"Hahahaha—This is truly sothing! Heaven really does love giving people surprises!"
Inside the Imperial Hotel in Tengu City, Westcott lay completely flat on the sofa. Watching Tobiichi Origami, who had fallen into Inversion on the terminal in his hand, he was like a child watching a hilarious cody. While pounding the back of the sofa with his hand, he let out uncontrollable, exaggerated laughter.
"Ah—I can't, I'm dying of laughter."
After convulsing with suppressed laughter on the sofa a few tis, Westcott finally recovered and sat up straight.
"Honestly, life is always full of unexpected events."
After a brief sigh of emotion, the corner of Westcott's mouth curled up cheerfully.
To be honest, without the unexpected elent of Tobiichi Origami becoming a Spirit, even if he hadn't lost this battle, it would undoubtedly have been Ryougi Yutsuki's victory.
Ellen, who was originally estimated to be able to sink the Fraxinus, returned empty-handed against the other side's stubborn defense. Even the newly joined fighting force, Tobiichi Origami, was defeated after having her weaknesses completely analyzed and researched by the other side.
From beginning to end, Westcott clearly saw from here that, relying on their understanding of his side, the commander of the Fraxinus and Ryougi Yutsuki fought a very beautiful defensive battle against his attacks.
However, Tobiichi Origami becoming a Spirit, and her sudden Inversion, dramatically changed the situation in an instant. Even as the mastermind behind the scenes, Westcott completely didn't expect things to develop in such an interesting way.
"To be able to use a CR-Unit to fight despite being a Spirit... You really always exceed my expectations, Ryougi Yutsuki."
Turning his head to look out the window, watching Ryougi Yutsuki, who simultaneously deployed her Astral Dress and Realizer to forcefully take the inverted Tobiichi Origami out of Tengu City like a teor, Westcott raised his eyebrows in great surprise. He spoke with a mix of regret and admiration.
If she hadn't revealed her trump card too early because of this unexpected event, Westcott would definitely have suffered greatly because of it soday in the future.
"Ellen, how is your physical condition? Could I trouble you to go play with the Fraxinus and the others again?"
[A piece of cake.]
From the other end of the communicator ca Ellen's calm and reliable voice.
[Then what about the inverted Spirit and Ryougi Yutsuki? Let them go?]
"Of course not, we'll just go over a little later. There's a famous saying in China—'When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits.'(Idiom about the third parties being the one profited the most). Regardless of who lives or dies in their battle, it won't do us any harm. On the contrary, if the Fraxinus suddenly went over there now and stopped this wonderful life and death duel, that would be a true loss for us."
Westcott smiled and shook his head.
If Ryougi Yutsuki went to save Origami, Westcott would definitely step in first to eliminate Tobiichi Origami. After all, when prize falls before your eyes, there's no reason to let soone snatch it away.
But if Ryougi Yutsuki went to kill Origami, the aning would be entirely different.
If the inverted Origami killed Yutsuki, Westcott would have one less troubleso opponent. Conversely, if Yutsuki killed Origami, Westcott could get his hands on an inverted Sephira Crystal without breaking a sweat.
"Wait until the battle over there ends. I will give you instructions then. Until then, just coordinate appropriately and stall the Fraxinus."
Westcott chuckled lightly and said with confidence:
"Don't worry. I understood from the battle just now. Right now, all the Spirits besides Ryougi Yutsuki are definitely inside that airship. As long as they are Woodman's subordinates, they will absolutely not attack."
[Understood.]
Ending the call with Ellen, Westcott analyzed the current situation. There was no doubt that things were gradually developing in a direction favorable to him.
"Well then~ I wonder what will happen next?"
Watching the two sides fighting fiercely on the screen, Westcott crossed his legs and muttered to himself with great interest.
If there was one thing that felt out of place to Westcott right now... It was that at this very mont, whether on the Fraxinus or on Ryougi Yutsuki's side, a person who should have been there was missing—Itsuka Shido.
It was precisely because that boy with the power to seal Spirits was nowhere to be found on this battlefield that Westcott was certain the battle between Ryougi Yutsuki and Tobiichi Origami was a fight to the death.
(Did he feel overwheld and give up after experiencing resistance during his contact with the inverted Spirit just now? Or is it...)
______________________
Five years ago. August 3rd. Tengu City, Minami-Kacho.
An unbearably hot sumr day, the scorching sun high in the sky. At this mont, amidst the ruins engulfed in roaring flas, a little boy with short blue hair pulled a little girl who looked about his age out from the collapsing rubble.
"Origami! Can you hear , Origami?"
Shido constantly called out the other's na. However, the little girl at this mont seed to have lost her soul, her eyes incredibly hollow.
No—'hollow' perhaps wasn't the right word.
Anger, resentnt, loss, sorrow—all the negative human emotions intertwined, making her eyes extrely clouded.
"Father... Mother..."
Seeing Tobiichi Origami so lost and bewildered, Shido felt a pang of heartache and hugged her tightly in his arms.
"It's okay. It's already... okay..."
"...Who... are you...?"
The light in Origami's eyes focused slightly on Shido. Looking at the girl's current state, thinking about the path full of thorns she would experience next, and the ruthless and cruel truth she would ultimately have to face... Shido felt his heart ache as if it were being sliced by a knife.
"Origami... you will know one day. You will know everything...! But—please rember this! You are not alone..."
"What... are you talking about...?"
Origami let out a confused sound. It was only natural, but Shido didn't stop his words.
"I will bear your sorrow! I will endure your anger. If you feel lost, please rely on ! If you encounter setbacks you cannot face alone, use to the fullest. It doesn't matter if you vent all your problems and emotions on . So, so—please, absolutely do not despair!"
"...Ah, waah..., uuu, waahhhhhhhhhh... aaaaaahhhhhh..."
Seemingly reacting to Shido's words, tears gradually ford in Origami's dull eyes. Grabbing Shido's clothes, she cried and roared, sobbing uncontrollably.
After an unknown amount of ti passed, Origami stopped crying and stood up from Shido's embrace.
"...Thank you... very much."
Origami wiped her tears with her sleeve, her red and swollen eyes looking at Shido.
"Excuse ... who are you?"
"I am—"
Shido hesitated for a mont before answering:
"Itsuka Shido. A resident living nearby."
"Itsuka... Shido..."
Origami silently repeated Shido's na, then turned around, her back facing Shido. She didn't let him see her expression.
"...Were the things you just said true? Will you really bear everything for ?"
"Of course!"
Hearing Origami's words, Shido nodded resolutely.
"Is that so. Then—I entrust my tears, my smile, my happiness. All of it to you. This ti is the last ti I will cry, and also the last ti I will show a smile."
Softly making a vow to herself. Origami turned around and showed Shido a smile wet with tears—a smile he had never seen from Tobiichi Origami.
"But, this anger is mine. This ugly emotion—I will kill her. Kill that—Angel. No matter how much ti it takes, no matter what thods I use, I will kill her."
Fleeting as it was, the girl turned her back to Shido again, and her voice lost its warmth.
"So, until I kill the Angel, I leave all those things in your care."
After saying that, this small avenger left this place alone.
"So... that's what happened? Origami..."
Silently watching Origami leave, Shido pursed his lips sorrowfully.
Now, he finally knew why Tobiichi Origami, whom he had never t before, would accept his sudden confession without hesitation and beco so madly infatuated with him.
After being hit by Kurumi's Yud Bet, Shido went back five years to the day Kotori beca a Spirit, coming to save Origami's parents who were killed by 'Origami' in the past.
But, Shido failed.
The reason was very simple. Shido didn't know the exact location of Origami's old house, only that her family lived in Minami-Kacho. Left with no choice, he could only check the nas on the naplates door to door. As a result, halfway through, the local residents mistook him for a suspicious person and called the police to arrest him.
He barely managed to escape the police by using Natsumi's Haniel to turn himself into a child. However, right at this ti, on Kotori's side, she seed to have already been turned into a Spirit by Phantom, and the massive fire soon engulfed the entire city.
Then, when Shido returned to Minami-Kacho, what he saw was—Origami's parents being swallowed by a pure white pillar of light; the child Origami falling into a stupor due to extre despair and the Spirit Origami breaking down and disappearing in the sky.
[Shido-san.]
Kurumi's voice rang in his mind. The other party, staying in the present five years later, completed cross-ti communication with her current self through her Angel's Tet (Ninth Bullet)
"Mhm..."
Shido slowly took a deep breath, and his expression gradually cald down. He didn't have any extra ti to bla himself right now.
[I'm afraid the reason Origami-san was so inexplicably obsessed with Shido-san was because later on, after Shido-san returned to the past, you ford a bond with her in so way.]
In the mories from a few minutes ago, the girl explained her guess to Shido and Kurumi:
[But this also indirectly proves that you, Shido, did not successfully save Origami's parents in the world five years ago, which is why the present exists. The cause and effect of this ti have already ford a loop.]
The developnt of events was basically identical to Yutsuki's guess.
Back then, Kurumi and Shido felt chilled by Yutsuki's conclusion, but Yutsuki changed the subject.
[Then to break this loop, Shido, you must find Kurumi again five years ago and convince her to help you travel through ti. Only then is it possible to change the past.]
[Honestly, to what extent did you think this through...Yutsuki-san?]
"Yeah..."
Shido and Kurumi sighed with emotion simultaneously.
Slowly standing up from the ground, Shido patted the dust off his body. He took out his phone, checked the clock he had calibrated beforehand, confird the ti and location, and firmly etched them into his mind.
[So after returning to the past, the first thing you need to do, Shido, isn't saving Origami, but investigating information like the ti and location when Origami's parents were killed. Then—find the Kurumi from five years ago and convince her to help you with a second ti travel.]
"Mhm, no problem. Next, Kurumi, do you rember where you were at this ti five years ago?"
[I do rember. But Shido-san, could you tell why both you and Yutsuki-san are so certain that I would definitely be here back then?]
"Well... it's a long story, I'll tell you when we have a chance."
[It's a promise, then. Mhm—if I rember correctly, you should walk this way.]
Following Kurumi's instructions, Shido stepped forward onto the fire-filled streets.
[Say... Shido-san.]
On the way to find her past self, Kurumi seed unable to hold back the doubt in her heart and suddenly spoke.
"What is it?"
Shido wiped the sweat from his head. He had to admit, the sumr here was already very hot, and adding the fire to it, just running for a bit left Shido drenched in sweat.
[Although Yutsuki-san didn't tell you, you actually know what she's doing right now, don't you?]
"Mhm... I know."
Hearing Kurumi's question, Shido wasn't shaken and nodded calmly.
"We've known each other for a while now, I have a pretty good idea of what Yutsuki plans to do. I'm afraid right now, she is preparing to fight Tobiichi Origami, planning to kill Origami."
Shido knew very well that, unlike him, Ryougi Yutsuki's wish wasn't to save Spirits, but to protect her ho. So towards Origami, who was currently endangering her holand, the girl would definitely choose to eliminate her without hesitation.
[Surprisingly calm... ] Looking at Shido's composed reaction, Kurumi couldn't help but ask in surprise, [Then, does Shido-san feel that it's okay even if Origami-san is killed by Yutsuki-san?]
"How could that be?"
Shido shook his head and said with a bitter smile,
"I just know that even if I think about these things now, it's completely aningless. What I need to do right now hasn't changed at all."
[If, on the second try, even with sufficient intel, you still can't change the past, then no matter the reason. You must give up and return to the present. Rember, this isn't a suggestion, it's an order!]
Recalling the words Yutsuki left him with at the end, Shido understood very clearly what the girl was trying to convey.
Yutsuki is a very comprehensive thinker. Regarding Shido's flash of inspiration to change the past, she forcefully took all possibilities into consideration and formulated a complete plan.
Two tis. Yutsuki only allowed Shido the chance to travel through ti twice. If the second ti also failed despite sufficient conditions, then the failure wouldn't be purely due to a lack of intel, but the cause of death of Origami's parents would have to be attributed to so malice from the world itself.
If that was the case, even if he traveled through ti again, he would only repeat the sa mistakes, plunging Shido into endless self bla until he self destructed.
Therefore, to leave a way out for Shido, who was going back to the past, Yutsuki chose to stay in the present and engage in a death match with the inverted Origami.
If he could change the past, that would naturally be the best. But even if he failed, it didn't matter. Because what awaited Shido in the future wasn't despair.
It was just that, in that future, two people might leave Shido's side in different ways.
This wasn't Yutsuki's selfishness, but a concession and compromise she made between Shido's decision and her own wishes.
"I don't have the luxury to hesitate. Responding to Yutsuki's efforts, pouring everything into saving Origami's parents, and stopping that 'future' from becoming reality. This is the only thing I can do right now."
Precisely because he understood this, Itsuka Shido didn't waver, but took a firm step forward.
Hearing Shido's answer, Kurumi fell silent.
Shido didn't choose to accept this cruel reality; rather, after clearly recognizing the cruelty of reality, he focused entirely on doing what he needed to do the best he could.
[...Honestly. Shido-san really has grown a lot. I almost can't help but fall for you.]
"Then, as the object of your infatuation. Could you please show so rcy and not co eat in the future."
Shido feigned a relaxed tone and joked with Kurumi.
[Too bad~ I absolutely will not compromise on that.]
In the present world, Kurumi seed to be in a good mood, a bright smile appearing on her face.
[We're here. This is the place.]
A few minutes later, following Kurumi's instructions, Shido climbed to the roof of a building near the fire scene.
Catching his breath slightly, Shido looked around. The roof was empty. Looking out, he could only see the fiercely burning streets and hear the sirens of ambulances and fire trucks echoing below.
"There's no one here. Are you rembering it wrong, Kurumi?"
Shido couldn't help but ask in confusion.
[Hmph hmph, who knows. 'I' have always been very careful.]
In Shido's mind, Kurumi let out a cryptic laugh.
"My, my. To think a guest would actually co here at a ti like this. How rare."
Just as the voice in his head faded, Shido heard a familiar voice behind him. At the sa ti, he clearly felt a hard object, like a gun, pressed against his back.
"Wait a mont. I an no harm."
To avoid provoking the person behind him, Shido raised his hands and slowly turned around.
Then, Shido saw a black-haired girl wearing a flashy black gothic Lolita dress, with a dical eyepatch covering her right eye. Undoubtedly, this was Tokisaki Kurumi from five years ago.
[Congratulations, Shido-san. I don't have any mory of eting Shido five years ago. This ans that at this very mont, you have successfully changed the past.]
Hearing Kurumi's words in his mind, Shido couldn't help but ask softly in confusion.
"Kurumi. Why were you wearing an eyepatch five years ago? Were you injured?"
[...Please don't mind that. Shido-san, don't you have more important things to do?]
Seeing that Kurumi seed unwilling to answer and brushed it off, although Shido was still curious, he didn't press the issue.
"Phew... Kurumi, I am not your enemy. I ca here because I have a favor to ask of you."
"Oh? To actually know my na..."
Hearing Shido's answer, Kurumi, who had been observing Shido with interest, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Taking a slow, deep breath to calm himself down, Shido looked directly at the Kurumi from five years ago and slowly explained his purpose for coming.
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