Toji Summer Vacation -Fierce Battle Arc-
1: What Wakes in the Summer#
Yume: Wow~, it's the sea~! Hey, hey, Yomi onee-san! Look, it's the sea, the sea~!
Yomi: Yes, it's the sea. However, we're on alert right now.
Yume: Come on~, act a little more excited~. Yukari-sama~, how long do we have to wait for~?
Yukari: Only a little longer. Maki and Suzuka should be back from inspecting the site soon.
Yume: But weren't all the aradama beaten yesterday? So there's no reason for us to be here, right? I keep hearing there's not enough people, so we didn't have to come all this way...
Yume: Since they already took care of everything, we should just play on the beach. Can't we? Yukari-sama~.
Maki: ...Yume, we don't have time to play around, you know?
Suzuka: That's right. We're still here on a mission.
Yume: Booo-, that's so boring~.
Yukari: Maki, Suzuka, you're back. What did the Special Ritual Squad have to say?
Maki: Yes. As you know, the aradama were suppressed, and their cleanup work was finished sometime yesterday.
Maki: However, not long ago, a lecturer from Minoseki, Tanaka Taeko, sent in an interesting report--
Yukari: ...I see. I wasn't aware this region had such a legend.
Suzuka: Yes. After receiving this report, the Special Ritual Squad is currently continuing their investigation into the area.
Yukari: Hm...
Suzuka: Hello. This is the elite guard, Kohohana Suzuka speaking.
Suzuka: ...Eh!? Are you sure!?
Maki: What's wrong?
Suzuka: Well... The people investigating the mountainside are reporting that another mass outbreak of aradama occurred.
Yukari: Suzuka, tell them we'll be right there.
Suzuka: By that you mean, you'll be coming too...! Yes, I understand!
Maki: Yomi, Yume, are you prepared?
Yomi: Yes. I can go at any time.
Yume: Ehh~, just when I thought I'd get to play on the beach~.
Maki: Yume, you're still going on about that--
Yukari: Leave her be, Maki. Yume, after this mission is over, you can play as much as you like.
Yume: No way-!? Really!?
Yukari: Yes, if that's what's needed to motivate you for this mission. You may be the elite guard, but that doesn't mean you're above having time off.
Yume: Hooray-! Then let's get alll~ of these aradama beaten already!
Yukari: Maki, there should be three members of the Akabane swords investigation team in the area. Send them a directive. The more help the better.
Maki: Yes, right away.
Yukari: Then, let's move. We will now eradicate all the aradama appearing on the mountainside.
2: Take Back Our Summer Vacation!#
Mihono: Nnn... I thought we'd finally get to have our summer vacation, but now we're back doing this again...
Kiyoka: It's okay. We just have to beat all the aradama again.
Hiyori: You sound confident. Very different from when I found you yesterday.
Kiyoka: Yes. I realized something. It's only us toji who can protect the summer vacation everyone's looking forward to.
Kiyoka: And also, I have all of you here with me now.
Mirja: However, are you all sure about assisting us? You didn't receive any such order from President Maniwa this time, did you?
Ellen: Even so, we want to help! This ship's already sailed!
Mai: Mm. Let's not make this so impersonal.
Sayaka: When we're done, we can all play together again.
Mihono: Guys... Thank you so much! Makes me feel all warm inside!
Kaoru: ...So, why're you here again?
Emily: Uhh... Wh-What's the harm in it!
Emily: With this many of you toji around, you should have no trouble keeping me safe!
Emily: (Fu Fu Fu...! To think, so many toji I've had my eyes on would gather in one place like this-- I'd never let this opportunity to gather data up close and personal escape me!)
Ellen: Oh... That's quite the evil look in your eyes. What do you think, Kaoru? Should we bury her in the beach again?
Emily: No-! Never do that again!
Mirja: ...At any rate, why do you think these mass outbreaks of aradama are occurring around this mountain specifically?
Mihono: I don't know, but if we can't figure out why, the same thing might keep happening again, won't it?
Sayaka: Mai, do you know anything about this?
Mai: I don't. My family does own a private beach here, but we might only ever come here once per year... Sorry, Sayaka-chan.
Emily: Fuhahahaha! It seems the time has come to prove my usefulness!
Kaoru: Huh? You know something about this?
Emily: Yes! Actually, there's a legend of a greatly powerful large scale aradama that was once in this area!
Emily: No precise records of it remain, but the legend itself has been passed down amongst the locals through oral tradition.
Emily: According to them, that large aradama would lead a legion of smaller aradama in an attack on the nearby village. But each time, the local toji would exterminate the smaller aradama and the large one would be subdued.
Emily: However, that large aradama could never be entirely suppressed, and so these conflicts continued over many generations--
Emily: Until that lineage of toji was broken off. At the same time, for unknown reasons, the large aradama abruptly disappeared... Or that's how the legend goes.
Mirja: I see. The part about the smaller aradama certainly corresponds to the current situation...
Mihono: But, why do you know all that, Emily-san?
Emily: Well that's simple! I only visited this town in the first place to further investigate this legend!
Kaoru: If it's so simple, why didn't you say something sooner, huh?
Emily: As it happens, my interest shifted to something else! It completely slipped my mind! Fuahahaha!
Kaoru: Ahh, I'm tired of talking to you. But, that legend...
Ellen: Yes. It sounds like the Mashiko family, doesn't it?
Nene: Ne-, nene-.
Mihono: Eh? So then...
Mirja: Hold that thought, Asakura Mihono. We can continue later.
Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAAA!
Kiyoka: There they are! They look just like the type from yesterday!
Mihono: We'll have to take care of the aradama first, then!
3: Fight for the Watermelon#
Aradama: GUAAaaaa...
Yukari: Good, we'll push the front-line forward. Instruct the toji in the rear to begin recovering noro.
Maki: Understood! Suzuka, Yomi, Yume! From here on out, let no aradama approach Yukari-sama!
Yomi: I'm on it.
Yume: Ehh~? I'm pretty sure Yukari-sama'll be fine on her own though~?
Maki: Don't be like that. As the elite guard, this is our duty to fulfill.
Suzuka: She's right, Yume. As the elite guard, we are the swords which form Yukari-sama's shield.
Yume: If you say so... Ah, hey, by the way. Doesn't it seem like the aradama around here are only going after toji?
Suzuka: Eh...?
Suzuka: Now that you mention it, you may be right. The aradama could avoid us if they wanted, yet their only intent seems to be attacking us.
Maki: Does that mean, with Yukari-sama's decision to push up the front-line, she anticipated this...? But why is it the aradama are only targeting toji?
Yukari: Maki, Suzuka, keep your guard up!
Aradama: O-OOOoo oo...
Yukari: You can't allow your mind to wander on a battlefield. Whatever the aradama's intent, we toji are here to defeat them. Think of nothing but fulfilling that objective.
Maki: Yes ma'am! Suzuka, I'm counting on you!
Suzuka: Of course, leave it to me.
Yume: Ooh~, they're getting into it~.
Yume: Hey-, Yukari-sama-! Since we're here together, why don't we have a contest between the two of us to see who can beat the most aradama!
Yume: And if I win, you'll buy me a watermelon afterwards! A big round one! You're fine with that, right-?
Yukari: ...Fine, I have no issue with that. But only on the condition that you obey my orders. Those are the terms of our contest.
Yume: Ahaha! Yes-! Then, it's about time I got serious-!
Aradama: GAAAAAAaaa...!
Yume: Ahahahaha! More and more-!
Maki: Come back, Yume! You're getting too far ahead!
Yume: Thbbbb-. This is between me and Yukari-sama. So I don't have to listen to you, Maki onee-san!
Maki: Ah-, I can't believe her...!
Suzuka: When she gets like this, Yume's quite the nuisance.
Yukari: ...Yomi, go support Yume. However, so long as I live, let her act freely. Rather than being restricted under someone else, she can accomplish more this way.
Yomi: I understand.
Yukari: Maki, Suzuka, we're pushing forward as well.
4: The Legend's Similarity#
Aradama: GUOooo oo...
Mihono: Pant... Pant... Pant...!
Kiyoka: I think that's the last of them... For now...
Hiyori: Phew... Do you think we should take a break, everyone? We don't know how many aradama are lurking ahead, so we should rest while we can.
Mirja: You're right, we should do that.
Kaoru: Ahhh, I don't wanna get back up. Feels like there's way more of them than yesterday... If only somebody here would go get our stuff for us...
Emily: What!? You expect me to carry your things now!
Emily: "Hooray, hooray, everyone-! You can do it, you can do it, everyone-!" --Hasn't my cheering been enough for you?
Ellen: All I remember is wondering who was making that racket...
Sayaka: It gets busy while we're fighting, so I didn't notice.
Emily: Ughh, how disheartening. I'll suppose I'm off to stare into space for a bit then.
Kaoru: Yeah, go right ahead.
Mirja: ...By the way, Yanase Mai. I'd like to ask your opinion on something, while we have the time.
Mai: I was about to bring something up myself. It's about the aradama, isn't it?
Mihono: Did you two find out anything?
Mirja: Actually... I'm not entirely sure of it yet, but at times the aradama we've encountered seem to be deliberately pursuing us toji.
Mai: Even when injured they don't try to run away, and when they're far enough that it wouldn't be odd if they ignored us, they suddenly change course to attack.
Mihono: Huh? Really? I didn't notice any of that.
Mihono: But, why would they do that? Do the aradama here only go after toji?
Ellen: I think the Mashiko family's story might help explain.
Mihono: Oh yeah, didn't you say they were sort of alike before?
Ellen: Yes. Kaoru will explain the details.
Kaoru: Oi...! Fine, if I have to...
Kaoru: In Tochigi, near the Futarasan shrine, "Nene" would go on rampages. For hundreds of years we built up a long history of fighting it.
Kaoru: Anyway, after all that fighting, we came to an understanding with "Nene"...
Kaoru: So what's similar is, in this legend with the big aradama, the "toji from around here had been fighting it for countless generations" part.
Kaoru: That's why I was wondering if maybe that lineage of toji had the same line of thinking as the Mashikos.
Mirja: To summarize, you believe that large aradama could have ended up in a similar relationship with those old toji as the current Mashiko family shares with Nene. Is that correct?
Kaoru: Nah, I wouldn't go that far. But it seems like the big aradama might have decided those toji were a worthy rival, right?
Mashiko: The proof is that, when this toji lineage ended, that's when the big aradama disappeared all of a sudden too. Without its rivals around, it wasn't interested.
Mirja: I see...
Mai: But then in this case, why would that aradama return right now...?
Ellen: Because it found some interesting rivals, don't you think?
Kiyoka: Wait, you mean... Us?
Kaoru: Yep. Probably.
Mihono: So like, the outbreak of aradama yesterday was to test our skills... Or something?
Mirja: Then, after making its judgment, it began to act seriously? This sounds stranger than fiction, if I'm being honest...
Sayaka: But the story fits. The aradama are only targeting toji.
Mai: Well, what do you think, Nene-chan?
Nene: Ne~?
Ellen: Seems like he's tilting his head hard in confusion.
Kaoru: Well, it figures.
Emily: Ah-!? What's the big idea, everyone!? Why does it seem like you just had a very interesting conversation without me!?
Mihono: Ah, you didn't get to hear...
Kaoru: ...Well we can't rest forever; we should get going.
Ellen: Agreed.
Mihono: Okay-! Let's keep giving our all!
Emily: Wait, this isn't fair!? Please tell me all about it too!?
5: Origami Yukari's Seriousness#
Yukari: ...Seems like all aradama in this area have been eliminated.
Yume: Yu~kari-sama~. How many aradama have you gotten so far?
Yukari: Forty or fifty.
Yume: Wait, are you guessing!? Come on, take this contest seriously.
Yume: If you don't know exactly how much, how're we supposed to know who won?
Maki: Yume, focus on the mission at hand. If you don't, you'll screw up sooner or later, you know?
Yume: These aradama are never gonna hit me, so don't worry about it.
Suzuka: Really, you can be such a handful. However, it does seem the theory of these aradama only targeting toji was correct.
Maki: Right. Despite all the aradama we've encountered, none of the riot officers have been attacked.
Yukari: Maki, Yume.
Maki: Ah, I'm sorry. Are we pushing forward?
Yukari: No... It's coming. Get ready.
Yume: Nn?
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!
Maki: Wha...!?
Yuma: Whoa-! It's huge-!
Suzuka: And not just that aradama!
Aradama: GURURURU...!
Maki: It brought more along with it... There must be... No, it's impossible to estimate. There's too many.
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!
Yukari: You must be the legendary aradama of these parts. It seems Tanaka Taeko guessed correctly.
Yume: Hmmm, I don't really get it, but that big one's the boss, right?
Yume: Then that makes this easy, Yukari-sama. Whoever beats the boss is the winner! Hyaaaah!
Yume: Ahaha! It's pretty tough! But it won't last long against me~!
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAA-!!
Yume: Ah-, you're running away!? --G-Get back here-!
Yukari: Yume, stop! Don't give chase!
Yume: B-But--
Yukari: Obey my orders. That's what you promised.
Yume: Urgh... Fine, I get it-!
Yukari: More importantly, Yume. Aside from the fleeing giant aradama, there's countless prey for you here, isn't there?
Aradama: GURURURU....!
Maki: Yukari-sama... But what do you plan to do about the escaped aradama?
Yukari: We aren't the only toji responsible here. Defeating the aradama at their source is key, but our original objective was to eliminate every aradama that appeared.
Yukari: Considering that, are you going to ignore this number of aradama? Do you believe anyone besides ourselves could deal with all this at once?
Maki: I... You have a point...
Suzuka: Our place is here, Maki-san. No one aside from Yukari-sama and we elite guard can accomplish this.
Maki: ...Ahh, you're right.
Yukari: Yomi, continue supporting Yume. However, there's no need to hold back any longer. If you feel it's necessary, destroy as many aradama as you can manage.
Yomi: Understood. I'll do everything in my power.
Yukari: Maki, Suzuka, I trust my back to you.
Maki: Yes ma'am!
Suzuka: Even if it costs my life!
Yukari: Yume. Our contest will be decided by numbers after all. Though, do you truly think you can beat me?
Yume: Wah, Yukari-sama's getting serious-! Ahahaha! But still, there's no way I'm gonna lose this time!
6: Large Aradama Suppression Order#
Kiyoka: ...Is it just me? It feels like we aren't running into as many aradama anymore.
Mihono: Yeah, I noticed it too... It was nonstop just a little while ago.
Emily: Err, someone's phone is ringing?
Mihono: --Ahh, that's mine!
Mihono: Hello? Oh, Tanaka-sensei!
Mihono: Yes... Yes... Yes... Ehhh!?
Mihono: I got it! I'll tell the others!
Mirja: ...What did Tanaka-sensei have to say? You sounded rather surprised by it.
Mihono: Y-Yeah. Well... Yukari-sama and her elite guard's unit ran into this tough looking boss aradama.
Mihono: But it had a ton of other aradama with it, and suppressing them took higher priority...
Ellen: Then what about that boss aradama?
Mihono: So it sounds like it ran off somewhere. And it's up to us to beat it.
Kaoru: Gimme a break. What's the point if they're not gonna defeat the last boss?
Nene: --Nene! Ne-, nenene-!
Kaoru: Nene? What's with you all of a sudden?
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAA-!!!
Hiyori: What was that!? That roar just now!?
Mai: It must be, that tough aradama...!?
Kiyoka: Um... Do you think, maybe, it's calling to us...?
Mihono: What... Like it's calling us out?
Sayaka: ...It might be.
Emily: E-Err~ This might be a naive question, but, can you actually beat it? This aradama that countless generations of toji didn't destroy.
Mihono: Well...
Kiyoka: But... We have to go, don't we?
Mirja: Yes. No matter what sort of aradama we face, so long as it might threaten people's lives, we can't afford to leave it.
Kaoru: Whatever, let's get this over with... If things get rough, we'll just run away I guess.
Hiyori: Of course, we'll stick together to the end.
Mihono: Kiyoka, Mirja-san, and everybody...!
Mihono: Alright! Let's do this! This time for sure, we'll take back our summer vacation!
7: Summer Vacation Is Right Before Our Eyes!#
Aradama: GAAAaaa aaa...
Yukari: ...That was the last of them. Maki, is anyone hurt?
Maki: Pant... Pant... Pant... N-No... Everyone... Should be fine...
Suzuka: Yukari... Sama... I'm sorry... You had to do most of the work, in the end...
Yume: Pant... Wheeze... Wheeze... Why don't... You have... A single drop of sweat, Yukari... Sama...?
Yomi: Pant... Pant...
Yukari: Just try not to move for a while, all of you. You fought well. Rest for now.
Maki: I have no excuse... As a member of the elite guard, to be so unable to protect Yukari-sama...
Yukari: Maki, your sternness is a strength of yours, but not if it leads to you being overly critical of yourself.
Yukari: If that's how feel, you only need to become stronger. Understand?
Maki: ...Yes ma'am!
Yume: Ah, oh yeah-- In the middle of fighting, I totally forgot to keep count!
Yume: Hey, Yomi onee-san. Do you know?
Yomi: The number of aradama you defeated, Tsubakuro-san? No, I was too busy to keep track.
Yume: Ehh, then...? My contest with Yukari-sama...?
Yomi: If we don't know the numbers, then we can't declare a winner.
Yume: No way~!
Yume: Awww~... I tried my hardest too... I really... Wanted that watermelon...
Yukari: Yume, don't be so down. You can buy what you want when we get back. I'll allow it.
Yume: Ehh!? Seriously!? Alright!
Yume: Hey, Onee-sans-! Let's play split the watermelon later!
Suzuka: Honestly, that girl... There's simply no refusing her, is there.
Maki: But Yukari-sama, will the investigation team members you ordered to suppress the large aradama be able to handle themselves?
Yukari: There's no need to worry. They're toji, the same as you, after all.
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
Mirja: There it is! That must be the one, from the legend--
Kiyoka: I-It's so big... More than I imagined...
Mai: Can we really win against something like that...?
Sayaka: ...I don't know.
Emily: Hawawawawa... I propose we try for a strategic sort of retreat!
Mihono: Hmmm... Hey, do you think that when we beat that aradama, we might become friends?
Mihono: Like what happened with the Mashiko family and Nene-chan. If we come to respect each other's strength, or something.
Hiyori: Mihono, you... Heh, I can't tell if you're that clueless or that confident.
Ellen: Mihomiho doesn't have an ounce of fear in her! She's already decided we're going to win.
Mihono: I mean, I'm not sure how, but I'm sure we can do it!
Mihono: We've all been fighting together since yesterday, you know. With all of us together, I don't care who we're up against, we'd never lose.
Mirja: Fu... I can't call it logical or tactical, but it's certainly like you.
Kiyoka: I agree with Hono-chan! If we all fight together, I know we'll win!
Large Aradama: GUAAAAAAAAAA!!
Mihono: Let's do this, everyone! Our summer vacation's right before our eyes!
8: One Summer's Memories#
Large Aradama: GUAAAAaaaa aaaa... ........ ....
Mihono: Did we beat it...?
Mirja: Watanabe Emily. Can you check its noro?
Emily: Ah, could you give me some room for a minute? Like that, thank you.
Emily: Hmmhmm... Hoho, now this is interesting. There's not a single drop of noro in here!
Hiyori: Which means... We didn't truly defeat it?
Kaoru: Ahh, maybe. But that's enough, isn't it?
Kaoru: That aradama went all out against us and used up all its strength, so it should be quiet for a while, right?
Sayaka: Mm. We did what we needed to.
Mirja: ...That's right. Why don't we leave uncovering the truth of the matter to those of the Special Ritual Squad assigned to process this matter?
Mihono: What if the toji back then went through this every year?
Ellen: Then after repeating these heated battles every summer, eventually toji and aradama might form a bond... You never know!
Nene: Ne-!
Kiyoka: Phew... At least, that's this time done with. Now...
Kiyoka: We can finally get back to our summer vacation!
Mihono: Sounds good! Then let's go right back to Mai's family's beach! I wanna play in the sea till my hands get all wrinkly!
Mihono: Here it comes-! Take that-!
Kiyoka: Kyaaa! But, I'm not giving up-!
Ellen: Did you hear, Hiyoyon? Apparently Yukari-sama and the elite guard are enjoying some time off just down the beach from here.
Hiyori: The elite guard is one thing, but Yukari-sama...? Hmph, she would never do something like that. I don't believe it one bi--pfffhtpht!
Ellen: Ahahaha! You were wide open!
Kaoru: They're sure having a good time-. But the way an adult enjoys the ocean is meant to be laid back and relaxed, like this. Am I right, Nene?
Nene: Ne-!
Mai: Everyone, the shaved ice is ready-!
Mihono: Snore-, snore-... Nnn, if I eat any more my stomach'll freeze...
Kiyoka: Let's come back next year, everyone... Mumble mumble...
Mirja: This won't do... One slice of watermelon per person...
Taeko: They're all sound asleep. Those are some nice expressions.
Taeko: ...Except for that one.
Emily: Uheheh... All this precious data... Right down to their three sizes... Uhehehehh...