Hearing Tobiichi Origami call out her identification name, Kotori frowned unhappily.
"That's really annoying. How do you even know that name?"
"Five years ago—were you the same back then? The one who killed my parents, just like this?"
"Eh?"
Kotori froze. The light cannon in her hand, which was about to fire, scattered into the air as her focus wavered.
"What… did you just say?"
Holding her forehead, Kotori seemed to be struggling to recall something.
Unaware of the change in her expression, Origami continued speaking in her calm yet hate-filled tone:
"Five years ago—exactly five years ago. My parents, who lived in Minami-Kamimachi of Tenguu City, were murdered by the Spirit of Flames—that is, by you. You burned them alive right before my eyes!"
"No, I… I didn't do that…"
Perhaps haunted by fragments of the past, or perhaps burdened by the guilt of supposedly taking lives, Kotori recalled her angel and clutched her head, writhing in pain that came from nowhere.
"I can't forget. I'll never forget! So I will kill you… I'll kill you, Efreet!"
With Origami's hysterical scream, Kotori's body was hurled away by the directed space field.
Even though Kotori was now a fully awakened Spirit, she was still easily blown back by Origami's attack—showing how unsettled her mind was, to the point that she could barely control her own spiritual power.
"This time, I won't let you escape!"
As if fueled by hatred alone, Origami unleashed tremendous power far beyond her limits, expanding her Territory again. She then used a directional field to trap Kotori within it, leaving her unable to break free.
"...Yes, that's the look."
Tenqi's eyes lit up. After all this effort, she had finally found what she'd been seeking.
Tokisaki Kurumi killed people too—but Tenqi could never see such raw emotion in her eyes. It was as if Kurumi's killings were merely business, a method to obtain spirit energy and time, nothing more.
To Tenqi, however, those eyes filled with hatred, rage, and regret were the most beautiful thing in the world—more beautiful than a full moon on the fifteenth night of the first month.
And if those eyes were to shine with the confusion of vengeance fulfilled… they would be even more exquisite.
As for how to bring that look to the eyes of this "Origami" girl—
Tenqi turned to the trembling Kotori, who was still clutching her head in self-loathing and confusion over her supposed crime, and sneered.
"Killing people, and you fall apart like this? Pathetic. Some Spirit of Flames you are."
Perhaps because of what she experienced in her previous life, Tenqi couldn't understand why killing would burden someone's heart.
Would seeing Kotori's mangled corpse remind her of her dead sister from her past life…?
Hardly. Compared to witnessing the radiant expression of revenge fulfilled in Origami's eyes, the death of one Spirit of Flames meant nothing. She had come here for entertainment, after all.
Her past life could stay buried with the past.
She was no longer that powerless child—she was now the fearsome Genie, the Asura who could make the world tremble.
Perfect, then. She would use the blood of this girl who resembled her dead sister to bury her past completely—and as a bonus, she'd take Origami's eyes, shimmering with the light of vengeance, as her prize.
At that moment, Shidou was clutching his stomach, limping toward Kotori.
"Kotori… Origami… you two…"
"Itsuka Shidou, don't get in the way. You're ruining my mood."
Tenqi frowned. This fool was still trying to stop the fight with his naive ideals. She couldn't allow him to spoil such a magnificent spectacle.
And for someone with spirit energy but no true power, she didn't even need to summon her Angel—why use a cannon to kill a chicken?
Then Tenqi remembered the little gift Kurumi had given her earlier.
According to Kurumi, if she poured her own spirit energy into it, she could use it like an Angel.
Thinking so, Tenqi raised her right hand, and as spiritual power surged, a flintlock rifle appeared in her grasp.
It felt unfamiliar, yet strangely fitting.
Channeling her energy into it, Tenqi aimed at Shidou's head.
The man's attention was entirely on Kotori and Origami; he didn't notice her at all.
And at that sluggish pace, Tenqi thought she could hit him even with one eye closed—wait, wasn't that how you were supposed to aim with guns? One eye closed?
Shaking her head to clear the idle thought, she steadied the rifle, the barrel trained squarely on Shidou's skull.
She'd lost all patience with him. Itsuka Shidou had no reason to live.
But for some reason, the instant Tenqi aimed the flintlock at Shidou's head, a chill ran down her spine—her instincts screamed that something powerful was watching her every move, ready to strike at any moment.
"Hm? Who's there?"
Tenqi lowered her weapon and scanned her surroundings suspiciously—but saw no one.
And then, that oppressive feeling vanished just as suddenly as it had come. Maybe it was only her imagination.
Still, based on her earlier judgment, the fact that Shidou had survived this long likely meant someone powerful was protecting him. This world was full of hidden monsters—carelessness could be fatal.
The sense of danger earlier might have been a warning from that guardian.
After a brief thought, Tenqi raised her rifle again, finger resting on the trigger.
This time, she aimed at Shidou's shoulder. Whether he lived or died—she'd leave it to fate.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out—but Shidou's head didn't burst open.
Instead, there was only a splatter of flesh on the ground.
"...Tokisaki Kurumi."
Staring at the shadow behind Shidou, Tenqi raised her flintlock and said coldly.
"Ara, ara~ I didn't expect Miss Tenqi to arrive in Tenguu City so soon."
With the sound of smooth jazz playing in the background, Kurumi stepped out of the shadow, smiling. Countless pale hands reached out from the darkness, collecting the flesh on the ground and dragging it back into the shadows for unknown purposes.
"Cut the nonsense. What's the meaning of this?"
Tenqi was certain she hadn't missed. Her aim was perfect—the shot should've blown Shidou's head apart.
Now, seeing him unharmed and the flesh on the ground, there was only one explanation.
"That question," Kurumi replied, still smiling but with a dangerous glint in her eyes, "shouldn't I be the one asking you? Shidou-san is a delicacy I've been waiting for. Why, pray tell, would you try to kill him so carelessly?"
"Hah? Since when do I need to report my actions to you?"
Tenqi frowned and fired another shot at Shidou—but once again, a Kurumi clone appeared to block it, exploding into a bloody mist.
"Fufu… Of course, we're not master and servant," Kurumi said lightly. "But as allies, shouldn't Miss Tenqi give me at least a reasonable explanation?"
This Kurumi was clearly a clone—her spiritual power was faint, and no Angel was visible.
"Tch."
Tenqi, for now, still needed Kurumi. She shrugged and rested the rifle on her shoulder.
"That guy was about to ruin the best show I've seen in ages—this scene right here. Is that reason good enough?"
She tilted her chin arrogantly toward Origami, who was just about to fire a fully charged light cannon at Kotori.
"Ara, ara~ Miss Tenqi, your personality is truly dreadful."
"Right back at you, Miss Tokisaki."
While Kurumi kept Tenqi busy in their sharp exchange, Origami's attention was caught by the gunshots.
She finally noticed that Tenqi had tried to shoot Shidou, only for Kurumi to intervene—and that they were now in conflict.
"Shidou, it's dangerous. Get out of here."
Worried for his safety, Origami had to divert part of her Territory to fling the half-conscious Shidou away from the battlefield.
But because of that, her charging time for the light cannon was delayed by a few seconds.
"If it's spirit energy or time you want, that's easy," Tenqi said casually. "Just name a few cities. I'll wipe out their defenses, and you can feast on the people there as you please. In exchange, let me kill Itsuka Shidou. How about it?"
"Ara, ara~ So sorry, Miss Tenqi," Kurumi replied sweetly but firmly. "That won't do. Shidou-san is special to me."
Her tone left no room for negotiation.
"Besides," Kurumi added, "Miss Tenqi said she would visit other cities—but here you are, in Tenguu, right beside Shidou-san. I can't help but suspect that you were simply making excuses during your last 'Lost' mission."
"That's none of your concern."
Just as Tenqi and Kurumi's verbal sparring intensified, a thunderous roar echoed from above—
Tohka descended from the sky, dazzling and radiant.
"Shidou!—"
Along with her came her Angel, Sandalphon, which cleaved the light cannon Origami had just completed clean in two.