Infinite Stratos, Volume 5, page 12
If you think of the core as the heart of an IS, then the armor would be the muscle. The extraction of the core means the loss of the body which had grown around it, and a relearning period while it adjusts to its new armor. They weren’t something you can swap in and out like a battery.
“You’ve been working quite hard, Sarashiki.”
“It’s nothing. Valuable combat experience for my IS, if anything.”
“Ah, right, the Russian design. So it has come together. I was worried that it would never turn out to be worthwhile, but I see it was the right decision to give it to you.”
“The development team has contacted me several times about potential modifications, but I believe it’s usable as-is.”
“I’ll leave it to you, then. Use it as you see fit.”
After two or three more details about the school, Tatenashi finished her report, “That’s all.”
“Understood. I see you’re as popular as ever.”
“I am the student council president, after all,” Tatenashi said with a chuckle. She grinned, and Juuzou responded with a broad smile. The tension between them faded like mist.
“Now, shall we have tea? I have a snack, too. I believe you’ll be quite the fan.”
At Juuzou’s words, Tatenashi’s face lit up in the way which only a teenaged girl’s can.
“You’re always so good at choosing snacks. I can’t wait to try what you have today.”
“Ahahaha, it’s no big deal. I just choose what looks good.”
“No, really, you are! Oh, right! I had brought tea with me too!”
“Oh, is it Nohotoke Utsuho’s?”
“Indeed it is!”
“Ooh! Her tea is excellent. This will be a wonderful meal.” Juuzou chirped with an enthusiasm unexpected from a man who was pushing 70.
The two sat facing each other across the table as if they were the dearest of friends. No one who walked in the room would ever guess that they were the two powers in control of IS Academy.
Epilogue: Beginning of “The Story”
“What the FUCK was that supposed to be?!”
The was: a penthouse of a skyscraper, in a lavishly-decorated room, Autumn loomed over a girl.
“.........”
“Say something, goddammit! You little shit!” Autumn had pressed the girl up against a wall, but still couldn’t hold back her anger, and drew a knife from a sheath at her hip. “Maybe I should scar that pretty little face of yours.”
“Knock it off, Autumn. You’re distracting me.”
A beautiful woman had stepped out of the bathroom. Her hair was a golden blonde which seemed to sparkle in the light.
“Squall!”
“Losing your temper like that is just gonna give you gray hair. Calm down, Autumn.”
The woman—Squall—sat down on the sofa, still in her bathrobe. Autumn glared at Squall in frustration and said, “You knew this was gonna happen, didn’t you.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?! We... We’re—”
“I know, Autumn. I know. You’re my precious lover.”
“I... Fine. Just as long as you remember that.”
Autumn blushed as Squall’s smile dissipated her anger. Seeing her lover shyly shrink back like a little girl in front of her first crush made Squall smile again.
“Come over here, Autumn. I’ll wash your hair. You must be exhausted from today.”
“Y-Yeah.”
The girl watched them interact with a bored look on her face. They’re soooo lame... The girl, who had no time for friendship or affection, turned to leave with only coolness in her eyes.
“M. I’d like you to focus on IS maintenance for now. We’ve only just taken the Silent Zephyrus, so it will still need significant adjustment.”
“Understood.”
The girl called ‘M’ answered curtly, then closed the door behind her. Alone in the hallway, she closed her eyes and clutched her locket. Not much longer... Only a little bit more...
She’d been waiting so long. The moment she’d been longing for had almost arrived. With this, I can begin my revenge... It’s almost time... Soon, they would meet. My sister, Orimura Chifuyu... Unseen by anyone, her mouth twisted into a hideous snarl.
Afterword: “CHOCO’s Illustrations”
Hi, It’s Yumizuru again! This time, I’d like to talk a little about the ABCs of writing a light novel.
When I only had to worry about my writing, I was free. I could work on things until I got them perfect. But when I got published, thinking about the art changed me. At first I worried, “Is it going to turn out like I imagined?” Depending on the artist’s capabilities, differences could appear—whether for the worse or for the better. But the artist’s visual concepts are also a powerful tool. The IS illustrator I’m working with now, CHOCO, is quite talented at coming up with amazing ideas in his illustrations. They’ve made major impacts on how I think of Akatsubaki, Byakushiki, and Blue Tears in particular.
Sometimes I wonder if this kind of reaction might be better suited to a pro wrestler than an author. That kind of interplay between talents. That “All right, we’re doing this live!” feeling. I guess not everyone gets hyped for that, but for what I’m writing it helps.
Just thinking about it is hyping me up. I don’t wanna get beaten out. But CHOCO’s amazing, so if I slack at all I’m done for. It’s hunt or be hunted—that kind of feeling. And I’ve got plenty up my sleeve. “Think you can draw this? Hahaha.” —type things. (I think.)
Anyway, what I really want to say is, “Share your fate with your illustrator! We can do it together, bro! Let’s be the best team there ever was! You’ve got my back!” or something.
CHOCO’s art really is beautiful. So I have to try my hardest to match it. Here goes!
— Izuru Yumizuru
Table of Contents
Cover
Color Illustrations
Chapter I: Heart Painkiller
Chapter II: The Student Council President’s Sign is a Felis
Chapter III: Glass-Clear Chord of Cinderellas’ Slippers
Chapter IV: Mysterious Lady
Epilogue: Beginning of “The Story”
Afterword
About J-Novel Club
Copyright
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Copyright
Infinite Stratos: Volume 5
by Izuru Yumizuru
Translated by Mike Langwiser
Edited by Meiru
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 Izuru Yumizuru
Illustrations by CHOCO
Cover illustration by CHOCO
All rights reserved.
Original Japanese edition published in 2013 by OVERLAP, Inc.
This English edition is published by arrangement with OVERLAP, Inc., Tokyo
English translation © 2018 J-Novel Club LLC
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.
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The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
Ebook edition 1.0: December 2018
Izuru Yumizuru, Infinite Stratos, Volume 5
