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Chapter Text

Suddenly, I had been reincarnated... or so I thought.

When I came to, I was in the form of a character from a game I loved in my past life, and my last memory before this was of an oncoming truck. Unless I had tripped on some dangerous drugs, this had to be what they call reincarnation.

Now, my immediate problems—excluding the fundamental issue of having been reincarnated—were two.

First, my appearance was that of Hoshimi Miyabi.

My first words upon seeing myself in the mirror after reincarnating were:

"......Huh?"

That was all I could say.

For someone who, until just recently, had been an ordinary Zenless Zone Zero player, the role of Hoshimi Miyabi was far too heavy a burden.

Second, and related to the first, was that my family environment was nothing like the Hoshimi Miyabi I knew.

To put it bluntly—it was horrible.

My father had vanished, and the shock had left my mother practically a shut-in.

"—Mother, here is today's meal."
"Aahh..."

That was the state of things. And to make matters worse, my surname wasn't even Hoshimi—it was Akatsuki.

Was Miyabi actually adopted or something? I wondered, living like this for over ten years.

I did my best to mimic Hoshimi Miyabi's speech patterns, and I trained in swordsmanship and other disciplines as much as I could think to.

But then, one day, a TV special shattered my hopes almost entirely.

"We're here with an exclusive feature on New Eridu! This program has shadowed countless celebrities to bring you a glimpse into their lives! And today, our subject is none other than the acting head of the Hoshimi family—Hoshimi Miyabi!"

On the screen was a woman whose face was identical to mine.

A woman with my exact face, yet a completely different lineage, skill, and destiny.

What filled me was neither relief at being freed from a heavy role nor frustration—just... emptiness.

Before I could even process any emotion, my brain had already given up.

After much deliberation, I decided to simply continue living my life as it was.

On that day, I resolved to walk my path not as Hoshimi Miyabi, but as Akatsuki Miyabi...

...Or so I should have.

"—I'm going out for a while. Don't worry about me, Miyabi—live true to yourself."

With that note, my mother disappeared.

Since I was already earning money through part-time work to support her, my daily life didn't change much. But still, the fact that someone who had been with me for so long had vanished left me with a sense of loss that went beyond mere practicality.

───────────────

"Huh? Miyabi-chan, what's wrong? You seem kinda down."
"I am as I always am. I am striving to maintain that, so I would appreciate it if you treated me as usual."
"No, no, Miyabi-chan's our star employee! If something's bothering you, I'll listen! Want a raise or something?"
"...I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."

I tried to act normal at work, but apparently, I wasn't succeeding.

The place I worked at was a small izakaya, the kind only known to a select few.

The TV program I had seen earlier seemed to be the first time Hoshimi Miyabi had been the main focus, and after that broadcast, the only place that would hire someone who looked exactly like her was a shop with so few customers that the owner could explain my presence to everyone.

But ironically, my employment had turned this place into "The izakaya where Hoshimi Miyabi's doppelgänger works!"—quietly gaining a reputation in certain circles.

"Miyabi-chan, do the thing! The thing!"
"...Ahem. 'I am Hoshimi Miyabi, acting heir of the Hoshimi family. I leave today in your care.'"

Just by reciting that line—the very first words she had spoken in that TV special—the men in the izakaya erupted in cheers.

To them, hearing me say those iconic words was proof of how much I resembled her, and that alone was enough to entertain them.

"Hey, Miyabi-chan, can you actually use a sword or something?"
"...Self-taught, but I can manage the basics."
"Whoa, seriously? Show us!"
"Swinging one around in the shop risks damaging the furnishings, so I must decline—"
"Aw, c'mon! ...Wait, didn't the owner have a bokken from his student days lying around here?"
"Oh yeah! I've got one!"
"...Owner."

Somehow, the entire mood of the shop shifted toward making me wield that wooden sword.

I tried to stop them, knowing full well that swinging it around in such a cramped space would inevitably break something, but no one would listen.

"C'mon! Everyone's waiting!"
"Yeah, yeah, do something cool!"
"Indeed. I would like to see it as well."
"See? Everyone's saying it!"

Urged on by the owner, I reluctantly took the bokken.

...Wait.

That last voice—I didn't recognize it. And it was a woman's.

At the same time, the others seemed to have noticed too, their gazes turning toward the entrance.

"......Hmm, the resemblance is remarkable. When I heard the rumors, I didn't put much stock in them, but this exceeds expectations."

There, standing at the door, was someone with my exact face—the real Hoshimi Miyabi.

──────────

A few minutes later, I found myself facing her in a deserted back alley.

She apparently had something to say to me, because the moment our eyes met, her first words were:

"Come outside."

At first, I panicked, thinking my life might be in danger, but it seemed she just wanted to talk in private.

If she came all the way here herself, did I somehow cause trouble for her? If so, I'd have to quit this job—but then how would I make ends meet?

As I was lost in thought, she spoke again.

"I'll be direct. I want to hire you."
"......Eh?"

A weird noise escaped me.

An embarrassingly weird noise.

I usually force myself to mimic Hoshimi Miyabi's speech patterns out of habit, but when shocked, my real voice slips out.

I wanted to flee from sheer embarrassment, but she continued unfazed.

"I am constantly busy, and my external affairs are complicated enough that attempts on my life and property never cease. ...Which is why I want you to be my body double."
"Is this... really something you should be discussing here?"
"............Your speech changed."
"Well, I figured keeping up the act in front of the real you would be a bit much, so I switched to polite speech. ...But really, is this okay?"
"That's why we're here. ...So, will you accept?"
"...Uh, I should at least check with the owner—"
"I already did. He said, 'Go for it.'"
"...Well then, I'll do my best!"

I wasn't Hoshimi Miyabi.

But like this, my life as her shadow began.

"...H-Hoshimi Enforcer? What about the Hollow Hunt commendation ceremony?"
"...I left it to the other me. She'll handle it well."
"? There are... two Hoshimi Enforcers?"
"Indeed. A living mirror image, yet of no shared blood... as if a doppelgänger."

...I'll just ignore the fact that, in my absence, I was being treated like some supernatural double—and the screams of the two people who saw me and the real Miyabi together afterward.

Chapter Text

The sound of wooden swords clashing reverberated through the private training room occupied solely by me and Hoshimi Miyabi.

One strikes, the other parries—this seemingly endless exchange had continued for nearly thirty minutes when the distance between us widened, and we both lowered our bokken simultaneously.

"......You've improved considerably. Even your swordsmanship talent mirrors mine. At your current level, you might soon be able to fight me on equal footing."
"What do you mean, 'equal footing'? I still can't even defeat you as you are now."
"Is that so? From my perspective, you're already sufficiently strong."

Whether her words were sarcastic or genuine, her calm expression gave nothing away. But knowing her personality, I chose to believe it was praise.

"So, where is 'I' supposed to go today?"
"Yanagi mentioned there's a meeting this afternoon."
"......Are you sure I should attend that?"
"Yes. If it concerns the Section 6, say, 'I prefer discussing matters alongside my comrades.' If it's personal, say, 'This is irrelevant to the meeting.' Didn't you devise those excuses yourself not long ago?"
"That's not what I meant. Shouldn't you, the actual person, properly attend meetings like this?"
"Daily training takes precedence."
"............I'll take your word for it."

And so, I attended the meeting as Hoshimi Miyabi, barely scraping by with the template responses I'd concocted—occasionally varying my phrasing, posing questions about the agenda, and otherwise improvising.

"......She made you attend again, didn't she?"
"It's part of the job."
"I suppose so, but...... sigh, fine. This is an emergency summons—you will come, won't you, Chief?"
"......Yeah."

──────────

Inside the Hollow

"There's way too many of them, don't you think!?"
"Way too many~! Soukaku's stomach's growling~!"
"Everyone, just a little longer. Endure it. ......Are you unharmed, Chief?"
"......Yeah."

Amidst a Hollow that had abruptly activated, we were overwhelmed by the task of eliminating the Ethereal swarming to prevent its expansion.

This mission had been entrusted solely to our Section 6, with strict orders barring all others from entering.

In the midst of the chaos, Yanagi called out to me.

"......You seem discontent."
"As I've said before—I'm better at paperwork than martial arts."
"And yet you move indistinguishably from the real thing. Quite the bold claim."

Glancing at her amused smirk, I tightened my grip on the sword*¹.

──────────

Roughly an hour later, after an intense battle against what felt like over a hundred Ethereal, we began our return.

"......Still, you've grown remarkably stronger, haven't you, Chief?"
"Spare me the flattery. I'm still not even close."
"No, no, you're practically identical to the real deal! Don't you agree?"
"Mhm! Super strong, I think!"

Though Harumasa and Soukaku praised me, the truth was I still didn't possess even half of the real Hoshimi Miyabi's strength.

I needed to become stronger.

But just as that thought crossed my mind, a loud growl erupted from my stomach.

"......Let's get something to eat. My treat."
"Eh, really!?"
"Yes, eat as much as you'd like."

Being a body double came with a generous salary from the Hoshimi family, but my lack of free time left me with little to spend it on. Thus, my savings went primarily toward treating Soukaku to meals—watching her delighted expression as the food vanished was my chief form of entertainment.

"......You really shouldn't spoil her─────"
"We've just finished a job. A little indulgence is permissible."

I'd always been aware of it—I was soft on those close to me.

Yanagi sighed at this, but it was an ingrained habit I couldn't shake.

"......Very well, but please stop making that abandoned-puppy face."
"............Was I making that face?"
"The Chief's expressions are far more readable than the real one's. Though unless you're accustomed to her poker face, it's difficult to discern."

Harumasa and Soukaku nodded in agreement.

"......Incompetent, both as a warrior and a shadow."
"......? Did you say something?"
"Nothing. More importantly—food. What would you like?"

When I asked, Soukaku began humming excitedly (albeit conflictedly).

And so, with her in tow, we left the Hollow behind in search of tonight's meal.

¹: The day after becoming her body double, I was given a replica of the sword Hoshimi Miyabi wielded.

Chapter Text

"──What the hell are you?"

"In intellect, you fall short of Tsukishiro Yanagi. In strength, you're inferior to Hoshimi Miyabi."

"How utterly mediocre."

A voice dripping with scorn echoes from somewhere.

"Aren't you just a counterfeit of Hoshimi Miyabi?"

The voice forces me to confront the truth I've been avoiding.

"A fake."

The voice grows louder.

"Fake fake fake!"

"A filthy fake!"

────────────

"......Hah... hah...!"

I wake up from the nightmare, my clothes clinging to me with sweat.

"......Finally awake? You were thrashing terribly—what happened?"
"Huh? Why are you—......?"
"You weren't up at your usual time. I grew concerned."
"I see. ......I'm perfectly healthy, both physically and mentally. Just had a strange dream, that's all."
"Is that so? Then we should hurry. You've overslept by four hours."
"Ah, right... ...Huh? ......!? F-four hours!? Why didn't you wake me!?"

My grogginess vanishes instantly at Miyabi's words. In my panic, the formal speech I usually maintain flies out the window—but who could blame me? Four hours late is unprecedented for both Hoshimi and Akatsuki Miyabi.

Hoshimi Miyabi watches me scramble to get ready, then smirks.

"Finally, you've shown me your true self."
"The hell!? This isn't the time for that! You're the damn Chief! Come on, I'm ready—let's go!"

I grab her wrist, sprint to the garage, shove her into the back seat, and peel out.

As I drive in silence, the morning's nightmare resurfaces.

The things I've suppressed begin swirling inside me, triggered by that wretched dream.

"Akatsuki. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."

Miyabi frowns at my response.

"Akatsuki. You don't need to use honorifics with me."
"No. This is my own boundary to maintain."

──────────

After parking, I grab Miyabi's wrist again and run to the Section 6 office.

"You're late."
"I overslept... My apologies."
"......Given your perfect attendance until now, I won't harp on one lapse. But frankly, it's more concerning... Are you unwell? If you need rest—"
"No... That won't be necessary."
"......Your switch to Hoshimi Miyabi mode is as impressive as ever."
"I'll take that as a compliment."

After apologizing to Yanagi for the delay—and accepting her backhanded praise for my acting—I start to think I've finally gotten the hang of this job.

Then Harumasa chimes in:

"......By the way, where's the real one?"
"......Huh?"

I turn around.

Hoshimi Miyabi is gone.

I look down at my hand, which should've been gripping her wrist—only to find it clutching the yakisoba pan breakfast I'd left behind in the car in my panic.

"Seems she... escaped."
"......Sigh. Today's schedule includes a morning meeting, followed by potential Hollow operations depending on the outcome. Since she wasn't briefed... I trust you'll handle it?"
"I'm not suited for combat—... No, never mind. Understood."

The meeting concerns a Hollow where paranormal phenomena have spiked.

It was supposed to be a minor symbiotic Hollow, but recently, Ethereal like Dead-End Butchers—creatures that shouldn't exist there—have been sighted en masse. H.A.N.D. plans to dispatch the Section 6 and a few specialized units to investigate.

After the meeting, Yanagi and I learn that the Section 6 will lead the operation, commanding combat and research personnel from other departments.

────────────

"......Hold formation. This is the final checkpoint. Research team, status?"
"Yes! No anomalies in the readings—... Chief! There's a figure over there!"
"What...?"

I turn.

A black, Sirion-like humanoid with animal ears stands in the shadows.

Its shape resembles me—or rather, Hoshimi Miyabi. A canine Sirion, perhaps?

But something's off. No shadow, just an unnatural darkness—

"──Move!"

I barely draw my sword in time to block her first strike.

The impact reveals its true form.

"......T-two Miyabi-sans...?"
"Idiot! No—that's a Doppelgänger! An Ethereal that mimics others!"

Just as the researcher says.

This is a Doppelgänger.

A copy of Hoshimi Miyabi.

Meaning—I stand no chance.

"......Yanagi. Don't get involved. Evacuate the others."
"But—"
"Regroup with every Section 6 member and return. Understood?"
"......! Yes, ma'am! Everyone, mission aborted! Immediate withdrawal!"

Under Yanagi's orders, the team retreats.

Only the Doppelgänger and I remain.

The morning's nightmare flashes in my mind.

The Doppelgänger and I—both filthy fakes.

"......Birds of a feather, huh."

We raise our blades in unison.

It crouches, then lunges—

With strength equal to Hoshimi Miyabi's full power.

──I never even saw the strike coming.

Chapter Text

Dodge, draw my sword.

The slash I unleashed was blocked by the black figure.

It might seem like an even back-and-forth, but I'm clearly being pushed back.

Of course—in terms of pure skill, that thing is the real Hoshimi Miyabi.

A fake like me could never stand a chance.

"......Yeah, I knew it."

The black shadow before me overlaps with the memory of Hoshimi Miyabi pointing her wooden sword at me.

Somewhere deep down, I always understood—Hoshimi Miyabi and I were never two sides of the same coin.

I could never even become her shadow.

Because something inside me... some unyielding part still screams that I want to live as myself.

Ah, if that's the case—if I still cry out like this even after choosing the path of a shadow—

"──I'll kill you... I'll kill you! Hoshimi Miyabi──!"

I have to kill her.

To become a shadow once more—to tear out this self-awareness and hurl it at this Doppelgänger, this fake that is also the real thing—I must cast off this temporary guise of Hoshimi Miyabi.

────────────

"......Hah... hah...!"

Gasping for breath, I run.

To keep Akatsuki Miyabi—the one who stayed behind—from dying.

She told me to return with all of Section 6.

Meaning, she wanted me to bring the real Hoshimi Miyabi.

And to ensure no other personnel would witness two Hoshimi Miyabis, she ordered their retreat.

But there's no way she can hold out alone.

She's always said it herself—she's no match for Hoshimi Miyabi.

I can't let her fight alone.

I entrusted the other personnel to Soukaku and Officer Asaba and ran back to her.

Even if she can't last alone, the two of us might hold out for an hour.

That should be enough time for the real Miyabi to arrive.

I headed to where the Doppelgänger had appeared, but neither of them was there.

Just as I frantically began searching, I heard a scream—drenched in hatred.

"──I'll kill you... I'll kill you! Hoshimi Miyabi──!"

The voice came from below.

Looking closer, what I thought was a cliff was just a steep slope, sharp enough to appear like one.

And at the bottom, in a sunken clearing, Akatsuki Miyabi and the Doppelgänger were locked in a death match.

Akatsuki was glaring at the Doppelgänger with an expression I'd never seen before.

Her fighting style, too, was nothing like her usual mimicry of Hoshimi Miyabi—instead, she wielded her sword one-handed, ferociously.

She deflected the Doppelgänger's slash with the gauntlet on her left hand, then swung for its neck with her right.

When the Doppelgänger dodged, she kicked it back, dealing damage while creating distance.

A fighting style concerned with nothing but victory.

I'd question her earlier words later—for now, I tightened my grip on my naginata to join the fray—

"Stand down, Yanagi. This is Akatsuki's fight alone."

The hand that gripped my shoulder belonged to none other than Hoshimi Miyabi.

Chapter Text

"......I forced too much upon her."

Hoshimi Miyabi spoke these words with her eyes slightly downcast.

"She resembled me—that alone was reason enough to make her life into my shadow. ......I always thought the day would come when I'd bear the brunt of her anger."

As she said this, Hoshimi Miyabi watched the battle before her—the life-and-death struggle between the girl who had once been her shadow and the Doppelgänger, her living mirror image.

"I never expected she would go so far as to say 'I'll kill you,' but the fact that she directs those words at that thing and not me... means she intends to settle things with this alone."

Just as she surmised, Akatsuki Miyabi planned to resolve all her resentment toward Hoshimi Miyabi by killing that Doppelgänger—nothing more.

If she could just surpass Hoshimi Miyabi, even if only in this one moment, then Akatsuki could stand firm as her own person. And perhaps, she could seal away these emotions once more.

"......That's why I ask you not to interfere. Let this battle play out."

Hoshimi Miyabi made this plea to her comrades in Section 6.

────────────

......There's no end to it.

No matter how many times we clash, neither of us lands a decisive blow.

This is Hoshimi Miyabi—what an insurmountable wall.

With each exchange, I come to understand the emotions festering inside me.

Envy. Hatred. Resentment.

To an outsider, these grudges would seem irrational. But ever since I was reborn into this world and realized Hoshimi Miyabi was a stranger to me, these feelings had made up more than half of what I felt toward her.

"......Ha—"

Unconsciously, laughter spills out.

Now that I understand, it's so simple.

I should have confronted her head-on from the start.

But I let that chance slip by, and these emotions festered into something murderous. And now, here, I've finally been given the opportunity to cast even this away.

"—Ha, hahaha!"

Gripping my sword in my right hand, I charge.

I catch the Doppelgänger's descending blade with my left hand and drive my own sword into its flank.

"─────!!"

The Doppelgänger lets out a soundless scream as it forcibly yanks its blade free—leaving behind a wound on my left hand.

Then, in the moment our swords lock, flames erupt from the Doppelgänger's blade.

────────────

At that sight, Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes widen.

The Doppelgänger copies not just appearances but abilities—and the cursed sword "Mubi (Tailless)" is no exception.

The spectral foxfire now engulfs Akatsuki.

Hoshimi Miyabi had not expected the Doppelgänger to perfectly replicate even the cursed blade. A flicker of urgency crosses her face—should she intervene before things turn dire?

......But then, the foxfire begins absorbing into Akatsuki's sword.

"......Where is this?"

Akatsuki finds herself in an unfamiliar space.

"......Do you hate me that much?"

Standing before her is none other than Hoshimi Miyabi herself.

"......Yeah."
"Why?"
"I was insanely jealous of you. ......That's why I hated you."
"How incoherent."
"I believed I could become you. ......But no matter how far I went, you were always someone else. —I could never be you. I admired you... and then reality crushed me. I know this anger is irrational...... but to settle it, I will kill you."

Then, the figure of Hoshimi Miyabi vanishes, replaced by a dissonant chorus of overlapping voices.

"«How amusing. Very well. Though we are false, we shall dwell within your blade and lend you our strength.»"

An intense heat envelops Akatsuki.

──────────

"......This is the power of a cursed blade."

The foxfire spewing from the Doppelgänger converges onto Akatsuki's sword, wreathed now in blue flames.

Unlike Hoshimi Miyabi's, these flames radiate a heat true to their hue—where they lick the ground, the earth itself begins to melt.

The Doppelgänger levels its blade and closes in.

"—Hah."

A madness-like light flickers in Akatsuki's eyes.

Her lips twist into an eerie grin.

She dodges the Doppelgänger's strike and kicks it hard in the ribs.

As the Doppelgänger stumbles, it realizes even the cursed blade's power has been stolen. In desperation, it prepares one final attack—

A slash aimed at the throat. Even if it loses afterward, it'll take her down with it.

But the blade is caught, deflected—and instead, it sinks into Akatsuki's leg.

Before it can be pulled free, Akatsuki's sword pierces the Doppelgänger.

The foxfire burns it away from within.

At the same time, the flames dwelling in Akatsuki's sword vanish.

"......Goodbye."

Whether those words were meant for the emotions she had cast aside—or for the disappearing shadow, the Doppelgänger of Hoshimi Miyabi—no one could say.

......Not even Akatsuki herself.

Chapter Text

When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar place.

"......An unfamiliar ceiling."

The situation fit so perfectly that I couldn't resist saying that famous line.

......Then, something blue moved at the edge of my vision.

"Ah—!"

I turned my head—and locked eyes with Soukaku.

Embarrassing. I thought no one was here, and now my first words to another person had to be this ridiculous.

"Nagi-nee! Boss~! She's awake~!"

Soukaku scampered off, calling for Yanagi and Miyabi.

Right now, I didn't have the energy to scold her for shouting—nor to stop her and ask where we even were.

──────────

"......Where is this?"
"The hospital. You lost consciousness due to severe blood loss and Ether corruption."

Yanagi sighed faintly as she spoke.

"......We witnessed part of your battle against Hoshimi Miyabi's Doppelgänger. And during the three days you were comatose, Section 6 held discussions regarding your future disposition—based on your combat capabilities and... conduct during the fight."
"......I see."
"Yes. To cut to the chase—"
"Thank you... for everything until now."

I probably couldn't stay in Section 6 anymore.

Even if it was temporary, after what I'd said—and being heard—it was over.

Then, Miyabi stepped out from behind Yanagi and approached.

"I still want you to keep working as my body double."
"......Huh?"
"Did you not hear? I said—"
"I heard, I heard, but... You saw it, right? Then you know I'm not fit for it."
"No. There is no one else—never has been, never will be—who can be my shadow but you."

What was she talking about?

No one else but me? I hated her. She saw that.

As I stared in confusion, Miyabi continued.

"That hatred was everything you'd suppressed—your entire self. So from now on... I want you to trust me a little more."
"......?"
"The responsibility for your frustration lies with me. And I'm not so weak as to break from you lashing out. ......Please, stand by my side once more—"
"Are you stupid?"

The words slipped out colder than I'd intended.

"......I hate you."
"An unavoidable feeling. ......But I doubt it's simple hatred."
"I'm not like you."
"I know. I promise not to look away anymore. ......If you have grievances, I'll listen."

Ah, damn it. When she gets like this, she's stubborn.

Even so, I scrambled for words—any words—to refuse, to explain why I couldn't stay by her side—

"......During Section 6's discussions, not a single person objected to you remaining with us, Akatsuki."

Yanagi's voice startled me. When I looked, she was adjusting her glasses with her usual smile.

"Um, well... From now on... please continue to take care of me."
"......! Woooo! Yeah—!"
"Ah—!?"

The moment I mustered the resolve to swallow my shame and stay—

A dull impact slammed into my abdomen. My consciousness flickered.

The last thing I saw was a blue bullet of joy crashing into me with a beaming smile, Yanagi failing to stop her—

......And Miyabi, smiling faintly.

Chapter Text

Several weeks had already passed since Akatsuki Miyabi's return to Section 6.

"Akatsuki? ......Are you listening?"
"......Ah, yes."
"You seem distracted. Are you getting proper rest?"
"Every day feels like a vacation. ......The fact that I'm still allowed to be here is nothing short of a miracle."
"You were thinking about that again, weren't you?"

Since that day, Akatsuki had found herself looking up at the sky more often.

The sky she gazed upon felt like it was glaring back at her—the same color as the one she'd seen right after the battle.

Even now, she still couldn't fully accept her continued presence in Section 6.

Yet, she remained—clinging to the certainty that she was wanted here.

"Akatsuki."

The voice calling her name from behind belonged to Hoshimi Miyabi.

"What is it?"
"Spar with me."

Hoshimi Miyabi held out a wooden sword to her.

"......Huh?"
"Isn't this what you wanted? A one-on-one match."
"...............Huh?"

Akatsuki was at a complete loss for words.

For the first time, she genuinely wondered, Is this woman an idiot?

After everything that had happened, how could she possibly want to fight her one-on-one now? Akatsuki barely suppressed the urge to crouch down and clutch her head in frustration before forcing herself to face Miyabi again.

"Uh, first of all—I've already proven I can beat you, and it's been established that I hate you enough to want you dead. Who in their right mind asks for a one-on-one fight with someone like that?"
"Then I suppose I'm not in my right mind."
"That's not what I— Aren't you worried I might actually kill you?"
"I don't believe you'd go that far. ......Also, I'd prefer if you dropped the formal speech."
"I won't. And even if you think that, what about everyone else—?"

Akatsuki glanced around—but no one looked the least bit concerned. In fact, they were packing up their things, seemingly preparing to watch.

"I don't mind. Our duties for the day are done, and if things get out of hand, we can always step in."
"......B-but—"

Akatsuki hesitated, on the verge of outright refusal—

Until Harumasa chimed in.

"......Wait, was it just a fluke?"
"......?"
"You beating the Doppelgänger Chief—was that just luck? If you're hesitating now, does that mean you don't actually have the skill?"
"─────!"
"If that's not the case, then just go win real quick and prove it."
"......Miyabi, no interruptions."
"Wouldn't have it any other way."

Falling perfectly for Harumasa's taunt, Akatsuki snatched the bokken from Hoshimi Miyabi without another thought.

The two of them headed to the training hall, followed closely by the rest of Section 6, eager to spectate.

"......Now, let us duel honorably─────"

At Yanagi's signal, both took their stances.

But Akatsuki's stance wasn't Miyabi's—it was the same one she'd used against the Doppelgänger.

"Begin!!"

Their feet slammed into the tatami hard enough to leave indentations.

Wooden swords collided with a thunderous crack.

"──Strong."
"Don't act so—calm after blocking that—!"

Akatsuki forced her blade through, sending Miyabi flying.

She pursued, but Miyabi ducked and countered with an upward slash.

The Doppelgänger had been weaker than the real Miyabi—but Akatsuki had surpassed even that. In other words, the two were now perfectly matched.

Their back-and-forth clash lasted nearly an hour—

Until—

"Both of you, that's enough."
""The match isn't—""
"Look around you."

At Yanagi's words, the two froze and finally took in their surroundings.

In their focus, they hadn't noticed—the training hall was destroyed.

The walls were cracked, the tatami torn up.

And standing amidst the wreckage, Yanagi's rage practically pierced the heavens.

"......Both of you. We're done here. Understood?"
""............Yes.""

After enduring a lecture and a mountain of incident reports that took as long as the fight itself, the two—bound by the same name—managed to reclaim their rivalry.

As for Harumasa, he earned Akatsuki's petty grudge. For the next few weeks, every excuse for a day off was mercilessly crushed—leaving him with only the bare minimum of necessary breaks.)

Chapter Text

One day, when Tsukishiro Yanagi entered Section 6's office, she let out an involuntary, heavy sigh.

"Hey, Deputy Chief! Can you stop those two? They've been at it for about ten minutes already. The desk is practically screaming in pain."

At the center of attention were two people using Section 6's office desk for an arm-wrestling match.

The two in question?

The two Miyabis.

"......Sigh, ahem. You two—"

Just then, a sickening crack echoed through the room.

One of the desk legs snapped, causing the desk to tilt sideways—and sending both combatants tumbling to the floor.

As they scrambled back up, Akatsuki puffed out her chest triumphantly.

"The leg on my side broke first. That means I was stronger."

Yanagi promptly flicked her on the forehead.

"It's practically a tradition now, huh? Our two Chiefs going at it."

As Harumasa said, ever since that day, Akatsuki had taken to challenging Miyabi to contests on a regular basis.

But these matches almost always ended in a draw—and even when one of them won, after two or three more rounds, their win-loss ratio would even out again, leading to yet another challenge.

This cycle had been repeating endlessly as of late.

"......Not over yet. Next time—"
"A-ka-tsu-ki-San?"
"......Yes, I'll stop."

Yanagi clamped a firm hand on Akatsuki's shoulder—where she'd been clenching her fist—and successfully prevented the day's second match before it could even begin.

"......Now then, as I'm sure you recall, tomorrow we head out to investigate Hollow Zero. Our objective is to examine the anomalous Ether activity observed within."
"So, which one of us is going?"
"Hollow Zero is restricted to Defense Force personnel and select individuals—no civilians are permitted. Therefore, both of you may deploy."
"......I see."

"In that case... it's a competition. Whoever hunts more wins."

Akatsuki's ears perked up, a faintly excited grin spreading across her face. Yanagi considered flicking her again but decided to let it slide—after all, a little rivalry might boost morale for the mission.

"For now, here's a little treat for you two."

What Yanagi produced were melon bread and cream puffs.

Miyabi liked pretty much anything with "melon" in the name, while Akatsuki had a soft spot for anything sweet and creamy.

Distinguishing between the two came down to two methods: subtle differences in their expressions, or seeing which one went for the melon versus the cream. This was common knowledge in Section 6.

Miyabi reached for the melon bread at the same time Akatsuki lunged for the cream puff.

Miyabi ate slowly and quietly, while Akatsuki stuffed her cheeks and devoured hers at an alarming speed.

That day, Yanagi discovered yet another point of contrast between the two.