Not only Ernst was concerned about Leo's movement. Erica, who recognized Ernst as a common enemy with Leo, also felt signs of Leo's movement. Therefore, she immediately noticed that Leo left the hotel.
"This idiot! At such a time, went for a walk alone!"
Leo should have known that Ernst was planning brute force methods. More specifically, he is going to kidnap him. At least when Erica talked to him about it, it seemed to her that he understood this.
"He, that, cannot assess the risks when he is left alone !?"
- Erica-chan ... what happened?
Probably, she completely unconsciously made an annoyed face.
Mizuki asked in a slightly frightened voice, and Erica quickly covered her face with her hand.
- Ahhah ... Nothing. Nothing. She answered, waving her other hand. Mizuki only bowed her head in bewilderment, but, for starters, it helped get rid of the fright.
- Oh, for sure!
Erica thought that she somehow managed to get out, and then she embellishedly hit her hand in hand. Mizuki still didn't understand anything, but she patiently waited for Erica to say further.
- I have one thing to do. Sorry, but I have to go to Mika.
- Uh !? Will not work!
Erica’s excuse was so unfortunate that anyone in Mizuki’s place would say that this was impossible. Mikihiko should be present at the evening banquet, which is about to begin, and entry is restricted to competitors in the nine-school tournament. This banquet was different from the victory celebration party, which was admitted to all those related to the winning school. Last year, Erica was able to get to the banquet only because she had been hired by a waitress in advance.
Therefore, it goes without saying that Mizuki was at a loss from this. But Erica didn’t have time to convince Mizuki.
Turning her back to the stunned Mizuki, Erika quickly disappeared from her eyes out of sight.
Erica returned to her hotel room and left it, holding in her hand an integrated CAD in the form of a short sword, the blade of which was made of an alloy with shape memory and could turn into a club.
She knew where Leo was headed.
Trying to leave the hotel courtyard, she noticed patrolling soldiers, and hid around the corner of the building.
Although the shape of the weapons device was changed to a baton in order not to arouse suspicion, this “shape memory stick” was a commercial weapon that was put into service by the police since this year.
Of course, the soldiers of the self-defense forces should also know what this weapon with integrated CAD looks like. Almost everyone had CAD at the hotel, and no one found fault with this, because it was a hotel in the venue of the Tournament for nine schools. However, the removal of weapons from the territory was strictly controlled.
Erica was going to go to an artificial forest, used by self-defense forces for training.
And she definitely couldn’t hide here for a long time. Her feelings were caught by the signs of two people chasing Leo.
If she were asked now why she goes so far in her efforts, then she would not be able to answer this question. At this moment, without realizing it, Erica decided to break through the force.
- Chiba-san.
Hearing a voice from behind, Erica spun around. She waved her weapon device, still in the form of a baton, but changed her mind at the very last moment.
The owner of this voice spoke from a distance slightly exceeding the impact radius of Erica. ... Of course, if Erica wanted to, she would have reduced this distance in an instant.
- Is it Sensei?
Erica's voice was filled with suspicion and wariness.
She had no perception except her five senses, and she could not see with her back. However, she was sure that she would be able to notice a person approaching herself when she sharpened her perception, as she had done before.
But, despite this, Erica did not know about the approach of Haruki. And she did not notice that she was standing behind her, until she herself spoke.
- ...When you...?
“There is no need to be so afraid.” Because from this situation, I have no chance against you, Chiba-san. Haruka said and raised her hands. Feeling that no hostile intent was coming from her, Erica calmed down.
- What was now is my special skill. More precisely, I can only do this.
Erika instantly understood what Haruka was talking about.
“I think this is a pretty substantial“ special skill. ” If you, Ono-sensei, wanted to, you could stab me in the back.
- I do not even know. In your case, Chiba-san, even if you don’t feel any signs, you can recognize the approaching blade and counterattack.
Erica and Haruka exchanged phrases with serious faces, and only now took relaxed poses for a simple conversation.
- Chiba-san. Can you give me your weapon device?
“You, Ono-sensei?”
- Yes. I can carry him into the training forest so that no one will notice.
"And she, it seems, is not an amateur," Erica thought, recalling the events that happened one year and four months ago.
The Blanche Case, a major incident involving an anti-magic crime group that Erica and the others faced right after they entered school. Then Erica witnessed how Haruka provided Tatsuya with information about the location of the terrorists.
Army? Internal intelligence? Department of Public Security? Or some kind of private intelligence organization? The specific affiliation was incomprehensible, but Haruka was undoubtedly one of the people associated with such matters. At least that's what Eric thought now.
Erica stared at Haruka with a doubtful look, not even trying to hide her suspicions.
“I would appreciate it if you hid me too.”
Haruka smiled wryly in response to a request made in a caustic tone, implying "you can just run away and take it to yourself."
- Unfortunately, my abilities are not so convenient. I can hide and take a maximum of a kitten with me. A person cannot be taken.
- What a pity.
Haruki's smile turned into a provocative one.
“Can't you trust me?”
- I have no reason to trust.
Erica's answer was both excellent and unceremonious. However, it did not seem to Haruka to cause inconvenience.
“Don't you think it would be better to trust?”
Erica thought about Haruki’s proposal for a few seconds.
“I will believe you if you give at least one compelling reason to do so.”
- The reason? Let me think ... Because you're my student?
Of course, Haruka did not expect Eric to convince this. By her manner of speech, one could understand this.
As expected, Erica looked at her with a cold look. She seemed to turn around and leave now.
- Oh wait, wait! Now it really was. But the real reason ...
Haruka was not interrupted in order to make a dramatic theatrical pause.
“The real reason?”
Erica mercilessly demanded a response from Haruki, who found it difficult to say so.
“... The reason is that the boss from my other job will be very angry if Saijou-kun is kidnapped.”
- Another job?
Erica's short question at the same time implied the questions "what kind of other job?" and "is it normal for a school teacher to work elsewhere?"
- I would like not to answer this question ...
Haruki's answer also meant answering both of these questions.
- ...Okay. Then, Ono-sensei, I will ask you to do this.
As a result, it was Eric who surrendered. She understood that Haruka was trying to use her, but Erica also needed help with the patrol soldiers. At this rate, she would not be able to get to Leo with weapons. And what to do in a situation if she ended up there without weapons, she could not have imagined. Having a weapon was vital.
Having received a weapon device, Haruka showed relief on her face.
◊ ◊ ◊
Having already passed about a kilometer after entering the training forest, Leo showed no signs that he was going to stop.
The Warburg sisters, pursuing him, keeping at maximum visibility distance, stopped and looked at each other.
- There are no reactions to the sensors. Emma, what have you got?
Linda, who, using the anti-detection function, confirmed that this area is a blind spot in the sensor network, just in case, asked Emma to double-check this.
“I don't have a reaction either.” Are we getting started?
- That's right, let's get started. But first, let's try to persuade.
- I get it. But I think this is pointless.
Emma shrugged, answering Linda's plan that reminded her.
Linda was of the same opinion, and also, like Emma, wanted a battle, so she did not blame the "sister" for such behavior.
- We started.
- Ja. - answered Emma Linda, and they ran towards Leo.
Leo, who completely unconstrainedly moved deeper and deeper into the forest sinking in the darkness of the night, stopped and turned around, hearing the steps behind him.
The sound of the steps was rather quiet, but from the very beginning it did not occur to him that it could be a small animal. Leo often wandered around the territories of wild animals, so now he recognized these steps as human.
Is there either someone very lightweight, or is it an artificial understatement?
If the second, then the approaching one is a wizard.
Although it seemed that he blithely went for a walk, Leo did not forget about the possibility that he would be attacked. He was wearing long pants and a long-sleeved sweater. CAD was used on the left arm in the form of bracelets covering the back of the hand, and a fingerless glove was put on the right hand, with the back of the hand protected.
That is, Leo was ready to fight back whenever he was attacked.
However, the enemy did not seem to have the intention of a surprise attack, because as he approached, these steps slowed down from running to normal walking.
Two human silhouettes emerged from the shadows of the trees on the right and left so that Leo was surrounded on both sides.
- Women ...?
The clothes of these two at first glance resembled some riding suits, but the protection covering the important parts of the body did not allow to clearly see the details of the bodies. The heads were also completely covered by helmets, and their faces were completely invisible. However, from the general shape of Leo's bodies, it seemed that they were women.
Both men simultaneously lifted the front flaps of the helmet. Unlike commercial helmets for riding a motorcycle, the face opened almost completely. Perhaps this was done to improve the field of view.
Leo's guess was correct. The poses of the helmets hid the faces of young women.
Although young, but clearly older than Leo. It looks 20-25 years old.
Already accustomed to the dark, Leo noticed that they were of European appearance, and that they were very similar to each other, and that their facial features seemed somehow artificial.
- Saizo Leonhart.
Leo turned to the woman who was on the right, when viewed from the side of Leo. According to the word “Saijo”, it was felt that she was not used to saying such things, but she pronounced the word “Leonhart” easily.
Until that moment, Leo was not aware of the situation.
- Could you come with us?
But after another woman said this, he fully realized what was happening.
“Here it is, clearly ... You must be the people of Rosen.”
“Why are you pretending not to understand?” Emma asked in exasperation.
“Is it not you who brought us to a place where they will not interfere with us, knowing that we are persecuting you?” - Linda asked doubtfully.
The Warburg sisters thought that Leo found out about them and specially led them to a place without sensors and cameras in order to talk or arrange a fight.
But they just overestimated it. Leo did not mean anything like that. He only wandered aimlessly and noticed the tail behind him only recently.
- Ah, yes. So it was. “But he decided to play along with them.”
Fortunately, the Warburg sisters accepted Leo's face value.
“Nevertheless, I thought you were just a schoolboy, and you are so brave.”
“I have not a simple school, but a school of magic.” So what do you care about me? - Gathering his courage, Leo asked the women about their goals.
- I already said: come with us. - Hardly answered Emma. In contrast to Linda, her behavior was domineering.
“I ask, why do you want me to go with you?”
“You should have heard about this from Ernst-sama.” - Having ordered Emma to calm down, Linda answered Leo.
- I want to know the truth. - Leo said in a provocative tone.
“If you recognize her, you will not be able to refuse.” - In the same provocative tone, Emma answered him.
- ... Can I refuse now?
“... You already understood what the answer will be?”
- Wait, Emma. - Linda stopped Emma, already ready to start the fight as soon as possible. “I will tell him what will happen to him after that.” I think he has such a right, because it directly concerns him, moreover, when he finds out, he will resist with all his might.
- That's it? What if he, on the contrary, is happy to come with us? - objected Emma in a joking manner. Linda also shared her feelings that if you tell Leo the truth, he will resist more, and then they will be able to fully demonstrate their abilities.
- If everything is decided peacefully, then this will not be the best option. - Linda Emme answered and turned to Leo.
- Saizo Leonhart. A quarter of your genes were developed in the laboratories of Rosen Magicraft. Therefore, Rosen Magicraft has the rights to your genes.
“Hey, I'm not a racehorse.” ...So, what is next?
Leo still spoke in a cocky voice, but his face was already serious.
The gaze that Linda and Emma tried to keep in sight at the same time was already like a man in the midst of a battle.
Linda and Emma at the same time began to slowly move forward. Leo also stepped back slowly, until he laid his back on the thick trunk of a tree. The Warburg sisters settled on the positions to the left and right of Leo.
“You are the only instance of the earliest type of superior man who did not self-destruct.” Your genes are very valuable.
- Your genes will help in the development of new improved people. - said Linda and Emma, one after the other.
Keeping attention to Linda, Leo turned to Emma.
- Experiments on a living body? Or just do an autopsy?
- Ahahahaha, nothing like that. Emma laughed deliberately in a loud voice.
“It will be something better.” - Again spoke Linda. Leo could not decide which one to look at. - You will provide your genetic material to women who are improved people of the latest model. Do you understand? Recently, in our country, the theory has received widespread support that natural fertilization, in contrast to artificial insemination, allows one to obtain more perfect specimens.
- Simply put, your work will have sex with women who provide eggs. Not bad, is it? And, of course, they are all beautiful.
- What am I, a stallion-inseminator ...!?
Leo showed overt disgust when he heard Emma's mocking words. An inner voice calling not to succumb to provocations was sent to the farthest corner of consciousness.
- You're not happy? Everything is in order, your opinion will be treated with respect. Your first partner will be your girlfriend.
- Oh, you ... Really?
“It seems her name was Chiba Erica-san?” An excellent sorceress who inherited the blood of the main family. Without a doubt, she will give birth to a new model of an improved person who will present Rosen in a better light.
- Do not joke so!
The ejection of psions from Leo's body signaled that he had lost self-control. In response, Linda and Emma closed the front flaps of the helmets.
- Streitkolben (mace)!
Immediately after Leo's scream, the psions concentrated on his right fist. Without any dispersal of excessive psions, they covered Leo's fist with a thick layer.
Leo waved his fist toward Emma. Without dodging, Emma took Leo's fist with her left hand.
In the training forest, a booming metallic echo sounded like from a collision of a heavy iron projectile with an armored plate.
Emma's body was thrown back. Using the help of a suit, she landed on her feet without falling.
- Firming magic !?
“What surprised you so much?”
Hearing a voice approaching from behind, Leo ducked to the ground faster than he could think about it.
Linda kick in the jump passed over Leo.
Leo hastened to rise, but Linda landed some distance in front of him.
It seems that she did not carry out this attack seriously. If she was serious, she would not have cast her voice.
“We are the Burg Folge models of the third type.” This is an improved type of the very model of the first type, the blood of which you inherited. Of course, we use the same magic as you.
This kick was a warning from Linda.
- Therefore, since we are an advanced type, this means that we are superior to you. And now we will prove it!
This time, Emma attacked.
Her fist was covered in the same magic that Leo had just used. There were no signs of using CAD on her part. In Phantom Anzug, worn on them, CAD was built with full mental control.
- Panzer! - Leo's team, an instant before the strike, turned his clothes into armor.
Emma's right right kick hit Leo in the left shoulder. But Emma’s attack didn’t end there. This was followed by many more punches and kicks. Using CAD with full mental control, her fists and feet received the hardness of steel with every blow.
On the other hand, Leo, using the sequential deployment technique, constantly updated the reinforcing magic on his clothes and kept her armor strong, while continuing to block Emma's attacks.
But in the fist with which he counterattacked, there was no longer the same severity as in his first attack.
Although Leo's physical body showed abilities that were clearly superior to the enemy, his zone for calculating magic was completely loaded with the constant activation of the same magic.
“Emma, can I help you?”
Hearing Linda, Emma instantly gained a distance from Leo.
- I admit that his abilities exceed expectations. But don't get involved, Linda. Me alone is enough.
- I get it. I will not interfere.
Leo was not so naive as to believe that one of the enemies said "do not interfere." But in fact, after Linda's words, his attention focused on Emma.
And this "loss of vigilance" was a mistake for Leo. Linda disappeared from his field of vision.
And Leo attacked with her foot a glancing blow above the ground at such a height that she barely touched the roots of trees and stones scattered on the ground.
Leo jumped up and dodged this kick.
However, before he managed to land, Emma got a kick in his stomach in a jump. Leo threw back and hit the tree trunk, and he fell to the ground at its base.
He successfully dodged Linda's leg, rolling over. However, at the very moment when he got up, Emma kicked him from the U-turn. Staggering, and somehow standing on his feet, Leo took a defensive stance. The first two blows of Emma, who entered the melee range, he somehow managed to block. However, coming from the opposite side, Linda’s blow with the edge of his palm he could not stop.
And at that moment, a flash of silver light made Linda stop her punch and retreat. With a little delay from the light, the wind blew.
- Leo, how are you, alive? Eric asked in a bold voice.
- As you see. - Leo answered in the same impudent voice.
◊ ◊ ◊
Having parted with Haruka at the entrance to the training forest, Erica changed the shape of the weapon device to a short sword and went after Leo.
Her feelings were caught by the signs of three people. Leo, and two pursuers approaching him.
By their psionic light, Erica perceived them as white luminous human silhouettes.
The sword techniques that Eric used used contained a technique that, based on psionic light, made it possible to determine the enemy’s location and read the details of the surroundings. To use the Yamatsunami and wave the sword at the speed limit of human reaction, it’s not enough to have good eyesight or hearing.
However, until last year, Erica practiced this technique without much enthusiasm. Instead of honing her sense of recognition of ambiguous "shadows," she preferred to improve her sword skills, that is, she strove to be a swordsman.
She could fight when the Parasite had a physical body. However, it was useless when the Parasite got rid of the physical body. These were her feelings after that battle. She thought so now.
She had no special "eyes" like Mizuki's.
She did not have a special “look” like Tatsuya did.
But you can not justify it.
Erica reproached herself for this.
After that battle, she concentrated on training psionic light recognition techniques.
And her innate talent manifested itself even in this technique. Her ability to read signs of a person was even superior to the average.
Combining the perception of a swordsman and the perception of a wizard, Erica quickly studied the technique of capturing "what is hidden" in the form of a "silhouette". The result of these trainings was that on the night of the last battle with the “Parasites" she freely fought in an unlit forest.
And even after the battles with the “Parasites" ended, Erica continued to hone the technique of replacing physical light with psion light. And at this point, reducing the viewing angle, she could already distinguish the outlines of silhouettes of psionic light at a distance of up to 800 meters.
She could not see the pushion light, like Mizuki.
She could not see what was happening there, like Tatsuya.
What Eric saw was similar to the picture in the shadow theater.
But to find the enemy, and not to lose sight of him, this was enough.
She confidently pursued Leo and his pursuers.
Entering the training forest, Erica felt that in a place located about a kilometer from her there was a sudden rise in morale, that is, the battle began.
Her ears reached a booming metallic sound, similar to the impact of a huge hammer on an iron plate.
Erica stopped hiding her presence and hurried to the scene of the battle.
Erica intervened in the battle between Leo and the Warburg sisters.
Holding back Linda Warburg, pointing her sword at her, she turned to Leo in a bold voice.
- Leo, how are you, alive?
- As you see.
The corners of Erika's lips curved in a smile when she found out that Leo’s fighting spirit had not yet run out.
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