Cherreads

Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Tossing Chaos: Mash vs. Kaiser

Abydos Desert

The Abydos Desert, a historic symbol of the region, once a tourist attraction accessible by train. Inside the train, Mash gazed at the horizon with sparkling eyes, hyped up. The Countermeasures Committee watched him fondly from their seats.

"The Abydos Desert… already a desert before desertification hit," Hoshino mused.

"It's dangerous—broken drones, security robots, and automatons roam around," Ayane warned. "Stay sharp."

"Got it!" the group chorused, eyeing the sands.

For unknown reasons, the desert was crawling with automatons, drones, and robots. Were they malfunctioning relics from a sunken city? Magnetic interference? Theories abounded, but Abydos lacked the resources to investigate. The mystery lingered.

"Check your firearms one more time," Ayane said.

"Gotta watch out for sand dust~☆" Nonomi chirped.

"More disassembling and cleaning later…" Serika groaned.

"Misfires are scary. Maintenance is key," Shiroko added.

"Arms, legs, all good. Ready to rumble," Mash said.

"No rumbling, Sensei," Hoshino teased. "Alright, let's move out carefully!"

The students and Mash armed up and marched into the desert. As expected, security robots and drones attacked…

And chaos erupted immediately.

CRACK! SMASH!

BOOOOM!

Mash, forgetting the "no rumbling" rule, obliterated enemies with zero restraint.

"Didn't I just say no rumbling!?" Serika yelled.

"It's fine," Mash said.

"How!?" Serika snapped. "This ruckus should draw reinforcements… Wait, no one's coming?"

Despite Mash's rampage piling up scrap heaps, no more enemies appeared after a certain point.

"Smash the alarms first, take out all witnesses—stealth achieved," Mash said.

"That's brain-dead logic!" Serika retorted. "But… I kinda get it, and I hate myself for it!"

"Phew, looks like we're good if we keep this up," Hoshino said. "Go wild, Sensei!"

"OK!" Mash grinned.

Mash demolished every attacker, and the Abydos students, caught up in the frenzy, joined in. Then Ayane spotted something.

"Everyone, there's something ahead! A huge town… factory… or garrison? Something massive!" Ayane said.

"A facility out here?" Serika asked. "You sure it's not a mirage? I see nothing."

"It's not a mirage," Ayane insisted. "Get closer to confirm with your eyes!"

They advanced toward the massive facility Ayane described… and found something unbelievable.

"What is this?" Hoshino gaped.

"Huge… insanely huge," Shiroko said.

"A factory? Not an oil rig…" Nonomi murmured.

Deep in the desert stood a colossal facility, surrounded by walls and barbed wire stretching kilometers.

"These walls and wires go on forever," Shiroko noted.

"It's massive," Ayane said. "A factory? Definitely not an oil rig… What is it?"

As Nonomi peered inside, Hoshino touched the dusty wall and spoke.

"This… wasn't here before," she said.

Two years ago, when Hoshino was in the student council, this desert had no such facility. It was recent.

"A factory in the desert… super suspicious," Mash said.

"Too suspicious," Hoshino agreed. "But if we act recklessly—"

BRATATATAT!

"Get down!" Mash shouted, shoving Hoshino to the ground.

A hail of gunfire targeted them. Mash shielded Hoshino, dodging while scanning the attackers—sleek automatons, guns trained on them.

"Intruders detected!"

"Don't let them escape! Restrain them!"

The automatons shouted, surrounding them.

"Freeze! Move, and we'll shoot your legs—"

WHAM!

"Gaaah!?" an automaton screamed.

Mash punched one before it could finish, too fast for the others to react.

"W-What!?" Serika gasped.

"Knew he'd do that," Shiroko said.

"Sensei, no rumbling!" Ayane cried.

"Hoshino-san, this is their base, right?" Mash asked.

"P-Probably…" Hoshino said. "Oh."

"If we take out everyone here… no one'll know," Mash said.

"Huh… makes sense," Shiroko nodded.

"That's right~!" Nonomi agreed.

"You're really doing this!?" Ayane yelped.

"No choice!" Serika said.

"Let's go all out! Take 'em all down!" Hoshino roared.

At Hoshino's signal, the students unleashed chaos, ignoring stealth. They attacked relentlessly.

"You're insane! Do this, and—ugh!" an automaton cried as Mash smashed it.

"Even if tanks come, we'll crush them," Mash said.

"So reliable~!" Nonomi cheered.

"Time for this old lady to go wild!" Hoshino grinned.

Nonomi rained minigun fire, Serika and Shiroko darted around, and Hoshino outmaneuvered enemies. Mash's fists shattered automatons effortlessly. Despite being machines, the soldiers faltered, morale crumbling under the onslaught.

"Reinforcements!" an automaton shouted. "Now we—whoosh!—huh?"

"What the!?" another gasped.

"Bullets!?" a third cried.

"He's throwing our bullets back at the reinforcements!" another yelled. "That's not rifle range! What's he made of!?"

Tanks and armored vehicles rolled in, but Mash hurled their own bullets back, striking from afar before they could engage. The reinforcements took heavy losses and retreated.

"Call the Director!" an automaton pleaded. "He'll—argh!"

"No coordination—it's his fault!" another cried.

Mash took out the command automatons, leaving chaos. Tanks appeared, but—

"Hmph!" CRASH!

Mash demolished them effortlessly.

"Surrender, or end up like that!" Serika shouted.

"We're doomed either way—gah!" an automaton wailed.

"Why're tanks breaking!?" another screamed.

The desert echoed with soldiers' screams for hours.

Meanwhile, in an Office

"It's me. Intruders—likely Abydos—eliminate or capture them… What? Wait, what did you say? Near annihilation!?" a large automaton roared into the phone.

"Don't mess with me! What about the tanks and artillery!? Shot down and destroyed in one hit!? Forget it—I'm going myself!" Slam!

The figure called for remaining forces, but…

"Only… fifty left? Fine! Ready the helicopters!"

Boarding a chopper, the figure burned with rage at those who'd decimated their troops.

"Extermination complete!" THUD!

"Wow, that's a lot of wreckage," Hoshino said.

"But it'll be quiet for a while," Shiroko added.

"Pretty tiring," Nonomi said. "They were tougher than expected."

"Let's investigate quick," Ayane suggested.

Amid scattered automaton parts and tank debris, Mash—unscathed—led the group. They scouted the area, and Ayane spotted something.

"There's a logo or mark on the wall…" Ayane said.

"A mark?" Mash asked.

They approached, and Mash brushed off the sand, revealing a faded emblem—a triangle with crossed bands, and below it:

KAISER PMC

"Kaiser PMC," Hoshino murmured, stunned.

"I cross-checked," Ayane said. "Hoshino-senpai's right—it's Kaiser PMC's."

"Kaiser… So they're part of Kaiser Corporation!?" Serika exclaimed.

"Looks like it," Hoshino said.

"Whoops, I beat them up…" Mash said. "Oh well, they're enemies."

"Kaiser… Kaiser, Kaiser, Kaiser!" Serika fumed. "Everywhere we go! What are they!?"

Kaiser Loans extorted Abydos. Kaiser Construction sweet-talked them into selling land. Kaiser Corporation backed it all. Now, Kaiser PMC in the desert. How many subsidiaries did they have? The students' faces darkened.

"'PMC' means…" Nonomi began, her expression grim.

"What's wrong?" Shiroko asked.

"PMC—Private Military Company," Nonomi said. "A real, organized combat force… an army, not like the Helmet Gang's thugs."

"So that's why they were so tough," Shiroko said.

"Rumors said they hire dropouts and delinquents as private soldiers," Nonomi added. "But this…"

An alarm blared suddenly. The students braced for enemies, but…

"No one's coming?" Serika said.

"Maybe we took out everyone here," Shiroko suggested.

"So we beat them all…" Mash said. "What now?"

"Let's smash the alarm," Ayane said.

"Got it," Shiroko said, destroying it.

Helicopters appeared overhead.

"Reinforcements!" Serika shouted.

"Not from here—another base?" Hoshino wondered.

"Should I shoot them down?" Mash asked, holding debris.

"Wait for now!" Ayane said.

"Okay," Mash nodded.

About fifty automaton soldiers emerged, led by a figure in a red suit—a mechanical puppet with a distinctive line-head design, over two meters tall.

"What… happened here!?" the figure roared.

"Some big shot," Mash said.

"Total boss vibes," Serika added.

"So, Abydos!" the figure snarled. "You did this! But… calm down, me. Kivotos residents couldn't pull this off… Right."

"He's muttering to himself," Mash said. "Midlife crisis?"

"No way," Shiroko said.

"That's…" Hoshino started.

"First time, Abydos students," the figure said.

"You were yelling earlier," Serika pointed out.

"I'm a Kaiser Corporation Director," the figure said. "Also Kaiser Loans and Kaiser Construction. Currently, I'm CEO of Kaiser PMC. In short, I'm who your school owes."

"No way!" Serika gasped.

"So you're…" Ayane started.

"The evil mastermind," Mash finished.

"Who're you calling an evil mastermind!?" the Director roared.

Despite the destruction, the Director tried to maintain composure, but Mash's blunt words enraged him.

"Fine," the Director said. "I'm the Director of Kaiser Corporation, Loans, Construction, and PMC."

"Doesn't matter," Hoshino said. "You're the one who tricked and exploited Abydos High, right?"

"Hm?" the Director smirked.

"You sent the Helmet Gang and Problem Solver 68 to torment us!" Serika shouted. "You've made Abydos suffer!"

The Director's eyelights blinked, and he shook his head, exasperated.

"Tch, that's your first response? Pathetic, Abydos," he said.

"What!?" Serika snapped.

"Invading private property, attacking our innocent PMC staff, wrecking our facility… and you have the gall to complain?" he sneered. "Amusing."

"Innocent staff shot at us without warning," Ayane countered.

"Self-defense," the Director said. "Strangers break into your home, you'd do the same, no?"

"…" Ayane fell silent.

"Watch your tone," the Director warned. "This is Kaiser PMC's legal business site. You're trespassing on corporate property. Understand that."

"!" Serika gritted her teeth.

The automatons raised their guns, intimidating the students. But they were faking fear—Mash was already in counterattack mode, ready to strike.

"Back to business," the Director said. "The Abydos land? Yes, we bought it. Legally. All documented. So what? Stop acting like we're criminals. Or are you here to provoke me?"

"Which mouth says that!?" Serika snapped.

"I don't know why you're here," the Director said. "But curious why we bought the land?"

Nonomi, glaring, answered. "Yes. Why build a massive facility in this desert?"

"Hm," the Director said. "We're searching for treasure buried in Abydos."

"!?" the group gasped.

"No way we'd believe that!" Serika shouted.

"Exactly," Hoshino said. "That doesn't explain this PMC army. Isn't it for conquering Abydos?"

"Hundreds of tanks, elite soldiers, tons of ammo—for a school with five students?" the Director scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. No company would waste resources like that. This is to protect our treasure hunt from other groups, corporations, or academies. You lot? We could deal with you anytime, like this—"

The Director reached for his phone to whisper something.

Ping!

"Wha—CRASH!" the Director yelped as his phone shattered.

He turned to Abydos, but their guns were down. Mash had flicked a bullet, destroying the phone.

"Where did that…?" the Director stammered. "Who are you, halo-less one?"

"Mash Burnedead, their Sensei," Mash said.

"Sensei? Then educate your students," the Director sneered.

"I did," Mash said. "Don't do bad things. Only beat up bad guys."

"Contradictory, but fine," the Director said. "What's your point?"

"You've been talking a lot," Mash said. "But you tricked and used these kids, right?"

"Yes," the Director admitted.

"Knew it!" Serika shouted.

"So what?" the Director said. "My forces are nearly wiped out, but I still have manpower, wealth, and power."

He stepped forward, smug.

"You're awfully cocky for a first meeting," Mash said.

"We're from different worlds," the Director said. "Different status, different treatment. Don't you get that?"

"Hm," Mash said.

"This is why I hate brainless fools," the Director sneered. "Why waste time on powerless weaklings like you?"

"Enough!" Serika lunged, but Mash stopped her.

"What?" the Director taunted. "Got a complaint? I'm an adult, you're kids. Treatment differs. That's the world's—"

WHAM!

"GIIIIII!?" the Director screamed, clutching his face as Mash's knee strike sent him staggering.

"The Director got hit!" Ayane gasped.

"You! What did you—" the Director started.

"I'll take you all out," Mash said, his eyes sharp as a predator's.

The soldiers froze, certain that moving would mean death.

"Sorry, you didn't seem like you'd listen," Mash said.

"That's not an excuse!" Serika yelled. "We owe him money!"

"One or two, same thing," Mash said.

"Serial killer logic!" Serika retorted.

"You… dared touch me?" the Director stammered, clinging to his dignity.

Mash's blow implied the students were complicit. "I can raise your debt anytime!" the Director roared. "Right now, I'll make it 3000% variable interest—"

WHOOSH!

"JOOOOO!?" the Director screamed as Mash hurled sand in his face.

As the Director spat out sand, Mash dug a hole in the ground.

"What's this! Sand!?" the Director coughed.

Yoink!

"Huh—"

THUD!

"KYAAAA!?" the Director shrieked as Mash lifted and dropped him into the hole, leaving only his head above the sand.

Mash began piling sand back in.

Shove, shove, shove!

"Wait—cough! What're you doing!?" the Director yelled.

"Burying you," Mash said.

"WHAAAAAT!?" the Director wailed.

Mash ignored him, shoveling sand. The automatons and students stared, dumbfounded.

"This won't go unpunished!" the Director sputtered. "I control your debt—"

Mash glared coldly. "You can raise their debt anytime? I can bury you anytime."

"!?" the Director froze.

"Jail, half your body gone, riddled with bullets—I'll crawl and bury you. I can do that," Mash said.

SHOVE, SHOVE, SHOVE!

"Alright, alright!" the Director pleaded. "I take back the interest hike!"

"…" Mash kept shoveling.

"NOOOO! How about this? I'll cut your debt by 20%!" the Director begged.

"…" SHOVE, SHOVE!

"GARGH! Fine, half! That's it, please!" the Director gurgled.

"What do you think, everyone?" Mash asked.

"Uh… sure, that's fine," Hoshino said, pitying him.

"We'll let it slide," Serika added.

(Phew, I'm saved—damn it! I'll cut it in half, but I'll get revenge later!) the Director thought.

"But," Mash said.

"Huh?" the Director blinked.

"It's not round enough. I'll keep going," Mash said.

"WHAAAAT!? Wait, stop—GURK!" the Director screamed.

"GYAAAAA!?"

Minutes later, the Director, broken by Mash's threats, halved Abydos' debt. The incident ended in Mash and the Countermeasures Committee's victory.

But revenge loomed…

"@__@g&i_gptgtd!!…##&/&/&!?" the Director garbled.

"The Director's lost language!" Ayane gasped.

"Sand fried his circuits!" Serika said.

"Let's head back," Hoshino said.

"☆1÷+÷45>〆6÷2÷55!!!" the Director babbled.

"One last thing," Mash said, charging his leg.

WHAM!

Mash kicked the Director's head, launching him out of the sand. The Director collapsed, out cold.

"Sensei, you went too far~," Nonomi said.

"He was a jerk, but now I feel bad," Serika admitted.

"Let's go," Hoshino said. "Sensei?"

"Hm?" Mash turned.

"You were mad for us, right? Thanks… but don't do that again," Hoshino said.

"I'll try," Mash said.

"Back to the school," Hoshino said.

The Committee left the Kaiser PMC base. The Director, carried off by his soldiers, woke later.

"…What was I doing? Why am I here?" he mumbled, memory scrambled by the kick. All he recalled was halving Abydos' debt under Mash's threats.

Afterword

So satisfying♪ Mash had to do it—this scene from the anime and manga had me dying, so I included it! Next up, probably Black Suit… maybe getting an Argentine Backbreaker? Who knows? Stay tuned! Please rate, comment, and share activity reports! Typo reports are super appreciated!

More Chapters