[Everyone, sorry to interrupt your friendly chat, but it looks like they're almost here?]
[Right, they're practically upon us now!]
As Ayane and Sensei announced the enemy's approach, the clattering shapes of the Kata-Kata Helmet Gang became visible in the distance, rushing towards their location.
"A whole swarm of flies has shown up."
[We've confirmed multiple heavy weapons! They're also gradually establishing an encirclement!]
"Yeah~ There sure are a lot of 'em~ My back ain't so good these days, ya know~"
"Your back's like that because you sleep too much, senpai."
"Ehh~? How mean~"
"Ahaha~ Time for a little discipline~!"
Seeing the approaching enemies, everyone raised their firearms and took aim.
"Everyone be careful. I don't know where or how they got them, but they have modified heavy tanks."
"Right, I know. Modified Flak types."
"Worst case scenario, we can just toss about a hundred grenades. Don't worry too much."
"That's a waste!!"
Naturally commenting on the waste of resources, Yami received a sharp slap on the back from Serika.
"Alright, alright, break up the lovebirds' quarrel~ Get ready~"
"Love quarrel?! Why would I ever with this guy...!!"
Serika quickly made excuses, clearly displeased by Hoshino-senpai's remark.
"So mean....."
Yami, intentionally trying to tease Serika, covered his face with both hands and faked tears. Serika's flustered reaction only intensified.
"No... that... Ugh!! I don't care!! Charge!!!!"
Unable to bear the situation any longer, she broke away from the group and charged alone towards the massive army flooding in.
She must have been under a considerable amount of stress.
"Alright~ Serika-chan can't handle this alone, let's go in too~!"
"Let's go~"
Hoshino and Nonomi followed her charge.
Just as he was about to join them—
A hand grabbed him.
"...Shiroko-senpai? Aren't you following?"
"No, not that."
"Huh...?"
What did she mean, 'not that'?
"Serika doesn't have feelings, right?"
"Ah... well... she doesn't. But why do you ask?"
"It's nothing. If she doesn't, that's fine. Still... just in case. It might be better to be careful."
"..."
About what?
"Then, let's go."
Concluding her thoughts, Shiroko Senpai also headed after the others.
"..."
[Yami!]
"Ah. Yes, I'm coming!"
Yami tried to decipher what Shiroko had meant, but quickly abandoned the effort.
Since when had he ever managed to understand that senpai, anyway?
***
The battle between the Kata-Kata Helmet Gang and the Abydos Countermeasure Committee was overwhelmingly leaning towards the Countermeasure Committee's victory.
Frankly, it would have been strange if they couldn't stop an enemy they had already fought multiple times in their rush to occupy the school, especially with this scale of forces.
It wasn't as if they were short on supplies.
And most importantly...
[Yami! Throw a grenade at the sniper at 3 o'clock!]
[Two enemies will appear behind Shiroko. Be ready!]
[Hoshino, continue charging forward and eliminate the hostiles!]
With Sensei's expert command, the enemy had no way to overcome them.
Heavy tanks? Hoshino-senpai had already blown their turrets clean off with her shotgun.
"Looks like this will be over quickly."
"Yeah."
"Uack..!!"
Shiroko Senpai replied to his comment while taking down a Helmet Gang member who was charging forward, guns blazing.
Seeing how smoothly things were going, he mused that he likely wouldn't need to call upon Goz or the others he had prepared as a contingency. He was hesitant to bring them out with Sensei watching, but if things truly escalated, he wouldn't hesitate.
But... it felt like he had forgotten something important...
"...I screwed up..."
Squeak squeak
Ah.
"Kkyahh!!"
The scream of the Helmet Gang member collapsing in front of him barely registered. His mind was consumed by the realization of his blunder. Because...
"I left Shiro and Kuro behind..!!"
He had only just remembered Shiro and Kuro, whom he was supposed to have recovered from Millennium.
W-what do I do?! Going back to Millennium is kind of a pain. The problem is, if I leave them there, I have no idea what kind of trouble they'll get into...!
"Ughhhhh!! I'm going down anyway, let's die together!!!"
A Helmet Gang member, their body plastered with explosives, lunged towards Yami. However, consumed by his thoughts of Shiro and Kuro, Yami failed to notice the approaching enemy.
[Yami, snap out of it!! Enemy coming in front of you!!!]
"Huh..!!"
Jolted back to reality by Sensei's loud shout, he quickly fired at the charging Helmet Gang member.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Ughhhhhh.!!!!"
Despite being hit multiple times, the enemy didn't stop. Driven by the singular goal of taking one target with them, they continued their charge towards Yami.
"Damn it...!!"
His arm seized by the assailant, Yami struggled to break free but found it impossible to shake them off.
"Goodbye!"
The attacker raised the hand holding the detonation button for the attached bomb, displaying it openly.
The thought that flashed through Yami's mind was: Ah. That's going to hurt like hell.
But, well. It was his own carelessness that had led to this, so he resigned himself to enduring it this one time.
Bang!!
"Kyaat..!"
He had been prepared to endure it, even if someone hadn't intervened and shot the button, shattering it.
Assuming it was either Shiroko or Serika who had saved him, Yami immediately kicked the abdomen of the Helmet Gang member holding him, creating distance.
"You go say goodbye."
As a final gesture, he tossed a grenade at the Helmet Gang member.
Boom!!
The grenade exploded, triggering a chain reaction with the bomb attached to the enemy's body. The resulting explosion sent the Helmet Gang member scattering into the sky, becoming just another star.
"If you're going to get blown up, you should come prepared for it."
Don't you dare try to mess with bombs around here.
"Yami!!"
Worried about Yami, Shiroko rushed over and checked his condition. Fortunately, there were no visible injuries.
"I barely survived thanks to you, Shiroko-senpai."
If the button hadn't been destroyed, he wouldn't be standing here unharmed. At the very least, he would have suffered burns or had shrapnel embedded in him.
"What are you talking about?"
"Huh?"
"I just ran over after hearing Sensei's shout? I was fighting with Serika just now."
"Huh..? Then that wasn't senpai's shot?"
"No."
"Uhh..."
Then who was it?
Yami's question remained unanswered.
A few minutes later, with Sensei's declaration, "It's over," the battle concluded with the Countermeasure Committee's victory.
However, Yami, who had narrowly avoided serious injury due to his lapse in attention, was sent back to school and subsequently scolded by Sensei.
***
"...."
Meanwhile, in an uninhabited building, Toki found herself questioning her own actions.
"Why... did I shoot?"
Thump-thump.
She clutched her pounding chest.
Had she contracted some unknown illness?
In truth, it was Toki who had shot the explosive device. That's why she couldn't understand. Her mission had been merely to monitor. There was no need to protect that man. She was only required to watch and report.
But for some inexplicable reason, her body had moved before her mind could process, immediately sniping the button. That's why the question lingered.
Why did she shoot?
"...Right. Because he wouldn't be able to enter the shop if he was injured. That's it."
As a maid, I simply did what was necessary.
Unable to find a satisfying answer, she finally decided to lie to herself. It was an unfamiliar emotion, one she hadn't experienced before, given her lack of common sense regarding such matters.
"...Shall I go back?"
Leaving the question behind, she returned to her workplace, the toy store. Her plan was to simply drink tea and wait for her master.
Thump. Thump.
"..."
She didn't notice, but her chest was...
Pounding with an emotion she couldn't identify.
"Is it arrhythmia?"
I should probably see a doctor.
It wouldn't take long for her to realize the truth.