"Is everyone ready?"
Standing between Kyouka and Tenka's columns, which were lined up alongside their respective members, Ginna asked the question with clear enthusiasm while holding a tablet in her hand.
Officially, she served as the referee assigned to oversee and monitor the duels. In truth, the real reason for her presence was to ensure that no one would suffer serious injuries during the battles, thanks to her ability.
Ginna Club
By marking a chosen area, Ginna could manifest powerful defensive barriers.
The barriers protecting every Mato squad dormitory had all been created by her. These defenses were not only meant to prevent Shuuki attacks; they also retaliated against any Shuuki that came into contact with them.
She could also choose who was permitted to enter the area enclosed by her barriers, provided they signed the roster she handed out beforehand. Anyone inside the barrier would gradually recover from injuries, even fatal ones, as long as they fulfilled the necessary conditions.
"Let's have a good match, Tenka."
Kyouka smirked as she offered her hand.
Tenka giggled before taking it, returning the handshake in a friendly manner.
"May the best team win, Kyou-chin~"
After letting go of each other's hands, the two turned away without another glance and walked back toward their respective sides alongside the rest of their members.
Only the first combatants remained behind on the field.
Left alone at the center of the arena, Yachiho arrogantly smirked as she pointed at her younger sister.
"You better prepare yourself to crawl back home after I teach you a proper lesson, Himari."
Himari clicked her tongue in irritation at the taunt. She turned toward Yuko, who stood beside her, and gave a firm nod.
"I'll be counting on you."
Seeing the determination in Himari's eyes, Yuko answered with a calm smile and a nod of her own.
The moment Yuko activated her Slave form, scattered lights illuminated the battlefield to all the spectators, with Tenka showing particular interest as she witnessed Yuko's transformation for the first time.
After Himari informed the referee that Yuko would participate in the match as both her weapon and the extension of her abilities, Ginna merely gave her a thumbs-up and a playful wink in approval.
Yachiho chuckled under her breath.
"It doesn't matter if there are two of you. I'll still win this match."
Taking a deep breath, Himari tightened her grip on the chains while seated on Yuko's back.
Yachiho carefully observed the movement and behavior of her sister before readying her gun. Unlike her earlier boastful words, she intended to let her bullets and prowess handle most of the things from now on till the end of the confrontation.
"Officially beginning the first match! Representing the Seventh Unit is their one and only vice-chief, Azuma Himari! And on the opposing side, representing the Sixth Unit, Vice-Chief Azuma Yachiho!"
Ginna announced their names through the microphone in her hand, her amplified voice entering the eardrums of each and single one of the people watching on the sidelines. Raising her index finger, she continued with a grin full of excitement.
"The rules remain the same as before! The loser will be decided once a participant is unable to continue fighting or verbally admits defeat. With my barrier in place to ensure everyone's safety, feel free to go all out and unleash everything you've got! Hell yeah!!"
Forming her hand into a chopping gesture, Ginna raised it high above her head.
Yachiho and Himari stared at one another like rabid dogs ready to tear each other apart.
"Time for your punishment, Himari."
Yachiho smirked as she bit her lower lip.
"Try me, Yachiho."
Himari fired back.
Without wasting another second, Ginna swung her hand downward.
"READYYYYYYYYY—!!! FIGHTTTTTTTTT!!!"
********
Watching from the sidelines, Kyouka silently cheered for the pair, utterly confident that they would emerge victorious. In contrast, Nei had arrived fully prepared, wearing a bandana and waving a handmade poster as she loudly shouted encouragement for Himari and Yuko alongside Shushu.
One strategy after another unfolded throughout the match, though most achieved only partial success due to Yachiho's troublesome time-reversal and time-stop abilities. As irritating as she was to fight against, the older Azuma was gradually beginning to lose patience from constantly evading attacks and narrowly escaping defeat ever since Yuko's fist had nearly connected at the very start of the battle, when her guard had been at its weakest.
As Tenka observed the movements of both fighters, she concluded with certainty that the battle was nearing its climax.
Himari looked utterly exhausted, her clothes disheveled and marked with the wear of combat. The same could be said for Yachiho, whose fatigue had steadily accumulated from repeatedly activating her Golden Hour.
And then there was Prime Time—the evolved form of her ability and her ultimate trump card—which doubled Golden Hour's duration from five seconds to ten. The technique consumed an enormous amount of stamina, but it was precisely because of it that Yachiho had managed to corner Himari earlier in the fight.
"Too bad, but at least you can think of it as a bitter lesson."
A smirk appeared on Tenka's lips, her earrings swaying lightly. She did not miss the astonished expression that flashed across her vice-chief's face the instant Yuko sacrificed herself as a decoy, causing Yachiho's thoughts to falter for a split second.
One single, precious opening.
More than enough for Himari to capitalize on, especially with her older sister already approaching her limits.
"Jackpot."
Himari whispered with absolute confidence as she pulled the trigger of the revolver she had secretly kept hidden.
The bullet burst from the chamber and tore through the air in a straight line toward Yachiho, who attempted to activate Golden Hour once more.
"...You... cheeky little... bastard..."
Yachiho's eyes widened as the bullet struck the side of her neck before she could react. Her vision blurred almost instantly, her body collapsing backward as consciousness rapidly slipped away.
Watching her older sister fall with her own eyes, Himari wanted nothing more than to celebrate. Unfortunately, her breathing had become shallow, and her concern immediately shifted toward Yuko, who had endured the worst of the damage from their final gamble.
"MATCH OVERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!"
Ginna shouted like an crazed sports announcer.
"WINNER!!! AZUMAAAAAAA!! HIIIIIMARIIIIII!!!"
Shushu and Nei immediately threw their arms around each other, jumping wildly in celebration.
"She did it!!"
Their faces lit up with genuine joy, broad smiles stretching across their features.
Kyouka merely remained standing, a proud smile forming on her lips as her hand quietly clenched into a fist of satisfaction which was subtle enough that no one would notice unless they were paying close attention.
"Wowwww~~~~~ Yacchi actually got humbled."
The drowsiness vanished completely from Sahara's face at the unexpected outcome. She had genuinely believed Yachiho would win. Beside her, Tenka simply shrugged with a carefree smile and an amused sigh.
"Someone's gotta cool their head sometimes."
Tenka chuckled softly.
"This'll be a helpful lesson."
Without wasting another second, Ginna rushed toward the injured fighters and raised her palm with a focused expression. Closing her eyes, she summoned a soft glow that spread across her arms.
The two Azuma sisters and Yuko immediately felt a soothing warmth spread through their bodies as their wounds began disappearing as though they had never existed in the first place.
"That's a rad ability."
Yuko praised as the pain vanished from her body entirely. Her injuries disappeared one after another, restoring her condition to what it had been before the fight—save for her ruined clothes, which remained damaged beyond repair.
Meanwhile, Yachiho massaged the spot where the bullet had struck earlier. After confirming the wound had fully healed, she cracked her neck and let out a long sigh.
"Okay, I admit it. You've gotten stronger, Himari."
She rose from the ground while Himari watched her with a neutral expression. Slowly closing the distance between them, Yachiho grabbed her younger sister's hand with determination before flashing an enormous grin.
"Let's go home, my dear sister."
"....."
"I promise I'll treat you fairly in the Azuma household—"
"No."
"Now, now. I already know you're strong, so don't be shy."
"I already said no—"
The two siblings immediately began bickering while their hands remained firmly locked together.
Meanwhile, Tenka and Kyouka exchanged glances at the interaction before sighing in unison.
"Sorry. She just can't be honest with her younger sister."
Tenka raised both hands helplessly before shaking her head with an amused smile.
—Rrrrroooaaaarrrr!
Just as the joy of victory began spreading through the area, a single sound shattered the atmosphere and instantly put both Tenka and Kyouka on alert.
An emergency siren—one reserved only for the greatest crises and highest-level emergency summons—suddenly blared throughout the Seventh Unit dormitory.
Of all the sounds they never wished to hear during their service, this was among the worst imaginable.
********
The Seventh Unit was not the only place thrown into alarm.
Across every dormitory and headquarters occupied by the Anti-Demon Corps, the same deafening siren echoed without pause.
"This is gonna be one hell of a day."
Mira cursed under her breath as she shot up from the couch and hurriedly threw on her coat. Glancing toward the rest of her unit, she caught the keys Megumi tossed toward her before immediately sprinting toward the garage.
Without hesitation, she ignited the engine of her jeep and sped off at full throttle toward the Tenth Squad's main headquarters.
Meanwhile, within the Ninth Unit, Fubuki's expression darkened as the piece of wood in her hand cracked under the pressure of her grip.
"Never thought I'd hear this rotten siren go off."
At the First Unit and Fifth Squad headquarters, both Riu and Yakumo immediately rushed out of their dormitories the moment the alarm sounded. The same went for Varvara, who had only just stepped out of her bath when the emergency siren began echoing across the base of the Eight Unit.
Back at the Seventh Unit, Ginna's expression immediately turned pale as she read through the contents of the emergency report that had just been sent directly to her device.
Before anyone else could react, Tenka grabbed both Ginna and Kyouka by the shoulders. In the next instant, the three of them vanished and reappeared at the main headquarters in the blink of an eye.
"What's the current situation, Ginna?"
Kyouka asked, the concern hidden beneath her composed expression still unmistakable.
"This isn't bad. It isn't worse." Ginna's voice trembled slightly as she hurried down the corridor toward the conference room. "This is absolutely the worst-case scenario."
"Just tell us already."
Tenka's usually relaxed demeanor had completely vanished, her expression now sharp and serious as she walked beside them.
Ginna swallowed hard.
"Tokyo is under attack by thousands of Shuuki!"