Hishida Haru

Hishida Haru (菱田治) is a second-year Lily who attends Odaiba Girls' School. She is a member of Legion Heorot Saints, acting as one of its several tactical commanders. Haru is a major recurring character of the Odaiba series of stage plays.

Personality

Haru is usually calm and level-headed, but not necessarily stoic, as her strong sense of diligence contrasts her sensible and down-to-earth demeanor, though she is not nearly as laid back as her close friend Yokoyama Azusa. She stands out as one of the Lilies with "the most common sense in her entire Garden", and is usually the more rational one within her friend group or even among the Saints in general, putting her in contrast with those driven more by emotion such as Kawamura Yuzuriha. Haru possesses a remarkable degree of mental fortitude, being able to not only keep herself calm, but also help appease those around her in situations of extreme distress.

Haru does still have her more easygoing sides. She will be more openly playful and laid-back when around her closest friends, and despite her usual composure, she can still be overwhelmed and flustered when in company of more energetic types such as Kawanabe Nazuna, something that others do find amusing. Haru is also thoughtful, and even at times protective of those closest to her, though not to the point of being completely coddling.

Perhaps Haru's most notable trait is her incredibly strong sense of responsibility. She has been quoted as saying that "even if this body of mine comes apart, I don't see it as a defeat if it serves to protect the things precious to me, no matter if that disagrees with the Garden's teachings". Following the death of her dear friend Imamura Sakumi, Haru strived relentlessly to fulfill the promise she'd made to her, even when that led her to grow apart from people she cared about. Infamously, though Haru destroyed Odaiba's Fujimi Bridge during the Odaiba Counteroffensive fully ready to assume responsibility for the consequences of it, she still held onto the guilt she felt over her actions for long after the fact.

Despite Haru's usual calm and collected personality, she can still be occasionally overtaken by her own emotions. Despite maintaining a facade of resolution in the face of the severe reproach she received for her decision to destroy Fujimi Bridge, Haru was, internally, greatly anguished. Even an entire year later, when most of the censure she suffered had finally subsided, she still harbored intense guilt and regret over her actions, experiencing severe distress and anxiety whenever she was reminded of them, and even suffering nervous breakdowns in the middle of combat on several occasions.

History

Haru was a student of Odaiba since early childhood, and since that time, she was close friends with Imamura Sakumi and Yokoyama Azusa, with the three of them said to have been "like family". Though the trio strived to become Lilies, Haru struggled with asthma, and as such would frequently find herself visiting the hospital. Sakumi, meanwhile, was saddled with a lifelong illness despite already being recognized as a prodigy. Nonetheless, they enjoyed a good friendship, and Haru and Sakumi grew to particularly intimate. At the same time, Haru and Azusa also became friends with Sakumi's younger sister Imamura Yukari.

Sakumi's health continued to deteriorate as the years went by, and as it became evident that she would not live much longer, she and Haru would make a vow to each other: "We'll protect this place, Odaiba, as the finest Lilies of all, and then we'll bloom as flowers in the Garden of Souls, together". Just before the trio entered their first year of junior high, Sakumi passed away. Haru held onto the vow she'd made to Sakumi, and in order to realize their wish of becoming Odaiba's finest, Haru began striving to one day become president of the Garden's Student Council, in the hopes that being at the helm of their Garden's notoriously aggressive sortieing practices would allow her to fight the battles that Sakumi couldn't, as it was customary for the Student Council President to also assume the position of captain of the Heorot Saints, at the time the Garden's Top Legion.

Haru's eagerness to realize this ambition in Sakumi's honor eventually led her to become completely fixated in combat. At the same time, Yukari was now under constant pressure by those around her to follow in the steps of her now late prodigious sister, but as she was much more shy and insecure than Sakumi was, she couldn't adhere to the same level of discipline Haru had displayed, and this ultimately resulted in the pair growing estranged. Presumably during this period, Haru became intrigued by Kawanabe Nazuna, a Lily who'd been rescued and brought into Odaiba who constantly struggled due to her low Skiller Value. Haru's interest in Nazuna, however, would incite the jealousy of another junior Lily, Suzuki Chinami, who deeply admired Haru.

The Funada Reserve Corps

During their third year of junior high, both Haru and Azusa joined the Reserve team known as the Funada Reserve Corps, founded by the current Student Council President Funada Kiito. The pair would become particularly close friends with fellow members Kawamura Yuzuriha and Tsukioka Momiji, and thanks to the feats achieved by their aggressive, high performance approach, the Funada Reserve Corps quickly rose to fame. Haru in particular would prove an exceptional fighter, as she particularly gained notoriety for boasting the highest kill count for Irregular Huge in all of Odaiba, a feat that earned her the title of "The Freakslayer".

Azusa, on the other hand, suffered from a notoriously inconsistent performance, which frequently caused her to fall short of the high standards Kiito sought out of her team. This ultimately culminated in Kiito assaulting Azusa verbally, claiming that "Haru still can't fight to her fullest potential all because you aren't stepping up!". This infuriated Haru, who quickly stood up to Kiito in Azusa's defense. This incident became one of several instigators for the team's eventual disbandment.

The Mutant Small-class Outbreak of Odaiba

Main articles: The Mutant Small-class Outbreak of Odaiba, Assault Lily: The Battle to Overcome

Following the sudden appearance of a massive swarm of the Small-class Irregular Huge known as the Soldier Ants in Odaiba, the Funada Reserve Corps deployed as the first line of defense, as the Heorot Saints were absent on another mission at the time. As the battle progressed, Kon Kanaho, the Reserve Corps' tactical commander, instructed the team to move to the defense of Odaiba's CHARM testing facilities after they completed their evacuation. But in their attempt to do so, they found themselves unable to meaningfully bring down the Ants' numbers in the area, and were eventually completely surrounded.

Kanaho, hoping to atone for her mistake, attempted to sacrifice herself to forcefully open an escape route through the army of Huge, but as her partner Miyagawa Takane moved to stop her, she was caught and maimed by one of the Ants. With Takane down and Kanaho tending to her wounds, all the remaining members of the Reserve could do was fight to keep themselves alive for as long as they could until the Saints finally arrived to their rescue.

Aftermath

Though all members of the Reserve Corps survived the Soldier Ants' outbreak, the injury Takane suffered left her chronically impaired, and as she was no longer able to meet Odaiba's and her team's high standards of efficiency, she and Kanaho ultimately decided to leave the Garden, transferring to the neighbouring Garden of Kamba Girls' High. Kiito would then elect Azusa and Momiji, their most underperforming members, to fill Takane and Kanaho's vacancies, respectively.

At the same time, Kiito introduced to Odaiba a "power-ranked training curriculum" as part of her power-based doctrine as Student Council President. This policy became yet another source of hardship for Azusa and Momiji, as the two of them were reportedly being forced into "working themselves to death". This once again prompted Haru, as well as Momiji's friend Yuzuriha, to voice their disapproval with Kiito's methods. Compounding this was the fact that Kiito's new policy was met with resistance not only by Odaiba's students, but even some of her closest associates. Though initially reluctant to withdraw her policies, the pressure ultimately led Kiito to renounce her position as Student Council President, and as several of the Reserve Corps members also integrated the Student Council, the team would ultimately disband not long after.

The Odaiba Counteroffensive

Main articles: Assault Lily Wunder, The True Story of the Odaiba Counteroffensive

In their first year of high school, Haru, Azusa, Momiji and Yuzuriha were among the Lilies present in the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference being held in Odaiba. The conference was suddenly interrupted when a Great Cave suddenly materialized above the district's Wakasu Park, spawning a massive horde of Soldier Ants which were soon followed by a Nestless Ultra-class Huge. At the time, a great number of Tokyo's second and third-year Lilies were absent in Expeditions to Makuhari, and so, the inexperienced first-year Lilies present in the conference stood as the district's first line of defense. The event's host, Takegoshi Chihana, split the Lilies present into five teams in order to properly counter the Soldier Ants' invasion, and both Haru and Azusa were placed in the Third Division, whose task was to assist in civilian evacuations in central Odaiba.

While carrying out evacuations on the outskirts of Toyosu, the Third Division learns from the Second that the Fifth Division had been taken out of commission after a sudden encounter with a Gigant-class Huge, as they were forced away from their position by a massive swarm of Solder Ants soon after taking it down. The Second and Third Divisions agree to continue defending the Toyosu and Shinonome areas, with the Third being instructed to move out to aid the Fifth as soon as they finish evacuations in Shinonome. In the midst of carrying out their evacuations, the Third Division is able to contact the Fifth, who informs them they've been pushed back to Shin-Tatsumi Bridge, but will be able to hold out until the Third arrives.

Haru and Fujita Asagao leading the Third Division's charge

The Third Division eventually reaches Shin-Tatsumi bridge just as their battlefront was beginning to fall apart. The two Divisions are then quickly surrounded by Huge of several sizes, including Larges, Greater-Larges and Gigant-classes. After taking down an armor-clad Gigant-class with the Neunwelt Tactic, the Third Division continued to lead the counterattack on the remaining Huge until Shin-Tatsumi Bridge was completely wiped clean.

The Third Division learns from the Fifth that several Huge, including five Irregular Gigant-class, were able to move past them and into areas where evacuations had not yet been completed, and so, joined by the Fifth's members who were still in fighting condition, the Third Division moves out to intercept them. Arriving back in Toyosu, the now mixed team of Lilies encountered three of the five Gigants attempting to breach through the defensive barriers. Just as they are about to perform the Neunwelt Tactic, one of the Gigants, a Gravity Manipulator, uses its ability to completely stop the Lilies' movements, allowing it to finally destroy the defensive barrier and opening the way for the other Gigants to enter the city.

Not long after the Gravity Manipulator finally moves out of range, Tokyo's Light Walls activate, leaving all Lilies and civilians still outside of its limits locked out until the end of its Full Admission mode's one hour time limit. Just then, the Lilies are contacted by Instructor Akira Blanton, who directs them to kill the three Gigant-class before the end of the time limit, informing them that they'll be joined by Odaiba's Light Wall Defense Team.

The Lilies decide to leave the Gravity Manipulator and instead pursue the other two Gigant-class, a pair of twins. They soon learn that both Huge generate a field where within it, any shot fired at them would miss. Owing to her experience taking down Irregular Huge, Haru activated her Divine Possession Aberration and quickly moved on the offensive against one of the Twins. Using her "Blade of the End" technique, Haru was able to strike one of the Huge directly, prompting the Gigants to convert their area-of-effect ability into a defensive shield, which Haru used to sense their flow of Magie and pinpoint the portion of their bodies that generated them. With this knowledge, the Third and Fifth Divisions, as well as the Light Wall Defense Team, perform a double Neunwelt Tactic, which succeeds in destroying both Huge.

With three Gigant-class still at large and a massive horde of the Ants spreading throughout Toyosu, the Third and Fifth Divisions and Light Wall Defense Team decide to split their forces, with the Light Wall Defense Team moving out to pursue the Gravity Manipulator while most of the Third and Fifth would spread out and mow down the swaths of Soldier Ants spreading across the area. Finally, Haru, Azusa, as well as Nakabayashi Kaina and Nishikawa Miharu of Irma Girls' High move out to Toyosu Market in order to assist the military with defending the area.

The four Lilies arrive at Toyosu Market to find roughly six thousand civilians under the military's defense. They learn from the military that, in order to prevent the Huge from reaching the area, all nearby bridges had been brought down with the exception of one: Fujimi Bridge, and so, the four Lilies stationed themselves at the final standing bridge, accompanied by a number of military troops. There, they were quickly met with a swarm of Soldier Ants, but as they already struggled to effectively prevent the Huge from crossing the bridge, they were horrified to see a Gigant-class Soldier Ant leading the horde.

Haru destroys Fujimi Bridge.

Though the four Lilies and the military make a desperate attempt to halt the Gigant-class' advance, Haru soon realizes that, with their teammates currently too far away to reach them in time, the only way they could protect the civilians behind them would be by destroying the bridge, as she'd previously noted the Soldier Ants to be hydrophobic. However, Haru realizes that doing so would mean stranding the civilians and junior high Lilies on the other side of the Bridge with a massive horde of Huge led by a Gigant-class, and so, she decides that she would carry it out by herself, fully ready to take responsibility for any consequences it would bring.

Azusa immediately snaps back at Haru, pointing out how destroying the bridge would endanger the civilians and junior high Lilies on the other side, but Haru reasons that they're still Lilies nonetheless, and they cannot risk the lives of the civilians taking refuge behind them. Azusa continues to plead Haru not to go through with it, telling her that she would be breaking her promise to Sakumi if she destroyed the bridge, but even that proved insufficient to change Haru's mind. As a last resort, Azusa attempts to physically stop Haru from moving ahead, but ultimately fails.

Once again activating her Divine Possession, Haru used all of her Magie to tear open a hole at the very center of Fujimi Bridge. Now unable to continue marching ahead, the horde of Soldier Ants, including the Gigant-class, turned around and began advancing back into Ariake. Haru, falling to her knees, tearfully calls out to Sakumi for forgiveness, having now completely broken their promise.

Haru, Azusa, Miharu and Kaina later regroup with the rest of the Third and Fifth Divisions and the Light Wall Defense Team after the Full Admission mode reaches its time limit, finally allowing evacuations to resume after the Third and Fifth completely eliminated the swarm of Soldier Ants sprawling across Toyosu. With the remaining members of the Fifth Division set to join them shortly, the Third and Fifth set off to the Tokyo International Exhibition Center in order to regroup with the Second. There, they devise their final strategy to kill the Nestless Ultra and destroy its Great Cave, which would entail a Neunwelt Tactic performed by the members of the Second and Third Divisions together.

In order to disperse the swarms of Huge gathering by the Nestless Ultra, the Third and Fifth Divisions moved out first, their objective to draw the hordes of Huge away so that the Second Division, who was moving by Gunship, could make landfall. While moving to regroup with the Second Division, the Lilies encounter yet another Gigant Soldier Ant, which they swiftly bring down with a Neunwelt Tactic. The two Divisions successfully arrive in Wakasu, finding the Second Division locked in combat with the masses of Huge still gathering by the Nestless Ultra. And just then, the Ultra-class itself began to attack the Lilies.

As the Negative Magie in the Nestless Ultra's attacks posed a risk of disarming their Magisphere entirely, the Lilies agree to perform their final Neunwelt Tactic while adopting Momiji's Zero Top Technique, which would grant them a failsafe in the event things went awry. And so, the Third Division were the ones to initiate the passes, with Haru being the final member to charge the Magisphere before it was sent to the Second Division. Eventually, the Magisphere found its way to Yurigaoka Girls' Academy's Amano Soraha, who fired a direct shot at the Nestless Ultra, finally destroying it and its Cave.

Aftermath

Though the Odaiba Counteroffensive would quickly be hailed as a historical battle for not producing a single casualty, Haru's decision to destroy Fujimi Bridge was widely condemned within Odaiba Girls' School. Though some of the Garden's Lilies, such as Maruyama Amane did speak out in her defense, most of the support for Haru's decision came from outside Odaiba, namely, her Third Division teammates, Tsuzuki Hisui, who Haru had only briefly met during the former's temporary stay in Odaiba, and most notably Takegoshi Chihana herself, who even went as far as to invite Haru to join her in Yurigaoka "if you ever feel that you no longer belong anywhere."

Reuniting with Kondo Misaka

Main article: Assault Lily Alternative Reading Stage RED. Episode 3: After the End of the Battle

Though she still maintained a negative reputation in Odaiba, Haru continued to justify her actions, particularly noting that "Sakumi would forgive me for it". Haru finally visits Sakumi's grave for the first time after the battle, and when apologizing yet again for breaking their vow, Haru wonders what the Garden of Souls even is, asking that Sakumi let her know, as she can no longer join her there. At one point during her visit, Haru falls asleep, and in her dreams, she sees Sakumi, who tells her that the Garden of Souls is a place "beautiful, but kind of boring", and that she instead decided to keep watch over her and the others because of it.

As Haru and Sakumi talk, Haru apologizes once again for breaking their promise, and when Sakumi inquires further, Haru explains that she hoped that, in the time it took for the Soldier Ants to turn back to the other shore, the junior high Lilies in Ariake would be able to establish defenses and finish evacuations in time. Sakumi comforts Haru, noting that she made her decision to bring Fujimi Bridge down out of her trust in the junior high Lilies, and assures her that, in time, those admonishing her now will understand that.

Haru is still desolate, however, as while she'd said she would take responsibility for what she did, she didn't actually understand what that would entail. She admits that she is still suffering because of it, and does in fact feel regret. Calling herself weak, Haru reasons that she could never become Odaiba's finest from the very beginning, but Sakumi in turn encourages Haru to trust the belief she held that she would forgive her, telling Haru that becoming Odaiba's finest doesn't necessarily mean fulfilling a promise or assuming a position, and that she truly believes Haru can still do that. Haru eventually wakes up, and immediately berates herself for making Sakumi say the things she wanted to hear in her "dream".

On another day, Kondo Misaka arrives in Odaiba on a visit. Haru, still lingering in her grief, is reluctant to greet her, but Misaka immediately comes to her instead. Misaka laments how she'd been chosen to come to Odaiba in order to arrange a mixed outing between the Lilies of their Garden, seeing herself as unfit for it, and Haru explains that she's been since hailed as "the hero" of the Counteroffensive. Misaka notes how, with her having protected a bridge, and Haru having destroyed a bridge, she believes that, despite their actions being the exact opposite of each other, what each of them did amounted to the same, as they both did everything they could have done to protect others. Finally, Misaka tells Haru that she hopes she can find happiness, and that surely all the others that still care about her feel the same way, causing Haru to break down into tears.

As their conversation continues, Misaka enquires Haru on Sakumi, who she'd mentioned in passing when she broke down earlier. Haru tells Misaka about her relationship with Sakumi, and the vow they took with each other. Misaka is eager to learn more, noting that "the face you make when speaking about [Sakumi] is like nothing I've ever seen from you". Haru obliges, telling Misaka of their whole history together. Their conversation carries on well into the night, ultimately causing Misaka to spend the night in Odaiba.

Reportedly, Misaka stood in Haru's defense during her visit to the Garden, and from that, the negative opinions Odaiba's Lilies had of Haru gradually began to change. Before returning to Yurigaoka, Misaka paid a visit of her own to Sakumi's grave, moved by Haru's stories of her.

Joining the Heorot Saints

Upon entering their second year of high school, Momiji would assume the position of Student Council President, with Yuzuriha as her vice. Having also become captain and vice captain of the Heorot Saints, respectively, the pair was able to ensure both Haru and Azusa could also integrate the Legion through their positions. Afterwards, Haru repeatedly attempted to convince her friend and former Reserve Corps teammate Kawabata Hotaru to also join the Saints, but she would always refuse, as she wanted to become part of the Legion Kiito would form whenever she returned to Odaiba.

Nazuna and Chinami, now first year Lilies, would also be selected to join the Heorot Saints, but Yukari, however, chose to join Kiito's Legion, titled Legion Hronesnæsse, as her relationship with Haru and Azusa, while cordial, was still strained at this point in time.

The Liberation of Niigata

Main articles: Assault Lily Glory, Assault Lily: The Raid for the Liberation of Niigata

Note: this section follows the webnovel version of the story, and is therefore incomplete.

The Heorot Saints and Hronesnæsse would eventually deploy together in an Expedition to Niigata, Japan, following a request by Amatsu Marei that they aid Legion Álfheimr and Ryuto Girls' Academy in bringing down the Fafnir, one of the Seven Great Ultra-class Huge which had made its Nest in Niigata in the year following the Odaiba Counteroffensive. The Saints and Hronesnæsse initially arrived at the neighbouring prefecture of Tochigi, where they found Ryuto's Legion Kólga locked in combat against a horde of Huge that suddenly emerged from Lake Chuzenji.

After rescuing Legion Kólga, the Heorot Saints were tasked with accompanying Legion Dúfa in retaking Niigata's harbour from the Huge's control, as Ryuto hoped to have a clear path towards Niigata's Sado Island, where the Fafnir was located. There, the Saints and Dúfa encounter the two-headed Gigant-class Restore Orthrus, and the two Legions agree to each perform a Neunwelt Tactic in order to destroy both of the Gigant's heads. The Saints quickly perform theirs and successfully destroy one of the Orthrus' heads, however, after Legion Dúfa makes their passes, their captain, Sumitani Miki inadvertently rushes directly towards the Huge's animate, snake-like tail, exposing herself to its attacks. This forces Haru and Hayami Katsura to intervene, and after they sever the Orthrus' tail, Miki is able to fire the finishing shot and destroy it.

Haru and Katsura immediately approach Miki in order to tend to her wounds. The pair scolds Miki for her recklessness, and upon being inquired on her reason for it, Miki tells Haru and Katsura of the events that transpired during the Fafnir's arrival a year prior, where she alone was instructed to evacuate Sado Island while the rest of Legion Dúfa, including one Enomoto Yaya, whom she pined for, fought to their deaths in order to prevent the Huge from reaching the mainland. Miki explains how her survival in the face of her Legion mates' perishing earned her the scorn of other Ryuto Lilies, including Yaya's younger sister Enomoto Komomo. Haru, sympathizing with Miki due to her own experiences, comforts her, telling Miki that even in spite of all the pain they've been put through, it is their duty to those they've lost to keep on living in their stead.

At the same time, Legion Hronesnæsse had joined Legion Kólga in returning to Lake Chuzenji, where they learned that the master of the Nest in the Lake, the Gigant-class Cihuateteo, had since evolved into an Ultra-class, forcing them to retreat. Now with two Ultra-class Huge to contend with, the Lilies devised the strategy called "Mission Drachentöter", which entailed separating their forces into two teams, as they ascertained that the Fafnir and the Cihuateteo would eventually converge, hence requiring them to be neutralized simultaneously.

And so, with Legion Álfheimr and the leaders of Ryuto's Legions of the Nine continuing with their operation to neutralize the Fafnir, The Heorot Saints and Hronesnæsse were tasked with defeating the Cihuateteo together. By way of her Divine Possession, Haru, together with the Funada Twins, were the ones responsible for finishing off the Cihuateteo.

Stage plays

This information is specific to the stage play continuity.

The Singular Ability

Main article: Assault Lily: The Singular Ability

The Heorot Saints leave in an Expedition to Makuhari, Chiba, at the same time as Kiito, Ui, Yuzuriha and Shiba Tomoshibi are absent in a separate Expedition to Tokyo. And so, Haru, Azusa and Nazuna are instructed to remain in Odaiba in order to act as support for Legion Hronesnæsse, as they've been struggling against a particular Cave in their leaders' absence. Upon meeting with Hronesnæsse, Haru learns that Yukari had been injured in battle, immediately inciting her worry. The Saints are shortly joined by Chinami, much to Haru's surprise, as she explains that Momiji had also allowed her to stay behind.

Yukari returns from Odaiba's med bay soon after, and informs the other Lilies that there was another Cave in the Shin-Kiba region which had gone unnoticed. The two Legions set off to preemptively destroy the Cave, and while on their way, they regroup with Kiito's group as they return from their Expedition. They note how, while on their way back to Odaiba, they encountered several of the same Irregular Huge they fought against while in Tokyo, and as those were the product of genetic engineering by GEHENA, Kiito surmises that the Cave they've been struggling against could have been planted by them as part of another experiment.

The two Legions are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a Gigant-class Huge, and both Azusa and Yuzuriha are quick to notice that its behavior seems unusually similar to the Huge they encountered during the Odaiba Counteroffensive. This immediately causes Haru to become agitated, as she relives her traumatic memories of that battle. Suddenly, Haru snaps, beginning a lone rampage against the Huge, and eventually activating her Divine Possession, her vicious and unrestrained fighting pushes her CHARM, the Caladbolg, to its limit before she is finally stopped by Nagasawa Yuki. Returning to her senses, Haru realizes that in the midst of battle, Chinami had been hit by a stray attack from the Huge, but while her body was unharmed, she was left unable to use her Magie. With Haru's Caladbolg completely wrecked, she and Chinami retreat from the battlefield together.

Haru and Chinami arrive at Odaiba's med bay, where they meet Dr. Nakahara Mary Tomoyo. After diagnosing Chinami's condition, Tomoyo, a former Arsenal, offers to repair Haru's Caladbolg, instructing her and Chinami to rest in the med bay's capsules in the meantime. Chinami eventually recovers completely, but as Tomoyo is yet to finish her repairs on the Caladbolg, she instead offers Haru the CHARM Galateia as a temporary replacement, as it does not require a Contract to be activated. Though Tomoyo warns her that the Galateia would be more difficult to use, Haru, unusually desperate to return to the battlefield, insists that she let her use it.

Haru and Chinami catch up to the Saints and Hronesnæsse shortly after they track down the Gigant-class Huge, which they'd identified as a variant of the Gravity Manipulator. The Saints are tasked with assisting Hronesnæsse in performing the Neunwelt Tactic, and as they make their passes, Nazuna notes that Haru appears weirdly absentminded. Haru eventually receives the Magisphere from Yukari, and this immediately triggers another breakdown, as she recalls how both Yukari and Nazuna were among the junior high Lilies present in Ariake when she brought Fujimi Bridge down. As her mind continues to spiral, Haru sees a vision of Sakumi, who once again affirms that she made the right choice back then. This briefly allows Haru to regain her clarity, but just then, a strange mechanism of the Galateia activates, and Haru falls into an altered, rage-fuelled mindstate, attacking her own teammates while berating herself for not having tried to fight at Fujimi Bridge when she should have.

The Saints members struggle to subdue Haru, and Kiito steps in, retrieving the Magisphere from her before she sets off by herself in another rampage. Haru is eventually found by the Funada Sisters, now completely overtaken by her Divine Possession. Reasoning that GEHENA must have set up this incident, the twins make an attempt to reason with Haru while fighting her, but they are overpowered as Haru's Divine Possession appears to persist past its nine-second limit. The pair struggles to keep up with Haru's attacks due to the vast quantities of Negative Magie surrounding them, and as the battle progresses, Kiito concludes that Haru's Galateia is a Boosted CHARM.

Despite the twins' efforts, they remain unable to break Haru free of her altered state or destroy the core of her CHARM, and as the battle drags on, several strange phenomena begin to occur around them. As all three begin to exhaust their stamina, Ui proposes that Kiito uses her iai technique to break the Galateia's core, a move that would entail Ui needing to restrain Haru for a prolonged period of time. As Kiito prepares her blow, Haru continues to viciously attack Ui and eventually disarms her, but before she is able to strike Ui lethally, Haru sees another vision of Sakumi, bringing her to a halt and allowing her to partially regain her consciousness. Seizing the opportunity, Ui grabs hold of Haru's Galateia for long enough for Kiito to destroy it, finally breaking Haru free of her trance state.

Unconscious, Haru sees Sakumi in her dreams once again, and she asks that Haru stop making herself suffer over the vow they took. Sakumi once again states that she is proud of who Haru had become, even if she didn't assume the position of Student Council President in the end, and tells her of how much she'd enjoyed the time they spent together. As Haru awakens, Yukari enters the room, and hearing Haru speak of Sakumi, she tells her of how she felt her sister's presence with her during the battle in the previous day. Haru, still "daydreaming" of Sakumi, tells Yukari how much her sister is proud of her in Sakumi's stead. Finally, Haru makes the decision to lay the past to rest, now hoping to move on while cherishing Sakumi's memory.

The Saints and the Funada Sisters later come into the room, and noting Ui's scars, she apologizes to the pair for how she'd attacked them previously. Ui, however, dismisses her, noting that Haru had no memory of her rampage, and so shouldn't fear any repercussions. After making amends with Hronesnæsse, the Saints leave to welcome back the other half of their Legion as they return from their Expedition.

The Empathy Phenomenon

Main article: Assault Lily: The Empathy Phenomenon

The Heorot Saints deploy in a mission to neutralize one of the several Caves which had recently appeared across Tokyo. Encountering a Gigant-class Huge, they begin performing the Neunwelt Tactic, but as the Gigant possesses the Dominator Skill, the area surrounding it is permeated with high quantities of Negative Magie. This causes Saigo Kurena, a Lunatic Trancer user, to enter a frenzied state due to its effects. The Saints members attempt to subdue her as she begins indiscriminately attacking them, but they struggle to do so, and Kurena is only brought under control after the appearance of Hirose Minato and Kishida Hanabusa of Legion Coast Guard, who use the Valkyrian Skirt Magie Reincarnation System to purify her of Negative Magie. With Kurena restrained, the Saints members attempt to resume their Neunwelt Tactic, but Kiito, who had taken the Magisphere from Momiji, ultimately fails her finishing shot, allowing the Gigant-class to escape.

The next day, the Saints and Hronesnæsse second years participate in Igusa Subaru's mission review, where they discuss the Dominator's abilities and conclude that Kurena's outburst was caused by her particularly high susceptibility to Negative Magie, being both a Boosted Lily and a Lunatic Trancer user.

Several days later, The Saints, Hronesnæsse, Minato and Hanabusa deploy together following the appearance of another Cave, and upon arriving at its location, they encounter the Gigant-class Huge Gigafloat. As it possesses an energy shield that renders it nearly invulnerable to ordinary attacks, the two Legions agree to each perform a Neunwelt Tactic, with the Saints using their Magisphere to disarm the shield while Hronesnæsse uses theirs to destroy its core. As they make their passes, Minato is informed that another Irregular Huge appeared elsewhere, and is currently heading towards the Light Walls. Kiito and Kurena agree to leave and neutralize the second Irregular, but Haru, noting how unusual it is for two Irregulars to appear at once, worries that they might be taking part in a GEHENA experiment.

The two Legions continue to build up their Magispheres, however, they struggle to properly fend off the Gigafloat's light tentacles. In a sudden attack, the Gigafloat takes Momiji and Yuzuriha captive, bringing the pair inside its shield. As Momiji was currently in possession of the Saints' Magisphere, the Legions switch their strategy, now aiming to use Hronesnæsse's Sphere to destroy the shield and retrieve Momiji and Yuzuriha. With Momiji and Yuzuriha, as well as Kiito and Kurena absent, Minato takes charge of the two teams, leaving to Haru the task of retrieving the Magisphere from Momiji and continuing their passes once the shield is destroyed.

Hronesnæsse eventually succeeds in breaching the Gigafloat's shield, allowing the Saints to retrieve Momiji and Yuzuriha, as well as their Magisphere. With Hanabusa using her Magie Reincarnation System to purify Momiji and Yuzuriha, the Saints are able to resume their passes as a complete team. Kiito and Kurena, as well as Ui, return not long after, taking charge of performing the final passes until finally, Kiito fires a successful finishing shot, destroying the Gigafloat.

The Battle to Overcome

Main article: Assault Lily: The Battle to Overcome

During a joint mission by the Saints and Hronesnæsse, the Lilies note that among the swarm of Huge they're fighting against possesses an abnormally high number of Soldier Ants among them, which Kiito notes to be of the very same variety as the ones they've encountered in the Odaiba outbreak two years prior. After returning from the mission, the second years of both Legions hold a mission review, where, noting how the swarm was not only larger, but more matured compared to their previous encounters with them, they conclude that they have possibly fully colonized Odaiba by forming a Nest. Haru notes that, aside from their unusual strength and numbers, the Soldier Ants are enemies they all have painful memories with, once again arguing that GEHENA might be attempting to exploit their trauma.

With the circumstances reviving their memories of the past, Haru, Azusa, Momiji and Yuzuriha discuss between themselves what would've been of them had the Funada Reserve Corps not disbanded, Though Azusa and Momiji reveal that they do consider the possibility often, Haru points out that the two of them were only able to achieve their full potential after the team came apart, and so personally believes that it was for the best they disbanded.

The two Legions are immediately deployed again after the Ants reappear in Odaiba's Wakasu Park. Upon arrival, they are joined by Kanaho and Takane, who ask that they let them participate in the fight in order to lay the ghosts of their past to rest. Just then, a Gigant-class Soldier Ant appears before the Lilies, triggering the Light Walls' Full Admission mode, and with all former Reserve Corps members now present, Kiito proposes that they reform their old team for the final time in order to finally settle their score from two years ago. With all members in agreement, the now reformed Funada Reserve Corps takes on the task of killing the Gigant Soldier Ant with the Neunwelt Tactic before the end of the Full Admission mode's one hour time limit, with the remaining members of each of their Legions keeping the surrounding swarm at bay.

As they make their passes, Haru and Yuzuriha reminisce on their time in the Reserve Corps, admitting that though they regret the fact that they came apart, the hardships they faced and even the conflict they had with the other members made them stronger Lilies in the present, and that even now, they can find it in themselves to trust their former teammates because of it.

The Reserve Corps regroups after making most of their passes, but upon doing so, they witness the Gigant Soldier Ant devour Odaiba Instructor Inaba Mayumi. Shocked, the Lilies note how Mayumi appeared to offer herself to the Huge, and recalling how Huge will sometimes eat their own in order to boost their strength, they conclude that Mayumi sought to do the same for the Gigant-class, with Haru presuming her to be the one responsible for the Ants' outbreak. Just then, Mayumi's consciousness, having merged itself with the Huge, contacts the Lilies telepathically, explaining her belief that in order to save the world, the Lilies and the Huge must have their powers combined. Not long after, Mayumi's voice falters and the telepathic link suddenly breaks, leading the Lilies to conclude that the Gigant ultimately rejected her consciousness.

The Reserve Corps continues making their passes, and during her turn with the Magisphere, Haru reflects on how, in the end, the members of their team were young, inexperienced and immature, and it was through all the hardships they faced as they grew up that they were able to fully abandon their doubts. Finally, the Magisphere makes its way to Kanaho and Takane, and the pair fires a direct shot on the Gigant Soldier Ant. With the Nest still active, however, Kiito orders all the Reserve Corps members to stay and aid the other Lilies in curbing the remaining swarm of Soldier Ants, while she and Ui proceed ahead with destroying the Nest by themselves, eventually bringing it down with mere seconds remaining until the end of the Light Walls' Full Admission mode.

In the aftermath of the battle, the Reserve Corps members reunite to see Kanaho and Takane off as they return to their own Garden, after the pair leaves, the reformed Reserve Corps disbands for the final time, having finally overcome their last lingering regret.

The Snowdrop

Main article: Assault Lily: The Snowdrop

Following another joint mission by the Saints and Hronesnæsse, the first year Lily Komai Sumire transfers into Odaiba from Ambrosia Ladies' Institute, being placed in Legion Hronesnæsse as a temporary member. The circumstances of Sumire's sudden transfer elicit Momiji's suspicion, and after expressing her concerns to the Saints' second years, they agree to help her in looking into Sumire's history, particularly enlisting the help of first years Katsura and Takehisa Nakaba to covertly extract information from her.

Sumire is invited to one of the first years' tea parties, and the Saints' second years watch in hiding as Katsura and Nakaba scramble to try gaining any useful information from Sumire amidst the ever changing conversation topics, With Nakaba and Katsura failing to gain any meaningful insights into Sumire's past, and the second years almost being discovered by a clueless Amane, they ponder on their failure, wondering if they chose the wrong juniors for this mission. Haru notes that neither Nazuna and Chinami would've been good picks, and the defeated second years agree to continue investigating through other means.

At a later point, the Saints and Hronesnæsse are deployed as Odaiba is alerted to the presence of several Caves forming across its territory, including one Great Cave. Upon arriving at the Great Cave's location, the Lilies learn that its master is the Cihuateteo, which had survived their previous encounter with it in Niigata by fusing itself with the core of the Gigant-class Huge known as Giant Zombie, the previous master of the Nest at Lake Chuzenji. As such, all the Huge spawned by its Cave possess the Undead ability. In order to avoid needlessly exhausting their energy fighting the horde of Undead Huge, the two Legions agree to ignore the larger swarm and keep their focus on the Cihuateteo and the Huge immediately surrounding it.

The two Legions settle on a plan to approach the Cihuateteo in pairs, and Haru is immediately approached by both Nazuna and Chinami, who promptly begin fighting over the chance to be Haru's partner. Before Haru can respond, Azusa joins them, offering to accompany the trio as their arrangement would technically make two pairs, and both Nazuna and Chinami would get to be with Haru. After successfully moving past the swarm of Huge, Instructor Akira directs the Saints and Hronesnæsse to each perform a Neunwelt Tactic, predicting that the damage caused by both Magispheres would be enough to expose the Cihuateteo's core, which Akira would take charge of destroying herself. Because of the Cihuateteo's tentacles, which could sap the Lilies of their Magie, the Lilies decide to begin making their passes from further away.

Tomoshibi, a Laplace user, is absent, and so, the two Legions charge their Magispheres with significant struggle, having to rely on Chinami's Laplace alone to counteract the intense ambient Negative Magie surrounding the Cihuateteo. As finishing their Magispheres would incur approaching the Ultra-class Huge in order to exploit its Magie Intensity, the two Legions are forced to find a way to neutralize its nine tentacles. Haru immediately volunteers to do it by herself once again, but Kiito immediately protests, and after some back and forth, the two Legions decide to each take on four tentacles, with Haru taking the lead on destroying the Saints' half, while Amane and Yuki are left with the remaining one.

The Saints make quick work of their half of the tentacles and successfully complete their Magisphere. Meanwhile, Tomoshibi and Sumire finally reach Hronesnæsse in time for them to fully charge their own Sphere. The two Legions regroup, Momiji and Kiito fire their finishing shots together, and as expected, the ensuing explosion exposes the CIhuateteo's core, allowing Akira to destroy it.

Last Bullet

Chapter Five

Main article: Valkyries, Reunited by Fate

After Legion Sanngriðr and the Oshima Nest Survey Team successfully dispelled the Death Zone that permeated across the Izu Oshima island, several of Kanto's Gardens assembled a second task force, named the "Oshima Nest Extermination Team", in order to destroy the Nests surrounding the island's perimeter. The Heorot Saints was one of the Legions integrating the task force, being tasked with neutralizing the Nest present in the Sagami seas. Haru, Chinami and Nazuna were dispatched early in order to scout the area, later returning to meet Momiji, Yuzuriha and Kurena, who had joined Legion Hronesnæsse and Kamba's Legion Gran Eple in fighting the Huge in the area, which included Soldier Ants.

Haru informs the other Legions about the unusual presence of an abandoned aircraft carrier in the perimeter of the Nest. Just then, the Lilies are suddenly faced with a group of Soldier Ants, and while fighting their way through them, Gran Eple's Tamba Akari, who possesses an Aberration that allows her to see the different colors of Magie, is alarmed by the faraway ship, noting that it is completely shrouded in "nasty colors", and that she sees both Soldier Ants and "something else" inside it.

The Lilies agree to split themselves into different teams, with Haru, Kiito, Ui, Kanaho, Takane, Akari, Kurena, Homma Akehi and Shiozaki Suzume moving ahead with investigating the ship while the remaining members of their Legions continue battling the Huge outside. With Akari using her Aberration to lead the way, the team makes their way inside the ship, which Kurena and Suzume quickly recognize as the same vessel where they were held captive by GEHENA in their childhood. Suddenly, the ship begins moving, and the team is informed by the Lilies outside that the ship itself has become part of the Gigant-class Huge they were in search of, having assimilated itself with its body.

Concluding that the Gigant-class possessing the ship, nicknamed the "Mary Celeste", is the master of the Sagami Nest, the infiltration team decides to continue on with destroying it in order to ensure the extermination of its Nest. Before they are able to escape the vessel, Kurena senses the queen of the Soldier Ants nearby, and so they choose to continue with exterminating the Ants inside the ship, entrusting the Lilies outside with restraining the Mary Celeste until they are able to escape. Kurena, Akehi and a paralyzed Suzume momentarily stay behind while the remaining team ventures deeper into the ship, eventually finding the Queen Ant.

The Lilies begin engaging the Queen Ant and its accompanying group of Soldier Ants, and they are soon rejoined by Kurena, Akehi and Suzume. Resuming their offensive, Suzume and Kurena eventually push the Queen Ant out of the ship entirely thanks to a mysterious resonance of their Magie. This allows them to finally exit the vessel, and with the outside team taking on the task of finishing off the Queen Ant, the infiltration team is able to successfully destroy the Mary Celeste with the Neunwelt Tactic, consequently bringing down the Sagami Nest together with it.

Combat Style

Haru has fully mastered both her Rare Skill, Zenon Paradoxa, as well as her Aberration, Divine Possession, which she is normally able to unleash for a total of nine seconds. It is this combination of her Rare Skill being raised to its S-Rank and her excellent control over her Divine Possession that makes Haru a Singular Lily. As a fighter, Haru is unrivaled in her skill as a Duelist, and though her primary position is the BZ, she is said to excel in every position, and is able to achieve good synergy with whoever she fights with. Haru is also noted to excel in defensive combat during civilian evacuations.

Haru uses her Divine Possession in bursts, in a manner that raises her Magie to a level comparable to those of Boosted Lilies. Furthermore, her main CHARM, the Caladbolg, is a two piece blade-styled CHARM with a special mechanism in its sheath portion that allows for the continuous refining of Magie inside it. Haru can utilize the technique known as Blade of the End (終の太刀) where magical inscriptions are placed in certain places across the battlefield, and their buildup of energy is then absorbed into the CHARM, allowing for an explosive attack powerful enough to bring down Large-class Huge with a single blow.

Due to her adaptability to any position, Haru is able to cover a remarkably wide portion of the battlefield, amounting to almost half of the Saints' total formation. She is capable of receiving and firing the finishing shot from almost any position, and thanks to her Divine Possession, her finishing shots enjoy a high degree of Magie purity even when in the AZ position, notorious for containing the most quantities of Negative Magie. Due to her reputation as the "Freakslayer", it is common practice for the finishing shot to be left to Haru if an Irregular Huge must be disposed of quickly. As the Saints' two lateral BZs, Haru acts as Azusa's partner, with their coordination said to be "outstanding", and a notable aspect of their teamwork being their ability to still perform highly dynamic passes during the Neunwelt Tactic even while dispersing themselves wide across the rearmost portion of battlefield.

Haru boasts remarkable tactical knowledge, and has even earned herself the title of "The Saints' Unseen Commander" due to her remarkable control over her Divine Possession. Her versatility in the battlefield, as well as her tactical literacy are held to the same standard as that of Yurigaoka prodigy Takegoshi Chihana, though Haru is noted to be much more hotheaded than Chihana is.

Toyline

Haru had two action dolls released as part of the Assault Lily Toyline, the first, titled "Assault Lily Series No. 71: Hishida Haru", features Haru in her standard appearance, and was released on October 2023, while the second, titled "Hishida Haru: Divine Possession ver." features Haru in her white-haired Divine Possession state, and was released on December 2023. Included with both dolls are four standard swappable faceplates (with the Divine Possession version including an additional exclusive faceplate), the Odaiba Girls' School uniform and the Heorot Saints' unique Legion jacket.

Haru's Caladbolg was not included with either version of her doll, instead being offered as a standalone kit in November 2023.

• 
  Haru's action doll
• 
  The Divine Possession version of Haru's action doll

Trivia

• The final portion of Haru's vow with Sakumi, (あなたと招魂の園で共に花とならん, "I'll bloom as a flower in the Garden of Souls, together with you") resembles the final line of a poem by the samurai Takasugi Shinsaku (1839-1867), written to commemorate kiheitai who died in battle during the Bakumatsu period. The line goes as follows: (共に招魂場上の花とならん, "They will be flowers adorning the memorial to these fallen souls"). Haru and Sakumi's promise, and the phrase "Garden of Souls" (招魂の園), were likely inspired by the poem.
• In the stage plays, whenever Haru activates her Divine Possession, her Magie takes the form of a dial containing nine symbols, which counts down as the nine seconds of her Divine Possession elapses. The symbols pictured in this dial are the Siddhaṃ script forms of the Bīja mantras of several major figures in Buddhism, particularly Japanese Buddhism. These appear clockwise, in the following order:
  • vai: the Bīja of the Vaiśravaṇa, one of the Four Heavenly Kings that watch over the world's cardinal directions;
  • ka: the Bīja of the Ekādaśamukha, one of the six forms of the Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva who delivers salvation to the realm of the asura demigods;
  • ha: the Bīja of the Kṣitigarbha, a Bodhisattva who vowed to become a guide for all beings born between the death of the historical Buddha and the birth of the Maitreya, his future direct successor;
  • hāṃ: the Bīja of the Acala, a fierce protector Buddha who is venerated as a destroyer of evil in Japanese Buddhism;
  • hhūṃ: the Bīja of the Akṣobhya, one of the Five Buddhas of Wisdom who embodies discernment between reality and illusion;
    • This particular form of the syllable also refers to the deity known as the Rāgarāja;
  • sa: the Bīja of the Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion;
  • hrīḥ: the Bīja of the Amitābha, known as the Buddha of the Pure Land Sukhavati
  • yu: the Bīja of the Maitreya Bodhisattva, the prophesized future Buddha and direct successor of the historical Buddha;
  • mam̐: the Bīja of the Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of transcendental wisdom;
• Haru can manifest Magie wings when she activates her Divine Possession.
• The Divine Possession version of Haru's action doll includes a unique faceplate where the sclera of her eyes are black, and her pupils are blood red.
• The design of Haru's Jötunn-Schwert is said to be similar to Sakumi's.
• Haru likes her equipment to have red-colored accents.
• Haru is a skilled Gunship pilot.
• Haru is good friends with felliow Third Division members Serizawa Chikaru and Banshoya Ena, as well as Amano Soraha. She is also friends with Irma's Iwaya Kukuri.
• Haru's interests include owls, steampunk, and shark movies. She also collects minerals as a hobby.
• One of Haru's favorite foods is hotpot, and she has a particular preference for goosefish meat.
• Haru dislikes cold weather.

Gallery

Designs

• 
  Haru's original design, by Chamaru Chaa (茶円ちゃあ)
• 
  Haru's appearance while using Divine Possession.
• 
  Haru's design in Last Bullet

Stage

• 
  As portrayed by Hayashida Mahiro

Navigation

Legion Heorot Saints Members Tsukioka Momiji  ·  Kawamura Yuzuriha  ·  Hayami Katsura  ·  Hishida Haru  ·  Kawanabe Nazuna  ·  Saigo Kurena  ·  Suzuki Chinami  ·  Takehisa Nakaba  ·  Yokoyama Azusa Reserve Ito Urara  ·  Maruyama Amane  ·  Otake Sunao  ·  Uemura Warabi