"Star☆Door—Open!"
Orihi☆ raised her magic wand and gently waved it twice in the air. A sparkling five-pointed star playfully popped out. It continuously spun and enlarged—finally turning into a star-shaped door.
"Alright, if you step inside here, you'll be able to return to your original world."
"Really?"
Everyone was instantly overjoyed.
"Mhm~ I wouldn't lie."
With a sweet smile on her face, Orihi☆ nodded.
"Ah, that's a huge help."
Breathing a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart, Kotori looked down at her older brother, who was lying on the ground looking pale and "completely burned out," and kicked him crossly.
"Get up quickly, Shido! You don't think the problem is over just like this, do you? After we get back, Mukuro is still waiting for us to deal with her, there's no free ti for you to be sentintal."
"Haha... That's true."
Standing up with a bitter smile, Shido took a slow breath, his mood calming down slightly.
Following that, Tohka and the others stepped into the star-shaped door one by one.
"Kuku—Prepare yourselves. You insidious Wizards, I am about to return from hell and deliver the hamr of vengeance upon you."
"Overtake. Kaguya is dawdling too much, Yuzuru will go in first."
"Ah—Yuzuru is so sneaky!"
"Everyone... don't push... it's dangerous..."
"Shido, hurry up and co."
"..."
Looking at the exit in front of him, Shido seed sowhat hesitant, stopping in front of the door without advancing.
"What's wrong? Boy?"
Seeing Shido stop, Nia couldn't help but ask puzzledly.
After hesitating for a mont, Shido spoke.
"Sorry... I have a few things I want to talk to 'myself' about, you guys go ahead first."
"Eh? With ? Well, it doesn't matter though..."
Orihi☆, who was dealing with Yutsuki's entanglent, was a bit surprised to hear it was Shido, but nodded anyway.
"Oh..."
Seemingly understanding Shido's intention, the corner of Nia's mouth curved up.
"Selfcest?"
"That's not it at all!?"
"Haha—Just kidding! Boy, your reactions are amusing as always!"
Waving her hand with a smile, Nia grabbed Yutsuki's hand and walked towards the entrance.
"Alright, Biri-chan, let's go. We don't have much ti, if we don't hurry back, Imouto-chan and the others will get anxious."
"No! No! I don't want to! —I'm not leaving! I want to stay in this world with Orihi☆ until the end of ti! A reality without Orihi☆ is not the reality I want!"
Yutsuki threw a tantrum like a spoiled brat, but Nia ignored her protests and forcefully pulled her into the exit.
However, Nia knew very well that if Yutsuki truly resisted, there was no way she could pull her alone.
She's a natural-born actress. Nia couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
"Ah—Right."
Suddenly, Nia seed to rember sothing. Half her body leaned out of the exit, and she added with a wicked smile.
"Boy, actually, the flow of ti in this world is much faster than the outside, so there's no need to rush, you can take your ti chatting."
"Hey, Nia! That's completely different from what you just said! As I thought, I should stay too, at least let take one last look, engrave Orihi☆'s beauty in my mories—"
"Alright, alright~ Don't sweat the small details, keep moving forward, Biri-chan."
"I don't wanna—"
Hearing the conversation coming from the passageway, black lines appeared simultaneously on Shido and Orihi☆'s foreheads.
"Transformation—Cancel."
Saying that, Orihi☆ canceled the Magical Girl transformation and reverted back to the appearance of "Itsuka Shido."
"You can actually turn back."
Seeing this scene, Shido couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Honestly, facing Orihi☆, Shido always felt a sense of sha more fatal than having his dark history notebook read aloud in public. Even though he had long graduated from that phase, his dark history uncontrollably kept hitting new lows. The stimulation to his heart was truly sowhat terrifying.
"It's not like I like that outfit either."
Seemingly understanding Shido's feelings, "Itsuka Shido" also showed a bitter smile, making Shido feel as if he was talking to himself in a mirror.
"So, you have sothing you want to say to , right?"
"Mhm."
Nodding gently, Shido looked at the other "himself," his eyes revealing complex emotions.
This person is Itsuka Shido, but also not Itsuka Shido.
"He" was created from the emotions, perceptions, and expectations the Spirits held towards the identity of "Itsuka Shido," combining them to form a "fictional Shido" born with the original intention of saving Spirits.
Although there were many obvious spoof elents, he was undoubtedly the "ideal Shido" hoped for in everyone's hearts.
And within that, it also included "her" ideals and expectations for "Itsuka Shido."
"Next... I want to help a Spirit nad 'Mukuro'... but because of this... Yutsuki and I had a fight..."
Although unable to organize his words smoothly, Shido tried his best to explain the whole story to "himself," including his incomprehension, confusion, and unease at this mont.
At the mont he was about to crash to the ground, thinking everyone was going to die, although only for an instant, the thought of "giving up" did indeed arise in Itsuka Shido's heart.
Because of that, a tiny crack also appeared in his initially firm resolve "to save Mukuro."
"Was Yutsuki's advice correct after all? Even though I can't even protect my own family, even though Mukuro said to leave her alone, I still said I was going to save her... Was I being too conceited after all?"
Pursuing his lips tightly, Shido lowered his head ashadly.
The person in front of him wasn't anyone else, but himself. Because of this, Itsuka Shido could admit his weakness and confess it.
At the sa ti, there was also a slight feeling of wanting to cheat.
He is the ideal "Itsuka Shido" in "her" heart. Then perhaps Shido could get a "correct" answer from him that was completely different from his own.
"I see... So that kind of thing happened on your side..."
Patiently listening to Shido's words, "Shido" showed a thoughtful expression. After a long ti, he exhaled sharply and revealed a bitter smile.
"Sorry... I can't give you the answer you want. Because if I were in your position, I'd probably argue with Yutsuki too!"
"Eh?"
Shido widened his eyes in surprise.
"Because, I definitely can't just leave her alone, right."
"Shido" looked into Shido's eyes and said very affirmatively,
"Clearly noticing the other party hiding a pain so great she locked her heart away and escaped to space, but deliberately turning a blind eye to it—I couldn't do such a thing. Similarly, although I understand Yutsuki's thoughts, seeing her speak ill of Mukuro while knowing nothing about her, I would be angry too. Ah—although probably not to the harsh extent you ntioned..."
"Ugh—!"
The overly blunt words hit Shido's pain point like a sharp arrow, causing him to fall to his knees with a pale face.
"Haha... As I thought... I knew... that part was my fault no matter how you look at it... Haha... Having it pointed out by myself really leaves no room for rebuttal... Haha... I really want to turn into ashes and disappear from the world..."
"Well, after Mukuro's problem is over, apologize properly to Yutsuki. I'm sure she'll forgive you."
Patting Shido's shoulder to encourage him, "Shido" spoke,
"Go save Mukuro! If it were , that's definitely what I would do."
"Go save Mukuro..."
Hearing "Shido"'s words, Shido felt a warm current surge in his chest.
"—!!"
Just then, an image suddenly surfaced in Shido's eyes: if "Shido" hadn't appeared back then, he could only watch helplessly as everyone died in front of him.
This helpless powerlessness and fear ruthlessly blew out the fla that had just ignited in Shido's heart.
"Can I do it? I'm not as strong as you, I can't protect everyone while saving a Spirit like you can."
"...That is a misunderstanding, Itsuka Shido. The truly strong person is you."
For so reason, when saying this, Shido felt the other party's voice was sowhat distressed and also a bit sad.
"Eh? What are you saying?"
Shido raised his head in confusion. He noticed that the "Itsuka Shido" looking at him now had a faint trace of envy in his eyes.
"My power is rely set at the very beginning of the story. And your power is accumulated through your own continuous efforts after forming bonds with many Spirits. Honestly, I envy you very much."
"The other ''."
In a flash, Shido seed to understand sothing. Looking at "Shido"'s smile, he wanted to say sothing, but didn't know how to express it in words.
Just then, massive tremors suddenly occurred throughout the fantasy world.
The sky was collapsing, the earth was cracking. Looking around, within Shido's field of vision, everything, living or dead, was turning into dust and disappearing bit by bit.
"Wh-what's happening?"
"This world is about to disappear."
As if having anticipated this situation long ago, "Itsuka Shido" answered very calmly,
"It's only natural. This is the world Westcott created to trap you and the Spirits. Now that the Spirits have escaped back to the real world, Westcott naturally has no need to maintain this world."
"Then we should hurry up and escape too!"
"No, the only one who needs to escape is you."
"Itsuka Shido" shook his head gently.
"This exit requires to stay here to maintain its existence. And even if that wasn't the case, if I went to your world, I would definitely disappear completely. That would only add unnecessary sorrow to everyone."
"What are you saying? How could I leave you alone and run away!?"
"Do not bestow useless sympathy upon a fake! Move forward! Itsuka Shido!"
For the first ti, "Itsuka Shido" showed a stern expression, harshly scolding himself.
"If you acknowledge , then live on for my share as well!"
"...I understand! Thank you! The other !"
Clenching his fists slightly, Itsuka Shido seed to have made up his mind, nodding firmly.
"There is one more thing I must correct... you are not a fake."
"Hmph~ Thanks."
Hearing Shido's words, "Shido" froze for a mont, then laughed very happily, extending his fist towards Shido.
Shido understood perfectly and extended his hand, their fists bumping together.
"Do your best, the other !"
"Take care, the other !"
Then, Shido turned around, looked at the exit a few ters away, and took a deep breath.
As if throwing off all the worries binding his body, Itsuka Shido started running, rushing into the door with all his might.
"Itsuka Shido, this is my final advice!"
The voice of "himself" ca from behind.
"You are strong! Far stronger than you imagine yourself to be! Saving Mukuro and protecting everyone—you can do both! Prove it to Yutsuki with your actions!!"
As soon as his voice fell, Shido felt the door behind him close, completely isolating the two worlds of fantasy and reality.
Shido did not look back, rely gritting his teeth and continuing to run towards the exit.
————————————
From the very beginning, "Itsuka Shido" knew very well that he was not Itsuka Shido.
He—was rely assigned the mission of being a "character" by a certain story within this virtual space, just like those Big Bad Wolves and Witches. Other than that, he was nothing.
A fake na, fake mories, a fake personality—among the components that made up his existence, not a single one was real.
Actually, Ryougi Yutsuki's understanding of this world was flawed in one aspect.
Although it is possible to resolve the conflicts within a story and make the "characters" inside allies. However, under Westcott's malicious manipulation, all the "characters" in this world would initially be their enemies.
"Itsuka Shido" had actually appeared very early on. It's just that due to his character setting, his attitude towards Yutsuki and the others wavered constantly between "companions to protect" and "enemies to eliminate." Therefore, when Yutsuki and the others fell into crisis, he neither offered help nor attacked, but remained hidden and neutral.
It wasn't until that mont, the mont everyone was about to fall to their deaths, that he felt the emotions of his story prototype—Itsuka Shido.
It was an emotion that completely disregarded his own life or death, solely hoping for his precious people to survive. It was mixed with regret and unwillingness, yet it was also love pure to the extre.
The people he wanted to protect, the people he wanted to save. The weight of these in Shido's heart far surpassed the weight of his own life.
It was precisely because he was moved by this emotion that, at this very mont, he could truly beco "Itsuka Shido."
"Alright, this is enough."
Sitting calmly in this crumbling world, "Itsuka Shido" sighed contentedly.
Once, although only once. He had indeed saved Spirits in place of Itsuka Shido. Being able to achieve this goal, his brief life was without regrets.
"The rest... is just disappearing along with this world... If only it were that simple."
Slapping both palms on the ground, using the resulting reaction force, "Itsuka Shido" quickly dodged backward.
Imdiately after, an orange beam of light landed on the spot he had just occupied.
"Isn't it a bit too late to release killing intent now? The Spirits and Itsuka Shido have already left this world, we have no reason to fight, right?"
Looking at the empty surroundings, "Itsuka Shido" said with a helpless face.
"Itsuka Shido" did not feel nervous. This was a fantasy world, and he was the closest to perfect "Itsuka Shido" in the Spirits' ideals. With his strength, not a single character in the currently materialized stories was his match.
However—
"Pfft!"
Bright red blood uncontrollably sprayed from his mouth. "Shido" felt an agonizing, burning pain in his abdon, as if lted by magma.
"Shido" looked down, and he surprisingly discovered that, at so unknown point, a scorched black hole had appeared on his stomach.
"The attack just now... strange? I clearly dodged it..."
The Fla of Healing began to heal what should have been a fatal wound, but he still couldn't help feeling astounded by this bizarre phenonon.
"————————!"
Following that, at a position less than ten ters away from him, a pale afterimage abruptly erged from the darkness. Carrying traces of ominous black lightning, it rushed in front of "Itsuka Shido."
—Crap!
"Shido" widened his eyes in surprise. Because of the misdirection from that long-range bombardnt just now, he completely hadn't expected the enemy to be lurking in a position so close to him.
"Sandalphon!"
With no ti to complete the Magical Girl transformation, in his haste, "Shido" could only summon Tohka's greatsword to hold across his chest as a shield.
The opponent seed to wield a pitch-black blade, slashing viciously against Sandalphon's blade edge.
The sound of clashing weapons rang out. The opponent had no intention of holding back. "Shido" felt his entire arm practically destroyed by the recoil of the collision. Sandalphon and the opponent's blade shattered in just this single clash, turning into dust and dissipating.
"A Spirit?"
Shido showed a surprised expression. From the strike just now, he could be certain that the blade the other party used, just like Sandalphon, was a Spirit's Angel.
To be precise, it was the Demon King of an inverted Spirit.
However, while "Itsuka Shido" was shaken, the opponent did not pause at all. Another pitch-black sharp blade extended from the other hand, aiming directly at "Itsuka Shido's" head.
(Dual swords!?)
His mind had just realized this fact. The next instant, "Shido's" head was chopped off by the opponent's sword.
If a Spirit's Angel is destroyed, it requires a considerable cooldown period. So this situation was actually advantageous for "Shido." Similarly having their Angel destroyed, he, who possessed multiple Angels, could completely preempt the opponent by summoning an Angel to counterattack, turning the passive into active.
However, he did not expect the opponent to wield more than one blade. The ti difference of less than half a second between needing to resummon another Angel and the second Demon King waiting for an opportunity sealed "Itsuka Shido's" defeat.
But, he did not know that even if he had summoned an Angel to defend, the outco would not have changed in any way.
"—————————!"
A roar like a wild beast echoed in this crumbling world.
Probably not even Westcott expected this. That such a strange beast would be born in a fantasy world on the verge of destruction. And then, so aninglessly, so unresistingly, perish along with this fantasy world.
(TL:yes,that is inverse yutsuki)
User Comments
0 comments from readers