Vol. 1 Ch. 3 Ep. 24: Train Cannon

Gah!

You truly are strong...Takanashi Hoshino.

Move aside, Eyepatch. I don't have any more time to waste.

I need to take care of that Train Cannon before my underclassmen get here.

That's right. I'm aware. The control room is over there.

But I won't let you get to it, not until you defeat me! I'm still... I'm still standing.

...Move.

No. Not yet!

...Our strategy, at last, reaches the finale.

Strategy one... "What's done cannot be undone."

Second. "The body's limits cannot be overcome."

Third. "The heart cannot be predicted nor controlled."

And lastly. "The smallest hole can bring down the mightiest dam."

This campaign delves into the elusive truth, driven by the greed and guilt of sinners.

At the end of this chaos, we shall finally uncover the answer to the sixth koan!

...Hm?

Wait, something's...

We're here... This is the Valley of Student Council Presidents?

Yeah, Hoshino should be here.

The Train Cannon and Suou, as well...

They should be that way. Let's hurry!

...

It's different from what I thought it'd be...

This is supposed to be an exhibit, created by the student council presidents of Abydos, hundreds of years ago...

Machine guns and guard posts... An anti-aircraft gun? Why would an exhibit have all this stuff?

Look. Gehenna's emblem.

...Th-That's really weird. Why would Gehenna's emblem be on display in the middle of the Abydos desert?

...

Hey, over there.

Yes?

That's...

"That's the..."

The Train Cannon...

W-Wait a second. It's THAT big?! Maybe my depth perception is off or something...

The Train Cannon Schemata... It's bigger than I could have imagined...

Yeah...

"Someone from Gehenna must've been involved with its development."

Yes... It must have been the same person who convinced the student council to redirect the Trans-Desert Railway Project.

Even so, its size doesn't quite make sense... Kivotos just doesn't have the technology to operate something of that magnitude...

Then... That's a....

...

Yes, correct! Sensei!

That's no regular weapon! It has technology that simply doesn't exist in Kivotos at this time!

In other words, it's an ancient weapon, or at least something equivalent!

But until now, such technologies have been continuously... No, it can't be...

B-But, I still need to confirm some things! Please give me a little more time to analyze.

Ugh... I wish Plana was here...

She's still asleep. There's nothing particularly wrong with her, but...she seems to be exhausted...

P-Plana?!

...Arona...Sensei...

Are you okay, Plana?! Are you hurting anywhere?

...While I was asleep...floating in my unconsciousness... I sensed a gaze.

A gaze...?

...Yes, someone is watching...this place...everything that's happening here...

Huh? Wh-Who? There's no one else here...!

I can't detect anyone else here, Plana.

But...I can sense it... This gaze is...

Plana...?!

That...?!

A gunshot? It came from that direction!

That's Hoshino's gun!

Let's go! Quickly!

Sensei? Stop spacing out! Hurry up!

"...I'm coming!"