Pre-Story Notes: This occurs at around Chapter 4 of Volume 3 of the Light Novel. Naturally, certain things had occurred earlier on to make this event possible, but that would not be tackled right away.
Disclaimer: I do not own CubexCursedxCurious or Anti-Magic Academy: 35th Test Platoon.
The situation had suddenly turned dire.
Haruaki wasn't particularly confident of his own ability, rather he always felt a sense of self-deprecation whenever he saw Konoha or Fear in battle. In the occasions where Konoha was in her blade form, he could not really call it his 'own' battle capability. Seeing as when he wielded her, it was more of her wielding him.
Konoha could make him move in ways that trained practitioners would envy, and his body would have all of the instincts of an experience veteran in the Sengoku period. Furthermore, she could strengthen his body to the utmost limit of human potential despite not actually having the body needed for it.
In all sense, Haruaki was more of a decoration in any battle situation. Any one could be possibly be 'wielded' by Konoha, and his own presence really was more of a convenience that anything else.
After all, who could blame him?
It wasn't like he expected things like this to happen. While cursed tools were indeed dangerous and that simply using one is enough to cause irrevocable damage, Haruaki had little to worry on that end simply due to his own unique constitution.
A constitution – not an ability.
Unlike his old man that had that odd ability (?) to escape from just about any situation and to locate things where most rivals in the same business would envy out of principle, Haruaki had not inherited anything of that sort.
He was simply informed early in his youth that, regardless of what happened, regardless of his own will, regardless of how strong it was... he was not able to be cursed by a cursed tool that he owned or he had used.
Of course, that special constitution was completely useless in a battle scenario.
On his own, Haruaki admitted he was pretty useless. It was to that end, that he simply wished to not be a source of burden.
But that wish was thrown to the ground, crushed and spit on as soon as he got captured by their current foe – Alice of the Bivorio family.
He had managed to escape, but the fact that he was captured in the first place left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Thus, with a sense of willfulness that made it seem more like a child trying to act cool in front of his parents, Haruaki gave an absurd request.
"Konoha!"
Yet despite his call, the tattered form of Konoha did not reply as she looked on emptily towards their foe. As if idly watching the form of the screaming Kirika.
It was heart wrenching sight – Konoha's crushed spirits and Kirika's own screams made Haruaki's heart jump and his blood pump.
He had to do something, Haruaki told himself. Anything!
"Konoha!" By his second call, Konoha finally gave a sign that seemed to indicate she had heard him. "Can you turn back into a sword?"
Konoha gave a cough, as she urged herself to stand.
"...I could turn back into a sword, but judging from the situation... I probably... won't be of much help. You'll only... fall into danger, Haruaki-kun."
In between breaths, she said this. Pain was clearly present within her own body, but despite that she still looked only for his well being.
Haruaki's teeth clenched.
How was this fair? Was his own childhood promises simply something that he couldn't uphold – even if he was the one that made it?
"It's no good... Hurry and escape... Haruaki-kun, hurry and escape-"
"How could I possibly escape?!" Haruaki interrupted, anger surging forth. He stopped himself there, and focused on the matter at hand. "Please, Konoha, I beg you!"
Pathetic. Even without looking at himself in third person, Haruaki knew that his demands were unreasonable and pathetic.
Konoha, who fought for his sake was injured. Kirika, who despite escaping, was suffering. Fear who fought with all her might, was still trying to recover.
Yet despite that, Haruaki begged. He, who was powerless, could not do things on his own. Clenching his fist and running forward would do nothing but get himself killed. He knew that and it brought him inches towards despair of his own making.
This wouldn't be the first time that Haruaki had cursed his own powerlessness. And even with this resolve, he doubted it would be the last.
Konoha looked at him, and almost as if seeing something there, sighed as a glow encompassed her.
Within Haruaki's hand, was Konoha's blade form.
It was different from before, he realized dumbly. The weight was more pronounced, as if he was holding a real blade.
Whenever he 'held' Konoha, Konoha had always been 'holding' the blade with him. Yet now, her presence while still there, was far more diminished than before.
He knew that Konoha could not offer the same amount of assistance as the previous times he had held her, but even a bit of assistance was better than nothing.
It wasn't as if he had real training with the blade.
Nevertheless, his hand clenched harder towards Konoha's form as if confirming her weight.
Without a word, he charged forward.
The Suicidal Beautification-Reflector had cloned Alice a total of 17 times.
One was enough to handle them all with little problem, yet 18 of them? It was a demoralizing situation that Haruaki understood before he even gave his unreasonable request. Despite that, he ran forward with reckless abandon.
Konoha, a capable warrior on her own right had been used to fight and kill a multitude of humans. Yet despite her own experience, she had found it better for him to flee than fight. She understood the battlefield more than anyone. After all, she was a cursed tool that was made for battle.
Haruaki was not naïve enough to think that by moving forward he would be able to change the tides of battle.
He only held a tiny hope.
But in the face of despair, it might as well be a matchstick in the depths of a pitch black cavern.
He deflected the first strike with Konoha – it was an action that both he and Konoha did in unison. His body moved slightly to the right to avoid a blow that came from behind. Although his body 'moved' Konoha had only initiated the action and Haruaki simply 'felt' it and went along with the flow.
Konoha was not fully controlling his body.
Dulled by the injuries she had undertaken, Haruaki had to use his own judgment to survive the coming blows.
By the fourth parry, Haruaki could no longer feel Konoha.
It was perhaps due to that, he was unsurprised to be blown away by the fifth blow.
Thrown into the air like Fear had been moments earlier, Haruaki recalled all his meager experience at this point. He knew that landing 'normally' would spell his death, and without Konoha to guide his movement, he only had his memories to guide him.
For a brief second, a thought entered Haruaki's mind.
Did memories not his own be something that he could rely on?
Haruaki's body righted itself in mid-air, his feet, upon touching the ground made his knees casually fold onto itself and he rolled on the cold concrete.
It was a haphazard fall recovery, but it had served its purpose.
Haruaki could still stand.
"Excuse me, I am very sorry but you are the only one here who holds absolutely no interest to me. Could you please not interfere?"
Despite Alice's tone, one reminiscent of a very polite woman, her words were cold and indifferent.
"Stop... joking around." Haruaki breathed out, a gash present by his cheek, a result by his haphazard roll. "Haha, although the current situation can only be described as like a joke!"
Yes, it was a joke.
A situation where a mere high school boy was fighting a dozen of clones that could all easily smash him to pieces couldn't be called anything but a joke.
Kirika was being toyed around with.
Fear was barely recovering.
Konoha has fainted.
And Kuroe was frozen in place.
The odds were stacked against him, and the opponent knew it.
"If you intend to interfere, then it cannot be helped." Alice said, shrugging ."Please be made into food!"
One of the Alice's made a move, and began to approach. With a weight he was unused to, Haruaki raised the blade once more.
"H-Haruaki... Ooh, h-hoooh..."
Realizing his situation, Fear tried to move – but deep down, he already knew she would not make it.
In other words, this was a situation that he must solve himself. Haruaki already knew that would be the case, but anticipating and being was completely different altogether.
It was a foolish thought.
But hadn't it worked already?
Perhaps it was a dream.
Was it not a dream?
It was a long time ago – yet it also felt like it had been a recent event.
The contradicting thoughts continued to cycle – but Haruaki's lips spread into a thin line. His mind was in disarray, yet the silent words that spilled out of his mouth was calm and clear.
"...Ragnarøkkr Enchant, activate."
Haruaki's vision exploded with a bright blue light. An energy, powerful and nostalgic surged through his pained filled body that it washed away any stray thoughts. Yet he knew in the deepest corner of his mind and heart, that no matter what, he should not allow that power to last for even longer than 10 seconds. He could not lose himself to this flow.
Not even two seconds after that realization, Haruaki's consciousness dimmed and his vision plummeted to darkness.
Author's Notes:
After binge reading all of CursedxCubexCurious and watching the anime in my hard drive, I decided to write this story. I have no idea if this will go anywhere, since I wrote this on a whim, so expect really sporadic updates.
This might count as a crossover, but Anti-Magic Academy will only be a small portion of the story (which will be explained later on). Naturally, this sort of event will change things gradually until it becomes more obvious later on.
So, read, review and tell me if I messed up my English!