“The Eden Treaty... it’s starting.”
Haruta was watching the situation from the rooftop of a nearby building, since he couldn’t let anyone see his face before the signing ceremony began.
“...Now then, let’s see...”
Ring ring
Click
“Ehehe~ I didn’t think Haruta would call me first~”
“Yeah. It’s nothing major, but if anything happens today, come to Trinity.”
“Ehehe~ If my master asks, I have to do it~”
“You guys... the Abydos kids could all end up in danger.”
“I know that much~”
“Well... I’m glad you’re still the same.”
“Can I take that as a compliment~?”
“You too... no, never mind.”
“Ehehe~ Haruta really doesn’t understand a girl’s heart~”
“Stop joking around.”
“Got it. So I just need to head over sometime today?”
“Yeah, come whenever. If you check the news on the way, you’ll get the gist of the situation.”
“Is there some kind of terrorist attack today~?”
“Yeah, exactly.”
“Eh... ehehe~ I didn’t know that.”
Hoshino’s flustered voice drifted through the phone.
“Anyway, I’m not in any real danger, so don’t worry about me. Just protect the others.”
“Got it~”
That was how he called Hoshino and Abydos.
“...I guess it’s about time they started preparing for the signing ceremony?”
Even from this distance, he could see everything clearly.
“...Mm... is Sensei still asleep?”
After a quick scan, a few familiar faces came into view.
“...Oh, Hina?”
As a Gehenna representative, Hina had arrived before Makoto.
“...And... the other Prefect Team members...”
“Haruta? There isn’t much time left until it starts.”
“...Yeah, I know. I was just looking because I was curious.”
In person, the Cathedral of Sorrow was even more imposing than he’d expected.
“...Even when I saw it in the story, I thought it was a pretty cool building... but isn’t this basically a slightly downsized Sagrada Família Cathedral...?”
“Well... it’s a little late to be thinking about that...”
After a little more watching, he saw Sensei enter the cathedral and immediately sensed that the beginning was near.
“...Alright... for the sake of the story... the missile has to go off. Sorry, Sensei.”
Not long after, Kronos’s explanation ended, and the Eden Treaty signing ceremony finally began.
“...Good, so far everything’s the same...”
By the time Nagisa arrived and Kronos’s broadcast was almost over—
Whoooosh
A cold rush of wind split the air from behind.
“...Holy shit, there it is.”
Swoosh!
In an instant, a missile streaked past to the side.
KWAANG!
“...The number one reason Sensei is still alive after an explosion that complete is the Shittim Chest...”
There was no exaggeration at all—he was nearly a kilometer away from the blast, and still the shockwave slammed into him.
“...But can they really just destroy a cultural heritage site like that?”
The moment that thought ended, ghosts burst out from all around.
“...Those are the Sanctus Pater Filius...?”
They were definitely ghosts wearing gas masks, but something about them was clearly different.
“...Guess I should head down.”
Whoosh! KWAANG!
When he landed on the ground, the vibration ran through his body and a shiver went down his spine.
“...Then let’s begin.”
Click
“Kyaaaah!!!”
The Sanctus Pater Filius screamed and raised their guns.
“Hah... you think you can take on Kivotos’s worst criminal with that little?”
Tatatatat!
Swish
“Too slow!”
KWAANG!
When he grabbed one of the Sanctus Pater Filius with his hand, there was no sensation of actually catching anything. But—
KWAANG!
“Then I’ll just kick you!”
Pwoom!
“That’s enough!”
“Kyaaa!!!!!”
He raised his guard with one hand and drew back a fist.
Crack! Crack!
“Haa... come at me all at once!”
“Kyaaa!!!”
Boom!
Tatata!
Pwoom!
With every punch, he activated his mystic to minimize the drain, grinding through the Sanctus Pater Filius in front of him as he advanced.
“I’m sick of using my fists.”
Clack!
“I’ll handle you with this now.”
The road was wide open, not a cramped enclosed space, and there were buildings around him, but he didn’t have the luxury of thinking about that now.
“Haha, tear them apart and kill them!”
Zzzzzing!!!!
Boom
“Kyae?!”
“Tuo kwaaaah!!!”
“Crazy... was this weapon always this insane...?”
The power of the BFG was beyond imagination. The road was practically shredded down to bare dirt, and even the buildings in front had all had their windows blown out.
“...Then... what the hell is a Crucible that’s stronger than this?”
He thought about it for a moment, then ran toward the cathedral. The situation was worse than he’d expected; screams were coming from all over.
“...First, the rubble!”
Thud!
“Hup!”
KWA!
He blew away all the debris from the collapsed building, rescued the people trapped underneath, and then immediately started searching the area for Sensei.
“...Sensei!!! Where are you!!”
“Kyaaaah!!!”
“Will you just get lost!”
Bang!
He kicked one of them, and its form completely collapsed and vanished.
“...Good. Then next!”
Step
Bang!
He kicked off the ground and shot into the sky.
“Over there!”
Whoosh!
KWAANG!
“Sensei!”
“Haruta?!”
“Yes! I came to rescue you!”
“Good, let’s go!”
KWAANG!
“? What the—”
The Gehenna airship exploded. It had definitely been the one Makoto was riding in.
“...Let’s get out of here first!”
“Sensei!”
“Sensei!!!”
“Sensei, are you alright?!”
Tsurugi, Hasumi, and Hina had joined up.
“...For now, somehow?”
“Haa... we’ll block everything coming this way for now, Sensei.”
“Wait... who are you?”
“Does that really matter right now? She’s not an enemy! So just protect Sensei and think later!”
Tsurugi nodded as if she understood and reloaded her gun.
Click
“How many rounds do you have left?”
“...About 56...”
“Then use them all and fall back. I’ll hold them off!”
“Got it.”
“Then!”
Click
“Hina! Escort Sensei out of the battlefield!”
“B-but Haruta!”
“Hina? Worrying is nice and all, but not now! Get Sensei out of here first!”
“...Haruta... please be careful!”
“Don’t raise a death flag and just go! At this rate I’ll actually die.”
“...Okay! Got it... please win!”
With Hina’s encouragement, he and Tsurugi checked the battlefield.
“...How many Sanctus Pater Filius can you see?”
“Not yet... no, just in front of us there are about 200 already...”
“That’s manageable.”
“Kyaaaahhhhh!!!!”
The Sanctus Pater Filius’s screams echoed across the battlefield.
“What the hell... Arius...?”
“What the hell... who are you?”
“Haa... you’re the Arius Squad, right?”
“...”
“Even with masks on, I still know your names.”
“...”
“You’re Misaki, and the one over there with the sniper rifle is Hiyori.”
“...What the hell... you know us?”
“Of course. I even bought you girls a meal once, didn’t I? Ungrateful brats.”
“...?! You are?”
“Well... you’re the enemy right now, so just let it slide.”
“Did Azusa... tell you?”
“No? I just know you.”
“Haruta... those people over there are...?”
“The Arius Squad. Arius’s elite.”
“...Understood.”
“Kyaeek!!”
“I still can’t get used to that every time I see it.”
“...Wait, there’s no end to them...”
“Then we just keep grinding them down until there is!”
Whoosh!
“?!”
Click!
Shoo!
Bang!
“...That was... power from a sword?”
“Uwaaa... that’s...”
“Haruta... are you... actually human?”
“Just a person who’s pretty good at fighting... maybe?”
“...Understood! We don’t have time for impressions now, so let’s hold them back as much as we can!”
“I’ve blocked them once already!”
Bang!
Bang!
“...How many are in front of us right now?”
“I’m sure... just a moment ago it was all of them...”
“I don’t know the exact number now, but... at least several hundred... no, more than that.”
“Good. Then let’s try it!”
Zzzing!
“Everyone, protect me!”
“Understood!”
“Got it.”
Zzzzzing!!!
KWAANG!
“Hiyori! Dodge!”
Misaki charged at Hiyori, and Hiyori stumbled and fell.
“...Is that... really a gun?”
“Let’s fall back for now!”
With that, Hiyori and Misaki retreated, and the Sanctus Pater Filius manifested again.
“...What the hell!”
In the game, there had only been around 300 at most. But—
“...There are at least... 500 here... and they’re all armed...”
The situation was the worst possible. Even if he cleared this area right now, the Sanctus Pater Filius would still swarm toward Sensei.
“...First, hold them here!”
Click!
Shukwaang!
“...Clear! It looks like they’ve all been dealt with here!”
“Good! I’m heading to Sensei right away! Cover me!”
“Understood! This way!”
“Sorry, I’m going ahead!”
Crash!
“What’s happening to Sensei? What’s the situation right now?!”
For now, the battlefield situation was extremely bad. Sensei was there, and he didn’t even know whether he could control the power of the White Night right now. If the apostles attacked everyone except him? No, that wasn’t it. But—
“...At the very least, Sensei has to get out of the battlefield!”
“Sensei!”
Bang!
“...?”
A gunshot was fired at Sensei.
“...Sensei!!!”
“Aaaaaah---!!!”
“?! She can still move?! Sorasaki Hina?!”
“Sena, over here!”
Screeeech!!
“Sensei! This way! Please take my hand!”
“Tch... got it...”
Drip... drip... drip
“Sensei! You’re bleeding!”
“Ugh... Hina, hurry...”
Thud!
“Hina! Wait!”
Zzzing!
“Ghk!!!”
“...Huh?”
“Hoo... now... ngh... go first!”
“What... is this?”
“Nothing much.”
“...Haruta... I’ll fight too...”
Crash!
“Haruta?”
Grab!
“Wai—”
Swish
“Rest a little. It doesn’t even hurt that much.”
“Haruta!”
Riiip
“Phew... so, you’re the Arius Squad, right?”
“...”
“You shot Sensei?”
“And if we did?”
“Mm... I don’t really want to hurt you, but...”
Right now, there was no one else here. Only the enemy in front of him.
“Then I guess it’s time to use this.”
Srrrk
“What is that...?”
“My servants, rise and greet me.”
“...What the hell is that...”
Wings sprouted from his back and he floated up into the air. A golden laurel crown shone brilliantly above his head, illuminating the enemies below.
“Hello?”
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