Chapter 42

1.

The firearms used by Millennium students are generally either procured from the Engineering Department or purchased externally.

When Aris first enrolled at Millennium and got her hands on a railgun, she too had selected it after browsing through the firearms offered by the Engineering Department.

Likewise, it was only natural that I would also seek out my firearm from the Engineering Department.

“What kind of firearm are you looking for…?”

“Something easy to use. Something useful even at close range. And above all, something that fits my fighting style would be best.”

“Uh. Got it…”

I had no prior experience handling guns in my life.

Rather than opting for a difficult-to-handle firearm right off the bat, it would be most convenient to find a basic weapon that I could just shoot.

Hence, the suggestion I made was none other than:

“Something similar to Senior Mikamo Neru’s weapon, you know?”

“Yeah. My fighting style is pretty close-range too, after all.”

“Neru.” Her firearm, similar in form to Neru’s.

Neru of C&C is evaluated as the strongest in Kiburatos exclusively in close-quarters combat. My previous defeat in the duel with Neru was largely due to her close-range fighting style, which was akin to her home ground.

However, now was not the time to change my fighting style. Instead, I adopted her method.

Thus, the firearm I eventually chose was the MP7 submachine gun, similar in form to the MPX used by Neru.

“You’re not much of a marksman? Is it because you’re not used to it yet?”

“Yeah, well. That seems to be it.”

Just one problem: my shooting skills were still lacking due to my inexperience handling firearms.

“It’s not a big issue.”

“Really?”

“A gun is something you get used to gradually. If not, we can always use another weapon, right?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“What do you mean by ‘another weapon’—”

“That’s why, Senior Utaha. Hibiki. Let’s go consult. I’ve got a new idea for a weapon.”

“…”

“…”

The two remained silent, their eyes wide with trepidation.

Were they recalling the trouble we had when making the shield last time? Now, they send me that same look whenever I bring up making new equipment.

But this time, it’s not that difficult.

“Don’t worry. What I’ll be asking for this time isn’t that tough. The really hard stuff, we’ll save for later when we’ve earned more money. Hahaha.”

“…Huh?”

“Later… we’re making something?”

As if scientists had just heard that the apocalypse was drawing near in the distant future, that was the look on their faces.

I grinned cheerfully and held onto them.

Then I dragged them to the now-familiar consulting room.

“Hahaha. Let’s go.”

“No, no! Let go…!”

“Ugh…! Give me a break…!”

Never.

Afterward, we made weapons mecha-kucha style.

2.

BOOM-!!

The members of C&C leapt down from the building, threw something out from their folds, and rushed forward.

Right after the deafening explosion echoed, confusion spread through the power facility, accompanied by cries from various locations.

“Aaah! My eyes!”

“Damn, enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

“They’re coming down from above! Everyone, stop them!”

Some people covered their eyes after being caught in the flashbangs, and the others who quickly reacted to protect their vision instinctively raised their gun barrels and stared skyward.

However, they had doubts about what they were seeing.

“Huh?”

“Shit, what’s coming down from the sky…!”

Five girls in maid outfits were aiming guns at them, their identities unknown.

Given their activities in the underworld, they had a rough idea of who these girls were, and thus couldn’t help but tremble more violently.

“C&C…!”

“Damn, why are those girls here!”

Within Millennium, C&C symbolized terror.

HUUUUUSHHH…

At that moment, right after the flashbangs went off, a smoke screen began to spread.

The noise and smoke that woke their fear-stricken enemies brought real gunfire erupting everywhere.

“Leader, we’re going in!”

“We’ll handle it here.”

“Got it!”

At that moment, Neru and Hiiro began, as agreed, to clear out the remaining external enemies.

With the momentum gained from the flashbangs and smokescreen, the two moved forward like tanks, toppling enemy after enemy.

The sound of chains clinking accompanied Neru’s crimson hair flashing as it moved rapidly. Neru, grinning savagely with an appearance suggesting she enjoyed combat, closed the distance with the enemies in a flash and began firing.

“Hahaha! You’re weak!”

“Aaaaah!”

Reactions erupted here and there, like being attacked by wild beasts. In reality, it wasn’t much different. Neru was literally moving according to her nature, subduing the enemies.

Swooping in to kick enemies, using them as terrain to enhance her mobility with chains, and spinning around to fire when enemies approached her from all sides.

A strong combination of physical prowess, martial arts, and marksmanship in her fighting style.

The panicked enemies couldn’t keep up with Neru’s movements. Moving like lightning and with a small frame, it was difficult for their eyes to follow her.

Only…

“Don’t get caught up in the enemy’s rhythm! Set up a firing line and keep your distance!”

“Retreat outside the smoke and respond!”

The more enemies fell, the greater the confusion became, but there were those who sought to break it.

Some veterans of the underworld who had become skilled in combat quickly understood the situation and rallied their comrades’ spirits.

And then.

BAAAAAM─!!

“Whoa! Got me there for a second!”

The enemies began to move the tanks and drones they controlled, their eyes gleaming with what seemed like newfound hope. They looked as if they now thought this was doable.

But Neru, along with a certain girl similarly clearing enemies inside the smoke screen, smirked.

“I’ll go.”

“Alright. I’ll clean this up.”

Neru nodded at Hiiro’s words and turned around.

Hiiro, trusting her back, moved toward the spot where multiple tanks were stationed.

As he walked, Hiiro momentarily closed his eyes tightly, spreading his senses wide to read all the information within the space.

And then…

“Phew!”

With all his might, he hurled his shield.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“What?!”

A shield that flew from somewhere destroyed a few hovering drones mid-air and sent them crashing to the ground.

This brought a moment of bewilderment to the enemies’ eyes.

“Wh-what is she?!”

“What the hell! Is she crazy or what? Shoot her!”

What happened next was a white-haired girl wielding the shield she had thrown emerging from the smokescreen.

When the enemies spotted the girl emerging from the smoke, they stood their ground and showered her with bullets, but none of them hit her.

The shield she put forward blocked every bullet.

“Why isn’t it working!”

“Damn! Fire a grenade at her!”

Amidst the relentless assault, the girl recognized a gap that appeared briefly and threw something net-like or spherical at the enemies, electrocuting them.

Just as the enemies were perplexed by this spreading confusion, a tank finished reloading with a mechanical click and let out a fierce heat. And with that,

BAAAAAM─!!

The shell fired directly at the girl who was charging toward them.

Surely, they thought, she wouldn’t be able to stop this, and they wore expressions full of anticipation.

“To hell with that.”

Very casually, the white-haired girl dodged the shell fired at close range by twisting her shoulder.

In that moment, as if waiting for it, she swiftly accelerated toward the tank. As her shield struck the tank—

BAAAAAANG──!!

An explosion-like roar echoed out, and everyone could see the mangled side of the tank.

Did she really destroy a tank with one swing of her shield? The sight unfolding before them left everyone watching with their eyes wide open, but Hiiro didn’t miss a beat, lunging toward the enemies.

“Oh! Here she comes!”

Though the enemies quickly snapped out of it and began to counterattack,

When they witnessed Hiiro’s shield smashing into the face of a helmeted soldier, they all realized the mistake of their choice.

BAAAAANG!

The helmeted soldier flew away like a baseball hit with a bat, rolling on the ground.

The sight made the enemies fully realize just how much power the woman standing before them possessed, and their faces turned deathly pale.

So much so that they wished to stop their steps, praying that this situation was just a dream.

Of course,

Even so, Hiiro brought forward a tragic reality.

Seeing the shield that had just crushed the tank now flying toward their heads, the enemies let out a defeated laugh, with their final thoughts consumed by the disaster coming their way.

Moreover,

“Why doesn’t the attack work on her—!”

“Is this kind of movement possible for a human?!”

The sheer surreal strength was terrifying enough, but her movements were equally horrifying.

Unlike Neru, who simply moved fast, Hiiro’s seemed as if she had eyes all over her body. She dodged attacks from any direction and quickly subdued all nearby enemies with her shield and various weapons.

Attacks didn’t work, and her skills were impossible to gauge.

Monster. That was the word that came to mind when everyone thought of Hiiro.

3.

Hiiro who had swept through the enemies in an instant.

Neru shook her head in awe.

“Wow, this junior is brutal.”

“Should you be saying that, senior?”

You laugh while beating people, bastard.

“I at least don’t glare at people’s faces, you bastard.”

“Ending suffering quickly is better, they say.”

“Haha! Talking back, are we? Fine, fine.”

“I win.”

“Eh?! Let’s go again, you idiot!”

“No.”

Though there were intermittent dialogues during the fight, we all knew.

The battle was essentially over.

Neru, the strongest in Millennium, and Hiiro, who might even excel her in handling multiple foes, crushed the morale of those present in the blink of an eye.

“Monster…!”

“We can’t win. We can’t win this…!”

Moreover, much like before, with the shield destroying every drone and tank outside, even the few who tried to rally their remaining morale saw their spirits broken.

Psychologically and physically,

Neru, swiftly gliding through the smokescreen with her rapid maneuvering and technique, toppling enemies,

And Hiiro, utilizing the shield and her superhuman awareness to showcase a harmonious blend of offense and defense, subduing the crowd in an instant—

Their combination created an explosive synergy, immediately ending the situation.

“We’ve finished here.”

“I’m done too. Let’s go inside.”

The enemies, faced with these two girls, thought to themselves:

There are two monsters at Millennium.

Etching that fact into their minds, they lost consciousness.

---