"W-Wait… sixteen? Sixteen?! That's ridiculous…!"
"Look, I can't help it if you call my age ridiculous. I've only been alive for sixteen years, so…"
"The person she summoned was supposed to be an adult Sensei! So why…?! No—my apologies, I'll verify the data immediately. Please wait a moment…!"
"Sure."
Rin frantically checked the documents and data on her tablet. No matter how deeply she searched, every record confirmed the boy before her: "Name: Mash Burnedead, Age: 16." A photo attached to the file left no doubt—this was no case of mistaken identity.
"No way… How could this…?"
"Um… I'm sorry, somehow." Sighhh…
"No, it's not that you did anything wrong… I mean, sixteen? That's younger than us! Ugh, what was she thinking, seriously?!"
"Really… I'm sorry." Sighhhhh…
"No, no, that's not what I meant! It's not your fault! (…Can someone really look this visibly dejected?)"
Caught in a whirlwind of confusion and blamed for something he didn't understand, Mash's shoulders slumped noticeably. Rin tried to reassure him but struggled to find the right words, unable to calm the situation.
"Oh, by the way… you mentioned something about a Federal Student Council President earlier, right? If they're the one who called me here, where are they now?"
"…Unfortunately, they're currently missing."
"Missing? After summoning me here?"
"I'm truly sorry about that… For now, let me escort you to SCHALE's clubroom, Sensei."
"Clubroom?"
"Yes, it's located in a building in the outer district of Kivotos' central city, 'D.U.'"
"…What's a 'building'?"
"Huh? You don't know?"
"Nope."
In Mash's world—the magic realm—buildings were typically made of wood, stone, or brick. The towering reinforced concrete structures dotting Kivotos were unheard of. Firearms like the guns everyone carried here were virtually nonexistent, and electronic devices like smartphones or computers? Those didn't exist either, save for limited magical tools with similar functions.
"I'll explain as we go."
"Thanks."
Following Rin's lead, Mash descended via elevator, mildly thrilled by the "moving floor" while gazing at Kivotos through the glass shaft.
"We're here. From now on—"
"You're finally here!"
"…Looks like we've run into some troublesome people."
"They all have angel halos on their heads. And those wings are pretty… Wait, is this place heaven or something?"
"No, it's Kivotos. I'm surprised you don't know about halos, but… you're very much alive, right, Sensei?"
"You're right. Pinching my cheek hurts. Still, this city's pretty different from the ones I know."
Waiting for them were three students, each adorned with what looked like angelic halos. One had a distinctive tail, another bore large black wings.
"Troublesome? What's that supposed to mean?! Anyway, explain—wait, who's that guy?"
"Rin-san, who are these people?"
"These are key figures from various academies. The control of Sanctum Tower, managed by the Federal Student Council… No, we don't have time to discuss this here. Sensei, let's hurry to SCHALE."
"Hey! Answer my question! Who is he?!"
"Sigh… This is the advisor for the Federal Investigation Club 'SCHALE,' recommended by the Federal Student Council President. He's our… Sensei… or at least, he's supposed to be."
"Supposed to be…?"
"I'm Mash Burnedead. I woke up and became a Sensei. Nice to meet you."
"N-Nice to meet you…?"
Mash and Yuuka bowed to each other, followed by the other three students. Behind them, Rin, her eyes shadowed, addressed the group.
"Hello, esteemed Student Council members, Disciplinary Committee members, and… others with too much free time. I understand why such… important people have come here. You're here to hold us accountable for the chaos gripping the academy city, correct?"
"If you know that, why haven't you explained anything?! Forget it—call the Federal Student Council President! I'm done talking to a proxy like you!"
"The President is currently missing."
""""What?!""""
"With the President's disappearance, Sanctum Tower's final administrator is gone, leaving the Federal Student Council without administrative control. We've been searching for a way to bypass authentication, but until recently, no solution existed."
"From the way you're talking, you've found one, haven't you, Acting Chief?"
"Yes. As of today, Mash Burnedead-sensei, newly appointed as SCHALE's advisor, will serve as our… mediator. Probably."
"Probably? Why so vague?!"
"I'd love to be certain, but even now, I don't fully understand why the President chose him…"
Glancing at Mash, Rin saw him bowing to three more students who'd approached from behind the blue-haired girl, offering something from his pocket—a perfectly pristine cream puff.
"Here, a token of friendship."
"Oh, thank you very—"
"It's a cream puff."
"A cream puff… A cream puff?!"
"Yup."
"You just pulled that out of your pocket?"
"Uh-huh."
"Wait, wouldn't it normally get crushed and soggy?"
"…?"
"Why don't you get it?!"
"No, do you hate cream puffs?"
"No, I love them—… I mean, I'll pass for now."
The black-winged girl grimaced, as if holding something back. For once, Mash's usually dull intuition kicked in—unfortunately, in the worst way possible.
"…Oh, are you on a diet? Sorry if I—"
CRACK!
"Sensei! That's a forbidden word for a maiden!"
"Don't I look plump to you? Like I'm fat? It's not my fault! There's so much delicious food out there, and I can't resist! Tsurugi's always pushing me, leaving me starving, so why can't people acknowledge that? Why does everyone always call me big, big, big—!"
"Sensei, apologize to her!"
"I'm so, so sorry!"
Mash bowed deeply to the pouting black-winged girl. The blue-haired girl stared in shock, while Rin clutched her head. The reception room was already descending into chaos.
"…Is this guy really okay?"
"I told you, it's 'probably.'"
"Ugh, now I'm seriously worried…"
Turning to Rin, Mash asked, "Rin-san, you mentioned 'mediator' earlier… What's that about?"
Rin sighed, coughed, and began explaining.
"SCHALE isn't just a club—it's an extralegal organization under federal authority. It can recruit students from any academy in Kivotos without restrictions and engage in unrestricted combat in any district."
"…What's that mean?"
"In short, you can ally with various students and fight anytime, anywhere."
"Got it."
(I'm seriously worried now…)
"Mash… Sensei, right?"
"Yup."
"I haven't introduced myself. I'm Hayase Yuuka from Millennium Science School's Student Council Seminar!"
"I'm Hinomiya Chinatsu from Gehenna Academy's Disciplinary Committee. Nice to meet you, Sensei."
"I'm Hanekawa Hasumi from Trinity General School's Justice Task Force."
"And I'm Morizuki Suzumi, also from Trinity's Vigilante Corps. Nice to meet you, Sensei."
"Nice to meet you all… I know things are probably tough right now. Rin-san's dealing with the President's sudden disappearance, so… I don't know if I should say this, but please don't be too hard on her."
"!"
"I wasn't trying to blame her…"
"Anyway! As I mentioned, SCHALE's clubroom is about 30 kilometers away in the outer district. Per the President's orders, we've stored 'something' in its basement, and we need to get Sensei there immediately. We'll take a helicopter from the rooftop—"
'Rin-senpai?'
"…Where's that voice coming from?"
"Momoka. Perfect timing—'Right now, the area near that SCHALE place is a mess!' …A mess?"
"Some students who escaped the Correctional Bureau are causing trouble. The clubroom's basically a battlefield."
Mash was stunned by the word "battlefield." Rin's face darkened, irritation seeping through.
'Apparently, some students with a grudge against the Federal Student Council are wreaking havoc to get revenge on the President. No idea where they got it, but they've even got a cruiser tank. They're trying to occupy SCHALE, a Federal Student Council building… Oh, my lunch delivery's here! Gotta eat. Oh, by the way, no helicopters can fly into that warzone right now. Nobody's got business there anyway, right? Talk later!'
The call cut off abruptly, its casual tone jarring against the emergency.
"…"
"Rin-san, your face looks scary…"
"I-It's fine. Just a minor issue. Nothing major."
"…And we've got some conveniently free people here, don't we?" Glance.
"Huh?"
"Dogs and tin dolls walking around… What is this place?"
"They're robots, not dolls… Sensei, stay back!"
"Ouch! Those jerks are using illegal JHP rounds!"
Before Mash's group stood a scene of destruction—delinquents with halos wielding firearms, rampaging through the streets. To Mash, it was an apocalyptic nightmare straight out of a dystopian tale.
"Yuuka, take cover. And hollow-point rounds aren't illegal."
"They're about to be at Millennium! They leave scars when they hit!"
"Wow, those things are loud and flashing. They're shooting something—what are those?"
"Sensei… you don't know about guns?"
"Guns… My grandpa mentioned them, but I've never seen one."
Hasumi gave Mash a brief rundown on Kivotos' security. In the magic realm, attacks relied on diverse spells, including long-range magic. Melee weapons like swords or axes and projectiles like arrows were common, but guns were a recent invention with limited variety. For Mash, who'd lived far from civilization, it was no surprise he was clueless about inventions centuries ahead of his time. Thanks to Hasumi and Yuuka's frantic explanations, Mash grasped the basics:
Guns are tools that fire bullets using gunpowder. They vary in size, bullet caliber, and purpose. In Kivotos, guns and ammo are widely available, and nearly everyone carries one. Kivotos' students and citizens have durable bodies that can withstand gunfire or explosions, marked by their halos. But for someone like Mash, a halo-less outsider, a single bullet could be deadly.
"So… they're dangerous, got it."
"Our bodies are tough, so we only get minor injuries from bullets. But you're from the outside world, Sensei. Even one hit could be fatal."
"By the way, haven't those guys been weirdly coordinated? No way regular thugs could work together like that!"
'Everyone, we've identified the commander of the delinquents occupying SCHALE's vicinity.'
"Oh, it's Rin-san. So someone's leading those kids, right? Who is it?"
'Yes. Her name is Kosaka Wakamo, one of the seven prisoners who escaped the Correctional Bureau. Known as the "Calamity Fox," she's a battle-crazed fighter with exceptional combat and leadership skills. She excels at inciting delinquents, causing chaos across Kivotos. Her appearance includes a "fox mask" and "kimono"—rare attire in this district, so she's easy to spot.'
"There she is."
"Impressive eyesight, Sensei… I never expected the 'Calamity Fox' to escape, but… Sensei, stay here—Sensei?"
Yuuka and the others spotted Wakamo, but Mash, who'd been beside Hasumi, was gone. The four scanned the area—
"Excuse me, can you stop this now?"
"Who's that guy?"
"Sensei?!"
Mash stood alone in the middle of the war-torn main street, without cover or weapons, addressing the delinquents.
"Boss, what's with this guy?"
"No idea. I've never heard of such a student… But what a foolish expression."
"What do we do? He doesn't have a halo."
Wakamo, the fox-masked girl, studied Mash. A halo-less human boy was a rarity in Kivotos, and the delinquents hesitated to attack. But Wakamo felt an inexplicable unease—and curiosity.
"Um, sorry, but ignoring me kinda hurts… If you won't listen, I'll just talk. Didn't your grandpa or family ever teach you not to hurt people or break things?"
"…A lecture?" Click.
"Boss?!"
"Leave me be. You lot handle the others in the rear. I'll deal with this child."
Wakamo, irritated by Mash's words, raised her rifle.
"No way, that's too far! He's got no halo! If you shoot, he'll—"
"Who gave you permission to speak? Obey, unless you want to be riddled with holes."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Sensei, hide behind cover!"
"Shut up! Stay out of this, Justice Task Force scum! Don't get cocky just 'cause you're honor students!"
"Wait, I'm coming—ugh, get out of the way!"
"That's our line, you brat! Thanks to you and the Federal Student Council, we got locked up in the Correctional Bureau. We're pissed!"
(We can't act with all this gunfire… At this rate, Sensei will—Sensei!)
Yuuka and the others rushed to save Mash, but a hail of bullets from the delinquents blocked their path. The shots narrowly missed Mash, but the girls, forced to take cover, couldn't reach him. Confirming no interference, Wakamo addressed Mash.
"Unknown gentleman?"
"Yes?"
"I despise lectures."
Wakamo aimed her signature weapon, Crimson Calamity, at Mash's face. Through her fox mask, she aligned the rear and front sights with his forehead, her finger on the trigger. The delinquents and the four girls peeking from cover trembled in fear—but Wakamo pulled the trigger without hesitation.
BANG!
""""Sensei!!""""
Wakamo fired a 7.7mm round straight at Mash's face. With no defense, the bullet should have killed him—
SLAP!
"""""…Huh?""""
But it didn't. Mash caught the bullet with his bare hand.
"Ow… That does hurt. Gotta avoid getting hit. A protective glove would help."
"Huh? Wha—? What?"
"Suzumi-san? Am I tired? It looked like Sensei just… caught a bullet with his bare hand…"
"I saw it too… No way."
The crowd was thrown into chaos, the delinquents panicking. But Wakamo, the shooter, was the most bewildered.
(No… What? My attack… caught with his bare hand? I'm not bragging, but my marksmanship is unmatched in Kivotos. I'm the Calamity Fox! What?)
"Shooting something like this at people… That's not okay. If it wasn't me, that could've been really dangerous."
"Quiet… In Kivotos, this is everyday life. Bullets don't scare us."
"…I see. You don't know what it's like to have a bullet fly at you and nearly die, do you?"
Suddenly, Mash's aura shifted, tinged with anger. He clenched the bullet in his right hand.
Crunch…
"What's he doing?"
"That stance… It's like pitching, like in baseball."
"Idiot! At this distance, even a grenade wouldn't reach, let alone a pebble!"
"He's a moron! Whatever, let's turn him into swiss cheese!"
Mash assumed a pitcher's stance, raising his leg high and channeling strength into his right hand—specifically, his fingers.
With a circular motion, he swung his arm and—
"Hah!"
WHOOSH!
He hurled Wakamo's bullet back at her.
The bullet flew with pinpoint accuracy, grazing her ear and temple, slicing a strand of hair and shattering the right half of her fox mask. It caused no physical harm—an impossibly precise throw.
'The bullet!?'
'With his bare hand!?'
'He threw it!?'
"No way! That's not possible! With just finger strength… Physically, scientifically, a human body can't do that!"
"And it went that far…"
'No way… From strength training?'
Yuuka shouted, the other three speechless. Wakamo, trembling, stared at Mash.
"…That's… possible? Heh… Haha, you're fascinating… This is fun… Fun… Huh?"
"Boss? What's wrong?"
"What's… this? Why… can't my legs—?"
Her legs gave out, and Wakamo collapsed. Noticing her trembling hand on her rifle, she realized the cause—an emotion she'd rarely felt.
Fear.
"Get it out!"
"B-But—"
"Do it now!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
At Wakamo's scream, a bead of sweat on her cheek, the delinquents scrambled to reposition. Soon, the ground rumbled.
"!?"
"What's that?!"
"That's definitely black-market contraband!"
"Sensei, that's likely a Crusader Mk. I cruiser tank, officially used by our Justice Task Force. That cannon's a 95mm howitzer, illegally modified for anti-personnel and police vehicle combat, doubling its firepower. Even we can't handle that!"
"No way, Sensei! We need to—'It's fine. I'll handle it.'"
Mash stared at the tank.
Before him stood a black-market-modified Crusader Mk. I, its turret clumsily enlarged with an oversized cannon, resembling a metallic beast. The turret creaked under its weight, aiming at Mash. Clenching his fist, Mash's expression hardened into that of a warrior.
BOOM!
A deafening shot rang out, firing a high-explosive round capable of obliterating humans or armored police vehicles straight at Mash. For a halo-less human, even a first-rate mage, this would mean instant death—
"Hmph!" KICK!
WHOOSH!
BOOM!
Mash kicked the shell upward, sending it skyward to explode harmlessly before its fuse activated.
Instinctively sensing the reload time, Mash dodged the tank's front-mounted machine gun fire and closed in on its front—
"Hah!"
CRASH!
Leaping forward, he slammed his fist into the turret's front with his full weight, crushing it and the hull beneath with overwhelming force.
'…Huh?'
(The tank—)
(Destroyed with a punch?!)
(In one hit…?!)
(…What?)
Yuuka and the others froze, stunned by the surreal spectacle. Wakamo, meanwhile—
(…To think I'd feel this alongside fear…)
She felt a new emotion, her eerie smile growing sticky and unsettling.
"No way! That's impossible!"
"The tank… turned to scrap?!"
"What is that guy?! A monster!"
Mash ripped the hatch off the crumpled turret, tossing the unconscious delinquents onto the street before stepping down from the wreckage.
"All of you!" Point!
Raising his index finger high, then pointing it firmly at the ground—
"You're coming with me to apologize."
He declared resolutely.