"What do you mean we can't cover the scene!?" Shiron Mai shouted. "What about press freedom!?"
"It's an order from the Federal Student Council," a voice replied. "No reporting or filming at the signing ceremony."
"No way!!" Shiron wailed. "It was totally fine just a while ago!!"
"Trinity and Gehenna are also barred from interviews," the voice continued. "No actions until the ceremony's over."
"That's super suspicious!!" Shiron exclaimed.
At Chronos School, a hub for journalism where students produce TV broadcasts and Monthly Kivotos magazine, Shiron Mai and Shinon Kawaru of the Journalism Club were frustrated. The Federal Student Council had banned all coverage of the Eden Treaty.
"But why so suddenly?" Shinon asked. "The Eden Treaty's got every academy's attention."
"Must be something they really don't want the public to know," Mai said.
"Ughhh! I'm definitely storming in after it's over!!" Shinon vowed.
They didn't know that keeping the signing ceremony out of the public eye was a step toward peace.
"Kikiki… we've been waiting, Teacher," Makoto greeted.
"Interceptor missiles and troop deployments are ready," Ako reported.
"Justice Task Force, Gehenna Disciplinary Committee—no issues," Hina added. "Tea Party, Sisterhood, and Pandemonium Society are set. All that's left is your orders, Teacher."
In a tense, open plaza, perfectly arranged for defense, only authorized personnel stood. No reporters or cameras breached this classified space. Everyone was prepared to risk their lives to stop the attack and thwart the schemes of malevolent adults.
And in that atmosphere, Mash—
"How about we all eat some cream puffs?" he said, pulling out four bags of them.
ZUKOOOO!!
"WHY!?" everyone shouted.
"Thought you might be hungry," Mash said.
"I'm… hungry, sure, but is now the time!?" Makoto yelled.
"You all faceplanted spectacularly," Nagisa noted via hologram.
"Want some?" Mash offered.
"I'll eat—er, yes, I'll have one!" Ako said.
"Hey!" Makoto snapped.
"Have one, Makoto-san," Mash said. "They're delicious."
"…Fine, thanks," Makoto muttered, taking a puff.
The group, initially baffled by Mash's suggestion in such a tense moment, decided sweets were perfect for easing their nerves and dug in.
"Makoto-san's giving orders here," Mash said. "Ako-san and Nagisa-san are operating from a safe location."
"If those two got taken out during the attack, it'd be bad," Makoto said. "They're issuing commands from elsewhere via hologram, as you can see."
"It feels wrong to be safe while you're out there…" Nagisa said.
"But we'd only get in the way on-site," Ako added. "This is the best setup."
"Hina Sorasaki and Tsurugi Kenzaki are stationed at the old cathedral," Makoto said. "Ready to hunt Arius."
"The Sisterhood is searching the cathedral's underground catacombs," Nagisa said. "But they haven't found anything yet."
"Is this mystique stuff some kind of trick, or is there a secret even the Sisterhood doesn't know?" Makoto mused.
"It's a mystery wrapped in a mystery," Mash said, munching a cream puff.
While discussing serious matters, Mash and the others ate cream puffs. Only Gehenna and Trinity grunts, led by Makoto, were present. Key figures like Hina, Tsurugi, and Sakurako were stationed at the signing ceremony venue.
Looking up at the clear, cloudless sky, Mash stared intently.
"…"
"Why…?"
"…!" Mash flinched.
"Teacher?" Makoto said.
"I'm fine," Mash said. "Just a little dizzy."
"That's not 'fine,' is it?" Ako said.
"Makoto-san, how long until they hit?" Mash asked.
"When the signing starts and the treaty's about to be sealed," Makoto said. "That's when they'll drop the missiles. Kikiki, but we'll use that against them."
"Guess it's best to leave the plans to the smart folks," Mash said.
"Right, right?" Makoto grinned.
The plan was simple: delay the signing ceremony's start time slightly. Knowing when the attack would come made it easier to counter and avoid chaos. In harsh terms, the ceremony was bait to trap Arius and Beatrice.
"They won't have their way," Makoto said. "We'll protect our world with our own strength."
"Today, this moment, decides everything," Nagisa said. "For our future, for us—let's win."
"Understood!!" the students shouted.
The warriors steeled themselves, taking their positions, ready for anything.
"No one's ending our youth or making anyone cry," Mash said, staring at the sky. "I won't let them ruin our happy ending."
All for the happy ending. All for the students.
"Azusa-chan, this cake's amazing!" Hifumi said. "Want a bite?"
"Hm? Sure… just a little," Azusa said.
"Hey, share some with me!" Koharu said. "I'll trade you mine!"
"Hehe, then Koharu-chan can have some of mine—" Hanako said.
The Remedial Class was in the middle of a cream puff party at a café, chatting and savoring sweets. Having overcome expulsion, they enjoyed their time together.
"Wish we could've invited Teacher," Hifumi said. "But no luck."
"He's at the Eden Treaty signing," Hanako said. "No time for us."
"But knowing him, he'll ditch work to come here right after," Koharu said.
"So very Teacher, hehe~♡," Hanako said.
The Remedial Class wanted to include their savior in the party, but with his busy schedule, they held off—especially Azusa, who was restraining herself the most.
"It's weird, though," Koharu said. "The Eden Treaty's a big deal, but there's no broadcast anywhere."
"Even Chronos School's not covering it," Hifumi said. "Hmm."
"My seniors told me to stay with you guys somewhere else," Koharu said.
"…Feels off," Azusa said.
No matter how they searched their devices, no footage or info about the signing surfaced. Who was there? What kind of ceremony was it? Nothing.
Despite their unease, Hifumi picked up a cream puff. Then—
"…?" Hifumi froze.
"What's wrong, Hifumi?" Koharu asked.
"No, it's… I just—" Hifumi said, leaning toward the window.
She froze in horror.
"M-Missiles…?" she whispered.
One… two… not sweets, but over fifty missiles streaked toward the signing ceremony venue.
"Targets confirmed! Medium-range ballistic missiles!" Ako shouted. "Not cruise missiles, but more than enough to destroy this area!"
"We have time before impact!" Nagisa called. "All units, prepare to intercept!"
As Ako and Nagisa shouted, over fifty missiles approached, timed to avoid chain explosions. The students worked together, passing ammo and loading weapons.
"Load!" a student called.
"Complete!" another replied.
"Good!" Makoto said. "Target: medium-range ballistic missiles!"
"Aim!!" the students shouted.
Timing their shots, Makoto raised her arm.
"Fire!!" she commanded, swinging it down.
Interceptor missiles launched. No one let their guard down, reloading for the next wave.
"Five, four, three, two… one!" Nagisa counted.
The missiles collided mid-air, exploding with a deafening roar and shockwave. Mash grabbed students blown back by the blast, pulling them to safety.
"Thirty intercepted, but more are coming!" Ako reported.
"No problem at this range!" Makoto said. "Next wave—fire!!"
Another volley launched, but some missiles evaded interception. No matter.
"Hmph!" Mash grunted, hurling a rock.
The rock struck a missile, destroying it. Perfect timing and speed—Mash took out every stray missile. Normally, a rock wouldn't do it, but his throw was absurdly powerful.
"Interception confirmed… but this can't be the end!" Nagisa said.
"Cruise missiles are still coming! Stay alert and reload!" Ako ordered.
"No time for that," Makoto said.
"!?" the operators gasped.
"Kikiki… bypassing Trinity and Gehenna's security?" Makoto said. "No wonder they're so confident."
A weapon slipped through the defense systems, just as Makoto predicted—a cruise missile, likely tampered with, closing in fast.
"But we're not weak enough to flinch!" Makoto said. "Right, Teacher?"
"Exactly," Mash said. "Here we go—" Yoink!
Mash lifted an anti-air missile, aimed, and adjusted for wind and timing. Then, with full force, he threw it.
"Hmph!" Whoosh!!
"I know it's late, but I have to ask—why can you throw a missile by hand so easily!?" Ako shouted.
"Thinking about it's pointless!" Nagisa said. "But this will—"
The thrown missile hit the cruise missile with perfect timing, exploding in a massive shockwave that rocked Mash and the others.
"!" Mash braced.
"Whoa!" Makoto steadied herself.
"Thanks, Teacher," Makoto said. "But—"
"Target hit and destroyed!" Ako announced. "We stopped the cruise missile!!"
The grunts cheered, and Nagisa and Makoto sighed in relief. The plan worked—Beatrice's scheme was thwarted…
"That's not right," Mash said.
"What's wrong, Teacher?" Makoto asked.
"It's too easy," Mash said. "It shouldn't end like this."
"With you and our full strength, isn't it natural?" Nagisa said.
"Even so… something else is—" Mash began.
A strange presence filled the air. Mash and the others felt it, looking up.
Then it appeared.
"What… is that!?" Makoto gasped.
"No data match!" Ako said.
"That weapon… is it even a weapon?" Nagisa said. "I've never seen that color!"
A missile, shimmering like a starry sky or the cosmos, emerged. Makoto, shaken but resolute, gave orders to shoot it down.
"Hit confirmed… but it's unharmed!?" Ako reported.
"Impossible!" Nagisa said.
"Is this another mystique trick!?" Makoto shouted.
The interceptor missiles hit, but the monstrous missile—Beatrice's Mystery Missile—was unscathed, not a scratch on it.
It was enough to plunge everyone into despair.
"Preparations?" Saori asked.
"All clear," Misaki replied.
"Done!" Hiyori said. "Checks complete, everything's ready!"
"And contact with the puppet?" Saori asked.
In the cold, silent corridors of the catacombs, Hime, addressed through sign language, responded swiftly. She'd grown accustomed to it.
"No issues," Saori said. "Everything's set."
Saori stood, grabbing her rifle, checking the safety and magazine. This was their long-awaited moment, a battle to change history.
"The missiles?" Saori asked.
"Launched and on target," Misaki said. "The earlier ones were shot down, though."
"Team status?"
"Waiting at the passage," Hiyori said. "They'll move in sync with our attack, as planned."
"No changes," Saori said. "When the old cathedral collapses, we storm in and eliminate survivors. Misaki, Team II hits Trinity. Hiyori, Team III takes Gehenna's key forces."
"Understood," Misaki said.
"Team II's priority is Tsurugi; Team III's is Hina," Saori said.
"Got it! Hina-san, right?" Hiyori confirmed.
"Teams I and IV—" Saori glanced at Hime, who responded in sign language.
"Exactly," Saori said. "Head underground along the passage. It's the most critical task."
"…" Hime hesitated.
"I know it's tough, but bear with it," Saori said.
"It's weird, right?" Hiyori said. "No live footage, no info at all."
"It's odd, but irrelevant," Saori said. "The signing's happening—we just crush it."
"What about you, Saori-san?" Hiyori asked.
"I have other tasks," Saori said. "I'll join Team V after. The rest handle bystanders and any resisting students from other academies. Once the protocol updates, Teams II and III join them to secure the area. And the final target—Mash Burnedead—we take him down together. Got it?"
The group nodded silently. There was no turning back. Launching the Mystery Missile made them criminals, no matter the outcome.
"How do you plan a happy ending now, Mash Burnedead?" Saori muttered. "Impossible, absurd… your dreamy ideals, your words—everything's overturned."
Saori donned her mask from her coat pocket.
"You've lost, Mash Burnedead," she said. "No one can beat her. Happiness for all students? We're not playing along with that fairy tale."
Dreams, hopes, futures—none mattered.
Because everything was futile.
"Arius Squad, move out," Saori declared, stepping forward.
Her boots clanged against the iron floor as Arius Squad began their invasion of Trinity's district.
"This isn't a happy ending," Saori said. "What's coming is—
A bad ending… absolute."
"No way I'm letting it end badly," Mash said. "Not even if I die."
"Teacher, do you have a plan?" Makoto asked.
"Our weapons didn't work…" Ako said. "Even throwing rocks won't—"
"There's no way to turn this around…" Nagisa said.
"There's one way," Mash said. "Something absolute."
Mash pulled an iron staff—Proteus—from his pocket. There was still a moment before the missile hit the venue.
"Something… absolute?" Ako asked.
"Yup," Mash said. "The answer—my muscles."
"Muscles can't possibly—" Nagisa began.
"They can," Mash said. "For me, it's normal." Swoosh.
Mash stretched the staff's tip, reshaping it. The group, already shocked by the Mystery Missile, was floored—because, of course—
"Wait, Mash Burnedead…" Makoto said. "Is that… no way…"
"No way—" Ako said.
"A spear!?" Nagisa gasped.
"Correct," Mash said.
Mash had crafted a long, sharp spear from the iron staff. Stepping back, he assumed a javelin-throwing stance.
"Shhh…" Mash exhaled, jogging lightly forward.
With a ground-shattering stop, he hurled the spear at the missile with full force.
"Hmph!" Whoosh!!
The spear sliced through the air, soaring at falcon—no, lightning—no, light-speed velocity. Its power was immense, piercing the Mystery Missile effortlessly.
"Guh!" Mash braced.
"The shockwave's hitting us!" Ako shouted.
With a blinding light, the Mystery Missile exploded high above. The blast shattered nearby glass, toppled light structures, and sent students flying. When it cleared, only Mash stood firm.
"Teacher's spear… that spear!" Ako stammered.
"It destroyed the missile… the one our attacks couldn't touch!" Nagisa said.
"It pierced it…" Makoto laughed. "Fuhahaha! That's our Teacher!!"
The Mystery Missile, impervious to interceptors, was destroyed without hesitation, without obstacle—by Mash.
"All that mystique stuff, all their effort…" Mash said, striking a side-chest pose. "In the end, muscles always win."
He said it with smug pride.
I skipped a lot of the early stuff—figured you all just want this part!
Point is, mystique or whatever, nothing beats Mash-kun's muscles!!
Next time, the big showdown: Arius vs. this story's Gehenna, Trinity, and Mash-kun. Stay tuned!
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