The place where Kamijou and Oriana were was near an experimental area. During Daihaseisai, ad hoc studies should probably be suspended. There were no workers on the runway, and no lights inside the building.
This wasn't as huge as an international, instead feeling like a mini-runway for home-made planes like Cessna planes. The three parallel runways were 30 meters wide and 700 meters long.
The buildings themselves were the control towers on both sides of the runway: a fish-slice shaped board that was mechanically supported. Instead of saying that it was research on planes, this place seemed to be focused on runway research. Each of the three runways had a giant fan, jet propeller, and other additional facilities.
But, because of the attack that Oriana let loose, the control tower machinery was destroyed, the experimental bodies that collected the data were blown apart, the asphalt ground was destroyed, as if someone was farming on it.
Both sides were running on this destroyed rubble.
The distance between both sides was about 300 meters.
"Ho."
In this situation, Oriana Thomson smiled.
There were 250 meters left.
"I do feel that a battle between ladies is more interesting. As expected, that Saint didn't come in the end."
She put a flashcard next to her mouth.
200 meters left.
"There's no additional Anti-Skill or magicians coming, huh? Hoho, it's more interesting to have more people."
A smile crept onto her face.
150 meters left.
"Ah ha! Seems like there's only three of you left, huh? Oh my, oh my, nee-chan was really tricked!!"
Oriana delightedly exclaimed and she tore another flashcard in half.
"And one of you is definitely out of this match! I always thought that his mind was the clearest…or is it because of that? To stand at the most dangerous position so as to let his comrades avoid the trap? WAHAHAA!!"
With Oriana at the center, the sound of glass breaking spread all around. After a second, the sound bounced back like an echo. At that moment,
All the sounds vanished.
There were definitely planes flying around all over the place, but the sounds seemed like they had been blocked out. It was like the volume of a television set being cut off.
Stiyl, who was running alongside Kamijou, pulled out another rune card.
"Is it a boundary? This cuts off all forms of communication, no matter physical or magical!"
"!?"
Kamijou wanted to look around, but the enemy was right in front of him.
Stiyl, who was beside him, couldn't confirm it either. The duo were running side by side, closing in on Oriana. She continued to maintain that smiling face, responding quickly with that flashcard of hers still in her hand.
The 100 meters was closed up.
Kamijou and Stiyl were thinking separately about attacking Oriana from both flanks. As the range of the flame sword was longer, and Stiyl, who was aiming, was much quicker.
"Hah!!"
Breathing in and making a sharp sound, the flame sword swung downwards.
With a "Humph", Oriana tore another flashcard.
A water ball the size of a basketball appeared on her right hand. Oriana then proceeded to catch the flame sword with the water ball.
There was no explosion.
Before that, the water ball on Oriana's hand changed shape, wrapping around Stiyl's flame sword.
"!!"
Just before Stiyl was feeling surprised, the vine made by the water ball wrapped around his wrist, and extended onto his arm, before wrapping around his entire body, from the head to the feet. Stiyl, who was wrapped in a 3cm thick water body, lost his footing and collapsed onto the ground. He used his other hand, which was empty-handed, and pressed his throat.
(If this keeps up, my breathing…)
"Stiyl!!"
Kamijou changed direction, instead of running at Oriana, he was now running at Stiyl, who was on the ground.
"Oh my, this nee-chan isn't so simple to let this happen, huh?"
She turned her body around, using her left leg to kick at Kamijou's waist. His body suddenly froze.
"UGH!!"
Just as he was about to regain his posture, Oriana gathered her entire weight on her shoulder, ramming it towards Kamijou. Kamijou frantically used his hands to block, but the impact came from below. On being hit by an impact that could break even a door, Kamijou's body flew backwards. His body struck the sharp and uneven surface of the asphalt ground, and a sharp pain could be felt.
Facing Kamijou, who was lying on the ground, Oriana pulled another flashcard to her mouth.
Just as she was about to bite and tear the flashcard,
"IAB (Destroy)!!"
With this sound, Stiyl, who was lying beside Oriana, let the flame sword explode. The water surrounding him scattered in all directions.
A new flame sword appeared in Stiyl's right hand, and maintaining a low posture, he swung at Oriana from below. Facing the sharp tip of the sword that was aimed at her chest, Oriana moved her left foot backwards, as if she was letting someone else by on a narrow road.
Just this alone wasn't going to avoid Stiyl's attack.
Corresponding, Oriana used the hand with the flashcard to slam it into Stiyl's chin. It felt like a lightly clenched fist, like she was begging. Stiyl, who was trying to counterattack, struck towards the fist with his entire weight.
BOOM!! An explosion could be heard.
Stiyl's upper body leaned back, as he landed on the ground without any resistance; the flame sword in his hand vanished. Oriana looked away from Stiyl, who was on the ground, as she slowly revealed a smile and looked at Kamijou. Even if he was outside the enemy's noticeable range, Stiyl didn't seem capable of launching a surprise attack. His black coat and red hair were fluttering around, as if it was being blown by a breeze.
"Cheh!!"
Kamijou frantically tried to stand up, but his body started to tremble.
Seeing Kamijou like this, Oriana gently smiled.
"Your waist is as weak as usual. To fight with nee-chan like this, even a child can grow up much more easily."
"You're too noisy…"
Kamijou re-clenched his fists.
"I'll stop you here; I won't let you activate the Croce di Pietro. If you're going to cause chaos in Academy City and destroy Daihaseisai, I'll definitely stop you."
"Isn't it too scathing to say that? This should be nee-chan's best performance. I don't know what the Anglicans told you, but the Croce di Pietro isn't some evil thing. All religions wish for the happiness of people and the World. To this kind of religion, by using the Croce di Pietro that can change everything 'in the most favourable manner', maybe it can destroy the wall between the magic and science sides, and lead humans to happiness?"
Hearing Oriana say this while she was toying around with her flashcard, Kamijou's lips curled up.
He stared at the damaged runway, and revealed a grim smile.
"Well said. Because I can't see the wall between the magic and science side, so this doesn't feel surreal to me, but I know this is a good thing. However—"
He paused at this moment, glanced at Stiyl who was still on the ground, and affirmed the strength in his five fingers.
He clenched his fist even tighter.
The human hand that could be used to do other things was now a weapon.
Kamijou said,
"To me, the balance of the science and magic side, as well as the domination of the world, those are just trivial things. What troubles me is that you're using the Croce di Pietro here. Do you know what that means?"
"Hoho, of course I do. You think, what is this nee-chan working so hard for? It's to use the Croce di Pietro to control Academy City. But you don't have anything to worry about. Control isn't such a nice word, but no matter what, everyone will be happy. And nobody would question that happiness, such a wonderful world is waiting…"
"I've never heard about this before!"
Rage could be implied from his tone.
He then silently and firmly exerted strength into his fist again.
"THAT ISN'T THE PROBLEM HERE!! THE TROUBLESOME THING IS THAT YOU HAVE DESTROYED DAIHASEISAI!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? STOP USING THE MAGIC OR SCIENCE, MAGICIANS OR ROMAN CATHOLICS, CROCE DI PIETRO OR SOME LEGENDARY SPIRITUAL ITEM TO TRY AND CONFUSE ME!! YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT OTHERS WITH THESE BIG-SOUNDING WORDS!? ALSO, YOUR REASONING IS COMPLETELY INVALID, IT'S JUST SOME RADICAL SAYING!!"
Kamijou roared.
He faced the enemy in front of him.
"What am I thinking? It's nothing compared to that gibberish that you're saying. But even for an amateur like me, EVEN I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!!"
He continued to shout at Oriana,
"So many people worked so hard for Daihaseisai, to make a wonderful memory out of today! So many people are taking part in Daihaseisai, and everyone put in all their efforts for this! WHY MUST IT BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS!?"
Every single word continued to motivate this boy.
Kamijou Touma used his entire strength to interrogate Oriana Thomson.
"No matter how stylish the religion is, can you beat these words now!? Is all the value that you are holding on worth this little!? For someone like you who can't even break through this simple and boring logic, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE WHAT'S VALUABLE TO OTHERS!!"
"…Thanks for your little suggestion."
Oriana's eyes lost their smiling expression.
It was a smile left behind after losing that happiness, the smile called cynicism.
"But, do you think that these sort of feelings can shake this nee-chan? If my thoughts are to be hurt just like this, this nee-chan wouldn't have taken action in the first place."
She continued to flip her flashcard around.
"So this nee-chan won't stop here. I won't be able to stop here as you please, understand?"
"…Just like that?"
"What?"
Facing a scowling Oriana, Kamijou continued,
"I don't know what you're trying to say to me, no matter what you're trying to do to me, I won't mind as long as it's not overbearing. But,"
Kamijou paused for a beat,
"Just now, those words, can you say it in front of Fukiyose-san and Himegami, whom you injured?"
Oriana Thomson remained silent.
She revealed a smile that had half her face twitch.
"In the end, this is all I want to say. If you say that you're not going to do anything else, then I won't pursue this matter anymore. Hurry up, take the Croce di Pietro, and scram."
Kamijou clenched his right fist.
Then he said,
"But, if you're going to continue doing things in this city, and even intend on casting magic on those people who are injured and can't move—"
A glow appeared in his eyes.
It was a strong light called will.
"—I'LL IMMEDIATELY SMASH THAT NONSENSICAL ILLUSION OF YOURS COMPLETELY!!!"