Inside the war room of Keigunen Private Academy.
A woman in a formal suit bearing the unmistakable insignia of Epiphany Manufacture was explaining the shocking Event that had occurred that day just outside the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Days ago, in the Laboratory where the radical faction of Epiphany Manufacture was meant to be purged, this same woman had charged at Shingai Hitomi like something half-mad. Now, though... she seemed to have recovered her former grace and composure.
It was as if she had reclaimed her faith.
Unlike the thick, bottle-bottom glasses one might expect on a researcher, hers were delicate, retro, round-framed spectacles with thin gold wire. Behind the lenses, her deep green eyes were still full of a feverish gleam.
If someone had filmed her half-crazed state from half a month ago and set it beside her present mild, courteous demeanor, it would be hard to believe they were the same person.
And what's more—
She was now serving a faction she had, not long ago, considered an enemy.
Such was Shingai Hitomi's way of handling people.
No one knew exactly what vision Shingai Hitomi had painted for her that night, but it had transformed a woman who once cursed the Shingai family as stubborn old fossils ruining the Technology Division's progress into someone suddenly, utterly loyal to the Shingai family and to the conservative faction of Epiphany Manufacture.
She had even been entrusted with a critical mission.
Rescue Su Yuzu.
That's right — she was the Epiphany Manufacture researcher the Shingai family had sent to assist Keigunen Private Academy, the Investigation Bureau, and the Soga clan.
All to help Keigunen Private Academy bring Su Yuzu safely back.
Epiphany Manufacture — or rather, the Shingai family — had provided, free of charge, a massive supply of Technology Division equipment and technical personnel as support.
"According to our detection results..."
A topographical projection unfurled in the war room, hundreds of times more detailed than anything the Empire's Investigation Bureau or its assault forces could produce with their satellite equipment.
On the map, they could even make out the crushed miniature of the traditional house that Kujou Iruka had destroyed.
"This morning, the Abyss of the Eternal Smile engaged in battle here, against an unidentified Aberrant."
"We had never before captured any information regarding this Aberrant."
"The erosion domain she deployed differs somewhat from every erosion domain we've ever recorded from any Aberrant."
The woman displayed an aerial photograph of the grim, ashen erosion domain.
In the war room, Soga Yura and Sakura Mai both felt a jolt in their chests. Soga Yura's expression had already gone terrifyingly cold — sitting beside her, one could almost feel the temperature dropping by the second.
Soga Yura and Sakura Mai both understood. That ashen, strange erosion domain, one that seemed to strip all color from everything within it—
belonged to Yuzu.
The battle that had taken place outside the Tokyo metropolitan area this morning — it was the battle between Little Sister Yuzu and Kujou Iruka.
Just thinking of this made both Soga Yura's and Sakura Mai's hearts clench.
Su Yuzu was only Third Sequence. Even having chosen to fall into the Abyss to resist, how could she possibly stand against Kujou Iruka, who was Seventh Sequence!?
If it had been an ordinary Aberrant, that would be one thing.
But... what Little Sister Yuzu faced was a Throne, same as herself.
The Seventh Sequence Seat of Garan.
A top-tier Aberrant standing proudly at the very apex of this world's food chain.
And, in truth, a genuine rule-type ability user from the previous era.
How was Yuzu supposed to fight against her?
The woman explaining the morning's battle lightly adjusted her glasses.
In truth, the presence of that unidentified Aberrant hadn't gone entirely undetected by Epiphany Manufacture.
Twelve years ago,
Epiphany Manufacture had already once picked up a trace of that unidentified Aberrant's presence.
But in Epiphany Manufacture's archives, all information regarding that unidentified Aberrant had long since been marked in blazing red as [Top Secret].
Even now, having earned the trust and approval of the Shingai family's Eldest Young Lady, she still had no clearance to view that information.
If even she lacked such authority, then certainly no one else present in this room did either.
The woman could only say that they had never detected any information about that particular Aberrant.
"Though we don't know exactly why this unidentified Aberrant clashed with the Abyss of the Eternal Smile..."
"...the outcome of their battle, in the end—"
On the simulated topographical map, the ashen domain that represented Su Yuzu had been completely overwritten by a domain of deepest darkness, as if a rift had been torn straight through the world.
"That unidentified Aberrant has, in all likelihood, been defeated."
Soga Yura's heart leapt into her throat.
The girl's eyes had gone red-rimmed, as if she were about to tear them apart from within.
Soga Yura could barely restrain herself. She nearly shot to her feet.
Thankfully, Sakura Mai grabbed hold of her.
And thankfully too, thanks to the twin bond between them, Soga Yura could feel through the [Dominator's Aegis] she had left on Su Yuzu that Yuzu seemed to be more or less fine for the moment.
Otherwise, Soga Yura would probably have already spiraled completely into madness.
Even so—
Thinking of Su Yuzu's failed resistance against Kujou Iruka, of how she'd raised the banner of rebellion only to be ruthlessly crushed for it, of the possibility that Little Sister Yuzu might be violated by Kujou Iruka — Soga Yura's heart shuddered.
"However—"
The Investigation Bureau, Keigunen Private Academy, and Imperial Capital University — every organization with any real reconnaissance capability — had already reached the same conclusion above.
The simulation Epiphany Manufacture provided was simply more detailed.
Detailed enough that the Empire's assault forces could march directly off of it.
What Soga Yura and the others truly cared about... was what happened afterward.
What they cared about—
was that "however."
"Based on our analysis, before being defeated, the unidentified Aberrant must have dealt Kujou Iruka a severe blow."
The woman pressed the remote.
The simulated footage began to play the events that followed.
Kujou Iruka, her wing caught between Su Yuzu's teeth, unleashed her power as if losing all control.
"The abyssal power released by the Abyss of the Eternal Smile doesn't match our observations of her over the past twenty years."
"On the contrary... the way she released her power was identical to twenty years ago, the first time the Abyss of the Eternal Smile — or rather, Kujou Iruka — lost control."
"We can conclude, with certainty—"
"Today, the Abyss of the Eternal Smile has lost control."
"If we intend to launch an assault, if we intend to rescue Miss Yuzu, then now is the best opportunity we will have."
"We don't know how long the Abyss of the Eternal Smile will remain out of control."
"Nor do we know just how far her power has fallen."
"We don't even know the gap between the Seventh Sequence Aberrant and all of you—" Her gaze swept across the room, over the powerful figures who were rarely ever gathered in one place.
The Sword Princess of Frenzied Assault.
The true Master of the Sword of Erasure.
The newly promoted Sixth Sequence professor from Imperial Capital University.
And the rumored Seat of Evil.
"We don't know exactly how large that gap is."
The Seat of Evil, the only one in the room contentedly munching milk chocolate, tried to raise a hand.
As a former Seventh Sequence Aberrant herself, the Seat of Evil had more right than anyone to speak.
But Kirishika, assuming she just wanted more snacks, pushed her hand back down.
"All we know is..."
"Opportunity, once lost, never returns."
In the war room, seated at the very edge, Kujou Katora stared at that topographical map, her expression complicated.
That place — it was where, when she was small, her sister had once secretly taken her to soak in the hot springs.
That place had once not belonged to Aberrant-occupied territory.
Not until... Kujou Iruka fell into the Abyss.
She had taken away everything that belonged to Katora — even the fragments of her own memories, she was determined to seize as well.
And now... was she going to take Miss Yuzu away from her too?
"Kujou Iruka—"
A voice that wanted nothing more than to grind its teeth and tear the flesh from Kujou Iruka's bones.
Kujou Katora's crimson eyes looked as though a demon had crawled back up out of hell.
Beyond the hatred and fury she felt toward Kujou Iruka, Kujou Katora, cowering in the corner of the war room, didn't even dare look directly at Soga Yura.
She couldn't bear to look at Soga Yura's face, twisted with suppressed rage.
Even less could she bear to look at that face — so nearly identical to Miss Yuzu's.
In Kujou Katora's heart, the fact that Kujou Iruka had infiltrated the Tokyo metropolitan area and taken Miss Yuzu was entirely her own fault.
That wretch had already taken everything that belonged to her.
And now... she wanted to take her last remaining hope, too.
If something truly happened to Miss Yuzu — to Master Yuzu — Kujou Katora would probably descend into utter madness.
And then go find Kujou Iruka to settle things once and for all.
If she couldn't kill Kujou Iruka herself, then let Kujou Iruka kill her own little sister with her own hands.
Staring at that topographical map, all Kujou Katora could do was pray in her heart.
[God...]
[If you're truly watching over this place...]
[Then tell me... just how is Master Yuzu doing right now.]
Perhaps Kujou Katora's prayer actually worked.
"Waaah!!!" A girl's mournful cry suddenly rang out through the war room.
Kujou Katora had collapsed pitifully over her own seat.
Every gaze in the war room fell upon her.
Meanwhile, far from the Tokyo metropolitan area, in a small mountain cabin.
Su Yuzu's outstretched hand froze in midair.
She was staring at a dialogue box that had just popped up in front of her.
[The Combat Records level being used is not suitable.]
[Combat Records satisfaction level has been corrected.]
Su Yuzu watched the chibi figure of Kujou Katora collapsed over the table, her shoulders trembling exaggeratedly — trembling so hard her shoulder blades practically threatened to jut right out, looking utterly pitiful.
[Back in the day...]
[...before I even had 'Advanced Combat Records'... did this thing even exist?]
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