Emotional Howl

  Also by Shūsuke Amagi

  Chrome Shelled Regios series

  Chrome Shelled Regios

  Silent Talk

  Sentimental Voice

  Confidential Call

  Emotional Howl

  Red Nocturne

  White Opera

  Mixing Note

  Blue Mazurka

  Complex Days

  Impact Girls

  Black Arabesque

  Grey Concerto

  Scarlet Oratorio

  Next Bloom

  Spring Burst

  Summer Night Rave

  Crying Autumn

  Initiation Log

  Desire Report

  Winter Fall (Part 1)

  Winter Fall (Part 2)

  Legend of Regios series

  Riggzario Baptism

  Ignasis' Awakening

  The Appearance of the Regios

  Emotional Howl

  Emotional Howl

  Chrome Shelled Regios Book Five

  Shūsuke Amagi

  Tokyo, Japan

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: The Path of Thinking

  Chapter 2: The Event of That Day

  Chapter 3: Darkness. And Then...

  Chapter 4: Hold Hands While Blindfolded

  Chapter 5: Two Fights

  Epilogue

  Appendix

  Regios

  Electronic Fairy

  Filth Monsters/Pollutant Beasts/Contaminiods

  DITE

  Kei

  Novel Illustrations

  Baka-Tsuki

  Project Staff

  Translators

  Editors

  Updates

  Prologue

  The sound of the whiteboard markers hitting the whiteboard pulled Leerin back to reality. She was now in the classroom. The teacher was using the marker as he explained the content written on the whiteboard. Flustered, Leerin quickly jotted down the information in her notebook.

  Recently, she felt an illusory weight on her back. That weight belonged to that wooden box that her adopted father wanted her to give to Layfon. Within that box was a Dite representing the fact that Derek had taught him every Psyharden technique. This Dite should already be in Layfon's hands, but Derek didn't get to hand it to his apprentice due to the circumstances.

  "Mail it or deliver it to him personally. It's all fine."

  Derek had said.

  It had been a month since he made that request. Leerin had written a letter during that month. A letter about her happily studying, something like that.

  (All rubbish.)

  The content of the letter involved some truth and also something about hoping for such a future, but Layfon probably wouldn't realize.

  (Because he's really slow.)

  A light sigh that the teacher and other students in the room would fail to detect escaped from Leerin's lips. She bit the top of her pen. One month had passed without her making any decision. The box was still in her room.

  (Mail it? Or go there myself?)

  That was how she felt now. But she had to take leave from school if she was to go to Grendan. From Grendan to Zuellni....... Half a year ago, Layfon took one month to get to Zuellni, but what about now? Both cities were moving. Somebody said that the speed of a roaming bus was slower than normal, which meant it was possible for the journey to take three months. If she went to Zuellni and came back to Grendan, she would have to repeat a year before she could move up one grade. Wasting an entire year would be a problem for Leerin, and she couldn't neglect the extra financial burden of repeating her study.

  And also, to use the money Layfon earned from the underground matches...

  Derek had said in simple terms that he still wanted to leave the city.

  Leerin had noticed the reason behind the change in Layfon. Either way, she had been living with him for a long time. The cause was the shortage of food before Layfon became a Heaven's Blade successor. An unknown disease had spread throughout Grendan's farms, cutting down food production. Every city fed itself. It was impossible to transport food from another city, so a city that couldn't feed itself could only die. Because of that, it was difficult to respond to such a situation. One could even say it was impossible to respond.

  A lot of people died from starvation during the time of the disease. Grendan had implemented a system to apportion food to the population. Military Artists were prioritized as they had the duty to protect the city, creating an imbalance in the distribution of food. As a result, riots had appeared in several areas. Derek had already retired from the front lines, so he wasn't given much food. As for the children at the orphanage? Not enough. Even so, they managed to survive in that half a year. Things had returned to normal when Layfon became the Heaven's Blade successor.

  But the price of food increased drastically when the food distribution system was abolished. The events back then did plant something in Layfon's heart. He had received more food than other children, being a Military Artist.

  (His personality. He probably couldn't stand it.)

  That was why she was so concerned with anything related to him......

  (Aah, I can't decide.)

  She knew she wanted to see him. She very much wanted to see him.

  (But......)

  To waste a year?

  (And I'll be using Layfon's money too.)

  But.........

  (What will Layfon think if I do this?)

  That was the one thing she was really concerned with.

  Chapter 1

  The Path of Thinking

  Standing beside Layfon, Naruki had said something unbelievable in the training room.

  "Let me join the platoon."

  Nina looked at Naruki, shocked numb by her request. She was holding a dirty cloth and a Dite. Pretty bubbles adorned the cloth. On the floor beside her were a bucket and another Dite. Liquid effective in preventing slippage churned in the bucket.

  Layfon had left the school building after class with Meishen, Mifi and Naruki. When he realized only Naruki was left beside him, he was shocked to find out he had already arrived outside the Training Complex. And then Naruki had urged him to enter the Complex. What came next was her request.

  "And what is that for?"

  Nina wiped her hand with a clean piece of cloth and stood up to face Naruki. Layfon stepped back to look at the two of them. The 17th platoon had participated in another match after the match with the 10th platoon, but Naruki didn't attend. Naruki hadn't come to the Training Complex after the match with the 10th platoon. It wasn't because she was being arrogant or that she was worried about something, and Layfon and everyone found that fairly normal. She only entered the platoon to investigate the 10th platoon's drug dealing. She had failed to find anything, and later on, the Student President had ordered the City Police to stop the investigation. Even so, Naruki participated in the match against the 10th platoon to witness the happenings. Everyone, including Naruki herself, thought she had no reason to stay in the platoon anymore. Layfon had thought that she was putting all her effort in the City Police. She was striving hard to become the Chief of Police. He thought that, but.........

  "Of course, that's if senpai thinks I can be of use."

  "Yeah, I understand that part. But why?"

  "Um......I understand my immaturity......" she mumbled and glanced at Layfon.

  "Hmm......"

  Nina caught that glance. Layfon knew Naruki and Nina were concerned with his past, but he felt that Naruki wasn't as concerned before participating in the platoon match. He noticed Nina had caught that glance.

  "Is that so?......Well then, how about we try a test?"

  "Huh?"

  Layfon widened his eyes. He hadn't been liste
ning.

  "You did a test too when you first joined. This is about the same."

  "But........."

  Nina nodded, noticing what Layfon wanted to say. "Yes, I'm the one who wants her to join. But I also tested you when you joined. I'll hold back somewhat this time too."

  Now that Nina had brought back the time when he first joined, Layfon didn't know what expression to make.

  "I don't think there's a need to confirm your strength, but there's something else I want to confirm. What do you say?"

  "I understand," Naruki nodded with a strange expression.

  Looking happy, Nina took out her Dite and restored it.

  "........."

  With tension on her face, Naruki took out the two Dites from her weapon harness and restored them. They were a baton and a rope. The baton was the same as a police baton, except it didn't have the police symbol. That Dite was made by Harley. Naruki wrapped the rope around her left wrist and using her left hand, took something out of her pocket and tossed it to Layfon. It was the badge of the 17th platoon, meaning she'd accept it if she passed the test.

  "How about I give you some time to take some advice from Layfon?"

  "I don't need it."

  "Really......Well then, let's begin," Nina declared with an "I won't lose" kind of air.

  Naruki placed the baton in front of herself, as if to hide her left hand. On the contrary, Nina's iron whip in her left hand was out, and the other iron whip hung loosely in her right hand. The two faced each other in mirror reflection, as if one was right-handed and the other was left-handed. In fact, both were right handed. Naruki's stance was somewhat unique. The hand with the rope was placed behind her back as if asking her opponent to guess what she had hidden behind her.

  Nina's victory was unshakable to Layfon. Nina's training leaned more on the skill of martial arts than on strength itself, as she had to practice wielding an iron whip with one hand. The flow of strength and its use was the essence of martial arts. Naruki's martial arts weren't too bad, but that was judged on the level of a first year. As for Naruki's advantage, Layfon had to count on the light weight of her body. Though she was tall, Naruki excelled at agility. The symbol of light weight was Shante from the 5th platoon, but Naruki gave off a different sense. A graceful and light body weight to wield the unique weapon of a rope. But she had an overwhelming disadvantage in this test since she wasn't good at External Burst type Kei. How would she overcome this problem.........?

  She made her move as Layfon thought of that question.

  "......!"

  Naruki breathed out to disperse the heat of Internal Kei and charged straight at Nina. The baton struck. No unnecessary movement there. Nina's left iron whip blocked the baton, and Naruki stepped forward with the momentum of her charge. Nina's right hand whip lashed down.

  Something happened.

  Keeping her body slightly bent forward, Naruki rushed out and threw herself into the air. The rope shot out from her left hand. Nina's right iron whip tore apart the air. Noticing Naruki's movement, she leaped to flip her body in the air. And in that one moment, her left iron whip interfered with the rope. The claw on the tip of the rope clutched the iron whip.

  (It worked.........)

  Layfon widened his eyes. Naruki's strategy had worked......She probably didn't think it would work. The chance result came about when Nina attempted to right herself in the air. As Nina's body flipped, the rope trailing the claw followed her movement to wrap itself about her body. Nina landed like a silkworm wrapped in silk. Her right hand remained free but Naruki had sealed her basic movement.

  Surprise appeared on Naruki's face. Nina smiled bitterly at her own mistake.

  "But this isn't the end," Nina said and raised the right iron whip. Naruki took hold of the rope with her right hand and readied her stance.

  Nina breathed in deeply and increased the amount of her internal Kei to raise the strength in her arm. She probably planned to pull the rope. Naruki resisted by increasing her Internal Kei too. Now it came down to deciding the winner with Kei. As expected, Nina had the advantage. Her speed of Kei generation was quicker because of what Layfon had taught her. Naruki's feet began to slip. The balance of strength began to topple.

  "You're doing something interesting."

  Layfon explained the circumstances to Sharnid and Felli. Felli was there, standing before the door when the two began their match. Sharnid arrived later.

  "Oh? ......They're all serious."

  "How redundant," Felli said expressionlessly.

  "She'd still be part of the platoon if she didn't return the badge," Sharnid said just as the outcome showed itself.

  "Ah......"

  Twisting her body, Nina had pulled Naruki over to her. The rope loosened. Nina's free left hand let go of the iron whip and gave the rope a pull. Naruki's body flew into the air.

  (Quite meaningful to add Karen Kei there.)

  Nina's iron whip pressed lightly on Naruki, who was on the floor.

  "You passed," Nina said.

  "Thanks," Naruki stood up and lowered her head.

  "We're counting on you from now on," Nina smiled and nodded.

  The usual air of domination was void from her smile. Layfon thought her concentration wasn't as sharp since the match with the 10th platoon. Her mistake in the fight with Naruki showed the same thing. Sometimes......Just a second, but it appeared her thoughts were on something else during training. Nina had felt something from Dinn's ending, an ending born out of the desire to protect the city. Was it all right for Layfon to leave this alone? In the past month, he had acted as if he didn't notice her preoccupation, trying his best to prevent her from being hurt.

  "Good. We'll start today's training, but before that......" Nina began, having confirmed all members had arrived. Harley didn't show up. He was at the research lab as usual.

  "The camp has been canceled. But I still want us to go before the next match comes up."

  All teaching was temporarily suspended during the time when Zuellni was resupplying. Nina had wanted the team to go on a training camp at that time, but she had to cancel it because of the illegal drug investigation.

  "But we've classes now. Can we?"

  "I advocate for both academics and Military Arts. I really want to attend class if possible, but we're facing the 1st platoon in the next match. The atmosphere of each match is also getting tenser. I just want us to do what we can for now."

  "Well, I welcome the idea since I can be publicly truant."

  Nina smiled bitterly at Sharnid's reply and looked at Layfon and the others.

  "If the Captain's decided, then I've no problem with it," he said.

  "I think there's a way to resolve the problem with missing class," Naruki said.

  Nina accepted their answers and at last turned her gaze to Felli.

  "What do you think?"

  ".........Whatever you say."

  As expected, Felli's answer was weak.

  "Then I'll announce the details of the schedule tomorrow. For today's training, we'll analyze tactics in the audio-visual room. We'll look at all the matches of the 1st platoon in recent years."

  Everyone moved towards the audio-visual room. Only the "try as hard as possible not to know any information about the opponents" Layfon stayed in the training room.

  "Camp......I wonder what it'll be like," he murmured to himself.

  "Have you told them?"

  Layfon turned around at Nina's sudden question. They were cleaning at the Mechanical Department. Layfon and Nina were in the same team. Since the resupply, Zuellni had been moving towards the tropics, so the inside of the Mechanical Department was hotter than before. Both Layfon and Nina had taken off the top of the working clothes and wrapped it around their waists.

  "Eh?"

  Layfon wiped sweat off his face with the towel hanging around his neck. Nina was also sticky with sweat. The sweat stuck the clothes to her skin and outlined her body. Layfon didn't know where to look so he only concent
rated on her face. She was also wiping her face with her towel.

  "To Naruki and the others. You haven't told them yet?" As if she hadn't noticed his awkwardness, she started mopping the floor again. He followed suit.

  "Ah, yes............"

  Meishen and her friends knew of the term Heaven's Blade successor before the match last month. He didn't know where they heard of that term, but he knew they knew it had something to do with himself. It seemed they still didn't know much of his past. Was this a good or bad thing? .........He couldn't decide. Heaven's Blade successors and his past in Grendan weren't things he could tell anyone about in a peaceful manner. What would Meishen and her friends do if they found out.........Either way, he doubted it'd be a good reaction. But he wasn't sure whether it was right to not tell them anything because he didn't know how they'd react. He had told everyone in the 17th platoon about his past. Leaving Naruki out would be the same as isolating her, but Meishen and Mifi would find out if he told Naruki.

  "What do you think, Captain?"

  "Hard to answer," she frowned and stopped mopping. "The problem is we don't know how they'll react. I can't tell since I haven't been with them for long. Layfon, what do you think of them? Do you think they're the type to keep their distance from you once they heard of it?"

  "Well........."

  He hoped not. That was just his wish. Perhaps they'd keep their distance. In that case......

  (What should I do?)

  He had no choice.

  "Layfon......"

  "Yes?"

  Nina had begun mopping the floor while he was spacing out. He quickly followed suit.

  "......About that time, sorry about that."

  "Eh?" He took his gaze off the floor to look at her.

  With her back facing him, she continued, "Despicable......About the time I said that."

  "Ah, yes."

  He remembered. Nina learned of his past at the end of the match against the 16th platoon. It was the team's first victory. She knew of his being a Heaven's Blade successor and why he was stripped of his title, as well as his participation in the underground matches. She had asked why he did those things, and he had answered honestly. For money.........She had declared him "despicable."