===Part 3===I dashed as fast as I c

===Part 3===

I dashed as fast as I could, my feet striking the ground with full force.

Even forgetting to breathe, I raced along the road back to the dormitory. Black smoke, billowing into the starry sky, entered my view. I drove my legs to move furiously.

After I started sprinting, I immediately heard Mitsuki call out to stop me, but I had no time to attend to her.

By merely the difference of a second, it could mean the boundary of life and death for someone.

Honed on the battlefield, my instincts told me that was what the current situation was like.

I also understood clearly the risks involved in deserting my post, being the trump card for taking care of Hekatonkheir. Also, there was no concrete proof that the giant was a fictional armament.

But I followed my own instincts. What I should be fighting now was not Hekatonkheir. Tia and Lisa could very well be the ones facing the greatest crisis.

I could now see Mitsuki's dorm ahead. The smoke seemed to be rising from the back of the building.

Hence, I circled around to the back of the dorm. In the instant just as I turned the corner, I felt a blast of hot wind.

"Kuh..."

Sensing danger, I halted and swiftly checked out my surroundings.

The thick black smoke was rising out from Mitsuki's room. An explosion had apparently occurred. Even the surrounding walls were scorched black.

The spacious lawn in the backyard had tongues of flame flickering all over the place. Part of the grass had been burnt away completely, exposing the soil beneath.

Over there were three girls.

One was Lisa with Gungnir in hand. Her clothing was burnt and blackened while there was even bleeding on her forehead. To protect Tia behind her, Lisa seemed to have deployed a shield of air, with strong wind swirling in the surroundings.

Tia was hugging her own trembling body, staring at the girl facing off against Lisa.

Even confronted with the tip of Gungnir, the girl was still smiling.

Tied up, her long black hair was swaying in the hot wind. The lenses of her glasses reflected blazing flames.

I recognized her.

Tachikawa Honoka.

She was the girl who had transferred into Midgard together with Tia. I had talked to her a number of times and became familiar with her. Not long ago, we had just corresponded through email.

Why was Honoka here?

The question occupied my mind but as a soldier, I was already calmly analyzing the situation and reached the conclusion.

—No need to think of a reason. She is the enemy.
[[image:UnlimitedFafnir_v02_209.jpg|thumb]]

Enemy... Honoka? No, wait a sec, it was too early to decide that. Because she already counted as a friend to me and was also someone I originally wanted to help as much as I could...

Honoka glanced at me, a smile appearing on the corners of her lips.

"Fufu, because it took some time, he ended up coming. I can't be bothered to hold back anymore."

Her tone of voice made her sound like a different person. I saw Honoka clap her hands at Lisa.

Instantly, a foreboding feeling rushed along my spine.

—Act quickly! Otherwise, Lisa will be killed!

My instincts shouted, dispelling my hesitation.

Anti-personnel weapon—AT Nergal!

I used transmutation to create an anti-personnel projectile-based electroshock gun then pulled the trigger at Honoka.

A small explosion occurred in front of Honoka with a bang. Only shortly did I realize that the fired bullet had vaporized. At the same time, Nergal felt scorching hot in my right hand.

"Gah...!?"

I frantically released Nergal and jumped backwards.

Nergal became deformed as though it was candy. Heated red-hot, the gunpowder inside exploded.

—What? What did she do?

Aware of slight burns on my right hand, I gazed at Honoka at the same time.

"I can't believe you fired a gun so suddenly. How mean. But that was the correct decision. Had your reaction been slightly slower, her pretty face would have been wrecked."

Honoka chuckled as though she found it amusing. Hearing her say that, Lisa yelled angrily:

"Don'