"You think that's possible?"
Ando's normally clear, untainted eyes now burned with fury. "Valkyries are supposed to protect civilians, aren't they?"
But the figure in the oversized coat paid no mind to her anger.
"Right now, the entire school is under my control. Since you're all gathered here... what happens if I suddenly attack the other students over there?"
"You...!"
Ando's face completely darkened.
Without their magic, despite their superhuman physical abilities, they were far from their full strength.
They lacked proper weapons, and their Valkyrie armor was missing. In this state, they couldn't even fight at half their potential.
With that thought, she immediately turned to rush toward the general studies wing.
However, the coat-wearer's words stopped her in her tracks. "Don't do anything foolish. If I notice any of you leaving this area without permission, I'll summon demons right by the young ladies' sides."
"How could she!? She's holding everyone at Tsukinomori hostage!?" Sakiko stared in disbelief at the figure hovering mid-air, her hand gripping Mutsumi Wakaba's trembling with tension.
This prompted Mutsumi to look at her, opening her mouth as if to say something, but then falling silent again.
Dark Amber glanced down toward the school grounds, locking eyes with an Amber who was looking up.
After that exchanged glance, Amber stepped forward toward the figure in the coat. "Spit it out! What do you want with me?"
"Wait! Kiana!"
A Valkyrie behind her grabbed her arm—the same one who had been giving commands earlier.
Slightly older than the others, around her early thirties, she lacked the fresh-out-of-academy rawness of the other Valkyries.
Her experience was evident, and it had earned her the position of head of the Tsukinomori Valkyrie Department.
Her expression remained unreadable as she addressed the figure in the coat.
"A Valkyrie's duty is to protect civilians, not to abandon comrades. Using threats to force us to hand someone over—that's not how this works."
"Director, what are you saying!?" Amber hadn't expected the Director to say such a thing now.
She knew the real situation. Everything was currently under Dark Amber's control.
Even if the enemy actually summoned demons, Dark Amber could reach the other side to rescue people in an instant. As the Herrscher of Thunder, crossing the entire campus took her less than a second.
But the Director clearly wasn't aware of this. How could she be so reckless?
In Amber's view, Kiana and Mei were more important than everyone else combined. It was a simple calculation.
If those two were allowed to grow, over the course of their future lives they could save countless more people than the population of a single school.
Her own actions didn't fit the mold of a protector. Categorizing people by their value went completely against Valkyrie doctrine.
After this, she'd probably face a court martial, maybe even be stripped of her Valkyrie status. But none of that mattered.
As long as she could protect Kiana and Mei, and buy time until the Magical Girls arrived, that was enough.
"You want to negotiate with me?"
The figure in the coat seemed momentarily taken aback, but then a smirk that screamed 'don't even think about it' spread across her face. "Sorry, but you don't have any—"
"This isn't a negotiation. It's a statement."
The Director cut her off flatly. "We are not handing over Kiana and Mei to you."
Hearing her resolute refusal, and, more importantly, having her own predictions fall apart, the coat-wearer's face twisted into a vicious snarl.
"Fine! If that's how it is, I'll just take what I want another way. But first, I'll make sure you understand just how many of those you were supposed to protect have died because of your choice!"
"Oh no!"
On the rooftop, cold sweat broke out on Sakiko's brow.
She wasn't worried for her own safety here, not with a powerful Valkyrie right beside her. Her fear was for the other students far away.
Even if she wasn't particularly close with them, they were classmates she'd shared three years of her life with. To say she felt nothing would be a lie.
The coat-wearer's voice, amplified by magic, reached every corner of Tsukinomori.
As if to prove the Director's choice wrong, she even tore a magical opening in the air, giving the Valkyrie Department a clear view of the situation in the general studies wing.
Due to the evacuation order, most of the young ladies had gathered at the school gate with their belongings.
But the sudden descent of the black curtain had them fruitlessly pushing against the impenetrable barrier. No one could get out.
"This won't do! If this continues...!"
Within the crowd, a girl with long brown hair and blue eyes looked increasingly anxious.
Hearing the voice from the sky finally steeled her resolve, and she decided to move toward the Valkyrie Department.
After all, staying here was clearly unsafe, while there might be a chance of survival over there.
Thinking this, she shouted, "Everyone! Don't stay here! Let's head to the Valkyrie Department and regroup with the teachers!"
"Soyo?"
Her voice caught the attention of her closer classmates.
Though they didn't process it immediately, upon reconsidering her words, they realized this might be the only way out. Staying put was useless. They had to save themselves.
With that, more and more of the young ladies began urging each other on. Rather than waiting here to die, going to the Valkyrie Department offered a chance to live.
Watching through the portal the coat-wearer had opened, the Valkyrie students couldn't help but be surprised by this move from the general studies girls. But... it actually seemed like a good idea.
"Hehehe... You think it's that simple?"
The figure in the coat let out a scornful laugh, her gaze settling on the brown-haired girl who had made the first suggestion, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
The young ladies' actions had taken both the Valkyrie Department and her by surprise.
While she could send demonic beasts to deal with them, compared to her plan of killing them all, some were bound to slip through and make it over here.
These repeated deviations from her expectations only fueled her rage further.
A pitch-black sludge began churning on the ground. Nagasaki Soyo instantly noticed the abnormality at her feet and dashed away.
But the sludge seemed to have locked onto her, following at a deliberate, unhurried pace.
Within the mire, a pair of blood-red eyes glinted faintly, the creature coiling as if ready to pounce on its prey.
"Go save them!"
The Director yelled to the teachers behind her.
Snapping out of their daze, the teachers hurried toward the other side of the school.
However, no matter how fast they were, they couldn't possibly outpace the rat-like demonic beast whose head had already emerged from the sludge.
Staring at that monstrous, gigantic rodent head, Soyo—who had never been fond of rats to begin with—felt her legs go weak. She lost her footing and fell to the ground.
"Dammit!"
The teachers desperately wanted to move faster, but without guns or armor, there was no way they could reach the beast in time. Even with armor, they doubted anyone could make it.
But some people exist to shatter expectations.
A flash of azure lightning streaked across the sky, its blinding radiance seeming to dim the world's colors for an instant.
By the time Nagasaki Soyo registered what happened, the terrifying demonic beast before her had vanished.
In its place stood a figure with her back turned, a katana in hand, her dark hair tied in a high ponytail.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.