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Owari no Seraph - Volume 1 - Chapter 6




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Chapter 6: Academic Acceleration Examination

 

The Academic Acceleration Examination begins at 6 in the morning.

 

It takes place on the school grounds – or so they're called, but it is more like a large manoeuvring ground where even military exercises could take place.

 

Every student in school has congregated there.

 

As the Academic Acceleration Examination involves students from each year in the school, in order to ensure all students could try to win their fights against one another, it takes place over one weeks time.

 

Incidentally, my classmates have had some rivalry amongst each other from the beginning in order to avoid repeatedly failing to advance and getting beat up.

 

Of course, all that's left now is to finally assess their individual abilities against each other, but,

 

“All of you, it is absolutely prohibited for you to lose to anyone outside of your own class, got it!”

 

Or so the lady teacher, Aiuchi Saia, has been getting worked up about since this morning.

 

“Our class is the most elite, so for a week from today, the plan is to prove it!” And so on she went.

 

“...”

 

At that, one could see that Guren was set a little bit apart from his classmates.

 

Since the incident yesterday in the corridor, Shinya, Goshi and Mito all stayed away from him, leaving Guren perfectly isolated.

 

Of course, for him that was an easy enough thing to accomplish.

 

“...”

 

With a look of boredom, he surveys the other students.

 

The first match had begun already.

 

It was a match involving a girl from his class whose name he's forgotten, and a boy from Class 2.

 

They are struggling against each other's power, so the match had yet to end.

 

Relatedly, the match involved the use of perfected formal combat.

 

The rules that set the conditions of victory were:

 

- The referee declares who has won overall.

- The referee declares who has the higher ability.

- In a situation where you kill your opponent, you would be contrarily marked down.

 

But that was all there was to it.

 

Due to these rules, you were allowed to use any weapon or any magic you wished.

 

Additionally, even if you killed your opponent, you wouldn't be expelled from school. You wouldn't even be questioned for your crime, and the police also wouldn't be contacted.

 

That's just the kind of place this was. It is utter foreign ground.

 

The so-called Gods named the Hiiragi controlled everything, so within Japan this place was like some kind of classified country of its own.

 

Of course, to make sure there wouldn't be any casualties, the examinations have a referee, which five teachers were given the role of.

 

Speaking of that,

 

“The winner is Year 1 Class 9's Sugiyama Midori.” The referee calls out the name of the girl who is in the same class as Guren.

 

Looking at her, the classmate named Suigiyama Midori had thrown the boy from the Class 2 to the ground, and was holding a knife to his neck.

 

“Alriiiiighttttt!” Their homeroom teacher, Aiuchi Saia, pumps her fists in the air at that. The students also get excited.

 

“The next student after Sugiyama-san, please proceed!” Says the referee, and the next student steps forward.

 

As it is, today all the students from Class 2 and Class 9 were facing one another.

 

Speaking of Class 2 – Guren turns his eyes to the other side of the stadium, where the crowd of students from Class 2 are located.

 

One of Guren's attendants, Yukimi Shigure, is in Class 2.

 

However, Guren cannot see Shigure in the group of students opposite of them.

 

He shrugs at that.

 

“Well, she is tiny after all...”

 

“Who is tiny?” Shigure asks from his side.

 

Guren looks down in the voice's direction. Shigure is standing there with cold eyes, and looks up to meets his gaze horizontally.

 

“What are you doing over here?”

 

“I thought I should come and give Guren-sama my salutations.”

 

“What salutations?”

 

“My class and your class have come to blows, Guren-sama.”

 

“I can tell that just by looking.”

 

“Yes. You are right. However, I did not think that Guren-sama knew which class I was in... I am surprised that you were also looking out for me.” She says, speaking of such a trivial thing.

 

In that time, the second round had already started.

 

As expected, a classmate of his, whose name he also does not know, fights frantically. Their movements are slow. The rate at which they invoke their spells and how they treat their weapon is also cruddy.

 

“I wonder if that person is really an Elite.” Shigure says at that, and Guren quirks a smile.

 

“There's quite some room to breathe isn't there, Shigure.”

 

“The level of this opponent...”

 

“Not your 'enemy'?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, that's promising. In that case, who's your opponent?” He asks, but a voice from his side interrupts them.

 

“What are you two so secretly discussing?” A girl with red hair glares at them with sharp eyes. It was Jujo Mito.

 

Guren turns to Mito and replies, “Does it look like we're talking secretly?”

 

At that, Mito points at Shigure, “It does. If only because my opponent is your attendant.”

 

Guren stares at Mito, then looks down to Shigure.

 

“Is that right?” He asks.

 

Shigure nods lightly, “Yes.”

 

“I see. Then you're checking out the competition.”

 

“Is it alright for me to win?” She asks, but Mito interrupts –

 

“As if you would win? What does an attendant with such a foolish master think she can do against me, someone from the Jujo house, as an opponent?”

 

Shigure glares at Mito.

 

“You... if you make a mockery of my Master any more than you have been...”

 

“Aha, and if I do, what would you do?”

 

“I would kill you.” Shigure says with a truly frosty tone. Her voice had such cold pressure that, if used against a normal person, they would freeze in place and shiver from the ruthlessness.

 

However, Mito doesn't shrink away. Instead she waves it off.

 

“In that case, let's look forward to it. Well then, be seeing you.” Mito turns her back to them and leaves.

 

Guren watches her go, then speaks up.

 

“Hey, Shigure.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you think you can win against her?”

 

“Of course!” In a rare display of emotion, Shigure bends her petite body with all her might. She brims with determination.

 

This girl's abilities do not rely greatly on magic, but involve a martial art where she hides objects on her body, which manifest in her throwing knives. It seems she doesn't intend to show the enemy any Ichinose-style magic.

 

Which is likely why she can fight seriously now. But, even taking that into account,

 

“Uh, that Mito from the Jujo Household still seems strong within her own right, you know.”

 

“Who do you support?”

 

“Hm? Well, I could go either way.”

 

“You will not cheer for me?”

 

Guren smiles at that.

 

“If I don't cheer for you, would you lose?”

 

Shigure looks disgruntled and replies, “Not at all. It is just a little lonesome.”

 

“Haha. Well, let's forget about this trivial talk. Instead let's focus on how you should take care...”

 

Before he can finish, Shigure nods.

 

“Of course. I will not use Ichinose-style magic. There is no need to reveal our hand to the enemy, after all. Even if I used it, I would use magic that is shared with the Hiiragi.”

 

“Mm. If you understand that, it's fine. Then, go as crazy as you like. Let loose all your resentment here.” Guren says, and soon after the referee calls Shigure's name.

 

“Year 1 Class 2, Yukimi Shigure. Come forward.”

 

Shigure steps forward. Halfway there, she stops and looks back.

 

“It's fine for you to cheer for me, you know?”

 

“I know already. Now get going.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Shigure continues forward, and her opponent's name is called out.

 

“Year 1 Class 9, Jujo Mito. Come forward.”

 

Mito steps out. As person who boasted about herself being a Jujo, she softly sweeps back her red hair.

 

Shigure speaks to her coldly.

 

“You're a tyrant.”

 

Mito smiles in a confident and actually rather beautiful way at that.

 

“I don't listen to what Class 2 has to say.”

 

“I will kill you.”

 

“For you, that's impossible.”

 

Before Mito finishes talking, Shigure ducks her hand behind her back. Guren knows that she's reaching for the knives up her sleeves.

 

Mito also seems to mutter something quietly. It is likely a Hiiragi-style spell. The Jujo household – through curses, they could break the limits of physical ability. Shinya had shown Guren as much before, and the magic seemed to give the user a boost akin to divine possession. Already, a triangular ring of fire even redder than the red hair it floated above was forming.

 

“My... could that be the curse of the Wisdom King, Vajrayaksa?” Guren murmurs to himself with great interest.

 

At that moment, the referee steps forward.

 

They talk to the two participants of the match about important points of note. Such as what will signal the end of the match, and how if you killed your opponent your grade will be marked down.

 

In the middle of the students, Guren overhears Goshi Norito, who was smiling flippantly, murmur to himself, “Hoh hooh, terrific. As expected, Mito's match has got to be seen.”

 

To which Shinya replies, “...I wonder if we will get to see Ichinose-style magic.”

 

As expected, others were also observing them with those kind of eyes. However, the circumstances did not allow for them to get their hopes up. It was a situation where Guren held little sympathy, and it is likely Shinya had already lost his interest in the Ichinose.

 

It's then the referee cries out, “Start!”

 

In an instant, both Shigure and Mito move. As Mito is boosted by magic, her movements are extraordinarily fast. However, Shigure reacts to it efficiently and moves behind her. She swings her hand. Doing so, an infinite number of daggers (which one could call “kunai”) fly out from her sleeve – and around the hilts of those kunai are tied threads, which flutter through the air.

 

Depending on how those threads are touched, it is made up in such a way that the magic talismans attacked to them would explode, and cause the kunai to jump back up into the air.

 

Nonetheless, Mito turns her nose up at it.

 

“I see, you're a practitioner of hidden weapons... an ability befitting the underhanded Ichinose household.”

 

She doesn't stop her charge. In an instant she chooses to disregard the snares encircling her and continues rushing forward. Mito's thin legs stretch out from her skirt and touch the string. Immediately, the magic talismans explode.

 

The kunai spring up and aim themselves at the very person who touched the thread.

 

However, Mito easily avoids them. Not only that, but she avoids all the successive kunai aimed at her as well. What she couldn't avoid, she knocked aside by hand, and kept going forward.

 

Seeing that, Goshi speaks up, “Woah, the Jujo household sure is amazing after all.”

 

Still, the situation does not excite Shinya all the same. It seems that Mito's movements, and the degree Shigure used magic to ensnare others, would not elicit a response from a person of the Hiiragi.

 

The distance between Shigure and Mito is quickly closed.

 

“Alright, this is the end,” Mito smiles, raising her fist.

 

Even so, Shigure also smiles.

 

“Too bad. That pride of yours will be what kills you.”

 

There's a sound of her snapping her right hand's fingers. Then, the very kunai that Mito had avoided and tossed aside explode, before springing back up from the ground. Abruptly, the fist Mito was throwing gets constrained by the thread of the kunai that she had left behind her. And with that...

 

“Ugh.” Mito's movement has been stopped.

 

It's only natural. The thread that Shigure uses has been bewitched, after all. For those who touch it, their movements grow weaker as if they have been injected with anaesthetic.

 

Shigure takes out one kunai from underneath her skirt. Without hesitation, she gestures it at Mito's neck to take her out in one sure strike.

 

At that point, Guren moves to stop Shigure with an order.

 

The referee also shouts at her to “stop!”

 

“Mooooooveeee!” Mito screams. The flames atop her red hair suddenly glow even redder and swirl around in a circle. And just like that, the girl ignores how the threads restrict her and sends her fist flying.

 

“What?!” Shigure's face goes slack. Mito's fist collides directly with her cheek.

 

“Gah!”

 

As she groans, her kunai go flying. The kunai scratches Mito's face, but don't fully hit their mark.

 

 

Shigure's body is sent flying an unbelievable distance and crashes to the ground. She rolls, and no longer moves. It was befitting of the amount of damage she had received. She's likely gotten a concussion, and for now won't be able to rise.

 

However, Mito keeps going, running towards Shigure.

 

“Wait! The winner is Jujo Mito!” The referee cries out.

 

With that, the winner is decided. Guren crosses his arms as he watches it all play out.

 

“Hmph.”

 

What is more, the homeroom teacher Aiuchi Saia pumps her fists in the air.

 

“Alright! As expected from Mito of the Jujo Household!”

 

Nonetheless, Mito, who had stopped, watches the collapsed Shigure intently. For some reason, she was staring at her with frustration.

 

The referee speaks to her, “What is it? Stand down.”

 

So she shakes her head, and raises her hand to appeal to the five referees.

 

“Um... please make this match a draw.”

 

“Eh?”

 

All the referees stare at Mito simultaneously.

 

At that, Mito prepares an explanation. She points at the thin scratch left on her own cheek, “In the end, I was injured here. And this girl is a hidden weapon practitioner. If this was actual combat...”

 

A referee interrupts her, “Do you want to say that it would have been covered in lethal poison?”

 

“Yes. I have undertaken training, so even if I have been poisoned I can move for a short while. But in the end I likely would have been stopped by this girl who cannot even get up.”

 

“So in the end you would die too.”

 

“That's right.”

 

“I see. I understand. However, we cannot go back on our decision. The winner is you.”

 

“But,”

 

“We decide the outcome. Your opinion is irrelevant. Do not complain so much. Or could it be that you feel like opposing the law the Hiiragi has set down for us?”

 

“...” Mito stops speaking.

 

“I'm sorry.” The girl then says, and steps down.

 

Guren watches that attentively, then walks over to where Shigure had collapsed and stayed motionless. He arrives next to her after some struggle, and lowers his eyes.

 

When he does, she seems to regain consciousness.

 

Her expression is that of extreme displeasure. She bites at her lower lip as a way to somehow endure it.

 

At that face, Guren speaks to her,

 

“Hahaaa, you lost.”

 

“...uh, guh, I – I'm sorry.” Her face scrunches up with dejection.

 

“A-at least, I felt that I had to win here... once again, I've caused shame to Guren-sa...” Shigure's words go soft, and she begins to shed tears.

 

Guren smiles.

 

“Was Jujo strong?”

 

“... yes. I detest myself for being so foolish.”

 

“Well, nonetheless she said it was a draw, you know.”

 

“As far as being a guardian of the Ichinose household goes, as far as being the person named Shigure... a draw holds the same meaning as losing.”

 

“Then, you're being a sore loser.”

 

“Yes...”

 

“Can you get up on your own?”

 

“Uuuh...” Looks like she can't stand just yet. The severity of Mito's fist was that significant.

 

With that, a voice calls out to them from behind their backs.

 

“Um...” The voice belonged to Mito, “Is that girl okay?” She says, apparently concerned.

 

On cue Shigure answers, “... please do not come any closer.”

 

“Well, you heard her.” Guren says, turning his head to look at Mito.

 

“But...”

 

“Right now, Shigure has asked you not to come any closer while she's miserably crying. Have some consideration for her feelings.”

 

“Ah...”

 

Mito's face turns a little chagrined at that. This girl, at heart, seemed to be a good person.

 

However,

 

“Nevertheless, I will not to speak to someone like you, who has no ability of his own.”

 

For some reason, the brunt of her anger was aimed Guren's way. She glares at him with confident eyes.

 

“Ah, is that so?”

 

“It is. After having fought with her, I have words to say to Yukimi Shigure-san, who I accept as strong...”

 

“So you're saying I'm a hindrance.”

 

“That's right.”

 

“Well, I'm fine with that. 'Kay, Shigure, I'm heading off.”

 

Shigure finally manages to rise off the ground at that, though she only manages it half-way.

 

“Ah, I... will go back with you.”

 

Even so, Mito rushes over to Shigure.

 

“Um, about just now...”

 

“If you intend to apologize for hitting me, please do not. It was that kind of match...”

 

Mito interrupts her.

 

“No, I am apologizing for what I had said before the match. I misunderstood what it meant to be an attendant of Ichinose Guren. You were strong.”

 

Shigure is left speechless. Likely, she wants to say something foolish like how her Master is actually stronger than her. The person in question turns his head to look at her over his shoulder.

 

Looking his way, Shigure's mouth flaps open and closed, before her face once again turns extremely displeased.

 

Mito remains oblivious and keeps speaking,

 

“Would you not prefer to become the attendant of the Jujo household? Your abilities will only decay if you follow this shallow Master of yours.”

 

“Wait, do not speak ill of my...”

 

“I also favour that tenacious loyalty of yours. By all means, come to the Jujo household...”

 

“Wait a moment, as I was saying...”

 

“Or for the time being, come to my estate at least once...”

 

“Um, Guren-sama!” Shigure cries out to Guren for assistance, but Guren ignores her and returns to where his classmates are.

 

When he gets there, Goshi has begun fighting. The student he faces from Class 2 is also male.

 

“Eeh~ I don't feel like doing my best against a male opponent.” Goshi says, preposterously.

 

Shinya laughs from the sidelines and retorts, “In that case, do you have an interest in hitting women?”

As one would expect, Goshi grins flippantly as he turns his head to reply, “No no, if my opponent was a cute girl I'd just give up and have my tactics focus on trying to kiss her as much as possible, yanno.”

 

Not only that, but the opponent he was facing seemed faint-hearted.

 

“... ahh... dammit... why, of all people, did my first match have to be against the Goshi household... there's no way I can win...”

 

“Well, whatever. Let's do this. I'll finish it quick. Once I get today's match over and done with, I have to go looking for some hot chicks.” Goshi states, and beckons his opponent over with a finger to provoke him.

 

At that, the opposing student draws a valuable sword from his belt. It seems that he was a person who came from a family of swordsmen. Suitably, his movements were smooth, and he had the atmosphere for it.

 

However, Goshi asks with his eyes half-closed, “Gonna come at me?”

 

The opposing student nods, “I will come at y...”

 

“Come on already.”

 

“Coming!”

 

He strikes with his sword. But the very moment he strikes, his sword disappears.

 

Goshi is now standing behind the owner of the sword. As he holds the very sword of his opponent, he slowly points it to that student's neck...

 

“Is it okay to say this is the end?” He asks.

 

The student that was his opponent, had not even taken one step.

 

“...well, he's extremely fast.” Guren mutters to himself.

 

Having said that, Shinya, who was across from him, replies. He takes a breath in order to even look Guren's way.

 

“He's not fast” He spits out.

 

“Eh?” Guren enquires, but Shinya was already no longer looking his way.

 

Nevertheless, he actually understood what Shinya wanted to say.

 

It is all due to the magic Goshi uses. Goshi hadn't actually moved fast at all. All he did was convey his magic smoothly. He had calmly stepped forward, casually stole the sword, and aimed it at the back of the student's neck.

 

But Guren deliberately did not reveal that he saw through that magic when he spoke. All in order for Shinya to read into it. All in order to make someone from the Hiiragi make light of him.

 

It's gone well for him, as Shinya's behaviour towards Guren has turned discriminatory. No longer will he look Guren's way.

 

In any case, Guren shrugs his shoulder.

 

At that moment, Shinya's name gets called out.

 

“Year 1 Class 9, Hiiragi Shinya.”

 

Shinya raises his head.

 

“Yes.” And steps forward.

 

At that, the students murmur amongst themselves.


 

“It's Hiiragi Shinya.”

“The Hiiragi household is going to fight.”

 

Additionally, there were also comments on his physical appearance and how he was cool.

 

“It's like he's an Idol.” Guren says, smiling wryly.

 

The boy that is to be Shinya's opponent steps forward, but he already seems to be shrinking and pathetically looks like he'll cry.

 

For some reason, Shinya glances Guren's way once.

 

That guy seems like he's absolutely trying to stir Guren up.

 

“...what's with that. Weren't you disappointed in me? Or is it that you want to show me the level of difference between our abilities?” Guren mutters to himself incredulously.

 

At that point, the match had already started.

 

“Shinya-sama... I will come at you.”

 

“Mm. Let's have a good match.”

 

“Yes!” The student nods happily, then takes out some magic talismans. I appears that his opponent was a charm practitioner.

 

He throws several charms into the air, spreads them out, and casts a large curse.

 

And in that time, Shinya hasn't moved. He hasn't done anything. He just watches his opponent dimly.

 

With those circumstances, the opposing student falters and speaks up.

 

“...ah, um.”

 

“Mm?”

 

“You are not going to go on the offensive?”

 

“Ahh, sorry. I forgot.”

 

“But, on my end I have completed my arts.”

 

“You have? Then try attacking.”

 

“No, but, it is a rather large craft... a normal person receiving it, would die, so...”

 

“Is that so. I look forward to it.”

 

“Um, I do not want to kill you, so I greatly apologize. If you are fine with it, um, would you considering resigning from the...”

 

Shinya interrupts him, “I told you it's fine to attack. It won't carry out its purpose if you don't.” He says, astonishingly.

 

At that, the opposing student's face goes slack. But, that was surely because the opposing student was more and more afraid of the absurdity of it all.

 

Here was a person who had only learned about Hiiragi-style magic. And right now, the opposing student's expanding magic held a large amount of power.

 

It was a spell where, normally, you would need to spend a long time developing it and pouring power into it while you were being protected by your comrades. It could cause quite a bloodbath.

 

However, the student had completed it in quite a short amount of time. Thus, he must be a respectable master of it. Therefore, having completed it, that boy's win was already settled.

 

Not only was there no human who could receive such a blow and survive, once the spell had been completed it could no longer be undone.

 

That's why he was asking for a resignation.

 

On the other hand,

 

“Um, I have no intention to kill someone from the Hiiragi household, so will you allow me to be disqualified?” The student asks of the referee.

 

Even so, the referee turns to look at Shinya.

 

“What should we do?” He asks.

 

“Didn't I say earlier that it's fine for him to attack me?” Shinya replies.

 

“But,”

 

“Or is it that, could it be. You want to doubt my ability in front of everyone?”

 

“...” The referee trembles with a start.

 

He then says to the opposing student, “Please attack.”

 

The opposing student's face appears anxious, then turns into an expression of determination.

 

“I, I don't know if you may die or not, alright!” He says, and invokes the magic.

 

The charms flicker with light up in the sky, and create a large fire. It then gets thrown towards Shinya.

 

But Shinya does not get flustered, and raises his hand.

 

“Vanish.” He says.

 

And just like that, the flames go out.

 

Everyone here had heard what he said.

 

Nobody could say exactly what had just occurred.

 

Except for the referees, everyone's faces were slack and not one could say who the winner was.

 

But, the winner was clear.

 

Shinya turns on his heel and walks this way.

 

“T-the winner is, Hiiragi Shinya!” The referee says with an incredibly loud voice.

 

In an instant, everyone surrounding Guren erupts in a cheer.

 

Returning to the midst of that cheer, Shinya says to Guren, “Well, in any case, you don't know what I did just now, right?”

 

As Guren is about to respond, Shinya leaves it at that and departs.

 

It seems that his reply isn't necessary.

 

It's true that the skill just used was incredibly amazing. But, to say that Guren did not know of it wasn't true. What Shinya had just used was also magic. In comparison to Goshi's, you couldn't even say that it was faster. It was simply that he was good at employing it differently.

 

It was a magic where, as he conversed and conversed and conversed, he placed magic within the opposing student's developing spell, which would intervene with the magic at fixed points. All to make sure the spell would fail.

 

The way Shinya fought was completely dirty. Additionally, he still had a considerable amount of room left to move. If it came to a serious fight, would Guren truly be able to kill him? He doesn't know.

 

But, for the time being,

 

“... how did you do it?” Guren tries saying. But Shinya already won't turn his head to look back at Guren.

 

It seems he was also uninterested in watching the next match, which was Guren's.

 

“Next, Ichinose Guren. Come forward.”

 

The referee calls his name. Shinya has already left, returning back to the classroom. Guren smiles thinly at that.

 

“Ichinose Guren! Hurry up and come forward!”

 

As he was called for, he turns forward.

 

“Ah, sorry.” He says, walking into the centre field.

 

From his back, Shigure calls out, “Guren-sama! Please do your best!”

 

Even though she shouts that, the other students all laugh.

 

Even the homeroom teacher Aiuchi Saia bursts out laughing.

 

“Well, it's fine for us to lose this one battle.” She says.

 

The student's of the opposing class are a lot more cruel. Saying things like, if you lose to that trash, that rat, you will be shamed forever.

 

“...”

 

But, this time Guren had no intention of losing. If only because he wanted to face Hiiragi Seishirou in the second round. Of course, he plans to lose at that point, but if he tried fighting against him in person he might gain a better understanding of the kind of power that those Hiiragi held.

 

That's why this time, he will win.

 

Nonetheless, he plans for it to be a close call.

 

The boy to be his adversary makes his exit. In his hands he holds a lance. At that, Guren draws the sword from his waist.

 

“Please treat me well.” He says, bowing his head.

 

His opponent laughs at him scornfully.

 

“Rats shouldn't talk to me. I'll kill you.”

 

“I apologize.”

 

“It's fine, let's do this. I'll smash you up.”

 

“Please be gentle...”

 

The match starts.

 

But, there is not really anything to say about this match. Guren fights with abysmal form. The other side fights defensively, and in the end frantically runs around the stadium in fear for their life. Unexpectedly, his opponent passes out from one hit.

 

“The winner is Ichinose Guren.”

 

The instant his name is called out, there is a large amount of criticism from the stadium.

 

Even his classmates talked badly about him, how he was the shame of the class.

 

“You really are weak, huh.” Goshi says with a stunned face.

 

Wha is more, Mito asks, “With only that much power, aren't you embarrassed to have Shigure-san as your subordinate? As someone who burdens his attendants, do you not think you should make a greater effort?”

 

It seems as if she was getting angry for me.

 

For her, apparently she had begun feeling that Shigure was to be an object of pity, as she was such a first-rate attendant.

 

“... yeah. Well, I always feel like I should apologize to Shigure...” Guren starts.

 

“In that case, you should release her as soon as possible. You do not have the qualifications to be followed by a girl such as herself.”

 

“...”

 

So she says, but Shigure forces her way through.

 

“Please stop that. If you say any more, I will not forgive you for insulting my Master.”

 

The other students laugh. They say he's an idiot, to be protected by a girl. They say that the head of the Ichinose House is always going to be a coward.

 

Hence, Mito glares in my direction.

 

“Are you really not ashamed of yourself?”

 

“Of course I'm ashamed. Every day I feel ashamed at my lack of power.” Guren replies. It is the truth. He always thinks that way, about how, right now, he has no power. To have no power to take down whoever and whatever, was always a shame to him.

 

“In that case, why do you not make more of an effort?” Mito asks so easily.

 

– why, does he make no effort?

 

“...I wonder.” Guren replies uselessly, turning his head.

 

Doing so, he hears a loud cheer from the match occurring adjacent to them.

 

It was exactly the same kind of cheer made when Shinya made his appearance.

 

It seems that Class 3 and Class 5's fights were taking place over there.

 

And in Class 3, was Mahiru.

 

Guren looks towards in that direction. When he does, as expected, Mahiru is entering the match.

 

Her movements are fast. Likely even faster than Shinya's. Not only that, but they are graced with splendour.

 

It looks like her opponent has the same level of power as Mito, but Mahiru is cautious and overwhelms her enemy.

 

In the last ten years where they haven't met, she had developed into a power befitting of her.

 

Was that due to her own efforts, or due to the talent which ran through the Hiiragi bloodline?

 

It was probably the talent.

 

Guren stares at Mahiru.

 

“...effort, huh.” He murmurs to himself again.

 

At that moment, Guren hears a shriek coming from a different direction. Not only that, but the shriek belonged to the voice of a girl he knows quite well.

 

“Sayuri...?”

 

He turns to look. The voice came from where Class 1 and Class 4 were fighting in their ring. As expected, even from there came a cheer. The same kind of cheer reserved for Mahiru, and Shinya, when they appeared.

 

At that same moment,

 

“Kill her! Kill her!” Was chanted.

 

“Please kill her, Seishirou-sama!”

 

“Please kill that dirty Ichinose bitch!”

 

Guren looks closer. When he does, he sees Sayuri and Seishirou are fighting. However, Sayuri already seemed to be falling apart. She had been hit, and blood streamed from a cut on her lips. She gasped for breath, shoulders shaking. Furthermore, the front of her sailor uniform had been torn off, and she tries to cover herself with her left hand.

 

“What, you want more? Do you really intend to fight me one-handed as you cover your boobs?” Seishirou says opposite her, smirking meanwhile.

 

The other students laugh at that.

 

“In that case, please strip her bare!”

 

“It's pretty brazen for cattle to wear clothes, after all!”

 

And so on, they shouted.

 

Seishirou holds his arms wide open as he takes their requests.

 

“You hear 'em. Now, in response to everyone's requests... let's take your clothes off, hmm~” He says, and takes a step forward.

 

Sayuri responds by ducking, but Seishirou is overwhelming fast. Seishirou's hand reaches for Sayuri's breasts.

 

“Ugh,” Sayuri says, trying to slap the hand away. But her hand misses Seishirou's, as he changed his fist's trajectory towards her face instead, and strikes her.

 

“Gah!”

 

Sayuri's head jerks. Through the gap in her clothes, you could see her undergarments.

 

But Seishirou doesn't stop his attacks.

 

“Cattle shouldn't show off such filthy things.” He says, then striking Sayuri in the belly.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Her body bends in a shape like the letter C. He head goes down, before being kicked up like a ball.

 

It's likely that at this point, Sayuri has already lost consciousness. The difference between Sayuri's and Seishirou's power was simply too big. He was an opponent Sayuri could do nothing against.

 

Which is why at that point, the referee should have called it to an end, but...

 

“Hey!”

 

 

Seishirou keeps kicking Sayuri's body. He's trying to make the collapsed Sayuri get up. Even though she had lost consciousness, Seishirou grins while kicking her body.

 

“Shit!” Guren groans, rushing forward.

 

He runs straight for the fighting ring.

 

“Referee! Why aren't you stopping this!” He shouts.

 

But even though the referees were meant to be their teachers, when they see Guren, they sneer.

 

The teachers were also Seishirou's comrades.

 

Seishirou also looks his way.

 

He laughs.

 

And while he clamps his hand around Sayuri's neck and squeezes, he says, “Ooh, you've finally come. Hey, what'll you do? Your attendant is going to die.”

 

“...keh.”

 

“Haha, what is with those eyes? Even though you're weak, you're going to rebel against me? Go ahead? Do it. There's no need to wait for our match tomorrow. Let's decide, here and now – out of the Hiiragi and the Ichinose, who is stronger?” He declares.

 

At that, Guren squeezes his eyes closed.

 

“... aah, shit. So it's come to this.” He says, and moves to step forward.

 

But at that moment –

 

“...wait.”

 

His arm is caught.

 

“With your power, you won't win against Seishirou. If you go, you'll be murdered.”

 

Guren turns his head.

 

When he does, he sees Mahiru. Mahiru, who had been fighting her own match just a while ago, was able to get behind Guren and grab his arm.

 

He looks her in the eye.

 

When he does, she gives him a small smile, and then turns her gaze to Seishirou.

 

“Don't tell me you intend to murder someone here?” She says.

 

“... so it's you, Mahiru. So what? Do you feel like raising a complaint against how I do things?” Seishirou says, looking down on Mahiru with cold eyes.

 

“Of course I do. What you will do affects the dignity of the Hiiragi...”

 

“You think I care about something like that?”

 

Mahiru leaps at that. As expected, her movements are not only lovely but also impeccable.

 

Her left fist is aimed for Seishirou. Seishirou tries to deflect her arm, but Mahiru uses it to instead snatch Sayuri away from Seishirou before he realizes it.

 

“Tch.” Seishirou clicks his tongue, and tries to hit Mahiru.

 

But Mahiru raises her head and stares at Seishirou.

 

“– do you really want to take this any further?” She asks.

 

And in that moment, that very moment, one knew that within that girl there radiated an urge to kill. The question was, to what extent did people realize it?

 

It was such a hard thing to realize, because it only lasted a moment.

 

Even so, it seemed Seishirou realized it. He stopped his hand.

 

Then, glaring at Mahiru with a sharp glance, “... bitch, Just because you're Father's favourite, you act so concei...”

 

“I am not. I never said that I want to be Father's favourite.”

 

“Why, you...”

 

“And now I have no desire to exchange any more words with you. Seishirou. This match is already over with, isn't it?”

 

At that, the referee turns to Mahiru, “U-um... I am deeply so...”

 

“It's fine, so please end this unsightly match already.”

 

“Y-yes...”

 

It was then the referee declared Seishirou as the winner.

 

With her arms full with the unconscious Sayuri, Mahiru returns to Guren.

 

She then speaks while holding Sayuri out to me,

 

“Here, your attendant.”

 

Guren takes Sayuri in his arms.

 

“... um, I'm sorr...” He begins, but Mahiru interrupts him.

 

“I hate getting apologies from you. Especially, from the you who is always weak and cannot protect a girl...” Having said that, Mahiru leaves.

 

The you who is always weak.

 

The words echoed time and again through Guren's mind.

 

But, he doesn't entirely understand what she meant with those words.

 

Was she talking about how he couldn't protect Sayuri, or was it – how he couldn't take Mahiru back?

 

“...”

 

He gazes at Mahiru's retreating figure.

 

As he does, a voice reaches him from his arms.

 

“...h...huh? What am I...”

 

Sayuri has opened her eyes. Her whole face was covered in bruises.

 

Even though she was a girl, she had been injured like that.

 

That said, Sayuri looks up at Guren with a happy smile.

 

“A-aah, I see... Guren-sama, you came, and saved me, didn't you?”

 

“...”

 

“U-um, I'm sorry, that I didn't win.”

 

“...”

 

“B-but you know, um, I made sure to do my best, without using any of the Ichinose magic.”

 

“...”

 

“Though, um, I lost in such an unsightly way...”

 

At that, Guren interrupts her.

 

“Don't speak any more. You'll make your injuries worse. In any case, you weren't unsightly. You did well considering you were in the middle of such a shitty environment.”

 

“B-but...”

“I said, don't talk.”

 

Sayuri goes silent.

 

Shigure approaches from behind.

 

“Guren-sama. About Sayuri, I will...”

 

“No, I'll carry her. We're going home. Our matches for today are over.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Also, you guys did well today.” Says Guren.

 

That is all he can say. He resents himself for his weakness.

 

And it's then that from behind his back that Seishirou speaks up. As expected, with his face showing that he's making a fool of us, he says: “Losers.”

 

Simultaneously, there's a loud roar of laughter. Everyone was laughing.

 

At that, Sayuri and Shigure both look pained.

 

Guren didn't care if it was directed at him, but it was painful to watch the two injured girls.

 

Which is why...

 

“...”

 

Which is why, that idiot – that conceited Hiiragi trash, is going to die, Guren thinks.

 

If he kills him, how good would he feel? If he thought of nothing else, and surrendered to his anger and gave up all his ambitions, how good would it feel?

 

He thinks about that – and then, Guren turns his head to respond.

 

“... please, don't bully us so much.” He says, with a timid voice.

 

It causes another roar of laughter.

 

The students of the Hiiragi were laughing so hard that they couldn't help it.

 

In his arms, Sayuri clung to him.

 

Guren then scowls.

 

In his head, Mahiru's words repeated themselves.

 

““I hate getting apologies from you. Especially, from the you who is always weak and cannot protect a girl...””

 

“...she's completely right.”

 

Being fed up with everything, Guren leaves the school yard and academy behind him.

 



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