Love You Seventh Night: 04 [Scar] ◇ (70) (Patreon)

*Seventh Night: 04 [Scar] ◇*

Thump, thump, clunk, thud.

Reaching her intended location, Sayoko climbed over the guardrail and quickly slipped her body into the drainage ditch on the side.

This rather large ditch was nearly a meter deep and wide enough for a person to pass through, allowing her, with her small frame, to hide with room to spare if she crouched. Of course, the inside was dirty, and mud and trash clung to her shoes, skirt, and uniform... but Sayoko paid it no mind.

She continued forward, her knees scraping, and eventually moved under the metal grating covering the ditch, a "grating."

With this, her form was completely hidden from the road, and she had gained the leeway to catch her breath and resume her analysis.

(There's almost no doubt about it. That thing can tell where I am.)

Not once, but twice, she had come via the shortest route. Especially the second time, when she had turned at two intersections and chosen a location at a distance. If her location wasn't known, there's no way she could have come in a straight line.

(But she probably can't tell the exact location, the precise direction.)

When she had hidden at that "Nishiwaki Screw, Second Warehouse," [Heartbreak] had appeared by disintegrating a wall a little ways off. It was a complete surprise attack... but even then, she could have just appeared right on Sayoko, who was leaning against the warehouse wall. If she had, the match would have been decided then and there.

She couldn't rule out the possibility that she had done it deliberately to frighten her, but it felt more like she "couldn't" rather than "didn't."

The next time, too.

It's true that she had caught Sayoko's general direction, but when [Heartbreak] erased the fence and appeared, she was off by more than ten meters. And after that, when her view opened up, she looked around to find her target.

From this, it also seemed that the enemy's tracking ability was crude.

(There's probably a considerable margin of error, or maybe it's not the type of cheat that projects an accurate image into her vision.)

Having analyzed this, Sayoko had chosen this location to counter the cheat.

A large drainage ditch on the side of the road that she had spotted while fleeing. And the grating placed over it to cross to the auto parts factory on the other side of the ditch. Using this structure for camouflage, Sayoko intended to launch a surprise attack.

(An ability that arbitrarily generates a barrier that disintegrates solid matter...)

That means it cannot be put up in a place that is not arbitrary... a place she is not conscious of. Therefore, she would strike when she was unguarded. From a blind spot, all at once.

(Anyway, one blow to the back of the head or neck.)

She gripped the crowbar tightly and stared at the sharp, right-angled tip.

(I'll drive this into that woman.)

If it went well, she could take her down in one hit. Even if she couldn't, she should be unable to move properly. If her movements slowed, that would be enough. Right now, she was doing all she could just to escape, but if the opponent couldn't move, and if she had time, there were plenty of things she could do.

She could get some kerosene and a lighter from some factory or company and burn her to death. She could make a Molotov cocktail like in the [Mobile Armor] battle.

That should be able to take her down.

(It's okay, I can do this. I can do it.)

Having finished organizing her plan, Sayoko held her breath and waited for [Heartbreak] to approach.

◆

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Normally, it would be difficult to hear footsteps in the noisy outdoors. But right now, they were the only two in this world. To Sayoko, who was concentrating, [Heartbreak]'s footsteps were clearly audible.

(Close.)

With a clank, something stepped on the grating. It was a sign that [Heartbreak] was directly above her.

Without making a sound, Sayoko crawled out from under the cover and climbed up the drainage ditch.

[Heartbreak], having taken a few steps past the grating, was looking around curiously in the direction of the factory. She was completely unaware of Sayoko behind her.

Of course. She had deliberately chosen a place where she would be likely to be suspicious in that manner.

Sayoko snuck up behind her, swung the crowbar wide with her right hand, and slammed it down with all her might as she stepped forward.

The tip of the crowbar drew an arc, its kinetic energy increasing with centrifugal force, and lunged toward the back of [Heartbreak]'s head!

...or so it seemed. That's how it should have been.

But the weapon that Sayoko slammed down with all her might didn't touch [Heartbreak]'s body at all; it began to turn to dust from the tip.

And it wasn't just the tip of the crowbar that was lost. The entire long, rod-like part also crumbled away like mist. Even Sayoko's right hand, which was gripping it.

Pop.

Her thumb, index finger, and most of her middle finger vanished. At the same time, with [Heartbreak]'s feet at the center, the asphalt of the compound's pavement rippled in a circle, and this time, Sayoko understood why.

Clatter.

Having lost the support of three fingers, the handle of the crowbar fell from the attacker's right hand. It fell and collided with the grating, making a dry sound.

"Eeeh!?"

It wasn't Sayoko who let out a cry of astonishment. It was [Heartbreak]. It seemed she hadn't noticed the attack at all until now. Turning around, her eyes were wide with shock.

"Wait, huh? [Scar]!? Why!? Where did you come from!? Since when!? Whaaa!?"

She didn't seem to have grasped the situation and was quite flustered. Perhaps because of that, it was the seriously injured Sayoko who regained her composure first.

"Dammit!!"

Spitting that out, the girl with glasses supported her right wrist and ran away at once.

"Eh? Huh!? Wha!?"

It would take a little more time for [Heartbreak] to understand the current situation.

***

2024.12.24

Rinri Kiyo-sensei, the artist of the comic book version, drew a 2024 Christmas SayoEri illustration for us!

It's Sayoko and Erika at a Christmas party wearing ugly sweaters (´∀｀).

I'm sure Erika was all excited to show it off to Sayoko... it's heartwarming.

Merry Yuri-mas!