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Antimagic Academy 35th Test Platoon - Volume 01 - Eienherjar wakes

Page 15

by YANAGIMI Touki


  After listening to a communication from Usagi, Takeru tried to charge to close combat. At that time,

  There was a change in Hero's movements. The gun that was held up until now, was suddenly stabbed onto the ground. Hero held his hands on the gun, the two eyes on the doll-like mechanical face shined.

  【"Our destiny is eternal glory. Let us advance together on the path of chivalry. My comrades separated from me. My knights. I summon you here in the name of the gathering's oath——"】

  A distorted mechanical voice sounded making an eerie chant. Suddenly a big magic circle appears around the Hero.

  "——?!"

  Takeru stopped his feet vigilant.

  《"Run away! He's going to use intrinsic magic! We don't have countermeasures against it! Hurry up and run! It's the best choice available!"》

  Hearing Ikaruga's desperate voice, Takeru instantly moved.

  Retreat. Retreat for now. That was the only thing in his head.

  Takeru withdrew and approached the unmoving Ouka. He immediately checked her status. With h legs she couldn't even stand up.

  "I'm fine... leave me... run away!"

  Takeru picked her up without saying anything.

  "Hyaa?! Y-y-you!"

  "Shut up! You'll bite your tongue!'

  "Leave me! Escape alon——"

  "——I came here to protect you! Now that you know, shut up and let me save you!"

  "......〜〜〜〜"

  Holding her in the so-called princess-carry. Takeru ran while holding Ouka. She had a bright red face and attempted to release herself. But she couldn't in that situation.

  She nestled herself quietly by his chest and endured.

  Takeru couldn't afford even a blush.

  As he ran away, a chill went down his spine.

  "...this is bad..."

  He had an unpleasant hunch. Uneasiness, foreboding, sixth sense.

  Inside Takeru's brain, something like an instinct set off alarm sirens inside his head, a sense of danger.

  "Usagi, run away."

  《"What happened——suddenly——"》

  Usagi subconsciously responded, Takeru let Ouka down from his hold.

  "...Kusanagi?"

  Ouka looked up at Takeru's face.

  She saw that his face was devoid of colour. It was more appropriate to call it a shadow of death, it was nearly transparent. His facial expression relayed one thing, I have to protect, that's what he desired.

  Ringing sounded, Ouka tried to call Takeru's name again——the next moment.

  【"——Knights of the Round"】

  Beside the Hero who finished the chant, shadows of people who shouldn't have been there appeared.

  Eleven knights emerged.

  Takeru sensed a crisis, he poised with a sword and activated Magic-Sweeping Sword『Soumatou』 .

  A moment of silence. A split second of silence.

  When silence came to an end, the school building that acted as a wall for Takeru——was blown away.

  In the slow-motion world, Takeru witnessed it.

  Breaking the school building apart, a figure of a brilliant knight rushing while scattering magic power.

  The Knight stabbed with his sword, a very nasty blow. Even with Magic-Sweeping Sword『Soumatou』 activated, he couldn't keep up with it's speed.

  Speaking of what Takeru was able to do, he used force at an expanse of his bones and muscle, only to deflect the enemy's rapier away from Ouka. He was only able to shift the direction enemy rushed towards.

  Immediately after succeeding in shifting the direction, as the aftermath the wave of magic from the blow struck Takeru.

  The suicidal attack against the summoned knight made out of light demolished the entire school building.

  The rush of eleven knights who had scattered in four directions and became a mass of light heavily damaged the academy.

  Several school buildings have turned into rubble, the roof Usagi was standing on was blown away.

  Excalibur's intrinsic magic, 『Knights of the Round』

  This magic summoned by the pseudo-hero 『Reproduced the strongest strike』 of eleven knights serving King Arthur. That's what was released.

  The first thing Takeru saw after opening his eyes, was sky dyed by sunset.

  Takeru survived the strongest blow of the hero somehow. He felt a discomfort in his body. Strangely, his body didn't feel cold nor pain.

  Moving his neck, far behind him Takeru saw a fallen girl.

  Ouka seemed safe, he confirmed that she was breathing.

  There was no problem with Usagi either, although it seemed distant, he could hear a tearful voice coming from the intercom. All platoon members seemed safe.

  "For now...that...'s good..."

  He smiled helplessly at himself.

  Takeru already noticed, on top of his head, was his lower half of the body. It didn't move even when he tried to.

  The upper body alone, couldn't even crawl.

  "Shit... as expected... It's impossible."

  Now that he thought about it, it was magic with risk classified as S-rank. It was crazy to think he can win against a summoned Hero. He did well, he tried to comfort himself. But Takeru's heart was clouded.

  Because originally, Takeru was a sore loser.

  "The worst...I'm about to die...shit."

  He could hardly breathe, he tried to eyes, curtains have dropped. The end was near.

  "...dammit..."

  He afforded to spit out a curse, as a remainder.

  "...showing off...in a place...like this..."

  In an attempt to clear the hazy view, he lowered his eyelids.

  "......not yet...I still...here....do..."

  He looked vacantly at the sunset that was about to end.

  At that time, suddenly.

  Suddenly——he saw an azure-coloured human shape.

  That figure looked down from above on fallen Takeru.

  Stare——, an inquiring gaze looked down.

  ...this child...from shopping mall...why in such a place...

  This place is dangerous.

  He attempted to say that but no voice came out, he breathed air in painfully.

  Takeru's life, at this moment, was about to close its curtains.

  "Mr. Kusanagi Takeru—— I shall resume the contract."

  These were the last words Takeru heard.

  Part 4

  —— Question number two. Do you have any intention of exterminating witches?

  —— He heard a voice, a contract began in the abyss.

  Takeru no longer opposed the questions. He no longer had freedom to do it.

  That's why he answered. He only could answer.

  —— I promise. I will exterminate evil witches.

  —— Question number three. For the sake of your own goal, will you discard yourself?

  —— Yeah, if it's worth it, I will discard everything.

  —— Question number four. For the sake of your goal, will you discard something you hold dear?

  —— You must be joking.

  —— The last question. You...

  ............

  —— You... for the sake of defeating enemy, will you discard your humanity?

  ............

  ............

  —— Yeah, I'll discard it.

  —— The contract has been completed.

  —— Please pull the trigger.

  Just as he has been told, Takeru pulled the trigger.

  Before he knew it, he pulled the trigger of the sword.

  《"—— Host "Kusanagi Takeru" verifying authorization.

  —— Performing operative procedures.

  —— Injecting Magic, starting erosion.

  —— Repairing damaged parts. Time required for reconstruction process — five seconds.

  —— Repair, no problem both are compatible. 100% Matching rate.

  —— 『Witch Hunter』 complete."》

  Along with a monotone voic
e, a heavy bass echoed.

  Takeru feeling his body moving in the darkness opened his eyelids.

  《"Host, please wake up——it's time for witch hunting."》

  With a tone like an alarm clock, sounds a monotone voice.

  Shutupppp...don't have to tell me, I'm already awake.

  Feeling ridiculous discomfort, he got up disgruntled.

  Desiring with supreme ardor——Hammer of Witches"Summis desiderantes affectibus——Malleus Maleficarum"

  Chapter 5 – Witch Hunter of Twilight

  Part 1

  The Hero summoned to the real world. King Arthur confirmed silence of the second threat. He advanced towards the first threat, Ouka, immediately.

  His purpose was breaking into the detention facilities. He did not have a consciousness, but to follow his orders he preferentially chose to kill Ouka, because she was threat to the execution of his primary goal.

  After he kills the girl, no threats will be left. He will hurry towards his destination, after he self-destructs and destroys all the witch-hunting troops with his magic power, his objective will be completed.

  The Hero intended to pierce the sleeping Ouka with the sharp edge of his gun.

  He was about to pierce her throat.

  ——That's when,

  The Hero detected a new threat and shot a magic bullet from Excalibur after turning around.

  It flew towards the new threat in a linear trajectory as soon as it appeared.

  A direct hit. Clearly a direct hit.

  It was supposed to be.

  But the magical bullet shot by the Hero didn't reach the target despite being a direct hit.

  A flash. A horizontal swing, a phenomenon as if severing space and time. The magical bullet which was made out of concentrated magic was bisected.

  And it disappeared.

  The Hero looked towards it.

  Appearing in front of him, an unidentified threat.

  The existence could not be discerned. Different from a human. Different from a witch.

  The one 'unidentified' referred to was clearly a threat, that was the answer the Hero acquired.

  An azure-coloured armoured knight.

  Referred to the with same epithet as the Hero himself was.

  That was, just a threat.

  A threat to all of them who are engaged with magic.

  His ego disappeared, and there was only fear in the Hero.

  The armoured knight clad in azure particles, set up an azure longsword.

  The moment the armoured knight's pupils sparkled eerily, at a speed that even powerful Hero couldn't catch, Hero was blown away by threat's kick.

  Part 2

  Immediately after awakening, Takeru ran towards the Hero who tried to kill Ouka.

  Whatever happened, not knowing what happened to him, he just ran to help her.

  The enemy turned his attention to him, his body moved and he fired in order to dispose of him.

  It was Excalibur which boasted of tremendous power! But the magic bullet was bisected by Takeru's slash with ease.

  Before he noticed, he had blown the Hero away with a kick.

  When his sense of self returned to him, the mystery surged into his brain.

  "...what, what did I become...?"

  He was suddenly struck by anxiety, he saw himself poising with a sword.

  He should have his uniform, his skin, but there was no body anywhere.

  What was there, was himself covered in azure-coloured substance.

  And grasped in both hands, an azure-coloured sword.

  Takeru unconsciously got scared by his own appearance.

  《"Good morning, Host. It might be abrupt, but please fight."》

  Suddenly hearing a flat voice in his head, Takeru was further agitated.

  "...what is this? What happened...?"

  Not remembering anything, Takeru put his hand on his head.

  He seemed to have become weird, he was uneasy.

  《"I am sorry for disturbing you, my official name is 『The Malleus Maleficarum Type-Twilight "Mistilteinn"』"》

  "...what?"

  "In short, please call me 『Mistletoe』. Also my nicknames are Lapis Lazuli and Lapis."

  "...Lapis?"

  《"I am one of the Inquisition's Relic Eater Series that only Witch Hunters『Dullahans』 are allowed to use. You have been choosen as my owner."》

  "............ha?"

  Thinking he heard a mistakenly, he asked again.

  He of course heard of the Relic Eaters that only Witch Hunters『Dullahans』 are qualified to use.

  A Magical Heritage only those with exceptional achievements are allowed to use. An overwhelming force against those that are involved with magic, a special Magical Heritage that has been made for the sake of eradicating witches.

  Why did such a thing end up in the hands of Takeru who is only a student.

  《"Panpakapaaaan. Congratulations."》

  With a flat voice he heard somewhere before, Lapis sent him a congratulatory message and a fanfare.

  A voice that sounded like it contained power, Takeru unconsciously worried.

  "...what congratulations... I don't understand the situation. Students are not permitted to use Relic Eaters, are they? Is this a dream? It's definitely a dream."

  《"I have gotten permission from Ootori Sougetsu. There's a communication incoming from him, connecting."》

  Before he can reply, the voice in his brain went silent, *bssht* sound reached his ear.

  《"It's not a dream, Kusanagi-kun."》

  "...Chairman? This, what does this mean... why me."

  《"Calm down, you probably know it but Relic Eater cannot be granted to anyone but Witch HuntersDullahans. In fact every Relic Eater besides that girl is in possession of a Witch HunterDullahan."》

  Sougetsu was excited and spoke faster than usual.

  Takeru responded with "haa".

  《"However, it is the Relic Eater that chooses its owner. And only that child did not choose an owner yet. I was troubled by this. I am also the Chairman of the Inquisition Board, I want to use all the force we have to eradicate the witches."》

  "............"

  《"In the first place, the reason I invited you to this Academy is because you were the best candidate for the contract with Mistilteinn."》

  It can't be, he thought.

  However, thinking about it, the fact that he was allowed to enroll in AntiMagic Academy was strange from the beginning.

  No battle ability besides close quarters combat, Takeru's written practicals were a disaster as well, he shouldn't be allowed to enter no matter how you slice it.

  If there was a recommendation from the Chairman though, that solved the mystery.

  "...why me? There have to be other people that are more qualified for it, right?"

  《"Because Mistilteinn is a Relic Eater that only takes the form of a sword."》

  With that said, Takeru looked at the thing he held in his hand.

  Certainly, it was a sword.. He read in textbooks that all Relic Eaters are Magical Heritages in form of a gun before.

  《"The necessary ability is not shooting ability… it's close combat capacity, that means people like you are most suitable."》

  "...that's why it's me?"

  Takeru squeezed the sword in his hands, Mistilteinn. Faintly feeling excitement in his heart.

  Takeru sensed Sougetsu laughing and grinning as they communicated.

  《"Indeed. That child can only be handled by people like you. It's your own special Relic Eater."》

  "............"

  《"Kusanagi-san... I want you to use that child, and defeat the Hero. It can't be done by anyone else than you. That is, if you can do it."》

  Takeru squeezed Mistilteinn harder.

  The lines said by Sougetsu felt cowardly. Being told such a thing, no man would stay silent.

  When it comes to talent for stirring people, he was a genius.

  But, there was no
time for that.

  Takeru had a reason to defeat that Hero as well.

  《"If you realize this wish of mine, on behalf of the Inquisition Board, I will send you our thanks. If you somehow defeat the Hero, I'll grant one wish of yours."》

  "............"

  《"Let's see, maybe the qualification to become a Witch HunterDullahan? You were aspiring to join the KnightsSpriggans, but if you want to make money, becoming a Dullahan would be much more efficient."》

  Takeru frowned hearing Sougetsu's proposal.

  "——No need for that."

  With a low, obviously Hostile voice.

  Takeru looked at Ouka who fainted and fell down on the ground.

  Her body was battered. Her face was pale. There were traces of the last shot from the gun.

  And, traces of tears.

  Anger rushing from within Takeru, *gichiri* he grasped the sword.

  "Sorry, but I can't trust you."

  Takeru said that clearly.

  In the first place, there were a lot of things he wanted to question Sougetsu for. About Ouka, why didn't the Witch HunterDullahan mobilize, why the students were called out to defend, and above all Takeru with a Relic Eater! It was too much for him to be a candidate, it was puzzling to the point it turned into anger. In the first place, when he entered this Academy and met the man called Ootori Sougetsu, he felt that he was a ruthless and cool headed man.

  That matter became a decisive blow.

  This man who was contacting him was an existence like a trump's joker.

  "I have no intention of becoming your puppet, I am not going to let myself be used by you. My power is my own, and it serves my own purposes. You didn't even try to save Ootori... I won't forgive such a thing."

  As he said that, he felt that Sougetsu was grinning happily on the other side.

  《"Oh...? Is it really okay? I'm certain that you came to this Academy to——"》

  "Shut up."

  His tone got rough. Just like when he first met Ootori Sougetsu. When he enrolled in the Academy.

  "And now——tell me."

  He roared quietly like a demon.

  Then, Sougetsu responded with a muffled laughter.

  《"Whaaat, and here I thought you rehabilitated completely when I saw you before... a wolf in sheep's clothing, huh. Both you, and Ouka. Really difficult."》

 

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