Episode 71: Victory and Illusion
Clam Kirara has a dream.
It is about the girl standing before her now.
The girl who once was… ■■■■.
“Y-you, do you even know what you’re trying to do!?”
Somewhere in Kisou Academy.
In an experimental facility abandoned long ago, the Professor had been thrown.
After being carelessly discarded upon arrival, she continued to scream incessantly while tearing at her hair.
Seeing this, Clam looked genuinely displeased.
“Is it alright to kill her?”
“Yes, it’s fine. But first…”
Solciera tapped the ground with her scythe once.
From that point, a blue-violet magic circle spread out, covering the entire floor of the experimental facility.
■
Clam was about to ask what had happened but stopped herself and turned back to face the Professor.
Time was too precious to waste.
“Stop it! If you kill me, it’s as good as killing all of humanity!”
“You’re annoying.”
Clam dismissed the Professor’s ramblings.
At her feet, several frogs had appeared unnoticed, croaking away.
“Do you recognize my face?”
“Huh? Wait, I remember… Ah, right! You’re the sister of the student I killed before, right? Isn’t that so?”
“…You’ve done far worse things than just to that child. Hmm… That’s enough.”
To the Professor, Clam was just another face in the crowd.
Once she understood that, there was no hesitation left.
“I’ll slaughter you and restore Hikari’s dignity.”
The man-eating frogs leapt toward the Professor like bullets.
Each one possessed the power to effortlessly shatter titanium alloys, acting as autonomous bombs.
A literal one-hit kill approached en masse.
“Aaaah, don’t come near me!”
In a state of panic, the Professor deployed her abilities.
What was once known as the Light Wings—wings of intense heat powered by magical energy—were now skeletal remnants, resembling spider legs more than anything.
“I must survive! It’s for the sake of humanity!”
The light wings pierced through the approaching man-eating frogs.
But they couldn’t handle everything, and soon one of the frogs lurking beneath exploded.
“Kyaaa!”
An explosion strong enough to incapacitate but not kill sent the Professor flying.
As she hit the wall, her consciousness flickered amidst the croaks of frogs and Clam’s voice.
“I won’t kill you immediately. Professor, I’ll make you regret living and repent before I end your life.”
“Wh-what?! This body isn’t someone you know!? You murderer!!”
“That’s rich coming from you.”
Eight spear-like light wings came at her.
Clam calmly summoned eight man-eating frogs, each exploding directly in front of the incoming wings.
Directed blasts of wind formed barriers, deflecting all attacks.
Without a single strand of hair singed, Clam emerged from the flames and threw a frog at the Professor.
Instantly, the light wings pierced it, causing an explosion between them.
Simultaneously, Clam sprinted forward.
Attached to her soles were man-eating frogs.
“My babies.”
Explosions erupted beneath her feet.
The versatile blast propelled her straight through the flames, landing her swiftly in front of the Professor.
“What!?”
Behind the moving Professor, another explosion occurred.
The shockwave pushed her further towards Clam.
Clam grabbed the Professor by the neck and slammed her to the ground.
“Agghh!”
The light wings struggled to break free but were quickly suppressed by countless man-eating frogs.
“Don’t bother struggling. My explosions are under complete control. Killing you will be effortless.”
“Heh heh… Kill me if you wish, but nothing will be saved by it.”
“Shut up.”
Fingers dug into the Professor’s neck as Clam spat venomously.
“Apologize to Hikari. This isn’t a body you have the right to use.”
“Grrr…”
“Apologize.”
“No, stop…”
“Apologize.”
With just enough force to allow breathing, Clam repeated the same words monotonously.
The Professor flailed, attempting to push Clam’s hands away, yet refused to apologize.
An utterly self-centered nature.
Just as Clam was about to apply more pressure, the Professor spoke.
“Ah, I see… Is this it?”
Realization dawned on her—not from anyone else but the Professor herself, pinned down by Clam.
“Do you understand your current position?”
“…Cl-Calm, please stop!”
“Don’t you dare call my name…!”
A surge of dark emotions arose within Clam.
There was no point wasting time. This person wouldn’t apologize.
She was a stain on humanity that needed to be erased quickly.
Just as Clam was about to summon more man-eating frogs…
“—It’s me. It’s Hikari!”
Startled, Clam’s grip loosened momentarily but still glared suspiciously.
“Stop the charade.”
“It’s true, Clam. It’s me.”
With a raspy voice, the figure smiled.
And showed Clam the smile buried deep in her memories.
“We promised to go stargazing together, didn’t we?”
That was the trigger.
The promise exchanged between Hikari and Clam.
Something only they could ever know.
In that instant, Clam recognized the figure before her as the girl named Hikari.
Her hand slipped from the neck.
Though still restrained by Clam, the situation had reversed.
“Haha.”
A dry laugh.
Simultaneously, the light wings extended toward Clam.
“Wha…!?”
Man-eating frogs exploded to protect their master, pushing Clam back from the wing’s strike.
Clam managed to stabilize mid-air and land.
She glared hatefully into the flames.
Under normal circumstances, that explosion should have killed her.
Still, Clam was certain the Professor wasn’t dead.
(I saw it.)
That alone was the reason.
Just seeing it…
(The shadow of that girl.)
Every explosion of the man-eating frogs was under Clam’s complete control.
Thus, she remained unharmed even within the explosions and could manipulate them freely.
Now, that very ability became her greatest restraint.
“What’s wrong, Clam?”
The Professor rose gracefully.
And smiled warmly, just like that day—a smile akin to sunlight.
“Stop it. Don’t smile like that.”
“Clam, I’ve missed you so much! Since our fight that day, I’ve wanted to apologize—”
“Stop it!”
Anger caused the man-eating frogs to explode.
Countless frogs surged toward the Professor, exploding continuously.
Yet none of those explosions touched her body.
“You dyed your hair, huh? The same color as mine… It makes me so happy!”
“Shut up, please… Stop it.”
“Hey, are you waking up properly without me around? And eating well?”
Words from the past cut sharply into Clam’s heart.
Even though she knew it was fake, somewhere deep inside, she believed.
It was a convenient dream, an impossible story.
A preposterous tale that her friend was still alive.
“Please stop talking… I beg you…”
“Clam, what’s wrong? Why that face? Aren’t you always saying how important smiles are?”
It was a phrase she’d heard before.
“You’re beautiful, you know? You should be friendlier!”
“Shut up!!”
An explosion erupted beneath Clam’s feet.
Pushed back by the blast wave, Clam swung her fist at the girl.
“Are you going to hit me, Clam…?”
“Wha…?”
Unconsciously, a man-eating frog appeared and exploded beside her.
Thrown off by the sideways blast, Clam fell short and rolled on the ground.
“Clam, are you okay!?”
The girl rushed over anxiously.
Then, with a worried expression, she impaled the girl’s heart with her light wings.
“Ughh…”
The blazing wings incinerated the heart.
Amidst the sizzling sound of burning flesh, Clam convulsed several times, then gave one final violent shudder.
And thus ended her life.
“Ha ha. I did it.”
Confirming her death, the Professor clenched her fists.
And laughed triumphantly.
“Hahaha! As expected of me! There are no enemies for a hero!”
A hero who overcomes adversity.
A hero who doesn’t falter after killing dozens of people.
The Professor possessed such qualities of a hero.
—So, in this world.
“Alright, stop stop. That’s enough.”
A crack appeared in the space.
Clam, who was supposed to be lying on the ground, opened her mouth matter-of-factly.
“What… What’s happening?”
The world groaned and screamed.
As the Professor ran aimlessly at that moment…
“So boring a dream.”
The dismissive words.
Like breaking glass, it was brief, and the illusion shattered instantly.
The world returned to its original form.
Gone was the sight of Clam with her scorched heart.
Present were only herself bound to a chair with silver chains and Solciera smiling gleefully before her.
“…Huh?”
“Seems like you had a fun dream. Our analysis of you is complete as well.”
Playing with the magic circle on her palm, Solciera wore a seductive smile.
“What… What’s going on?”
“Apparently, it’s called an illusion?”
A voice came from behind.
She tried to turn around, but the chains wouldn’t allow even a twitch.
“You seemed to enjoy killing me, didn’t you? …There’s no way I’d mistake you for Hikari.”
Clam whispered softly, wrapping her arms around from behind.
“And now, it’s time to kill you.”
“Aaahh! …AAAAHHH!”
Before her eyes was primal terror.
The great scythe reflecting cold moonlight revealed the Professor’s distorted face of fear.
At this moment, the Professor finally realized her own end.
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