Combat Weapon: The Birth of the Red Devil

<Sharp>

“Where am I?”

Right before my eyes, I see trees with lush green leaves. Seasonal flowers bloom in the flower beds, and a school building towers above. That’s right—this is:

“Raiojia High School.”

“Indeed. I sent you here. Show a little gratitude.”

I turn toward the voice and see Groove standing there. He’s wearing those super-baggy clothes that look totally out of place at a school. Well, back when I was still a guy, I used to wear skinny jeans and a T-shirt with a dragon design to school and got in trouble for it, so I guess I can’t judge.

Right… After my battle with Migi Satsugi, I was thrown in prison, which caused me to be treated as absent from school for a while. First, I need to head to the faculty room and explain the situation.

But how am I supposed to explain it? “Sorry, I got caught up in Edge Shadow Corp.’s conspiracy”? And that’s just for starters.

“Are you sure it’s okay to let me go? I can always ask the teachers for help.”

“This school is under the influence of Edge Guard Corp. Not all the teachers, of course, but reporting anything won’t do you any good. Don’t bother.”

“I noticed something called the ‘Liberal Room’ too.”

“That’s under the influence of Edge Hope Corp. Either way, they’re not on your side.”

“I see… So you’ve pretty much got your hands in government institutions like schools too, huh? That’s quite something.”

I can’t think of a clever jab, so I offer backhanded praise with deliberate sarcasm.

“Anyway, I’ve already explained your situation to the teachers. Second period is about to start—Geography, one of your elective classes.”

Geography, huh. It’s a class I chose based on my own interests. People like Lala and Forte probably chose History, so I barely know the folks I take Geography with. As I recall, there were more girls in that class, and honestly, I hardly remember any of their faces or names.

With no better plan, I decide to follow Groove’s instructions and head to the classroom. It’s still a bit early; the teacher isn’t here yet.

“Go away!”

A proud-looking blonde girl slams the door in my face.

“Why so hostile? I’m finally coming back to class after being out so long.”

Might as well start off politely. Depending on her response, I might have to say something harsher back.

“You only chose Geography because it’s full of girls, right? You creep!”

Ugh. From the outside, it must’ve looked that way. Sure, I didn’t exactly hide my yuri-loving vibe, but these aren’t the kind of people I was interested in anyway. Still, that strange mix of shame and frustration wells up inside me.

“N-no! I picked it purely out of academic interest—”

“Yeah, sure. You’re not hiding those pervy stares at all, you perverted trans freak!”

“Why so nasty? You don’t treat Forte like that, do you? He used to be a guy too.”

I ask the question I probably shouldn’t. It sounds like I’m jealous of him for getting accepted by the girls’ social circle.

“I know that. The difference is, he’s cute and you’re not. Got it?”

She sneers and continues, pushing me further.

“Listen, ‘cute’ isn’t just about looks. It’s about the everyday little things—your behavior, the way you interact with others, the constant effort you put in, built on humility. Don’t underestimate the girls’ world! You can’t just pop some magic potion or two and suddenly become ‘cute.’”

Her words cut into me like a knife. Th-this is bad. My whole body is starting to glow red. I can’t let myself lose control here. If I black out and resort to violence, I’ll only prove her right.

Sure, I could win physically, but I’d be utterly defeated in this war of words.

“What’s going on?”

More and more people gather around, among them Forte.

“Sharp! You—”

He starts to speak, but the blonde girl clings to Forte’s arm as if to spite me.

“We’re just a couple of girls, right? We don’t need a fake like him.”

Why is everything always about Forte? He’s in the same boat—ex-male, now in a female body. And yet… Something snaps in my head. The thread in my mind just breaks, and my consciousness fades. Some kind of evil impulse is raging inside me, taking control.

“Eeeek!”

A shrill scream pierces my ears. It seems I released a blade of wind from my guitar, probably using a bending technique. Right here at school. I used violence. I’m going to get expelled. More importantly, that blonde girl—she’s awful, but I hope she’s not badly hurt. I feel worried.

No… No! This isn’t why I became a woman!

My vision goes dark and starts to blur. Someone else is taking control of my body.

Perhaps the bio-weapon, the “Super Garnet Prince,” is finally complete.