Kusunoki Mebuki wa Yuusha de Aru - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - To cut one's belly with a branch

"I'm sorry... I'm honestly sorry..." - kept muttering the girl with her head hanged right in front of Mebuki's eyes.

"Are you really okay with that!? You took all that sentinel training, and now you're just going to give up!? Besides, if our numbers drop, our duty will..."

"I'm sorry... It's too much for me... Sorry..." - interrupting Mebuki, the girl kept repeating.

(This one is done for, thought Mebuki. Her will has been completely broken.)
"...anyway, just give it some more thought".

"Okay... but I don't think my decision will change... I'm really sorry..."

The girl left the room with downcast eyes.
Left alone in her room, Mebuki let out a sigh.

"That's the third one, huh..."

After their first task was over, three girls came out and said they couldn't continue being sentinels anymore. All of them have been told about the disaster that befell the world outside the barrier before they departed. But the spectacle that unfolded before the girls' eyes turned out to be far more despairful than they could've ever imagined.

Blighted land as far as the eye can see, monstrosities to which there was no end no matter how many you defeated...

While their previous mission saw no losses, a lot of the sentinels took injuries. Some were grave enough to require operations. Seeing such injuries right in front of them, some inevitably froze with fear, afraid that they could be the next in the line.

Mebuki talked with all three of the ones who wanted to leave the sentinels. As a result, one changed her mind. The other two, however, were completely deaf to Mebuki's words.

"How pathetic... Not having been selected as heroes and now running away like that..." - spat out Mebuki with irritation.

The power of the Vertexes the heroes fought was incomparable with that of Stardust. But the sentinels were scared and ran even from it. As if showing the difference between the standing of a hero and a sentinel. As if saying "You really are failures".

"I'm... different", - Mebuki clenched her fist.
"I'm not a failure. I'll definitely become a hero".

Mebuki came up to the viewing platform of the Gold Tower. In the past, there were only floors on the top part of this tower on several floors near the bottom of it. The space between those was empty, save for the steel beams of the construction. But after Taisha's renovation, the amount of floors increased, and private rooms for the sentinels were made. The viewing platform, however, was in its untouched state. If you looked towards the sea, you could see the ruins of the Great Bridge and the wall surrounding Shikoku. Casting your gaze inwards would show you the Marugame Castle and the Sanukifuji.

"...it hurts..." - mumbled Mebuki as loathsome memories flowed into her head.

Gravely injured - 2 people, broken mentally - 2 people. For sentinels, who relied on numbers to fight, any vacancies in the formation threatened the entire squad. Immediately healing the wounded was impossible, but somehow stopping those who were on the verge of giving up was still a distinct possibility.

"I have heard that there are two who want to relinquish the duty of a sentinel".

"!"

Turning around towards the voice, Mebuki saw the usual priestess. She was, as always, wearing her mask, and her facial expression wasn't visible.

The news of there were being people who wanted to retire already reached the Taisha, it seemed.
"And there are two gravely wounded people, unable to fight. There is no time to wait until their recovery for the next mission. Since all of the highly capable officer types are able to fight, we can probably replace them right away".

After her detached announcement, the priestess turned away from Mebuki, stepped into the elevator and went down from the platform.

"Replace?.." - Mebuki kept repeating the priestess' words. Her heart was faintly abuzz.

Mebuki's morning began early. Before the sun rose, she'd wake up, change to her training clothes and leave the Tower. She'd start running from the nearby seaside park towards the station, then run along the coast, following the railroad tracks, and return back to the park. She's been running through this course for two weeks already. After she became a sentinel, running became Mebuki's daily routine. After that, she'd head towards the dojo in the training facility. It was formerly an entertainment establishment near the Tower, but it has been remodeled to be the sentinels' training grounds.

Mebuki would be the only one at the dojo at those hours. Using a wooden rifle - a wooden replica of a bayoneted rifle, not unlike a shinai used for kendo - she'd practice her skills. Starting with the frontal stabs, upper stabs, downward stabs, continuous stabs, slashing stabs and various practical moves combining those. Being aware of how her muscles and joints reacted to every strike, with an image of her ideal moves in mind, she ironed out the mistakes. Although bayonetship, being a form of fighting developed against humans, couldn't be applied to Stardust as it is, there was no way to get stronger but to train. After finishing her training with the wooden rifle, she'd take up an ordinary rifle and start the shooting practice. After spending around 3 hours on jogging, bayonetship and shooting practice, Mebuki would return to the Tower for breakfast.

But today, the priestess stood in front of the Tower's entrance.

"I have something to report to all of you before breakfast. Head to the viewing platform. The rest of the members is already there".

"Without having the time to change?"

"It won't be a problem. It's a short announcement that will take up just a few minutes".

Mebuki, still in her training clothes, ascended to the viewing platform with the priestess.
The rest of the sentinels was assembled on the viewing platform, but the two who said they wished to be relieved of their duties weren't there. In return, there were four unfamiliar girls present.

"From today, these girls will be newly assuming the duties of sentinels", - said the priestess.
They were told that these four girls will be using the empty rooms at the Tower. Those rooms were the ones used by the two girls with heavy injuries and the two girls who wanted to quit. Apparently, they were already considered "empty rooms". Mebuki remembered the priestess words about "replacement" from the previous day.

(So we're... expendable, huh.)

Parts that could be replaced indefinitely. If they wore out, they'd be thrown out and changed for a new one right away. The separate parts didn't even need names. Nobody would look at the thrown out garbage anyway.

"Waah, Mebu~~~!" - Kagajou Suzume was clinging to Mebuki with tears in the classroom.

"I should've said I wanted to stop doing this too! The girls that just left the Tower, they were let away so easily, so I'm leaving too! I give up, give up, it's time to give up!"

Ignoring the wailing Suzume, Mebuki took out her textbook from the bag and started preparing for their first period lesson. The sentinels still received some lessons. For that purpose, a classroom was made in the training facility. Was it to allow them to be able to return to normal life, seeing as they could become worthless anytime? Or was it so the Taisha could pretend they're "treating the sentinels as normal people"?

Although Suzume's wailing and crying right from the morning should've warranted notice from someone, the rest of the girls ignored her just like Mebuki. The sight of Suzume crying on Mebuki's shoulder has become as routine as a pebble on a road.

"Suzume, I've told you many times. You have ample power. I won't let you say you're giving up".

"But, but the girls who left were better than me at training!"

"Training is just that, training. You were much better when push came to shove".

Suzume both had low self-esteem and wasn't rated well by the Taisha, but Mebuki recognised her abilities. During their first sortie outside, Suzume reliably fulfilled her role. Alongside the many wounded, she was coming back, bawling and unharmed.

"Suzume, you should believe in yourself more".

"I don't believe in myself at all!"

"Well then why didn't you say you wanted to quit the sentinels?"

"Uu... that's... O-okay, I'll say it! I'll tell them I want to quit the sentinels! I'll tell that priestess! I'll say it, I'll definitely say it! Gubbai, Gold Tower!"

"Sure, sure".

"...uwah, it's too scary to say, after all! They'll kill me! That priestess, she's wearing a mask, but it's like she's always staring at you with a cold gaze! That person, she's totally a robot or something! In the first place, does she even ever remove that mask!?"

"...who knows..."

Ever since Mebuki became a hero candidate, she's never seen that priestess remove her mask. Despite being a teacher in addition to being a priestess, she kept her mask on even during class. She was more thorough in concealing her face than any other priests... Was there some kind of reason for that?

"If you remove her mask, there's totally gonna be a robotic face under it".

"Kagajou-san, please take your seat" - interrupting Suzume's words, the priestess entered the classroom.

"Eeek! Y-yes! I'll sit down right away! I didn't say anything about robot priests or quitting the sentinels!"

Suzume dashed to her seat like a startled hare.

"Well then, open your textbooks on page 156".

The priestess stood up and emotionlessly began the lesson. Just like in the past, she also fulfilled the role of the sentinels' teacher. And, as expected, she did it with her mask still on.
While listening to the lesson, Mebuki looked around the classroom.

The four new sentinels were sitting pale-faced with sunken heads. They must've been told the truth of the world outside the wall and their mission.

But seeing it with one's own eyes was far more taxing than just hearing it. Would those girls be able to handle their first experience beyond the wall? Out of the people currently in the classroom, how many would remain at the very end?

In the first place, would there even be an end to the sentinels' duties?

(No, I'll make it end. I won't be stuck in this place forever!)

After the lesson, they had training until noon. Based on the data obtained from the previous sortie, the sentinels' movements were being improved.

The biggest issue were the sentinels wielding shields. Although the shields were capable of protecting against the attacks of the Stardust, their tenacity was out of this world. Under the repeated group attacks of the Stardust, the sentinels' shields broke faster than expected.
Improvement of the protectors' physical abilities, as well as battle formations and a way of fighting that wouldn't allow the Stardust to concentrate their attacks were the core of their training.

Lunch took place in the mess room inside the Tower. It was the system where you could order what you liked. Lately, even amongst the sentinels there started appearing groups of people who got along better with each other. In that regard, at least, they were no different than ordinary schoolgirls.

Mebuki was eating alone when Suzume came and brought her own food to the table.

"Uuu, I wonder when our next mission is going to be... I'm gonna die next time, I definitely am".

"You won't die. Nobody in my squad will die".

"Aah, Mebu, you're so reliable! Mebu, you're my god! You've gotta protect me on our next mission too, absolutely! It's a promise, hear me? Promise! If they break through, I'll die, you know!"

Suzume kept clinging to Mebuki. While her pessimism was a problem, it didn't feel bad to be relied upon.

"My, my. There are certainly some noisy people around here. A meal is something that should be taken with a little more grace and elegance".

The one who appeared, saying that, was a third year student, Miroku Yumiko. She also brought her food and sat down at Mebuki's table.

"For certain, during our next mission, I, Miroku Yumiko, shall..."

"Suzume, you keep saying you'll die, but I didn't protect you even once when we were outside the wall. You survived thanks to your own strength".

"Eeh, what now? What are you talking about, Mebu, you kept protecting me all that time, didn't you?"

"Suzume, just what kind of memory alternation is happening inside your head..."

"My apologies, but could you please not ignore my presence like this!?"

With furrowed eyebrows, Yumiko leaned towards Mebuki.

"Ah. Sorry, Miroku-san. You said something to me, right? I didn't notice."

"!? Fu, fu, fu... A-as a member of the Miroku family, I must be lenient towards commoners. I am not that fickle to get angry at something like this..."

Her shoulders, however, were slightly trembling.

"Feel free to have that attitude while you still can. Next time, I shall defeat more Stardust than you, Mebuki-san, and make my superiority over you abundantly clear!"

"Miroku-san... our mission is investigation".

"Fufu, worry not. When I prevail over you and attain the rank of the commander, I shall make you my right hand, Mebuki-san. Consider that to be an honour".

"..."

The talks were going nowhere.

"Getting along is fine, but fighting is a no-no, Mebuki-senpai, Miroku-senpai".

Kokudo Aya brought her meal to Mebuki's table as well. This first-year student was the only girl living in the tower who wasn't a sentinel. She was a miko, capable of receiving oracles from Shinju-sama.

"Me and Mebuki-san are worthy rivals! We are not getting along!"

"Fufu, looks to me like you're getting along just fine".

Aya's smile stopped Yumiko dead in her tracks. Resignedly, she sat down and started eating.

"By the way, Aya-chan, I didn't see you this morning, did something happen?" - Mebuki inquired out of curiosity, since Aya didn't appear during the morning lesson. The miko didn't take the sentinels' training, but she took the normal lessons together with everyone.

"Since there were those who just became sentinels, I was praying. So that those who became sentinels today and all of you who were already sentinels could safely fulfill your duties. I'm sorry, I should've told you since you're the captain, Mebuki-senpai".

"No, don't worry about it. I was just a little worried".

"Thank you. You're really kind, Mebuki-senpai" - smiled Aya.

"Nothing of the sort..."

Aya's the kind one, thought Mebuki.

The mikos were under strict control of the Taisha. They were completely forbidden to interact with ordinary people, and their contact with their family was restricted as well. Since they received oracles from Shinju-sama, they were involved with the very backbone of the state, and as such, inevitably came to know the state of the outside world and about Vertexes.

Mebuki didn't know at what age Aya manifested her special ability. But when they first met, it was evident she underwent considerable miko training already. That meant she must've been living under the Taisha's control from quite a young age.

To know the cruel truth of the world since her youth, not being able to meet with her family at the most tender age. But Aya didn't warp, and is fulfilling her miko duties without a word of complaint. Pious and devoted to Shinju, she kept working herself to the bone for the sake of everyone around. Though Aya was younger, Mebuki held her in respect.

"Those who quit the sentinels must still certainly be under Shinju-sama's divine protection".
It was evident from her face and tone that Aya was earnestly praying.

After that, Mebuki spotted Yamabushi Shizuku wandering around with her food tray. Not being able to find an empty seat, she looked troubled. Mebuki pointed to the chair next to hear, signaling that it was empty.

"Shizuku! If you can't find a place, how about coming here?"

Shizuku silently nodded, came and sat down next to Mebuki. And then, just as silently, started eating.

Because she was taciturn and expressionless, it was hard to figure out what she was thinking. But because she displayed outstanding decision-making during their activities, she caught Mebuki's eye. Shizuku's sentinel number was 9.

The numbers of the sentinels were assigned according to their abilities. Because numbers 1 through 8 were assigned to the officers, it meant that the Taisha recognised Shizuku's abilities as second only to them.

(Although, that's probably overestimating her...)

While Mebuki recognised her discernment and ability to follow orders, her combat and physical abilities were below average. She felt that "9" was a bit too high of a number for her.

Kusunoki Mebuki, Kagajou Suzume, Miroku Yumiko, Kokudo Aya, Yamabushi Shizuku.
Those 5 frequently hanged out together, and were recognised as a single group by the others.

(What a weird feeling.)

Mebuki still wasn't used to this kind of situation. Ever since her hero candidate days, she was always alone. Not paying attention to any other people, she accomplished everything on her own. But now, partially because she became a commander, she started to interact with other people.

"I must say, today your meal is the same as it always is, Mebuki-san", - glanced Yumiko at Mebuki's food.

Mebuki's lunch menu consisted of udon, two boiled eggs, tofu, milk, yoghurt, chicken tenderloin and a heap of salad.

"Udon and milk, just what is this? How do you feel about changing milk to tea and udon to some bread?"

"I'm not that concerned with the taste of the combination. When it comes to nutrition, milk is unbeatable."

"...in that case, do you object to changing udon?"

"I can't change udon to bread. I've been eating this since I was born", - decisively said Mebuki.

"I like udon too".

Aya, just like Mebuki, often had udon for her meals.

"Indeed, Kagawa's udon is delicious. But I think it would be good to have something different for a change. It seems to me like your menu is always the same, Mebuki-san".

"If you take into account the proteins, vitamins and the mineral content, this is the best possible meal".

"... now that I think about it, Miyoshi Karin-san ate nothing but supplements and was completely unconcerned with the taste of her food as well... Both of the former top hero candidates have quite a weird shared trait."

"But Miroku-san, you say that, but don't you always eat skipjack tuna yourself?" - said Suzume, looking at Yumiko's tray.

"Fufun, not knowing the charm of skipjack tuna makes you lose out on half, no, eighty percent of your life. The one served in this cafeteria is quite good indeed, but the  real skipjack tuna from my home area of Kochi is simply delightful! Let us have some prepared right away. Alfred!" - Yumiko clapped her hands.

Nothing happened.

"It appears that Alfred, the butler, is on his leave. It is a shame, but I must show you the beauty of real skipjack tuna on some other occasion".

"No, there aren't any butlers here in the first place. The name sounds super-fishy too", - Suzume was looking at Yumiko with eyes full of doubt.

"However, back at our home, when I happened to call out, Alfred would appear whenever and whenever".

"This rich girl backstory is getting more suspicious by the second..."

"It is not a backstory, Suzume-san! The Miroku family is a noble and distinguished one, and I would ask you not to insult it!"

"I respect them. Both the Miroku family and yourself, Miroku-senpai. I've heard a lot about the Miroku family that once helped save the world along with the Akamine family. And you yourself, senpai, have been selected by the Shinju-sama to serve the proud duty of a sentinel, a daughter your family can be proud of. That's amazing", - Aya eagerly showed her admiration.

Yumiko, deeply moved, hugged her.

"Aah, Kokudo-san, what a wonderful girl you are! You and you alone understand me!"

Aya, though embarassed, let her do as she pleased.

"Well, that aside... I get the feeling of wanting to give others tasty things from your hometown. I'd like to give you some orange juice from mine", - said Suzume while eating her mandarin for dessert.

"Suzume, you were from Ehime, were you not?"

"Yep. But ya know, while we're at it, I wonder why I was chosen as a sentinel?.. Ehime's got the most people in Shikoku, there's gotta have been people more capable than me..."

Suzume lay flat on the table.

"Me and Aya-chan are both from Kagawa, Miroku-san is from Kochi, Suzume is from Ehime. Scattered around, eh."

In response to Mebuki's words, a serious expression appeared on Yumiko's face.

"In that case... there is but one thing to do".

"What do you mean?"

"Most! Obviously! To hold a contest to prove what prefecture is superior! Alas, Kochi being the best is a foregone conclusion. With the biggest area and overflowing greenery! Where the skipjack tuna trade starts! Indeed, historically Kochi, in other words, the Tosa domain is a renowned place. And, above all other virtues, the Miroku family resides in Kochi!"

Yumiko's words lit a fire of competitiveness inside Mebuki's soul.

"Kagawa isn't going to lose. In terms of food, there's obviously udon, but wasanbon - high class sugar and honetsukidori are famous as well. If you talk about history, then the well-known Koubou-Daishi (The Grand Master Who Propagated the Buddhist Teaching) Kuukai was from Kagawa! Besides, Kagawa is the most urbanised prefecture on Shikoku. The prefectural office in Tamamo city is famous, isn't it?"

"...hold up, the most urbanised prefecture on Shikoku is Ehime. Our prefectural office is pretty great too! The population is the highest on Shikoku, and the Dougo onsen has a history of over 3000 years, it's even written down in the Kojiki! Ah, sorry, I got a bit too fired up. My bad", - Shizuku started bowing.

"...Yamabushi Shizuku-san! What do you have to say about your birthplace?"

Shizuku, who has been silently eating, tilted her head at Yumiko's words. After a silence like she forgot even the concept of words and was trying to remember, she curtly said: "Tokushima".

"Hmph, we indeed are scattered around".

"Ahaha, you're right. It's kind of mysterious, having people from all over Shikoku gathered here", - Aya let out a soft smile.

"Indeed, while there is such an occasion, would you tell us more about yourself, Shizuku-san? I have been wanting to talk to you for quite a time, you see. What kind of family do you happen to be from? What about your parents?"

After a long sound of silence following Yumiko's question, Shizuku answered.

"They commited double suicide".

...

An uncomfortable silence settled on the table.

(What are you doing, Miroku-san! The atmosphere!) - glared Mebuki at Yumiko. She blatantly averted her eyes.

(It is not my fault! I did not happen to know!) - Mebuki could almost hear those words from her expression.

From another side, Suzume was staring at Mebuki with pleading eyes.

"Mebu, save us~! Do something about this atmosphere!" - read Suzume's eyes.

Mebuki started scrambling for a topic to talk about.

"Ha-have you lived in Tokushima for all your life?"

To the question Mebuki finally thought of, Shizuku shook her head.

"I've been at Shinju-kan since elementary school".

Upon hearing that, Aya's eyes widened.

"The Shinju-kan! Thinking about it, weren't there heroes amongst the Shinju-kan students two years ago? Since you're around their age, Shizuku-senpai, did you maybe know them?"
Shizuku nodded.

"They were in the next class".

"Haa~ That's kind of surprising. To think you knew heroes from our generation", - Aya let out a sigh in admiration.

Mebuki looked at Shizuku with serious eyes.

"What kind of people were they, current generation heroes? What kind of people could become heroes?"

She still didn't know. Why was it she wasn't chosen to be one? Her grades in training didn't lose to Miyoshi Karin's. She had ample sense of responsibility for the duty of a hero as well. But Mebuki wasn't the one chosen. What was different between her and a hero - Mebuki wanted to know that. Then, the bell rang for the afternoon training. In the end, she didn't hear an answer from Shizuku.

The second investigation outside the barrier happened on the following day. The four new sentinels were given the bare minimum training on using their equipment and thrown straight into battle. Not giving them enough time to train properly, the Taisha must have been in a hurry. Was the end of Shinju's lifespan approaching this close?

"We're going with a dense formation this time as well. The estimated time until our goal is 30 minutes. Everyone, try and hold out!
"
At Mebuki's command, the sentinels stepped onto the festering land. Since their last mission was to gather soil from near the wall, there was no need to move away from its vicinity. However, this time theie task was to go towards what was in the past era called the Chuugoku region, gather soil and report on the overall situation there. Even though the sentinels were nowhere as fast as the heroes, in a case there were no obstacles at all, even they could reach the Chuugoku region in the span of several minutes. However, since the obstacles in form of morbid and annoying monsters were there, it wouldn't be that easy.

"Gyaaa! They're here! Save me, Mebu~~~~~~!!"

Suzume's desperate screams were an alert indicating that danger was approaching. A group of Stardust was closing in on the sentinels, moving through the scorching land huddled together.
"Protector team, deploy shields! Gunner team, odd numbers, engage the Stardust and ease the burden on the protectors! Even numbers, retreat behind the shields!"

The protector team enlarged their shields, covering the entire squad. The Stardust's attacks were stopped by the shield wall. Although their speed dropped, the squad kept continuing with the wall of shields deployed.

One half of the gunner team was outside the shield formation, eliminating the Stardust. From their last mission it was evident that relying only on the shields was certain to make the defence crumble eventually.

The mass-produced types' way of fighting was just like small fish gathering into schools to resemble bigger fish.

Mebuki was outside the shields, brandishing her bayoneted rifle and taking down the Stardust.
(Even though our enemies are just Stardust, it's hard)

The truly terrifying ones were the beings called Vertexes. Incomparably gigantic compared to the Stardust, those enemies possessed overwhelming power and stamina. Even the heroes, who were far stronger than the sentinels, had to struggle for their lives while fighting those. If they somehow came to face one of those enemies, the sentinels would have zero chance at victory. However, the Taisha predicted that shortly following the heroes' defeat of the twelve Vertexes, there wouldn't appear any more of them.

Taking injuries, the girls finally arrived at their destination. But the only thing to greet them there was, again, the endlessly spreading inflamed wasteland. Since the sentinels' battle suits had a function of recording images of their surroundings, they were to report all of the scenery surrounding them back to the Taisha.

"...what a horrible sight".

Mebuki's mood worsened. The heavenly gods who brought humanity to the brink of extinction, the land gods who didn't approve of Mebuki as a hero, all those so-called "gods" made her sick to death.

But there was no use in being angry now. The mission took priority. Mebuki kept protecting the rest of the squad while they were collecting the soil into their kagami.

"Commence retreat!"

After there was enough soil collected, at Mebuki's order the sentinels started retreating.

"Phew, huff, phew... Fufufu, our mission this time was an utterly easy one. It was so mundane, phew, phew, I nearly fell asleep..."

"You're totally out of breath though. And drenched in sweat".

"Oh hold your tongue, Suzume-san! Should I perhaps pluck a thousand or so hairs from your eyebrows and see if your face gets more interesting?"

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Miroku-san, stop throwing yourself at the Stardust without thinking already. If you're tired, it's fine to rest inside the shields."

Yumiko bluntly rejected Mebuki's words.

"I shall have to decline that. That way I could not continue striking down enemies and building my achievements up".

She was exhausted and wounded, but her eyes were still burning with fighting spirit.

"AAAAAH!"

"Suzume, what now?"

"There! There's... there's a whole lot of them gathering!"

Looking at the direction Suzume was pointing at, Mebuki saw a massive number of Stardust fusing together in the air.

It was one of the phenomena the priestess told them about. The Vertexes were formed by an aggregation of Stardust. While it was unlikely for a complete Vertex to show up, there was a possibility that an "partially evolved form" would appear.

Dozens of Stardust combined and took grotesque shape of a single being that resembled a horn. It was gigantic, incomparable to mere Stardust.

"What's that, what is that!? It'll kill, it's gonna kill us! Dad, mom, forgive me for the sin of dying before youuu!" - Suzume was weeping while clinging to Mebuki.

The combined being was approaching the rear of the retreating sentinel squad. Shizuku was there.
The rear part of the squad noticed the approaching giant being, and one of the protector girls deployed her shield.

"Kyaaa!"

But she couldn't handle the overwhelming power of the giant, easily more than ten times larger than a Stardust, and was sent flying like a piece of paper. The imposing look and power of the massive creature drained the sentinels of their will to fight in a flash. They couldn't win. Nobody thought that a monster like this would appear. Some were paralysed with fear, some incontinent, some broke down into tears... Despair spread through the sentinels. Shizuku, as well, was astonished at the giant approaching her.

"...going to die?" - those words naturally spilled out of Shizuku's mouth.

Death. Altar. Coffin. Flower offerings. A girl lying on a flowerbed. Broken body. Can't move. Cold. Died while fulfilling the duty of a hero. A voice calling it an honour. A desk where nobody sits. A bouquet left. A name that won't be called anymore. A girl who was always bright. Who was always at the center of everyone. Who she admired.

Don't want to.

Don't want to die. What is dying?

Shizuku opened her eyes.

When the giant being appeared and put the rear part of the squad in danger, the vanguard where Mebuki was was engaging the Stardust.

"Kuuh!.. Out of my way!"

Taking down Stardust, Mebuki was heading towards the rear. But there were too many enemies, she couldn't reach it.

"I don't have the time to bother with those! If I don't get there fast..."

Not paying attention to the struggles of Mebuki the giant being opened its mouth and swallowed a girl sitting on the ground. The girl was Shizuku.

"Shizukuuuu!" - Mebuki's scream reverberated. At the same time, a gunshot came.

(Eh?)

The sound came from inside of the giant, and a shot came flying out of it. Right after that, its body was split open by a slash, and a girl brandishing a bayoneted rifle burst out of the open wound. It was Shizuku. Seeing her safe, Mebuki let out a sigh of relief.

However, Shizuku was acting strange.

"Take that! You massive freak, I'll turn you into mincemeaaat!" - bellowing, Shizuku jumped towards the giant. Stabbing it with the bayonet below the muzzle, she fired the gun at the same time, and then swiped her bayonet sideways, it still in the massive creature's body.

Stab, shoot, slash. With tremendous vigour, Shizuku kept repeating those actions, quite literally shaving the giant down piece by piece.

The monstrosity that threw the sentinels into the depths of despair was shot down and exterminated in a blink of an eye.

"Wh-who is that even?"

Staring at the figure of rampaging Shizuku, Suzume was trembling.

And thus, the second mission came to an end. Both observation of the region that was previously land and gathering of samples were completed without a hitch.

"That was another of Yamabushi Shizuku's personalities." - answered the priestess to Mebuki after her return.

"Yamabushi-san has a thin sense of self, and a quiet nature, but deep inside, another personality of hers dwells. A wild, violent and powerful one. A polar opposite of her normal self. It appears to come out when she's driven into a corner."

"So the reason she's number 9 is because her other personality was taken into account, then".
The priestess nodded in response to Mebuki's question.

"In that state, Yamabushi-san has tremendous strength, but she's completely incapable of cooperating with other sentinels."

The reason the sentinels fulfilled their duty without a single casualty this time was because of the other Shizuku. Was it not for her, someone would've inevitable been killed.
But after taking down the giant being, she didn't respond to Mebuki's orders at all. Away from the formation, she kept fighting the Stardust as she pleased. It looked like she took delight in fighting.

"That will pose a problem to completing the mission".

"Making the members abide is one of the commander's duties as well", - saying just that to Mebuki, the priestess turned around and left.

"The hell's up with your scared mug!"

"Eek! Shi-Shizuku-sama, my apologies!"

At dinner time in the sentinels' mess hall, Suzume and Shizuku were talking.

"Don't you -sama me! If you've got something to say, say it properly!"

"A-a-as if someone like me has the right to speak to you.... H-how long are you going to be like this, again?"

"I'm me, you got a problem with that, huh?"

"M-most certainly not!" - Suzume kneeled down before Shizuku.

"Suzume, you get scared too easily..."

Mebuki was getting tired of looking at their quarrel. But she couldn't just leave Shizuku alone in her current state.

Mebuki put her hand on Shizuku's shoulder.

"Can I have a moment?"

"Hm? What do you want?" - Shizuku turned around towards Mebuki.

"Me-Mebu~! You came to save me!"

Suzume quickly hid behind Mebuki's back.

Standing in front of Shizuku, Mebuki asked: "So, how long are you going to be in this state?"

"Who knows. Been a while since I was out, so I'll have some fun for now".

"... I see".

"Isn't it better for you too? I'm way stronger than that Shizuku. Let me go wild on the next mission too".

"You're right, your strength is definitely reliable."

"I know, right? But don't order me around. I'll do things how I want to-"

"But you're unnecessary to our squad right now".

"...huh?"

Shizuku's eyes became sharp. Without faltering, Mebuki endured that stare. Tension was rising between the two. The rest of the girls in the mess hall were also looking at Mebuki and Shizuku with anxious gazes.

Mebuki continued in a cold voice.

"The important thing for the sentinels is cooperation and the power of numbers. You acting by yourself is going to put the rest of the squad in danger. I'll have you abide my orders".
"...I'm not gonna be ordered around by someone who's weaker than me".

"Then I'll just have to force you to".

The two exited the Tower and headed towards the dojo in the training facility. If Mebuki won, Shizuku would have to follow her orders after that. If Shizuku won, she would be allowed to act free and not listen to anyone's commands. Under these rules, they decided to have a competition.

"Are you really okay? She's, like, crazy strong! Mebu, even you..."

"Indeed, today she happens to be almost as strong as me, Mebuki-san". - were saying Miroku and Suzume while looking at Shizuku doing warm-up exercises.

"No, Miroku-san, you're way weaker than her."

"Mebuki-san!? I merely have not stopped holding back yet!"

"In the first place, why are you here anyway?"

Suzume, Yumiko and Aya all came to the dojo.

"Everyone is worried about you two, so they came".

"Nothing of the sort, Kokudo-san! I came here merely out of curiosity!" - denied the flustered Yumiko.

"Anyway, Mebuki-senpai... Try to finish this without any injuries, okay?" - said Aya, looking into Mebuki's eyes.

"No need to worry. It's just to show that brute what the pecking order here is, after all". - letting out a composed smile, Mebuki looked at Shizuku.

Mebuki and Shizuku launched their apps and donned their battle suits. This time Mebuki was using a gunner suit rather than a commander one. Since Shizuku was a gunner, it was to level the playing field.

"You can put the commander suit on, you know. It'll be just the right handicap".

"Sorry, but I'm not going to give you any rights to make excuses. Like "I lost because your equipment was better"".

The two readied their bayoneted rifles and clashed.

Mebuki took the lead at first. She started off with a frontal stab going into a horizontal slash.
But Shizuku easily dodged that attack and followed up with a downward diagonal swing of her bayonet.

"Take that!"

"Guh!.."

Mebuki stopped that attack with her barrel.

(It's heavy... Even if she's just leaving it to brute force, the speed and weight behind her attacks are formidable. And she's instinctively good at moving her joints and balance around... This kind of power is unthinkable, coming from her physique.)

Her movements were amateurish, but she had natural talent.

But Mebuki had no intention of losing. She knew she wasn't talented. But in return, she worked harder than anyone else and accumulated experience. Her repeated training made her stronger. Back then, they refused to make her a hero, but nobody could deny the strength she's built up. Mebuki and Shizuku's blades kept crossing.

Suzume was overwhelmed by the sight of Mebuki and Shizuku. She was a shield user, but she's seen mock battles of the rifle users multiple times. But the fight between Mebuki and Shizuku was something else entirely.

"Amazing..."

"Indeed, you are right".

Yumiko's eyes were glued to the two as well. Where she would've normally went: "Not bad indeed. As expected of my rival", - she kept quiet, mesmerized by the strength of the two.

Aya, as well, just silently looked at the two girls engaged in combat.

Mebuki stopped Shizuku's sideways slash. Their lines of sight crossed.

"You've got guts, aren'tcha? It's like you're telling yourself you can't lose no matter what! What's your reason for fighting to this extent anyway?!"

"I..."

Mebuki looked straight at Shizuku, and spilled her heart out.

"I'll become a hero! I'll force the Taisha and the Shinju-sama to admit I'm qualified to be one! For that, the duty of a sentinel, the post of the commander, I'll fulfill them all perfectly! And if you get in my way, I'll break you in and force you to abide! Everything is to become a hero!"

"Hero. A hero, huh!"

Mebuki brandished her rifle with brute force and closed the distance to Mebuki.

"Two years ago, I've seen those heroes from up close! I've seen one of them dead!"

Washio Sumi. Nogi Sonoko. Minowa Gin.
The three heroes of Shinju-kan.
And out of them, Minowa Gin lost her life.

"I say that, but I've never seen those heroes fight anyway. The only thing I know is their normal school selves".

Shizuku's heard that those girls were someone tasked with a special duty. But she had no idea what exactly that duty was.

That's why...

When the sudden news of Minowa Gin's death came, Shizuku was mortified.

While recovering her breath, Mebuki kept listening to Shizuku.

"Kusunoki. You've asked early what kind of people the heroes were, right? As far as I, from the neighbouring class, know, they were a bunch of weirdoes.
There was one called Washio Sumi. She had a stick up her ass and was awkward, but it looked like she was always looking out for her friends.
There was one called Nogi Sonoko. She lived at her own pace and basically did nothing but sleep, but could do almost anything when she got serious. Well, she only got serious when it came to her buddies anyway.
There was one called Minowa Gin. She was a restless troublemaker, I hear, but considerate towards other people and her friends."

Two years ago. When she went to Shinju-kan, the three heroes who were in the same grade... At the time, Shizuku had troubles talking to people. With no one to call a friend, she lived an isolated life.

It was then she heard a rumour that there are special people called "heroes" in the next class. Shizuku went to check those girls out. She only wanted to peek from behind the door, but was found by Minowa Gin who started talking to her. She was talking to Shizuku, who barely spoke to people, without making fun of her, just like a friend.

Shizuku admired Gin. Not because she was a hero. It was because she was an amiable, bright girl who would get along with anyone and look out for her friends and family. She could do sports and say what she thought clearly, a cool girl.

"You know, they weren't as fanatical as you are. They lived a normal life. They went to school, took lessons, ate food, played with their friends... They were just like normal kids you'd find anywhere! Before becoming them, they didn't whine they wanted to become heroes either".

"Then why? Are you saying that the condition for becoming a hero was to live a normal life!?" - Mebuki asked. She thought that to become a special being like a hero, living a normal life wasn't possible. That's why she discarded everything unnecessary and honed herself to a razor edge. And almost everything "normal" went that way.

"How do I know? I don't have a clue how the Taisha and Shinju select heroes! But what I know is that those heroes, they were great. They were noble. Kusunoki, right now you're just a damn brat with saliva dripping in jealousy. You're a mouse, envious of the strong cats and screaming you want to become one. A cat, jealous of the free mice and complaining about wanting to become one. You're just like them. Someone ugly like you..."

Shizuku leapt forward.

"Could never become a hero!"

Crossing the distance between them in a flash, Shizuku lunged at Mebuki. There was no time to dodge.

Mebuki, using her rifle as a shield, blocked Shizuku's stab. If she made the slightest mistake in the angle or her movements, Shizuku's bayonet would've slide right along the rifle's surface and hit Mebuki. It was a move that would've been impossible without Mebuki's trained spatial awareness, reflexes, and her ability to feel the rifle as a part of her own arm, born from many thousands of stabs she performed. But the power of Shizuku's stab threw Mebuki back.

"Got you!"

Without a moment's respite, Shizuku lunged once again.

"Even so... I'll become a hero!"

Mebuki, without retreating, kicked off the floor and leapt forward. Shizuku's blade left a shallow horizontal cut on her chest. But at the same time, Mebuki locked Shizuku's blade in her armpit.

"...caught you. You can't move now"

"Tch!?"

Shizuku released the rifle right away and tried getting away from Mebuki. But Mebuki was faster in pointing her bayonet at Shizuku's neck.

"The win is mine".

"..." - Shizuku, held at the point of a bayonet, was glaring at Mebuki.

"My loss".

Hearing that, Mebuki lowered her rifle.

"And now you're in my hands. From now on, you'll be abiding by my orders".

"I got it, that's what we agreed on. Aah, I lost, huh".

Shizuku removed her battle suit and plunked down on the floor. Mebuki followed suit, removed her weapons and sat down.

"I've gotta say, you're a crazy one. Who would even leap forward in that situation?"

"It was a bet. Just like stopping your stab with my barrel and catching your second stab, those were all miracles".

"Those were no miracles. You're just that strong".

"You were better than I expected too".

Mebuki and Shizuku exchanged glances. Satisfied smiles appeared on the faces of both.

"Whining about wanting to become a hero, huh... I guess it's just like you said".

"Whoa, what's that? Did you get enlightened all of a sudden?"

"As if I'm someone who could achieve that. It's true, your words did startle me a little... Even so, I'm not going to change my way of life. I don't think there's anything wrong with recklessly striving to be a hero".

It was because that was her respected father's way of life. Mebuki wouldn't allow anyone to deny her the way she lived her life. And for that, she would grasp the position of a hero with her own strength.

"I will continue to aim to be a hero. I will achieve so much the Taisha will have no choice but to make me one. If the other think it's impossible, so be it. I'll show them all".

"...now that's some determination. You're an interesting one, you know", - Shizuku said as if dumbfounded, but with enjoyment in her voice.

"I think so as well. Mebuki-senpai, there's no need to deny yourself. Your complete devotion to your goal is your virtue", - Aya said, coming next to Mebuki. There was no trace of irony or sarcasm in her voice.

"Aya-chan..."

"I really like that part of you, Mebuki-senpai".

"...thanks".

Mebuki averted her eyes. She felt really embarassed for some reason.

"What's up with you? I was talking with Mebuki right now, don't butt in", - Shizuku was directing a powerful stare at Aya, who cut in from the side.

But the youthful-looking girl, without showing even a bit of fear, continued: "I was looking at you two and somehow just wanted to join in".

"...you've got some serious guts. You're a miko, right? Aren't you afraid when someone stronger threatens you?"

"I'm not scared at all. Your tone is rude, but I know you're definitely a good person".
"Huh?" - Shizuku's expression became puzzled.

"Even if not a hero, the fact you became a sentinel means Shinju-sama chose you. The calm and quiet Shizuku-senpai and the strong and reliable you. If either of you were bad people, Shinju-sama could not have possibly chosen you. That's why you're definitely a good person. And the sentinels' safe return last time was undoubtedly thanks to you. Thank you very much", - deeply bowed Aya.

Shizuku's face was blank, but then a faint smile appeared in the corner of her mouth.

"Eeh, what a softie. That Suzume kept shivering when talking to me".

"Huh? That's right, where are Suzume and Miroku-san?"

Mebuki looked around the dojo. At some point, the figures of Suzume and Yumiko disappeared from it.

"Aah, those two left. Suzume-senpai was so surprised by the power of you two, she decided to "leave before she got involved in this". Miroku-senpai didn't say anything, but she had a frustrated look on her face".

"I see..."

"More importantly, that means the two of you are friends now. Try to get along".

Aya joined Mebuki and Shizuku's hands together.

"...hmph".

Shizuku, somehow embarassed, turned her head away. Seeing the two like that, Mebuki let out a laugh. Her heart was bright. How long has it been since she last felt anything like that? Was it the feeling of accomplishment after fighting Shizuku with all her might, or was it the feeling of satisfaction after having spoken her heart out? Today, for the first time in a while, she felt like she could get a good night's sleep.