Episode 2: It’s Tough to Be a Leader
Kisshouharukaze High School had a cooking research society. The society was categorized as less than a full-fledged club. Societies received fewer funds, but they had no obligation to report on their activities, nor were there any restrictions. As a result, their presidents would frequently change. For the sports-oriented societies, there were usually tournaments in the autumn, which were generally triggers for the changeover. For others, changes would happen around the beginning of the year. That was also the time to begin preparations to recruit new members.
“...and so, as of yesterday, I am the new president of the cooking society.”
“Congratulations, Kasagi-san. It can be challenging, but it is worth it, so good luck.”
“Thank you very much. By the way...I’d like to ask you for advice, Sakuraba-senpai.”
“Ah, so that’s what you wanted.”
Yesterday, Shizuka had become the cooking society’s president. But since she knew next to nothing about it, she was anxious, so she’d turned to Harumi, who had been the president of the knitting society.
“That’s okay, I will teach you what I know.”
“I am in your care, Sakuraba-senpai!”
Naturally, Harumi wasn’t against helping. The idea of rejecting an important friend’s request for advice never even occurred to her. She wanted to do what she could.
“So, right off the bat, how do I recruit new students?” Shizuka asked.
“Um, as I recall, you need to report to the student council.”
The two girls were sitting across from each other at the tea table in room 106. There was still quite some time before the sun would set, and nobody else would be back for a while. They figured they would have more than enough time to talk.
“I’m pretty sure that there will be a meeting explaining it shortly.”
“So that’s how they do things... Thank goodness.”
“There will be a penalty if you try to recruit new students without reporting it, so be careful.”
“A penalty?”
“Like a reduced budget or activities being shut down for a week. If the infraction is really bad, the society could even be disbanded.”
“That’s scary! I’d better play by the rules.”
Shizuka asked about everything on her mind one by one, and Harumi politely answered. Both of them were diligent, so the questions became quite detailed. Shizuka was a landlord, and Harumi was being influenced by Alaia. Both of them had a strong sense of responsibility, and they couldn’t relax until they’d discussed everything on their minds.
“...so it would be best to do it with three people, but everyone aside from me was just a member on paper, so I had to do it on my own,” Harumi concluded.
“But you managed to hook Satomi-kun in the end, so it all worked out, didn’t it?”
“I wasn’t... I wasn’t trying to hook him...”
“I would love more details on how you managed to hook him.”
“Jeez, everyone’s being so mean lately!”
“That’s because you’ve really gotten healthier lately, so everyone can be a little tougher with you, Sakuraba-senpai.”
Once the conversation reached Koutarou, the two started to derail. They switched from the important points and preparedness of a society president—in other words, a leader—to an intimate discussion about Koutarou. When it came down to it, they were teenage girls, and these types of digressions were inevitable from time to time.
“I’m not sure if I should be happy or vexed...”
“Ahaha, even without that, there’s something I want to know. Alaia-san was the last one to meet with Satomi-kun, so she got desperate and came to find him first, right?”
“Well...yes...” Harumi said, her voice getting quiet. It was like she’d turned back to her previously shy self from before she met Koutarou. However, unlike back then, her cheeks were red. She wasn’t being quiet because she was bad at dealing with others, but because the topic embarrassed her.
“That’s why I want to know, as a girl and as someone who fell for the same person. So how was it really?”
“I-In that case...I understand...”
Alaia became Harumi and appeared before Koutarou due to a fundamental function of Signaltin. However, as Signaltin’s tuner, if Alaia unconsciously found it unnecessary, that function would disappear. The reason it hadn’t was because of the love Alaia felt for Koutarou.
Since her appearance was practically a physical manifestation of love, it was impossible for Harumi to talk her way out of this. She could also understand what Shizuka wanted to say. Moreover, Harumi herself was also interested in how the other girls had formed a bond with Koutarou.
“But once I’m done with my story, I want to hear yours, Kasagi-san.”
“Ugh...r-right, that’s true. I-I understand. I’ll tell you.” Shizuka blushed alongside Harumi. What had happened between her and Koutarou was very precious to her. It was something she didn’t want to reveal, but since she’d requested the same from Harumi, she couldn’t refuse.
Once that was decided, the series of events from meeting Koutarou to when she’d fallen in love with him flowed through Shizuka’s head. The same was happening in Harumi’s mind, so the two were completely silent with red cheeks, and time passed very awkwardly.
“At... At first...” Harumi broke the silence. Since the awkward atmosphere would continue forever, the only way to stop it was for her to start speaking. The courage she’d mustered over two years helped her make her decision. “I didn’t know anything.”
“You mean about Satomi-kun?”
“Yes. A boy I didn’t know was hassling me, so I couldn’t think of anything. I wasn’t really good with people, especially boys...so I was panicking, wondering what to do, when Satomi-kun noticed what was going on and saved me.”
As Harumi spoke, she recalled what had happened back then. It was two years ago, on the first of March, the day when new students had been recruited for clubs. She had desperately tried to raise her voice, but it was erased by the more passionate voices trying to recruit people. That was when a boy who was more interested in girls than clubs had shown up. Even though she’d rejected him, he wouldn’t back down, and when she’d tried to run away, he had grabbed her arm. She’d been really scared at the time. There was nothing she could do—her body was frozen with fear while it felt like her heart was being crushed.
That was when Koutarou had passed by.
“So, a prince on a white horse appeared. That’s so romantic...”
“At first I was surprised by Satomi-kun’s appearance too, but once I was able to calm down and think about it, I felt a strange sensation. For some reason, I didn’t feel any wariness around him. If anything, I felt relieved. I thought it was just love at first sight.”
She honestly couldn’t remember what Koutarou had done, but she remembered that the boy had run off and that she’d felt relieved. Thinking about it calmly, though, a troublesome man had just been replaced by another man, so it wasn’t a situation in which she could fully relax. But for some reason, she’d felt that it was okay, that this person was fine. That was why even the shy Harumi had been able to talk to him.
“In reality, it was love at first sight as well as a reunion, and a great love could continue thanks to a fateful encounter. That’s so nice; it’s like you’re a heroine from a movie...”
“That’s why I think it was Alaia-san’s strong emotions that brought our meeting about rather than anything I did.”
Alaia’s feelings had created the meeting, while Harumi herself had just been flustered; or at least that was her view of it. If not for Alaia, it probably wouldn’t have worked out.
Shizuka had a different opinion. “But capturing him was your achievement, Sakuraba-senpai.”
“Eh?” Harumi’s eyes opened wide at the unexpected words.
After smiling at her, Shizuka continued. “If not, then Alaia-san would have succeeded two thousand years ago. Both her longtime love for him and your love at first sight were what managed to capture Satomi-san.”
Alaia alone had failed, but Harumi and Alaia together had succeeded. At least, that was how Shizuka interpreted it.
However, Harumi wasn’t very confident. “But in the end, it wasn’t just me and Alaia-san who caught him. For example...you caught Satomi-kun with Corona House.”
“There’s not much I can say when you point that out. At the time, I was just hoping Satomi-kun would live in that room for a long time so the rumors that it is haunted would go away. I didn’t really feel anything for him back then; I just wanted to keep everything running. Ugh, I wish I could go back in time to give myself a scolding.”
“But Corona House is your parents’ keepsake, so you can’t be blamed for that.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes. Besides, Satomi-kun didn’t join the knitting society for my sake, but to learn how to knit to finish his mother’s sweater.”
“Then I’ll think of it as something I’m doing in my parents’ memory.”
“Personally, I think it’s much more ominous if it’s all intentional. It wouldn’t feel good if everything was calculated.”
“Hm, I can kind of agree with that.”
“Ahaha, I’m glad.”
“That goes for you too, Sakuraba-senpai.”
“Huh?”
“If we call unintentional things fate, there’s a lot that’s happened between you and Satomi-kun. We all captured him. Hehehe...”
“You’re right. I should stop being so negative about myself too.”
Both girls had their feelings about what they’d been like before, but as they spoke, their emotions settled in their rightful places as they laughed together with refreshed expressions.
“Ah, so this is where you were, Sakuraba-senpai, Landlord-san.”
“Gyah?!”
“Whoa?!”
Suddenly, the person in question—Koutarou—called out to them, giving both Harumi and Shizuka a scare, and they screamed. Had he heard them? For a moment it felt like their hearts had stopped.
However, Koutarou was even more surprised than they were. “Wh-What? What happened?!”
Koutarou had only come home as usual, so he hadn’t thought anyone would be surprised. He’d even announced his return at the entrance. But the two had missed it, being so invested in their conversation. Since they’d both screamed, Koutarou could only think that some kind of trouble had happened. Naturally, he had no way of knowing what they were talking about.
“N-No, it’s nothing, Satomi-kun! We’re okay! We’re completely okay!”
“We just didn’t notice that you were back and were surprised by your voice. That’s all!”
“Oh, then that’s fine...” Koutarou tilted his head with a sigh. The two girls were acting strange, but he knew that girls sometimes acted in ways that he couldn’t understand. And whenever that happened, he knew he would only get burned if he tried to push his luck.
Sensing that kind of peculiar aura to them, he gave up on questioning them. Lately, Koutarou had learned to become more considerate of girls’ needs.
“S-So, what’s the matter, Satomi-kun?!”
“Yes! You sounded like you were looking for us...”
“Oh yeah! I almost forgot!”
Harumi and Shizuka were desperate to change the topic, which fortunately worked out for them. Koutarou had been looking for them in regard to a serious matter, so he immediately forgot about their strange behavior.
“The Sun Rangers were asking if Sakuraba-senpai and Landlord-san could be their instructors,” he announced.
“You mean they want us to teach them something?”
“I think the only things we could teach them are cooking and knitting...”
“They want to learn how to fight enemies using magic,” he explained. “That kind of thing might come up, you know.”
“They want us to be magic teachers?!” the two shouted out in unison, and then exchanged looks. Of all things, the Sun Rangers wanted combat training with magic involved.
The Sun Rangers were seeking instruction in magic combat because they had been promoted. At first, they had been called “salary thieves,” but now they had encountered invaders, undergone many battles, and become an elite unit. As a result, they were no longer mere soldiers and were in a position to be in command of operations, with the lives of many in their hands. They had even more of a reason to exist as the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire established diplomatic relations with Japan; now they were like a cornerstone in space diplomacy. But when they compared their current status to their capabilities, they discovered a large flaw: they lacked the ability to deal with magic.
“Since we don’t want magic and spiritual energy technology to leak to Forthorthe, we’re naturally accounting for enemies who do use those things. But spiritual energy aside, when it comes to magic, the Sun Rangers have no information.”
“Now that you mention it, they only caught a glimpse of magic during the incident in the underground,” Shizuka mused.
“Taking the lead in that state would be suicidal. It’s very impressive of the Sun Rangers to realize that,” Harumi agreed.
They nodded at Koutarou’s explanation. They had fought alongside the Sun Rangers, so they had an idea of what kind of information the group had. The equipment they were using was based on spiritual energy technology that the People of the Earth, who’d escaped to the surface in the past, had brought with them. So although outdated, they had knowledge of spiritual energy technology.
But they knew next to nothing about magic. They’d seen Koutarou and the others use magic on occasion, as well as the moment Tayuma had been swallowed by the whirlpool and transformed into a monster. Yet they had no idea what kind of power it was. If they were to try to stop the smuggling of magic, they could end up getting wiped out by a magic counterattack, so they needed to immediately acquire intel in order to protect their lives and those of their subordinates.
“So they came to ask if we could teach them about magic,” Koutarou concluded.
“I see... Now that you mention it, that makes sense. I study my opponents during karate matches too, and my coach tells me which school they practice or what moves they’re known for.”
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. As long as they have the correct knowledge, the Sun Rangers, with spiritual energy technology, won’t be on the back foot against magicians.”
“That’s why I was hoping to ask you two, if you’re up for it.”
The pair understood where the Sun Rangers were coming from, and it felt like the obvious thing to do. But they were a little confused as to why Koutarou had asked them. They could think of a few people who were better suited to the task.
“Wouldn’t Aika-san be a better choice, though?”
“Not to mention Maki-san comes from a military organization, so wouldn’t she be able to teach them better?”
In particular, they were thinking of Maki, an expert on magic battles. Her spells might not have been as varied as Harumi’s or Yurika’s, but she was unmatched when it came to stringing them together, so surely she had the techniques the Sun Rangers wanted to know. On top of that, she came from Darkness Rainbow, a military organization, so she knew what was necessary in combat training. If someone were to go to the Sun Rangers, Maki would surely be the right choice.
“Aika-san is currently guarding the delegation from Forthorthe.”
Koutarou understood that too, but Maki had an important job to do. She was currently guarding the delegation that had come to Earth to negotiate. A magician who specialized in illusions and mind manipulation was perfect for guarding a delegation on the move, where the situation constantly changed. However, the matter of the Sun Rangers was urgent, and they couldn’t afford to wait. By the time Maki’s schedule was free, the negotiations would be more or less complete and it would be too late.
“I don’t think we would be able to stand in for her at her job...” Shizuka murmured.
“Knowledge and experience are really important when it comes to protection,” Harumi added.
Guarding VIPs was something that they couldn’t do. It required knowledge and experience far greater than teaching magic. So the two steeled their resolve.
“In that case, Sakuraba-senpai and I will have to do something about it,” Shizuka stated.
“Yes, we will do our best.”
They decided to accept Koutarou’s—or rather the Sun Rangers’—request.
“Really? Are you sure?” Koutarou had been certain he would need more time to convince them, so he was a little surprised—or perhaps it would be best to say it felt anticlimactic.
“I’m not very sure of myself, so I can’t be saying that.”
Shizuka chuckled. “You’ve properly taken on the role of president, Kasagi-san.”
The two understood the situation, and the dangers, so they decided to do what they could. If not, a lot of lives would be at risk: the people of the city, and even the Sun Rangers themselves, whom they’d fought alongside. They weren’t sure they would be able to smile again if those lives were lost for no reason.
After a small sigh of relief, Koutarou smiled. “Thanks a lot. I’ll let them know.” I didn’t have to say anything. Of course not... It’s Sakuraba-senpai and Landlord-san...
Harumi and Shizuka were two of the most personable and thoughtful among their allies. Koutarou had thought of all kinds of things to try and convince them, but it was like preaching to the choir. How could he help smiling?
“By the way, Satomi-kun,” Shizuka asked. “Will Sakuraba-senpai and I be getting a reward from you?”
“Ugh...I-I’ll see what I can do.”
She chuckled. “I’ll look forward to it.”
“I don’t have those kinds of negotiating skills, so this will be great reference material,” Harumi added.
“Please spare me from anything too big...” Koutarou murmured.
“Oh what should I do?”
As personable and thoughtful as they might be, they were still two teenage girls. He might not have struggled to convince them, but Koutarou foresaw a different kind of struggle ahead.
The pair visited the Sun Rangers’ facility on the Saturday after Koutarou talked with them. While the day of the week didn’t matter to Harumi, who’d graduated the other day, it was still before spring break for Shizuka. The Sun Rangers had little leeway when it came to time, so they had avoided a weekday so as not to interfere with school activities. The Sun Rangers did have a secret facility in Kisshouharukaze High School as well, but the two girls headed for the one in the middle of the city. It was the only close one where they could hold combat training.
“Hello, it has been a while, Harumi-san, Shizuka-san. I’m glad to see you in good health.”
“I’m glad to see you haven’t changed either, Megumi-san,” said Harumi.
“Is everyone else doing well?” asked Shizuka.
“Yes, too well if anything. And thank you for coming, you two,” said Megumi.
“It’s for everyone’s sake,” Harumi replied.
“I only hope it will amount to needless worry.”
“Me too. Peace is the best.”
They were greeted by Pink Shine, Megumi. As Shizuka and Harumi were girls, the group had decided it would be best to leave things to their only female member. Normally, Kotaro was in charge of greeting any guests, so today was special.
“Could you two sit down on the sofa and wait here? I will bring everyone over.”
“Okay.” Harumi followed her instructions and sat down on the sofa in the corner of the office. As she stared at Megumi, who casually left, Shizuka, sitting next to her, whispered into her ear.
“Sakuraba-senpai.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“It’s nothing special, but has Megumi-san always been like that? I thought she was a little more...”
“Harsh?”
“You thought so too? It’s like her previous harshness has been replaced with kindness.”
“Yeah, I wonder if something happened...”
It felt like something was slightly off with Megumi. Compared to how she’d been in the past, she’d mellowed out overall. She had grown as a woman. The two were perplexed by that, but when she returned they soon understood why.
“Megu-chan, I will go make some tea.”
“Thank you, Daisaku-kun. Your tea is always amazing.”
After calling for the others, Megumi had returned with Daisaku, who had happened to be nearby. But instead of heading for the sofa, he headed for the water heater on the opposite side of the office to make tea for Harumi and Shizuka. Among the Sun Rangers, Daisaku’s tea was the tastiest.
“Still, I can’t leave our guests to you alone.”
“Wow, you have no trust in me.”
“That’s... That’s not what I meant.”
“I know, I was just teasing you a little bit.”
“Megu-chan, not in front of the guests. Please.”
“Oh shoot, I’m sorry, you two, and you as well, Daisaku-kun.”
After seeing Megumi’s interaction with Daisaku, Harumi and Shizuka understood why she had changed. Megumi and Daisaku were dating, and the new relationship had stabilized her mind and softened the impression she gave. It was an example of love changing people.
“That sort of thing is so nice...” Shizuka let out an envious sigh at the sight of Megumi and Daisaku. It was the kind of situation she admired.
Harumi put a hand over her mouth and giggled. “You are like that from time to time too, Kasagi-san.”
“R-Really?”
When Harumi pointed that out, Shizuka blushed. She hadn’t been doing anything like that consciously, so she was both surprised and embarrassed. At the same time, she searched her memories.
“Like when you begged Satomi-kun for a reward.”
“Ahhh...”
“Or when Satomi-kun praised your lunch.”
“Whoaaa, please stop it already, Sakuraba-senpai!”
“Hehehe, maybe I should try it too... I bet Satomi-kun would be surprised.”
As the two chatted, the door to the office opened and a few men stepped in. They were Kenichi, Hayato, Kotaro, and Professor Roppongi, the commanding officer. With that, everyone on the Sun Rangers had gathered.
Since it wasn’t their first meeting, they casually greeted each other and moved right on to the main topic. First off, Professor Roppongi explained the particulars of their current situation. Since they would be managing magic, they wanted to experience it beforehand. Harumi and Shizuka had heard as much from Koutarou, but the professor had more to add.
“Incidentally, this is being kept secret from the government. Everyone, myself included, is on paid leave.”
“You are all on paid leave?!”
“Why?!”
Harumi’s and Shizuka’s eyes shot wide open at Professor Roppongi’s words. They couldn’t understand why there was a need to do that.
“Unfortunately, the government is not a monolith. If information on magic is carelessly spread upward, things could take an unexpected turn.”
“That said, we don’t want to die either. So we will need to learn how to handle magic on the field.”
Professor Roppongi and Kotaro bitterly explained the situation. The government’s opinions on Forthorthe’s technology were split, so it was possible the same would happen with magic. The ideal was that no information was leaked at all, but if that happened, the soldiers on the field, the Sun Rangers and the men in black, would be exposed to danger. But if they happened to get information on the occult while on paid leave, there was no need to report it.
“On paper, we are borrowing this place to hold a get-together.”
“So even though you’ve been promoted and become more important, heroes of justice still have a hard time.”
“Now that everyone has been promoted, you are stuck between the conveniences of the people on the field and those of the higher-ups. I understand your pain.”
With their paid leave, the Sun Rangers were making their position and intention clear. They had been promoted and now had more responsibilities and duties, but they were doing their utmost to protect the peaceful world of the people.
“With that in mind, we ask you two for your cooperation,” the professor concluded. “How about it, Harumi-san, Shizuka-san?”
Even in this kind of situation, they were still modest. After explaining the situation to Harumi and Shizuka, they lowered their heads. After hearing that, the girls couldn’t say no. They exchanged looks, nodded, and smiled.
“I understand, please allow us to help.”
“We will do anything we can! You got that, uncle?”
“Indeed, I have taken a liking to your aspirations. I will gladly lend my aid.”
“Wow, what is this cute lizard?!”
“Ugh, what are you doing?!”
Harumi and Shizuka once again realized that the Sun Rangers were heroes of justice, and that they were precious allies of Koutarou and the others, which was why they didn’t hesitate to help them. It was no longer a matter of being good or bad at something; they would tell them what they could and do their best to be of assistance.
With Harumi and Shizuka helping out, the Sun Rangers moved right on to training. First, they sat before a whiteboard and had a lesson.
“As far as I know, there are two types of magic. One is the ancient language magic that I use, and the other is the modern language magic that the people of Folsaria use,” Harumi explained as she wrote on the whiteboard. She wrote fast, and her words were easy to read. Her characters were graceful and feminine; it was very Harumi-esque writing. “Ancient language magic is improvised on the spot, whereas modern language magic simplifies and speeds up the procedure by combining standardized sentences. However, that can make it difficult to fine-tune nonstandard spells, with the process sometimes needing a lot of tools.”
“Instructor...by tools, what do you mean specifically?” Kenichi asked, raising his hand. If the tools were distinctive, they would be easier to manage.
For some reason, it took Harumi a few seconds to answer. “Er...right, I am the instructor. Dear me.” That was how long it had taken her to realize that Kenichi was talking to her. Her cheeks turned red, but now wasn’t the time to blush. Harumi shook her head and pulled herself together.
“Please remember what Yurika-san and Maki-san look like. The staffs they wield and the outfits they wear have a portion of the magic’s execution formula. Without them, the spells they use would be less powerful and slower to activate.”
“To the level of ancient language magic?”
“No, a little more than that. The staff and outfit have a lot of meaning in modern language magic.”
“Then ancient language magic would be scarier when it comes to terrorism...”
Hayato pondered the discussion as he listened to Harumi and Kenichi talk. Ancient language magic was harder to use, but it wasn’t reliant on tools, so when it came to undercover operations or terrorist attacks, ancient language magic was scarier.
“For better or worse, I am the only one who can use it at the moment. I am a bit of an unusual case. So you will primarily be up against users of modern language magic—just remember that they could use ancient language magic too.”
“That’s good news, then. But since it can be used to some degree, even without a staff or outfit, it would be the same either way.”
Because of the complexity of ancient language magic, it was very reliant on talent, so very few could use it. Folsaria had modernized magic and made it easier to use. As Folsarians had been sent to another world, it had been a necessary change in order for them to survive. As a result, those who used ancient language magic had disappeared from Folsaria, and it was very unlikely that one would appear as an enemy of the Sun Rangers. If one searched through all of Folsaria, one could perhaps find a few users, but they might not be willing to sell ancient language magic, and even if they were, there were still obstacles in the way. So the more generalized modern language magic was more suitable.
“Now, I would like to explain the procedures for how magic is cast with a demonstration.”
Harumi explained the steps for casting magic. Magic was created through incantations and gestures, reforming the mana inside the body to alter reality. Time was necessary to complete a spell, and the more powerful the spell, the longer it took. Since it required focus, casting powerful magic on the move was difficult.
Once she’d explained the process, Harumi showed off an example by casting a spell. “Gather, spirits of wind. Embody yourself in my arm and destroy my enemy!”
She gestured while incanting, and a blue light filled her left arm, which transformed into a vortex—a hammer of compressed air.
“Roar! Sledgehammer of Air!”
Harumi swung her arm down, and a target the size and durability of a human a few meters in front of her was blown into pieces. Remnants of the attack were blown across the training facility.
“That is tremendously powerful, Hayato. It looks like you’d need several grenades to do the same level of damage.”
“But in return, you need to stand still for a couple of seconds. It would be more effective to fire a rocket launcher on the move.”
The Sun Rangers were committing what they saw to memory and exchanging opinions. Since this concerned the lives of the people as well as their subordinates, they were taking it very seriously.
“That’s correct. When it comes to each individual spell, they are less powerful than weapons, even when cast by a genius magician like Yurika-san. But that’s not the true strength of magic.” Harumi was serious too. If she didn’t properly convey something, somebody might die. It was unlikely that magic would leak, but they couldn’t let their guard down. “Gather, spirits of water. Dance, spirits of wind. Combine the two pillars and appear, spirits of thunder! Dominate the sky, and with the anger of the god of thunder, judge my enemy!”
Next, she used a thunderbolt spell. A blinding white flash appeared and struck her target, which exploded from the inside, unable to withstand the internal current.
“A thunderbolt, huh? That’s very powerful too,” Kenichi said as he wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead. The idea of it being used by a terrorist sent chills down his spine.
Harumi nodded to Kenichi. “Yes, like you just saw, the true strength of magic is its ability to adapt to any situation, as well as the potential to suddenly launch an attack without anything that looks like a weapon.”
“So that’s what you mean... Someone can launch different attacks with the same power. And even if they have a weapon, it would be a staff... No, it would be foolish to think it would have the shape of a staff. And there are cases where they might not even have weapons, right?”
“Yes. They could implant the execution formula into something other than a staff.”
“That degree of freedom is troublesome. It’s so suitable for ambushes that it more than makes up for the weakness of having to stay still,” Hayato groaned.
The clearer the image of their enemy became, the clearer the danger that enemy posed. As the one in charge of the Sun Rangers’ plans, Hayato understood the threat better than the rest.
“So I believe that your challenge will be how to block the first attack,” said Harumi.
“How to stop an ambush, huh? That’s a troublesome challenge. Hayato, don’t you have any ideas?”
“Maybe a device that can detect an incantation. It would be an absolute necessity for ancient language magic, and modern language magic without a staff or outfit would have a longer incantation too.”
“I think that would be a good idea. I will send the data on magic language to you later.”
“I would prefer it if you sent it to my home while I am on leave,” the professor added.
“Yes, I will tell them to arrange that.”
But it wasn’t all bad news. The Sun Rangers had been able to learn about magic thanks to Harumi and were now coming up with countermeasures. That was a large step forward.
“Exceptions would be people like Kasagi-san,” Harumi noted. Now that they had been taught about standard magic, it was time to teach them about irregular magic.
Once she heard her name, Shizuka took a step forward. “It’s finally uncle’s and my turn.”
“How far should we go?”
“About how far we usually go when fighting. That should be around the level they want to know too.”
“Very well.”
With that, Shizuka’s body was engulfed in fire without any incantation. She had not used any gestures either. Despite the distance between them, the Sun Rangers could feel the heat coming off of her.
“What kind of magic is this?!” Kotaro raised his hand and asked. He was in charge of their technology, and he was curious about Shizuka’s appearance, which deviated from Harumi’s previous explanation.
“Magic is always working inside of Kasagi-san’s body. Since it stays inside, it’s stronger, and since it’s always working, she doesn’t need any incantations or gestures.”
“Like this.” While smiling, Shizuka walked up to the metal plate that had been set up as an obstacle in the training facility and casually slammed her fist into it. A fist-sized hole opened in the plate, and with the speed and power behind the punch, a perfectly fist-shaped piece of metal had been cleanly punched out of it. Even at the edge of the hole, there was no warping whatsoever, which meant the blow had been so fast that there hadn’t even been time for the metal to bend and soften the impact.
“Daisaku-kun, a girl just punched through a metal plate bare-handed!”
“But you don’t have to learn how to do that, Megu-chan.”
“If I ever catch you cheating, I think I’ll be able to copy that move,” Megumi warned Daisaku.
“That just means you won’t be able to,” he answered.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Megumi-neechan, Daisaku-niichan, stop flirting and listen,” Harumi instructed them.
“This is how creatures born with mana typically use magic,” Shizuka continued.
“So...magical beasts?” Kotaro asked, using his knowledge from games. Creatures that could spew fire from their mouths were typical enemies in games.
“Yes, you can think of it that way. It’s not exactly a technique as much as it is an instinctual power.”
“Us instinctive types have our own techniques.”
“Uncle, please don’t make things more complicated right now.”
“Sorry.”
“Their weakness is that they stand out, since their power is always active; moreover, they don’t have too much freedom in reforming their mana.”
When Harumi said that, they understood that she wasn’t referring to the appearance of magical beasts, but rather how mana leaked out from their bodies like the fire around Shizuka’s body. Just as heat escaped from an engine, the stronger the mana, the more remnants would leak out. And since it was used on an instinctual level, it tended to be uniform in its usage. In Shizuka’s case she could only really use it to increase her offense, defense, and speed, as well as to spew fire.
“She certainly looks like she’d be easy to pick out using a heat sensor. It’s like the type that prioritizes power over versatility and stealth. Like Daisaku, in a way.”
“It’s the type that would be very powerful when defending a base or suppressing the enemy. If that’s like Daisaku, the normal magician would be more like Hayato.”
The Sun Rangers deepened their understanding of magic by listening to Harumi’s lecture and watching the demonstrations. There were many surprises, but it was best to get them out of the way now. That way, they would be able to respond calmly when facing these abilities for real, and better protect everyone’s lives. It was clear at first sight, and might even be for nothing, but they were taking their learning seriously. Their efforts convinced Harumi and Shizuka that this was what heroes were like.
Once the study session was over, it was time for the Sun Rangers to practice facing off against Harumi and Shizuka. They wouldn’t use any weapons or spells that would do damage, and Shizuka would limit her physical enhancement, while the Sun Rangers would have their own suit enhancements turned off. Aside from that, it would essentially be a serious fight.
“Kenichi-niichan, we’re supposed to be heroes of justice, right?” Kotaro was dressed in a green suit and devoting himself to warming up. He was motivated, but he felt a slight discomfort with their mock battle.
Kenichi stopped warming up and nodded. “Yeah, I hope to be. You too, right?” After the battle underground, the sense that they weren’t just soldiers but heroes of justice had gotten stronger.
“Yeah. That’s why teaming up, five grown-ups against two girls, doesn’t really feel very heroic.” Kotaro had a problem with their numbers. Five adults—despite Kotaro’s looks, he was still an adult—against two delicate girls was more like something villains would do. He was questioning if that was really okay.
“If losing face can save lives, I’ll gladly do it.”
“Yeah, you have a point there.” Red Shine’s—Kenichi’s—firm determination helped to remove Kotaro’s hesitation. The Sun Rangers had been called “salary thieves” for so long, they were fine with being ridiculed if it would protect their ideals.
“Besides, we can’t win even if all five of us take them on, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Please don’t boldly say something so pathetic.”
“Everything starts by admitting it.”
“Yeah, I really get that now.”
The Sun Rangers had grown stronger thanks to their experience. That was why they knew how strong Harumi and Shizuka were. And the purpose of this fight was to absorb even a fraction of that strength. Taking one small step at a time, they had evolved from salary thieves to heroes. Today would be no different.
Since they were assuming that they would be guarding VIPs, Professor Roppongi was taking part in the training too. The Sun Rangers would be crossing the training facility while protecting the professor. If the professor was attacked before then, it would be considered Harumi and Shizuka’s win.
All kinds of buildings and obstacles had been set up in the training facility, creating scenery reminiscent of a destroyed city. Harumi and Shizuka had a five-minute head start, so the Sun Rangers didn’t know where they were. The point of the training was to protect the professor from their ambush.
When the Sun Rangers entered with the professor in tow, a sound rang out to signal the start of the training. Anything could happen from here on. Leaving Daisaku and Professor Roppongi behind, the Sun Rangers slightly spread out, assuming a defensive formation.
“How does it look, Kotaro?”
“No response on the sound or movement sensors. It doesn’t look like magic will come flying right away, at least.”
In the front were Kenichi and Kotaro. Kotaro had specialized equipment, and Kenichi would cover him. At the moment, Kotaro was using a sensitive microphone and a radar to look for the girls. These would hopefully detect any incantation or gestures, or possibly even the girls themselves. But right now, there was no reaction. Harumi and Shizuka were hiding somewhere.
“Based on the rules of this excursion, they will use magic after the siren sounds, but they might have been using an illusion beforehand. It will probably be much tougher than this in real life.” Behind Kenichi and Kotaro was Hayato. He was slowly advancing while peeking through the heat sensor scope attached to his rifle.
There was no heat response in the scope. Harumi and Shizuka were behind the thick obstacles. The rifle was also loaded with rubber bullets that wouldn’t do any damage.
“Just knowing that makes a big difference.” Megumi was next to Hayato, covering his blind spots.
“I think so too. Not knowing about that would be like waving your hands and legs around in a fog.” Daisaku was in the rear, vigilant, studying their surroundings in relation to Professor Roppongi. If need be, he would use his large body to protect the VIP. It was the most important and dangerous role.
“We have suddenly been thrust into practice without data verification or logical constructions. This isn’t very scientific. As a researcher, it’s a little painful.” Professor Roppongi was the one who’d thought up this division of roles and formation, but he was a little bothered by the fact that it wasn’t scientific.
Kenichi laughed.
“What are you talking about, Professor? Experience is the foundation of science. Besides, you’re the one who thought this plan up.”
He consoled Professor Roppongi—and then it happened.
A warning signal rang out and Kotaro hurriedly reported the situation. “Kenichi-niichan, I have a reaction on the sound sensor! At your ten o’clock! The sound pattern is that of an incantation!”
The sound sensor had picked up on noise, and it appeared that Harumi was casting behind an obstacle to the left.
“Everyone, brace yourselves!”
“There are two types of incantations! It seems they’re casting two spells!” The sensor had picked up two incantations.
The moment after Kotaro reported that, Shizuka flew out from the shadows. Her fist glowed red and her body was covered in a yellow light. She was literally flying, drawing an arc from her hiding place straight toward Professor Roppongi. The red glow on her fist was an attack spell, and the yellow light was a flight spell. It was an ambush using two spells.
“Here we gooo!”
“You won’t get past us!”
Kenichi and Megumi opened fire on Shizuka. Rubber bullets flew out, but Shizuka swiftly dodged them. She was too fast to be hit by guns. But the Sun Rangers’ goal was to get her to dodge.
“I’ve got you now!”
When she dodged, Shizuka’s movements became linear for a moment. In that instant, Hayato sniped her with his rifle. The rubber bullet shot straight for Shizuka’s body—and missed.
“Whaaat?!”
“That’s a fake!” Kotaro yelled.
Shizuka disappeared in front of the Sun Rangers. It had been a fake, an illusion cast by Harumi.
“How scary! That’s professionals for you! But it’s not enough!” Shizuka sneaked up without a sound and attacked Professor Roppongi. Like Kotaro had said, there were two spells. But it wasn’t an attack spell and a flying spell; it was illusion and stealth instead.
“Hayaaah!”
“Daisaku-kun!”
“There’s no way I can stop this!”
When Daisaku had seen the illusion of Shizuka, he had instinctively moved forward to protect the professor. With his back wide open, Shizuka pressed her fist against him with a smile.
“That can’t be helped at first. This is a copy of a plan Kiriha-san carried out once in the past.”
“I-I give up.”
Using the peculiarities of magic, Harumi and Shizuka had used an illusion as a decoy to launch an ambush. Having watched Kiriha over time, they had copied one of her plans, and it had worked wonderfully.
Professor Roppongi’s shoulders dropped as he surrendered. The first match was an overwhelming victory for Harumi and Shizuka, but as the training continued, the Sun Rangers became more experienced, and in their fifth round, they were able to fully protect Professor Roppongi. Hayato and Megumi had taken clean hits and were out, but the professor was safe.
They continued to train even more, adding victories and defeats until the training came to a close for the day. Then, it was time to reflect.
“What should we have done to stop the final 101 Harumi-chan rush?”
“Megu-chan, how about using grenades to hit all of them? Since there were so many, the spell couldn’t have been very durable.”
“But, Daisaku-niichan, that might work in training, but what if it was in the city?”
“In that case...sweeping across them with gunfire wouldn’t be realistic either. Hayato, do you have any ideas?”
“Hmm, well...why not use something like flashbangs to apply a light shock to everything in a wide area as a countermeasure for illusions?”
“That is a good idea. Nonlethal weapons will get approval through the application more easily and if we say that they are countermeasures for Forthorthe’s holograms or micro-drones, the other units would be able to deploy them too.”
The Sun Rangers were having a heated debate. They weren’t just considering how to benefit themselves, they were also thinking of what to do when sharing their experiences with other units or subordinates. The conclusions they reached here could influence the lives of many, so it wasn’t an easy topic.
“Hehe...”
“What’s the matter?”
Shizuka and Harumi were asked for their opinion from time to time, but for the most part they were just watching over the meeting. When Harumi noticed Shizuka suddenly smiling, she looked at her. In response, Shizuka’s smile turned a little self-deprecating as she looked back at Harumi.
“When I’m watching them, I can’t help but feel stupid worrying about becoming the president of the cooking society.”
Everything she’d experienced since coming all the way to the Sun Rangers’ facility made her own restlessness over becoming the president of a society feel pathetic. The Sun Rangers were acting without hesitation despite being saddled with such a heavy responsibility. She didn’t know if that would improve the situation, but it was clear that things would only get worse if they did nothing. Shizuka wanted to do the same herself, but it wasn’t that easy. The hazy feeling welling up in her chest wasn’t going away.
Harumi didn’t agree with Shizuka’s impression of herself. “The responsibility on their shoulders is clear and heavy, so there’s no time or need to hesitate. Anyone would hesitate when in a leadership role, so I don’t think it’s stupid at all.”
For better or worse, the Sun Rangers had a clear goal of protecting the lives of their friends and the citizens around them. But the role of president of a society was less defined. Moreover, each person in the group had different things that were important to them. It was different from saving lives, which was important to everyone. Being able to strike a good balance was a necessary quality for leaders, so it was natural for someone who’d only just become one to worry about their choices.
“You’re the only one who could say that, Sakuraba-senpai. Thanks to Alaia, you really do have an eye for the bigger perspective.”
Alaia had carried a nation on her shoulders and been reborn as a normal girl in Harumi. Once she’d become aware of her past life, Harumi had discovered the advantage of having two perspectives. She had a more special point of view than even the Sun Rangers, and it wasn’t something Shizuka could ever hope to copy, so the latter smiled self-deprecatingly once more.
“Not at all,” Harumi disagreed. “Alaia-san and I actually happen to share the thing we treasure most, so my outlook isn’t as broad as you might think. And you share the same thing, don’t you, Shizuka-san?”
“Share... Ah!”
It was clear what Harumi and Alaia shared. And Shizuka shared it too. Harumi was able to avoid any hesitation, as she was always trying not to betray that fact, and Shizuka realized that she could do the same.
“So, in our case, we just need to do what he would do,” she mused.
“Yes. That way he won’t get angry at us.”
“I can already imagine everyone in the society calling me overly stubborn.”
“You will just have to resolve yourself to deal with that,” Harumi stated.
“Regardless of the situation, ‘these feelings will always be with you,’ right?”
“Hehehe, well, that’s right.”
The pair exchanged looks and giggled. They couldn’t raise their voices and interrupt the Sun Rangers, but having addressed her concerns, Shizuka unconsciously laughed louder. Fortunately, the Sun Rangers weren’t thrown off by that.
“By the way, senpai, have you decided on what reward you want from Satomi-kun yet?” she asked Harumi.
“Not yet. Satomi-kun will be coming here for us soon, so I’ll have to decide by then.”
“I wonder what he would want in a situation like this.” Shizuka thought back to what they’d just talked about. What exactly would the person Harumi and Shizuka treasure the most want? Perhaps she could use that as a reference to decide.
“I don’t think he would want anything,” Harumi answered with a smile. She knew exactly what Koutarou desired and that he agreed with their principles.
“You think so too?” Shizuka asked.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go with that.”
“Yes, let’s.”
“But don’t you want to trouble him a little?”
“Oh, of course; let’s do our best,” Harumi answered.
“Then we’ll need to take action.”
“Hehehe, that’s true.”
The two girls answered the questions the Sun Rangers posed while wondering between themselves how to trouble that certain someone when he showed up. As with the Sun Rangers, a heated debate between the two ensued. After all, this was what they treasured most—their ideal was the interaction they had seen between Daisaku and Megumi when they first arrived.
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