She took a serious look at Sakura Mai and Little Yuzu, both of whom insisted they were perfectly fine.
After repeatedly confirming with the girls, and reminding both Little Yuzu and Sakura Mai not to push themselves too hard, Tsukiyomi Fuya began preparing for tonight's operation.
Imperial Capital University's research vessel was moored near a temporarily repaired dock nearby.
The dock, which originally could only accommodate small fishing boats, could just barely berth the larger research vessel after the repairs.
A smaller fishing boat was already parked beside the research vessel.
What the girls had to do now was board the fishing boat.
The fishing boat wasn't large; under normal circumstances, a few people were enough to complete the work.
The teacher piloting the fishing boat this time was still Akiyama Yo, whom Su Yuzu was familiar with.
The woman had already changed into her amphibious combat suit well in advance.
Because of her Talent, 'Moistened Body,' Akiyama Yo rarely wore a normal uniform. A uniform perpetually dampened with water stains always brought her no small amount of trouble.
Even on a summer night, it wouldn't be long after she left the air-conditioned room in a thin nightgown... before her overly moist skin would slowly soak the nightgown through, revealing her contours.
The combat suit was a bit stuffy, and before long the area beneath it would even turn slick with moisture... but at least she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of others.
Aside from Akiyama Yo, who was in charge of piloting.
The members of the 'Bait' group consisted only of Soga Yura, Su Yuzu, Sakura Mai, and little rabbit, along with Tsukiyomi Fuya and Unohana Chiyo, who were in charge of protecting the girls' safety.
Under Tsukiyomi Fuya's gaze, which even seemed somewhat respectful, Unohana Chiyo wiped down a black blade.
Su Yuzu scooped Soga Yura up horizontally into her arms.
Leaping down from the research vessel, she effortlessly boarded the fishing boat.
Then, under Soga Yura's somewhat nervous and bashful gaze, she slowly set her down.
little rabbit also wanted to imitate Su Yuzu's dashing flair and leaped down from the research vessel.
But the girl had evidently forgotten a few things.
Such as... her skirt.
Such as the fact that this world's Newton hadn't been pinned down in his coffin.
The girl's skirt that whooshed upward was like a blue morning glory blooming in the night. The morning glory's stem was fair and slender. Just like little rabbit's cute little face — showing a faint hint of softness that stirred the urge to knead and play with it — it was plump and adorable.
Though it was a touch improper, still... 'They're the cute little bow-tie style.'
Su Yuzu caught little rabbit.
After landing, Saotome Yukina's ears looked as if they were about to be dyed through with the color of blood. She flusteredly climbed down from Su Yuzu's arms, smoothed her skirt hem straight, and her throat seemed on the verge of squeezing out cute, pitiful whimpers and sobs.
'So embarrassing... utterly humiliating.'
'But it's fine, I think—only Senpai and Sister Yura saw it.'
'But... but...' little rabbit anxiously stole a glance at Su Yuzu. 'Embarrassing myself in front of Senpai already seems to be the biggest problem, though.'
Right after, Sakura Mai also leaped down from the research vessel.
For Sakura Mai, a Third Sequence body-enhancement type Esper, a height like this should, by all reasoning, have been no problem at all.
But... Sakura Mai's condition today was clearly rather unusual.
Her figure looked a bit off-kilter.
If she landed on the boat, she might not tumble and hurt herself, but she certainly wouldn't look so composed either.
Although Soga Yura was voicing her complaints about Sakura Mai, at a moment like this... she still gently nudged Yuzu.
Su Yuzu stepped forward and deftly dissolved the force of Sister Mai's descent. Holding Sakura Mai's waist, she spun a gentle half-circle.
Sakura Mai's toes tapped down onto the deck.
little rabbit watched the interaction between Yuzu-senpai and Senior Sakura, the ahoge on her forehead swaying back and forth.
So... was it really Senior Sakura who devoured Senpai?
Why did all these various signs make her feel... that the truth of the matter might be entirely the opposite?
But little rabbit was still steeped in Shame.
None of these thoughts did she voice aloud.
Finally, Akiyama Yo and Ms. Unohana leaped down cleanly and crisply.
Su Yuzu tilted her head up to look at Tsukiyomi Fuya.
The woman wore the same off-shoulder short dress as when they'd first met, a woolen overcoat draped over her shoulders.
Had she jumped straight down, that lovely scenery would perhaps have been even more alluring and enchanting than little rabbit's.
But... Tsukiyomi Fuya gave a light leap.
As though this world's gravity didn't exist for her, the woman drifted down gently.
The overly short hem clung tightly to her legs, defying gravity to remain utterly still in the wind.
Only the woman's draped woolen overcoat and that gorgeous cascade of moon-white long hair were sent fluttering by the sea breeze.
Her light purple eyes gazed tenderly at Su Yuzu. Tsukiyomi Fuya's toes lightly touched down upon the deck, and then—click—
The heel of her likewise moon-white high heel tapped gently against the surface.
The woman's every movement, every frown and smile, seemed brimming with elegance and charm.
"Let's get ready." She looked toward the girls.
The operation had begun.
The tide was rising, the black tidewater surging. Wave after wave of white breakers shattered to pieces against the jumbled reefs and concrete pillars.
The specially modified, powerful fishing boat cut through the waves, heading in the direction of the bay.
Behind them.
The armored surveyor of the underwater research vessel slipped into the water alongside them. The night bay was left with nothing but the desolate whistling of the sea wind and the sound of the surging tide — terrifyingly lonely.
The moonlight tonight was just perfect.
The bright, clear moonlight fell upon Tsukiyomi Fuya's moon-white long hair. The woman leaned against the boat's railing, gazing out at the seemingly calm sea.
Sometimes Su Yuzu even felt that Tsukiyomi Fuya was like the moon itself.
She chased after the myriad stars.
Only because the myriad stars encircled her.
The boat sailed out past the breakwater.
Su Yuzu watched the seemingly calm sea. Beneath the surface, dark waves churned, and the aura of Catastrophe grew ever more powerful.
Perhaps those fishermen couldn't sense this Catastrophe's power.
They only knew that at night no white mist shrouded this place, and they could haul in a bigger catch.
But the Superintendent of the Investigation Bureau could surely smell the anomaly within it; perhaps it was precisely because of their keen senses that the disaster had been brewed.
The fishing boat traveled farther and farther, until the distant embankments and mountain foothills all became utterly blurred lines in the dark night, then were even wiped away by the tides.
"Right here, then." Tsukiyomi Fuya looked toward Unohana Chiyo and Akiyama Yo. Beyond the investigation, their foremost duty was, in fact, to protect the girls' safety.
Akiyama Yo and Unohana Chiyo worked together to switch on the fishing boat's lights that lured the schools of fish.
The dazzling columns of light tore the night apart, sweeping across the boundless sea, illuminating even the black seawater until it shone through and through.
Su Yuzu could even see directly that great numbers of silvery-white little fish were swimming against the current in the tide, some even leaping out of the sea's surface to chase the Light.
On the shore, the researchers aboard the research vessel operated the armored surveyor, watching the situation beneath the fishing boat.
And then... they saw it...
A magnificent, resplendent fish tail slid past before the surveyor's lens.
And then... an inverted human face slowly emerged before the lens, as if gazing at them.
On that human face, a pair of inhuman Dark golden vertical pupils blazed like torches.
Drawn in by the lights were not only the schools of fish, but also... the 'Beast'!!!
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