After a moment, they finally pulled away from the hug.
"Thank you so much, Okumura-kun. I'm full of mana now, so I'll head back," Yuuna said with a warm smile.
"W-Wait a moment, Sarushima-san," Kouhei said quickly. He'd been watching the fight closely, studying both the girls' moves and the enemy's tactics. "I know this might not be much, but… I want you to focus more on the woman with the katana."
Yuuna tilted her head, a bit puzzled. Why would he want her to focus on the woman? Logically, her attention should be on the one causing more destruction—namely, the old man holding the shotgun.
"Why do you say that?" she asked, curious.
"The woman's overly confident in her speed," Kouhei explained. "She thinks she can outrun anything you throw at her. But your Crimson Dance is faster than she realizes. If you can take her down, the rest will be a lot simpler. Ideally, I want Aria-san to go behind the old man again, like she did earlier."
"What about the guy with the Marmiadoise?" Yuuna asked.
"His blocking is a real problem," Kouhei replied, his expression serious. "That's why I think Kiyohara-san and Saonji-san should take him on together."
"How come?" Yuuna pressed.
"Well, Saonji-san's attacks are long-range, but if she only stays at a distance, he can easily cut them down. But if Kiyohara-san also comes at him with her blade, they can disrupt his defense. He'll have to focus on both of them, making it harder for him to block everything."
Yuuna was a bit taken aback. She hadn't expected such detailed insight from Kouhei.
I'm impressed he figured all that out so quickly, she thought. The battle only lasted around ten minutes, but he observed enough to come up with a plan.
"I'm really surprised you analyzed all that," she admitted, admiration in her voice.
"Well, I play a lot of games and understand different mechanics," Kouhei said, rubbing the back of his neck, slightly flustered. "I don't see this as just some game, but sometimes, it helps to break down battles like this with similar mechanics. Not that I'm totally confident, though…"
Yuuna shook her head with a smile. "No, it's a solid plan. We might actually pull this off with your technique."
She wasn't just trying to flatter him. She genuinely believed in his idea.
"Alright, I'm heading back in," Yuuna said.
"Yeah… take care, Sarushima-san." Kouhei gave her a faint smile, but it was enough to spark a wildfire inside her.
Something about his calm confidence struck Yuuna right to the core. Her heart hammered, her breath came quicker, and she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Okumura-kun, what are you doing to me? she thought, suppressing the shiver that prickled down her spine. I never thought you'd be the kind of man to say something like that with such a straight face. My impression of you just keeps getting better… I'm falling for you more and more.
She felt a grin spreading across her lips, and she couldn't even fight it. A grin that wasn't just any grin—it was the kind that told her exactly what she was feeling. This was no simple admiration or crush. No, this was something stronger, hotter, a powerful emotion that left her reeling. She knew now… she was head over heels in love.
***
When Yuuna returned to the battlefield, her mana fully replenished, she didn't waste a second. Her voice rang out with authority.
"Nagisa, Aria! Fall back to my position! Kozue, keep that shield tight and don't let a single beam through!" she barked.
"Yes!" Kozue shouted, her face set in determination as she poured everything into keeping her shield intact, even repairing the cracks under the relentless impact of the old man's light-infused shotgun.
Aria and Nagisa dashed back, regrouping after their skirmish with the Kusanagi user.
"Hina, Nagisa, focus everything on that man. Nagisa, you're on the front line—don't give him a chance to counter anything Hina throws. Keep him occupied and force him on the defensive," Yuuna ordered.
They both nodded, their expressions resolute.
"You, Aria," Yuuna continued, her gaze locking on Aria, "your job is to circle behind the old man. I'll keep the Kusanagi user busy with my Crimson Dance."
Aria's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.
"What is it?" Yuuna asked, brows knitting slightly.
"N-No, nothing… it's just… well, this is the first time I've ever heard you give such a solid plan, Yuuna-sama," Aria stammered, looking both impressed and a little shaken.
"She's right, Prez!" Nagisa chimed in, smirking. "Usually, your strategies… well, kinda suck. We'd always ditch them and just go with the flow. But this time, winging it won't cut it—not with those freaks and their weapons," she added, her gaze hard.
Even Hina and Kozue couldn't help but nod, a faint agreement echoing in their stance. Though Yuuna was their leader, they usually followed their own instincts in the heat of battle, knowing Yuuna's planning wasn't her strong suit. But this enemy demanded something different, something focused.
"Well, it's not exactly my plan," Yuuna admitted, feeling a tinge of pride and amusement creep in as she thought of Kouhei. "I guess he really is the child of anti-prophecy after all."
Kouhei might have been just a regular human, but his natural battle instincts were something Yuuna, even as a leader, couldn't quite match. Maybe Kouhei was exactly what their team needed. Just thinking about him spread a warm blush across her already glowing cheeks.
"Alright then, let's win this!" she shouted, voice charged with determination.
"Yes!" the others called back, their resolve matching hers.
Yuuna felt her mana surge as she pushed it to the limit, determined to make every bit count. She had only one goal now: to hit her target dead-on and leave nothing standing in her way.
"Crimson Dance!"