n my sense of smell. Her Majesty also acknowledges it."

Fermaus put the mask back and bowed deeply to Layfon.

◇

The whistle sounded in the war field. Besides the Psychokinesist, only four people in the 17th platoon were left to fight. The 1st platoon had six. However, the fighting power wasn't that unequal taking into consideration that the 1st platoon was leaving one or two people to defend their flag. In actuality, Felli's report showed the 1st platoon did leave two people for defense.

Nina and her team took action when the siren sounded. Nina took the left rear, followed by Naruki. The 17th platoon was on the offensive. The team would lose if Nina, as captain, was defeated. Showing this weakness was to attract the attacks over to Nina's side, and it worked. Vance had sent a number of good fighters to track her.

"Bad strategy...." Vance said, his huge body suddenly blocking her forward momentum. The staff spun in his hand, creating a storm of Kei. His other teammates gathered round and sealed off Nina's path.

"Bad strategy or not.... Talk of it later!" she roared and blocked the staff with the iron whips. Her foot sank into the ground under the impact of the assault. She used external Kei to bounce back the staff, and dove for Vance's front. The staff was a longer ranged weapon, so a close quarters fight would reduce its effectiveness. As expected, Vance's teammates moved as if to make Nina back off.

Naruki's rope shot in and wrapped around the sword of the Military Artist on Vance's right, stopping his movement. Still, they were two against one........Still a disadvantage for Nina. Vance was a better fighter than her. He had had more experience as a senior student, having fought in the Military Arts Competition and numerous other inter-platoon matches. But Nina's fight with Vance was to draw the attention of the 1st platoon. The strategy to move forward for a decisive fight was to create an opening for Dalshena. She boldly swung her iron whips at Vance.

Vance fought her at close range, looking as if he was releasing his strength without holding back, and also looking as if he had become smaller for the fight. Chased away from Vance's front area, Nina attacked his teammates behind him. Body bent, she blocked a sword with her left iron whip and stood up. She heaved him over her shoulder in Vance's direction.

"Wa!"

Vance pulled close to Nina to avoid his teammate's body. He didn't look once at his team member. Using external Kei, Nina jumped backwards to retreat. Vance rushed in, his staff pointed forward to attack. Nina had the disadvantage as she was in midair.

In one moment, Vance's body seemed to shrink, retrieving the staff. And Nina then felt the speed of the staff that she failed to see. Her iron whips bounced off Vance's weapon, and a heavy impact landed on her chest. She was thrown into the air.

"Captain!"

The disappearance of Nina from her sight pulled Naruki's gaze over. In that one swift moment, the rope in her hand loosened. The enemy team member seized that chance. By the time Naruki's gaze returned to him, he was right beside her.

"What!"

"So naive, newcomer!"

"Ah!"

External Kei hit Naruki and sent her sliding out. She wanted to climb back up but her body was paralyzed. The commentator announced she was out of the match. Everyone thought the same conclusion would be made for Nina, but reality spoke differently.

"Huh!"

Dust clouded the place where Nina had landed. Soil particles fell onto the ground. A shadow flew out of the dust cloud.

Variation of internal Kei: Kongoukei.

Using all of her strength, Nina had used Layfon's skill to block Vance's attack. After blocking Vance, she had leapt over his head to defeat Naruki's enemy. She also defeated the other member of the 1st platoon.

The commentator couldn't make a conclusion to the fight, and more cheering and shouts roiled down from the audience stand.

"......It's not finished."

"You've become strong......" In response to Vance's fighting stance, Nina readied her own as she moved.

"Is it because of that guy's influence?"

"It's not my personality to rely on others," she declared.

"I see. So that guy's thinking. You're moving in a good direction."

Vance meant Karian, the person who knew of Layfon's past. He switched Layfon from General Studies into Military Arts, and put him into Nina's team. The 17th platoon's real beginning was when Nina's determination aligned with Karian's thinking.

"I'm grateful to the Student President.... But what came after that was my own path."

"Not a bad response," Vance said. "I can fight you more....though that's what I wanted to say." Regret filled his voice.

"It's the end."

A change occurred on the front line of the 1st platoon. Intense light burnt Nina's eyes, and the sound of explosions drowned the cheering of the crowd.

"This is!?" she said, forgetting Vance was in front of her.

"They've put in a flake mine in the ground....We got tricked," Felli's guilty voice came through her flake.

Dalshena was free to choose her own timing for when to attack. When did she move....? Seemed to be when the crowd cheered. If that was the case, then the target of the explosion was Dalshena......

"...... They got through our opening when our vision was sealed."

Next was Felli, relaying how the 1st platoon defeated them.

Nina didn't think the flake mine would finish off Dalshena, but the number of flakes was large, and the light and the rumble of the explosion were unexpectedly overwhelming...... They couldn't do much under that situation.

"And I'm here to stop you while the others take out Sharnid and that guy's sister.... I was to play with you during that time."

Both Dalshena and Naruki were out of action. Only Nina was left. Felli had fighting power but she was one against so many Military Artists.

"It's your defeat, Nina Antalk."

I can still win!

Although that was Nina's thought, it failed to turn into strength to tightly grip the iron whips. Vance looked bigger than he was in front of her.

Regaining her sight, Dalshena's intense gaze pierced Nina. Nina moved her own gaze away.

Anger filled the Locker Room.

"!"

An invisible bomb waited to explode. What was shattered became the sound of reality. The cabinet leaning against the wall had been cut into two.

"Calm down, Shena," Sharnid said tiredly. He was hiding beside the door.

"....Calm down?" The person who cut down the cabinet....Dalshena slowly turned around to glare at him.

"I......This is my first time experiencing a match as terrible as this."

Her gaze swept across the room. She was too outraged to scream. The fight between Nina and Vance didn't happen in the end. The moment when Nina saw Vance's attack, she was defeated. Vance's words about sending people to find Sharnid was a trap. Numbed by Vance's air, Nina didn't hear the siren announcing the end of the match.

"Damn!" Dalshena destroyed another cabinet.

"That's enough."

"But......!"

Sharnid frowned. "You neglected your surroundings because you were used to relying on others. This is no longer the same when you can just look at what's before you."

"!"

The muscles on Dalshena's face twitched. She opened her mouth and closed it, gritting her teeth.

"I......" That was all that slipped through her closed mouth, and she rushed out of the Locker Room.

The sound of the door closing echoed in the room.

"....Well, I think we did pretty well."

Sharnid's words felt like they were there to disperse the echo, rather than a comfort.

"....How so?" Nina asked. "It's true we had a terrible match."

"Well, even so. Vance won. He had accurately taken advantage of Shena's weakness. As for the flake mine, isn't that eye-opening, Felli-chan?"

Felli nodded with an expression stiffer than usual.

"...... The flakes buried there probably cut off the Psychokinesis communication. If they did do that, they couldn't read the flow of the other team's Psychokinesis. They then used a minimal level of Psychokinesis to trigger off the flake mine. This technique isn't necessary against filth monsters, but against humans, that's different. It's a technique we should learn."

He added, "Can't be like that the next time."

It seemed Felli felt regret too.

"I see......well, it's that type of feeling. Layfon had taught Nina some skill, but it wasn't enough to change the result. We underestimated the 1st platoon. That was all."

"But....!"

Nina couldn't accept this. Everything felt hopeless once she knew Layfon couldn't participate in the match. She couldn't forgive herself. She didn't want to admit that they couldn't do anything without Layfon. She wanted to win. She wanted to win just this time. To win a match that wasn't a "beautiful match." What should she say to Layfon at the hospital?

Sharnid and the rest of the 17th platoon couldn't find anything else to say to Nina.

Knock Knock....

The cautious knocking on the door broke the silence. Nina didn't move. Sighing, Sharnid opened the door.

"......Mei?" Naruki said. She'd been sitting on the long bench in silence.

Meishen stood nervously at the door.

"Hi," Mifi waved, oblivious to the atmosphere.