Hidan no Aria - Volume 13

Go For The NEXT!!! Zed Acht–Z8

(BEGIN)

In order to facilitate our immediate escape, I moved toward the window–

Once there, an unexpected sight met my eyes.

It looks like the wall of the shop across the street is under construction…

The whole wall in front of me was covered in assembled scaffolding. It reaches from the ground all the way up to the top floor. In Japan it would be made of steel, but here in Hong Kong, it is entirely constructed of bamboo.

I think I saw something like this in a film.

In this area, safety concerns are somewhat sacrificed for the advantages of low-cost bamboo allowing for rapid building construction.

「Kii-Kuun! Over here, over here! Look! Look! Riko bought a car for you! It was on the side of the road and they took a cheque for it! Kufufu!」

Clambering up the bamboo jungle gym-like structure, Riko winked at me. Underneath, she had parked a slightly square-ish 1968 Cadillac Deville.

The instant I heard the horn, I guessed it was that kind of car. However, I never thought it would be such an outlandish pastel aqua. But is was Riko who got the car, after all.

The ancient fly-top convertible design is slow but sturdy. As an emergency acquisition, it’s a good job.

「Shirayuki, can you get down?」

「Yes!」

Standing on the scaffolding, Shirayuki sheathed her sword, and I stepped out onto the bamboo myself–

Closing the window behind me, we both started down the scaffolding, then there was a *Crash!*

Son had kicked the window–frame and all–out onto the bamboo scaffold

「Tohyama! Hahaha! We’ve come this far, so let’s finish the game!」

She sprang nimbly downward, and her movements were undoubtedly faster than ours. It was a race between human and monkey.

In an instant, Son caught up with us and stretched out her hand–

「Haaaa!」

Shirayuki drove in towards Son with a Flying Cross Chop… and missed.

「Waah!」

She struck the scaffolding and there was a *Snap!*

The pliable bamboo flexed downward against the force of her suicide attack.

「Wha- Yuki-chan!?」

Unfortunately Riko was directly beneath Shirayuki, and she collided with Shiryuki’s wide, child-bearing hips at full speed.

Shirayuki cleverly managed to grasp a bamboo pillar, but Riko continued downwards, bouncing off the bamboo poles over and over again like a pinball. As she fell I heard a succession of「Oof!」「Gaaf!」「Hrgh」「Oogh!」sounds punctuated with a *Splat!*

She landed face-first on the sidewalk, but since it’s Riko, she must be fine.

On her side, without a word of apology to Riko, Shirayuki clung to the bamboo pillar like a pole vaulter that had missed her target. As she did so… *Creak!*… The bamboo bent under her body weight until it almost brushed the roadway.

With the bamboo in an inverted U-shape, Shirayuki touched down on the ground and simultaneously there was a *Snap!* as a 5 metre long section of the pole broke off.

Shirayuki seized it like a bamboo spear and said:

「Kin-chan, I’ll cover you! Too!」

Son was closing in on me again, and Shirayuki struck from below. The bamboo spear is surprisingly effective.

「–Kii!?」

Stabbing out quickly, she kept Son’s feet and tail occupied–

With her movement restricted, the relative distance between Son and I widened.

A-Amazing! Shirayuki’s bamboo spear is working where a machine gun had failed.

Shirayuki, have you thought about switching your main weapon to a bamboo spear?

Thanks to that, I touched down on the ground.

As I reached the pavement, Riko was fine as I expected. Getting ready to leave, she was heading toward the Cadillac’s driver’s seat– dashing along the street and using other parked cars as stepping stones. Recognising my Hysterised state, she slid into the backseat.

「Ki-kun!」

「What!?」

「It’s really Son Goku, isn’t it!?」

「Yea!」

「That’s fantastic!」

「What’s that!?」

「Goku-chan’s panties are red and yellow striped! They’re patriotic! That’s interesting! Riko wants some too!」

「–How can you say something like that now!?」

Starting the engine, I kicked open the passenger door across from me– It was my first time using an automatic transmission, but I put it into D gear and jammed on the accelerator, causing the tires to screech instead of the horn.The car surged forward and I jerked the wheel to the side in a feint manoeuvre while downshifting and slamming on the brakes–

The huge frame shook as it spun, and inertia carried it through a 180 turn. The passenger side door flew open exactly where Shirayuki stood.

「Shirayuki, get in!」

「–Right!」

Shirayuki slid into the passenger seat, jumping into the car with the agility of a girl skipping rope.

Jerking the steering wheel back the other way, we started off with a「Wahoo!」from Riko crying out in excitement at the execution of this series of stunt-like manoeuvres from the backseat.

Unfazed, from Shirayuki in the passenger seat came:

「Kin-chan is so cool…!」

She was enraptured by my aggressive driving. Both girls have guts.

–If we head toward Sheung Wan we run the risk of meeting Koko and her Saracen.

Considering that fact, I turned east toward the Eastern Corridor Highway that ran along the coast.

Flooring the accelerator–

I glanced back at my rear view mirror, and Son had already reached the ground.

Observing the countless number of cars coming and going, she broke into an animalistic run on all fours.

…This can’t be! By my eye, she’s making about 100 KPH. That’s the speed of a puma!

Mid run, Son leapt up on top of a red convertible–a BMW Z8– grabbed the driver by the scruff of the neck like a cat, and tossed them into another car through the window. How violent!

Son slid into the beige leather seat and revved the engine.

With all 8 cylinders firing, the engine roared steadily as she began pursuing us.

–A Z8…!

It was the same kind of super car used by James Bond.

It’s one of the best pursuit vehicles.

It’s different than my large American Cadillac Deville with a top speed of 100 KPH and 2000 RPM in forward and reverse gears.

The speedometer on this car tops out at 120 KPH, but the Z-8’s reaches 160 KPH.

With only 500 metres between us, she’ll catch up in less than a minute.

Son kept getting closer–

Riko leaned far backwards, head first, over the trunk of the Deville.

「Kufufu!」

Then she reached out with her Walther P99 in both hands.

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

Muzzle flash flared with each shot.

The 9 mm parabellum bullets gave off a *Clang!* sound as each of them hit the other car’s tires. But it doesn’t seem to be causing it any trouble.

Son’s Z8’s engine reach a higher pitch as she accelerated further.

「I knew it!」

I understood Riko’s remark.

When Son was watching the passing cars, she was actually looking for one with bulletproof tires.

As our two convertibles started a high speed chase, and furthermore exchanged gunfire– the other normal cars on the road pulled off to the side. They weren’t idiots like the people in films that get in the way.

「Tee hee hee!」

At Riko’s laugh, I looked back again at the mirror–

Son’s Z8 was only 50 metres away, and she had a large can in her hand, holding it up for her to see.

–It was an oil can. You’re well prepared.

「Haha!」

In the backseat of the Cadillac, Riko had already opened the can and there was a *Glug!* sound.

The oil spread out in front of the Z8 from the back of the Cadillac.

Seeing that, Son– *Vrooom!* accelerated further.

Then there was a *Screeech!* as the tires skid, and the car drifted forward under inertia. Looking at the driver’s seat–

「…!」

What we saw– struck all of us speechless in amazement.

Her cut-off sailor suit flapped in the wind as she stood. But she wasn’t in the driver’s seat.

She stood barefoot– on the top edge of the windshield and steering wheel.

Son spun the car, making slight steering adjustments with her right foot–controlling both speed and direction of the skid. Son turned her gaze toward us.

d–

Our velocities matched, she maintained a constant speed.

Displaying such superhuman skill, Son brought the Z8 up next to the Cadillac.

Now we’re almost side by side.

From the window of a building ahead, I saw a member of Rampan– although he looked like an ordinary office worker in a suit– toss a rod-shaped object.

–It flew through the air like a javelin, *Whoosh!*

Son caught it as she drove the car and held it behind her back.

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Looking like a Japanese halberd–Green Dragon Crescent Blade, the legendary Chinese weapon.

It had a long shaft and a wide blade engraved with blazing fire emblems.

Her long black hair fluttered in the wind as she stood atop the Z8–

This girl looked exactly like a war goddess, well-befitting the name of Kowloon Monk.

「–In the ancient days of China, during the Three Kingdoms period–」

Grinning, Son raised the weapon above her head…*Sparkle!* *Sparkle!*…

Grains of golden light glimmered around us.

Son’s head looked as if it was surrounded by a halo. It was what Tamamo had called Golden Ring Crown.

Then from her right eye–

…!

–Ah, Son… No, Kou… Those tears are for me.

Although the other half-owner of your body will not allow you to do anything–

You were able to cry tears that were red like blood from one eye.

「Ryofu, Chouhi, Chou’un, Kan’u, Kakouton– These were fabled warriors and commanders like you, great men!」

Inside, Kou must be suffering.

It must be great if she is willing to end her life.

–But I will help you somehow.

It seems that I『make girls cry』, so it’s my responsibility to dry their tears.

「Thanks to you, I was able to recall such times, Kinji Tohyama.」

She smiled as she gazed fixed her gaze on me with her glowing right eye.

There’s no question. It’s the same light as that night.

Nyoibout–the laser beam attack at the speed of light…!

With each second, her eyes glowed brighter.

–Redder, and redder, and redder, and redder, and redder–!

Gp For The Next!!!

AUTHOR’S NOTES

How are you? It’s the guy who blew out his birthday candles with an electric fan, Akamatsu!

This 13th volume begins the Overseas Adventure series, If I had to say whether this was the ‘beginning’ or ‘ending’1, I’d say this is the beginning! The ‘end’ comes in volume 14– but before my next Hidan no Aria work comes the collection of short stories, Cast Off Table, bundled exclusively with the anime BD/DVD set for winter release. Cast Off Table is an event for Kinji and co. that takes place over summer break (and that Riko half-forced everyone to play) where the loser has to take off their clothes. It’s chock full of sexy pictures that aren’t included in the main series, and I can promise you this is a fan must-have item.

So while waiting for the next volume, why don’t you pick it up, huh?

…

…It’s not like I haven’t figured out a way to deal with a laser, or anything!

…

…Waaaaaugh! Why did I come up with such a tough one!? I’m an idiot!

No, no, everything’s fine. Volume 14 will come out as soon as I think of something, so don’t worry. If I can’t think of anything, I’ll just borrow one of Kinji’s last-ditch techniques!

I have two announcements. First, Kobuichi-san’s art book『Hidan no Aria Illustrations Kobuichi art works』releases today! It will include pin-ups and exquisite artwork. I had the honour of contributing a short story where Kinji explains his special moves. Secondly, next month, on the 10th of September, my publisher, Dengeki Bunko, is scheduled to publish my new novel! The novel is called『Yagate Maken no Alicebell』, and the illustrations are by Uruu Gekka-san, who is well known for his work on『Oniai』. It is a story of action on great scale and romantic comedy that unfolds in the same world as Hidan no Aria. I really hope that Alicebell gets along well with Aria.

Finally, for the thanks. To all those who at the time of writing this novel helped me get information about Hong Kong, and everyone at the Ritz Carlton who showed me that hidden room and that cooperated with MF Bunko J Editorial Department and the kind folks at Tong Li Publishing Group Limited who helped me.

An auspicious day in August 2012

Akamatsu Chuugaku

(END VOLUME 13)

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1 Two-part books (or when they are split into two volumes for sake of publishing) in Japan are marked with characters (上) and (下), the first meaning ‘top/beginning’ and the last ‘bottom/end’. Basically he is saying this is a new start for the series and not a sign it is coming to an end.