Determining just how strong Wakamo is isn’t exactly an easy task.
Originally, Wakamo, when unexpectedly facing off against a foe like the Valkyrie’s Safety Bureau’s Nakatsukasa Kirino, could get subdued by a blind shot and even cry about getting hit by a few bullets from Shiroko, becoming a level of weak that barely qualifies as a moeb character within the story.
But there’s no teacher here. So, it’s safe to say that Wakamo will never display such pitiful behavior—no matter what happens.
To discuss this definitively, we must accurately assess her strength when she clashed with Hoshino during the Abydos Resort event. First, it’s necessary to gauge how strong Hoshino really is, and then factor in how much influence the teacher’s guidance has, while also considering that hovercraft…
Well, with a little effort in estimating high points, Wakamo could potentially rank just below the top-tier fighters among the five elite in Kivotos.
When one of Wakamo’s bullets hit my forehead, I could roughly gauge her power from the impact.
For sure, she’s below Neru or Hina. Even considering the power of a bolt-action rifle, I concluded she’s weaker than those two.
But seeing her fire that bolt-action rifle one-handed shows she’s not your average strong either…
At the very least, in Kivotos, she’s definitely not a wimp who would lose to someone who’s truly formidable.
Thud!!!
Wakamo, desperately running away, fires off bullets sporadically, but they hardly touch me. Even if they occasionally graze or hit my torso, they barely hinder my movements.
What’s important is that as the shooting continues, the distance between Wakamo and me, which was already gradually decreasing, gets even shorter.
“Hey, fox girl, what are you doing~?”
“Wh-what…?! What’s wrong with your body?! Tanks aren’t even that sturdy!”
“Wow—Wakamo-chan doesn’t hold back with rude comments, huh? Shooting me while pretending to be polite? You might want to learn a little about manners. Right, so you don’t look bad in front of your beloved later on.”
“Beloved? What do you—”
BOOM!!!
“Ahhh!”
“Well, if you want that, you’d better not get caught by me here today.”
“Miss Fox, let’s… negotiate…!”
“Ahaha, why would I?”
Seeing the wall dented, Wakamo urgently yells, but negotiations can happen after I catch and scold her first. I have zero reason to agree to her.
Smack!!!
I casually brush off my slightly numbed fists and continue my chase.
By the way, when she keeps calling me ‘Miss Fox,’ does she seriously think I’m a real fox beastfolk just because of this headband? When did my wings, hanging on my back, stop being decoration?
We dash past well-equipped facilities typical of an academy—libraries, gyms, classrooms.
My speed is faster, but her agile movements make it hard to catch her.
In the process, I notice something alarming: there’s not a single spot that hasn’t been rigged with bombs. If all those are plastic explosives, it’s quite terrifying.
“Persistent, but isn’t there a limit? Obsessive women aren’t cute…!”
“…What?”
Wakamo throws out a shocking statement that makes me unintentionally ask back.
What the heck? Is my ear malfunctioning or something?
As that thought swirls in my head, a sinister aura rises around Wakamo. It creates an illusion as if cherry blossom petals are fluttering, and she aims her gun at me.
“Please, just stop chasing me!”
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!
What follows is an unreasonably incomprehensible five-round burst.
I noted earlier when she forgot to pull the bolt that her gun hadn’t been modified. So, it’s definitely the influence of the Shinpi.
Suddenly, I think of the body bunker I left on deck. We’re in a narrow straight corridor, so there’s no corner to dodge. In that fleeting moment between gunshots, I realize that the Shinpi around her hasn’t disappeared and that the attack is still ongoing.
So, I ran. I thought I could endure the five rounds with my body, raising both arms to shield my face as I charged forward. That moment of hesitation from Wakamo, surprised by my choice, led her to pull the trigger again.
BANG!!!
The bullets hammered against my arms, and one hit squarely at my solar plexus, making me gasp for breath. But I endure and time my dive towards the ground.
Thankful that I wasn’t wearing my usual shoes but borrowed combat boots, I thankfully wouldn’t buckle under the pressure, watching a red bullet that looked like it would make me think, ‘Oh, this isn’t good…’ fly over me.
After smoothly sliding across the ground, I switch my gaze to Wakamo and lift my weapon. And in that instant, her gun still aimed at me catches my attention.
“Ufu…fu…”
Wakamo’s giggle made my eyes widen. Though I couldn’t see through her mask, I was certain a bright smile was forming on her lips.
Instinctively pulling my Shinpi to its maximum, just as Wakamo pulls the trigger once more, she moves her fingers.
Amid the blood-red light, a starry sky blended in.
As the following explosion pushes me back, I anxiously think if this will trigger any of the bombs from moments ago. Wakamo’s third barrage unexpectedly forced me to use Shinpi that I had planned to hold back on.
Just thinking about it, that was seven shots. She fired seven rounds without reloading from a bolt-action rifle. Of course, I didn’t think the power of five of those shots was that strong.
However, the last shot—was enough for me to instinctively feel a threat. That showed Wakamo was genuinely serious about her assault.
“…Ugh.”
As smoke clears, Wakamo appears leaning against her gun, having lost her mask. Given how much she had exerted herself, not to mention she was close enough to feel the explosion’s impact, she must have taken a considerable hit.
On my side, with plenty of Shinpi still left and my body being inherently strong, I was in a better condition than Wakamo. I raised my weapon again without hesitating and aimed it at her.
“You know, if you grab that, I really won’t show you mercy. Do you really plan to continue this?”
Seeing her hand moving towards her sword, I snorted. She flinched, and after a moment’s hesitation, her hand dropped. With her mask off, her frustration was clearly etched on her face.
“Okay, okay, good girl. Didn’t you already know there’s no chance you’d win? There are five of us, and besides, there’s nowhere to run, so you should’ve realized you were going to get caught, right?”
“…I’m irritated.”
“Huh?”
“I’m furious. Yes, the kind of frustration that feels like it could burst. I never thought I could win from the first time we met… Having to admit defeat feels infuriating…!”
“Isn’t that a bit incompatible with someone who just half-heartedly begged to negotiate earlier…?”
“I wasn’t begging! More importantly, you’re not really a fox, are you?!”
When I brought my hand up to my head, I felt that the headband was absent. It seemed to have been knocked off in the explosion.
But that’s beside the point.
“By the way, Wakamo-chan, can you not see the wings on my back?”
“…Uh, whoops?”
“You really are something else, in multiple ways…”
A sigh escaped me. I had gotten so used to not recognizing people because of the Halo; I hardly thought she would misinterpret me for a real fox beastfolk with my clearly visible wings.
“Why on earth are you wearing such a headband…?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Because it’s embarrassing. Please don’t.”
Looking back, I still couldn’t comprehend what mindset led me to wear that in front of Yukino.
“Anyway, you said something about negotiating?”
“…Sure.”
“Alright, let’s negotiate.”
As I leisurely approached Wakamo, I casually declared when I reached her front.
“But first, take a few hits.”
You’re getting seven flicks, just so you know.
*
After enduring a hellish seven consecutive flicks that Seiya would have freaked out over, Wakamo clutched her forehead while whimpering.
“This, this is excessively cruel…”
“For an academy ship hijacking, a missile terror attack, and trying to sink an academy ship, what do you have to say?”
“I’ll admit to the first two charges. But the last one is not true…! Originally, I just set it up to look plausible! The actual power is laughably weaker than a grenade.”
“…Heueng. Is that so? Then just a bit more.”
“No?! Not okay! Please don’t! Why are you coming this way…?!”
Those bombs caused us so much stress; why should I not retaliate? Even if they were real explosives, I would definitely strike first and ask questions later.
The very fact that it was such an effective tactic makes it more despicable. It is essential to apologize to Yukino, who must have struggled intensely with the mental pressure given the lives at stake.
“Anyway, give me your wrist and your gun. I need to hold onto you tight until my kids get here.”
“Uh, the gun…!”
“Listen, Wakamo-chan. Who lets prisoners keep their weapons? Don’t be ridiculous. Hand it over.”
“Hyung.”
Anyway, does this mean the incident is about wrapped up? Successfully intercepted the missile bombardment, captured Wakamo, and as it turns out, the bombs were ultimately mostly fake…
Zzztt——
[FOX 5, can you explain what that explosion from earlier was?]
“Ahaha, maybe just a regular grenade or something?”
After glancing at Wakamo when I heard Yukino’s question, I answered nonchalantly.
“Oh, by the way, I subdued the Reikubyō no Yū. And after asking around, it turns out the bombs were mostly just a façade with actual power being less than what they appeared to be.”
[…Wait, what do you mean by that? FOX 4 couldn’t have just determined they were plastic bombs based on their looks, could they?]
[Ah, right. At least the ones I checked were undoubtedly C4!]
“That can’t be…?!”
With her eyes widened in disbelief, Wakamo muttered as Autogi continued.
[The electric detonators and everything were absolutely genuine. If you pressed the trigger, it would have blown this academy ship straight to the bottom of the sea.]
“I was… deceived by those cans… no less than I!?”
Knowing that Wakamo was tricked, I quickly gestured for her to follow and bolted.
If she, of all people, was fooled, it might just mean that she has no control over those trigger devices.
“…This is FOX 5. We need to get to the upper deck. Right now.”
Only then did I finally grasp just how wise Yukino’s earlier decision to consider civilian evacuation was.
