Stella saw Noah dive to shield her from the gunfire, her heart nearly exploding on the spot in her panic.
However, Noah firmly grasped her hand in the dark, signaling that he was perfectly fine and urging her to continue playing dead.
In less than a minute, the armed terrorists left the screening room and made their way out into the mall concourse.
Only when silence fell over the theater did Noah finally stand up from the floor.
"Noah, are you hurt?!" Stella anxiously checked the boy's body, frantically running her hands over his jacket, searching for any bleeding injuries.
In her view, the boy hadn't used any visible magic when he shielded her from the heavy gunfire.
If it were her, she could have completely blocked such gunfire with her Empress Dress—the bullets would simply melt the moment they touched her defensive flames, never reaching her skin.
But in that chaotic situation, the boy hadn't used any defensive magic at all.
And as far as she knew, Noah didn't possess an armor-type Blazer technique.
Even for Blazers, withstanding automatic rifle fire with their bare bodies wasn't much easier than it was for an ordinary person.
After all, even with A-Rank physical abilities, one couldn't magically turn their flesh into solid steel.
Let alone facing military-grade rifle bullets capable of piercing armored plating.
"Don't worry," Noah said calmly.
He raised his palm and made a grasping motion, causing several crushed, brass-colored bullets to float out of his jacket and into his hand.
"8mm caliber—these are specialized, armor-piercing bullets designed for hunting Blazers. Their kinetic lethality is enough to threaten high-level knights. It seems these people aren't just ordinary terrorists."
"You blocked them?" Stella breathed a massive sigh of relief.
She didn't detect any magical fluctuations from him at all.
Using Weaver to completely halt the kinetic momentum of a bullet without leaking any visible mana was a level of control truly beyond common sense.
Noah placed a finger against the girl's lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
He took out his student handbook and dialed the academy's emergency number.
In less than two seconds, the secure call connected. Stella leaned in closely as well.
When the stern face of the Chairwoman appeared on the screen, Noah reported.
"Chairwoman, we are currently trapped at the shopping mall. An emergency terrorist situation has occurred here."
Kurono Shinguuji showed no surprise and instead first expressed genuine concern for the two students.
Seeing they were unharmed, she spoke directly, "I see. You are at the scene too. It is good that you both seem uninjured."
From her grim tone, the two immediately understood that the Chairwoman was already aware of the violent situation here.
In fact, what was happening inside might already be causing a massive media stir outside the mall.
"Chairwoman, what do you mean by 'too'?" Noah asked.
Kurono Shinguuji replied, "Just now, Ikki Kurogane, Shizuku Kurogane, and Nagi Arisuin also contacted me from different locations inside the mall. I have already formally authorized those three to use their Devices outside the school."
Student knights do not possess official combat licenses, and their legal social status is no different from ordinary civilians.
However, in severe emergencies, the school can legally grant temporary permission to use their Abilities in public.
With the Chairwoman personally authorizing it, all that was needed afterward was to recount the events and submit a simple police report.
Whether Abilities were used illegally can easily be determined by professionals examining the residual traces of magic at the scene.
For Blazers, using Abilities to commit crimes actually makes it much easier for authorities to expose them.
"Now, I also officially permit the two of you to use your Abilities. Remember, protect the hostages if you can—but at the very least, ensure you protect yourselves."
To the other three students, she had said to prioritize the lives of ordinary people. But for Noah and Stella, there was no other political choice.
Besides being students, the two of them also held the highly sensitive status of foreign guests.
If they died within the school's legal jurisdiction, it would almost certainly lead to an international incident and extremely unfriendly diplomatic issues with the Vermillion Empire.
Noah pressed further, "Do you already have some understanding of the enemy's intelligence?"
"Yes, it has been confirmed by the police perimeter. They are an armed cell from Rebellion, with a total of about twenty to thirty people inside, all fully armed. This incident is one of the periodic terrorist activities carried out by that organization, aimed entirely at raising black-market funds."
"It's actually Rebellion?! That's an internationally massive criminal organization!" Stella was deeply shocked upon learning the true identity of the enemy.
After all, she was just a newly adult girl and still a high school student.
Suddenly finding out she would be facing a world-class terrorist group naturally brought a heavy, suffocating pressure.
Kurono Shinguuji slammed her fist on her desk as she spoke, gritting her teeth and saying.
"Damn it! Looting the shopping center's bank funds wasn't enough for them, and now they are demanding an exorbitant political ransom! A bunch of greedy bastards."
Noah fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
But what he asked next made the temperature in the room seem to drop.
"Chairwoman, since the opponent is the world's largest terrorist organization, I would like to ask... is it legally permissible to kill them?"
Rebellion was equivalent to the evilus of this world.
A bunch of bloodthirsty lunatics!
If he didn't go for the kill immediately, who knew if they might also resort to suicide bombings or executing hostages.
...
Hearing Noah's sudden chilling tone, Stella suddenly recalled the violent scene from their meeting in the alleyway.
The assassin's final expression—a mix of pain, shock, despair, and ferocity.
The small boy. The blood-stained blade. And the one who was splattered with warm blood yet remained completely expressionless...
It was the exact same, dead look in his eyes as back then...
Even the Chairwoman couldn't help but pause for a long moment upon seeing his cold expression through the screen.
"Noah..." The Chairwoman said gravely, "Mage-Knights are not weapons of slaughter. Don't so easily utter the word 'kill'."
Noah met her gaze for a moment before conceding softly, "I understand, Chairwoman."
The communication ended.
Noah put away his student handbook.
'So, what should we do next?'
'With Ikki Kurogane's close-combat abilities, he probably can't safely handle a hostage situation like this. Facing twenty to thirty fully armed enemies holding civilians, as long as they opened fire on the hostages, that heroic idiot would likely just throw himself in the way to block bullets for everyone else.'
'If it were the Lorelei, they could expect more from her. Her water abilities are highly suited for group battles, with a massive range of attack and defense, capable of both offense and protection simultaneously. If anyone gets injured, as a water mage, she can also provide emergency medical treatment after the battle.'
If they just waited in the theater and observed, it might not be a problem either.
However, Noah had forgotten one crucial detail.
By his side was a royal princess who would absolutely never stand idly by while her people were in danger.
"Let's go, Noah!"
"Huh?"
"Since the Chairwoman has already legally allowed us to use our Abilities, we won't let those villains run wild in here anymore! Let's defeat all those bad guys and rescue everyone!"
The justice-filled girl tied up her long crimson hair and took off her cute white beret.
All her previous, adorable date-night cuteness transformed into a blazing, imposing knightly aura.
Like a beautiful Valkyrie.
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