Episode 40 — Want to Be One
～ Part 1 ～
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“The hydra should be ahead.”
Said Ryuzaki while advancing by parting the bushes.
Crumbled buildings were scattering here and there. Plants, including trees, were growing, breaking through floorboards and walls that seemed likely to be stone, making one felt the essential strength of life. Occasionally they caught sight of big bugs or snakes, but students who would raise a cute scream didn’t exist among these 5.
“However, Harao really came.”
Looking at Harao the Pharaoh walking silently, Nekomiya muttered.
Pharaoh, speaking of Pharaoh, it is an embalmed monster, the so-called mummy. His whole body was cladded in luxurious ornaments, his face was covered by a golden mask, in his hands was an Egyptian cross props called ankh.
Harao, from the time as humans, was a person with a lazy character and was often seen sound asleep. It was said that he even slept while walking when sightseeing the city during the school trip. Harao’s popularity wasn’t very good with the teachers due to his much too unserious attitude in the classroom, but with the reason that the grades of the person himself never dropped below a certain level and everyone of his relatives were either the town’s celebrity or big-shot in the political economic world so there were many parts that they were complicit in.
Since Harao who was like that said it himself that he would cooperate in the hydra extermination, even others beside Nekomiya would also be surprised.
“One of mine friends hadst been guided to rest in the Nile River by the law of morning and night…. Thus I, cannot afford to keep snoring in our coffin…”
Suddenly stopping and looking up at the sky, Harao’s speech and conduct was too dyed too thick a character that their understanding couldn’t keep up. Akai sighed and looked at the surroundings like being bored. The sailor uniform seemed too light equipment for walking inside the forest, but the person herself didn’t show any sign of caring about it.
“In other words, Harao is praying for Washio’s soul to rest peacefully.”
Goubayashi who was walking in the lead forcibly concluded with words that seem like an avid Buddhist.
“For me, it’s more surprising that Harao has that much fellowship feelings with our classmate.”
“Washio wast mine friend. I who wast isolated in the class wast taught the commoners’s ways of having fun by that man. Karaoke, bowling…. In order to repay his friendship, I hath paid for everything with mine money.”
“I don’t want to say this and that about the deceased, but perhaps he was just sponging off you.”
“No problem. I enjoyed it. T’s noblesse oblige.”
Although Washio was a frivolous person, but it was a completely surprising story that his connections even reached up to Harao.
“As for me, Asuka following us is more surprising though…”
Ryuzaki took a glance at Akai’s direction.
“What, is it wrong? I thought I told you. It’s to show sincerity.”
Whether she didn’t want to talk about that too much, Akai responded in a bad mood. Ryuzaki smiled bitterly.
“I don’t mean that it’s wrong or anything, but…”
“But we cannot afford to have Akai leave the branch school for too long.”
It’s as Goubayashi had said. What was required of Akai wasn’t just the role of being a combat personnel. Her presence also had the meaning of keeping in check the Blood of Red Moon’s attacks. They brought her this time since it was Akai’s wish herself, but contact personnel with fast feet was waiting on standby at the branch school just in case.
Nonetheless, this was Akai who could easily bury a Pawn even with just less than half of her power. If putting together the her strength with Ryuzaki, Goubayashi and others, it wouldn’t take so long to bring down the hydra.
∗Gasa∗, making rustling sound, the bushes shook. All present stopped their feet.
The old castle that was visible from the branch school was becoming considerably bigger. The place where they saw the hydra’s appearance should be around this area, but that sound in the bushes was too small to be from the hydra. Is it some kind of magical beast like Forest Wolf or something? This pattern is no good, there’s the possibility that it is the Pawns of the blood clan or something.
“T’s a human child.”
Pointing at the shadow in the back of the bushes, Harao said. Are you different? All those present swallowed that retort.
As the representative, Ryuzaki spoke.
“Who’s there?”
“That voice, Ryuzaki … it’s Ryuzaki after all!?”
∗Gasagasa∗, looking at the boy who showed his figure from the moving bushes, they were wide-eyed in surprised.
“It’s me, me! Everyone, it’s been a long time…!”
“Kogane…!?”
Looking at the appearance of the high elf who was smiling care-freely, Goubayashi narrowed his eyes without saying anything, Harao and Nekomiya had an appearance like they didn’t know what kind of attitude they should take. Akai crossed her arms in a place a little away and didn’t show any emotion.
The one who should have been imprisoned by the blood clan, Kogane Yoshiki. Why is he here? Ryuzaki also got confuse first before feeling relieved.
“Yo–you, why are you here…. Have you been safe up until now…?”
“Yup. Suou and others treated me well.”
Suou, that word felt familiar. It could be seen that Nekomiya’s body had stiffened. Suou the Knight. He was a member of the blood clan that had once come in contact with her, Kyousuke and Rin. Certainly, his name was «Suou Takafumi». According to Akai’s story, he was a high school student same as themselves.
“I wanted to convey the story to everyone properly. Since there’s Ryuzaki the story will be quick, Suou and his group aren’t bad guys…”
As Kogane attempted to say, he shut his mouth. His gaze turned toward one member over here.
“A–Akai…”
“Don’t worry about me.”
Akai still with her arms crossed, glared at Kogane once and said in a cold tone.
“I don’t know what Suou has inspired you with, but Kogane should say what you want to say first.”
“Eh, ummm…”
Kogane while glancing at Akai continued the story. He seemed a little awkward.
“Yeah, ummm…. Yes, Suou, is not a bad guy. They came from the same world as us, so, that is, there was just an unfortunate crossing with each others, but I think we can cooperate…”
“Do you know about Washio?”
“Washio?”
When asked with a slightly thorny tone, Kogane tilted his head.
“What happened with Washio? Speaking of which, I have to apologize to that guy too. Is he doing well?”
Ryuzaki was convinced. This guy didn’t know that Washio had died. The one who directly laid her hands on Washio was that woman Bishop Akeno but it was unlikely that it wasn’t conveyed to Suou. Suou intentionally hid it from Kogane.
“Washio is dead.”
The one who informed him of that was Akai.
“…Eh?”
“Shall I say it once more. Washio is dead. He fought with Akeno. Kogane, have you not heard?”
Kogane had yet to break his foolish smile. He probably couldn’t understood Akai’s words.
“It, it’s a lie…? Such a thing, Suou, even a single word was…”
“He was thinking that he cannot detain Kogane if he said it, isn’t he? With that condition, I guess you have also heard that I betrayed the King.”
Probably Kogane had been persuaded by that guy Suou. There would be no doubt about that. If thinking that the blood clan were trying to supplying the students of 2nd year class 4 as war potential, the plan of trying to contact through Kogane also wasn’t something difficult to imagine.
However, the fact that he wasn’t informed of Kogane’s death was unnatural. If Kogane came in contact with this side, the truth would immediately be exposed. So the act of coming in contact with this side should have been taboo if Suou were trying to hide Washio’s death from Kogane.
“Ryu–Ryuzaki … is that true…?”
Kogane asked Ryuzaki with an entreating look. Ryuzaki closed his eyes, breathed in heavily and nodded.
“It’s true. Washio is dead. We also did a funeral.”
“Such a…. Eh, but, Washio…. Eh…?”
If Suou had intentionally sent Kogane over here, then his purpose wasn’t to persuade this side.
“There is a possibility that the hydra itself was a trap to lure us out.”
Goubayashi said with his arms crossed. Startled, Kogane’s shoulders trembled. He couldn’t lie.
Assuming so, then the enemy’s purpose was to split their war potential.
“Look like we better hurry up.”
“Ahh, we should leave the hydra extermination for later.”
Ryuzaki nodded to Nekomiya’s words. The enemy’s plan was probably to attract this side main war potential by using the hydra and Kogane, during that time, Suou or Akeno, or possibly both of them would come in contact with the branch school. In that case, they had no time to waste at this place.
Goubayashi, Harao and others also silently showed their consent. Ryuzaki turned his back to Kogane.
“Ryuzaki…!”
“My bad, Kogane. We have to hurry back to the branch school. This story more properly…”
“Wa–wait…! Wait, Ryuzaki, I … I, errr, still…!”
Kogane desperately tried to detained this side while showing confusion and dismay. However, the room to listen to his story is———,
“———《Possessed Sylph》!”
At that time, Kogane gave forth words with obviously different atmosphere from until then.
“《Wind Cutter》!”
“……!!”
Blade of wind cut through the air and violently attacked from behind. Ryuzaki barely reacted in time to cover for Nekomiya who had the lowest defensive power among them. When he made sure to hold the black cat and rolled over the bushes, 『Ni~yaa~!?』, he heard a scream.
When he looked back, Kogane had an expression like he was scare of something and stretched out his right arm. His whole body was wrapped up in light green light, and parts of his body and clothes changed like wind visualized. It was an ability that he didn’t show before being kidnapped. When looking at Akai’s direction, she nodded with a displeased face. It’s Phase 2. Moreover, he probably drew a considerably powerful thing.
“So, sorry…! Sorry, Ryuzaki, but, I…! I will talk, with Suou and…!”
Simultaneously, there was breaking sound, slimy scales pushed down the trees and started surrounding Ryuzaki group.
“The hydra?”
“It was really a trap then.”
Goubayashi muttered while crossing his arms. Harao also nodded. Those guys intended to nail this side down in this place no at all costs. Kogane was confused by receiving the new information called Washio’s death. As a result, he was trying to concentrate on only the part that had been assigned to him by Suou in the beginning.
The war potential of the heavy cruiser branch school was almost empty at the moment. If they received an attack of a Knight or Bishop, they would received devastating damage. At least, they had to sent Akai back to the heavy cruiser even if it as just her alone.
“Akaiii! Is Akai’s here!!”
Just at that time, hooves sound echoed like pushing its way through the bushes.
To be continued…
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