"Wow.... Sensei.... you’re seriously cool..."
Watching Sensei’s speech from afar, it almost looked like there was light shining behind him.
"...Well, this isn’t really the time for that... For now, I should focus on the battle, right?"
Flap!
Whoosh
"...The tide of battle is definitely in our favor... and Arius will probably retreat on its own without me even needing to do anything."
Watching the fight in the sky made everything much clearer.
"...?"
For a moment, I was thrown off by the murderous aura, the killing intent crawling up my spine, and the explosive presence that suddenly appeared. It definitely wasn’t human. No... it absolutely could not be human.
"...What is that...?"
The source of that absurd energy was beneath the cathedral.
"....Haah... so it’s starting now?"
Bang!
"For now... my weapon is in top condition... and I’ve finished maintenance too... Good. Let’s begin."
------------------------------
"Impressive. So that is what an adult looks like."
The wooden puppet looked at Sensei.
"...And that one... by his own hands, by his own power! He accomplished everything... and reached the realm of perfect! art! The one and only existence!"
"A masterpiece beyond compare! Brilliant! Powerful! Flawless and perfect!"
".....That kind of complete art, made by my own hand... and the existence of the Sensei that one follows..."
"Ahh.... that existence itself is... the greatest art of all!!!!!!!!!!"
"I know how powerful that one’s strength is... So, the greatest art... and my art!"
"Art that has reached the realm of art... and my art.... Which is the more powerful!!!! The more brilliant art!!!"
"...If it’s that one.... if it’s that one!!!!"
"Perhaps it can answer my <Sublime>....!"
"The performance will begin soon. Please, become even more intense."
Crash!
"Sensei!"
"...? Haruta!"
"What’s happening right now!?"
"As you can see...."
"...What is that?!"
"Gregorio.... Hieronymus...."
"...Sensei...? What is that?"
"...I don’t think I can answer that this time..."
"Sensei... for now, let me handle it alone."
"No... Haruta."
He reached into Sensei’s pocket. Then he pulled his hand back out and held it high.
"Sensei! That is...?"
"An adult’s card... Since they cheated too, we’re cheating this time as well."
"...Underst...ood."
Ziiing!!!
"...? Where are we?"
"All right! Everyone! I know this is confusing, but follow Sensei’s orders for now!"
"..."
The students currently in front of me were Hina, Hoshino, Azusa, Serina, Chinatsu, and me. Six in total.
"Sensei... for now, I’ll take Gregorio on by myself."
"...Haah... if this were any other time, I’d absolutely say no... but right now..."
"Yes... there’s really no other way this time. And even if Hoshino and Hina fought Hieronymus together, there’s a good chance they still couldn’t win."
"Uhee~? This old man’s plenty strong, you know?"
"I agree, Haruta. Don’t try to carry everything by yourself this time."
"That’s right, Haruta. Please fight a little more cautiously this time."
"I know. I know that better than anyone. That’s why I’m saying I’ll fight alone this time."
"Haruta... please value yourself a little more."
"Got it... well, I probably won’t die this time."
"...Haruta... you won’t get hurt, will you...? Okay?"
"Okay. I’ll be careful."
"Uhee~ You two are kind of getting along, huh~? This old man’s jealous~?"
"Haah... I’m really going to lose it..."
"Haruta! For now, let’s not joke around."
"Yes... sorry."
"...No... whew... Everyone! From here on, follow Sensei’s orders!"
"As Sensei wills!"
Everyone stroked their firearms and checked the barrels.
"...Are you ready?"
"Everything is ready."
"Good... let’s do our best!"
Srrrrk
Clink!
"...This time, let’s just use it."
"...That is?"
"My main spear..."
"Right. Got it."
"...Haruta~? Is that the guy with the burning head?"
"Yeah. He’s the one I’m taking on from here."
"....Haruta... please don’t push yourself."
"Hina, do I look like I’m about to die?"
"...No... not really, but..."
"Then don’t worry."
"...Okay..."
"Then! Let’s go!"
Step by step, my feet felt heavy. Heavier than ever before, and my whole body was covered in goosebumps.
"...Everyone... hang in there."
"Yes... then I’ll go first."
"Haruta?"
"Yes...?"
"Take care of yourself."
"...Haah... understood."
--------------------------------------
Bang!
I moved at high speed toward Gregorio.
"..."
Clang! Kaang! Whoosh!!
I poured Mystery into the tip of my sword and launched it. This time, more seriously than ever before, with no wasted motion—simple, sharp, and precise.
"I’ll cut you down for sure!"
Slash!
"..."
Fwoosh!
Swish swish, snap
"?"
Flames flared once from Gregorio’s head, then he swung the baton in his hand to block the attack.
"...What is that thing doing right now?"
Swish! Snap!
When Gregorio pointed to the left, an orchestra burst out from that side and something flew toward me.
"...What the hell is that!?"
Kaang! Clang!
"...That bastard..."
Swish!
"How about this!"
Ziiing!!
Fwoom!!
"Die!!!"
Boom!
Even after taking a direct hit from the BFG, there was no way he’d be fine.
"..."
I was naive to think that.
"...Damn it... is that thing not going to die even if I stab it with a spear?"
Swish! Snap! Swish! Snap!
"...What now!?"
Swish!
When Gregorio gestured again, six choir members burst out and began to play.
"...What the hell is that...!"
The organ and pipes lit up, and a tone began to flow out.
"..."
Snap!
"I was saving this just in case..."
Swish...!
Gregorio turned the organ again, and another choir burst out on the left.
The pipes lit up once more, the tone flowed out again, and the spear kept gathering more and more power.
"Let’s see you block this too!"
Whoosh!
Shhk!
"Kyaaa!!!!"
"...How’s that?! It hurts, doesn’t it!?"
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
The flames on Gregorio’s head flickered as he stared straight at Haruta.
"Yeah... no matter how you look at it, there’s no way he’d be fine after taking that..."
The spear had struck Gregorio’s arm dead-on. His shoulder was practically torn off, and I thought Gregorio would no longer be able to use one arm.
Riiip!
"...Huh—!?"
Gregorio cut off his own arm, and the severed limb was taken up by a singing phantom beside him, taking the shape of an arm and attaching itself back to Gregorio.
"...What kind of nonsense is that...?"
Swish! Snap! Snap! Swish tap!
"...?"
Kaang!
Another choir was summoned on the left, and the performance started again.
"..."
Once more, the pipes lit up, the piano grew more intense, and the organ turned.
"....Aaaah!!!"
Kaang!
When I struck the organ, Gregorio staggered for a moment and brought a hand up toward his head.
"..."
Swish!
"...."
Srrrrk thud!
"...?"
Swish! Thud!
The piano grew more and more frantic, and the sound raced toward its end.
"...Wait, what is this?!"
When the organ turned once more, the piano played faster than before, and the singing filling the area continued more fiercely and brilliantly than any sound I’d ever heard.
"...Haaah!!!"
Snap!
Bang!
"Kyaaaek!!!!"
There was no mouth, but it was obvious that that damned performer was writhing in horrible pain. The blow had struck Gregorio’s torso directly, almost punching a hole clean through him.
"...He’s going to die soon!"
Srrrk! Thud! Snap! Snap!
"?!"
As the organ turned for the fifth time, all the choir members visible in front of me vanished at once.
"...What is this!?"
Then choirs were summoned on both sides of Gregorio, and a total of eighteen choir members prepared for the final performance.
"...The finale... has begun."
So far, I’d used the spear twice. Both my arms were already writhing in pain, but now I had to beat that thing without using the spear at all if I could help it.
"...If... the finale ends...?"
I didn’t have time to think about that right now.
Swish! Swish! Srrrrk!
"Aaaah!!!!!!"
Drawing on every last bit of strength I had left, I created a piercing strike.
I couldn’t feel my arms anymore. The strength I could use was limited now.
Srrrrk! Thud thud!
Now the piano, the organ, the pipes, and the choir playing the instruments were all racing toward the end, and in three seconds—just three seconds—the performance would be over.
"Aaaah!!!!!!!"
Srrrk! Snap! Snap!
Whoosh!
One blow. Just one blow, gathering all my Mystery into it and sending it out.
Clang!
The sword shattered. At the same time Gregorio raised a hand, and Gregorio’s upper body was severed.
And then—
Fwoooosh
"Damn it..."
Boommm!
"Kuaaaah!!!!!!!!!!"
In an instant, an unimaginable pain swept through my entire body hard enough to make me lose consciousness. I raised my arms to guard, but my ears and right eye no longer worked properly.
"...This fucking..."
Right now, that kind of trivial thing didn’t matter. I still had to go save everyone who was still fighting.
"Then... now..."
Drip... drip
"...Huh?"
I couldn’t feel my left arm. But something was burning hot, as if it were on fire, and the pain was so severe it felt like my whole arm had been ripped apart, so I looked down at it.
Drip... drip
"..."
The state of my left arm was worse than I’d expected. It had already been burned almost completely away, and blood was dripping from the debris and shockwave as if it were about to be torn off entirely.
"...Damn it..."
"First... I need to go save everyone..."
"Kuhk... pffh... kehk..."
It was even worse than I thought—maybe an internal organ had ruptured, because I was coughing up blood. No, it was pouring out of me.
"...Kuh... keh..."
Step... step...
Crash!
"Aaaah!!!!"
Every step twisted my insides. It hurt. I had to endure it.
"..."
When I entered the portal, I saw Sensei and everyone else.
"Se... Sensei!"
"Haruta?!?! Are you okay!?"
"I’m... fine!"
"...Okay... for now, we’re at a disadvantage... so right now..."
"Sensei... just... trust... me... kuhk!... please!"
"...Understood!"
"Kyaaaeeeee!!!!!"
Haruta took one step after another and faced Hieronymus.
"Ha... Haruta!? Y... your arm!"
"Ah... Hina? I’m fine... let’s win first and talk later!"
Hieronymus had already taken many wounds in the fight with Sensei. From here on, it was a chicken game.
"..."
It was a battle of wills to see who would collapse first.
"...Haruta! No! If you keep fighting there any longer...!"
"..."
Snap!
The final blow. The one I’d been saving for Hieronymus.
"Kyaaaeeeee!!!"
"Just die already!!!"
Shhk!
Boom!
I pierced straight through Hieronymus’s torso and seized the advantage.
"...Now...."
"Haruta!"
"Kueeek kueee!!!!"
"Haruta! Watch out!"
Hieronymus drew its hands inward, then spread them apart again, and a yellow light slowly enveloped it.
"Hina! Get back! Duck!"
"Haruta!!!!"
Fwoooosh!!!
Boom!
"Kuaaaah!!!!!!!"
"Haruta!!!!!"
What Hina saw was Hieronymus exploding, Haruta collapsing right in front of it, and the stalactite cave above them collapsing as well, bringing the cathedral crashing down on top of Haruta.
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