Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 242 242: Sleepwalking?

The Pacific Ocean, an island nad Nerylulia.

Nerylulia is an uninhabited island secretly acquired by DEM Industries twenty years ago. If the experints conducted in the research facility on the island were made public, DEM would absolutely face worldwide condemnation.

At this mont, it was already a war-torn battlefield.

The sound of gunfire, the clash of swords, screams, maniacal laughter; various sounds intertwined.

On this small island, nearly 100 elite Wizards equipped with CR-Units and over 300 remotely operated Bandersnatch—a fighting force capable of rivaling a space fleet—were turned into a living hell before Tokisaki Kurumi alone.

"My, my... This was truly... a miscalculation on my part..."

Watching the transport plane gradually flying away, Kurumi's eyes revealed an unconcealable feeling of disappointnt.

After various investigations, Kurumi had finally found this island that didn't even exist on the world map, and discovered what she had been looking for in its laboratory—the Second Spirit.

Upon finally finding her target, Tokisaki Kurumi took swift and decisive action. She arrived just in ti before the Second Spirit was about to be transferred to another area, and using an army of clones created by the Eighth Bullet, she slaughtered all the enemies.

Just as she was about to intercept the transport plane carrying the Second Spirit, an annoying interloper suddenly appeared.

"Cough—Cough cough!"

Blood flowed uncontrollably from the wound on her chest, and the excruciating pain that almost made her faint caused Kurumi to cough up blood.

Beside her lay the decapitated bodies of five Kurumi clones.

And before her stood a Wizard she had never seen before.

Equipped with a CR-Unit similar in design to Ellen Mira Mathers's , it was a blonde woman around 20 years old. Contrasting with her mature figure, her face carried a hint of youthfulness and softness. Her comforting aura made one involuntarily feel a sense of intimacy. If they had t in a different setting, Tokisaki Kurumi might have developed a good impression of this woman.

However, having just fought her, Kurumi knew very well that the danger posed by the woman before her was not at all inferior to Ellen Mathers.

"But... things aren't... going to end like this... The Second Spirit-san... sooner or later... 'we' will take her..."

Well, perhaps it was out of unwillingness or annoyance, but knowing her impending fate, a provocative smile appeared on the Kurumi's lips.

"...Arondight."

Seemingly not hearing Kurumi's words at all, Artemisia calmly raised the laser sword in her hand.

With a swift slash, Kurumi's vision turned completely black.

"Report, target 'Nightmare' elimination complete. Resuming escort mission for 'Material A'."

________________

"He finally let go."

Taking advantage of Shido's grip loosening, Yutsuki hurriedly pulled her hand out.

If he still couldn't let go when it was ti to switch shifts, it would be awkward. Thinking of this, Yutsuki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ugh... his temperature has gone up again."

Reaching out to touch Shido's forehead, his previously lowered body temperature had unexpectedly risen again.

"It really isn't a normal fever..."

Yutsuki couldn't help but frown in worry. He had already taken dicine and was on an IV drip. The dical level of this era was clearly much better than her previous life's, and Shido wasn't exactly frail or sickly. If it were just a normal cold or fever, he should have stabilized by now.

Recalling Shido's abnormal performance during PE class earlier, it was obviously a thod of using Spirit power to enhance his physical capabilities.

Shido had already promised her that he wouldn't use Spirit power for personal or everyday purposes. Leaving aside whether he intended to break the promise, using Spirit power at that ti didn't benefit Shido himself in any way.

(His actions at that ti weren't born of his own will... the Spirit power in his body rioted on its own. Does that an there's a problem with the seal itself?)

Although it was rely a guess, Yutsuki still arrived at a conclusion similar to Kotori's.

"Forget it, I should think of a way to lower his temperature first."

Kotori probably already had a solution, so there was no need for her to overthink things alone. Yutsuki shook her head, cast aside her distracting thoughts, found an ice pack in the hospital room's cabinet, and placed it on Shido's forehead.

"Then next..."

After pondering for a mont, Yutsuki walked out of the room, took out her phone, and dialed a number from her mory.

[Hello, may I ask who is calling?]

A sowhat puzzled voice ca from the other end of the line. Seeing her call connect, Yutsuki sighed in relief.

"Mana, where are you right now?"

[Who are you... why do you know my na?]

The other party's voice beca sowhat wary.

"My na is Ryougi Yutsuki. Does that ring a bell?"

[Ryougi Yutsuki... sorry, I have absolutely no impression. Let be clear first, I don't have much cash on .]

"No, no, this isn't an 'It's , it's ' scam."

Seeing Mana treat her as a phone scamr, Yutsuki smiled bitterly in helplessness.

Actually, it wasn't strange. After all, in this world, she had never interacted with Takamiya Mana. From Mana's perspective, hearing her na called from an unknown number—by an unknown person—it was inevitable she would be wary.

After considering her words for a mont, Yutsuki spoke again.

"Well... let rephrase. The Spirit recently sealed by your brother, Hacker—Kotori should have ntioned to you. You should understand now, right? Forr DEM No. 2 Wizard."

[—!?]

Perhaps having long heard of Yutsuki's fearso reputation among Wizards, Mana instantly gasped.

[...Then, what business does the 'Most Dangerous Spirit' have with ?]

"Hey, hey, no need for the hostility. I'm not planning to harm you."

Sensing the obvious hostility from the other end, Yutsuki hurriedly explained.

"Didn't I just say? I've already been sealed by Shido. I'm harmless now; I'm Shido's family. Also, 'most dangerous' is slander; I've never killed a single person."

[Is that so... sorry, I jumped to conclusions.]

After a mont of silence, seemingly confirming Yutsuki wasn't lying, Mana's voice softened a bit.

[So, what does Ryougi-san need?]

"Ah, it's like this..."

Yutsuki briefly described Shido's condition today.

"That's how it is. Shido has a cold and isn't feeling well. We Spirits can't use our full power after being sealed, and Kotori's airship has been sent to headquarters for remodeling. If DEM were to attack right now, let alone protecting Shido, we'd probably have trouble just defending ourselves. So—"

[You want to co back and act as Nii-sama's bodyguard, right? Leave it to !]

Before Yutsuki could finish, Mana completely dropped her previous wary attitude and agreed very readily.

"Thank you, Mana. Sorry to trouble you."

[Not at all. Rather, Nii-sama's family is my family. I'm sorry for doubting you earlier, Yutsuki-nee.]

Seemingly ashad of her earlier suspicion, Mana honestly apologized to Yutsuki and even reverted to the respectful address she used for her in the previous world. This straightforward and cute personality, honestly, was nothing like her brother Shido's.

"But speaking of which, aren't you still hunting Kurumi? How's that going?"

Yutsuki couldn't help but ask curiously. In the previous world, apart from returning regularly for dical treatnts, Mana spent most of her ti searching for Tokisaki Kurumi to stop her from killing innocent people, so they rarely had the chance to et.

[Ah, about that. Kurumi's spirit wave reaction suddenly left Tengu City—Beep—Beep—]

"Mana?"

The voice on the other end suddenly turned into a busy tone. Yutsuki scratched her hair in confusion. Just as she was about to redial, Yutsuki suddenly noticed her phone indicated it was out of the service area.

No signal? You've got to be kidding, this is underground in the city center.

Bzzzt bzzzt—

"Hm?"

Just then, a strange sound suddenly ca from the hospital room. Feeling a surge of unease, Yutsuki hurriedly rushed back into the room.

"Shido? Are you okay—"

However, the scene before her made Yutsuki instantly freeze.

Shido, who had been lying asleep on the bed, was now sitting upright at so point. He had also casually ripped off the electrodes connected to his body. Blue white lightning crackled all over him, causing the surrounding equipnt to short-circuit.

Yutsuki naturally is unfamiliar with the phenonon before her, because that lightning was Yutsuki's own power.

(Did Shido block the signal just now? Did I ever teach him this trick?)

"Ugh... waah..."

Before Yutsuki could reach a conclusion, Shido suddenly let out a aningless groan. The lightning on his body gradually dissipated. Dazedly getting out of bed, he sluggishly changed back into his own clothes, put on his shoes, and walked towards her with steps like a zombie from Resident Evil.

"Shido?"

Yutsuki tried calling out, but Shido didn't respond. As if he couldn't even see Yutsuki, he staggered out of the hospital room.

Looking closely, Yutsuki noticed that the other party hadn't even opened his eyes.

"Could this be... sleepwalking?"

Yutsuki guessed with a surprised face. Although she had never heard Shido ntion having a habit of sleepwalking, besides that, she really couldn't find any other explanation right now.

"Ah... what should I do?"

Watching Shido walk further away, Yutsuki felt a rare sense of anxiety.

Her phone still had no signal. If she wanted to notify Kotori and the others, she would have to run to the conference room in the opposite direction. But if she just left Shido in this state alone, who knew what problems might occur.

Moreover, she couldn't just choose to wake Shido up. After all, she heard that forcibly waking a sleepwalker is harmful to the person.

"No choice!"

Left with no other option, Yutsuki gritted her teeth and followed the sleepwalking Shido out of the underground facility.