"Even if you say that… what exactly are you planning to do, Origami-senpai?"
Mikie asked with worry in her voice.
"If I go to the AST armory, I can get my equipnt."
Mikie's words helped Origami calm down.
Rather than rushing outside on pure emotion, if she wanted to enter DEM territory, support from proper equipnt was absolutely necessary.
"No! That will leave a usage record! Sneaking out without permission is one thing, but if you take equipnt too, this won't be sothing they can handle with a light punishnt!"
Most likely… her mories related to Realizers would be erased, and she would be expelled from AST.
"Even so, I have to go."
Origami said with firm resolve.
"Senpai!"
Mikie cried out, almost like a scream.
"I'm sorry… Mikie… But if I do nothing, I'm sure I'll regret it. I have that feeling."
Origami gave a bitter smile and gently patted Mikie's head.
She had joined AST because she wanted to save people.
If she did nothing now, then from this day on, she would probably live on in this base while thinking, "I can't do anything anyway."
"As expected of Origami-senpai… But even so, I can't just stand by and watch you get punished because of this. I don't know whether they can still be used, but I know about so equipnt that won't leave usage records. Follow ."
"Huh?"
Mikie grabbed Origami's hand and led her away.
____________
Ding-dong!
At the sa ti Mikie and Origami were talking, the doorbell rang once more at the Itsuka house.
"Kotori? You're back to normal."
"Um… yes, sohow…"
For so reason, his little sister, the fearless commander who usually feared nothing, was standing at the door looking rather awkward.
"What's wrong?"
Shido asked as he looked at Kotori's strange behavior.
"I'm sorry. I don't rember it myself, but because there's footage, it seems I said so terrible things to you…"
Through the recordings on Fraxinus, Kotori had seen herself under Miku's control, saying things like "Go die" to Shido. She had even almost pressed the button for the magic convergence cannon.
If Mana had not stopped her in ti, it could have turned into a disaster.
"It's okay. I'm just glad you're back to normal, Kotori."
Shido smiled and patted the girl's head, comforting the uneasy Kotori.
"Onii-chan…"
Kotori looked at Shido and showed a happy expression.
But in the next instant, that innocent and lively look turned into the serious face of a commander.
"We don't have ti. We've found Mikoto's location. We're starting the operation eting right now."
She pulled Shido into the living room, and then—
"M-M-M-Miku? Why are you here?"
Kotori, who had only just regained her senses, had never expected to see Miku here.
And after that—
"Ara, ara. It seems the fearso Fla Spirit has also found Yakumo-san's location."
In one corner of the living room, the shadows began to writhe. A girl dressed in a red and black Astral Dress erged from within and spoke while looking at Kotori.
"Kurumi? What exactly is going on here?"
"Calm down, Kotori. Miku and Kurumi both ca to help us!"
A Spirit who had turned Tengu Square into a ss only a few hours ago, and a Spirit who had killed ten thousand people.
With two boss level figures appearing in her own house, it was only natural for Kotori to feel confused.
"Explain, Shido."
As expected of Ratatoskr's commander, Kotori quickly regained her calm.
"Um… Miku is willing to co with us to save Yakumo-senpai."
"Hmph!"
Shido looked at Miku and scratched his cheek awkwardly. Miku only turned her head away with a huff, but she did not deny it.
"As for Kurumi, it seems she has business with DEM, so we're helping each other."
"Heeheehee. It is my honor."
On the other side, the Spirit of Ti showed a smile that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
[Are these people really going to be okay…?]
Looking at the two Spirits who were like walking ti bombs, Kotori had black lines all over her head.
"Well… just to confirm, the location is DEM Japan Branch, correct?"
Even so, Kotori understood that against DEM, a company with its own private force, those two would be precious allies.
Shido's choice was correct.
"That is correct. After all, 'I' said the sa thing."
Kurumi nodded.
"In that case, let's begin our war!"
Kotori bit down on her Chupa Chups. Her eyes showed firm resolve and a will to win.
_____________
Two in the morning.
It was already the ti when most people had fallen deep into sleep.
Shido, along with Kurumi, Miku, and the others, arrived at Kagamiyama's office district in eastern Tengu City.
From this point forward, everything belonged to DEM. It would not be an exaggeration to call it DEM's main base in Japan.
"Yakumo-san is in the First Office Building."
Kurumi pointed toward a large building standing at the center of countless towers.
Although they knew the general direction, they still had to rely on Kurumi's clones to find the exact location. Even Kurumi did not know which room Mikoto was being held in.
[If you go any farther, you'll touch the warning Territory. We'll likely have to change the plan.]
Kotori's voice ca through the earpiece Shido was wearing. Fraxinus was flying above Kagamiyama, supporting everyone from the sky.
According to the original plan, once everyone reached the area near the First Office Building, Kurumi would spread out her clones and create chaos. Then the others would use that chance to enter the building and rescue Mikoto.
But there was already a warning Territory in front of them.
If they took even one more step, they would be discovered imdiately.
"In that case, we shall begin the assault from here."
After hearing Shido's explanation, the shadow beneath Kurumi's feet spread out. Countless clones stepped out from within.
At the sa ti, as if a spirit wave reaction had been detected, the sound of the spacequake alarm rang throughout Kagamiyama.
[Looks like they want to clear out civilians and make a proper ss of things. Mana, can I ask you to support Kurumi for now?]
Kotori's voice ca through the earpiece, followed by Mana's unhappy yet non refusing response.
"Onee-sama… what should we do?"
On the other side, Yoshino looked at Miku and asked.
Although they wanted Miku to release her control over the Spirits, doing so now might upset her—or even cause a clash. At this critical mont, they had no choice but to put that problem aside for now.
"Hmm. Yoshino-chan, Kaguya-chan, and Yuzuru-chan's Angels won't be easy to use inside the building. So why don't you help Kurumi-san deal with DEM's Wizards out here?"
Miku said to the three Spirits.
On the other side, large numbers of Bandersnatch had already started attacking Kurumi's clones and the group, without any care for the civilians who were still evacuating.
And so, the operation began:
Fraxinus would provide aerial support.
Kurumi, Yoshino, Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Mana would hold back the Wizards and Bandersnatch.
anwhile, Tohka, Shido, and Miku would break into the office building and rescue Mikoto.
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