kscans

Chapter 231 - The Local Hanako-san ⑦

While Satou and the Headless Rider were going at it with the energy of a biker gang manga.

"Ring of Grudges!!"

Kawasaki and Feiko were engaged in a very orthodox battle between spellcasters. After a light warm-up skirmish, Feiko took the first move.

"Hoh. A labyrinth-type barrier, is it?"

The cityscape of the created Alternate Realm transformed into that of a creepy, old school building due to the barrier she wove. She hadn’t overwritten the Alternate Realm Kawasaki made, but rather created a smaller barrier one size down within it. Nevertheless.

"This is quite impressive. To create something of this magnitude inside a barrier where someone else holds the initiative."

As she spoke, Kawasaki stood in the middle of the hallway and looked all around. Feiko was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't showing up on her senses either. It was a textbook move for a spellcaster.

"And this isn’t just a simple cage… hmm, I see. A ring, a circle, just as the name implies."

Kawasaki instantly saw through the barrier’s effect. Labyrinth-type barriers are primarily created to trap an opponent, but this one did more than that. Or rather, trapping was more of a secondary effect. It improved the circulation efficiency of the curse by adding a twist to the standard loop structure of a labyrinth. The energy used for curses is the spellcaster’s negative emotions. But it’s not an infinite resource that never runs out. Just as it’s difficult to sustain anger or hatred, it diminishes with use. The more powerful the curse, the more conspicuous the consumption. Unless you pull a cheat like Satou and amplify some light malice, like from a prank, you can’t just fire them off repeatedly. Therefore, Feiko must have created a field that recovers the energy that dissipates when a curse is extinguished, in order to reduce the cost even slightly. Even if it can’t be recycled one hundred percent, it should save a considerable amount.

【You talk like you know everything… I’d love to see how long that composure of yours lasts. Cursed Melody!!】

It was almost the same moment Feiko’s voice was heard from the classroom speakers. Rapping sounds, eerie laughter, every kind of "ominous sound" you’d find in a horror movie. They came surging towards Kawasaki like a tsunami, accompanied by physical destruction.

"Well, well."

She defended against the attack with a barrier that included soundproofing in addition to physical protection. Thinking it wasn’t a good idea to remain indoors where the sound would reflect chaotically, Kawasaki ran into a classroom and broke through the window to escape outside. However.

【Do it! Terror Dolls!!】

That was her plan all along. As soon as Kawasaki escaped, countless dolls flew out of the school building. Ichimatsu dolls, bisque dolls, anatomical models, a statue of Ninomiya Kinjiro. It was an army of horror movie dolls.

"Hmm. I might as well use this."

But Kawasaki didn’t panic. An attack by sheer numbers is a daily occurrence in robot anime, after all. Kawasaki drew the sword at her waist, lightly caressed the blade, and met the approaching doll army head-on. Her swordplay was as beautiful as a dance, mesmerizing to watch. Although she was a spellcaster, Kawasaki had also practiced swordsmanship for the sake of robot action scenes. As she swung her blade, mindful of her jumps and leaps.

【…You know.】

A voice mixed with exasperation and irritation came from the speakers. When Kawasaki asked what it was.

【—I’ve been wondering for a while now, but what’s with that drone?!】

It seemed the drone buzzing around Kawasaki was bothering her.

"Ah, this? This is ‘Shuga-tan,’ a drone made by Satou-san."

‘If she’s a fighting Japanese-style horror heroine, you gotta see the combat scenes, right?’ he said.

Incidentally, the greatest military power in this location was Shuga-tan. Even if Kawasaki and Feiko joined forces, it would be impossible for them to destroy Shuga-tan.

【Lies! That’s a total lie! Because that drone keeps filming from a low angle!!】

"That’s part of the package."

【…Come again?】

According to Satou-san, Kawasaki began to explain.

"‘It’s all about the eroticism, you know. The eroticism. I wanna see those pure white panties through the black pantyhose. …No, wait, stop, don’t lift up her skirt. I mean, I’m happy, I want to see it, but that’s not it. I like that stuff too, but that’s not what I want to see right now. It’s, um, what is it. The extraordinary? I want to see a skirt get flipped up and the panties underneath during a serious battle. I want to see panties in a situation where you’re like, you don’t have time to be distracted by that. So let me place a drone there. In addition to the panty shots during the battle, I can also get a taste of being a voyeur. You see, I’ve been really into voyeur AVs lately. So, you know, while I’m at it,’ he said."

After relaying Satou’s statement word for word.

【He’s the worst!!】

Yes, I completely agree.

【And are you sane?! You’re a girl!!】

"Well, I’m not some fool who would expose my underwear to just any man, you know."

【The strongest is a total scumbag!! A complete piece of crap!!】

"Hmph, honestly. What do you know about me and Satou-san?"

Her reaction was exactly like one would have towards a child who refuses to listen.

"I love Satou-san, so this is fiiine."

She stuck out her tongue, a completely childish gesture.

"Besides, is there any point in worrying about the person you’re about to kill?"

【…I’ve had enough!!】

"Is that so."

Kawasaki casually ended the conversation and cut down the last doll. It was a considerable number, but mass-produced units are destined to lose to an ace.

"So, is this the end?"

【Heh, kuku… ahahahahahaha!! You fool! You think it’s over with just…】

"Ah, so that’s it."

Kawasaki clapped her hands together, interrupting Feiko who was just getting into a good mood for her explanation.

"To kill, to destroy, those actions are inevitably accompanied by negative feelings. At least for the side being killed, the side being destroyed."

The mass attack with dolls was just a setup for a bigger move. It was likely a mechanism to amplify and return the negative energy used to create the doll army.

"The amount returned exceeds the amount consumed, but you’re not Satou-san, so there must be some kind of limit, right?"

"…"

It probably wasn’t a card she could play repeatedly.

"So, am I right?"

【…Yes, you are, damn you!!】

Feiko spat out that they were a thoroughly incompatible pair and revealed herself. She stood atop the clock on the school building, and the remains of the dolls were sucked into her. Kawasaki made no attempt to stop it, simply watching intently. She had some leeway, but more than that, she had a premonition that she could gain some inspiration from this.

"!"

"Heheh, as expected, even your composure crumbles when you see this."

To describe it in one word, it was an exoskeleton made of wreckage. At about five meters in size, it looked somewhat like a small robot.

"—Grudge Armament Type 4, Heavenly Carcass Parasite."

With a triumphant look, she delivered her finishing line to the trembling Kawasaki. In all likelihood, this was Feiko’s trump card. Naming sense worthy of a middle school boy aside, it was actually well-made. Her tactics, from the Ring of Grudges to this point, had been solid and textbook. But none of that mattered to Kawasaki.

"—Totally, absolutely, one hundred percent YES!!"

"…Huh?"

Kawasaki looked up, giggling to herself, and began to speak in a torrent.

"I like giving them specialized armaments like sniper rifles or small variations with backpacks and such, but I love these flashy ones too!! What’s great about it, Feiko-san, is the design! I can feel the drama in that distorted, patched-together design!! Did you have to succeed in a surprise attack on an enemy base with no time to spare, forcing you to rig up additional equipment from scrap materials?! That’s the kind of wabi-sabi I feel from your Heavenly Carcass Parasite! Is there, is there a purge sequence?! There is, right!!"

Kawasaki thought to herself. She was truly glad she had accepted this request.