"Oi, Mahiro, are you really going through with this?"
Mayumi's voice trembled slightly, but her gaze never wavered.
"Ah," Yotsuba Mahiro replied without hesitation, his tone sharp and decisive, "since these bastards dared to stir up trouble right under our noses, then they should have already prepared themselves for the consequences of their downfall."
He spoke with the calm weight of someone who had already resolved everything long before this moment. No one— not even Mayumi— could stop him now.
Just then, the rumble of an engine echoed through the school gates. An armored off-road vehicle rolled to a halt in front of them, its heavy tires pressing against the ground with intimidating weight. From the driver's seat, a familiar face leaned out, grinning.
"Yo! Long time no see, Mahiro-kun! Didn't think you'd actually step outside for this."
Mahiro's eyes widened a little in surprise. "Ponytail? Where are Fumiya and Ayako? They didn't come along?"
He peered into the back of the vehicle. To his surprise, the only other occupant was a small girl sitting calmly in the passenger seat—her aura far from ordinary.
"They're still at school," the driver replied with a shrug. "Besides, it's just chauffeur duty this time. No need to trouble the young master and young lady."
"…Hah, fair enough." Mahiro nodded, stepping forward without resistance.
Behind him, Mayumi tugged at his sleeve, whispering, "Mahiro-san… who are they?"
Mahiro smirked faintly, his reply light and teasing. "Branch family retainers. Nothing to worry about."
The words may have sounded casual, but they carried a subtle weight.
The driver was Akatsuka Tanma, his easygoing tone belying the sharp edge hidden beneath. And the girl sitting next to him— expressionless, her black hair tied neatly back, red jacket buttoned over slender shoulders—was Hazuki Yuuki. Barely one meter fifty, yet her eyes shone with cold light as she twirled a dagger through nimble fingers. Despite her petite frame, she was older than Mahiro and far more dangerous than she appeared.
Both were specialists—assassins trained under the Asia Trade Association.
Although, strictly speaking, the Asia Trade Association was now under the control of the Kurobane family. Which meant that in practice, these two were also part of the Yotsuba branch family. Their allegiance, however, was unshakably bound to Mahiro.
This operation, though initiated by Shiba Tatsuya, did not include him. Mahiro had deliberately chosen not to bring Tatsuya, nor Miyuki.
In truth, he hadn't even intended to let Mayumi or Erika follow.
But Mayumi—firm as the Student Council President and a member of the Ten Master Clans—refused to let him take risks alone. Erika, on the other hand, only grinned and insisted on tagging along because she found it "fun."
A reckless choice. They were about to march into a den of terrorists, where death could strike at any moment. And yet… it felt almost like they were setting out on a spring field trip.
Sliding into the backseat, Mahiro pulled out his portable intelligence terminal and unfolded the holo-screen.
The data displayed was a tactical map—information he had forcibly secured from their teacher, Ono Haruka. A single location blinked in bright red: the Japanese branch of Blanche.
And it was terrifyingly close.
Only ten kilometers from the school.
An abandoned biochemical fuel factory hidden in the suburban hills.
So close it felt like the enemy had built their hideout right on their doorstep.
"Unbelievable…" Mayumi whispered as she sat beside him, stunned by the data.
Her gaze lingered on Mahiro as he studied the map, his expression serious.
They say a man is most handsome when he's focused. Mahiro's profile, cast in the soft glow of dusk filtering through the car window, was striking. His calm eyes, his gentle yet unyielding brows—he looked dignified, commanding, and almost unbearably charming.
Her mind drifted back to their earlier argument in the infirmary—
"This is reckless! It's far beyond the duties of students!"
When Mahiro had first proposed to strike directly at Blanche, Mari-senpai had been the first to object. As Public Morals Committee Chairperson, she was no stranger to danger, yet even she had drawn the line here.
"I oppose this as well," Mayumi had said back then, her voice firm, her expression stern. "This is a matter for the police, not for us."
Katsuto Juumonji had stood silently beside them. He hadn't spoken, but his silence carried heavy disapproval. His stern gaze alone had conveyed enough: this was not something students should be involved in.
After all, their opponents were terrorists. And worse, they possessed Crystalline Quartz—a resource that could amplify their magic in dangerous, unpredictable ways.
Even Sayaka, trembling, had clutched his sleeve with desperate eyes.
"Mahiro-kun… if you're doing this because of me, please don't. Please reconsider. The President is right. Let the police handle it, onegai…!"
She had smiled bitterly, her voice shaking. "I'll accept whatever punishment comes my way. But if you, or anyone else, get hurt because of me… I'll never be able to forgive myself."
But Mahiro had cut her off coldly.
"I refuse."
Mahiro's voice was cold, sharp as a blade cutting through silence. His expression remained unmoved as he continued,
"Let the police intervene, and then what? What can that bunch of useless good-for-nothings do? In the end, the only person they'll condemn is Mibu-senpai. They'll pin every charge on her and drag her straight into court."
His words hit like thunder, leaving the infirmary frozen.
"By then, not only will she be expelled from First High," Mahiro's eyes narrowed, "but she'll probably spend the rest of her life behind bars. And the real instigators? They'll still be at large, untouched."
A heavy silence swallowed the room.
Mayumi and the others tightened their lips, speechless. No one could deny it—Mahiro was right. The Alliance members could feign ignorance, but Mibu Sayaka, who had infiltrated the library, could not escape the consequences. She would be forced to carry all responsibility, just like a scapegoat.
"Since they dare to defile Mibu-senpai's sword and her pride," Mahiro declared, his voice low yet carrying a steel-like weight, "then they shall pay with their lives. That decision was already made the moment they chose this path."
"I don't need the school's help. I don't need anyone's permission. I alone am enough."
His eyes shone like tempered steel.
"This… is my revenge battle!"
His words were not shouted, but they carried an echo that reverberated through everyone's chest. Mahiro never cared about laws or rules. He only cared about the things he had chosen to protect.
The others could only watch. No one dared argue back. Instead, something unspoken stirred in their hearts—envy.
Yes… envy of his absolute resolve.
Mayumi puffed her cheeks, unable to hold back her flustered feelings. "Uuuh… so unfair. If I were in trouble, would Mahiru-kun help me with the same determination?" she muttered softly, almost to herself.
"Of course," Mahiro replied instantly.
"Eh?!"
The sudden answer yanked Mayumi straight out of her fantasy. She turned to him, her eyes wide. Mahiro, having finished scrolling through the intel, closed the terminal and looked at her seriously.
Word for word, he said:
"I meant what I said. If Saegusa-senpai were in the same situation, then I would make the same choice without hesitation."
"E-Eh… Eh~~~~~?!"
Saegusa Mayumi's face turned a brilliant crimson, so red it seemed steam might burst from her ears at any moment. Her casual remark had been overheard, and not only that, he had answered so straightforwardly!
Ughhh, this is so embarrassing!
"Oh my my, Yotsuba-kun is quite the smooth talker~" Erika teased, a grin tugging her lips.
"Scum," Mizuki muttered flatly, adjusting her glasses.
The atmosphere in the car shifted into awkward laughter, but the redness on Mayumi's face didn't fade one bit.
....
Outside the abandoned factory, a chilling night wind howled across the lot. Shadows clung to the cracked walls where Mahiro's small team gathered.
"Erika, Yuuki," Mahiro said firmly, his tone that of a commander giving orders. "You two will guard the rear entrance. Saegusa-senpai will remain in the car with Tanma-san, providing support and ensuring no stragglers escape. I'll assault directly from the front."
His gaze swept across them like a sharpened blade.
"Do you have any objections? Speak now."
Tanma remained stoic, but the others' expressions twisted uncomfortably.
"Tch, why am I paired with a rookie? I can handle myself just fine!" Erika complained, folding her arms with a click of her tongue.
Yuuki scoffed, eyes narrowing. "Can she really do this? She's still just a middle school brat, isn't she?"
The two girls froze as their complaints overlapped, then turned toward each other in disbelief.
"Who are you calling a child?! I'm already eighteen, baka!" Erika snapped, her voice sharp.
"Oh ho, calling me a rookie must mean you're some big-shot warrior, huh?!" Yuuki shot back, sparks practically flying from her eyes.
The tension between them flared so visibly it could almost be seen.
"Yuuki," Mahiro's voice cut through the heat like ice water.
The black-haired girl stiffened when his gaze landed on her.
"You don't have to accept the assignment," he said calmly, "but if you'd prefer, I can bring this matter up directly with Ayako when I see her next."
The moment her sister's name was mentioned, Yuuki paled. Her back stiffened as if cold hands had wrapped around her spine.
Her lips trembled before she cursed under her breath, "Kuso…! Bastard."
She glared at him as if he were a devil, but in the end, she could only grind her teeth and fall silent in reluctant acceptance.
Mayumi, however, was far more straightforward. She stepped forward, her eyes unwavering.
"I'm coming with you," she declared. "Going in alone is far too reckless!"
Mahiro studied her for a long moment, but the resolve in her gaze did not falter.
"…Suit yourself, Saegusa-senpai," he finally said with a resigned sigh.
He could still rein in Erika and Yuuki when necessary. But when it came to the stubborn heiress of the Saegusa family—he knew better than to waste his breath.