Infinite Stratos - Volume 7, page 8
(Well, I do feel sorry about that...)
But there's no need to be that angry.
On a side note. Rin would kick me hard every time we met. Laura would completely ignore me, and Charl would start to say, 'What's wrong, Orimura-kun?'.
"..."
You don't have to be that angry, right...even I will feel hurt.
"...It's about time. We have to start..."
"Oh-Oh yeah, that's right. Do your best."
After checking that I nodded my head, Kanzashi stretched her right hand out. There was a crystal ring on the middle finger of that hand.
"Appear...[Uchigane Nishiki]..."
Kanzashi's body was covered with light, and floated up as the armor was donned on her.
"Hehe..."
It's the next generation of [Uchigane], and though I heard that it's a prototype, it looked completely different.
The skirt armor was modified into a one-winged type. Compared to the defensive [Uchigane], [Uchigane Nishiki] focuses on mobility.
The armor on the wrist became a beautiful line, and it became a construct that could utilize its mobility in combat.
The parts on the shoulders aren't shields, but hold a large winged-shaped thruster and 2 little boosters on both front and back sides of it. That figure resembled [Byakushiki].
Looking at it, the [Nishiki] didn't have any similarities with the [Uchigane], but the Hyper Sensors on the head were of similar design.
"Speaking of which, huh? Don't tell me the machine's complete."
I asked, and Kanzashi, who kneeled down to remove the IS, shook her IS slightly.
"The armaments...aren't done. And...I haven't gotten operational data...it's impossible for it to battle like this..."
"I see. Lemme ask, the armaments are?"
"Hi-performance guided missiles that use a complicated lock-on system...and, the particle cannon's not..."
"Particle cannon? You can use the [Byakushiki]'s data."
Though it's differently designed from the particle cannon on my [Byakushiki], she should be able to use the sample data of output control and structural dynamics.
Thinking about this, I summoned the [Byakushiki]'s console and began to search for it hurriedly.
"Then, this is the [Yukihira Nigata]'s..."
"..."
"Oh, got it."
"!"
I lifted my head, and found myself exchanging looks with Kanzashi.
At that moment, Kanzashi looked aside.
"Hey hey. You can't read the data like this, right? Look."
I forcefully grabbed her hand and brought her in front of the holographic screen.
"How is it? You can use it as reference, right?"
"..."
"Hm?"
"You, you're too close...a-a little further..."
"Ah, sorry."
Immediately, the hand separated.
"..."
Kanzashi rubbed the wrist that I had touched and again focused on the screen.
"..."
Kanzashi's eyes were serious as she looked intensely at the screen, using her fingers to check the relevant data.
"This...output's too great...it uses too much energy..."
"Ah, that's true. I did suspect this before..."
"It's better to adjust it...you'll waste too much like that..."
"Oh. Then, since you're reading [Byakushiki]'s data, can I ask if if there's anything I don't understand?"
"I'm...okay with that..."
"Mn. Thank you."
"..."
Quickly returning to inspect her own machine, Kanzashi still remained stone-faced as ever, but it seemed like she was looking more lively.
"Then..."
"Orimu~, Kan-chan~"
*Patapatapatapata*. Footsteps could be heard coming here...there's only one person who would call us that.
"Honne..."
It's Nohohon-san, also known as Nohotoke Honne. She's a secretary of the Student Council, a maid at the Sarashikis and my classmate. Her characteristics are her lazy expressions and the slow movements.
(Hm? If her family served the Sarashikis for generations, she and Kanzashi should be childhood friends too.)
"Ehehe. I'm here to help~"
Honne swayed her drooping sleeves slowly and gently. She just so happened to hit a 2nd year who was passing by, and who glared at her in return .
However, this being Nohohon-san, she was still as carefree as ever.
"Kan-chan, I'm here to adjust your machine~ehehe!"
"St-Stop it...don't...ah, ah..."
It seems that Kanzashi's not used to dealing with this childhood friend who's of the same age.
"Honne...you were called over, by onee-san...right?"
"Huh~? Nope—I'm Kan-chan's personal maid. It's my job to help!"
"..."
"I'm Nohotoke Honne who watches your life from Monday to Thursday!"
For some reason, it felt like a catchphrase from a certain advertisement.
"What about...Friday, Saturday and Sunday?"
"Huh—, I want to rest on weekends!"
"3 days...you really rest too much..."
That's completely right. Please work properly, maid of a prominent family.
"Then, where should we start? Should we upgrade the system? Or the weapon support system?"
"Weapon support system. It won't do if it's not me...I want to set up the mobile control...Honne, you..."
"Adjust the shield barrier, right? Got it!"
"Li-Listen...help me, check the armor..."
"Ehehe, I understand."
Having lost all resistance to Nohohon-san, Kanzashi sighed and lowered her shoulders.
"Wha-What...are you looking at..."
"Ah, no, it's nothing."
"I hate...guys who sta-stare at me like that..."
"Oh, ah, sorry."
After that, the three of us were so busy adjusting the machine that we lost track of time.
Half of the time, I did the adjustments based on the reference books, but due to the brilliance of the occasional suggestions Kanzashi made, I managed to increase the energy efficiency by 15% today. Amazing.
"But really. It's a lot of work to adjust the machine...oh my."
I just need to operate the controls if it's just a system tuning, but the delicate task of tweaking the power output or the structural dynamics means that we had to open up the armor of the machine and work on the parts directly.
We were using mechanical arms, but it's really tough to open the armor like that.
"Orimu, you relied on Professor Tabane's machine's functions. IS itself should be delicately adjusted personally!"
Woah! The day when Nohohon-san gave me an accurate suggestion actually came.
"The IS'...self-improvement and optimization is really impressive...but, you can't...rely on it."
"I-I understand."
"Speak...speaking of which...that..."
Kanzashi started to squirm all of a sudden...what's wrong?"
"Erm...that..."
"?"
She wrapped her fingers around and played around with them. Her eyes wavered, and she looked like she couldn't calm down at all as she looked around, obviously looking suspicious.
"Do you want to go to the bathroom?"
"Ah...!"
Lifting her head up, Kanzashi immediately blushed.
--*GANK!*
"OWW!!"
"Ojyou-sama~[7C 7], I beat up the rude fellow~"
I say, Nohohon-san! Is-Isn't that a screwdriver!? It hurts when you mess around like that!
"Orimu~, I feel that you're so inconsiderate!"
"Gu..."
"Even if she really wanted to go to the bathroom~, it's courtesy for her not to say it!"
Guaahhh! Nohohon-san's so harsh when lecturing me about basic knowledge!
"It's said that with an elder sister around, the younger brother will be unfamiliar with the opposite gender. My friends used to say that in the past, but I guess Orimu's abnormal. That's a bad habit~"
"That-That's not true!"
...I guess.
"Ho-Honne...that's, enough..."
"Yes, ojou-sama!"
"What ojou-sama...don't call me that..."
"Mn! Kan-chan!?"
"I don't like that either..."
The conversation that occurred between them calmed down after that, and Kanzashi again looked over at me.
"Th-Then...the flight test...I hope, you can accompany me..."
"What. That's it? No problem."
"Tha-Thank...you."
Kanzashi cautiously bowed at me.
To me, it felt that it wasn't something that's to be requested like that, so I felt somewhat awkward.
"The-Then, do you want to use this arena?"
"It's flight testing...number 6..."
Speaking of Arena 6, it's the arena that was used a few days ago for [Cannonball Fast], the Super-speed flight training arena. Unlike the other arenas, the space's completely open, and there's no restriction to fly around as long as we keep moving around the central tower of the Academy.
"Alright, let's go!"
"A-Alright..."
"Take care~ I'll go to the control room and use the data scanner to assist you!"
Nohohon-san waved her droopy sleeves softly, and again knocked into another girl, who glared at her slightly for a while.
◆
"Thruster efficiency...check..."
Having opened all the controls of her [Uchigane Nishiki] at Arena 6's conditioning point, all the values entered her eyes.
Due to Honne's help, there was quite some development in the building of the machine. Most likely, she would follow her sister Utsuho to join the conditioning class in second year. That's the level of ability Honne had.
(And...)
Ichika's [Byakushiki] values had a lot of use.
As it was the machine that was developed from the same development center, the data compatibility was much more than expected.
"..."
But maybe, more than that, perhaps Ichika's own existence was important.
(Wha-What...am I thinking...I...)
Kanzashi forcefully rubbed her reddish face into her hands.
Just when she was doing this, a message came from Ichika through the private channel.
"How is it? Can we move off now?"
"Y...Yes..."
"Then, I'll fly off first. We'll meet at the highest point of the tower."
"I-I understand."
Kanzashi bent down and fixed her feet into the gravity catapult.
The holographic display showed the word Ready, and it instantly became Go!. Kanzashi accelerated and flew to the sky in Arena 6.
(Structural Dynamics...no problem...next, Hyper Sensors...connect, activate...)
*Pi* *Pi* *Pi*, the Hyper Sensors soon caught [Byakushiki].
Zooming in on Ichika's face, Kanzashi's heart couldn't help but beat faster.
(Ca-Calm down...concentrate...concentrate...)
Noting the output levels of the thrusters on her back, Kanzashi let the machine accelerate.
(Maintaining thrusters in this position...no problem...acceleration...shield barrier to be tested activated...)
She summoned the control option and tried to turn.
It was an action that shouldn't have had any problem, but on activating the shield barrier, the machine started to stutter and stopped.
"...?"
Just when she felt that it was weird, numerous displays showed up, confirming the current parameters.
(Shield barrier created interference when deployed...so...[PIC] was interfered with...)
It seemed as though there was a problem with the installation of the shield on the wrist, and Kanzashi temporarily cancelled the deployment as she summoned a keyboard on both sides to input data one by one before letting the machine fly.
(Adjusting point of deployment...from [PIC] interference range...Gravitational Deflection Angle...6m in front of machine...undergoing adjustments...then...balancing boosters...4 minus and ignition...)
At the central tower of IS Academy which was in a curved shape, the machine outside it used the thruster output to fly up quickly.
At that time, Kanzashi piloted the machine with both hands on the keyboards and caught up with Ichika, completing the course in the process.
"Yo!"
Ichika casually raised his hand.
And Kanzashi, who didn't know how to respond, nodded her head slightly first.
"How is it? That machine."
"It's alright..."
"Really? That's great."
Smiling away heartily, Ichika just looked so dashing, and Kanzashi hurriedly looked away.
"The-Then...let's go back..."
Feeling that it may end up with something really abnormal if it was just both of them, Kanzashi quickly flew down without waiting for Ichika to answer.
"Heh. It's really fast. It's about as fast as Cecilia's [Blue Tears], right?"
"I-I guess...according to the figures..."
Kanzashi frantically answered.
Her machine quickly flew down at breakneck speed as if it was running away from Ichika.
(...Hhuh?)
Following Kanzashi from behind, Ichika suddenly noticed something abnormal.
Sparks appeared from time to time on the boosters on the legs of the [Uchigane Nishiki] Kanzashi was piloting...*PA*...*PAPA*...
(It's really weird.)
Thinking about that, just when he was about to open a communication channel, the booster on the right leg of the [Uchigane Nishiki] exploded.
"!?"
Due to the sudden explosion and the imbalance due to the unexpected loss of one of the boosters, Kanzashi and the machine flew diagonally in a straight line towards the outer wall of the central tower.
"KANZASHI-SAN!"
([PIC] was ineffective...!? Wh-Why—)
Many 'Errors' appeared on the screen, and [Uchigane Nishiki], which had lost control of the system, quickly closed in on the outer wall of the tower.
"Ch—!!"
Kanzashi closed her eyes in reflex. At that moment, a powerful voice flew in like it was tied in.
"KANZASHIIIIIIII!!!"
Using [Ignition Boost] to increase the output of the thrusters to the maximum, Ichika forced his way between Kanzashi and the wall.
(Ah...)
Ichika hugged Kanzashi's body, and his back slammed into the wall.
"Guu...!"
A pilot with an IS on has protection, but the impact couldn't be removed completely as Ichika grimaced with pain.
"O...Orimura...kun..."
"He-Hehe...are you alright...? To be honest, I'm feeling a lot of pain now..."
Saying that as he gave an awkward smile, Ichika looked like a hero to Kanzashi.
The stupid words that were said to calm the situation down sounded really cool to Kanzashi's ears.
"A-Ah...erm...erm..."
"Are you alright, Kanzashi?"
"Huh...? Y-Yeah..."
"Really? That's good."
With the pain still coursing through him, Ichika closed an eye and pulled himself from the wall.
The outer wall of the tower had a huge dent on it due to the impact, and a part of it cracked.
"..."
Continuing to grasp Ichika's hand like that, Kanzashi felt her heart beat so crazily it ached.
It was the first time she stuck so close to a guy's body, but she didn't hate it. It must be because he's Ichika, Kanzashi thought as she matured late.
«Hey, hold it, those students over there! What happened!? I'm seeing an indication that the tower was damaged!?»
"AH, yes. Well, it's an IS training accident. I'm Orimura Ichika from Class 1-1."
"Sarashiki...Kanzashi, from Class...1- 1-4."
«AN ACCIDENT!? YOU AREN'T HURT, ARE YOU!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?»
WA WA. Continuing with the questions was the math teacher Edwards Franchee. On a side note, she was born in Canada, 25 years old, and looking for a boyfriend. Her hobby was gardening.
"Anyway, it's good that you aren't hurt. Since you need to return to the Maintenance Branch, please wait for us down there."
«O-Okay. Then, please be careful on the way down.»
After cutting the communication signal, Ichika carried Kanzashi and slowly descended.
"It'll be dangerous if there's another system error. Let's just go down like this."
"A...Alright..."
Gently...nodding lightly, Kanzashi went silent.
Right now, her face was dyed as red as the sunset.
◆
"Ahh...as expected, just as expected, I had to hand in a report..."
Having returned to the maintenance branch, we explained everything to the teacher, and after undergoing a checkup to see if we were alright, a report of more than 10 pages was passed to us.
"Haa...these are really tough. Man..."
"..."
Kanzashi looked like she was rather apologetic as she looked at me.
"Hm, what's wrong?"
"Ah, er...m..., it was...all my fault...so-sorry..."
"Well, you don't have to mind. It can't be helped if it was a machine malfunction."
"Uu..."
As I said that, Kanzashi gripped her hands tightly and lowered her head.
(Ah. She was really affected by it. Well, the machine she fine-tuned had a mishap.)
It's great that she was not hurt.
And having understood her personal limits, Kanzashi should have grown up a lot from now on.
"I say."
"What...is it...?"
"Better to get the people from the conditioning class to help."
"..."
"There's only one week to the tag match. Safety's the most important thing—"
"U...uu...I'll do that..."
"Huh?"
For a moment, I didn't know what to do when I saw Kanzashi nod her head lightly.
I thought she would definitely, wordlessly refuse or say something like 'No...'.
"We-Well...since Nohohon-san's okay, I'll get Mayuzumi-sempai along as well."
"So-Someone you know...is it?"
"Ah, sort of. You see, we met often because of news club stuff, so it naturally ended up like that."
"I-Is...that so..."
? Is it just me, or Kanzashi didn't look too happy just now...
"..."
"..."
Huh? The moment we recovered, we found ourselves with nothing to say.
