CH 105

Closing ceremony of the first semester

The gymnasium was filled with applause at the unexpected appearance of the beautiful boss.

“Director Sayuri? Why is she here?”

“Inou Gakuen is under the jurisdiction of both the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Extraordinary Ability Bureau, so Director General Sayuri must be in charge of it, too.”

“I see.”

While I was being convinced, Director Sayuri slowly turned her head from side to side.

It was as if she had an equal view of all of us gathered in the gymnasium.

“The fact that we have finished the first semester and are about to have a summer vacation is a testament to all of your hard work. First of all, you should be proud of that. As psychics, I am sure you have gone through many hardships. Some of you may have suffered badly because of your psychic abilities. Even now, you are being forced to clean up after the adults’ foolish thinking of Japan’s economic collapse, and you are being held up after school and on your days off.”

Director Sayuri’s voice was as vibrant as a stage actor’s and seemed to reach every corner of the spacious gymnasium without the use of a microphone application.

Her clear and lively voice drew me in.

“Do high school students have only three summers in a lifetime? No, they don’t. The summer of a high school freshman, sophomore, or senior comes only once in a lifetime. At the same time, August 1 and August 2 at each school also come only once in a lifetime. The same day will never come around again!　Despite this, the fact is that many students are still being approached to go to work at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications during the summer break!”

In fact, Kiriha and I were supposed to go to work at the MIC during the summer vacation.

It was inevitable for the sake of Japanese society. I got paid, and I had no complaints.

But Director Sayuri sounded as if she was speaking words of repentance.

“I want this school to be a place where you will have the best memories! I want this school to be a place where you can talk about your high school days with a smile on your face after you graduate and go out into the world! That is the responsibility of adults! And on behalf of the adults to whom you will dedicate your once-in-a-lifetime day, let me take this opportunity to say…”

She looked us in the eye and raised her voice.

“Thank you!”

I felt a strong sense of trust in her words of gratitude as she looked us in the eye without bowing her head.

If this had been a thank-you with a bowed head, I would have despised Director Sayuri.

I might not have trusted her as a lightweight who would use any means to get what she wanted.

However, superiors should not be condescending to those below them, even if they show them respect.

I could sense Director Sayuri’s passionate conviction in her gratitude based on a proper understanding of each other’s position.

“Then, everyone, let’s start the school year again with all of us here, and then we’ll get through the second semester, winter break, and the third semester, and then we’ll have graduation. It is short, but that’s all I have to say—”

As if to interrupt Director Sayuri’s words, an unmanned explosion drowned out all sound.

When I turned my head to see what was going on, I found that the wall to my right was covered with dust. Perhaps the wall had been blown away with explosives or something.

My first thought was an assassin from OU.

—Don’t tell me they’ve decided they can’t abduct me and have come to eliminate me!

I was a Teleporter, and even if I was kidnapped, it would be difficult to keep me locked up.

It wouldn’t be surprising if they gave up and changed their plan.

—No, but if the incident is within 24 hours, shouldn’t Ijuin be able to predict it?

With my thoughts spinning rapidly, I prepared to teleport to the sewers as soon as I identified the enemy.

As soon as the dust cleared, three robots stepped into the gymnasium.

No, they were gray-colored, about three meters tall, and manned by people. They were not robots at all, but what one might call powered suits.

Through the glass windshield, I could see the pilot’s suit.

—Armored-powered suits, are they from the military?

How they managed to bring such a dangerous thing into the school was a question that never ceased to be asked.

But that was nothing to worry about right now.

I decided to leave the details of the operation to Maria and Maiko.

—I’d send these guys to the sewers in a heartbeat!

But when I realized who the enemy was, I hesitated to activate the teleport.

“Ijuin!?”

Of the three powered suits, the one on the right was occupied by a uniformed Ijuin, his body secured by a harness.

His face was contorted in an ugly smile, a smile of victory and confidence.

“Hiii, long time no see, Okui.”

As soon as he looked at me, Ijuin let out a chuckle in a chiding voice.

I swallowed the question, “Why?” and tried to teleport them to the sewers for now.

—Take this!

With a clear awareness of the sewers, I activated the ability.

And yet, nothing happened.

—The ability is not activated!

In the flowing silence, Ijuin snickered like a fool when my face clouded over in confusion.

“What’s the matter Okui, are you nervous because your teleportation didn’t work?”

Ijuin rolled his tongue in tune and raised the muzzle of the Gatling gun extending from his forearm.

A moment later, the floor rose up on a scale reminiscent of a castle wall, interrupting the crushing sound.

Perhaps a volley of shots was being fired beyond the walls.

“Miina?!”

Behind me, Miina was in a posture with her hands on the floor, staring at the castle wall.

“I’ll surround you all at once! I’ll crush it with mass!”

But just as the ramparts began to deform into a dome shape, an explosion pierced it.

Regrettably, the three machines escaped Miina’s [Rebuilding] and headed for the other students.

“All students must evacuate to the basement! Do not engage in a fight!”

Arrows indicating evacuation routes appeared on the walls inside the gymnasium in time with Director Sayuri’s voice.

It was an MR display via the school’s local network.

It might not be visible to the enemy, but it must be perceived by Ijuin.

“Director Sayuri! Please turn off the MR display!”

Raising my voice, I teleported the students into the gym to the basement of the school.

“Too dependable.”

Suddenly, Director Sayuri was stunned in front of the empty gymnasium.

“Honey! Did you already use teleport on him!?”

Kiriha slid in with her back to me, like a knight protecting a princess.

“No! It’s the same as with Bando! It won’t activate!”

“Then that machine must have come from his ability.”

Kiriha’s expression turned grim, and Shisae screamed, crushing her cheeks with both hands.

“What should we do!? If Cheat Honey-chan’s teleportation doesn’t work, Shisae and the others will be finished! Do something about it with your fists, Matsumi-chan!”

“I wouldn’t care if it was a bear or a tiger, there’s no way I can beat a power suit! Maria, do you know their specs?”

“Wait a minute. Maya-san.”

“Understood.”

From somewhere, Maya came running and handed Maiko a thumb-sized warhead.

“Psychometry complete.”

“Thoughtographying the results”

The police squad trio’s coordination displayed the specs of the enemy-powered suit at the edge of our field of vision.

This time, a bonus: Maiko’s point of view

“What should we do!? If Cheat Honey-chan’s teleportation doesn’t work, Shisae and the others will be finished! Do something about it with your fists, Matsumi-chan!”

“I wouldn’t care if it was a bear or a tiger, there’s no way I can beat a power suit! Maria, do you know their specs?”

Maiko thought

—Huh? So, if it’s a bear or a tiger, you can beat it with your fists!?

A/N Notes:

Chapter 105 Commentary.

Why hasn’t Ijuin been tested using Psychometry?

1: Even the combat-oriented abilities and Honey are being tested.

2: Don’t they also test the contents of Ijuin’s future predictions with Psychometry testing that is true?

3: It is strange that Ijuin, a criminal, has not been tested using Psychometry.

4: This terrorist attack seems unreasonable.

I have received pointed comments to the effect that I think some of you may have similar questions, so let me explain.

Only those who are in charge of protecting [Important People] are tested.

Honey just dodged the criticism from those who consider him dangerous by voluntarily taking the test.

If every prediction is tested to see if it is true or not, then all other psychics, including those with detection abilities, must be tested as well.

People with Physicometry abilities themselves must also be tested to see if their psychometry is true.

If there is that much skepticism, it is inefficient and demoralizing. No one will participate in the project.

Ijuin was inspected and sent to a welfare facility after he was allowed to attend at the end of the school day. After that was officially decided, Ijuin made contact with OU.

However, if Ijuin had started explaining such backstage circumstances in every single line, it would have been unnatural and would have slowed down the tempo, so I cut it out.

But if I gave priority to tempo and caused discomfort, it was probably due to my inexperience.