Berserk

Azuki slowly shifted her gaze from the corner of her eye and was shocked. Yuuko discerned the boy, who was sitting on the ground with his back propped up on the tree stump, that had been cut down by the burgundy-haired student. That unruly black hair was unmistakable, and for a moment, the teacher’s mind went blank. The PE teacher remained frozen, unsure of how to react, questioning the reality of what she had just witnessed. Both students remained on the ground, overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation.

‘You...’ Azu broke the silence, her voice dripping with coldness and hostility as she turned towards the boy. The expression on the teacher’s face spoke volumes of displeasure. Azu’s eyes focused on the scarred hand, and in that fleeting moment, Ayumu could sense the impending danger. He shut his eyes tightly as Azu lunged at him with unbridled fury. Yuuko swiftly intervened, blocking Azu’s attack, and the two locked eyes while Azu struggled to say something.

‘Nauthiz!’ Yuuko’s fingers traced a rune over her friend’s body. She hit the ground, astounded by her friend’s unanticipated move. Azu raises her voice angrily. She put an end to covering up her garish accent as she struggled to get to her feet.

‘What the hell... do you think you’re doing... Yuuko?!’ she tried to stand, aided by her martial aura, but her body felt as heavy as a ton. If she was an ordinary person, attempting such a feat would have resulted in broken bones. Her eyes remained fixed on the boy.

‘It’s a misunderstanding, believe me!’ Yuu’s face showed a colossal effort to control rampaging friend; she clasped her right wrist with her left hand, her whole right arm quivering. She knew Azu would end up destroying the Nauthiz enchantment at anytime. The boy’s attention shifted upon hearing his teacher’s voice.

‘Miss Serizawa!’ Ayumu’s voice was tinged with surprise.

‘Miss Serizawa?!’ Azu stood up, displaying her prodigious strength. She was out of her mind. “Are you kidding me, Yuuko?!” Yuu remained serious, concentrating on her spell, barely holding the rune. Azu’s sheer brute force threatened to shatter Nauthis.

‘What the hell is happening here?!’ Hiiragi’s face mirrored her terror at witnessing Azu’s berserker state.

‘Why are they fighting with each other?’ Sakai wondered, utterly confused.

‘Ayumu, leave now!’ Yuuko knew she couldn’t keep her friend for much longer.

‘Wait… Ayumu?’ Masami turned around, hearing that name.

‘But you…’ Ayumu attempted to speak.

‘It doesn’t matter. Just obey now!’ Serizawa reiterated. Sakai rushed towards Ayumu, who remained motionless.

‘You heard her!’ The blonde girl grabbed her classmate’s arm. He kept his eyes on the teacher, getting a little puzzled. ‘Come on, we don’t have all day!’ Eventually, the two of them started running.

‘I won’t let you escape!’ Azu’s angry shout echoed through the chaos. Yuuko moved her arm, a pained expression crossing her face, causing the air to shatter. Masami and Ayumu could only watch as Azu, resembling a wild beast, lunged toward them. ‘Die!’

‘Ayumu!’ Yuu raised her voice, full of concern. Saya’s grim giggle resounded in Ayumu’s mind. Time seemed to freeze momentarily as he noticed someone’s body press against his back, gripping his left arm and raising it towards Azu. The albino woman was peering over his shoulder and smiled with malicious intent. Ayumu’s eyes emitted a whitish glow as he pushed Masami aside, out of harm’s way from Azu’s attack.

‘Don’t be scared, my little boy.’ Saya’s lips were a few millimetres from the boy’s ear. Everything else faded into the background, and only the sound of his own heartbeat remained. Saya’s maniacal laughter echoed in his mind. ‘If in doubt, you’re dead, so just do it. Finish it, you must kill Saruyama before she’ll end with you…’ Ayumu took a deep breath but was cut short. Hiiragi appeared in his eyes, leaping behind Azuki with her sword in hand. The wind swirled around her weapon.

‘I’m sorry!’ she thought. ‘Dragon’s Roar!’ With a swift motion, she swung her weapon. A powerful gust of wind was unreleased, that travelled the short distance between the girl with burgundy hair and the teacher. The teacher turned, but was surprised by the stormy wind crashing into a tree. The force held her in place, leaving her dazed. Hiragi rushed toward Ayumu. “What are you doing standing there?” Masami also got up and pulled him along. With the combined momentum of the two girls, they propelled Ayumu into motion. Azuki’s eyes flashed ochre, and a golden aura enveloped her as a magical circle appeared.

‘No more games!’ Azu’s muscles tensed. Two massive rocks emerged from her back, encasing her like armour. ‘Ravage everything, Behemoth!’ The teacher threw a punch towards the ground, causing tremors as if an earthquake were shaking the earth. The three students struggled to maintain their balance. Azu appeared ready to end it all with a single blow. Once again, Yuuko intercepted her.

‘Algiz!’ She traced a rune in the air, absorbing the blow before it shattered. Both friends locked eyes.

‘Step aside, Yuuko! I’ll settle the score with you later!’

‘What the hell is wrong with you now?! You’re acting just like Onihime!’ Anger washed over Yuuko. “It’s completely disproportionate; he’s just a boy!”

‘Disproportionate, you say?! Have you forgotten the damage that damn cult has caused? That you openly collaborate with one of their members?’

‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Yuuko tried to reason with her.

‘Stop playing dumb with me!’ Azu tried to intimidate her friend, with an anomaly outburst. ‘Step aside, I won’t repeat myself!’ Yuuko gestured in frustration and glanced back, noticing the students moving away. Azu clenched her fists tightly. Yuu leaped back, surrounded by the aura of arts, blocking Azu’s attack. Pushing her back a couple of meters, she felt the pain, even with protecting her magical aura, as if she had been rammed by a bull. Azu created some distance, surprising a pained Serizawa, who lifted her right arm only to receive a brutal kick to the head. The impact was so powerful that it shattered her right arm, despite the defensive arts. Yuu was sent flying several meters through the air. Azu leaped after her, grabbing her leg before she could escape and forcefully slamming her onto the ground, causing her to bounce and cough up blood. Yuu experienced intense pain in her back, although her aura had narrowly saved her from Azu’s ferocious attack that could have broken her spine.

‘Is she seriously trying to kill me?! Yuu, you have to do something!’ the berserker attempted to strike Yuuko’s chest with her fist.