still

fired a fireball at her.     [Hah!]     I only fired once, and then stopped. Or rather, I could only

fire once. T hen, instead of coming over here, she landed next to the woman lying next to the

statue, forcibly tugging on her chains and pulling her up.     [Okay, time to get up. It's

morning.]  

    [Shizuku!]  

    I couldn't help but scream. It wasn't that I'd forgotten about her, but I'd been careless. Our

student council president was still in her hands.  

    [Shizuku, can you hear me? It's me.]  

    [Ah.]  

    Shizuku opened her eyes slightly. Her consciousness seemed hazy. She must have been

drugged. Sakura Kaede put his mouth close to her ear.  

    [Shizuku, this is terrible. Natsuru won't agree to my request.]  

    [What.]  

    [He won't work for me. What do you think we should do?]  

    [.]

    Shizuku's eyes hadn't yet focused, staring blankly into space. She probably didn't even

know what Sakura Kaede was saying to her.  

    And Sakura Kaede knew everything. She thrust her fair fingers toward Shizuku's throat.  

    [Shizuku.]  

    [Gurgle.]  

    [Wait, stop it!]  

    I couldn't help but yell.  

    [Take your hands away.] ]  

    [Oh my, Natsuru -kun, you misunderstood me.]  

    She stroked Shizuku's throat with her hand. Was she trying to strangle Shizuku? Or was she

trying to rip her throat out? It was the same either way; it would hurt Shizuku.  

    [Stop it!]  

    [Oh, don't be so loud. That's scary.]  

    Sakura -kun licked her lips.  

    [Think about how I'd feel if you did that to your best friend.]  

    [You're the only one who thinks that.]  

    [Shizuku used me too, so we're the same. She used me to lure Natsuru -kun and the others

into a trap. She only made me fall asleep and used a fake one, but I still remember it.]  

    That was when Shizuku and I were still enemies. It was before Mikoto Kondou returned to

Japan, so it felt like a long time ago.  

    [If it was the old Natsuru -kun, she wouldn't have been intimidated by this.]  

    Sakura -kun bit Shizuku's earlobe.  

    [Because you were avoiding her back then. So you'll definitely just walk away without

doing anything. But what's going on now? ]  

    [. ]

    [You won't leave her to die? ]  

    [Are you trying to hurt Shizuku? ]  

    [How could that be?]  

    She said something unexpected.  

    [I wouldn't do anything like hurting a close friend. So.]  

    Sakura Kaede turned her gaze toward the vast, barely illumined area just now.  

    [I'll call someone worthy of Shizuku.]  

    Someone stepped out of the darkness.  

    She had sharp eyes, lips that seemed ready to reveal teeth, and limbs like powerful

springs. And in one hand, she held an automatic pistol.  

    I was speechless. Mikoto spoke in my place:  

    [Akane.]  

    On Akane's wrist, a red bracelet glowed dimly.  

    There was no mistake. She was Akane. And she was Akane in fierce dog mode. She hadn't

changed at all since she'd jumped into the ground with Sakura Kaede.  

    But her eyes weren't looking at me.  

    "Let's begin, Misaki -san."  

    Sakura Kaede waved.  

    "Aim your gun at Shizuku."  

    The bulldog girl pointed her gun at our student council president.  

    "Akane!?"  

    "Akane, what are you doing?"  

    Mikoto Kondou and I said almost simultaneously.  

    This scene wasn't uncommon. Akane didn't like Shizuku very much, so she often

threatened to shoot or kill her. But the atmosphere now was clearly off. This wasn't a joke.  

    Sakura Kaede looked satisfied.  

    "Decide whether to shoot Natsuru based on her answer."  

    "Got it."  

    "Akane!"  

    She pointed her gun at Shizuku, her finger on the trigger.  

    Sakura Kaede chuckled.  

    "Okay, Natsuru, what will you do? Will you resign yourself to Kämpfer's fate? Or will you

watch Shizuku get hurt?"  

    This deal is so unfair. No matter which I choose, it's not a good outcome for me.  

    The black -haired student council president stirred slightly.  

    [Ah.]  

    I wondered if she'd run away, but it seems that was just my unrealistic expectation.  

    [Shizuku, be quiet, Natsuru. What would you do?]  

    [.]

    I couldn't answer. Instead, I said something else.  

    [You're going to make Shizuku your subordinate, right? Hurt her, okay?]  

    [Kämpfer has powerful healing abilities, right? A minor injury is fine. The question is

whether you can bear to see Shizuku in pain.]  

    Sakura Kaede's eyes looked happy. Her eyes sparkled, and she didn't even consider

whether what she was doing was right or wrong.  

    [Misui -san, shoot.]  

    Mikoto Kondou, standing nearby, took a breath. The gun went off.  

    The bullet missed Shizuku. Instead, it grazed her neck, leaving a hole in the ground.  

    [You missed on purpose, didn't you?]  

    Beneath nodded.  

    [You understand, Natsuru. You don't have time to look for other answers.]  

    Beneath fired again. This time, it missed. Shizuku half -opened her mouth, letting out a few

soft, silky sounds.  

    [Submit to me. What's wrong with that?]  

    [.]

    [Natsuru.]  

    Mikoto Kondou grew restless. I could only grit my teeth. I couldn't come up with any good

ideas. I have a serious problem with my ability to handle emergencies. It's best to leave it to

Shizuku in these situations, but the key is that she's in someone else's hands.  

    [Hurry up, hurry up. Otherwise, Shizuku will get hurt.]  

    [But Akane!]  

    With a hint of self -destruction, I roared at the Mastiff Girl:  

    [Wake up! Look at what you're doing!]  

    [.]

    [Akane! Did you hear that?]  

    [I can hear it!]  

    The Mastiff Girl suddenly roared back.  

    [I'm fine. My ears aren't blocked.]  

    It was so unexpected, and Mikoto Kondou and I were both taken aback. This guy actually

answered me.  

    [Aren't you being controlled by him?!]  

    [Didn't I say I was fine?]  

    [Then why did you listen to what Sakura Kaede said?]  

    [Of course.]  

    Akane turned to me.  

    "Because I want to continue being myself!"  

    she cried.  

    "I'm from Kämpfer. I'm the personality I transformed into. If the battle ends like this, I'll

disappear. I don't want that. I want to stay in this world longer!"  

    "Is this really your reason?"  

    "Of course it's true! You may not understand, but this is important. That bitch promised

me that I could stay in this world, so I listened to her!"  

    Akane's eyes were bloodshot. Her fangs were visible at the corners of her mouth. Her

words were filled with fiery emotion.  

    I swallowed.  

    "Do you really have to go to this extent?"  

    "Of course!"  

    "Why?"  

    "Because I like you!"  

    she suddenly said to me.  

    "I want to be with you forever! I want to be with you forever! That's why I don't want to

disappear!"  

    I was speechless.  

    Akane was serious. Although she was now a normal bulldog girl, her feelings were still as

young as a girl's. So pure, so pitiful, yet without a trace of impurity. This was the first time I'd

seen her so girlish.  

    [This is all because of you! I hate myself. You're all I care about now. I've degenerated into a

hopeless woman.]  

    [

    This is why I agreed to a deal with this bitch.]  

    The Bulldog continued.  

    [I should have no regrets, but I couldn't. That's why I listened to this bitch. But so what. As

long as I could be with you, I'd make a deal with even a demon.]  

    A faint glint appeared in Akane's eyes. This was the first time I'd seen it. This guy must have

been thinking about not letting it show. Now  

    I could only stare at Akane's face. So did Mikoto. This woman, who wore a "dirty mouth"

amulet around her neck, said something we couldn't expect.  

    [I would shoot Shizuku without hesitation.]  

    She raked the pistol and it clicked.  

    "If this means I can stay in this world..."  

    "Stop, Akane. Don't shoot!"  

    I managed only to force out these words.  

    "You can't shoot Shizuku."  

    "What are you talking about? You've lost your mind!"  

    She looked at me with tears in her eyes, a fierce look.  

    "Are you in love with her?"  

    "No."  

    "What's the problem? Just listen to that bitch!"  

    "I told you to stop shooting! We're partners, right?" "  

    As long as I'm with you, I don't care what you ask me to do! So I'll do anything!"  

    "You can't shoot your companions!"  

    "Why!"  

    Akane suddenly turned the gun towards me.  

    "Why are you saying that?! Do you hate me?!"  

    "I like you, you bastard!"  

    I finally yelled.  

    "How could I let the woman I love do something like that?!"  

    Ugh, damn it, I finally said it.  

    As she disappeared through the door leading underground, I burst into tears. That's when I

realized it. I'd cry for Akane. It wasn't anyone else who occupied my heart then, but her. I'd

always thought she was the rudest person in the world. And she was . She was violent, foul -

mouthed, and impatient. Being around her was life -threatening. She'd even considered

shooting me from time to time.  

    But even so, she was incredibly charming. She always shone. And not just when she was

fighting. When she was throbbing, when she was expressing her emotions, she was full of

charm. I don't know when, but she captured my heart.  

    It's true that Akane is my type. And I really like her transformed version, too.  

    Akane stared at me with wide eyes. Mikoto Kondou looked at me as if to say she couldn't

believe it.  

    "You're so rude!" "Are you serious, hey?"  

    Akane asked.  

    "Of course I am. Don't make me say any more."  

    "Say it sooner, idiot."  

    She pulled the gun away from me. As if reading her mind, Sakura Kaede said,  

    "Shoot Shizuku."  

    "

    Hurry up." Hit her hands, feet, or stomach. Just don't hit her head. Just fire one shot and

I'll let you stay in this world.  

    The

    Bulldog Girl pointed her gun at Shizuku and pulled the trigger. A  

    gunshot  

    rang out, and the bullet flew towards Shizuku.  

    Then the chains holding Shizuku fell to the floor.  

    Akane used her gun to break them, freeing the student council president.  

    "You shouldn't have listened to that shit!"  

    Akane whispered.  

    "Your hands are shaking. Do you want to do what the man you like says?"  

    Sakura Kaede said coldly.  

    "Akane, are you serious?"  

    "What do you mean by serious or not? What do you mean by doing what he says or not?

I'm the one with the messed up mind right now!"  

    The bulldog girl swiftly turned and shot Sakura Kaede. The gunshot was louder than ever.  

    "Natsuru, go save Shizuku!"  

    "Akane!"  

    "Mikoto, cover me!"  

    Mikoto replied, "Got it." and rushed out.  

    I reached Shizuku, kicked the chains away, and called her out.  

    "Hey! Wake up! We're here to save you!"  

    "Natsuru?"  

    I was surprised she could still speak clearly. Her dilated pupils gradually began to return to

normal.  

    "Are you okay?" "?"  

    "You don't have to scream so loudly, I can hear you."  

    She was trying to tell me she'd regained consciousness.  

    "I'm so exhausted after being knocked unconscious twice."  

    "Can you move?"  

    "No problem. I can fight. I have to go support Akane and Mikoto Kondou."  

    Then she added softly, "I heard everything."  

    Akane and Mikoto Kondou were engaged in a fierce battle with Sakura Kaede. Bullets flew,

swords flashed, and their curses echoed throughout the battle.  

    "Mikoto Kondou, move a little to the left! It's hard for me to shoot like that, you idiot!"  

    "You're the one! Just come to the front! You can't see without your glasses!"  

    "Do you think I'm an idiot?"  

    "Even elementary school students are more obedient than you!"  

    As they exchanged curses, their movements gradually became more coordinated. Akane,

responsible for long -range attacks, and Mikoto Kondou, responsible for close combat,

blended their attacks perfectly.  

    And then there were the additions of Shizuku and I.  

    "Hah!"  

    Shizuku hurled two daggers with a shrill sound. Her daggers flew forward in a straight line

without a single deflection.  

    Undeterred, I unleashed a fireball that followed the trajectory of her daggers.  

    "Mikoto, lower your head!"  

    I roared. She did as I told her and slashed upwards with her katana from below.  

    All her attacks converged, emitting a dazzling light.  

    This was a brilliant tactic. Whether she was a Kämpfer or something else, she was finished.

In truth, I was only relieved for a moment.  

    Sakura Kaede's strength had grown stronger than before.  

    She deflected the bullets, caught the katana, kicked the daggers, and deflected the

fireballs. And she only staggered.  

    "You're really useless, even when you're about to die."  

    Her arrogant words betrayed an unpleasant feeling.  

    "Are you all banding together to defeat me?"  

    "If you change your mind, we'll stop."  

    If only the battle were to end like this, and everything could return to square one. Change  

    your mind? I don't like that.  

    She immediately denied me.  

    Why would you leave something so fun behind?  

    She spread her hands, looking puzzled.  

    I'm thoroughly enjoying this. You'd be so happy if you just did what I said. Why are you

getting in my way? You're the only thing that confuses me. We simply don't understand  

    that.  

    I said, channeling power into my palms.  

    No one will listen to you anymore, Sakura Kaede.  

    Really?  

    She swayed again.  

    Natsuru, you're thinking you can beat me because I'm stumbling, right? It's true I'm in pain

now. I might revert to my old personality. But...  

    Her hair stood up with a whoosh.  

    Even so, I won't let you off.  

    Her whole body glowed. This wasn't fake. Sakura Kaede had finally given it her all.  

    A glowing ribbon extended from each of her hands. The floor -length ribbon curved like a

whip, emitting a blazing glow.  

    I thought it was some kind of magic, but what exactly was it?  

    [Go to hell!]  

    She swung the whip with incredible speed.  

    We're from Kämpfer, after all. We have several times the strength of ordinary people and

an exceptional ability to detect moving objects. But we couldn't see her movements clearly.  

    [Ah!]  

    Mikoto Kondou tumbled to the ground. Her foot was entangled in the glowing whip.

Sakura Kaede pulled Mikoto Kondou up and continued to throw her.  

    [Stop!]  

    I launched a fireball, but Sakura Kaede deflected it with a single index finger.  

    [No use!]  

    She conjured several more glowing whips. Could she create any number of these things?

And they spun around, trying to grab me.  

    I ducked my head and fell to the ground to avoid it. The whip spun a few times in the air

before returning. Wow, danger! It's heading for my head.  

    Mikoto Kondou is still being held captive, so we need to rescue her. I opened one eye and

yelled,  

    "Akane, Shizuku!"  

    They both glanced at me. Does that make sense? Anyway, let's make a giant fireball and

throw it.  

    It exploded not far from Sakura Kaede. Sound and light alone won't hurt her. But this is

enough.  

    Akane started firing, breaking the whip wrapped around Mikoto Kondou. Then, Shizuku's

chained dagger immediately spun Mikoto Kondou around and pulled her back to us.  

    [Mikoto Kondou exhaled.  

    [Thank you, Shizuku.]  

    [Tell Natsuru if you want to thank me.]  

    But I don't have time for that right now. Furious whips were now bearing down on me. And

not just one or two, but like a magician's conjurer, they were pouring down on me like a

torrent.  

    [Woooaaaaaa!?]  

    [Don't even think about escaping.] Fighting back  

    was a pipe dream. It was taking everything I had just to dodge.  

    [Natsuru!]  

    Akane rushed towards me, firing furiously. She shot some of the whips off, which helped

me a lot. I recovered quickly.  

    [Hey, good job! You didn't hurt her at all!]  

    [That's because the opponent was too strong!]  

    [What a useless guy!]  

    [What do you care about me? What about your pistol? It  

    's a bit better than a toy gun, isn't it?  

    It's true, it barely affects Sakura Kaede. She always uses a whip to knock the bullets down,

so she probably doesn't like being hit, but there's no point in missing her.  

    The mastiff girl muttered,  

    "Is there nothing else to do?"  

    Thinking of things isn't my specialty.  

    That's because you don't study.  

    Suddenly, she looked toward the center of that vast space.  

    "Hey, I've got an idea."  

    What's the idea? If you have one, do it quickly. And don't bring your breasts close to me.  

    You've touched them so many times, or I'll kill you. Isn't there a stone statue over there?"  

    That one, in the middle, looks a lot like a burning lion. I don't want to get involved with

people who worship that kind of thing.  

    "That bitch must have become like this after seeing that. So, why don't we just smash that

thing to pieces?"  

    I see. I hadn't noticed that before. Think about it, that stone statue is the source of

everything. In that case, we just need to smash it. Just like shutting off the gas valve prevents

the gas from leaking out.  

    [Good idea. Let's do it.]  

    [What should we do?]  

    [Hold Sakura Kaede!]  

    Akane fired at Sakura Kaede. The whips approaching us retreated, even if they weren't

knocked down.  

    I rushed forward, igniting flames in my hands, aiming for the statue. Shizuku and Mikoto,

sensing my intention, held their breath.  

    [Hah!]  

    The flames struck the statue, exploding. Hot air blew into my face.  

    But

    the statue remained unscathed. Not even a scratch, still standing.  

    [It's useless!]  

    Sakura Kaede said.  

    [I know that. Such a minor attack won't damage it.]  

    [Damn it!]  

    But even my sighs were useless.  

    Sakura Kaede attacked again. This time, her attacks were even larger and more intense. We

had no way to fight back and could only run.  

    Sakura -kun is like a typhoon. They say typhoons in the US used to be named after women.

We should find one and name it after Sakura -kun.  

    [Are there no other ideas, Natsuru?]  

    [No, that was your idea too! Come up with another one!]  

    [Stop relying on others!]  

    There's nothing I can do with you saying that. I  

    keep running away. I'm trying to think of a better solution, but just dodging is tough right

now. I glanced at our student council president. It seems the remaining drugs are still

affecting her, so her movements aren't very agile. It seems I can't cou nt on her for advice.  

    [Wow, that was a close call.]  

    I almost tripped. I think I stepped on some fallen Entrails Animal. I don't know if they were

knocked unconscious or something, but they're lying there, unable to move. I'd completely

forgotten about them.  

    I picked one up. It was my special Entrails Animal, the Seppuku Tiger.  

    [Get out of the way.]  

    I was about to kick it like a football when I suddenly changed my mind. Because this thing

has been with me all this time. I'm forced to keep it company, but it's dangerous here

anyway, so I've decided to throw them farther away.  

    [Please stop, Natsuru!]  

    The Seppuku Tiger suddenly spoke. I was startled, momentarily forgetting I was still

fighting.  

    [Wow, it's talking.]  

    [I'm sure I could say that.]  

    [Weren't you knocked unconscious?] [I  

    'm paralyzed.] It took me a while to finally be able to speak.]  

    [That's great. We're busy right now, so please stay in the corner.]  

    I raised my hand, about to throw it.  

    [Stop. I have something to tell you.]  

    [I don't have anything to say.]  

    [Listen to me. It's about the Burning Lion.]  

    [What did you say?]  

    Since it told me not to throw it, I'll just do as it says. The Burning Lion is now able to speak.  

    [Ah—, you seem to be in trouble.]  

    [Yes, so hurry up.] "  

    That stone statue looks a lot like me,  

    doesn't it?" I confirmed. It's exactly the same.  

    "I'm the first Entrails Animal. So, I've recorded a lot of information. In other words, I'm a

replica of that stone statue. And I'm also Miss Sakura's property." "  

    And then..."  

    "That information is incredibly complex. You can use it to shock your opponent,

temporarily throwing them into disarray and forcing them to obey your commands."  

    So, Mikoto has been treated this way before. But it was the Suffocating Wild Dog who did

it.

    "So what? If you have any tricks, come up with them now. Or I'll kill you." "  

    No, that's not the case. This method isn't just effective against the Kämpfer's method. It's

also effective against inorganic matter."  

    Hearing this, I looked at the Burning Lion and then at the stone statue.  

    "So, if you just look into the statue's eyes, it will?"  

    "Information will flood your brain instantly, potentially destroying it instantly. But if it

works..."  

    "Okay, I'll do it!"  

    I'd made up my mind before I even finished listening. No matter how low the odds, I had to

take a gamble. And there was no time for hesitation.  

    I grabbed the Burning Lion and the Seppuku Tiger and ran.  

    "Wait!"  

    Sakura Kaede spotted me and swung his whip of light at me. But Mikoto Kondou cut them

off, and Shizuku helped me block the remaining ones.  

    There was someone I had to apologize to, so I ran, calling out,  

    "I'm sorry, Akane!"  

    "It's okay."  

    Akane smiled at me.  

    "I'll leave my life to the man I love."  

    Her words made me happy.  

    The statue was not far away. This time, I got even closer than before. I held the burning

lion in front of me.  

    "Look at this! Over here!"  

    "Stop, stop, Natsuru -kun!"  

    Sakura -kun let out a cry of grief. I ignored her.  

    "Over here!"  

    Suddenly, the eyes of the statue and the burning lion began to glow.  

    The air began to shake. It felt like all the strength was being sucked out of my body.

Kämpfer's weapon was gradually disappearing. I struggled to stand, but my whole body felt

heavy as if it were filled with lead.  

    The statue's eyes blinked a few times, then glowed.  

    The history of the battle flashed through my mind. The figures of all the Kämpfers who had

sacrificed so far appeared. Tamiko Shinomiya, Midori Kuzuhara, some unknown people, and

the girls in the tank.  

    Then a light filled the cave, obscuring everything.  

    When it faded, everything was over.  

    [Wake up, Natsuru.]  

    My childhood friend was patting my cheek.  

    [The light has disappeared. It's okay if you don't close your eyes. This is the first time I've

seen a light like this since I was abducted by a flying saucer in Texas.] (Translator: I'm

speechless about Mikoto Kondou's experience.)  

    It sounds ridiculous, but if it comes from this guy, it must be true.  

    It seems that I lost consciousness at the end, but everyone else is fine. No, there was

another person besides me who fell to the ground.  

    That person was Sakura Kaede. She's still alive.  

    The Bulldog Girl was holding her at gunpoint.  

    [You stinking bitch. It's finally time to settle the score with you. I'll send you to the

afterlife.]  

    [Akane.]  

    [I'll make your head explode!] Akane  

    , stop!  

    She glared at me, trying to stop her.  

    What's wrong? This guy's the culprit behind everything! That  

    's true, but I think if I kill her now, a lot of important things about Kämpfer will be gone

with her.  

    I replied. I don't know if those things are truly important, and I don't have any basis for it. I

personally don't want to lose, and I don't want to be stuck in that tank. But I think it's not just

me; everyone feels the same way. And that's why Sakura -kun must feel the same way.  

    So don't shoot yet.  

    Humph, you still like to show off. If it's really that important, you should have locked it in

the bank vault long ago.  

    Akane said the same thing she would have said long ago. She didn't pull the trigger.  

    I looked around. The statue was still there. But it was covered in fine cracks.  

    That thing is almost rotting.  

    Suddenly, I heard a voice from somewhere. It was the tiger who committed seppuku.  

    Wow, where have you been? I've been right beside you. That statue seems to be

overwhelmed by power ,  

    breaking from the inside. The Fire Lion told me so.  

    The Fire Lion we were talking about said nothing and remained motionless.  

    The statue should rot soon. Then everything will be over.  

    You're the same way, aren't you? That's right  

    .

    It means that the Entrails Animals were originally messengers for the Kämpfers. Now that

their mission is complete, they'll naturally disappear.  

    I'm sorry.  

    We're like that. And...  

    The Seppuku Tiger blinked.  

    Akane stood before me. That rude Akane.  

    She gently tapped the statue.  

    If you destroy this, it's all over.  

    Who was she referring to? I knew it without having to tell her.  

    If I'd just gone through with that bitch, things wouldn't have turned out this way. Well,

there's nothing I can do about it.  

    I couldn't answer her. I wanted to spend even a moment with this woman.  

    I searched my clothes for any pocky. I remember bringing it with my phone.  

    I found the crumpled pocky box.  

    [Eat it?]  

    Akane frowned.  

    [It's all broken, isn't it? You're such a jerk.]  

    Even as she said this, she pulled the fragment out and held it in her mouth. I heard the

sound of her chewing slowly.  

    [I can't do it anymore, so I'll leave the rest to you.]  

    [Yes.]  

    [Take all the fallen dolls back with me. And that bitch too.]  

    [Yes.]  

    [Why are you making such a gloomy face?]  

    She slapped me. Her slap nearly overwhelmed me. I quickly swallowed it back.  

    [Didn't I tell you before? Just don't forget I ever existed. If you dare forget, you'll be in

trouble.]  

    [I won't forget.]  

    Who would forget? You're the only woman I've ever confessed to.  

    [Very good.]  

    Akane smiled at me.  

    The cracks in the statue were widening. Small pieces of debris were already falling. I'm

afraid it won't last for a few more seconds.  

    [One last thing.]  

    She looked me in the eyes and said,  

    [Be nice to me before I transformed.] She likes you very much, too. Like me. ]  

    [I know.]  

    I replied. Of course I know that.  

    [Then goodbye, Natsuru.]  

    [Goodbye, Akane.]  

    The stone statue shattered completely. At the same time, the bracelet of oath vanished.  

    Apparently, Akane's nerves had been on edge; she collapsed as soon as she

untransformed. Natsuru then picked up the unconscious Akane.  

    He wanted to pick up Kaede as well, but Shizuku stopped him.  

    [Don't force it. Mikoto and I will take care of her. You go first.]  

    [That's right, Natsuru. Leave the rest to us.]  

    Natsuru thanked them briefly and began to walk out of the cave, carrying Akane on his

back.  

    Mikoto and Shizuku watched him go until he disappeared.  

    [Ah—Natsuru and Akane are gone. That's not bad, though.]  

    [Yes, it's not bad.]  

    Shizuku replied. She roughly smoothed her messy hair with her fingers.  

    [He's going to take her to the doctor, right? That's a good thing. Natsuru is really gentle.]  

    [Though he's not that gentle with me.]  

    [Me too.]  

    The two of them looked at each other and gave a wry smile. The faint laughter echoed in

the wide cave.  

    Shizuku turned her hand over and checked her watch. The hospital isn't open yet, so let's

call an ambulance.  

    [Natsuru's favorite red dress.]  

    [Mikoto, don't you regret it?]  

    [Yeah, but I still feel hurt. But there's nothing I can do about it. Because I have to accept

whatever the outcome is.]  

    She didn't sound like she was being stubborn. Because Mikoto had mentally prepared for

this matter a long time ago.  

    Shizuku said again:  

    [He didn't tell us the answer directly, did he?]  

    [But what's the difference between that and telling us directly?]  

    She turned around quickly.  

    [Shizuku, what about you?]  

    [What?]  

    [Are you okay?]  

    The almighty student council president smiled with her lips pursed.  

    [I didn't hear his answer. ]  

    [As expected of you, you're quite tenacious.]  

    Mikoto clapped her hands lightly.  

    [It's not that he will definitely choose me. But there's still a possibility.]  

    [This is—, but.]  

    [He might also give me a "no" answer. No matter how small the hope, as long as there's

still hope, I won't give up. Because one day, I'll make him fall in love with me.]  

    [Wow, Shizuku, you're really strong.]  

    [It's so childish to give up so easily. I'm a high school student.]  

    Shizuku's tone was very firm. Unwavering, just like her usual style as the student council

president. At least that's how it sounded to Mikoto.  

    Mikoto rolled her shoulders a few times and then stretched them vigorously.  

    [Okay, then let's go back too.]  

    [I'll stay a little longer.]  

    [Huh? Why?]  

    [We need to clean up the mess. Not just here, but also the research facility. I'm thinking

about calling the police, but we have to seal off this place first.]  

    [Let me help you.]  

    [No, I can do it myself.] You take Kaede out first. I have to erase all the traces here and find

those girls in white, and then block the entrance and exit here. ]  

    Shizuku meant to let Mikoto go first.  

    So Mikoto carried Kaede on her back and said, "Then I'll leave first." Then she walked out.

The sound of the elevator started to sound.  

    Shizuku didn't breathe a sigh of relief until Mikoto disappeared.  

    Shizuku knew very well that after the battle, Natsuru looked at her not as a member of the

opposite sex. He just regarded her as a partner. He didn't regard her as someone he liked, let

alone as a lover.  

    He would probably always be like this in the future. No matter when, no matter how many

times she confessed to him, he would only have one answer now. And that would definitely

not be the answer Shizuku liked.  

    Shizuku put her hand on her chest. Her heartbeat didn't change. How could she be sad

about such a thing? She had anticipated the bad outcome. So it would be fine.  

    How could she be shaken? It was just a breakup.  

    Before she knew it, she felt something warm flowing down her face. She touched her face

with her fingers.  

    It was wet. Her fingertips were wet. Something she had never seen before was flowing

from her eyes.  

    "Why am I crying?"  

    Shizuku kicked the remains of the statue with all her might.  

Translator's Notes

This chapter was translated from the Chinese translation of the original Japanese text.

← Back to Volume 12 Chapter 3

Return to Main Page

Forward to 12 Chapter 5 →