What happened?
Staring blankly at everything before him, Shido couldn't help but think in confusion.
Streets burning fiercely, skyscrapers reduced to ruins, and that Spirit hovering in the night sky, continuously raining down destructive rays of light like a tyrannical Demon King.
In just a few minutes, the Tengu City in Shido's eyes was completely annihilated.
"Shido!"
Yutsuki's shout snapped Shido out of his montary daze. He found that he was currently being carried by Yutsuki by his collar, rapidly moving away from the scene of Origami's destruction.
"Let go, Yutsuki! How can I just leave Origami behind—"
"It's useless, Shido."
After confirming they were temporarily out of Tobiichi Origami's attack range, Yutsuki landed on the roof of a building. Looking at Tobiichi Origami indiscriminately attacking her surroundings in the distance, an indescribable sadness appeared in Yutsuki's amber eyes.
"You should know better than what the result would be if we stayed there. If you could have saved Origami then, would I have pulled you out?"
"I—"
Shido was instantly at a loss for words.
Just a few minutes ago, upon confirming that the inverted Origami had suddenly appeared, Shido imdiately took action, wanting to seal Origami's Spirit power with a kiss, just like he did with the inverted Tohka before.
However, things didn't go nearly as smoothly as Shido imagined.
Faced with Origami's overwhelming, indiscriminate bombardnt, even a slight approach would result in being obliterated into ashes by the surrounding wings of light. Even for Shido, getting close was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Finally, with the full cooperation of Tohka and the others who were teleported to the ground, and the Fraxinus high in the sky, Shido managed to get in front of Origami.
However, when he truly saw Origami, the last shred of hope in Shido's heart completely vanished into nothingness.
Dull, lifeless eyes, tear-stained cheeks, dry and cracked lips. A face entirely devoid of vitality, as if it had witnessed all the despair in the world.
If the previous Origami was a doll whose emotions were impossible to read, then what remained here now was just an empty shell without a soul.
Even a kiss to seal her Spirit power would be useless. This ti, he was completely powerless to save the situation.
For the first ti, Shido's emotions and reason clearly told him this cruel and powerless reality.
Then, the next mont, Shido was targeted by the wings floating around him. Just as he was about to be pierced through the heart by Origami's attack, Yutsuki rushed over, pulled the dazed Shido out, and quickly took him away from the scene.
"But Tohka and the others are still there!"
"It's fine. Tohka and the others have already been retrieved by Kotori into the Fraxinus. The people in the city too, because of the spacequake alarm earlier, they're mostly in the shelters now. They won't be in danger for the ti being."
Yutsuki hugged Shido, gently patted his shoulder, and comforted him,
"There's no point in being anxious now. Co, take a deep breath and calm down."
"Phew... I'm okay now, thank you, Yutsuki."
"You're welco."
Hearing Yutsuki's reliable and steady voice, Shido took a deep breath and gradually cald down.
She was right. No matter how anxious and panicked he was, it wouldn't change the current situation. If even he gave up now, then the old Origami really would never return.
"Yutsuki, please tell what exactly happened to Origami? How can I save her?"
(Even at this point... you still insist on saving Origami?)
Looking at the unwavering determination in Shido's eyes, Yutsuki, for so reason, showed a relieved smile.
"OK! I will think of a way—though I say that, Shido, you've already proposed the solution."
"Eh?"
Looking at Shido's sowhat surprised and confused expression, Yutsuki took a deep breath and roared loudly at her surroundings.
"Kurumi, how long do you plan to hide and watch the show!? Hurry up and get your ass out here!!"
Following Yutsuki's furious roar, a figure slowly walked out from the shadows of the street.
Wearing a long dress woven from blood and shadows, with asymtrical long hair and a striking clock in her left eye, a chillingly beautiful girl—Tokisaki Kurumi.
"Ara ara~ Don't be so angry,Yutsuki-san. You're scaring ."
"If it weren't for the urgent situation... I really want to beat you up right now."
In response to Kurumi's feigned aggrieved look, an ordinary person seeing this would probably feel pity. But knowing the full story, Yutsuki almost couldn't hold back from going on a rampage right then and there.
"Cut the crap. Send Shido back to the ti five years ago when Origami went back, right now. If Origami can go back, there's no reason you can't send Shido back."
"...Honestly. When we t earlier too,Yutsuki-san seems to know everything."
Widening her eyes slightly in surprise, Kurumi couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Save it. If I knew everything, I absolutely wouldn't have let this terrible situation happen."
Yutsuki rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Yutsuki, what exactly is going on? Didn't you say going back to the past is very dangerous?"
Shido looked at Yutsuki in confusion. He didn't understand why Yutsuki, who had previously been against the proposal to change the past, suddenly changed her attitude.
"Sorry, Shido. I originally didn't want you to do sothing so dangerous. But looking at it now, your idea was correct." Pursing her lips sowhat bitterly, Yutsuki slowly exhaled and said with a grim expression, "Long story short, Shido. I need you to go back five years and save Origami's parents from being mistakenly killed by Origami!"
Then, without waiting for Kurumi and Shido to fully process Yutsuki's words, Yutsuki briefly and clearly explained the plan she had devised earlier based on Shido's idea.
____________________________
"Well then—let us begin~ Shido-san."
Saying that, Kurumi lifted the hem of her skirt and bowed slightly, an alluring smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
"City of Devouring Ti!"
At Kurumi's command, the shadow pooled at Kurumi's feet instantly spread to Shido's feet. In an instant, Shido felt as if a massive amount of stamina had been drained from him, and intense exhaustion washed over him.
"Hehehe~ As expected of Shido-san. Having sealed the power of so many Spirits, the portion is truly abundant~ It makes want more~"
Saying that, a slight, excited flush appeared on Kurumi's cheeks.
"Kurumi, let be clear. If you dare take this chance to eat Shido. I will not hesitate to pull the trigger."
Aiming Ratziel, which was charging a Railgun, at Kurumi, Yutsuki warned.
"Yes, yes~ I know.Yutsuki-san really, being overprotective has its limits too."
Kurumi shrugged without any tension. After a mont, she reluctantly withdrew the shadow.
"I have indeed absorbed enough 'ti'. Zafkiel—"
Imdiately after, the giant clock appeared behind Kurumi. The shadow seeping from the position marked "XII" filled the chamber of Kurumi's flintlock pistol.
"Then, I wish you success. Shido-san."
Aiming the muzzle at Shido's chest, Kurumi slowly pulled the trigger while declaring,
"Yud Bet(The Twelfth Bullet) "
A bullet resembling a shadow struck Shido right in the chest. There was no pain, just a strong sense of imbalance. Then everything before his eyes seed to lose its orientation of up, down, left, and right, gradually blurring.
Itsuka Shido felt himself losing connection with this world.
"So now, Shido-san has successfully returned to five years ago. And what do you plan to do next—Yutsuki-san?"
Watching the vanished Shido, Kurumi turned her head and asked in a tone full of curiosity.
"Well, unlike Shido. Turning my ho and city into a complete ss, I am absolutely furious with Origami right now."
Looking at Origami indiscriminately destroying the streets not far away, seemingly because Shido was no longer there, an undisguised terrifying light appeared in Yutsuki's eyes. Picking up her phone, she contacted the Fraxinus.
"Hey, Marina. Can you hear ?"
[What's wrong, Yutsuki?]
"Teleport the Tactical Unit AW-111 Brunhild to ."
[...Hah, I know, I know! Honestly, you always like doing dangerous things just like Shido. No wonder you specifically avoided Kotori and Maria and only contacted .]
Seemingly understanding Yutsuki's intention, Marina in the computer world remained silent for a mont, then let out a helpless long sigh.
[Don't die.]
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