Volume 4 Chapter 4 - Cooperation Attack Part 4
Hikaru-senpai came to Kazuki’s room again. They passed the time playing games together.
“I―lost―a―ga―in―! Kazuki, for some reason, your response time is too dreadful. Even when I think of a new way of fighting, you completely adapt against it immediately. How do you do that?”
“That’s because the Hayashizaki-style is a school that puts importance in observing.”
“So it’s the Hayashizaki-style―, it’s the Hayashizaki-style after all so it can't be helped huh―. But except for games that we have to use our brains, I still have a better battle record against you in fighting games, isn't it―. I wonder if I’m too simple?”
Hikaru-senpai sprawled on the floor powerlessly. As usual she was wearing that stimulating attire that looked like body paint. Kazuki was still unable to take a straight look at her.
“Well if I can’t win, then I can’t win. Though there is some fun in the challenge itself anyway!”
She stretched her body while still sprawling on the floor; then she sat sideways and barrel rolled toward Kazuki (goron―goron―) and crashed into him. When she did this it seemed that she wasn't conscious that the other party to the skinship was a guy.
Kazuki leaned his body forward and turned off the game console’s power.
The reflection of the three dimensional game that was projected from the phantasmagoria vanished from the room.
“Senpai, it's quite late already, let’s go to sleep.”
“Mu, are you quitting while you're ahead!? Someone like that isn't manly at all!!”
Rather than games, there was a matter that he wanted to talk about.
“Senpai, I want to tell you something though…”
Toward Hikaru-senpai that was leaning her body forward (goro―) like a cat, Kazuki began to talk about the suspicious shadow that was associated with this battle election and about the assassin that came aiming for his life―Katsura Karin.
“…That’s really dangerous! To ask about the security cameras from me for that kind of reason!”
First, about when Kazuki’s heart got stopped and then after that, how he intentionally took a walk and got attacked once more, when Kazuki told the story, Hikaru-senpai sprung up and got angry with a serious face.
“I’m sorry, but I thought it would be more dangerous if we didn’t obtain more information. For a man, there are times when he has to do something even if it’s dangerous.”
“Mumumu! O―k, certainly it’s just like you said. There are too many unclear matters that feel ominous. If you are a man, then it’s not good unless you move decisively, that’s how it is!”
There were times where it was easy to make Hikaru-senpai understand as long as you told her [for a man~].
“Then if we put the story all together, Katsura Karin will use a dangerous Chinese kenpo skill in the fight the day after tomorrow against my team. By some chance there might also be that unknown Diva she is contracted with too.”
Shintoukei―a technique that inflicts damage directly to the flesh. When he imagined that kind of technique used against his important people, it felt like he was assaulted with a chill that made the hairs on his whole body stand up.
He was anxious. Far more than when his own heart got stopped.
“Not just Katsura Karin, the other person, that senpai named Hayashi Shizuka might also use the same technique.”
“It’s unnatural to think that she is unrelated in this isn’t it?”
“And then Mibu Akira and Asamiya Anna, these two learned Chinese kenpo from them too; and just like that they could fight like what we saw.”
“In short, it was like that. In the worst case, Mibu Akira’s team…all four of them are made of Magica Stigma that could fight in close-quarters with Chinese kenpo that possess the power of instant death. …Ahaha!”
“That’s not something to laugh at.”
Kazuki thought whether or not there was a method to remove those girls in accordance with the rules.
In truth, he was having this kind of discussion with Kazuha-senpai during the daytime.
{Kazuha-senpai, suppose that you're still hiding Futsunushi no Kami’s stigmata, how would you get away if the academy suddenly did a surprise stigmata inspection on a certain day?}
{Wh, what’s with that messed up question? Well…it’s simple you know. I will immediately cut my contract with Futsunushi no Kami. If I do that everything will be alright if I bare my body naked in the inspection.}
{So that kind of method exists?}
{That, it’s because the contract between me and Futsunushi no Kami is not done because he particularly seeks a compensation from me anyway. Though it will be hard to restore the contract afterwards because with no stigmata it becomes hard to Access the Diva.}
―Like that even if he informed the headmaster that [Katsura Karin was contracted with an unknown Diva] and a surprise inspection was performed, it would be useless.
Even in the assault before, she didn’t leave any proof behind. In the end, a fight with them was unavoidable.
“It will be fine, Kazuki. I don't think they are that formidable of opponents even with those things. Kaguya and your team are much scarier. Am I wrong?”
Hikaru-senpai floated an easy smile. Certainly…Kaguya-senpai’s team and Mibu Akira’s team, if someone asked him which would be easier to fight, he had a hunch that Kaguya-senpai would be the one that would still be more severe to face even after all that had been said and done.
“When I saw the tournament chart, I felt bad when I noticed that I'm the only one who would arrive at the finals with ease. But now that we arrived at this point, I get the role to stop the opponent that absolutely must be stopped from going further directly to the front. I’m really happy. This is a serious responsibility. A fitting event for a real man. I'll give the taste of defeat to those guys thoroughly. …That’s why, how about you just concentrate on defeating Kaguya?”
Hikaru-senpai timidly brought her finger near Kazuki’s forehead and poked lightly.
“If you lose to Kaguya here, you too will keep getting the cute little brother treatment for a long time after this, you know?”
“That’s…I don't really mind about that though. In reality, I'm the younger one, her junior in school.”
“Ahaha, because she said you are cute. However, it’s no good. As a boy you must properly show your reliable side. If you could do that, then surely you'd look aa―mazingly cool!”
He felt that Hikaru-senpai sometimes didn't seem like a prince, but a really fantastic big sister.
“…I’m going to do my best. Of course I don't intend to lose.”
“Fufufu, we are going to meet in the finals, it’s a promise!”
It was embarrassing, but for some reason, Kazuki averted his eyes from senpai’s straightforward gaze.
“Err―rr, that’s all for the talk, let’s get to sleep soon.”
“Right, right. We have to prepare for tomorrow’s practice!”
Turning off the electricity, both of them laid on the floor. Inside the darkness he felt the presence of Hikaru-senpai coming closer.
As though she was going to hug him from behind―.
“Ah, it’s no good…as I thought getting near while it’s dark is…still a little scary.”
Now that she mentioned it, the purpose of this get-together was to cure Hikaru-senpai’s phobia of men.
“Then senpai, how is it if I do this?”
Inside the darkness, Kazuki softly took hold of senpai’s hand. Hikaru-senpai twitched for a moment, but,
“Hmm? Even though we are touching, strangely I feel fine…” She was saying that with a relieved voice.
Hikaru-senpai trusted Kazuki with her reasoning, but she said that she was instinctively repulsed by the part of him that was a man. It is possible that she has a completely instinctive fear of the smell of a man.
However, the act of wrapping up their hands together was the exact opposite of such fear and repulsion.
The manly sensation of a boy’s palm, however he only did a [normal hand holding] that was the farthest thing from a dangerous action and did nothing else. ‘I wonder if it would be fine if it’s just this’, that was what Kazuki thought.
“Bu, but this…it makes my heart throb fast, I can't calm downnn…”
“That throb, does it feel bad?”
“It, it’s not bad at all! Things like this also have the feel of a man’s friendship right!?”
If male friends did something like this together they would feel revolted though, Kazuki thought inside his heart.
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