Volume 4 Chapter 6 - Trial of the Moon Part 2
“Kazukii―! Kazuki Kazuki Kazukii―!! Kazu-nii! Nyaa―!”
While they were running, they immediately heard Mio’s loud voice reverberating.
“Amasaki-san, she is shouting so recklessly but…”
Kazuha-senpai made a face that was wondering what in the world Mio was shouting, but…there was no way Mio was just shouting around without thinking. Most likely, she was yelling loudly to echo her voice against the walls of mirror. Then she read the wave motion of the sound with Extra Sense and grasped the structure of the surrounding labyrinth like a sonar.
At the same time, it looked like she also had the intention to notify her comrades about her current position. It was also like this when she healed his heart which was stopped, but Mio was surprisingly clever when in a fight.
However, he could feel what kind of route Mio was taking with Solomon’s Ring, but her steps were uncertain. Even Mio, who was said to be a prodigy in magic, she couldn’t possibly dash ferociously like Kazuki while using such advanced Extra Sense.
[Lunatic Labyrinth] was a magic that originally couldn’t be smashed if they didn’t go until that far.
And then―Mio was probably being chased by the enemy.
Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai ran with all their strength for a while, they found Mio’s figure at the end of the road turn.
“Kazu-nii!” Mio noticed Kazuki with a bright voice.
Kohaku was also in that place with Mio. It seem Mio was able to link up with her while running around.
The place where the two of them were located was not a narrow path, the space became a slightly open spot like a plaza.
From the opposite side…The four people of the Ryuutaki sisters and the Taksugi brothers were coming in pursuit. From the katanas of the Takasugi brothers and Shinobu-senpai’s [Blade Tusk], Mio and Kohaku had already bore considerable damage on them.
“Lightning Line!”
As soon as Kazuki came running, he attacked Shinobu-senpai who was manipulating the twin swords with an arrow.
“Kazuki, rather than this side…Miyabi-senpai has been chanting some kind of high level magic since some time ago!”
After listening of Mio’s call, Kazuki finally directed his attention toward Miyabi-senpai. However, it was already too late.
“Oh, you are surprisingly quick. But your expression when you came running so desperately was so cute.”
Miyabi-senpai turned her face to Kazuki with an elusive smile and calm voice.
“However I wonder about this next one? …The maiden offering prayer every night, be that as it may, the moonlight illuminates the beast in thy heart. Expose thy true nature…Moon Mirror Heart GnawingLunatic Luna Light!”
At Miyabi-senpai’s back, a gigantic moon was floating, looking like a halo that shined, and releasing silver light!
Kazuki who received that light…was just fine.
“…!? Everyone is”
However, looking at the companions around him, Kazuki was startled.
The face of Mio, who was looking at Kazuki…turned into a sullen look in the blink of an eye.
The eyes of Kohaku, who was looking at Kazuki …turned into teary eyes in the blink of an eye.
Kazuha-senpai who was looking at Kazuki…gritted her teeth grindingly and glared at him with a terrible look.
“Kazu-nii you idiot! I don’t know you anymore!!”
Mio suddenly yelled and came attacking with “Barrett!".
“Mi, Mio, what are you doing!?” Kazuki yelled while evading in panic.
“Kazuki…why, why are you acting cold only to this one! Prepare yourself!!”
“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Filthy! Pervert! Harem king! I won’t hand over Kohaku to someone like you!!”
Kohaku, who was half crying, and Kazuha-senpai, who looked scary, came slashing at Kazuki altogether.
At the same time the Takasugi brothers also came attacking.
“Blade Tusk.” Furthermore the twin swords that Shinobu-senpai summoned were also dancing in the air and came attacking.
“Wha, what the hell is this!? Mio, what are you doing! …Seusenhofer!!”
Kazuki Foresighted and evaded the flame bullet, the remaining everything were fortunately only physical attacks coming from all direction that he repelled using Prometheus' heavy armor that covered his body.
“You asked me why…just ask that question to yourself!”
“Do you really think I can ask myself in this kind of situation!”
Tears were slowly gathering in Mio’s eyes―she suddenly yelled out some inappropriate things.
“Kazu-nii only pampered Koyuki and Lotte, calling them cute, cute! You never called me cute except just a few times! Even though I also want to be pampered, Kazu-nii you idiot!!”
Wha, what the hell is this! What is this girl saying in the middle of battle!?
“You, you misunderstand Mio! Because Koyuki looked lonely, Lotte’s situation is where she’s all alone in an unknown country…I can’t just leave them alone so…”
“Compared to those two, you think someone like me is just inconsequential, right!?”
“Wrong! To have Mio as my partner…I unconsciously feel really relieved! I didn’t intend to make light of you but I unconsciously feel too comfortable…if I hurt Mio’s feelings, I’m sorry!”
For Kazuki, Mio was a companion who he could come into contact with a relaxed and open attitude next after Kanae.
However, that carefree feeling in reality might be him taking advantage of Mio.
That’s right, because Mio was always wondering anxiously how Kazuki was thinking about her.
At that point Kazuki noticed it. …The magic just before, was that a magic that magnified the dissatisfaction of his companions!?
“Cornering all of you into this plaza and chanting this magic just as planned. Now it’s seven versus one. Well now, what will you do?”
Miyabi-senpai grinned widely. Certainly this would still be better if they were still in a narrow corridor.
In this plaza of mirrors, Kazuki was surrounded by the hostility of seven people.
However…there was no way their bonds could be torn apart with this kind of magic!
From the hostility that surrounded him, Kazuki immediately fixed his face on Mio.
“Mio…I like you! It’s embarrassing to say it like this, but there is no way Mio is not cute!”
Mio’s spell chanting suddenly stopped. “I’m cute? Really?”
“You are cute! That’s obvious, you always keep making my heart beat so hard! No matter whether it's your angry or smiling face, even your rapidly changing expressions are cute, each of them is my precious treasure! You are also the one most suited in a maid uniform! Even though I didn’t like maid uniforms that much, it’s your fault that I turned to like them so much before I even noticed! Besides, when you hugged and fawned on me in stimulating appearances like your Magic Dress or racing swimsuit, before long…my male instincts were always at the limit you know!? Why are you always feeling anxious so willfully, stop bullsheetting me! There's no way in the world that you are not cute!!”
While Kazuki shouted with all his strength he hugged Mio tightly. Immediately after he did that,
“Kazu-nii…I like you Kazu-nii! I love you too!!”
Mio hugged Kazuki back. Mio had returned to her sanity!
Right there, Kohaku’s sword, that didn’t forgive their negligence, came flying.
“This one will kill Kazuki and then die together too―!”
Kazuki took Mio who fawned on him in a princess carry and nimbly dodged.
“Kazuki…why are you being cold only to this one!?”
Kohaku blamed him with teary eyes.
“I’m not being cold to you or anything!”
So Kohaku thought about things like that. But…,
“Isn’t Kohaku the one that doesn’t try to face me right from the front!? I don’t have any intention to go out with a girl just for the sake of a sword school!”
“Bu, but, because…!”
“There is no but or because! All this time, wasn’t Kohaku just pushing your own convenience onto me!!?”
He properly understood that Kohaku liked him in her true feelings. However, he had been thinking all along that if Kohaku acted like that, then there was no way Kazuki could accept her feelings.
Even between that kind of conversation, the Takasugi brothers were still attacking. Sheet, don’t be a nuisance!
“So I beg you, face me right from the front! Don’t hide behind something like the sword school or the like! The starting line of our relationship begins from there, right!?”
“This one was…running away even from taking the normal first step on the starting line…”
The color of sanity had returned back into Kohaku’s eyes.
“Kazuki…until now, this one only kept saying unreasonable things, forgive this one! This one is incompetent, but let’s start back from friends!!”
Kohaku too came hugging Kazuki. Looking at that situation…Kazuha-senpai flared up even more in fury.
“Youu―! How dare you seduce even Kohakuu!!”
“I’m not seducing her!”
Carrying Mio and Kohaku in both arms, Kazuki continued to run from Kazuha-senpai’s sword while talking back.
What an absurd battlefield…!
“If you're saying this is not seducing, then what do you think this is!? You are liked by a great number of girls. In the meanwhile, you keep tottering, saying things like harem with a lewd look on your face! E, even me… But, do you think I can trust someone like that!?”
“Certainly I might be in a harem situation… But I also don’t have any reason to betray anyone!”
He might be running away from the matter of choosing just one person. However the truth was that there was no need to choose one person.
It might be cowardice. No, I’m not doing anything cowardly.
“What are you saying!?”
“Everyone is important to me! I don’t want to make anyone unhappy; I want everyone to laugh together! If it’s for that sake…I will offer my everything to everyone until the very last!!”
“You, you are prepared to go that far…if it’s like that, then it’s as if Hayashizaki is not having a harem, doesn’t it look like Hayashizaki is everyone’s pet instead!!”
“Harem or pet, it’s the same! It’s not a relationship where I make everyone my servant and everyone is also not making me their servant, it’s only…the connection of our bonds are our happiness, that’s all!!”
Right now with this situation right now…I can accept it just as it is!
{My King! …Right now, in a certain meaning you have attained a great enlightenment!}
Against Kazuki’s determination, Leme came and transmitted her voice in delight.
“I, I don’t get it…are you a man with great caliber, or are you just a simple good-for-nothing…”
“If senpai wants to know, then regain your sanity and please ascertain it with your own eyes.”
“…Okay. I will be by your side, only to make sure of that with my own eyes okay! Remember that I’m not the same as those other girls!”
Kazuha-senpai suddenly made a reversal and slashed at the Takasugi brothers. She also had her sanity returned!
Kohaku too separated herself from Kazuki’s arm and gave her assistance. Mio too launched her offense magic.
The order of the battlefield had recovered to how it was originally.
“Kuh, to persuade your comrades while running away from our swords.” “Ryuutaki Shinobu, use even stronger magic!”
“Useless…” Shinobu-senpai murmured. “…I am already doing it.”
Using the opportunity while Kazuki and the others fell into pandemonium―Shinobu-senpai was chanting her spell.
From the scale of that magic power―just from a glance he understood that it was a dangerous magic.
“Thy wings granted by Belphegor, O <icicle of flame>! Grasp the air superiority of hell, hand down the inescapable contradicting bombing! Icicle of FlameBurning Icicle!”
The space split apart with ‘bikibikibiki!’ sounds, then a gigantic wolf with red crystal as its wings flew out from it. That wolf should not be the real materialization of Marchosias herself, but it looked like a clone body that contained some percentage of Marchosias’ strength. When Shinobu-senpai and Miyabi-senpai rode on its back, the wolf flapped its wings and flew.
“You, you're not going to let us ride too!?”
The Takasugi brothers that were left behind hopped up and down (pyon pyon) from below.
“My bad, but this wolf is for the exclusive use of only me and Nee-sama.”
“Fufufu, oh Shinobu. …You two run away so you won’t get swallowed into this.”
The wolf smoothly evaded Mio’s [Barrett]. From those wings, countless red crystals were scattered toward the people below in drops. Those red crystals were explosive. DON! DON! DON! Explosion roars were ringing one after another, the surrounding area was swallowed into the explosions’ blasts.
The explosions’ blasts were inconsistent but―they possessed both sides of mighty heat and cold.
Resist was ineffective! That explosion didn’t permit any defense and reliably gouged large damage on the target. Kazuki and the others desperately ran from place to place away from the red crystals―[Burning Icicle]. However the wolf Ryuutaki sisters were riding on flew in the sky as if there was nothing like a wall of mirrors in their way. In regards to that, Kazuki and the others had to run around the mirror walls so they wouldn’t collide.
When they slipped out from the plaza they had been fighting at since a while before, Kazuki and the others entered a narrow path.
Even with red crystals exploding, the walls of mirror didn’t break, instead the narrow spot made the blast from the bomb’s explosion even stronger. The explosions that kept arising one after another shaved out Kazuki and the others' magic power rapidly while they were running with their bodies close to each other even though they couldn’t possibly escape.
<Burning Icicle>. Marchosias who boasted unrivaled strength in spite of being just a mere wolf was transplanted with a weapon called <Burning Icicle> by the Demon King Belphegor. She was remodeled even further as the ultimate fighting beast. That terrible strength was right now becoming reality and raining down at them.
Think. What kind of magic did he have that could defend against these explosions? To defend against this magic…!
But even faster than Kazuki could work his brain―Miyabi-senpai invoked her magic.
The girl was again concentrating on chanting for quite long.
“O heart locking mirror, open…the reflection of the moon shoots out the illusion of ostentation until everywhere deeply! Illuminated his true nature as a person in this place…Moon Mirror SealMan in the Moon!!”
Suddenly a mirror appeared right in front of Kazuki who was escaping. Kazuki’s face was largely rising to the surface in that mirror, that face grinned widely on its own accord. At that instant, Kazuki’s consciousness became distant…,
“Wa, wait Kazuki!? In this kind of emergency, just wait!!”
Kazuki fainted.
His mind sunk down deeper and deeper.
Kazuki had a similar experience of fainting like this―when he fell into magic intoxication.
The bottom of his own mind. The border line between his own mind and Astrum. In the lowest strata of his unconsciousness that was far separated from the consciousness, forgotten pasts were precipitating as if being thrown away,
A deep memory that he already couldn’t even recall anymore even if he willed it himself.
Inside the darkness, only the reminiscence was shaking.
Suddenly among those memories, one memory came back to life on its own accord inside the darkness of the mind.
The sounds, scenery, and touch of that time were being reproduced as it was.
That’s right, this magic forcibly made the person remember their [trauma]…!
The drawn scenery was a snowy night. The orphanage Kazuki once lived at, <Nanohana Institute>, in front of its gate there was a lone woman holding a baby.
The moment he saw that woman’s face, Kazuki’s chest tightened.
If right now, there was a physical body along with his consciousness, he wouldn’t even be able to try to bear it before shedding tears.
His mother. His mother had this kind of face.
He remembered. He remembered about this day. The coldness that pricked the childish skin just before the dawn. My mother deserted me at this time in this place and was gone!!
Why…what kind of situation made her do this…?
Around this time was an age of chaos immediately following the birth of magic in this world.
Tokyo was destroyed because of the illegal magicians; this country was just in the middle of pandemonium. She might have had some kind of circumstances. However, what kind of circumstances made her do this kind of thing…
{After all your reason for fighting is this kind of thing.}
There was a woman’s voice. It seemed like the voice of Miyabi-senpai, but it also sounded similar to Gremory’s voice.
“A pitiful child that didn’t even get loved by his own mother. That is you. In actuality, you don’t think of the other person as important or anything. Your true essence is servility . That is not kindness. You fight only for your own sake in the end.”
While Kazuki was seeing off his mother’s back that became farther from Nanohana Institute, he heard that voice.
Isolation without end. Yes, the former Kazuki was always crying.
But suddenly inside Kazuki’s head, a voice reverberated like a flash of lightning. Mio’s voice.
{But I’m an orphan after all…, no one needs me anyway…stop that kind of thinking already! Because I like Kazu-nii very much! Because it makes me sad if you are just ignoring my feelings like that! Because it’s not just me, surely everyone else also thinks so too!}
…That’s right, right now is different! I’m not throwing a tantrum continuously at everyone asking [give me love] from them! The feeling is not a one-way street, didn’t Mio just get worried about him not long ago!?
Certainly, the me in the past was without a doubt desperate about wanting to be loved by someone.
Even right now, sometimes there were moments where he got close into desperation without thinking of his own well-being.
However, if I say something self-deprecating, I’m going to be scolded by Mio.
Even Kanae would say something like “Nii-sama you moron―!” and sock him hard.
Even in the Nanohana Institute, even in the Hayashizaki house, everyone loved me like a real family.
That was why I got back on my feet already from this kind of traumapast. The past is the past, now is right now.
If he got caught in this kind of past, the words he said to Koyuki and Lotte would become completely irresponsible.
Kazuki looked back at the back of his mother that became more distant.
…Kaa-san , I don’t know what kind of circumstance you had.
However…I’m fine now.
At that moment, the world of darkness was filled with light in a flash.
…Though someday, why did Kaa-san throw me away, I want to know that reason…
While leaving a trail of such feelings faintly, Kazuki returned to the world of reality.
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