Origami Tobiichi's predictions were spot-on. Ellen Mathers' mission in Arubi Island, disrupted by Nightmare, was still fresh. Whether Spirits felt camaraderie was unclear, but Nightmare's interference when DEM targeted a Spirit was a critical fact.
A Spirit capable of facing Ellen Mathers might intervene again. Thus, Jessica's emergency call prompted meticulous reinforcements—far more Bandersnatch than needed for a decoy.
Did these drones reach the battlefield? No.
One, two, three—sliced apart without reaction.
Four, five, six—sensing the anomaly, they shifted to intercept, only to have heads severed, bodies split, systems dead.
Seven, eight, nine—dozens more dismantled. Not one caught a glimpse of their foe.
Had their data survived, it might've shown fleeting feathers… and an angel.
But that future never came. In mere minutes, the drones vanished from the sky, their purpose unfulfilled.
"Ki, kihihihihi!"
The nightmare laughed. The queen danced. Where white wings stirred chaos, the black nightmare sparked fire.
One by one, Nightmare's clones gunned down Bandersnatch. Wizards deployed territorial fields, drones followed suit—
"Oh—my apologies," Kurumi said.
Soaring, she crushed a drone's face underfoot. Using the headless machine as a platform, she smiled, belying her words.
"I'm not fond of violence," she said. "If you'd retreat, that'd be ideal—"
"Shoot! SHOOT!" Jessica screamed, panic and terror mingling.
A barrage assaulted Kurumi, but it shredded only her drone foothold. She danced through gunfire, graceful as a lady on a stage.
"How impatient," Kurumi remarked. "Don't you think, Origami-san?"
"—!" Origami, caught off-guard by Kurumi's casual intrusion, sent a mental command, but searing pain blurred her vision of the Spirit.
"Ugh…" she groaned.
"Oh my, you look unwell," Kurumi said. "I'm worried, so worried."
"What's… your goal!?" Origami demanded.
The battlefield was Kurumi's. Her clones toyed with wizards and drones, mocking them with effortless flair. To Origami, it was pure play.
Even Mana, a prodigious wizard, couldn't match Kurumi's angel. If Kurumi wished, lesser wizards would fall instantly. Yet, she withheld Zafkiel, using only clones.
Origami wasn't naive enough to take her words at face value. A Spirit who'd wreaked havoc on a rooftop now acted inexplicably. Even her brilliant mind couldn't unravel it.
As if sensing her thoughts, Kurumi touched her cheek, smiling. "I have my reasons. Zafkiel is splendid but consumes much spirit power. And I have… reasons to conserve it. Unnecessary waste or killing isn't what he desires—"
"That's not what I asked!" Origami snapped. "What's your goal?"
"I answered first thing," Kurumi replied. "A whim."
Origami's glare, laced with killing intent, dismissed Kurumi's "small thanks" excuse.
"No trust, I see," Kurumi said. "If I said my reason was the same as yours, you'd believe me even less, wouldn't you?"
"The… same?" Origami asked.
Origami's goal: stop DEM from kidnapping Shidou, even if it meant AST expulsion and wielding White Licorice. Kurumi, wanting the same? Unthinkable. Yet, no other reason fit. Why would a man-killing Spirit appear, not to kill but to fight wizards?
Origami's suspicion held; Kurumi's troubled smile confirmed it. Duty didn't compel her explanation—nor could she fully explain. Claiming Shidou's spirit power was her pretext, but admitting she was smitten? The stoic Origami would never believe it.
Months ago, Kurumi's past self would've shot this lovesick version without hesitation.
Suddenly, Kurumi frowned, glancing downward—Tengu Square, where Shidou was.
"Origami-san, I'll leave myself here," she said. "But protect yourself, alright?"
"—!" Whether humiliated by a Spirit's words or reeling from Bandersnatch's barrage, Origami's burning mind drove White Licorice's thrusters, re-engaging the battle.
When she looked back, Kurumi was gone.
"Kotori! Can you hear me, Kotori!?" Shidou shouted.
The situation was dire. After the performances, Shidou's team lost to Miku on stage but won overall, thanks to their class's thriving maid café. Bonds with allies tipped the scales, defeating a Spirit through unity—
"Allies? Bonds?" Miku's voice cut through. "I'll show you—they're meaningless before me! Gabriel, War-Song Princess!"
Why did she reject humans so fiercely? What did she fear? Shidou had no time to ponder.
Miku's rage had enthralled everyone in Tengu Square, save Shidou, protected by Spirit power, and Takanotsume, spared by her ear monitors. Yoshino, Kaguya, Yuzuru, and thousands of spectators fell under her control.
Takanotsume helped Shidou escape to the catwalk, but they had no options. Three Spirits were dominated, and the crowd closed in. Retreat was the only choice, but Fraxi-nas didn't respond.
"Kotori, please answer! What's happening!?" Shidou pleaded.
Voices came through, drowned in worsening static. Something was wrong on their end. With Miku's threat looming, Shidou and Takanotsume were alone.
"Shidou! Can you hear me!?" Kotori yelled. "What are you doing!?"
"You're the ones in the wrong, Commander," a crew member sneered. "Deceiving Miku-sama is a grave sin!"
"What!? Let go!" Kotori snapped.
Crew mutiny—there was no other word. Her loyal, beloved subordinates acted bizarrely, baffling her.
Miku's angel triggered it. To Kotori, it was just loud noise, but the crew, enraptured, began praising "Miku-sama," tampering with Fraxi-nas's systems. Shidou's calls went unanswered.
Miku's voice. Her power to control through Gabriel affected even comms. Only Shiizaki (Straw Doll) and Reine, away from the bridge, were spared. And, inexplicably, Kotori was immune. But numbers overwhelmed them. The women couldn't break free. To turn this around—
"Kannazuki! Stop standing there and help!" Kotori ordered.
"Sorry, Commander," Kannazuki said. "Even you can't oppose Miku-sama."
"You too!?" Kotori roared.
Hoping Kannazuki would help, she cursed her trust. Outnumbered, she lacked the strength to break free—not as she was.
"Kannazuki," she said. "Defying your master? You've grown bold."
"Yes! More scolding, please!" he begged.
"Then come back for your reward," she said.
"Such tragedy! I can't accept it!" he wailed.
"Fine—no holding back," Kotori said, flames enveloping her.
"Guh…" A crew member pinning her collapsed, knocked out.
"Didn't want to do this," Kotori said, rising. "But no choice."
Kotori Itsuka was human, stronger than an average middle schooler but no match for adult strength. Yet, she was a Spirit, able to channel spirit power through emotion. This time, her fury leaked out, barely restrained to avoid her astral dress.
"Kotori…" Reine murmured.
"I'm fine, Reine. This'll be quick," Kotori replied.
Even pinned, Reine worried. Kotori couldn't go overboard or succumb to destruction. But Kannazuki could handle it, she trusted.
"Kannazuki," she said. "You wanted mercy before, right?"
"Yes!" he exclaimed.
"Are you really controlled?" she muttered. "Whatever. Here goes—"
"Are you ready?"
"Absolutely!" he shouted.
The goddess leapt.
"Thank y—argh!" Kannazuki's joyful cry cut off as Kotori's superhuman kick slammed his gut, cratering the bridge's wall. He fainted, blissfully.
The paragon of perversion, Kannazuki Kyohei—controlled or not, who could tell?
"Now, are you ready?" Kotori growled, cracking her knuckles, voice menacing from the console. Her smile promised no mercy.
The crew trembled, screaming, "Eek!"
Words were unnecessary. Kotori launched from the commander's seat, unleashing an unprecedented one-sided brawl.
"Uh… who do we subdue?" Mana, arriving, asked.
"Everyone but Kotori, I guess?" Reine replied, troubled.
Kotori's rampage was too wild. Soon, the bridge regained its silence.
"Yoshino! Kaguya, Yuzuru—stop! Snap out of it!" Shidou pleaded.
"What are you saying?" Yoshino replied. "Why are you and Takanotsume cruel to Onee-sama?"
"Yeah!" Miku chimed. "You're the bad ones. Time for a little punishment!"
"Kuku, Shidou's spouting nonsense," Kaguya said.
"Shock. Does he lack conscience?" Yuzuru added.
"Damn…!" Shidou cursed.
No effect. They remembered Shidou and Takanotsume but were eroded by Miku's will, prioritizing her above all.
With Gabriel active, Miku controlled Yoshino, the Yamais, and thousands of spectators. Takanotsume fought valiantly, but they'd soon be cornered. No retreat, and Fraxi-nas might be compromised. Shidou had to assume the worst.
"Shidou-san, you're hardly safe," a voice said.
"Kurumi!?" Shidou gasped.
A familiar shadow danced, revealing Kurumi in her astral dress, smiling with a complex expression.
"You're okay!" he exclaimed.
"No time for that," she said. "Quickly—how did your match with Miku-san go?"
"We… barely won, thanks to everyone," he said.
An odd question, but he answered. Meanwhile, Takanotsume lunged at Miku, slicing Gabriel's parts, only to be repelled by sonic force.
"Guh!" Takanotsume grunted.
"Takanotsume! You okay!?" Shidou called.
"I see," Kurumi said. "She broke her promise."
That was enough. Narrowing her eyes at the four Spirits, Kurumi raised her gun, standing close. Shidou's victory and Miku's betrayal were reason enough for her to act.
"Kurumi!?" Shidou exclaimed.
"Shidou-san, Takanotsume-san, we're retreating," she said. "Too many spectators—"
Kurumi glanced up, Shidou and Takanotsume following. A cross-slashed ceiling revealed a blonde woman descending.
A territorial field deployed. Silver CR-unit armor gleamed. Shidou's eyes widened.
"No way…!" he gasped.
"Tch, she wasn't the main target," Kurumi muttered.
"Nightmare," Ellen hissed.
Her verdant eyes pierced Kurumi with clear intent. Kurumi, calculating moves, returned an elegant smile.
"Well, well," Kurumi said. "How's the taste of dirt? Healed from that wound?"
"I'd love to repay you," Ellen said. "But now—"
Ignoring Kurumi's taunt, Ellen targeted Shiori—Shidou—and Takanotsume. She wasn't foolish enough to repeat past mistakes. The strongest wizard didn't earn her title idly.
"Target acquired: Takanotsume and a female student with Shidou Itsuka's signature. Commencing capture," Ellen declared.
"You can't—" Kurumi began.
"Kurumi, not here!" Takanotsume interrupted.
"Takanotsume-san!?" Kurumi frowned, grasping her reason instantly.
Takanotsume's pained glance fell on the crowd climbing the catwalk—classmates among them.
Deploying City of Devouring Time and sending clones at Ellen? Futile. Clones couldn't match her, and a wide City would be pointless. A clash would be catastrophic—for Kurumi, Takanotsume, Shidou, and the crowd Takanotsume feared. City could worsen it.
Before, Kurumi would've fought Ellen without hesitation, turning the place into a bloodbath with hundreds of clones. Her brief pause—luck or misfortune—gave Takanotsume time to act.
"Shidou, please!" Takanotsume yelled.
"Wha—!?" Shidou cried as she hurled him toward a hole in the wall with Spirit strength.
"Zafkiel—First Bullet: Aleph!"
No hesitation. Delay would waste Takanotsume's act. Kurumi fired, accelerating to chase Shidou's thrown body.
She didn't look back, honoring Takanotsume's kindness and shared love. In seconds, the conflict ended.
"Kurumi…!" Shidou gasped.
"Don't let go!" Kurumi ordered, catching him mid-air and speeding away.
The flight was too fast for speech—likely Zafkiel's power. As acceleration faded, her speed dropped. Tengu Square was a distant speck. Only then could Shidou speak.
"Go back, Kurumi! Takanotsume's still—!" he pleaded.
"Even for you, I can't," she said. "We hide."
"Why!? If we don't—!" he protested.
"She'll be captured by DEM," Kurumi finished. "Go back, and you will too."
He knew. But abandoning Takanotsume was unthinkable.
"But…!" he choked.
"Understand her heart," Kurumi said. "Staying would've killed many."
"—!" Shidou's pained gaze wandered. Takanotsume had read the situation instantly—Ellen's power clashing with Kurumi's.
Kurumi had once bested Ellen, but luck and Fifth Bullet: He tipped the scales. Without those, victory wasn't assured. This time, Ellen's goal was Shidou and Takanotsume's capture, ignoring all else—even Miku's controlled Spirits. She'd eliminate Kurumi, crowd be damned.
Kurumi couldn't fight while protecting bystanders, Shidou, and Takanotsume. Her limited spirit power risked depletion.
To win, something had to be sacrificed. Takanotsume chose herself, entrusting Shidou to Kurumi.
"Damn… damn it!" Shidou cursed.
"I'm sorry," Kurumi said. "If I—"
"It's not your fault!" he shouted. "It's mine… I was too weak!"
Kurumi wasn't to blame. She was strong, brilliant—she'd handle anything. Shidou ashamedly admitted he'd briefly relied on her to fix it.
Save Spirits? Save Kurumi? He'd done nothing. In those moments, everything slipped through his fingers.
He had to protect them. Yet, he was powerless. The boy who loved Spirits, Shidou Itsuka, cursed his weakness in the arms of the girl he cherished.
"Takanotsume… TAKANOTSUME!" he screamed.
---------------------------------------------------------
🚀 Want more?
📖 Unlock 10+ early chapters on my Patreon!
💖 Support me here: patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
🔓 Get ahead of the story today!