Chapter 7

4. LIFE AT THE ACADEMY The silver bullet—anyone it struck disappeared and left no trace. All their achievements, all the contributions and changes they’d made to the world, were removed from history. Shooting the mother of a hero would undo that hero’s birth. Shooting the inventor of a weapon would shift the world into one where that weapon had never even existed. Reprogramming. That was what Air called these shifts in history. And since he’d gained that power, Rain had used it to end the lives of those who’d left death and destruction in their wake. He’d gunned down generals who’d led great massacres, changing the very fabric of the world. To this one weak young man, that bullet was both a catastrophe and salvation. I can change things. I can change everything… He’d gained a power that allowed him to reshape the world as he saw fit, to put an end to the war. “……” As Rain walked through Alestra Academy’s courtyard, the shell of the silver bullet weighed heavily in his hand. The almost transparent shell of ammunition had the name of the person whose life it had claimed etched on its surface. This trace of someone’s existence could never come to light. The true power of the silver bullet could not be revealed. Not even to Athly, the partner he’d entrusted his life to on the battlefield. No one can ever know my secret… Athly… She was a rather peculiar female student and an Exelia manipulator who’d joined Alestra Academy’s training regiment at roughly the same time as Rain. She was fundamentally a whimsical person, but when it was time for battle, she strode through war zones with transcendent operating techniques. And even putting aside their relationship on the battlefield, she’d been an irreplaceable friend to him since they’d first met. And that was exactly why he had to maintain their relationship as he kept using the bullet. Rain felt his heart pounding in his chest as he held the Devil’s Bullet. He knew if anyone learned of his newfound power, he was as good as dead. And although he seemed prepared for that pressure, when he held the bullet, his hand shivered. Chills ran through him; he was terrified. But still, he couldn’t afford to let go of it. It doesn’t matter what I have to sacrifice… And just as that thought ran through his mind, he encountered someone unexpected. “Ah…” He’d been brooding over the bullet in his hand, walking down the west corridor, when he stumbled across Athly among a crowd of people gathered just outside the corridor. “Athly.” “Oh, hey, Rain.” “What’re you doing here? This isn’t anywhere near our classrooms.” The third-year students had classes in the east corridor, so she had no reason to be on the west side of the building. However, it seemed Athly wasn’t alone. There were around thirty students gathered, some of whom were their classmates. “Oh, I’m just one of the spectators. Looks like there’s someone special in the classroom over there.” “In the classroom?” Rain stood on his tiptoes to peer past the crowd, and fortunately, he got a peek at the person in the classroom. It was a lone silver girl. It was Air, to be precise. “Bwah?!” “Whoa, what’s your problem?!” The sight stunned Rain. He looked back into the classroom, again and again, praying he’d seen wrong, but there was no mistaking that distinctive look. It was the Ghost girl…Air. “Ah, aaaaaah?!” “C’mon, tell me what’s wrong! What’s in there?!” Air was dressed in Alestra Academy’s uniform, but that didn’t make the situation any less confusing. The gaggle of squealing students had surrounded her, which filled Rain with dread. Unfortunately, recess ended right as the thought of doing something crossed his mind, so Rain had to return to his own classroom, where he spent the following lesson fidgeting restlessly. What. The hell. Is she thinking?! Why was Air there? No matter how hard he thought, no rational reason came to mind. Two hours passed. “I’m off!” “Hold your horses!” “Ouch!” Rain stuck out his leg, tripping Athly as she jogged out of the classroom. “What gives, you jerk?! I smashed my nose on the ground because of you!” “Where are you going?” “What do you mean, where?” Athly hopped back to her feet, seemingly not all that mad about Rain tripping her. “To see the transfer student, of course!” “…Good thing I stopped you, then.” “Aw, c’mon, everyone’s talking about her! Why not join in on the fun?” “What fun? Look, just sit tight for now, okay?” “Huh? What? Why?” “Don’t ask why…” He didn’t want Athly involved with Air. Rain wanted to shield his partner from her at any cost. Shit, I never expected this. I’ve gotta think of something… But what could he do? Rain was awfully confused. It was their noon recess. The second break since Air had transferred to the second-year classroom. Rain tried to go see her, but she was constantly surrounded by a flock of female students, who made up a mere 10 percent of Alestra Academy’s student body. Due to the screeching girls, Rain couldn’t really get a grasp on her motives. There was no getting closer to her, so he never got a chance to question her, either. Why’s she here? Rain desperately wanted to know the answer to that question. Still, regardless of her reasons, she was not welcome in his eyes. Why are you letting yourself draw so much attention? Air had already become a celebrity around the school. Rain had heard everyone in his class, as well as all the people in the hall, spread rumors about the mysterious new transfer student. That morning, Alestra Academy was abuzz with discussion of her. “Who is that girl?” That was the question every student was dying to find an answer to. And in Rain’s mind, that was bad news. She wasn’t a normal girl, after all. She was a Ghost who’d been resurrected by magic, a being who existed only in the fires of war. He failed to see what she had to gain by standing out among a bunch of cadets. She’s pretty whimsical, I guess… Is she just doing this for fun? Still, this is a little much. Air’s logic didn’t really matter all that much, since the main problem was that she was doing the opposite of lying low. Her hair was silver, and her facial features were adorable, so it wasn’t at all odd that the students wanted to get to know her. The whole situation frustrated Rain. “She’s kind of strange, isn’t she?” said Athly, who had spent every free moment gathering information on the mysterious transfer student. “Strange?” “Yeah. People offered to show her around the school, but she refused to leave the classroom. She even stayed there during lunch, like she was waiting for someone.” Waiting...? People had already assumed she was waiting for someone. …This is bad. What the hell is she thinking? Even my best guess doesn’t seem like enough. The more he thought about it, the more curious he grew. “Only one way to find out…” Rain decided to go see Air, a whining Athly trailing him all the while. Their destination was the second-year classroom. And once they got there, they noticed that lunch break had thickened the crowd around the girl’s desk. Rain leaned in to listen to what the curt, standoffish girl was telling everyone, but… “Whoa, what is this? It’s delish!” “……” Huh? “Isn’t it, Airy?! There’s a farm right next door that always gives the students free fresh fruit.” “Wooow, you get to eat apples this yummy every day?!” “C’mere, Airy. You want some grapes?” “Yay, grapes!” “You really like sweet food, huh?” “He-he-he. Only ’cause I don’t get to eat sweet stuff too often. Thanksies!” …… ………… “…Who the hell is that?” “Uh, the mysterious transfer student, duh!” “No, that’s not what I mean,” Rain rebuked Athly. “I’m asking who that silver-haired girl getting all the attention is!” “And I just gave you the answer…,” Athly mumbled as she cocked an eyebrow in confusion. “It can’t be. I mean, she’s always…” “Always?” “No, I mean…” Rain’s sentence trailed off as he glanced at the girl who was happily nibbling on an apple. “Has…um, the silver-haired transfer student always been like this?” He had to know. Who exactly was she? “What do you mean by ‘always’? She literally just started today! Anyway, from what I’ve heard, she’s very friendly. She always listens, gives considerate responses, and she’s all smiles. Everyone’s fallen head over heels for her already.” Things made progressively less sense to Rain with every description Athly piled on. He hadn’t noticed this morning, but perhaps Air had hit her head or something. Either that or she was pulling off the performance of the century, since she was nothing like her usual self. She’d hardly smiled whenever they’d met, but she was being so sweet to the people around her that they were turning to mush. And because she was so cute, it was equally effective on both girls and boys. Seriously, who was she? Even if she was acting, she was doing far too good a job. At that moment, one girl, who’d been acting all buddy-buddy with Air, said “You know, Air, we have two maneuvering grounds here at Alestra Academy…” as she reached for her shoulder. It was an act devoid of any malice, of course, but she was about to touch her. “…Shit!” The moment Rain realized what was happening, his Qualia accelerated rapidly. He remembered Air slamming him to the ground the last time he’d tried to touch her… Remembering how much she hated it, he was terrified. Is she going to shoot her? Killing someone over a light touch seemed excessive, but he wouldn’t put it past her. Rain reflexively stepped into the classroom to intervene—an act that was both impulsive and unwise. “Ah.” Her gaze fell on him, and their eyes locked through the crowd of people. Oh crap… Wait, no. Maybe this is fine. He met her gaze, stopping Air from reaching for her handgun. However, before he could determine whether he’d made the right decision— “What kept yoooooou?” Air exclaimed as she lithely jumped like an acrobat over the crowd surrounding her. “I thought my ear would fall off from all their prattling. You should have come sooner.” The temperature in the room dropped as Air whispered directly into Rain’s ear. Everyone’s eyes gathered on them, but Air didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she was confused by his silence and said, “Huh…? What’s the matter?” “What, Rain, you know her?” Athly asked as she approached them. “Know her? No… Uh, well, maybe a little?” “Then what are you two whispering about…?” Air realized the trouble she was in at that exact moment. Turning her head, she saw the multiple lines of sight that were focused squarely on her. “Oh…” The amount of attention she’d drawn after acting all meek and adorable had finally clicked. “…Pfft!” Air laughed. Then she flashed the room a somewhat mean-spirited smile and asked, “What’s wrong with all of you? “I came all the way here just so I could meet you, Rain.” High-pitched squeals from the girls filled the room. But on the other hand, Rain felt a shiver run down his spine. “Ugh…” Waves of pure, palpable, murderous hatred rolled off every single boy in the vicinity as they trained their gun muzzles on him. Later, during lunch break… “What the hell were you thinking?!” “My word, you’re loud. I can hear you just fine,” Air responded sulkily. Rain had dragged her behind a mailbox in the courtyard, leaving Air quite displeased. “I’ll have you know I was enjoying myself back there. Your face was as red and crumpled as a crushed apple when all the boys chased you around with guns.” “They’re still chasing us around!” Rain wanted to scream right now. Girls were an extreme minority at Alestra Academy, so most of the boys hated those who were close to them. The news that the cute new transfer student already had a man on her mind made the boys absolutely livid. The truth didn’t matter. After all, how often did a pretty girl like Air transfer into the gruff military training facility? They wanted to dream of a future with her, but they’d been denied even that faint possibility. That was why Rain had earned the ire of some thirty male students, who were in hot pursuit of him. And despite all that, he’d somehow managed to grab on to Air and find a proper hiding spot. Of course, she found this hilarious. They may have been students, but being chased by thirty mages had left him exhausted. “So why the innocent-schoolgirl act?” Rain asked as he tried to catch his breath. “Why wouldn’t I make myself fun to be around?” “……” Is that what you think you’re doing? “Ugh, whatever. For what it’s worth, it’s just creepy. But as long as no one gets hurt, you do you, I guess… Oh, I do have one question. Why’d you come here? I want a rational answer.” “Didn’t you hear me earlier? I came here for you.” “You just said that to mess with me.” “No, that’s the honest truth. Sure, I maaaay have deliberately created a misunderstanding because I wanted to make things difficult for you, but it wasn’t a lie. That’s my only reason for being here.” I came all the way here just so I could meet you, Rain. “You have the Devil’s Bullet, so letting you walk around without a leash puts me at risk. Plus, it’s more convenient to stick close to you in case you’re ready to form a pact.” “…How’d you falsify your records to get into this school?” Alestra Academy was an officers’ academy run by the country. It was connected directly to the army, so falsifying records should have been borderline impossible. “The world isn’t nearly as well put together as you might believe.” “……” “There are many methods I could’ve used. In fact, I even used a different one the first time I came to see you.” Air crossed her arms in a bored fashion, which annoyed Rain. He’d had enough of her insufficient explanations, and he was about to reprimand her, but someone cut him off. “Whoa, you actually dragged her away with you,” Athly said from above them. “I guess you do know the transfer student, Rain.” She peeked in on them from over the mailbox, then hopped down and stood between Air and Rain. After a few seconds, she faced Air to question her. “So who are you, really?” “Hey, Athly, this isn’t the time or—” “Zip it, Rain.” Athly silenced him with a raised hand as she continued to stare at the girl in front of her. And Air, no longer in need of her innocent act, gave her a cruel grin in return. “Oh, I see. Athly, huh…? You’re that child from the battlefield… Yes, it’s all coming together now. That must be why Rain was so insistent that I behave in your presence while he was dragging me away.” Air was one of the few who knew of the world shifting, so she remembered Athly from the last battle. Unfortunately, Athly wasn’t in the same boat, so the discrepancy had created an imbalance in their relationship. It was a unique interaction created by the Devil’s Bullet’s powers…and due to that, Athly had no way of knowing Air’s true personality. Though that didn’t stop her from noticing something was off. “Aren’t you acting a lot different around me?” “Am I?” “Wow… So what, you were just fooling everyone back there?” “Shame on them for being fooled,” Air said with a scoff. “Well, that’s fine. This is an officers’ academy, so they’re all tough cookies… Anyway, who are you?” “Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?” “I’m Athly Magmet, a third-year student and Rain’s partner. You follow?” “Well, that’s good to know, but why should I have to introduce myself to you?” “Oh, I’m just wondering how Rain knows a little munchkin like you.” “Munch—” The atmosphere changed; Air was radiating hostility now. “You’re…not his little sister, are you? I mean, even if you are a mage, they wouldn’t just accept some random preteen, right?” “Y-you little…!” Air shivered angrily as Athly kept dropping borderline insults. And at that moment, Rain realized Athly wasn’t speaking out of malice or spite. She honestly just seemed curious. “If you’re trying to pick a fight, don’t bother. I…” “Wait, what? Who’s picking a fight with who?” “We’re! The only people! Here!” Losing her patience, Air got in position to pounce. However— “All students are to stow their weapons at once.” “I repeat. This is an order from third-year prefect Orca Dandalos. All students second year and below are to stow their weapons immediately.” “That’s…” “Orca.” It was a message from the class prefect, Orca, who was trying to calm Rain’s pursuers. “I understand wanting to pump Rain full of lead, but we cadets cannot codone the unchecked use of force. It’s only natural to be angry at a skirt chaser, but we can’t just mob him and string him up.” “Orca…” The hidden daggers in those words hurt Rain, but he was still grateful for the save. A prefect had spoken up, so chasing him was a clear violation of— “That’s why I’ll set a proper stage, with rules in place, to help you work it out.” “Huh…?” “All third-years are free until two PM, right? Participation is completely unrestricted. Anyone who wants to make some quick cash or beat the stuffing out of that skirt-chasing prick should gather in the third-year classroom right away.” With those words, the broadcast cut— “Oh, and Rain, you have to participate. I’ll kill you if you don’t show up.” And with that final remark, the broadcast cut off. For real, this time. “Yeah, of course.” Ten minutes later, forty-odd cadets gathered in the designated classroom. “I’ve got something real good on me. Check out this Centra gun.” A small stir passed through the classroom. “A Centra? No way!” “I probably don’t have to tell you, but this baby’s an old automatic pistol. You can use it during live combat, but it’s also an antique with a high price tag. It’s a first-generation, premium item, branded with the year 1822. Any noble who knows his guns will fork over eight hundred thousand for this bad girl.” The classroom stirred again. Eight hundred thousand zels was a fortune. Rain could hear students gulping in anticipation. Orca smirked in satisfaction at the attention focused on him, then continued, “It’s also a memento from Second Lieutenant Risma, who passed away recently. Their dying wish was for this gun to go to a promising young soldier. Sadly, there’s only one pistol, so we can’t split it…which leaves us with only one choice… Let’s start a contest over this babyyyyyy!” “““Yeaaaaaah!””” Everyone in the classroom cheered in agreement. Orca started his briefing. “The rules are simple! Thirty minutes from now, we’ll hold a mock battle in the main building! We will, of course, be using blanks! If you’re hit on any part of your body, you’re disqualified. Once time runs out, we’ll hold a final match between the four competitors with the highest kill counts!” “Same rules as always, then!” “That’s right!” Everyone seemed to be on board. “What about sneak attacks?” “Allowed!” “And teaming up?” “Allowed!” “And double-crossing?!” “Totally allooooooooowed!” The students were discussing a bullet royal, an age-old tradition at Alestra Academy. It was a battle royal in which contestants used low-firepower Bullet Magic for sport. Traditionally, it was a last resort used to settle disputes, but this year’s prefect, Orca, hosted them rather often. “Also, this goes without saying, but any damage to a person’s body or property is permitted as long as it doesn’t exceed the set threshold.” “Meaning?” “You can beat the stuffing out of anyone who pisses you off, no problem!” “““Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah!””” “Hold up—there’s definitely a huge problem here!” Rain protested, but his words were drowned out. Rain had been forced into the bullet royal. He wasn’t actually interested in it at all, but over half the participants were out for his blood, so he couldn’t sit back and wait to see how things would shake out. The whole thing was a mock battle in form, but given how close it was to a personal dispute, which was otherwise forbidden, his life was at risk. Most participants seemed hell-bent on gaming the system to take potshots at him and settle their grudge. The group that had been admiring Air had already formed an alliance, even. Though they weren’t the worst of the lot… “Eight hundred thousand… Eight hundred thousand…” “I can pay it back, pay it all back, with two hundred thousand to spare… He-he… He-he-he…” Ugh… In Rain’s eyes, the people who wanted to sell an officer’s memento for some quick cash were scum. “C’mon, didn’t you hear him? That gun’s a memento! Where do you get off selling something like that?” Rain snapped at his classmates, who were getting into position. ““Shuddup!”” Kenth and Euroia, who formed an Exelia pair, both screamed at him. “Kindness doesn’t fill your wallet.” “What can gratitude buy you?” “I can’t believe how serious you two look when you say that.” They were truly misers at heart. “I’m warning you now, if I get a clear shot, I’ll beat you black-and-blue!” “Yeah, what he said. I’ve been mad at you for stealing Athly since we enlisted, but you were both so into each other that I could let it slide. But now I find out you have another girl on the side? I swear, you deserve to die once or twice…” “Not that you can really die more than once.” Rain looked around. Out of the forty cadets present, ten had their sights set on him. Dammit, this is bad. I can’t believe they’re all after me. What a bunch of idiots… “All right, guys, you’ll hear the signal in one minute. The battle starts then.” Everyone scattered as soon as Orca finished saying that, and a minute later, a gong echoed through the building. Thus, a battle royal with an expensive memento and a personal grudge on the line began. “…Guess I’ll hide.” As soon as the game began, Rain expended his stamina to escape the people hunting him. As a result, he reached the library without anyone noticing him. During bullet royals, the library was always completely deserted, since it wasn’t directly connected to the main hall. Only kills a person scored directly counted toward their point total, so hiding was pointless. Proactive play was the best route to the finals. In that way, it was different from a regular battle royal, in which hiding until the end was a sound strategy. Rain fully intended to hide from the group that was targeting him, but he also planned to switch gears and go for some kills once the heat was off him. Once he felt confident he was safe, about ten minutes after he took cover, Rain began scouring the library. “I have some time to kill, so I may as well see if I can find anything.” He was searching for a book to help him put the previous day’s events in context… I was executed by the military… He recalled what Air had said. He couldn’t tell how true those words were, and he didn’t actually care, either, but after the way she’d inserted herself into his life, he needed to find out more about her. And so he looked into records of the first war. Alestra Academy housed tomes filled with national military records, meaning he easily found what he was looking for, but… “…Shit.” As he’d thought, Air’s name was nowhere to be found. Records showed that the East had ended the war with a spectacular come-from-behind victory, but the details were sparse. The records stated only that the East had avoided defeat. The information was scrubbed… The lack of information annoyed Rain. Air was rushing him to make a decision, so he desperately needed to know more. Rain, erase Captain Thanda, she’d said. Alec Thanda, a man regarded as one of the most valiant warriors of the West. Even with the Devil’s Bullet on his side, Rain wasn’t entirely confident in his ability to defeat him. It still wasn’t clear when the man would launch his attack, but Rain knew he probably had less than a month… So before then, he had an important decision to make. Would he let go of the Devil’s Bullet…or would he make a pact and bind himself to the silver girl? I have to come up with a plan… Right as that thought crossed his mind… “Found one!” “Ah!” The library door slammed open, revealing Athly. She had a rifle in her hands and was clearly looking for targets. Oh, this is actually pretty convenient. He’d wanted to speak to Athly privately, and they were all alone in the library, so this was the perfect opportunity. “Hey, Athly, can we talk for a—?” Bang! “Bwah!” A bullet flew toward him. Holy shit! She’d shot at him without even looking his way! “H-hold up—it’s me, Rain!” “…Huh, Rain?” Athly finally recognized him, it seemed. However, she kept her rifle trained on him, her finger hovering over the trigger. “If you’re going to beg for your life, go do it in hell!” “Wow, we’ve got a real badass over here.” That was a pretty cool line, I gotta admit. “Wait, forget all that. I need to talk to you about something. Hear me out.” “What, you trying to weasel your way out of a loss?” “I’m serious, Athly. This is important.” “If you’re just going to beg for your life… Wait, what?” Athly seemed startled. “Something…important?” She visibly wavered, then began lowering her gun. Now’s my chance! “Right. This is an extremely important issue, and I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it for a while now.” “I-important…” Athly’s shoulders jolted, and her attitude changed. “You’ve…wanted to tell me…something important…for a while now…?” she whispered to herself as she looked down at the ground. “Um…” “What?” “Is it…about you and me…?” After saying those words, she paused for a moment before continuing with “And our relationship…going forward?” “Bingo. I’m surprised you figured it out.” That’s some impressive intuition. I tip my hat to you, Athly. “So can we talk now?” “Is it something you can’t say…unless we’re alone?” “Well, it’d probably be better for you if we did this with no one else around.” “Ah…!” Athly finally lowered her gun all the way as she let out that sharp gasp. “C-can you give me a minute?!” Then she turned around, pulled out a small compact mirror, and started using it to fix her hair. Once that was done, she wiped her sweat off with a handkerchief and made sure her hairpin was on just right. As he watched her, Rain realized that Athly definitely was, without a doubt, a girl. A strong-willed, cute girl who looked out of place with a gun in her hands. Why’s she doing this? Is this really the time to fix her hair...? Well, whatever. Doesn’t look like anyone else is around, at least. “S-sorry. I kept you waiting, huh?!” Athly finally sat down after getting her reddish locks in order. “So, um. What is it.” “…Why’re you talking like a robot?” “No reason! So what’s up? Also, I’m just putting this out there, but I prefer it when guys are direct!” She’d made herself clear, so Rain would work with her on this. “Well, in that case, I won’t beat around the bush. Let’s call things quits. There’s someone else I want in my pair.” “………………………” “I figured it’d be best to tell you myself.” “………………………………………………” By pair, he meant a team made up of a gunner and a manipulator who piloted an Exelia together. Athly had been his partner ever since they’d enrolled at Alestra Academy three years ago, but things had changed. The Ghost, Air, was a part of the picture now. He hadn’t made his decision yet, but he didn’t want to drag Athly into his mess if he ended up accepting Air’s proposal. It wouldn’t have mattered if Athly was an average manipulator, but her skills were transcendent. She was far too good a soldier to be wasted on his crusade, so finding a new partner was to her benefit. However— “U-um…” It took Athly a fair bit of time to form a coherent response. “Wh-why do you…want to do that?” “Why? Well, I mean…” What was the best way to answer that question without mentioning Air? Sure, she’d shown up in his classroom before, but the Devil’s Bullet’s Reprogramming had made sure no one remembered that. Plus, he hadn’t agreed to work with her yet, so he had no choice but to come up with an ambiguous response. “There’s someone else I want by my side.” That was when it happened. Bang! “Huh?!” A bullet zoomed past his ear…and the very next moment, Rain heard the sound of glass shattering. “Eek…!” Athly had just shot at him. “I can’t believe you!” Athly cried as smoke rose from the barrel of her gun. “You ended things before we even hooked up!” “Quit yelling! I’m the one in shock here, you lunatic!” Why the hell’d you shoot me?! Have you lost your mind?! I know they’re just blanks, but they can still break bones at close range! “Oh, it’s fine, Rain.” “What’s fine?” “That was a real bullet.” …Come to think of it, she was aiming her personal handgun at him instead of the bullet-royal rifle. Wait, how is that a good thing in her mind? “Say, Rain, I heard an interesting story recently,” Athly said, holding her gun steady. “Wh-what?” “Apparently, there’s a country where cheaters get cut into four pieces.” “I’ll put aside the question of who exactly cheated here, but…yeah, I’ve heard that. They say both the cheater and their paramour get cut in half. That’s an interesting story, all right.” “It is. And that’s why I want you to bring them to me. This person you’re so interested in.” “Huh, what for?” “Don’t you get it…?” Athly asked before she paused and took a deep breath. “I want to punch two new holes into you!” “Whoa…!” “C’mon, Rain, why?! Where’d this come from?” Athly was regaining a bit of her sanity and started her interrogation in earnest. “We’ve been a team for three whole years now! We’ve worked so hard together to this day! And now you’re going to throw all that away and team up with someone else? That makes no sense!” “Saying ‘to this day’ kinda makes me think you’ve already given in…” “Ugh…” Alestra Academy had no official Exelia pairs, since there was no telling what role one might need to fill on the battlefield. However, Rain and Athly were somewhat of a special case, so people around them knew they were best left to their own devices. And the two of them also thought changing partners was too much work, so they’d never bothered. Rain saw this as an opportunity for both of them to grow, which was why he’d suggested it. “Ugh, are you sure about this?” “It’s a good chance for you to polish your skills, so yeah.” “That’s… I don’t know if I agree with that.” “Oh?” “Who’ll be your next partner?” “Uh…” “Are you going to team up with that girl?” Athly was being vague, but it was rather obvious whom she was talking about. “That…pretty, silver-haired girl.” That was a natural assumption, given he’d asked her to break up their team the same day Air had transferred in. “No, it’s got nothing to do with her. I’ve actually been meaning to have this conversation for a while now.” “But you’ll be pairing up with someone new, at least temporarily, right?” “I mean…” You’re not wrong… He hadn’t thought of whom to ask yet. He had options in his class, but only high-ranking cadets were sent to battlefields. And out of that select group, the only one he knew he could work with was… “…Orca. I’ll probably ask him.” “Fine, I understand.” “What do you understand, exactly?” “That if he disappears, all will be right with the world.” Athly’s parting words stabbed into Rain’s heart. Yes, they were in the middle of a battle royal, but she wouldn’t actually kill him… Would she? Making a person disappear… Those words rang all too clear within him. Time had run out. “For the time being, I’ll announce the people who’ve made it to the finals.” All the bullet-royal contestants had gathered in Alestra Academy’s central plaza. “That said, only four people survived, so they automatically move on. First place is yours truly, Orca Dandalos, reigning at the top with eight kills. Cry your eyes out, you losers!” “Die!” “You useless muscle-bound jerk!” “Baldy!” “Hey! What smart-ass called me bald?!” If this had been a wrestling match, Orca would’ve been the heel. Not only was he class prefect, but he also won one out of every five bullet royals, so quite a few people hated him. Unfortunately for him, he seemed more exhausted than usual, so his chances this time seemed slim. And the reason for that was… “Second place is Athly Magmet, with six kills! Except…” “Mmmgh…! Nnnnnngh…!” “She kept trying to shoot me even after time ran out, so the other girls had to restrain her.” Orca poked his thumb out toward the girls who were pinning Athly. Her eyes were bloodshot as grunts and moans escaped her gagged mouth. “Rain.” “Yeah?” “What’s got her so worked up? She chased me around for almost the whole match,” Orca whispered into Rain’s ear. “Well, the weather’s nice today. Maybe that’s why,” Rain replied nonchalantly. “…Fine, whatever. Third place is Rain Lantz, who weaseled his way in with two kills.” “Die!” “Die!” “Die!” “C’mon, can’t you at least be more original?!” People seemed to hate him just as much as they did Orca, but the gap in effort was depressing. He understood why they were angry, too, since no one had managed to punish him for his perceived misdeeds. “And fourth place, with the same number of kills, is the new transfer student, Air!” “Yay!” ““Yeaaaaaah!”” Orca’s words were soon drowned out by the male students’ cheering. Air had donned her facade once more, acting out the part of a perky schoolgirl and driving the crowd wild. Rain walked up next to her. “…Hey, how long are you gonna keep up this charade?” he whispered into her ear. “Where’s the harm in it? They seem to like it.” “Why are you even participating? You don’t care about that gun.” “I’m bored.” There were no restrictions on the event, so anyone was welcome to join. Still, everyone, Rain included, had been shocked when Air had asked to participate. But the true surprise came later, when in the final minutes of the match, Air rapidly closed the gap by taking down two random, unsuspecting contestants. Seriously, what’s your angle here? “Rain, should we really let her participate?” “Well, it looks like she’s up for it.” “You sure she’ll be okay, though? She may have qualified for the finals, but she’ll end up getting hurt if she’s not careful.” “It’ll be fine. She might act all cute, but I know she’s wild enough to beat down a gorilla with her bare hands.” Whack! “Ouch!” “Hmph!” Air harrumphed as she kicked Rain in the shin. “What gives?!” “You bumped into me.” “…Well, okay. The final four contestants are me, Athly, Rain, and Air.” The finals were the main event of any bullet royal—a four-way battle, one on one on one on one. Individual Bullet Magic was allowed, putting the level of danger above that of the qualifier; there was no time limit; and a person was eliminated as soon as an attack connected with them. “By the way, since we’re doing this out on an open plain, you can’t use your Bullet Magic, Rain.” “That’s no fair! You’re cheating.” Not that I wasn’t expecting this, but it still sucks! Rain’s classmates all knew he favored the use of Pharel’s rebounding shots, which were rendered useless when they had nothing to bounce off. “You’re not even denying that you’re cheating… I mean, come on, you guys can use Pharel, too!” “We can, but none of us can control that suicidal shot.” “…Fine, whatever, open plain it is.” “Cool, let’s get started, then.” At those words, the girls released Athly so she could go prepare. Luckily, she’d calmed down after being pinned for so long. “……” That said, the way she sullenly rose to her feet was terrifying. Rain thought about saying something, but the palpable aura of murder wafting off her was so strong that he didn’t dare approach her. “Right. Everyone ready?” All the contestants checked their gear. Athly had an adaptable automatic WR handgun. Orca used some unknown shotgun. Rain, as always, used his BB77 revolver. Air pulled out one of the guns she carried on her back, a medium-sized rifle of unknown origin. Bullet Magic was divided into many branches, all of which included several variations. That was why Rain stepped in as Orca prepared to fire the opening shot. “Hey, Orca. Could you let me fire the opening shot?” “Huh? Well, sure, but why?” “I’m using a revolver, so I can point and fire, but you’ve got a shotgun, so you’ll have to change your grip.” “Uh, I guess that makes sense?” Orca relinquished the role of firing the first shot to Rain. “Okay, let’s get started.” Rain’s Bullet Magic zoomed through the air with a shrill bang, marking the start of the bullet royal finals. The very next moment, the whole area was flooded with a light so intense it even shone through one’s fingers. Rain had fired an Ozette, also known as the “White Flash” spell. It was Bullet Magic that interfered with the environment, blinding any who happened to see it. Sure, it lasted less than three seconds, but Rain was capable of reloading faster than any of the other three, and he had more than enough mana to rapidly fire more bullets. Using the time he’d bought, he ran up behind Athly to take her out. Every gunner’s blind spot was behind their dominant hand, and that rule held just as true for mages. However, as he prepared to take his second shot, Rain’s Qualia ordered him to freeze. “Ugh…” A strong current of electricity that was powerful enough to smash through rock poured out right in front of him. If he’d taken another step, it would have hit him directly. That was a form of Bullet Magic: Libertas, or the “Rapid Thunder” spell. “Nice intuition.” Athly knew how to make expert use of that elementary Bullet Magic. She’d covered only the fundamentals, since she specialized in Exelia manipulation, but she’d still turned something so basic into a deadly weapon. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. “Shit…!” “You’re too slow,” Rain said as he stepped toward her. Instead of magic, Rain employed a simple grapple. And after pinning her pistol to her, he stepped back and kicked Athly’s abdomen. “Ugh…!” She tried to elbow him in the face in response, but the blow barely skimmed his eyelid. He was bleeding, but he grabbed her body and lifted her up all the same. “No, aaah!” After a moment, he slammed her into the ground, chest first, at full strength. She stayed down. But unfortunately for Rain, Ozette dispersed as soon as he finished, revealing Orca standing there with his shotgun at the ready. The two of them stood there, staring at each other, with their Qualia active… Do I move...? Orca had deployed his weapon’s sight. Heat sizzled as it gathered in the muzzle. Shit, suppression magic?! The multiple bullets Orca unleashed into the air above them puffed up, their mass doubling several times over. “Horgo Bardas!” Orca’s Bullet Magic rushed forward with the power of the “Meteorstorm” spell. Heavy, jagged rocks appeared above Rain, forming a savage shower of stones that reduced the ground to dust within seconds of impact. The number one student at Alestra Academy was powerful indeed. But that intensity of his was also his weakness… “Sorry, Orca.” “What?!” “You spent too much time looking at your bullets, idiot!” Rain exclaimed as he appeared behind him. However, Orca loaded a second shot and switched to defense faster than Rain could shoot. Orca A. Dandalos was the prefect at Alestra Academy, the most prestigious officers’ academy in the East. He boasted powerful Qualia, backed by innate talent and a massive well of mana that set him apart from the pack. And on top of all that, he was familiar with Rain’s Bullet Magic. Victory was within his grasp so long as he used his future sight to predict the trajectory of any bullets Rain fired. Pharel’s rebounding made that job harder, but considering the lack of any terrain to bounce things off, he didn’t have to worry about that. But the moment that thought crossed his mind… “Urk!” …a bullet hit the back of Orca’s head. “H-how…?!” Orca asked as he collapsed, turning to look at the bullet that had flown in from behind him. “Oh, about that… It’s the bullet I fired to start off the finals.” Rain had asked to fire the opening shot instead of Orca for a reason. And he’d fired that shot horizontally, at low speed, so it would eventually bounce off the main school building and pierce Orca’s head. “…Asshole.” “Shut it, loser!” Rain pumped a final shot into his good friend’s abdomen to end his run. And having finished off both of his closest friends within ten seconds, he turned around to face a silver figure. “Aaaah…” Air let out a carefree yawn. “Well, I see you stick to the ironclad rules, if nothing else.” “What ironclad rules?” “Taking out the weakest enemies first, of course.” As she said that, Air moved her finger over the trigger of her rifle. And then, with a low voice only the two of them could hear, she continued, “A pity, though. I wanted to take out that Athly girl myself.” “Because she called you a kid?” “……” Air’s expression shifted from uninterested to displeased. She’d always seemed detached, aloof, and distant, but this was different. It seemed as if talk of her childish build had soured her mood. “Do you think…?” Rain just barely made out what she was saying. “Do you think I want a body like this?” What...? A shadow fell over the girl’s face. The withering disdain, as well as the artificial smiles, all slipped away…revealing a bitter expression. It was the same look she had whenever anyone tried to touch her. That face… Did it mean she loathed him so much…? No, there was no mistaking it. That was surely an expression of…anguish. “Hmm…” Air had said she was born over a century ago. And her existence had been sealed within a small bullet upon her execution, enabling her to appear as a Ghost whenever war broke loose. Rain wasn’t sure how that had happened, but he did know that her body was by no means natural. Which begged the question, who had made her body? How did she have a physical form? The more Rain thought about it, the more doubts surfaced in his mind, leaving a gap in his defenses. “Ah…” As a mage, he had to keep his Qualia up to predict attacks from any possible angle. She’s making her move. Air moved to attack Rain. “Ugh…” As they were surrounded by spectators, his actions were a bit restricted. Still, he predicted a large barrage of bullets rushing at him as he charged her, so he twisted his body to avoid it. And as soon as he did, a bullet flew by above his head. That was Air’s Bullet Magic. Flames blazed up from the point of impact, but that wasn’t enough to stop Rain, since he’d escaped her range… However, the next moment, a shadow blocked his field of vision by rushing at him. “Uh-oh!” Another prediction assailed him. I’m in danger! He’d instinctively guarded his abdomen, but right as he had, a bullet had struck his body from above. “Urk, aaah!” A training round burst against his abdomen, sending Rain tumbling to the ground. Any attempt to rise to his feet was rendered impossible by the waves of pain running through his body. “Sh-shit…” As he crawled along the ground, he heard a distinct clicking sound coming from above him. “Four seconds,” Air said, her tone entirely casual. And it remained flat and devoid of any emotion as she continued to look down on him. “You’re a little too weak, aren’t you?” A sneer crept into her words at that point. But upon raising his face, Rain noticed something was off. Why…are you so...? Why was her expression so sad? Her lips were pursed, as if it took all she had to swallow down her emotions. And yet, her eyes were so moist that any onlooker could tell she was putting up a brave front. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. What the hell, Air? What are you...? Why do you have that look in your eyes? What are you hiding from me? You won’t tell me anything, and whenever I touch you…you get hurt and won’t ask for help. How selfish… “See you later.” Her casual good-bye was followed by a loud gunshot. Rain lost consciousness as he took a blank to the head.