episode_0008

The darkness that came after the red twilight.

Warm streetlights twinkle on the streets of Academy City, which has not yet fallen asleep.

A time when cold stars pour down from the sky beyond the branches of the World Tree.

A direction extending towards the outskirts of Academy City.

There were people running towards the horizon.

Dozens of illegally modified ether bikes speeding side by side on the road.

They were marching majestically around a huge vehicle, like dozens of sucker sharks swimming on the surface of a huge fish.

Buuu!!

Vroom – Vroom –

Uuuu!!

Big exhaust pipe.

The noise it makes every time it runs.

Heat rising between my legs.

Although it is a bike that has been clumsily modified to run with ore obtained through illegal routes, rather than the officially approved ether conductive ore. The sloppy and crude appearance actually appealed to the delinquent students.

Is it because of the thrilling sense of freedom one feels from not being bound anywhere?

Like a kite with a broken string in a typhoon, delinquent students run continuously on the road. Then, they took out their weapons and waved them in the air or screamed as they advanced.

Among them, the two are the most crazy about speed, so they run to take the lead. The speed of those two bikes could easily be called runaway.

“Kyahahahaha-!!”

“Hey~!!”

“Kkkk!! hey! Your engine sounds amazing today―?”

“What? I can’t hear you!! Say it loudly!!”

“Today!! They say it makes the engine sound deader!!”

“Kyahahahaha-!! Well, my last request is to hand over a lot of illegal ether ore. That’s because I sneaked it into mine last night without the captain’s knowledge-!!”

“What? Tsk tsk!! Are you really crazy? If the captain turns his head, you will disappear from the slums without even a rat or a bird noticing!! Tsk tsk… !!”

“Ah~ I don’t know, I don’t know!! I’m satisfied as long as I can run now-!!”

Vroom – Vroom –

Buuung-!!

As if showing off that each other’s bike is more of a monster.

Two people making noise while pulling the throttle.

Amid the noise, there was a strange sound that penetrated my ears.

Charing☆

Charing☆

Strangely pissed off.

The suspiciously lovely sound of a bicycle bell.

Charing☆

Charing☆

The two delinquent students, who were in the midst of a rampage, looked at each other with questioning expressions.

“… ?”

“… ?”

Those two are far ahead and running wild.

Except for the group and large vehicles behind.

It’s normal for there to be no one around the road.

It was strange.

“… ”

“… ”

Charing☆

Charing☆

Even amidst the loud engine sound.

Lovely bicycle ringtones never go away.

It continued to sound at the same volume.

To be precise, it was getting louder than before.

Charing☆

Charing☆

A high school girl with pink hair came in between the two people who were looking around.

Red afterimage.

Shuuu…

A red bike comes in between two speeding bikes and starts to overtake them. There was a pink-haired female student with a brown-haired female student riding behind her.

A pink-haired female student riding a bicycle with incredible speed greeted me in a relaxed voice.

“Hello―☆”

“Huh?”

“En.”

“No, what is this… ?!”

“Crazy?! Moving on a bike and catching up with the bar and bike?!”

“No, you’re overtaking now?! What is this—?!”

Swish swish swish!!

Kakakakakak-!!

It’s like the pistons of an engine reciprocating loudly.

The pedals of a bicycle moving at a transcendental leg repetitive motion speed.

The afterimage of the red body and the eerie sound of the chain spinning.

Swish swish swish!!

Kakakakakak-!!

A truly terrifying sight.

When the two delinquent students saw that, they were embarrassed.

The girl with a suspiciously adorable smile let go of the steering wheel and took out a sword from the bag hanging on the back of the bike with both hands.

Uuuu…

With an ominous sound, the swords in both hands were covered with red ether, and they soon inflated like balloons and became hot.

The pink-haired female student stabbed the bomb-like weapons into the front wheels of the two bikes with a bright expression.

“Eight―☆”

Kaduk!

Between the frantically spinning wheels.

A sword that stabbed an empty space with precise timing.

A gap that is difficult to fit even with luck.

The two delinquent students were shocked and screamed.

“Aaaa?!”

“No!!”

And explosion.

Kwahia Ahh!

Red flames and scorching heat.

Then it explodes, leaving behind acrid smoke and huge scattered debris.

Two delinquent students soared like rockets flying into space.

The delinquent students on the two bikes soared into the sky.

“Aaaaa――!!”

“Aaaa――!!”

Shuu Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woo Woong ――!

Two people soared into the sky.

They slowly disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only faint screams.

Shiny!

They shone like stars at the last moment.

＊

Albit muttered blankly.

“… It was an amazing flight.”

“… Well, that’s nothing to a high school girl, right? You’ll have a hard time for a week, but-!”

“Anyway, I was worried about you earlier. Why is your bike so fast?! This is really not normal speed―!!”

“Red Tomato originally increases movement speed―☆”

“No, what else is that… Ugh… I shouldn’t say anything.”

I grabbed the handlebars of the bike again and adjusted the speed.

This is because the sound of the engines of the following vehicles chasing behind was heard.

Buuuh!!

Vroom – Vroom –!!

Uuuuh!!

After witnessing the two bikes riding ahead being overpowered in a ridiculous manner.

I could feel the hostility of the delinquent students riding in the vehicles following behind soaring through the sky.

Shuuu――

Let me gradually reduce the pedal speed.

The distance between them and those following behind me got closer and closer.

Sensory information that was vaguely felt became more accurate.

‘Hmm… It looks like there are hostages in a large trailer-like vehicle… ‘

A sound felt from the vibration of a large vehicle.

Information obtained through the slight vibration and presence of the vehicle.

The cargo compartment at the back was divided by a partition.

‘A hostage and a surveillance station?’

A place to keep those who have been kidnapped.

And five delinquent students watch over them to see if they might escape.

‘You idiots who can barely handle [basic ether]. ‘I can leave this to Arbit.’

“… ”

I looked sideways toward the hostage in the cargo compartment of a large vehicle, where I could sense a particularly sensitive presence inside.

Although it is hidden by a wall.

-Jjongkeut…

You can feel it as a presence.

Most of the hostages were acting confused, but among them, there was one person who seemed particularly startled.

‘From the looks of it, it looks like they’re carrying about 10 kidnapped students. ‘One person in particular was moving his ears and reacting sensitively like a beastman, and that person was Lotta.’

The stormy first grade years.

I often beat up the beastmen who attacked me, so I knew how they were surprised.

As Lotta is a sensitive cat, he will wake up faster than others when he hears noise.

‘I was worried because the timing of the Rota story was particularly tricky.’

I was secretly relieved that I could save her in time.

But there may not be all hostages here.

The numerous hostages that the person in the shopping district said they saw were probably at the base.

‘From now on, you should think of it as a bonus stage for faithful Rbits.’

It would be perfect if we saved them while we were here.

With that in mind, I kept pedaling. The moving leg, which left an afterimage, faithfully performed repetitive movements and controlled the speed of the bicycle.

I don’t know if you know what’s inside of me.

Albit sighed from the back seat and looked at the results of what I had done.

“Ugh… ”

Even now, the follow-up vehicles are slowly approaching with anger.

The place was filled with the angry voices of numerous delinquent students.

[What on earth are those bitches!!]

[Those bitches!! Looking at the coat, it’s union!! You bitches will break the alliance!!]

[Catch up!! Stick!!]

Buuuh!!

Vroom – Vroom –!!

Uuuuh!!

However, perhaps because of the debris from the two bikes that were blown up earlier, there were some bikes that fell over while trying to avoid them.

[Aaaah?!]

[I can’t, I can’t avoid it… !]

[Kaaaak!!]

[Uh, uh, uh――?!]

Sigh!!

Kwaaang-!!

bang!!

bang!!

A rhythmic crash sound like the sound of applause.

A serial collision accident in which numerous bikes come together as one is also a bonus.

Delinquent students who are thrown from an accident and faint.

The road had literally been opened for five minutes.

Albit praised my ether operation technique that made them like this.

“Senior… This is a really strange way to operate ether.”

“Wow! Thank you for the compliment!”

“It’s not a compliment!! It’s just a waste of weapons and ether!! Maybe if you get lucky and hit the wheel like before, you’ll never know. Most people avoid that level!”

“But I succeeded―☆ Yes! As expected, I am a lucky girl―☆”

“Ugh… !”

“By the way, Rbit☆ That large vehicle over there~ Something~ Something~ The girl’s senses are clear! I’m plugging it in―☆ Can you go up and check it?☆”

Normally, I would joke around more leisurely.

Unfortunately, now was not the time to relax so leisurely.

‘I think we’ll arrive at these guys’ base in a little while… ‘

Albit tried to say something more, but eventually nodded.

“… First, we have to save people.”

“That’s it―☆”

Charring-

Charring-

And she followed the movement of the red toma that was slowly approaching the large vehicle. Ready to jump at any time. The ether in my entire body was raised.

The moment when Arbit approached the large vehicle.

Suddenly, the sound of an engine right next to you.

Buaaang――!!

There was a small fish that attacked us with a knife drawn.

“Kyahot!! Eat this-!!”

Shuuk!

The petit was trying to surprise Albit, who was preparing to get up from behind.

“… !”

A blade that stabs like a knight competing in a joust.

The black-edged blade was clumsy, but it contained red ether that could definitely injure Arbit.

“Gotcha!!”

“No―☆”

“No, what the-!!”

I narrowed my vision and saw Smallpox’s bike approaching.

‘I see it as a world of moments.’

A growing sensation.

Increasing awareness.

increasing time.

The small fish’s mouth is moving slowly.

I can feel the dust and wind.

All the chaos in the radius has been purified.

It is identified by the listed path.

[Aaaa――Niii――Yaaa… .]

Let’s enter the world of moments.

The noise around me increases like a slowly played music source.

And the extreme sense of contemplating the world is revived.

A world that has slowed down.

From irregularity to regularity.

A sight where the trajectory of all objects can be seen slowly.

Among other things, it leaves an afterimage.

One turn and another turn.

I look at the front wheel of the bike that Janchang is riding.

Tick –

Tick –

Tick –

I’m looking for the turn of that moment.

Take out one of the practice weapons you brought.

It was inserted into the wheel of the bike visible through the afterimage.

And the world begins to flow at its normal speed again.

“―Niyaaaaeook?!”

Tick!

Uddangtangtang-!!

Wow!

The wheels of Jangchang’s bike stopped turning and fell over.

Albit tilts his head when he sees the small fry that suddenly charged and fell down on his own.

It took 0.02 seconds to get here.

I pedaled again, relieved that Albit was safe.

“Oops☆ I fell—!”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing―☆”

We approached the large vehicle like that.

A long chase continued until they arrived at their home base.

＊

Squeak!!

Kwaaang-!!

“Kyaaa—?!”

“Aaagh!!!”

“Ugh!!”

A vehicle that suddenly brakes.

Due to the impact of the brakes, Lotta and the students taken hostage are tied up and thrown around.

Lothar was just trembling in complete helplessness.

‘What the hell… what’s the matter?!’

It was then.

Squeak-

“… !”

With the sound of the hinge opening, someone entered the cargo compartment.

‘Who is it… ?’

Lotta felt afraid as the figure gradually approached him. When the person who approached soon took off the cloth covering his eyes. I couldn’t help but be surprised when I saw her.

white coat.

White school uniform.

And kind eyes.

“Don’t worry. is here to save you.”

A sincere and dependable voice.

The girl with matching brown short hair untied the rope that bound her.

Lotta said with a sigh of relief at those words.

“Go… Thank you.”

＊

Same time.

In the home of delinquent students lined with tall abandoned buildings, a huge figure was watching the scene.

“… ”

A head with horns that resemble a dragon.

And a muscular body brimming with dark red energy.

An ominous energy rising endlessly.

The suspicious man muttered quietly.

“Phew… The priest told me to retrieve the remaining ether and come back. Is this really how inferior people handle their work?”

Behind the man, students were lying limp, having been forcibly absorbed by ether. They were hostages kidnapped by delinquent students.

Gooo-

The overwhelming energy of a monster.

It was an evil energy that could make ordinary students faint from the force if they encountered it.

The suspicious man slowly became angry, radiating ominous energy from his entire body.

“How dare you make it impossible to completely carry out the priest’s orders… I deserve to die――”

Kwaaang-!!

At that moment, with a loud sound, two small hands appeared from the floor where the man was standing.

The hand held the man’s leg tightly.

“――Hard!?”

“Yes~☆ I’m here to make a balance patch―☆ The mid boss doesn’t interfere with the early friendship event―☆”

“What is this?! When did you come?! Aaaaa—!!!”

-Aaaa…

The huge man was dragged into a hole in the floor, screaming. And silence came to the room again.