"Mika... for now, stop."
"H-Haruta... why... are you... here... ah... Sensei is here, so..."
In a way, it made sense. Haruta didn’t really go to school at all; he just lived at Schale, so being wherever Sensei was wasn’t all that strange.
"Yeah... well, meeting like this is a little weird, but still."
"Haruta... I’m sorry... I can’t forgive Saori."
"...Haa... so that’s your choice."
"Yes... so please go back... I’m begging you."
"Normally, I’d listen... but I don’t want to see you truly become a witch, Mika."
At the word witch, Mika’s eyes darkened slightly, and then she looked at Haruta.
"...Haruta... too... thought of me as a witch...?"
"No way. Mika is my princess, isn’t she?"
"Yeah... that’s right... Haruta really never changes."
"Right... well... I don’t know why you hate Saori so much, but still, Mika?"
"..."
"If you kill someone... you can never come back. And if you ever do kill someone... then I’ll take responsibility for it in your place."
"...Thank you... for saying that."
"Yeah... you know what Sensei always says, right?"
"...That I... will... take responsibility...?"
"Yeah. I’ll take responsibility myself."
"..."
"Even if you kill someone, I’ll cover for you."
"No..! Haruta is..."
"I’ve already... committed enough sins to deserve death."
"No... I’m the one who’s sorry... don’t say things like killing people... please... I’ll stop..."
"...Does this place not have the concept of Möbius...?"
"Möbius...?"
"Yeah. An endless cycle, I guess. Millennium would probably know about it."
"...So...?"
"Revenge is the same. If one side doesn’t forgive, it repeats forever. You’ve probably heard this before: revenge breeds more revenge... You’ve heard that, right?"
"..."
"You don’t have to forgive me... that’s Mika’s freedom."
"..."
"Mika? Can you promise me one thing?"
"Yes..."
"If you ever hate someone so much you want to kill them, I’ll stay by your side. If you get that angry, call for me."
"Really...? Haruta... you don’t have much time left, though..."
"Hmm... work can’t be more important than a friend."
"...Ah... ahaha☆... you really... never change... Haruta..."
"Yeah. I’ll always be the same. Even until the day I die."
"...Thank you..."
"Haa... so, Saori, what are you going to do now?"
"...I want to sincerely apologize to Mika... Everything that happened in the Eden Treaty was... all my doing."
"Hmm... I’ll forgive you... if Haruta helps, that’s enough for me!"
At least Mika’s real descent into darkness had been stopped, so maybe this counted as a success. But they couldn’t afford to let their guard down here. It was time to kill the bastard who had caused the Eden Treaty disaster and tried to execute Arius Squad—the real witch.
Kieee!!!
"...That sound...?"
It was a familiar sound. The same one he had heard to death on the day of the Eden Treaty signing. A sound he never wanted to hear again.
"...Sensei... that is..."
"Yeah... I saw it just now too... the Sanctus Pater Filius... they were still around."
"I’ll... stop them."
Clack... clack
"...? What are you doing?"
"Haruta? I’ll hold them here."
"...No, not right now."
Poke!
"...Ugh..."
"Ahaha☆! Haruta... you’re hurt pretty badly, aren’t you?"
"...Just you goril—"
He almost said gorilla, but then he saw Mika’s expression. The killing intent pouring off her now was even worse than when he had called her a witch a moment ago.
"...Uh... I mean..."
"Ahaha, I’m kidding! Haruta... I’ll definitely pay you back for this later."
"...Haa... well... if I force it with everything I’ve got, I should be able to stop them... Mika, for now I’m going to go bring back Beatrice’s head."
"How scary! What kind of thing is that to say in front of a lady!"
"...Damn... just from the strength alone, you really are like a goril—"
"What did you say? Haruta? Say that again."
No, he had definitely said it quietly. Quiet enough that even Sensei standing right beside him shouldn’t have heard. So how had she noticed? Mika really did seem to be beyond human.
"Haa... no more time for jokes, I guess... a knight protecting the princess... ahaha☆ that’s funny."
"It’s a little weird, but maybe not bad?"
"Anyway... come back safe, Haruta."
"Yeah. I’ll return in one piece."
Tadadak!
Kieee!!!!
"Your opponent is me."
"Hey! Saori! How much farther is it from here!"
"We’re almost there! Just past that door!"
"Damn it! We’re out of time!"
BANG!
When they smashed through the door, Beatrice glared at them with the many eyes attached to her head. But they had Haruta.
"..? What is this!"
"It’s me, you piece of shit!"
BANG!
He threw a punch at Beatrice the moment he burst in, but she barely managed to dodge it. Still, when had Haruta ever said he only threw one punch?
"Huh?! She dodged!?"
Boom!
How could a punch create wind pressure? Beatrice took that blow straight to the head, staggered for a moment, and then slowly moved toward Atsuko.
"Sensei! I’ll finish this quickly!"
Clack! Ziiing!
He immediately drew the Crucible and aimed it at Beatrice.
"Die!!!"
Whoosh!
For a moment, it looked like he had cleanly split Beatrice’s body in two. But if she went out that easily, she wouldn’t be a witch. Just as expected, Beatrice had already...
"Heh heh... you’re too late."
"You fucking...!"
Ziiing
An unpleasant red beam poured endlessly from Beatrice’s head.
"...Sensei... I think... we’re already too late..."
"The ritual has started! Misaki!"
"Got it."
Boom!
"...So even missiles won’t work...?"
"You’re supposed to wait when someone transforms, you know? But not you!"
Ziiiiing!
"It’s the BFG9000, you immortal bastard!!!"
Boom!
"...The hatch—"
"Ah! Saori, wait!"
Maybe because Saori had chanted a resurrection spell, or maybe because the damage simply hadn’t gone through.
"...Damn it... that thing... is still fine...?"
Kieeek!!!
"...She gave up being human...?"
They couldn’t attack carelessly, not when they had no idea what Beatrice had done through the Color.
"...Everyone, draw your guns... from here on out, we’re using firearms."
Clack!
He drew the gun he normally never even took out and aimed it at Beatrice.
"Sensei! Command us!"
"Right!"
"Sensei, I’ll fight with this... this can cut even a halo in half."
"...Wait... don’t tell me Beatrice’s... halo appeared because..."
"Yes... maybe the Color awakened fear or mystery... or else..."
"She was infused with it. We’ll talk after this!"
Click!
The battle began, and Haruta immediately ran forward and threw himself at Beatrice.
"Provide covering fire! Protect Haruta!"
Tatata!
"Please! Die in one hit!!!"
Swoosh!
With a single slash of the Crucible, Beatrice’s right arm was cut off.
Aaaaah!!!!!!
Beatrice’s scream echoed through the entire corridor. The hideous, skin-crawling shriek reverberated through the corridor and the whole basilica, making his head ring.
"...Is that a skill too...?"
"Haruta! How many more times can you swing that!"
"...If I remember right, two more times... fu... khk! Ghk..."
"...?! Haruta! What’s wrong!!!"
"...Khk..."
"...Sensei! How badly is Haruta injured internally!?"
"...Ah... no way!"
"I can’t say for certain, but... that impact from earlier seems to have shaken his organs! He looks like he can barely endure the recoil from swinging the blade right now!"
"Khk... cough... haa... haa... I’m fine! I can still hold out for now!"
"...How much time do we have left before he hits his limit?!"
"It’s just from the vibration! Don’t worry about it!"
BANG!
With one arm cut off, Beatrice thrashed around and smashed the surrounding terrain apart. A last-ditch struggle, no doubt.
"...Hey!! Beatrice! A stupid bitch like you probably doesn’t even know the phrase 'too much of a good thing'! So of course it’s going to backfire! You idiot!"
"What are you saying!!! I am meant to become the greatest existence!!!"
"...What? You could talk? Ah, so you were just keeping your mouth shut because you were no better than a beast!"
"Shut up! The mere fact that a lowly thing like you is speaking to me is infuriating!"
"Who cares, I didn’t ask, idiot!"
"...I don’t know what you’re saying, but I can tell. The fact that there are creatures as lowly as you is infuriating enough!"
"Sensei! Now!"
"Hey! Haruta, this thing is pretty damn heavy!?"
Ziiiiing!
"?! Wait a second!"
BANG!
The instant he fired, Sensei was knocked backward, and the fully charged BFG9000 slammed directly into Beatrice.
"She might still be alive!"
Tadadak!
Ziiing!
"Die!!!"
He swung the Crucible at the remaining head of Beatrice.
Sshhk!
"..."
The stone behind her was split in two as well, cleanly severing body and head. Beatrice became Bea/trice.
"...Did you think this was where it ended!?"
Pshhk!
He drove the Crucible in one more time, using its last remaining strike to bury it into Beatrice’s body.
Clang!
Then he tore the blade of the Crucible free, so the sword of hell would be carved into her body and leave her in eternal pain.
"...Suffer forever!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He kicked her three times, but that still wasn’t enough, so he put one more bullet into the severed head before he finally felt satisfied.
"...A guy you could kill a hundred times over and it still wouldn’t be enough."
"Princess! Wait! I’ll save you right now!"
Tadadak!
Saori ran to Atsuko and freed her from her restraints, and Atsuko weakly fell into Saori’s arms.
"Princess! Are you all right!"
"...Mm... Saori...?"
"That’s right! Princess, are you hurt anywhere!?"
"No... I don’t think so..."
"Princess... don’t speak! Just..."
"Hey, Saori? I took revenge for you in your place."
"...That... ugh!"
Saori saw the head of Beatrice in Haruta’s hand and the body that could no longer even be called human.
"...Haruta!"
Sensei, who had been hidden by the dust, also saw the horrific scene.
"...Sensei... sorry."
Tap!
"Ow..."
"Haa... Haruta... you did wrong... didn’t you?"
"...I’m sorry..."
"Yeah... well... I was going to kill her too... good job, Haruta."
"...Thank you."
"Mm... are you the teacher...?"
"Ah... you must be Atsuko?"
"Yes... Sensei?... By the way... Satchan? Who’s that handsome older brother over there?"
"...Our lifesaver... Haruta, who’s as much a lifesaver as Sensei and killed Beatrice in our place."
"Mm... that sounds kind of cool..."
After a brief exchange, Haruta asked Sensei to handle the cleanup and moved closer to him so he could go save Mika. Sensei seemed to notice immediately and gave him a look telling him to go ahead.
"...Sensei... thank you."
"Ah, Haruta? Wait a moment."
Swish
"..? That is..."
Ziiing
"...?! This is..."
"Tch... it still hurts, after all..."
"The Adult Card... why are you giving that to me...?"
"There’s nothing I hate more than seeing the person I love get hurt."
"...Sensei..."
"Go and come back safely."
"...Thank you!"
Tadadak!
--------------------------
Boom! Bang! Crash!
"Ah... it’s turned into a complete mess."
"But... I held out until sunrise... yes... it was incredibly painful, though."
"Everyone... reached a happy ending... right...?"
Mika sensed her own end. So this was really it. Still, thinking that maybe she had helped Haruta even a little, she slowly began to close her eyes. That was the witch’s end.
Tadada!
"Wait!!!"
"...Haruta...?"
"Mika, are you okay?"
"...Ah... it’s Haruta... run away, quickly..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Those people... are too strong. I’m strong too... but they’re basically cheating..."
"Come on... if I become another cheat, then I can win."
"...Ahaha... you really never change..."
"Mika? Here, I have to be the knight protecting the princess."
"...Understood... my prince."
"Yeah... then."
The line he had most wanted to say while watching Blue Archive’s story. The line that had left the biggest impact on him.
"How dare you... how dare you... my..."
"How dare you do this to my precious princess!!!"
"...Wow...."
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