Ikki gave a slightly stiff smile before finally reaching out to shake the other person's hand.
A boy's body with a girl's heart—what kind of bizarre combination was that? Ikki was clearly at a loss when faced with someone like that.
"By the way, these two are...?"
As a member of Rebellion, Arisugawa Nagi naturally recognized White Night and the other—members of Twin Fangs of Lightning, and the younger siblings of the White Knight, Yakushi Kiriko.
"White Night."
"Bronya."
In response, White Night and Bronya merely gave their names and shook hands with Arisugawa Nagi, their reactions relatively indifferent.
As for reforming assassins living in darkness... umm... better leave that to Ikki, Shizuku, and the others~
Near Broken Blade Academy stood a massive nationwide shopping center.
The group took a bus and quickly arrived. Because of the earlier commotion, it was nearly noon by the time they got there.
"Brother, there's still some time before the movie starts. How about we eat first?"
Shizuku spoke sweetly. All along the way, she had been clinging to Ikki's arm with no intention of letting go. "Besides, thanks to someone, I'm getting hungry too."
"In that case, I recommend the food court on the first floor~" Seeing this, Arisugawa eagerly offered a suggestion.
"Mmm~ This is really good."
Stella held a crepe in her hands, her crimson eyes sparkling brightly. She was clearly very pleased.
"It is. The cream flavor is rich, and the aftertaste lingers." Shizuku also ate delicately, taking small bites.
Beside them, Arisugawa clasped her hands together, looking exceptionally approachable. "Right, right? I had a hard time finding this place, so I wanted to recommend it to you all."
"But if you want ice cream, I still recommend a shop on the third floor~"
"Arisugawa really knows this place well."
"Exactly. Bronya doesn't know anything about it at all~" White Night draped an arm over Bronya's shoulder and said it without the slightest restraint.
"Mm—!"
But trouble came from loose lips. The next moment, Bronya mercilessly drove an elbow into White Night, sending him staggering back. "Think before you speak."
And then... it could barely be considered a classic scene.
"Shizuku."
Ikki suddenly stood up and leaned over the table. He gently wiped the cream from Shizuku's face with his thumb, then put it into his mouth. "You dressed up so beautifully for once, so you should pay more attention~"
The sudden gesture made Shizuku blush furiously. Her defenses were unexpectedly weak~
"Bronya."
"Bronya understands."
White Night and Bronya huddled together again, speaking in extremely low voices. Under the table, a camera appeared...
—Stella's face, meanwhile, was smeared all over with cream, and she looked as though she felt nothing at all. "What is it? Is there something on my face?"
"If there is, you can help me take it off like you did for Shizuku~" As she spoke, a blush spread across her face, and her voice gradually fell.
I think this calls for a razor... White Night leaned entirely over to Bronya's ear. "Well? Did you get it on camera?"
Bronya did not answer. She silently handed the camera formed from her Spirit Armor to White Night.
"...I'll go borrow a towel for you." Ikki sighed helplessly and left his seat to get one.
"Miss Stella, are you an idiot?"
"...Sh-shut up. Seriously."
Watching the others interact, White Night could not help laughing. "Seriously, you guys... why make feeding someone such a hassle?"
As he spoke, White Night held out his crepe... and Bronya naturally took a bite, their coordination flawless.
If it were a kiss... with White Night's current sense of propriety, he obviously could not bring himself to do it. But feeding each other was such a small thing. Wasn't it as simple as eating and drinking?
"Rebellion"
After filling their stomachs, White Night and Bronya found an excuse to split off from the others.
"After this, it should be that incident."
"Mm, White Night, should we apply to the Chairman now?"
"Let's wait until it happens. If we call now..."
"Yeah~ We'll probably get scolded, right?"
As they spoke, the two moved through the various floors, their senses stretched almost to their limits!
—White Night had seen some rumor somewhere before: Twin Wings Edelweiss was also here. Maybe it had been fanfiction? He could not remember the details.
That allowed the two to avoid the first wave of the terrorist attack. Accompanied by a series of "rat-tat-tat-tat—!" gunshots, several figures seized control of the shopping center.
◆ Rebellion
A terrorist organization primarily composed of Blade Dancers.
They were a group that abused Blade Dancer Supernatural Abilities, believing Blade Dancers were "the chosen new humans," while ordinary people were "inferior beings." They advocated that Blade Dancers should rule over the "inferior humans" and establish a paradise belonging to the "new humans."
Of course, although its core ideology was to create a new world centered around Blade Dancers, more than ninety percent of its members were merely "believers."
Most believers were ordinary people equipped with firearms. True Blade Dancer elites were few in number and were called "apostles."
Apostles who were Blade Dancers commanded believers who served as ordinary soldiers in battle. That was Rebellion's operating policy.
"As expected, rumors can't be trusted."
White Night folded his arms and leaned against a load-bearing pillar. Hidden in the terrorists' blind spot, he looked down at everyone from above.
Beside him, Bronya spoke calmly. Wasn't it just that they had not found her? She had never held out much hope to begin with. "Not necessarily. Maybe we just haven't run into her yet?"
"Do we need to establish contact?"
"No need. They're only a few small fry. More importantly, should we intervene over Stella getting embarrassed..."
White Night was still speaking when he saw Stella already making her move below. "Uh~ Looks like there's no need."
The plan had originally been to wait until Shizuku set up the barrier before moving in to subdue the terrorists. Unfortunately... fate sometimes loved playing tricks on people.
"Don't bully my mom!"
Amid the crowd being shoved around, a woman was violently thrown aside. At that moment, a boy about elementary-school age jumped out and angrily hurled the ice cream in his hand at one of the soldiers.
"...You little... brat!"
After freezing for a moment, the soldier viciously sent the boy flying. With a savage expression, he handled his gun. "For a rude little brat like you..."
"No! Stop! Please, don't!"
The woman begged, but it was meaningless. Flames still burst from the muzzle.
At a time like this, someone had no choice but to step forward. A blazing dragon-shaped flame swallowed the bullets, saving the mother and son.
"Damn it, a Blade Dancer?"
The soldier roared and kept pulling the trigger. A barrage of bullets struck Stella's body, only to be incinerated by the flame-colored Dragon Robe. "It's useless."
"Bullets won't work against my Dragon Robe. I don't intend to fight you. Let me negotiate with your leader."
As she spoke, Stella calmly stepped forward. Her composed appearance was truly impressive.
"Don't talk nonsense! Who do you think you are—"
"Put down the gun, Yejin."
A figure in a black cloak slowly emerged, theatrically spreading his arms as his tone grew increasingly twisted. "My, my, isn't this Her Highness Stella, the second princess of the Kingdom of Vermillion?"
"It is truly an honor to meet you."
"Are you their leader?"
"That's right. My name is Smile. Pleased to meet you." Smile removed the hood covering his head... revealing blond hair and tattoos across his face.
Then he looked toward the soldier. "Hey, Yejin, what are you doing? Didn't I say not to lay a hand on the hostages?"
"Y-yes, sorry, but... but that brat threw ice cream at me."
"You made such a fuss over something like that?!!"
But what followed was not justice being upheld. Instead... Smile pointed his gun at the mother and son. "A child's poor upbringing is also the parents' responsibility, isn't it?"
"Pay for it with your life."
At that, flames ignited around Stella and formed a golden greatsword in her palm. "Aid me, Dragon Sinner Sword!"
Explosive Magic Power erupted beneath her feet as Stella leaped high into the air. Flames coiled around her blade as she brought it down viciously toward Smile. This blow was enough to split mountains and shatter stone!
A little brat was still a little brat. No matter how talented you are, you're still too green right now!
Smile revealed a triumphant grin and calmly raised one hand toward Stella...
The storm of Magic Power abruptly stopped, and everything fell silent—an open book appeared from thin air in Smile's left hand, its pages flipping madly as it absorbed every bit of impact. (The power of knowledge.jpg)
A wild smile spread across his face, twisting even his tattoos. His right hand curled slightly before he drove a punch into Stella's stomach, crimson Magic Power shooting into the sky.
How could this be...
With that thought in mind, Stella was violently sent flying and rolled across the ground several times.
"The Great Judge's Ring. Its ability is 'Sin' and 'Punishment': the 'Sin' in the left hand absorbs all damage received, then the right hand releases that power upon the opponent as 'Punishment.'"
Smile looked immensely pleased with himself, but White Night found him rather stupid for actually revealing information about his Inherent Gear.
"I see..."
Stella pushed herself up and understood as well. "In other words, I was knocked down by my own full-powered attack."
"My, my, as expected of Her Highness the Princess~"
Smile's movements remained exaggerated, and his tone continued down an increasingly twisted path without turning back. "For Her Highness's sake, I'll give you a proposal that can save these people."
"...What proposal?"
Although she was certain he had no good intentions, Stella fell silent for a moment before asking anyway.
"It's simple. Just apologize."
Then came a grotesque expression. As he smiled crookedly, the tattoos writhed across his blond face. "But you'll have to do it completely naked, kneeling with all five limbs on the ground~"
"Kehehehehe—!"
A twisted laugh came from Smile's punchable face. After all, Stella's figure... combined with her status as a princess, greatly stirred a man's desire to conquer.
"That's why she was too rash." From above, Bronya spoke calmly as her entire body gradually transformed into black Thunderlight.
White Night was much the same. However, as Yang, he transformed into pure white Yang Lightning. "Ikki is probably panicking right now, isn't he?"
"After all, for a woman..."
"It really is excessive~"
They spoke one after another, their words connecting with flawless coordination. Gradually, the Elementalization process reached its end... their forms vanished completely, turning into black and white Thunderlight!
◆ Elementalization
Yakushi Kiriko, as the Water Mage, could use her extraordinary control to achieve something close to "Elementalization."
Then naturally, White Night and Bronya could do the same. Yin-Yang constructing their bodies was not something that came from nowhere—the most fundamental principle was the conversion between matter and energy.
"Rumble—!"
Before you continue