Chapter 117: The Ambush at the Final Election Debate [2].
While Ren declared that she wouldn’t leave him, another explosion went off and Noah watched as a different unit burst in from a service door.
The newcomers didn’t help the first ones; on the contrary, one of them attacked another agent.
"The target is ours!"
"Fall back!"
Noah’s eyes widened.
’They’re fighting each other?’
A third voice came from above.
"How unpleasant."
Reina dropped from one of the side platforms and landed on an empty row.
Misaki appeared on an upper walkway and Ayane entered through a secondary door.
Noah recognized them immediately.
"Them too."
Ren looked at him.
"You know them?"
"Yes."
"Are they enemies?"
"Let’s just say yes."
Reina raised a hand and a dark creature appeared in front of one of the rival units, slamming into two agents.
Misaki fired at a metal structure, and the projectile sliced through a chain that sent a heavy curtain crashing down between Noah and a group of attackers.
Ren looked at Noah.
"You sure?"
Noah hesitated.
"...Yes... I think..."
Ayane pointed at the other units.
"The target belongs to our operation!"
An agent answered.
"The Great Mother authorized full intervention!"
"That doesn’t mean you can take him."
Reina smiled.
"In other words, go find your own guy."
Ayane looked at her.
"Reina."
"What?"
"D-Don’t say that."
An attacker launched a blast toward Noah and Ayane reacted at once.
"Watch out!"
Reina summoned another creature and the beast took the hit.
Ayane locked eyes with the agent responsible and her expression shifted.
"I told you not to hurt him."
The woman looked confused.
"What?"
Misaki spoke from above.
"Rival unit at three o’clock."
Reina turned.
"I already saw her."
Another creature appeared and the chaos intensified.
Now several groups were fighting at the same time.
Yume was launching controlled attacks to keep the agents away without hitting the students.
Luna was raising barriers around the areas where civilians were clustered.
Iris attacked anyone who tried to get near Noah.
Reina and Misaki were fighting other units from their own organization.
Ayane seemed to be trying to direct both of them while constantly tracking where Noah was.
Noah looked toward the stage and Aria was still there.
Two staff members were trying to guide her toward a rear exit, but the exit was blocked.
’Now.’
Noah started running and Ren went after him.
"Noah!"
"I need to get to Aria!"
"Why?!"
"I can’t explain while we’re running."
An agent appeared in front of them and Ren immediately stepped forward.
She had no powers and no weapon, but she simply placed herself in front of Noah.
"Get away!"
The agent looked at her.
"You’re not the target."
"How observant."
"Move."
"I won’t."
Noah grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Ren."
"No."
The woman raised a hand and Noah activated Refuge Barrier.
A shield appeared in front of both of them and the attack struck, forcing Ren to stumble back.
She stared at the barrier and then at Noah.
"You have powers too?!"
"It’s complicated."
"Everything is complicated with you!"
Iris appeared from the side and hit the agent with a blast.
"Move."
Ren looked at her.
"Thanks."
Iris looked at Noah.
"Where are you going?"
"To Aria."
Iris frowned.
"Now?"
"Yes."
Noah kept running, and Iris followed.
"You don’t need to go to her."
"I’m not going to her."
"Then..."
"I’m going to give her something."
Iris eyed him with suspicion.
"What?"
Noah didn’t answer.
They reached the stage and Aria finally saw Noah approaching.
"Noah?"
He climbed the first steps.
"Aria!"
Another explosion sent a unit appearing from behind the curtain.
"Noah Reed."
Aria turned.
The woman charged at him, but Aria stepped in front and Noah froze in surprise.
"Aria, get out of the way!"
"No."
The attacker raised her arm, but Ren came from behind, grabbed a chair, and threw it.
The chair hit the woman and didn’t do much damage, but it distracted her.
Ren seized the moment and grabbed Noah’s arm.
"Move!"
Iris launched an attack and the agent went down.
Noah looked at Ren, who was breathing hard.
"Don’t do that again, Ren."
Ren looked at him.
"Do what?"
"Face someone with powers using just a chair."
"But it worked."
"That doesn’t mean it was a good idea."
Aria watched the three of them, then looked toward Yume and Luna, then toward Iris.
"I need an explanation."
Noah pulled out the star.
"First take this."
Aria looked at the object.
It was a small golden star, still shining even under the emergency lights.
"What is it?"
"What I’ve been trying to give you for days."
Iris’s eyes went wide.
"That?"
Noah nodded.
Aria reached out a hand, but before she could touch it, a new explosion shook the stage and the floor trembled.
Noah lost his balance and the star nearly fell.
Aria caught his arm.
"Be careful."
A voice rang out from the far end.
"There he is!"
Another unit, and Noah felt his detection flare again.
"We have to get out of here!"
Ren picked up a fallen metal bar and Noah stared at her.
"What are you doing?"
"Improvising."
"Stop improvising!"
Yume appeared over the stage and landed in front of them.
"Noah!"
Luna arrived a second later.
"There are too many."
Iris moved up beside them and Aria looked at the three magical girls gathered together.
"So you three..."
Yume looked at her.
"We’ll talk later."
Luna pointed toward a side exit.
"We have to move Noah."
Aria looked at the star.
"And that?"
Noah held it out again.
"Take it."
Aria lifted a hand and another blast cut through the air, so Luna created a barrier and the attack exploded against it.
"Noah."
Luna said.
"Not now."
Noah clenched his teeth.
"I’ve been saying that for way too long!"
Reina appeared behind a destroyed row.
"Ayane!"
Ayane was fighting another member of the organization.
"What?!"
"Another unit is going for Noah!"
Ayane turned.
She saw the stage, Noah, the magical girls, and several agents closing in, and her expression hardened.
"Reina, block the access!"
"That’s what I’m doing!"
"Misaki!"
The answer came from above.
"I’ve already got positions."
Ayane raised a hand.
"Don’t shoot near Noah!"
Misaki stayed silent for a moment, then answered.
"Understood."
Reina let out a laugh.
"She’s traumatized."
"Shut up!"
Noah didn’t understand why the villains who were supposed to capture him seemed to be stopping other villains from capturing him, but he didn’t have time to process it.
A new wave of energy slammed into the auditorium and part of the stage gave way.
Aria lost her balance, but Noah caught her and the star ended up between them.
Aria looked at the object and then at Noah.
"Does this have something to do with them?"
Noah glanced at the girls and then back at Aria.
"Yes."
Aria stayed still and Noah held the star closer.
"If you trust me, take it."
Aria watched him.
Around them the fight continued.
People were screaming, barriers clashed, summons appeared, and the rival units kept attacking each other.
Ren stayed at his side with no powers and no intention of leaving.
Aria looked at the star again, then slowly reached out, her fingers about to touch it while Noah could only think one thing.
’Please, just this once, let no one interrupt.’