Event Story – Cross Paths Again!!, ch.8

[kozvme]

Marion: Huff...
.......

Hey, who the hell is watching from over there?! Get out here!

Sage: S- Sorry! I suppose it does feel like I'm watching you...
I couldn't find you in the room, so I was trying to figure out where you had gone.

Marion: Tsk... You...

Sage: I can't believe you're still training at this hour!

Marion: ... I'm not training. It's just a way to cool off.

Sage: Cool off...?

Marion: You're in the way. Scram.

Sage: R- Right... Sorry...

Marion: Hmph...

...!?

Sage: Huh, what was that sound...?

Marion: It's coming from the forest...

Sage: Ah, Marion-kun...!? Wait!



Marion: (Some trees have been knocked down...
The ground is oddly wet... I don't think it rained...)

Sage: Hey, did something happen...?

Marion: Why are you here?

Sage: Why, you ask...? I can't just turn a blind eye over such an intense sound.
It's possible that a substance has appeared.

Marion: ... It's not a maybe; it's definitely here somewhere.

Sage: What, we need to call for support then!

Marion: No need. I can handle it by myself.

Sage: But it's during times like this that we must prioritize teamwork.

Marion: I don't need anyone dragging me down. Just get out of here already!

Sage: Ah, wait...!

Marion: (Judging from the damaged trunk, it seems like the attack came from this directionー)

Gh!?

Sage: Watch out!

ーHa!

Wha...

Marion: Gh...

Sage: Marion-kun...!?

Marion: D- Don't come... hide behind the tree...

Sage: O- Okay...

Marion: Haah, haah...

(What was that just now...? That attack... it's like a laser or something—
No, that's not it... this is water... and the force is tremendous...
But this isn't merely a stream of water... it's mixed with dirt and stones.
Thanks to this average Joe, the impact was halved... but if it had struck me directly, I would have...)

Tch...

Sage: Marion-kun... are you okay...?
Sorry, I wasn't able to protect you...

Marion: Don't get it twisted. That was just something I had no way to dodge...

Sage: Marion-kun... 

Marion: I wasn't trying to comfort you. I had zero expectations from you from the start.

Sage: ... I get it. Still, I couldn't protect you...

Marion: ......

Sage: Let's retreat for now... We can't collect it by ourselves, so let's wait for Teacher or Brad-san to come.
Once we know the position of the substance, we should be able to retreat without getting attacked.

Marion: We ought to do the opposite and collect it.

Sage: That's ridiculous. You're hurt, and we have no way to defend ourselves against the next attack...
Also, from here, I can't tell where the substance is at all.

Marion: ... Just as the attack was happening, I noticed something coming up from the ground. It seemed to disappear right after, though...

Sage: It disappeared...?

Marion: I guess it only comes out from underground right when it's about to strike.
It's probably... triggered when something gets close enough...

Sage: Huh, how do you know that?

Marion: The distance from here to there. When I got closer, I was attacked, but now that I've backed off a bit, the attacks have stopped...
The issue is whether it reacts to the movement of living things or just to any kind of motion... I suppose I should try it out...
It seems like it doesn't react to inorganic substances. It only seems to respond to living things, specifically animals...

Sage: Woah...

Marion: ... What's wrong?

Sage: What’s up with that?! How do you know so much about substances?! We never learned that at the Academy...

Marion: What? This is a no-brainer, whether you learned it or not. It's obvious if you just look at the situation we're in.

Sage: No way! A rookie who's just starting out can't judge the situation this accurately. Are you taking some special classes or something?

Marion: ... Not really. I just look through past studies and reports from the research department.

Sage: Ah, I understand now...! You're looking into that as well, good one, Marion-kun.

Marion: This isn't the time to be curious! Do you get what's happening!?
The substance level is probably above 3.
I’ve collected level 3 substances by myself before, but... this seems way more troublesome.

Sage: If only I had been able to stop the attack, I could have acted as a decoy...

Marion: I've mentioned it before. I really don't expect much from you.

Sage: Still...

Marion: Enough already...!!



I am one of a kind! I don't need anyone's help! I'll collect it on my own!

Sage: Marion-kun, that's reckless...!

Marion: If you're coming, then let's see it! If you can't protect yourself, just get out of the way!

Kh...!

(As expected, getting within range triggers its attacks...!)

Sage: Incredible, he actually dodged it...!? Still...

Marion: (Damn, it even started firing multiple shots...! I can't dodge them...)

Kh...!

To Chapter 7 | Chapter 9