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Hidan no Aria - Volume 1 - Chapter 3

Published at 7th of February 2016 06:59:52 PM


Chapter 3

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3rd Ammo: Assault

I never thought I would come back.

Assault - a popular name for it is "the subject with no tomorrow".

This subject's survival rate upon graduation is 97.1%.

In other words, a little less than 3 of every 100 people would not survive until graduation. They died either during the execution of their missions or during their practice. Really...

That was Assault, and that was also the dark side of a Butei's work.

I was inside the private institution, where the sounds of firing and weapons reverberated. However, I was here primarily to check my equipment, and apply to freely take a class and so forth; my time, excluding training, was almost used up.

Nonetheless, until I settled one case; I wanted some sort of gun practice, but it wasn't going to happen today. It was because Assault always assembled and mobilized parties, so its pupils naturally became friendly ... "Oh Kinjii, I believed that you would definitely return. Now, please die even a second earlier here!"

"You still haven't died, Natsumi. You will surely die a tenth of a second earlier than me."

"Kinjii! You finally came back to die! An idiot like you would die immediately! The thing about Butei is that idiots are the ones that are going to die."

"Well, why are you still alive, Mikami?"

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

The die-die saying was this place's greeting; if I returned die-die one by one, as they were delighted by my return and said die-die, that itself would eat up a considerable amount of time.

As I came out of Assault, which somehow parried an obtained gunpowder stink,

Within the sunset, there was a small child waiting for me around the back of the gate.

Needless to say, it was Aria.

Aria recognized my figure and came trotting along.

Then as I began to walk in displeasure, she began walking by my side.

"... You are pretty popular, huh. I was a little surprised."

"I don't want to be liked by such people."

Those were my true feelings.

"Your social disposition is poor and I also feel that you are a little gloomy. However, I feel that everyone here... how do I put it... looks up to you."

...That was certainly because they remembered the time during the entrance examination.

It was me in hysteria mode.

The examination inflicted on us, the applicants of Assault, was ... scattering us in a 14 story deserted building, and after arming ourselves, we were to arrest exam candidates other than ourselves in groups. It was an actual combat format.

I quickly brought down or caught all the exam candidates by myself, with traps, and without warning, even the 5 instructors hiding in the mansion.

...Damn it.

I recalled things that I did not want to remember.

Sensing that I became further upset, Aria dropped her glance to the ground while walking at my side.

"Hey, Kinji."

"What's up?"

"Thank you."

"What's this now?"

I replied to Aria in an irritated voice, who although she spoke in a low voice, seemed truly happy.

Well, you seemed happy.

Literally, it was because she had obtained a slave who would fight for her sake.

"Don't be mistaken. I only came back here because I didn't have a choice. Once I settle one case, I'll immediately return to Inquesta."

"I understand, but..."

"What?"

"Kinji, when you walked into Assault and were surrounded by everyone, you looked really cool."

"..."

Why did she say such a thing.

While she probably did not mean it that way, having a cute girl say something like that to me left me speechless.

"No one here approaches me because the differences between our abilities is too great. No one can match up ... well, even so it is fine, because I'm Aria."

"Aria?"

I tilted my head to Aria, who called out her name in an intonation different from the usual.

"Aria also means a solo vocal piece of an opera. It is the part where one person sings. Solitude... It seems that I am always alone no matter where I am, whether it be in Butei High or Rome."

"So, is it your intention to make me a slave and change it into a duet?"

After I said that without looking in her direction, she laughed.

Upon glancing to the side, she was laughing as if I had just made a funny joke.

"So you can be funny, after all."

"It wasn't a joke."

"Wasn't it?"

"I don't get what you are trying to say."

"As I thought, Kinji. Since you've returned here, you've gotten a little more lively. Up until yesterday, you looked like you were deceiving yourself somehow. You looked hurt. Now you look charming.

"No... I'm not."

Aria again said an embarrassing thing.

I did not want to listen to Aria.

Somehow, there was an aura of truth to what she said -

"I'm going to visit the gamcen. You go home alone. From today on, you're going back to the female dormitory. There's no point in returning together."

"Let's stay together 'til the bus stop."

As usual her abusive language struck and she seemed truly happy that she brought me back to Assault. I understood her facial expression; she was easy to understand. She wouldn't be suited for Inquesta.

"Hey, what's gamcen?"

"It is an abbreviation for game center. Don't you even know such a thing?"

"I'm a child who just returned to the country, so it can't be helped. Eh. Well then, I'll go too. Today, I'll 'specially play together with you. It's a reward."

"I don't need it. Such a thing isn't a reward, it's a punishment game."

I walked at a slightly faster pace and started to separate from Aria. Tekutekuteku (trudgingly).

After that, Aria laughed "Nyaa" and walked at the same speed right beside me. Tekutekuteku (trudgingly).


"Stop following me! I don't want to see you! "

"I don't want to see your idiotic face either!"

"So don't come after me!"

"Like I'll listen to you!"

Tatatatatatatata......

We finally ran side by side to the game center.

Her feet were abnormally quick.

"Haa. Haa. Haa. What's this..."

Aria said, standing by my side, with her pigtail touching me.

Her red eyes were looking at the crane game in front of the shop.

"Haa...Haa. Ah, this is used to catch stuffed animals."

"A machine to catch stuffed animals? What a naïve name. Well, anyways, this is a place you wanted to go to, so the games here surely aren't of my level."

Aria was watching the machines with disdain.

In the middle of the glass, the piled up animals make me wonder if it's a stuffed animal of a leopard or a lion.

"...Ah...!"

Bang!

Aria immediately sticks to the glass.

That little body of hers glued to the glass makes her look like an elementary school girl.

If I let her walk through the game room like this, she will probably be questioned by a policeman.

"What is it? Have you never seen one before?"

"..."

"Are you OK?"

"........."

"Are you hungry?"

"............So cute........."

What.

Aria saying something delicate like that, makes me feel a little bit weak.

Even though the puppets are cute...It isn't something that, the one as strong as spirits, the butei who needs to kill, 'Quadra-Aria', would say?

Hey, did you play the wrong role? I was thinking about teasing her, but her mouth already became triangular-shaped, and she was almost drooling. Don't be like this. How can you meet someone as you are right now?

"Do you want to try?"

"I don't know how to play."

"Even kindergarten kids can play this."

"They can learn immediately?"

"Of course. Do you want me to teach you how?"

When Aria heard this, she could not help shaking her head.

What's happening to her? Isn't it too abnormal?

It turned out that there wasn't much to teach. After Aria heard the order of the vertical and horizontal buttons, she took out a 100-yen coin from her purse.

She adjusts her posture in front of the machine, and delicately operates her claw, just like a sniper.

Bzzzzz......

Poof.

But she aims badly. Only a little bit of the leopard or the lion's leg was grabbed, so she couldn't pick it up.

"I......I was only practicing. I understand how to play this now. "

"Even an idiot who plays one time would understand."

"Here I go again!"

Aria says this while taking another 100-yen coin from her purse. She puts it in the machine and strongly presses on the control button.

But, Poof.

This time she only lifted up a little bit of the bottom, by the tail.

"By the way, let me say that if you put 500 yen, you can play six times."

"Don't bother me! I'll definitely get it the next time! Now, I know the secret of success!"

Actually, isn't that what someone who doesn't know the secret of success would say?

Poof.

As expected, the doll was only lifted a little bit.

"Ah--Aaah!"

"Don't break it."

"This time I understand it all! I'm getting serious!"

Klang. Poof. Klang. Poof.

Aria, who still doesn't give up, puts a 1000-yen bill into the changing machine.

"This time I'm really serious. I'm really really really serious!"

She doesn't have a chance. I need to find a way.

But I didn't think that she would really have the skills of a primary school student, as she appears to.

And that she's like the people who get addicted to gambling.

"Step aside."

When Aria had wasted around 3000 yen, I couldn't stand seeing her do it anymore and helplessly took out my wallet.

But since this prideful noble wouldn't let go of the control buttons, I had to push her aside.

Let me see.

Hmm.

My target will be the one next to the hole.

The target was a deep pile of stuffed cats. The animals are the same, so she would be happy no matter which one I picked.

Shaa.

I skillfully caught one inside the pile.

"......!"

Gulp. I heard Aria swallow her saliva.

"Huh?"

I looked at it carefully. The tail of the stuffed animal I had picked up had dragged another one along with it.

"Kinji, look! You got two!"

I can see that without you pointing it out.

"Kinji, if you drop one, I won't forgive you!"

"Don't make these kinds of sarcastic comments..."

"Ah...ah, go in, go in, go in!"

Although I wasn't as enthusiastic as Aria, I was a little excited myself.

I can definitely get one of them, but...the other...can I get the other, too?

The other...what will happen?

The claw...

Opened...!

Hum.

Clank.

One of them dropped in the hole, and the other one, pulled along by the first one's tail--dropped inside too.

"We did it!"

"Alright!"

I was really happy.

So, without thinking--

I really wasn't thinking.


♪Slap♪

I stretched out my hands and gave Aria, who was smiling happily as well, a high five.

"Ah." "Ah."

We said simultaneously, staring at each other with widened eyes.

And afterward, we both hurriedly looked aside with a "Hmph".

Damn it.

I'm getting angry at myself.

Why am I being so familiar with someone like that?

And Aria--

said "Th-this is pretty good for an idiot like Kinji!", while hurriedly reaching into the machine to retrieve the two stuffed animals.

I glanced at it, and saw that the tags had "Leopon (Lion-Leopard fusion)" on it. What on Earth is that?

"So-cu-ute!"

Aria, not trying to hide her emotions anymore, hugged the stuffed animal to herself. She hugged it so hard, the Leopon was about to explode.

...with this kind of behavior, she's exactly like a [normal] girl...

And I, how do I say this...couldn't believe my eyes.

Aria, could it be, that she might, actually... be a normal girl?

She's the exact opposite of the Aria before...

And I suddenly thought of something. The Aria I've seen up till now, the one that's been harassing me all this time...was she forcing herself to do that?

Her behavior right now...there's no reason for her to have to act like this.

"Kinji."

I came back to Earth...and saw Aria offering me one of the two Leopons.

"This is for you. It's the reward for your efforts."

Smiling while closing her eyes, Aria really surprised me.

So she can also make this kind of expression?

Aaahh, damn it.

She's really cute.

"Huh, mm."

I took the Leopon, and I noticed that there was a string on it that could be used as a phone strap.

Now that I think about it, my cellphone doesn't have any decorations.

I'll stick it on then.

I fished out my cellphone, and started trying to poke the string through the holes near the top.

Aria, seeing my actions, also fished out her own pearly pink cellphone, and like me, started tying her own Leopon to the cellphone. What a coincidence, her Leopon has a strap too.

The string extending out of the lion's butt was very crude, and I hadn't managed to get it through just yet.

And anyways, to the developer: Why on Earth did you put the string there?

"Kinji, the first person that ties the Leopon to their phone wins."

"Are you kidding? Are you still a kid?"

"Alright, it's going in."

"Me too...it's in, how could I lose to you?"

Now that I think about it, this is the first time a girl ever gave me anything.

Although Shirayuki's given me a lot of presents in the past, she's more like a childhood friend, so it doesn't count.

So like that, just for the sake of competing over who could tie the Leopon to their cellphone first, we struggled so hard.

My tolerance level really is low.


The disappearance of the intruder returned my room to its usual calm.

In the morning, in the bedroom that held only one person, my cell phone's alarm woke me up.

I reached out for my phone in a haze, but I only managed to grab on to the Leopon attached to it.

"..."

I stared straight at the Leopon for a while...before I slowly got up to prepare for school.

I ate the lunch from yesterday, and raised my wrist so I could take a look at the watch that Riko gave back to me.

"?"

I still have quite a bit of time.

I thought that I had burnt through quite a lot...

Then I'll have some tea.


This is weird.

I left my house slightly earlier than normal.

But in the midst of the rain, the 7:58 bus had already reached the bus stop, and the students were already scrambling to get on.

Because this bus arrives at the school district slightly before first period, it's always crowded.

If I let down my guard, the bus could already be full.

"Hey! I'm coming! Ah great, I made it! Hey, Kinji, morning!

I charged towards the bus, but saw Muto from Logi calling at me from the steps of the bus.

The inside was already packed full of students.

This is bad.

Because it's raining today, all those people that normally ride bikes are taking the bus instead.

"Muto! Pull me on!"

"I want to help you, but I can't! It's already full! Take your bike!"

I waved my hands, trying to signal to Muto to push inside, but I noticed that he was on the verge of being pushed off of the bus himself.

"My bicycle is broken. If I don't make the bus, I'll definitely be late!"

"Sorry, no can do! Kinji, is school really the highest priority for a boy? Just skip first period! Then, see you second period!"

He...said "see you second period!" Are you really an idiot!?

In the wake of that backstabber Muto's voice, the bus doors closed, emotionless.

The sounds of conversation and laughter from within made me grit my teeth in anger.

Damn it. If it's raining this heavily, how am I supposed to walk to school? Also, I'll definitely be late.


I walked on the street alone, in the midst of the downpour.

The road on Academy Island was perfectly straight, allowing me a view of my destination.

After all, the reason that this artificial island was made in the first place, was to provide a cheap runway.

So, it's not surprising that this school is so damned long.

If it were just that, I'd already be unhappy. However, it's raining too. This raised my unhappiness level by about 1000%.

I should just do what Muto said, skip first period and be done with it.

No way, I can't. The first period is Japanese lessons, a normal class. The normal classes are very important for me, who wishes to switch to a normal high school. I can't skip it.

While I was thinking that and passing by the Assault section's sporthall...my cellphone started ringing.

"Hello."

I pulled out my cellphone by the Leopon, and put it by my ear--

"Kinji. Where are you?"

It's Aria.

What is it? It's 8:20 right now. Why is she calling me during class?

"Mmm, I'm next to the Assault building."

"Good. Outfit yourself with Class C Armaments and make your way to the girl's dormitory. Now."

"Why? Assault classes only start from 5th period."

Aria, hearing my complaints, started shouting

"This isn't a class, this is a mission! If I tell you to come now, then you better get the hell over here!"


I looked at myself unhappily.

A TNK bullet proof vest. A specially reinforced helmet with mask. A wireless headset with the Butei High emblem, as well as tactical gloves. Crisscrossing my body were leather straps, with holsters, and pockets for spare magazines.

This is exactly like Class C Armament worn by the SWAT or SAT, and it's the assault gear that Butei use for [outings].

The cases that Assault decides to step in on are usually extremely dangerous. So participants are ordered to equip Class C Armament.

--This mission.

What's happening?

What on Earth is happening?

I hope it's a small case.

With that prayer in mind, I approached the roof.

Aria was wearing Class C Armament, like me, and standing on the roof in the midst of the rain.

So Aria. You're just an exchange student, yet you are still so excited.

Reki was someone who like me, someone who was ranked at S during the entrance exam. And so far, she's an expert sniper who has kept that ranking.

Her slender body was taller than Aria by about half a head. She's a very beautiful short-haired girl, but because of her emotionless expression, so reminiscent of a robot, she hasn't received much attention.

And, nobody knows her real name. Even her.

"Reki."

I greeted her, even though she was standing as still as a statue. She didn't reply.

This isn't surprising either, because Reki always wears extremely large headphones, listening to something.

Last year, I worked with her a lot in Assault...but it appears she hasn't changed this bad habit.

Tap Tap, I used my fingers to tap her head. Reki finally took off her headphones and turned to face me. She still has such a lovely face, just like a game CG.

"Were you also recruited by Aria?"

"Yes."

Reki answered in a toneless voice.

"Anyways, what kind of music do you listen to with these headphones you're always wearing?"

"Not music."

"Then what is it?"

"The sound of wind."

After Reki said that lazily, with a click she lightly put her sniper rifle--I think it's a Dragunov Semi-Automatic--on her back, just like a tennis racket.

"It's time."

With that said, Aria turned to face us.

"We planned to find another S rank Butei. But it seems as if they have all left on other business."

It seems that in Aria's eyes, I have a higher ranking than I actually do.

"So, it's up to this 3-man team to enter pursuit. I will make up for our lack of firepower."

"Pursuit? What are we pursuing? What happened? You should explain the situation, at least."

"A bus has been hijacked."

"A bus?"

"The Butei High bus. The one that stops at your place at 7:58."

--!?

What did you say!?

That bus was hijacked?

That's the bus that Muto and the other students are packed into like canned food.

"Is the hijacker inside the vehicle?"

"His location is unknown, but I do not believe he is inside the vehicle. Because there's a bomb on that bus."

--a bomb--

Hearing those words, my brain automatically recalled that incident from a few days back, where my own bike was hijacked.

Aria, who may or may not be thinking of the same thing, turned to look at me.

"Kinji. This is the work of the 'Butei Killer'. The same offender who blew up your bicycle."

Did you say..."Butei Killer"?

This familiar name raised my hair on end.

That's the name of the person Shirayuki mentioned, the one who carried out those continuous killings.

"The first incident was hijacking a Butei's motorcycle. Afterward, it was a car. After that, it was your bicycle, and this time, it's a bus...each time, the offender has set the bomb's trigger as "If you slow down, the bomb will explode," in order to take away the victim's freedom of movement. And afterward, he remotely detonates the bomb. However, the electronic signal from the detonation is fixed. The electronic signal is the same this time as from when I saved you."

"But, hasn't the 'Butei Killer' been apprehended already?"

"The person we caught wasn't the real offender."

"What did you say? Wait a second. What is that supposed to mean?"

This is weird.

This is so strange, it can't be.

But--

Aria looked at me strictly.

"There is no time to explain, and this is not necessary information. The leader of this squadron will be me."

Aria said, straightening her chest.

Standing to the side like a statue, Reki glanced at Aria.

"Wait...Aria, wait a moment! You--"

"This incident has already occurred! The hijacked bus could explode at any time! Our mission is to save everybody inside! Also!"

"I'm fine with you being the leader! But you have to explain the situation to your teammates! It doesn't matter what incident it is, Butei are always fighting for their lives!"

"Butei Law article section 1! "Believe in your comrades and help each other"! Right now the victims are our fellow Butei! There's no need to clarify any more than that!"

A deafening sound, loud enough to overshadow the sound of the rain, appeared.

That's the sound of a helicopter.

I looked up, and saw the light blue rotating lights of the Logi helicopter preparing to descend to the roof of the girl's dormitory.

I didn't think that Aria...would be able to get her hands on one of these on such short notice.

If our transport is here already, then there really is no time to explain.

"...Damn it. Aahh, I'll do it! It'll be fine if I do it, right!"

Aria, hearing my cry, swept aside her wet hair, completely mussed from the wind pressure of the helicopter, and--smiled.

"Kinji. This is the first mission, the one in our promise."

"So it's something big like this. I'm really disappointed."

"You're going to keep your promise, right? I have high expectations of your abilities."

"I'm warning you, I don't have those abilities that you think I have. Also, I've had a very long holiday. Bringing an E Butei like me on an S level mission like this, are you really fine with it?"

"If we run into danger, I'll protect you. Don't worry."


According to the news that Connect sent us through the wireless headset, the Butei High bus follows the Isuzu ERGA-Mio specifications. Ever since Muto boarded the bus in front of the boy's dormitory, the vehicle hadn't stopped at any bus stops, and had entered an uncontrollable state. Following this, Connect received an urgent report from the students inside the bus which said that the bus had been hijacked.

The bus, exceeding the passenger limit with 60 people on board, circled around Academy Island once, before going through the Omi South bridge, and entering Odaiba.

"Have the police or the Eastern Butei Section taken action?"

In the howling of the helicopter, I was speaking to Aria through the headset.

"They have already taken action. However, the target is a moving bus. They require some time to get ready."

"So, looks like we're the first to take action."

"Of course. Once I received that electronic signal, I took action even before the news got around."

With a "Hmmph", Aria examined her beloved pistols.

Although the color of those silver and black guns differ, the model is the same.

The base specifications should be that of the Colt M1911. All the patents on that gun have expired, so it's free to be modified.

The most interesting thing on the guns were the pink seashell engravings on the handle. The engravings were of a beautiful face that, no matter how I look at it, looked almost exactly like Aria.

"I see it."

The sound of Reki's voice spurred Aria and I to stick our heads outside the bullet proof glass, looking down.

Through the window on the right, we could see the buildings of Odaiba, the Bay Road, as well as the coastal high-speed railway.

But at this distance, the vehicles were too small, I couldn't see them at all.

"I don't see anything, Reki."

"In front of the Japan Airlines hotel is a bus, turning right. Inside it, I can see some Butei High students."

"Yo-you can really see it clearly... What's your eyesight?"

"Around 6.0."

Calmly saying this amazing number, Reki surprised us both so much that we turned to look at each other.

The helicopter pilot followed Reki's directions, and descended. Now I could really see the Butei High bus over there, speeding. It's going way too fast.

The bus continued to overtake the other vehicles, going towards the TV station. Once the people in the TV station noticed that there was a helicopter chasing the bus, they quickly got out their cameras and cell phones to start recording the scene.

"Descend till you're above the bus. I'll take care of examining the exterior of the bus. Kinji will confirm the situation inside, and report. Reki will stay in the helicopter, and await further orders."

Aria smoothly gave us our orders and grabbed two Assault issue parachutes; they looked exactly like backpacks.

"The interior... If the offender is really inside, I'll be in a lot of danger."

"The 'Butei Killer' won't be inside."

"This hasn't been confirmed as the 'Butei Killer's' work yet!"

"If it isn't, then find a way to take care of it yourself. You should be able to solve it by yourself."

--You...

Butei are constantly criticized for this, but for the sake of completing the mission quickly and effectively, they have to adapt to match the situation.

However--Aria's decision was completely without foresight. One might also say completely devoid of common sense, too.

Which is to say, she always charges towards the site, and then relies on her overwhelming skill to take care of matters in a heartbeat. You, for me...you put too much faith in your teammates, you know.

--I'm beginning to understand why no matter where Aria goes, she is known as the [Aria].


Aria and I deployed our Assault issue parachutes, while relying on our own weight to pull us down to the roof of the bus.

I, who hadn't done any aerial assaults for a while, slipped off the bus.

Smack.

Aria clasped my wrist, and pulled me back up.

"Hey, take this seriously!"

Shouted Aria, unhappily

"I am taking this seriously...but, right now..."

I muttered, while engaging the cable on my harness to the roof of the bus, giving myself more traction.

Aria who also engaged her cable, quickly jumped off the back of the bus with a practiced movement.

To ascertain that the offender was not inside the bus, I used the mirror mounted on my telescopic rod to confirm the situation. Only students were inside, I didn't see anybody suspicious who might be the offender.

I let the students inside the bus open the window, then cut the cable and went in.

The students, who were already in a state of panic, started rushing to me and screaming upon seeing me enter.

But because they were far too raucous, I was unable to understand what they were saying.

"Kinji!"

I turned towards a familiar voice. The person that spoke was also the person who said "I'll see you 2nd period!" and left me in the rain, Muto.

"Muto--it's not second period yet, but we meet again."

"Ah, that's right. Ku...! Why did I get on this bus?"

"This is karma for leaving a friend behind."

"--Kinji, go talk to that girl."

The person that Muto was pointing to was a girl with glasses, standing by the driver's seat.

"To-to-to-to-Tohyama-senpai! Save me!"

This child in tears, pleading for me to rescue her, was a Middle schooler in Butei High.

"What happened?"

"M-m-my cellphone was modified at some point in time. A-and it said,"

"If you slow down, you blow up."

So it really is that way.

It's as Aria said, the offender is the same.

The same person who hijacked my bicycle!

"Kinji, what's the situation? Report!"

Aria's voice crackled over the headset.

"It's as you said, the perpetrator is controlling this bus from an external source. What about on your side?"

"--There's something like a bomb over here!"

I quickly ran over to the back of the bus, but all I could see was Aria's feet and the cable.

She's probably upside down, checking on the situation underneath the car.

"It's a Kaczynski β Module plastic explosive, the type of explosive the 'Butei Killer' uses. Just from the appearance, it seems the bomb contains around 3500 Ccs of explosives!

I was stunned.

What is this! That explosive content is way over the top!

If that exploded, an entire train would be torn apart, let alone a bus!

"I'm going over to try and pry it off--Ah!"

At the same moment as Aria's shout, the whole bus rattled heavily.

The students were all pressed against the floor, each one moaning and crying.

I looked at the back window in panic--

The convertible that bumped into the bus braked with a screech, and retreated, putting some space between the bus and it.

"Aria! Are you OK!"

--No answer.

It looks like the collision injured her.

I stuck my upper body out the window, intending to climb onto the roof so I could get to the back.

VROOMMM! The sound of acceleration led me to turn my head, and I saw the car that bumped into the bus just now - A completely red Renault suporu spider -- quickly speed to the side of the bus.

And the Uzi that was set up in the empty driver's seat, was aimed this way!

"Everybody get down!"

The students, hearing my cry, immediately hit the floor--DADADADADADADA!

A barrage of bullets peppered the windows of the bus, shattering them from the back to the front.

"Uwahh!"

I, who had taken a bullet in the chest, was thrown back into the bus.

I wasn't hurt thanks to the bulletproof vest...however, I still received the full impact. It was like a knee slamming into my chest. I will never be able to get used to that.

Screech.

The chassis of the bus suddenly wobbled dangerously, I made my way to the driver hurriedly--

"!"

The driver had collapsed on the wheel.

His shoulder had been hit.

He was hit because he had to continue steering the bus.

The bus started to tilt left and right, dangerously.

To avoid oncoming traffic, the bus was scraping against the guardrail of the road, leaving a trail of sparks.

--Everything is fucked up...!

What do I do?

I don't know. I don't know. The me right now, has no way of solving the situation before me--!

"Turn right at the junction with Ariake Colosseum."

From the cellphone that the girl lying on the ground had dropped, came a synthesized voice.

More importantly, the bus is beginning to slow down!

"Mu-Muto! Come and drive this! You mustn't slow down!"

I took off my bulletproof vest and handed it to Muto, and put my hand on the window again, calling out.

"Le-leave it to me!"

After Muto put on the bulletproof vest, he, with the help of the other students, moved the driver to one side, and he sat on the driver's seat.

"This bus has probably broken every traffic law in existence. Have fun, Muto. You'll definitely get your license revoked."

"I hope you fall off the bus! I'll run you over!"


Speeding through the rainstorm, the bus charged onto Rainbow Bridge.

"--Are you trying to bring the bomb downtown--!"

I carefully sat on the window, making sure I wasn't thrown off.

The bus swerved to make the entrance of the bridge, and it tilted dangerously for a moment, but in the end, it stabilized.

This was thanks to Muto, who ordered all the students to the left side of the bus, preventing the vehicle from flipping over.

As expected of Muto. The only thing he excels in is his duty in Logi.

The bus sped onto Rainbow Bridge--there were no cars in sight.

It appears that the police have already locked down the area.

"Hey Aria, are you alright!?"

"Kinji!"

Aria, climbing on her cable, looked up at me, who was standing on the roof.

"Aria! Where's your helmet!?"

"It was knocked off when the convertible collided with us! What about yours!?"

said Aria, pointing at my own head.

"The driver was injured--so, I lent my helmet to Muto so he could continue to drive."

"It's too dangerous! Why did you come out here without proper equipment!? Why can't you make even these simple decisions! Get back in the bus, now--watch out! Get down here! What are you doing, you idiot!?"

Aria suddenly drew her guns, and charged at me with a pale face.

--what happened?

Not knowing the situation, I turned around--

and saw the convertible, now in front of the bus, firing its Uzi.

Aiming at my head.

It fired.

A bullet.

--I'm finished.

I really thought I was done.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aria returning fire, and as if in slow motion, she used her small body to knock me out of the way.


Pft Pft!!


I heard the sound of two bullets meeting flesh.

Fresh blood sprayed through the air.

But, it didn't hurt at all.

"Aria!"

*Rumble Rumble*, Aria was rolling off the bus.

The blood trail she left was washed away by the rain.

"Aria--Aria!!"

I exerted all I had to hold on to the cable keeping Aria on the bus.

The convertible in front of the bus had slowed down, and was now at the side.

This isn't good, if it fires, we're dead--!

I thought...but, the Uzi didn't fire.

I turned my head to look, and saw that the Uzi mounted on the seat was destroyed.

It was damaged during the momentary exchange with Aria just now.

"If we run into danger, I'll protect you."

That voice, worthy of a Seiyuu, continuously echoed in my head.

"ARIA--!!"

I screamed, and used all of my strength to pull the unconscious Aria to the roof.

Her appearance stopped my heart cold. At that moment--

Bang!

The sound of an explosion rang out.

Bang! Followed by another one.

"!?"

After the noise, the convertible suddenly lost control, and it furiously collided with rail--Bang!

It exploded behind us.

I saw the Butei High helicopter, all the while keeping pace with us over Rainbow Bridge.

Inside the cabin of the helicopter, Reki was kneeling and her sniper rifle was directed this way.

In Odaiba, which was full of buildings, it was nigh impossible to find an opportunity to snipe, however, we had reached the bridge and Reki had an opening.

"---I am a single bullet."

I heard Reki's voice from my headset.

"It has no heart. Therefore, it does not think---"

She said, almost as if reciting a litany.

"---It just flies straight towards its target."

This...was something I heard many times while in Assault.

Something that Reki always said, when she fired.

When those incantation-sounding words were over--

Reki's muzzle flashed with a *Pa Pa Pa*

With each flash, I could feel the bullets pounding into the chassis of the bus with a *Dong Dong Dong*, and I could hear the sound of gunshots after the vibrations.

Clink, Clank. Something attached to the bottom of the bus had fallen off, and was rolling around on the road we had just traversed.

That object was the bomb, which had been detached from the bus.

"---I am a single bullet---"

Following Reki's litany, came another gunshot. Dong!

The object burst into sparks, and flew up, exactly like a football.

It flew towards the guardrail of the bridge, and from there, it dropped into the ocean.

--KABOOOOM!!!

The bomb, having been remotely detonated, sent up a huge pillar of water.

Following this, the bus started slowing down...until it reached a stop.

On the roof, was the unconscious Aria...

and I, who had merely stood by and let others do the work. The raindrops pounded my body, in the midst of the storm.


Aria was sent to the Butei Hospital, and her wounds were...very light.

But only because she was very lucky.

The two bullets that hit Aria had glanced off her forehead without causing any major injuries.

Aria, who had a concussion, was sent to receive a MRI. However, there were no signs of any internal bleeding. She only had external injuries.

The second day, after I handed in my report to Inquesta, I went to the Butei Hospital--and noticed that Aria was staying in a VIP single patient room. Now that I think about it, Riko did say that Aria was nobility.

Her room had a small antechamber, with some white lilies. Looking closer, I saw that there was a card with "From Reki" stuck inside the flowers. You mean that robot-like girl, Reki, actually sent something like this?

I was astounded.

...*drip*...*drip*

"?"

From inside the room and through the door, which was slightly ajar, came a strange noise.

Thinking it was strange, I surreptitiously peeked through the keyhole. Aria was sitting on her bed and...

looking at the wound on her forehead with a mirror.

"..."

And because she was extremely focused, she didn't notice me, standing on the other side of the door.

The swelling of the wound on her forehead hadn't gone down yet, and there was still a small red bump.

The two bullets had left a scar on Aria's forehead, reminiscent of a cross. The beautiful forehead that she was so proud of, had lost its splendor.

Yesterday I had asked the doctor...and he had said, that wound would definitely leave a scar.

--it would leave a scar that would never fade. A permanent scar.

drip*...*drip*.

Aria, her eyes brimming with tears, was wearing the hair clip she normally wore. And her tears continued to drip, and drip, and drip.

Seeing this scene, my heart felt as if it had been pierced with a thousand needles.

Aria...adored her own forehead.

And now, that place has an irremovable scar. She has to be devastated.

"...Aria."

I pretended that I had just arrived, and took a step back while knocking on the door.

"Ah, wa-wait a moment."

From the room came the noise of her hurriedly putting her things away.

"...Go ahead."

I did as she said, and walked in. I saw that she had already replaced the bandages around her head, and was using various tools to fiddle with her gun.

The scene appeared somewhat artificial, but I knew that she was pretending to be maintaining her gun.

"--You've come to visit?"

She directed an impatient glare at me, not even bothering to hide her irritation.

"Don't think that I'm a patient. Staying in the hospital because of a little wound like this, the doctors are overreacting."

"Obviously you're a patient. The wound on your forehead--"

"What about it? Why're you staring at it?"

"Ah, well...it will leave a scar, right?"

"And? I don't care. There's no need to feel sorry for something like that. Mmm, I'm done with maintenance."

*clatter* Aria placed her guns on the drawer by her bed, and folded her arms.

"Butei Law article section 1. "Believe in your comrades and help each other." I was merely fulfilling this one point. I didn't do it especially for you."

"Butei Law article sect...don't just fulfill those pretty words like an idiot!"

"...Someone like you, Kinji, calling me an idiot? However...there's some truth in what you say. I really am an idiot for saving someone stupid like you."

said Aria with a "Hmph," and turned her head.

I thought that if we continued on this line of conversation, we would just end up getting angry at each other, so I handed the plastic bag from the convenience store over to her.

After a brief silence, Aria's nose started twitching.

"...Peach buns?"

So, she's able to tell from just the smell.

Aria phoenix-camellia eyes fiercely opened wide, and turned towards me.

"Go ahead. I bought the...5 that the store had in stock. You like them, don't you?"

Aria, hearing my words, silently stared at the bag. Before long, she quickly snatched it up.

And she furiously chomped on the peach buns, which had already become cold.

This scene...it's almost exactly like giving food to a wounded animal.

"Don't rush. The peach buns won't run away."

"Shut up. I can eat however I want."

Aria, with a piece of stuffing still on her lips, fired off that sentence at me, and continued to eat her buns in silence.

The food at Butei Hospital is notorious for being absolutely disgusting. She must have been starving in here.

"Whatever...I'll talk while you're eating. After the incident, we found the hotel room the culprit was in."

"...Were there any traces left behind?"

"No. Well, it would be more accurate to say that the traces were erased."

I said, while pulling out the document from my backpack, and placing it on Aria's knee.

"This is the report that summarized everything that Inquesta and Repier, under Mine Riko's supervision, found when they worked together to comb the hotel room. But from the conclusion...it appears that they did not find any clues relating to the culprit."

"As expected. The 'Butei Killer' is an extremely cunning criminal. He would never leave anything behind that could incriminate him."

"So you think...it was the 'Butei Killer'? I suspect that the bicycle-jacking and the bus-jacking were both done by imitators of the 'Butei Killer'. Because, no matter what you say, he's already been apprehended."

"Didn't I tell you? We got the wrong guy."

I...have no way to argue against Aria's point.

Because all the incidents up to now weren't something that a cheap imitator could pull off.

"Also...this report includes the result of investigation of the bike-jacking case. However, to be blunt, the results of that investigation were inconclusive as well. The Segways and the Uzis that the culprit used were stolen goods."

"Those guys are really useless. Reading this is a waste of time."

"If you really think so, then just throw it in the trash."

I didn't think that Aria, as I said, would really throw it in the trash. It made me a little angry.

Although there were no clues in there that could help us find the culprit, it was the result of Riko's team working all night long.

"--Get out. This has nothing to do with you anymore."

"?"

"The first mission since you returned to Assault. Since this mission has already been completed, you have already fulfilled your agreement with me. You can go back to Inquesta. Goodbye."

Eating her peach buns nonchalantly, Aria tossed these words at me.

"What do you mean...you really just do whatever you like. After pulling me into this so firmly, you do this after it's over?"

"Do you want me to apologize to you? Or would you like me to compensate you before you're happy?"

"...Are you trying to provoke me?"

"I want you to get out. To leave me in peace."

"Fine, I'll go."

I felt that I had already reached the limits of my anger.

I don't know why I'm so angry, but every sentence that Aria spoke left me in agony.

Breathing out heavily, I spun around furiously, and walked out of the room.

"What is this..."

I had just put my hand on the door handle, when I heard Aria muttering something behind my back.

"I...I put so much hope in you...I thought that if I brought you to an incident, you would, just-like-that-time, show me your true power!"

"--That was only your desire! I don't have any power like that! Also...I've already decided to quit being a Butei! Why did you raise your hopes so high!?"

Without thinking, I spun around, shouting.

In front of her, I can't...for whatever reason...remain calm.

Aahh, damn it. Why am I doing this?

This isn't like me at all.

"Because I have to! I don't have any time left!"

"What is that supposed to mean!? I don't understand what you're saying at all!"

"If you're a Butei, then find out for yourself, why don't you!? Compared to--compared to me, your reason for quitting being a Butei is irrelevant!"

Irrelevant?

Hearing those words--

Without thinking, I dashed over to her side.

I completely forgot that she was a girl, I was about to grab her collar.

...I restrained my anger, and quickly grabbed hold of my hand, which was just about to reach her.

I grabbed it, I grabbed it with all I had.

"Wh-wh...what is it."

This was her first time seeing me get so angry...and even Aria was afraid.

I rested both my hands on the bed, and lowered my head.

Ahh. My face...

It must be scary.

I don't want anyone to see me like this.


Before, Shirayuki said that in all generations of my family, the Tohyamas were allies of justice.

Although, as the generations moved along, our jobs were different, but we all had the special power of Hysteria Mode--and for centuries, we fought for the sake of the weak.

Before I became self-aware, my father died. He was an 'Armed Prosecutor'. And my brother, who was a Butei, was my hero. I wanted nothing more than to be like him.

So, at that time, I unhesitatingly enrolled in Butei High of my own free will.

Although Hysteria Mode had given me a lot of trouble during Middle School, I had hoped that, like my father and brother, I would be able to activate it at will.

...but, last winter, something changed my life.

The horrible shipwreck at Uraga bay.

On Japan Cruise's cruiseship, the Annbelle, one of the passengers disappeared...the investigation closed without even managing to find the victim's body. It was a horrible incident.

The person who died in that accident, was a Butei that was on the ship by coincidence...Tohyama Kinichi.

Also known as, my brother.

From what the police said, my brother, who always fought for the weak, and who had never lost to evil in his life, was unable to escape, because he was helping the other passengers off the cruise ship.

But scared that the passengers would sue them, the company, as well as those passengers that were burned, fiercely denounced Nii-san.

They said that he "was unable to help to prevent the accident, a useless Butei."

From the internet, weekly magazines, and the families of the deceased, came countless slanders, descending like a flood.

Even now, I have nightmares about that time.

--Nii-san, why did you die helping people?

--Why did he become the scapegoat?

This is all because of Hysteria Mode, the penchant of our bloodline! That's right. Butei, the allies of justice, must continue to fight, and fight. They will be torn apart, and they will continue to be shamed, even after death. There's nothing good about being a Butei...!

So I--decided to never do anything idiotic like being a Butei.

I decided to be a normal person.

I could live as those people who just talk, and never take responsibility. I could live a normal life.

That's right, that's what I decided.

I've already made my decision--that's right.


I raised my head, and Aria...was still silent.

When I looked into her camellia eyes, I understood. I understood my own complex feelings towards her.

Because, she's like me.

Aria shoulders something that nobody else could possibly understand, and for the sake of the Butei, she charges in the direction I tried so hard to look away from. Towards that dark outcome.

I chose to run away, but she chose to face it.

Therefore--that's why I cannot stay calm in front of her.

"No matter what...I will give up being a Butei. As for my school, I will switch to a normal one next year."

"..."

"Are you listening to me?"

"I understand...I understood...the person I'm looking for..."

Aria's gaze shifted off me, and she closed her eyes. She only opened them after a long while.

And like a period at the end of the paragraph, in the book you can't continue to write, she said,

"...isn't you."





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