The rhythm of battle pulsed on like an unrelenting drum of war, yet amidst the raging flames of conflict, the figure of Hōdō Saya stood motionless - detached from the chaos.
She did not pursue.
Nor did she respond to the calls for reinforcements that echoed from behind her.
She just stood there, unmoving, watching Yomi Akira disappear behind the front lines - as if still waiting for an answer that never came.
The wind gently brushed her silver hair.
And her eyes, perhaps because of the wind, shimmered with a faint wetness.
In a whisper, barely audible over the din of the battlefield, she murmured:
"Do you not even have the courage to look at me?"
Saya slowly raised her bow, the arrowhead trembling slightly.
Not because of the enemy.
But because of her heart.
She had always known - Yomi Akira was someone who excelled at escaping. He hid behind magic, behind calm indifference, behind a carefully crafted illusion of detachment that locked away all his emotions.
But she refused to believe that.
She refused to believe that the Yomi Akira who had waited silently for her to finish training and handed her a bottle of water was a cold-hearted man.
She refused to believe that the Yomi Akira who had put himself at risk by using the "Card Counterattack" to protect his members was someone without feelings.
She refused to believe that the Yomi Akira who had quietly said, "I'm glad you're OK," in the midst of a whirlwind of flying cards, had never cared about her.
She refused.
And yet that retreating figure told her over and over again: You should believe it.
He was already standing in a place she could no longer reach.
** On the other side.
Yomi Akira stopped and slipped behind a half-destroyed stone pillar.
He should have continued leading his team, pressing the advantage - but he didn't.
Instead, he leaned against the broken pillar and stared at the map in his hand.
It was [Moon Mirror: Illusionary Reflection] - a special illusionary card that he rarely used, one that was meant to deflect emotional interference.
Earlier, he had used it to deflect Hōdō Saya's first arrow.
And also... to deflect his own emotions.
"I saw her eyes."
"The arrow wasn't meant to kill me - she just wanted me to look at her."
"But I can't."
His fingers tightened around the card, almost bending it.
"If I react, it will waver."
"If she wavers, the Archery Club will show a weakness..."
"And I cannot afford to be the weakness in her heart."
As he closed his eyes, his throat moved slightly, as if he were swallowing something too painful to say.
"I'm sorry, Saya."
"Right now... I can't allow myself to love you."
"I have the entire Magic Club on my back... and a future that even I have yet to understand."
** The wind continued to blow.
Hōdō Saya drew her bowstring once more and finally stepped forward.
She no longer looked at Yomi Akira's back.
Instead, she aimed her arrows at the other members of the Magic Club.
She would continue to fight.
Even if her heart was in pieces, she was still a warrior of the Archery Club.
"If you decide to run away, Yomi Akira..." "Then I will become the fate you can no longer avoid."
She whispered to herself, silver hair shining like a blade in the changing light.
This fight was no longer just a clash of clubs.
It was a test of emotions - a war that would set everything they had ever felt... on fire.
雨未落,心已裂
战斗的节奏如鼓点般持续推进,然而在那滚滚战火中,凰堂纱夜的身影,仿佛被时间静止般,独立于纷争之外.
她没有立刻追击.
也没有呼应后方的支援指令.
只是一动不动地站着,望着夜见苍消失在战线另一侧的背影——
像是还在等待一个,从未到来的回应.
风,轻轻掠过她银白的发丝.
而眼眶,却因为风的缘故,泛起了微微湿意.
她轻声自语,几乎要被战场的喧嚣吞没:
「你是不是...连回头看我一眼的勇气都没有?」
纱夜缓缓抬起弓,箭尖微颤.
不是因为敌人.
而是因为心.
她一直都知道夜见苍是个擅长逃避的人,用魔术,用冷静,用超脱的姿态把所有情绪都锁在层层幻象之后.
可她偏偏不信.
不信那个在练习场默默等她结束训练,递上水瓶的夜见苍是个冷漠的人;
不信那个在龙牙场上,为了保护部员不惜冒险使出"卡牌反击术"的夜见苍,是个无情的人;
不信那个在漫天纸牌飞舞中低声说"你没事就好"的夜见苍,从来都没有在意过她.
她不信.
可现在,那背影却一次次告诉她:你该信了.
他已经,站在你无法靠近的位置上了.
**
另一侧.
夜见苍停下脚步,躲入一座被破坏半截的石柱后.
他本该继续指挥部员,发起下一波压制,但他没有.
他靠着残柱,低头看着手中的卡牌.
那是[月镜·虚幻折光]──一张他从不轻易用出的特殊幻术卡,只在必须反射情感干扰时使用.
刚才,他用它反弹了凰堂纱夜的第一箭.
也反弹了自己的情绪.
「我看到她的眼神了.」
「她的箭不想杀我,她只是想让我看她一眼.」
「但我不能.」
指尖紧了紧,那张卡片几乎被他捏皱.
「只要我回应,她就会动摇.」
「她一旦动摇,弓箭部就会露出破绽...」
「而我,没有资格去成为她心中的破绽.」
夜见苍闭上眼,喉结微微震动,像是在强行压下某种无法言说的痛楚.
"对不起,纱夜."
"我现在...不能喜欢你."
"我还背着整个魔术部,还有...那个连我都未解的未来."
**
风继续吹着.
凰堂纱夜重新拉开弓弦,终于迈出脚步.
她不再看夜见苍的背影了.
而是将箭头指向魔术部的其他成员.
她要继续战斗.
即使内心破碎,她仍是弓箭部的精英成员.
"夜见苍,如果你选逃..."
"那我就成为你必须面对的命运."
她心中低语,银发在光影中仿佛锋利的刃.
这一场联合会战,将不会只是部门之间的胜负.
而是一场关于彼此情感的试炼,一场把过去一切情绪全数点燃的——战役.