Part 3
Two days passed like a sigh. During that time, Shizuki hadn't shown up at the club.
The afternoon slowly descended over Seisen after another exhausting day of classes. The garden lights began to flicker on one by one, casting warm glows over the empty paths.
Touma walked in silence, with no clear destination.
His steps took him—without realizing—to the back courtyard of the club building.
There, beneath the shade of an out-of-season cherry blossom tree, he saw Shizuki sitting alone on a stone bench.
A closed book rested on her lap, her gaze lost in the sky.
"Hiding from your admirers?" Touma asked with a faint smile as he approached.
"No. I'm just enjoying the only quiet moment of the day," she replied without turning her head.
Touma sat beside her without asking for permission.
A few seconds passed in silence. In the distance, the murmur of the automatic sprinklers activating could be heard.
"You don't seem nervous," he said at last.
"Why should I be?"
"Tomorrow you'll be facing Eva. And the entire club is depending on it…"
"Does that worry you?"
Touma glanced at her from the side.
"I'm worried you're carrying too much pressure all on your own…"
Shizuki closed her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'm already used to pressure."
"Yeah, I don't doubt that… but you're not alone anymore. You know we're with you, no matter what happens."
"Thank you. Although you say that like I've already lost…"
"No, no! That's not what I meant," he said quickly. "I just… don't want you to push yourself too hard."
She let out a small laugh.
"Come on, Touma. Don't be so formal."
"I have something to protect too," she added, her eyes following the sun as it dipped below the horizon.
Then, without looking at him, she reached out her hand.
"But since you're here… I want you to support me from the stands."
In her palm was a small metallic device shaped like an earpiece.
"What's this?" Touma asked, taking it with curiosity.
"It's a Lancaster intercom. I'll probably need your help during the match… in case something happens."
"I see. But… what could happen?"
Shizuki looked at him seriously.
Then she delicately pulled out her pocket watch, holding it with both hands.
"As you probably know, Eva holds some resentment toward me for not choosing the Combat Division like she did… even though we both have the same potential."
"I didn't know that…"
"Nor should you. If I'm telling you this, it's because I trust you completely."
Touma nodded, surprised by her honesty.
"This watch isn't just for show. It's my catalyst. It works the same way Eva's weapons do."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"My Astra Core is called Golden Time. It allows me to stop time… for an instant."
Touma's eyes widened in awe.
"Seriously? That's an amazing power…"
"Yes, it sounds impressive. But… it's worse than you think."
"What do you mean?"
Shizuki lowered her gaze.
"It comes at a high cost. Every time I use it… if I overdo it… I lose memories. Sometimes important ones. Sometimes recent."
Touma watched her in silence.
"And the worst part," she added, "is that if I use it too much… Nulvoids might appear."
After a pause, she handed him her book and stood up with her usual grace.
She stretched her arms forward in a precise, solemn motion.
"Materialize—Lancaster Volt, Lancaster Pier."
In her left hand appeared a massive, wide-barreled pistol, and in her right, a slender rapier.
Both looked as if they were forged from silver, with violet energy filaments running across their surfaces like lightning trapped in metal.
"Whoa… These are stunning! The level of detail is insane!" Touma exclaimed, almost breathless.
"Thank you. They're a family heirloom," she replied, downplaying it with a near-routine tone.
"And you use these weapons when you stop time?"
"Exactly. The pistol for ranged attacks."
"The rapier for precise thrusts."
"Every second I gain… I have to make the most of it."
"With those two marvels, why would you need my help? I don't get it…"
Shizuki didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she pointed to the book she had given him earlier.
"Open it. Check the bookmark on the last page."
Touma nodded and followed her instructions.
Between the pages, he found a fine fabric bookmark with golden embroidered letters:
A fortune will never buy you a second of your life.
"And this… what does it mean?"
"It's my mantra."
"My grandfather used to say it to me every day," she said with a soft, melancholic expression. "I didn't know at the time… but he was sick. He fought in silence."
Touma lowered his gaze, gently holding the bookmark like it was something delicate.
"I'm not telling you this to gain sympathy," she added softly. "But if I lose my memories during the match… that phrase will help me realize what's happening."
Touma clenched his fist and nodded.
"Alright. I promise I'll do everything I can from the stands."
Shizuki looked at him with a subtle smile as she dematerialized her weapons.
"Thank you. Seems I wasn't wrong about you."
Then she did something unexpected.
"Would you like to go grab a bite? This time, it's my treat."
Touma raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Of course. Where do you want to go?"
"There's a diner I've been meaning to try… in Tenryu."
"Alright then. Let's go," he said, as they began walking together under the soft glow of sunset, heading toward the city.
At the eastern edge of Seisen's campus, far from the academic bustle, stood the advanced shooting gallery.
Under the sterile white lights of the ceiling panels and the constant hum of the SEI system, Evangeline Strassburg maintained a flawless stance.
Her hair was tied up.
Her uniform, without a single wrinkle.
Her gaze, unwavering.
She aimed.
Fired.
Perfect hit.
Without changing expression, she reloaded.
Second shot. Another perfect hit.
The simulation projected moving Nulvoid models, with erratic patterns and surprise attacks.
Eva didn't miss. Every shot landed with surgical precision.
"Record: 100% accuracy over 72 consecutive attempts," the system announced.
Eva lowered her weapon for a moment. Her face showed no tension—only calculation.
"Restart simulation. Mode: evasive movement – humanoid."
The system projected a new target: a simulated humanoid silhouette—faster, more unpredictable.
Eva raised her weapon.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Took a deep breath.
"I'm not doing this for personal reasons," she murmured, barely audible.
She aimed. Her hands didn't shake.
"I can't allow a group like this to waste time… We are the future of humanity."
She fired.
Perfect hit. Dead center.
The system registered the action.
Eva simply lowered the weapon, turned on her heel, and walked away without looking back.
The silhouette dropped off the screen.
And for a moment, the silence in the gallery weighed more than all the gunfire combined.
"You can shoot down a hundred of those digital mannequins… but you know that doesn't mean anything," said a male voice from the shadows.
Eva turned her head slightly.
Reiji Tsuguri was leaning against one of the walls, hands in his pockets and wearing that classic "I don't care but I showed up anyway" attitude. He looked more like a bored Yakuza than a model student.
"Reiji… what a surprise. But please, don't dirty the walls. Try behaving like a civilized person."
"Tch, you're such a pain…" he muttered. "I only came because Leon was worried. He wanted to make sure you wouldn't self-destruct from over-perfectionism."
Eva let out a brief sigh.
"I don't need supervision."
"That's what you say. Though, if you ask me, I'd gladly take your place."
"I'd love to go up against Akari Tsubasa. They say she turns into a beast when she gets excited.
And they won't let second-years fight the freshmen…"
Eva shot him a sharp look.
"This isn't a game, Reiji."
"It's a Validation Duel."
"If you want to face Tsubasa, I suggest you wait for the sports festival or the Seisen Tournament."
She dematerialized one of her rifles.
"That is… if the director allows them to participate."
Reiji raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Worried, are we?"
"Just being realistic."
"In any case, next time include us in your plans. Don't be so… emotional," Reiji said, letting the word drop with deliberate sarcasm.
Eva stopped. She turned with military precision and stood in front of him. She was exactly 1.50 meters tall—but anyone who dared to underestimate her for that… only ever did it once.
"For your information, this isn't some whim. And you know it. Our job is to correct students who've lost their way."
"So this has nothing to do with Tokisaki?" he asked, tilting his head. "With her refusing to join the Combat Division?"
"She refused. That's a separate matter," Eva replied coldly. "I detest laziness."
Without even looking toward the gallery, she raised her rifle.
A single beam of light shot through the air, sweeping across all the targets in a straight line with devastating force.
When it was over, her weapon vanished into particles of energy.
Silence once again filled the room.
"Geh zurück in dein Zimmer, kleines Kind. (Go back to your room, little child.)**
Eva grabbed a towel, wiped her brow with the same composure she used when giving orders, and walked toward the locker room at a steady pace.
"Told you, I don't speak German…" Reiji muttered.
She simply ignored him.
Reiji remained alone, flipping a coin between his fingers, eyes fixed on the scorched remains of the targets.
"Whatever you say, boss…"
And so, as night fell over Seisen, two opposing convictions were preparing to collide.