"Phew... the first step is a success."
Looking at the flickering fla in his hand, Shido secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he had practiced this several tis in the virtual world, it was Shido's first ti actively summon the healing fla in the real world.
What is he doing?
Natsumi wondered in confusion. Although she was very surprised that Shido, whom she thought was a normal human, could use a Spirit's power, she cared more about why this man was here, saying things like he was going to treat her and help her.
"Then, excuse ."
Under Natsumi's confused gaze, Shido placed his right hand, holding the flickering fla, over the wound on Natsumi's abdon.
Seeing this, Natsumi's first reaction was that Shido planned to take revenge while she was weak and unable to move, torturing her by burning her wound and making her wish for death.
However, the reality was completely different from what Natsumi imagined.
The fla spread evenly, completely wrapping around the wound like a thin film. Her body, originally cold and numb from blood loss, felt warm as if vitality were being poured into it.
The large wound pierced by Ellen was healing at a visible rate under the fla's stimulation. Soon, the massive gash caused by Ellen's longsword completely vanished.
Freed from the agony of the wound, the color in Natsumi's face improved slightly.
Looking at her perfectly healed abdon, Natsumi stared at Shido with disbelief. She moved her lips and asked slowly.
"Itsuka Shido... just who are you...?"
Hearing Natsumi's words, Shido gave a bitter smile and answered honestly.
"Well, just a high schooler who wants to live a normal, ordinary life."
Stop talking nonsense. This thought couldn't help but surface in her mind. Imdiately after, an intense wave of exhaustion swept through Natsumi's entire body. Although the wound was healed, Shido couldn't magically replace the massive amount of blood she had lost. With the ntal and spiritual exhaustion on top of that, Natsumi's condition was at an all-ti low.
(No... my transformation is going to undo... I can't sleep... I need to get out of here quickly...)
Although she kept telling herself this internally, after the fear of Ellen faded and she felt safe, her tense nerves completely relaxed, leaving her too lazy to even lift a finger. In her grogginess, she closed her eyes.
"Is she asleep?"
Watching Natsumi breathing steadily, Shido breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Natsumi's body emitted a faint light. The alluring, sexy woman with a devilish figure vanished before Shido's eyes, replaced by the slender, frail little girl he had seen before.
(Did her transformation undo itself because she used too much Spirit power?)
Shido gently picked Natsumi up. Her overly light body gave him the illusion that he was holding a fragile glass doll.
Honestly, even though Natsumi's true face was a stark contrast to her mature older-sister image, it wasn't so terrible that it couldn't be shown to others. If she just put so effort into taking care of herself, she could beco a very cute girl.
(Either the true form under that sexy beauty's exterior was truly sothing unpresentable... or this seemingly aggressive, carnivorous older sister... actually has an unexpectedly insecure personality... huh?)
Recalling what Yutsuki had said back then, Shido sighed with a bitter smile.
[Shido, how is Natsumi?]
Kotori's voice ca through the earpiece.
"She's fine now. She's just still very weak from the blood loss and passed out."
[That's good. Good job, Shido. I didn't expect you'd co up with a way to use my flas like that. I'll give you a little praise.]
"It was just an unavoidable ergency asure."
Flattered by his sister's praise, Shido shook his head with a bitter smile.
A Spirit's power isn't inherently good or evil; it's simply a weapon that exists to grant wishes. The impact it has doesn't depend on the power itself, but on the user. Just like how a sharp kitchen knife has completely different uses in the hands of a criminal versus a chef.
So, how should Itsuka Shido use these powers to protect everyone?
During those seven days in the virtual world, under Yutsuki's guidance, Shido thought of many possibilities and tried them out one by one. The first thing that ca to mind was the healing fla that had pulled him back from deadly "Bad Ends" countless tis.
So, could this fla be used on others? Shido dedicated all his ti outside of combat training to this possibility.
Originally, achieving this level of precise control in seven days would be a pipe dream for Shido, but with the help of Ratziel, it wasn't impossible. Hard work pays off, and on the day they left the virtual world, Shido finally succeeded in healing a small cut Yutsuki had purposely made on her hand.
Of course, unlike his own automatic revival healing, there were many restrictions, but it was undoubtedly Itsuka Shido's biggest achievent from his training in the virtual world.
However, Shido never expected his training to be put to use so soon.
Originally, Shido's plan was to use the opening Yutsuki created by luring Ellen away to sneak over to Natsumi. After Yoshino and Tohka subdued the other Wizards, they would take her to the airship and treat her using the dical Realizers. After all, Shido had only been training with Spirit powers for a week. Compared to Shido's newly developed, unpolished healing thod, a fully equipped dical Realizer was undoubtedly safer and more reliable.
Although she didn't possess an absolute counter to Wizards like Yutsuki did, Yoshino's Zadkiel, which could freeze even Territories, was a huge threat to them. The remaining Wizards who managed to drop their Territories in ti would be easy targets for Tohka to take down.
However, Shido and the others didn't anticipate this. Besides Ellen, an enemy they couldn't ignore appeared before them.
Endless snow danced in the sky, as if winter had arrived two months early, blanketing the barren hill in silver. Most of the Wizards had already lost consciousness and the ability to move due to Yoshino's freezing air. Only one Wizard increased her magical output to prevent her Territory from freezing. She forced Tohka back with a single sword strike and flew in front of Shido.
That Wizard was wearing a wiring suit very similar to Ellen's. The silver white suit definitely stood out even among DEM's Wizards.
But Shido noticed that Wizard for a simpler reason.
Shido was very familiar with that Wizard's face.
"Origami..."
Shido looked up at the girl with short pale hair, his eyes full of confusion and bewildernt.
[I didn't expect this. The reason Tobiichi Origami suddenly disappeared a few days ago was because she joined DEM.]
Kotori said through the earpiece, her tone complex.
[Shido, don't let your guard down. The current Origami is our enemy.]
"Yeah... I know."
Now obviously wasn't the ti to dwell on this. Origami's target was clearly the unconscious Natsumi. Shido took a deep breath and looked at Origami warily.
"Shido, why are you here?"
Noticing Shido, Origami frowned slightly and stopped in mid-air.
"The person behind you is a very dangerous entity. Put her down and evacuate."
"No, I won't step aside."
"Why?"
Hearing Origami's words, Shido shook his head.
"I ca to save Natsumi. So, I won't hand her over to you."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Shido's words, Origami didn't show a surprised expression. After a mont of silence, she put her longsword back into her suit.
Seeing that Origami didn't intend to continue her pursuit, Shido secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shido, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"Shido-san... are you alright..."
"Sorry, Shido-kun. Origami-chan is too strong, we couldn't hold her back."
Tohka and Yoshino returned to Shido's side. After Natsumi fell unconscious, their child transformations wore off, and they returned to their original forms.
"It's fine. You've already helped a lot. Thank you, Tohka, Yoshino, Yoshinon."
After comforting the three of them, Shido looked at Origami. He took a deep breath to stop his hands from shaking and tried to ask calmly.
"Thank you, Origami. For being willing to let Natsumi go."
"I have no intention of letting Witch go, but if this continues, it will develop into a situation where I have to fight you, Shido. If possible, I don't want that to happen."
Origami gently shook her head, using her usual emotionless tone.
No, it was a tone even harder to read than usual, answering Shido's words.
Shido felt an inexplicable wall suddenly appear between him and Origami.
"Origami, why... did you join DEM?"
"To gain the power to take revenge on Spirits—that's all."
Origami answered calmly. Seeing her overly calm, almost cold attitude, Shido's heart started racing uncontrollably.
"Power... do you know how dangerous that organization is?"
"I know. But besides that, there is no other way."
She didn't deny or reject Shido's words. A simple "no other way" instantly left Shido speechless.
"Shido, rather than talking to about this right now, I think there's sothing you need to care about more."
"What?"
Shido looked confused.
"Hacker... Ryougi Yutsuki. That railgun just now. She must have done it intentionally to lure Ellen away. She set it up this way because she was confident she could escape safely, and she knew I wouldn't attack you, Shido."
"Is there a problem with that..."
Hearing Origami's words, Shido felt a bad premonition for so reason.
[This is bad, Shido!]
Kotori's anxious voice suddenly ca through his ear.
"Kotori, what happened?"
[Yutsuki-nee is—]
Origami sighed lightly and said sothing that almost made Shido's heart stop.
"If you don't go save her now, Ryougi Yutsuki might die."
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