“Eh? Eeeeh?!”
“Rin… Rin-senpai?!”
“Are you serious?”
“That kind of… that kind of other world sounds really dangerous…”
“And you’d have to leave this place too…”
Mozunono Nono, who had been shrinking in the back like background scenery all this time, instantly widened her eyes when she heard that.
She looked as if she had just seen the sun rising from the west.
She was still gripping the baton Heimer had returned to her.
To Nono, Onigawara Rin was not just her senior, but also the person she admired in the way of the sword.
How could Rin-senpai, who always wore that mask and was strict yet more upright than anyone else, suddenly abandon everything in the academy?
“I’ve thought this through, Nono.”
Onigawara did not turn around, but her voice was unusually firm.
Her back was straight, as if she were using this moment to straighten the spine of her entire life.
“I’ve already… decided that I want to change.”
After saying this, Onigawara stepped forward and walked firmly to Heimer’s side, standing shoulder to shoulder with Inaba Tsukuyo.
At this point, three of the Five Swords had already stood beside Heimer.
The originally balanced situation instantly tilted.
Pressure.
A pressure almost tangible instantly poured down onto the remaining two.
Kikakujou Mary, and Hanasaka Warabi, who was still burying her head in the bear’s belly.
The air inside the gymnasium seemed to grow thick.
Every gaze, whether it was Heimer’s calm and abyss-like stare or the judging looks of the three who had already made their choice, became like needles stabbing into them.
“…”
Kikakujou Mary clutched the heavy dictionary in her arms.
Her fingernails dug deeply into the book’s cover.
Go?
Or stay?
This should have been a serious question concerning life and death.
Reason told her that staying in this academy, where she had a comfortable life and the status of a young lady, was the correct choice.
After all, who would willingly risk their life against monsters that sounded disgusting and dangerous just from the description?
However…
At this moment, in Mary’s mind, all rational analysis was drowned out by another, far stronger emotion.
Onigawara had chosen to go!
That Onigawara, whom she usually mocked for wearing that old-fashioned mask and acting like a rigid old fossil who followed every rule.
That person, who had always seemed indecisive in Mary’s eyes, had chosen the thorny path without hesitation this time.
And what about herself?
Was she going to shrink here like a quail?
Would she let herself be outdone like this?
If she backed down at a time like this, then it meant she had lost to Onigawara.
That feeling was ten thousand times more unbearable than death!
“Aaah! Honestly!”
Thinking this, Kikakujou Mary irritably messed up her golden hair, which she normally maintained carefully and never allowed to fall out of place.
Then…
“Bang!”
The thick dictionary she treasured so much and carried everywhere was slammed hard onto the floor.
“I’ll go, then!”
“Who’s afraid of who?!”
“I was sick of spending every day here anyway!”
“If even that coward Rin has the guts to go, then what’s there for this lady to fear?!”
After saying this, as if to prove her determination, she did not even pick up the dictionary.
She strode over to Heimer’s other side.
She even deliberately bumped Onigawara’s shoulder with her own and let out a cold snort.
And so…
Four had taken their places.
Now, everyone’s gaze finally landed on the figure still sitting on the ground, burying her entire head into the black bear’s thick belly.
Hanasaka Warabi.
This petite girl, who looked like an elementary school student, was currently acting like an ostrich, trying to use the black bear to shut out reality.
They could still hear her muffled mumbling from within the bear’s fur.
“Mmm, mmm…”
“Should I go? Do I really have to go?”
“It sounds so scary… I’ll die, right? I’ll definitely die, right?”
“But…”
Hanasaka Warabi could not help secretly raising her head from the thick bear fur, revealing a pair of timid eyes.
She carefully swept her gaze around the four people already standing beside Heimer.
Amou Kirukiru looked down from above.
Kikakujou Mary had her chin raised.
Even Tamaba Satori…
At this moment, she was smiling at Warabi with her head tilted, as if saying, “Oh my, so Warabi-san is going to be left behind after all~”
If everyone else had chosen not to go…
No, even if just one person stayed with her, she would absolutely be the first to raise both hands in favor of staying.
But now…
Everyone else was going.
Only she would be left behind?
“Hiss!”
“I’ll go too! I’ll go too, okay?!”
At this thought, Hanasaka Warabi suddenly jumped up from the ground and stomped her foot hard.
Then, as if to bolster her own courage, she looked at the black bear that was still sitting there with a dumbfounded expression.
“Since everyone else is going…”
“You don’t get to run either!”
After saying this, Hanasaka Warabi grabbed the thick chain around the black bear’s neck.
“You’re coming with me too!”
“If we die, we die together!”
“Rooar?!”
The moment those words came out, the black bear let out a mournful cry of disbelief.
It stared with its little black-bean eyes at its owner, who was usually unreliable but at least still somewhat kind to animals.
The bear’s face was filled with despair that practically said, “Are you insane?” and “Please spare this bear.”
It had only come to watch the show!
Why did it have to be dragged off as cannon fodder too?!
“Wuu, wuu, wuu!!”
However…
Even though the black bear dug all four paws into the ground, carving deep claw marks into the floor while letting out pitiful cries…
In the end, it was still helplessly and forcibly dragged in front of Heimer.
At this point…
The Five Supreme Swords, along with the Empress Amou Kirukiru…
Had all assembled.
…
However…
Looking at their expressions, which were as tragic as if they were about to march to an execution ground in the next second, Heimer could not help shaking his head helplessly.
“All right.”
“Put those expressions away.”
“Why are all of you making faces like that?”
“Although I said that world had no retreat…”
“I didn’t say I was going to throw you all over there to feed monsters immediately.”
“There’s no need to act as if this is a final farewell before death.”
“Besides, I’m not some unreasonable evil god.”
“Since you have already made your resolve and entrusted your lives to my hands…”
“Then.”
“I will naturally leave you some time.”
“Go handle the attachments you still have in this world.”
“Whether it’s saying goodbye to friends, packing your luggage, or eating something you want one last time…”
“If there’s anything you want to bring or anything you can’t let go of, solve it quickly.”
“Then follow me with a light heart.”
“I won’t wait past the deadline.”
The moment these words came out, the originally tragic atmosphere collapsed instantly.
The girls, whose nerves had been stretched tight, immediately relaxed like deflated balloons and let out long sighs of relief.
“Phew…”
Hanasaka Warabi directly sat down on the ground, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead without any concern for her image.
“You scared me to death… I thought we were going off to die right away…”
Kikakujou Mary also swayed slightly, then hurriedly picked up the dictionary from the floor and hugged it to her chest.
Even Onigawara Rin, who had truly made up her mind, let the resolve in her eyes soften slightly.
A complicated expression appeared there instead.
After all…
If they were truly leaving completely, who could really have no attachments at all?
…
And so…
Over the next few hours, Aichi Symbiosis Academy fell into commotion.
After all, the news spread quickly.
Or rather…
Those girls were already the focus of the academy.
The moment they made their decisions, the girls who had always followed behind them soon learned of everything.
Inside the girls’ dormitory…
A group of people waited with different expressions.
“Rin-senpai…”
Mozunono Nono stood at the very front, tightly gripping the white baton that Heimer had returned to her.
Seeing Onigawara Rin walk out of her room, Nono, who had always clung to Onigawara like a follower, became so anxious that her eyes turned red.
Tears swirled in her eyes.
“Are you really… really leaving?”
“From now on… who will teach me swordsmanship? Who will take me on patrol?”
“Without Rin-senpai… I can’t do it alone!”
Onigawara stopped and looked at this junior who had always depended on her.
She could not help sighing, then reached out and patted Nono on the head, her gaze complicated.
“Nono.”
“You’re not a child anymore.”
“You are also a swordswoman of Jikishinkage-ryu.”
“A swordswoman cannot hide behind someone else forever.”
“Since you have already become a candidate for the next Five Swords, you have to learn to stand on your own.”
“My sword has already found a new direction.”
“And you…”
“You must also find your own path.”
“I’ll leave the academy to you from now on.”
“This is a trial, but also an opportunity.”
On the other side…
Ubarazaki Choka was currently using her long whip to wrap herself into a cocoon, trying to stop Kikakujou Mary from packing her luggage.
“Mary-sama! You can’t abandon me!”
“Without your elegant guidance, my whip techniques… my whip techniques will become as limp and powerless as noodles!”
“Shut up, Choka!”
Kikakujou Mary impatiently shouted while stuffing all kinds of skincare products and strange Western sword maintenance oils into her suitcase.
“This lady is going to conquer another world! Not go on vacation!”
“Besides, if I don’t leave, you’ll only ever be a follower!”
“Stand up straight for me! Don’t embarrass this lady!”
As for Hanasaka Warabi…
She was currently surrounded by a group of people.
They were her subordinates—the Three Beast Warriors.
Toko Tsunemi held an iron fan in her hand, her face full of worry.
Tanukihara Kinue had a pencil tucked behind her ear, while the twin batons in her hands tapped together unconsciously.
Saruwatari Nico pushed up the goggles on her face and tightly gripped the adjustable wrench in her hand.
“Boss…”
“Are you really not taking us with you?”
“We’re the Three Beast Warriors! We swore to follow you forever, Boss!”
“Idiots!”
“That kind of place is extremely dangerous!”
Hanasaka Warabi corrected them, then pointed at the black bear behind her, Kyobo, who was currently holding a fluffy little cub and licking its fur.
“Besides, I’m not the only one going.”
“Kyobo is going too!”
“And Kyobo’s child, this newborn little guy, is coming with us as well!”
“If Kyobo and I leave, someone has to stay here and watch the house, right?”
“What if the boys in the academy rebel?”
“You all keep a proper eye on things for me!”
“When I…”
“When I become a great hero, I’ll definitely come back to see you.”