Chapter 373: Abilities of the Same Nature |
"Just what... is that!?"
Inside the violently shaking building, prompted by Shimizu Yu, who was the first to react, everyone frantically bolted toward the exit the moment those two unknown monsters clashed, unsure if the beings were human or ghost.
Suzuki Sawami, running behind Shimizu Yu with their hands tightly clasped, was on the verge of a breakdown. Or rather, she was not the only one breaking down. After all, Fumino Haruki's tragic death was still fresh in their minds, and his headless corpse was lying right behind them!
But right now, they did not even have the luxury to worry about how they would explain this to Fumino Haruki's family afterward. After all, they were still caught in a life-and-death crisis themselves. Any of them could very well become the next Fumino Haruki!
Boom!
With a sudden, deafening crash, a partially collapsed section of the ceiling firmly blocked their path forward.
The chaotic and hurried footsteps came to a sudden halt.
"What... what do we do?" Oguri Aino asked, her voice laced with tears. "Are we really going to die here?"
The only remaining boy in the group, Ikegami Shinichi, could no longer maintain his usual sunny disposition. Fortunately, even though his face was just as pale as the rest, he had not completely lost his mind in panic. He stepped forward and pushed hard against the partially collapsed ceiling, but unsurprisingly, it did not budge an inch.
"But..." Despite being the most introverted and timid of the group, Ito Saki seemed to be the calmest one at this moment. As soon as she spoke, everyone's gaze turned toward her. She still lowered her head out of habit, but continued speaking, "If we go down from the other side, we will have to go back the way we came and pass by the music room again..."
"Then what do you suggest we do?!" the blonde gyaru Kurushima Misugi shouted, glaring furiously. The sheer terror of the situation had clearly pushed her to the brink of losing control of her emotions. Even though she knew Ito Saki was making a valid point, she just yelled at her to vent her frustration.
Sakurajima Yui immediately stepped in front of Ito Saki to shield her, glaring right back at Kurushima Misugi. "If you are so capable, why don't you go back the way we came! Let's see if those two fighting monsters knock your head off too!"
"What did you just say!" Kurushima Misugi took a step forward, her ferocious expression making it look as if she was ready to start a brawl right then and there.
Suzuki Sawami had always been fiercely loyal to her friends. Seeing this unfold, she could not hold back anymore. Everyone was in a terrible mood right now—did Kurushima Misugi think she was the only one allowed to throw a tantrum?!
She closed the distance and shoved Kurushima Misugi. "She was talking about you! You have been whining since before we even got on the train. If you are so good at biting people's heads off, why don't you go bite those two?!"
Provoked by the shove and the harsh words, Kurushima Misugi's eyes instantly turned red with rage. She grabbed Suzuki Sawami's hair. "Bastard! Go to hell!"
Suzuki Sawami cried out in pain, but quickly retaliated, tangling fiercely with Kurushima Misugi. Sakurajima Yui immediately rushed in to help Suzuki Sawami, throwing the scene into absolute chaos.
Ito Saki softly pleaded for them to stop, but no one listened. Ikegami Shinichi loudly tried to break up the fight, but his efforts were completely useless. Kurushima Misugi, who was easily provoked into a frenzy, had completely lost her mind by now, resorting to using her nails and teeth.
Oguri Aino stood on the sidelines, helpless and anxious, while the round-faced Yukawa Miri looked entirely at a loss.
Fwoosh—
Suddenly, a burst of flames flared up, instantly illuminating the dim corridor. Along with the ignited fire came Shimizu Yu's crisp shout, "Stop it, all of you!"
The scuffle that could not be stopped no matter how much the others intervened actually ground to a halt at Shimizu Yu's command. However, it was not her words that stopped them, but rather... the fact that an orange-red fireball, roughly the size of a human head, was currently floating quietly just above the palm of her hand.
"Yu...?" Suzuki Sawami stared blankly at Shimizu Yu, and at the floating fireball in her hand, while still keeping one hand gripped around Kurushima Misugi's wrist and the other tangled in the girl's hair.
Although the scratches left by Kurushima Misugi still stung with a burning pain, never before had Suzuki Sawami felt so strongly that she was trapped in a dream.
However, Suzuki Sawami was not the only one who found the scene unfolding before them absolutely absurd. The expressions on the faces of the others were largely identical. Had they not just witnessed the death of their companion and personally seen a bizarre battle between two individuals employing even more outrageous means, their reactions would have likely been far more extreme.
"Sawami, Yui, let her go," Shimizu Yu told her two friends.
Since it was a two-on-one situation, Kurushima Misugi was undeniably at a disadvantage. Her hair was a disheveled mess, and both of her hands were tightly pinned by Suzuki Sawami and Sakurajima Yui.
Suzuki Sawami and Sakurajima Yui exchanged a glance before releasing their grip. Kurushima Misugi still seemed furious enough to keep fighting, but Shimizu Yu warned, "If you keep fighting, this fireball will not be smashing into a wall—it will be smashing into you!"
Having stayed by Hoshino Gen's side for so long, she had managed to learn a few things other than just doing household chores.
Kurushima Misugi opened her mouth to retort, but ultimately just gave a cold scoff. She sulked quietly, wiping away her tears.
Shimizu Yu let out a silent sigh of relief. If the girl really had refused to listen, she certainly would not have been able to hurl a fireball straight at her face like that guy would...
"Everyone, step back a little," she requested, her tone softening.
Hearing her words, the others hurriedly backed away from the collapsed ceiling blocking their path. Even Kurushima Misugi was pulled back by Ikegami Shinichi.
Shimizu Yu took a deep breath and forcefully hurled the fireball in her hand toward the blocked passage in front of her.
Boom—!
Amidst the deafening explosion, a wave of heat swept through the corridor. The partially collapsed ceiling instantly crashed down completely, shattering across the floor. Fortunately, this meant their path was finally clear!
Shimizu Yu pulled another talisman from her pocket. She smeared it with a bead of blood from a fresh prick on her fingertip, and another fireball manifested into the air.
Holding the fireball aloft, she took the lead and dashed forward. "Everyone, stay close to me!"
Before she could even finish her sentence, an earth-shattering boom erupted from behind them. Through the painfully loud ringing in their ears, everyone saw that about fifty meters back, the other half of the school building had completely caved in.
......
From the completely collapsed ruins of the school building, two silhouettes shot straight up into the sky.
Carole held a gun in one hand and a rapier in the other, highly futuristic mechanical wings spreading out behind her. A brilliant smile adorned her delicate, pretty face. "I did not expect to meet someone with an inherent ability of a similar nature here~"
Recalling the inherent ability named Daydream Realization listed in the ability panel of the guy opposite her, Tsuchimikado Haruki, Carole could not help but laugh playfully. "It seems I have no choice but to kill you now~"
Before she even finished speaking, she snapped her wrist and fired a shot.
"Hehe... Hahaha~" Tsuchimikado Haruki let out a neurotic laugh, swinging his blade to slash the incoming bullet. He then swiftly retreated, dodging the spatial ripples stirred up by the bullet's explosion. "Your melody is very beautiful. It would be a pity to kill you~"
"Let me think—" He tilted his neck back, his eyes rolling upward, and chuckled. "I will just make you... my pet—"