You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 91: Aaaaah!!

“The Ninth Rank!!”

With a roar of anger, sparks fly from the barrel of the black gun. A bullet hurtles from its muzzle, aimed directly at the top of Suzuko’s head.

But,

—!

The bullet takes an odd right turn before reaching Suzuko, gouging the wall of the ship.

“!? What the…!!”

Shiori’s ability, “Black Spear Appearance”.

Despite losing her composure, she follows the principles seared into her mind, ensuring the sharpness isn’t severe enough to cause a serious injury.

No, even if she tried, the current distracted Shiori couldn’t produce a thorn sharp enough to stab.

She activates it right below Suzuko.

But,

—!

A black thorn certainly appears between both of Suzuko’s shoes. But the moment it stretches towards Suzuko, it crumbles and vanishes as if scattering powder.

“!? Why…!?”

“You don’t understand…”

Amidst Shiori’s growing skepticism, Suzuko easily answers.

“The atmosphere is always filled with nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide.”

“!?”

“And the photons brought by the sun and the moisture increased by rain. These elements envelop our bodies.”

Saying that, Suzuko lightly taps the ground with the tip of her shoe, leading to the next answer.

“By adjusting these elements at your feet, it’s possible to temporarily blur the surface of the floor from your vision.”

“My… ability…!!”

“When you activate your ability a few meters away, there are several prerequisites. One of them is ‘projecting the activation point into your vision.’ In other words, if the activation point is distorted from your vision, the effect won’t be fully realized, leading to an incomplete activation like we just saw.”

Suzuko had deciphered Shiori’s ability and made its countermeasure possible through her own ability.

“Among the rankers, the ability of the tenth rank has clear weaknesses, so it was easy to come up with countermeasures.”

Suzuko, like the other rankers, had access to a special databank allowed by Combat College.

It contained special information that even Haruna couldn’t view, accessible only to those in high positions like principals and directors.

With the authority of a ranker, it was easy for Suzuko to access this databank and gather information on Shiori.

“You winning against me—”

“!!”

Shiori starts running towards Suzuko.

Gripping a black gun in each hand, she aims the muzzles at Suzuko.

“Coming straight at me…”

While holding a sniper rifle about the size of her height with a determined look.

She removed the bipod and scope to make it as light as possible and aimed it at Shiori, who was approaching without hesitation.

“Even though you should understand my ability.”

Finger on the trigger,

“What will you do coming straight?”

—!

She fires the bullet, which sparkles as it shoots out.

Naturally, Suzuko’s ability affects the bullet, which has no reason to move in a straight line from the muzzle.

(I know that!!)

Shiori’s thoughts accelerate.

Suzuko’s ability ensures a hit with a single shot. If it hits, avoiding it is almost impossible.

But there’s still a weakness.

By enhancing her physical and visual abilities in advance, she predicts where the bullet will go.

Sharpening her nerves, she calculates the optimal evasion.

In less than a second, she pours her ranker’s prowess into synchronizing her vision and thoughts with the bullet.

(I’ll match it!!)

Leaning forward to reduce the hit area, she runs directly towards the bullet.

The bullet aims between her head and torso. She accelerates her body, thinking of the moment of impact.

(Here!!)

At the last moment, she shifts her weight back, sliding her lower body on the floor while keeping the bullet in sight.

The bullet drops slightly but passes between her cheek and right shoulder without hitting, as she had closed in just before it could hit.

(I’ve got it!)

The distance is now less than five meters.

If another bullet comes, she’ll avoid it again.

“Induction Modification” isn’t perfect.

Closing the distance reduces the ability’s effect on the bullet’s trajectory.

Both their bullets were affected by this condition. Therefore,

(It’s too late!)

The muzzle is within three meters.

No matter how strong the ninth rank is, avoiding point-blank fire completely is impossible.

Not only Suzuko had the advantage of knowing her opponent’s information. Shiori also remembered the weaknesses of Suzuko’s ability.

“This is it!—”

“Over.”

As Shiori is about to pull the trigger, Suzuko turns around with a determined look.

“—Gah!?——“

Then an impact occurs.

Shiori’s body is blown sideways, hitting the wall with a dull sound.

“Despite understanding… huh…”

Without looking at the fallen Shiori, Suzuko mutters as she walks towards Hiroki.

“From the beginning, I didn’t plan to use my ability on your bullets or my own.”

Suzuko’s strategy had outmaneuvered Shiori’s expectations.

“From the start, I intended to end it with this one shot—my first bullet hit the intended target.”

The bullet that hit Shiori was the first one Suzuko had fired, which Shiori had dodged.

Its power was enough to penetrate the building’s thin iron wall and another one beyond.

Suzuko had been controlling that bullet all along, making it circle the ship to strike Shiori.

“Bullets forbidden for use on vital points against humans. If hit, a death or retirement judgment is certain.”

The restrictions recommended to her spoke volumes about the bullet’s power.

Without needing to confirm, Suzuko slightly lifts the corners of her mouth and turns her back on Shiori.

“Goodbye—tenth rank.”