Konone stood at the gate of Yui’s high school, clutching the yellow lunch bag as if it contained top-secret intelligence.
To anyone else, it was just a campus. To Konone, it was a complex labyrinth of social hierarchies and potential tactical blind spots. She adjusted the collar of her borrowed jacket, her silver hair catching the sunlight. She had already "infiltrated" the main gate by walking past the guard with such an intense, focused stare that he had simply assumed she was a very angry, very stylish new student and let her pass.
"Standard educational facility," Konone whispered, her eyes scanning the hallways. "Multiple exits. High density of civilian targets. If a Void appeared here, the casualties would be catastrophic."
The Search
As she moved through the halls during the lunch break, Konone became an immediate sensation. Students whispered as she passed.
"Is she a model?"
"Look at that hair... is she a transfer student?"
"She looks like she’s about to punch the principal."
Konone ignored them. She followed the scent of... something sweet? No, that was the cafeteria. She focused on her "Yui-Tracker"—a mental map of where someone as loud and energetic as Yui would likely be.
The roof.
Of course. The highest tactical vantage point.
The Rooftop
Up on the roof, Yui was slumped over a bench, her stomach let out a groan so loud it echoed off the fence.
"I’m going to fade away," Yui whined to the empty air. "I can see the light, and it looks like a giant, floating donut. Why did I forget my lunch? Why is the world so cruel?"
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The heavy thud of boots on the concrete made Yui perk up. She turned to see Konone marching toward her, holding the yellow bag out at arm's length.
"Logistics delivery complete," Konone announced. "Your nutritional levels were reaching critical lows. I have successfully bypassed the perimeter to ensure your combat readiness."
"KONONE! You’re an angel! A silver-haired, scary-looking angel!" Yui lunged forward, grabbing the bag and hugging it. "I was literally about to start eating the chalkboard eraser."
Konone sat down next to her, finally letting her shoulders drop. "This place is... strange, Yui. Everyone is so relaxed. They don't see the shadows."
"That’s because they have us to look out for them," Yui said, her mouth already full of a rice ball. "But seriously, you should have seen the faces of the people in my class when you walked by. You’re already famous."
The peaceful moment didn't last.
The air suddenly turned cloyingly sweet—not the smell of flowers, but the smell of artificial sugar and burnt yeast. Konone stood up instantly, her hand going to her Fire Card.
"The scent of Despair," Konone hissed. "It’s thick. It’s coming from the cafeteria."
Down below, a scream pierced the air. The "standard educational facility" was about to become a war zone.
"Lunch is over," Konone said, her eyes flashing with a familiar red spark. "Get ready, Yui. The Void just arrived for dessert."76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKcmfZIk0M
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