Ellen Mathers was the mightiest mage. Anyone who'd wielded a Realizer knew this as an unassailable truth. Some could rival her, but none could surpass her in this moment.
"Guh—cough, cough…"
"You've really done it."
It should have been impossible for her to be wounded in battle by a mere mage. A deep gash tore across her abdomen, blood staunched by her Territory, yet crimson stained her silver armor.
Ellen hadn't been careless. This outcome was due to Origami's skill and luck—her cunning, supported by a mysterious magical cannon, exploiting a fleeting gap. Who could call Tobiichi Origami a mere mage?
"Even with interference, you're only the second person in my life to wound me, Tobiichi Origami. You're a remarkable mage. Be proud."
The mightiest mage's unreserved praise would make any prideful mage weep with joy. But Origami, slammed against a wall, her wound reopening, had no room to respond.
"But… in the afterlife."
"…"
As Origami struggled to rise, Ellen pointed her sword, coldly declaring her end. Origami knew the battle was hopeless; survival beyond seconds seemed unlikely. Yet, in her pain-twisted eyes, a glimmer caught her attention.
"—!?"
In that instant, a second impossibility struck Ellen. Her vast Territory sensed nothing, yet she instinctively dodged. A thrown something severed a few strands of her golden hair, scattering them into the glowing sky.
"Who's there!?"
Her gaze shifted from Origami to the direction of the attack. Only the battlefield's clamor answered. An unseen blade had bypassed her Territory entirely—not like Nightmare's ambush. Only Ellen's honed instincts saved her; otherwise, the projectile would have pierced her skull.
The surprises kept coming, but Ellen's time to dwell on them ended.
"…Ike."
She had a mission. The humiliation from Nightmare paled compared to her duty. Had it not been for her task, she'd have lunged at that figure from Tengu Square. But now, she glared at Origami, then turned toward the First Branch building.
"You're truly fortunate. Thank whoever that was."
With that, Ellen flew toward the First Branch, vanishing into a speck.
"I won't let you—agh!"
Origami knew Shidou was in the First Branch. She couldn't let Ellen escape. But pain seared through her, pinning her to the wall.
"If you don't want to die, don't move, Tobiichi Origami."
"!!"
Her gaze snapped to the voice—a white figure atop the building. Origami instantly recognized the Spirit, Unknown, from that glimmer.
"Unknown…!!"
"You survived against her? Impressive."
The white girl muttered in disbelief. As Kurumi predicted, Origami's gear wasn't AST's—mismatched, inferior equipment. Yet, she'd fought Ellen and landed a deep blow.
It was as if the world itself willed Tobiichi Origami to live.
"Why… did you save me!?"
Twice now. Glaring at the white girl, Origami repeated her question. Nightmare and this girl appeared with unclear motives, but this Spirit had undeniably saved her—a mage who sought vengeance against Spirits.
"No reason not to. A reckless, kind avenger like you."
"Don't interfere! Especially if you're a Spirit!"
"Sure. I didn't like her having her way. If it bothers you, think of it as me dragging you into my whims."
The girl waved off Origami's glare, unfazed. Origami, fueled by vengeance, wouldn't thank a Spirit, nor did the girl expect it. She'd acted on impulse, drawn to a girl bound to a boy, despite knowing Origami might one day be her enemy. Foolish, she thought.
"If you want to reach Itsuka Shidou, heal first—"
The girl stepped forward, defying gravity, racing down the building's side. Before Origami could react, the girl scooped her up and leaped into the sky. Seconds later, a massive wave of ice engulfed where they'd been.
"Let go!"
"Stop complaining when you can barely move! That was Hermit—"
Holding the struggling Origami, the girl scanned for Hermit and Berserk's duo, spotting her target—Origami's captain, Ryouko Kusakabe.
"Captain!"
"Unknown—Origami!?"
"Here!"
"What!?"
Ryouko, stunned by the Spirit holding her hospitalized subordinate, caught Origami with her Territory as the girl tossed her. The white Spirit landed smoothly.
"Back… —!!"
She called a name, unheard by all, and a colorless blade materialized in her hand. Leaping to the rooftop, she faced the battlefield. Origami, shocked, saw the Yatsume sisters—Spirits?—glaring at the white girl.
"Who else but a Spirit who escaped us?"
"No second chances. Anyone obstructing Onee-sama will be eliminated."
"Ugh, Kurumi'll scold me if anything happens to you two!"
The white girl's leap coincided with the Yatsume sisters' storm. Origami, dodging ice pellets with her thrusters, joined AST against them. AST, Hermit, Berserk, Unknown—Nightmare's chaos had turned the midnight battlefield into pandemonium.
"Eh—?"
In a room, Shidou faced Tohka through reinforced glass. Isaac Westcott's cryptic words left him with an odd sensation—a piercing feeling. It wasn't imagination; a glowing sword, wielded by a blonde mage, emerged from his chest.
"E…llen…"
"Any sword aimed at Ike, I'll break."
The blade withdrew, and Shidou collapsed, blood gushing. Tohka's screams and glass-pounding echoed, but he couldn't respond.
"Toh…ka…"
He couldn't lift his head. Moving his lips brought agony and more blood. Consciousness faded; voices—Tohka's, Miku's—blurred into possible hallucinations.
Death.
He felt it approaching, a reaper's footsteps. His heart, muscles, thoughts slowed. An unfamiliar sensation—death's touch.
Shidou would die. Not even Kotori's protection mattered. His body declared this fate. He'd perish without saving Tohka, melting Miku's walls, or keeping a single promise.
His strength faded. Light dimmed. His consciousness slipped into darkness—
"—Shidou-san."
A light.
A beloved voice.
"I'll make you say it, Shidou-san. Family, those to save, a happy future—you'd abandon it all to offer your life to Kurumi Tokisaki."
"…Right."
He knew that light. Shidou believed it was worth his life. He couldn't die—not when he'd sworn to give his life for her. Not to these foes, not here.
He had to return. To protect. To save. A sound of time chimed faintly.
"I won't… die here…!"
His life belonged to that girl. He couldn't break that promise unless he admitted defeat. And then—his time rewound.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"
Ellen gasped as Shidou's roar erupted. Her raised blade clashed with his, sparks flying. The stalemate broke as Ellen's Territory repelled him, slamming him into the glass. Yet, he stood, wielding Sandalphon against her.
Tohka, tears streaming, stared in disbelief.
"Shidou…?"
"Wait, Tohka. I'll save you."
"Hoh," Westcott mused, smirking. "Remarkable vitality. To heal Ellen's wound so quickly—astounding."
"Not thrilled by your praise…!"
The wound was fatal. Even with Camael's regeneration, healing it so fast was impossible. Yet, Shidou stood as if the wound—and its flames—had vanished.
Unfazed by Shidou's sarcasm, Westcott continued, "But how far does that vitality go? Could you survive decapitation?"
"Run, Shidou!!"
Westcott signaled, and Ellen readied her blade. Tohka slashed the glass with Sandalphon, pleading. Shidou knew standing meant death. Miku's Voice couldn't pierce Ellen's Territory. The odds were hopeless, but he wouldn't flee. Tohka's cries grew desperate.
"Stop, Shidou! Forget me! You've done enough… please, run… live!!"
"I'll live. With you."
Ellen's glare unleashed a crushing force, pinning Shidou. "It's over."
She closed the distance, her blade aimed at his neck. His life would end in seconds.
It was fading. Shidou, who came to save her, her precious person, who gave her a world, was fading. Tohka's vision darkened, slowed.
"No…"
Don't disappear. Don't be taken. She'd do anything to stop it. She needed power—any power, anyone, anything. Her body didn't matter. Just—power.
"STOPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!"
Despair screamed—and darkness exploded.
"DEM's Second Branch, no target."
"Advanced Tech Lab, nothing."
"As expected."
Kurumi, hearing her clones' fruitless reports, muttered without surprise. Rifling through research documents, she found only Realizer studies and distasteful experiments. Sighing, she deemed it a waste.
She hadn't expected much. But then—
"—!"
"My lady!?"
A stabbing pain struck Kurumi, nearly toppling her. She gripped a table, scattering items, barely staying upright. Her clones stirred, one rushing to her.
"What's wrong?"
"It's… nothing."
No wounds marred her flawless skin, yet the sensation of being pierced lingered. Then—
"!?"
Her vision shifted. Her left eye, bearing a golden clock, projected a noisy something against her will. Fighting to reclaim her mind, she saw it—a blade of light severing his neck.
"Guh—!"
Nausea surged. She covered her mouth, rejecting the vision of his blood and despair. This wasn't real—not past, present, but a possible future, resonant with someone. Instinctively, she processed the torrent, lest it consume her.
This wasn't certain. She refused it. Filtering the chaos, she grabbed her gun and fired at herself.
"Bullet Five…!"
She heard her wail.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Despair, rage, terror—an eruption of anguish, as if another being overtook her. Something destructive overflowed. The future had caught the present; this reality was set.
"Seeing the future… isn't always pleasant—!"
She had to go. Spitting the words, Kurumi rose—for him, for Shidou, and nothing else.
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