Mizuno took a freshener from his pocket—this was a by-product Gold Ship made while experimenting with the S-Grade Honey Drink—and sprayed himself to cover the milk smell.
He ran all the way and finally reached the tunnel mouth.
As long as he slipped out through this opening, he could leave the bounds of the secret boys' dorm. The Uma who had to stay here to nab their own trainers would never find him.
But when Mizuno got to the tunnel, he didn't bolt right away. He hid in the nearby shrubs and watched carefully.
Because from the blood-red maw of the tunnel's darkness, more Uma were still streaming in!
After seeing the post exposing the secret boys' dorm, they hadn't followed the first wave at once and had come late—meaning, they were only arriving now.
If Mizuno accidentally bumped into one while escaping and got stopped and frisked on the spot, that would be trouble...
Not that this was hard for him. The freshener had erased his scent, so as long as he was careful, he could slip past the Uma at the mouth and get out clean.
"No problem. I can go....." Mizuno rubbed his chin, the escape route already plotted in his head.
But just as he eased out of the bushes and crept toward the tunnel...
A new post popped up on the Tracen Network Uma Forum:
[If you see this black-clad dorm supervisor, make sure to catch him and take the dorm address sheet from him. Then we can quickly find where our trainers live.]
[Attachment]:Mizuno hanging from the lamppost.jpg
...
Ding-dong~
All the phones near the tunnel chirped at once.
The Uma pulled them out and saw the post's contents.
"Black-clad dorm supervisor?"
A red-leather-jacketed Uma looked at the attached picture, then raised her head—just in time to spot a guy dressed exactly like that black-clad dorm supervisor sneaking toward the tunnel.
"Everyone look! The black-clad dorm supervisor is here!" the red jacket shouted.
"!" Thanks to her shout, the other Uma spotted Mizuno too.
"Eh?" Seeing every Uma around the tunnel lock onto him, Mizuno froze where he stood, stunned.
No way! He hadn't made a sound—how did they notice him?
Could it be they posted my photo online? Mizuno made the calm judgment.
"Hey! Mr. Dorm Supervisor!" The red jacket blocked the tunnel and held out a hand to him:
"Give me the dorm address sheet!"
"You know the rules....." Mizuno took out the address sheet, flashed it a couple times for them to see, then slid it back into his four-dimensional pocket.
"If you want it, come take it yourself."
"Hoho~" The red jacket lit up, danger glinting in her eyes.
It wasn't every day a human talked to her like that—especially one against a whole group of Uma.
She didn't want to hurt a human, true. But just like the others, she'd come to pounce—ahem, to visit her beloved trainer.
Right now this black-clad dorm supervisor held the crucial address sheet. For her own happiness—and everyone's—she didn't mind going all out: knock him flat, then snatch the sheet!
The other Uma shared her thoughts. They flexed their knuckles, letting out a chilling "k-kla—k-kla—" crackle.
A dozen-plus Uma stared Mizuno down. At a single word from the red jacket, they'd rush him all at once!
"Don't be afraid, Mr. Dorm Supervisor. No pain... it'll be over in an instant..." The red jacket smiled.
"..." Mizuno watched the Uma close in, not overly flustered. He slowly slid both hands into his coat pockets—the way a duelist would before an iaijutsu draw.
"?" The red jacket didn't get it. Was he planning to resist?
Against absolute strength, technique was a joke. A mere human—even a kung fu master—couldn't last one second against a dozen Uma!
So she wasn't worried what he meant to do. She cared about just one thing:
If she kicked him in the head, would he go out cold immediately?
"..." Seeing they were now within ten meters, Mizuno drew a deep breath and finally moved.
"You want the dorm address sheet, huh..." He pulled his hands from his pockets, fingers pinching slim spines—then flung a handful of books into the air.
"Then go fetch it yourselves!"
Book after book, like he didn't have to pay for them, sailed out of his hands. Dozens of volumes, all different covers and colors, spun and fluttered like butterflies in a flower field, dazzling the eyes.
They thumped to the ground in a flurry. Every Uma except the red jacket lost focus, staring blankly at the scatter, not knowing which—if any—was the address sheet they wanted.
As for Mizuno...
The instant he dumped his stock of ordinary books from his pocket space, he'd already turned and bolted.
"Hmph! Trying to run?!" The red jacket locked onto his fleeing back, eyes narrowing.
She knew this was a smokescreen. The books he'd thrown definitely didn't include the real one. The actual address sheet was still on him!
So she ignored the decoys. Her target was Mizuno. Only by catching him could she get what they wanted!
She crouched, thigh muscles coiling, charging power for the burst to come.
In the next beat, she gritted her teeth, stamped the floor into a crack, and whoosh—launched. In an instant she hit her top speed!
Then she sprang, unleashing her strongest flying kick straight at Mizuno!
Ultimate speed paired with her red leather turned the kick into a blazing crimson meteor—a raging dragon crossing the river, spearing down on him!
"[Night Guy]!!!" the red jacket roared.
Mizuno: "?!"
Don't you dare use the boss-killer move from that anime on a normal human like me!
Even without looking back, the crushing pressure at his spine told him: if that kick hit, he'd be done.
"Gwah!" Mizuno screamed.
"Got you!" The red jacket could already see it: the next second Mizuno would be blasted away by her strongest technique, hit the ground, and stay down.
But the instant her kick was about to land, a faster khaki-green meteor streaked in from the side and collided with her crimson arc!
Boom!
The two meteors met—and in a flash the outcome was decided.
"Buga!" Up against that khaki-green bolt, the red jacket was like a scooter meeting a fully insured hundred-ton semi on the highway—no chance to resist. Like a tomato hit by a bullet, she was sent flying.
"!" The Uma gasped. Their strongest fighter, with her strongest flying kick—wiped out that easily?!
"Who was that?" they cried, desperate to know who possessed such overwhelming might?!
Just then, the dust from the collision finally cleared, revealing the newcomer.
Soft, sleek brown hair with a crescent of white highlight. A deep-green suit with a warlord's air, hung with medals of honor. A red cape on her shoulder snapping in the pressure wind—every inch screaming kingly presence.
In Tracen Academy, only one Uma bore such a domineering image and such power.
"Ru... Luna?!" Mizuno blurted.
Having finally arrived, Symboli Rudolf wiped the sweat from her brow and exhaled in relief. She stepped forward and shielded Mizuno behind her.
"Sora, I'm here."