Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter1

1st Ammo: Case E8

Reki.

Always expressionless, unfeeling and taciturn Reki.

Protecting me on orders from the “wind”, the Reki who, armed with only a single sniper rifle, bravely took on the Ten Thousand Skill Warrior Koko.

Under the starlight, that Reki was sprawled on the roadway.

“This wound…..It’s not a gunshot wound.”

Said Shirayuki’s younger sister, Kazayuki, who was kneeling on one knee at Reki’s side.

The astonishment at her previously abrupt and hard to believe exclamation about Reki’s bloodline still remained. However, now is not the time to be speaking about family lineages.

Medical aid for Reki has to be quickly administered.

“Reki was wounded by some sort of light that I don’t really understand; some kind of invisible bomb. She bled considerably before you arrived. Shirayuki, your….healing art or something; can’t you use it?!”

Clinging onto my words, I shook Shirayuki by the neck, trying to get rescue to come.

“Ordinarily, I would be up to the task…...but right now, my powers are unstable.”

“Unstable….?”

Kazayuki explained to me with my furrowed eyebrows,

“Lately, in Japan…no, throughout the whole world, there has been a weakening of supernatural abilities. The reason for this drop in success rate is unknown. Among the Hotogi, the ability to heal wounds has been especially limited. In the event of failure, it could kill the person.”

I weakened at her words….

Somehow or the other, simply having Shirayuki’s magic turn the game for the better would not be the case.

Then how can I…..

As I agitatedly paced around, Shirayuki took Reki’s temperature.

“Terrible. Her body temperature has plummeted to extremely low levels. If we don’t get her to a hospital fast….”

From behind, Shirayuki and her sisters boarded a convertible, a Himiko, a solid sedan of Mitsuoka Automobile and a Kushinada that came along with it.

Shirayuki and her sisters used this bulletproof car for retreat in accordance with the battle situation.

Just perfect. These guys can transport Reki.

However….

“Don’t go to a hospital. Our enemy from just now, Koko, was using a sniper rifle.”

Right now, there is no sniper here.

If the hospital in the city came under attack from a sniper rifle, we won’t be able to do anything.

Urban areas with plenty of buildings are where a sniper holds the most advantage.

“In that case, we’ll take Reki-sama to a branch shrine of the Hotogi. We’ll call a doctor there.”

Kazayuki grudgingly soaked her miko garb in blood carrying Reki.

Carrying Reki in the back seat of the Kushinada, I supported her, together with my neighboring passenger. With our cell phones destroyed, Shirayuki got into the co-driver’s seat and called Butei High.

With the engine primed forward, Kazayuki settled down on a passenger seat with a sharp expression. Right now, her wakyuu was in her hands in preparation for a pursuit with Koko.

The driver opposite and the driver here; both of them dazzling beauties started their vehicles to maintain a lookout over the river bank, heading down the mountain road.

“Kin-chan, it’s connected. The Masters’ night duty room. It’s Nangou sensei.”

I accepted the white cell phone from Shirayuki, and explained the situation to Nangou-sensei of Snipe; how during Caravan I, we came under sniper attack on the outskirts of Kyouto, the battle near Mt Hiei, Reki’s wounding and the assailant being a Hong Kong exchange student named Koko. The silent Nangou listened to my words, all the while not saying anything.

“That’s Case E8, Tohyama. The Masters cannot act.”

A low voice at the end was the reply.

Case E8.

That was cipher code for “possibility of perpetrators within being high and as such, this common knowledge cannot be leaked out. Make contact with trusted individuals as active partners; resolve issue by the hand of concerned parties.”

Nangou’s decision was….right. The perpetrator infiltrated under the disguise of an exchange student from Hong Kong.

If the situation became common knowledge amongst the entirety of the student body, the enemy could obtain information.

Thus, Butei Article Chapter 4:

Butei must be independent.

Upon reaching their 2nd or 3rd year in Butei High, it is a general rule that they defeat their enemies on their own.

Those who receive aid from the Masters are interns or inexperienced first years. As it was not like I joined only recently, I somewhat understood Butei High’s education policy. I understood….Nangou’s callousness. Although, the one who’s been attacked is your student, can’t you be more worried?

“If unarmed civilians get involved, contact me again Tohyama.”

…..It would be too late if that happens.

Muttering in the depths of my heart, I made my salutations and cut the connection with Nangou.

Two vehicles sped down the mountain from the national highway 367 towards highways 105 and 106. During a stop at an intersection, Kazayuki nocked an arrow and briefly raising her bow, surveyed the bank. Casting a sidelong glance, I called Riko from Shirayuki’s phone.

(Koko’s modus operandi resembles Riko’s in some parts.)

Vocaloid warnings, submachine gun mounted radio controlled devices. Conversely, Riko’s close combat technique in the confrontation with Haimaki at Butei High had the feeling of Kungfu.

Perhaps she may have some kind of connection with Koko. However, my call could not connect. Riko was out of range. Yesterday at Osaka, I encountered by chance Riko and Aria who were speaking of working together. When I tried to make a call, Aria was out of range.

In the midst of such a serious affair, where are those two? They aren’t near at all.

(……Koko….)

Unable to do anything, I again considered from where our enemy may target us.

Just who is she?

A superhuman capable of combining hand to hand combat skills rivaling mine in Hysteria Mode, handgun skills that can evenly match Aria’s and sniper skills equal to that of Reki……The face of E.U? I wouldn’t happen to know.

With that being the case, I called Jeanne who, just like Riko, had her roots in E.U. It took six calls to get a response from Jeanne, who was sleeping in the middle of the night.

“Hotogi? What’s the matter?”

A clear voice emitted from the phone.

“No, it’s me. Tohyama Kinji. I’m calling from Shirayuki’s phone.”

“……? It....It’s the middle of the night. Why are you using Shirayuki’s phone?”

Ignoring the suspicion in her voice, I urgently explained the situation.

“Jeanne, is there a sniper of Reki’s skill within E.U? A monster with hand to hand combat and handgun skills. Her name is Koko,” I asked.

“Sniper…..Koko? Non. Except for Sherlock, a sniper with the skill to exchange shots evenly with Reki does not exist in E.U. There are people like Patra who use sniper rifles but they are of modest skill.”

Then Koko….is not a remnant of E.U.

With my face sheer white, I recounted the words Reki had spoken.

“The enemies from here onwards cannot be beaten through a simple contest of force.”

The enemies from here on.

(Reki…)

Losing my desire to sleep, I held Reki and clenched my teeth in frustration.

You, we….. How can fighting be even possible now?

Reki……!

Within the powerful Hotogi shrine, the organization is divided into the main shrine and branch offices.

The branch office also doubles as a branch shrine. There was a large branch shrine of the Hotogi shrine in Kyoto. Around the time we arrived there, a warm rain had begun to fall from the lightening sky.

On the wet asphalt scented road, megumi miko stood on alert. These were young miko who served full Hotogi miko like Shirayuki and Kazayuki. The megumi miko carried Reki away on a stretcher and led me, Shirayuki and Jeanne who had rushed over in a taxi to the shrine.

Ascending a flight of meticulously swept stone steps…..

“Tohyama, this place is just like a city. Reki will be safely protected here,” Jeanne said as she calmly surveyed the surroundings.

“Ah. Upon arrival I felt that the Hotogi’s head and branch shrines were slightly different from normal shrines. It looks like a shrine yet its construction also resembles a fortress.”

Below was a garage. We saw the two vehicles being used some moments ago entering there.

Not only cars but Kawasaki Heavy Industries OH-1 Ninja reconnaissance helicopters were housed there.

--The honden of the Kyoto branch of the Hotogi shrine was situated at the top of a hill overgrown with Japanese cedar.

Where snipers are concerned, they would be unable to take up position beneath the slope and fire into the interior of the shrine.

Additionally, with the exception of the entrance torii, samurai estates ringed with walls of mortar guarded the entire approach.

Beneath the torii, Kazayuki, who had arrived earlier, stood sentinel in formal red armor and her wakyuu in hand. Koko wouldn’t succeed if she were to blindly pursue us here.

“This way Kin-chan,” Shirayuki said as she led us under the torii to a first-aid mansion resembling Kazayuki’s clinic.

Summoned nurses and a female doctor immediately crowded one of the rooms where Reki was brought into. Medical equipment and medicines filled the area around them.

“Oh…oh…..you took a hit there…..”

The young female doctor fixing her rimless glasses who greeted Reki was brandishing a handgun. It seems like Hotogi summoned a professional from the Medic DA. Medic Butei are like medic troopers in the army: key personnel who give emergency treatment to wounded Butei. In Butei High, it’s the Medica who train these Butei.

“Blood cell count, blood type determination - cross match, biochemistry check – ASAP, begin blood transfusion.”

Immediately, the nurses monitoring Reki’s condition hurried to carry out the doctor’s instructions.

“Boy, while we work here, you go take a rest. Your face looks like a corpse,” the doctor said as she cast a sidelong glance at me.

“I can’t help at all? Reki; she…” With that, I, who could not take my eyes off Reki calmly walked towards Shirayuki.

“It’s okay, Kin-chan. This is a doctor under contract with Hotogi. She’s the number one doctor in Kyoto. Wait. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Listen Shirayuki…”

Certainly, it was frightening getting used to the methods of the doctor currently treating Reki. Almost assuredly, under normal conditions wounded Butei would have been first examined.

(Reki….)

Last night, all I could do was administer first-aid on Reki. It goes without saying that Shirayuki would allow only professionals to administer full blown medical care.

The nurses’ assistant.

“I’ll assist. It isn’t advanced grade aid but I possess Pan-European Aegis Assistant qualifications,” Jeanne said as she skillfully donned a surgical apron and nurse’s cap.

This isn’t my place at all.

Thinking about that, why does it feel as if a thread of mental strain is about to be cut?

(…….Uu…….)

My vision faded with a great tremor.

“Kin-chan!?”

“Tohyama!?”

Shirayuki and Jeanne’s voices desperately called from far off in the distance.

What happened to me…..?

The floor that I had been standing on earlier...

Appeared before my eyes...?

What’s that…..sound that I’m hearing?

This is the sound of the wind.

The sound of a dry wind blowing out from the surroundings.

I found myself in the middle of a vast steppe with mountain ranges visible in the distance.

This is probably……a dream.

A dream in which you are self-aware. A lucid dream.

In this arid steppe, several horses could be seen.

Girls dressed in vividly coloured traditional garb rode on those horses.

With severe expressions, they carried old, Russian-made sniper rifles on their backs.

At their head, was a girl with hair ornaments more exquisite than the others.

She approached on noticing my gaze.

That face…..

(Reki….?)

“………Reki……..”

………

………I awoke.

There was no wind but the sound of rain. This is……yes….The Hotogi branch shrine in Kyoto.

After the wounded Reki had been treated by the doctors, I had collapsed from exhaustion. Sitting upright in the futon, I looked around my surroundings. I understood how I had come to be lying down in this large Japanese-style room. Beneath the hanging scrolls, I saw an old clock. It was close to noon.

(Reki….How is she?)

Before I knew it, I had changed out of my glossed silk night clothes into the neatly folded and washed uniform arranged by my bedside, opened the paper sliding door and headed outside. In the nightingale floored corridor, Shirayuki, in her miko garb and with sword in hand, knelt quietly. She was acting as my escort. For some reason, her face wore an expression of suspense as she glanced in the direction of the torii. Looking over her shoulder, she finally became aware of me.

“Kin-chan!”

Pyon! Shirayuki flew from a kneeling posture to standing.

Tayun!

“…….”

Shi-Shirayuki….as a result of that excessively vigourous jump, that overly massive chest was I think late by a single beat in swaying. Right now...suddenly right after I woke, a wonderful sight greeted my eyes.

As usual, they were of a size far beyond that of a high school student. 1.5 times that of Riko’s, 3 times that of Reki’s, 6 times that of Aria’s. As I was still mainly stunned however, in terms of Hysteria level, I was fine. As I thought that, Shirayuki stroked me while making sure that I was alright. With teary eyes she gently caressed my arms and head.

“Kin-chan, Kin-chan, I think my heart nearly stopped because of your sudden collapse……!”

“A, aa. I’m fine, thank you. I was just a little tired, that’s why. That aside, how’s Reki?”

Shirayuki delicately brushed aside my question.

"Reki-san survived. However, we definitely cannot relax yet. She still hasn't regained consciousness. If she had over-exerted herself anymore than this, her life would really be in danger."

“I see….”

“Kin-chan too….do not over exert yourself. Rest in your futon. The danger from the side of the torii seems minor for now.”

Said Shirayuki, facing the torii in a manner protective of me.

“Torii….?”

“Un….it can’t be seen very well from here........for some time now, it seems some kind of animal is in the area.”

Shirayuki said as she looked over her shoulder in the direction of the torii. Amidst the drizzle, Kazayuki held her wakyuu in one hand like a staff, shooing in a bid to drive away something.

…..grrr……

“!”

Barefooted as I am, I leapt at the growl coming from the direction of the stone steps.

Amidst the rain, kicking up gravel as I ran through the compound with Shirayuki’s and Kazayuki’s restraining voices at my back, I leapt from the torii…..

“…..Haimaki!”

The torn and ragged silver wolf lay on the edge of the stone steps. The rain beaten Haimaki was visibly marked with horrific wounds. Bitten by Koko’s hunting dogs and rent by claws, that snow white coat now resembled a shredded rag stained with blood and mud.

“Haimaki……you…..!”

Stumbling as I ran down the stairs, I embraced Haimaki.

During the sniper battle the night before, Haimaki had acted as a decoy so that Reki and I might escape. One single animal taking on some ten hunting dogs. Against such overwhelming numerical superiority that survival seemed impossible, Haimaki had returned alive. After driving off the hunting dogs, Haimaki had tracked us first by the scent of Reki’s blood, and from the point where that became disrupted, by the scent of the car’s tyres until he had discovered this place.

“Thank Heaven, Haimaki. Reki still lives thanks to you…..!”

So saying, I patted his back. Relieved, Haimaki lowered his throat and grunted.

Haimaki, who had been taken to the medical station firmly refused to move from the bedside of the sleeping, bandage-covered Reki. With no other choice, the doctors and nurses began Haimaki’s treatment at that spot. With the first stage of that treatment completed, the medical staff accordingly kept watch on me all the way throughout.

“Kin-chan….are you hungry? I am going to prepare some food.”

On hearing Shirayuki, who had worn a frilly apron over her miko garments mention that, I became thoroughly aware of my empty stomach. Come to think of it, I did not get to eat the half box of Calorie Mate last night. Following Shirayuki, I, who had collapsed from this reason, met up with Jeanne, who was strolling around with a deep interest in the shrine’s interior. The three of us headed towards the kitchen hall which resembled a ryoutei. The Kyouto branch shrine of the Hotogi is colossal; a great number of buildings interconnected by passageways attached to rooftops. As we crossed over, the megumi miko who occasionally appeared would kneel at the end of the passageways and bow deeply as soon as they saw me. What the heck…..it’s just like a daimyo's procession.

On that matter, the Hotogi is a shrine which is utterly forbidden to males. For some reason, the males of the Tohyama have special entrance rights. Because of this rule, males have been strangely accorded special treatment. It feels as if one is in foreign lands.

(Such self humiliating behavior…..it’s totally not necessary….)

Feeling vaguely irritated by that, we entered the kitchen hall. There, Jeanne and I prepared the small paulownia wood chairs we would use. Facing us was Shirayuki’s seat. I was probably the first male to sit on this seat. Because of the need to welcome a foreign guest, Jeanne, apron wearing megumi miko reverently set the table and brought in lacquered circular soup containers. The menu consisted of flounder, turban shell, squid soumen sashimi, daggertooth pike conger, salted salmon roe sushi, tofu greater burdock rolls, kyouyasai sauce, matsutake mushroom over a charcoal fire, rice with the colours of autumn, black bean…..

“I’m sorry Kin-chan. That is all I have……I think the nutritional value is perfect. Eat much and recover your health ok?”