Sorasaki Hina was fully aware of her overwhelming strength.
Naturally, it couldn’t have been any other way. Just like the saying “a hidden talent shines,” Hina, who had been more mature than her peers since childhood, understood that wielding power carelessly, like the other kids, could lead to problems.
Unlike most demons from Gehenna, she had a tendency to seek order, and thus, she passed through the information department to the Student Council, eventually rising to the position of Student Council Leader. Perhaps because of this, she formed connections with the upper echelons of the Trinity, which was completely opposite to Gehenna.
And when Hina saw Misono Mika, she instinctively sensed her strength.
Equal to her. Perhaps even stronger.
She was struck by a strong impression that it could be that way. There was also a certain desire to see which was stronger.
From then on, although it was quite similar to an event battle format, they did compete in terms of skill. Even though it ended in a draw.
After that, their feelings for each other went beyond mere friendship, and the days of pointing guns at each other were completely gone. Even the common practice of sparring became something they both avoided, as they found the act of hurting one another uncomfortable.
Instead, simple games and everyday competitions became the main focus. Once, they even found small joy in determining who could stay up later, engaging in trivial, silly contests.
Of course, there were definitely pleasures they would never speak of out loud.
Anyway, Hina was one of the people who understood just how strong Mika was in Kivotos. Because of this, she had no real worries about her in this operation.
After all, the last time Mika got hurt was while protecting another kid. Understanding that it was just her inherent nature, Hina moved past it, but seeing Mika in pain tore at her heart.
Still, she comforted herself with the thought that her conscience wouldn’t allow it to happen again so soon and focused all her attention on the battle before her.
The forces from Saint Nephthys were swept away like autumn leaves before the overwhelming firepower from her, Abydos, and Shalle.
From the beginning, it was a game where the opponent stood no chance. Even without Hina, the group was composed of enough students who could match the Student Council of Gehenna or the Justice Realization Department of Trinity.
Moreover, the operation was already shaping up halfway through, with the support troops being consolidated and a focus on hunting down Vina. Everyone was pouring over a hundred percent of their strength to support the group, leading to the inevitable collapse of Saint Nephthys’s army.
Just as Hina finished subduing an individual presumed to be the commander of the enemy, Ayane’s urgent voice came through the communication.
[Mika, get away! Something big is——]
KWAAMMM——!!!
A gigantic explosion occurred that left one questioning what the heck was happening. It was only when Vina started screeching and thrashing about that everyone snapped back to reality.
[Mika! Are you okay…?!]
[Mika-chan…?!]
[Senpai!]
Everyone called out to Mika over the comms, waiting for a response, but none came.
Amidst this chaos, Vina’s thrashing suddenly ceased. She lay sprawled on the ground, looking almost completely combat ineffective.
And Hina’s gaze fell to Mika, who was limply caught against the battered side of a tank.
“Mika!!!!!”
Hina’s eyes shook violently.
The person she evaluated as her equal in strength… who, when considering everything, she even regarded as stronger than herself, was now collapsed in such a wrecked state over there.
Only the brilliant halo above her head, scattering a radiant light, indicated Mika was still alive.
[Right now, get Mika to a safe place——]
“…No, Teacher. What we should be doing right now is not that.”
Hina’s eyes grew cold, as if she had harnessed the depths of winter itself. At the end of her gaze lay Vina, who was in a groggy state.
“Mika is strong, Teacher. And this is… also an opportunity created by Mika. It’s best to concentrate our fire and definitely take down Vina first.”
[…Wait, Student Council-chan. No matter what, Mika is your—]
Hina reloaded the ammo belt of her machine gun with rougher movements than usual. As the muzzle pointed at Vina, her wings spread wide. For a brief moment, she directed her purple glare toward the teacher who was giving orders from the back.
“I know her better than anyone because she’s my lover, Hoshino. I’m terrified of the idea of Mika knowing that I failed to draw the line and thus allowed Vina to escape.”
PING——! TUDUDUDUDU!!!
“It’s not your fault. It’s just that she should’ve done better. What terrifies me the most is making that hard-working person feel compelled to say such things.”
A hail of bullets poured out from Hina, mercilessly ravaging the defenseless Vina. Seeing Hina attack Vina without any orders, the teacher resolutely nodded.
[…It’s an opportunity created by Mika. From now on, everyone, concentrate all firepower on Vina. If we miss this chance, we will fail the hunt. I will go check on Mika’s condition.]
With the heartfelt declaration from Hina and the teacher’s direction, Hoshino, who harbored the strongest resistance, suppressed it. Finally, setting aside her shield, she loaded her gun.
‘It’s too late to regret after losing, Sorasaki Hina.’
She barely swallowed the sharp response she nearly directed at Hina and approached Vina, pulling the trigger.
Sorasaki Hina had prioritized her actions based on Mika’s intentions…
But the past Takamachi Hoshino had not even cared about Yume’s feelings.
Because that difference existed, Hoshino couldn’t dare voice such thoughts. The regret experienced in the worst-case scenario might turn out to be the same… but unlike Hina, who was scattering bright light comparable to Mika’s halo, she had revealed her own shortcomings in the process.
It may have been an explosion powerful enough to halt even a massive machine, but she chose to believe that Mika could withstand it somehow.
Hina’s coldness and the teacher’s orders stirred the students’ hearts. Even Mohe, who typically couldn’t contain her self-destructive desires, said nothing about the explosion from moments prior. She wasn’t truly someone who wished for the destruction of others.
Saki and Miyako, too, though temporarily, had fought alongside the seniors of FOX Squad and now believed in the person Wakamo considered a benefactor, transformed from being a troublemaker known across Kivotos to the strongest force of SRT.
Feeling overshadowed by the drooping wolf ears, Shiroko likewise silently aimed her gun at Vina. Seeing someone who had gotten hurt for her sake, hurt again, didn’t sit well with her.
Even Serika, who had not been particularly close to Mika, and Nonomi, who enjoyed chatting with her, and even Miyu, who had regained consciousness, all focused their firepower on Vina.
As if Vina were intermittently feeling pain, she emitted strange mechanical sounds. Lost in thought and reloading yet again, Hina noticed Vina’s halo gradually fading away.
And from outside everyone’s gaze, an individual observing quietly seemed to clap softly in admiration.
“Eventually… even the Decagramaton’s prophet meets their end before you, Heavenly Mikael. The new divine grace is perhaps incomparable to the bonds and connections you’ve built, and the mysteries you share with those kids? I look forward to what lies ahead.”
As if hearing someone’s conversation, the figure in a black suit suddenly chuckled lowly.
“Heh heh heh. How intriguing. Truly fascinating. An adult from outside Kivotos, an absolute entity to the students of the Academy City, the teacher…”
Finally glancing at Vina, who had lost the light of her halo and ceased functioning, the figure turned their gaze elsewhere.
There, leaning against the tank in a serious state was Mika, with the teacher examining her beside her.
Seeing the teacher let out a sigh of relief upon confirming that Mika was still breathing, the figure in black held a deep smile.
“The fact that your text aligns in part with Heavenly Mikael, what does that imply? What kind of connection exists between the two of you? Ah… heh, heh heh. There may never be another day so joyful.”
As soon as it was confirmed that they had succeeded in subduing Vina, the sight of the children rushing to Mika in a frenzy, and the teacher struggling to calm them down, made the figure in black decide it was time to depart.
“Saint Nephthys has staked everything. And given that Shalle and Heavenly Mikael came all the way here, it seems the key to resolving the situation in Abydos lies within those ruins… However, since our collaboration was rejected, I think I need to ponder how to handle Abydos’s affairs a bit more.”
Losing a prophet of the Decagramaton that might have been placed under the control of Gematria was a regretful matter, but the current process was essentially research for them. Ultimately, it was an event that hadn’t significantly harmed Gematria.
The figure in black chose to discreetly exit from the victorious night decorated by the students and teacher without any lingering attachment.
