AtE Arc 3: The Magical Girl’s Iron Hammer – Chapter 4
The next day.
Naturally, having failed once, it wasn’t guaranteed that the culprit would take the bait again. As such, we urged other teachers to cooperate with us, and requested that they stakeout various places like in our previous plan.
Other than that, we had to put more than just one person on lookout in the residential area to protect the students, so our people ended up being fairly spread out. As such, the protection of Kasamiya-san who volunteered to be bait was left to Mutsu-sensei and I alone.
「How are your preparations going?」
「I can go at any time!」
「Yup. That’s a good response. But don’t overdo it. Got that?」
「Yes.」
We were paying the utmost attention to preventing the pervert from noticing Mutsu-sensei and myself by utilizing Mutsu-sensei’s ability, Phantom Coat.
For that, Mutsu-sensei had to be in a place where he could could constantly see us. Thus, he was looking from a slightly far distance. However, thanks to that, I could remain on standby just five steps behind Kasamiya-san.
「We’re going.」
「Okay……」
The sky was leaden with a thick cloud cover, but no rain fell.
The field of vision was rather good. Detection Arts were also at full blast. Now, for the finishing touch-
「【Open・Form・Defense・Arm・Pinpoint・Freeze】」
「Eh? Just now……?」
「I’ll teach you once you become a second year student. Come on now.」
「Um, not that, but……o-okay.」
There were both merits and risks to casting a Magical Art of a rather high difficulty level.
Well, leaving that aside, for now I should encourage Kasamiya-san.
「I hope it doesn’t rain.」
Kasamiya-san’s side profile as she murmured that appeared fragile.
The fury that hid behind that ephemeral expression belonged only to her. The only one permitted to reveal “that” which she has been boxing up, was none other than her.
She had a unique atmosphere as if she were all alone.
As I watched over her innocent and defenseless back, suddenly, a golden circle (unidentified) indicator appeared in my head.
It was the pervert that I was unable to identify in the end yesterday. My cultivated intuition told me that it definitely was them.
「Tsk.」
Suddenly, Kasamiya-san came to a stop.
Walking leisurely a few metres ahead of her was what I recognized as a golden circle.
I wonder if instead of making a surprise attack today, it was intending on scaring her by exposing her to some sort of obscenity instead?
「Kihi-」
The edges of the man’s mouth warped pervertedly.
Rather, this man’s clothes……all of them, including the hat that he’s wearing low over his eyes, are something that you see quite often. There’s no uncertainty about it – that’s definitely the uniform of a garbageman, isn’t it?
「That’s no good, Ojou-san. You shouldn’t be in a place like this all alone.」
「W-What is it? Who…are you?」
「I know! Onii-san will take you to a safe place.」
「P-Please answer me.」
「It’s okay, there’s nothing to be afraid of. That’s right, yeah, we’ve finally met after all. I’m sure that it’s destiny. My…hihehe…my own fairy.」
Judging from how her words didn’t seem to be reaching him at all, he evidently was a lunatic.
The figure of him spreading both arms apart as he walked slowly towards us felt eerie. Ahh, this…this person truly is…a “hopeless” human being.
「Kihi…haa」
His pace that had been leisurely, suddenly sped up.
While sending dust flying into the air, the number of legs running forward went from two to four.
Nails that lengthened into sharp points, teeth that became jagged, and pupils that shone underneath his cap.
So he’s a Carrier – Transformation Type!
「We will be mat——」
「【Freeze Cancel・Ignition】」
「——wha…gyahi!?」
Stepping in front of Kasamiya-san, I put up a defensive barrier.
His momentum sent him colliding into it, and he stepped back as he was repelled.
「Grrrrr…….you…just when-」
「It seems that Tokusen will also have to carefully examine the contractors coming in and out of its premises. To think that an Ability User had slipped in……」
Normally, if an associated contractor was an Ability User, they were obligated to carry a terminal that would sense the usage of their ability. It was something that contains a GPS as well, and just walking around without it warranted a severe punishment but……
「Move, you old hag! I’m gonna become mates with that girl.」
「Old……hmm……I can’t possibly allow you to do such a one-sided thing.」
「Are you jealous, old hag?」
……is 26 years old considered old?
Eh? No, it’s not that young? But you know, isn’t calling me an old hag a bit cruel?
「”Phantom Labyrinth”——there is no path beyond here.」
「-!?」
And, while I was sacrificing my body, it seemed that Mutsu-sensei had finished putting up a barrier.
A Illusionary Barrier. In the man’s eyes, the area around him will appear blocked off by walls, which will give off the impression of being unclimbable.
It was often limited to causing living beings to be recognized as walls or objet d’art, but it was a high grade technique with an effective range that stands above the rest……rather, Mutsu-sensei…isn’t your temper worse than yesterday’s?
「I was listening in, but you just kept saying such horrible things to Mitsukasa-sensei——Mitsukasa-sensei is beautiful! Screw off!」
Ah, so it was that.
N-No…I’m happy…but right now that’s a bit…you know?
Mutsu-sensei’s facial expression showed how rage was filling his heart and mind as he declared that. Somehow, hasn’t his character changed?
「Shaddup! Anything above 18 is an old hag! That old hag is over 20 years old so she’s an old hag!」
「Haa? Aren’t your eyes rotten? 26 years old isn’t even an aunt yet! She’s a pretty Onee-san! You understand? She’s an Onee-san, you know!?」
「Do you have an old hag fetish, you bastard!?」
「I said she’s an Onee-san! You get it, a pretty Onee-san! Repeat after me!!」
I-I’d rather prefer that you don’t go around declaring people’s ages, yup.
In the first place, aren’t you emphasizing the word ‘onee-san’ a little too much? Eh? Was Mutsu-sensei of that sort?
「Mitsukasa-sensei, don’t look. You shouldn’t look at either side.」
「Yeah…well…I’m fine. More importantly, retreat back a bit, Kasamiya-san.」
「Eh?」
「Well, getting back to business——allow me to show you the “Battle of a Magic User”.」
Normally I’d give more of a warning before starting, but the opponent’s fangs are already bared.
That being the case, he shouldn’t mind if I return fire as revenge for his fangs.
「【Open・Form・Attack Barrel・Plus・Defense Barrel・Arm・Shortcut・Plus・Limit: 10 minutes・Start】」
It was difficult to turn a spell with specific settings added to it into a swift attack art.
That was why, while Mutsu-sensei was gaining us time by quarreling (if you had to call that something), I will finish chanting plenty of Arias.
I left behind Kasamiya-san, who was confused at the numerous components added to the spell, and walked with my arm thrusted forward. Doing so deployed a white magic circle with complicated patterns on it.
「【Bullet】」
「What’s wrong with callin’ an old hag, an old ha——GU-!?」
「She’s an Onee-san! You could even call her Onee-sam——OWAH?!」
The man dodged with beast-like reflexes.
However, he was unable to fully dodge, as his left arm was grazed.
「Mutsu-sensei, take care of Kasamiya-san.」
「Y-Yes!」
「I shall speak to you afterwards.」
「Y-Yesh!」
The man readjusted his stance in midair and landed on all fours like a beast.
A tail and ears that flickered hazily. Nails that had become sharp. A Dog Series Carrier Type. From amongst them, he was probably an Ability User of the Transformation Type that could alter his body.
「What the hell was that! Aren’t the Magical Arts just the leftover scum of abilities!? 」
「【Bullet】【Bullet】【Bullet】——the Magical Arts are an independent technique. Though such underhanded tricks may have a decrease in power and accuracy, and may have a lot of demerits……for someone of your level, this is sufficient.」
No, well…I’m just using low-power attacks so that we can arrest him without serious injury…….but it’s probably fine even if I don’t talk about such extraneous things.
The air bullets that shot out every time I chanted probably only felt like a punch even if they hit. Even so, they were capable of preventing the man from leaping away like he wanted. If it was just to strike his four limbs, then this was plenty.
A hard cracking sound resounded.
The stone pavement that the man stepped on broke, sending up a cloud of dust as the magic bullet tripped up his first step.
Every time he took a step, a bullet would come flying, gradually wearing down the man’s physical strength and resistance.
「Agi—GUAH?!」
「【Bullet】」
「Sh-shit—」
「【Bullet】」
「Agya—za—go—」
「【Bullet】」
Each and every shot sent the man’s body flying into the air, and he rolled around as if he were prancing.
「Is…n’t it weird!? Why is…someone like you…completely unknown!!」
「The status of a Magic User is lower than that of an ESPer. Because there is such a misconception, people do not realize the convenience of magic.」
Magic is powerful.
Everything that you can devise becomes a supra-rational power.
Magic is frail.
Compared to modern-day weapons, it is an inferior power.
And?
So what?
If you pursue such a convenient technique to its limits, it evolves from being a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none to an All-Rounder. This was simply that.
「D-do-don’t come any closer!!」
「It was just cutting up some uniforms. If you really think that, then I’ll make you realize it. The fear of being pinned down by an indomitable power——!」
Every time I took a step forward, the man fearfully shrunk away.
I do not plan on pointlessly tormenting him. Like this, in one stroke——
「Kyaa!?」
「Uwah—」
「!」
A scream.
When I turned around at the sudden event, it was there behind a collapsed Mutsu-sensei.
A “Black Wolf” was holding a struggling Kasamiya-san in its mouth.
「Kasamiya-san!」
「I-I’m okay…it doesn’t hurt——more importantly, Mutsu-sensei is……ahh-」
An stealth ability that prevented my detection magic from finding it.
If it can do that, then it just shows how much of a difference there was between “us”.
『Grrrrrrr』
As the wolf growled, it began to disappear as if it were melting into the shadows.
Belatedly shooting some bullets in confusion, the figure of the wolf disappeared from the surroundings.
「That man also……tsk.」
Perhaps the wolf took him away, but the man had also disappeared.
This was probably a race against time. If she’s been kidnapped by that, who knows what’ll happen to her!
What should I do? Deploy a flying technique. No, if I can’t track it, then that’s just sending me off on a wild goose chase. Scour the area? That’ll take way too much time!
What should I do, what should I do, what should I do——.
『Please, give me the chance to fight……!』
Suddenly, the voice of Kasamiya-san as she resolved herself to fight floated through my head.
Ahh, that’s right. Kasamiya-san had resolved herself. I’m sure that she’s fighting, even now.
That being the case, if I were to run away from fighting “myself”, then I won’t be able to face Kasamiya-san……!
「Are you alright?」
「Gu-…y-yes. Sorry…I let down…my guard.」
「【Open・Form・Heal・Plus・Sleep・Ignition】——it’s healing magic with an anesthetic effect. I will put up a barrier, so please stay there until help comes.」
「Y…es.」
Mutsu-sensei fell asleep due to the power of the magic.
The tip of his shoulder was cut up in a flashy manner, but compared to the amount of bleeding the wound was quite shallow. Because it was dealt with quickly, originally there probably wasn’t any need to put him to sleep.
But.
As expected, there was no way I could show him.
「Come,【Wreath of Lapis Lazuli】」
Magical・Trans・Fact.
I called upon the glittering magic Stick. My body was dressed with the usual magic costume.
After making the obligatory poses from beginning to end, my world expanded.
Pursuing while deciding on a magic to use was a waste of time.
In the end, just trying to accelerate the sequence would in contrast lead to unnecessary labour. Above all else, in a situation where “that” has a “possible selection”, I’ll have to choose or else Stick has a shitty means of malfunctioning.
That’s why, I shall chant.
And then, this time, I will have him realize it.
The fear of being one-sidedly trampled by overwhelming power——!!
「【Trans・Fact・Change】!!」
Kiriko Translations 
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Thanks for the new chapter!
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