Chapter 42: Side-Tail Wants to Join the Group

The impact from the clash of blades travels up my arms.

Kisa Kurokawa’s gauntlet presses against my sword. I’m using both hands, and she’s only using one… and yet we’re evenly matched? That’s ridiculous.

"I'm going in, Hohana."

"Calling out before attacking? You’ve got some nerve."

Crackle—sparks burst from Kisa’s palm and scatter with the swing of her arm.

"《Slash Territory》—switching to semi-auto."

I send the surrounding slashes flying, dispersing the sparks into the distance. They explode far away, and a faint gust brushes against my skin.

"Nice one, Hohana."

"I used to go on missions pretty often back in middle school, you know."

"Hmm, yeah? Like how often?"

"Who knows. Sora probably went out a few hundred times."

I toss out the remark casually and wipe the sweat from my forehead. I’m tired.

We’re in the training facility. Kisa Kurokawa invited me, so I figured I’d tag along for some training as a change of pace.

I was just about to head to the team room when she suddenly grabbed me with a “Let’s train!” So here I am—dragged along, more or less. Well, whatever.

Apparently, if you activate the simulator, you can even do PvP. That’s how we can fight safely. I don’t really understand the technology behind it, though.

Still, I can’t beat her in raw strength. Her skills hit hard enough as it is, but her physical power is just as insane.

I mean, creating sparks and making them explode? What even is that?

Soul Flame… I think that’s what it was called. If I remember right, it’s a skill where hitting someone with the gauntlet causes an explosion. But it looks like she has ranged attacks too.

"What’s wrong, Hohana?"

"Break."

"Ehh, fine, I guess."

And then there’s her stamina. We’ve been fighting for several dozen minutes now, and she’s not even out of breath. I can’t keep up with that.

She’s a total endurance monster.

I deactivate the simulator and sit down slowly. My ragged breathing gradually settles.

Kisa sits down beside me—way too close.

"So, feel any better?"

She smiles softly.

That smile… feels a little hollow.

I kind of get it. From what I’ve heard, Kisa Kurokawa lost her family to the Deep Calamities. Same as us.

That emptiness you feel back then doesn’t just go away. With her personality, she probably had lots of friends too.

I did, at least.

Thinking about it like that, maybe Akegami—who only has Yuri Kumoyama—is the odd one.

"I feel refreshed, but it’s not like I was troubled or anything."

"Really? I don’t know… you kind of seem like you’re spinning your wheels."

"Spinning my wheels?"

"Yeah. Like you’re trying really hard to get along with everyone… or maybe you’re determined to properly talk to Shinozaki-kun?"

"Determined… I mean, it’s not like that feeling isn’t there."

If communication with your Connector is off, it can cost lives.

… I don’t want anyone to die anymore. Not that I want to show that feeling too openly.

"But you don’t have to overthink it."

"You’re awfully optimistic."

"Maybe? Sora told me before that the reason I live is something I can find together with the team."

"Akegami said that?"

"Yeah. We’re a team that works together. So if something’s up, we deal with it together."

Kisa Kurokawa smiles gently as she says that.

… I see. I was rushing a bit, but I guess I really do want to become part of the team.

I haven’t really socialized much since starting high school.

Wow… didn’t expect to realize that here.

"...You’re not just some energetic airhead, are you?"

"Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Hey, what’s that about? C’mon, tell me."

"You’re annoying…"

I block her elbow as she pokes at me and push it away.

I guess I do feel a little better. Still, Kisa’s the type who forces her way into your space. Hard to deal with.

"So, Hohana, were you trying to kiss Nagisa-kun?"

"...Didn’t I explain that before? I was just trying to make him look at me."

"Why’d you do that?"

"He kept looking away. It pissed me off."

"Huh. Your chest isn’t that big, but you’ve got a pretty nice figure."

"Was that supposed to be a jab?"

If anything, yours is bigger. Not like bigger is automatically better.

… Still, it’s true that it hurt my pride that he wouldn’t even look at me.

Ugh. Being popular back in middle school compared to Akegami left me with some weird baggage.

Well, in her case, she just handles things weirdly.

"I didn’t mean it like that. You’re slimmer than me, too."

"Isn’t it good to have some curves?"

"It’s not!"

"It’s hot, so don’t stick to me."

Before I know it, she’s moved behind me and wrapped her arms around me, leaning her weight against me. Seriously, what is this?

Now that she’s touching me, I realize her body temperature is high. She’s warm.

"Empty girls like me love this kind of contact!"

"You really just drop stuff like that out of nowhere."

"Sora’s like that too!"

"That’s true, but still."

"What about you, Hohana?"

"I’m not as empty as you guys. I just want to get a little payback against those Deep Calamity things that messed up people’s lives."

"Hmph."

She tightens her hug slightly.

"You’re putting up a front, Hohana."

"If you think that, maybe don’t say it out loud?"

"Hey, hey, tsundere~"

"You really…"

She forcefully closes the distance between us even more.

… Well, I guess I’ll try finding this “reason to live” thing. Together with the rest of the team.

Together with Kisa, I leave the training facility and head toward the team room.

Walking down the hallway, I spot someone in the distance who looks like Akegami.

"Hey, is that Sora?"

"Probably."

And next to her—

A girl wrapped in bandages and a cast.

… What’s strange is that Akegami looks completely spaced out while that girl is stroking her head.

"...Doesn’t Sora seem off?"

"...Yeah. Normally she’d push back if someone tried to pat her."

"Oh—maybe she’s in clingy mode?"

"Even then, would she act like that with someone who isn’t us?"

"Maybe not…"

Looking closer, she’s just leaning against the girl, getting her head patted… then suddenly she’s let go and starts walking off in a daze.

"We’re following her."

"Before that, shouldn’t we ask about that girl?"

"That’s right! When in doubt, ask!"

—The girl who had been there suddenly appears beside us.

"‘Positive Beat’—by listening to pleasant music, it eases pain and gives you a nice power boost. What do you think?"

She lets out a cute giggle.

It sends a chill down my spine. Something about her feels off.

"I’ll ask just in case—what did you do to Akegami?"

"Oh, are you friends with Sora? Of course, I just had her grant me a favor!"

"...It wasn’t anything weird, right?"

"I thought I’d entrust her with a friend. Do you know Mahiro?"

"Mahii? If she’s Mahii’s friend, she’s probably okay?"

Since when did you start calling her Mahii?

Hmm… so she knows Mahiro. And she forced Akegami to do something?

I don’t really know this Mahiro person, so I can’t say much.

"And with that, goodbye!"

"Wait—"

"《Sound Wave》—‘Shake’."

In that instant, the world shook.

My body wobbles. It’s like my sense of balance has been thrown off.

… Did she mess with our equilibrium?

I blink—and just like that, it’s gone.

"What the hell was that?"

"No clue. But that skill was pretty amazing."

"...So Akegami got hit with something like that too?"

"Maybe a different skill?"

As we continue talking and walking, we see Akegami dragging that Mahiro girl along by force.

… At the very least, what she said lines up.

Still, we should probably be a bit wary of that girl from earlier.

Thinking that, we head into the room.