Soldier Boy and Angel Girls

by Dalubhasa69420

The GSC President wished for a kind dependable and reliable adult to lead the many students of Kivotos as a teacher, who knew what to do at every situation, who had the integrity and responsibility to fulfill their obligations, one who never abandons his students... unfortunately, she has to settle for an ex child soldier with heroin addiction.A03crosspost

7. Chapter 7

Soldier Boy and Angel Girls

Hina P.O.V

Chinatsu left early with Ibuki as an escort for the latter back to Gehenna. After all, a mere gradeschooler shouldn't be left to fend for themselves, especially in Gehenna even if the child in question is a Pandemonium Official.

Levi-Sensei and I, along with the three officials of the Trinity Sisterhood made our way into the Schale building basement... this is the second time, why a basement of all things?

The looks of disgust and contempt from the crowd of Trinity students were too obvious, they didn't even bother hiding it. Whatever they had in mind that Sensei read, it's most definitely better left unsaid because of how Levi-Sensei was looking at them.

If looks could kill, then they would've been reduced to an unrecognizable cadaver... I shudder as I realize that Levi-Sensei could have very well considered making it a reality.

But moving on, he promised the head of the Sisterhood, Sister Sakurako, that he would also give them some of those magical spells in exchange for those glowing blue stones. That was a well thought out move that balances out a lot of things for the upcoming treaty. Because had he not, then the whole of Trinity would've been upset with the imbalance of three Gehenna students being taught magic as opposed to absolutely none in Trinity.

Two of the sisters seem saddened at the news that their god, Alll-Mer as Levi revealed in Sister Sakurako's talk in Kronos, had little blessings to give apart from the sword of blood and the portals. And Sensei added that the third and final spell in his branch in that magical table is basically a suicide spell... how does he know?

"It's called Inverse Crown of Thorns, Hina! The only reference of that in Alll-Mer's origin was that a crown of thorns was stabbed into his head!" He loudly explained with a hint of annoyance in his voice. I was a bit startled, but I kind of understand. I never really read much about medieval history, so I feel a little unnerved about finding out one of the things people did prior to proper civilization.

But wait a minute. "Why would one of Lord Alll-Mer's blessings harm his own followers?!" Asked the orange haired feline sister with confusion and fear, most likely from the fact that a supposedly benevolent human deity would have that kind of spell. Her other peer, along with Sister Sakurako is expressing the same fright as her.

Levi-Sensei closes his eyes, most likely to ponder about why such a spell would even exist. "I don't know, maybe he made it before he threw away his hatred or human flaws as a practical joke." ... The three holy sisters, and even I am unnerved by the that answer and the fact that it's entirely plausible. I mean, imagine devoting oneself to a deity only to be made to suffer a no doubt painful end. "Or maybe that guy in the Rher dimension was right. That it was the reverse and his hatred ascended instead of Alll-Mer proper." ... First of all, what the hell is a Rher dimension?!

The Trickster Moon God? The same in that skin bible? It's just a place of worship for it, right? And not an actual seperate dimension from our own, right? No, it's magic, anything is possible as far as I have witnessed.

"If his hatred ascended..." Sister Sakurako's eyes are widened in horror and realization, along with her two companions. "You said that the Sulfur God ascended from Alll-Mer's hatred..." Oh? The implications... of having worshipped a being of evil instead of the one benevolent in front of them is...

"Like I said, it was one guy talking like he's in a play. There's undeniable proof of Alll-Mer's benevolence everywhere back where I'm from." Even if I'm not one of the Sisterhood, much less a woman of religion. I feel myself sighing out of relief at his words.

"Anyways, do you girls want a spell from Funger? You just need to draw her sigil and give a small prayer." He spoke as he slid one of those tiles with a spiral pattern carved into it, setting it down the floor in the middle of the room. Wait, Funger? "You know? Fear, hunger, Funger." ... I suppose calling the deity with that ominous name is a but of a mouthful.

"May I ask what spells that deity can offer?" Politely asked that ora- Mari, I heard her bigger friend call her, with a curious and wonder filled expression.

Sensei turns to face her before making a motion with his hand, followed by rats crawling out of his shadows and... making some kind of performance, standing atop eachother with some back and frontflips. That's really cute... but I don't see the need for it, even the way he used it in the mission to retake control of the Sanctum Tower.

"You can also talk to regular vermin." He said with a snap of his fingers, making the rats dissipate back into his shadow. I... is that supposed to mean something? Regular vermin as in people we hate? "I mean. Actual rats, cockroaches, and whatnot. Maybe you can ask them to leave if they're intruding... or something, I don't know." He explained while awkwardly having his hand behind his head, looking at everywhere else except us.

That would... actually be useful with how cockroaches will multiply by the hundreds, even thousands if left unchecked. We fail to exterminate even one, and they will be back to that number just weeks after an extermination. But then again, I don't need it... definitely.

"Wow, if we had that, then we would be like the princess from that one movie!" Hinata, I believe her name to be, gushes at the thought, along with Mari who seems equally thrilled thinking about it. "But I kind of wanted the same spell little Ibuki got."

"In that case, look for the inverse symbol of Funger. It's a side by side R, same with the sigil on my face but reversed." He gave those instructions, the same time he pulled a blue stone out of a sack. He then motions for Hinata to come closer, with him to that table with an uncanny design. "The words "Moth Swarm" will come into your mind. Find it, then insert the stone there." At his words, the muscular nun girl nods before looking over the table and inserting the stone to a hole and then... just sinking in and disappearing.

Hinata takes a step back, her eyes widened for an indiscernible reason. And just like Ibuki, blue moths fly out of her shadow and around her, eliciting the same look of wonder that Ibuki had as she ordered the moths to fly in circles.

"That spell of moths is free, no need for a ritual or whatever." Seriously?! I mean, there would be crowds of people lining up if they knew that... "There's also a thunder spell if you want." Knowing that I have the supposed strongest spell at my disposal, that doesn't sound so impressive.

"One more thing about Fungers spells. There's one that makes things like flesh rot, and then..." The first one sounds gross, I, we don't need that. Levi trails off on the second one, making a hand motion to show us. Out of his shadows, two fleshy hands that look like... it had been dismembered from someone appear, and start floating by his side. "I just realized I can make my life easier with this spell." Sensei muttered out to himself, looking at his armless left sleeve.

"I-I would like the God of Fear and Hungers spells. The talking to vermin, and those extra hands please!" Mari nervously asked, bowing as she did. Levi-Sensei then pulls out a chalk from one of those crates, along with a skin bible copy.

"Mari, memorize the instructions to drawing the sigil then draw it." Sensei said, handing Mari the book and chalk as he guided her closer to that tile.

She then opens the book, and starts reading with a look of determination. After a short while, she drops the book in a nearby crate before kneeling down the tile and drawing... an M and then another M under it.

Suddenly, I feel an unseen overwhelming force in the room as if I were underwater, making me shiver... not just me as it seems that the nuns are frantically turned their heads, looking for the source of the uneasiness, except Levi-Sensei who looks calm and not the slightest bit bothered.

I hear something solid yet fragile clacking, I turn to the sound and see... something building itself infront of Mari, who backs away in fear as it finished assembling itself. It resembles the drawing in the Fear and Hunger skin bible, looking like a totem with a creepy looking smile at the head... it looks like it has a halo...

"That's her, the statue of the God of Fear and Hunger. The only thing you need to do now is pray." Mari turned to Levi with a nervous yet determined look before looking back, clasping her hands, and closing her eyes in prayer.

Crack!

The statue slowly but surely, it started cracking into pieces. Stopping right before it completely broke down as Mari finished her prayer. She's looking at the cracked statue in reverence with a hint of... pity? For a deity? It's origin that I read of is with the child that only knew suffering ascending into the god in question... yes, I suppose it is pitiful.

Sensei gave her three of those stones, then instructing her to insert one into "Rot" as it branches into the talking to vermin skill, along with "Flesh Puppetry" the extra hands. She looks repulsed, yet still continues on with using the stones.

After inserting the stones, Mari whimpers as she drops to her knees. Holding her head with eyes shut, going through the same headache I got earlier learning that black orb spell. Sister Hinata rushes to her side, kneeling while caressing Sister Mari's forehead and shoulder.

It looks to have dissipated after a moment, standing up as two hands appeared out of Mari's shadow. Compared to what Levi-Sensei summoned, Mari's looks clean and pristine, and ghostly blue. As opposed to Sensei's fleshy, and already in necrosis summoned hands.

"Wow... It's real magic." Mari muttered out in awe, motioning with her hands for the summoned magic hands to float in front of her. She then holds one, and then shakes it as if in formality, a smile and a small giggle coming from her.

"As for me, may I have those blue moths as well?" Sakurako asked, looking on along with Hinata looking on as Mari played patty cake with the magical floating hands. Then Sensei had Sakurako take the same actions that Hinata did, testing it as Hinata and Ibuki did with the same awe filled expression.

"Alright, now that all of that's done. It's time for the important stuff." He said with a tired sigh, which would be a given considering that it's nearly midnight. "Long story short. Along with the Kaiser invasion of Abydos, a new ascended god will make her full first appearance." ... Wait... What?... Why is he just saying that so casually?! Even the three sisters are flabbergasted and in disbelief!

"W-what?! So suddenly?!"

"I... what will you have us do, Sensei?"

"I d-don't really get it, but I'll do my best to help!"

As expected, they're stuttering as they try and come up with a reply.

"Thanks, but I just thought you girls should know." I mean... they are a religious organization after all, it would make sense to let them know... it seems however that... even they look uncertain on what course of action to take with that information. "Don't worry, Rei- I mean the god in question isn't... actually, I'll let it be a surprise." Was he about to say that ghost lady's name from earlier who gave Ibuki a free spell?

... I don't even want to think about it, it's still being processed in my mind.

"And Hina, here. Learn the Moth Swarm if you so wish." He said nonchalantly, chucking one of those blue stones at me.

I don't need this... definitely... but if you're offering, then thanks.

/

After a short while, the Three holy women of Trinity went back through the portal, leaving just Sensei and I. A man and a woman... alone in a room...

I shake my head, my hair whipping all over to perish the indecent thoughts that were finding itself in my mind. Levi-Sensei looked at me worriedly, approaching with his arm stretched out until he softly caressed my forehead.

"No fever... are you alright, Hina?" Sensei said with a look of concern, cupping my cheeks after my forehead. I stammered trying to verbally respond, so I could only nod to answer his answer to which he smiles. "You were so scary when I first met you. Yet now, you're acting adorable." He said with a slight snicker. Wha- wha... it's just a normal conversation... nothing too... indecent.

Perhaps... with all of his experience that even I do not have, I can ask for instructions on how I can improve... on just about everything military related.

"Sensei... Chinatsu said you've been doing combat for five years..." I trailed off as I realized too late that he might not want to talk about it. He widened his eyes, stepping back a little as he shook his head before nodding to me. "I'm just asking... but can you teach me about tactics and strategy?" Just thinking about it must be pushing his PTSD buttons.

"Yeah, sure... I'm only good with small squad tactics and manuevers... but I know something about general strategy, just ask and I'll see what I can come up with." He said with a sigh as he sat down, a small smile on his lips. "I'm a teacher... of course I'm supposed to teach." His smile of happiness widens, and it's directed to me.

And so, I start by telling him about how my Prefect team operates in both large and small scale. Standard operating procedure, standard weaponry and doctrine, usual tactics, logistics, just about everything that can be compromised should a worst case scenario take place.

"Frontal shocktrooper charges with artillery support... almost like the Bremens." He mutters, deep in thought. Is that so? Do we really resemble those people to destroyed your home? "If your forces are charging the front, then there should be an elite group, or just a skilled combatant like you or Iori, flanking the opposing force while they're occupied by your common soldiers. Either that or have more troops go around and encircle enemy groups." Something so simple... will it truly be effective as he thinks?

"You'd be surprised by how simple everything is in combat. Complicated equipment and tactics aren't effective without proper training and preparations, your forces will just get annihilated while confused. Just ask the Rondoners in Eastern Sanctuary." Well, you're the veteran after all, Levi-Sensei.

"Wait, no blitzkrieg?"

"No, the tank fleet of Gehenna is all under Pandemonium Society."

And so, he went about analyzing the standard tactics and procedures I told him about, and then proceeded to completely dismantle it, talking about the ways it can be destroyed and the discipline of the troops thrown into disarray before giving a solution to fix or improve it.

"If possible, try shaping the environment and enemy movement through artillery." I can see how that would be beneficial, but how would I even go about doing that? Should I collapse entire buildings just to corner the trouble makers we're going after? "Like when you're playing with an ant on your desk. It goes left, block it with your hand. If it goes right, do it again." There's also the issue of coordination and communication among recon, Ako and the others in charge of intel, and our artillery groups.

"Those drone things are cheap right? Use those both for having a birds eye view of the battlefield and as close air support. Use it's claws to hold mortar munitions, cluster grenades, or whatever you can rig into it to drop from above as an airstrike." ... Didn't Chinatsu say that he came from a place with lesser technological progress than Kivotos by a very wide margin? And that he also lacked proper education and schooling as Acting President Rin said? The way she claimed that the GSC Acting President rephrased how he described computers how it would be seven or so decades ago.

So how can he come up with these simple yet effective uses for mundane everyday tools? Or... perhaps it is from mindset that is most common in that place, Prehevil as he called it. "Have you thought about giving your common soldiers tear gas as standard equipment? It's way more effective in combat than in policing. Rioters can run away, enemy combatants can't because they'll get shot up." That's just ruthless... and effective, brutal even. I've got to admit, I feel a mixture of envy and fear at whatever else he can come up with.

"I just realized." Sensei said, hunching over and holding his stomach as he laughed moderately. Realized what? Did he just come up with another ruthless way of applying non combat things for combat? "Those phone things... along with a lot of people's tendencies to just start recording... and that live streaming thing I heard about." His laughter gets slightly louder as he brought his head back with a hearty smile.

"It would be a nightmare for two conflicting sides! Imagine civilians broadcasting both your location and the enemies and getting both bombed to hell!" Pfft, I had to cover my mouth as I felt myself about to burst out laughing like a madwoman. I mean... he's right, that would be an overly awkward scenario straight out of a comedy skit. "Hey! How'd you die? Same as you. Hehehe." Heh, heh. Yeah, that's morbidly comedic.

"I see, thank you Sensei for sharing your many innovative uses for non combat tools in combat. Along with the simple yet effective tactics, with which I will employ to great effect in keeping Gehenna afloat." It's already midnight and I do not wish to take up what is supposed to be his time for resting. Besides, I've already gotten what I've wanted along with a lot of other things.

I'm not about to oversta- "Oh, Hina. You would be much more adorable if that scary and serious look of yours went away." Sensei said with a smile as he rested his head by his hand and cheek which is slightly reddish pink. Wait, is he looking at me... with lust?! Is it an influence of that deity of love?!

"Levi-Sensei! You shouldn't keep saying stuff like that all the time!" I sternly scolded his behavior, to which he widened his eyes slightly. "There's a limit to how much you can talk inappropriately to people!" Is it because of his place of birth? Is it the mentality or customs of that place? It doesn't matter, he simply needs to be told so.

"I meant it." He said with a sigh as he smiled. Seriously? I... I guess there's nothing I can do about it. Hmm, I just noticed something.

"Levi-Sensei, you speak without a filter. You speak your thoughts, sometimes without hesitation." He has. The way he addressed me when we first met during the distribution of those portals across academies. The way he talked to me so casually when I had to leash in Ako when she attacked Abydos, along with how he sometimes sounded monotone when he spoke, as if it wasn't him actually speaking.

"Oh yeah... that." He acknowledges it, scratching his head with an annoyed sigh. "I blame that on Rher trying to give me brain damage." ... The Moon God? But why would such a being even bother with a single individual?

"The old god's are forces of nature. Shits gonna happen if they so much as fart or sneeze." I see. A feeling of dread was making my spine shiver at the thought that gods would be malicious to the point that they target single individuals. It's good to know they don't... maybe, I hope.

"I see, it's already midnight. I should take my leave now, and you your rest, Sensei." I only get a tired nod from him as he walked to somewhere, probably a bedroom.

Yes, I should take my leave as well.

/

Ayane P.O.V

Sensei looks simply annoyed as he's reading that letter... of resignation that Hoshino-Senpai left for us, for whatever reason. When I first saw that letter early in the morning, I felt... I felt a lot of things. Disbelief, shock, sadness, and the feeling of being unable to breath as my heart beat faster along with wetness flowing out of my eyes.

"That's it?! After acting all high and mighty before, she just bails before the fight even began?!" Screamed out Serika-chan in annoyance, with wet watery eyes.

"Hoshino..." Trailed off Nonomi-Senpai, worry and confusion evident in her tone. She's been with her the longest, so that reaction is a given.

"Goddamn retarded kid." I heard Levi-Sensei muttering with gritted teeth and furrowed eyebrows, crumpling the letter in his hands. "We'll go after her later, we first need to repel Kaiser." That's it?! Hoshino-Senpai ran away, basically selling herself to those horrible people for us, and he's only annoyed!

"There's a good chance that they're not even going to honor their side of the deal with her." Eh?... Then that would mean... she did it for nothing?

"Is that right?... Then I'll look for her myself." Shiroko-Senpai said, a rare expression of urgency in her face. She rummages through her bag, bringing out those supernatural necklaces and putting it on. "Sensei, you had that tracking magic, right?" Oh yes! The same magic he used when Serika-chan was abducted!

"No time for that now." Sensei growled out with still gritted teeth in frustration. Why?! This is Hoshino-Senpai getting lied to and abducted we're talking about here! "They're here... those bastards." ... Now? Of all times?

Boom! Boom!

I had to hold on to the table from the rumbling that came from the explosions. Those... sounded like artillery shells.

"I'm with Sensei, we need to stop them first before rescuing Hoshino." Spoke out Nonomi-Senpai with a resolute tone and expression.

"Already?! They're here?!" Yelled out Serika-chan with fury and panic in her tone and eyes.

"Nn, we'll just have to drive them out." Shiroko-Senpai... I... guess they're right. We have to first reduce Kaiser PMC to ashes, as Sensei promised them yesterday

"Alright, you three hold on to me. Ayane, bomb them to hell!" Three of my senpai's rushed to his side and held him where they equally could, then ordering me to do exactly what I've been wanting to do since yesterday.

"Yes, Sensei!" I shouted out as I sat down to start operating my drones, along with those remote weapons systems I bought from that SRT student, Moe is what I believed her name to be.

Levi-Sensei, with my senpai's all nod before... flickering? Blinking? No, teleporting around as I see them in the cameras of my drones all spread out around Abydos appearing and disappearing, around where Sensei said to fortify against Kaisers invasion.

From one of my other drones I see the Kaiser PMC Director, accompanied by hundreds of PMC soldiers and some vehicles and tanks, monologuing about how the last of the Abydos Student Council has dropped out-

No way in hell! I grab the control of one of the hidden remote weapons systems there, with a rocket propelled grenade launcher attached to it. I twisted the joystick like device, adjusting the aim of the RPG and aligning the sights down the Executives feet. I then pull the trigger mechanism, launching the explosive projectile towards the robotic man in a business suit at break neck speeds and detonating, blowing him away as he screamed out in pain.

The PMC soldiers start firing where the line of smoke from the rocket came, along with a tank rotating it's turret towards it and then firing, the camera feed from that empty weapon controller disappearing as it's shell detonated.

I hear the rooms door opening! I turn to face the intruder as I reached out for my pistol.

"Stop, Abydos Student!" Shouted out a PMC soldier with his gun pointed at me, approaching slowly with caution. "Order your peers to sta-" He couldn't finish whatever he was going to say as without warning, Levi-Sensei blinked into existence from his side. The PMC soldier turned his head and before he could react, Levi-Sensei bashed his fist onto his face in a boxers stance, his fist scratching and bruising, with shocking strength as the PMC soldiers metallic face cracked as he was thrown down from the force.

The mechanoid infiltrator used his both arms holding an assault rifle to stop his full fall couldn't recover fast enough, as Levi-Sensei then pulled out his Luger, shooting the PMC soldier in the face repeatedly until he dropped his weapon and held his arms up in surrender.

"Ayane." Sensei called out to me, not even turning to look as he approached the PMC soldier backing away in fear and pleading for mercy, stomping him down, shards of metal and glass scattering around, until he fell unconsciousness and then grabbing him by the neck. "You know what to do! Rain hell down on those imbeciles!" He shouted gleefully as he, along with the unconscious intruder teleported somewhere else.

I hear more gunfire and explosions from the numerous camera feeds in the several laptops I'm using to operate all the drones and weapons control systems.

I see Shiroko-Senpai's drones appearing and dumping it's load all over the PMC army, desperately shooting at it and running for cover as they can't find where my senpai's are all hiding before being blown up by her drones.

I see Serika running out of a building, shooting at the enemies and catching they're attention before running inside another reinforced building. The invaders all tried following after her, but Nonomi-Senpai, going by that rate of fire, mowed them down before they could even come close.

Their tank had it's turret turned to where Nonomi-Senpai was most likely hiding and firing from and fired back, the shell impacting the building followed by the orange flames and the dust.

The dust dissipated, revealing an almost unaffected building wall. It's working! Such an army being dismantled by us! Levi-Sensei was right, destroying an army like this was easy! Without interruption, Nonomi-Senpai rained down a storm of bullets from where she was taking cover, destroying trucks and knocking out mercenaries by the dozens.

With one hand, I take control of a mounted gun controller which I remember attaching a machinegun to and simply started firing. With the other, I took control of my many bomber drones and flew them higher above the invading PMC soldiers. I activate the simultaneous ordnance release I programmed last night, and laughed in glee as those munitions whistled down their way to blow up the invader scum bastards.

/

Nonomi P.O.V

The bombs Ayane-chan's drones dropped and whistles on its way down in the middle of the PMC army's formation, exploding into a massive fireball and shockwave blowing away a huge number of them. Hmm, she's laughing maniacally like she did last night.

Reloading my minigun, taking out the empty belt and replacing it with another full of bullets. I can't help but feel confident, overconfident even, as I saw how much damage we have done to the invaders in mere minutes after we started shooting. In just the first minute of contact, there's already at least a hundred of them down from our combined firepower, at least ten percent of their fighting force knocked out still unconscious around the place.

Hmm, Shiroko-chan is working especially hard it seems. Her drone is appearing to launch missiles, and then disappearing to reload missiles and then reappearing again in mere seconds, and look at how much mayhem she's caused and is still causing!

As I finished loading my minigun, I bring it up to the window made for it's barrel and stick it out to start blasting once again. And again, dozens of those invaders are being taken out the fight or being pinned down behind whatever cover they could find, which was not a lot given that they're in the middle of the square.

"Ayane, fly your bomber drones through their front to their backlines while dropping ordnance." Levi-Sensei ordered out through our comms equipment, the sound of air whizzing past him loudly as background noise. And without a word, I see tens of Ayane-chan's drones start flying up and through their lines, dropping bombs in a way that resembles historical carpet bombing tactics.

The falling munitions whistled down before exploding, blowing away PMC personnel and dismantling their formerly organized and disciplined formations, and instilling fear and panic as some dropped their weapon and started running away.

Amazing... I thought Levi-Sensei was just saying those things to make us feel safe. I thought he was downplaying the threat, or was being overconfident with his experience in combat... I played along because I didn't even know what to do or say then.

But now... they're the ones being destroyed instead of my friends and I who are no more than simple highschool girls. And the best part is that, they haven't even fired a shot that hit us yet, I don't think they even know where they, Serika and Shiroko, are hiding and shooting.

They already know where I am, but they keep getting mowed down by me, and their tanks shell can't go through the fortified building exterior, the high explosive ones at least since they have yet to use armor piercing shells. They also can't infiltrate the building even when I'm reloading as Shiroko-chan and Serika-chan will hold them off for me, along Ayane-chan with her bomber drones and remotely controlled weapons she bought from somewhere.

Now that I think about it, it's like that one movie I saw once. In one of the scenes, countless soldiers of an army charged a fortified shore with bunkers, machineguns, and whatever else from the sea with landing ships. I just remembered that the defending side was actually the bad guys, I think the movie was about saving a guy named Private Ryan or something.

Hmm, looks like we've thinned their numbers by half, maybe even more than that... and my guns barrels are glowing orange and smoking, it's hot! But it's nothing too bad, I held the mechanism to keep it spinning to dissipate the built up heat faster.

I see some of those blue moths that Levi-Sensei used against the Kaiser helicopters from yesterday, approaching the remaining forces taking cover behind a tank and some armored trucks. As they got closer, some of the PMC soldiers held the attachment under their guns barrels, pointing it to the oncoming blue swarm and letting loose a burst of flame, the small moths dissipating into nothing as the flames engulfed them.

"Interesting... flamethrowers that small but still as effective." I hear Sensei muttering in our comms with a tone of intrigue. Was he... just doing that to test the Kaiser soldiers capabilities? "Hehe, they still won't see the Black Orb Hina will cast." Black orb? A secret spell? Also, Head Prefect Hina?! He taught her magic?! Oh yeah, he did say that he promised it to her.

"Sensei, didn't you say that magic uses sanity as fuel?" I ask worriedly about his state of mind, as those moths and the rapid teleportation he did most likely costed a lot of his sanity. And also the Gehenna Prefects Head.

"Didn't he say that the ring he took would help with that?" Serika-chan asked with confusion.

"Kind of, he just said he wouldn't need liquor as much." Ayane chimed in, finally getting over her maniacal laughing from moments ago.

"Nn, why'd we stop shooting?" Asked an impatient Shiroko-chan with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeah, this ring restores my mind when I'm not using spells. And as far as I have seen, any student that have casted spells didn't feel their minds deteriorating. And Shiroko, save your ammo and explosives for the next wave." Is that so, Levi-Sensei? That's great I suppose, his use of magic is limited but if what he says is true then a student like Prefect Head Hina... now I'm anticipating whatever that black orb spell is like.

Hmm, there hasn't been any gunfire for the past few minutes. I see some of those PMC personnel running towards their fallen colleagues, and then carefully dragging them away to safety as others pointed their guns around, incase they need to provide covering fire. With the tank rotating it's body side ways to provide more cover for foot soldiers, it's turret pointing to the nearby buildings near where Shiroko and Serika are.

Hmm, now that I think about it... those common enemies may be just like us being used by that PMC Director. But then again, they're not hesitating in attacking mere highschool girls if told to.

"Second wave, incoming!" Ayane-chan Shouted out in a dire tone, warning us of what's to come. "They have attack helicopters and more tanks!" Oh no, that is really bad!

"Just in time! Hina's also here!" Sensei shouted out gleefully in the radio, making me, and probably the others as well wince from how loud it was through the radio. "Shiroko, Serika. Take some of those molotov firebombs or whatever you're calling it, and then use it on that tank on the front." He ordered out to those two who are already definitely moving.

"Take your time, because Hina and I will deal with the second wave by ourselves." That sounds insane... but then again, fighting off an entire army by ourselves also did, yet look at how well we've so far defended ourselves.

/

Levi P.O.V

I have to at least admit. Despite being smaller in size by a whole lot than the Battalion Tactical Group I marched with, those army of mere mercenaries are way better equipped compared to whatever the fuck scraps leadership left for most battalions during the start of the war after some sort of purge at the heart of the E.U . Hell, they even have better technology and vehicles.

Looking from some far, yet still close enough rooftop, I see their black, sleek yet blocky helicopters flying low and fast, launching rocket batteries from a cylinder attached to each sides of each aircraft on the buildings where I, and maybe they, saw the muzzle flashes from my students.

Numerous projectiles landed and exploded into orange flames, spreading dust as debris were created from the explosions. Some chunks of concrete from the structures start falling down, followed by the dust clouds dissipating, revealing still mostly intact building walls with some window sized holes blown into it.

I caught a glimpse of Serika sticking her head out, then her tongue out at the helicopters passing by in a mocking way before being yanked back into cover by probably Shiroko. I saw Nonomi's machinegun fire from that other building from the other side of the road opposite to where the former two are.

"Sensei, is it time yet?" I turn back to look at Hina, and I see that she is excited, restless even as her fingers and batwings are twitching. "Can I test that spell out now?" She said, getting closer to the rooftops edge, reaching her hand out towards the fast moving helicopters.

"Sure, just tell me if you're feeling some headaches." As soon as I finished talking, Hina put on an delightful smile as she's nodding, as if she were a child receiving a birthday gift. "Alright, I'll teleport us closer." I said, walking closer to her and placing my hand down her shoulder.

"I'm ready, Levi-Sensei." She said after a deep breath. And so-

[Phase Step]

I teleport us close enough to be able to see the helicopter pilots as they flew right infront of us. Hmm, they also see us going by how that one pilot turned his head to keep us in eyesight as they passed by.

"Fire away, Hina." She extended her hands out, as if she were about to catch something. And then... it started forming, a ball of otherworldly black with dark purple spirals inside of it. As soon as it finished manifesting, it started frantically moving uncontrollably left, right, up, and down before going back to the center of where it appeared.

Hina retracted one hand, and then making a finger gun with the other with the Black Orb moving to the tip of her finger.

The helicopters turned around, and increased their altitude as they faced towards us.

"Through out heaven and earth." Hina muttered, flicking her free arm and making her coat wave around. "I alone am the honored one." And with that, the Black Orb shot off with such force that the air seemingly was thrown out of its way.

Instead of the usually slow movement of the dark sphere of death that I'm used to, it went through two of those approaching helicopters in the blink of an eye, shattering it into pieces like a bullet though glass.

And before I could even blink, Hina's Black Orb went through the remaining eight helicopters with a single trajectory change for each. After neutralizing the helicopters, it went through one large building, which had it's entire top half get obliterated as the Black Orb went through it in a split second, debris thrown around like confetti.

"Uhmm... I knew you said it was the strongest..." Hina trailed off with an awkward nervous smile, looking flustered at the aftermath of her first attempt at casting a spell. "But I didn't expect it to do that much." Yeah... me too, Hina.

Hmm, the advancing Kaiser forces... they just stopped and looked at the destroyed building courtesy of Hina wielding Gro-goroths blood magic. Are they considering their next move to take?

"Holy-! Sensei! Was that the black orb spell you were talking about?!" Serika, almost always the one who finds herself the most flabbergasted, especially at this moment.

"It's... nothing short of terrifying." Ayane muttered out through the communication device, as did Serika. "Just imagine how much of them I can destroy with that." ... I think I awakened something inside of Ayane by having her use her supply drones for attacks and bombings.

"Nn, that's a surefire way of making stick ups a success." Seriously, thinking about bank robberies at even this moment? Is it her personality? Or is it because she's part wolf?

"I... can see why you've so far until now never used that spell, Levi-Sensei." Nonomi... why is it just now that you're proving yourself to be a detective of all things? "Because I like being mysterious, like in those spy movies. No one will be suspicious of me that way." Is that so?

"Yeah, that was Hina. Sing your praises to her later." I hear a basically unintelligible cacophony from the communication device as they all talked over eachother. Hmm, why is Hina blushing in emberassment?

Eh, nevermind that. We still need to deal with the invasion force.

Wait... I hear whistling.

Boom! Boom!

An artillery strike?! The first two hit the Kaiser forces front, followed by several other high explosive shells landing each in the middle of their formation. One of those shells lands directly on top of a tank exploding, followed by a chain of smaller explosions of its munitions resulting in the turret being blown high up to the air, crushing some poor dude when it returned down to the earth.

"Those were... from Trinity's L118 artillery pieces." Hina whispered out in intrigue, staring at the battery's aftermath. Damn... I thought Hifumi was exaggerating when she said that her school's leadership offered artillery support.

That was a terrifyingly accurate artillery batte- nevermind, I hear another battery incoming.

Boom! Boom!

Several more artillery shells struck some of the still organized formations of Kaiser PMC forces, scattering the opposing enemies from the blast. Well, that's the first and second wave entirely wiped out. Looks like Hina and I didn't have to do much.

"What makes you say that?! Half of them is still up! Same with the first wave!" Oh yeah, that's right Serika. Now that I think about it, it's only natural that a civilian wouldn't know. "Wouldn't know what?!"

"Half is neutralized, the other half has to drag them back to safety." I explained through the radio, and then I hear the Abydos girls making some sounds of understanding.

"But Sensei, they're reorganizing." Oh are they now, Ayane?

[Phase Step]

I teleport, bringing Hina along with me as I went closer to take a look for myself. And yeah, they're actually going back into formation, this time with tanks all at the front with the common soldiers scattered around to minimize the damage from Ayane's bombings.

They're loading their casualties onto trucks and then driving away, with the loaders returning to formation after putting their comrades on the impromptu evacuation vehicle.

"Is my time to shine yet? I know that those haloes floating on top of their heads are protect them... but I don't like seeing little girls fighting a war by themselves."

I heard Reila's voice in my head.

... Some parts of my mind is still kind of back there... I didn't even question it... but regardless, these kids still need to be able to defend themselves. I wanted them to know how to fight back against an invasion, how to overcome the fear that such a force invokes to the point that they couldn't even fathom about fighting back.

But yeah. We should wrap this up faster, and we can go find Hoshino after. But honestly, I still want to see how those supposed elite troops will keep on fighting, and how they could possibly adjust like this. Because chances are, I'll have to deal with them again in the future.

" Find that little pink haired girl first. You sound like you're just enjoying being able to annihilate an entire army, if you're gonna be dealing with them later on anyways then do so. "

"Alright, fine." I said while sighing. Walking down the stairs of the building I'm in, I see the Abydos girls throwing fire bottles on that tank from the first wave.

It caught fire, electricity coming out from it's turrets joints as it tried to rotate before exploding. It's turret, falling off to it's sides as the fire spread to the rest of it's chassis, with the foot soldiers hiding behind it turning tail and running away to join up in the second waves formation.

"Stand down girls, I'll deal with the rest." I ordered through the radio, reaching the ground floor and walking out of the building cover to announce myself to Kaisers forces. I hear them asking and shouting, why? Get back into cover. We can take em! And some other things.

Hey, Reila. You can stop them from shooting at me, right? ... Right? And intimidating aura doesn't really mean anything if I just get shot.

" Oh, that? Arona's the one protecting you, there's a transparent armor around you made by her."

Is that so? Thanks Arona! [You're welcome, Levi-Sensei!]

I see the entire front of the Kaiser formation bringing their weapons up to aim at me, their hands and feet trembling, no doubt from how they were basically annihilated so quickly. Calmly and slowly, I walk closer towards then while not reacting to their guns at the slightest, which is probably scaring them even more.

"Move aside! Make way for me!" Oh, it's that guy! Kaiser Executive, he's still here! I have to at least admit, I'm impressed that he didn't immediately run away, even making his way towards me. And so, his troops in the middle moved to their sides while still aiming at me.

"But Director, you're inju-"

"It is superficial, now let me through." Well, at least he's not a coward... for the moment that is.

And there he is, that fat bastard himself. Some parts of his fancy suit torn and charred. "Levi of Prehevil, Teacher of Schale... does the General Student Council kno- no, that wouldn't matter to you." The Kaiser PMC Leader said, a hand scratching his head while shaking his head. "The final member of the Abydos Student Council has dropped out, no clubs, no governance. As such, Abydos Academy no longer formally exists, and the district owners, that being u-"

He stopped what he was saying as an explosive projectile was launched at him, and he rushed into cover as soon as he heard it coming. It impacted the tank he hid behind, wobbling to it's sides as it withstood the overpressure and fireball.

"Shut up! Just shut up already!" Ayane's guttural screams echoed through one of her drones speakers flying above us. This is... even more intense from her than when she snapped at our ridiculous solutions to the debt. "Give us back Hoshino, Now! Or I will shove a grenade up your rectum and splatter your insides all over the place!" Oh, by the Gods. So this is Ayane's full unrestrained fury... I can feel a shiver across my body, followed by the small hairs in my skin rising.

I can see the Kaiser Executive trembling as he peeked out of cover... I mean, I'm also kind of fearful of Ayane now. But-

"Ayane, calm down. It wouldn't be good for a pretty girl like you to act like a rabid dog." I spoke through the small radio attached to my ear. I can hear her grumbling with gritted teeth, but I do hear her reluctantly making a noise of affirmation.

"Good. Now, Kaiser Executive. "I turned to the machine man coming out of cover, dusting the sides of his suit. "The sooner and more in detail you talk about this Black Suit guy, the more I will feel like stopping Ayane from carrying out her threat." To my offer of mercy, I see him scoffing in indignation.

"This land is in stagnation under them, it would be better off in our hands! We would've brought it new glory, "Kaiser Training Academy", doesn't that sound better than it's current condition?!" He proudly proclaimed, fully ignoring what I just said. Training for what? For a full on invasion of Kivotos as soon as you have enough of the numbers in manpower, equipment, supplies, and vehicles? As if I'd let you even start with that plan.

"Y-you... You could've done the same if you supported Abydos before it fell off!" Serika shouted through the loudspeakers on Ayane's drones.

"Yes! It would've had the same effect had you done just that!" Nonomi staunchly spoke, somehow being the better long term planner than this so called businessman.

"Nn, it's like Sensei just now said. They want to do the same thing with other academies, driving them out and stealing their homes." Shiroko hissed out, rephrasing my thought to speech in a more simple manner.

"Yes... you could've accomplished so much, yet you chose to be greedy." Even with how calm Ayane acts, I can still feel her repressed fury.

"What would you mere children know?!" The PMC leader shouted out as a question, making a dramatic wave with his arm. His troops behind him changing their formation to one about to start a charge, with some pulling out smokes and grenades. "I'm giving hopeless dropouts and delinquents employment, a living, and a future! While you brats are doing the pointless, commiting to the useless task of paying off an impossible debt! You're deluded, the lot of you!" Is that so...

"Yeah, I have to at least praise you for that." I saw the Executive flinching in shock? Surprise? At my words. I hear my students yelling at me through the our shared radios, about how I shouldn't be letting myself be swayed by his words. "But that's not what I was asking. I asked about that Black Suit guy."

"As a professional, I'm obligated not to sell out my partners." Seriously? You're attacking schoolchildren who doesn't even know what to do with their entire lives yet, you've already fallen off of being a professional. "Tch, prepare for an offensive charge!" He ordered out to his troops, who were waiting in anticipation to start advancing and shooting.

[Persuasion]

"You will do no such thing!" I shouted back to his troops, who flinched slightly but still remained in the ready. Hmm, looks like the spotlight is about to shine on you, Reila. "The Machine God, your God demands it! Lay down your arms and kneel!" I shouted louder, enough to echo slightly through the city. I see some of them taken aback, expressing confusion and slight fear through their bodies, even the Kaiser Executive.

" I mean... yeah, I can see how you'd have that misconception. "

... Alright, what is that supposed to mean?

" It's entirely possible that there was a different Machine God here. The timeline is different in our seperate worlds. Before the first computers were even conceptualized in our world, the machine people of Kivotos were already here for a long enough time that they're considered normal. "

Even then, you're still a God of Machine's right? Even if their creator is still present here, you can still take control of them, right? Wait, you mean to say Kivotos and where we came from are different worlds? I mean... it makes sense, kind of.

" Yeah, I guess. I've been testing my influence on them, how much I could control these machine people, on the ones who I could find alone and isolated. "

... That's actually kind of messed up.

"Preposterous! Now's not the time to be preaching religion. Hell, you're not even a clergyman, are you?" Well, he's got me there. The Kaiser Executive goes back to rallying his men, who still looks ready to charge but are afraid.

Even from this far, I could see the hesitation in their movements, the fear making them tremble. The leader speaks loudly, giving his men orders. To charge in and subdue me, to find and takedown the Abydos girls, and to finally capture the final stronghold of Abydos Highschool.

And then, he finally orders the charge.

...

...

...

"Are you all deaf or are you all cowards?! Don't tell me you actually believe in his nonsense about a machine deity?!" He shouted, turning left, right, and around to address his troops. They're all frozen and trembling, with some taking some hesitant back steps before fully turning and running away.

The Kaiser Executive noticed them, pointing at the deserters, about to shout at them... but he could only clench his hands as it shook in frustration.

"Reila, is all of that your doing?" I ask aloud, followed by the confused and worried voices of my students through our comms.

"Sensei, who are you talking to?"

"Did you use too much magic? Is your mind alright?

"Were you talking to more reinforcements?"

"Sensei... the Kaiser forces are all trembling and unable to take any action... was it something you did?"

"When I said that I would put the fear of the Machine God in them, I meant it when I said I would do so literally." I answered to their questions, eliciting some more noises of and confusion at my words.

Ignoring them, I keep observing the Kaiser forces. Their leader already talked some sense to his troops, snapping out of their fear and reaiming their weapons towards me, about to charge in as they were ordered to moments ago.

... Something feels... wrong... the air, why does it feel so heavy? The pressure, it feels I'm underwater. Why am I breathing so heavily? No... now's not a good time for my withdrawal!

"Relax, it's just me." Reila? She's here... in a physical form. Yeah... taking a look up the at the blue sky, it's now dark, cloudy, and with a green fog... like the nights during the festival! "And even then, you're withdrawal symptoms would've only slowed you down slightly, courtesy of Fungers blessings." That's good to know I guess, it won't stop my withdrawal from feeling like absolute shit but it's something.

I'm not just hallucinating her, I can see the Kaiser forces along with their leader looking on at her. They're also feeling the pressure, probably a lot more since they're machines.

"It's a haloless person... just like that Teacher Boy." Said the Kaiser Executive in confusion and alert.

"Sensei... who is that woman in front of you?" Ayane asked in alarm, along with her friends, who doesn't have a visual feed, asking the same in worry. Well, I kind of understand their reaction, because how would one even explain a woman appearing out of nowhere the same time the weather turns gloomy.

"And she... she doesn't have a halo! Get her out of there, she'll get hurt!" She shouted in panic, pleading for me to do just that. Is it that weird that we don't have halo's?

"Really?! Sensei, get her out of there now!" Shouted out Nonomi, the sounds of frantic steps down a stairwell echoing through the radio.

"What?! Where'd she come from?!"

"Nn, we're coming!"

Shiroko and Serika doing the same as Nonomi, rushing down the building they're hiding in.

"Don't worry kids, I'm here to help." With a smile, Reila spoke to Ayane, and the others through the radio with a reassuring tone. And so, she walked towards the Kaiser forces, her expression morphing from a smile to a sneer and a frown.

"Seriously? Attacking schoolkids and then whining when you got beaten back, that's a whole nother level of being pathetic!" As she made her displeasure known, two gigantic stone hands appeared by her sides, almost like the Flesh Puppetry spell.

But... those aren't made of flesh, and unlike Mari's ghostly Flesh Puppetry, those are solid stone. She walks confidently towards thier lines, ignoring the fact that their guns are all pointed at her.

The Kaiser Executive was about to shout an order, but stopped when... two Black Orbs formed in the left stone hand, hovering just infront of it. And in the other stone hand, a sizable ball of flame floats above it.

"We're here!" I turn around as I heard Shiroko's voice, and see her with Serika clinging to her back frantically breathing. "Is that the haloless woman?" She said, looking over to Reila.

"How... are you... not dizzy?" Serika asked in between deep breaths with Shiroko dropping her, landing on her knees as she looked up. "She might be a mage, but she's not bullet proof." Don't worry about that. Bullets won't affect her one bit.

"Sensei, get her out of our line of fire. We'll blast those Kaiser goons away!" Shouted Nonomi as she huffed and puffed, running towards us while carrying that massive rotary machinegun of hers by her side.

"She'll be fine, I doubt that she would get hurt in the slightest." I said while turning back to look at Reila, dismissing Nonomi's worries.

As Reila got closer to the Kaiser lines, some of their soldiers just dropped to the ground and started convulsing and screaming, electricity buzzing and coming from their bodies.

They started retreating back further at the sight of their comrades suffering as she got closer, dragging their leader along as he was frozen, definitely experiencing the fear of a Gods wrath.

Their second line passed through the retreating first line and brought their weapons up to shoot at Reila, but with just a wave of her right hand they were all blown up in several consecutive Combustion casts, scattering and setting them on fire.

The first line finally reached the third line... where some soldiers were haloed girls. Are those... the dropouts and delinquents he was talking about? They help the automaton soldiers hoist their leader up a truck which drove away, probably back to their base.

They're all armed with assault rifles except one, and are all wearing a helmet and a gasmask,with some extra magazines on their chests. Their shirt and skirt uniform has some sort of pattern that looks like it would blend in with the desert.

Some automatons in the third line are bigger, and are armed with shields. "Shielders on the front! Cover our Directors retreat!" Ordered out one of those girls with a scoped rifle, probably that lines commanding officer. And so, They marched to the front of their line, slamming their shields down and making a defensive formation, a bright blue almost transparent barrier appearing from their shields.

That weird looking white tank the first line automatons hid behind, it has a single turret on the front with arms? On each of its sides with a rotary turret on each hand. I don't see any tra- oh, it's standing up with two blocky mechanical hind legs.

It's a strange impractical design like that tank with a humanoid upper half in Yuuka's school.

It walks, rumbling the ground with each step before stopping just behind the shields. It aims it's main turret at Reila, doing the same with its secondary triple barreled rotary turrets which started rotating, and finally it started blasting.

Shells from it's secondary armaments hitting the ground besides Reila before it adjusted and started hitting her, each shell exploding into a fireball while dispersing smoke and dust that covered her entirely as it kept firing until I heard some clicks. It fired almost a dozen shells from each arm.

"She... she's gone..." Ayane's disheartened silent whimper came from the radio.

"Sensei! Why didn't you..." Like I said Nonomi, she's fine! Just wait for the dust to settle, and you'll see.

"But she... didn't have a halo." And she won't need one Serika.

"Nn, I can still see her silhouette through the smoke, smell her even." Shiroko said with a confident tone, followed by sniffing. I mean... she's a wolf after all.

The smoke and dust obstructing our vision of Reila finally dissipated, showing her practically unharmed without a single scratch. The goliath tank with legs then aimed it's main turret, ejecting a shell as an orange flash shot out of the barrel.

Which Reila simply slapped aside, the shell being thrown through a building window and then exploding. The pressure blowing debris and air around, with her hair waving around from the force.

Before anyone could react, even me. She snaps her fingers, and the double Black Orbs started tearing through their ranks.

One went through the center of the tank with legs body, tearing it's upper half which was reduced to scattered debris. The other went through the shielder automations lines from the side, destroying their shield wielding arms and blowing them away from the force of the dark spheres speed displacing the air in front of it as it moved.

Reila then began moving her arms around, the same way an orchestra conductor would. Directing the Black Orbs to start swerving and hitting the remaining Kaiser forces running around in disarray like cutting grass in a field. Aside from destroying the few remaining tanks, the armored trucks with mounted machineguns, at least one arm from each automaton soldiers to stop them from wielding their weapons, she just used the strong air pressure from the Black Orbs faster and more aggressive movement to throw the PMC girls around like they were in a hurricane until they were all down.

And finally, the Black Orbs dissipated. Where there was a professional army in a defensive formation, lies said army in ruins. Their war machines shattered and broken, the automatons missing a limb or two, the haloes girls in uniform either unconscious, struggling to stand up, or has already fled.

"That's... she wiped the floor with them."

"We had someone like her on our side... this entire time?!"

"Magic... is really scary."

"A God... Sensei wasn't kidding..."

I hear my students be completely awestruck at Reila's show of power.

Reila once again started walking, looking around the destruction she caused. Some of the automaton soldiers saw her approaching, trembling and cowering at her gaze.

But one of them crawled closer to her, making Reila stop as he blocked her path. Is he... kneeling? In worship? Or is he just begging for his life? Maybe it's both. Whatever it is, his other mechanoid brethrens followed suit, kneeling with their heads down in front of her. And before long, the remaining hundred or so of them did the same and knelt down in reverence.

"M-Machine God... We beg of you... please... mercy." The one who first knelt pleaded, his voice muffled as electricity ran open in his neck. He, along with the other automatons bowed their heads slightly lower as he begged. From behind her, I can't tell what Reila is thinking.

I hear her clicking her tongue in annoyance. "Leave Abydos, and never return." With those simple words from her, a cacophony of praises and gratitude echoed from the kneeling masses of machine men. Interesting, they are cold machines, yet I can feel their thankfulness for Reila's show of mercy in their voices.

She raises her hand in a halting motion, and her kneeling new followers silenced themselves. "Will you pledge your service to me, an avatar of the Machine God Logic?" And without question, the automatons all answered in affirmation with some even pledging their lives. "Good. Now, unless an Abydos student ever personally invites you, never step a foot back into Abydos land again." Just like earlier, they all answered in affirmation without even a second of hesitation.

"Good. Now scram, and take those those poor girls on the ground with you. They're your comrades, right?" Again, without hesitation. They did as she said, turning back and then just running away. The PMC girls that came with them being carried with care as the automatons began travelling the way out of Kivotos.

Once they were all out of sight, those stone hands by her sides dissipated, along with the blue sky returning and the green fog disappearing as she turned around to face us.

"Who... is that, Sensei?" Nonomi asked with caution and fear, rotating her rotary machinegun in case of an emergency.

"she's not our enemy right?" Serika who's usually confident is fearful.

"Nn, she said she was here to help." Hmm, looks like Shiroko is the only one who listened earlier.

"Sensei, here's a map for the tracking spell!" I heard Ayane's voice through the radio of a drone beside me, a map being held by its claws. She didn't even wait or be in awe like her schoolmates.

I reach out to grab it, it's claws coming off at the same time. I set the map down on the ground and-

[Reveal Aura]

For me at least, Hoshino's pink eye like halo appeared hovering somewhere in the mapped desert.

"Ayane, do you know how to drive?" I ask over the radio, pointing to where Hoshino should be with Nonomi taking out a pen and marking it with an X.

"Yes, why do you ask, Sensei?" I don't know how to drive, Shiroko uses a bike. Serika just walks, I don't know what Nonomi's way of transport is but she definitely doesn't drive, she acts too rich to be doing that. And I remember Olivia telling me Reila sucked at driving at one point.

"I mean... she wasn't wrong." Reila said shyly, looking away and twiddling her thumbs... the way my students are looking at her... well, if I saw someone completely annihilate an entire army by themselves and then start acting timidly, I would be bamboozled as well. "Bamboozle? Who even uses that word?" Apparently me.

"Alright Sensei, I'm coming." Ayane finally spoke up, followed by the sound of rummaging, footsteps, and the audio receiver catching wind. Wait, is she bringing all of those small foldable computers with her?

"Get in that truck over there." I spoke to my students plus Reila, while pointing to an abandoned Kaiser marked troop transport truck. "See if it has any traps, or if it has keys or it can be shortcircuited." And so, they walked towards it and started inspecting it.

"Hmm, I don't feel like going back to the chest with Arona yet." Reila said to herself, staring at her hands in confusion and flexing her fingers. Maybe it's because those Kaiser soldiers worship you now. "I... uhmm, it's entirely possible that there's a different god of machines here in Kivotos." Why do you sound so nervous now?

"Because I'm just a fraction of Logic! The one here is probably complete and stronger than me. If it wanted to, it could just stomp me down." Hmm, yeah, that would suck.

"Sensei! What happened here?!" Hina shouted out from above a building, jumping off and then using her expanded wings to slow her descent. She looks to me, and then to Reila with a look of surprise. "It's... another haloless person." She mouthed off staring at Reila, who gives her a smile and a wave.

"Sensei! Shiroko, Serika, Nonomi-Senpai! Sorry for making you all wait!" We turn to see Ayane... carrying three of those small compact computers in her arms, and running as if it were all only paperweight for her. "The haloless woman! How are you, Miss?" She set her computers down on our commandeered trucks seats before bowing to greet Reila.

"I'm fine, kid. No need to bow to me." Why do you sound so shy talking to the girls? She doesn't respond verbally, just turns to give me a quick glare and turning back to Ayane and the others.

"No, it's only fair. For saving us, I thank you on behalf of the entire Abydos District." Ayane keeps up her bow, with the other three joining in to offer their gratitude and bowing. You know, Olivia was always talking about how she was sometimes jealous of your confidence, but looking at you now... you're probably even more timid than she was.

"F-fine fine. I accept your thanks. Now, you girls should come to your little pink haired friends rescue."

"Y-yes of course, no time for dillydallying."

As the truck started driving away, I made sure to wave at Hina as a goodbye, to which she returned the gesture before turning around and leaving.

/

"To meet another haloless person from outside Kivotos, it is a privilege!" They said. They've been talking to Reila after we started riding, talking about a lot of things. Like asking about the kind of place we came from, which Reila obviously dodged as best as she could. That place is just fucked after all.

They also asked about magic and her being a god, but she only explained the basics such as her being only a fraction of Logic. And obviously, she wasn't going to tell them how to create a true God from scratch.

But now... I'm looking at my phone.

[?????????: Levi of Prehevil was it? Sensei of Schale. I've been planning to arrange for a later meeting between us, yet current circumstances have forced me to invite you earlier.]

[?????????: Meet me at XXXXXXXXX, I- no, we have an incentive to exchange knowledge and information. Horus spoke about an analogy you told her that she completely misunderstood.]

[?????????: "It's like the Sulfur Cult using the Moon God's festival". And another thing she claimed to have misunderstood is you saying that I might be sincere in my words and actions, which flattered me I will not lie, yet still capable deceit if given a chance to do so.]

[?????????: But that aside, you will be very interested in what we have to talk about.]

As I read this message from an anonymous sender, looking at the ruined buildings and homes covered by sand pass by as the truck moved.

I began to think about what I should do about this message. Horus? That has to be Hoshino, given what the message was saying. That place of meeting he gave me... looking at this KivoMap thing in the phone, It's just a five minute walk from here if I use Phase Step.

I'm thinking about prioritizing Hoshino's rescue but... this guy messaging me knows about her... he's the one who definitely abducted her, that Black Suit guy she was talking about.

And Reila, she seems to be getting along with all of them. She's good at getting Shiroko to stop thinking about bank robberies. She's giving Serika advices that she could use when working, while she and Nonomi are both radiating with the way they spoke to one another. Olivia said that she was a prodigy in computers, and the things she was teaching Ayane as she drove was already more than what I've been teaching her.

She can actually use Reila's little teachings outside of combat... I guess that's what having proper schooling, and being a prodigy so good that your entire nations government treated you like royalty... is like-

"Stop thinking like that, Levi. I wouldn't have been able to teach them how to overcome their fears, much less lead them to fight a behemoth of an army by themselves to a standstill. "

I widen my eyes at her words in my mind. She's giving me a determined yet slightly pained look.

"Remember that Miyako girl you talked to back in that police academy? You were right, we, the NLU, weren't doing much in the long run. We would've been rooted out and annihilated sooner or later even without me hijacking the Logic Project. Even then, they, my comrades, are probably already dead or in custody back there."

I couldn't help but let out a pained, self deprecating giggle at our mind conversation. The people we fought alongside with, our comrades all died and we're the last of our squad or group... goddamnit. I see Reila looking away with a strained smile, like how I was just giggling. The students, except the Ayane who's driving looking at us with suspicion.

"The way they're looking at eachother." Serika mouthed off her observation with narrowed eyes.

"Were you two in a relationship?" Nonomi teased with her usual cheery smile. Oh hell no! Reila was taken aback by her question, widening her eyes with an indignant flustered expression.

"I... I'll admit that he's cute. But no, we aren't even that close." She said, crossing her arms and making a pout. For some reason, her words made me more confident.

I mean, making a pair of beautiful twin sisters fall for me? Without even trying? That's like something out of a naughty novel, same as one of the books Marina was reading.

Hmm, I forgot to cover my mouth. Reila's just glaring at me with a blush, while Nonomi is actually cheering us on to get together?! Yeah no, even she's not having that with the look she's giving Nonomi. I can't tell what Serika is thinking, and I don't see the need to read what she's thinking for now.

"Twins? Lucky you." Serika said with a pout. Yeah, I can see why she would be jealous.

"Nn, that means you won't be bothered if I take him for myself." Shiroko... first she wants to rob banks, and now she wants my heart?

"N-no, Gods no! You're teacher and student, that's just weird!" Reila sounds like she's scolding Shiroko, yet she herself is flustered. That's tru- Wait a minute!

"Olivia said you and your university professor were getting it on!" At my words, she turned to look at me horrified and frozen. The students wearing a devious expression upon the discovery. "She said you acted suspicious, and that she found your love letters!" Reila was about to start denying, but they immediately started hounding her for answers.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! What the hell's going on back there?! Miss Reila was in a relationship with her teacher?!" Ayane screamed out, the truck swerving slightly and slowing down.

Reila is looking at me, almost pleading for me to save her from my students. Yeah no, sorry. I have to go do something real quick, take care of my students for me, pretty please.

And without waiting for a reply, I jump off the truck and-

[Phase Step]

Start teleporting in a straight line to the address that Black Suit guy, probably, gave me. I hear them yelling for me, but that can be ignored.

/

This has got to be where that Black Suit guy is, right? Because where the fuck else would he be in, other than a really creepy building matching his equally ominous name.

I walk hastily towards it's doors, stretching my hand out to open push open the glass doors. And what do you know? He's right fucking there, even darker than O'saa and wearing a fancy suit. His right and only eye and mouth, if it can even be called that, are bright white cracks... just what the hell is he?

The entire rooms dark with the solid curtains down, with only a small amount of light coming from the curtain slits, and the whites of his eye and mouth.

[Mind Read]

That was certainly quick. But it should be a given since the Kaiser PMC Director did say he could teleport... the possibilities of magic... can you perhaps even read my thoughts? Nevermind that

"I've been waiting for you, Levi-Sensei." The man of an otherworldly black spoke calmly and almost casually. Ughh, it feels so weird to hear an older man call me by that title. "Is that so? Very well then, how does Levi of Prehevil sound? Wielder of the artifact known as the Shittim Chest." I nod, showing that I prefer that more. Wait, how does he know about Arona?

"Firstly, you may refer to me as Black Suit. I've grown quite fond of that name." So he said, moving his head as if he were giggling. "The Kaiser PMC Director underestimated you, and Lady Beatrice already considers you an existential threat to us. But worry not, I do not share their views of you." Yeah, the Kaiser invasion force was easier to obliterate than expected, and I'm not really feeling endangered by that Lady Beatrice.

I already met one of her underlings, who immediately fled when our eyes met. And you... I don't see how that's a good or bad thing.

Quantity can beat quality, yet that PMC Director failed to utilize his superior troop numbers properly. And Lady Beatrice has long since been planning to wage war against Levi of Prehevil when he first appeared.

Hmm, interesting. But nevermind that. What are you anyways? Did a God you were worshipping or doing a ritual for transform you? Or compelled you to somehow do all of... whatever the hell you did to end up as that? Or did Rher moonscorch you for shits and giggles?

"Hmm, good questions." Black Suit spoke in a inquisitive manner, one hand on his chin in a thinking manner. "All I can say is that much like you, I am an outsider of Kivotos. I don't remember a life prior to the one that I have currently, neither have I encountered any true Gods nor have I been cursed or blessed by any." An outsider of Kivotos? So he is... no, maybe he was one of those partygoers in the Prehevil muse-

"If I may add. We may be both an outsider, that however doesn't equate to us coming from the same place of origin." ... Know what? I'm not gonna think about that for now.

Truly, I don't. But now that you have mentioned it... I may have to start researching myself later on?

Researching yourself? How does that even work?

"Oh?! So I was right! You could read minds!" He said excitedly, bolting to a standing position leaning towards me, his hands down on his desk for support. Oh me and my big mouth. "So many possibilities, but that's not what we're talking about at the moment." Can you just get to the point already? I still have to go rescue Hoshino.

"Of course. You have quite the schedule, that I can tell." He said in a formal way, clasping his hands in a way that a business man would. "First of all. I do not wish to make an enemy of you. In fact, I- no, we want you as an ally." It's really throwing me off, how someone that looks like I would have fought to the death back in Prehevil, would be wanting an alliance with me.

"Actually, not just an ally. We want you to join in as a member of Gematria. Our organization." We? Except that Beatrice lady you were thinking about, right? "Yes, she already considers you the most significant obstacle to our goals. But I am certain that her opinions can be overlooked." Hehe, women right? But moving on, why would I want to join you? What does your group do, other than harass and attack school children?

"... Hmm, I was about to refute that the Kaiser Director is not a part of us, just a business partner. But then again, Lady Beatrice has actively been doing that for the past ten years." Black Suit spoke, regret and disappointment audible in his tone. Oh, really now? What about Hoshino?! What the hell did you have her do?! "I'll have you know, I do not have any malicious intents with Horus, or Takanashi Hoshino as her true name." Malicious doesn't always mean purposefully harmful, the same way it's said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I hear him chuckling at my monotonous voice. "That is true... so young, yet already with such wisdom." I know kids like myself aren't that smart, but they aren't as stupid as you would think. "You would be surprised at how naive children are. Especially how Horus didn't consider the exact wording in the contract she signed." ... Ha... Ha... Haha. Goddamnit, I'm actually laughing at her.

"We're going off topic. To answer your other question. We, Gematria, are simple observers." Observers?! Motherfucker, you just abducted Hoshino. And one of your members, who you just exposed to me, are already attacking Kivotos and it's students, just that I haven't seen it yet. If that's all you're going to be, then no way in the Sulphur Pits am I joining.

"Hmm, I can't refute that." Black Suit spoke, this time with slight frustration in his tone. "But let me ask you this, Boy Teacher. What is it in Kivotos that you want? We have all manners of knowledge and information that you can ask for." Why... does he sound like he's almost pleading?

He has information about true Gods, and their blessings that we can attain if we had the correct knowledge and practices to do so. I do now know if those Gods in the Skin Bibles are part of the Nameless Gods or Forgotten Gods... or if they are an independent pantheon... we need all the information we can acquire from him... there's also the Chroma, but that's not important at the moment.

Nameless... Forgotten... Gods? And whatever that Chroma thing is. Those Gods could be the same as the Old Gods but with different names. Or it could be the ones who aren't as widely worshipped as Gro-goroth or Sylvain... like that Vitruvia Goddess that Doctor Daan said he used to pray to. But that's not what I'm here for.

"I'm not interested, my only goal for now is getting Hoshino back and talking some sense to her." I spoke, glaring at him as I did. His calm demeanor broke for a moment, before he forced it back with his hands twitching. "That blue haired girl, the GSC President, hired me as a teacher to lead the students and I plan on doing just that. I consider the comfort and luxury of simply being able to live here in Kivotos as payment." Comparing that absolute hell of a place to Kivotos is like comparing the comfort of being roasted over open fire like a pig, to sinking in a cushy soft bed.

"Then you have every right to simply turn a blind eye to such an insignificant school as Abydos!" He loudly said, bolting out of his seat and slamming his hands down his desk. I admit. Now that I think about it, I could have had a longer more comfortable vacation... but no. "Besides, Horus, no, Takanashi Hoshino has already dropped out. She's no longer yo-"

"As their club advisor, I never gave her permission, nor did I sign that document!" I shouted back, interrupting whatever he was going to say. He froze... for a moment before giggling and seating back down. "It doesn't matter that I'm only a year older than her. I'm still her teacher and her my student, and it will stay that way." Black Suit gives me a look, before he started chuckling lowly.

"Ruthless... you act more like us adults do than how the students of Kivotos do." I have to be... I had to be when I was still with my squad. And I still have to be, more than ever if I want my students safe from the likes of you, especially that Beatrice whore that's one of your fellows. "Hehe... I see. you... you're just like the Arius Students under her, except better... or should I say worse?" Arius... Students? Is it the same school as that one girl I scared off?

"But of course. As a teacher, albeit a young one. The wellbeing and condition of your students is your top priority." He spoke in a sympathetic tone, nodding his head slightly. He... he at least understands that, I guess. "But tell me, do you think she would appreciate you undermining her own independent decisions?" ... He's much more decent than I expected... but coming from a place lacking basic decency, that doesn't mean much.

"As a teacher, a Sensei, it's supposed to be my job to teach these kids not to do stupid shit." I spoke my thoughts, walking closer to him as I did. "And in this case where Hoshino already did something stupid, it's my duty to drag her back to Abydos. Kicking and screaming if I have to." Even without a proper face, I can still feel him judging me. Some might say that I would be acting like you people... but if it's the only thing I can do, then so be it.

"Truly... ruthless. But might I add that she doesn't want that, she wants her schoolmates to be able to keep attending Abydos." So he said, setting his back on his chair and looking at me in a casual way. Tsk, and they'll keep doing so with her. "I offer you the chance to let that be, without any further conflicts between us." ... You can't stop us, I already know where she is and they're already on their way.

"Why? ... Why do you want to stand against us so much?! It is undeniable that your offensive capabilities are not to be trifled with, but conflict between us would still be costly!" He questioned, shouted, and threatened, slamming his hands on the table again.

I have ways of fighting off much larger and stronger forces, even when outnumbered and outgunned. And not just to a standstill, I know how to win against a superior force. And even then...

I don't know why, but there's a feeling tugging in my mind and heart. Telling me to... reach out to my back pocket... and pull out that so called Adult Card, brandishing the black and gold card before him.

"That's... an interesting weapon of choice, Levi." Black Suit said, sounding and looking like he's breathing heavily. "Such a mundane tool, yet the price for its use... That is, eating away at your life with each use... is that what you want, Boy? Put that away, you still have a long life ahead of you." That's... surprisingly a caring tone of voice he had, but regardless.

"Yeah, there's still a myriad of ways I can fight you even without this card." He... he's breathing a sigh of relief? Not yet, Black Suit. "If defending and saving our own is considered standing against you, then we might as well do so anyways."

"Really now? ... I suppose you're right. But you still have more to gain simply turning back at Abydos." He... he really wants me on his side, doesn't he? If you want that, then you will abandon any ambition of yours that have anything to do with Abydos. "I cannot! The properties of the strongest mystic, the halo of Horus. I'm about to learn more about it!" You... you're studying those halos?

"Then why the hell did you go after Hoshino?! Didn't you even consider that the land of Kivotos is what gives them their halos?!" I shouted in frustration, slamming my hand on his desk as he's been doing. He... he actually looks like he's thinking about it... what the hell? Why didn't you just think about that before resorting to abducting someone?

"That's an interesting hypothesis. But still, Horus's mystic is unique to her. I cannot overlook that." Seriously?! You... for someone so supposedly smart, you don't think that the only thing you'll find inside of her are blood and organs?!

"Why? Why do you even care?! You're not their family or guardian! You're a stranger to them and them to you! So why would you go through so much trouble for them?!" Why? Because... they're just like me...

"I don't want them to suffer as I did, with everyone around them simply acting like nothing wrong is happening." As I spoke, those memories of my past, and the pain that comes with it flashed in my mind... just by thinking about it, my heart skip beats, making me inhale and exhale heavier. "I refuse to leave them be with their hardships, I refuse to simply let the weight of their burdens crush them." I refuse to let them end up just as I was all those years ago.

"And I refuse to let you keep tormenting them!" I shouted back at him, furrowing my brows and gritting my teeth at him.

"Just so you know, we did not cause the fall of Abydos! In fact, we tried to help them stay afloat!" Like giving someone on the verge of dying in the desert water, and expecting them to lend you their life as thanks?! "You... then you kno-"

"Shut up... just shut up." I told him tiredly, with a sigh coming out of my mouth. "Compared to those kids, I'm already an adult. I've made it my responsibility to stay by their side. Nothing you say now could possibly convince me to turn my back on them or to join your group." This was a waste of time, I should go back to them. It's about time to give Hoshino a piece of my mind. Turning around, I start walking to-

"I see... so you think that adults are supposed to be responsible." Black Suit spoke, making me halt my steps... it's only right to be polite, I guess. "That's where you're wrong. Adu-" I've already experienced enough of those kinds of adults, I don't need to hear his words about them.

"Adults are the ones who control society. They're the ones who decides it's rules, what's allowed and what's not." I turn slightly back to see him looking at me with shock and surprise that can be seen not in his face, but from how his body is moving. "They ruled over us kids who knew nothing, who didn't know how the world worked. Us who didn't know how to do paperwork or earn a proper living, those kinds of things."

"Then you understa-"

"They ruled over other adults with force. With guns, swords, violence, torture, and whatnot. And when war came, they sent poor conscripted men, political enemies, and orphan boys like me to their deaths. To fight a battle that was never ours in the first place." I turn back, not even bothering to see how he reacts or wait for any replies from him. "I've already had enough of those people and I refuse to be just like them." I added lastly before I started walking again.

"I see now. You... you know well enough about how cold and uncaring the world, and adults are... and you reject that... you want to be better." Why does he sound so intrigued? I just made it clear that we're enemies... unless he doesn't consider me as such...

"I liked you better than expected, but there's nothing I can do about it now... I would've moved on to the Wolf God after Horus..." Horus would be Hoshino, with the writing on her shield. And the Wolf God would be... no, not my problem at the moment.

"But Levi... as far as I'm concerned. We, Gematria, would lose in any armed confrontation with you. I would even go so far as to say, we have no chance against you in battle with your potency in combat, along with your supposed magic. But that will not stop us from being able to go against you, should the need arise." Tsk, I click my tongue in annoyance. I keep walking out of the exit, not even looking back at him one last look.

"Arona, can you ask Reila if she can open up a blood portal?"

[Yes, Levi-Sensei. Give me a moment.]

Per'kele who was just a mage could teleport me. So a God, or a part of a God, should be ab-

/

Oh... I'm back in the truck? That was quick. Shiroko, Serika, and Nonomi are all cheerfully talking about how awesome that Reila's teleportation is. And she herself... is pouting at me with an indignant blush.

"If Olivia really talked about those letters, then you would've know that those were NLU related letters... you omitted that part to goad them into hounding me, didn't you? "

Damn right, thank you for taking care of them in my stead.

"You're not gonna run off again? You don't have anymore business to attend to for now?" To her questions, I simply nod my head. "Good, because teleporting you took a lot out of me... I need to return to the chest with Arona now." Is that so? The three students are looking at her in worry, asking about what she's saying.

"Don't worry, we'll be seeing eachother again if you want." Reila said with a smile, her body beginning to flicker out of existence. Serika is screaming in shock, Nonomi is covering her mouth with widened eyes, and Shiroko, having heard her last words simply nodded calmly.

"We're here." Said Ayane from the trucks front, the truck swerving slightly to a stop. Shiroko, Serika, and Nonomi despite being saddened by Reila's disappearance, all rush to jump out of the troop carrier, aiming their guns around cautiously for any threats.

And Ayane opening the door to her side, dropping down, slamming it close and then running back here to where a few of her drones and her foldable computers are.

Our eyes meet for a moment as I walked with my back hunched to avoid bumping my head on the trucks back opening. She climbs up the same time I dropped down to the sand, a good amount of it getting in the insides of my boots.

Ugh, that feels weird.

"What is this place?" Asked Nonomi aloud, observing the ruined buildings with sand building up on it.

"Is this... a school?" With Serika's observation, I start looking around more. I recognize the buildings... it looks like the Abydos school building. Hell, it even has the same triangular logo with a sun in the middle.

"There's no other school in the desert... this place is-"

"That's right, this used to be the main school building of Abydos." The Kaiser Executive smoking a cig and looking over us, interrupted Shiroko with his explanation. "This was once the heart of Abydos, long since abandoned because of the desertification." He said with smoke blowing out of... wherever his mouth is. Marching from the sides are haloes girls in PMC uniforms with simple gears and guns, getting into formation and aiming their guns at us.

"I'm... not detecting any elite automaton soldiers." Ayane reported with confusion through our comms. Nonomi revs up her rotary machinegun, Serika takes cover behind an abandoned car, and Shiroko puts on the rat amulet and white angel necklace.

"These greenhorn recruits are all that remains of my forces." He said solemnly, gesturing around to his army of small girls. "Tsk, my elites... they fled out of fear for that Machine God." He kept talking, his head down in defeat.

"I felt it as well... I'm not winning this. You're all fired, do what you want." At the Kaiser Executive's words, the battalion of girls all turned their heads at him in break neck speeds. They kept looking at him for a short while. "Are you all deaf or something?! Get out of here?! You can keep those gears and uniforms, just leave!" He shouted in frustration.

After a moment, the first PMC girl hesitantly turned around, taking off that Kaiser patch and pocketing it as she slowly walked away. After a few seconds, more followed doing the same with their patches or dropping it to the ground and turning their backs at the Executive. Those who had to pass us did so with their weapons pointed down, trembling as they did with the three students by my side looking at them in confusion.

Wait... didn't he say these were-

[Mind Read]

As much as I hated that guy... we still got a living and a place live in working for him.

We had no choice but to enlist to Kaiser PMC... we had nowhere to go as dropouts.

Where do I go after this? I doubt that my old academy would accept me back after all the trouble I caused them.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! I don't want to go back to rummaging through garbage!

... What? But... this place... Kivotos... everything is abundant here... why are they-?!

As I read the minds of these girls passing by us, I can't help but think about all those times I had scavenge for food... back before the war when I, along with some of the other orphan boys stole and shoplifted... until one got caught and had a nail hammered through his hands.

And after the war, when I came back and saw how even worse that place got. That time along with Miss Abella, Karin, Olivia, Mister Marcoh, and Doctor Daan... From childhood to now, I rummaged through garbage just to get by.

I turned around to face all of the leaving former PMC girls with their backs to us.

"You! All of you!" I shouted at them, as loud as I can eliciting some startled yelps from my students. Most of the former PMC girls kept walking, with just a few turning to look at me. "Gather up all of your comrades that have nowhere else to go, then come to Schale! I swear, I'll do what I can to help!" The ones who turned to face me started shaking, as sunlight reflected on their gasmasks eyes, I see that their eyes are wet.

A lot of the others turned around to face me upon hearing my words, disbelief obvious in how they're arms and legs are shaking.

"I know what it's like rummaging through garbage for food! I know what it's like having no one and nowhere to turn to for help! I don't want you girls going through the same thing, so come to Schale with your fellows!" I shouted out louder, getting almost all of them to stop and turn towards me.

And so, they simply stared at me. With some shaking, looking like they're about to cry... after a minute or so. Most of them uttered their thanks with a bow before turning around and running off. Some slowly turning back around, turning slightly back for a quick peek before rushing off to wherever they were going.

... Alright, back to the task at hand. Turning around, I see those three looking at me worriedly.

Rummaging through garbage for food... it was already obvious that the place he came from was horrendous, but that's just...

Nonomi... she's most likely from a wealthy family if she's able to pay off the debt if she chose to, so I'm not surprised that such a backwards place like Prehevil exists would be inconceivable to her.

Sensei... you've had such a hard life, yet you're still so kind to your enemies.

No Serika, just those girls.

So Sensei... was really just like me... before Hoshino and Nonomi found me.

Hmm, at least Shiroko found friends, who are basically family at this point before her life got ruined the same way mind was.

"Sensei... I know you don't want to talk about the place you came from... but you need to tell us. You can't keep those things to yourself!" Ayane... she's right, I've been wanting to talk about that... I already did so drunk, but I need to do it sober if I want it to truly mean something.

But first of all, looking at the lone Kaiser Executive smoking his cigs... it's really tempting to just tear him apart. His arms first so he can't fight back, his legs so he can't run away, and finally his head to send him to the Sulfur Pits.

No... my students, these girls doesn't need to learn how to act like uncivilized bloodthirsty barbarians... but at the same time, I can't let him go unpunished for his crimes against my students.

We make eye contact. "So... what now, Levi of Prehevil? You did as you said, my once great army has been reduced to nothing." The way he's speaking, coupled with his burned, damaged suit, courtesy of Ayane, made me almost pity him. "The table has been flipped. Yesterday, I had you surrounded with my army, but now... now I'm completely at your mercy." Yeah, it's like a movie how this all ends, right?

He was about to say something... but he backed down with a defeated sigh. "I lost... after all I did over the years, I lost this badly." You... why the hell are you acting so pathetically after all the shit you did? "Does it matter?" No... no it doesn't. Do you think staying and not running away will make you brave? You think it will protect you from?

"Tsk, just get over it will you!" Alright, you asked for it.

"Which limb?"

"... What?"

"Which limb do you want removed as punishment? Did you think I was letting you go scot free?" I said in a deadpan tone, wiggling my stump up and down to emphasize my point.

He stared at me for a moment, probably considering his choices. Hesitantly, he brings up his left arm.

"Say, can you machine people replace your limbs?"

"Yes... but losing one is still excruciatingly painful. So please, just ge-"

[Red Arc]

The red thunder spell slammed down through his left elbow, blowing it off and scorching where it hit with fire and cackles of electricity coming from the open part of what remains of his left arm.

His scream is guttural, it sounds like it's coming through a radio with audio that's like metal being dragged across ceramic. He screams in pain as he knelt and held his stump with his right hand.

"There, now I'm not the only one without a left arm." I said jokingly with a chuckle.

"Tsk, we'll meet again. Levi of Prehevil." He said, hissing out my name as he picked up his detached left arm and started walking away. But before he could, I stopped him and took his box of high quality tobacco before I let him leave.

"Sensei! Was that really necessary?!" Ayane shouted scoldingly, probably at my restrained, yet still barbaric actions.

"Yes. He might've been a bad person, but..." Of course, Nonomi will condemned such an act.

"There were better ways to punish him!" I can't argue with that, Serika.

"Nn, we could've taken everything he had, even the clothes on his back." Goddamnit Shiroko. But still, thanks for redirecting their attention to you.

Anyway, time give Hoshino a piece of my mind.

/

Getting her out of that dark place with the thin red lights was easy enough, Hoshino was in a state that was both asleep and awake with her halo still on. But now... even as her juniors as she likes to call them are all celebrating, smiling in relief that she's finally back by their side... I still can't let go of the irritation I felt reading that letter she left.

Hoshino who woke up being in her friends embrace, their arms wrapped softly yet tightly around her, has a regretful look on her face.

Our eyes meet, and hers starts watering. She sniffles as her tears ran down her cheeks.

"Levi-Sensei... you were right... I was dragging them down.. all this time." Hoshino said in between sobs and whimpers, while trying to pry off the arms of her juniors wrapped around her. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I wasn't there... I ran away." She kept sobbing and whimpering out apologies. My hand... they're trembling... after clenching into fists.

Her four underclassmen kept on hugging her, tightening it even as she tried harder to pry them off. But she does calm down as she listened to them.

"It was never your fault, Hoshino-Senpai!"

"Yeah! That PMC Director jerk is to blame for everything!"

"Forget about that, what's important is you're safe now."

"You were the one who kept Abydos afloat, there's nothing to blame on you."

You... you already accepted that fact, that alone is progress for improvement... so why? Why did you have to make things harder for us! I walked closer to her the same time they all let her go and gave her some space. Hoshino, along with the other four looked at me with an anticipating smile as I walked closer to her, our eyes locking as I got closer.

"Levi-Sensei... I misu-" Whatever she was about to say wasn't coming out. I couldn't stop myself... I swung my arm at her, my backhand landing on her cheek and forcing her to look to the side. One surprise punch from Hoshino, one surprise slap from me... we're even now I guess.

Slowly, her widened eyes pupils turned to their sides, looking at me with shock and fear. My glare is solely on Hoshino, so I have nothing but silence from the other four, who's probably looking at me with the same expression.

"Hoshino... why are you like that?" I ask in a low condescending tone, making it obvious that I'm pissed at her. The way she's looking at me... the way she just started crying like a little shit. Sniffling and stammering as tears fell down from her eyes, and water leaking out of her nose.

"S...en..sei... I... swo...rry." I can barely understand you, speak plainly you maggot. I brought my face closer to Hoshino, grabbing her hair and forcing her to look at me when she tried to look away.

"Come on, tell me... why didn't you bother fully reading that contract you signed with Black Suit?" I growled out in an irritated tone, gritting my teeth to stop myself from shouting at her. Hoshino could only cry and whine louder as she held my hand, trying to pry it off of her hair. "Don't tell me you can't read, you're already seventeen! It was obviously bullshit!"

"Sensei! That's enough!" Nonomi scolded, dropping her machinegun and rushing to pry my hand out of Hoshino.

"S-stop that! She just got kidnapped!" Followed by Serika, trying to lock my arm behind me with her arms under my armpits. She managed to bring my arm up, but up followed Hoshino as I still held her hair, yelping in pain as she was forced to stand up.

"Sensei! Please, that's enough!" Ayane loudly pleaded, rushing to my front and wrapping her arms around me, trying to push me away.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm.. so...rry." Hoshino Kept repeating like a broken record, with widened weeping eyes looking at me.

"Sensei... please, hear her out." Shiroko calmly asked, holding my head by the sides and caressing it.

... That was oddly relaxing... I do as they've been pleading to me, and I let go of Hoshino's hair. She drops back to her ass, caressing the side of her head with her eyes closed still leaking tears. She's still whimpering out apologies.

Nonomi drops down to her knees and starts comforting her, with Serika turning to glare at me as she dropped to her knees helping in comforting Hoshino after a second.

"Sensei... you shouldn't be... remember what you said about your mother, Sensei?" Ayane spoke, looking up with pleading eyes still having her arms wrapped around me. "It's not her fault, she was deceived." Yeah... I guess that's right.

"Hoshino... she's been planning this for a long time. She told me last night." That wasn't her exact wording, but if it means getting her to speak up, then so be it. She looks at me with a horrified expression, shaking her head slowly, pleading for me to shut up.

"That's... that's..." Nonomi trailed off, looking at me in doubt but realizing how much it made sense.

"Nonsense! Senpai would never..." Serika was about to explode at me, before she made an expression of realization the same way Nonomi did. "That letter..." She looks as Hoshino, who could only look down trying to avoid eye contact.

"Hoshino-Senpai must've had her reasons." Of course, Ayane wouldn't be doubting her beloved Senpai.

And Shiroko, she looks unsure of what to say. Hoshino keeps her eyes down and still whimpering, trying to avoid how we're looking at her.

"Hoshino-Senpai... please..." Ayane pleaded to her. And thankfully, she tried to answer.

"Sensei was right all along... we could've transferred out of Abydos anytime we wanted... it was already under..." That doesn't explain much... you shouldn't hide things from your friends, you said as much yourself.

Hoshino just curls up, bringing her knees closer to her chest and wrapping her arms around it, almost as if she were making a protective shell for herself. "I was always... dragging you girls... down with me." She sobbed out with her expression hidden in her arms and knees.

Nonomi circles behind her, rubbing her head and shoulders in a comforting way. Serika trying to encourage her to open up, as they were her trusted schoolmates. Same with Ayane and Shiroko.

... She's not budging... I shouldn't hide things from my friends... you still have a lot in your bag... her words from last night come to mind.

... Fine then.

"You said that we hid too much from eachother... I'll tell you more about myself, and in turn you about yourself." I said, coming closer and kneeling infront of her. Hoshino slowly brings her face out of hiding, looking at me with a still saddened yet curious expression.

"Sensei... you already admitted to having slain adults..." Nonomi told me with a look of tone of pity.

"Yeah, that's already bad enough."

"You don't need to force yourself to talk if it pains you, Sensei." Followed up by Serika and Ayane, with Shiroko nodding along. I'll be fine, this is between Hoshino and I... if you four don't want to listen in, then don't. And besides... I'm not talking about my time at the army.

"It wasn't even three days after I deserted the army and ended up here in Kivotos." I started, catching their full attention. They're entire focus is on me, nothing else. "Apart from shooting things, I don't know how to do much anything else... not even how to cook." ... I never learned some of the skills I have... I stole it from other people.

"T-thats's because y-you're a prodigy, right? Master Shiba said as much!" No Serika, but I wish I truly was. I can tell that they're even more confused at what I'm trying to say.

"The Moon God's Termina festival... that's where I learned some of the things I shouldn't know about." This time, it's my turn to look down in shame at what I'm about to admit to.

"Festival? Why are you talking about a joyous event like that?"

"Yeah! Festivals are supposed to be happy, right?!"

"Please, just let him explain."

Thanks Ayane.

"The Moon God, Rhers festival... where fourteen contestants are made to kill eachother." I explain, not even looking up to see what their reactions are. But I do hear some gasps. "Rher, the Moon God, had a way to force us to participate." ... Miss Karin, Mister Marcoh, Lieutenant Pav...

"First, it was the Rondon Chef and a stalker who followed one of us. They went insane." I told them about that Rondoner chef back in Master Shiba's place... I'm sure they're horrified finding out about his fate. "The Mobster Bastard I killed... that piece of shit tried to force himself on Miss Abella." That's at least one thing I can be proud of.

... I could look up and see their expressions, I could read their minds... but I don't want to know what they're thinking. About me, about what I willingly took part in.

"Next, lieutenant Pav... then I had to put Miss Karin and Mister Marcoh out of their misery..." I could feel my eyes leaking out tears as I thought about those two, they're the few adults who treated me like a person.

The last person I basically murdered...

"After I found something out about the festival..." I sobbed at what I was about to tell them... because unlike the moonscorch... I was the one who came to him, who attacked him. "I went after Mister August unprovoked... I murdered him." And just like that, I started sniffling just as Hoshino was.

"The r-reason I know so m-much... is because they still live on inside of me." I forced those words out of my mouth, sobbing and whimpering as I forced my head up to look at their expressions of horror and... pity? "I'm not good at cooking because I'm a prodigy. When a contestant dies, their soul is given to their killer, along with their life skills." I explained through gritted teeth, eyes closed not wanting to see any more their reactions.

What expression will they make? Will they look at me with scorn, as if I were trash? Will they look at me as I truly am, a murderer? An unrepentant killer? I sob and whimper in anticipation.

"This Lugr I have was Lieutenant Pav's... I looted it from his corpse." ... There's also that... I... I don't want to talk about how I sawed off heads to sell... to learn magic... I sawed of... basically the heads of everyone in Old Town... I stopped counting after twenty.

... Damnit... I heard Serika whimpering and puking her guts out... goddamn you Rher.

...

...

...

I feel... arms wrapping around my head, pulling me to a soft warm embrace. "Sensei... you had no choice back there, didn't you?" Nonomi... it would've been better had I just swallowed my rifles barrel and pu- "No! You did everything because it was the best out of the worst possible choices! That's the kind of person your are, the kind of person you've been!" But Nonomi... I'm not a good person... the only thing I felt shooting Bremens dead was recoil...

"Sensei, the place you grew up in forced you to act like that... and the moment you got out of there, is when you finally could act normally." Ayane spoke in a comforting tone, taking my only hand and interlocking it with her hand and caressing it with the other.

"Ayane... I chose to do those... I wasn't forced to..." I sobbed out as I forced my eyes open, and see her compassionate expression.

"No! It's like they said. That place you're from allowed, even rewarded those horrible things." Serika... why is she defe- "W-would you have lived and r-reached Kivotos if you didn't?!" She stuttered, but otherwise still elaborated on her point. I... Wouldn't-?! Why?! Why are you defending what I-

"Sensei... you were neck deep in misery... like I was." Shiroko said, approaching me with an emphatic expression. "Hoshino and Nonomi pulled me out of that, and someone must've done the same for you." Yeah... that's right... Miss Abella wanted nothing more than to do just that when she first saw me.

"I was rabid back then, I only knew how to steal and attack people." That really explains her behavior. "Hoshino and Nonomi were the ones who stopped me, who helped me get over that." Just like how Miss Abella made me realize I'm not just a mere killer, how Mister Marcoh once told me that I'm more than what I'm capable of. Shooting, killing and all that.

"Levi-Sensei... I was always angry... always shouting." Finally, Hoshino spoke up in between whimpers. She crawls slowly to me, wrapping herself around me and resting her head on my shoulders. "Years ago... I had a senpai, she was always thinking about the school... always thinking about me." She hugs tighter, still sobbing and whimpering as she did.

"Yume-Senpai was always taking care of me... and I only kept screaming and getting angry at her." Is that so? Then for Hoshino to be acting like that... "I drove her over the edge... and she left... I found her... after a while... in the desert." She cried and whined... I couldn't blame her, as that's not the end of the story, is it?

"She died... I caused her death... I killed her." Hoshino... she's crying, showing us this pathetic side of her, just as I showed her my pathetic side. Pulling my hand away from Ayane, I started caressing the back of her head up and down, comforting her the way she did for me when I was drunk. "She's still there... I can't just leave her alone... by herself." ...

...

...

...

For a while, we just stayed as we are. With me comforting her, and her crying on my shoulder.

/

The ride back to Abydos... it's really awkward. Ayane's still the one driving, Nonomi, Serika, and Shiroko all are seated on the other side of the truck. While Hoshino... she's still clinging to me, with my hand still caressing her.

They're all looking at her, at us with soft smiles in their expressions. Hoshino's still letting out small sobs in intervals, she's still recovering from that. Although... I wonder what she's thinking.

"Nonomi..." She spoke up in a low, shame filled voice. She's looking up at me, as if she's contemplating or waiting for something... if you're calling for her, then why are you looking to me?

"Yes, Hoshino?" Nonomi replied in a cheery voice, carefully moving to our side of the seats and showing affection to Hoshino.

"There's no point in struggling for the debt." She's... giving up? I would've thought that she would be the one fighting against it even if left alone. The three with us all widen their eyes in shock and surprise, definitely not expecting those words from her.

"Nonsense! We won't give up Abydos!"

"Nn, there's no other school like it!"

Serika and Shiroko rebutted, not even letting her finish like Nonomi is doing. She's looking at Hoshino with a worried look, still waiting for the rest of her explanation.

"Nonomi... can you... pay off the debt?" ... I'm not sure if I did something good or bad. She's probably convinced because of me... I mean, I taught her to give up on the impossible, but... I still taught her to give up, that's not a very good lesson to be teaching.

As expected, they're all flabbergasted at what she just asked. With Nonomi actually backing off slightly, with the other two doing the same.

"Wait, what?!" Ayane shouted from the drivers seat, slamming down on the brakes and bringing the truck to a stop and looking back from that short window between us.

"Sensei... he... he wants to help us... he doesn't want us to end up like him... we... can't do t-that if we're still s-stuck on that debt... can't do it... if we stay stubborn." She continued on explaining, looking back at them while still embracing me with teary, regretful eyes.

They all remain frozen in disbelief, with Nonomi in particular still staring at Hoshino. "Hoshino... I thought you'd never ask!" She broke off her monotonous expression, changing back to her usual, actually, even more cheerful look as she brought her hands up to her own cheeks.

"I mean... it's infuriating, but he's right." Serika reluctantly agrees with a pout, before giving her senpai, as they call Hoshino, a wide smile. "That means we can rebuild Abydos faster!"

"Nn, no more thinking about robbing banks for me... maybe." Shiroko, why does she sound disappointed?... I thought she got over that? Oh well, old habits die hard I guess.

"That's... good I suppose." Ayane said with a sigh followed by a smile. She turns back to the wheel, and starts driving again.

Hoshino... doesn't look sure how to react. She looks up to me, as if asking for something.

...

"Don't look at me. Prior to arriving here in Kivotos, I've never had a happy ending." I said, bringing her head back down to my shoulder. She lets out a confused noise before it got muffled by my shirt. "You're a big girl, Hoshino. You shouldn't be crying... not anymore." I feel here trying to speak, but she's still muffled.

Softening my hold on her head, I give her space to say what she wants.

"T-thank you, L-Levi-Sensei."

You're welcome, Hoshino... she fell back asleep, her halo turned off.

/

After we arrived back at the school, they carried Hoshino over to infirmary bed just as they did for Serika when we rescued her.

It was already night by the time we got here, so we're all sleeping in the school. I was gonna sleep in the room I've been using with that futon again, but Nonomi had something else in mind for me.

She said it's something I deserve, and that she's finally showing me what an anime is. And so, we were in a room with a T.V and a thin floor mat and some pillows.

"Come, Sensei." She said, speaking as if I were a child with how she's making those beckoning gestures with her arms... and then... doing the same with her thighs? I'm not gonna question it.

"Don't treat me like a child, I'm still older than you." I grumbled out with a pout, dropping down and resting my head on her thighs while facing towards the T.V. After all, why would there be a T.V there in the first place.

"You say that, but you're so eager to do as I said." Well, she's got me there. She reaches out to a remote, pointing it at the T.V and turning it on... to an animated film with flamboyant dressed muscled man. "This is a popular classic, still popular even to this day." So she said.

"Anyway, it's time for your ear cleaning!" Is that supposed to mean something? That my ears ar- oh... that feels nice... the softness of cotton coming in my ear, and pulling out something waxy and sticky. "Hmm, as I thought. You're homeland had little to no care on hygiene and cleanliness." She said with pity and sadness as she spun that cotton on a stick around.

The feeling of my ears being cleaned... it's like the feeling when my nose gets unclogged, and I can breath with both nose holes again after a fever.

"Hehe, I knew you'd like it." Nonomi said, still cheerful as ever.

Something's finally happening on the animation on the T.V. The people there have some kind of floating ghosts that they're using to attack eachother... oh? That big guy with the black jacket, with the blue muscled ghost behind him... that guy looks exactly like Mister Marcoh!

"He does? Did that person also have a floating ghost to punch things for him."

"No, even better. He fought dark priests who wielded magic with just his fists, and he won!" I couldn't help but brag about Mister Marcoh on his behalf.

"I see, he must've been amazing." Yeah... he very much was. "You said he fought against an entire mafia group by himself? And that... you had to free him from his misery?" ... yeah... I had to.

"If whatever happened to him was bad enough that you had to do so... then, don't you think he would've... perhaps preferred it."

...

"Yeah... he wouldn't have wanted to stay like that... and he wouldn't have wanted his sister to know what became of him." ... His sister... she won't ever find out about what happened to him... I realize that now.

"That's... just sad. But still, he wouldn't have wanted what he suffered. So Levi-Sensei... I can tell, and you shouldn't." What?... Nonomi, what are you...?

"You shouldn't act, shouldn't think that you murdered him." At Nonomi's words... I feel... I feel as if some weight has been lifted from me. Ever since I climbed down the tower... I've felt heavier, as if I was being chained down.

"You said he still lives on inside of you? Wouldn't he like it if you used his skills for good?" I... guess. Despite being so strong, he still hated himself for having killed people with his fists... yeah, he would've wanted some good to be done with what he's good at.

"And about that August person you talked about..." Even if I did Mister Marcoh and Miss Karin a favour, I'm still guilty for what I did to Mister August. "Like Serika-chan said, would you have lived through all that if you didn't?" Would the circumstances behind a murder even matter? Sure, we dueled as if we were nobles. Him with his bow and arrow and me with my then looted Lugr, but I still-

"Then it wasn't murder, just combat." But I was still the one who went after him! I still atta- "Don't make me ask again. Would you, or would you not have survived had you not done those things?" She said in a scolding tone, I can see from the edge of my vision that she's upset...

No... if I didn't take his viking strength and endurance for myself, then I would have perished when that shell shot a hole through my stomach, I wouldn't have been able to stay conscious enough to cast Loving Whispers, during the mission to retake Schale. Hell, I wouldn't have even lived long enough to meet the GSC President and have her send me here.

"Then it was out of necessity, not just senseless murder. Distasteful as it must've been, you're still free from sin, Levi-Sensei." Nonomi... I can't bring myself to question her. It wasn't that simple, but... I can't come up with any counterargument to what she said.

Somehow... with just those words from Nonomi, I feel some kind of weight in my chest and stomach disappearing. As if I'm a slave being unchained, the lightness my body feels is like freedom.

The comfort of my head sinking down to her warm plump thighs, paired with the cotton cleaning my ears out, and the liberation I felt at her words... I began...

To drift...

Off to... sleep.

/

I fell asleep in Nonomi's thighs... it was comfortable, but it felt kind of weird.

I woke up early, still half asleep. I yawned, covering my mouth with my only hand as I did with half lidded eyes. Hmm, is that Ayane? Talking to a dog person half her size. Looks like she's selling something.

Looks like they already finalized their transaction, with the dog person getting into his truck and driving off... can he even reach the pedals?

[Phase Step]

I teleport down from the higher floor, with the usual nausea that comes from using that spell. But I'm starting to get used to it anyways, so that's not too much of a bother.

"Oh? Sensei, good morning!" Politely and cheerfully greeted Ayane upon turning to face me.

"Where's Nonomi?" She wasn't there when I woke up.

"Oh, she... she went off to pay the debt!" She said with a purely joyful smile, radiating even. That's great then!

"And who was that? And what were you selling?" A lot of times, the things people sell have more value than they're selling it for. Like the rat amulet and the white angel rune Serika was sold, and I remember her telling me it was one of the cheaper ones she bought.

"Is that so? Well, he's a scrap metal dealer we've been working with for a long time now." Ayane explained with a smile. "We just worked out a pretty good deal!" Hmm, Miss Abella talked a lot about the quality of scrap metals we scavenged back in Prehevil.

"Yes, and?"

"Ayane, was there any writings from where you found it?" At my question, we looked at eachother awkwardly for a moment... and without another word, she started running to somewhere and I just followed.

We reached some kind of storage shack, which she opened up revealing a lot of things just piled around. There's a ladder, some lockers, and some other things I didn't bother looking as I observed Ayane inspecting something.

"Handle with care... special high grade steel..." For a moment, she just stared at it with wide eyes. "High grade... high grade?!" She shouted incredulously in realization.

Again, she started running. This time, to the school and then the meeting room. She rushes to the telephone, tapping in some numbers and waiting nervously with the telephone in her ears.

Some ringing... and more ringing...

"Crap! I can't get through the scrap dealer! He's not picking up his phone!" Ayane shouted in despair, blushing as she was on the verge of tears. "What do I do?!" If it's that bad, then I can help.

"Do you know where that scrap dealers is headed? Which paths it will take?" Ayane snaps out of her stupor, and begins immediately thinking and coming up with something.

"He should be headed to freight station to-"

"You know where that is?" I ask, interrupting her explanation.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Good. Without waiting for even a moment, I grab her by the waist to carry her like a bag.

[Phase Step]

And in an instant, we're already out of the meeting room and down in the schools front.

"Wha-?! Sensei?!" Ayane shouted in shock and emberassment, looking up to me with a shy blushing expression... cute! Just tell me where, before it's too late! "R-right!" And so, she gave me the directions I needed.

We started phasing in a straight line across the town, doing so twice and then running before I phased again. I have to do so, since this rings mind restoring effect is limited and I will start feeling headaches after several consecutive uses.

"Wow..." Ayane was completely wonder struck as we blinked in and out of existence, with some distances in between. Her hair flowing up and back everytime I stopped phasing to run or jump. "It would've been better if not for how disorientating it is!" She said, covering her mouth as she did.

Eventually, we caught up to the scrap dealers truck. And I waited for Ayane to finish bargaining for it's proper price, which she was successful in. Earning twice for whatever she sold it for originally.

She went off to do something else after we arrived back in school, with Shiroko waiting for me.

"Wanna learn how to ride a bike, Sensei?" ... Yeah sure, I've always wanted to try that.

/

Hoshino P.O.V

The last two days... feels like it's been two weeks with how much has happened. Heck, just the entire week alone since Levi-Sensei came has been really longer than the usual prior to that.

Stretching my arms upwards, and yawning as I arced my back, I start feel slightly more awake. So... yesterday... I told them a lot, Levi told us a lot... we... we're both damaged in our own ways, aren't we?

I never talked about any of my Senpai's, even Yume-Senpai to my juniors. She... she would've loved to meet them, and they would have loved her.

Walking out of the room I was sleeping in, I think about how, if, things are gonna change now that our secrets... or some of our secrets are out. Hmm, what is that?

Out the window and down near the school entrance, I see Shiroko-chan and Levi-Sensei. Shiroko's some distance away from him, making some beckoning gestures while Levi-Sensei is on her bike, ridi- no, he just fell to his sides.

Levi brings himself and the bike back up and tries riding it again, putting both of his feet on the pedals and- on, nevermind. He just fell flat on his face... I suppose having to do things single handed would be hard.

As he keeps falling, Shiroko-chan doesn't stop supporting him. Cheering him on, that he can do it as she keeps beckoning for him to get to her with each fall.

Eventually, after falling down and getting to his face for the umpteenth time, he groans out. He makes a motion of pulling... is he casting magic? It appears so, with two fleshy hands flying out of his shadow. Those hands looks like it's rotting.

Sensei balances the bike handle as those extra floating hands held both of the bike handles. He takes his foot off the ground and onto the pedals, pedaling as he's trying to balance himself in the air with his only arm.

Surprisingly, with the assistance of those two magical floating hands, he's finally managed to balance the bike and road it straight to the finish line that is Shiroko.

She pouts in disappointment, probably because he used magic to cheat. And he just has a stupid grin on himself, obviously proud of what he's accomplished.

I mean... can you really blame him? If I could, I'd use magic for convenience like he just did. And besides, he's probably never ridden a bike before. Hmm, they're leaving? Something about checking up on Serika and Master Shiba...

"Hey! Wait for me!" I frantically shouted to get their attention before they left so I could tag along. I haven't been able to see how Master Shiba's been doing after that explosion wrecked his place, better late than never I suppose.

/

Master Shiba reopened as a food stall. Not as glamorous as his restaurant, bit it still has its own charm. Ueegh, Serika-chan's back in her cute work uniform!

She looks at Levi-Sensei with narrowed jealous eyes as Master Shiba puts his entire focus on him.

"Boy! I reopened just like you asked, now teach me that goulash recipe!" He's supposed to be the master, yet he's the one asking the young Levi-Sensei for a cooking lesson.

Hmm. Yesterday, he told us about how he learned how to cook... about what happened to that chef from that Rondon place he talked about... wait, Rondon? Doesn't he mean London?!

He looks at the cooking utensils and ingredients Master Shiba gave him with hesitation.

"Sensei! That chef you met would've wanted his recipe to get famous, right?" Serika asked with a bright smile, prompting Levi to look at her with surprise.

"Yeah... he probably would have." He put on a determined face as he started chopping ingredients, pouring water on a pot and putting it over fire. In comes the chopped ingredients and spices like paprika, and viola! That same dish he cooked back then.

"So simple, yet so delicious and full of love." Gushed out Master Shiba, inhaling the aroma of the goulash dish... I never got to taste it because he donated it to the Problem Solver girls, so I'm kind of craving for it given Master Shiba's and Ayane's reaction to tasting it.

Luckily for us, we were each given a bowl of it. Soup, beef, potatoes, and some carrots. I see Shiroko taking a scoop of soup with some meat and veggies, and immediately after the first taste she just devoured the whole bowl and asked for seconds. Same with even Serika.

"Nn, I must have Sensei as my househusband." Shiroko uttered, barely with enough decibels for anyone but me to hear... Shiroko... what am I gonna do with you?

"Delicious... it's so simple yet delicious!" Serika said, barely able to stop herself from gulping the entire thing.

"Oh yeah... Boy, you should teach her as well."

"Y-yeah, sure." And so, Levi started cooking again with Serika looking over intently at his pot and ingredients.

Well, it's about time to dig in I guess. Holding the spoon, I scoop up some bits of beef, potatoes, and soup. Bringing it over to my open mouth, I gulp... it... it's... just so good! I couldn't stop myself, I scooped up the meat and veggies and shredded it with my teeth and swallowed. As for the soup, I just chugged it straight out of the bowl!

"We gotta bring some back to the school for Nonomi and Ayane!"

/

Nonomi thoroughly enjoyed and savored her first bowl of goulash, and Ayane joyfully savored the meal she immediately fell in love with upon first tasting it.

Serika's still working with Master Shiba, and Shiroko's biking around Kivotos... probably still scouting banks. Old habits die hard, I guess.

And Levi, he asked me to follow him. He said he had something for me, and I followed without question.

As I followed him, I start reminiscing about all of what's happened since he arrived.

We finally drove out the majority of the Kata-Kata Helmet Gang. We- well, my juniors fought a massive invasion force by themselves under his command and just won. There was also the stick up of the Stygian Bank, and the defense against the rogue Gehenna Prefect brigade that attacked without their Heads approval.

And yesterday... he taught me, even if it was indirectly, the importance of giving up on the impossible, the importance of not being stubborn, of taking the easy way out if possible. I asked Nonomi to pay off the Abydos debt.

I still hate the fact that I gave up, but... I suppose... that's just growing up. Levi-Sensei said, believed that many adults are the way they are because their hardships got the better of them, that it crushed them when they were young like me.

And Levi-Sensei... to me, he embodies those words to it's most extreme. Even before he reached my age, his life was already ruined, already crushed under the weight and suffering his life circumstances forced upon him.

Yet, in spite of his hardships. He still persists, he's still trying his absolute best to be better.

Looking around where he's led me... isn't this... where I buried Yume-Senpai? Why? Why did he... how did he find this pla-?! Oh, magic.

"Reila, can you halt the second sequence of Necromancy?" ... Wait... what? ... Necro... mancy?... He can... bring her... back... to life? Of course, it's magic! Anything's possible!

I... don't know what to feel. Relief? Happiness? Sadness? I... was so mean to Yume-Senpai... what do I... even tell her? How do I even act?! I feel my heart skipping some beats, sweat pouring down my forehead as my pulse quickened as my breaths paced the same way.

But now that I think about it, who's Reila? They said something about another haloless woman coming to help them... and halting the second sequence?

"Sorry, there's only so much magic can do." Levi said solemnly, looking at me with an expression of sympathy.

"I suppose... that should be a given." I bitterly accepted. I shouldn't... I need to live with it, just as he's lived with the reality of his absolute hell of a life.

He turns to face... directing where she should be buried. He holds his hand out as it shook with hesitation, but then pulled a coin of some kind from his back pocket. Is that... just pure gold? He flips it up to the air, the coin spinning midair before dropping back down to his hands and then clenching it.

He opens up his hand to look at which side it fell on, and smiling as he saw the resu- I stop my thoughts as I saw the coin just disintegrate into nothing.

"Lucky coins, there's a weird tradition where we flipped one whenever we're doing something that has a mixed chance of failure or success." Is that so?

He again stretched his hand toward her grave, followed by some ominous sound that sent shivers down my spine.

Floating infront of him is a blue figure, slowly morphing in to... huh?

Her long light blue hair. Her large chests that she liked pulling me into, that I loved being pulled into. Her goofy expression. And her halo that resembles the Abydos insignia.

... Yume... Senpai?

"Wawawawagh! Where am I? What's happening?" She asked around while looking bamboozled, completely disorientated for obvious reasons. "Oh? Who are you, Mister?" She asked Levi-Sensei with curiosity.

She widens her eyes, probably realizing that the marks on his face isn't paint.

She looks past him... and on me. Her expression morphs into wonder and excitement. "Hoshino-chan! You grew your hair out!" She cheerfully stated.

I... what do I..? How do I-?!

Levi-Sensei turns around, and starts walking towards and then past me.

"Sorry, that's all I can do for you." It's already too much! I should be thanking you! Just... just being able to meet Yume-Senpai again is... is heaven!

"My, my, Hoshino-chan. Was that your boyfriend?" She floated closer to me, teasing me as she always loved doing. "But I'm kind of worried. The missing arm isn't a problem, but the carvings on his face look ritualistic..." Of course, she's focused on the mundane things.

"Uwah?! Hoshino-chan, why are you crying?!" She exclaimed out in worry, her expression that of concern. "I'm sorry if I insulted your boyfriend." She said with a whine and her eyes closed.

"Yume-Senpai... we have so much to talk about." I said, tears and feelings leaking out from me like a dam... are these... tears of joy? My lips are stretching into a smile by itself.

She gives me a look... and then smiled and nodded with affirmation.

I started walking towards her. Reaching out my arms to wrap around her, but it only went through her... I suppose that's to be expected, she's still a gho-

My thoughts grind to a halt as she held out her arms to my head, and it connected. She then pulled me into her... watermelons of a chest... how I've missed this...

But this isn't fair... she can tease me all she wants, and I can't touch her!

"I won't be going away anytime soon, Hoshino-chan. Cry all you want, we can still talk later." Yume-Senpai said in her cheery comforting tone, the one she always had when speaking to me...

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry." I cried as she told me to... and I kept stuttering out my apologies... for what I did... for how I treated her...

"There, there, Hoshino-chan." She caressed and brushed my hair, just as she comforted me with her voice.

... I don't want this to end.

/

A/N: I felt nervous changing somethings in the end that much. Like Hoshino asking Nonomi to pay off the debt, her learning how to give up and such. But from personal life experience, it kind of fit for me. I don't have it hard like most other people in my country, but it's still not easy.

And that ending with the half necromancy, I felt like our dear cute and funny ojisan deserve it.

Now that that's out of the way. I only realized halfway through that by including Reila and the Machine God Logic. I'm gonna have to squeeze in a three way Automaton civil war between Reila/Logics new Kivotos followers and the forces of Decagrammaton as well as Kei's Divi:Sion.

Also, is it just me or did I let the Kaiser PMC Director keep too much of his dignity?