"Some creepy pedo hag wants my body… Gross!" Mash muttered, his voice dripping with mock horror.
"Who're you calling a pedo hag?!" Beatrice's voice roared, crackling with indignation.
A stifled chuckle escaped Mika's lips. "…Heh!"
"…Pfft!" Saori tried to hold it in.
"H-Hag… Pffft!" Misaki snorted, barely containing herself.
"Bwahaha! Sensei… Nice one!" Hiyori doubled over, clutching her stomach.
Mash's jab hit like a perfectly aimed arrow, sending the Arius Squad and Mika into hysterics. Beatrice's face, already flushed, burned an even deeper crimson, her fury practically radiating off her.
"How dare you speak to me like that!" she spat, her voice trembling with rage.
"Look, it's just facts," Mash shot back, unfazed. "You're an old lady gunning for a younger guy's body. That's textbook creep behavior."
"I only want your body! Not you!" Beatrice screeched.
"Whoa, admitting you're after a kid's body at your age? Total pervert. C'mere, Mash-kun!" Mika teased, pulling him close.
"Ugh!" Mash clung to Mika, playing along with exaggerated disgust.
(So cute! My bro's the cutest! Mika thought, barely containing her glee.)
Beatrice's reputation was in tatters. On paper, her obsession with Mash's body did sound like something a villainous creep would say. Her face twisted with rage, wrinkles deepening, any trace of adult dignity vanishing. But then, she forced herself to calm, her expression shifting back to the cold, malicious sneer she'd worn when tormenting Arius's students in the past. Her gaze bore down on Mash with contempt.
"Shale's Sensei, Mash Burnedead," she hissed. "To think Arius would forgive your countless transgressions and even call you an ally… What a fool you are."
"No biggie," Mash shrugged.
"That wasn't a compliment!" Beatrice snapped, turning to Saori. "This is your final warning. Hand over Mash Burnedead now, and I'll let you all walk away."
"We don't take orders from you anymore," Saori replied, her voice icy. "Not you, or your kind."
"Yeah, you're not wanted here, hag!" Mika chimed in, winking with a playful jab.
"You little brat! Watch your mouth!" Beatrice growled, veins bulging.
"Pfft, who cares about manners when you're the enemy?" Mika stuck out her tongue.
Beatrice, barely containing her fury, moved to Plan B. She unleashed the same forbidden magic she'd used on Saori and Misaki—a spell that amplified guilt and negative emotions, driving its victims to madness. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she targeted Mash.
"Sensei," she sneered, "you act like some righteous hero, but let's be real. Saving Arius now, after all this time—what's the point? Think about it."
"No clue what you're on about," Mash said, scratching his head.
"Since you arrived in Kivotos, how much time have you wasted? How long did Arius suffer while you dawdled? Oh, the poor things…"
"You're the one who made them suffer," Mash pointed out. "But yeah, I was late. That's true."
"Exactly!" Beatrice pounced. "If you understand—"
"But I wasn't just goofing off," Mash interrupted. "There were other students who needed help too. Lots of 'em. So now, I'm taking it all back—from you."
"Hmph," Beatrice scoffed.
Her forbidden magic, meant to drown Mash in guilt over his tardiness, fizzled. His eyes gleamed with unshakable resolve, as if her tricks were nothing more than a cheap parlor game. Beatrice stared, dumbfounded by his sheer stubbornness.
"Abandoned by gods and men alike, yet you shine with such… foolish optimism," she muttered.
"Abandoned? Hate to break it to ya, but I'm pretty loved around here," Mash said, grinning. "Idiot."
"Yeah! We love Mash-kun!" Mika shouted, pumping her fist.
"I don't get it," Beatrice said, her voice tight. "The world shunned you, yet you're still such a bleeding heart. No… you're just a naive, airheaded kid."
"My grandpa taught me something," Mash said, his tone steady. "The stronger you are, the kinder you gotta be to others."
Mash had indeed been shunned, hated, persecuted. But so what? He didn't care. As long as his grandfather loved him, that was enough.
"You think adults should exploit kids to make them 'better,' right?" Mash continued. "Who decided that?"
"Adults did," Beatrice snapped. "Every adult in this world."
"Oh yeah? Then why didn't my grandpa treat me like a tool? My muscles would've been handy, but he never ordered me around. Instead, he gave me more than I could ever repay."
Beatrice flinched, speechless.
"And you know what?" Mash went on. "That's how I turned out. Funny how that works, huh?"
"You… insolent child!" Beatrice snarled.
"Kid or not, standing up to what's wrong is just common sense."
"Enough!" Beatrice roared, raising her arm to signal the execution. The Justina Apostles surrounding them readied their weapons.
"No matter how strong you two are," Beatrice taunted, gesturing at Mash and Mika, "can you protect the dead weight of Arius Squad against this many?"
"Dead weight? I'm right here, you know!" Mika huffed.
"Saori-san, Misaki-chan, Hiyori-chan, stick close to me and Mika," Mash said calmly.
"But—!" Saori protested.
"No buts!" Mash insisted.
"Pathetic," Beatrice sneered. "Abandoned by all, destined to vanish like in your old world. But rejoice—your heart and body will serve a purpose. Innocent Zero and I will make good use of them. Even if the gods forsake you, your body holds immense value. With it, I'll ascend to become the ultimate, flawless being. So—"
She pointed at Mash, her voice dripping with venom. "Die here, alone, with your foolish companions, Mash Burnedead!"
The Justina Apostles, who'd given the students so much trouble, surrounded them in regiment strength. Mash had to protect everyone—a seemingly hopeless situation. But…
"Is that so?" Mash said, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"What?" Beatrice snapped.
"I'm not the same guy I was before. I'm not alone."
As Mash spoke, the roar of an engine echoed through the night. The Arius Squad perked up, recognizing the sound, and turned toward it. A six-wheeled truck, reminiscent of the four-wheeler the Cream Puff Club used during the Eden Treaty, barreled into view. It plowed through the Apostles, drifting wildly as Mobuko and Mobumi leaned out, unloading a hail of bullets from a .50 caliber Browning M2 mounted on the cabin. Mobue spun the truck in a sharp pivot, aligning the rear hatch with Mash's group.
"Everyone!" a voice called.
Familiar faces poured out of the truck. Some lobbed flashbangs and smoke grenades, disorienting the Apostles, while others rushed to extract Mash and the squad.
"Who… who are you people?!" Beatrice shrieked.
"Who are we?" one of them replied, grinning. "Just a bunch of students here to save someone important from a rotten adult."
"S-Saori!" a voice cried out.
"Azusa?! Why are you here?!" Saori stammered.
"The top dogs from Gehenna, Trinity's living weapon, the Relief Knights' leader, the Sisterhood's head…" Misaki muttered, eyes wide. "And… the pink and blue Masked Swimsuit girls, the Cream Puff Couple Club, some chick in a tracksuit, two maids, a tiny kid… and who's that hard-boiled-looking guy?! There's too many! Who are these people?!"
"Oh, and those two with fox masks!" Mika added, starry-eyed. "So many cool folks!"
Hina Sorasaki, head of Gehenna's Disciplinary Committee. Makoto Hanuma, leader of Pandemonium Society. Azusa Shirasu, from the Supplementary Lessons Department. Tsurugi Kenzaki, of the Justice Task Force. Mine Aomori, head of the Relief Knights. Sakurako Utazumi, of the Sisterhood. Hoshino Takanotsume and Shiroko Sunaookami, from Abydos's Countermeasures Committee. Sumire Otohana, from the Training Club. Neru Mikamo and Asuna Ichinose, from Cleaning & Clearing. Alice Tendou, from the Game Development Club. Aru Rikuhachima, from Problem Solver 68. Wakamo Kosaka and Izuna Kuda, resident members of Shale's Federal Investigation Club. And the After-School Cream Puff Club, aka the Cream Puff Couple Club.
A grand total of 24 all-star students had arrived to back Mash up.
"All hands assembled, Sensei," Makoto coughed, grinning despite her roughed-up state. "I called in the cavalry, as requested."
"Thanks, Makoto-san," Mash said. "Uh, what's with your face?"
"Urk—don't worry about it!" Makoto wheezed, waving him off. *1
"Self-inflicted," Hina muttered, rolling her eyes.
Mash's email to Makoto had been simple: I'm going to save Arius. I need help. Makoto had rallied every combat-ready student she could from schools that knew Mash. Hina, roused from sleep by a firecracker courtesy of Makoto's less-than-gentle methods, had come not as a disciplinary head but as a student determined to help Mash. She'd given Makoto an earful for the wake-up call, naturally.
"Hoshino-senpai called, so I came," Shiroko said, her voice calm but firm, her hair tied back in a ponytail, body clad in armor and weapons.
"I didn't call you," Hoshino corrected, decked out in similar gear. "But… we're here to help, Sensei."
"Kyhaha! To think I'd face them again," Neru sneered, eyeing the Apostles.
"Cloning the dead… Unforgivable!" Sakurako growled.
"Let's end this, with Trinity's own hands," Mine declared.
Tsurugi, Sakurako, and Mine stood united, determined to lay their predecessors' spirits to rest, atone for Arius's persecution, and save their benefactor, Mash.
"Whoa! Mass-produced monsters!" Alice squealed, gamer brain in overdrive.
"They're not even human," Neru muttered, glaring. "Disgusting."
"Not enough muscle," Sumire noted, flexing.
"Master! Asuna's here to save the day!" Asuna cheered, waving wildly.
"There's so many of those creeps from before…" Mobuko whispered, trembling.
"It's scary… but, but—!" Mobumi stammered.
"We gotta do this!" Mobue shouted.
"For our friends!"
"For Sensei!"
"To repay our debt!"
"To eat cream puffs together again!"
"The Cream Puff Club's on the move!" they roared in unison, joined by Koyuki Kurosaki.
"As Problem Solver 68's president—and Sensei's friend—I'm here to help!" Aru declared. "Though I didn't tell my team…"
"Your eternal ninja, Izuna Kuda, has arrived, my lord!" Izuna announced with a flourish.
"Wakamo Kosaka," Saori said, stunned. "Why are you here? I thought you—"
"Don't misunderstand, Saori," Wakamo interrupted, her voice sharp. "I'm here for Sensei, my beloved. I don't care what happens to you. But… if you die, Sensei will suffer again. And I've had enough of seeing him hurt."
"Wakamo-chan!" Mika chirped. "Did my uncle's pep talk work?"
"…Without his words, I wouldn't be here," Wakamo admitted. "You know why."
"Sorry, Wakamo-chan," Mika said softly. "I got a bit harsh there."
"N-No! You don't need to apologize!" Wakamo flustered.
Hoshino's words had swayed her: "If you don't want to make Sensei sad, you should help those girls. Falling out with someone hurts forever—especially if it's with Sensei." Wakamo, determined to spare Mash pain, had set aside her pride to fight for him.
"I'll make it up to you later," Saori said. "For now, lend us your strength."
"I'm looking forward to it," Wakamo replied.
"Azusa," Saori said, turning to her. "Why are you here?"
"Do I need a reason to save my family?" Azusa shot back.
"…No," Saori admitted, softening. "You don't."
"I'm here to save my family and settle the score with her," Azusa said, glaring at Beatrice. "This ends now."
"You ungrateful brat!" Beatrice snarled. "Have you forgotten who raised you?"
"I wasn't raised by you!" Azusa roared. "Don't twist it!"
Azusa had come to save her family, repay Mash, and end Beatrice's tyranny. Beatrice, bewildered, couldn't comprehend the scene before her.
"Students from different schools, ideologies, and creeds—enemies who should be at each other's throats—united? Impossible!" she cried. "Arius is nothing to you! Strangers, adversaries—why help them?!"
"Shut it, eyeball hag!" Mobue bellowed, leaning out of the truck. "Your head's freaky as hell!"
"You called me a hag again?!" Beatrice shrieked.
"Different schools? Who cares!" Mobue continued, her voice shaking but fierce. "Different beliefs? So what! We're all students of Kivotos. That's all that matters!"
Fear gripped her, but Mobue couldn't hold back. She poured her heart out, her voice ringing across the battlefield.
"Duty to help strangers? We've got that in spades! Sensei welcomed us—delinquents without a school—gave us jobs, shared our passions, and loved us without asking for anything in return. That's Mash Burnedead, the Sensei we adore!"
"What value does a man like that have?!" Beatrice demanded.
"More than anything or anyone," Mobue shot back. "Unlike you."
"Abydos, Gehenna, Trinity… heck, Kivotos itself owes Sensei everything," Hoshino added.
"Alice and her friends overcame trials because of Sensei!" Alice chirped. "A hero never abandons their party!"
"Mash is Kivotos's treasure," Hina said coldly. "Insult him, and you'll learn what that means."
"…Pretty much," Saori agreed.
Mash stepped forward, snapping his fingers and pointing at Beatrice. Her frustrated expression only fueled his resolve.
"This is where the real fight starts," he declared. "The time you stole, the memories, the families, the friends, the lives—I'm taking it all back."
"You think numbers make you invincible?" Beatrice scoffed. "Aren't you ashamed?"
"Don't worry," Mash said, smirking. "I'll take you down myself."
"You little—!" Beatrice growled.
"Beatrice," Mash said, his voice low, his eyes blazing with an intensity that silenced her. "You hurt my students. Made them cry. Made them suffer. You ready for what's coming?"
"Bring it on," Beatrice spat, her projection flickering out. "I'll crush you, your happiness, your hope, your friends—everything. This will be your grave, Mash Burnedead, and your foolish children!"
As the Justina Apostles readied for battle, the students gripped their weapons, tension crackling in the air.
"Alice will clear the way!" Alice shouted, charging her attack. "Commencing!"
"We'll widen Alice-chan's path," Hoshino said. "Leave the stragglers to us, Shiroko-chan."
"Obviously," Shiroko replied.
"Time to fight up front for once," Makoto grinned. "Don't lag behind, Hina."
"Who're you talking to?" Hina retorted. "Don't get surrounded like an idiot."
"Squad, Mika-san, stick with Sensei and push forward!" Mine called.
"Sensei—your orders!" Saori said.
"Alright," Mash said, raising his fist, strong and unyielding. "Everyone—we're winning this!"
With that, the battle began.
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