[A note about the title of this battle: About the same time as this manga, the anime series "To Heart" was running in Japan. I think you all get the joke. Ha-ha.]

Deep in a forest...

Tsutchii: You deliberately left information about us behind... What're you thinking?

One: Now, now... Well a really long time has passed... I thought we should be ending things soon.

Tsutchii: Hmph... If that's so...

{sound f/x su: slow slide of the first watcher's hand down the tree}

One: Ahh...

{sound f/x zawa: rustling of the forest}

One: The time to play is ending.

::page::

Hakuyou Gakuen...

Yuzuka: Hmm... So he has something to do with information about the treasure.

Shirae: Yes... my electronic cactus program found it.

Yuzuka: Hmm... Why is it... I know him... That's right... I met him somewhere before...

Nagae: He isn't a spy from Kokuyou?

Shirae: We are also investigating about that.

::page::

Shirae: For the time being, this is the information predicting the treasure...

{sound f/x kata: Shirae typing}

Shirae: This is...! There power is greater than ever before... and there's two! These amounts of energy... It wouldn't be surprising if this island's land was changing. ...In any case, we should divide into two groups. Hilt and I shall go to this cave.

Hilt: Y... yes, Master——

::page::

Kokuyou Gakuen...

Tomoe: Hmm... Two powers... Certainly, the possibility of that is high.

Shunomaru: Ahh... I looked up the same wavelength as the one I felt on the cybernet. I'm positive.

Seltis: The treasure is two-fold, a sword and a shield... It's the first time we've found two. This means... Kouchou. What will you wish for?

{sound f/x giku: Tomoe being found out}

Tomoe: D... don't you already know? I'll wish for the further development of the academy~~~~...

Kiriji: Uwa—— smells fishy...

::page::

Seltis: Welll, whatever's fine as long as it's fun.

Folt: It's that's so, then we should divide into two groups this time.

Kiriji & Shunomaru: ......

Kiriji holds his hand out as "paper." Shunomaru has "scissors." [In Japan, Jan Ken Pon is a rock-paper-scissors game that is used to decide everything, much like flipping a coin.]

Kiriji: UWAAAAA~ I LOOOST~

Shunomaru: ALLLRIGHT—~ IT'S ME, FOLT!!

::page::

Seltis: [laughing] Ha-ha-ha-ha, what does that mean?

Hilt: Is it okay... to have Nagae-san and Arms-san together...

Shirae: Fu-fu... If Tsumugi-kun is with them, they'll somehow be fine.

Tsumugi: (Gya~~~~~ Why is it just me~~)

Nagae: (I'm sorry.)

Hilt: But still, it's quite rare isn't it... Master comes along with me...

Shirae: Well, it seems I've explored this cave because there was a new species of cactus in it... And besides...

::page::

Shirae: I owe him one...

Hilt: Huuh...

Voice: So~~~mehow if it's this same pattern, there's gonna be a monster or somethingg~~~~ Folt.

Folt: Don't say such stupid things and go ahead.

Shunomaru: Hm?

{sound f/x battari: the two meeting suddenly}

::page::

Shunomaru: ......

Shirae: [smiling] Hey...

Shunomaru: [vaulting away] GYAAAA

Shirae: Now there, you look like you've just seen a ghost...

Shunomaru: IT'S EVEN WORSE———~!!

Hilt & Folt: Ah...

Folt: ......!

Shunomaru: Dammit~~~~!! I definitely won't lose to you!!

Shirae: Now now... However, this power is not limited to just one point; the further location is the same. Shall we go together?

::page::

Shunomaru: YOU'RE KIDDING ME—~ WHO'D GO WITH YOU!! WE'RE GOING AHEAD, FOLT!

Shirae: [sigh] I knew you hated me that much...

{sound f/x goso: Shirae rustling in his pocket}

Shunomaru: Hm?

Shirae suddenly bursts into tears as he displays a handful of naked Shunomaru pictures, ranging from about age 3 to present day.

{sound f/x ban: Shirae whipping out the pictures}

Shirae: I'm cutting myself away from you! Goodbye, Shunomaru!!

{sound f/x da: Shirae dashing off}

Shunomaru: UWAAAAAA WAIT A MINUTE!!! (wait~~~)

::page::

Shunomaru: (Wait~~)

Folt: [sweatdropping] ......

Hilt: Ma... Master~~~~... Th... they ran off, didn't they... Our masters...

Folt: ...Don't start talking to me.

Hilt: ......

Hakuyou Gakuen...

Yuzuka: ...heey, Pao-pao... Will someday... I be set free from this vexing enchantment...?

Voice: That is up to you two.

::page::

One: Shall we stop our playing and wasting time now? If you want to know the truth, come to this location.

Yuzuka: Bastard... Who in the world... ......! Of course, when Tomoe and I decided...

Back in the cave...

Tsutchii: Hm... I leave those two sisters up to him... but the problem is those brats.

::page::

Hilt: There isn't much of a route... but we'll catch up to our Masters sooner or later, huh.

Folt: ......

{sound f/x shure: Hilt sweating in disappointment}

Folt: Why... Why do I have to be with him... Right... he's the person I have to look at as my worst enemy... If I can break him right now...

{sound f/x chira: Folt's sideways glance}

{sound f/x niko: Hilt smiling brightly}

{sound f/x doki: pounding heartbeat}

::page::

Hilt: [nervously] Ah... um... this is really the first time we've met directly like this, isn't it...

Folt: ......

Flashback...

Voice: You've awakened... Your mission?

Folt: I must surpass him... the other one who was created. I must be stronger... calmer... than him... I... have to surpass him...

End flashback...

Hilt: Um... I heard from Master... that you were created just like I was.

Folt: And so... he said we should be friends...?

::page::

Folt: If that's so, I also heard something from Master... that another one who I must surpass was created... My sole enemy!

Hilt: That can't be...

Folt: Do you like people so much because Shirae-san's like that? Or is it... because you don't think anything of us?

Hilt: N... no! I just... I just don't feel hostile towards you like you do... I think it would be great if everyone could get along...

Folt: Give me a bre...

{sound f/x pipi: beeping noises}

::page::

{sound f/x pipi}

Hilt: Master—!

Folt: Master... The concentration of power from before... it suddenly vanished!

Elsewhere in the cave...

Shirae: ! That's...

{sound f/x pipi}

([pointing to the cactus] Mini Cactus Receiver #2)

Shunomaru: Wh... what does this mean!

::page::

Tsutchii: The plan's started... Next is... the other pair of twosomes...

{sound f/x hyun: Tsutchii teleporting out}

Shirae: Well... It can't be helped that the target has disappeared. Shall we head back?

Shunomaru: You know... I've been thinking this for a while but... For a while now, it's felt like... everything's been completely plotted out. I really felt strongly like that before on the net, and then... now again...

Shirae: Plotted out... huh...

::page::

Shunomaru: DAMMIT~!! I WANNA FIND THE TREASURE QUICK AND END THIS SORT OF LIFE~~~~~!!

Shirae: A treasure that will grant your any wish... huh. I wonder if that's what it really is...

Shunomaru: !?

Shirae: But more than that, it's been a while since we've talked just the two of us like this, huh Shunomaru.

{sound f/x giku: Shunomaru sweatdropping in surprise}

Shirae: It's been a lot of trouble, so maybe we could have private brother-brother time for a little while longer...

{sound f/x pyu: Shunomaru dashing away}

::page::

Hilt: Hey, we should wait for our Masters...

Folt: The power disappeared so we should head back. Being here is meaningless.

Hilt: But...

{sound f/x pita: Folt stopping in his tracks}

Folt: If you want to wait then go ahead and wait.

Hilt: But... although... you hate me... I... don't feel like that... so...

Folt: ...Will you still think that even if we get the treasure before you?

::page::

Hilt: ...For us, our Masters' commands are #1 so... of course we have to carry out our orders... but we're separately working for the same goal... and looking together in the same direction... so even though we have one goal, we should each try out best!

Folt: ...What...? Why is he...

{sound f/x gogogo: threatening rumble}

Hilt: !! The power is reacting throughout the entire cavern...

::page::

{sound f/x bua: sudden flash}

Folt: Butterflies...!? They don't live in this kind of place...! There are unnatural energy levels...! Master!

Hilt: Ah~...

{sound f/x gara: clattering}

::page::

Folt: That's right... I'm different from him... That was his own carelessness. I don't know why he made a mistake like that... I don't know... I DON'T KNOW...!

::page::

Shunomaru: hee~~~~~... Man... What was that, that earthquake!! And then... why are there suddenly all of these flowers...

Folt: Master...

Shunomaru: Folt!

Folt: Please, don't make me worry any more! My goodness, every time, every time...

Shunomaru: H... hey... What happened? Did anything break during the earthquake? You... you look like you're really in pain...

Folt: I... am...? Why...?

::page::

Folt: I'm fine. It's nothing.

Shunomaru: But...

Folt: ...hey Master... How are Hilt and I different...

Shunomaru: ...?

Folt: Earlier... It was just for a little bit, but we were acting together... I felt like although we were the same type, there was a big gap between us.

Shunomaru: ......

Folt: I was just wondering if Hilt and I were just different... or if I was missing something...

Shunomaru: Folt!

Folt: [gasp]

::page::

Folt: ...I'm sorry... It seems there is truly something wrong with my sequence. When we return we should do maintenance on...

Shunomaru: The differences between you and Hilt huuh... Maybe it's the differences at the heart of me and Aniki.

Folt: ......!

Shunomaru: Folt... It's not that you're missing anything. It's just... my... my feelings that I definitely don't want to lose reflected onto you... I'm sorry...

Folt: Pl... please don't apologize! It... it makes it seem like I'm just a failure!!

Shunomaru: N...no, I didn't mean it like that...

Voice: Right right, that's just part of being human.

::page::

Shirae: It's not something that you need to worry yourself about.

Folt: Ah...

Shunomaru: GUAAAA~~~~~~~ AND I THOUGHT I FINALLY GOT AWAY FROM HIM~~~~~~

Shirae: By the way, Folt-kun, what happened to Hilt?

Folt: ...if it's him... stalactites fell down during the earthquake earlier... and I... left him there.

Shunomaru: Folt...

Shirae: Hmm... Is that so.

::page::

Shirae: Well, in any case, shall we go back?

Folt: ...You're not mad at me?

Shirae: He's the type that will somehow manage by himself. [grin]

Folt & Shunomaru: !

{sound f/x gogo: threatening rumbling}

Folt: Impossible... the power again...

Shirae: There's no mistaking it... this is artificial.

Shunomaru: ! The stalactites are acting up again!?

{sound f/x gugu: the ceiling shaking}

{sound f/x dodo: crashing sounds}

Shunomaru: WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON WITH THIS CAVE!!

::page::

Shirae: This setup... no. Was this included in the scheme from the beginning to crush us... or...

{sound f/x hyoi: Shirae quickly dodging}

Folt: What is this... I can't analyze the source of the wave... Why...

Shunomaru: FOLT!

Folt: ! DAM...

{sound f/x don: big crash}

Shunomaru: FOLT———~

::page::

Hilt: Are you all right? Folt-san.

Folt: ......

Shirae: You're safe, Hilt.

Hilt: Yes, but I got my uniform dirty!

{sound f/x dosu: Hilt setting the stalactite down}

Folt: ...why...

Hilt: Eh?

Folt: But I... left you behind...

::page::

Hilt: You were worried about your Master, weren't you. That is our first and foremost objective. And besides... I saved you... that's enough of a reason.

Folt: ......

Shunomaru: [si~~~~gh] This is getting really annoying...

Shirae: What are you saying? We've given them the function to learn by themselves and grow from it.

::page::

Shirae: You or I are not the only ones who can present them with the ability called "heart." It's given to them by this island. Those two will surely become close friends despite this conflict, Shunomaru. [smile] Now why doesn't irresponsible little you be nice, too, and say, "I love you Oniisama~!" [Oniisama is an extremely polite form for older brother.]

Shunomaru: [glare] GIVE ME BACK THOSE PICTURES FROM EARLIER.

Shirae: I don't have the negatives here. [grin]

{sound f/x kusu: Hilt chuckling}

Shunomaru: UGAA~~~!! THAT'S WHY I SAID I HATE YOU CAUSE YOU'RE SCARY!!

::page::

Kokuyou Gakuen...

One: ...Heh... That's Tsutchii for you, he really did it. But this isn't enough.

Tomoe: Why... are you doing this? For some reason, I feel like long ago...

One: It's been about 100 years, hasn't it... Tomoe-chan~!

{sound f/x pou: bright light}

One: I came to pick you up. She's waiting there, too. Let's end this soon.

Tomoe: AHH...~ YOU'RE...!!

Battle 3 | Battle 4 | Battle 5