Chrome Shelled Regios

Chapter 5: The vow on that day

The day of the match had arrived. Zuellni had finished its resupply. The Student President said they'd spend the next two to three days tidying things up, then continue moving.

Although they couldn't see the War Field, the enthusiasm of the audience had reached the room. Layfon found it unbelievable that he would see the day where Naruki was frowning in the waiting room for a platoon match.

"Are you all right?"

"Seems I have some problems," Naruki made some noise, exhausted. She let out a heavy breath, her hand covering her face. Layfon understood that feeling. A feeling of being unable to control her consciousness. Although she had returned to the platoon in order to observe, she still needed to adapt to some areas.

The atmosphere on Layfon's side was also heavy. Today, he had to defeat Dinn and Dalshena. He knew he didn't have to kill them. He just had to inflict injuries on them that would make them lie in the hospital for more than half a year. And to do that, he had to use a Katana. Psyharden techniques had to be executed with a Katana. To make it clear, a sword could also be used, and for Layfon who excelled at Military Arts, he might be able to do it with a sword. But a sword wouldn't allow him to reach the same level as a Katana. It might mean inflicting more severe wounds than intended, wounds that might never heal. Pressure weighed down on Layfon. Having been taught the skill of a Katana, handling a sword was not within his field.

(This isn't my first day using a weapon outside my field. But......)

It was the same when he took on the title of the Heaven's Blade successor. The Heaven's Blade he received had the form of a sword, and that was how Layfon fought. However......

(I still have to use a Katana in the present.)

As a human, he was embarrassing. And not just that......

"Layfon........."

It was Nina's voice. Her face didn't wear that dominating expression that she always donned in platoon matches. In other words, even Nina couldn't approach today's fight with her usual self.

"Are you all right?"

The question he asked Naruki before was now directed at him. Layfon could only smile bitterly.

The student acting as communicator headed over to them to relay a command. Without a word, Nina followed that student. Sharnid patted Layfon's shoulder and followed Nina's example. Next came Naruki. Layfon slowly sat up and kept a distance from them. Felli walked over to him.

"Fon Fon."

A soft, everyday greeting. The usual Layfon would have worried about Nina and the others hearing this name of his, but he felt nothing today. For some reason, he didn't worry about it at all. He didn't know exactly why he was like this today. Fighting with a Katana, the conversation he had with Sharnid yesterday, Nina's determination, and Haia's goal......All sorts of things flew through his head, leaving no room to agonize over Felli's greeting.

But Layfon answered as usual. "What is it?"

Felli cocked her head. Layfon couldn't tell the meaning behind her expressionless face.

"What is Haia's goal?" she asked.

"He probably wants to hunt down that thing, but......"

What did he intend to do once he caught the thing? Neither Layfon nor Felli knew.

That thing was the goat that Layfon met in the ruined city. It said something curious to him and then disappeared. Layfon suspected the goat was the one who buried all the dead in the city.