I Became the Academy’s Pink Airhead

Rota was hiding in the darkness of the checkpoint, holding her pounding heart.

Cold sweat ran down the hand covering her ears, and the nightmare from that night vividly came back to life in her mind.

“Senior…!”

Rota unconsciously tried to go outside the checkpoint. Even now, the image of Clara collapsing pale-faced with blood flowing from every hole in her face vividly came to mind.

Like that.

Just as she was about to step forward.

『Absolutely don’t come out―☆』

Stop―!

“…!”

What held her ankle was…

The smile of the second reliable big sister she met in life.

After passing through those sad and lonely times when her sister died young from illness.

Warm embrace.

Gentle eyes.

Fragrant hair.

‘I…!’

At that moment, an impact like the world turning upside down struck.

Boom―!

“…?!”

A shockwave spreading enough to make the ground shake.

Heat felt even dozens of meters away.

Rota was swept up by the impact in her awkward posture and fell forward.

Because of that, the sensitive eardrums of her cat ears vibrated and her stomach churned.

“Kyah…?!”

Still in a rolling position on the ground, Rota grabbed her cat ears and recalled the memory of ‘that time’ while sobbing.

The burning city, under the bright moonlight.

Four wings that seemed like they would block out the sky.

Black ether rushing in like waves, constricting her heart.

The enormous eyes that appeared in nightmares sometimes, though she had only seen them once.

Rota recalled their group name with a pale face.

‘Ra… … Why are those things in the golden street…’

The ill-fated encounters faced since the start of the semester.

Outside the checkpoint now, groups of emitting power like ‘priests’ were rampaging. Just the remnants of black ether spewing from the truck they had shattered made her skin tremble.

“…”

There was nothing her incompetent self could do here.

Because she was a fool expelled from her original school.

And because she was just a kid belatedly chasing the path others walked.

‘Last time too, only Alvit and Kara fought… I’m always… just a burden like this…’

It’s laughable.

Despite so confidently boasting to Alvit, in the end, her unhelpful self was just hiding like this.

‘Senior Clara… Why do you fight like that… when you’re so covered in wounds…?’

Until when.

Until when…

Until when do I have to hide and be a burden like this.

‘Just having silly dreams… Incompetent and stupid, unable to help at all… That’s why big sister, and Senior too…’

Rota endlessly blamed herself inwardly and bowed her head deeply.

“…”

The battle was still continuing.

The voices of the two seniors could be heard from far away.

-Localized range, precision strike, standby… activate―!

-Alley cat~♡ I’ll borrow a few of these―☆

-Standby, standby, standby―!

Freya hurriedly stopped her skill activation and shouted:

-Y-You… crazy pink wild horse―!! Y-You’re interfering with the calculations, just take one―!!

-Sorry, sorry―♪ But dual-wielding weapons is a girl’s romance―☆

-Th-Throw away that kind of romance!! Wh-Where do you think you’re doing such a foolish thing like picking up and using other people’s weapons―!!

-Okay♪ I wanted to try imitating it once―☆

-Th-This is actually interfering―!!

The voices of the seniors bickering for a while.

But they soon got busy moving and fighting again.

Just from the sounds, it was a speed beyond Rota’s perception.

However, perhaps because they weren’t well-matched, discordant sounds could also be heard.

‘How… can Senior Clara… fight like that…?’

Rota thought about the pink senior who must be fighting beyond there.

So hurt.

So much lost.

So broken.

Why does she try to get up and fight again?

‘Just why…?’

Rota barely peeked outside through the gap in the checkpoint door, dragging her trembling legs.

There was a pale pink girl dancing there.

Though without the tremendous pink storm seen that night.

She was swaying like dancing, gripping purple weapons in both hands. Scraping together faint ether again, fighting to protect everyone.

“Sister.”

Like the dance her big sister had shown her once.

Clumsy and awkward, but containing a pure heart.

-Sister, why can you dance like that even when you’re hurt?

-Because I have feelings I want to convey!

Conveying… feelings.

Rota also had feelings she needed to convey to them.

-Watch! How [Spiral] advances…

“No. I won’t just watch anymore.”

Though knowing it was a foolish action.

Nevertheless, she could no longer let them dance alone.

Even if dancing together wouldn’t make all their pain disappear.

‘If I’ve received… there are feelings I need to convey…!’

Because there are feelings that arose – from you and me meeting.

Click―!

So now, to respond to their love.

Rota grasped the checkpoint door handle with trembling hands.

* * *

To be honest… it was a bit fun.

‘Even if I can’t fire off ultimate techniques, with the same operation power I can thrust efficiently. Actually, it’s common sense that weapons are stronger than fists…’

That’s how much I had been defying common sense until now…

Not crudely pushing through with output.

Truly seeing through the enemy’s attacks and striking.

It was plainer than the crude methods I had used until now, but more efficient.

“Hiyah―☆”

I swung the purple longswords in both hands and smashed them into the skull of a follower still in the midst of transforming. Two colors of ether collided there, making a fierce sound.

Crackcrackcrack―!

The vibrating sound of faint red and purple colliding.

A sound like it might come from an operating chainsaw.

“Puhwak…?!”

Crunch crunch crunch―!

The head of the follower still transforming shattered.

It turned into a form that might appear in a B-grade horror movie.

I announced the name of the martial art I used towards the one whose consciousness had been completely cut off. Even if they were an enemy, it was proper to reveal the martial art one used.

“This is the Pretty☆Hamburger☆Sword Technique―♪ The master of this martial art was a passing delinquent… a reclusive eccentric who used twin rusty longswords―♪”

“…”

“Now she’s in ’s detention facility for getting caught stealing bread…”

“…”

But the guy didn’t respond to my words and remained silent.

Because the two colors of ether clinging to the clashing twin swords had shattered his skull with a threatening wind sound. And the huge body collapsed helplessly, making a sound as it fell under the building.

Boom―!

“Huhu―☆ That makes number 4―♪”

I successfully recreated the delinquent’s twin sword helmet splitting technique.

‘Actually, that kid was just an unremarkable common delinquent student, but the sword technique she used was unique so it’s still impressive.’

Twin dagger charge.

Twin greatsword whirlwind.

Twin sword helmet split.

I was trying out all kinds of techniques used by the small fry of , roughly anything involving dual-wielding. Somehow it felt like I could follow them if I used them like my habit of pummeling with both fists.

But after trying them, my impression was…

‘Dual-wielding weapons is not great. No wonder no one except small fry uses it… Was Liu Bei truly a martial arts master to block Lü Bu’s attack with twin swords.’

Liu Bei using twin swords.

Could he use such threatening dual sword techniques because he was an elf master unbound by lifespan? He must have been China’s last elf high school girl with long ears and suspiciously high popularity.

Shaaak―!

An impatient follower finally completed his transformation, covering the upper part of his body with dragon scales. And he was charging this way with a monstrous roar.

‘He’s going to use the sub-adult chaos insect summoning pattern again.’

But today I was omniscient Clara.

Tonight I was confident I wouldn’t tire even if I swung all day long.

Anyway.

The conclusion is that dual-wielding weapons is useless.

Thinking that, I stepped on the rooftop floor, activating ether.

Boom―!

A shockwave emanating from my foot.

The rooftop floor cracking with a massive vibration. I felt like I could see the building owner’s tears there, but hoped all claims would be made to the furry beasts later.

‘Sorry, building owner. I didn’t want to use this technique.’

I thrust the two purple longswords I was holding into the floor. And as I drew up ether once more, two colors of ether collided, repelling each other.

Crackcrackcrack―!

Using that force, I shattered the rooftop floor of the building I was standing on.

Then debris flew up and scattered from where the twin swords were embedded.

Rumble―!

Dozens of debris floating in the air.

I struck each piece of debris with the twin swords, firing them off. They flew towards the follower with a dragon face, making threatening sounds.

Like firing a shotgun by hand.

The fierce sound of bullets splitting the air.

Whoosh―!

Whoosh―!

Whoosh―!

I shouted while swinging the twin swords, firing off dozens of debris:

“Pretty☆Biscuit―♪”

“Kyaaack?! You inferior species―?!”

“Your side is open―♪”

And I stabbed the side of the one who raised both hands to protect his face.

Crunch―!

Freya’s purple ether made a threatening sound. It easily pierced through the stone-like skin and the guy screamed.

“Kuaaack―?!”

Crackcrackcrack―!

His side burst open in the form of being ground by a chainsaw due to numerous ether resonances. And he fell under the building with the momentum he had been charging with.

I chuckled seeing that sight.

‘He should be quite a strong enemy at this point, but how unfortunate to run into me.’

Though it’s still impossible for me to draw out my own [Unique Ether].

Even now I was fighting using Freya’s ether remaining in the purple weapons. The purple weapons with [Unique Ether] remaining were very threatening weapons just by themselves.

‘But using them like this is a bit inconvenient, different from what I expected.’

Boom―

The twin swords vibrating whenever they encounter my ether.

I feel a repulsive force like forcibly gripping magnets with the same poles. It’s like forcibly gripping something trying to fly apart, as if it were a grip strength measurer.

“…”

Due to the independent power unique to [Unique Ether], these weapons were greatly dominated by Freya’s perception and sensibilities. Because of that, such strong repulsion occurred even with just a little force.

‘Is it because the alley cat still can’t imagine lending me power at an unconscious level…’

Boom―!

Freya still fighting now.

[Eternal Spinning Wheel] pouring waves of purple armaments at numerous chaos insects and charging followers on the opposite road. In sync with that power manifestation, the purple armaments in my hands were also stirring.

The purple twin swords seemed to be shouting at me.

-Y-You scarred pale pink brat…! Wh-What on earth are you doing with me…! H-Hurry and send me back to my master…!

‘Yes, go on… Oh my…’

With most of the followers taken care of now.

From now on I just need to deal with dozens of sub-adult chaos insects.

Letting out a regretful sigh, I released the two purple weapons into the air.

Whoosh―!

As expected, the twin swords rejoined Freya’s control without lingering.

“…”

Regrettable, but if using weapons… rather than using magic skill armaments like this, it seems better to just pick up something from somewhere.

‘I thought it would be an infinite supply, cost-effective option…’

There are reasons why others don’t use methods.

Shaaak―!

Shaaak―!

Dozens of sub-adult chaos insects still howling around now.

Summons scattered by follower-level beings comparable to adult chaos insects.

While thinking about how to deal with them, I saw something unbelievable. Because I saw cute orange cat ears approaching from down below.

‘I told her to stay hidden?!’

I quickly ran towards there, holding my startled heart.

I could now move dozens of meters without issue.

Tap―!

I swiftly scooped up the orange cat and spoke while moving to a safe place. She was startled but soon went limp and looked sheepish.

“Rota―☆ What’s going on here♪”

“Th-That’s… I know I did something dangerous…!”

“…”

“B-But… still…! I can’t leave Senior alone!”

“…”

“Um… that…”

After hesitating for a while.

Rota finally burst into tears and shouted:

“I don’t care! I’ll die together if I die!! I don’t want to be left alone anymore!! I don’t want to watch losing precious people anymore―!!”

“Rota…”

Hug―!

Rota hugging me.

“Sister too… Senior too… always going ahead like that…! I-I too…!”

“…”

Actually… the surprise was brief.

I understood the situation surprisingly quickly.

I couldn’t keep separating my juniors from danger forever.

‘Yes… If the situation has changed anyway… I should teach them how to fight together now.’

And right now.

There was a way for us two to fight together.

‘Perhaps… with Rota’s weapon…’

Thinking that, I showed my back to Rota.

“Then…☆ Want to fight together? The weapons made by the alley cat are picky like her personality―♪”

“…!”

Rota was surprised for a moment, then realized the meaning of my words and nodded, saying:

“Yes!”

After getting on my back, Rota created armaments without hesitation.

[What good is bringing a longsword, it’s cold out, just use it as a poker.]

A gentle spell befitting her personality.

A longsword with a ridiculous cat drawn on it.

But that weapon didn’t reject my touch. Rather, it gradually heated up, accepting my faint ether.

‘Somehow, I feel a ticklish sensation too… At this rate… I might be able to use ultimate techniques…?’

I gripped the cat longsword with both hands and looked ahead.

Shaaak―!

Shaaak―!

Dozens of sub-adult chaos insects recognize us and charge. The sight of dozens of bear-like monsters extending their terrifying pincers forward as they charged was disgusting.

But I couldn’t help laughing in the midst of that.

“Huhuhu☆”

“Wh-Why…? Is something wrong?”

Rota’s anxious words.

I shook my head at those words and answered:

“Just―☆ It doesn’t feel like we’ll lose―♪”

“…!”

I charged towards the oncoming chaos insects.

I wrapped ether around the cat sword gripped in both hands.

Numerous hearts appearing on the longsword, and the resonance they created.

The first ultimate technique.

Though it’s the first time firing it with a weapon in actual combat, for some reason, it didn’t feel like we would lose at all.

Tsutsutsutsu―!

I thrust forward the longsword that had turned into a white bouquet and shouted:

“[Red Flower Dazzling]―!”

White light flashed in front of the golden street gate.

Numerous underlings disappeared within it.

Like that, we headed inside the golden street while adapting to fighting together.

* * *

They were coming.

Those gathering towards this battlefield.

[Crimson Trajectory]… and [Azure Lightning Lance].

It was about time for him to make his move.

“All of you… disappear in the strife…!”

The man in the green robe, [Priest of Strife], touched the rune in his hand and returned to his main body.