(Hirose Sachiko’s POV)

  “Alright, let’s hope things end as soon as possible…”

  Hopping out of the taxi, I tiredly sighed. The driver then also steps out and helps me take out my suitcase. After that, I say goodbye to him as he’s driving off.

  It’s been ten days since I started the investigation.

  I’ve been able to gather quite a lot of information thanks to some old connections and newer ones to, although the newer ones didn’t seem to enjoy it at all.

  That also expins why I’ve been tailed ever since, notably [Soup Kitchen] and [Knights of Tomorrow]. I’ve been able to go under their radars, but soon enough, they’ll catch up to me.

  “OK, they don’t seem to follow me here.”

  Right now, I’m still in America. More specifically, I’m standing in front of ARORA Resort & Casino, located in Las Vegas. As I’m slowly walking towards it, I scan around the area, making sure that I’m not being followed.

  I’ve been told that the man is currently staying here, so paying him a visit won’t hurt anybody.

  “Excuse me, I’d like to book a room please.”

  Standing in front of the reception desk, I asked the receptionist. Quickly enough, she lets me know which room is currently empty and which isn’t. After picking one most suitable for me, she asks for my I.D, to which I reach out to my purse and give it to her.

  “Ms. Nonomi I see…so what makes you come all the way here to Vegas? I assume you aren’t here for our world famous slot machines are you?” she asked jokingly.

  “Ah no, I have some…business here with someone. I will still check out those machines out if I have the time though.” I responded.

  Hearing that, the receptionist cracks up a bit. After that, she hands me back the fake I.D. She then gets me my room key and puts it on the desk.

  “Here’s the key Miss. The elevator is on the right.” The woman said. “If you need anything, please give us a call. We’ll assure that you’ll get the top quality services anytime of the day.”

  “Ah thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Our pleasure Miss. Please enjoy your stay here. It’ll be our honor to serve you.”

  I grab my key and leave, not forgetting to wave at her as well. She seems nice, which is why I did not want to lie to her at all.

  However, that man…If it was for that man, I’ll pay any price.

  Two weeks has passed since I helped Nahoka-senpai.

  Since then, things went on as normal. I would continue to do my job as a member of the Student Council, and whenever I had some free time in my hand, I would train and hang out with my friends.

  As for [Rising Phoenix], surprisingly, there still hasn’t been any new update from sensei. She told me there had been a few investigations, and none of which had led her to something useful.

  “Boom!”

  “Woah that was loud…”

  Contrary to a few weeks ago, tely, it’s been raining quite heavily.

  The sound of thunder roaring, raindrops cttering on the windows, the way the trees keep waving aggressively…it’s the exact opposite mood to those sunny days by the beach.

  Luckily, since there’s isn’t any work for me at the academy, I can enjoy my days at home. I don’t need to bring any bento boxes, as I can just cook and eat my lunch right at home.

  “You know Master, maybe they should have just let us do the job in the first pce. Trust me, even their secret’s dirtiest secrets would be exposed.”

  As I’m checking the oven, Tiamat starts a small conversation. What she said has been discussed a few times by now, and so far, it all goes one way.

  “But wouldn’t it be too easy?” I jokingly responded. “Besides, I don’t think the world is ready for the war they don’t want to engage. Not to mention, I’m sure there’re better ways to do this than whatever you have in mind, right?”

  “Haha, yeah you’re right Master…I guess I should find a more gentle way to take them down. Any suggestions?”

  “I’m thinking about taking on all seven of them plus their leader at the same time. Better yet, let’s do it right at the enemy’s main base. If they can learn how to fear us, I’m sure they’ll learn to kneel before us.” Athena responded jokingly.

  “Oh my, you’ve read my mind. It can’t be help isn’t it? Perhaps we should test that theory right away shall we?”

  Immediately, a freezing chill sends through my spine. I can’t take my eyes off the pot, yet I can already see and smell the bad intentions just floating around the diner room. Combine that with the wiggling of the two goddesses and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster and mass destruction.

  I have to do something about that.

  “H…Hey, how about we undo the brainwash? We know that only the [Chaotic Seven] and the leader isn’t affected by that, so if they get the “Kira treatment”, that’ll shatter their spirits even more, don’t you think?”

  The two girls then all shout “Ohh!!!” in unison.

  “Oh yeah, now that you mentioned it…We did undo the hypnosis on those we captured back in the mega center. Huh, I think I have a few ideas…”

  “Well, as long as I get to fight, I’m in.” Athena once again joked.

  I’m pretty sure they already knew about that, so either they’re teasing me, or they just forgot about that. Regardless, I ignore them for a short while so I can focus on the food more, which will be served in no time.

  “Oof, hot hot…Be careful now Yasutaira, don’t burn your hands, don’t burn your hands…”

  I open the oven and try my best to get the tray out without harming myself. For some reason, Athena is craving sagna today, which is why I’m making it.

  I was going to make something else for lunch, probably a bento box for the three of us, but they insisted on spicing things up, and well, I guess they were right.

  “Alright, better pte it while it’s still hot…Let’s just hope Sukeno-san’s recipe can satisfy them…”

  Putting the tray on the kitchen surface, I meticulously portion out the sagna into three even-sized ptes. We’re not eating it whole in one go of course, as we’ve agreed to save some for dinner as well.

  “Huh, my phone is ringing? I wonder who’s calling me…”

  All of sudden, I start hearing the ringtone from my phone. I quickly wash my hand and ask Tiamat to finish up the pting for me. I then grab the phone and notice that it’s Kariuda-san who’s calling me.

  “Hello, this is Yasutaira speaking.”

  “Ah Yasutaira-kun, sorry to interrupt you at such time, but we have a mission for you.”

  “Is it urgent?” I asked. “I know it may sound irresponsible, but I’m about to have lunch. I don’t want to operate my first mission with an empty stomach you know?”

  “Ah well, wait for second, let me just ask real quick…”

  I then hear a conversation happening in the background. There’re familiar voices and one I’ve just heard for the first time. I can’t exactly know what they’re saying, so I keep waiting until Kariuda-san responds.

  “Alright I’m back. Sensei told me she would allow you to eat, but you’d better make it quick. I can’t emphasize just how important this is with just words, so hurry up will you?”

  “Yeah, got it!” I said.

  “Oh and by the way, bring Takenada-chan with you as well. We’re going to need as much help as we need.”

  “Mitsuko-chan too you said? Well OK, I think I can do that.”

  “Great! See you at sensei’s office!”

  Immediately after that, she hangs up. Tiamat asked me what was that all about, so I tell her and Athena.

  “Huh, I wonder what makes them so rush…well at least we have the permission to enjoy this sagna, so let’s just do that first shall we?” Tiamat said.

  We then quickly pte it up and eat. As I take the first bite, a fvor bomb just explodes inside my mouth. I’ve already tasted the dish throughout the making process, but every single time, I’m just surprised by how good it is.

  Luckily, I’m not the only one thinking that way.

  “Ah, I’m gd you two like it. I put all my effort into that you know.”

  “Like it? Master, I love it! How did human manage to come up with this? It’s delicious!” Athena excimed.

  “Yeah Master, different cuisine yet the same result. Just how the hell is this even possible?” Tiamat continued.

  Despite our time being limited, both goddesses still find themselves praising and appreciating the dish, which as a former chef, is an honor to me. However, like I just mentioned, we don’t have all day.

  “Phew! I’m full! How about you girls?” I asked.

  “Ahh, this is so good! I want to eat more, but my stomach…it’s betraying me!” Tiamat said satisfactorily.

  “Me too! I really just want to sit here and eat the entire tray! I don’t want to leave!”

  “Well hate to break it to you Athena, we unfortunately have to. Now can you please get up and help me?”

  “Got it Master.”

  We then wash all the dishes while Tiamat clears the table and deals with the leftovers. Finish up our work; I quickly head upstairs to gear up. I also call Mitsuko-chan and tell her about the mission as well.

  “Eh, really? Just wait for a minute, I’m changing right now!”

  She hangs up on me right after that. With little time left on the clock, I look at myself in the mirror for one st time before grabbing my sword.

  “Huh, I wonder what that mission might be…She did sound a bit…off…”

  During our call, I noticed just how worried Kariuda-san’s voice was. She also seemed a bit rushed as well, even though eventually, she gave us some more time to prepare.

  I have a bad feeling about this “mission” I’m about to receive, but regardless, I’ll just have to do my best and see if it pays off.

  “Alright, let’s do this!”

  Sheathing my sword, I hurriedly head downstairs where Tiamat and Athena are waiting for me with an already opened portal. With a smile on our faces, we walk through it, ready for the challenge ahead of us.

  “*knock knock* Sensei, can we come in?”

  “Yes Yasutaira-kun, come in!”

  Having the approval, I slowly open the door.

  As I’m heading in alongside Mitsuko-chan, sensei and the entire [Student Council] appears in front of us. They all show their seriousness to varying degrees, but they seem to chill out a little bit once we arrive.

  “Sorry everyone, I didn’t expect to be called, so I was running a bit te. Hope you guys don’t mind that.”

  Hearing that, Takabeya-senpai quietly welcomes us with a waving while Miwako-senpai gives Mitsuko-chan a warm hug as she’s running towards her. I quickly wave him back in response and immediately after that, I walk to sensei, who’s eager to see me.

  “Oh that’s OK, I was expecting that too.” sensei responded. “Honestly, you’re earlier than I anticipated; in that case…let’s just get right into business shall we?”

  Sensei then gets up. She then takes out her phone and starts typing something. While waiting, I shift my focus on another individual inside the office who’s been quietly observe everything.

  “Uhm excuse me, you must be?”

  “Ah I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Mark Harrison, but you can call me Mark.” The man answered, slowly raising his left arms.

  Replying his hospitality, I firmly shake his hand. Just from the name and appearance alone, I can tell that he’s not from around here. There’s also a bandage on his face too, and now that I notice it, he does look a bit…rough.

  “Huh, his Japanese…it’s quite good. Just what is this guy anyways?” I thought to myself.

  With those thick beard and lumberjack hairstyle hiding behind a beanie, my first thought is that he’s American, but I could be wrong. In addition, those all-bck shirt and leather jacket pairing with jeans and leather boots really reminds me of those models I saw on the internet.

  I don’t know if I can rock that style, but I might try it out one day.

  “I’ve heard Chiyoe here mentioning you a few times before kid, and I have to say…I’m quite impressed. We could use someone like you someday you know?”

  “Eh, really? Thanks for the offer, I guess.” I replied, faintly blushed. “But I think I’m just going to stay in my ne. I don’t think the world is ready for what they’re about to witness.”

  “Oh ho, feeling cocky aren’t you? Don’t let that cloud your judgement kid, it’s going to come back and bite you.” Mark-san calmly said.

  “Ahaha, I’ll keep that in mind…”

  Honestly, I didn’t expect my name to go that far that soon. I know I’ve done things that definitely make several sides want to keep an eye on, but isn’t it just a bit too fast?

  “So Mark-san, what makes you came all the way here to Japan? Especially when the weather isn’t really welcomed you that much?”

  From behind, Mitsuko-chan suddenly came forward and asked. Just like me, she’s quite curious about this middle-aged man as well. I was going to do it, but she beats me to it, which doesn’t bother me at all.

  “Ah you see…it’s quite complicated. Don’t ask me to simplify it though, because frankly, I don’t need to. I already have someone I can trust to do that for me.”

  He then points his finger to Kiriwatari-sensei, who has finally done preparing. We then all turn our head to her, waiting for the expnation Mark-san here promised.

  “Thanks for the assist, Mark.” sensei jokingly said. “Well anyways Yasutaira-kun, this is the “mission” I was talking about.”

  She then opens up a hologram from her phone. A profile and multiple images appear, depicting an old man in his sixties or seventies I presume. On the portrait, I notice an “X” scar on his right cheek and another vertical one on his left eye as well.

  “This man here is Hirose Toshikata, an infamous mercenary. Known for his ruthless yet effective method of doing his job, that man is the one responsible for multiple deaths all across the world.”

  As sensei is expining, I take a quick look around and realize that only Mitsuko-chan and I are the only one who’s new to this. The rest are all aware all this, thus they’re showing their cautious and concern.

  Little did I know, that was the sign telling me there’s more beneath the surface.

  “He earned the nickname [Soulless Demon] from all the crimes he had committed, and because of that, he was sentenced for life and served inside the Alcatraz Reborn prison. Well, I think you know why I used past tense for that st part…”

  The holograms then switch to multiple CCTV videos. It seems like they’re all footage capturing from the Alcatraz Reborn, and in there, the old man everyone is wary about is tearing apart the prison.

  Normally when you think of a prison break, you think of strategy, sneaky and calcuted pns, but this…this is just a massacre. That man one day just decided to get out and destroyed the sally port with his bare hand. The guards all tried to stop him, but they all failed and died miserably.

  The hopeless screams and desperate attempts should have scared us away, but Mitsuko-chan and I still decide to step closer to have a better look, and we all notice a few important keys here.

  “As you can see kid, this is two weeks ago. In just one night, half of the guards were taken down. I don’t mean to gze him or anything, mainly because I know damn well somebody is going to accuse me that, but ever since being established, this had never happened before. That man…he’s a beast…he’ll tear this world apart if we don’t do something quick.” Mark-san worriedly said.

  I take a big gulp just from hearing that. Right beside me, Mitsuko-chan also covers her mouth with both hands.

  During that time, Mark-san also told us that since his escape, [Soulless Demon] has gone quieted, which scares everyone even more than him showing up causing troubles.

  “Not just the United States kid, the Interpol has also stepped in as well. They’re doing everything in their power to find this man and the best case scenario, kill him before it’s too te. Unfortunately, we ran into a little trouble…”

  Following that, all the holograms shrink down and once again, being repced by others. Only this time, what sensei is showing shocks us to the core.

  “Huh, no way…why is she here…”

  “Yasutaira-kun, I don’t like the feeling of this…”

  In front of us are profile and images of Hirose Sachiko, our homeroom teacher. In there, the profile said that her father is none other than Hirose Toshikata, the man wanted by the entire world.

  “Yes, it’s true. Hirose-sensei is the daughter of [Soulless Demon]. She kept that fact as a secret never to be revealed to anyone, and it’s for a good reason…”

  Kiriwatari-sensei then briefly tells us about her past.

  Essentially, Toshikata-san here was born into an assassin cn with rich history. Unfortunately, since his generation was the st, and due to the dubbed [Grand Massacre] happened around te 1960s, that cn was destroyed alongside their secret techniques as well.

  “Lucky for them, even though it’s not for us, Mr. Toshikata is the sole survivor of that cn, meaning every knowledge about the cn lies inside him and memory. That is until Ms. Sachiko here was born…” Mark-san continued.

  With two of them being the st remaining members, it’s no surprise that Toshikata-san would want to pass down everything he’d learnt to her just for “protection”, and at first, sensei seemed to enjoy those lessons at lot.

  “Unfortunately, things took a dark turn. Hirose-sensei’s mother was tragically killed by her own husband, and to make matter worse, it was on their 20th anniversary.”

  Immediately, Mitsuko-chan takes a few steps back in disbelief. She isn’t completely melted down by it, but regardless, she was more than just shocked to hear that, and so did I.

  “I can’t go into details, mainly because I made a promise with her, but just know that they had a brutal fight that same night, results in her hatred towards her very own father. Trust me, she even threw a party and invited me to it right after the news of Toshikata-san being sentenced to life broke out.”

  I might need more time to digest this.

  The Hirose-sensei I know is joyful, harmonious and easy to get along with, not some vengeful, heartbroken woman who wished ill on her own father.

  I understand everyone has a darker side to them, but this…it’s definitely a harder pill to swallow.

  “And now, here’s the complicated part.”

  The holograms change again, this time to footage of a bar in America I believe. It was just two days after the aforementioned escape, and in there…everyone was tearing apart in a one-sided fight.

  “Hirose-sensei asked for short vacation a few weeks ago, and I approve. She was supposed to come back the same day Toshikata-san escaped, and I think the problem started from there…”

  In those CCTV videos, I can clearly see sensei keep shouting at those poor customers, asking them to spit out the information she needed. When they refused, she just took them down one by one until eventually; only Mark-san was the only one still being conscious.

  Once again, Mitsuko-chan is shocked to see this. Fortunately, she manages to calm down and keep her composure.

  “Wait so, to sum things up…Somehow, Hirose-sensei had heard about the prison break while on her trip to America, and she decided to take matters into her own hands?” she asked.

  “Yeah kid, I’m afraid so. I had no choice but to give her what she wanted. Although it was against our rules, I was lucky enough to be pardoned due to the circumstance.”

  “Uhm…“They”?” I asked.

  “Ah yeah I forgot to tell you kid…I’m a member of the [Kitchen Soup], an international independent organization born to provide service to everyone and anyone. Think of us as [The Continental], but not limited to just assassins.”

  “Huh, I see…” I responded.

  “You’re not that shocked at all huh…You really have great eyes when it comes to picking talents Chiyoe-kun.”

  “And don’t you think you should get back to the topic before things goes into the wrong direction?” sensei asked jokingly.

  “Oh yeah you’re right…I guess I’ll come back to that ter.” Mark-san replied. “*Ouch* my shoulder is still hurt from that beat-up. She did not know how to hold back at all…Anyways yeah, since then, we’ve tried our best to locate her. Even Chiyoe-chan here had to intervene as well.”

  “Yeah, and you know what the worst part is Yasutaira-kun?” sensei continued. “It’s a bit harder than I expected. She really covers her tracks really well. I even had to pull some tricks I haven’t used in ages.”

  The more I hear about it, the more I understand sensei and what she’s been through.

  We both lost our parents, and while I have someone and something to fight for, she didn’t. All she had was nothing but hatred and disgust for the man she used to love and trust.

  The betrayal…it’s too much for her to let go.

  “So Yasutaira-kun, your mission isn’t just to take down Hirose Toshikata, but to also stop your own homeroom teacher from doing anything too far gone. I know it’s too much to ask a teenager, but can you pull it off?”

  Hearing that, I stay silent for a solid few minutes.

  This type of situation…It’s not something you can just give out the decision right away. I feel somewhat…undecided.

  “Master, I don’t think there’s any thought process to be made here.”

  “Huh?”

  As my head is filled with thoughts, Tiamat contacts me telepathically. Her voice…somehow it calms me down a lot, and my mind is a bit clearer than before.

  “She’s your teacher, so I understand the uncertainty. Her job is to guide her student on the right path, and right now, she’s stepping on the wrong one. It only makes sense that it’s up to you to drag her out of it, isn’t that right?” she said.

  Oh yeah, how can I forget that?

  It’s been cleared right from the get go, yet I let the weaker side get the best of me. Sensei is lost in vengeance and bloodbath, so as her student, I need to save her from it.

  “Exactly, Master. You fight not because of your resentment or rage, but for the brighter future you know you’ll have if you keep yourself out of the cycle of hatred. Your lovely sensei has unfortunately come back to that road, so now; what will you do?” Athena said this time.

  Hearing both of them encourage me, I feel relief more than ever.

  No matter where I am physically and mentally, they’re always there, helping me work through everything. Their presences are my reminder that I’m going in the right direction, and that path is still way ahead of me.

  “Sensei, I’ll do it.”

  With a clear mind and sheer determination, I made my decision. Immediately, I’m met with a proud smile from sensei and the entire Student Council. Right beside me, Mitsuko-chan is also happy as well, as she holding my hand and nod with joy in her eyes.

  “Alright Yasutaira-kun, then it’s settled. You and Takenada-chan will be in charge of stopping the Hirose family from causing any major damage. Mark-san and I will be your backstage assistants. I’ll send you the details right away. All you have to do is confirm it on your ID and you’re good to go.”

  I nod my head, solidifying my decision even further more. Sensei then turns off the hologram and types something on her phone, probably what she promised to send me.

  “Don’t be so nervous on your first mission Yasutaira-kun. If you need anything, just give me a call. I know you two can pull it off, so just rex and do what you do best, got it?”

  “Haha yeah, thanks for your help Takabeya-senpai, we really appreciate it. Mitsuko-chan and I will try our best not to bother you two though. After all, we’re confident that we’ll succeed…”

  “Mitsuko…”

  “-chan?”

  Immediately, the president and his girlfriend all turn their head and start staring at me and Mitsuko-chan. Their eyes are twitching uncontrolbly as well, and at some point, they also start tilting their heads in shock.

  Before I can even give out an answer, Takabeya-senpai drags me to an empty space. He then grabs my neck, making me lean closer to his ear.

  “Hey hey hey, I thought you two are, you know, not having any pns on going that far. Just what the hell was that?” he asked quietly.

  Well this is just bad.

  The moment I fear the most has happened, and I do not like what I’m seeing at all.

  Right now, I can’t give out the answer just yet, as I need both of them to calm down. However, when I turn my head to Miwako-senpai, things are just getting worse.

  “Senpai? Senpai, wake up! Don’t leave us here!”

  “Mitsuko…-chan? Yasutaira…-kun? Heh, are they really…or I’m just crazy? No, I’m not crazy, they’re crazy! Crazy for calling themselves that!”

  Before our very own eyes, Miwako-senpai colpses on the ground, mumbling straight nonsense. Sensei and Mark-san witness the entire thing, but they decide to step down and let us handle it ourselves.

  Misuko-chan right next to her starts panicking and tries her best to wake her up, even goes as far as to shake her vigorously, but none of her attempts work at all.

  “Naomi-chan, help me! She’s not responding, what should I do now?”

  From behind, Kariuda-san is hesitant to intervene. Her arms really want to help, but her legs just won’t move and throughout this entire time…she’s just sighing disappointedly.

  “Hey, I thought I let you handle the rest. Why are they still reacting like this?” I asked.

  “Still?”

  Using the slip senpai just accidentally made, I slide out of his arm. I then quickly head to Mitsuko-chan to help her waking up Miwako-senpai.

  “Yeah, I already told Kariuda-san, and she promised to tell you two about it in advance.” I replied. “Well, I guess that advantage is gone now…”

  “*sigh* You know, here’s the thing Yasutaira-kun: I did tell them. Unfortunately, they just didn’t listen at all. Either it was “Haha you’re joking right?” or “There’s no way that’s possible.”. Even worse, sometimes, they just ft out ignored my words, so if anything, it’s on them, not me.”

  “Yeah, you’re right…*sigh* Alright senpai, can you please give us a hand?”

  “Ah uhm right…I’m coming…”

  Takayeba-senpai slowly walks towards us. With his help, she finally comes back to us after a short while. Still drowsy and confused, I gently expin the situation to her once again, and lucky for me, she’s listening.

  “Eh, so she wasn’t bluffing at all? Oh man…” she responded. “I see, so it isn’t that deep at all…I’m really sorry for overreacting. I didn’t believe it at all, and I should have in the first pce.”

  “It’s alright senpai, I don’t mind it. You two are pretty stubborn after all, so no matter how much preparation I make, it won’t be enough.” I responded.

  “Hey, I’m still here you know?”

  Ignoring Takabeya-senpai, I take out the phone and in there; I receive an email from Kiriwatari-sensei. I open and read it thoroughly. Mitsuko-chan stands right next to me and reads it alongside me too.

  “Huh, you two really are close. No wonder people keep mistaking it.”

  As we’re reviewing the details, Mark-san joined in. He was in the sideline watching the entire time, probably due to the injuries. Regardless, judging from his words, there’s nothing to fear about.

  “Yeah I get that a lot, and we literally just put on a little show for you.” I replied. “Still, we’re doing everything we can to change that, because well, that’s what we do best.”

  “I see…so that’s your answer…”

  All of a sudden, Mark-san smiles airily. He then slowly reaches to his left jacket pocket and takes out a card.

  “I only hand out these to those I can trust, and you kid…feel honored to be one of them.”

  I receive the card from him. The word “Honorable Guest” is rgely printed on the center of the card, and on the left corner, there’s a symbol of a dle and an AK47 crossing one another, with a chef hat sitting on top of both.

  As I touch it, I can feel the perfect thickness of the stock and how satisfying it is for my fingers to touch the ink. Not to mention, I can also feel a slightly hint of mana coming out of the card, meaning it must be crafted quite well.

  “I’ll expin it ter kid, but for now, since you aren’t a member, use that to enter any of our facilities. It’s a borrowed, so make sure to hold on tight to that, got it?”

  I nod my head. After that, I carefully put the card away. With not much time left on the clock, Mitsuko-chan and I say goodbye to everyone and head back home to prepare for the mission ahead of us.

  “Say Yasutaira-kun, now that I think about it…she really is his daughter.”

  “Hmm?”

  Waiting in front of a Catholic church, Mitsuko-chan suddenly asked.

  “Well you know…when you look at their fighting styles, they’re really simir, like uncannily simir, don’t you think?” she asked.

  “Huh, so I wasn’t the only one noticing that…”

  “Yeah, those movements…they’re even sharper than what she normally shows us at the academy. I’d say she’s might even equal to [Apocalypse Warlord].”

  “Well that’s bad…She almost killed me back there, who knows what sensei would do to me…” I jokingly responded.

  A few hours after we prepared for the mission, sensei called, telling me that Mark-san’s intelligence had found Toshikata-san’s trace.

  “Apparently, one of them had accidentally encountered him, which resulted in a brutal beat-down.” she said. “However, that unlucky guy was lucky enough to survive and escape to Japan, with useful information as a bonus as well. I need you two to get to him and see what he has to say.”

  “Then what about you sensei? I thought this is what you would normally go check?” I asked.

  “Ah well you see…mine also came back with some not too exciting news too, which is why I leave them to you Yasutaira-kun. Can I trust you with that?”

  “Oh of course, I won’t disappoint you sensei.” I responded.

  The next day, we caught our earliest train to Sendai, Miyagi. After that, we headed to the Catholic church to the west of Sendai, where Mark-san’s intelligence is currently staying at.

  “Huh, so this is also my first time encountering [Holy Church] too…that’s interesting…”

  According to sensei, despite being in two different nes and unlike [Knights of Tomorrow], both [Soup Kitchen] and [Holy Church] are quite close. The mutual respect between two parties has never been broken, which is quite impressive if you think about it.

  “Good morning. Have you come here to repent your sinful ways in Jesus’ name?”

  As we’re stepping inside the ground, a nun greets us. We quickly reply her back while also telling her the purpose of our sudden visit.

  “I see, so you wish to meet Hanko-san…Very well, follow me.”

  She then guides us to his whereabouts. During that time, we have a friendly conversation with her, talking about whom we are and our retionship with this pce despite being the first time visiting it.

  “Oh my, you’re the kid we’ve been hearing recently… You’ve been building quite a track record for yourselves, you know that?”

  “Haha well you see Sister…he can’t really stop what came after his actions. After all, he’s been involving in a lot of things tely…” Mitsuko-chan responded.

  “Oh please, call me Hinako. I like it that way more.”

  “Ah OK, Hinako-san…”

  After a few minutes of slowly walking, the three of us are finally standing not too far from the convent. While on our way, we passed through a few more nuns, and they’re all curious about our intention.

  “Oh…then good luck young man. May Jesus guide you on the righteous path.” one responded.

  Waving goodbye to her, we continue our way. There’s a stone walkways connected to the building, and after a short while, we arrive at the main entrance.

  As we’re stopping for a little bit, Mitsuko-chan is curious about the pce, so we take a good look around, and that’s when she notices something.

  “Woah, that pce looks…quite odd…” Mitsuko-chan excimed.

  In her years living in America, she has travelled to many pces, including multiple churches. She has good memories on the structure and age of those pces, which expins her conclusion just now.

  I look at where she’s pointing and notice a fairly modern small dorm. Compared to the rest, it really sticks out, but not in a weird way.

  “Ah, I almost forgot. A few months ago, we installed a new gym over there. Since then, it has become one of our favorite go-to pces. I’m sure you two would love to try it out.” Hinako-san replied.

  Both of us humbly accept the offer. After that, we open the door and walk through it. We say hello to the nuns currently inside then head upstairs to the cell where our man is recovering.

  “Oh one more thing I should mention: You two must be careful with your words. He’s still quite hurt mentally, so I suggest not mentioning “him” directly. Try going around a little bit, will you?”

  We agree and nod our head. Seeing that, Hinako-san finally walks us to his room and knocks on the door to signal the man.

  “Yeah, you can come in!”

  I then open the door. On the bed on the left corner lying a man in his thirties. He’s still healing, which expins all the bandages around his body and the fact that he only has his pants on.

  “Uhm hello…you must be Josh Hanko, correct? Mark-san sends us here to discuss something with you.”

  “Oh, so you’re the kid he told me about…Alright, have a seat.”

  Josh-san points to the table set on the opposite site of his bed. Seeing that, we both head there to sit and wait. He then slowly and painfully gets up. With the help of Hinako-san, he goes to the cupboard behind us and makes some tea.

  “Here, you two must be tired from getting all the way to this church.”

  “Ah thanks a lot Josh-san.” Mitsuko-chan replied.

  Receiving the cups, we gently take a sip. The very first thing I notice is that the tea is a bit sweater than what I normally used to, probably thanks to the honey Hinako-san also put on the table.

  “Ahh, now that’s a relieved…” I excimed. “Uhm so about our business with you…Well, we’re here for “him”.”

  Immediately, Josh-san’s face turns pale. Luckily, Hinako-san is there to comfort him a little bit, so he’s able to calm down and take a big gulp.

  “Oh dear, where do I even begin…Well, I suppose the beginning is the way to go then…”

  “Ah no, we don’t need you to push yourself too much. All we need to know is what happened and his next moves, assuming you know.”

  “Ah, I see…That’s easier for me then…” Josh-san said. He then reluctantly recalls his encounter with Toshikata-san from the start to the end.

  According to him, Tohsikata-san had moved between different pces all across the world before being spotted in a warehouse in New Jersey.

  “As soon as my intel got their hands on his location, I immediately headed there with my team hoping we could do something. We were wrong…”

  Continuing the story, Josh-san reveals that when they got there, he told his crew to stay back as he would go in alone. Little did they know, inside the warehouse lied multiple dead bodies with [Soulless Machine] standing at the center.

  “I’m telling you, even after all those years rotting in jail, that man is still as sharp as his prime. I barely made it out, although, I can’t say the same for his previous victims…”

  Turns out, after that day, he and his crews ran another investigation and they discovered that Toshikata-san had taken more than just a few lives, and they weren’t just any innocent victims.

  “They were all members of various gangs and organizations, and they all have one thing in common: Being rivals to a certain crime syndicate that man used to work with.” he said. “They were deeply rooted back in the days, as he would do all the dirty works for them in exchange of high position, money and respect.”

  The entire cell remains silent for a few solid minutes.

  From what I’ve just heard, I have a few theories behind the prison escape. Some of them might be true, but none can also be true as well.

  Unfortunately, that’s not the only concern.

  “This man…things are just getting harder and harder now. This is bad…Is this where it all goes downhill…?”

  Right now, my ideal is once again being put into a test.

  I’ve made my promise years ago, and since then, I’ve been keeping it with everything I have to offer. However, this mission might be the sudden strike that’ll end up crushing me into pieces.

  I know I don’t really have to bme myself for this, but to some degree, I still have to held accountability. Lives have been taken away, and although they aren’t exactly good guys, I still don’t think that’s something they entirely deserve.

  The more I think about it, the more darken my face becomes.

  “But no, it won’t happen…I won’t allow myself to fall.” I thought to myself.

  Then, something just snapped inside of me. A realization…no, a reminder just popped off in my head.

  It’s not just my strength that helps me, it’s also my heart that guides me as well. If I’m able to make both of them understand, even if that chance is near to impossible, I’ll still give everything I have to do it.

  With that in mind, I came to the conclusion that I should also be held responsible for the lives taken and harmed, not by killing him, but by ending the suffering both been causing to each other.

  However, it’s said easier than done. With the new information, in order to pull ii off, I might also have to fight against a force that unlike me, won’t afraid to go for blood.

  “It’s alright Yasutaira-kun.”

  As I’m tightly gripping my fist, Mitsuko-chan holds my hand, seemingly calming me down. Raising my head, I see her smiles disarmingly at me, to which I respond with an angelic smile and a confident face.

  “I believe in you, Yasutaira-kun. I’m sure we’ll find a way to stop them before it’s too te. After all, it’s what we do best, right?”

  “Yeah Mitsuko-chan, it is. Thanks for everything.”

  While we’re having our moment, Hinako-san witnesses it all with a satisfaction on her face. Finishing her tea, she then gently goes to the cupboard for some more.

  “Oh dear, I know I’m not the only one but…you two really have a strong bond there you know?”

  “Yeah Josh-san, we get that a lot…Although I’m gd that you didn’t get the wrong idea.” I replied.

  We ugh it off for a bit. While that’s going on, the sound of a battle and can be heard outside. Hearing that, Hinako-san once again reassures us that time is still our ally, and that we should be worried about what’s more important first.

  “Yeah, we got it. Now, let’s keep on going shall we?” I responded.

  After that, we continue our discussion.

  “Alright, back to my unfortunate encounter…While yes I was torn into pieces, I was at least able to gain something useful from it.”

  From his left pocket, he takes out an USB and gives it to me.

  “Here, take this. It's a copy of everything we’ve gathered so far about that man. It’s going to require a lot of complicated decryptions, so I’ll be guiding you through the entire thing. Just do as I say and you’ll find what you need in no time.” he expined.

  Receiving the item, I take a good look at it. In the meantime, Hinako-san also offers us some cookies, which we gdly take.

  As soon as I take the first bite, the sweetness just hits really hard, and the crunch…everything is just perfect. It’s like a perfect treat from heaven.

  “Oh man, that’s delicious!” I excimed.

  “Umm, you’re right! This is delicious! It’s even better than the ones you baked for me Yasutaira-kun!”

  “Yea…yeah…now that you said it…” I ughed it off. “Say Hinako-san, mind if you share us the recipe? I’m quite curious.”

  “That depend Yasutaira-kun. If you finish this “little” mission of yours, consider the deal done. If not, then well…say goodbye to our kitchen.” she replied.

  “Ah OK…then I guess I should focus on that first.”

  After that, we finish our cookies. Mitsuko-chan and I then help our nun here cleaning up the table. While at it, we both sense a familiar mana somewhere in the church. We both arm it to Hinako-san, and she quickly understands what’s going on.

  “Yeah, I’m sensing it as well…” she responded. “However, “she” is there too, so I think you two still have some time left, but not for long…”

  Hearing that, we all speed up the process. Few minutes passed by, I return to the table and let the two girls finish the rest.

  “I’m sorry for the st extra minutes. I just couldn’t help.”

  “Oh that’s alright; I’ll be shocked if you didn’t.” Josh-san said. “Now, about that “guide” I was talking about…”

  “Boom!”

  Immediately, an explosion interrupts us, signaling an unwanted fight against an unwanted guest ahead of us.

  “Good morning. Have you come here to repent your sinful ways in Jesus’ name?”

  Not too long after the two teenagers arrive, another person showed up to the church.

  Repcing Hinako-san, another nun named Miyu greeted the guest. She’s a women in her te thirties with short brown hair and a small gss on her face.

  The guest on the other hand is both the same age and height as the nun, with the face being a bit rounder and a sprinkle of cuteness all over it. Her hair is a bit longer and instead of brown, it’s the tradition bck.

  “Ah uhm…I’m actually here to meet someone…It’s very important, so please let me go through.” the woman responded.

  “I see...Can you please tell me the name of this “someone”?”

  “Let’s see…I believe his name is Josh…”

  Immediately, the nun starts sensing an unease aura coming from the guest. As she’s looking into her eyes, all she can see is vengeance and hatred towards someone.

  From the outside, our sister is still showing hospitality towards the woman, but from the inside, she’s already raising multiple questions and methods to stop the woman.

  “Her appearance, while friendly and harmless can and will cause trouble to the church. I must not let her near him by any means.” she reminded herself.

  “Oh, so you with to meet to Hanko-sama…I apologize, but I’m afraid he’s a bit busy at the moment. We can arrange for another time if that’s what you…”

  Before she can even finish her sentence, the woman disappears in front of her very eyes. Quickly enough, Miyu-san turns around and speeds up.

  “Hey now, at least let your opponent finish then engage, will you?"

  Reappearing in front of the guest, our nun gently warns. During that little time, she had also taken her gsses of and scanned her opponent.

  “Why should I waste my time hearing you talking nonsense when I can just step in and meet him myself huh?”

  Unfortunately, the woman did not get the memo, as she immediately creates a [Mana Bde] and sshes Miyu-san without any hesitant.

  Luckily, Miyu-san is still a bit faster, thus dodging the attack with ease. After that, she takes a few steps back to gain some distance and summons a pair of Sais.

  Seeing that, the woman quickly turns her other hand into a weapon and starts slicing the nun with full force.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh! Cng!”

  “Oh my, quite an aggressive little woman aren’t you?”

  Once again, Miyu-san was able to evade most of the attacks, and as for the rest, she deflected them all. During that time, she had also made a couple attempts of counterattacking, to which they were all failed.

  Meanwhile, the sound of the two fighting has armed a rge part of the church. Some quickly get away as far as they can, while others hurriedly prepare in case they need to jump in.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh!”

  The woman swung her bdes left and right, cornering Miyu-san to a nearby couch.

  However, using her immense speed, she’s then able to hop back on it and entirely dodge the upcoming strike, but with the cost of the couch being completely broken.

  “Oh my, that was custom made. We might have to send you the bill.”

  Now stepping on the grass, our nun keeps her guard up and gets in defensive position. On the other hand, the woman just jumps through the broken couch and reloads her bdes.

  Her eyes are only focus on one single thing: Taking down anyone who dares to stop her.

  “I see, a woman lost on her mission I supposed. Very well, I shall shatter it to wake you up from this madness.”

  Without any hesitant, Miyu-san pours her mana into her weapons. Right after that, she immediately takes the lead and aggressively charges in.

  “Cng!”

  Approaching her opponent, she swings her right Sai, but it was quickly being blocked. She immediately follows up with a left ssh, but the woman also dodges it as well.

  “There!”

  Miyu-san immediately changes the grip of her left arm and swings the Sai horizontally to the left. As soon as her opponent dodges it, she quickly follows up with the right one, successfully strikes her in the cheek.

  “Ugrh!”

  Lying on the floor, the woman quickly recovers and gets up, only to be met with multiple strikes aiming at her.

  “Argh! Hurgh!”

  Unlike the previous attempts, those strikes hit even harder and faster. She could only dodge some, as the rest were just too much for her.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh! Cng!”

  Eventually, she finally gets a grip, thus for the st couple of strikes, she was able to defend herself and deflect all the strikes.

  After a while, the woman splits herself from her opponent and takes a few steps back.

  “So, how was my performance? Too much for you to handle?” Miyu-san provoked.

  “On the contrary Miss, is that the best you can do? Because if that’s really the case, then you shall not come out of this alive.” the woman responded.

  Despite the bad mouth, she is now the one being corner. Luckily, her opponent isn’t engaging, so for a brief moment, she can breathe.

  “Huh how weird…Is she still holding back, or that’s all she got? Either way, I must not lower my guard.”

  As she’s reflecting on the fight, Miyu-san starts smelling something fishy. Both are equal in terms of strength, but at this very moment, the nun is having the slight advantage.

  Yet, the entire time, her opponent doesn’t seem to be nervous or out of breathe at all. Not only that, as the daughter of [Soulless Machine], what she’s been putting on is a little underwhelming, which only furthers her suspicion.

  “Alright woman, let’s see what you’re hiding!”

  With that thought, Miyu-san once again takes the lead.

  “Cng!”

  Instead of a ssh, she went for a full-force thrust, which quickly proves to work fwlessly.

  “Hrgh…”

  Despite managing to block the strike, the impact still pushes her back a little bit. Furthermore, she also has to struggle against Miyu-san, and as time goes by, she’s just getting pushed back even more.

  “Alright, time for step number two.”

  Suddenly, the nun starts holding back, enabling her opponent to break free from the struggling. Immediately, she jumps back behind the broken couch and starts charging her [Mana Bde].

  “[Flying Bde Burst]!”

  “Not so fast woman.”

  Before the woman could even fire the bdes, Miyu-san had already disappeared within the smoke dispying by her.

  “Huh, what the…where is she?”

  Immediately, the woman retrieves the attack and starts keeping her guard up. In addition, she also starts heading to the convent to lure the nun out.

  Her backups haven’t gone out just yet, which leaves her some times to finish up this fight and find that person.

  “Where do you think you’re going huh?”

  As expected, the nun suddenly reappears in front of the woman and throws her Sais. She quickly dodges the two weapons, but during that time, she also noticed her opponent smiling.

  “Multiply and retreat!”

  Right behind her, the Sais start increasing in numbers mid-air. Not only that, they’re all covering themselves in a thick yer of mana, making them even more lethal than ever.

  After that, they’re all beginning to fall down on the woman.

  “Tsk…[Dark Fortress]!”

  To combat the raining weapons, the woman turns around creates a mana castle, covering and protecting her. She then grinds her teeth and gets into her fighting stance, ready to take on the strike.

  The moment it finishes shaping itself is the moment the Sais reach the woman.

  “Cng! Cng! Cng!”

  The countless bdes start hitting the fortress, pushing its creator back slowly and gradually. The sound of the weapons cnking has completely overwhelmed the grinning the woman’s been making while enduring the attack.

  “Just…a little bit more…hang in there Sachiko…”

  Evenutally, the woman manages to stay solid on the ground and no longer being pushed back. Regardless, the Sais are still coming at her with no sign of stopping, and soon enough, they’ll drown her until there’s nothing to be drown.

  Or that’s what Miyu-san thought it would be.

  “Now, [Thunder Cannon]!”

  Behind the castle, the woman creates multiple cannon. She then pours her mana into those cannons, seemingly charging cannonballs for all of them.

  “Boom!”

  The woman then fires every cannon she has. As the two attacks encounter one another, a rge explosion erupts in the sky. As the results, the entire church is shaking and the area around the fight is covered in smoke, blinding everyone there.

  “Hrgh!”

  Standing inside the smoke, the nun has no choice but to cover her eyes. Despite that, she still hasn’t lower her guard at all. She can still sense her opponent, and by the looks of it, she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  “I should definitely make my next move while I still can. I can’t let my pn fail like that.” she thought to herself.

  With that in mind, she quickly gets out of the smoke without leaving behind any traces but the mana that she’s intentionally expressing. By doing so, she’ll make sure to target her and her only, not the one she’s here for.

  Both have already caused a lot of damage, and so far, letting that woman near him will be the most disastrous of them all.

  “Alright, it’s getting cleared anytime now…and she doesn’t seem to make a move just yet…”

  Returning to the front gate, Miyu-chan once again gets in defensive position. While waiting, she receives contact from fellow nuns, saying they’re ready to jump in and help.

  “Hold on, just stand by for a second, we need to lure the prey out, not triggering it. Wait for my signal and we’ll kick her out together, got it?”

  Hearing the response, Miyu-san shuts off the communication for now. As she’s doing so, the smoke has finally been cleared out, and immediately, she’s guarding with her Sais, ready for the woman to come out at any time.

  However, that scenario will never happen. Instead, it’s something even worse.

  “Huh, what the…Where did she…Why can’t I sense her…”

  In front of her, the woman has completely vanished. She has also suppressed her mana, thus making it even harder to track down her movement.

  Regardless, Miyu-san is still not backing down.

  “Now now, don’t hide. I’m not going to hurt you.” she quietly whispered.

  Her opponent still hasn’t made her next move and instead opts to use her speed to confuse our nun. However, she’s still able to catch up to her quite easily.

  “Whoosh!”

  Sensing her opponent approaching from behind, our nun decisively swings her weapons, only to find out that she missed. Immediately, she jumps back and continues to scan the area around, looking for the woman.

  “Whoosh!”

  Another swing went by, and just like the previous one, it didn’t nd. One key difference however is that the woman is now faster than before.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

  Quickly enough, it proves to be a pain in our nun’s neck, as more swings went by and none of them could even hit the enemy. Even worse, Miyu-san at some point has even lost track, but she still managed to catch up in the end.

  “What’s the matter? Can’t keep up?”

  Our nun then starts hearing the woman. Unfortunately, she still can’t see her, and that woman knows it. Thus, she’s now just pying with her opponent, like a killer clown waiting for its prey.

  “I thought this pce has some decent fighters, and this is what I get? Frankly, I’m unimpressed. If you think this is enough to stop me, then you’re dead wrong.”

  As Miyu-san is hopelessly defending herself, her enemy continues to provoke even more. Her face is now sweating worriedly, her eyes keep moving around while she herself can only gulp and grind her teeth.

  “No response huh? Very well, then I shall just go straight to the point. [Cannon Burst].”

  Suddenly, Miyu-san feels a cold, shivering sensation behind her back. She quickly turns back, only to find out that sensation has now turned into a raging fireball of mana, ready to be unched out of the woman’s fist.

  “Boom!”

  The woman turns her fireball into a deadly bst and fires it at her enemy. Immediately, it flies out of her fist, shining bright the small entire area surrounding it.

  With only enough time to raise her Sais up, Miyu-san can only close her eyes and take the hit point-bnk.

  “Tsk, this is bad…This is really bad…” she hopelessly thought.

  Quickly enough, the bst starts hitting the Sais, and she immediately gets pushed back a little bit. Her legs are doing everything in their power to stay solid on the ground, but soon, it’ll have to inevitably give up.

  “Come on…just a little bit more…you can do this…” grinding her teeth, Miyu-san whispered.

  “Tsk, you’re still trying to resist? Then how about this?”

  The woman then fires another bst, cumuting the previous one into an even bigger, stronger one. It soon proves to be quite successful, as the bst has completely shattered Miyu-san’s weapons in seconds, leaving her body solely to be destroyed.

  “Boom!”

  A giant explosion roars through the sky. The area has now covered in smoke and lighting caused by the impact of the bst. The woman has to cover her eyes, but luckily, she isn’t in danger.

  However, the same can unfortunately be said about the nun as well.

  “Huh, how is that even possible…She has to be knocked off by now, how the hell can I still sense her?” the woman thought. “No wait, that’s not her…don’t tell me…”

  Waiting for the area to clear out, the woman suddenly felt something wasn’t right in front of her. At first, she didn’t want to believe it, but as time went by, that concern is becoming realer than ever.

  “Not you Yasutaira-kun, Mitsuko-chan…Not you too…”

  As the smoke has finally disappeared, the person standing in front of the woman is no longer Miyu-san. Instead, it is her very own student, Yasutaira Waka. He has repced the nun and tanked the hit for her.

  “Whew, that was close. I thought I didn’t make it.” the teenager relieved.

  “Yeah, me too. But hey, we made it, right?”

  In addition, Takenada Mitusko, his cssmate, has also appeared to provide protection for Miyu-san.

  “Yeah, we made it.” he replied.

  What’s even more surprising is the fact that despite using his sword to block the bst, he did not receive any damage. However, the teacher soon realizes the reason, and that makes her conflicted a little inside.

  “So that’s the power they’ve been telling me about Yasutaira-kun…I must say, it’s quite impressive.”

  That “power” is none other than [Super Strengthen Magic], Yasutaira-kun’s trump card. Not only does it grant him the blue aura around him, but that ability also increases his strength, speed, power tremendously.

  Not only that, when properly mastered, his mana usage will be even more efficient, which only

  “Well, thanks for the compliment sensei, although this isn’t how I want it to be…” Yasutaira-kun responded.

  He then ignores his teacher and turns to the nun, who’s currently being taken care of by his best friend.

  “Uhm, are you alright Miyu-san? Are you hurt?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” the nun responded. “Still, I’m going to need some treatment after this. Besides, she broke my weapons. I might need to get me a new pair.”

  “Oh don’t worry, you’re totally getting that.”

  With an angelic face and the smooth silky blond hair tucked behind the veil, another nun joined the battlefield. As she’s talking to her colleague, the teacher finds out her name is Hinako.

  However, she may look harmless, but do not let that face fool you. The aura, while not exactly visible, still sends a cold shiver down the teacher’s spine. Even worse, the power she’s sensing…it’s beyond anyone standing here.

  “That woman…she isn’t simple at all.” she thought to herself.

  With that in mind, despite her opponent isn’t engaging at all, the teacher still stays as cautious as ever. She has come this far, and no matter the situation or opponent, she won’t let it stop her from getting what she wants, even if it means she has to take down her own students.

  Lucky for her, the worst-case scenario will not happen, as Hinako-san has decided to carry her colleague and leave the scene. However, she still can’t be too compcent.

  “So, you two will be the one stopping me? Don’t you think you’re getting too cocky?” the teacher asked.

  Hearing that, the duo suddenly turns to their teacher and draws their weapons back. In addition, Yasutaira-kun also shuts down his ability, essentially giving up his fighting intention.

  “Look sensei, I know you’ve been through a lot, but this isn't the way to do it. Please, let us help you.” Yasutaira-kun responded.

  “Yeah sensei, please don't go down this path any further. We don't want to hurt you at all, so for once, just listen to us.” Mitsuko-chan continued reluctantly.

  After that, a complete silent just prevails throughout the area, followed by a gust of wind blowing from the left.

  On one hand, the student duo is still patiently waiting for the answer. On the other hand however, a fuming rage is about to burst out like an erupted volcano.

  “You two don’t get it…”

  Suddenly, the teacher quietly said something. Both students were quite confused on what she said, but soon, they’ll realize the sheer rage coming from her.

  “I said, YOU TWO DON’T GET IT! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP THIS THE EASY WAY HUH? DON’T MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME WITH THAT NA?VE NARRATIVE! THIS FIGHT ISN’T YOURS TO HANDLE, SO DON’T YOU TWO DARE MENTION “HELP”!”

  The teacher then creates a [Water Bde] and aims it at her student. The sharpness in her eyes and sheer determination on her face is more than enough to make her students even more hesitant.

  “I’m going to be kind and to you two and give out one piece of advice: We adults are not afraid to do what you and your consciences can’t. If you two think you really have what it takes to bring me down, then so be it. I’ll make you regret trying to get in my way.”

  With a calm yet menacing voice, the teacher gave out a warning, with the stone-cold face only added more weight to her words.

  On the other side, the duo has finally made their move after minutes of uncertainty. They start discussing something, to which it concludes with Yasutaira-kun making a big sigh.

  “I guess this has to happen huh…” Yasutaira-kun said while rubbing his eyes. “Alright sensei, you asked for it.”

  Immediately, he turns on [Super Strengthen Magic] and takes his sword out. As the blue aura is waving against the will, he looks straight into his teacher’s eyes.

  “Sensei, I still believe there’s a part of you inside that do not wish for any of this. I don’t know how, but I’m going to awake that and make you give up on this. I promise, sensei.” he continued.

  Meanwhile, Mitsuko-chan, while still a bit hesitant, follows along. She draws out her sword and goes forward of her best friend. In her eyes, we can all see the hope and concern she’s been having for her teacher.

  “I know this might sound disrespect, but if words can’t convince you, then you leave us no choice but to go for the alternatives. We’re sorry in advance if we just so happen to hurt you.” she calmly and worriedly said.

  “No need to apologize Yasutaira-kun, Mitsuko-chan. After all, it’s not like you two can do anything against me anyways…”

  The teacher then charges in with immense speed. Fortunately, both students were quickly to react, so they manage to have their guard up in just seconds.

  “Whoosh!”

  However, just right when she’s about to presumably attack, their teachers suddenly disappears in front of their eyes. It doesn’t take them too long to realize where she’s aiming next, but by then…

  “Don’t worry my lovely students, I’m going to end this quick…”

  The fight has officially begun in a way they do not want to begin at all.