I Really Don't Notice Volume 1 Chapter 9

When I opened my eyes, I was sleeping on a bench in Gentle Breeze Park.
I raised my body and shook my head. I tried touching my head but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I could tell first-hand it had been a skillful chop aimed solely at robbing me of my consciousness.

"The filming must be way behind schedule…"

I muttered as I raised my face to the sinking evening sun. I checked the time with my phone. It seems I was out for around thirty minutes.

"… I have to go."

As I recall, the place was that abandoned school.

*BREAK*

I hid my body behind the school gate to peer in, only to find them smack dab in the middle of filming. Orino-stood right in the middle of the schoolyard, facing a mop-headed man. The man looked unhealthily thin, but the glint in his eyes was sharp. He was a man with that wild thing going.
A great number of people were collapsed around. Black-clad people, and civilian-clad ones, their clothes were all torn here and there, exposed wounds on their bodies. Among them, I spotted Kirako-san. In that depiction of carnage, she was desperately trying to muster the power to stand, but her body wouldn't listen to what she was telling it. Or so it looked.
If I had to guess the situation—
Orino-san's party and the terrorists group clashed. They kept pus.h.i.+ng the enemy into a corner until they were only one step away, but then the headliner mop=head made his appearance. Both Kirako-san and her comrades were defeated, leaving Orino-san as the only one to fight.
–That sort of scene, eh? That which they call the climax.
I couldn't get in the way of filming, so I decided to observe from the gate's shadow.

"For Christ's sake… move… dammit…"
"It's useless, Kugayama. I dislocated both your shoulders and hips. That's not a predicament you can overcome with force of will alone. At present, your body is physically unable to move."

The mop-head informed her with a flat voice. Calm and collected would be the perfect way to describe it.

"Kugayama!"
"Don't come here! Concentrate on what's in front of you! Don't show him any openings!"

"G-got it."

Gritting her teeth in anguish, Orino-san stared at the enemy before her.
Immediately after, the mop head thrust out his right hand. As if to match that, Orino-san stuck both her hands out front.
The pressure in the air increased, the atmosphere trembled.

"Ah… Haaaah!"
"… Nnueaaa!"

Orino-san and the mop head, they each let out a roar.
Almost as if one side was using their psychokinesis to suppress the other's. As it two invisible powers were meeting head on, there was a peculiar sense of oppression.
After a few seconds pa.s.sed, both lowered their hands, spitting out deep breaths. They soon returned to battle-ready stances.

"Splendid, Orino."

The mop head said, collecting his breath in order.

"To perfectly see through the scope of my psychokinesis, and cover it to create a clash of powers of all things. That's a high-cla.s.s technique that would require the most delicate control. I came to crush you with all my power. But if it was blocked, then that would mean in range, in output and control. In every category, my psychokinesis has been defeated."

Temporarily cutting his words, he narrowed his narrow eyes even further.

"You've grown, Orino."

Those were the words of a master, recognizing the growth of their disciple. It looked to me like genuine praise. And yet, Orino-san's expression didn't lighten. When she had completely superseded her opponent's ability, why?

"That just sounds like sarcasm to me… Masaki-san…"

The mop head's role was apparently named Masaki.

"I see. That's a shame. But as you know–"

Masaki-san faintly raised the corners of his mouth.

"I never was a special like you—I'm a general."

I recalled the movie setting I had heard from Orino-san.
A special focused all their efforts on a single ability, while a general spread it over multiple.
Which means, the single ability Orino-san had concentrated on and forged was on the same level as one of the many abilities the man possessed.
What a hopeless situation.
… Amazing, she's got no hopes of victory. How's she going to beat him?
I guess it's time for the scriptwriter to show their mettle.

"Even as my psychokinesis clashes with yours, I'll eb able to use a different power. Do you think you have any chance?"

"Isn't that enough, Orino? Come and join our side."

Anguish floated over Masaki-san's face.

"It's not like I want to hurt you guys. The reason I just make Kugayama-san immobile without killing here was because I wanted her to move under my command. Just how long do you all plan on acting like the facility's pets?"
"Why did you do it, Masaki-kun!?"

Orino-san ignored the question and cried.
Desperately, and painfully.

"For so long, you used to fight alongside all of us. You were the one who taught me how to use my psychokinesis…"
"I just noticed. The facility and the country's bigshots only see us psychics as mere lab rats. It's strange, isn't it? When they call us their progeny, proclaim us superior beings, why must we whittle our bodies away to serve the common man?"

His tone didn't change, but his words increased in intensity.

"Ability users should be allowed to have a normal life as well. They should be able to grasp simple happiness. In order to make sure there are no more victims like us, I'll crush the facility. That is my objective."
"But your means are too forceful! There's no way it's alright to drag in uninvolved innocents!"
"That's just it, Orino. What does it mean to be uninvolved? When we all live in the same world, same system, same rules isn't it strange that we can label people as involved and uninvolved? Why must psychics alone be forced to work for the sake of their peace? Why must we be pushed to work behind the curtains?"
"That's…"
"I'm done with having the role of hero forced onto me. I'll never forgive the facility who made us play the clown. I'm sure you've felt it as well, Orino."

The question he spat out m.u.f.fled Orino-san's mouth. The fact she couldn't give an immediate answer meant that she more or less had an understanding of Masaki-san's feelings. And apparently, the facility wasn't fully a harmonious organization.
Orino-san lightly bit her lip, before speaking in a pitying tone.

"It's your sister, isn't it…"

A wrinkle was etched into Masaki-san's brow. As if he was killing off his fl.u.s.ter.

"…Don't misunderstand. My reason isn't as petty as revenge for her. That girl was no more than the trigger to the gun. Sooner or later, I'd have chosen this path.."

One step, Masaki-san moved forward.

"I'll say it again, Orino. Work for me. Let's release the psychics together. You've had it with being the hero of justice, right?"

A slight silence. A frozen tension pa.s.sed between the two.
But.
I only held a slight anxiety.
Of course, it was a movie, so I antic.i.p.ated it would have a happy ending.
But that's not what I meant. Even if this was reality, I knew what Orino-san's response would be.

"No."

As I thought.
I secretly laughed in the shadows.

"I think I'm going to continue fighting as a hero, Masaki-san."
"… Why? Why don't you get it? Do you think the facility is a righteous existence?"
"The facility has nothing to do with it… even I started out cursing my fate. To throw it all away and become a normal girl, I don't know how many time's I've made a wish…… But!"

Orino-san took a strong step forward.

"Right now I'm thankful. Thankful that they gave me the power to fight."

Gazing at her own palm, she slowly clenched it.

"Isn't it fine? Sacrificing for the world? That's really kicka.s.s. If you don't have innate talent, you can't use powers, so that means we must have been chosen by G.o.d. And hey, since we were chosen, why not give it a go? Whether it's sacrifice or victim."
"… You're saying you give up!?"

The collected Masaki-san bared his emotions for the first time.

"If you accept everything, then… the tragedy, the despair, you'll give up and say that's just your fate!?"
"Yes, that's right."

Orino-san said it so easily it sounded out of place.

"Whatever the case, what you're doing right now is no different than a child's tantrum!"
"… Orino. Are you fine with that? No matter what pain we go through, those folks in the world will be laughing without caring to know. When my little sister died…"
"And what about it!?"

A fighting spirit revived in Orino-san's eyes.

"Risking your life so everyone can laugh without knowing is what it means to be a hero of justice!"

I was so happy it hurt my chest.
Even if it was a movie, Orino-san's words resounded deep in my heart.
I would stay like this, she would be like that.
I could tell that for us, that was the best.

"… So it's a difference in view."

Masaki-san unpleasantly spat out. Crick, he twisted his neck.

"I've already gone beyond the point of no return."

Orino-san instantly took her stance.With the speed of a bullet, Masaki-san charged forth.
Fist to fist, a battering battle began.
I watched over it with some relief.
I mean, this is a movie.
With that last line, it was practically set that what followed would be Orino-san's chance to show off. All that was left was for Masaki-san to be defeated. While there was supposed to be an insurmountable difference in powers, well, that part can arbitrarily be written off as the awakening of a dormant power, or becoming Super Orino-san or something like that.
I mean, this is a movie.

But.

"KyaaAAAH!"

Orino-san rolled along the ground. Masaki-san produced a ball of fire as tall as he was from his hand. That was likely the ability called pyrokinesis. As expected of a general. He can do anything.
Orino-san rolled her body to dodge the fireball he tossed, avoiding it by a hair's margin. Recovering stance, she turned her eyes to a nearby withered flowerbed. The bricks around the bed floated just a few centimeters. But they instantly fell back.

"d.a.m.n…"
"It's useless. Your psychokinesis no longer has any meaning."

If it was just psychokinesis, then by a narrow margin, Orino-san was stronger than Masaki-san.
But the moment Orino-san's hundred was put up against Masaki-san's ninety-five, she would receive ninety-five percent resistance, and Orino-san would only be left with five percent to use.
To put it simply, I think it was something like that.
With her ability mostly sealed off, Orino-san raced along the ground avoiding Masaki-san's b.a.l.l.s of fire. Unable to fully evade them, she ate damage to the arm and back.
As I witnessed the scene, an unease was brought to my chest.
Just how long were they going to drag it on? It was about time for Orino-san to go through a convenient awakening, wasn't it?
I mean, this was a movie.
Orino-san bent over her body, cast psychokinesis on herself to tackle—at least she tried, but that instant, Masaki-san appeared above her head as if he had teleported. And Just like that, he smashed Orino-san into the ground.
Masaki-san raised a hand. Answering that, four old iron construction rods in a corner of the schoolyard floated up and a.s.sailed Orino-san.
Orino-san used her power in the reverse, just barely stopping their movements. If it was in pure power, Orino-san was the stronger.
But Masaki-san's ability wasn't just one.
A flame ball he threw as if to hide in the shadow of the rods… collided with Orino-san.

"Kuh, AAAAAAH!"

A shrill scream. Even if I knew it was an act, I didn't want to hear.
An act?
Wait a minute. Is this really an act…
No matter how I look at it, even if it's a movie, isn't this strange…

"Looks like your drive suit saved you from a fatal blow."

Masaki-san said plainly.

"Are you going to continue, Orino?"
"… Of, course."
"I see… then there's nothing I can do for you."

Masaki-san stuck a hand in his pocket and took out a device that looked like a remote control. He pointed it at the school building and pressed a b.u.t.ton.

"OoowwwwwwwWWwWWw!"

Then came a cry that made me want to shut my ears. Orino-san held her head, writhing on the ground.

"My head is… it hurts… what did you…"
"An electromagnetic wave that only effects the brain of a special. I developed a technology I brought with me from the lab and made something of my own. When you stepped into enemy territory, you should've been wary of something like this."
"… That can't be…"
"The brain circuits of a special and general are wired fundamentally different. It might be simple to understand if I said a special runs in series, while a general runs in parallel. The wave that's being emitted only has an effect on direct connections. In this situation, it is structurally impossible for you to use your psychic abilities."
"… Urgh, ah. It hurts, erk…"

Forget abilities, it looked like she could barely move from the pain.
No. this is the complete opposite, why are the enemies coming out with a new weapon? Their odds of victory that were nonexistent to begin with had grown even slimmer.
It's a movie, so isn't it about time… some convenient new power…
Huh—could it possibly be—this—isn't - a - movie?

"Orino, give up."
"I-I wo… n't."

Masaki-san furrowed his brow and approached her.

*BREAK*

"Excuse me!"

*BREAK*

By the time I noticed it, I had leapt from the gate's shadow.

"Please stop it…"

… What the h.e.l.l was I doing?
This was a movie, so why was I getting in the way of filming?
But I couldn't watch Orino-san's pained face anymore.

"Who are you?"

In regards to the uninvited quest, Masaki-san took on a displeased att.i.tude. Of course he was, I mean the camera was rolling.

"Ah, umm. I apologize for interfering in the middle of filming, I'm Orino-san's cla.s.smate and–"

The world turned on its head. In the blink of an eye, I was fastened to the earth. "Ghah!" Slammed on my back, all the air in my lungs was spat out.
Masaki-san had grasped me by the neck and slammed me down. When did he even get over here, I wonder.

"No, I really do feel sorry for getting in the way, but… you don't have to be so angry."
"Oy, Orino. Who's this?"

Ignoring me, Masaki-san asked Orino while she was still holding her head.

"Please stop! Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun has nothing to do with it."
"That so."

A quiet not, and with eyes cold enough to raise gooseb.u.mps, he glared at me.

"But as I said before, there's no such thing as an uninvolved person. I'll deal with this man later."

Whoah! They're actually keeping it rolling!?
So it's like an amus.e.m.e.nt park hero show that encourages the kids to join in?
I see.
I'm sure the setting has Orino-san awaken a sleeping power to save a friend in a pinch. Thinking that, I glanced at Orino-san—

"Stop it, ple…as… oww!"

She was shaking on her knees, trying to stand again and again. But every time, she would hold her head and fall back. At the end, she finally hit the ground face-first.
They're still.
They're still dragging it out.
For how long, how far—

"Quit it with the futile resistance, Orino. If you push yourself too hard, you'll be left handicapped."

They were words of genuine concern for Orino-san's health. It seems that if possible, Masaki-san wanted an unharmed, fully usable Orino-san under his control.
And his treatment of people without use,

"Good grief, I feel sorry for Orino-san. I should get rid of you quick."

Was far too inorganic.
A s.h.i.+ver ran down my spine. The murderous malice only a seasoned warrior who had surmounted countless battles could emit, I could sense it in the back of his eyes. Feeling a primal instinctive fear, I tried to run.
But the power pinning my neck was far too strong, and no matter how I struggled, he wouldn't let go. Even so, I wouldn't get up. My sense of crisis as a living being moved my body. Perhaps irritated by my resistance, On top of my arm, Masaki-san restrained my right hand. At that moment, because of his violent clasp…

*BREAK*

The misanga on my right arm—came off.

*BREAK*

And…
And then…

*BREAK*

Nothing happened.

*BREAK*

That's it?
I wonder what it is, this disappointed feeling.
Strangely, I got the feeling something amazing would happen when the bracelet came off. Like a magical rampage or something, going bang and resolving all my problems.
Well, not like anything like that could ever happen.

"Hah…"
"You sure look calm."

Looking down on me as my tension drained all at once, Masaki-san scowled. This is bad. I slackened all on my own, but the situation wasn't resolved. At this rate, I'll be killed… maybe? As a movie character, at least.

"G-gueh…"

The force on my neck increased.
c.r.a.p, my consciousness is…
A few seconds and I'll be out cold, and around that time, something hit Masaki-san’s temple with a thwap. Thanks to that, his strangling hand weakened. The item rolling around was a small pebble one might find anywhere.

"… Do you think that's all it takes to resist me, Orino?"

Half fed-up, Masaki-san, gazed at the pebble that hit him.

"Just because you can't use your power, you resort to throwing pebbles? That's quite a regression…"

The moment he s.h.i.+fted his eyes from the pebble to Orino-san, Masaki halted his words. In front of Orino-san- while she was still writhing on the ground- was her outstretched index finger pointed this direction.
She was lying face down.
That wasn't the posture of someone who threw something. Then that pebble was.

"… Why can you use your power?"

Masaki said with a grim face. Still a pained look on her face, Orino-san gave a cynical laugh.

"… Looks like I can do it if I try… though that pebble was my… limit…"

Hearing those words, oh, so it really is just a movie, I thought. I mean, when he just said it was impossible, Orino-san managed to use a convenient power.

"… Hmph. Well so be it. The equipment is still in development. I guess these irregularities are possible."

He said uninterestedly as he gazed at the school building.

"Whatever the case, it looks like I'll have to seal you more thoroughly, Orino."

With his left hand still on my neck, he lazily lifted his right hand. Accompanying his movements, the bench in the corner of the schoolyard floated into the air.

"Don't worry. You'll get off with two fractured ankles."

When he lowered his hand, the bench raced through the air at an incredible speed.

"–"

Orino-san closed her eyes in resolution. It seems she no longer had the power to escape.
I—started sweating.
Is this going to be alright?
I mean, that bench is…

"What!?"

Both Orino-san and Masaki-san raised their voices. The bench thrown with psychokinesis, just before it hit Orino-san, snapped straight in the center.
Aaah.
So it broke after all.
After I broke it, I arbitrarily just stuck it back together. I repaired it to a level where it wouldn't be a problem just sitting on it, but I doubt it could withstand such violent wire action.
So that bench was part of the movie set…
I've done something bad.

"I'm sorry. When I was playing around the other day, I broke the bench… I didn't know it was part of the movie set. Um, real sorry about that."

As my sense of guilt welled up, I honestly apologized.

"Umm… if you could just put that footage after the credits as part of the blooper reel, I'm sure that bench will be happy…"
"… How idiotic. You think luck on this level will save you?"

Masaki-san made a displeased, let's settle things here and now sort of face.
What do I do? Looks like I really made him angry. Was it an expensive bench?

"Your situation hasn't changed."

Masaki-san lifted me up with one hand. My legs floated, kicked in the air. My neck bones supporting my full body's weight let off an ominous grating sound.

"Orino-san will submit, you will die. That's all there is."
"Guh, gah…"
"Stop it! I'm begging you, Masaki-san! I'm begging…"

Orino-san shed tears as she pleaded. Still holding her head with one hand, she crawled her way towards us.
She was… trying to save me.
This is strange. This whole time, why was she so desperate?
This is supposed to be a movie.
I mean, there's no way psychics can exist.
That's what the lady told me.

"… Ur-urgh… g-gah."

In the midst of my breaths growing painful, I faintly thought.
It was just as Masaki-san said a moment ago.
The situation hadn't changed at all.
The movie's filming was going on without a hitch, it seemed. The blooper I caused was no hindrance at all.
… This movie club has some crazy ad libs.

"Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun! Noooooo!"

Ah, Orino-san was looking at me.
With a heartbreaking face.
That's a shame.
When I leapt out here because I didn't want to see that look on her face. Is this situation a movie or reality, I don't really know anymore, but instead of those trivial problems, I just wanted Orino-san to smile.
It seems the blooper I caused had only delayed the movie's conclusion, Orino-san's defeat, my death by a few seconds.
Good grief, that was a waste of time.
But…

*BREAK*

"Kagos.h.i.+ma-senpai!"

*BREAK*

I guess it wasn't pointless.
Right after a lisping voice resounded, Masaki-san was sent flying by someone's kick. I fell flat onto the ground. When I raised my head, there was Kurisu-chan in her rove, a body-height staff in her hand.

"Are you alright? When I saw you from above, you were suddenly on the brink of death. You really surprised me there."
"Gough, cough. K-Kurisu-chan… why are you here?"
"Because you cut your misanga. It's my spell. If you break it, I'll be able to tell. And so, I hopped on my staff, and flew all the way here. Glad it looks like I made it in time."

Kurisu-chan deftly felt up my right arm, mainly focusing around the shoulder.

"Ah, looks like your alright now. It's been fully reattached. My magic has also turned to mana and returned to the planet's cycle I see… yep, it's a complete recovery."

No idea what she was talking about.
Was I ever even injured.

"Ah, that's right. Orino-senpai is also…"

Kurisu-chan unsteadily sprinted over to Orino-san on the ground.

"I see… her wounds are mainly burns, it seems. Don't worry about it. Treating burns happens to be my specialty, you'll be right as rain in no time."
"… T-thank… you… but."
"Ah, it's fine. As thanks for the other day. I don't know the specifics, but…… well, I get the general idea."
"Yeah… but even if you treat my wounds, my ability…"
"We also have that covered."

Kurisu-chan smiled triumphantly. At that moment, my cellphone vibrated. It was from Kagurai-senpai. When I pressed the answer b.u.t.ton, the screen s.h.i.+fted, and Kagurai-senpai's face appeared.

'Hey, Kagos.h.i.+ma.'
"Eh? Why is Kagurai-senpai on my cellphone?"
'This is a video call.'

Huh? Did my phone come with that function?

"No, but… why are there bear ears on your head? And it looks like your hair's sparkling a bit, and you're dressed funny, the background is pale blue, rather, I get the feeling your whole general appearance looks kinda like a CGI anime…"
'Don't sweat the small stuff. I hate that sort of man.'

Oh my. I wouldn't want to be hated by Kagurai-senpai.
Alright. Let's not sweat the small stuff.

"You work fast, Kagurai-senpai. I just sent a mail, and you literally arrived at the speed of light."
'Praising me won't get you anything, Kurisu-chan. More importantly, how about it, Orino? Does your head still hurt?'
"Eh… ah, it doesn't hurt. Why…"
'It's nothing. The equipment here had some decent security, but in the end, it's a behind the times antique. No match for me. The fact it had internet connection was its undoing.'

Kurisu-chan changed something like a spell, enveloping Orino-san in a warm light. Once the light vanished, the marks over her body were cleanly wiped away. I moved to Orino-san's side.

"Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun… why? Why did you come here?"

And there, I finally remembered why I had come.
With everything happening, I had completely forgotten my original objective.

I opened the bag hanging from my shoulder and took out a paper bag from within.

"I wanted to give this to you."
"…?"

Her face turned perplexed, but she accepted the bag, and took out its contents.

The stomach wrap I bought.

On the day we went to see a movie, I bought it while Orino-san had urgent business to attend to. A white background decorated with dandelion stalks. I wanted to choose something as cute as possible. For me to give her a surprise present, I wonder if I did something a bit embarra.s.sing.

"… This is?"

When Orino-san asked with a shaking voice, I smiled in response.

"When filming the movie, it would be terrible if your stomach started hurting."

As I bashfully explained, Orino-san began crying roughly. "E-eeh?" When I fell into a fl.u.s.ter, she suddenly embraced me.

"H-huh? You like it that much…?"
"You really… you really are an idiot, Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun…"

There was something off about that 'idiot', and it was an 'idiot' that didn't feel bad at all.

"You think so? Am I an idiot?"
"Yes… you're an idiot."
"Alright. Then I'll do my best to work on that."
"… You don't have to."

The power pushed into my back strengthened. I wrapped my hands around to hold her slender back.

"Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun, you're fine like that…"
"I see."

I got the feeling time had stopped. This moment was far too comfortable.

"Hawawawa…" Kurisu-chan's bright red face.
"A-ahem!" An intentional-sounding throat-clearing from Kagurai-senpai on the screen.
""…!""

We suddenly parted as if thrusting each other away.
Whoah… just what was I doing?
I was swept up by the atmosphere to embrace her, but…

'Unfortunately, there's a time and place for romcoms, Orino.'

Looking around on such sharp urgings, I saw on the side of the schoolyard, Masaki-san who'd been thrust away had gotten up, and was glaring at us with the face of a demon.

'Orino, Kurisu.' Kagurai-senpai on the screen looked at the two. 'You may have noticed, but this man called Kagos.h.i.+ma is considerably dense.'
"That's, well…"
"As I thought…"

The three of them looked at me disparagingly. It was kinda sad.

'So just go at it with all you got. He probably won't notice.'

At Kagurai-senpai's grin, the two gave a large nod.
This strange sense of unity between them felt reliable enough to leave the fate of the world to.

"Hold onto this for me," the stomach wrap was handed back to me. "I'll end this in an instant."

Orino-san burst off. Because that strange electromagnetic wave was gone, she was able to use her ability to its full potential. With explosive acceleration, she closed in on Masaki-san.

"Oy, Orino. Who are those two?"
"Just some heroes of justice pa.s.sing by, some temporary help. Kinda like silver and gold."
"In that case… in the end, who's the brat supposed to be?"
"… Isn't it obvious? He's bystander A."

Exchanging two, three punches, both sides took distance. They both thrust their hands out. While they tried to activate psychokinesis, it cancelled out. As a general, Masaki-san could use other powers as well. The pyrokinesis he had used to torment Orino-san before. From his right hand, a bright-red flame appeared.
But that age was over.

"… A slight distortion to the wide-reaching world. Red, redder. Redder still–"

As if going through the motion of a dance, Kurisu-chan began twirling her staff round and round. After a few large swings, she forcefully stabbing it into the schoolyard.

"《Fire Lord's Garden》"

From the part of the staff she pierced in, lines of light diffused and raced along the ground. They encompa.s.sed the campus from corner to corner, drawing a giant magic insignia like a crop circle.

"Identifying—usurping—absorbing."

All Masaki-san's fire was sucked into Kurisu-chan's left hand. Shrinking down to the size of a golf-ball, the inferno was clenched in her small hand and made into her own power.

"W-what just…"

Towards a stupefied Masaki-san, Kurisu-chan gave a prideful smile.

"The magic circle I used in that other battle's still here so I made good use of it. Right now, any fire used within this domain will come under my control."
"It can't be, you're also a pyrokinetic…?"
"? Umm, I don't know about this pyro stuff, but I won't lose in a battle of fire. I mean, I'm a witch of flames."

The battle was pretty much settled. If I had to guess from the contents of the battle, Masaki-san's main combat techniques were psychokinesis, pyrokinesis, and teleport. As well as that obstruction electromagnetic wave generator. The generator was decommissioned by Kagurai-senpai, his flame abilities were shut down by Kurisu-chan.
If it was just in psychokinesis, Orino-san had the slight advantage.

"Haaaaaaaaah!"

At the end of a gale-raising intense offense and defense, Orino-san's fist with all her weight in it plunged deeply into Masaki-san's solar plexus. While he cried for pain, he didn't fall to his knees, somehow holding himself up.
Staying right where she was, Orino-san closed her eyes. She began concentrating her power. She was likely trying to use her psychokinesis directly on his body while still connected to him.
Twitch, twitch, Masaki-san's body began to shake.
But Masaki-san was also using his psychokinesis to resist.

It was extraordinarily plain to draw.
Regardless of how serious the ones undergoing it were, compared to that free-running battle from before, it couldn't help but feel lacking.

"… It's… over!"

The score was settled.
In a battle of psychokinetics, Orino-san had the edge.
Masaki-san was beaten to the ground, his arms put in a joint lock, his body pressed down.

"It's your loss, Masaki-san. From here on, we're going to take you to the facility."

Orino-san's victor's monologue caused his lips to curve down. But that curvature soon turned to a pleasant one.

"Naïve, Orino."

The next instant, he had disappeared from beneath her.

"Cra–"
"You should've put an anti-psychic electron lock on me when you had the chance."

That triumphant voice came down from the heavens. When I looked up, a Masaki-san clad in the setting sun was standing on the school roof. Snap. Masaki-san still had his teleport. Orino-san no longer had the stamina to chase him. Kurisu-chan might be able to fly through the sky, but no movement speed could win against teleportation.
At the end of the end, he got away.

"Those helpers you invited were outside my expectations. I will accept this defeat, and you will let me get away."
"If you accept your defeat, then come in with some pride. Masaki-san."

The husky voice that suddenly sounded out.
On top of the roof, as if to droop over his back, someone was clinging to Masaki-san.

"Wha? Kugayama!"

Kirako-san's sudden entry to the fray terribly fl.u.s.tered Masaki-san.

"Unfortunately, I'm a general like you. I can teleport."
"This can't be! I dislocated both your shoulders and hips! There's no way you could move!"
"And I'm telling you, don't make me say it again. I'm a general I can teleport, and I can use psychokinesis. Though neither of them are up at your level."
"… Don't tell me, Kugayama. You're using Psychokinesis on your body."
"You guessed it. I'm forcing my arms and legs to move."

Meaning Kirako-san was using her mind to move her own body. Not with internal electric signals, but with pure willpower from the outside, making a marionette of her own body.

"B-but! If you do that, sure you could move, but… the pain shouldn't change. The more you move, the more intense it'll become!"
"No s.h.i.+t Sherlock. My whole body hurts like the d.i.c.kens. It feels like my mind might fly off at any second."

Focusing my eyes, I could see a large quant.i.ty of sweat running down Kirako-san's face. She was acting calm, but every time she moved her dislocated joints, a sharp pain ran through her body.

"That being the case, let's get this over with already."

Grabbing Masaki-san's shoulders with both hands, she turned around his body to meet him face to face.

"Give it a rest. With four barely-functioning limbs, you think you can get out a decent attack? No matter how you manipulate your body with psychokinesis, you can't exhibit much power with your level of ability…"
"Sorry but…"

After a deep breath, Kirako-san raised the corners of her lips, forming a wicked smile.

"You didn't dislocate my neck."

Bong, an impact as clear as the rung of a bell.
An incredible headb.u.t.t burst out.
Masaki-san showed the whites of his eyes, fully relinquis.h.i.+ng his consciousness. His body went limp.

"Ah, c.r.a.p."

No longer able to support her wound-ridden body, Kirako-san fell from the roof alongside him.
This is bad, I thought as I leapt out—only for two figures to move far before me. Straddling her staff, taking off like a meteor, Kurisu-chan grabbed Masaaki-san's hand.
Using her psychokenisis to slow the fall, Orino-san caught Kirako-san in her arms.
I gave a relieved breath.

'Looks like it's over.'
"Looks like it."

I replied to the Kagurai-senpai on my phone, and sat on the spot.
I hadn't done a thing, yet I felt strangely tired.
To the side of my pitiful self came Orino-san and Kurisu-chan.

"Good work."
"Yeah."

Orino-san gave a vibrant smile. Her clothes were a mess, and her face was bruised and muddy, but her smile was so beautiful I might end up falling for it.

'Maan, that was a great movie. Right, Kurisu-chan?'
"You got it, Kagurai-senpai."

I stared fixatedly at the two leaking forced-sounding impressions.

"No, I'm sorry, but you can't fool me with that anymore. No matter how I look at it, that was downright bizarre."

There's no way that was a movie.
No matter where I looked, I couldn't see a camera. Orino-san's wounds looked very real. There were no wires for wire action. Kurisu-chan just plainly flew through the sky. Kagurai-senpai was streaming too smoothly for a video call. In the first place, you're not supposed to be able to physically see CGI on set with the naked eye.
Resolving myself, I asked.

"That wasn't a movie, was it… and Orino-san, and Kurisu-chan, and Kagurai-senpai, the three of you aren't normal people, I'm sure you're…"
"Huh? What are you talking about, Kagos.h.i.+ma-kun?"

But my seriousness greater than it had ever been was thrown to the wind by Orino-san's gleaming, mischievous smile. The other two made similar smiling faces.

'Are you half asleep?'
"You're reading too much manga."
"Does your stomach hurt or something?"

With three truly girly smiles, they exchanged some looks.

'Cyberwarriors from the distant future,'
"Witches from parallel worlds,"
"Psychics fighting under a research inst.i.tute"
'""Don't exist.""'
'Do they?'
"Right?"
"You know."
"……"

Yeah… that's right.
As I thought. There's no way they exist.
Rather, when I looked at their joy-filled smiles, something like that stopped mattering to me. The ones in question were saying it, so what doesn't exist, doesn't exist.
I really can't notice.
So I laugh without knowing a thing.
I'm sure… that's how it should be.

"Ah."

There, the question suddenly hit me.

"When is this movie going to screen?"