Infinite Stratos - Volume 2, page 16
I subconsciously muttered. I guess anyone who sees this would think the same thing.
Normally, IS won't change shapes, or more accurately, it can't.
IS could only change shape 'In the first shift when it gets used to the pilot' and 'Switches Modes'. Though the equipment and some other parts may change slightly, it was impossible to have a base change. Anyway, that was just impossible. That's a flaw on the design.
However, the impossible thing was happening in front of us right now.
And this wasn't just a change in shape, but a mud doll that was shaped through the fusing of the sticky mass.
What was supposed to be [Schwarzer Regen] covered Laura's entire body and continueed to move on the surface. It then started to beat like it had a pulse and slowly descended to the floor.
The moment it landed on the floor, the body looked like it was quickly changing at a high speed before forming a shape.
—Standing over there was 'something' similar to the black IS, but it was completely different from the one that attacked last month.
The appearance and shape was of Laura's shape. The girl's hands and feet were armed with the minimum amount of armor, and the head had armor that covered the entire body. Also, the red lights of the display sensors could be seen from the eye below the armor.
The problem, however, was the weapon in her hand. I definitely couldn't be mistaken. That's—
"[Yukihira]...!"
It was similar to the sword Chifuyu-nee once used.
It was basically a duplicate.
I subconsciously gripped onto the [Yukihira Niigata] and raised it to the middle.
"—!"
The next moment, the black IS flew toward me. Looking at the way she was keeping the sword behind her waist, she must be trying to use an Iai technique. If she used it at a distance where I'd definitely be hit, it'd be a flash sure-kill hit. That was definitely the katana technique that Chifuyu-nee uses.
"KU!"
The [Yukihira Niigata] that I was holding tight on was knocked away, and the enemy raised the sword up—not good!
"!"
The sharp slash that was swung down straight on assaulted me, and I couldn't receive it with my sword at the last minute. At that moment, I immediately ordered [Byakushiki] to 'back away'.
It was because I knew how Chifuyu-nee fought that I was barely able to dodge it.
However, [Byakushiki]'s shield reserves had already dropped to 0, and the left hand only got a little grazed, yet there was blood flowing out.
That emergency evasion took out the last of me, and [Byakkushiki] disappeared from me in a glow of light.
"...So what..."
But right now, it doesn't matter to me.
"SO WHAT!!!??"
Driven by burning emotions, I clenched my fists as my weapons and rushed towards the black IS.
—Unforgivable, unforgivable, UNFORGIVABLE!
"WOOOHHH!!!"
Just as my fists nearly hit the black IS, my body got dragged away in the opposite direction.
Once I felt the impact on my back, I realized that the one who pulled me was Houki, who was equipped with the [Uchigane].
"IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"
"LET GO OF ME! THAT PERSON'S JUST TOYING WITH ME! LET ME GO BEAT HER UP!"
That technique just now was the first technique I learnt from Chifuyu-nee, and I can still remember the first time I saw it.
"Listen Ichika, a sword is to be swung, but just trying to swing it isn't kendo.''
To me, who lifted that heavy piece of metal item for the first time, the weight alone made it hard for me to carry it. I was already sweating while it was on my hand, and I couldn't even lift it because of the weight even though I tried to make a pose.
"It's heavy, isn't it? This is the weight of a weapon, one that can take someone's life away."
The cold and slightly glittering katana.
An existence that was born, created and refined to kill.
"You have to consider what does it means to carry such a weight. This is what it means to be strong."
When she said that, Chifuyu-nee's eyes were stern, yet it had a tinge of gentleness. It looked somewhat dazzling, an expression that was different from usual.
That was why I chose to become strong, to become Chifuyu-nee's supporting power...that's right, ever since that day, I always—
"LET GO OF ME, HOUKI! IF EVEN YOU DARE TO INTERFERE, I'LL—!!"
"Che! GET A GRIP!"
*PA!* My face got hit, and I flew away and landed horizontally on the floor.
My face felt the pain as it touched the icy cold floor, causing my rage to drop.
"What's going on!? Tell me in a way that I can understand!"
"That...that's Chifuyu-nee's data, CHIFUYU-NEE'S! THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ONLY CHIFUYU-NEE HAS! THAT...DAMN IT!"
The black IS remained motionless in the arena. Right now, it seemed like it was automatically programmed to attack anything that had weapons or that would attack.
"Really, you...always Chifuyu-nee this Chifuyu-nee that."
"That's not all! The corrupted power that Laura's using, I don't like her for doing that. The black IS, Laura...both of them...I HAVE TO PUNCH THEM!"
Power—this so-called strength wasn't referring to offensive power. That power couldn't be called strength, but mere violence.
"Anyway, I must beat that thing up. I need to calm down first."
"I understand your reasons, but what can you do now? [Byakushiki] doesn't even have any energy; how are you going to fight?"
"Ku..."
Houki was right. It was likely that the black IS didn't have much energy left, but it was meaningless if I didn't beat her down. And right now [Byakushiki] didn't even have enough energy to deploy, let alone attack.
"Urgent emergency! All matches are suspended! Situation's at level D. Teachers are to deploy to suppress the enemy! All guests and students, please evacuate! I repeat!"
"You heard it. Others will handle this even if you don't do anything, so—"
"So there's no need to jump into a dangerous situation necessarily, right?"
"That's right."
Houki was right, but even though that reasoning was sound, my consciousness—still refused it.
"That's wrong, Houki, completely wrong. It's not that 'I have to do it', but 'I want to do it'. I don't care what others think, but I won't be me if I back away now. I won't be Orimura Ichika!"
"Ah, you idiot! Now what are you going to do? You already ran out of ene—"
"If you don't have it, just get it from somewhere else. Isn't that right, Ichika?"
"Charles..."
Charles seemed to have recovered from the jolt just now as she gently landed beside us.
"It can't be helped if it's just a normal IS, but I guess my [Revive] can use the core circuits to transfer energy."
"Really? Thanks, hurry up and help me!"
"But!"
Charles sternly warned. Her tone's abnormally harsh, not allowing any arguments.
"But you must promise me not to lose."
"Of course! I'll swear with all my life here that if I lose now, I'm not a man."
"Then, if you lose, tomorrow, Ichika, you have to wear a girl's uniform to school."
"Ku...! I-I'll do that! I won't lose anyway!"
This little joke manages to remove some tension, and my mind that was flushed with anger is cooled off to a fine extent.
"Then let's start...opening the [Revive]'s core circuits and allow the outflow of energy. Ichika, set the [Byakusiki]'s mode at single 1 mode. You should be able to use [Reiraku Byakuya] now."
"Oh, got it."
The cables reached out of the [Revive] and attached themselves to [Byakushiki], which was in bracelet mode, and the energy flowed through it. It felt like a sudden surge in energy. I felt this power as I had an explicable feeling.
(This...feels like that first time when I activated the IS...)
It seemed like I hadn't had this feeling for a long time, and there was an inexplicable sense of reunion and nostalgia, and the feeling that the world was reborn, this feeling of being able to feel the surroundings completely.
"..."
What's going on? Either way, there's no need to bother about this. Right now, the most important thing is right in front of me.
"Done! I transferred [Revive]'s remaining power to you."
As Charles declared, [Revive] scattered into bits of light and disappeared in particles of light.
And [Byakushiki], which was in single 1 mode, began to build itself on my body.
"So the most you can go is the weapon on your right hand."
"That's enough!"
[Byakushiki] understood that I was about to use [Reiraku Byakuya] as it materialized itself on my right hand in the form of [Yukihira Niigata].
No defenses, a definite loss if I get hit, and at best, heavy injuries. However, I was prepared to be hit, and next, it's my turn.
"I-Ichika!"
Houki, who'd been standing on the sidelines till now, finally couldn't help but say something. Her eyes were staring at me, looking extremely serious.
"Don't die...you definitely can't die!"
"What are you worrying about, idiot?"
"Wh-Who's an idiot! I'm worried about you—"
"Just trust me."
"Huh?"
"Trust me, Houki. No need to worry about me, and no need to pray for me. Just believe in me and wait for me. I'll win."
—I'll no longer mistake the meaning of strength. I know what's strength without power. I understand more than others, people who continue to be strong to protect others.
Then, then I hope to be strong for a certain someone, I hope.
"I'm going then."
"Ah, yes! Win, Ichika!"
After I promised Houki that I'd win, I faced the opponent in front of me.
I glanced at Charles, and she didn't say anything, only nodded her head silently. That's enough!
"All right, bring it, you fake!"
My [Yukihira Niigata] in my right hand responded to my will as it deployed.
"[Reiraku Byakuya]—activate!"
*Vmmmm*...this little reaction sounded like [Byakushiki]'s answer. The blade that could erase all energy sources and negate it appeared with twice the length.
(It doesn't have to be this big now. What I need is speed and sharpness, and to be able to draw the sword fast. A refined blade.)
I gathered my concentration and imagined a shot of light in the darkness. It then became smaller, fine and sharper.
Once this concentration was at the maximum, [Yukihira] changed. What was just a [Yukihira Niigata] that was giving a large glow was now becoming smaller and sharper.
The moment the transformation was complete, the original physical blade of the [Yukihira] was completely gone. The blade was just an energy sword that was made out of the [Reiraku Byakuya], and the energy was forming a katana-shaped blade.
(Thank you, [Byakushiki], then—let's go!)
I kept my blade at my waist and got into a sword drawing position in front of the the black IS.
That was a fusion of what Chifuyu-nee taught me and what I learnt from Houki, the 'First Flash, Second Strike' move.
"Listen, you must draw the blade through its weight, not through your hand, but to be treated as a part of your body. When drawing, don't do too many unnecessary movements. No gaps, no mistakes."
"Ah, really, why don't you understand! I'll show it to you! Watch!"
Both of their postures overlap in my mind, forming my own posture.
I lowered my body and readied myself, bringing the hand with the sword behind me. My eyes continued to gaze forward, and a motionless surface of water appeared in my heart.
Then, while it seemed that I could respond to all the movements, I sealed my feelings, that consciousness into a single spot, right at the enemy in front of me.
"..."
The black IS swung down the sword. That was a move identical to Chifuyu-nee's, a slash that quickly attacked the enemy from the shoulder on one side to the waist to the other side. However, there was none of Chifuyu-nee's will there. In other words, that's—
"THAT'S JUST AN IMITATION!"
*KLANG!* My horizontal strike that was drawn from the waist knocked the enemy's blade aside.
Then, I immediately raised the sword above my head and slashed the enemy down from the top.
This is the 'First Flash, Second Strike'. The first is to strike like a flash, and the other is to slash the target,
"Ke, kre...klak..."
*Bzzt*...the purple electricity jumped about, and the black IS got sliced in half. And the moment Laura was about to lose consciousness, I exchanged looks with her. Her eyepatch dropped off, revealing the golden left eye.
She stared at me with a really weak expression, like one of an abandoned puppy, seemingly saying: Please save me.
"...Well, I won't beat you up then."
I hugged Laura, who lost her strength as I muttered. As for whether she heard it, I guess only she knows.
◇
"Let me give you some advice. Once you meet that guy, make sure you have a strong heart, because though that person's really immature, for some reason, he sure can attract the girls easily. You may fall for him if you're not careful, you know?"
Instructor seemed to say that happily, even showing some slight embarrassment, and that really irritated me.
So--I understood. Yes, I felt jealous, so I finally asked,
"Have you fallen for him, instructor?"
"That's stupid. How can an elder sister fall for her little brother?"
She smiled as she said that, and I couldn't calm down. That guy was able to let the instructor show such an expression--I was envious of him.
And then, after we met, after the battle, I understood.
What is strength?
There should be numerous answers.
But I found one of them.
"Strength is where the heart is, where you stand. I guess that would mean consider what will happen to me."
...Is that it?
"I guess it should be. Forget about how strong you are, if you don't even know what you're doing, you don't even know where to go, correct?"
...How should I go...
"Go somewhere, where you want to go...and things like that."
...Where must I go...
"In other words, you'll win if you do what you want. Isn't it bad to worry or restrain yourself?"
And then, this guy--this man--he smiled and said,
"You must do what you want to do. Isn't that what life is supposed to be about?"
--Then, what about you...? Why do you want to get stronger? What makes you strong?
"I'm not strong. I'm...not strong at all."
He replied so firmly, and I couldn't answer back.
He had such strength, and yet he said that he wasn't strong. I really couldn't understand.
"But if you claim that I'm strong, I would be because--"
--Because...?
"Because I want to become strong, that's why I would be strong."
--
"And there's something I want to do after I become strong."
--Something, you want to do...?
"I want to protect someone, using my all, I just want to fight for someone with my all."
--That's exactly...like that person.
"Yeah, so because of that, I'll protect you too, Laura Bodewig."
Hearing him say this, my heart wavered strongly for the first time due to this impact.
"I'll protect you."
He said that. I--ahh, I see, so that's it...that's how it is.
My heart moved.
My rapidly pulsating heart indicated that in front of him, I was just a 15 year old 'girl'.
--Orimura, Ichika.
Ahh, that, that's right.
I seem to have fallen for him.
◇
"Uu, ahh..."
The sunlight shone down on Laura, waking her up.
"Are you awake?"
She remembers this voice. She had heard it before--and not only that, Laura was able to deduce where she heard of it before. It was the instructor she so loved and respected, Orimura Chifuyu.
"What's...with me...?"
"Your entire body took too much burden, causing wounds and muscle fatigue. You can't move at the moment. Don't force yourself."
After finishing, Chifuyu wanted to change the topic, but Laura was still her past student, it wasn't easy to fool her.
"What...happened...?"
Laura barely managed to lift her upper body up. Her face twisted in agony due to the pain that spread throughout her entire body. However, her eyes were staring intently at Chifuyu. The eyepatch was taken off her left eye for surgery, and it was a golden eye that was different from the eye on her right. This mysterious eye was merely showing a puzzled look.
"Hoo...basically, this is both a major case and a top secret article."
However, Chifuyu knew that she wasn't someone who would give up after hearing such an answer, so after she remained silent to indicate that this can't be said to others, she began to speak,
"Do you know of the [VT system]?"
"I do...the actual name is [Valkyrie Trace System]...it records the systems of all the previous Mondo Grosso's Champions. I remember that's..."
"That's right. Right now, the research, and even the development, usage and all is banned under the IS treaty, and it was in your IS."
"..."
"It was hidden really well. The pilot's mental state, the damage the machine took, and most importantly, the pilot's will...no, the desire. It can only activate with all these conditions. right now, the academy's questioning the German Army, and the committee members will most likely carry out an investigation."
On hearing Chifuyu's words, Laura grabbed tightly onto the bedsheets. For some reason, she looked down at the void below her eyes.
"That's because...I wished for this."
I wanted to be you.
Laura didn't say it, but Chifuyu understood.
"Laura Bodewig!"
"Ye-Yes!"
Having her full name called out, Laura looks up in surprise.
"Who are you?"
"I-I'm...I'm...m,..."
She can't continue on. Under this situation, she can't say that she's Laura.
"If you are no one, that's convenient. You will become Laura Bodewig from now on. Besides, there's a lot of time, since you have to stay here. After that, until you die, you still have a lot of time to use, so continue to be bothered, young lady."
