Computer space, data managent level—the location of the core.
At this mont, Arusu Marina, completely clad in her Astral Dress, was engaged in a fierce battle with Shido, who was using the sealed Spirit power.
Honestly, Marina held a complete advantage.
For Marina, who had obtained a complete Astral Dress, the entire computer world could be considered her Angel. Lasers, heat rays, lightning, flas, freezing air. As long as she wanted, Marina only needed to issue a slight command, and any kind of lethal attack would rain down on Shido and Maria like a storm.
Even Shido, who could use Spirit Angels, couldn't possibly be Marina's match at this mont, not to ntion Shido had soone he needed to protect beside him.
Shido didn't dodge even once, instead choosing to face Marina's attacks head-on. Otherwise, Maria, who had completely lost her combat ability, would absolutely not be able to withstand such blows.
Although because of the kinship within Marina's personality, Marina couldn't commit an act to murder Maria, but if an attack ant to harm "Itsuka Shido" accidentally injured "Arusu Maria," it would be completely fine.
Of course, Itsuka Shido didn't know this. But Marina still, in order to prevent the possibility of Shido abandoning Maria to attack, used the main computer's calculations and analysis to deduce and block all of Shido's possible movent trajectories for a breakthrough.
However, Marina found her guesses were completely unnecessary.
Itsuka Shido, from beginning to end, never moved a single step from Maria's side. Like a tall and straight tree, he bore the brunt of the biting attacks, like a fierce storm, for Maria.
"...Why is everyone here an idiot."
The figure of the boy standing before her overlapped with a certain figure in her heart. Marina muttered to herself sowhat blankly.
[Ahead, two o'clock direction—laser beam, calculating solution. Deploy—Zadkiel.]
A sliver of light flashed across the dark blue gauntlet on his hand. A cold electronic voice rang in Shido's mind. Without even thinking, Shido manipulated the freezing air to erect a wall of ice to his front right.
The next mont, a highly focused laser brushed past the tips of Shido's hair. Feeling the scorching temperature near his ear, Shido had the illusion of brushing past the Grim Reaper.
Using the properties of ice to refract the laser. But if it were ordinary ice, it would evaporate the instant it touched the laser's high temperature. However, the ice wall created by Yoshino's freezing air had a strength surpassing ordinary ice.
This wasn't Shido's idea, but the conclusion reached by Yutsuki's Angel fixed to Shido's wrist—Ratziel.
Unlike other Spirits' Angels, Ratziel couldn't directly unleash powerful abilities. But relying on its calculating power that exceeded common sense, it could calculate various possibilities in an instant and make the most suitable choice for Shido.
Using the least Spirit power to execute the best asure.
If this Angel weren't here, Shido couldn't possibly withstand these crazy attacks.
However, even if it minimized physical damage and maximized the efficiency of Spirit power usage, the Sage of Dawn couldn't solve ntal exhaustion.
[Five o'clock direction—flas, deploy—Raphael—]
The electronic voice in his mind rang out as usual, yet ntal fatigue caused a montary blank in Shido's consciousness.
"—Ah!"
Subsequently, Shido felt a burning sensation on his skin.
"Shido!?" Maria shouted in panic.
"I'm fine..." Shido showed an ugly smile. Soon, another kind of white fla ignited on Shido's body, and then the burned skin beca as good as new.
[Nine o'clock direction—deploy. Sandalphon]
Without even ti to catch his breath, Shido gritted his teeth and summoned Tohka's giant sword to his hand.
Clang—! Sandalphon's blade cut the shockwave in half.
Gradually, the number of tis Shido took damage began to increase. It wasn't that Ratziel couldn't handle Marina's attacks, but because Shido's physical condition could no longer execute Ratziel's plans.
—It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!
Every part of Shido's body was sending this ssage to his brain.
Although under Kotori's flas, no matter what kind of wound, it could heal in the next instant. But the pain generated in the process had to be endured by himself.
First, the heat of being burned by flas, the next mont a piercing chill like ice, followed by the pain of flesh being scraped off by a knife.
The hands holding Sandalphon were trembling. The imnse ntal tornt made Shido feel like he might pass out in the next instant.
"No, no! Don't mind anymore Shido!" Maria cried and shouted, "Run away quickly, Shido. If this continues, Shido will... die."
"It's fine, Maria... I will protect you." Shido said slowly.
When it cos down to it? Why am I fighting so desperately here? In a daze, this question surfaced in Shido's mind.
We clearly already had a way to return to the real world. If they just had the thought, Shido and the others could have completely obliterated Marina before she grew to this extent.
Indeed, they wouldn't accept the result of returning by killing Marina, but Shido also wouldn't be willing to let everyone fall into a crisis.
Then why did both he and everyone else unhesitatingly put aside their own safety and choose to accept Yutsuki's selfish request?
Because we promised.
Promised?
...
[If there were two sisters—the younger sister is very close to you, and the older sister is your enemy—and they were both drowning in a river, but you could only save one. Who would you choose to save?]
Under the slowly setting sun, Yutsuki turned her back to Shido and asked this question.
This is...?
Shido couldn't rember at all when this scene happened.
How did I answer back then? Shido couldn't help but be curious. He only heard his mory-self say in a matter-of-fact tone.
[The question didn't say I was the only one there, right? Assuming it's like right now, where we can each only save one person, if the two of us separately go save the older sister and the younger sister... then wouldn't everyone be happy—]
It was like sophistry only a grade schooler would make. Shido couldn't help but feel embarrassed for his past self.
However, in the scene, Yutsuki, hearing this answer, showed a relieved expression.
Subsequently, in Itsuka Shido's mind, segnts of unfamiliar yet familiar mories gushed out like a opened dam.
...
"This is?"
His consciousness felt as if a very long ti had passed, yet in reality, it was only a brief instant.
"Shido! Danger!"
Maria's shout brought Shido's consciousness back.
A booming thunderclap echoed overhead. At so point, a dark thundercloud had gathered above Itsuka Shido's head. A lightning bolt full of killing intent aid right at Shido's head and struck down.
[Counterasure—deploy—]
Before the Ratziel could voice the command, Shido had reflexively raised his hand.
The surrounding debris instantly turned into white mist, gathering upwards with the flow of the wind. A wriggling ball of water ford in the air, taking on the entirety of the violent lightning.
"Phew—Haha—"
After Shido snapped back to reality, his forehead was covered in sweat, breathing heavily.
Honestly, he didn't even know what he did just now.
He seed to see a scene like a life flashing before his eyes just now, which ant Shido was almost standing on the borderline of the afterlife.
"Refining an insulator of pure water to block the lightning strike by simultaneously manipulating Efreet's flas and Hermit's freezing air."
Marina couldn't help but frown. The physical laws of the real world also applied here, so Marina wasn't surprised by the phenonon before her. Although Shido's expression showed it was just a coincidence. But in that brief mont, Itsuka Shido's use of the Angels had surpassed their original owners.
"You're really tough to deal with, Itsuka Shido. If you just obediently didn't resist, I could have given you a quick end."
Wiping the sweat from his head, the corners of Shido's mouth curled into a proud smile.
"Unfortunately, I'm very resilient."
Marina gritted her teeth in annoyance.
"I can't understand, Itsuka Shido. Why did you accept Ryougi Yutsuki's absurd proposal? According to your beliefs, protecting everyone so they are safe and sound is the most important thing. Why deliberately seek hardship and jump into a trap?"
"Well... humans are just weird creatures like that." Shido gave a bitter smile and gently shook his head. Looking directly at Marina, he said, "But to correct one thing, Marina. I ca here not because of Yutsuki's selfishness. The truly selfish person is ."
Shido rembered. The long and repetitive mories of the cycles spent in this ga.
The first person who proposed to save Marina wasn't Yutsuki or anyone else, but Shido himself. Although he forgot, Yutsuki still worked hard to minimize the danger to everyone in order to fulfill this unreasonable request.
"The reason we didn't leave this world wasn't to defeat Arusu, the mastermind behind the scenes. But to bring back that ordinary girl who is unhonest like a kitten—Marina, and Maria, together with everyone!"
"...What do you an, Itsuka Shido? Do you plan to save ...?"
Anger instantly rushed to her head, making Marina's body tremble continuously. She let out a laugh full of killing intent.
"Stop making laugh, okay? Itsuka Shido."
Saying such things when you know nothing about .
"Claiming to desire a peaceful life, yet now so skillfully wielding such terrifying power. A contradictory and twisted person. Are you saying you'll abandon the life of that child behind you and choose to accept ?"
There was no room for negotiation from the very beginning.
"Your actions themselves are hypocrisy, what right do you have to deny ?"
"That's true... Everything you say is correct." Unexpectedly, Shido actually nodded without denying it, "With my power alone, just protecting Maria is my limit. Wanting to touch unreachable things will only make lose more in the end."
"—Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Hearing Shido's words, Marina's face couldn't help but distort.
Then, endless barrages attacked Shido.
"Shido, danger!" Maria shouted in panic.
Stepped on a landmine by accident. Realizing his poor choice of words, Shido showed a troubled, bitter smile.
No longer having the energy to deal with these attacks one by one, all Shido could do was use his body to shield Maria behind him.
"Good work, Shido."
He didn't know if it was an illusion. Groggily, Shido saw a familiar wisp of brown long hair flutter past his eyes.
"You're too slow... Yutsuki."
After a soft rebuke, Shido's body slowly collapsed as if losing its fulcrum.
Marina, maybe if it's just alone, I can't hold onto anything.
But, I'm not alone...
Silently reciting the words he hadn't yet conveyed. Shido slowly lost consciousness in a warm embrace.
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