Sergeant Pepper's Objective

From Akira's Perspective

"No... The enemy is severely wounded. Let's press on and annihilate their magic unit," Elise analyzes the situation while coughing.

"Long Ice..."

Alegris muttered.

"The enemy has only put up defenses against flame. We'll catch the Chimera in their command with a surprise Long Ice strike!"

"Great idea!"

Elise gave a thumbs up to Alegris's suggestion. Alegris quickly chanted Basic Ice, and Sonata added her harmony.

The icicle flew towards the distance. The enemy Chimera, caught off guard, tried to issue commands but was blown away too quickly.

"Yikes! Yikes!"

With their command post gone, the goblin forces scattered in all directions.

"Alegris, that was something!" I rushed over to him.

"Heh, I wanted to show even us from the Kirin class can do this much, take that, Dragon class!"

Alegris rubbed under his nose as he threw some praise my way.

"But the power and range of your Long Fire were incredible. It might as well have been Advanced Fire. To think we can fight this far with just basic techniques, we need to learn from this."

Just as everyone relaxed, I felt like we were forgetting something.

I retraced our steps to the very start of the battle.

"We shouldn't let our guard down just yet!"

"Exactly," a low voice responded.

I turned around. It was Sergeant Pepper.

I could hear the chant of a spell.

From the ground, a thicket of rose-like brambles sprouted, binding Alegris.

"Argh... let go. Damn, I can't cast spells...?"

"I'm surprised. I summoned monsters I thought would be more than enough to handle students of the Kirin class. I didn't expect you to fight this well."

"What about Lieutenant Salsa?"

"Don't worry, I haven't dealt the killing blow to him. My target is you, after all."

At the end of Pepper's finger was Elise.

"Elise Obulus. It seems you and your father have known too much. We'll make it look like you died in battle here."

"Ah! So that's it..." I blurted out.

Elise's tragic past.

The truth her father tried to expose.

He came to seal it.

The fact that he could intervene in such a school curriculum meant there must be influential people within the academy.

"So, who shall I 'take care of' first?"

Right now, only Sonata and I could move enough to cast spells.