Part 1

“…and this concludes yesterday’s observation report.” Henrietta wraps up a run-through of the documentation to Miss Violet.

Despite it being early in the day, little to no light enters the wide windows in the headmistress’ office. But regardless of this, her lips can be seen curling into a smile once Henrietta’s report finishes.

“Good work. Continue monitoring as usual. Keep all safety procedures as for prior agreement.”

Henrietta nods her head in compliance. However, she can’t help but hear the feeling of unease barking at the back of her mind for the past few days.

“Headmistress, there’s something I’d like to ask regarding Mister Kiyabu.”

Upon those words, the atmosphere gains significant weight as tensions are suddenly set high.

“What about him?”

“It has come by my observation that he exhibits unusual signs of withdrawal ever since starting our mission. If I may ask—“

“That’s none of your concern, Miss Thompson.” Miss Violet immediately interrupts her. “Besides, I’m sure that it’s just butterflies in his stomach from being nervous regarding the upcoming tournament. You’re dismissed.”

“Headmistress, please. Mister Kiyabu is my responsibility. You gave me the task of protecting him, and I intend to see it through. However, I am unable to do so if I am not properly informed of what happens.”

“I am in no liberty to discuss that with you. You’re dismissed.”

“But, madam—“

A rattle of the wheeled swivel chair echoes in the dim office as Miss Violet violently stands from it and slams both her palms on her desk.

“THAT’S ENOUGH, MISS THOMPSON!! I have the situation perfectly under control! Don’t make this situation any more complicated than it is now. How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t save everyone?!” Miss Violet snaps back.

Upon hearing those words, something feels like breaking within Henrietta’s heart. The feeling of utter shock and despair reflects ever so slightly on her usually stern and cold face.

She clenches her fist trying to suppress the sudden emotion filling her chest; else she might do something brash.

Upon realizing what she has done, Miss Violet calmly sits back down on her large chair and clasps her hands together while setting them on her table. She takes deep breaths to calm her raging pulse.

“I’m sorry. I know you tend to get sensitive when I bring that up. I apologize that I told you the last thing you want to hear.” Miss Violet tells her sincerely.

“I understand, headmistress.” She loosens the grip on her hand.

“But rest assured that whatever is the cause for Katsuo’s concern, should there even be one, will be promptly dealt with. Measures will be in place to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

Henrietta briefly nods; affirming her response.

“Now then, you’re dismissed.”

Henrietta no longer has the reason to resist. She stands in attention with a stomp of her foot and sharply turns around towards the door.

Upon exiting, she leans her back on the thick wooden doors. She takes off her glasses and uses the long sleeves on her uniform to press on her swollen eyes.

“You’re wrong…” she whispers with a trembling voice. “…I’ll make sure that everyone will be saved.”

A single tear slips pass her sleeves and rolls down her cheek.

Part 2

It’s a calm and peaceful evening. A little girl is being quietly tucked into bed by her mother. Her cerulean hair matches her lovely daughter’s so much that their resemblance holds no doubts.

“Alright. Sleep tight now.” She says with a kiss on her daughter’s forehead.

“Mommy, can you tell me a bedtime story?” The little child innocently asks.

“Again? But I’ve told it to you so many times already.”

“Please? It’s my favorite.”

A blissful smile appears on the little girl’s face as she continues to beg with sparkling eyes. Reluctantly, the mother strokes her daughter’s hair and gives in.

“Very well. This is a story of a lone hero. Nobody knows who he is, or why he fights. Whenever people ask who he is, all he answers is ‘Just call me what everybody else is calling me’.”

The mother puts on a deep and playful voice much to the amusement of the little child.

She gives a short playful giggle while covering it with her blanket.

The mother continues with the story.

“And thus, those who see him call him by the one thing they can remember him by: a golden sword that radiates the glimmering light of hope. A light that beacons the future that he fights for; the trusted weapon that he uses to vanquish the evil doers that lurk the streets. And so, this hero goes on to be called…”

The child’s eyes widen in anticipation.

“…Gilded Saber.”

Such are the times of innocence, when this little girl’s potential is yet to awaken.

That is, until one day…

“Heh, what a dork!”

A little kid is being harassed by a group of bullies his age, and the only person standing between them is a little girl with deep blue hair tied in twintails.

She holds her arms spread out to stop them from hurting the defenseless child.

“Can you believe that he still believes in those dumb fairy tales? It’s so stupid!” The bullies laugh at the small boy curled up on the ground crying.

“Would you stop that?!” The little girl who is protecting the crying boy barks at them.

“Or what? Do you think we’ll hold back just because you’re a girl?”

One of the bullies draws a fist back and launches a punch right at her face.

The girl flinches as soon as it gets inches from her.

She shuts her eyes as tight as she can in anticipation of the attack. However, she has felt nothing; like the bully has never attacked her to begin with.

She opens her eyes to see a wall of light catching the punch that was meant for her. The little girl staggers back in surprise while the bully that has tried to attack her falls on his rear.

She looks at her little hands occasionally opening and closing them, wondering what caused such an unusual occurrence. The moment she looks at those that have been oppressing them, they scurry back in fear.

"Wh-what is that?!" One of them asks scared.

“Hey, let’s get out of here!” All three of the bullies run away from the fight.

For a moment, a feeling of exhilaration overtakes the girl’s feeling of fear. A smile forms on her face as she realizes that she now has what it takes to become what she looks up to be: a hero.

It’s meant to be a blissful experience for her; however, the day came when the family finds themselves packing boxes.

“Mommy, why are we moving? Was it something I did?” The little girl asks as she peers from the side of a door frame to a room with nearly all of its furniture stowed away elsewhere.

The mother stops stuffing the cardboard box with the child’s clothes and gives a sigh.

She walks towards her daughter, goes down on one knee, and places both of her hands on the girl’s shoulders.

“Henrietta, honey, this…well, whatever it is that you can do. It’s simply not something that would be...well, normal. We’ll be moving to another country, and can you promise me one thing?”

“What is it, mommy?”

“Don’t use your abilities again when we get there.”

The little girl looks down at her hands again like before.

Part 3

“Henrietta, watch it!!”

Henrietta’s head rapidly shoots up from looking at her palms.

She sees a faceless projection launching a punch squarely at her gut.

She extends both of her hands forward to try and deploy an Absolute Territory, but her reaction is too late.

The fist connects with her abdomen and she is sent staggering back a meter or two.

The projection fizzles away and so does the three other ones that her teammates have been busy keeping at bay.

“I keep telling you: dodge what you can, block only what you can’t. After all, you can’t move when you have your Absolute Territory out.” Natalia reminds her as she brushes her ponytail to her back.

“Sorry. My agility isn’t exactly the best.” Henrietta says as she clutches her stomach.

Despite being only a simulation, the projections created by the training room are real enough to feel the impact of each of their attacks.

“Then we’ll work on that in the meantime. No use letting that leg power of yours to waste.” Natalia says as she crosses her arms.

Ever since they begin their training to improve their synergy for the upcoming Battle Tournament, Katsuo notices that Henrietta has been spacing out a lot lately; almost like she’s in really deep thought.

“Uhmmm…Miss Thompson? Is everything alright?” Katsuo asks out of concern.

“Huh? Oh...It’s nothing.  Worrying about something so petty will only be a waste of time.” She insists.

A single clap of hands gets everybody's attention.

“Hey now, the tournament starts tomorrow. We still haven’t gotten our dynamic properly set up and our coordination is still in shambles.” Natalia brings up to everyone.

“Can’t we just, I don’t know, overpower the competition?” Kanade casually suggests.

“That tactic can only work so many times, if you can even call it one. There’s more to fighting than just pure muscle.” Natalia tells her then breathes a heavy sigh. “You know what, I think this calls for a break.”

“I’ll go take a breather.” Katsuo walks towards the door; however, someone grabs a hold of his arm before he can go too far.

“I’m coming with. There’s no telling what might happen.” Henrietta informs him.

Katsuo remembers his encounter with a certain pink-haired girl that wears a mask. He distinctly remembers her drawing an X on her chest.

(“Cross my heart and hope to die…”) Those chilling words echo in his mind.

“Oh hoh no you don’t! I’m coming along to. D-don’t get the wrong idea though. It’s not like I want to make sure the Disciplinary Chair doesn’t make a fool of herself or anything.” Kanade places both of her hands on her waist as she looks away with a pout.

“Your presence will not be required, Miss Ishihara. I can escort Mister Kiyabu just fine by myself.” She sticks her face mere centimeters away from Kanade’s.

“‘Escort’ my foot! Stop being such an airhead and quit doing things that will make people get the wrong idea!” Kanade pushes back.

Natalia grabs both of them by the hair on the back of their heads and bash them against each other like cymbals.

“Fine then! We’ll all go; if it will get the two of you to shut up.”

The two of them quietly and obediently nod in agreement. Natalia crosses her arms back.

“Mein gött, how do you even put up with these two?” She aims the question over to Katsuo.

“It’s a long story…” He vaguely answers as he scratches the back of his head.

Not a moment later, the four of them take an elevator to exit the training complex. They walk down a hallway to get some refreshments with Natalia walking in front of the rest of them.

“Alright, let’s review our roles.” Natalia takes out a small notepad from her uniform’s pocket. “Kanade, you’ll cover us from afar. Use your electric powers to isolate, contain, or pick off enemies. Engage any threat that comes too close. Henrietta, you get to tank off attacks. Deploy an Absolute Territory on undodgeable, unbeatable attacks. I’ll be on the vanguard while Katsuo, you back me up. Is that clea—“

A racket being made diverts her attention to her teammates, only to be met with a petrifying sight. Henrietta and Kanade are both pulling on Katsuo’s arms by his elbows like a game of tug-of-war.

“As I keep reminding you, contact as close as possible is important to ensure his safety!” Henrietta insists as she pulls on Katsuo’s arm.

“As I keep reminding you, people will get the wrong idea if you keep on doing such unnecessary acts!” Kanade insists as she pulls on Katsuo’s arm.

“Quit putting your head in the gutter! No one thinks like that.”

“Why won’t they?!”

As the two girls continue their senseless bickering, they hiss and growl at each other like a pair of angry cats. Katsuo’s body goes limp from repeatedly being pulled from side to side.

A vein pops in Natalia’s head and knocks them both on the top of their skulls.

Henrietta squats quietly on the ground while tucking her head in to try and suppress the pain with teary eyes. All the while, Kanade rolls and writhes all over the floor screaming and crying unintelligibly.

“Would you two dummkopfs knock it off?!” She berates the two on making a scene as Katsuo stands oblivious from the sidelines.

“Hahaha. Well, you folks sure are lively.” A voice calls on them from a corner at the hall.

They all turn their attention towards the source of the voice, and find the only other male student of AEGIS leaning on a wall with a hand in his pocket.

“Alex!” Katsuo greets him.

He calmly takes out his hands and walks towards the girl accompanying them with the silver hair tied up in a ponytail.

“You must be Miss Natalia Lenhoff. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you. It truly is an honor to finally get to meet you.” Alex places his right hand on his chest and bows politely.

Natalia blushes in embarrassment and looks away while lightly scratching her cheek. For once, she doesn’t know how to react to someone meeting her for the first time.

“So, what brings you here?” Katsuo asks curiously.

“Just passing by…also coming to check on you. I heard that somebody attacked you at lunch yesterday. I’m hoping that maybe you are alright.”

“WHAAAAAAAT?!” All three of them shout out in shock upon hearing what Alex has said.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Don’t worry, nothing really happened.” Katsuo tries to calm down the ruckus the girls are making.

“This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about, Miss Ishihara.” Henrietta scoffs as she pushes up the bridge of her glasses.

“Oh please, you don’t have to act mushy to do your job!” Kanade berates as sparks arc from every follicle of her hair.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Kanade responds with a grumble and a pout.

“HEY! Do you want another bump on your heads?!”

Both of them immediately stop fighting among themselves, and prostrate as a form of apology.

“Our sincerest apologies, Lady Lenhoff.” Both of them say in unison.

The lively sight puts a smile on Alex’s face which he tries to hide by turning away and covering his mouth.

“Well, it is great to see that you’re doing well. I do apologize for bringing it up.” Alex gives him a pat on the shoulder and walks off with hands on his pockets.

As he leaves, Katsuo recalls what happened after the event Alex has brought up.

(“That’s weird. I don’t remember telling anyone about encountering that girl. How did he even know about that?”) Katsuo thinks to himself.

(“Let’s face it. You and I both know what is coming. Even the so called Academy’s Strongest is no match for her.”) He remembers what Deathwish has told him that day.

(“Still, it may be for the best to know more about the enemy.”)

Later as Alex turns a corner from the corridor where he ran into Katsuo, Alex pulls out his phone and makes a call.

“The stage is set, headmistress. It’s time for us to stop playing on defense.”

Part 4

In an abandoned warehouse, Inverter is punching away at a gravel bag that is suspended by a hook and chain.

A promise…

An experiment…

Isolation…

All these memories flow into her with every jab she throws at the makeshift punching bag.

She has been told that they will give her power to protect those she cared for. All they have done is turn her into a weapon for their own interests.

Project Promotion is meant to be the breakthrough for Alter research. Its objective: to create the first official Category 5. A certain pharmaceutical company that is once the leading pioneer in Alter research poured in all their assets to try and create such an Alter.

But it is a tree that bore no fruit.

As the company slowly dissolves, they hide or destroy anything that can be of liability to them. They know that their strongest creation cannot be destroyed, not even in its sleep. So they manipulate her even more. She is transferred to a military installation and is told to await further instructions.

Days…weeks…months…years go by and she has heard nothing. Even if she wants to, she can’t leave on her own. She didn’t see a single human being during the time she is locked up in her cell. This is why she never gets a chance to escape. Her cries, her shouts, no one listens to them. Blind hatred consumes her in the darkness of her lonesomeness. It eats away on what little grasp she has on her hope.

Now her heart beats for only one purpose: revenge.

Revenge for the years of lies and false promises that the institution hat has taken her in made to her…

hey have told her that she will become the unstoppable hero that can know no equal. All they have given her is an empty title. And now, she has something to take it out on.

Rage continue to build up and surge back into her active mind as Inverter continues to throw rapid succession of punches until giving one final jab that sends the sack of gravel twirling over and over again around the steel beam it is hooked into until it fully coils around it.

“Hey! What’s taking so long?! It’s been more than a day already. What are we gonna do, attack a fortress or something?” Inverter complains in impatience.

“Actually, yes.” A mechanical voice answers her from the catwalk overhead.

Elsewhere, the guerrilla soldiers are tending to their salvaged munitions. A lot of them are reloading bullets into their gun magazines while the rest are cleaning and polishing their guns.

The rest are mounting machine guns and heavy armor plating to salvaged jeeps.

“There’s no way they kept that guy in better lock and key than I was. What kind of bonehead called that shot in the first place?” Inverter breathes an annoyed sigh.

“That is the reason why Lance Corp. no longer exists.” The cloaked figure then jumps off of the scaffolding.

A gust of wind catches it and lands with both of its feet on the ground.

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Where’s that pink haired girl that’s following you around a lot?”

“Deathwish? She serves me in a much more important purpose elsewhere.”

Inverter places both her hands in the pockets of her new jumpsuit, possibly one of the old work uniforms of the ones who used to occupy the now abandoned warehouse.

“I say it’s rather suspicious, don’t you think? I mean, what’s stopping her from doing things behind your back?”

"It doesn't matter. Every action being taken is part of the plan." The cloaked figure gives a reply.

Inverter returns a grin wide enough to show her sharp fangs.

“Ghehaha! Well so long as I can still maintain my title as the strongest, I don’t give a damn what I have to do.”

Part 5

A knock from the door resounds in a dimly lit office. Miss Violet, who is tending to a certain document regarding mechanical suits, closes the binder it is in and stows it in a hidden drawer in her desk. As soon as the door starts to swing open, Miss Violet is already poised properly with her fingers interlocked and resting on top of her desk.

“Katsuo! So glad to see you. What can I do for you today?”

“I’ll cut to the chase. I need to see the Inverter file you showed me the other day.” Katsuo demands with a strong voice behind it.

“Oh my! I never expected you to do actually be dominant. But still…” Miss Violet opens a regular drawer in her desk and slaps the folder he requested on the desk. “…I’m not sure what you expect to find.”

Katsuo picks up the folder while avoiding eye contact with Miss Violet.

(“I bet she’ll make another dumb remark again, anyway”) He thinks to himself.

He opens the file and sees the same things he’s seen before: basic profile, laboratory results, photographs, and many more.

At least, at first…

Katsuo comes to a file written on blue paper. The word “CONFIDENTIAL” is stamped in big red bold letters across it. The information on it appears to be medical records and diagnosis reports. But the first thing that caught his attention is the name.  

(“Bodily paralysis? Spinal failure? Isn’t that—?!”)

According to the documents, the patient’s brain can’t send nerve impulses to its muscles because of a weak connection in the spinal column. Attached to them are also black-and-white photographs of a young child hooked up to a life support system. There’s no mistaking it this time.

(“The doctors say my problem is somewhere in my central nervous system! My brain can’t send anything to my legs which is why I’m confined to the wheelchair.”) Katsuo remembers these words by the person who is in these photographs.

He knows the person that has shown these very same problems.

“Why are Toshiko Sakawa’s medical documents in Inverter’s file?” Katsuo slams the folder on the table; spilling a bit of its contents.

“Katsuo, stop. You have no idea what you’re running into.” Miss Violet urges him to calm down.

“What does Lance Corp. have to do with any of this?”

“That’s classified.”

“DON’T PULL THAT CLASSIFIED CRAP ON ME!!” Katsuo’s shout echoes within the walls of the dimly lit office much to Miss Violet’s surprise. “Now, tell me everything that’s going on, or I swear to God, I’ll jump off the roof of this building and you can’t stop me.”

Katsuo has struck a nerve. There’s a reason Miss Violet is doing everything she can to keep him alive. There’s a purpose to her going to all this trouble to make sure of his safety. And when the very person she wants to keep alive is threatening that, it’s an instantaneous checkmate.

Miss Violet clicks her tongue.

“Very well, I guess it can’t be helped. Pull up a chair. Time for a history lesson…” She says as she leans back on her swivel chair, and crosses her legs.

“…”

“The company that treated Toshiko’s ailments and enhanced Inverter’s abilities is one and the same.”

Part 6

“Well…I’ll be seeing you.” The young Henrietta stops in front of her house.

One year ago, Henrietta has gotten accustomed to her life in the new country she and her family moved to. From time to time, she helps around her junior high school and living a practically normal life.

The young and meek Henrietta waves goodbye to her three other teammates.

“Okay then! Thanks for the hard work with the committee today. We still got some paperwork to file, but at least it’s been peaceful today, right?”

“Yeah…I guess that’s a good thing.” Henrietta puts on a thin smile as the orange light from the setting sun casts a shadow over her eyes.

Yes, the life of mediocrity is something she has come accustomed to, but she can’t help but yearn for the exhilarating rush of using her powers.

“Okay, see you tomorrow at the committee room in the morning. Bring those papers to my desk by then, okay?” She skips and jogs off with glee while waving back at Henrietta.

“…sure thing, boss.” Henrietta replies in a meek voice.

And with those words, she opens the front door to her house.

“I’m home...” She calls out to the brightly lit house.

A gleeful sound of simmering and sizzling can be heard from the kitchen, as her mother starts to prepare dinner.

“Welcome back! Do you want anything?” She asks with a joyous smile.

“Nothing in particular. I’ll have whatever you’re making.”

“Alright dear.” She then gets back to cooking and stirring the contents of the pan.

As Henrietta climbs the stairs to her room, the one wish her mother made resounds in her memories, a wish that was made before they moved in. This wish resonates in her mind as she climbs the stairs up to her room.

(“…can you promise me one thing? …Don’t use your abilities again when we get there.”)

She enters the room and closes the door behind her. She leans on it with her back and looks at her palms again which she opens and closes alternately; a faint glow emanates from them as she does.

Despite this wish of her mother, she practices deploying her walls of light in the privacy of her room and how to discretely deploy them, the latter she really can’t seem to get the hang of. She tries to cast her Absolute Territory using as little movement as possible while trying to hide it. However, every projection she makes is either too small or too thin to protect anyone.

“This is exhausting. I need a break.” Henrietta sits down on the chair of her bedroom’s desk and turns on her computer.

Later, night arrives and the young Henrietta is scrolling through her computer. The only light in the room is the bright monitor so close to Henrietta's face.

“Honey, don’t use the computer so much this late at night or your eyesight will get worse.” Her mother shouts from the lower floor of the house.

“Yes, mom!” She responds.

Once she finishes her school work, she opens an internet browser. The first thing she sees is a news article.

A woman is saved one night from three people who are harassing her. However, she is saved and the three suspects are arrested promptly. Interviews with the witness describe the one who saved her as someone who carries a golden sword. She scrolls down to the comments of the article and the all say the same name: Gilded Saber.

Curious, she performs searches regarding this mysterious person. News articles, shaky video footage, every reported sighting and interviews regarding this mysterious hero. She digs deeper and finds people talking to a camera and recording themselves and sharing their own stories.

“You would not believe what just happened today…”

“…I thought for sure, I was done for…”

“…he just came out of nowhere and saved us…”

“…a truly inspiring sight…”

“…there are still people who choose to do good…”

“…I don’t know what would happen if he never came…”

“…we asked this person who he was…”

“…I asked for his name…”

“…he said ‘Just call…’”

“‘…call me what everyone…’”

“‘…everyone else is calling…’”

“‘…is calling me.’”

Inspiration has struck the young Henrietta. She leans back on her chair and takes a breath back to collect her thoughts.

“I knew it…I knew I have these powers for a reason…” She clutches her heart with teary eyes.

Part 7

At the present, she still continues looking up to the very hero that inspires her.

In her dormitory room that night, Henrietta is still busy discussing with people online regarding that particular hero.

“I’ll be a hero like you someday. I swear it…” She whispers to the darkness.

However, the door to her room suddenly opens; breaking her concentration.

“I’m home.” Katsuo shouts out as he enters.

Upon hearing, she quickly closes the window and nonchalantly does something else.

“Hmmm? What are you doing still up this late?”

“Oh, nothing much. Ahahaha…” Henrietta chuckles nervously.

“…you were looking at Gilded Saber articles again, weren’t you?”

“…!” Henrietta is stunned by him figuring it out so quickly.

He gives a sigh and squats down to talk to her face to face.

“Oh, that reminds me." Henrietta's face suddenly lights up. "Before you were going to tell me something, right?” She brings up the unfinished discussion they’ve had.

“Oh, that…”

All of a sudden, second thoughts enter into Katsuo.

(“Does she really need to know?  I don’t want to break her illusion of the person she looks up to.”)

“Well, I was gonna say that…”

(“Do I tell her? Do I have the right to tarnish what she believes in?”)

Katsuo gulps in some air and proceeds to speak. That is when a better idea enters his mind.

“…have I ever told you about the time I met the Gilded Saber?”

Henrietta’s eyes widen in surprise.

“For real?!” She sounds excited.

A mesmerized smile reflects on Henrietta’s face. It is a smile akin to childhood innocence where everything has a sense of wonder.

“It actually happened during a very low point in my life.” Katsuo starts to tell his story. “I lost my family, my home, everything. I was just a young boy at the time. After waking up in the middle of a forest, I ran towards the first sight of civilization: a city.  I already lost track of time of how long I’ve been looking for a way to survive. I scavenge for food; look for whatever nook I can find for shelter. For a time, I was invisible, just another child that wallows in the filth of the city.”

Katsuo takes a deep breath

“Then, one day, I when I was looking for food, I come across a fruit stand. My stomach craves for something to eat. I had no other choice….so I took one and ran off.”

He can hear Henrietta gasp in shock.

“I ran as fast as I can along the alleyways. Eventually I thought I lost them, but then I saw something jump overhead. It landed in front of me. As I fell to the ground with my back against the wall, it points a golden sword right at my throat. Its eyes peeking through the gaps in the tattered rags that covered its body stared at mine. But they were not of hatred; they were of pity. It said…”

(“You look lost, little boy. I can tell you’ve been through a lot.”)

(“Yeah, well I didn’t ask for your help. You’re trying to catch me, remember.”)

(“I don’t see a criminal in you that needed to be placed in justice. I see a human being trying to survive.”)

(“…!”)

(“Tell me. What is your name?”)

(“Katsuo. Katsuo Kiyabu.”)

(“Little Katsuo, huh? The Child of Victory. I see great power in you. Why don’t you let me teach you how to use it to help?”)

Katsuo continues telling his story.

“At the time, I had no idea what it was talking about. It reached a hand towards me, a helpless young boy. So I asked…”

(“Who…who are you?”)

(“Me…?”)

Henrietta suddenly starts squealing softly. Katsuo is taken aback as Henrietta is at the edge of her seat. Her hands in loosely formed fists try to cover her wide and silly grin. Her eyes sparkle brightly with anticipation.

“Well? Did she say it? Did she say her signature line?”

Katsuo can’t help but smile at the natural curiosity.

(“…Just call me what everyone else is calling me…”)

Henrietta swoons at seeing the story of her greatest hero unfold.

“And then what happened?”

“…” Katsuo mutters to himself.

Katsuo recalls what really has happened back then. He reaches out to the hand and his training to be the Gilded Saber’s successor begins.

At least, that is what he would tell her.

“The people who were chasing me eventually caught up. They had me arrested and then Miss Violet bailed me out. She taught me everything she knows from her previous work. Eventually she invited me to enroll to AEGIS to further develop my abilities.” Katsuo tells her a fabricated ending.

“Wow…so you knew the headmistress for so long?”

“Yeah. She may be a pain at times, but at least she’s a great help when it counts.”

Katsuo sighs at the thought of nearly lying through his teeth.

(“To be fair, it’s not a complete lie…”)

Katsuo looks at the digital clock by Henrietta’s desk and notices the time.

“It’s getting late. We should get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Very well…” Henrietta takes off her glasses and folds its arms. “You get to sleep with me tonight so I can keep a better eye on you.”

“Oh come on, I thought we already talked about this!”

Part 8

The next day…

The stadium is packed with people all roaring in anticipation. The same underground facility where Katsuo and Alex have had their sparring match is fully filled compared to the first few rows being barely occupied.

“Welcome, one and all, to the 6^th annual Alter Enhancement and General Instructional School Battle Tournament!!”

As the one of the announcers greets the audience, they cheer even louder. Chanting of the name of their favorite contenders start to resonate the arena.

The overhead display of gigantic monitors suspended from the ceiling shows the two commentators of the match. The ceiling itself projects the view of a fake sky, as though the roof is open.

The announcers providing commentary are students in uniform wearing headphones with microphones on the side. One of them has it decorated with cherry petals while the other is decorated with snowflakes.

“I’m your lovely host, Sakura!”

“And I’m Yuki.”

“And we’ll give you the rundown on this year’s rules of the tournament!”

The two lively announcers introduce themselves to the excited crowd. The gigantic monitors give a visual aid to the audience as they explain.

“Before the tournament, students were asked to form teams of at least four.”

“Each team will have a member which will be the designated flag-bearer while the rest of the team will either defend their flag or destroy the opponent’s. Whoever gets to destroy the enemy team’s flag, or whoever renders the enemy flag-bearer unable to battle…”

“They are declared the winners of the round!”

“Teams are also permitted to change around their flag positions between rounds. So that means if they feel like having a different person in their team carrying the flag for the next match, they can do so.”

“Initial matches are decided at random. The winners of each match will move up the bracket until only one team remains.”

“And that team will be declared the winner of the battle tournament!!”

 Roars and cheers erupt the stadium stands once more with thunderous claps, stomps, and chanting.

“Also I would also like to take this opportunity to say thanks to the military for keeping things in order during the festivities.”

“I guess you can’t be too careful these days, right Sakura?”

“You got that right, Yuki.”

Outside, soldiers from the surrounding military base is making their rounds to secure the venue. All the while, the students watch the festivities from all over the school through monitors mounted across walls and corridors.

Back at the underground stadium, the two contenders are already in the middle of the arena facing each other.

Katsuo, Kanade, Henrietta, and Natalia are standing side by side with one another. And much to the dismay of one of them…

“E~h?! I didn’t know you entered too, boss!” One of their opponents acts surprised, as what appears to be her hair flaps twitch in excitement like animal ears.

“I somehow doubt your ignorance…” Henrietta shakes her head while pinching on her forehead with her thumb and forefinger.

Arcs of electricity jump all over Kanade’s body as she cracks her knuckles.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time!” She says while grinning from ear to ear.

Each team has one person wearing a small pin with a flag on it. In Katsuo’s team, it’s on Natalia. On the opposite team…

“Don’t think that this will be any different, Kanade Ishihara.” One of them tosses her wavy hair as the flag badge on her chest glimmers on the light.

Katsuo recognizes her. She is the one who has helped bring Kanade to the infirmary when he has first witnessed Arsenal attack.

(“Telekinesis, huh? Just our luck…”)

But now is not the time to trouble with things like that.

“Contestants, get into position!” Sakura the announcer calls out to the two teams.

Everyone jumps and slides backwards to give each other a fair advantage. Each member of the team stares strongly towards the opponent in front of them. Every one of them assumes a position that will give them the proper advantage once the match starts.

“Ready…”

The stare down continues. The audience is left breathless in anticipation like waiting for a bomb to go off.

An air horn blares to signal the start of the match.

Part 9

In a military checkpoint keeping watch of the school borders…

“This is sector Alpha-01. Perimeter clear.”

“Acknowledged. Continue your patrol.”

“Roger.”

“Beta-02, what’s your status?”

“This is sector Beta-02. Perime—“

A faint pop followed by a brief splatter interrupts the radio report. Harsh static noise is transmitted through the communication system.

“Beta-02? Beta-02, please respond!”

Part 10

The Battle Tournament continues to rage in the underground stadium.

The telekinetic picks up three large chunks of rock, and hurls them right at Natalia. She dodges left, then right, then bursts through the third one; turning it into pebbles.

“What’s the matter, can’t grab a hold of a moving target?” Natalia taunts her attacker.

Meanwhile at the announcer table…

“So what can you tell the audience about the Disciplinary Committee team, Yuki?”

“Let’s start first with their flag-bearer. Erica Crosse is a Category 2 Telekinetic. Her specialties are the rare instances of rescue and damage control.”

With a snarl and a growl, a girl with hair flaps pounces like a wolf through the cluster of pebbles. 

She leaps towards Natalia, going for the flag badge on her chest.

"!!" Natalia gasps in surprise.

Luckily, her advance is cut short by an electric blast which sends her flying and skidding and tumbling with a whimper.

“Amaya Kirigaya is a Category 2 freshman from Class 1-B with an Alter Ability of Canine Biosynthesis. In addition to an Alter user’s enhanced strength, speed, and mental capacity, she has heightened hearing and smell with claws to match. She’s known for being the Committee’s hound dog.”

As the announcer continues her introduction, Kanade slowly walks towards her with snappy lightning following her every footstep.

“Hey! I’m the one you’re fighting, you mangy mutt!” Kanade jerks an elbow to the side while quickly swiping across her neck with her thumb.

Circuitbreaker appears behind her with lightning bolts arcing between its hands.

All the while, Katsuo is running straight towards the enemy flag-bearer.

However, she didn’t even attempt to make a counter. She instead gave a smirk that leaves Katsuo confused.

Shortly after, the answer falls down almost on top of him.

Like a meteor, one member of the enemy team slams down a kick on where he used to be at. Fortunately, Katsuo is able to jump back to avoid the attack from above that leaves a smoldering ring of fire around the general area of the impact.

“Predictable as always. Someone like you is not deserving of my darling Henrietta’s attention!” The girl with the low ponytail that goes over her right shoulder glares at him with scornful eyes.

“Darling?!”

Thanks to an opening made by his sudden confusion, the girl kicks off the ground and launches herself right towards Katsuo.

With her fist engulfed in fire, she cocks it back and aims squarely at his face.

With no time to react, Katsuo braces for impact instead. However, an Absolute Territory blocks the attack, much to the girl’s surprise.

“Shakaku. We already talked about this. You are not to address your superior like that. I think you’re taking this joke a bit too far.” Henrietta’s eyes pierce stronger than before.

Despite half of her face being covered in a shadow, both her eyes glow with killing intent. However, instead of fear, the girl she called Shakaku reacts differently than expected.

“KYAAAAAAAAAA!!! Please discipline me more, my darling!!” She exclaims while wriggling her body in excitement.

Katsuo can’t help but be baffled by the actions of the girl before him.

“Just why is she in your Disciplinary Committee?”

“Shakaku Himura, a junior from Class 2-A.” Yuki the announcer continues the introduction of the enemy team. “Being the main enforcer of the Disciplinary Committee, her Pyrokinesis ability is something to boast about despite being only a Category 2, much like her opponent, Katsuo Kiyabu.”

“Don’t compare me to that troglodyte!!” A surge of hot air radiates out of Shakaku like a furnace being opened.

To try and contain the heat, Henrietta forms a dome over Shakaku.

“WOAH!! I don’t think her powers are the only ones on fire today, Yuki!”

“You said it, Sakura.”

Katsuo takes this opportunity to dash pass the fiery foe and go for the objective.

He swings his right hand back and is about to form a sword to break the flag badge.

However, he feels an impact strike his abdomen.

He looks to his side and sees a girl who has landed a roundhouse kick on him with fearful eyes. The resulting impact sends him sliding back while clutching his stomach.

“I…I won’t lose! We will win this for Big Sister Henrietta.” The frail young girl said in a trembling voice.

“Big sister?!” Katsuo turns his head towards Henrietta who is still busy containing Shakaku.

“Don’t look at me, she’s not related to me at all.”

“And lastly, Satsuki Hanamura is an exceptional case. From Class 1-A, she’s admitted into AEGIS despite being a Category 1 due to her exceptional growth potential being the second highest in the school.”

“Who’s the first, Yuki?”

“That’s none other than her opponent, Katsuo Kiyabu.”

Katsuo forms a flail with his Alter Ability. He twirls the heavy ball a few times and uses the tangential force to hurl it towards his opponent.

Satsuki leans to the side to get out of its way, grabs the chain, coils it once around her wrist, and yanks hard.

Katsuo, who is still hanging on to his weapon, is sent hurdling towards her.

“S-sorry about this!” Satsuki stutters as she sends Katsuo high up to the air with a thundering uppercut.

As she does, a collective groan can be heard from the audience as they feel the impact of the attack.

Katsuo’s flail shatters into shards of light as his body goes limp.

A few meters from the ceiling, Amaya pounces high above him.

“I got you this time, you filthy lecher!” She extends her canine fangs and sharp claws.

A sharp crackle gets both of their attention.

They both lean backwards to dodge the electric blast which strikes a metal fixture on the ceiling.

This provided an opening for Natalia to leap above Amaya and ax kick her back to the ground.

The crowd gives a resounding cheer in excitement the moment she falls to the ground which kicked off a cloud of dust. Katsuo lands on one knee with one hand on the ground and the other swept to his back.

However, a metallic groan resounds from the ceiling. One of the metal fixtures gives off bright sparks as the wires overhead are torn apart. And with a series of loud snaps, it falls straight to the ground as more of its joints snap and break apart.

Katsuo turns his head up as he stands. The sight before him fills him with dread.

The large hunk of steel drops faster and faster. The crowd in the stands all gasp in shock. Some of them couldn’t bear to watch.

Katsuo looks around for someone to help him. Erica can’t get a grab of it. Natalia is too far from it. And it’s heading straight towards…

“MISS THOMPSON!!!!” Katsuo, who is the closest, rushes towards her and forms a broadsword in his hand.

She looks up and sees the falling steel fixture. The audience screams in terror.

Henrietta drops the Absolute Territory she’s using to contain Shakaku and is about to deploy another one.

However, Katsuo arrives first.

He stands in front of her with sword on the ready and lets out a loud vigorous shout as he slices the large metal girder.

With a single swing of his mighty blade, the falling metal splits clean in half and both pieces slam loudly on their either side with a tremendous clang.

The shockwave of the impact knocks Henrietta down.

She looks up to see Katsuo standing before her with a hefty sword in hand.

(“Why do I feel like…I’ve seen this before…”) A thought enters Henrietta’s mind.

A brave hero wielding a broadsword who stands to protect the helpless…

“Are you alright, Miss Thompson?” Katsuo turns around and reaches a hand towards her.

“Y-yes. I’m fine.” She answers as she grabs his hand.

Katsuo helps her stand up as both of them start blushing uncontrollably.

“This is silly, you know. I should be the one to protect you.” Henrietta attempts to regain her composure.

“W-Well…maybe I should play the hero sometimes, you know?” Katsuo insists as he looks away while scratching his cheek.

Henrietta stares at him bewildered, but eventually she smiles with a tilt of her head.

“You’re so hopeless, you know that?” Henrietta tells Katsuo with a thin grin.

The crowd cheers, screams, and squeals in excitement.

“Would you look at that, people?!”

“Yes indeed! I think we can all agree that the Battle Tournament this year is a lot more exciting with the introduction of Katsuo Kiyabu.”

As the two announcers comment on the scene before them, the chanting of Katsuo’s name bellows across the stands.

However, among this screams of joy, deep clanks can be heard from the chunk of scrap metal that Katsuo has sliced in half.

One of its beams comes loose and flies towards him. Katsuo quickly turns to the source of the sound as it heads towards him, forms a sledgehammer on his hand, and bats it away far from where anyone could be hurt from it.

“H-how dare you…?! HOW DARE YOU SULLY THE IMAGE OF OUR BELOVED HENRIETTA?!”

Henrietta and Katsuo looks at the source of the threat to find Erica. A ring rocks and steel beams revolve around her like the planets to the sun.

Before Katsuo realizes it, he is surrounded by the rest of the enemy team.

Amaya is on all fours and arching her back and snarling with her teeth showing.

Fire engulfs the entire body of Shakaku.

Satsuki assumes a ready stance despite her trembling posture.

“Don’t make any sudden moves.” Natalia warns everyone as she and Kanade, along with Circuitbreaker, take either side of the enemy’s formation.

The commentators continue to narrate the action.

“It looks like we’re up for a classic standoff, people!”

“Anything can happen at this point, right Sakura?”

“You bet, Yuki! How will Katsuo’s team get themselves out of this?”

Both teams survey their sides and their front as they stand in the ready.

Arcs of electricity jump from every follicle of Kanade’s hair.

Natalia slowly opens and closes her hands.

The Disciplinary Committee carefully guards both their front and their rear.

Both teams wait for the best opportunity to attack.

In a flash, Natalia gives a nod. She stomps a foot to the ground and a web of cracks form under her foot.

The resulting impact sends rocks flying to the air in reaction.

She jumps off the ground and hops on them one after another until she reaches higher ground.

“You’re not getting away!” Erica sends the debris that’s orbiting her flying towards Natalia.

“Got you now!” Kanade points forward and Circuitbreaker fires an electric blast from its hands.

It then arcs and jumps through the steel beam flying through the air.

Erica is left trapped in a cage she has no way of getting out of.

Once Natalia reaches the top of the cloud of debris, Natalia takes one more jump upward, turns her body to rotate on an axis, and dives back down to the ground.

While this is going on, Katsuo swerves pass the maze of stone, steel, and electricity with Henrietta shadowing his movements. All the way, the audience chants their names and cheers for them.

He vaults over the giant boulder coming straight at him and slides under the electrified steel beam with his knees.

However, they are not alone.

Overhead, Amaya and Shakaku are hopping from boulder to boulder as well, attempting to intercept them both.

Once they are on top of them, they dive down for the kill.

Henrietta quickly reacts by forming an Absolute Territory that encapsulates them. That is when Shakaku gives a cocky grin.

To the side, Satsuki comes out of nowhere and catches Henrietta off guard. And just as how she has taken her by surprise…

“Oh no you don’t!” Somebody shouts.

Kanade runs towards her, grabs her by the neck from behind, places her head over her left shoulder, and slams Satsuki to the ground by her back; knocking her out for a brief moment.

Meanwhile, Katsuo dives and rolls through the remaining pieces of rubble.

Erica reacts by pushing them together even more to create a denser field.

Katsuo forms a blunt mace and smashes through the mass of stone and steel which, in turn, also breaks his weapon.

After entering her dome, Katsuo forms a katana in his hand which causes Erica to stagger back. He didn’t give her a chance to react.

He thrusts it forward and flicks the pin off of her chest, and up into the air without breaking it.

Everyone in the audience leans forward with breaths held in anticipation.

The flag badge continues to toss and turn through the air as it goes higher and higher.

And then, an explosive force rings out.

Like a warhead, Natalia bursts straight downward head first through the top the dome of debris that surrounds Katsuo and Erica.

With a hand extended forward, she grabs hold of the flag badge, tucks it towards her chest, transitions the fall into a roll, and uses the force to propel herself backwards and away from Erica.

She turns her attention to her as she stands up from her landing just in time to see Natalia present it to her on the palm of her hand. And with a tight squeeze, Natalia crushes the flag badge with her bare hands.

With that, an air horn blares to signal the match’s conclusion.

“Flag captured! Winner…TEAM KATSUO!!!!”

Cheers and synchronous claps and stomps resonate within the arena.

As Erica’s control over the rubble subsides and they start falling, Henrietta projects an Absolute Territory over everyone’s head to protect them. As soon as the rain of rubble stops, she dissolves the Absolute Territory protecting everyone with nobody hurt.

“We did it!” Natalia joyously proclaims with a smile.

Katsuo responds with a nod.

Meanwhile, Shakaku is hugging one of Henrietta’s legs as she weeps her eyes out.

“I…I’m sorry my darling Henrietta!! We have failed you!!”

She stands there helpless as Shakaku lugs by her side.

“H-hey…” Katsuo slowly tries to walk towards her to help her out.

However, a sharp bite stings Katsuo’s right calf.

“Amaya!” Henrietta shouts.

“Not a step closer to the boss!” she growls and snarls to do everything stop Katsuo from getting closer.

“Th-that’s right! I won’t let Big Sister Henrietta anywhere near the big meanie!” Satsuki stands between Katsuo and Henrietta with her arms extended to the side.

Erica proceeds to place a hand on Satsuki’s shoulder.

“It can’t be helped. Lady Henrietta is that good of a leader. Only she can make anyone fight with such synergy.”

Shakaku stands, clasps her hands together and smiles with sparkling eyes.

“As expected of my darling Henrietta!!” Shakaku lunches inches away from Henrietta, causing her to stagger back.

(“But…I barely did anything to lead the team…”) A single sweat drop appears on the back of Henrietta’s head.

“We’ll give this battle’s victory to you, Katsuo Kiyabu. But remember…you don’t stand a chance in the war.” Erica glares at him as she signals the rest of her team to follow her.

And with a dumbfounded look on his face, the team that they have fought against promptly leaves the stadium.

“Hey, Miss Thompson, what did she mean by a war?” Katsuo asks out of curiosity.

However, she only responds with a blank stare and a shrug.

Kanade shakes her head slowly with a hand on her forehead.

“Honestly, for a Disciplinary Committee Chairperson, you’re really hopeless.” She comments on the side.

Natalia, who is standing beside Katsuo, has her arms crossed.

“Mind filling me in, Miss Lenhoff?”He then turns the question towards her.

Natalia looks up and away for a bit to think of a way to tell Katsuo. After getting the proper idea, she turns to him, cups a hand around his ear, and whispers to it.

Whatever she has told him has caused an overload in his head evident by the pale shocked look on his face accompanied by a sound of glass breaking.

"Y-you mean--?!"

"Mm-hmm. Not everyone is what they seem on the surface, young Katsuo." Natalia affirms her statement.

Suddenly, everyone’s celebration is cut short. A deafening explosion pierces the fake sky projected at the ceiling. The resulting explosion tears a hole in the ceiling, scattering dust everywhere.

“Emergency lockdown procedures! All students please evacuate the area.”

Reinforced steel shutters slide down to protect the stands. Everyone attempts to hastily leave the stadium.

Then, a person drops straight down from the hole created by the explosion and lands on its feet. A slow clap resounds through the cloud of dust which catches the attention of Katsuo’s team as they stand in the ready.

“Congratulations to the winners, everybody! That was truly a spectacular match. However…”

The dust settles, and it reveals a seemingly frail girl. Long green hair tied in a low ponytail, a white jumpsuit covering her body, an unhealthily pale skin, and on her face, a chilling grin enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.

“…it’s time for Round 2.” She aims a look of killing intent over to Katsuo.

Meanwhile at the announcer table…

“What could possibly be going on down there?!”

“I don’t know, Sakura. But it looks big.”

“All this anticipation sure makes me excited.”

“You said it!”

“But first, a word from our sponsors…”

Part 11

“What is going on down there?!” Miss Violet furiously contacts the control room of the infiltrated stadium.

“We can’t complete the evacuation. The system has placed the lockdown on Level 7. We can’t manually open the hatch doors from here.”

“Saving the students will be the top priority. Get the military there on the double. Attempt a manual override and get them to safety.”

“What about the others?” One of the teachers turn towards the monitor showing Katsuo and his team.

“Don’t take them so lightly. What they do alone is nothing compared with what they can do together.”

Down at the arena, everyone stands at the ready as the unknown assailant laxly stands with her hands in her pockets. Katsuo’s hands nervously shake as cold sweat runs through his body.

“You seem oddly confident. You do know that you won’t stand a chance should reinforcements arrive.” Henrietta attempts to subdue the intruder.

“Ghehaha…honestly, no matter how many flies are there, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re flies. Nothing can touch me, I can assure you that.”

“Big talk, but let’s see if you can handle this!!” Kanade fires an electric blast right at the unknown assailant.

Without even flinching, she stands in her place motionless as the lightning bolt zips quickly towards her. The moment it touches her, it bounces back like a light against a mirror.

“Miss Ishihara!!” Katsuo tackles Kanade away from her own blast.

The bolt of electricity strikes a piece of metal embedded on the floor from the earlier fight which dissipates the electric current through the ground.

“I must say, that was rather unique! I’m getting tired of reflecting bullets and rockets, myself. Wasn’t even sure that would work.” She says as she tiresomely cracks her neck.

(“Reflect? I’ve never seen what she looks like, but there’s no doubt about it. She’s the product of that ambitious experiment: Project Promotion.”) Natalia clenches her hand as she recalls all the information about this assailant beforehand.

“Oh silly me, where are my manners. Hello there, I’m Inverter.” She continues as she bows her head a bit while still standing laxly. “It’s a pleasure.”

(“Direction Manipulation. My equal. Do we even stand a chance?”) Doubt clouds Natalia’s mind.

“What are you after?” Henrietta interrogates Inverter.

“Simple.” She slowly raises an arm and points towards Katsuo. “The death of who will potentially be the one to bear the strongest Alter.”

Katsuo’s pulse races faster. Cold sweat covers his body as death beacons closer to him. However, everyone stands right in front of him with their protective backs turned.

“Over our dead bodies! Nobody’s killing this idiot until I make him pay for meddling with my life.” Kanade barks at her.

Inverter gives a chilling grin as shadows cover her eyes.

“If you insist…”

Inverter soars along the floor rapidly towards Katsuo, but Natalia quickly moves in to intercept.

She sweeps a foot back and catches the jab her bare hand centimeters from her face.

(“That’s odd…it feels like nothing is pushing back.”) Inverter notices something weird about the counter.

A sharp grin appears on Inverter’s face.

“Hey tell me…Action-Reaction is a pain, isn’t it?” Inverter glares at her with her fist still being contained.

Inverter quickly circles her arm in a broad motion and shakes Natalia’s hand off.

She follows immediately with a punch aimed right at Natalia's abdomen.

This sends her sliding backwards towards Katsuo who catches her by under her arms. The sudden acceleration throws her perception of its magnitude off which is what has prevented her from controlling it. Luckily it didn’t leave a scratch on her, nor did she show any form of pain. 

“Are you okay, Miss Lenhoff?” Katsuo asks her.

“I’m fine. But that girl…” 

Inverter slowly paces forward with her hands still in her pockets.

“Even if you have control over his greatest accomplishment, you are still Newton’s slave. Unlike you, that’s the first thing I learned to do.”  Inverter paces herself towards Katsuo slowly with her hands back in her pockets.

Henrietta steps in and projects an Absolute Territory inches from Inverter's face to halt her advance.

“Not a step closer!” Henrietta commands her.

Inverter rests a palm right at it like placing a hand up against a wall.

“A field projection that exerts an equal amount of normal force no matter how much is applied against it, huh? I wonder if…”

Inverter jerks her palm right at Henrietta’s supposedly impenetrable defense. However, from the point of impact, a web of cracks rapidly radiates away from it and shatters like a mirror.

(“Impossible! Nothing gets passed my Absolute Territory!”)  Henrietta is taken aback by what she has witnessed.

“Magnitudes come in pairs, and so does direction. The difference between you and me is that I can control one side independently from the other.” Inverter continues to give a cocky explanation of her abilities.

Suddenly, an overwhelming impulse consumes Natalia. Her pulse races as she faces the soulless eyes of a remorseless killer.

Before this frightening sight, Natalia sets herself up from Katsuo's grasp. 

“Katsuo…can you do me a favor?” Natalia asks him as she sluggishly walks forward a few steps until planting her feet firmly on the ground. “…don’t look at me.”

She grabs the hair tie that’s keeping her ponytail on and pulls it off her. Her hair floats from the smooth motion her hand moves. The sterling silver hair glimmers on the vibrant lights of the arena.

“Rise! Nachteufel!!”

Scorching air whips violently away from Natalia’s body. Katsuo, Henrietta, and Kanade shield their faces from the ferocious gale.

Like a mirage, an eldritch creature manifests itself crawling along the ground as though coming out of the unreachable cracks that extend deep beneath the earth.

It takes a reptilian body with scales of black obsidian with red skin peeking in between. Green serpentine eyes stab right through any mortal heart that receives the misfortune of gazing into them. Chains and shackles are on either wrist which is what is left of what used to bind this foul creature. A thick tail whips from side to side as a mane of blazing fires flow across its spine. Spikes protrude out of its shoulders, elbows, and the tips of its claws. Crooked horns grow from the back of its head.

This is the demon under the Queen’s command.

It slowly stands on its two hind legs and gives a blood curdling roar.

The students trapped in the stands cover their ears as it reverberates through the reinforced steel shutters that are keeping them captive.

This bloodcurdling noise extends passed through the thick metal doors that the military are attempting to override manually.

Natalia points forward with one hand and her Alter, Nachteufel pounces right at Inverter.

“Yes…yes…YES!!! That’s what I want to see!” Inverter dodges the inhumanly fast jabs that rain mercilessly towards her.

She leans, turns, and ducks pass every swipe, every punch, and every attack that is hurled towards her. One strong jab bursts right towards her grinning face, but she effortlessly catches it with her bare hand.

“Miss Henrietta. Get him to safety. Only I have the power to hold her off.” Natalia tells her as she holds back Inverter.

Henrietta responds with a quick nod then grabs Katsuo by the wrist and drags him to the arena door with Kanade closely behind. Once they are a good distance away, Nachteufel delivers an uppercut straight towards Inverter. However, she jumps high and away from it and flips in mid-air then sticks the landing into a squat.

“My turn!” Inverter uses the distance to progressively double her acceleration with every step by reversing the drag direction she experiences with each bound.

Natalia dashes towards Inverter, manipulating the magnitude of her acceleration. 

And right at the precise center of the arena, the two of them clash.

Meanwhile…

“Blast! The system’s compromised. The emergency release program won’t respond. Comms are dead too.” Henrietta clicks her tongue as she operates the console to try and override the lockdown.

The tunnel leading out of the arena is held shut by thick reinforced steel shutters. On the side is an interface to open the door in case of emergencies. However, it is on the fritz along with the rest of the contingency plans for getting them out of this place.

Katsuo sits in a corner trembling and hugging his knees.

“This is my fault…” he mutters to himself.

“Stop saying that. Being trapped here has nothing to do with you.” Henrietta assures him as she fiddles with the interface some more.

“I know this will happen but I can’t do anything about it. I’m sorry…” he clutches his knees tighter to his chest.

Kanade, with a scowl on her face, angrily walks towards the sulking Katsuo.

“Miss Ishihara!!” Henrietta tries to vainly stop her.

She didn’t listen and grabs him by his collar.

“Get on your feet!” she barks as she hoists him high up in the air. “I’ve just had about enough of your bellyaching!! Now tell me…why did you keep this from us?”

Katsuo holds on to her wrists trying to pry them off of him.

“I…I did it to protect you all. All this happened because of me. I’m the one they’re after, not you. If I die, they’ll leave you alone. And your lives will go back to before meeting me.”

A bolt of electricity flows sharply between her arms from her shoulders to her wrist.

Pouring in all of her strength, she growls with overbearing rage and tosses Katsuo like a ragdoll towards the steel door.

His back slams violently against it; knocking all of the air out of his lungs.

He slides down after the impact and Kanade follows up with a jab. The lifeless Katsuo couldn't even dodge it. All he could do is simply flinch.

Katsuo hears a hit, but it didn't land on him.

He slowly opens his eyes and looks to where it has come from. The punch has actually landed a few centimeters off to the side of his head.

The deep ringing snaps Katsuo out of his melancholy. Kanade starts sobbing while fist is still making contact with the metal door. Her shoulders start to shake as tears stream down her cheeks.

“I don’t believe it…” She talks through her tears. “We’ve stuck our necks out for you all this time and then you’ll turn your back at us?! You’re so full of it, you damn idiot!! What happened to counting on us when something’s bothering you?!”

Henrietta can’t say anything as of the moment. She of all people knows what she’s like before she met Katsuo. Whatever she’s saying has solid ground to stand on.

The still ongoing battle between Natalia and Inverter continues to resound between the tunnel walls. Her screams of power, anguish, and rage; the sounds of every hit she give and take enter Katsuo’s ears.

“I don’t…I don’t want to go back. I don't want to go back to the time before you came along. My life changed for the better since meeting you. And I’ll do everything I can to protect you.” She softly murmurs in her quivering voice.

That’s when Katsuo remembers…

(“Did that really happen?”)

Yesterday, Katsuo asked Miss Violet a rundown on Inverter’s past to see if there’s a way to stop her.

(“Yes. Their private military company gave the report. 22 dead and 8 of them were unarmed civilians. One of them, according to her, is her mother: an unprofiled Alter user.”)

(“Unprofiled?”)

(“She has no data on file. No name, no Alter Ability, no Alter Category, nothing.”)

One of the files included in the folder are transcripts of the experiment logs along with pictures of the grueling regimen she’s put through. And along with it, the blatant lie they told her.

(“How could they do something like this to her…”)

(“Frightening, isn’t it? The most terrifying monsters are always the ones made by man, fictional…or not.”)

Katsuo gulps upon the torment she’s gone through. Her body battered, bruised, and damaged. The transcript is heavily redacted, but the pictures plentifully fills in the gaps.

Back into reality, Katsuo places a hand on Kanade’s shoulder.

“I’ve got an idea on we can beat her. I just don’t know if it will work.”

Part 12

Nachteufel continues to rain a flurry of rapid punches too fast for any normal person to see. However, Inverter dodges every one of them with little to no effort.

She steps left then right in rapid succession in pace with the punches Natalia’s Alter dishes out.

Nachteufel winds up for a big jab, however, Inverter weaves under and delivers a hook straight towards Natalia’s face.

She leans to the side and counters with an uppercut aimed straight at Inverter’s abdomen. It comes marginally close, but it never touches her.

Not because of Inverter’s or of Natalia’s ability.

“I see…trying to trick me by pulling your attack at the last minute, huh?! Good plan…” Inverter shoots her right knee rapidly towards Natalia’s stomach.

Despite decreasing the magnitude, the pain she receives is enough to make her wince.

“…but your timing’s off!”

The impact sends her staggering back with her feet bracing the hard floor.

She clutches her abdomen as the sensation of the dull hit takes a toll on her.

“You don’t have to do this!” Natalia tries to reason to Inverter. “You’re the World’s Strongest. You answer to nobody. Don’t tell me you did all this on a whim.”

“You’re right. I don’t have to…” Inverter clenches her fist and draws it back for another hook. “…but I need to!”

Inverter hurls her punch straight towards Natalia, as she uses the back of her hand to redirect it to the side.

Natalia reaches for the back of Inverter’s collar, hooks a foot around her ankle, and attempts to flip her on her back.

As soon as Natalia reaches a quarter of the way of her flip while while unhooking Inverter’s ankle, Inverter tosses her lower body around Natalia’s center of gravity; messing with her balance.

This causes Natalia to fall on her back which gives her the opportunity to bear on her by straddling on her stomach.

Inverter hurls punch after punch aimed at Natalia’s head as she talks which Natalia blocks with her forearms crossed.

“Power! Unlimited power! Ultimate power! Absolute power!! For me to be the strongest, he has to die! I want ensure that I stay being the strongest. I want people to fear me just by my presence alone! I want every single miniscule thought of people challenging me to disappear out of existence!!”

Natalia sends Nachteufel to uppercut Inverter right off of her squarely at her jaw.

The impact sends Inverter tumbling backwards.

She quickly recovers then recycles the same momentum direction instead of countering it to land on one hand then flip herself right side up.

“You may be untouchable, but you’re not immovable.” She tells Inverter as she readjusts her jaw.

It has been minutes since they have started fighting, and neither showed any sign of slowing down. Natalia, despite just finishing an earlier battle, is able to keep up with someone who is supposedly above her power.

Suddenly, a shout from behind catches her attention.

“Miss Lenhoff!!” Katsuo’s voice enters her ears.

She turns her head to look over her shoulder and sees not only him, but Henrietta and Kanade running along behind him.

“You guys…!”

Inverter sees an opening and pounces right at her with hands outstretched like feline claws, almost like gliding across the floor.

Natalia quickly faces her opponent and catches her attack with a mighty jab. The tremendous force of the two titanic powers let loose a roaring shockwave of unfathomable energy.

Blustering wind as hot as an open furnace spiral violently away from where the two attacks meet. Everyone shields their faces from both the heat and wind that’s preventing them from going any further.

“It’s always about me, me, me. Let’s talk about you. What do you see in him that makes him worth protecting? Why do you risk life and limb to someone who can potentially destroy the world?” Inverter grits her teeth as she takes her turn in asking the questions.

Natalia clicks her tongue and lowers her head to the point that her eyes become shaded. She remembers vividly the exact reason why she’s fighting to protect him.

She vigorously pulls away her hand; dispelling the violent whirlwind of heat. Inverter is knocked back and away from her without even a single bruise or scratch.

She shouts her answer with all of her heart while looking her right in the eye.

“His smile…I WILL PROTECT HIS SMILE!!!!!!”

“Heh?!” Inverter asks with a look of confusion on her face.

“Heh?!” Katsuo asks with a look of confusion on his face.

“Heh?!” Kanade and Henrietta ask with a look of confusion on their faces.

“Heh?!” The teachers in the control room ask with a look of confusion on their faces.

“Heh?!” Sakura and Yuki from the announcer table ask with a look of confusion on their faces.

“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!?!” The entire audience asks with a look of confusion on their faces.

An air of surprise, amazement, and complete and absolute confusion floods the entire stadium. Every face is held aghast from the words uttered by the supposed feared Demon Queen of the Night.

“I-I can NOT believe this, folks! What a shocking turn of events!!” Sakura, one of the announcers, voices out in the same state of amazement as the rest of the crowd.

“By goodness! I don’t think I’ve seen excitement like this in all of the years this school as held this tournament, Sakura!”

“Right you are there, Yuki.”

Inverter slumps her shoulders and lets her arms dangle loosely with her head hanging down.

“Ehaha…hehahahaha…” her shoulders quiver as weak crackling resonate from her.

She arches her back and looks up at the ceiling. Her arms swing to the back while her pupils dilate sharply.

“GHEHAHAHAH!!!! EGHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!” A spine-chilling laugh fills the arena.

With a devilish grin that exposes her sharp fangs, Inverter glares at everyone. The red marks on her cheeks start to glow faintly.

“RAZORBAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!” With a growling voice, Inverter calls out and lets loose all of her power fueled by unrivaled rage.

The Alter looks so alien, like it didn’t belong to this world at all. Its body is as black as tar. Neon green patches litter its body which gives off a vibrant glow. The eyes on its bloated head are huge and insect-like and have mandibles on its mouth. And instead of hands, it has long scythe-like appendages that look like they belong to a praying mantis.

“Don’t mess with me! I need to stay the strongest!! In this world where the strong rule over the weak, I need to be the strongest to be able to protect everyone!!!”

The section of the floor below her feet suddenly starts to form cracks. With a vigorous step, Inverter sends Razorback pouncing towards Natalia. Its mantis-like arms swing down on her as it gives off a shrill roar.

However, much to her surprise, someone is defending the attack for her.

Katsuo, with a claymore on hand, parries the scythe-like appendage before it could hit anyone.

“Protect? You talk like it’s your responsibility to do so. The weight of the world isn’t something to be carried alone.” Katsuo looks into the eyes that he was once afraid of.

With a big push, he swings the arm bearing down on him away.

Razorback blurs away, revealing Inverter who has jumped up into the air aiming a kick straight down at him.

“Big talk, but not enough to keep up!” Inverter growls with malicious intent.

Katsuo quickly dashes out of the way. The impact of Inverter's kick causes an earth-shattering tremor that knocks the debris scattered by the previous battle through the air.

“I was lead to believe that you’re actually worth my time! But you’re nothing more than a pathetic third-string!!”

Inverter roundhouse kicks a section of the steel girder that’s a step away from her right towards Katsuo.

He tosses his sword to the side which shatters like it’s made of glass into shards of light.

(“If it worked before…”)

With that thought, he forms the same broadsword as before and holds it firmly on both hands.

Like a batter anticipating a pitch, he anticipates the path of the iron debris and focuses his eyes on it. With the timing dialed perfectly, he swings the mighty blade in a smooth arc and hits it dead center.

However…

(“What the—!!”)

Instead of being able to slice the metal fixture cleanly like hot knife on butter, it instead gets ripped out of his hands and is crushed by its massive weight upon impact.

“You’re one Grade A fool to believe that even had the slightest chance of working. Look at you! You’re practically serving yourself in a silver platter for me!!” Inverter growls as she sends Razorback to attack Katsuo.

Instead of moving away to dodge, he runs right towards her Alter and slides under it.

While doing so, he forms a bow staff and vaults himself up into the air.

As soon as he’s airborne, it snaps in half then disintegrates into shards of light.

He does a few flips to reorient himself to land on his feet.

“You’re right. I am a fool. But I’m the fool who believes that it takes more than power to protect someone.”

Katsuo forms a dull bokken with his abilities and sets a defensive stance against Inverter.

“How pathetic and naïve! Your delusions will be the death of you!!”

The monstrous Razorback slashes repeatedly with its sharp scythe-like appendages so fast that afterimages of each blade violently tear the air in front of Katsuo.  

Using his innate enhanced speed and mental processing, he parries each of them, one after another.

However, he accidentally misses one.

The resulting impact sends him skidding across the hard floor; kicking off clouds of dust along the way. His shoulder hits one of the giant boulders knocked loose by the earlier match.

He groans as he shakily sits himself up with trembling arms. Blood drips from the corner of his forehead and the edge of his lips. A large gash made by the slash tears across Katsuo’s bodysuit.

“KATSUO!!!!” Natalia shouts as she tries to intervene.

However, Henrietta forms an Absolute Territory in front of her.

“What are you doing?! He’s gonna get himself killed! I thought for sure you’d be the first one to step in to help!”

Henrietta responds by slowly shaking her head with a smile.

“No. This is something he needs to do. He told me something you told him…”

There is a brief moment of confusion in Natalia’s mind.

“…something about only a kind heart can overcome a troubled heart.”

Natalia’s eyes widen in complete shock.

Meanwhile, as Katsuo struggles to stand himself up, Inverter slowly walks towards him.

“Someone like you has no right to lecture me on how the world works. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH!!!!!”

With a deep resounding growl, she sends Razorback to deal the finishing blow while giving off its shrill roar.

“But I do…” Katsuo uses what little strength he has to talk.

Upon Inverter’s ears catching this, Razorback’s attack only grazes Katsuo. One of the sharp mantis-like arms makes a small cut across his right cheek which causes blood to slowly drip out of it.

“They lied to you; tricked you. They mocked you and your dream. All you wanted was the ability to protect everyone you cared for. I heard that armed men attacked your home. I won’t lie; I’ve been through the same. Just like you, I lost everything…then looked for strength, but not to save everyone, but myself.”

Stray thoughts enter Inverter’s mind…

The attack of those armed goons who killed everyone she cared for, her own mother being shot right in front of her, and lastly, the scared look in everyone’s eyes, the terrified eyes of the very people who she was supposed to save.

Katsuo throws his weapon to the side, causing it to shatter.

“You seek for power in all the wrong places. I may not be anywhere near as strong as you, but I can show you a different kind of power. It will not make you the strongest in the world, but you will be strong enough to protect those you care for. The strength you desire isn’t something that can be achieved alone. It doesn’t have to be us.  So long as they are the people who believe in you…and you believe in them. Together, you will reach that kind of power that you dream of.” Katsuo says as he reaches a hand upwards towards Inverter. “Whether you believe what I say or not is up to you. If you trust me, take my hand. If you don’t, strike me here and now.”

(“What’s wrong with this person? I tried to kill him all this time and yet here he is extending compassion towards me.”) Inverter looks at him like someone would look at a revolting insect.

“So…what do you say?” He continues to extend his offer once more.

It’s an offer too good to be true. This boy who can’t even put up a fight against her will show her a power strong enough to fulfill her dreams.

“I want…I want the power to save everyone…” Inverter clenches her fist as she focuses all of her rage from all of her years.

Meanwhile, Henrietta is somehow hit by those words as well…

(“Enough to protect those I care for, huh? I guess I was carrying the world on my shoulders without me knowing it too…”)

Confusion and anger fill Inverter’s dilated eyes. A weak smile is plastered on Katsuo’s face. The difference between his and the last person who reached out to her is that the smile this time is undoubtedly genuine.

She grits her teeth as she continues to think twice about her impending fate. However, before Inverter gives her answer…

“What a waste!” A mechanical voice calls out from above.

From the hole in the ceiling, a figure clad in red descends down rapidly like a meteor falling to the ground. On its hand is a dark crimson sword that strikes fear upon sight that is aimed straight downwards towards Inverter’s back.

“Look out!!” Katsuo quickly leaps up from the rubble and dashes forward, and forms a sword.

However, he didn’t use this to attack Inverter. Instead, he uses it to parry the sinister blade that is about to hit her.

The arena is filled with a tremendous gasp. Katsuo protects the person who tried to kill him moments ago who didn’t even need protecting in the first place.

“I thought for sure that you would be able to carry out this one simple task.” The figure cloaked in red berates Inverter.

Confusion overtakes Inverter’s anger. Her bloodlust starts to fade. The glowing on the red marks on her cheeks finally subsides. She stares at the back of the person who she was supposed to kill, and yet here he is, foolishly protecting her. Only one question comes out of Inverter’s mind.

(“Why…?”)

“Hey…Everyone is worthy to find redemption. You’ve made some bad choices; purposely lead astray. But you can still turn your life around.” He assures Inverter while continuing to protect her. “And I’ll make sure you’ll be able to make that choice.”

Katsuo pushes it back and away from Inverter. The resulting force causes it to slide backwards as it flicks its sword to the side.

“How revolting; to think that someone who will eventually become the Category 5 believes in such childish delusions."

As the figure who wears a helmet and hood to hide its face talks, it stabs the sword to the ground.

Suddenly, the hard concrete floor receives the consistency of quicksand. Everyone, except the person donned in scarlet red, slowly sinks to the once solid ground.

(“What’s going on?!”) Katsuo grimaces as he tries to make sense of the situation.

The unknown figure floats inches from the surface on whirlwind spinning under it. Its long cape flutters ominously at the gale that suspends it in the air.

“You disappoint me. You’re the effort of years of classified research to create something I was able to achieve?! No wonder, that company is run by incompetent failures. Just…like…you…”

Bitter rage engulfs Inverter’s eyes. She clenches her fist, but Katsuo puts an arm in front of Inverter to protect her.

“So you finally got tired of hiding in the shadows, huh. Although, if you’re so bent on looking for me all these years, you’d at least show your face.”

The figure flicks a hand upward and Katsuo is encased from the neck down in a cocoon of hardened stone.

He grimaces as he struggles to wriggle himself free, but the quicksand-like material has surrounded every crevice of his body before solidifying in a coffin.

The hooded figure pulls the sword out of the ground which causes the quicksand floor to solidify again. Those who are still stuck in the quicksand end up encased in concrete up to their waist.

“Who I am is not important to this world. Nobody’s identity is. Only ideals and beliefs transcend time, and I have surpassed being human.”

The huge sword on its hand melts into a liquid-like blob suspended in thin air, then reconstructs itself into a small thin fencing rapier.

It swings it a few times then draws it back with its other hand extended forward.

“Now then, I cannot allow your existence to stay in this world any longer. You are simply too big of a threat to this world to go unchecked. Now…BEGONE!!”

And with those digitally deep and reverberated words, it thrusts the sword forward as it soars right towards Katsuo in a booming speed, resulting in a raging dust storm in its wake.

There is little room between Henrietta’s fingers and wrist.

Once the sword’s tip reaches inches away from Katsuo’s face, she uses that cramp space to flick her hand in a subtle gesture. This creates a small pane of light that’s merely a few inches in area.

That small pane absorbs all of the energy that after a brief moment of exerting resistance, it eventually shatters.

However, it has done its job.

It has burnt off a huge amount of the force that was supposed to kill Katsuo and the resulting inertia from the impact sends her staggering.

“Who dares?!” The growling electronic voice aims the deadly gaze at anyone who could be responsible for it.

While distracted, Inverter presses her arms outwards towards the concrete cocoon.

She reverses the normal force it’s exerting on her, which causes the stone encasement to shatter.

Using that same energy, she launches herself to stand between the hooded sword wielder and Katsuo.

“You dare defy me? I was the one who gave you freedom.”

“Freedom? Don’t give me that crap. All my life, I’ve lived in captivity. Even after you broke me out of prison, I’m under your leash. He has given me something no one has, a choice!”

With a heavy stomp of her foot, the violent gale that blows the abrasive grains of sand everywhere is dispelled.

Natalia, Henrietta, and Kanade are knocked free from their binds while loosening Katsuo’s.

Natalia and Henrietta exchange nods and both charge toward the figure in red along with Inverter. Natalia goes high, Inverter goes middle, and Henrietta goes low.

Henrietta slides down and attempts to knock her off her feet. However, it jumps and turns its body on an axis, while Henrietta continues to slide under.

Upon landing back on the ground, it makes a short sword on its left hand.

It parries and pushes aside the slash Inverter had Razorback perform on her. The resulting force it catches continues her lateral spin, which flutters its long scarlet cape around its body.

Natalia punches down from the jump she used to get out of the floor she is stuck on.

While still redirecting Razorback’s slash, it draws a dagger from thin air and blocks the incoming attack. It bends its elbow an turns its shoulder upward to push the force behind her.

The three of them try to land a hit as much as the can. Every punch, every kick, every tackle; all of them are quickly negated or dodged with graceful movement.

The way this person moves in battle is akin to a deadly kagura, or a dance with swords. Its opponents rely heavily on strength and footwork. The figure in red, however, makes full use of its body. The way it flutters its long crimson cape as its torso turns and bends is like a matador taunting a bull.

While the three of them distract the person in red, Katsuo tries to wriggle his body free of the rock encasement. However, despite the cracks opening and closing from the outside, he can’t completely shatter them.

But then, faint crackles can be heard from behind him. A section of the stone sarcophagus is ripped open.

Katsuo falls backwards as his ankles are still trapped. However, before he hits the ground, he is caught by under his arms. His back is leaning on the person who set him free.

He looks up to see Kanade peering down at him with a smile. She gives a quick nod which Katsuo returns with a grin.

He kicks his feet free as Kanade tosses him upward.

He twists his body while in mid-air and stretches his right hand out. A great sword forms over his palm which is moved by the spin of his body.

He grabs it by the handle and takes a stance for a counter. He relaxes his shoulders and draws the blade back; one hand on the handle, and the other palm on the pommel. The tip of the sword aims squarely at the one below him.

With a scream, he bears down on the person in red and pierces the air on the way down.

Natalia, Henrietta, and Inverter quickly jump out of the way.

The figure’s glimpse shifts right towards him.

The thin rapier reshapes itself like it is made of a fluid-like substance into a gargantuan blade which is serrated on one side that seems impossible to lift, let alone handle with one hand. However, this person is able to not only hold it over its head, but parries the stab Katsuo tries to aim at it.

“Predictable, as always.” It taunts through the digital voice changer.

“Heh, didn’t look far enough.”

With a grin on his face, he dismounts his engagement with a flip and lands away from it.

On cue, sharp sparks resonate from the side. The figure turns its head to the source and raises its right hand with a wave.

On its command, grains of sand rises in the air and turns into iron chaffs.

They dissipate some of it, but not enough, as the electric blast hits it squarely at the head which knocks its entire body to the side.

It rolls once then plants its feet on the ground and slide off the rest of the energy.

A hand clutches over the large gaping crack on its helmet that exposes an eye and a part of its face. The right half of its hood is partially burned from the electricity.

“I think it’s safe for us to step in, given that your plan went belly up and all.”

The cloaked figure turns its head towards the one voice. Upon realizing who it is, an unexpected feeling engulfs its once bleak soul.

“Kanade? No…why are you here?!” Its true voice leaks weakly through the malfunctioning voice changer on its helmet which sustained substantial damage.

This voice is filled with a cocktail of emotions.

Longing…fear…grief…joy…frustration…

Everyone’s attention is stolen by a buzzer filling the stadium. The reinforced metal doors that are keeping them in burst open. Hundreds of armed soldiers rush in and form a perimeter within the pit with thundering footsteps. Their guns are all aimed towards the figure in red.

Katsuo places an arm in front of Inverter, continuing to defend her.

The cloaked figure stands up and clicks its tongue.

“You’ve won this fight. But know this: now you no longer have a place to hide. For the sake of protecting this world, you will die.” the cloaked figure taunts as another gust of wind stops everyone from doing anything.

It rides this same gale upwards towards the hole on the ceiling.

Shortly after, a voice comes out of one of the soldiers' radio.

“I want that thing tracked down now!!” A familiar voice of a certain lady in violet shouts through it.

A squad rushes out of the arena while a big majority holds their positions. Shortly after, the wind starts to subside.

“What about Call Sign Inverter?” One of them asks.

“Bring her in. Calmly!”

One of the soldiers slowly walks out of formation and towards Inverter.

Katsuo continues to hide her behind his back, but Inverter gently places a hand over his shoulder.

He looks over it and sees a face shrouded with melancholy.

Katsuo looks at her, and the sensation of total defeat is reflecting on her face.

A lot of things are spinning on her mind, so much in fact that she can’t say anything at the moment.

Just by seeing this face, Katsuo understands. He backs away and lets her pass.

She presents her wrists to the soldier who promptly slaps handcuffs on her.

She is calmly escorted out of the arena by the platoon that secures the pit. As soon as she’s out of sight…

“You seem to be a nice guy. I must say, you’ve really piqued my interest. I’ll be looking forward to the day we meet again…Katsuo Kiyabu.” Inverter whispers to the darkness as she clutches her now lightened heart.

“And on that day…you will be mine.”