Semelparous Chapter 1

Semelparous

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

Chapter 1
----

p3
>Captain!
-The wound was too deep----

>Get a hold of yourself!
>Captain!!

p4
>To protect her,
>to protect with her,

p5
>for the sake
>of not losing anyone.

p7
>That's the last one! Attack!!
>Don't let the Captain's sacrifice be in vain!

p9
>We won, Captain!

>You led us to victory...
>Maya...
>I have a request...
>...! Yes...

p10
>I have a one-year old daughter...

>Eh...

>Don't tell anyone that she's mine... I want you to raise her...
>Please... take care of...

p11
>There exists a world, different from this one.
>The denizens of that world are attempting to break through to ours.
>The Bastioners are deployed...
-OTHER WORLD
-WALL
-OUR WORLD
>to protect the wall that separates the two worlds
>and stop the invasion. (I referred to the "Tagai no Guardians" translation by Psylocke Scans for the terms used here)

p12
>Bastioners fight the invaders in the space inside the wall.
>This is what the inside of the wall looks like.

>How can you be INSIDE a wall?
>Good question. When we say that the wall has an "inside..."

>We mean it like this.
-UPPER WALL
-INSIDE THE WALL
-LOWER WALL
-OUR WORLD
>The wall actually has two layers, the upper wall and the lower wall. The space between those layers are what we call "inside the wall."

p13
>The enemy has already broken through the upper wall.

>To put it simply, the invaders that broke through the upper wall
-OTHER WORLD
-INSIDE THE WALL
-INVADERS
-OUR WORLD
>are trying to break through the lower wall to reach our world. If that happens, we lose.
>And their invasion will truly begin.

p14
>These two men here are Bastioners.
>And this is an invader. We call them "Kaijuu."

>Eek...!

>The Bastioners
>use special powers called "Aegis."

>Aegis has been passed down through the generations by the families who were tasked with the protection of the wall.
>Everyone here is a part of those families.

p15
>So cool!

>From the start of your elementary education today, until you graduate from middle school,
>you will be studying to become Bastioners here.

>I wanna be a Bastioner!

>But it's scary...
>It's alright.

p16
>Because you'll be looking out for me, Yorino.

>Haruka-chan...

p18
PLATE: 4th Grade Classroom

>Today's mock battle was so tough~~~~~
>Really?
>You two are the top of the class. Don't compare me to you...

>Oh, the sixth graders are doing some training.
>I see them... Is she here right now?

>Yeah, she's doing pretty good, that Kaminoi Youko-senpai.
>How can she even move like that? So cool...

p19
>Apparently, she also won against a teacher.
>Heeeh...

>Should we get some practice in too?

>Yeah.

>I'll take first place next time too!
>Then I'll take second.
>Those two are monsters...

>Now, let the 9th grade battle training begin.

>Supplying Aegis...

>This is a mock battle between three cadets and one professional Bastioner.
>Points will be given based on battle aptitude.

>Nice to meetcha, cadets.

>We're up against a pro...
>Scary...
>If you're scared, just stay put and keep quiet.
>Huh?

p21
>I wanted to do this on my own, anyway.
>H-Hey! Aratsugu...!?

>You're going solo? Fine by me.
>Don't underestimate a pr-

p22
>Whoa... is this for real?
>Aratsugu's something else...

>She took down a pro all by herself...

>We couldn't do a thing...
>My score looks grim...

>I heard Tokunaga Haruka beat a pro too.
>!

>Aratsugu Yorino got top marks in combat. No surprises there.
>But Tokunaga Haruka's just two points behind her.
BOARD: Battle training exam results
       1st Aratsugu Yorino 351pts
       2nd Tokunaga Haruka 349pts
       3rd Fujii Hiro 103 pts
       4th Sakazaki Hitomi 99pts
       5th Miyamura Yuuji 99pts

p23
>Yorino!

>Nice work!
>I just can't beat you at combat tests, huh?

>Glad to see that you've graduated from hiding behind me all the time.
>I-I don't even remember that anymore...

>Tokunaga got first overall again.
BOARD: Overall Results
       1st Tokunaga Haruka
       2nd Aratsugu Yorino
       3rd Uchida Kei
       4th Sakazaki Hitomi
       5th Miyamura Yuuji
       6th Kawahara Ai
       7th Fujii Hiro
>Those two always take the top spots even here in middle school.

>Yay! The final victory is mine!
>Congrats...

p24
>We can take the pro exam after we graduate from middle school.
>Let's ace it together.

>The Wall Restoration session's tomorrow, right?
>Yeah.
>It'll be the first time we get to be inside the wall, huh?
>Are you worried? If anything happens, I'll be there to protect you.

>That's my line...
>Don't think you'll be stronger than me forever.

p25
>Well then, I'll be opening the gate to the inside of the wall.
>Don't fall behind.

>Huh? Where's your scarf, Yorino?
>I don't want to lose it in there so I left it at home.

>Opening the gate!

p26
>I've seen it many times in photos,
>but it doesn't compare to how eerie this place looks in person...
>And it's kinda hot in here...
>You think?

>There's an area near here that was damaged in battle the other day.
>Make sure you don't wander off.
>Won't we get attacked if we go in here now?

p27
>Here in Japan, the wall has been damaged in seven areas.
>One of those areas are about one kilometer away from here, so if there's a battle going on, we'll be moving to another spot,
>but there shouldn't be any problems here right now.

>Now, let's begin the session.
>Pour out your Aegis energy into the cracks you see here.
>Imagine that you're putting the damaged parts back together.

>In battle, you use your heart as the source of Aegis to strengthen your allies.
>You also use it to enhance your weapons...

p28
>But it's original purpose is this.
>You can only use this power to strengthen other things,
>so it can't be used on your own body.

>You two! You're doing pretty good!
>Thank you very much!

p29
>!!

>Oh, no...

>Impossible... this is not one of the areas...

>Abort session!! Prepare for evacuation!!
>?
>Eh...?

>The wall above's getting destroyed!!
>Everyone, run!!
>!?

>This can't be real!
>Why...?

p30
>UWAAAAAAAH!!!

p31
>Yorino, this way!!

>Ow...
>You okay...?

p32
>Kaijuu...

p33
>Stand up, Yorino!

>!?
>Haruka!!!

p34
>GUAAAAAAAH!!!
>KYAAAAAA!!!

p35
>Ugh...

>Haah...
>Haa...
>Ha...ru...

p36
>Haru...ka...

p37
>Ah...aaah...

>Please...
>No...

>Why did you...
>Haru...

p38
>...You...

>...You...!

p39
>GUH...!

p40
>HAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

p41
>?

p43
>I was too late...
>Sorry...

p44
>Are you alright?

>...!
>Wait, Haruka...!

>?
>Haruka's trapped under there...

>I beg you, please...
>Please save her...

>.....

>Haruka saved me...

p45
>I didn't sense any other Aegis signals aside from yours...
>Sorry...

>No...

>The least I can do is kill that thing,
>but you won't be able to fight so just enhance my suit and escape.

>Can you give me some of your Aegis energy?
>!

>Sorry I have to ask this of you.
>I'll finish up here quick...
>Can you do it?

p46
>I'll do it!
>Thank you.

>Pour the energy into my heart.
>Okay.

p48
>!

>This power...
>Are you...

>?
>Did I do something wrong?

>.....

p49
>No, it's alright.
>Wait here for a bit.

>Come at me!

p55
>Amazing...

p56
>We will now be announcing the names of those who passed the exam.
BOARD: Exam Passers
       1st Aratsugu Yorino
       2nd Takenouchi Yoshiaki
       3rd Shindou Maho
       4th Mitsuhara Kouhei

>That girl in first place is a new graduate?
>Hey, isn't she the lone survivor of that incident...?

>!
>It's you...