“STOP! DON’T FIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!”
Don’t provoke them, Sugitani. Look, Akabana’s attacks are clearly getting more intense than before. She’s definitely internally furious. …Actually, you’ve got some impressive specs. You can respond to people’s words?
But what should we do? At this rate, we’re heading straight for a time-out. I should also give some instructions or advice… No, that’s wrong. Trying to do something I’m not used to won’t go well. Besides, I doubt someone like Akabana would obediently follow instructions from an amateur like me.
Then what I should do is decided. What I can do now, what only I can do is—
“Hey hey! You’re only dodging, Sugitani-kun! Is that all you’re programmed to do!?”
That’s right—provocation.
“HUH!? WHAT’D YOU SAY!?”
And Sugitani-kun falls for my provocation completely, turning his attention toward me, whom he had ignored until now. His needlessly high performance worked in my favor.
“You look like a discount Pe○per-kun! Is your usual post at a company’s front desk!?”
TLNOTE : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_(robot)
“DON’T MESS WITH ME! YOU LUMP OF PROTEIN! WANT ME TO END YOUR OPERATIONAL YEARS AT FIFTEEN!?”
…Even though I’m the one doing the provoking, this guy has a better vocabulary for trash talk than me. What was the developer thinking when they programmed this? But I won’t lose!
“Don’t talk back to a human! You’re just a lump of iron that can only move according to programming! Are those insults written in C language too!?”
“THAT’S IT! I’LL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE JOHN CONNOR! I’LL BE KILL!”
Sugitani-kun, clearly excited, is now focusing most of his attention on me. Just as I planned.
By the way, Akabana-san is completely appalled watching Sugitani-kun and me trade insults. Stop it! Don’t look at me like that!
However, she seems to understand that this is an opportunity—
“[To my ancestor I offer, the ends of heaven, unknown incineration, nothing within reach, the principle of flames that return to ash]”
When Akabana recites something like an incantation, she generates flames with power and scale incomparably greater than anything before.
“Pierce—Flaming Fangs Soaring Ablaze!”
Furthermore, Akabana launches those generated flames toward Sugitani-kun like releasing an arrow. Sugitani-kun is still facing me and shows no sign of noticing the approaching flames.
We won!—The moment I’m convinced of that, the situation takes a sudden turn.
“GOLDEN BAT!”
Sugitani-kun suddenly shouts this and pulls out something like a golden, glowing baseball bat from his body. Then he starts swinging that bat around wildly. Unbelievably, this generates what can only be called a blast of wind indoors. This is the first proactive action from Sugitani-kun, who had only been dodging attacks until now. And that action leads to the worst possible result.
“This is bad! Run!”
Those words from Touji were directed at me. I don’t understand what he means for a moment, but I’m forced to understand when I take my eyes off Sugitani-kun.
The flames that Akabana had launched at Sugitani-kun changed course due to the blast. Toward me, standing at a distance.
“…This is bad.”
I’m not even given the luxury of panicking. The roaring flames, burning in the shape of a giant single flower, are already right in front of me.
Ah, my ability-user life is ending on day one—just as I completely give up on my own life, the flames that had been approaching me suddenly vanish.
“…Huh?”
“Yukiharu! Are you okay!?”
Touji rushes over to me in a panic, but of course I’m unharmed since the flames disappeared before hitting me. Perhaps Akabana deactivated her ability just before impact.
“Okay, time’s up! Good work, you three~”
And just as time runs out, Karasawa-senpai is suddenly standing beside us, announcing the end of training.
“Well, the result was disappointing, but don’t feel bad. Sugitani-kun is set up so that even third-years with A-rank supernatural powers can’t easily destroy him. To be honest, it’s a pretty mean assignment.”
I see, so it was impossible from the start.
“The recreation activities continuing from here are basically training to help you understand what you’re lacking and what you need. So you all should properly identify your challenges through these recreation activities.”
“…Yes!”
“Understood.”
Touji and I respond firmly to Karasawa-senpai’s helpful words. Akabana remains silent as usual.
“Well then, I’ll take care of cleaning up, so you three can head to the next location after changing.”
Saying that, Karasawa-senpai waves and leaves us.
Following senpai’s words, we’re about to leave as well when I notice Akabana standing right next to me.
“…What is it, Akabana-san?”
When I ask in confusion, Akabana hesitates for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.
“Um… about earlier, I put you in danger… I’m sorry.”
After saying only that with an apologetic expression, she walks away quickly.
“…I think that was Sugitani-kun’s fault, not Akabana-san’s.”
“You know, even though Akabana never matched her movements with mine until the end, she was constantly being careful not to let her supernatural powers hit me. She acts like that, but deep down, she might be a pretty good person.”
“Yeah.”
I agree with Touji’s words without hesitation. Having finished the first recreation activity, even though we failed the assignment, I feel like we’ve made significant progress.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
Looking at a particularly large scorch mark on the training room floor, Karasawa, left alone in the training facility, thinks.
“It didn’t feel like she hastily deactivated her ability…”
What Karasawa recalls is the expression Akabana wore at the moment the flames were about to hit Yukiharu—it was genuine panic.
“If she could deactivate it at any time, she wouldn’t make that expression. Which means…”
Yukiharu standing there dumbfounded as the flames approached, Touji reaching toward Yukiharu in panic. One of those two made Akabana’s generated flames disappear. An ability certified as B-rank, strengthened through incantation, the flames of the renowned Akabana—gone without a trace.
“Just like an Arahitogami [[a living god]]…”
Tracing the unnaturally broken scorch mark with a finger, Karasawa murmured with a solemn expression, then quickly shifted focus and spoke again about the three from earlier.
“Akabana-san has exceptional talent but zero intention of cooperating with the other two. Touji-kun, despite being an outsider student, could properly use his supernatural powers. And the foul-mouthed Yukiharu-kun. …Well, they’re an interesting team to watch, at least.”
Saying that with a wry smile, Karasawa prays for the success of her cute underclassmen. Just as she’s about to resume cleaning up, she notices Sugitani-kun Mark 2 still holding the golden bat.
“Ah, I completely forgot. Sugitani-kun, you can deactivate attack mode now~”
Karasawa calls out that instruction, but—
“…………”
There’s no usual response signal, and Sugitani-kun Mark 2 shows no signs of moving at all.
“Huh? Did he bug out again?”
Can’t be helped. Well, he’ll probably work if I just hit him randomly—thinking that, Karasawa touches Sugitani-kun. Then—
“…Huh?”
Sugitani-kun Mark 2’s steel body crumbles to pieces on the spot.
“…What?”
Rolling at Karasawa’s feet is scrap metal destroyed beyond recognition.
This is undoubtedly the result of receiving some kind of attack from someone. However, who did it, how, and at what timing remain unknown. Despite having observed everything from the second floor during the assignment, Karasawa feels fear beyond surprise at not having noticed the attack on Sugitani-kun at all.
“Are you telling me one of those three did this…?”
The shock Karasawa received was so great that the mysterious ability that extinguished the flames earlier pales in comparison.
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