[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 87

Joumae Saori was gazing at the sky.

An airship from Pandemonium, provided by the Arius Branch School, pierced through thick clouds, heading toward Trinity.

Hanuma Makoto seemed satisfied with the current agreement. She had sought to bring down Trinity and supplied weapons through defense contractors closely tied to Gehenna Academy.

In return, the Arius Branch School provided intelligence. Though Trinity’s intelligence network had been decimated, they had gathered information over time.

Misono Mika, a secret pact, a coup. What a foolish girl.

Yet, the Arius Branch School was still part of the Trinity lineage. They opposed the formation of the old alliance but shouted louder than anyone for Gehenna’s downfall.

On the matter of Gehenna, Saori empathized with Mika’s perspective. They would judge the product of the Council that had destroyed everything they had. The hatred, piled high enough to form a towering layer, would become a holy lance aimed at Trinity and Gehenna.

Before departing from the Basilica, Madame spoke.

“You will become my legion, supporting Arius’s army, and fight with fierce determination. Fight willingly until the day of our final victory.”

Vanity of vanities.

The time had come to repay the debt of centuries-old hatred.

[Cruise missile, target acquired. Impact in five minutes.]

All remaining academies would bow to Arius.

Today would be remembered as the final day of Trinity and Gehenna.

***

[Heat dissipation complete. Live ammunition… I’ll just open the armory for now.]

[Alright. Take a break. Maybe play the bagpipes in the open field for once.]

The rooftop of the safehouse was wide open. The Cathedral, located in a quiet suburban village, and the nearby safehouse offered a view I loved: the cityscape of Trinity and the great forest coexisting at the horizon.

As expected of a place not run by the main factions of the Tea Party, the safehouse lacked for nothing. Even on the outskirts of the city, it had a robust communication network and drawers filled with snacks.

So this is where Seia-sama was hiding? What a life.

The heads of clubs handling police duties, like the border checkpoint and artillery units, didn’t enter the Cathedral.

Ekurea-senpai didn’t seem to care much. I felt the same. The public doesn’t even know who’s who anyway. The image of Trinity’s police force in public opinion is sufficiently upheld by the Justice Task Force.

The checkpoint had scattered in all directions. Sayuri-san entered the Cathedral as a Pater administrator, while Ritsuko-chan was on standby in a corner of the city, driving the Hippo truck. Most of our juniors were taking a break at the safehouse under the guise of “patrol.”

Who’s handling the Cathedral’s defense, you ask? Well, it’s not us, that’s for sure.

Nagisa-sama was given full authority, but the main security force was still the Justice Task Force. With their vast scale and matching prowess, the Justice Task Force served as Trinity General Academy’s backbone. Their sense of duty persisted today.

To begin with, Tsurugi-san outranks us in available authority. I’m just grateful she readily agreed to help when asked.

To repay her, we should act with sincerity.

Since the last budget cut, the border checkpoint underwent a sort of reform. In an era where speed trumped numerical firepower, over half of our projection capabilities were made mobile. The adoption of the Caesar self-propelled artillery symbolized this change.

You might think we’re similar to the Tea Party’s artillery unit, but we’re quite different. The name “Border Checkpoint Mobile Artillery Battalion” isn’t just for show. It refers to the ability to move dozens of miles in minutes.

Mobile bombardment—attacking while periodically relocating and redeploying to avoid detection, at mid-to-long ranges of 25-30 miles. It’s enough to overwhelm the enemy while they’re caught off guard. What can we do with this?

“…Blow up the Tea Party?”

Pfft, what a sense of humor, Yamatsu Hikari.

I must’ve lost my mind from boredom.

As if I’d bombard the Tea Party! Deploying the Caesar toward the Cathedral was just a precaution for any unforeseen situations, not because I’d pull the trigger if things went south.

Who is Kirifuji Nagisa, the Host? She might appoint an incompetent student as checkpoint head, but she’d never allow someone who threatens her safety. As student council president, she’s capable of making decisions that could cost the lives of several peers—a competent leader.

Repay the girl’s expectations. I know well what you desire.

This proves my outstanding social skills. My head hasn’t been chopped off yet, has it? Except for that occasional paranoia, what a great boss!

“Uh, for all that, you sure complain a lot.”

“…What’s that? I’m hearing a voice I shouldn’t be hearing.”

“Getting treated like a ghost right in front of me? Even I’d feel hurt.”

“That’s not my problem.” Mitsuki-san pouted.

Why.

What.

What do you want me to do about it?

“Staring at me like that won’t get you anywhere. I don’t even know how you got up here.”

“What? I climbed up with a grappling hook. I was famous for mountain climbing in middle school, you know. Scaling the Tea Party’s walls for photos? This building’s nothing.”

“Admitting your crimes out loud is called a confession, Mitsuki-san. Not something to brag about. Let’s live moderately. If you keep breaking school rules, even I can’t cover for you.”

She proudly pulled out the grappling hook embedded in the gray concrete.

That alone is a violation of school regulations. Damaging Trinity General Academy’s structures without permission incurs a fine of up to 30,000 yen. For someone like Mitsuki-san… ugh, she’s probably racked up over 100,000 yen already.

As someone who’s sent countless protest letters to Gehenna Academy, I find Mitsuki-san’s behavior frustrating.

Why—why does she keep doing this?

Why does she keep talking about bombardment?!—That’s probably where it started.

Come to think of it… if that damn Pandemonium artillery hadn’t caused a ruckus, I’d be chilling under Itsuka-senpai, living the good life.

Leaving all the duties and burdens to my seniors, didn’t I enjoy a grand school life? That lingering regret for the original path, now too far gone to trace where it diverged, remained.

“…Ugh.”

“You’re thinking weird stuff again, aren’t you? Just say it out loud, it’s good material.”

“Sorry, but I’ve never seen a journalist writing about someone’s private life who’s still alive.”

Of course—being a club head comes with plenty of perks! Living a spirited life, that’s me!

“By the way… wow, Eden. I call myself the checkpoint’s dedicated reporter, but I’m jealous of the kids covering the Cathedral. Sinon-san, even my little sister went to check it out. The editor-in-chief’s free, so maybe I should just leave?”

“I don’t care. You’re a Chronos School student, and I’m a Trinity General Academy club head. Aside from you being a nuisance, your freedom of movement is guaranteed.”

“A little hurtful, don’t you think? Shouldn’t you be begging me to stay, crying and all?”

“…Dear Editor-in-Chief, I have no idea what the esteemed Mitsuki-san desires.”

Using the tone common in Trinity’s politics, I vented my frustration with the journalist. She seemed to get the hint, flashing a suspicious smile and shutting up.

Rumor has it, Chronos School’s girls quietly hunt for scoops. Her wandering around the checkpoint is annoying, but unlike other reporters, she respects boundaries.

She’s seen a lot of society’s underbelly—guess that’s why I kinda like her.

“But now that I think about it, Mitsuki-san, why’d you come looking for me?”

“Thought I’d poke around. The other juniors are scrambling to cover the Cathedral, but not a single student’s here at the checkpoint. There’s even one kid interviewing the Guard Captain.”

“Sounds like an insult, or am I imagining it?”

“Oh, it’s just stating facts. I can prove it statistically, so try punishing me if you want.”

“You’re full of it.”

Mitsuki-san, keep this up, and I’ll subject you to random inspections until I’m sick of it.

***

[This is Kirifuji Nagisa, Host of the Tea Party! The treaty signing ceremony is about to begin, but it’s such a shame that only external filming is allowed! Everyone, please stay tuned!]

“Look at Sinon, working his ass off. Hard to find a Chronos reporter who actually hustles.”

“There aren’t many sane ones among Chronos journalists to begin with. Like that one… the girl who got a scoop as a Pater administrator.”

A breeze must’ve slipped through the hallway, as the old sign creaked with a harsh metallic sound.

[Trinity General Academy Air Defense Command]

It’s a grandiose name, but to students, it’s just a club for slacking off. The computers handle most of the calculations.

But not today. Because Kirifuji Nagisa-samaordered the city’s air defense system deactivated for Pandemonium’s horned bastards. I don’t like the Filius faction, but today, she’s my student council president.

“Hmph, long live Kirifuji Nagisa.”

“Long live the Manchester United Football Club.”

“Man United, you bastard.”

“What, you little—?” My friend Yuki is weird. She’s capable but goes fanatic whenever she brings up the football club.

A girl who lives and breathes football. If she put that obsession into studying, she’d have joined the Tea Party by now. For sure.

“Should we just ditch? The others are probably having a blast at karaoke.”

“Hey, we’ve got pride. Protect the honor of the glorious Sanctus faction.”

“The comms room girl didn’t say much.”

“Arisa? She got chewed out recently and turned timid.”

She was crying like a kid over dinner last night, blaming Hikari-senpai for everything.

Whatever, it’s just a treaty signing that’ll be over in a couple of hours. Once the air defense system is back online, the kids who ditched will come scrambling back, desperate to avoid punishment. I can already see their frantic faces.

Yuki and I can just grab some snacks from the fridge and chill. Watching a 4K TV, passing the time—that’s the plan. A truly happy—no, lightly dutiful day.

[—Beep.]

“Radar alert.”

“I’ll check. Probably Makoto’s airship.”

With the entire airspace locked down except for Gehenna’s airship, it’s simple deduction.

I tore into a cheese stick and approached the air defense radar. Two white dots appeared on the amber screen.

“…Huh.”

—Wait, two dots?

“Yuki, come here. What’s this—why’s it like this?”

“What? Looks fine… oh.”

The radar refreshed periodically.

The white dots, dozens of kilometers away, closed in by several kilometers with each refresh.

—Coming toward us.

“No, what the hell… what is that?”

“Wait, hold on, let me call the boss… Ugh, why’s it off again?!”

That damn officer, going to karaoke but not keeping her phone on!

As Yuki and I scrambled, the white dots kept approaching. At that speed… Mach 3, maybe? What the hell’s going on? Should we reactivate the air defense system?

But that’d hit Makoto’s airship…

Right, we need permission. Get permission first, then move. Frantically scrolling through contacts, I made a call.

[Miyamizu Arisa] 

Working in the comms room, no answer.

[Nakamasa Ichika]

On patrol at the Cathedral, no answer.

[Utsuzumi Sakurako]

Of course, no answer.

[Deputy Head]

This bastard’s not picking up either.

[Yamatsu Hikari]

—Ring.

[—Hey, I’m here. Air Defense? What’s up?]

“She answered!” Yuki and I sighed in relief simultaneously.

[Oh, familiar voice. What’s the issue?]

“Boss, can we activate the air defense system? There’s an unidentified object moving insanely fast on the radar, heading toward the Tea Party or the Cathedral. So…”

[No.]

“What?”

[—I’m seeing it too.]

“What do you mean?”

“Uh, uh… Chizuru…” Yuki, who had moved to the window, called me in a trembling voice.

[—Damn it, don’t hang up—]

Something felt hot. That’s how it felt.

Leaving the increasingly faint phone call behind.

I took one step, then two, toward the window.

Yuki stood frozen, unmoving.

Outside the club room window, the Cathedral was clearly visible. Blocks away, in the plaza, hundreds of people bustled as the signing ceremony was about to begin.

Fireworks, fluttering academy flags, all set against the grand backdrop of the Cathedral of Communions.

…Above it, something descended from the sky—

At a speed faster than anything Yuki and I had ever seen, leaving a trail of overwhelming flames—

—It fell.

—BOOM!!

“…Uh, no… this can’t be happening…”

“…The Cathedral…”

It’s gone. The spire collapsed, flames piercing the windows.

How, why. What happened—

What… destroyed us? Trinity and Gehenna.

***

Damn it, no.

No way!

I was running toward the Cathedral. Chaos began to spread through the streets. I told the team to grab their gear, get in the trucks, and head to the Cathedral.

Why.

Why did a missile—of unknown origin, a pinnacle of technology—breach the air defense?

No, maybe… they knew the air defense was down, exploiting our new weakness. A missile in the heart of Trinity… how is that even possible…

“—Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! No, this can’t happen!”

This can’t spiral into an unimaginable disaster, it just can’t. Even if this tragedy happens, we need to mobilize forces immediately—

No, act before thinking!

“Senpai, load live rounds!”

[What? No, uh… what? Live rounds!]

“Things have gone to hell, we can’t stop this here!”

[Okay, got it!]

I could hear Inori-senpai’s panicked voice.

The Caesar firing position must be chaos. Loading live rounds for real—that’s immense psychological pressure. But with no clue what’s happening, we have to prepare for everything—

“…Huh.” After running frantically for a few minutes, I reached the Cathedral.

Outside, students from Chronos and other press academies were in a panic.

Some familiar faces caught my eye.

…More importantly—

Flames engulfed the Cathedral. From the gate, where dark smoke kept pouring out, not a single student emerged.

…All those students?

The Tea Party, Pandemonium’s administrators, the Justice Task Force, the Sisterhood—where did they go?

…Nagisa-sama, and the Prefect Team Leader?

…Sayuri-san?

I hurriedly pulled out my phone and called Sayuri-san.

[This customer’s phone is turned off. After the beep, please leave a message…]

“…No.”

No.