AtE Arc 2: The Magical Girl’s Commandments – Chapter 4「——it"ll be finished with just one more person. Could you wait for a bit?」
The voice that resounded.
While feeling reluctant from the bottom of my heart, I turned around. Standing there was a suited man wearing a kind smile.
「Nana, did you notice?」
「No. I didn"t feel a "flow".」
「Meaning that he"s not alive.」
When we discussed in hushed voices, the man appeared to pick up on those whispers, as he gave a twitch and trembled. However, he soon gave a cold smile and shook his head.
「Haha. You"re sharp. That"s right, unlike Mitsukasa-sensei or those "failures" stuck to the wall, I am an existence on an entirely different dimension from such vulgar beings.」
That——is what Kurume-sensei spat out, as if he were reprimanding a student with poor comprehension skills.
「Is the North school building alright? You were the team leader right?」
「Yes, it is. I need them to be your……the "first discoverers" of the two of you after all. I am having them rest outside.」
As Kurume-sensei chuckled, he threw away his gla.s.ses.
His eyes that were usually narrowed were completely open, and his eyes that had inverted in colour*, glittered suspiciously.
*T/N: As in, the whites of his eyes turned black, while his irises turned white.
「If it is you it is possible, Kagami-sensei, so how about joining "this side"? Even if you are a hero, if you spend all your time looking after "leftover sc.u.m" and "failures", it will sully your n.o.bility.」
「I will decide my place. In the first place, no matter what a "fallen" human like you says, I don"t think it has any persuasive power at all, you know?」
「Tsk……to think that you would be unable to understand this splendour. Perhaps if it were another hero like the "Hermit Priest"-dono, they would be able to understand my point of view, but……in the end you"re just a lionized brat. The moment you allowed "leftover sc.u.m" to cling to you, you weren"t of any importance.」
Hmm, it"s gotten quite bad.
While he was focussing his attention on Nana, I checked the condition of the students stuck to the wall.
They were probably being used in a "ritual". Their complexion was bad, but their breathing was fine. It"s just that since their bottom halves were completely buried, it would take quite a bit of effort to dig them out.
「"Falling" means that you swallowed your own ESP. Even if you"re proud of your fate of having become unable to control it, it"s just troublesome, you know? If, by chance, your ability didn"t destroy your ego, it just means that you"ve "died" as a living being and are simply the "Remnants after Death", right?」
Yup, Nana when he"s not in his Prince mode is truly dark.
And, as I thought such unnecessary things in a corner of my brain, I didn"t stop searching for a rescue method. In this situation where we had nothing, if I acted as the support and Nana as the attacker, then we shouldn"t fall behind a certain level of existences.
But if it came down to fighting while protecting those who were buried without doing anything unnecessary to them, Nana would probably have to stay on the defense. That being the case, then I"m not sure if I, as a Magic User, would be capable of doing something about that.
「Now then, are you done figuring out a plan? If I don"t move to eliminate you two soon, it"ll be quite troublesome.」
As Kurume-sensei——Kurume muttered that, a black haze-like substance began to overflow from his body.
It was power that could not possibly be handled by a human, and perhaps highly resembled that which was held by the invaders known as demons. Yet, its current state also seemed to differ greatly from the past.
Those known as ESPers were mostly existences whose abilities awakened due to the influence of the interference from another dimension. If they failed to control their abilities, it could cause a spontaneous discharge that could involve their surroundings, which could be fatal, or lead to them becoming a cripple.
But on the rare occasion, there are also humans who survive. The values, state, and everything about those existences transform, approaching those of an existence from "another dimension".
They are called "Remnants after Death", otherwise known as——"Outer Diabolos (Devils)".
「"Insect・Grow"」
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of jet black winged insects that seemed to be made of concentrated darkness, began to fill the room.
His original ESP was "Insect Grow". If I recall correctly, he produced insects using his ability, and then would manipulate them.
His fundamental ability has become powerful, and there didn"t seem to be any other changes but……the moment it was "powerful", it turned Kurume"s power into something troublesome.
「Oh, water——【Attourini (Bare your fangs towards hostile ones)】」
In response, Nana created several hundred water b.a.l.l.s which floated in the air.
Each and every one of them was a technique with a set automatic attack mechanism. It was the special attack of Nana, whose disposition was more inclined towards the support side.
「Devour completely.」
「Destroy it!」
A sharp noise.
Every time an insect and a bullet collided, the offsetting forces released waves of remnant power.
「【Open・Form・Defense・Arm・Field・Ignition】」
During that time, I put barriers around the buried students myself.
Then, to start the job of digging them out——
「Gu…ah.」
「Nana?!」
Turning to look, I found the figure of Nana falling to his knees.
Though it wasn"t his field of expertise, my eyes widened at the sight of the fact that someone, who had dove into battlefields to the point where he was called a hero, was being pressured.
The figures of Nana and I must have been thoroughly ridiculous in his eyes. I instinctively fixed my gaze on Kurume as he laughed wickedly.
「Ku…hahaha! The weak point of a "hero" like you is that your abilities are widely known because of how lionized you are. Did you think that I didn"t come up with countermeasures to deal with you, who is celebrated as the "Water User"?! Kuhi-…hyahahahahahahahaha!!」
「Tsk——that"s why the "flow" is…huh.」
——Nana is a special existence.
When he manipulates water, it isn"t important for him to be in a place with water. It is whether or not he is in a place with a "flow".
When you think about that, it explains the reason for this artificial cave. It means that this place was purposely designed so that the "flow" is cut off.
If only I had realized this earlier……tsk.
「【Set・Bullet——」
「It"s futile. The insects are faster.」
「——Cancel・Force Barrier・Ignition】!」
I was about to make my attack go around him, but I had a "bad feeling" and set a pinpoint barrier around the students.
When I did so, it was probably concealed by the darkness. The insects pouring down from the ceiling easily went through the first barrier I put up, and collided with the pinpoint barrier.
For them to go through the barrier that I so carefully created an aria for that easily……tch.
「Mitsukasa-sensei. It would be fine for you to just watch the last moments of that hero over there.」
「Hah…you"ve really said it, to call it my last moments. But, don"t think that the hand* of I, who is called a hero, only amounts to this mu――」
*T/N: Hand as in moves, tricks, etc. like in a card game
Nana"s atmosphere was being mixed with "black".
Kurume scowled and tilted his head, becoming more vigilant.
But.
I stopped that hand.
「Wait, Nana.」
「——Michi?」
What rose in the eyes of Nana as they widened with surprise was impatience.
I did not call out to Nana, to my "important little brother figure", in order to make him have those kinds of eyes.
「You know, I haven"t fallen so low as to make my younger brother do something he doesn"t want to because of something I don"t want to do.」
「But!」
「And, look.」
When I showed Nana my wrist.w.a.tch while smiling, he understood my intention, and also gave a resigned smile.
「It"s time you know, "Blue Rain"-sama? Time to switch roles.」
「I give up. I"m still no match for you.」
Perhaps he thought it was fishy, but Kurume"s barrage of attacks stopped.
At the same time, Nana cancelled his magic, and took a step back.
「Are you planning on composing a death poem? Very well, I shall listen to it for you.」
「——Nana can, under certain conditions, use a power limited by "time".」
「What?」
As if to take over the explanation after me, Nana spread out both his arms and opened his mouth.
「"Drizzle of True Fortune (Chronos Tear)"——the current time is 7:07:07 PM. Starting now for the next 777 seconds, all good luck will gather by me and my allies. 」
「How pointless. Insects!」
The fired insects went past Nana, aiming towards one of the students, and flew at that quiet-looking girl. But "coincidentally" a part of the rock wall that had been damaged by the aftershocks of the fight crumbled, "coincidentally" crushing the insects.
「And as long as I have that much time, there won"t be any obstacles to prevent me from beating you up.」
「Childish prattle! What can "leftover sc.u.m" like you do in just a little under 13 minutes!」
「I can do it. With this power of magic——!」
Only a little under 13 minutes.
The allotted time of this "Advantage" only promised 12 minutes and 57 seconds.
If I have that much, then it"s plenty!
「Come, 【Wreath of Lapis Lazuli】.」
「A toy for little girls? Hah, have you gone mad?」
「Indeed, I do think I have gone mad. Yeah, yeah, that should be so. "I also think so".」
「Ha——?」
Kurume"s offensive also weakened as he murmured dumbfoundedly.
Yeah, that"s how it should be. But you know, I also really did not want to use it. But precisely because I don"t want to use it, I will say this.
That. I will. Definitely make you regret the fact that you made me use it!
「【Magical・Trans・Facttttttttt!!】」
An azure-coloured radiance wrapped my body, and my gla.s.ses dissolved into the air silently.
※In addition, the important places were covered by flower petals, so they could not be seen. No matter what angle you look from.
「W-What?! This…don"t tell me——」
Ignoring Kurume"s voice, a torrent of power covered me.
——I brandish my Stick to the heavens.
「Magical Girl!」
——while turning, I bring it in front of my chest.
「Mi・ra・cle」
——waving my skirt, I did a spin.
「Lapi!」
——putting my other hand on my hip, I brought Stick to my lips.
「Cutely arrives!!」
The finisher was a wink.
The twintails that were really f.u.c.king unsuitable for me swung side to side, adorned with flower ornaments. ※Meant for little girls.
What squeaked with a "pukyuu" when I stepped down, were decorated sneakers.
Now, laugh. No, I have to kill.
「——i-it"s a PERVERTTTTTT!?!?!!」
「If you call a pure young maiden something like that, you"ll get Heavenly☆Punishment, you know? 」
"HIIIIIIIIH?!"
I"m so annoying. Kill me.
Rather, don"t fall on your a.s.s and draw back. How rude!
「Michi, no, Lapi. Leave your back to me.」
「It"s fine even if you laugh, you know?」
「I can"t laugh.」
Laugh.
No, not that. Because everything will end once I destroy this persistently rude man!
「Guu…that"s enough carelessness! Insects——」
「Magical☆Attack!」
Together with my footstep that went "pukyuu", I swung Stick.
When I did so, a shockwave cut through the sky, and "all" of the insects coiling around Kurume"s surroundings were blown away.
「What?! No, then, Great Insect——」
「I won"t let you! Please, Stick-san!」
As I said please, I made a strike with Stick.
I can"t hear the sound of the "pukyu pukyu" as I rushed forward. If I said I can"t hear it, I can"t hear it.
Because I was moving at a speed close to teleportation, a crater was gouged out at my feet. Using that momentum, I tackled Kurume"s abdomen, causing him to go flying with a "<>
「——gah!?」
After making one, two, and three bounces, Kurume slide across the ground.
But unfortunately, I didn"t have the composure to stand around and wait for him to stand up due to my shyness.
「Im…possible…for a female pervert wearing that kind of outfit to do this!!」
How rude.
It might be too late, being in this "Form"…..no wait, not that.
「For a female pervert…a mere pervert to!」
「I see. A female pervert, is it? I get it.」
But, you know.
You"ll have to at least let me say this.
「A magical girl"s magic that can grant dreams is out of the norm. But, such a large power has constraints.」
「Wha…t?」
「You have to make the transformation poses. You have to say the catchphrases. You cannot make statements that lower your girl power. These are the "Magical Girl"s Commandments" that some G.o.d from who-knows-where gave it.」
「So, what about that——!」
He had probably taken quite a bit of damage. Unable to even stand up, the pitiful devil who could only tremble shouted back.
Let"s. .h.i.t him with my most powerful "curse" and have it act as a diversion.
Fu…fufufufufufufufufufufu.
「"A Magical Girl must not use magic for selfish purposes"」
「Haah?」
「"A Magical Girl must not use magic for selfish purposes"」
「…………………」
That"s right, the surprising thing…the mooooooooost surprising thing was that changing my costume to my preference apparently falls under "selfish purposes". It might be so that you can"t just use it as a tool for fashion, but wait a moment. Even if it"s an emergency it"s not good? It"s no good. That"s right.
「Well then, now that you know that Lapi isn"t a female pervert——it"s about time to end things!」
「Tsk——even though you"re nothing more than an obscene exhibitionist.」
Gu-!?
That hurt just now.
It really hurt G.o.ddammit!
「【Set・Form・Clear・Blast】」
「OOOoooooohhhhh! Answer my power, insects.」
「Too late——【Ignition】!!」
From the tip of the pointed Stick, an intricate magic circle appeared.
The colour of the aurora that congregated there was the same azure blue as the magic circle.
「W-What the h.e.l.l…is this power——Aaaahhh!?」
「That wicked heart releasing its distorted evil influence, disappear beyond the lapis lazuli!」
「Gi…gaa——aaAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!」
The aurora cut through, dying the cave an azure colour.
Thereupon all the haze overflowed from Kurume-sensei"s body, disappearing, and then extinguishing.
「A devil was returned to being a fallen human. Though it wasn"t due to purification, but the flow of time itself being reversed……yup, you"re really out of the norm as usual, Michi-nee.」
Turning while brandishing Stick, I smiled gave a single desperate wink.
「With this, divine punishment has been swiftly delivered! The Magical Girl"s punishment is complete!」
Uuu, I hate myself for having to rely on this power in the end.
But enough of that, G.o.d. If I ever have the chance to meet you in person, please do allow me to send that face of yours flying, okay……?