Hagun Academy:
With summer vacation in full swing, most students had returned to their hometowns, leaving the vast campus eerily deserted. Only a few students remained, determined to continue their training.
Oreki Yuri stood at the school gate, sweeping fallen leaves with a broom. The representative contestants for the joint training camp were due to return today, and she wanted the entrance to look its best.
That had been her plan, at least.
But her gaze kept drifting toward the mountain road, her expression grave and solemn.
"Sensei, why are you still at the gate?" A wealthy young lady approached her, holding a parasol. She asked in a helpless tone.
"Didn't I tell you? Today will be very dangerous for the school."
"Totokubara-san."
Oreki Yuri paused her sweeping and turned to look at Totokubara Kanata with grave earnestness.
"But as your sensei, I can't leave the task of protecting the school entirely to you students. This is fundamentally our responsibility as teachers!"
"But..."
"Don't underestimate me, Sensei! Even though I'm only a C-rank professional knight, lower in level than you, if we came to blows, Totokubara wouldn't stand a chance against me!"
"All right, you have a point."
Totokubara Kanata had no choice but to concede.
Oreki Yuri's special ability was the perfect counter to hers.
Though she was only C-Rank, Oreki Yuri's special ability was remarkably potent. Her Noble Art allowed her to share the pain she endured with others.
Having suffered from multiple illnesses since childhood, most Blazers would instantly collapse from experiencing even a fraction of her pain. Moreover, this technique had a range of several kilometers, making it devastatingly effective.
When facing Oreki Yuri in battle, indomitable willpower was more important than raw power.
If one's willpower isn't strong enough to endure excruciating pain that could cause unconsciousness, there's no chance of defeating her.
Kanata Totokubara considered her willpower to be merely average and incapable of withstanding such torment. Most of their confrontations ended with her being killed instantly.
"In that case, Sensei, I hope you'll follow our established battle plan."
"I understand."
Totokubara Kanata nodded slightly.
Honestly, she was relieved by Oreki Yuri's willingness to step forward.
After all, the academy's manpower was limited. Aside from the Student Council, there were hardly any formidable individuals, which left Kanata under immense pressure.
"Totokubara-san!"
At that moment, just as she was lost in thought, Yuri's expression shifted suddenly, and her voice sharpened with urgency.
Kanata didn't respond.
She had already seen them, too.
The invaders.
They emerged from the edge of the horizon, ascending the slope of the mountain path.
Showing no attempt at concealment, they swaggered toward the entrance of Hagun Academy.
Among them was a long-haired swordsman carrying a three-meter-long ōdachi.
There was also a golden-haired girl wearing only a paint-stained apron; her attire was deliberately provocative.
A pink-haired girl rode a lion as tall as a person and was accompanied by her maid.
A tall man in clownish garb wore a smiling mask.
A petite but vicious girl wielded a chainsaw.
A short-haired boy with delicate, girlish features smiled innocently.
In total, there were seven people and a lion.
They marched brazenly toward the gates of Hagun Academy, each displaying their Spiritual Item (Device).
"They're completely disregarding Hagun Academy!"
Totokubara Kanata clicked his tongue inwardly, his expression hinting at annoyance.
"Who are you?!"
Oreki Yuri stepped forward, subtly positioning herself to protect Totokubara Kanata, who stood behind her. Her wary gaze was fixed on the approaching figures.
"Halt! If you proceed any further, I'll consider it an act of provocation!"
Her voice was sharp with warning.
But the figures opposite her showed no concern whatsoever. They didn't slow their pace at all. Their smiles remained steady as they brushed aside her warning as if it were a gentle breeze. They offered no response.
Utter arrogance.
Without hesitation, Oreki Yuri summoned her spiritual item, a silver military saber, and her gaze sharpened.
"...Crimson Sea of Blood!"
This was precisely the Noble Art that had made her famous!
Even if some of the seven had wills of steel, it was impossible for all of them to. Unleashing this technique would certainly defeat at least one or two of them!
Invisible magical power surged outward and transformed into frigid waves that swept over the group.
But—
"Cough... ha!"
Suddenly, Oreki Yuri felt a metallic sweetness in her throat and vomited a large pool of blood.
A searing pain ripped through her body, and a wave of weakness spread through her peripheral nerves, sending her crashing to her knees.
Her condensed magic power instantly dissipated into nothingness.
The Noble Art shattered without a single blow!
"Sensei?!"
Totokubara Kanata's expression twisted in alarm.
"Damn! All my illnesses flared up at once. To fail at a time like this...even bad luck has its limits..." Oreki Yuri cursed through gritted teeth, her face contorted with frustration.
Normally, no more than half of her ailments manifested on any given day, but today, they all flared up at once.
Unfortunately, at the moment she needed to perform at her best, all her illnesses erupted simultaneously, instantly stripping her of all resistance.
It could only be attributed to bad luck.
"Bad luck?"
Among the seven approaching figures, a delicate youth who looked almost like a girl scoffed mockingly upon hearing this.
"Heh, sure, let's go with that."
"I'm sorry, Totokubara-san. Sensei might become a burden now..." Oreki Yuri forced a bitter smile.
Then, she could no longer hold on. Her vision blacked out and she collapsed.
"This is absurd!"
Totokubara Kanata's expression darkened severely.
No wonder Ryoji had repeatedly warned her over the phone never to engage the enemy head-on.
Even Oreki Yuri, despite her strength, had been defeated before she could make a move.
Unlike Yuri, who believed she was simply unlucky, Kanata had clearly heard the androgynous youth's words and was convinced she had been defeated by an inexplicable causation manipulation ability.
"Escape!"
Totokubara Kanata scooped up Oreki Yuri from the ground, turned sharply, and sprinted deeper into the school.
"Think you can get away so easily?"
The petite girl wielding the chainsaw grinned viciously as she prepared to give chase.
"Stop," the clown-like man ordered, halting her.
"The client ordered us to destroy Hagun Academy, but we mustn't kill anyone. Don't go overboard. From now on, focus on demolishing the buildings as much as possible, and then wait for the others to return."
"Tch, what's the point if we can't kill anyone?"
Tatara Yui reluctantly retracted her chainsaw, her face sour.
(End of Chapter)
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