Cries of shock, wails, screams...
All kinds of unsettling sounds rang out endlessly.
Just moments ago, the Old Cathedral had still possessed the same majestic sanctity it had maintained for centuries without change.
Yet in an instant, it had become a shattered ruin.
Ancient construction materials, heavy with the weight of ages, split apart and collapsed across the ground. The few remaining sections still barely standing swayed precariously under the burning flames.
The sudden disaster was like an unstoppable claw, tearing apart the seemingly impregnable defenses the girls had trusted so completely.
Suddenly, a massive slab of marble shifted ever so slightly.
As though it were merely a roadside pebble, the enormous stone was casually shoved aside.
The white-haired Prefect Team chairwoman rose to her feet, bat-like wings spreading behind her as she stood atop the ruins like a Demon King.
Though her forehead was injured, blood running down her cheek, her body covered in dust, and countless tears split open her stockings, making her small swaying figure seem even more fragile...
Her gaze remained unwavering.
After the initial moment of disorientation, her thoughts rapidly sharpened.
What exactly just happened?
Hina's mind raced as she analyzed the situation.
First, they had suffered an explosion.
Yet according to the earlier inspections by the Sisterhood and Tea Party, followed by the joint reinspection conducted by the Prefect Team, Justice Task Force, and Pandemonium Society, it had already been confirmed that there were no explosives hidden inside or beneath the Old Cathedral.
Moreover, with her keen hearing, she thought she had caught the sound of something flying overhead at tremendous speed moments earlier.
Combined with the devastation surrounding them now, the conclusion was obvious.
Cruise missiles.
Even if this wasn't Trinity's main campus, considering how seriously Trinity regarded the Eden Treaty, the fact that even the anti-air defense system failed to respond...
Were they hypersonic missiles using ramjet engines?
But within Kivotos, only a handful of forces possessed technology of that level.
Other than the three major academies and the General Student Council, only massive academies on the level of Red Winter or Shanghaijing, or giant corporations like the Kaiser Corporation and Sanctum Tower Foundation, could possibly possess such capabilities.
Was someone backing Arius?
But...
Hina looked around, her brows knitting slightly.
From what she knew, even hypersonic missiles should not have produced an explosion on this scale.
In other words, this was technology beyond both her understanding and her intelligence network.
"Millennium? An Artifact? Or perhaps... [Thunder Emperor]...? No, that's not what's important right now..."
(TL: Railway Gun Shemata - A massive weapon created by the infamous Shemata of the Iron-Witted Politics, also known as the "Thunder Emperor".)
Ako and Chinatsu were currently inside the underground safe room.
Although the passage was likely blocked by the explosion, they shouldn't be in immediate danger.
Iori had remained outside, but she was tough enough that no matter how unlucky she got, she should at least be able to protect herself.
As for everyone else, she couldn't worry about them right now.
Most importantly...
"Sensei...!?"
"H-Hina-san, you can still stand after that..."
The white-haired girl, her thoughts interrupted, turned toward the voice.
The speaker was a gloomy-looking green-haired girl carrying a massive case on her back.
Behind her stood numerous students wearing matching uniforms and gas masks.
To someone who commanded the Prefect Team, their identity was unmistakable.
"Arius Branch School..."
"W-What should we do..." Hiyori muttered nervously. "After taking an attack like that and still not falling... that's amazing, so strong... Why are you still so determined to fight...? Doesn't it hurt? Isn't it awful...?"
At that moment, a cold female voice came through the communicator.
"Kill her. Whatever happens, don't let Hina escape."
"Y-Yes!"
After nervously answering, Hiyori gave Hina an apologetic smile.
"S-So that's basically the situation... sorry about this, eheh... S-Since we've been ordered to stop you... I have no choice but to apologize. Orders are orders..."
But Hina merely stared coldly at the enemy before her and quietly spoke.
"...Move."
"This world is full of painful things, isn't it..."
Hiyori murmured to herself.
"I really wanted... to eat one more ice cream too... so..."
Hina gave her no opportunity to continue.
The injured Prefect Team chairwoman raised her gun.
Battle was about to erupt.
Following the crash of the airship carrying the Pandemonium Society and Schale members, news that the Old Cathedral, where the remaining upper leadership of Gehenna and Trinity had gathered, had also come under attack rapidly spread throughout Kivotos through the reporters present at the scene.
Meanwhile, Seia, the only person currently able to represent the Tea Party, issued a few basic instructions before dismissing everyone and lying down on her bed with a grave expression.
The current situation was absolutely abnormal.
The future she saw had never once been wrong.
The destiny where the students of Trinity, Gehenna, and Arius gathered together peacefully in one room was something that was absolutely fated to happen.
So was it because she had only seen fragments? Had something gone wrong during the process?
No matter how much she thought about it, at this point there was only one thing left to do.
Sleep.
With that thought, she closed her eyes and, relying on her abundant experience and uniquely gifted physical constitution, quickly drifted into slumber.
However, when Seia entered her prophetic dream as usual, she felt herself being drawn by some strange force.
When she opened her eyes again, the sight before her felt profoundly unfamiliar.
"This is..."
The blonde girl looked around at the unique architectural style surrounding her, something entirely one-of-a-kind within Kivotos, and murmured:
"The Hyakkiyako Academy...? Ah, no, wait..."
"Mm. A guest, perhaps?"
Suddenly, a somewhat lazy voice came from nearby.
Turning toward the sound, Seia saw a girl who, like herself, possessed fox-like features.
However, this girl's fox ears and tail were rounder, and the fluffy tail behind her numbered two in total.
Of course, that itself was hardly unusual within Kivotos.
The girl's skin was white as snow, and her fur possessed an extremely pale pink hue approaching white.
Her eyes were long and narrow, naturally carrying an alluring charm.
She wore traditional Hyakkiyako clothing, though the shoulders had slipped down to her elbows, generously exposing a modest... physique that naturally filled Seia with goodwill.
As the pink-white fox girl spoke, she used an especially archaic manner of speech.
"Other than this humble one, none have stepped foot in this place before... By what chance hath thou entered this waking dream?"
"Ah, I thought it might be you."
Seia raised a hand in friendly greeting.
"It's been a long time... no, according to your perspective, I suppose this is our first meeting. Kuzunoha?"
"...Mm?"
Having her name spoken aloud, the pink-white fox girl let out a puzzled hum.
Then she narrowed her already slender eyes further, studying Seia carefully while unconsciously taking a puff from the mouthpiece of her kiseru pipe, deep in thought.