Countless black shadows shot up toward the sky.
Rather than calling it a fierce assault or a surprise attack, it was more like the crudest, simplest kind of human-wave tactic.
They sought to use their overwhelming numbers to create an illusion of advantage, to reduce the need for fine control, and to crush their opponent through sheer quantity.
"Hmph."
Kotori let out an impatient snort and slowly lifted the massive battle axe that had been resting on her shoulder.
Flames so hot they scorched the air itself coiled around the enormous axe blade—an axe far taller than Kotori herself.
The fire gathered and clung to it, as if the giant weapon had itself caught ablaze.
With every motion of Kotori's arm, the weapon drew streaks of crimson light through the air, radiating an even more dazzling glow.
The moment the countless Kurumis came within range, Kotori swung her blazing battle axe with overwhelming force—cleaving several of them cleanly in half.
"Ahahahahaha! Useless! You can't kill us! "
Kurumi laughed wildly in response.
Indeed, no matter how wide the range of Kotori's Camael (Flaming Retribution Demon) might be, there was no way she could guard against attacks from every direction.
And with Kurumi's absolute advantage in numbers, even if the first wave was cut down, new copies would simply fill the gaps.
However—
"Ahahaha... huh?"
Kurumi's laughter froze on her face as she watched Kotori cut through the crowd of Kurumis as though she were strolling through an empty field.
For Kotori, the fiery ribbons coiling around her body served as her best defense.
The weaker clones couldn't even get close.
And with the flames of her angel weapon itself, every swing of her axe sent waves of fire tearing through the ranks—turning clusters of Kurumis into "Kuru-mince," then "Kuru-paste" on the ground.
"Ah... eh...?"
Those about to become "Kuru-paste" stared at their bisected bodies in disbelief.
Then, a massive blaze erupted.
Every fallen Kurumi was reduced to ashes.
"....."
Kotori said nothing, continuing to swing her angel weapon as she advanced toward Shidou.
Even though the Kurumis ahead had braced themselves, it was useless; Kotori's swings sent ribbons of flame coiling around them.
As the screams behind him echoed, Shidou felt the pressure on his body lighten and exhaled in relief.
"Ugh, it's hot...!"
He quickly stood up, brushing the sparks off his uniform.
Then, Kotori slowly descended from the sky, landing between Shidou and Kurumi.
She leveled Camael (Flaming Retribution Demon) at Kurumi—
As if to protect Shidou.
"Kurumi, it looks like things aren't going so well for you,"
came the lazy, mocking voice of Tenqi Sanluo (the Apocalypse-Three-Fall), still watching from the sidelines.
"My, my... I have to admit, Miss Itsuka Kotori, you have surprised me a little,"
Kurumi said with a grim expression.
This charge had cost her many clones—each one representing a piece of her time.
How many lives would she have to devour to recover that loss?
"Kotori, what... what on earth is going on—?"
"Do as I say for now, Shidou. If you can, take this chance to get away. Because right now—your life could be gone in an instant."
As she spoke, Kotori instinctively turned her gaze to the side—
—and in the next second:
Boom!
A streak of blue light grazed Kotori's nose and struck the building of Raizen High School.
Under the influence of spiritual power, the entire school—its buildings and everyone unconscious inside—was frozen solid within seconds.
"I told you all, stop turning your eyes toward me so casually."
Tenqi Sanluo's cold voice rang out as she curved her pale fingers slightly.
Her Polar Ice Burst flew obediently back into her hand.
"There will not be a third or fourth warning. That was your only one.
If you insist on being obstinate, I'll take it as a provocation—and join the fight myself."
After issuing the warning, Tenka calmly retracted her angel and leaned against the wire fence again to keep watching.
"Kotori... are you all right...?"
"...Haa..."
Kotori forced herself out of her fear, taking a deep breath as she faced Kurumi.
For the first time, she had felt death so vividly.
Cold sweat drenched her entire body.
Had that icy attack been even slightly off-target, her head would have burst open.
Even with her regeneration, she'd be preparing for her funeral.
Just as Tenka said—it had been only a warning.
But it had terrified Kotori all the same.
She had wanted to test Tenka's reaction—and paid for it.
"Fufufu... fufufufufufu! You're pretty strong, aren't you?"
Kurumi's voice, filled with laughter, pulled Kotori's mind back.
Holding two flintlock pistols, Kurumi raised her eyebrows and smiled.
"Buuut—did you really think it would end here?"
Kurumi's laughter snapped Kotori completely out of her daze.
She gripped her angel weapon tighter and faced her once again.
"Kotori, be careful! That's—!"
"Hehe, Shidou-san, please don't do anything so... uncouth, all right?"
As she spoke, the shadow from the Roman numeral Ⅰ on the clock behind Kurumi seeped into one of her guns.
She aimed it at herself—and pulled the trigger.
In an instant, Kurumi's figure dissolved like mist.
The First Bullet—accelerates the target's time.
It seemed Kurumi intended to use her boosted speed to overwhelm Kotori.
However—
Kotori raised Camael (Flaming Retribution Demon) once again.
Scorching flames enveloped her, perfectly deflecting the flurry of ghost-like attacks Kurumi unleashed.
After all, Kurumi's tactics were limited: guns, more guns, and yet more guns.
They might work against AST soldiers—but against Kotori, a full-powered Spirit, they were useless.
"Ahahahahahahaha! Wonderful! Wonderful! As expected of a Spirit with her Angel manifested! So thrilling! So exciting!"
"Hmph. For a so-called lady, you could stand to act a little more reserved, don't you think?"
Kotori swung her massive axe, sending Kurumi flying.
"Thank you for the advice! In that case, as you wish—
I'll kill you gracefully, like a proper lady.
Zafkiel (Clockwork Emperor) — Seventh Bullet!"
A shadow seeped from the Roman numeral Ⅶ on her clock, flew into her gun, and Kurumi smiled as she pulled the trigger toward Kotori.
This shot—Kotori couldn't dodge.
And behind her stood Shidou.
She had no choice but to swing Camael, trying to block it.
"No—don't!"
Remembering what happened to Mana when she was hit by that same bullet, Shidou cried out desperately for Kotori to evade.
But it was too late.
Kotori's angel clashed directly with the shadow bullet.
"Fufufu... Ahahahahahahaha!"
Kurumi's laughter echoed—
and suddenly, Kotori froze.
Her limbs, her flowing kimono, the fiery ribbons dancing around her—
even the tips of her crimson hair—were all suspended in midair.
Just like Mana before her, time itself had stopped for her body.
The Seventh Bullet—Kurumi's most lethal technique, a true first-strike killer.
It almost never failed.
"Fufufu... No matter how strong you are, if you can't move—your power means nothing, right?"
As she said that, Kurumi felt a sudden urge to glance at the girl who had previously blocked her Second Bullet.
But after a brief inner struggle, she wisely crushed the thought.
After all, she had witnessed firsthand what happened when Kotori merely looked at Tenqi Sanluo.
It was obvious Tenka's warning wasn't just for Kotori—but for her as well.
Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, Kurumi refocused.
The surviving clones around her all raised their flintlocks in unison—
and fired.
"Stop—!"
Shidou couldn't even struggle. Two Kurumi clones pinned him down and pressed their guns to his temple.
The bullets struck Kotori mercilessly.
Her soft skin was marred with gruesome wounds.
"Well then... farewell."
The real Kurumi stepped up before the frozen Kotori—
aimed at her forehead—
and pulled the trigger without hesitation.