Vol. 3 Ch. 3 Ep. 7: Day of Fire and Ash Part 1

Ahhhhhh!

S-Student down! Student down!

*cough* *cough*

Breaking news! An unknown explosion has gone off at the cathedral!

It's completely engulfed in flames! The steeple, it's collapsing!

Nagi.

Wh-What's happening...?

I don't see Azusa anywhere!

The Justice Task Force was there... Are they...?

Koharu! Hifumi!

We can't just go rushing over there! It's too dangerous until we know the situation!

But what about Azusa?

She and the Justice Task Force are perfectly capable of handling themselves! The rest of us can't afford to be separated!

B-But...

Then what are we supposed to do?

(What just happened?)

(An explosion? Are we under attack?)

(That sound was...something flying at high speed followed by impact.)

(Could that have been a cruise missile? At speeds too fast for anti-air defense to intercept?)

(Was it using a ramjet engine? But the only place in Kivotos with that kind of tech is...)

(No. That alone doesn't explain the scale of the damages. Was there an explosive planted in the cathedral from the beginning?)

(Who could have laid such a trap? Trinity? The Sisterhood?)

(Now isn't the time to think about that. I have to stay focused.)

(Ako should be fine, but I have to move quickly.)

(...)

Sensei!

Th-That Hina girl is still standing...

Wh-What do we do now? How are we supposed to contain someone strong enough to withstand that? If she's still willing to fight, this is going to hurt... We're gonna suffer...

No excuses. Don't let Hina get away.

Y-Yes! I-I'll try!

W-Well, we have our orders. Sorry about this...haha.

(Arius Satellite School.)

W-We can't exactly let you leave..

...

Move.

O-Oh, boy. Here comes the suffering.

Hahahaha!

All according to plan! Hahaha!

What are you talking about...?

Everyone who would dare interfere with my plans is gone! Not just the Tea Party, but that eyesore Hina as well.

Don't you understand, Iroha? This is a classic example of killing two birds with one stone.

That's why I've been colluding with Trinity's bitter enemy Arius this whole time!

I knew everything from the very beginning. From the Tea Party's internal struggles to the coup d'etat. All of it has been building toward today!

Coup d'etat?

How long have you been conspiring this? That would mean...you never intended to sign the Eden Treaty in the first place.

That's right! I never had any interest in it. All I've cared about is disposing of the interlopers in my way!

I only agreed to it to draw those Tea Party vermin out of their holes.

And why not finally rid myself of Hina while I'm at it? Kiheheh!

Arius was so generous to offer their support. In fact, they're the ones who paid for this reinforced blimp: a symbol of our friendship. As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Kiheheheh!

Now, then. Contact Arius.

Hina and Nagisa will never stand in my way again!

The time has come to wipe Trinity off the map once and for all!

Makoto...you understand that Arius hates Gehenna even more than they hate Trinity, correct? Why would they ever agree to cooperate with us?

THEY DO?!

Hey, Ibuki found a bunch of boxes here! It says "flammable," "handle with care," and..."explosives"?

*sigh* They tricked you, Makoto.

Team II. Report.

Team II has entered the cathedral. We'll engage the Justice Task Force shortly. What about you, Leader?

I've finished what I had to.

Team III is currently engaging Hina! Team V is going underground as planned!

Roger that. I'll be joining you soon.

Trinity and Gehenna... The time has finally come to pay the price for this age-old hatred.

Yes, in the name of paradise...

...we, Arius, will be the ones to pass judgment on you.

...nsei!

Sensei! Wake up!

Are you okay? You need to get a hold of yourself!

There was an explosion, and the cathedral collapsed. I did everything I could to protect you, but...

Ugh. I think I'm at my limit. I'm going to run out of energy, so you have to wake up!

"(What was that just now?)"

...nsei!

Sensei... *cough* *cough* You're okay!

"(I can't move...)"

Thank goodness. You were buried underneath the rubble.

Hold on. I'll get you out!

I'm glad my muscles are coming in handy at a time like this... There. Can you move?

Stand up.

You don't seem to be seriously hurt. It's a miracle you didn't sustain any serious injuries after an explosion like that...

Sensei! You're all right!

*sob* Sensei!

The Justice Task Force! Oh, your wounds...

We'll be fine. The other members have been incapacitated from the explosion, unfortunately.

Nagisa, Sakurako, and the key personnel who were with them are missing. On top of that...

I haven't spotted a single person representing Gehenna. What's going on?

...!

Confirming arrival at target destination. Justice Task Force remnants spotted. No, correction. It's the core of their forces.

Tsurugi and Hasumi sighted. Send in reinforcements. We'll be engaging shortly.

Arius Satellite School?!

Wh-Where did they come from? How did they get here?! The perimeter should have been secure...

I-It can't be!

They must have come from underground... The catacombs below the cathedral.

...

I see. So all of this is Arius' doing, is it?

You won't get away with this. You'll pay for your sins here and now!

Hasumi.

...!

Try to stay calm.

Yes. You're right.

Thank you, Tsurugi. We need to prioritize Sensei's safety right now and get them as far away from here as possible. I'll take care of that.

Sure. Let me be the one to get my hands dirty.

Keheheh... Well, then.

Line up and prepare to be exterminated!

Kyahahahahaha!

Let's go, Sensei!

U-Ugh. What ARE those?

...

They're so powerful...and they don't show the slightest reaction even after sustaining all of those attacks...

Are they even alive? Or could it be...?

Hasumi, that uniform... It's...

What is it, Hinata?

I've read descriptions of it before. That's the Council's attire...

Council? What Council?

The Saint Justina Council! The guardians of the commandments who vanished hundreds of years ago!