Semelparous Chapter 3

Semelparous

NOTE: Text outside bubbles come after "-", otherwise, ">"

Chapter 3
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p01
>Do you want to fall into hell with me?

-Confession in the Shower Room

(STORIES PART)
-To stop the otherworldly "Kaijuu" from invading Earth, individuals wielding special powers known as "Aegis" are tasked with the protection of the world. Aratsugu Yorino, is one of the aspiring "Bastioners" - soldiers who fight the invaders within the wall between the two worlds.

-After passing the pro Bastioner exam, Yorino meets the girl who saved her when she was still a cadet, Youko, once again.

-After being assigned as Youko's partner, they were immediately thrust into a mission to defeat a Colossal Kaijuu. For the sake of eliminate every single Kaijuu with her own hands, Yorino swung her sword and cut through a Kaijuu for the very first time, destroying it with her own strength.

-Now thinking that she has made progress towards her goal, Yorino was suddenly approached by Youko in the shower room. Youko seems to know something about the nature of Yorino's powers, and has a motive for getting close to her...

(CHARACTERS Part)
-As long as you are here, I will fight.

-Terminology from the previous chapter
-"Bastioner"
-Bastioners work in pairs, receiving "Aegis" energy from each other to fight the Kaijuu.

-Kaminoi Youko
-Elite Bastioner
-A woman with an easygoing attitude. She achieved high marks in her studies and she also had a high aptitude for battle since her cadet days. She dances to the beat of her own drum even when in combat situations. It seems that she senses something special from Yorino's powers...

-Aratsugu Yorino
-Girl who lost her best friend
-A girl with a prodigious aptitude for battle. She shows very few emotions. She had a very close friend who she was always together with, but she lost her life after saving Yorino. From then on, she became a Bastioner with strong determination.

p02
>Fall into hell...?

p03
>It's nothing, don't mind me.

>...?

>Come on, let me wash your back!
>Wai- I get it...

p04
-Each of us has their own reason to fight.

p07
>Take it out!
>Understood!

p08
>Our fifth mission was another cakewalk, huh?
>Are you getting used to it?
>Yes, a little bit.

>I've already called cleanup, so let's head back.

p09
>A male resident in Nagoya has died of acute heart failure.
>Captain?

>Captain Kaminoi!
>Hm?
>What is it?

>What do you mean, "what"?
>You said you were going to tell me about that incident from back in training.

>Sorry, sorry. I did promise.
>Please pull yourself together.

>Let's see... then... have you been briefed on Astral Bodies?
>Not yet.

>But have you at least heard about it?

>No.

p10
>The mind and the spirit... You can think of them simply as spiritual bodies of sorts.
>They're similar to electromagnetic energy, but they govern the consciousness of all living things.
>We call them Astral Bodies.

>You already know that the brain uses electromagnetic signals to transmit information, right?
>Yes, I know about that.

>Those electric signals also come from your Astral Body.
>This energy governs your consciousness, but...

>What does all of this have to do with being a Bastioner?
>The organ that generates the energy for your Astral Body is your heart.
>So it's the same as us Bastioners?

p11
>That's right. The Astral Body also comes from the heart,
>so you can say that it flows through your body much like how blood does.
>Aegis energy is just a part of the Astral Body.

>Then, the reason why we can't use Aegis to enhance our own bodies...
>is because the energy we use just goes back to our own Astral Body?
>Exactly. You picked up on that quick.

>Since Aegis energy is just one part of our spirit...
>We need to pour this energy into each other's body and spirit.
>...? I see.

>Don't you think it's lewd?
>That's sexual harassment.

p12
>Let's end it here for today.
>Eh? But we were just getting started.

>Tomorrow's the entrance ceremony, right?
>You have an early start.

>I'm already working, so why do I even need to attend classes...?
>I just want to distance myself from school...

>It's good to have the perspective you can only get from education.

>You never know if you can keep being a Bastioner for life.
>.....
>I'm not interested in any other line of work.

p13
>Have a nice day!

>...I'll be going now.

>Matters concerning Bastioners like the wall and our enemies are all classified information, so civilians don't know anything about them.
>Don't tell anyone, okay?
>I understand.

>Good morning!

>Eh!?

p14
>I'll be a senior starting today.
>Then we should have gone to school together...

>Prank successful!

>That's why you had me go on ahead?

>Haah...

>Arasara-san?
>?

p15
>You read it as "Aratsugu."
>Ah, so it's Aratsugu-san, then? Sorry.
>I'm Aoki Sae. My seat's just over there, so let's get along, okay?
>Sure.

>Let me in on that too!
>Name's Kakizaki Maho. (NOTE: This girl has been mentioned in the top scorer board in chapter 1, but the surname is apparently read as Kakizaki, not Sakazaki)
>Ah, she and I have been friends since elementary school.
>Nice to meetcha!
>Sure.

>Your hair's really beautiful, Aratsugu-san!
>Do you have any foreigners in the family?

>No, everyone's Japanese...

>Still, your hair's so nice!

p16
>How was class today?
>Nothing special.

>Did you make any friends?

>.....
>I've never had any friends aside from Haruka,
>so I don't know if I really made any...

>Being friends doesn't need any formal agreement.
>It's something that just happens eventually.
>Did you ever make a promise to be "friends from now on" with Haruka-chan?

>...I didn't...

>You can get along even without any agreements. Friendship's strong like that.

p18
>Aratsugu-san?
>Yesh...

>Can we eat with you?
>Me too!
>Sure...

>You look really sleepy. Are you tired?
>No... Yeah... just a bit...

>Your lunch looks really good!
>Did someone at home make it?
>Umm... my senpai who lives with me made it.
>"Lives with you?"

p19
>Don't tell me... are you living with your girlfriend!? (NOTE: You can use "lover" here, but I personally hate that translation since nobody that I know of who speaks English actually uses "lover" to refer to someone they're going out with. This is a yuri story anyway.)
>Eh? But we just started high school!

>That's not it... she's less like a senpai and more like a superior...
>"Roommate" would be more appropriate, I guess...

>Heeeh...
>She even makes you lunch? I'm a bit envious.

>Would you like to have some?

>Then let's exchange side dishes!
>Oh, great idea!
>What would you like?

p20
>Yorino-chan.
>Yorino-chan?

>Anyone there?
>?
>Yes...?

>What do you want for dinner?
>Nothing in particular... As long as it's food, I'll be happy.

>Is something wrong? You've been spacing out for a while now.

>I think... I made some friends today.
>Oh, that's good.

p21
>Up until now, I could only think about defeating my enemies for Haruka's sake...
>but today, I was able to take my mind away from the threat of invasion, even for just a little bit.

>Yeah... that's important too...

p22
>Yorino-chan!!

p23
>Kuh...!

p24
>It's just a Colossal type, but it's pretty strong...
>You bastard! (or) "Take this!" (NOTE: I'm pretty sure that it's the first one, but the way she said it here makes me doubt myself a bit.)

>You alright?
>Thank you.

p25
>I'll cut off its arm,
>so use that opening to go for the eye!

>Understood!

p27
>I missed...!

p29
...!

p30
>Are you okay?
>.....

>I saw something that looked like a person inside it...

>.....

>Let's head back...
>You're just tired...

p31
>Make sure to eat your breakfast.
>...! Sorry. Thank you for the meal...

>Now for our next story.
>A male office worker living in Nagoya suddenly passed away today.

p32
>According to reports, Horiuchi Kouji suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness in the middle of work.
>He was immediately brought to a nearby hospital, but was confirmed dead on arrival.

>What's wrong?
>I-It's him...

p33
>He... was the man inside that Kaijuu
>we neutralized yesterday...

>Haaah... So it got on the news, huh?
>What do you mean...!?

>Hmmm...

>I knew someone strong like you would find out sooner or later...
>I guess I can't hide it from you anymore...
>?

p34
>Whenever we kill a Kaijuu,
>Exactly one human from this world dies as well.