[Mikoto-senpai… was captured?]
For a mont, Shido's mind went completely blank from shock.
[What should I do? What should I do?]
Right now, Miku had control of most of the Spirits. The airship was barely functioning. And worse still, Mikoto had been captured too.
[Calm down. I have to calm down. If I fall into panic now, then it really is over.]
Ignoring the sounds of Yoshino, Kaguya, and Yuzuru fighting Mana and Tohka, Shido stood on the stage and closed his eyes, searching his mind for any possible plan.
[The airship should be fine for now.....But Mikoto-senpai…]
The mont that na appeared in his mind, what ca with it was the girl's smiling face.
No matter what, he would never allow DEM to hurt Mikoto.
"Mana! Can you catch up to Ellen?"
He raised his head and asked.
"I'm sorry, Nii-sama. They retreated very quickly, and the airship is paralyzed."
Mana showed a troubled expression.
[There's no way…]
If there had been even the slightest chance, he would have flown to Mikoto's side right away.
But reality was cruel.
"Then…"
There was only one thing he could do.
He had to persuade Miku.
"Listen to —Miku!"
"I'm not listening! I won't listen to anything you say! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" (TL:Baka~)
But Miku desperately covered her ears and shook her head.
"Damn it! If that's how it is…"
Shido clenched his teeth and broke into a run toward Miku.
She was on the other side of the stage, guarded by three Spirits.
He had to at least get close enough that Miku would be forced to hear him, even if she did not want to listen.
"Eh?"
Miku, who had not expected Shido to suddenly rush toward her, showed a flustered expression.
"Waaah!"
Even so, a Spirit was still a Spirit. Miku's voice beca a wall of sound and easily blew Shido away.
"Damn it…"
Feeling as if his bones were about to break, Shido struggled back to his feet and ran toward Miku again.
"I was careless just now. I will not let you approach nee-sama again!"
Kaguya shook off Mana and fired a gust of wind at the running Shido.
"Nii-sama!"
"Interception. Your opponent is Yuzuru."
Mana was restrained by the chains Yuzuru controlled, while Tohka was locked in battle with Yoshino.
Perhaps because she did not want to hurt Yoshino, Tohka's movents were very defensive.
[I can't give up!]
Facing the wind head-on, Shido did not stop.
[I can't give up!]
In his mind appeared the girl who had always stayed by his side, smiling sweetly, protecting him.
[This ti…]
"It's my turn to save Mikoto-senpai!"
In that instant, the darkness of night beca like a robe and wrapped around Shido's body.
It was a simplified version of Tsukuyomi. It sacrificed part of its defense in exchange for greater mobility, allowing him to resist the gale while charging toward Miku.
"Wha… what is that? Mikoto's Angel?"
"Tremor. Why is this happening?"
The gale dispersed before the darkness. The Yamai sisters showed shocked expressions.
Shido did not stop. He continued rushing toward Miku.
"I… I won't let you touch… onee-sama."
However, a wall of ice blocked the path between him and Miku.
At the last second, Yoshino and Yoshinon had arrived.
"Guh!"
He could defend against the Yamai sisters' wind, but in the face of this ice wall packed with spirit power, Shido had no good thod besides summoning torii gates and breaking through it little by little.
[That would be too slow!]
There was no ti.
Miku was still backing away. If this continued, she might escape.
He needed… sothing else.
A weapon that could break through this ice wall and reach Miku.
The instant he prayed for that, he felt sothing heavy settle into his right hand.
"U… uwa…"
"Huh? Isn't that Tohka-chan's…"
A bright flash swept out and split the thick ice wall in two.
"Shido, why do you have Sandalphon?"
Tohka, who had rushed over to hold Yoshino back, stared dumbfounded at the sword-shaped Angel in Shido's hand.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Shido did not answer Tohka.
He only breathed painfully.
Using a human body to manifest multiple Angels had pushed him to the edge. Even so, his gaze stayed locked on Miku.
Then—
He stepped forward.
"Waaah!"
The wall of sound was useless before Tsukuyomi.
The mist like darkness beca a solid divine realm, surrounding Shido and Miku.
Then—
"Wh… what is this?"
A shinawa rope wrapped around Miku and sealed her in place.
"Now… even if you don't want to hear … you don't have a choice, right?"
Looking at Miku, Shido panted and spoke with difficulty. (TL:dawg Shido in this novel really can fight kinda well that early huh?)
"Uu…"
The wall of sound could not blow away the seal. The barrier kept Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Yoshino outside.
At last, Miku realized that she had been caught by him.
"You… what are you trying to do?"
Unable to rely on her Angel's power, Miku trembled like an ordinary girl.
"Please! Help save Mikoto-senpai!"
"Hah? Weren't you just trying to convince to give up my Spirit power? What's wrong with you? Did you eat sothing bad?"
The topic had jumped too quickly, leaving Miku stunned.
"I'll give you the speech later, if you want to hear it. After we save Mikoto-senpai, I'll keep talking until you're willing to let seal your power. But right now, Mikoto-senpai has been taken by DEM. I have to save her!"
In order to get Mikoto back, Miku—and the Spirits under Miku's control—were precious fighting power.
"I don't want to hear your lectures! Your sex toy got captured, that's all. Are you seriously going to risk your life to save her? If you die, it doesn't matter how pretty the girl is anymore, right?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about…? To you n, pretty girls are just that kind of thing, aren't they?"
"Your prejudice is really…"
Miku's words left Shido speechless.
"Then are you saying—Mikoto-san is more important than your own life?"
"Of course!"
The answer ca so naturally.
The feeling in it had no falsehood at all. It made Miku feel like she could not breathe.
"So, could you please help ?"
"No way! Why would I agree to a promise made by soone like you?"
"That's right. A promise!"
Shido's voice cut over Miku's words, making her frown in displeasure.
"In that case, do you rember the promise you absolutely have to keep?"
"Uu…"
Shido's words made Miku fall silent.
That was right.
She had promised him. If he won the Tenou Festival, she would let him seal her Spirit power.
"I don't want to—! If I lose this 'voice,' I'll… I'll…"
But losing her spirit power—losing this "voice"—was sothing she absolutely refused to accept.
"Then let's make a deal."
"A deal?"
"In exchange for giving up the promise to seal your Spirit power, co with to save Mikoto-senpai!"
He reached his hand out toward Miku.
Asking to seal her had only been a way to make Miku help him.
"But wasn't your goal to seal my Spirit power? Why…"
"Because senpai is that important."
Faced with Shido's answer, Miku showed a look of disbelief.
"I refuse! I won't accept your request! Humans are selfish creatures. Everything you say is a lie. I won't be fooled!"
But Miku shook her head desperately, like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Miku… ugh…"
Shido, who was about to keep persuading Miku, suddenly felt dizzy.
Tsukuyomi began to fade.
[Looks like the negotiation is failing, Shin.]
"Reine-san?"
From the earphone that had been silent until now ca a familiar voice.
[We finally repaired the line to talk to you. Co back for now, Shin. Continuing to use Mikoto's Angel is putting a serious burden on your body. Even with Kotori's flas, this is too much.]
"But…"
[If even you collapse, who will bring Mikoto back?]
"Uu…"
It was no good.
While he was talking to Miku, Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Yoshino had been trying to break away from Tohka and Mana's restraint while constantly attacking the barrier.
Each ti he blocked the Spirits' attacks, his body felt like it was being torn apart.
This was the price of using a power beyond human wisdom.
"Please, Reine-san."
With no other choice, Shido chose to retreat.
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