Gehenna Academy
A massive Kivotos academy, Gehenna thrives on freedom and chaos. Rowdy students and daily gunfights make it a lawless mess, barely functioning as a school. The Gehenna Disciplinary Committee, led by Sorasaki Hina, keeps a thin veneer of order. The student council, Pandemonium Society, is practically invisible—its president a ghost.
Hina, the Disciplinary Committee head, arranged a meeting with Schale's advisor, Mash Burnedead, to forge a partnership.
"All set," Mash said, eyeing a mountain of cream puffs.
"Sensei?" Ayane's voice crackled through the comms. "You're meeting Gehenna's Disciplinary head, right?"
"Yup."
"Then why all the cream puffs?!"
"Grandpa said bring gifts for important people."
"But cream puffs? That's excessive!"
"Got variety so she won't get bored."
"That's not the issue!"
Mash, calm as ever, prepared heaps of cream puffs despite the serious meeting. But he had a plan, clutching a pamphlet: Kivotos Relaxation Guide: Stress Slasher!
His real goal wasn't the meeting—it was giving Hina a break.
"No one should handle everything alone," Mash muttered, gripping the pamphlet.
Gehenna Disciplinary Committee
Led by Hina Sorasaki, Iori Ginumaki, Chinatsu Hinomiya, and Ako Amau, the committee single-handedly maintains order in Gehenna's chaos. Feared more than the Pandemonium Society, they're the academy's backbone, working non-stop in a place where every day feels like after-school anarchy.
In a room overlooking Gehenna's gate, Hina sighed. "(Running this committee… I need a break.)"
"Mash Burnedead, Schale's advisor… I don't fully trust him, but we need this relationship," she mused. His absurd strength couldn't be ignored, though his gentle demeanor gave her hope. "Maybe he'll lighten my workload."
Glancing out the window, she froze.
HUM-HUM-HUM-HUM-HUM!
Mash was at the gate, pumping a massive barbell up and down.
"(Why… why is he lifting weights?! Where'd that thing come from?!)"
Mash set the barbell down, cracking the ground with a rumble.
"(How heavy is that?!)" Hina thought, calming herself. "(I'm tired, hallucinating. He's here for serious talks, not…)" She peeked again.
Mash sat in an air-chair, reading a weightlifting book, munching cream puffs.
"(Air-chair and a muscle mag?! He's eating cream puffs from a stuffed bag!)"
Hina's mental screams echoed as she pounded the window. "(A textbook or Gehenna files would've been better!)"
"Chops can cut iron with training—wanna try?" Mash muttered.
"(He's talking to himself, eating only cream puffs, with a bag bursting!)"
Exhausted from internal rants, Hina dragged herself to meet him.
"Is this… really Schale's teacher?"
Mash, air-chairing with cream puffs, spotted Hina.
"Morning," Hina said. "Can you… put the cream puffs down?"
"Sure." Gulp.
"(He swallowed that whole?!)" Hina gaped. "Thanks for Abydos. Made it easy to crush them."
"Had to prevent collateral damage. Come inside."
"Got it." Step.
"That bag… all cream puffs?" Hina asked.
"Yup. Custard, strawberry, chocolate."
"Just cream puffs? Anything else?"
"That barbell."
"Got it. Enough." Hina's headache grew. Could they even talk properly?
In the room, Mash set his bag down and sat as directed.
"Let's get to it," Hina said. "I want Schale and the Disciplinary Committee to cooperate. Mutual aid—your requests, I'm there; mine, you're here."
"Sounds good. Let's be friends," Mash replied instantly.
"Too fast! You sure? No hesitation?"
"Yup. You're in trouble, I'll rush over. I'm stuck, I'll call you. Win-win."
"No suspicions?"
"You scheming something?"
"No!"
"Then we're good. Phew, sorted." Mash wiped his brow, deadpan.
Hina was stunned. Trust established in seconds, despite barely talking.
"(Why so easy?)"
"Honestly, I came to be friends, not for heavy talks," Mash said.
"With me, the Disciplinary head?"
"No, with Hina Sorasaki, the person."
"Just… Hina?"
"Not the strongest or committee head. A student, a friend. Forget titles."
"Titles…"
"Talk's done. Wanna go out?"
"I've got work…"
Hina eyed a desk piled with papers and stamps. Sleepless from last night's grind, she hadn't finished.
"Those papers?" Mash asked.
"Yeah, just stamps and signatures left."
"Leave it to me."
Mash sat at the desk, stretched, and donned fake glasses.
"Full Intelligence Magic: Super Work Mode!"
His hands blurred.
SHWABABABABA!
"What?!" Hina gasped.
Explanation: Full Intelligence Magic, Mash's original technique, maxes out his rarely-used brain for work. It boosts decision-making and action to extreme levels, making him temporarily "smart" (by his standards).
Left hand stamped, right hand grabbed papers, signing swiftly. He sorted stamp-only from signature-needed instantly.
"(What's Full Intelligence Magic? So fast! The pile's gone! He's sorting with insane reflexes!)" Hina marveled. "(But terrifying! His eyes are white!)"
The papers vanished. Mash exhaled.
"(All done? Really?)" Hina thought, moving to thank him.
"Thanks, Sen—"
BOOM!
"Eek!" Hina yelped.
Mash's head smoked, and he collapsed.
"Abubububu!"
"Why'd you explode?!"
"Full Intelligence… overclocks my brain… this happens after…" Mash wheezed.
Explanation: The forced brain overload always causes this crash.
"Sorry, Hina… need… custard cream puff… protein…"
"Got it!" Hina grabbed a cream puff and protein shake, feeding him like a baby.
Gulp! Mash sprang up. "Mash Burnedead, revived!" Muscle pose.
"…Pfft! Haha! Revived? That pose!" Hina laughed.
"Side triceps."
"Haha! Stop!" Hina clutched her stomach, laughing freely for the first time in ages, her childlike smile shining.
"Good, you laughed. Let's go," Mash said.
"Pfft… okay," Hina giggled.
"Work's done. Forget everything and relax."
"Sure. Today, with you… sounds good. Take me away, Sensei."
"You'll be mega relaxed. Brace yourself."
Hina left with Mash, not as Gehenna's Disciplinary head, but as Hina Sorasaki, a Kivotos student.
First stop: a cat café.
"Petting animals relaxes you," Mash said. "Cat café."
"Cat café…" Hina echoed.
"Specialty: cat bath."
"Cat… bath?"
A haven for cat lovers, Hina knew of it online but never visited. Heart pounding, she stepped inside.
"Cute, right?" Mash asked.
"Yeah… lots of cute ones," Hina said.
Meow! Meow-meow! MEOW!
"Too many!" Hina exclaimed.
"Didn't expect this many," Mash admitted. "Book said 'cat kingdom,' but… maybe a hundred?"
"Welcome! No seats, so sit anywhere!" the staff called.
"So casual!" Hina said.
"Woo!" Mash cheered.
"He's into it…" Hina muttered.
Cats swarmed as they sat. Hina tensed, but Mash was unfazed.
"Relaxing?" he asked.
"Too many to relax!" Hina said.
"Hey, not on my head—kya!" A cat perched on her.
"Here they come!" Mash laughed as cats piled on them.
Seconds later, Hina was buried in cats, warm like a bath. "This… so cozy…"
"Meow~♪"
"So this is a cat bath," Hina said, melting.
Her face softened, voice dreamy. Noticing, she blushed, ready to protest.
"Looking relaxed," Mash said.
HISS! MEOW!
"Good," Mash added, covered in scratches.
"How'd you get that hated?!" Hina asked.
"Just petted them, and they flipped," Mash said.
"They're fine with me but hate you?" Hina petted a cat. "Poor things scared?"
"Am I that bad?"
HISS!
"Guess so… ouch," Mash sulked.
Hina, adored by the cats, petted them happily. Recalling committee members' advice, she lifted a cat.
"Cat sniffing… just a bit," she said, inhaling. The scent, said to relax cat lovers, worked perfectly.
"Oh… can't stop…" Hina murmured, wings fluttering.
"Plenty of time. Keep going," Mash said, scratched again for trying.
Hina sniffed away; Mash stayed cat-repellent.
"Glad you relaxed," Mash said later.
"You're unscathed despite that attack," Hina noted. "Clothes are furry, but I'm calm."
"Next: food," Mash said.
"Food for relaxation?"
"Got a craving?"
"Maybe… one thing."
"Let's go. Eating what you love is relaxing."
Hina's choice: a trendy dessert among Kivotos' youth.
"Crepe…" Hina stared at a massive strawberry-cream crepe.
"Big one," Mash said.
Hina hesitated. "Nervous to eat it…"
"Just chomp from the top," Mash demonstrated.
"Like… nom," Hina bit in. Strawberry juice and sweet cream flooded her mouth, divine.
"Mmm!" Hina's eyes sparkled, devouring it.
Mash grinned, eating a cream puff. "Want chocolate or custard too?"
"Gimme!" Hina said sharply.
"Cool."
Hina savored the crepe; Mash sneakily snapped photos.
They continued the relaxation tour—food, games, fun—returning to Gehenna by evening.
"Had a blast," Hina said.
"Forgot work?" Mash asked.
"Completely. Thanks, Sensei."
"No prob."
"I ate everything I wanted, did everything I dreamed. First time in forever. Those papers… seemed light compared to usual."
Normally, Hina's workload was double, thanks to Pandemonium Society's dumping. Today's lighter load puzzled her.
"Those papers… Pandemonic Monster?" Mash asked.
"Pandemonium Society," Hina corrected. "Yeah, their work."
"Good thing I talked to them."
"Talk?"
"Said, 'I'm taking Hina out tomorrow, so cut her work.'"
"The chairwoman agreed?"
"Surprisingly easy. I said, 'Or I'll send 1,000 cream puffs.'"
"What kinda threat?!"
Flashback: "Try it, Mash! Makoto-sama won't bow to cream puffs!" Makoto barked.
"So I sent 10,000," Mash said.
"Ten times?!" Hina gasped. "This morning's bag?"
"Half for us, half for her."
"Wow…"
"Got mad at 'mere cream puffs.' Told her, 'If you wanna beat Hina, work as hard as her.' She hung up."
"You're ruthless," Hina said.
"Scolding bad behavior's my job."
Walking side by side, Hina asked, "Sensei, what's strength to you?"
"Power?"
"No, your idea of strength."
"Protecting friends and family. You?"
"Same—using it for Gehenna. But… I'm a bit jealous of you."
"Me?"
Hina stared at her hands. "If I were stronger, Gehenna's order would improve. I'd work less, have more days like today. Maybe even better ties with Trinity."
"You're plenty strong," Mash said.
"But if I weren't weak…"
Mash stepped in front, holding her hands. "You're not weak. These small arms fight endlessly for Gehenna, for friends. That's strength."
"But…"
"Gehenna's chaos isn't your fault—it's the school's vibe. You keep it together. Without you, it'd be apocalyptic."
Hina's strength kept Gehenna tame; most feared her.
"Don't put yourself down. Brag! Say, 'I'm strong!'"
"Too much…" Hina mumbled.
"Even the strongest have limits. Need to vent? Call me. I'll come running."
Mash's sharp gaze met hers. Hina's eyes widened. I can rely on him. I can be weak.
"Okay… I can rely on you," she whispered.
"Yup."
"Thanks, Sensei… I—"
BOOM!
An explosion interrupted.
"Tank, rocket launcher, shielded robot… invaders?" Mash observed.
"Gehenna's daily chaos, but this is different," Hina said.
A helmeted army—Gehenna's Helmet Gang—charged, helmets in various colors.
"Disciplinary head! You're done!" one shouted.
"You've screwed us long enough!" another yelled.
"Ike-Ike, Tsuyo-Tsuyo, Gangan Helmet Gangs! All your enemies!"
"And that weirdo with you!"
Hina gripped Finale: Destroyer, annoyed. "Ruining my mood… Sorry, Sensei, step back."
"Nah, I'm fighting. They messed with your fun, and with all the Helmet Gangs here, it's perfect."
"Even you can't handle this many."
"I'm not alone. You're here."
"!"
"Let's fight together. Unbeatable duo."
"Right… I can rely on you. Let's go, Sensei."
"Got it."
"Stop yapping! Fire!" the gang roared.
A tank missile launched. Mash deflected it with a backfist.
"Huh?" the gang gasped.
"That's possible?" Hina muttered.
Mash signaled her with a glance.
"What's that guy?!" a gang member cried.
"The mushroom-head… Schale's teacher?!" another realized.
"The tank-smasher?!"
"Why's he with her?!"
"We've got Goliath! Its 10cm shield blocks everything!" a gang leader boasted.
"Go, Goliath!" they cheered.
Goliath advanced, shield in one arm, Gatling gun in the other. Mash readied himself.
"Triceps Magic: Ballista Knuckle!"
"Magic? Die!" Goliath fired.
Mash dodged, closing in, and unleashed a vertical jolt blow.
CRASH!
The shield shattered. Goliath froze. Hina fired Destroyer.
BRATATAT!
Cracks spread across Goliath.
Hina's wings flapped. She hovered above. "Goodbye."
BOOM! Goliath exploded.
"Nice," Mash said.
"Next," Hina replied.
"OK."
"Fire!" the gang screamed, shooting wildly.
Hina and Mash split, dodging and drawing fire.
"Fist punishment for all," Mash declared, weaving through bullets, landing head-knocks. Helmets crumpled, gang members dropped.
"Don't make trouble," Hina said, untouchable. Close-range? Dodged and countered. Her face was sharper than ever.
A rocket launcher fired at Hina.
BRATAT! She shot it mid-air.
"She shot a rocket?!" a gang member gasped.
Mash joined her, the gang surrounding them.
"Sensei, got my back?" Hina asked.
"Always," Mash said.
"You're trapped!" Hina smirked, wings wide, firing in a circle.
Mash guarded her back, punching bullets away. He could block Kivotos bullets but preferred dodging.
"(Entrusting my back… so reassuring. He's stronger than me,)" Hina thought. "(Fighting together… this fun? I'm… loving this.)"
The gang, minus the tank, was decimated.
"Damn, our attacks don't work… retreat—huh?" a leader stammered.
Mash held a ball crafted from scattered bullets.
"Pitcher, Mash Burnedead."
"Winding up!" Hina grinned.
THROW! The ball obliterated the tank.
"No more trouble," Mash said.
"Next time, you'll face us both," Hina warned.
They high-fived.
The committee handled cleanup. At the gate, Mash and Hina parted.
"Thanks, Sensei. Best day ever," Hina said.
"I'll come back anytime."
Hina fidgeted. "Sensei… I wanna be… friends."
"Really? Yes! Super yes!" Mash beamed.
"Too eager!" Hina laughed.
"Here, a friend token." Mash handed her a Shu-kun plush.
"Cream puff?" Hina asked.
"Shu-kun from the Cream Puff Couple. Handmade."
"Couple aside… thanks."
"If you're lonely, think of me. Too weird?"
"Not at all. See you, Sensei."
"See ya, Hina-chan."
Hina blushed, clutching the plush as Mash sprinted off. She smiled softly.
Later, committee members groveled. "Sorry, Hina! He was scary!"
"We ditched the meeting!"
"It's fine… I had fun," Hina said, smiling.
"Fun?!" they gasped.
"Gonna sleep. See you tomorrow." Hina, clutching Shu-kun, left with a radiant smile.
"(Hina's beaming! What happened?!)"
Meanwhile, Makoto, buried in 10,000 cream puffs, groaned. "Iroha, how many left?"
"About 5,000," Iroha gagged.
"Damn you, Mash! Not 1,000—10 times that!" Makoto raged.
"You're getting used to cream puffs…" Satsuki muttered, hypnotizing herself.
"Satsuki's lost it!" a member cried.
"Let Ibuki help?" another suggested.
"No torturing Ibuki!" Makoto roared. "Pandemonium Society, show our might!"
"YEAH!"
"(Your fault, Makoto,)" Iroha thought.
They ate through the cream puffs. More arrived later. Makoto developed a cream puff phobia.