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My arms are numb, and I can't hold onto my hurting areas, so I ended up kneeling on the floor. It hurts! ..I can't take it..I'm..suffocating..!

“Akihisa!”

“You do not have to worry. It is simply a feedback of the pain, and there will not be any wounds. Even so, I did hit the areas where the pain would focus, so the feedback this time will be 100 times that of the usual.”

I feel a pain stronger than the pain in my arms overcoming my body, rendering me unconscious

I'm rolling on the floor in pain, unable to even kneel.

“..You bastard, you actually did such a despicable thing..!”

“Yoshii Akihisa-kun is an opponent that cannot be dealt with using ordinary methods. Please allow me to capitalize on the weaknesses of the 'Punishment Inspector'.”

I groan. The sharp pain is causing a shock in my heart, and no matter how I try to open my mouth, I can't breath. My numb arms mean that I can't put my hands on my belly to adjust my breathing. It hurts..! It really hurts..! It's unbearable..!

“And now for the final blow.”

“Wait, Takashiro.”

“Is there something, Sakamoto Yuuji-kun?”

“..We lose. I surrender. Don't let Akihisa suffer like this.”

“Ah, thank goodness. I do not wish for others to suffer in futility, so—”

“Ar—gh..! Move..!”

“Akihisa!?”

“It looks like he still does not wish to give up, but that is all.”

I could control my summoned beast without any issues up till now, and now I cannot give any instructions at all. Damn it..why can't I move..!?

“That truly is an amazing amount of will you have. A hit in the solar plexus would bring about a diabolic amount of pain.”

I still can't breath, and I can't even feel all my pain fully, let alone recover.

In my mind, now devoid of oxygen, the only thing running within is the aim to beat this opponent in front of me.

“But I am not a merciless person, so I shall not cause him further pain in this situation. Besides, Yoshii Akihisa-kun is unable to do anything now.”

“What's going on? Why do you say he can't do anything?”

“Pardon me for not stating things clearly. I do not mean Yoshii Akihisa-kun himself, but that his summoned beasts cannot do anything.”

My summoned beasts can't move no matter how much I try. Why..! Is it because I can't focus in my pain..!?

“The 'Punishment Inspector' is a unique summoned beast, but you often focus on your advantages and underestimate others. It is the same for the platinum bracelets.”

“Ah..! Did..!”

“I heard there is a defect in this bracelet. For example, it will short-circuit when used by those with high scores.”

Takashiro-sempai's words enter my mind in the midst of my pain and agony.

How Yuuji and I got the platinum bracelets. Right, it's because there's a defect in them that the principal gave it to us.

“Yoshii Akihisa-kun's strength is a threat, and even with such a score he had, the flaw in the bracelet could not be activated. I might not be able to win if he uses the two summoned beasts then.”

“So you've been taunting Akihisa before the war even started..! That's just to get him to activate the flaw in the bracelet?”

“That is how it is. Yoshii Akihisa-kun's competitiveness really helped me out here.”

In other words, I've been toyed by him right from the get-go? Is that it..?

“The efforts you put in to win ended up being the cause of your downfall, and your efforts for Miss Himeji Mizuki caused her anguish—I can understand your pain here, Yoshii Akihisa-kun.”

Upon hearing Takashiro-sempai's pity, I end up in a great amount of despair as I kneel on the floor in pain and agony.

It's fine if everything I did till now is futile. It's not something to be happy about, but it's not a rare thing for an idiot like me to work hard and get nothing in the end.

But it's different this time.

My efforts for us ended up causing trouble for my important friend—and the person I like. This isn't a case of futility, but unnecessary efforts.

What did Himeji-san think when she heard me say that 'we're going to beat class A'? Did she find it stupid when there was a better choice for her, or did she feel sad for me?

—No, it'll be great if she really thinks that way. That's some sort of salvation for me.

Himeji-san isn't someone who'll think like that however.

Himeji-san's heart has been aching whenever she looks at me. Because of that, she must have been depressed.

“..Am I..in the way..”

I inadvertently utter these words.

“It is truly a pity, Yoshii Akihisa-kun. There is only one thing you can do, and that is to back out obediently and not say anything ridiculous. This is the best choice both for you and for her.”

As Takashiro-sempai has said, even if I say to Himeji-san that 'I'm beating class A for my own sake', she won't believe it. Instead of being presumptuous in getting class A's facilities, letting her stay in class F without any illness..

Right when I can't tell whether the continuous amount of pain was coming from within me.

The principal's office door opens with a creak.

“Eh..? Takashiro-sempai? Why..?”

A familiar girl appears there.

“Himeji-san..?”

She probably came to check on us because the summoning system isn't destroyed yet, right? Anyway, she so happened to be here, right at this moment.

“Akihisa-kun, what did you say to Takashiro-sempai..”

It was a voice I could recognize straight away.

There's no need to explain, for the atmosphere surrounding us explained everything clearly.

“Akihisa!”

At the moment Yuuji called out to me, I felt a feedback in my body. My summoned beasts were probably kicked away by Yuuji.

“..Sakamoto Yuuji-kun. This act seems to be against the rules.”

“Sorry, I slipped trying to get close in my panic.”

I look on, and find that the enemy's summoned beast stabbed through where my summoned beast was at. He probably did that to prevent my summoned beast from being attacked, I guess?

“Do you wish for a rematch, Yoshii Akihisa-kun? Since Miss Himeji Mizuki has arrived, I suppose my allies will come soon.”

Takashiro-sempai points at my summoned beast, which is already unable to move.

No, it's the same whether I fight back on now. Right now, I'm..

“Please wait, Takashiro-sempai. I wish to say some things to Akihisa-kun just for a while.”

“Normally, I would listen to your requests no matter what, Miss Himeji Mizuki..but a duel is a duel.”

Unlike before, Takashiro-sempai has become really competitive as he rejected Himeji-san's request.

But to be honest, I'm really grateful that he's showing such an attitude right now. Even if I do talk to Himeji-san, I don't know how to handle what's next.

“I shall formally apologize for my refusal when we are alone together.”

Takashiro-sempai's summoned beast attacks mine.

“Summon.”

At this moment, Himeji-san's summoned beast appears and rushes in, looking like it wishes to let my summoned beast escape.

“Eh, Himeji-san..!?”

“2-F's Himeji Mizuki proposes a challenge against Takashiro-sempai in place of Yoshii Akihisa-kun.”

Humanities, 3-A, Takashiro Masaharu, 375 points (Geography)

Vs

Humanities, 2-F, Himeji Mizuki, 87 points (Japanese History)

Himeji-san's summoned beast readies its weapon, and the score's shown.

“Miss Himeji Mizuki, I do have to praise you for not giving up on your classmates, but you may be overestimating yourself a little too much fighting me with such scores.”

historical

He probably expected that Himeji-san used up quite some points before getting here, as he doesn't look wary at all even after seeing her summoned beast.

“I know that I alone can't beat you, Takashiro-sempai.”

My summoned beast can't move because of the defect in the bracelet, and Himeji-san's summoned beast has used up a lot of points. In contrast, we're facing an enemy with high scores and top-notch skills.

This situation is despairing.

“..Yuuji, if you don't want to give up on this summoning war, cancel this field and run out with Himeji-san.”

I say to Yuuji. He's probably thinking about how to overturn this situation, right?

“..What about you?”

Yuuji asks calmly.

I stare at the summoning field in silence.

Himeji-san's summoned beast has been hacking hard at Takashiro-sempai, but it's only a matter of time before she's beaten.

It's impossible for everyone to escape in this situation, and I can't help out.

“I want to think about some things, in the detention room..”

I'll just stay here and let Yuuji and Himeji-san retreat. According to the rules of the summoning war, if the participant ends the battle on his own will, that person will be disqualified for running away from the enemy in battle. In that case, I should stay here since I can't fight, and let them escape.

Right when I want to say this to Yuuji, Himeji-san says to Yuuji,

“Sakamoto-kun, please bring Akihisa-kun back to Shouko-chan and the rest. You should be able to understand who's more likely to survive, me with the higher scores, or Akihisa-kun.”

Himeji-san stares at Yuuji seriously.

After hearing Himeji-san's words, Yuuji decided.

“Sorry Himeji.”

He grabs me by the chest and forces me to stand up with all his strength when I'm unable to even move, dragging me to the window. Is this guy seriously going to leave Himeji-san behind here..?

“Wait Yuuji, it's meaningless for me to survive now. You better escape with Himeji-san.”

“Shut up, enough with the grumbles.”

Yuuji completely ignores me as he drags me along, planning to escape.

But I just wish to say something.

“But Yuuji..even if we can escape, I can't possibly do my best to survive..”

What'll happen if I continue to work hard? The more I work hard, wouldn't Himeji-san feel more troubled and give up on the better future she has?

Suddenly, I recall two scenes in my mind.

One of it was the scene I saw after school when we were in elementary school.

A girl was writing silently on the blackboard under the glow of the sunset.

The other was during my elementary school days, at a certain hospital.

A girl sobbing as she studied in the quiet ward room.

This girl truly touched me for being so gentle, so hardworking. I definitely have to see that she gets what she deserves.

She's currently growing, trying her best to be recognized, her large winds about to meet the winds. There's nothing I can do now that I know that my actions will hinder her.

“Miss Himeji Mizuki, I do wish that Yoshii Akihisa-kun will stay right now. Please do not make me take you down.”

Himeji-san ignores Takashiro-sempai, who said such things, and she looks to be complaining about something as she looks at me, saying,

“I'm sorry for not saying this to you, Akihisa-kun. I know I shouldn't hide this from you, but I was wondering whether I should tell you this.”

“That is enough, Miss Himeji Mizuki. I hope you understand this is for your own good.”

Takashiro-sempai doesn't weaken his summoned beast's attacks.

Himeji-san continues to deal with the attacks as her points gets depleted as she says to me,

“Because if I told you that, you'll definitely tell me 'you should go', or something like that. I understand you'll say that for my sake, but I don't wish to hear you say anything like a farewell to me, Akihisa-kun.”

While Himeji-san's talking to me, Yuuji lifts me up onto the windowsill.

As she watches me, she says to me, crying yet smiling,

“Because—I like you, Akihisa-kun!”

The moment I heard these words, Yuuji's hands threw me out of the window.

And then, I was practically dragged away by Yuuji.

“Run, Akihisa! Himeji's efforts will be for naught if Takashiro catches up to us.”

For naught, my body naturally moved once I heard those words.

I'm thinking of not troubling Himeji-san again.

While I continue to run, my legs felt like they belong to someone else, and in my groggy mind, I think about what Himeji-san just said.

“Because—I like you, Akihisa-kun!”

Himeji-san said that she likes me, and because of that, she never talked about going overseas.

Her guess was correct. If I know that she's going overseas, where the conditions are better, I'll be hurt, but I'll definitely advise her to go. As for why, it's because it'll be simply stubborn for me to make her stay here.

She likes me, and doesn't want me to say any farewell to her, so she never said so. That's really a reasonable answer.

But Himeji-san said that she really likes me.

In the battle before this, Takashiro-sempai said,

“And then, once you know this truth, she will be be troubled all the more and say some kind lies to rationalize your actions?”

I'm shocked to know that my actions will hinder Himeji-san's future. Maybe she said she liked me to console me and tell me that my actions aren't hindering her.

Himeji-san said that her first love has yet to end, so I know I'm not the one she liked since elementary school..

“..Is it just as Takashiro-sempai said..”

I don't know where I escaped from since I was thinking. I continued to follow Yuuji as he continued to run to escape from the enemies, and recall the first time I met Himeji-san.