His presence was blinding—his form, his voice, everything. So different from me… his will, his raw strength, his role as a teacher… all worlds apart.
"Trying to act cool… doesn't quite suit me," Mash said, scratching his head.
Why? Why is he stronger than us, who see reality so clearly? Why this gap? Why can't we live in that sunlit world?
"You, with that body, that strength, those connections, raised so well… you claim to understand us?" Misaki spat. "Don't mock us!"
"Misaki-san…" Atsuko murmured.
"You were loved by parents, raised in a perfect environment, adored by everyone, right? How could you understand us!?" Misaki pressed.
"I was blessed with a parent," Mash admitted.
"See? Your parents must be as strong as you—"
"My parent was my grandpa, the only one who raised me."
"!?"
He spoke of his past. I have no memories of my childhood… just enduring cold, fighting to survive each day. Alone until I met Misaki and Hiyori. Could he… be the same?
His words shocked not just us, but the Paradise Agency and Schale Alliance. Only the Masked Swimsuit Gang seemed unfazed.
"I don't remember much as a baby, but Grandpa found me, raised me, brought me here. Honestly, I was blessed with him," Mash said.
"If you were blessed, then how could you understand us!?" Misaki demanded.
"My only place in my old world was with Grandpa. Nowhere else."
"What…?"
"He's my savior, my most precious family."
You too…? But we're different. We were never loved… Wait, no…!
"The man who raised you… you think he truly loved you?" Saori challenged.
"He loved me without me doing anything," Mash replied.
"No one's loved without earning it!"
"I was clueless, expressionless, dim-witted, broke things constantly… and Grandpa loved me anyway."
"!!"
"Azusa loves you not because you earned it—just because she does."
"That man will betray you someday!" Saori shouted.
"Never. Absolutely not."
"How can you be so sure!?"
"Because that's Grandpa."
"This is pointless…"
"Maybe. But let me say this."
He stepped forward, extending the arm I'd scarred, and spoke. "If you've never been loved, I'll love you. More than cream puffs, more than muscles, as much as Grandpa… like family."
Love us? Me, who tried to kill him, who denied his dreams, who cursed him…?
"Such nonsense!" Saori roared.
"Leader…" Atsuko whispered.
"Justina's Apostles are failing. Our covenant's losing meaning," Hiyori reported.
"The remaining Apostles… they're done," Misaki added.
"We're out of cards. We lose," Saori admitted.
"Don't mock us!" she screamed, throat raw, blood nearly spilling. She couldn't accept it—believing him would unravel everything she'd lived for.
She signaled Justina's Apostles to attack. Useless. Mash silently punched and kicked, erasing them.
"I'm not mocking you. I'll love you, like Grandpa saved a stranger like me—I'll save you," Mash said.
"I'll deny everything! What you've learned, experienced, realized—everything! Azusa too!" Saori shouted.
"…"
"We suffered together, despaired together in this gray, hopeless world! That's the truth, the undeniable reality!"
"Yeah," Mash nodded.
"Yet in this empty world, you alone have meaning!? You alone get to stand in the sunlight!?"
"I'm not staying alone, Saori-neesan. You're all coming with me."
"!!"
"I know you won't accept this, nor will Arius. So—"
His gentle eyes turned fierce, his voice embracing yet resolute. "I'll face you until you're satisfied."
"Fine… All forces, prepare!" Saori commanded.
"Leader!" Hiyori gasped.
"No running now! Destroy it, deny it! Everything's meaningless!" Saori roared.
"No—we won't let that happen!" Hifumi shouted, light at her back.
"Exactly! Our efforts, our journey—they won't be erased!" Azusa added.
"Me, Azusa, Hifumi, Koharu… Sensei, you too! No bad endings!" Hanako declared.
"Everyone here wants that happy ending… So, Saori!" Hifumi pleaded.
Such a face… Azusa.
"Let's settle this!" Mash called.
"Arius Branch, charge!" Saori ordered.
"Sensei, orders!" Makoto grinned.
"Paradise Agency, deploy!" Mash commanded.
"WOOOOH!"
The battle began. They were… too radiant.
The decisive clash—Paradise Agency vs. Arius Branch & Justina's Apostles. Despite fewer Apostles, their numbers were vast. Even Mash Burnedead couldn't handle them all—
"Hmph, hmph—HMPH HMPH HMPH!"
Or so it seemed. Mash tore through Apostles with precise, evolved strikes, no longer a brute force but a refined warrior.
"Apostles are falling fast!" Atsuko gasped.
"He's stronger than before!" Hiyori noted.
"His fighting style… it's changed. Is this his true form!?" Saori wondered.
"No time for gawking!" Tsurugi snapped.
"!"
"Payback time!" Hina roared.
As Mash battled Apostles, Tsurugi and Hina lunged at Saori. She dodged and countered, a seasoned fighter.
"Siwoko-chan, got my back?" Hanako asked.
"Of course. But you've changed—trusting someone with your back?" Siroko replied.
"Even old folks grow~!"
"Right."
"Let's do this, Masked Swimsuit Gang!" Hanako cheered.
"YEAH!"
The Swimsuit Gang—Abidos Task Force—fought Arius and Apostles alongside Gehenna and Trinity, supporting each other with firepower.
Amidst the chaos, one group struggled.
"Nghhh!" Koharu grunted.
"Leader!" Atsuko called.
"What is that thing!?" Misaki shouted.
"Like the Apostles, but…" Hiyori faltered.
"Bigger and stronger!" Koharu added.
"Koyuki-chan! Got any tricks!?" Hanako asked.
"Frontline combat's not my thing!" Koyuki wailed.
A massive enemy, Ambrosius, unlike any before, faced the Cream Puff Couple Corps. They fought desperately.
"Paradise Agency's helping, but it's tough!" Koharu panted.
"There's gotta be something…" Hifumi muttered.
"Leave it to us!" Izuna declared.
"The fox duo… what's that!?" Koharu gasped.
"Ninja Art: Giant Shuriken!" Izuna hurled her massive shuriken, piercing Ambrosius's arm. She grabbed it mid-air, throwing again.
"She's wrecking it!" Misaki marveled.
"What's with that shuriken!?" Atsuko gaped.
"She's too fast!" Hiyori added.
"She serves Mash-sensei. It's expected," Wakamo said.
"The Calamity Fox!?" Koharu exclaimed.
"Call me Second Fox here," Wakamo corrected.
"Not Second Foxes…?" Hiyori asked.
"…What?"
"Nothing!" they chorused.
Wakamo gripped her rifle, eyes glowing red, aiming at Ambrosius's head. "Rest in peace, spirit."
A red bullet pierced its skull. Ambrosius collapsed, vanishing. The Cream Puff Corps cheered, "So cool!"
"What about me!?" Izuna pouted.
Mash's turn. With Paradise Agency's support, he crushed enemies effortlessly. Misaki fired a missile skyward, signaling Arius to launch a barrage. The missiles split, raining on Mash.
"Hoi hoi hoi—here!" Mash caught them, tossing all but one, which he hurled at Hiyori's sniper perch.
"Eek! He spotted me!?" Hiyori yelped.
"Misaki! Hiyori!" Saori growled.
"Gah!" Hiyori screamed.
"Take this!" Tsurugi roared.
"Too slow," Hina taunted.
Saori, distracted, dropped her gun. Tsurugi and Hina struck, sending her reeling.
"My body… won't move!" Saori gasped.
"You're already changing, thanks to Sensei," Hina said.
"Me…?"
"Your doubts, your hesitation—it's obvious. You're weaker than us now," Tsurugi added.
"Don't mock me! Me, affected by him!?" Saori snapped.
GRRRR!
"He's… dancing on the battlefield!?" Saori gaped. "Why can he summon a tornado!?"
"Don't sweat the small stuff," Tsurugi advised.
"You'll get used to it. Or you'll never beat Sensei," Hina said.
"Get used to that!?" Saori retorted.
Mash's breakdance tornado swept Apostles upward, slamming them into dust. The field cleared.
"We won't accept this… this absurd power!" Saori cried.
"Not absurd—trained," Mash corrected, grabbing an Arius student. "Triceps Magic: Human Spin."
Spinning like a top, he scattered Arius students.
"And… there!" he struck Saori.
"Sorry, I'll take responsibility later," Mash said, eyeing the battered Saori, Hiyori, Atsuko, and Misaki.
"Last of Justina's Apostles… gone," Hifumi reported. "Other units are retreating…"
"It's over," Hina said.
"No more…" Atsuko sighed.
"Not yet!" Saori growled. "The old cathedral's basement… it's there!"
"'It'?" Hifumi wondered.
"Let's go!" Saori rallied.
Arius Squad fled to the cathedral's basement. Hina turned to Mash and Azusa. "Leave those four to you two."
"Thanks," Azusa said.
"Insiders will convince them faster," Hina reasoned.
"Let's go, Sensei," Azusa urged.
"Hifumi-chan, handle things here," Mash said.
"Got it."
Mash and Azusa chased Arius Squad. The remaining Arius students retreated under someone's orders. If Mash and Azusa subdued Saori's group, it'd be over.
Elsewhere, far from the cathedral, Maestro of Gematria muttered, "Good, Mash Burnedead! Show me more of that power! You're the perfect foe for that work."
But that work would soon shatter.
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