Chapter - 14

At the instant Kusanagi was to bisect Stella's body, Touka quickly used Shippu Jinrai to speed up. Sliding to Stella's side, she pulled Stella away from the descending blade just in the nick of time.

The moment that Kusanagi struck the ground, the blade of storm-wind cut and blew away everything there. While hugging Touka tightly, Stella beheld the destruction with her own eyes. The track that Kusanagi had carved in the ground, nothing remained there. The school buildings, the practice arenas, even the asphalt paving the roads… all had become rubble. Everything had been ripped apart, leaving only a concave track in the brown earth. That was surely like an enormous dragon had gouged the land. If a human had taken it directly, he would probably be leaving no trace.

S-So close…. If Touka-san hadn't saved me just now….

"Thanks, you save me, Touka―!?"

As Stella spoke, her voice stopped.

The reason was―Touka's right hand that was holding Stella. Touka's right hand was propping up Stella's head. Right now, she was driving lightning into Stella's skull.

"Wh… why?"

"Sorry, Stella-san. Right now, you can't fight with Ouma-san. Right now you can't even separate from me, so you can't win against him."

"…ah…."

With a face that seemed to say she wanted to respond, Stella immediately lost consciousness. Naturally so. A breaker inside her head had been directly flipped.

"Kikyou-san! Botan-san!"

"Eh!?"

"Eek!"

Touka, who had stunned Stella, faced the Hagure sisters, and threw Stella's body at them with all her strength.

The Hagure sisters were astonished by the abrupt event, but nonetheless they were brave women who had fought to the bitter end of the selection battles. Though they were astonished, the caught Stella's body successfully.

To those two, Touka yelled without pause.

"Please take her and get away! Get as far away from here as you can! Right now, you representatives of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival absolutely can't lose here!"

At this instant, under this circumstance, Touka was calmer than anyone else.

Beating Akatsuki Academy and finishing this now, Stella's chosen method is certainly a best-case approach, but this situation is already not the kind that will lead to the best-case scenario.

After their surprise attack had failed, the situation changed. Taking into account the difference in the battle ability, repelling Akatsuki Academy was already very difficult. If they threw down a challenge here, and Stella and the Hagure sisters were beaten by Akatsuki Academy beyond recovery, Akatsuki really might replace Hagun Academy as the seventh school in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, making this the worst conclusion.

In that case, what we should do here is protect Hagun Academy's representatives!

Touka, a veteran who had undergone countless instances of real combat, hit upon the single best strategy. And with the strong will Touka had put into her voice―

"Y-Yes!"

Though the Hagure sisters hadn't understood her thinking, Touka's voice roused them both to action. Kikyou, who was strong, put Stella on her back, and the two turned on their heels and fled from Hagun Academy.

In response―

"Do you think you can run?"

At the same time Ouma's voice reverberated down upon them, the students of Akatsuki who were standing behind him in reserve burst forth. The young girl in the dress, straddling an enormous black lion―the "Beast Tamer" Rinna Kazamatsuri. And the "Unturning" Yui Tatara. They gave chase to the three people. But―

"Mach Grid!"

"Crescendo Axe!"

Dashing forward quickly, Runner's High and Destroyer attacked the ones chasing the three who were fleeing from the side, and obstructed their advance.

"―Do you think you can follow?"

Touka asked that to Ouma who was standing in front of her eyes, and raised Narukami. Acting in concert, the ones with Touka also brandished their Devices.

"You intend to sacrifice yourself to let the representatives escape? Such a composed decision. But it will only postpone the inevitable a short while."

In agreement with Ouma's words, Akatsuki's wicked hostility rose in unison, and they took one step forward. It would be their second clash. But the clash this time would not be the falsehood that the first one was. It would be probably a genuine fight to the death.

In the atmosphere that was quickly becoming strained, Touka called the name of the girl next to her.

"…Kana-chan."

Kanata Toutokubara. The only Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative among the student council executives. Touka urged her to escape with her gaze, but―

"I won't run away. I'll be with you until the end, Touka-chan."

At that gaze, Kanata did not spare a glance. She only stared at what was straight ahead.

"―Right."

Touka knew her stubbornness well, because they had been together since childhood, so Touka didn't repeat any pointless words.

"What happened here today is an affront to Hagun Academy's student council. We'll return twice the favor!"

Saying just that, the companions left in this place gave forth a cry of encouragement.

"YEAH!"

―Everyone there faced the enemy and threw down their challenge in unison.

"Haa… ha…!"

She had been running for quite a while, descending the deserted slope in front of the academy. After Shizuku left the popular shopping district street, her feet stopped due to the pain she was feeling in her side.

I'm… not really in shape, huh?

Clicking her tongue at her own weakness, she inferred the distance to Hiraga who was carrying Arisuin. It was already beyond what she could check with her eyes. It could even be that he had gotten into a car along the way.

But I haven't lost track of him yet.

At the moment Arisuin was kidnapped, Shizuku had wound an invisible thread of water magic to Arisuin's body. That thread pierced through every material substance, and was stretching straight toward Arisuin. In other words, if she tugged, it would definitely point her to where Arisuin was.

But it seemed she could no longer follower them on foot. Therefore, Shizuku―

"Excuse me."

―called out to a man who was waiting for a traffic light on top of a motorcycle.

"I'm a student knight of Hagun Academy. Because of an emergency, I would like you to lend me your bike―"

"Huh!? Don't mess around with me, shorty. Why should I?"

She thrust Yoishigure at the throat of the bluntly refusing and frowning motorcycle rider.

"It's an emergency. I'm begging you."

"Okay! Please take it!"

The man smiled and nodded repeatedly as he got off the bike and fled.

Because she was in a hurry, she had no choice but to do this. It would probably be fine if she asked the academy to return the motorcycle afterwards. Thinking that, Shizuku straddled the motorcycle that the man had handed over. But―she realized that she had made a serious mistake.

My feet don't reach the pedal….

"…I can't believe there was a trap like this."

"What game are you playing, Shizuku?"

Suddenly, a voice at the nape of her neck made Shizuku turn her head.

"Onii-sama."

Ikki who had chased Shizuku breathlessly was there. Seeing him, Shizuku explained her own situation.

"The distance to Alice has grown, perhaps because he's on a vehicle. I procured a bike, but as you can see there is a structural defect in it. Even on a bike made in Japan, it doesn't meet the ground properly."

"It's clearly not the manufacturer's fault."

Ikki laughed wryly at Shizuku's grievance. But he immediately hardened his expression, and meeting Shizuku half-way, he spoke. What he said was a question to Shizuku who was chasing after Arisuin, even though Arisuin had deceived them up until today.

"…Shizuku. Even though they know we're chasing after Alice, Ouma and his companions aren't chasing us. It's because there's no need to chase us. It's surely because there is an enemy we'll face who we can't possible beat. Of course, you realize that, right Shizuku?"

"Yes, I know that."

"Alice tricked us. It could be that us chasing after Alice is also a trap for me and you. Surely you know that possibility too, right?"

"Yes, I know that."

"And even if Alice really did cut ties with Akatsuki in order to save us, he said that we should abandon him. That was Alice's wish. He didn't want to see you in danger, Shizuku. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, I know that."

Three times. Shizuku had confirmed the same understanding to each of Ikki's questions. He had come to hold her back. But he had not subdued her. Even though they were the words of her beloved older brother. After all―

"Onii-sama, did you come to ask me this?"

For Shizuku, it seemed that Ikki had come to ask three questions. Those all seemed to be completely trivial, inconsequential things. Shizuku stared straight at the face of her brother who had come to hold her back.

"Alice was the first person I liked after you, Onii-sama. He's my precious friend. Right now, my friend has fallen into danger. For me, there is no greater matter. So no matter what kind of danger is waiting for me, and no matter what Alice did or what he wants―I am going to go save him."

She conveyed her decision to Ikki. She would never take that back. Even though she understood all the risks, she would go and save her friend, her only older sister regardless.

Hearing that, her brother… cracked a small smile.

"―Good answer."

"…Eh?"

It was an answer she hadn't expected from Ikki. And Shizuku let out a befuddled voice without thinking.

"Onii-sama, you didn't… come to stop me?"

"Well, if you gave a half-hearted answer, I was going to drag you back against your will, but… since you're so resolved, I don't have any reason to stop you."

As he answered, Ikki nudged Shizuku's body to the back, straddled the motorcycle, and grabbed the handlebars. And he turned to Shizuku over his shoulder.

"I'll also go along with your wishes, Shizuku."

Knowing all the dangers, he pledged to follow his sister's desires.

"Onii-sama…."

At that thoughtfulness, Shizuku felt a sweet sensation tightening in her chest. She pressed her forehead to Ikki's back, and thought―

My love won't be accepted, but….

It was good that she loved this person.

"Thank you."

As she gave her gratitude, she shivered just a little.

"Don't thank me, Shizuku. I'm your older brother after all. ―Well, here we go. I'll leave the directions to you."

"…Yes!"

And Ikki floored the bike pedal.

They drove in a straight line, toward where Arisuin had been taken―to Akatsuki Academy.