A Surprise Attack

Sena’s heart hammered inside his chest again.

It was only his first day at the academy, yet he was already caught in something far beyond anything he could have imagined.

What made it worse was that he didn’t even understand what was going on.

The announcement hadn’t said much. It only mentioned that the JMB base was under attack by a monster and everyone had to head for the bunker.

Without wasting a second, Shiori led Sena through a quiet hallway.

Sena’s hands felt sweaty, and the air seemed to get heavier as they walked.

When they reached a security door, Shiori swiped her card, and the panel lit up with a small beep.

“This bunker is underground and built to sustain human life for months,” she explained as the doors slid open. “It can endure different kinds of attacks and has enough food and water to last.”

Sena tried to picture spending months in that place with a woman like Shiori, and his ears started to feel warm.

“It’s unfortunate that your first day had to turn out like this,” Shiori sighed as the lift descended. Her faint smile carried a trace of sadness. “Let’s hope they can handle the attack before anyone gets hurt.”

“Y-yeah, I hope so.”

After a while, the elevator stopped with a soft thud, and the doors slid open to a dim underground room.

The gray walls surrounded them, and the faint blue lights gave the place a cold, lifeless tone.

Rows of metal shelves filled the room, each lined with boxes neatly marked with white labels.

The air was cool and dry, carrying that faint smell that reminded Sena of a hospital.

“Have a seat,” Shiori said, taking a chair and crossing her legs. “We might be here for a while. Hopefully not too long.”

Sena sat across from her, fingers intertwined, eyes fixed on the table.

Being alone in that quiet room with this fine woman made his thoughts stumble all over the place.

“So, you were in the baseball club at your previous school?” Shiori asked. “You liked it that much?”

Sena knew she was just making small talk to ease his nerves, and he appreciated it.

“L-like everyone else, I wanted to be a great athlete,” he muttered. “But even in my third year, I was still second string and rarely played.

“I see… that must’ve been tough.”

“It’s fine. Maybe I just wasn’t talented enough.”

“Do you always find it hard to look at the person you’re talking to?”

Sena looked up in reflex, then froze. Before he realized it, Shiori had already stood and leaned closer, studying his face.

“Eh, oh, I…” His heart pounded harder. “S-sorry, maybe this situation makes me a bit tense.”

The moment he said it, he felt it sounded wrong.

“No need to apologize,” Shiori replied as she sat back down, her smile widening. “I just wanted to make sure you’re comfortable with me. We might be stuck here for a long time, after all.”

Sena’s tongue went stiff. Not a word came out.

There was no way he could tell her that what made him more tense was Shiori herself. 

A sudden ringing echoed from one corner of the bunker.

“Ah, maybe that means we can leave,” Shiori guessed. She stood and walked to a wall device that looked like an old telephone, then lifted the receiver.

Sena leaned back, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath.

If things were safe now, maybe they’d send him back to the dorm. At least this awkwardness would end.

“Hello, this is Shiori Katagiri,” she said to the receiver.

When Sena glanced at her, he noticed the muscles in her face tighten. A moment later, her expression grew serious.

She spoke again, calm but firm. “If that’s true, we have no other choice, Sir. I’ll bring Sena Sakazaki there soon.”

Her hand trembled as she placed the receiver back where it belonged. She pressed her fingers to her brow, then turned back to Sena.

Something was wrong. Sena could tell from the grim look in her eyes.

“Most of the pilots and pilot candidates in the MCF experiment program are dead,” she told him, her tone tight. “Only one survived, but she’s unconscious.”

“Eh?” Sena could not process her words.

Shiori stepped closer until their faces were only inches apart. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“The dormant monster in this city has awakened,” she explained. “It’s moving toward our base.”

Sena’s eyes widened. “Didn’t the monster already attack?”

“That was a different monster, much smaller. It released poison gas at the base and caused a massacre, but they managed to eliminate it.” Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. “I’m talking about the creature that has slept for twenty years. It’s starting to move again. The only option now is to fight it with an MCF, even if we’re still in the testing phase.”

“If there are no pilots left, who will control it?” Sena stammered.

“My superior says there’s only one way,” she continued. “You are the only active Magia user in Japan. So, you will become the pilot.”

Sena froze. His mind shut down, like someone had cut the power inside his head.

Too confused to respond, he ended up giving a crooked grin. “You’re joking, right, Sensei?”

He stared at Shiori, hoping she would laugh and say it was a mistake, but her expression stayed deadly serious.

“Unfortunately, no.” Shiori turned toward the lift. “We don’t have time. Come with me.”

“B-but…” His protest died halfway, and in the end he had no choice but to follow.

They entered the lift, and she pressed the button to go up.

Sena’s heartbeat roared in his ears, louder than when he first heard the announcement.

“I-I can’t do this, Sensei.” Even speaking was hard for him. “I just arrived here two days ago. I can’t even control my Magia properly yet…”

Shiori reached out and took his hand, her grip firm and warm.

“I won’t tell you to calm down,” she assured him in a soft, steady voice. “That’s impossible right now. I just want you to know this, Sakazaki. You’re not alone. I’ll be with you through this mission.”