Illimitable Until Death

“Hū… Hū… Hū…”

The sound of hurried panting reverberated subtly in the space, imbuing the air with a hint of warmth.

Within one of the abandoned buildings on Academy Island, Aria knelt on the ground, gasping for breath. Her hands gripping her twin guns trembled, and her bulletproof attire was somewhat disheveled.

At a glance, Aria seemed as though she had exhausted her stamina due to intense exercise. However, if a Butei High student were to see Aria’s current state, they would understand the situation.

Aria hadn’t collapsed due to strenuous physical activity. Instead, her bulletproof attire had been hit by a bullet, subjecting her to a powerful impact.

In other words, Aria was in the midst of a battle.

And it had been ongoing for quite some time.

At this moment, a voice resounded in the vicinity.

“Exodus 9:34: ‘But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his officials.'”

As this voice rang out, a figure emerged from the shadows in front of Aria. Gazing at Aria, who lay sprawled on the ground, the figure spoke in a tone devoid of any emotion.

“It’s a pity that people often can’t rely on God for salvation. If they wish to save the world and punish evil, they still have to rely on themselves.”

The speaker was a girl who appeared as though she had stepped out of a poster.

No.

To be more accurate, she seemed to have emerged from someone else’s dream.

This was because the girl possessed an exquisite appearance.

Her beauty was so surreal that even if it couldn’t captivate souls, it could steal hearts.

However, within the enchanting allure of her beauty, there lingered a subtle melancholy that others might not detect.

It was as if she felt helpless in the current situation and pitied the rather disheveled Aria before her.

Observing this girl with a dream-like, unreal beauty, Aria bit her lip. As she caught her breath, she questioned, “Who are you, anyway?”

“You don’t need to know that,” The girl replied softly as if masking herself with a mask. “All you need to know is that no one will come to save you tonight. For the sake of justice, you must die.”

With these words, the girl’s casually dangling hand suddenly moved.

“Pā————!”

A gunshot immediately rang out.

Before the girl, a flash of light abruptly appeared.

In the next instant, a sound akin to a whip striking the ground resounded as Aria’s body, lying prone, was seemingly lashed.

As if struck forcefully in the chest, Aria immediately toppled over.

Without a doubt, in that fleeting moment, Aria had been hit by a bullet.

Because the gunshot had been completely imperceptible.

“Ugh…” Aria involuntarily let out a groan from her throat.

Nevertheless, even in this state, Aria still clung to her gun. Struggling, she lifted her head to look at the girl standing before her and gritted her teeth. “That was indeed an Invisible Bullet. Why would you use that?”

Aria was far from unfamiliar with the concept of the Invisible Bullet.

“That is my partner’s signature move.”

Aria’s words were heard loud and clear by the young girl.

“If you’re referring to the Gun Magician then I have indeed heard that he’s using a similar gun technique like me,” The girl lightly parted her lips and said, “However, I’ve been using this move even before the title of Gun Magician emerged. So, even if you think I stole your partner’s signature move, all I can say is sorry.”

“And…” The girl locked her gaze onto Aria, her tone carrying a profound meaning as she said, “Do you truly believe that the Invisible Bullet is the Gun Magician’s ultimate technique?”

“What?” Aria couldn’t help but be taken aback, blurting out, “What do you mean by that?”

“Exodus 17:8: ‘Amalek came and fought Israel at Rephidim. Moses ordered Joshua: “Select some men for us and go out and fight Amalek. Tomorrow I will take my stand on top of the hill holding God’s staff.'” The girl sighed softly and continued, “Although it’s merely an intuition, I know that the most formidable aspect of that man is not his gun, but his blade.”

After saying this, the girl paid no further attention to Aria. Her fingers moved slightly once again.

“Pā————!”

Under the sound of a gunshot, a flash of light appeared before the girl once more.

The gunshot known as the Invisible Bullet once again bloomed in the girl’s hand.

However, the bullet didn’t hit Aria.

“Pā————!”

Almost simultaneously with the girl firing the Invisible Bullet, a gunshot, and flash erupted once again.

However, this time, it came from a different direction.

“Clang————!”

Amid a crisp collision sound, two invisible bullets collided in mid-air, sparking and flickering after their impact before veering off in opposite directions.

Observing this, the girl’s beautiful eyebrows trembled slightly. She then turned her head, her gaze fixed on the entrance of the abandoned building.

There stood a person.

“Though it’s a forced situation, I did manage to give it a try. Unexpectedly, I can even flick bullets with bullets. Perhaps that’s just good luck?” Fang Li, with a temporary handgun he seemed to have borrowed from a Butei Student he met on the way, looked at the fallen Aria and shrugged.

“It seems I got here just in time.”

“Fang Li!” Joy spread across Aria’s youthful and charming face.

“…You came after all?” The girl fell silent for a moment, then sighed, “Indeed, Kinji alone couldn’t truly stop you.”

Hearing this, Fang Li raised his head and gazed at the girl.

“You’re Tohyama Kana, right?”

—Tohyama.

Undoubtedly, that was Kinji’s family name.

In other words, this young girl before him was Kinji’s blood relative.

“Just as Kinji said.” Fang Li addressed Tohyama Kana, “You’re not dead yet.”

“So that’s how it is. Kinji has already told you everything?” Tohyama Kana murmured and shortly afterward shifted her gaze to Fang Li, saying, “Since I couldn’t kill Aria before you arrived, I suppose I’ve failed.”

“However, I believe we’ll meet again.”

Leaving behind those words, Tohyama Kana turned away, walking away with a composed stride, as if emerging from a dream and now returning to one.

Fang Li squinted his eyes but ultimately chose not to intervene, allowing Tohyama Kana to depart.

“Is this person really an enemy or a friend?”