Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 12 12: Phantom

"Uh... I might have overdone it a little."

Yutsuki look aroudn the scene before her. While this place had previously been a sparsely vegetated wasteland, it was now completely transford into a pitch-black, scorched earth. It was highly likely that this area would be completely uninhabitable for any living creature for decades to co.

With a helpless sigh, Yutsuki sat down on the ground, looking thoroughly exhausted, and called out, "Kurumi, you can co out now. I know you're not dead. Don't worry, I've lost interest in fighting."

"I certainly hope Yutsuki-san isn't joking about that. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to handle continuing this fight."

Even though Yutsuki had only called out on a hunch, Tokisaki Kurumi actually responded to her words, slowly rising from the shadows.

"...You really are a monster."

"My, how rude. I never expected to hear such words from Yutsuki-san"

The two stared into each other's eyes. Looking at Kurumi's right eye...a ruby as alluring as it was tranquil...Yutsuki genuinely couldn't fathom that the girl standing before her was practically on the brink of madness.

Moreover, Yutsuki didn't hold any grudge against Kurumi. Even though a mass murderer like her was extrely repulsive to Yutsuki, she wasn't quite at the point where she felt resentnt or a desire to avenge those victims.

Sacrificing one's own life for completely unrelated people was a trait reserved for either nauseating hypocrites or naive, ignorant fools. Unfortunately, Yutsuki didn't fit into either category.

"Spit it out. What is it you want to know from ? As long as it doesn't violate my principles, I'll consider it."

After the battle, the frenzy in Yutsuki's heart had gradually subsided, and she spoke calmly.

"Then I am truly grateful." After a light chuckle, for the very first ti, an expression of utmost solemnity appeared on Kurumi's face. She said, "I want to know the location of the Second Spirit, who is currently being held captive by DEM Industries."

A Spirit is being held captive?

Yutsuki frowned deeply, ntally sifting through the massive trove of data she had previously acquired from DEM. Shaking her head, she said:

"There is no record of any captive Spirit in DEM's computers. If what you're saying is true, I'm afraid DEM hasn't docunted this Spirit's data in their official files. However... there are a few suspicious information."

"Suspicious? What do you an?"

Hearing Yutsuki say there were no records of a captive Spirit, Kurumi first looked disappointed, but then anxiously followed up on Yutsuki's speculation.

"In their transport plane logs, there were several peculiar entries. The cargo was simply labeled as 'Anti-Spirit Weaponry (Highly Dangerous)' or 'Material A,' with strict instructions prohibiting any personnel from coming into contact with it."

Initially, Yutsuki thought it was just so new type of ch. But thinking about it carefully, any Realizer ch would have its model na and specifications clearly labeled. They would never use such vague descriptions.

"That is indeed suspicious... Where were those transport planes headed?"

"Aren't you worried I might be lying to you? Rember, I don't exactly have favorable feelings towards you."

At Yutsuki's question, Kurumi incredibly flashed a helpless, bitter smile.

"If Yutsuki-san intends to deceive , there's nothing I can do about it. But in order to achieve my goal as quickly as possible... I won't overlook even the smallest possibilities."

The girl's eyes were filled with an unparalleled, unshakeable conviction. At this mont, Yutsuki finally realized: her opponent didn't kill because her mind had broken. She killed for a singular purpose, willingly choosing a path of self-destruction to achieve it.

"...I understand. I'll tell you what I know."

With a sigh, Yutsuki relayed all the information she had to Kurumi.

"However, these are just files I dug up a while ago. That company has a rather clever man leading them. He might have noticed the leak and taken counterasures, so don't take it as a guarantee."

"Even so, I am deeply grateful. You have my thanks,Yutsuki-san."

With a slight bow, Kurumi expressed her gratitude.

"Don't thank . I just compromised because I didn't want to keep fighting you. After that last strike, my Spirit Energy is practically running on empty."

"True. Battling Yutsuki-san cost a considerable amount of ti as well. It would be quite problematic if I didn't replenish it soon."

"Replenish... You aren't planning to..."

Seeing Yutsuki's hostile glare, Kurumi instead offered a joyful smile. "Just like that gentleman, Yutsuki-san truly is a kind person. Do not worry. I won't kill anyone. I'll simply extract minuscule amounts of ti from humans. With enough people, I can restore what I lost without issue. Well then~ I shall take my leave first."

Kurumi's body began to slowly sink into the shadow. When she was halfway subrged, as if suddenly rembering sothing, she turned her head back and said, "Ah, yes. As repaynt for the information, let give Yutsuki-san a piece of advice. If you're feeling bored with your current life... you should pay a visit to Tengu City."

"You—?!"

Seeing Yutsuki's shocked expression, Kurumi flashed a highly suspicious smile.

"Despite how I look, I am quite confident in my ability to read people. That place is extrely interesting. Perhaps one day, we will et again,Ryougi Yutsuki-san~"

"I hope that day never cos."

Watching the disappearing shadow, Yutsuki prayed from the very bottom of her heart.

"Alright... It's ti for you to co out, too."

Yutsuki stared up at the clear sky, her voice dropping to an icy temperature.

Yutsuki hadn't noticed it at first. But during her battle with Kurumi, when she was surrounded by the Kurumis and countless crazed stares, that single, utterly plain and unassuming gaze had stood out exceptionally clearly.

Observation. From head to toe, the entity had been scrutinizing Yutsuki with an observant gaze, entirely without her knowledge.

Yutsuki even suspected that every single action she had taken since arriving might have been watched. The thought sent a chill down her spine. Her decision to call a truce with Kurumi was, in part, because of this very reason.

(So you sensed my presence?)

An androgynous voice echoed from her surroundings as a figure gradually revealed itself.

Upon seeing the figure, Yutsuki was utterly stunned.

Pixels? (Mosaic)

It wasn't anything else; it was a literal, pixelated mosaic. As if attempting to censor every single detail about itself, the entity's entire body was covered in a thick blur of pixels.

Age, gender, physique—it was an entirely unidentifiable "object." Even Ratziel's radar couldn't pierce through that mysterious veil.

What kind of R-18 rated Spirit do you have to be to get censored by reality itself to this extent?!

(I have the feeling you are thinking about sothing extrely rude.)

"Nope. You're overthinking it."

Yutsuki discreetly averted her eyes.

(...)

Although she couldn't see the entity's expression, Yutsuki could vaguely feel that it was staring right at her. She coughed twice to ease the awkwardness and got back to the main topic, asking warily, "Who are you? And why have you been following ?"

(One year ago, I sensed a Spirit Power emanating from you that was entirely different from the Sephira Crystals in my possession. Because of that, I began to observe you.)

My power? Yutsuki knew that the only reason she had appeared in this world as a Spirit was purely because of that idiot God's well-intentioned blunder. It wasn't surprising that there was a discrepancy between her existence and the normal manifestation of Spirits.

And the entity before her, though unidentifiable, gave Yutsuki the distinct feeling that it wasn't that damn God. (The Author: "Achoo!")

Wait!

"You said the Spirit Power is from Sephira Crystals in your possession... Are you the one who...?"

Hearing the entity's words, Yutsuki's brain went into overdrive, a terrifying hypothesis forming in her mind.

(It seems you are a very clever child. I won't say any more. I've observed you for a long ti. Even though your existence goes against my schedule, 'Ratziel' is displaying power in your hands far exceeding its original design, so I have nothing to worry about. I shall take my leave now.)

"Hey! Wait! I have a mountain of questions I want to ask you!"

Lightning surged wildly around Yutsuki. Although she had indeed expended a massive amount of power in that final strike, she wasn't completely out of combat capabilities.

Countless tendrils of iron sand and lightning erupted from all directions, attempting to form a cage to trap the entity.

However, in that brief mont, the entity vanished into the void.

"Dammit. She got away." Cursing in frustration, Yutsuki pulled her tablet—which she hadn't used in a while—out from her coat and began searching for information on the pixelated figure.

"Found it." Yutsuki stared intently at the screen, carefully reading the data.

Spirit Code Na: Phantom. Spacequake Scale: Unknown. Astral Dress: Unknown. Angel: Unknown. Overall Rank Level: Unclassifiable.

Seeing the pitiful lack of information, Yutsuki frowned deeply.

"Data Requested by Organization... Ratatoskr?"

Unlike DEM and AST, whose goal was the "annihilation of Spirits," this organization operated under the principle of establishing good relations with Spirits, hoping for peaceful coexistence between humanity and Spirits.

Whether this mission statent was genuine or not, Yutsuki didn't know. But she had never heard of this organization successfully integrating a Spirit into human society, and she wasn't foolish enough to be swayed just by reading a PR statent.

Recruitnt ads with high salaries and low requirents were almost always dangerous scams.

Still, since they hadn't offended her, she couldn't be bothered to go looking for trouble with them either.

Right now, she was more focused on Phantom's data.

Having already hacked once, Yutsuki's operation this ti was much more proficient and stealthy. She easily hijacked the account of a man nad Kannazuki—ignoring so very questionable private files stashed inside...fooled their AI, and downloaded the data she wanted.

Phantom was actually first discovered five years ago during a massive fire in Tengu City, appearing at the exact sa ti as the Spirit Efreet. However, due to its inherently hard to perceive nature, it had long been ignored and dismissed as cara glitch artifacting. It was only recently recognized by relevant personnel, which was why Yutsuki hadn't known its identity.

"Tengu City..."

A hint of surprise flickered in Yutsuki's eyes.

It was just an ordinary city in Japan. But for so inexplicable reason, spatial quakes occurred there with extre frequency.

Was it a coincidence? Or was there another reason?

[If you're feeling bored with your current life... you should pay a visit to Tengu City.]

Recalling Kurumi's parting words, Yutsuki let out a self deprecating smile.

"Bored, huh... Yeah, she's right. My current life is incredibly boring. If there really is sothing interesting going on there... it wouldn't hurt to go take a look."

Her figure vanishing into the void, for the first ti in a long ti, Yutsuki felt a sense of anticipation for her next "Manifestation."

Original author's Note (PS): Finally, the Yutsuki Travel arc is over! The next volu will officially kick off the main story.