The ambulance sped through the street. From the moment it burst into the road, brushed past the Arius Squad, and vanished beyond the end of the street, only a few short seconds had passed.
Saori, who had only just put away the handgun that had suddenly become strangely awkward to use and switched back to her usual rifle, aimed toward the already empty direction and emptied an entire magazine as though venting her emotions.
Afterward, she tore off her mask and slammed it onto the ground, revealing a cold and beautiful face twisted with gloom and even a trace of savagery.
"What kind of joke is this!?"
Saori turned around and glared at her companions, who likewise had failed to act in time.
"What were you all doing just now!? Just standing there watching!?"
"Captain, calm down. No one expected this to happen."
Misaki spoke calmly, though her gaze drifted to the side as she countered,
"Even you froze up too, didn't you, Captain?"
Given the brutal training they had undergone, unless they encountered a situation too sudden to react to, or there were other hidden reasons, how could they possibly fail to fire even a single shot despite the urgency?
Atsuko also made several hand signs.
The rough meaning was that Schale's Sensei was not originally from Kivotos, and the halo had only been obtained through some unknown method. Even if the halo shattered after reaching its limit, he likely would not die so easily.
So there was still a chance to salvage things, meaning completing the task Beatrice had assigned them.
And the ones responsible for this outcome were not Saori alone, but every member of the squad who had attacked, excluding the one who was not present.
Thus, the responsibility should be borne together, meaning together facing Beatrice's fury after failing the mission.
At least, that was how Atsuko supplemented her explanation.
After taking several deep breaths, Saori finally calmed down somewhat.
"...Sorry. I lost control of my emotions. What's done is done. We don't have the luxury to waste time regretting or venting now."
Beside her, Hiyori hurriedly nodded.
"Y-Yeah, accidentally letting Sensei escape will definitely get us punished again. Maybe we'll be beaten black and blue again too..."
Yet beneath Hiyori's fearful expression was hidden a faint trace of delight that was difficult to notice.
"But Sensei, he... ah, um, what I mean is, if Sensei doesn't receive treatment in time and something happens to him, then maybe we'll receive an even harsher punishment... or something like that..."
Hearing those words, Saori's expression, which had only just eased slightly, darkened once more.
Closing her eyes, she let out a deep breath.
"Sensei's matter can wait for now. No matter what... we have something more important to deal with first."
As soon as she finished speaking, Saori sharply turned her head. Her gaze, sharp as a venomous snake's, fixed upon the direction from the opposite end of the street, where the sound of something landing and ragged breathing after intense exertion could be heard.
"...To think you'd show up here at a time like this."
"Didn't expect you to appear on your own."
Misaki remarked almost emotionally.
"You could've just escaped like that."
Hiyori, meanwhile, greeted the newcomer.
"Ehehe, long time no see..."
As for Atsuko, though she said nothing, she too stared at the white-haired girl kneeling on one knee while supporting herself with her gun and struggling to breathe.
Relying on the wings she had been born with, Azusa had glided down from the rooftop of a nearby high-rise. The moment she recovered a little strength, she stood up and glared at her former companions with eyes overflowing with hatred.
And at the one among them who had caused the sight she had glimpsed from an enormous distance earlier, the horrifying sight that had nearly made her faint on the spot.
From her mouth burst a roar like someone who had lost something irreplaceable.
"Jou! Mae! Sa! O! Ri!"
That gaze, as though viewing an irreconcilable enemy, deeply pierced Saori's heart, causing her to glare back in anger.
"Shirasu Azusa! What gives you the right to call my full name in that tone!?"
"Why..."
Azusa asked.
"Why did you do that to Sensei...!?"
The anger in Saori's eyes vanished instantly, replaced entirely by a sorrow she herself did not know the source of.
She gave no answer, nor any explanation. She merely said quietly:
"I told you long ago already. Neither Trinity nor Schale has a place for us. A place capable of accepting people like us, people who are 'murderers,' does not exist anywhere in this world."
At that, Saori picked up the mask that had fallen to the ground and put it back on, covering the lower half of her face so that only those eyes, now stripped of all light and appearing even colder, remained visible.
"Even if such a place seems to exist, in the end it will all become an illusion... just like Sensei... everything is emptiness. Since that's the case, why struggle at all?"
"Saori!!!"
Unable to endure the rage in her heart any longer, Azusa roared and charged forward.
"Still trapped inside your sweet fantasy... fine, then I'll help you. No matter how many times it takes, I'll wake you up from that dream."
Watching the small girl rushing toward her, Saori coldly said:
"Why do you think Sensei ended up like this...? Let me tell you the answer. It's all your fault!"
Then the gunfire erupted once more.
...
Pain.
Burning pain.
Unbearable burning pain.
The instant I regained consciousness, agony surged from my side through my entire body, making me curse aloud.
"Hiss, damn it, why does it hurt this much!?"
I roughly tore off my bloodstained jacket and shirt. Looking down, I saw a mangled mess of flesh and blood.
Oh.
So I'd been shot.
The moment I realized that, my earlier memories flooded back like a tide.
Right.
Saori had shot me. I probably happened to exceed the halo's limit at that moment?
Then... then Hina came and rescued me onto the ambulance...
It was probably the Emergency Medicine Club and Sena. Hina got along with her well.
But what place was this...?
Confused, I looked into the distance ahead of me. At first glance, the architecture here did not resemble Trinity or Gehenna at all.
And my wounds had not been treated either.
"Sensei! Your injuries...!"
At that moment, a shocked and panicked voice came from behind me.
"Oh my, so this is... mm."
Immediately afterward came another female voice entirely different in tone, sounding somewhat lazy.
"It seems you suffered rather severe injuries in reality. But since you arrived here, it appears your life is not yet in danger."
I immediately turned around.
The speakers were Seia and an unfamiliar white-haired fox-eared girl, both staring at the wound on my abdomen.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I picked up my clothes to cover myself and asked in confusion:
"...So this is a dream?"
"Ara, if that is how thou wishes to understand it, that is acceptable enough."
The white-haired girl smiled faintly and gave me a courteous bow.
"It is our first meeting, hu... ahem, Sensei. This humble one is named Kuzunoha. I look forward to your guidance from now on."
"...Hah?"
Beside Kuzunoha, Seia tilted her head toward her with a puzzled expression.