Countermeasure Committee (7)
And,
Manmaenjeon moves to support the Hosino rescue operation of the Countermeasure Committee.
‘Finally starting?’
Double Makoto is time to switch roles.
After finishing the speech, Makoto comes out from the shadows of the curtain.
I welcome Makoto eagerly.
“You worked hard.”
We high-five, clapping hands together.
“Kikit! There's no need to say anything between us. You're another me, now it's your turn to step up.”
“Yeah, leave it to me.”
I take the baton from Makoto. Having left the curtain, I head to the stage.
If I were to express it like the formation in Blue Archive, that would be it.
Makoto is the support in the rear, and I am the striker in the field.
Therefore, Double Makoto is a complementary relationship.
‘This is the first real battle... but I can do it.’
I honed my sniping skills for this moment. I can't back down like a coward.
It's fighting together with Hina on the battlefield against common enemies.
‘The scene of taking on the enemy one by one while having each other's backs is the romance of the genre... Ah, I want to do it with Hina someday-’
I grip my treasured sniper rifle, Yua Dokson.
My motivation is overflowing. If Hina joins, I can show off my performance to her.
“Makocchi-senpai, hurry up and get on.”
Natsume Iroha, leading the super heavy tank Toramaru, deploys. I board the Toramaru.
Destination is Kaiser's PMC's 51st district.
Manmaenjeon will provide cover so that the Countermeasure Committee reaches the target point safely.
‘Kaiser PMC was planning a pincer attack from the north and east to suppress the Countermeasure Committee.’
The Kaiser PMC chairman wants to reinforce the defense unit stationed in the north. But Hina blocks the north.
Then Manmaenjean will take the east. It's a joint operation with Hina.
Large-scale troops will also come from the east.
Preventing Kaiser's PMC's troops from concentrating.
Large-scale unit appearance in front! ······Identification mark confirmed, the opponent is Kaiser PMC!
The scout's report comes over the radio. The voice is clearly shaken.
The enemy isn't a delinquent student. They're an elite unit who makes mercenary work their profession.
They are a far more demanding adversary than what Makoto's speech described.
“Finally appeared. From now on, I'll exterminate the enemy in front of me.”
“H, but the opponent is Kaiser PMC······.”
“I'll carve into you with bullets what happens when you challenge Manmaenjean.”
They are an opponent on a different level from the one previously warned about. But I don't care.
Double Makoto can speak two lines with two mouths.
“Anyone who interferes with me is the enemy of Gehenna!”
Makoto's momentum is the strongest in Kivotos. The same goes for the clone. I'll push forward like this.
“Attack. I'll annihilate them all!”
I gave the order to advance to Manmaenjean's troops.
“Manmaenjean is strong! Unbeatable! The strongest! They will never fall to villains. Justice always wins, after all!”
“······Makocchi-senpai.”
Iroha, who looks like she's about to spill the beans about me next to Makoto.
“It must be embarrassing to be part of Manmaenjean, so keep quiet for a bit.”
I was scolded by Iroha.
But I had no choice. There are times when a man wants to shout a cool line at least once. My body is Makoto, but my heart is a man.
‘Is my heart still that of a man... probably.’
Confidence is lacking. My masculinity has been crumbling lately.
“Toramaru, fire the main gun!”
And,
Full-scale combat begins.
♤
The number of Prefect Team members facing Kaiser's PMC troops is small. Only three.
But numbers are a facade. Three people are enough for combat power.
Sorasaki Hina is a one-woman army, a girl close to the total force of the Prefect Team.
‘I won't miss even one.’
Hina sweeps the battlefield. Every time the muzzle spits flames, the enemy collapses in an instant.
Large-scale troops are soon facing annihilation. They retreat without overcoming Hina.
‘I'll exterminate the enemy like this.’
Only a few Automatons of Kaiser PMC remain. Most are out of combat.
Just as Hina was about to suppress the last one,
Taang. The Automaton is pierced by an unexpected sniper bullet and collapses.
But it's not the Prefect Team's attack. Long-range fire. Support from a third party.
“Ako. What was that just now?”
Hina called Ako.
She had planned to ask Ako, who supports the Prefect Team remotely, for confirmation.
“······.”
But before Ako's communication, Hina had already witnessed it.
Makoto walking toward her while holding a sniper rifle.
Ah, ah!? The shooter is, the fox from Manmaenjean! Why here!? This is impossible! What is President Makoto doing here······!?
“Ako, don't make a fuss. I saw it too.”
“Manmaenjean is clearly trying to steal the Prefect Team's achievements! This whole thing is President Makoto's scheme······! Deputy Head, we have to teach that fox a lesson!”
Ako is in a panic. Hina, overwhelmed by the noise, cuts off the communication line.
“Shut up, Ako.”
Hina sheathes her weapon and cools the overheated barrel.
Since there are no remaining enemies left on the battlefield.
“Iori, Chinatsu. Don't do any unnecessary actions either.”
Soon after, Hina scolds the two girls.
Although the situation has ended, the other members of the Prefect Team besides Hina still keep Makoto in check.
“Ah.”
A helicopter flies over the sky in the distance. It's from Schale. Through the cockpit window, the bespectacled girl of the Countermeasure Committee appears for a moment.
‘Is that so.’
Hina had an intuition. Sensei had completed the operation.
With this, Hina's role in supporting Schale is also complete.
‘Should I head back.’
She had left the work behind. There are many things to handle after returning.
Hina has finished preparing to return to Gehenna.
But there is something she must do before that.
Eventually, Hina stares at Makoto who has approached her.
“How was my shooting just now? It was probably a decisive shot.”
Makoto asked Hina directly.
But Hina doesn't give an affirmative or negative answer to that question.
“What's the intention?”
Hina asks Makoto instead. The situation is unclear.
“The reason is simple. Because I want to.”
An answer that Hina cannot accept. No clear resonance.
“······Alright, I'll leave it at that.”
But after hearing the answer, Hina doesn't dig deeper.
As Hina, she couldn't feel the need, so she gave up. Besides, she was tired.
Hina restores the temporarily cut communication line.
“Situation ended. Returning, Ako.”
After that, Hina briefly reports the situation to Ako.
Again, Hina passes by Makoto and moves her feet.
And every time they cross paths, Makoto leaves an unknown meaning for Hina.
‘We keep meeting like this over and over.’
Hanuma Makoto is strange. The original that Hina knows is completely different.
At first, she ignored it.
Then she suspected it. She tried to dig into the truth.
But Hina still can't figure it out.
Why Makoto is approaching her.
‘Haa-’
Even if she thinks about it, her head just hurts. Hina has postponed her judgment on Makoto.
Makoto is strange, and the reason is unknown. An ongoing mystery.
But there is one impression that resonates with Hina.
‘If it's the Makoto on this side, I probably wouldn't hate it that much.’
Hina thinks that way.