Bullet 7: Shino Sasaki Part 3

　…In the Sasaki family, there was a swordsmanship style called “Itsu-Ryu” that has been handed down throughout the generations.

　It was a swordsmanship style that was founded by Shino’s distant ancestor, Sasaki Kojiro, and it is a secret style of swordsmanship forbidden from being taught outside of the household. The Sasaki family, including Shino, possess a number of techniques that are far more advanced than modern kendo.

　One of the combinations of various techniques of this style is…

　The “Tsubamegaeshi”, a legendary sword technique. (TL Note: Tsubamegaeshi involves the Kanji for “swallow” and “return”. From what I can gather, it basically means something like “a move to kill a swallow”.)

　Originally developed to respond immediately to an enemy attack or to swoop down on an enemy quickly, is a literally dazzling style created by focusing all attention on the speed of the sword, said to be so fast it is unnoticeable…

　This technique though, relies on mastering the drawing of a sword, not from a sheath, but from the air.

　It is a style that focuses on drawing a sword as fast as possible.

　This technique, largely avoided by other schools due to its conceptually contradictory logic, has produced the fastest sword style as it ignores the typical friction of a sword leaving its sheath.

　The reversal in thinking for drawing was developed by the genius Kojiro Sasaki, and the first part was called “Number 1”.

　The sheath is first discarded.

　Just as Sasaki Kojiro did when he confronted the historically famous Miyamoto Musashi.

　Just like Shino Sasaki did just now.

(… this is a secret technique, but if I am just dealing with Akari…)

　(The next parts I learned from my parents are “Number 2” and “Number 3″…)

　This was a technique that utilized the speed of the flow of ones blood from the beating of their hearts to gather instantaneous power.

　This technique intentionally utilizes the timing of static and dynamic motions to create the illusion of distance in the opponents vision. (And now for “number 4”, “Number 5”, and “Number 6″…)

　With every second that passes…

　Shino’s procedures are being prepared in her mind, and preparations are being done.

　… and then…

(Tsubamegaeshi…!)

　A sword technique that is said to kill even a swallow is moving at 200km/h…

　Though the technique is young and incomplete, nonetheless Shino unleashes it!

　The body of Shino flashes, as all of the parts of the technique are linked into one, and the sword reaches Akari from over 3 meteres away.

　Akari, who previously had a gap between her and Shino, had watched as Shino seemingly teleported closer…

“…!”

　Akari’s knife met Shino’s military grade sword.

　No, Shino made sure this would happen.

　She did this to destroy the knife, which was a mere toy compared to her Japanese military sword.

“…!”

　Akari’s knife shattered as if it was glass as it received the blow of the secret sword technique.

　Not only that though, but Akari’s body was blown away by the force of the impact, basaaaa!

　She tumbled into a round pool that surrounded the fountain.

　Shino approaches Akari, who is now soaking wet and breathing heavily, with her sword still in posture.

“… Akari-chan.”

　… Shino’s cheeks were wet as well.

　Wet from the tears coming out of her eyes.

“Akari-chan, you know this is all your fault, right…?”

　At that moment, Shino’s precious memories of Akari came back to her mind…

　(Six months ago, I met Akari…)

　After buying the last of the leaf pies, Akari took Shino to a nearby park.

　And there, on a bench, Shino and Akari sat side by side.

　(Why did she bring me here, why did she make me sit side-by-side with her, and…. why am I doing all this for Akari?)

　Shino was confused by all of this,

“I will give you half, since I took the last one by interrupting you.”

　Akari laughed as she split the leaf pie in half, and gave half to Shino.

“Eh, ahh”

　Akari handed it to Shino, and Shino awkwardly accepted it.

　(For some reason, I feel like I cannot go against anything that this girl is asking or doing for me.)

“…bu-, but… I… don’t know how to eat outside…”

　Shino protested, giggling for some reason,

“It is super amazing to be able to eat a leaf pie that was freshly baked!”

　Akari, who apparently has already begun eating, apparently didn’t care about Shino’s worries.

　Akari eats her half of the leaf pie with a face full of bright happiness.

　(She is irresistibly cute. Cute… Cute… Cute… That must be why…)

　Shino no longer had the will to condemn the act as wrong.

　(She is so cute… if something like this can make such a angelically cute girl so happy, surely it cannot be a bad thing…)

　Yes. From Shino’s point of view, Akari seemed to be akin to a holy being.

　(I never knew there was such a lovely, innocent, pure and cute child in this world.)

　Rather, it would be an evil act to prevent that smile.

　Shino, who had just flipped her internal switch from evil to good, was thrilled, and…

　Shino broke a small piece off of her leaf pie and brought it to her mouth.

“… delicious.”

　Shino’s mouth was full and her honest thoughts came out.

　Shino no longer thought what she was doing was wrong.

　It was strange.

　(When I am around this girl, I can be honest with myself.)

“Right?!”

　Akari’s smile as she said that, just like when she said her name “Akari Mamiya” when she introduced herself in the park, made Shino feel as if her surroundings had brightened up.

　Shino realized that she, too, was smiling for the first time in a long time, and so after a while, she…

“Ah, um… Mamiya-san.”

　Shino was really curious about something, so she nervously approached Akari herself.

“You can call me Shino, so can I call you Akari?”

　Shino’s face was bright red and she is overjoyed…

“Um, also… let me pay half for the leaf pie.”

　Shino took out her wallet that was branded with her parents law firm.

　But…

“Ah, wah, I only have a credit card…!”

　(Come to think of it, this was why I couldn’t pay for the leaf pie in the first place.)

　As Shino is besides herself with internal turmoil, Akari tilts her head and says “credit card…?”

　But she seemed to understand what Shino is talking about.

“Paying tomorrow is fine.”

　That is what she said.

“But will I be able to even see you tomorrow… we are in different classes…”

　Akari was in a different class, and so Akari had to remind her of that fact.

“I don’t care about that or if you pay me later. That is because…”

　Akari smiles with a pure and bright smile.

“… since we are friends now, we will be friends forever!”

　Yes, that is what she said.

　That was her response.

(… friends… forever…)

　Shino’s heart skipped a beat.

　Shino heard a word she had never heard before. She felt something she had never felt before.

　And from that word alone, a warm feeling spread throughout her body.

　It was a indescribably pleasant feeling, pleasurable and moving, something Shino had never experienced before.

　It filled Shino’s body to the point where it seemed that it would overflow everywhere.

(… my first… friend…)

　… I am so happy… so, so happy…

　Tears welled up in Shino’s eyes.

　Poroporo, poroporo. There was no way for Shino to stop the tears.

“…fuee…”

　Even the proud Shino could cry out with shame.

“Eh? Eh? Why are you crying?!”

　Akari was quickly to show her some concern.

　(She is such a nice and pure girl!)

　(Akari… she must be a real angel!)

　(She was an angel sent by God to poor me, who was isolated at school…)

　… the angel was…

　(Akari-chan.)

　(There are those out there who want to take you away from me.)

(… you are my friend… I don’t want to lose you…!)

　The tears flowing from Shino’s eyes now are different than they were back then.

　These were tears of anger, hatred, and sadness.

　(These tears are not flowing because of Akari.)

　(It is because of Aria, who is trying to take Akari from me!)

　(Yes. The root of all this evil is Kanzaki H. Aria. That woman is to blame for everything.)

　(I must separate Akari from Aria… that is why…)

(… I am going to cut them apart!)

　Shino re-grips the hilt of her sword.

　　§　　　§

　As Akari’s uniform absorbed water, the uniform became heavier.

　She had been able to run around easily until now, but with this weight slowing her down, her movement is heavily limited.

　Especially since the iai slash earlier.

　Akari, unarmed and without a gun or knife now, feels as if she is now looking upon a death row sentence…

　(I have to get out of the fountains pool.)

“… Akari, I am not giving you over to Aria!”

　Hearing Shino’s excited cries, Akari finally, albeit not-confidently, guessed what Shino was talking about.

　(Shino is jealous of Aria-senpai.)

　(Why are you so jealous that you would go this far?) Akari still has question marks in her head, but she understands that this all stems from Shino’s understanding that Akari is leaving her for Aria.

　(But regardless, that does not mean I can just back down!)

　Shino is using the “Three-Day dissolution rule” to separate Akari and Aria.

“I don’t want to stop being Aria’s Amica!”

　Akari replied, clenching her fist tightly.

　After all this time, even someone like Akari had finally hardened her resolve.

　(I am ready to fight Shino now.)

　(I must fight.) Akari’s eyes focused on the weapon held in Shino’s right hand.

(… if I can just get that sword away from her…!)

　(I know, since I have known her now for a short while, that Shino does not use a gun. She owns one but never takes it out of her school bag, and it does not look like she has it with her at the moment.)

　(Shino is also a Inquesta student, so she does not have to practice combat training.)

　Although she is not a particularly skilled assault student, nonetheless she has practice hand-to-hand combat at assault.

　(If I manage to take her sword away and leave her unarmed like me, and then force her into a hand-to-hand fight, I might be able to win…)

　(I need to take her sword with my bare hand.)

　(If I use my technique that can turn the impossible, possible…)

(…”tobiugachi”…!)

　Angry, Akari prepares to use her technique.

　Tobiugachi.

　It was originally a technique meant to rip out a part of the human body with ones fingers, like a black kite swooping down and grabbing a small animal.

　The target of tobiugachi that Akari was taught was: the eyeballs, tongue, brain stem, five viscera, major blood vessels, and nervous system.

　The target was defined as things “inside” the body.

　In other words, tobiugachi in the first place was a technique that directly violates Article 9.

　However, Akari has modified this technique herself.

　As if to downgrade the technique, the technique now targets things “outside” the body.

　This was an extremely difficult task for her. It is very difficult for someone to change the muscle memory of a technique that had been memorized by the body through hundreds of repetitions.

　But, Akari was able to override this memory with thousands of repetitions and countless practice, all to overcome and change this lethal-technique into a non-lethal technique.

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　So…

　(I will be fine. I am sure.)

　With that in mind, Akari..

　Relaxing her clenched fist, Akari makes a open hand.

　Like a hawk flying into the air over his prey, Akari relaxes her claws to prepare for the drive.

　… but.

　Shino’s eyes narrowed when she saw Akari moving.

“… I know what you are doing. I know you better than anyone else does, Akari. The other day, you did that technique to take the paper from Raika, didn’t you?”

　(She must be talking about that time that I took back the application form for my Amica contract with Aria from Raika.)

　Akari had used tobiugachi in the spur of the moment that time.

　(… Shino was there that time.)

　Shino was a member of Inquesta.

　Students in the Inquesta department are constantly on the lookout for human characteristics and behaviours.

　The teachers strictly ingrained this into their students to make it a habit.

(… she knows…!)

　To Akari, who’s face now has a element of surprise and fear on it…

“Akari, you took the emblem from Aria using that technique, too. And if you were to use it now, you would take this sword from me.”

　Shino spoke her own deduction as if chasing Akari’s hopes.

　Then, the sabre that Akari had set as he target, Zaku!. Shino had thrust the sword into the ground.

(…?)

　Akari was puzzled at the sight of Shino giving up her weapon.

“I came to the conclusion that that technique can only be used if the target is within arm’s reach. In other words, you have to be virtually next to the target to use it.”

　While saying this… gasaa… gasagaa…

　Shino reached behind the rose bush again and pulls out another sword that she had hidden inside.

“… a samurai always carries a large sword and a small sword. The one I have been using so far is my small sword.”

　The sabre, which Shino had called a small sword, had a blade length of 70cm. That was long enough to be the long sword held by a normal samurai.

　But the sword that Shino had just pulled out…

(… long…!)

　It was an odd-looking sword, with a blade that was well over 1m 50cm in length.

　It was not uncommon to see a Japanese sword like this, they do exist. In the supplementary reading books of the Assault department, there were pictures of these swords such as the odachi, zhanmadao, and so on.

　But a sword that large is usually handled by a mounted warrior.

　It is rare to use a sword that large in hand-to-hand combat, which is exactly what Shino is doing right now.

“This is my large sword, also known as a “clothesline”.”

　But Shino pulled the sword out of its sheath with a practiced hand…

　Like the sabre from earlier, she discarded the sheath.

　This sword design is apparently from China, and at the back end of the handle Shino gripped, the part called the haft, was a metal ring for attaching a decorative cloth, as seen on Chinese swords.

　However, the blade of the sword has a clearly razor sharp edge that even the untrained eye can tell that the sword was forged in Japan.

　With a beautiful curve, its long, elegant shine shows a long killing zone that almost reaches the moon in the night sky…

　Naturally, it was impossible for Akari to enter such a large killing area and grab the handle.

“Akari-chan.”

　Akari noticed that Shino was calling her Akari-chan recently…

　(She usually calls me Akar-san, but will call me Akari-chan when she is excited.)

　With a face filled with passionate heat, and yet calm on the surface.

“… please do not grab the blade. If you do, all your finger will fall off.”

　Following this horrifying threat, which bluntly was warning Akari to not even think about using tobiugachi… sususu

　Shino shifted her posture to the same iai stance as before.

　Shino spread her legs out to the front right, bent her knees to lower her centre of gravity, and moved the sword behind her to build up the rotational force of her lateral cleave.

(… I can’t! Tobiugachi… cannot be used here…!)

　Tobiugachi was even able to take the emblem away from Aria, but a secret technique only works if its true identity and method is not known to the target.

　(She has seen that technique and has taken countermeasures against it… it would be suicidal to use it on Shino, who has exposed tobiugachi.)

　(In order to neutralize Shino’s super long sword, I have to use a different method.)

　(But what can I do if I am unarmed?)

　Under such dire circumstances,

“Shino, why are you…! Aren’t we friend!?”

“I cannot back down… because we are friends!”

　Akari and Shino threw screams at each other.

　And the next moment…

　(…Tobiugachi…!)

　Shino’s super-long sword, which was swung and stretched as if to ignore the distance, caused the blade to sway.

“-!”

　Akari did not hesitate to evade the horizontal slash with a quick, swallow-like side step.

　The fountain behind Akari…

　A break was formed in the running water.

“Did you think I would hesitate?!”

　Shino shouted, kicking off a tree in the garden and jumped over Akari.

　Shino did not show it earlier, but a true Tsubamegaeshi is a double strike with a sword.

　Her clothesline sword, which has a larger swing than her smaller sabre, has only just completed the first slash.

　– the second shot which was intended to catch Akari —

“Naive!”

　The sword descends from above in an elliptical trajectory.

　(This one is Shino’s real striker, her killing blow…!)

(–!)

　In the gap between strike one and two, Akari had pulled off the tie of her uniform that hat been unfastened earlier.

　Gathering all her strength into her small hands, she raises her taut and blade proof necktie to the sky.

　And Shino’s desperate sword strike…

　– Akari caught it with the tie–!

　But it is not enough. As long as a sword is drawn, the next attack will eventually come.

　(Now, I am in control of the flow of this fight!)

　Akari, not missing the moment when Shino, wide-eyed and surprised, lands on her feet and lost her stance.

(–!)

　Akari gripped the sword, which has killed the swords momentum, with both hands through the protective tie.

　Although it is awkward, this is a last resort when using chains or wires to protect oneself from blades.

　(This is just a simplified version of the bare handed sword catch technique that we were taught in the Assault department!)

　When a blade is wide such as on this sword, Akari’s pinch has more leverage than Shino who is holding the sword like a lever.

　So if you were to twist the blade…

“!?”

　–Kokin! And as Shino’s wrist was twisted, she lets go of the sword.

　Shino, being Shino, did not seem to have fully mastered the motion of releasing the tsubamegaeshi swing with such a large sword. The weight of the sword caused her to lose her balance and she stumbled… (TL Note: “Shino being Shino” could be referring to the fact she is a girl and the sword is heavy, maybe she never practised being in a losing fight or preparing for it, maybe she is clumsy, etc. Text does not expand on what that means.)

　She fell into the fountain behind her with a loud splash.

“… haa… haa.. haa…”

　Akari breathed heavily as she slumped down.

　She is in a cold sweat, and her hands are trembling as she clamped the long blade still in the neck tie.

　(It was reckless… too reckless… but… I was able to take Shino’s long sword away from her…)

　While Akari was lucky with her gamble, for the entire fight Shino was out of her mind and immature when it came to actual combat.

　And because of that, Akari could conquer Shino’s technique.

　In the fountain, Shino sat stunned for a while.

　The clock strikes 8:00 a.m… the deadline for the three-day elimination rule has passed.

　(I don’t need to be afraid anymore that someone will come after me to dissolve my War Sister contract with Aria…)

　Akari breathed a sigh of relief.

“… fuee…. fueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

　Akari heard crying coming from the fountain.

　The crying came from a soaking wet Shino.

“Akari-chan hates me now! I am back to being all alone again!”

　She was wailing like a child.

　Seeing her, Akari finally… she finally felt like she could understand Shino’s true feelings.

　(Shino acts like a cool and mature lady, but she is actually really lonely…)

　(She was worried.)

　(She was afraid that me and Aria having a War Sister contract would break our friendship.)

(Now that I think about it… the last time Shino went out of her way to buy my a leaf pie to eat with her after school… I refused to eat it…)

　(looking back on how I treated her, after seeing her true feelings for me…)

　(I… might have done something terrible to her, and hurt her…)

　That is what Akari thought.

“I am sorry I was insensitive to you… Shino, I’m… Sorry I could not see how important our friendship was. I do not hate you.”

　Akari crouched down on the edge of the fountain, put her face close to Shino’s, and apologized.

“Re-… really? You don’t hate me?”

　With tears in her eyes, Shino asked Akari like a puppy that was about to be abandoned.

　Akari smiled like she was Shino’s big sister, despite Shino being much taller than her.

“Yep!”

　Akari said gently.

　Then Shino moved her face 5cm closer to Akari.

“Then, do you like me? Do you like me?”

　While closing the distance to 4cm, then 3cm, Shino questions Akari with a look of anticipation that Akari cannot say no to.

　Akari was a little overwhelmed by it.

“Ye-, yep.”

　With a wry smile, Akari nodded.

　Then, paaaaaaa….!

“Akari-chan!”

　Shino, her smile as beautiful as a rose, jumped at Akari.

“… I love you too! I love you -!”

　Shino jumped on Akari, reducing the distance between them to zero, and then she hugged Akari with a gyuu! The hug was tight enough that it hurt Akari a little.

“Shi-, Shino-chan…?”

“I love, love, LOVE you!”

　Akari’s eyes went black and white as Shino repeated this to her.

　Shino was going overboard as if to solidify a friendship that was almost lost.

　At any rate though…

　Akari and Shino’s first big fight thus came to an end.

　… it was the next day.

　Akari, who was on day duty, arrived at school early today.

“Fuwaaa.”

　Behind her, Raika, also on day duty, continued to clean, sweeping the ground with the broom in her hand.

　Right now, Akari and Raika are the only two people on day duty.

(I cleared the three-day elimination rule, but… Shino, I wonder if she is ok…)

　Akari looked distressed as she wiped the blackboard.

　(Yesterday, after that fight, I had to calm Shino down, who was crying…)

　(We had made the excuse to the maids that we were playing in the garden and fell into the pool, so we managed to get away with no one knowing about our fight…)

　(I wonder if Shino caught a cold though after that. I am worried…)

“Good Morning.”

　Upon the classroom door opening though, Akari heard Shino’s voice.

　Akari, who was just involved in a fight with Shino yesterday, turns around a bit flustered.

“Sh-, Shino-chan. About yesterday…”

　Fearfully, Akari looked at Shino’s face. Shino though was smiling; and then, suddenly…
“Akari-san, I learned something interesting recently… Have you ever heard of a Amica Group?”
　Akari tilts her head in confusion upon being asked about such a subject.
　(Apparantly Shino has been obsessively finding out more information about War Sisters…)
“Amica Groups is a system where War Sisters form groups with other War Sisters. They share tips and information with each other as well as work and train together!”
　With a look of motivation, Shino gave such an explanation.
“– That is why I also applied to one of my senpais to become their Amica! Akari-san, let’s become a Amica Group!”
　Shino is…
　Instead of dissolving Akari and Aria’s War Sister contract, she is now burning with a new goal: to become a Amica Group with Akari.
“O-, Ok.”
　Akari was quite intimidated by the aggressive Shino, who is now bringing her face closer and closer to Akari’s.
　Still…
　(I am happy that Shino was feeling better.)
　Akari was able to regain her smile. But Shino followed that request with,
“Because we are in love with each other!”
　Shino hugged Akari with a “kya!” expression on her face, despite Raika also being there.
“Hey, Shi-, Shino-chan!”
　Akari was flustered when Shino began giving her a passionate kiss on the cheek…
　Raika, who was watching the skinship of these two girls,
“You-, you guys, just… don’t make a mistake, okay?”
　With a slightly tightened face, she leaned against the broom like it was a cane.


　　§　　　§


　A black gymnasium.
　It is a facility for the Assault department, which is the most problematic of all the notorious butei academy’s at Tokyo Butei High. The sounds of gunfire and sword fights never cease, with the lives of the young people in constant threat, with there being more than a few fatal accidents…
(… I’m back.)
　A black hair, dead inside looking boy entered the gymnasium.
　His steps were heavy as was high sighing.
　His depression was easy to see, even as he opens the entrance door to the all black gymnasium of the Assault department.
　Then, he casts his dark gaze around the gymnasium after classes were going on.
　Everyone in the gymnasium noticed his gaze.
　The students in the Assault department, who had been training independently in the hall of the first floor, stopped and turned their eyes to the entrance.
“Huh?”
“That’s…”
“It’s him!”
　The black-haired boy, while looking at the curious eyes of the others, still with a depressed look on his face…
　Kinji Tohyama sighed once again.

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