The Conquest Festival is a kind of sport where academies compete to see who can clear each other’s deployed dungeons the fastest.

Among the tourists visiting Hinotsuchi, many come specifically to witness it.

In fact, a large crowd had gathered to catch a glimpse of the battle between Mikage Academy and Kisou Academy.

This Conquest Festival, held using part of the special district, had spectator seats prepared on a scale unimaginable for a single event.

The large-scale construction utilizing relics and magic was something rarely seen even in Hinotsuchi.

Moreover, the numerous giant monitors and speakers were specially designed to function flawlessly even within the dungeon space.

There were even merchandise stalls selling limited-edition goods.

That’s how massive this battle was.

A turning point in the history of the academy city Hinotsuchi.

The audience eagerly awaited the collapse of the empire known as Kisou Academy—an event that would undoubtedly be talked about for years to come.

“—Well, it’s about time.”

Seated quietly in a temple nestled within the forest, Yukihira muttered to himself.

Behind him, the core deploying the dungeon space stood solemnly.

“First unit, second unit—both ready? Well, even if you say no, it’s starting anyway.”

“No issues. I’ll cut down everything in my path.”

Gatou Touraku’s cold voice made Yukihira shrug.

Though Touraku had seemed calmer for a while, Agiri Rinka’s disappearance had sent him spiraling again.

(Rinka’s scheduled rendezvous time has passed… I don’t want to think about it, but I have to prepare for the worst. Even if we search for him, it’ll have to wait until after this Conquest Festival.)

Weighing one precious junior against the fate of Mikage Academy, Yukihira made the rational decision as student council president.

“I’m also fine… or I’d like to say, but one of ours deserted.”

“Huh?”

“Pathetic…! When we get back, I’m tripling their training—no, wait. They’re here.”

Over the comms, Mizuhi corrected herself: “Just now, preparations are complete.”

Hearing this, Yukihira sighed in relief.

(With Touraku’s mental state unstable, we’re counting on Fectom Academy. Man, I’m glad we maintained this connection.)

Led by S-rank Terukami Mizuhi, along with a convergence artillery specialist and an explorer estimated to be B-rank or higher, their forces were excessive for a normal Conquest Festival.

“As we discussed, I’m counting on you. Fectom Academy will bypass and seize Kisou Academy’s dungeon core. Meanwhile, Touraku and I will stall Rokuhara.”

“Understood.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Listening to their replies, Yukihira glimpsed the future.

Five seconds later, the buzzer signaling the start of the Conquest Festival.

The moment the buzzer echoed through the two adjacent dungeons devouring each other, Yukihira spoke.

“Alright, let’s keep it safe and injury-free.”

■

“Take down as many as you can! You’re all worthless scum, but at least show me you can do something!”

The dungeon deployed by Kisou Academy resembled a post-apocalyptic world of crumbling skyscrapers.

Rokuhara stood at the front, pointing his sword toward the distant jungle.

“Crush them!”

Instantly, a roar shook the earth.

Kisou Academy’s students were known for their fervor and ambition, but even those familiar with them were stunned by the sheer intensity of the charge. Rokuhara nodded in satisfaction.

“Yeah, that’s more like it.”

“Hey, as expected of our leader! Acting student council president!”

“Don’t need that title. And this thing on my waist is annoying. If you’re gonna make me wear something, give me a cape.”

Rokuhara, the Conquest Festival representative and acting student council president of Kisou Academy, pinched the cape fastened to his waist in displeasure.

“That’s the official attire passed down from Kisou Academy’s student council president. Now, let’s go. Ideally, we’ll avoid strong opponents and snipe from a distance—”

“Hell no! They’ve got Demonsgear users too, so we’re doing this loud and clear!”

“Nooo! Don’t charge in!!”

As Rokuhara dashed off, Chiaki bowed her head.

After a respectful, elegant bow, she turned to the disciplinary committee members.

“Alright, we’re on defense. Fectom’s S-rank will probably come flying at us, but we’ll hold them off with numbers until Acting President Rokuhara clears the dungeon!”

“Ooh!” Chiaki thrust her fist into the air—then paused.

“…Uh, where’s Chairwoman Kirara?”

The key figure in this defense—disciplinary committee chairwoman Gatou Kirara—was nowhere to be seen. Chiaki scanned the area, but she was gone.

When she tried asking the committee members, none would meet her eyes.

“No way… Seriously?”

As Chiaki stood frozen in disbelief, one member timidly raised a hand.

“Um… Chairwoman Kirara went to the front lines.”

“—Sigh.”

Chiaki looked up at the sky. Between the buildings, the dungeon core constructing this space shone brightly.

“I give up…”

That light felt unbearably dazzling right now.

And so, both factions moved.

Fueled by mutual hatred, ready to kill their opponents.

Touraku was one of them.

The first unit, led by Mizuhi, veered around Kisou Academy’s frontal assault and disappeared toward the flank.

Stopping them head-on was Touraku’s role.

At the dungeon’s border, the two sides were already locked in fierce combat.

Skyscrapers exploded and collapsed, trees were mowed down and set ablaze.

It was a literal war.

“I’ll cut down as many as I can.”

“…Yeah.”

“Lutra?”

“I’m fine. Let’s go.”

Noticing his partner’s slight delay, Touraku hesitated for a moment—but in the next instant, he cut down an enemy approaching from behind.

“…Gah!”

“Short-range teleportation, huh?”

Looking at the fallen Kisou Academy student, Touraku spat those words.

Then, he raised his sword toward the incoming wave of students.

“Lutra, four swings.”

“Got it.”

By limiting the mana used per draw, Touraku amplified Lutra’s slashing power—a style they developed together.

Through Touraku’s eyes and Lutra’s calculations, they determined the fewest moves needed to win.

Facing fifty students, they declared they could do it in four attacks.

“One.”

He stepped in—and vanished.

Just by passing through, most students collapsed, their tendons severed, unable to stand for the rest of the Conquest Festival.

“Two.”

The second strike came for those who blocked the first.

The speed of a Demonsgear user was beyond human comprehension, even for explorers.

By the time they tried to react, their weapon-holding arms were already severed at the shoulder.

Without even letting them scream, Touraku followed up.

(At this scale, I thought for sure they’d have a strong leader—)

“D-Don’t come closer, you monster!”

Watching a male student desperately firing mana bullets, Touraku felt regret.

“In that case, I didn’t even need four swings.”

Ignoring the bullets, he lunged forward with the third strike—splitting the air, aiming for the student’s throat.

“Guh…!”

His throat crushed, the student was impaled through the neck by Lutra and died instantly.

As Touraku pulled the blade free and sheathed it, he looked down at the scene.

The ten-second battle had been nothing but a massacre by a Demonsgear user.

“Phew… Still miscalculating. Or maybe we’ve just gotten stronger? I couldn’t use Star-Slash, but I’ve still grown.”

Clenching his bloodstained hand, Touraku nodded in satisfaction.

But his partner felt differently.

“Touraku, why did you kill them?”

“Huh?”

“Four swings. That was enough to incapacitate. You didn’t have to kill to win.”

The shortest path to victory without killing—that was what Lutra had given Touraku, precisely because he had always avoided killing.

“Ahaha, it’s fine, Lutra.”

Touraku laughed.

“They’ll just revive after the Conquest Festival. So it doesn’t matter how many of them I kill. I won’t forgive those who hurt Mihaya.”

“…Touraku, but that’s not—”

Lutra tried to say something, but Touraku had already dashed off, spotting another enemy.

(Touraku… You were the one who taught me that killing isn’t the only way I can live. But now…)

Lutra’s words wouldn’t reach him.

What stood there now was a swordsman who had fallen into the abyss of slaughter.

“Lutra, two swings.”

“…Yeah.”*

Heads flew. Hearts were split.

Wherever he went, flowers of blood bloomed.

This wasn’t about protecting comrades.

To kill as many enemies as possible, Touraku gripped his sword and raced across the battlefield.

(If I get stronger…! If I gain the power to cut down everything that brings tragedy…!)

Even as blood splattered onto him, Touraku charged forward without hesitation.

Slashing through students, piling up corpses, he roared:

“Follow me! Don’t let a single one of Kisou Academy’s scum leave alive!”

Some screamed in terror at the sight of the blood-soaked Touraku.

But far more Mikage students saw him and howled in exhilaration.

As Mikage’s momentum grew, Kisou Academy’s attacks intensified in response.

In this place where both sides fought under hollow banners, there was no justice.

Watching the students of both academies, a young man laughed.

“—Ahahaha! Showtime!”

A trumpet’s sound echoed from somewhere.

Only a handful with sharp senses noticed this distorted, out-of-place fanfare.

But it undeniably transformed the world.

Monstrous aberrations emerged from everywhere with the trumpet’s call.

The embodiment of ruin, striking when the students least expected—focused only on each other.

Their name: angels.

The enemies of mankind.

Normally, this would be an emergency requiring an immediate halt to the Conquest Festival.

But.

“Don’t stop! Those are Kisou Academy’s illegal weapons!”

Mikage recognized them as Kisou Academy’s weapons.

“Kill those damn birds! Don’t lose to Mikage!”

Kisou Academy recognized them as Mikage’s weapons.

Doubt was the seed, malice the fertilizer—and now, it sprouted.

The beginning of this battle, later recounted as humanity’s first angel war, was born from meticulously nurtured hatred.