After the exercise.
Returning to the hangar of the garrison, Origami was organizing her feelings while looking at the ground.
As if trying to recall the sensations from a few minutes ago, she clenched her right hand tightly.
Because she had released the Territory from before, her body had become very heavy.
Even raising her arm and clenching her fist was accompanied by an unnatural feeling, as if she was swimming in highly viscous mud.
But it was this natural phenomenon that was hinting at her powerlessness. Origami unconsciously put more strength into her tightly clenched fist.
"Mana Takamiya."
Her skill in using the Territory and special armaments as if they were her own limbs was like a boast. Indeed, she was a genius worthy of the legends.
This was a welcome situation, right? Mana was a human, a member of the AST. In other words, she shared the same goal as Origami: to defeat the Spirits. If they had a magician with her level of skill, the success rate of operations should increase significantly.
But, despite understanding this, an inexplicable sense of unease grew stronger in Origami's heart.
Because of her incompetence, because of her repeated failures, the higher-ups had sent Mana Takamiya.
"So strong..." Origami said, glaring at her clenched fist, and at the same time, a voice came from above.
"You're amazing too, Origami."
Startled, she looked up. Mana, who had approached without her noticing, was standing there in her combat suit, holding sports drinks in both hands.
"Don't be polite." Saying this, she offered the sports drink in her left hand.
Despite having just released her Territory, Mana's movements didn't show the slightest bit of weakness.
While looking up at Mana with a complex state of mind, Origami raised her heavy arm and took the bottle.
Mana nodded with satisfaction, took a sip of the drink, and continued.
"To be honest, I was surprised. Although it was only a few millimeters of the sword tip, it's been a long time since someone was able to attack me."
She wasn't being sarcastic, but simply evaluating Origami's skills.
"What should I do - to become as strong as you?"
Origami asked. Mana frowned, as if she was troubled.
"I heard that you've killed a Spirit before. I'd like to hear the details."
At Origami's words, Mana shrugged lightly.
"Kill a Spirit... Well, that's what they say."
Facing that ambiguous answer, Origami tilted her head slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"Hmm... It's a little related to 'that', and different from other Spirits - do you still want to hear it even so?"
"Anything is fine. No matter how trivial the information is, tell me."
"Well, if you don't mind... Although I can't publicize it, I think you'll have the opportunity to see it with your own eyes soon. That's why I was assigned here."
At that mysterious statement, Origami tilted her head.
"I heard that you were assigned here to strengthen our fighting force."
"That's not wrong, but to be more precise, I came to confirm the reaction of a 'certain Spirit' in this area."
"A certain Spirit?"
"Yeah, the worst Spirit I've been chasing all along. Identification name..."
Just as Mana was about to continue.
Bang! Bang! Both of their heads were hit.
"...Huh?"
"Ouch."
Origami and Mana simultaneously held their heads, and at the same time, turned their heads to the right.
Standing there was the AST captain, Ryouko Kusakabe, wearing her Self-Defense Force uniform, holding something like a crumpled-up booklet in one hand.
"You two, geez..."
Veins popped out on her forehead, and she pointed to the iron lump that had been recovered from the training ground, the thrusters that had been neatly cut in half.
"Didn't you say it was a mock battle! Why did you have to destroy valuable equipment!"
The two of them stared at Ryouko's fingertip and spoke.
"I tried to attack Lieutenant Takamiya's weakness with a half-baked method, but it didn't work."
"Although it's a mock battle, if we don't fight seriously, then we won't be able to obtain accurate data - that's what I judged."
And so, their heads were hit again.
"That's quite the insight. Go and investigate the price of combat components equipped with Realizers before you say that! Our budget isn't unlimited!"
"Understood."
"Got it."
"Geez..."
Ryouko left behind the words "Be more careful in the future", shrugged, and walked away.
After her back disappeared, Mana pouted with dissatisfaction.
"Geez, Captain is really a pain. It's because she's so stingy that she's as disliked as the Spirits."
"I agree." Origami nodded, and Mana raised the corners of her mouth happily.
"I feel like I get along with you, Origami. We're people who fight against monsters like Spirits. If we always put money first, we won't be able to win even when we could have."
After saying this, she shrugged exaggeratedly.
Origami silently re-examined Mana's face.
Indeed... Both her features and her atmosphere were very similar to Shiori.
But Shiori should only have one younger sister.
Although she hadn't spoken to her, she had seen her several times. Kotori Itsuka. Needless to say, she was a different person from Mana.
But, according to Origami's information, Shiori was an adopted child. The possibility that she was Shiori's real younger sister couldn't be completely denied.
But no matter how she thought about it, it was still too amazing. She couldn't help but admire how small the world was.
"By the way, not only about the Spirits, but since you were transferred here, you also know about that person, right?"
"Ah... That man, huh? He's definitely someone the higher-ups value a lot, and it seems that he's currently living with big sister."
Mana said this with a troubled expression.
"Although I don't know what the situation is, it's worrying to think about such a dangerous guy being by big sister's side."
"That's right, there are some things I want to ask you. For so long, do you know the specific details about that man?"
"About Arthas?"
Mana asked this, and Origami Tobiichi lowered her head, showing a thoughtful expression.
"He's strong... His strength is no less than that of a Spirit. His power currently reveals two characteristics: one is ice. The other is an indescribable, repulsive power. We don't know what it is."
Origami Tobiichi said this, and Mana Takamiya nodded in understanding. Then, after thinking for a while, Origami added, as if she had remembered something.
"He seems to be very lecherous, and doesn't reject women who come to him. I think it would be a good idea to use a honey trap on him."
"Eh, eh, eh... Why would you suddenly say that?!"
"Because I tried it, and almost succeeded."
"Huh?!" Looking at Origami Tobiichi's serious face, Mana Takamiya showed a look of disbelief.
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