Shu Ouma severed Makoto Waltz Segai's lifeline.
It was, by any measure, a painless death. Shu stood over the fallen man for a moment, something flickering across his face—but it passed quickly, like smoke in a draft. He had meant what he said. For the people he valued, for the goal he and Inori shared, he could cut down anyone who stood in their way without hesitation.
"King Crimson—help them finish this."
Inori's sword dissolved into particles and returned to her body. She looked out across the still-churning battlefield. Segai was dead; the outcome was decided. But a cornered beast doesn't die the moment the trap closes—enemy units and Endlaves were still active across the field. With King Crimson now moving to help, she gave it a few minutes at most.
All that preparation, and it came to this.
She studied the Void crest on the back of her hand as it faded. In the original story, Gai and Shu had literally the most powerful abilities in the world and still managed to fight like that—deploying one Void at a time, somehow. That had always seemed absurd to her. Though in fairness, it might just be because she was too strong. Watching someone take a hit and shrug it off completely would shatter anyone's composure.
Next. Before they entered that building, there was one more thing to handle.
Inori's expression cooled. She dropped from the van to the ground and pulled the door open. Yahiro Samukawa was the first face she saw, visibly tense.
"Have them all get out."
Two words from Inori's lips. Yahiro swallowed, turned, and jerked his chin at the others.
"Wait—Inori."
She was already calculating how to kill Souta Tamadate in a way satisfying enough to actually vent her fury, when the woman in the driver's seat spoke up unexpectedly.
Arisa Kuhouin. Of course. If it weren't for her dealings with the Kuhouin Group, Inori would have nearly forgotten she existed entirely. Walking plot device—head over heels for Gai right up until she couldn't control her shield Void and took a bullet. Inori had barely exchanged a word with her beyond a brief encounter at that dinner party. What had possessed her to go along with Souta's scheme?
Unless she came for Gai.
"Gai Tsutsugami… is he nearby?"
Arisa ventured the question with two suspect patches of color high on her cheeks.
"He is."
Inori considered for a moment, then answered plainly.
"Can I see him?"
"After the battle." Inori's tone was honest, uncomplicated. "He took the advance team into GHQ headquarters. I'm heading there to link up with him shortly."
"…Thank you, Inori."
Arisa Kuhouin, satisfied with that answer, gave a smile that managed to be genuinely warm while still composed—still every bit the well-bred young lady. The others climbed out of the van and gathered nearby.
Inori's gaze swept over them. Every one of them, Hare included, had their head down—the posture of children waiting to be scolded for something they knew they'd done wrong.
"Inori—um, I brought everyone here to help you. But then we ran into GHQ and…" Souta was first to crack, forcing a smile, making sure to specifically mention that he had come out of concern for her. "I'm glad you're okay, though! I didn't know you were this incredible…"
"Hare. Are you all right?"
Inori walked past him entirely. She went straight to Hare and took her hands.
"I'm sorry… Inori. I lied to you."
Hare's voice dropped. She ducked her head, and the tears she'd been holding back threatened to come loose—shame at what she'd done, and worse guilt for having doubted Inori's judgment in the first place.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
Inori knew it wasn't Hare's fault. Souta was the kind of person who could wear down your resistance when he pushed. Hare had only wanted to help.
"You were worried about me. How could I be angry about that?"
Inori smiled—soft, unhurried—and cupped Hare's round face in both hands. Those large, pretty almond eyes were shining with unshed tears, lashes just barely damp.
"So. Did my entrance just now impress you at all?" Inori delivered the line with a straight face, then caught herself. Something feels off about that sentence.
"…Yes!"
Hare burst out laughing through the tears.
She hadn't been able to see a thing from inside the van, but she could picture it perfectly. Every detail.
"You're my hero, Inori!"
"What, not your gentle king?" Inori pinched her own chin, faintly indignant, the hint of a pout on her lips. "I thought that fairy tale was your favorite."
"Inori!!" Hare's face went scarlet immediately. "Don't—don't say things like that in front of other people…"
"What's wrong with it?"
Inori shrugged without the faintest trace of embarrassment, then looked past Hare to Kanon Kusama. "Kanon—are you going to laugh at Hare for that?"
"I—I—"
Kanon, caught off guard, went completely tongue-tied, flushing and stammering.
Before she could find her footing, a steady hand came down on her shoulder. Yahiro, offering the easy confidence of someone who'd already decided where he stood in all of this.
"Why would I? If it weren't for Hare, the rest of us might not have made it out of there."
"What do you mean?" Inori blinked at him.
"Someone who throws out an entire battle plan and drives at full speed to get there—that only happens for one reason." A pause. "Also, Inori. Your coat's inside out."
"…"
The first half of that she could appreciate. The second half—Inori looked down slowly. He was right. She'd thrown it on carelessly while getting out of the car, and the colors were completely wrong. Damn it. This was going to be hard to wash.
"Some things are better left unsaid!"
She shot him a look, yanked the coat off, flipped it right-side out, and pulled it back on in one irritated motion.
The sharp little comedy of it was too much for Hare and Kanon, who both dissolved into laughter. Yahiro spread his hands helplessly, then turned his gaze toward the ongoing fight—toward Shu and the others still in motion.
"He's really changed."
The words came out quiet, almost to himself.
"Shu's become someone you can actually count on."
Hare watched the boy fighting in the distance, and a warmth moved through her. It was different from the feeling she'd had before. Something else had taken up residence in her heart since then.
"Hmph. He's only that capable because of the Void weapons Inori gave him."
A voice sliced through the moment. Souta. He'd been looking for an opening the whole time—he'd come to impress Inori, and Shu had stolen the spotlight again.
"Souta…"
Yahiro frowned, glanced at Inori, read her expression in an instant. He said nothing, just took one step back. His position stated clearly enough.
"My Void is impressive too, though—right, Miss Inori? You used it during the Oshima operation. That's how you won, wasn't it?"
"Mm." Inori's expression was pleasant. Perfectly pleasant. She'd finally cleared enough bandwidth to deal with him properly. "Thank you so much, Souta. Coming out here to look out for me—you really are such a nice guy."
"Oh—not at all, I just… I was just worried about you, that's all… heh heh."
"Actually, about your Void—I've been meaning to say something to you in private. Could you come with me for a moment?"
"S—sure! Of course!"
Souta's face turned red and he agreed immediately.
As she turned to lead the way, Inori let her eyes slide briefly to Hare.
If I didn't want to spare Hare from seeing something too brutal, I wouldn't let you say another word to me. Not one more word.
Trash.