"Spirit!?"
Ignoring Origami's shock, the white Spirit who kicked her away recoiled, catching a dazed Kotori mid-air and descending to the ground.
An unexpected Spirit, undetectable even within Origami's Territory—a Wizard's domain where everything bends to their will. Yet this white Spirit evaded her Territory's grasp, even during the attack.
An unknown Spirit. But irrelevant. To Origami, any Spirit shielding Ifrit was an obstacle.
"I won't let you escape…!!"
Regaining her stance, Origami unleashed countless missiles from her unit's containers, all arcing toward the white Spirit. As the Spirit landed, a rain of explosions followed.
The firepower tore the ground apart. No Spirit could survive a direct hit. As the smoke cleared, the cratered ground was empty.
"—Above. Watch out."
"What—!?"
High above, a voice startled Origami. Reflexively raising her laser blade, she blocked a precise sword strike.
Something was off, Origami realized. Warned, she shouldn't have blocked in time, yet she did.
"Yah—!!"
"!?"
Their blades clashed briefly. The white Spirit grabbed Origami's unit, spinning to dodge her sweeping light blade, then landed a spinning kick to the unit's back.
"Defensive Territory, deploy!!"
Origami's command raised her Territory, blocking the kick—but the Spirit used it as a springboard, leaping with a spiraling dive, slamming her sword down.
"Ugh…!!"
Origami grimaced, not from the blocked attack but the strain of maintaining her Territory. To escape, she let the impact carry her downward. The Spirit followed.
"That unit—better to dismantle it. Easy for you, right?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Destroy it, and Origami's neck is on the line."
The maid Kurumi's casual remark drew a half-exasperated reply. The unit, likely obtained irregularly, was overkill for a single Wizard. Destroying it could cost Origami more than her life.
"Kihi! Worrying about the enemy? So composed."
"She's not my enemy. No reason to harm her needlessly."
This wasn't Kurumi's fight. Origami wasn't her enemy. Thus, the Spirit focused on stopping her, not defeating her.
Force wouldn't solve it—Origami's grudge would persist. Her obsession, driven by reasons unknown, pointed to him as the only one who could stop her.
"Ifrit—!!"
No time for another Spirit. Defeat Ifrit, end it all. Her purpose fulfilled. Origami had trained obsessively for this. Aiming her cannon at Ifrit's signal—
"Origami!!"
"—Shidou, don't interfere."
A boy stood before Ifrit.
"Stop, Origami!! This…!"
"I told you. Ifrit is my parents' enemy. I've lived for this. My life exists for this moment. I will kill Itsuka Kotori."
"…!"
Shidou knew what would happen if Origami learned Ifrit's identity. He didn't believe Kotori killed her parents, but to Origami, his feelings were irrelevant. She was certain Ifrit—the flame Spirit—caused that hell five years ago. It was her purpose, her only path.
"Truly… so kind."
Shidou's mind flashed to a sad girl trying to kill herself.
"No… you can't, Origami… pull that trigger, and you'll never come back!!"
Her image overlapped with Origami's—a future where guilt consumed her. One shot would kill Kotori and Origami's heart. She'd kill Spirits endlessly, eventually herself.
"I can't watch that happen!! I won't let it happen again!!"
Shidou couldn't forgive self-destruction. He was painfully sensitive to such emotions. A noble yet fragile girl, standing on stolen lives, claimed she couldn't turn back, even if it meant hell. Her pain tore at him. He swore to save her.
He couldn't let Origami pull the trigger. He wouldn't let another bear such sorrow, losing his sister and friend.
No matter the form, he couldn't ignore self-destruction.
"—I don't care. I'll kill Ifrit with these hands… it's what I want."
Yet the avenger from five years ago wouldn't yield. Her eyes, mixed with hatred and Shidou's words sparking doubt, still pierced him and Kotori.
"!"
Origami pulled back as a white blade slashed where she'd been.
"You…"
"Stubborn to a fault—really, such a pain."
The white Spirit appeared between them, muttering as if to herself, not responding to Shidou.
"Move."
"Can't. I know your reasons, and I'm sorry, but I have my own for siding with them."
The Spirit raised her colorless, unidentifiable blade. Origami, grimacing, strategized to break through.
"Damn…!!"
Shidou wanted to stop her but lacked the power or time. He clenched his fists, blood nearly drawn, searching for a way—then it hit him.
"…!"
He had it—a power only he possessed. With clear intent, he spoke, betting his life. Not to die—he had a girl to save—but for his sister, he'd risk it without hesitation.
"Origami, answer me! Your enemy is Ifrit, right? The flame Spirit who rises from death, burning all… right!?"
"…Yes."
Frowning slightly at the obvious, Origami answered curtly. The Spirit glanced at Shidou, puzzled, but his next words clarified his intent.
"Then it's not my sister—Itsuka Kotori—but Ifrit, the flame Spirit, right!?"
"What are you saying?"
"Shidou, you can't…!?"
The Spirit gasped. Shidou ignored her knowledge of him, pressing on.
"Answer!! Your enemy is the flame Spirit, not my human sister, right!?"
"Your words make no sense. My enemy is Ifrit, not human. But Kotori is a Spirit. Your logic fails."
—No, it holds. Shidou had waited for those words.
"Kihi, kihihihihi!! So greedy, Shidou! Refusing to give up on Kotori, Origami, or 'me'! Risking your life for it. How fascinating, how splendid!!"
"…As expected of the one who wooed the queen."
Origami targeted Ifrit. So, Shidou would becomeIfrit. A mad idea—to take her vengeance upon himself to spare Kotori and Origami. No thought of dying, yet he'd stake his life. Knowing its value, he could risk it.
He wanted to save everyone. Not just ideals—he'd act. As she said, a kind, greedy man.
"If that holds, what then, Origami?"
"What?"
"I can make your 'impossible' possible!! Just give me and Kotori a little time!"
"No. It's just a ploy to let Ifrit escape. I won't miss this chance…!!"
"Then I'll make that time."
Instantly, the white Spirit closed in. Origami raised her laser blade, blocking the descending strike.
"Don't interfere!!"
"Can't comply, kind avenger."
"Mocking me!!"
"Origami—!!"
In their clash, Origami heard Shidou's voice and saw his anguished face beyond the blades.
"It's idealistic, I know. If my parents were killed, I'd hate their killer too! I know it's contradictory!! But I can't ignore my sister about to be killed or my friend drowning in despair…!!"
"…!"
Origami's blade wavered. Doubt crept into her hateful eyes. She knew—she was repeating a cycle. Hatred begets hatred. She understood, yet couldn't stop. That's why it's called hatred.
"Even so—I!!"
"…!"
Her wild swing threw the Spirit's small frame aside. Aiming her cannon at Ifrit, raising a barrier to protect only Shidou, she prepared to end it—
"Not a chance!!"
A resolute voice rang out as one cannon was severed by a blade.
"!?—Yatogami Tohka…!!"
"Are you okay, Shidou, Kotori… and passerby?"
"Tohka!"
"Perfect timing."
The queen faced Origami's glare, clad in a faintly glowing dress over her swimsuit, gripping a double-edged sword. Manifesting her limited Astral Dress and Angel meant—
"This—!"
Origami halted her missile launch, soaring upward. A silver beam of freezing cold—capable of miracles—interrupted her. Only one, no, two could wield such an Angel.
"Yoshino too…!"
"Yes… are you okay, Shidou, Kotori… um…"
Yoshino's smaller-than-usual rabbit puppet descended, sufficient for her. She glanced at the white Spirit, embarrassed or confused, likely hiding behind Shidou or Tohka otherwise. The Spirit realized this was their first meeting.
"…Me? Call me like Tohka does."
"So, passerby person? Haha, weird person!"
"Yoshinon…!"
"No name worth sharing… 'weird' stings a bit."
Yoshinon's brutal honesty flustered Yoshino. Pure words could cut deep.
A brief warmth faded as missiles rained on the intruders.
"Ugh…!"
"Eek…!"
"Tohka! Yoshino!"
They barely deflected the missiles, unable to nullify their force. Shidou saw they wielded less than a tenth of their full power. Against Origami, they couldn't last. The white Spirit spoke.
"Shidou, take your sister and go. Stopping her is tricky."
"What…?"
"Shidou, she's right! Leave this to us!!"
Tohka shouted, parrying missiles. Even with the Spirit, they couldn't face Origami unscathed. No time for hesitation. Yoshino's faint but resolute voice followed.
"We can't… hold long…! So…!!"
"Finish quickly. I'm not as skilled as the queen."
"…Sorry!!"
Breathing heavily, Shidou carried Kotori and ran. Saving them all meant acting now. Their hopes ran with him.
"I won't let you escape…!!"
"That's our line!!"
Tohka collided with Origami mid-air, their blades clashing with a shockwave. An irritating voice followed.
"Stop, Origami!! This is meaningless!!"
"You know nothing—!!"
"I do!! Have you forgotten what you did to Shidou!?"
"…!!"
The memory surged. That time… she shot Shidou, her precious boy, crushing her with despair.
"I felt awful then!! Painful, bitter!! Don't you know that!? Yet you'd make Shidou feel it again!?"
"Ah—!"
Origami knew better than anyone. To never repeat that sadness, she swore to avenge her parents. But was she now repeating it—as Shidou and the Spirit said?
"A—AAAAAAAAH!!"
Her scream—despair, hatred, sorrow—unleashed uncontrollable power, blowing Tohka away, firing missiles to annihilate obstacles. Mana converged into her remaining cannon.
"Sorry, you saved me."
"No, it's all I can do—"
The Spirit caught the blown-back Tohka, landing as she noticed the light. All sensed the cannon's difference from missiles.
"She's straining herself, going berserk…! Can you two hit with all you've got?"
"Y-Yes…!"
"Aye! But that alone…"
"I know. I'll help. We just need to divert it—here it comes!!"
A second after her warning, destructive light erupted.
"Annihilate!!—Blasterk!!"
The light engulfed their vision. No surviving a hit. Evasion was impossible. Yoshino's ice wall wasn't enough.
"HAA!!"
"Yoshinon, please…!!"
"You got it!!"
Sandalfon's slash and Zadkiel's beam struck, but their weakened power couldn't stop the light. The Spirit threw one more move.
"Go—!!"
Her colorless blade flew like a spear—a simple throw.
"Is that okay!?"
"It's fine! It's only good for being tough!!"
If she said so, fine. With Tohka and Yoshino, she hid behind the ice wall as the four forces collided in a deafening blast.
A shockwave scattered destructive light. One stray beam headed toward Shidou, making the Spirit's eyes widen. Even a fragment could kill him now. But she felt spiritual power flow.
An explosion followed. Origami flew toward it, the Spirit pursuing at godspeed, certain Shidou had succeeded.
"Shidou…?"
Origami's shaken voice confirmed his success. But it wasn't over. He'd gained a memory—shared with Kotori.
Her Astral Dress gone, Kotori's divine nude form stood behind Shidou. He, who shielded her from the blast, bore grave wounds, flames crawling over him—like the dreaded Ifrit.
"…Origami. You said your enemy is Ifrit, not my human sister, Kotori. Look—I'm Ifrit now. Kill me if you must!!"
"What…?"
Even Origami's brilliant mind couldn't grasp this. She refused to. She hunted Ifrit, so why—why did he have its power?
The white Spirit landed before the stunned Origami, too shaken to act. Glancing at Shidou, he nodded, understanding her intent.
"I've got this. Take care of Kotori."
"…Yes."
They switched places—Shidou before Origami, the Spirit beside Kotori. Kneeling, she saw Kotori's unscathed body, proof Shidou protected her at all costs.
"Listen, Origami. I remembered—five years ago."
"…Five years ago, Ifrit killed my parents—"
"Kotori was with me the whole time, from gaining to sealing her power! The fire was Ifrit's, but not her will! She didn't kill anyone…!"
"No… way…"
If true, it shattered Origami's purpose, her identity. She couldn't accept it.
"No way! I saw the Spirit that killed them!!"
"Yes, there was another… the Spirit who did this to Kotori…!!"
In their shared memory, another entity gave Kotori her power, taught sealing, and locked their memories. Shidou and Kotori weren't the only ones who knew.
"…Yes. Shidou's right."
The white Spirit stood, declaring firmly.
"Five years ago, at that fire, another Spirit was there. It's the only explanation."
Kotori gained her power, implying her presence. Even without knowing who received it, the girl, watching with Kurumi, knew who gave it.
Phantom, a ghost from thirty years ago.
"Believe your words?"
"Not mine—Shidou's. Can't you trust him?"
Origami's face twisted. Shidou's information ended there. It was up to her to believe him. The Spirit didn't know beyond that.
She doubted Phantom killed Origami's parents, though.
"…I want to believe. But—!?"
Noise crackled through her light blade. Origami collapsed, her heavy armaments crashing.
"Operational… limit… here…!?"
It was inevitable. White Licorice, her anti-Ifrit gear, strained even her genius. Forcing it through relentless attacks took its toll. Yet she struggled to draw her gun—Shidou's voice rang out.
"Please, believe me! If you can't, kill me! Kotori's irrelevant… she saved me, made me who I am!!"
"I…"
"Don't take her from me…!! My precious sister—believe me…!!"
Origami hesitated. If she wanted vengeance, this was her chance. Yet she faltered. That was her answer. Powerlessly, she collapsed.
"Thank you. You saved me again—my sister, too."
Soon after Origami fell, Shidou bowed to the Spirit. His second thanks to her. He owed her too much to skip it.
She sat on rubble, and he looked puzzled.
"Ever polite. But I won't accept it this time."
"Huh…?"
"I helped for personal reasons. I owed you—that's all."
Shidou frowned. He understood owing her, but her owing him? No memory of that.
"…Don't overthink it. Your natural actions became my debt. So? You stayed to say something, right?"
"Y-Yeah…"
He smiled wryly—she was as elusive as ever.
"…Can I give my answer?"
To her earlier question. He had it now. It might sound foolish, but it was his truth, spoken with confidence. She didn't reply, just gazed, her silence an invitation.
"If everyone calls the worst Spirit evil, what would I do… right?"
"Yes. Your answer?"
"—Save her. Even if the world denies her, I'd want to save her."
No hesitation. His resolute eyes pierced her, unlike the confused Shidou of before.
"Out of justice? Pity?"
"No. A worse reason. I—"
His salvation might not be hers. It could be ego. Yet he'd choose this path, no matter how the world turned, because of that fleeting encounter.
"—love her. I can't help it… I'll save Kurumi."
He loved Tokisaki Kurumi. Right or wrong, he'd let no one call it a mistake. Even if selfish, this choice wasn't wrong. He believed it.
Silence fell. He couldn't read it. Then her voice broke it.
"—That's the reason I trust most."
No mockery, no scorn. He felt her gentle smile, leaving him stunned.
"You're not laughing?"
"Why would I? You love my queen. I believe you. That's the answer."
"Is that… how it works?"
"Yes. And… she's stubborn. She'll be trouble."
He laughed, understanding her words all too well.
"Haha! Yeah, I know. A bit stubborn, but that's cute, right?"
"Indeed. And she'll keep causing trouble—whimsical as she is."
"Bring it on. I welcome it."
Trouble meant seeing her again. He grinned confidently; she laughed aloud.
"Heh, that's the spirit… You were worried, but Kurumi's fine. Don't worry."
"…Good."
She preempted his question. He exhaled in relief. She was closest to Kurumi—he trusted her word completely.
"…Kurumi's stubborn, difficult, roundabout, but your feelings reach her. Wait for her."
"Yeah… Reine said something similar."
"…Hm."
Her small mutter at his latter comment made him tilt his head.
"Something wrong?"
"…No. AST will come for Origami soon. You're worried about your sister, so let's part here."
She stood, both gazing at the unconscious Origami. Her actions would bring heavy consequences from AST. All Shidou and the Spirit could do was wait, an issue beyond their control.
"Yeah… Thanks for everything! You don't want it, but let me say it."
Even if refused, he shouted his gratitude to the departing white figure. Not just for saving his sister, but for saving him and Kurumi from unwanted bloodshed. No proof, but he believed she made it possible.
She turned, her white robe swaying.
"—I'm the one who should thank you."
Her existence was for Kurumi. That's why she trusted Shidou—more than herself. She owed him endlessly.
For he might be essential to her plan.
"Thank you, Shidou. For loving Kurumi—let's meet again."
"Your debt… what was it?"
"Simple. Shidou shielded Kurumi with his life—that's all."
"Kihi, hihihihi! Simple, but so important."
"…I forgot to ask. Shidou, did you learn anything from that white Spirit?"
"Her? Hmm…"
After their talk—and some blatant bribery—Kotori paused as they left the bridge, asking Shidou.
The white Spirit. She saved them twice, clearly tied to Kurumi. But that was all they knew. Today clarified one thing.
"…She's trustworthy."
"Because she saved us twice?"
"That, and… she's like me, I think."
"Huh?" Kotori squinted. Shidou scratched his cheek, struggling to explain. Her words and emotions just felt similar. Different directions, but the same.
As he pondered explaining, his phone pinged.
"Sorry, who's—!!"
"What? You look like you got a 'show's on hiatus' notice."
"…Kurumi messaged me."
"…WHAT!?"
After a long pause, Kotori, fresh from recovery, showed shock, as did Reine nearby. Shidou, surprisingly, was the calmest. Staked his life on Kurumi—maybe he'd looped past shock. Facing her in person, though? No guarantees.
"…What did she send?"
"—An invitation to a night date, I guess."
The message, polite with a time, was clear only to Shidou.
—Let's meet at our promised place.
If that encounter was the start, this promise shifted their fates. In this warped tale of crossed emotions, a resolution and new beginning awaited.
Time to answer. Their war date wasn't over.
Who loves Kurumi? Both talk about her despite her absence. Shidou's grasped the white Spirit—a kind of sympathy. Bonds of care, affection, love—different kinds.
Despite being Kotori's arc, her role's smaller than in other chapters, a paradox since it aligns with the source. Next is Kurumi's part, wrapping this arc in two chapters—a milestone. Hope you'll stick around.
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