Beneath the old Arius school building.
After searching for a while, we finally found the underground corridor.
Marble arches stretched overhead. The passageway was broad and lofty. Looking from the center into the distance, it seemed endlessly deep, with no end in sight.
"So it's here..."
After taking a quick look around, Saori nodded.
"Let's move."
"Wait."
Misaki suddenly stopped Saori, her expression grave.
"If it's really like the captain said, and this leads straight to the Basilica... then this terrain isn't good."
I was confused for a moment, then immediately understood.
In other words, the Basilica could also provide a direct route here. If they had an ambush waiting ahead while sending people to cut us off from behind, we'd very likely end up trapped between both sides.
Of course, someone as experienced as Saori had already considered that possibility.
"I've thought about the chance of an ambush too. But in a place like this, where it's just one straight path, all we have to do is charge straight through."
Azusa nodded in approval. To put it mildly, she and Saori shared the exact same attitude toward combat, passionate and decisive, always ready to act.
After thinking it over for a moment, I decided to share a bit more information with Arius Squad. From here on, I would keep Shiroko's... no, Nodoka's authority, along with Serina's and Hoshino's, active the entire time so I could anticipate the enemy's movements.
But Misaki shook her head.
"If it were only an ambush, that would be one thing. What I'm trying to say is, with the condition we're in, once we lose Sensei's command, it'll be hard for us to fight the enemy head-on. And in an indoor environment like this, if..."
Before she could finish, and while I was still following her train of thought, wondering what situation she was referring to, both her words and my thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, deafening crash.
The instant I realized the harsh roar had come from behind me, Hiyori cried out.
"W-watch out! Sensei, the pillar behind you...!"
So that was it.
Separate me, who lacked the strength to do anything except command, from Arius Squad, whose full strength depended on my command.
Just like this.
As expected, Beatrice had known all along that we'd come this way.
I stopped myself from instinctively lunging forward, quickly spotted the nearest student, and threw myself toward her instead.
She reacted just as quickly, reaching out and pulling me into her arms before retreating backward with me.
The next moment, the marble pillar toppled from its base. A huge section of the ceiling collapsed with it, crashing heavily onto the floor and exploding into countless chunks of rubble. Dust that had lain undisturbed for years billowed into the air.
"Sensei, are you alright?"
Once the ringing in my ears subsided, an anxious girl's voice reached me.
"...I'm fine."
I gently pulled myself free from Saori's embrace and answered calmly.
Although I still harbored complicated feelings toward Saori, I had to admit that the experience was... very pleasant.
Firm, yet remarkably soft and resilient. The result of exceptional natural gifts combined with years of relentless training.
To think she could still possess such impressive assets despite growing up in Arius's miserable environment. Comparing her to the equally impoverished Abydos only made me sigh at how unfair the differences between people could be.
That said, after several straight days on the run, none of the four of them, Saori included, had probably had a chance to bathe. At best, they'd only been able to rinse themselves off with free roadside tap water.
As for whether that scent was good or bad, that was ultimately a matter of personal taste.
More importantly, now wasn't the time to dwell on something like that.
Looking at the collapsed rubble before me, listening to the girls calling out, then turning toward Saori beside me, my heart sank.
Only she remained with me.
Misaki, Hiyori, and Azusa had all been cut off on the other side.
Had explosives been planted here beforehand?
If that was the case...
"W-wait a second! Sensei, Captain! I'll move the pillar right aw..."
As Hiyori said that, my bad feeling came true once again.
More thunderous crashes echoed one after another. Countless marble pillars, some load-bearing, others merely decorative, suddenly snapped apart. In moments, the passage that might have been cleared by manpower was completely buried.
"Ahhh!"
Hiyori panicked.
"W-we're done for!? Sensei! Captain! Are you two alright!?"
Misaki remained comparatively calm.
"Captain, can you hear me? If the path over there isn't blocked, let's find somewhere to regroup... Azusa, wait. Don't go off on your own."
Judging from her words, Azusa had probably already rushed off to search for another route.
But compared to that, something else demanded my attention even more.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The crisp, rhythmic sound of high heels striking the stone floor echoed through the corridor, each step seeming to knock against my heart.
Watching the completely unexpected figure slowly emerge from the shadows at the side, holding a submachine gun in one hand while looking at us with cold, indifferent eyes, Saori spoke to her teammates with difficulty.
"...No. That might be impossible."
The pink-haired girl finally came to a stop.
She glanced at me in surprise as well, then broke into a radiant smile.
"Ara~ Sensei, Saori, it's been so long... Well, maybe not that long? Anyway, what lovely weather we're having today. Clear blue skies and all that... Hehe. I was worried Sensei might get caught up in it, so I deliberately held back the power. Even then, I was still a little uneasy. But the result turned out pretty well."
Judging from the way she said it...
Could it be that what had just happened wasn't Beatrice's ambush at all, but Mika's doing?
But she didn't look like someone carrying high-powered explosives around with her.
Had she enhanced a magic bullet with Mystery?
Or perhaps...
I couldn't help but wonder how Mika had managed to escape from prison.
Seia... no.
Mika let out a slow breath and quietly addressed Saori, who had silently put on her mask and raised her guard.
"Sensei surprised me again, but I'm really glad I managed to split your group apart and leave only you behind."
"Mika."
I hurriedly spoke.
"Calm down first. Did you receive the messages I sent? What are you trying to do right now? How is Wakamo? Now isn't the time for something like this..."
"Hold on, hold on, Sensei. That's way too many questions."
Mika's teasing complaint helped clear my slightly panicked mind. I quickly applied Fuuka's authority to myself.
"I didn't bring my phone, sorry. Oh, and Wakamo, you mean that girl wearing the fox mask? Don't worry, I held back and let her escape. As for what I'm trying to do..."
She thought for a moment.
Then she put on a bright, dazzling smile.
"I'm sorry, Sensei."
A glimmer of tears shone at the corners of her eyes.
"I think... I'm going to disappoint you again."