Relying on the "sound," I search for Marin and Suguro kun's whereabouts.

Even though I say that, it's not something as lukewarm as listening closely and faintly hearing it—the sound of swords and fists clashing resounded everywhere, and each time, the entire hotel shook violently.

So rather than searching, it might be more accurate to say I'm chasing them.

There were several holes in the walls and ceilings, and the route the two had likely passed through was clearly visible.

And beyond a hole, yet another wall was destroyed, and a fist, likely belonging to Suguro kun, thrust out from it.

Immediately after, a slash, probably unleashed by Marin, cut through the same wall, and Suguro kun, having dodged it, appeared from beyond the hole.

I hid in the shadow of the rubble for a moment to observe the situation.

"Haha, this is fun, Kuragane Marin! You must feel the same, it's not often you get to experience something like this!"

Marin intercepted Suguro kun's unleashed fists with slashes.

A human arm and a genuine real sword—normally, they aren't things that can clash with each other.

But the way they scattered sparks and repelled each other every time they collided was certainly an experience one could never taste in a normal world.

"I have no intention of fighting for fun. This is a fight to death with our lives on the line, Suguro!"

"I see, I thought you were of the same kind as me—no, I suppose it's natural that you aren't."

As if to shut Suguro kun's mouth as he tried to say something, countless swords floated up around Marin.

Facing those swords slashing at him all at once, Suguro kun let out a war cry, "Uwooooooooooooooh!"

With a frustrated expression, Marin retreated while protecting herself with a sword.

Then, some kind of force field was emitted from Suguro kun's body, shattering all the illusionary blades Marin had created.

Naturally, the impact reached her as well, and she slid backward as if she had been punched from above the sword.

Suguro kun lunged at his opponent without a moment's delay.

In response, Marin dropped her hips and unleashed a powerful upward slash.

However, her slash was caught in Suguro kun's palm.

He naturally wasn't unscathed, but bleeding, he was smiling rather than showing pain.

"Caught you."

"You took that head-on—!"

She should have just let go of the sword, but for some reason, Marin couldn't do so.

It was probably due to Suguro kun's skill.

"Uwooooooooooh!"

Just like that, he threw Marin's body along with the sword.

She flew lightly through the air as if having lost her weight, and crashed into the wall with the speed of a bullet.

Although she slowed down after piercing through the first wall, she was still blown away, shattering the next wall and stopping only when she caved into it.

"Ka... gahu, gu... ridiculous, strength...!"

Fallen to the floor, she healed her wounds and stood up again.

However, seeing her hesitate slightly before using magic, it seemed she didn't have much MP left.

Even so—that Suguro kun, he doesn't just punch or charge, he also throws his opponent.

Moreover, looking at it now, once caught, you can't escape.

Even Marin, who seems to have allocated stats to Power and Stamina, ended up like that from a single blow.

If someone like me took that, I might have been slammed into the wall and died instantly.

And Suguro kun slowly approached Marin, stepping firmly on the rubble.

"If you don't enjoy fighting, why did you choose the path of the sword?"

"I thought it suited my nature."

"Wrong."

He asserts.

As if he knows something.

"Kuragane Marin, you were afraid of not having a self, weren't you. No matter how excellently you were raised, you were just running on rails laid out by others. You absolutely hated that. I can understand that feeling well."

"...What did Ooki feed into your head?"

"I just lightly heard about your family circumstances. By the way—Setaguchi is alive."

"What!?"

Setaguchi... If I recall correctly, he was the teacher in charge of the third-year class Shimakawa Yuya was in.

I have memories of him being a disagreeable old man.

Marin is acting awfully surprised; does she have some connection to that man?

"He was communicating with Ooki. He's probably on the upper floor."

"A tenacious man."

"Aren't you happy? That is your—"

"...Shut up, Suguro."

Marin's eyes suddenly became sharp.

She emitted such a strong murderous intent that even I, watching from a distance, felt a chill.

"A pleasant fighting spirit. It's a pity, if you weren't lost in hesitation, you could have enjoyed fighting me more."

"Even if everything is resolved, I have no intention of becoming the same kind as you. I'll say it as many times as it takes. I chose the path of the sword because I desired it myself."

"So you admit there is hesitation. Well, regarding Setaguchi, he should have also been a core existence in the ritual. Ooki said he was close to the principal and treated as an executive even within Kaisei kyou. Right now, he's probably ecstatic, having received Giraiguu's power just like us."

Which means, there's an idiot up there who hasn't realized that it isn't Giraiguu's power either?

That's good to hear.

I'd love to reach there, reveal the truth, and kill him while he's frustrated.

He was a worthless human being the moment he became a third-year homeroom teacher, and he has no value living the moment he's involved with Kaisei kyou.

Now then, it's about time—

"Well then, I suppose it's time to settle this. It would be heartless of me as a friend to leave Shiromachi fighting alone."

"You think you can kill me?"

"I can tell your bluff from your expression. You're close to running out of magic. There aren't many ways to pierce my armor either, and I've seen through and stopped all of them. Am I wrong?"

Saying that, Suguro kun approaches Marin.

Ah, Marin has a frustrated face.

That's fun to watch in its own way, but right now I'd rather make Suguro kun make that face.

"It's a boring conclusion, though. I'm confident I surpass you in strength. But in technique, you are superior. Despite the difference between bare hands and a sword, I've fully understood during this fight that I am inferior to you in that regard."

"I don't need your consideration."

"No. I felt that concepts like levels and magic, which seem like child's play, are interfering with pure combat. Kuragane Marin, who needed to use power to survive, and Suguro Rikuto, who immersed himself in the joy of fighting for his life surrounded by monsters. A great disparity was born there. It's not a simple difference in training or talent. Elements that originally shouldn't exist are throwing cold water on our battle."

Even in the outside world, Suguro kun had supposedly honed his skills fighting on the streets.

From his perspective, concepts like skills and magic must certainly look like cheats.

Or rather, I think so too.

It's a power that is in a sense equal, and in another sense unreasonable.

Rather than forging one's body, it asks how many monsters you've defeated efficiently.

In that sense, Suguro kun, who has been brawling with Casts using this hotel as a base for a long time, has a much bigger advantage than us, who escaped from the 1st floor risking our lives.

"I'm enjoying this battle with our lives on the line, but it's a pity. It was almost perfect."

Marin's eyes are wavering.

She can block the next blow.

But even if she blocks it, what will she do next.

She doesn't have much magic power left to heal her wounds, and it's difficult to fight Suguro kun with an injured, dulled body.

But she can't afford to die here—I wonder if that's what she's thinking.

And her mouth moved slightly.

It didn't become a voice, but to me, it looked like she called 'Ruka'.

What, so the feeling is mutual.

"Areus Cannon."

Suguro kun widely pulls back his right arm.

And he was about to release the power accumulated there at the same time he thrust it forward.

However, he noticed my presence silently approaching at the very last moment.

"Kuragane!"

Even before looking this way, it seems Suguro kun identified me as me by my presence.

That's surely not a power given by Kaigyo.

It's a monster-like wild instinct.

And while turning around, Areus Cannon was fired at me approaching with a low stance.

But the posture was forced.

The power is insufficient, and the aim is also poor.

I jump high, aiming at the opponent from overhead.

Suguro kun's fist pierces the floor at his feet.

The floor is completely pulverized, and a large hole opens.

The entire hotel also shook violently, and rubble fell everywhere with a patter.

The collapse is near—thinking that, I gripped Dreamer with both hands.

Then, Suguro kun swung his other hand up and lunged to grab me.

But I wasn't in range for his arm to reach.

A skill?

The moment I intuitively realized that, my body was forcefully pulled in.

As I thought, he plans to forcefully drag me into his range.

If so—I'll dare to jump in.

"Meteor Dive!"

Like a meteorite, I fall vigorously towards Suguro kun.

And the moment I collided with his arm, a shockwave generated with a Goooooooh!, blowing away the surrounding walls.

Coupled with Suguro kun's gravitational pull, it should have more momentum than when I unleashed it on Ooki—but.

"The fact that 'you', who can go toe-to-toe with me, exist in this world makes my heart leap."

He caught it.

Unlike Ooki, the foothold didn't collapse letting the power escape; he merely trembled his arms and braced both legs.

Even so, the power should have been much stronger than other skills, though.

"The next one is coming, run, Erika!"

Marin shouted loudly.

Suguro kun's right hand extends toward me.

Just seeing the approaching arm gives me chills.

If I get caught, I'll die—feeling that, I immediately circled behind him moving with Sword Dance, and,

"Full Metal Edge!"

With the blade of absolute penetration, I slashed his flank.

The blade sank into the armor, which my knife probably could never pierce normally, as if it had lost its hardness.

Astonished by the heat emanating from the wound and the coldness transmitted from the knife, Suguro kun roughly brushed his arm away as he turned around.

That said, it had enough power to blow someone away with wind pressure, so I distanced myself from him before taking a direct hit and stood next to Marin.

"You pierced that armor?"

The one most surprised here was Marin.

"It's a skill I learned for that purpose, after all. I wanted to go a bit deeper, though."

Suguro kun placed his hand on the wound, brought his blood-stained palm in front of his face, and smiled happily.

"I see, I just need to counter unreasonableness with unreasonableness. It seems Giraiguu doesn't intend to make it a one-sided balance either."

"You don't need to heal the wound?"

"I don't mind, pain is the symbol of battle. Feeling it elevates my mood."

"Extreme masochist pervert kidnapper."

"What a terrible thing to be called."

I think I have the right to say at least this much.

Or rather, Suguro kun is in a position where he should be told this.

"Marin, my attacks are the key, so cooperate so I can somehow hit his vitals."

"I just need to buy time for the cooldown, right."

"Exactly. Fall back if it's tough, you were almost losing earlier."

"Don't say unnecessary sarcastic remarks every single time."

"I have a lot of pent-up feelings, so bear with it. Truthfully, I hate you so much I want to kill you too, Marin, you know?"

"That is true, but..."

"That face like you 'understand' also pisses me off. Well, I know you're hiding something anyway, so I'll expose it eventually!"

While having a light quarrel as a greeting, I keep Suguro kun in check with Illusion Dagger.

Then he lightly brushed them away with his hand as if scattering flies.

"Throwing such toys is meaningless."

"Then I'll attack with numbers! Full Burst!"

"Useless."

I throw every knife I have.

But even those were mostly knocked down just by him sweeping his right arm once.

I think he probably used a skill or something, but—really, what's up with that.

Then, before I knew it, Marin's figure had disappeared from beside me.

And now she is behind Suguro kun.

"You can't defend against a pincer attack!"

Marin's full-bodied strike—leaving a deep wound on the armor was its limit.

"There was no need to defend."

And Suguro kun reaches for the sword.

Marin instantly pulled the blade back and kept that hand in check with an "invisible slash."

In the opening when he was slightly repelled, I switched places and unleashed the next attack.

"Full Moon!"

Even when I continuously slashed in an instant,

"Weak."

Not only did he take it almost unharmed, but the fist he swung down shattered the floor, and the flying rubble tore my skin.

"Full Moon!"

Furthermore, Marin switched and launched an attack, but as expected, that too couldn't inflict significant damage.

"Lukewarm!"

The backhand he swung while turning around created a fierce wind, blowing Marin away.

I caught her body before she crashed into the wall.

"He really is ridiculous."

"Do you understand now that he has abnormal power?"

"An excuse for losing?"

"That's why I'm telling you to stop saying irritating things—!"

Suguro kun approaches from the front.

We crossed the sword and knife to catch his thrust-out fist.

"Good combination."

"That doesn't make me happy."

"Yeah, absolutely."

We both float a bitter smile.

And slipping past the left arm that lunged to grab us, we entered the opponent's guard.

We can do it now—

"Woooooooooooooooh!"

Then, Suguro kun roared.

I've seen him attacking while emitting an aura-like thing from his body since earlier, but—this is different.

My body is paralyzed and won't move.

It was an event of just an instant, but it was a fatal instant.

"Finally caught you—Areus Cannon!"

The sure-kill strike closed in right before my eyes.

"Erika!"

Marin shouted as if she were worried about me.

But at this distance, doing my best to hit it with the strongest skill possible to reduce the power is all I can do.

Of course, there aren't many skills that can output as much power as Suguro kun.

"Gi, agh...!"

Not just my head, but my entire body was violently shaken, and my consciousness went blank.

Just when I thought it felt fluffy and good for an instant, a fierce pain like being pierced from within my whole body surged up immediately after.

I can't put strength into my body.

Bones are broken.

Internal organs are a mess too.

I want to praise myself just for being alive.

Or rather, am I flying right now?

I couldn't even tell that much; it felt like my brain had been blown away somewhere.

"Mars Charge!"

But Suguro kun's offensive still didn't stop.

Following up on me, who he blew away with a tackle clad in a force field, he grabbed my leg and started swinging me around.

"Thor Hammerrrrrrr!"

He intends to slam me down just like this.

Ah, this is truly bad.

I can recover and close the wounds, but if I take this, I'll probably die instantly even with full HP.

Plus, the ankle he's grabbing, it hurts so much it feels like it's going to tear off just from that.

If it just tore off, I might be able to survive—ah, right.

In my blurred vision, betting on a sliver of hope, I sent a glance at Marin.

"Run away, Erikaaaaa!"

Marin screaming with a desperate look like a younger sister yearning for her older sister.

Did we ever have that kind of affection?

Right after making eye contact with her, I directed my eyes to my own leg.

I wonder if that conveyed it.

"Haaaaaaaaaaah!"

Then, Marin swung her sword down right there.

The blade released from there severed my grabbed leg.

No hesitation, huh.

Well, if she doesn't have it, that's fine.

Or rather, even though I'm used to it... having my leg chopped off really hurts.

"Hah, so you played it like that! Good, Kuragane, good resolve!"

And he's rejoicing again.

I hate that face of his, because it makes my stomach hurt remembering when he beat me up.

But thanks to interrupting Suguro kun's attack, a good opening was created.

"This time for sure... with Full Metal Edge!"

This time I pierce his flank from behind.

"With that battered body, it won't be a significant wound."

Of course, Suguro kun tries to brush me off.

But the moment a hole opened in the armor, my goal was achieved.

Pulling it out quickly, I unleash another skill with the other knife.

"One more shot—Shockwave!"

I thrust the knife into the wound opened thanks to Full Metal Edge, transmitting the impact directly inside.

Rather than a slash, this attack destroys the opponent's internal organs through ultra-vibration.

Suguro kun vomited a massive amount of blood from his mouth and his body swayed.

"Gahu... that one, worked...!"

"Marin, I leave the rest to you!"

Marin is the one who stalled Suguro kun up to here, so I think I'll yield the end to her.

Even if I say the end, it's not like it's completely over yet anyway.

Marin is running right towards us, putting that momentum into her sword, and taking aim.

"Gouge out his life—Izayoi!"

And rapidly accelerates a few meters before Suguro kun.

Closing in in an instant, she thrust her sword into the wound on the armor pried open by my knife.

KABOOOOM! A sound resounded like a bomb exploding inside.

And cracks appeared all over.

Because the armor is too sturdy, the impact that should have originally overflowed outside remained inside.

Probably, the insides are a complete mess as if put through a blender.

When Marin pulled out the blood-stained sword, Suguro kun dropped to both knees on the floor and hung his head.

"Ga, goho... ga, buhu..."

Muddy blood flows out from his mouth and nose.

"Is he still alive."

Astonishing vitality.

Normally he should have died a long time ago and turned into a monster; it's strange.

"But he doesn't try to recover."

"Because... it's useless. Geho, gohu."

While vomiting blood, he answered.

Useless... recovering is useless? Not that he can't use it?

In short, that means—

"You're strong in exchange for not accepting recovery, something like that?"

"Yeah, that's, right."

"So that's how you could balance that much power and durability."

Certainly, not being able to use Healing is a considerable disadvantage.

Even though it was a ridiculous strength that more than made up for it.

"But... haha, with this I... can go to higher heights, right...?"

"You'll just turn into a monster."

"Appearance and form... have no meaning. Only, if I can... become stronger..."

"Rest assured, Suguro kun. We'll defeat that one immediately too, and teach you that it's not that strong. Die as an inhuman while disappointed."

He didn't reply, vomited an even larger amount of blood, and stopped moving just like that.

"Is it over."

"Feels like the first half is over. Still, what an unpleasant guy. Bullying me, putting Yumemi chan through that, and just enjoying fighting. How do you think we should punish a guy like this?"

"I don't know. A person who has broken through has straightforward desires that are easy to satisfy."

"Jealous?"

"Why do you ask that."

"You had that kind of face."

Marin's eyebrows were shaped like an inverted V, looking like she was about to cry at any moment.

I wonder if she looks anxious.

Well, I have absolutely no idea what Marin is thinking, though.

"...I suppose so. In the sense that he knows who he is, I might be jealous."

"Strange, isn't it. The Marin who stole is lost, and the me who was stolen from clearly knows what I want to do. Why were you doing all that?"

"You will understand if you ask Mother."

"Ehh, sounds like a pain. Even just remembering her face makes me nauseous."

"It is the same for me."

"That's a luxury for you, Marin. You're loved, so you have to take responsibility and properly fulfill your role as a daughter."

"Perhaps I should just marry into Ruka's family."

"Hiyami san seems like she really would take you in, so that's scary. Actually, you keep talking about your mother, but then what's the deal with Setaguchi sensei that Suguro kun mentioned?"

"So you were listening."

"I couldn't help but hear."

"Setaguchi and I were merely acquaintances, that is all."

"Since he's alive, that guy is also connected to Kaisei kyou, right. Could it be that Marin is actually a believer too."

"There is no way."

She asserted it, cutting me off.

This really seems unlikely.

"But still, you knew your mother was a Kaisei kyou believer, and you had a connection with an executive named Setaguchi sensei. Isn't it tough to claim you're unrelated with this?"

"I am simply speaking the facts. I myself have never once become a member of Kaisei kyou."

"I see. Then what is Marin hiding?"

"What are you talking about."

"Since we were on the 1st floor, I thought Marin was still hiding something. And coming here, Setaguchi sensei's name came up. Seems related, doesn't it?"

"..."

"Why are you staring at me."

"Because you are not unrelated either."

"Setaguchi sensei, and me?"

All I know about that person is his face and name.

Even the fact that he was the third-year homeroom teacher, I only learned after getting to know Shimakawa kun and the others.

"If that man is alive, you will understand soon."

"So you mean if we go up. because, it's pretty clear now that even if we escape from here, we can't get outside."

"The school was originally a 3-story building. The next one might be the last."

"I hope so... Oh, Suguro kun is coming out."

The inside of Suguro kun's corpse—in short, the part wrapped in armor—is bubbling and swelling.

It's as if he's punching it from the inside.

Being able to break that armor means he's that strong.

"This time it might be tough even for the two of us. Do you have any countermeasures."

"We'll blow it all away at once."

"How."

"Soon there won't be any need to fight in such a narrow place anyway. I even brought cannons for that purpose."

"Cannons?"

From somewhere on the same 2nd floor, the sounds of guns and magic exchanging fire can be heard.

And when the monsterized Suguro kun breaks the armor (shell) and is reborn.

"Guuuuuuuuuooooooooooh!"

"It's huge... Should I describe it as a legitimate evolution of a zombie."

Just by letting out a roar the surroundings tremble, and the entire fragile building shakes violently.

This hotel was already at its limit.

The footing began to crumble, and that collapse transmitted to the whole building.

"Marin, we're escaping outside. We'll regroup there!"

"Yeah, that seems best."

To avoid getting caught in the collapse, Marin and I escaped outside.

Then suddenly a hole opened in the ceiling, and Hiyami san and Rea fell from above.

We each caught one in our arms.

"This is a fateful encounter. What should we do, will you marry me?"

"I'll think about it."

"Oops, an unexpected answer. It makes my heart flutter like a princess."

Hiyami san and Marin exchanging idiotic banter.

On the other hand, Rea,

"Ehehe... thanks."

"Y-Yeah."

Smiled bashfully while blushing.

I can't answer well either.

Also, my face is hot.

Ah jeez, we have to run away so this is no time to be doing this!

Nakami san isn't chasing from behind.

Maybe we lost her when we fell.

We jumped outside while carrying the two.

Below, Gii, Nemusia, and Inoue san were already waiting.

"I stalled Shiromachi, he should get caught in the collapse like this."

Inoue san said that as soon as we landed on the ground.

Immediately after, the largest collapse so far occurred.

About 80% of the hotel crumbled down, leaving only wreckage that retained no trace of its original form.

I put down the Rea I was carrying.

At the same timing, Gii muttered while looking at the rubble.

"It'd be nice if those guys died with this too."

"They might get injured, but they probably aren't that fragile."

"Guu, I know."

The collapse of rubble is only a fraction of the power of our skills.

There's no way they'd die from just that.

Three monsters pushed aside the hotel's rubble and revealed themselves.

A white rotting werewolf with visibly atrocious claws growing on both arms, Nakami san.

A skeleton with countless muzzles on its arms, Shiromachi kun.

And a muscle-bound zombie over 3 meters tall, Suguro kun.

When the loser trio, who quit being human and took on ugly forms, line up like this, it's quite a spectacular sight.

The individuals themselves still seem to intend to fight and "win" from here, but—let's try asking Nakami san just as a test.

"Nakami saaan, can you understand my words?"

"My intellect remains intact, so you can convey your meaning without using such a mocking tone."

"That's good to hear. Your body has completely turned into a monster, so I suppose you 'understand' now?"

"Whatever do you mean."

Huh... if it's the fanatic-like Nakami san, she should be furious learning that its true identity is Kaigyo.

Could it be that unlike Shimakawa kun and Hiiro san, they weren't even told that?

Are they going to be deceived until the very end, and find out right on the verge of death?

Haha, that's good too. I think it's a good idea.

"If you don't know, never mind. Then Nemusia, shall we do it."

"Umu, since we took the trouble to come outside like this. The power is too high so we don't have to worry about getting caught in it. Let me go all out."

Nemusia readied her staff and aimed it at the three standing on the rubble.

"Like I'll let you!"

Shiromachi thrust both hands forward and started firing.

I immediately stood in front of Nemusia and cut down the fired bullets.

"Now now, just watch quietly, Shiromachi kun."

"Stacking Overcast and Triple Cast, plus negating the MP consumption with Magic Master! Receive my noble magic!"

Setting aside whether it's noble since she's negating the cost, there's no doubt it's powerful.

"Stoooooooorrrrrm!"

The effect is too wide, allowing magic that couldn't be used indoors to be activated.

Storm—it is literally magic that summons a storm.

Pouring rain, raging wind, rubble swirling up, and countless tornadoes approach the enemies, swallowing up the amusement park rides.

Moreover, the power is increased by Overcast, and because she's using Triple Cast, the number is tripled.

Swallowed by the swarm of surrounding tornadoes, the figures of the three monsters soon became invisible.