(I wonder how Mukuro is doing now?)
Standing on the observation deck of Tengu Tower, Shido looked at the scenery outside the window absentmindedly.
Although having Yutsuki and Origami with them gave him so peace of mind, thinking about how lively Mukuro was before, and how pale and distracted she beca after entering this tower, even fainting at the end... It was impossible for Shido not to care.
However, caring was one thing. Shido knew very well that the problem he had to face was not just Hoshimiya Mukuro.
"..."
In silence, Shido peeked at Tohka beside him from the corner of his eye. She currently had her arms crossed, staring sharply at the city through the observation deck's glass window. Even though Shido had tried to tell her there were telescopes for tourists to use, Tohka only tried it once before losing interest. It seed the thing was not very useful to her.
And Shido noticed that although Tohka was looking very intently, she didn't seem very happy. Rather than enjoying the view, it looked more like she was killing ti by counting leaves on a branch outside when she was bored.
"What is it?"
Although Shido thought his actions were very hidden, Tohka still sharply noticed his gaze and shot him a sharp look.
Startled, Shido said nervously.
"U-Um... I was just wondering... since you asked to stay behind, did you have sothing to tell ?"
"This is a competition. You spent so much ti with that Spirit, so it is only natural that you stay behind now for to order around."
Tohka asked back coldly.
"What, do you have a problem with that?"
"N-No!"
Shido hurriedly waved his hands.
"—Hmph."
With a cold snort, Tohka turned her gaze back to the window.
Shido secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He felt like he was holding a hand grenade with the safety pin pulled out, being very careful, afraid that one bump would set it off.
But despite his fear, other than attacking Shido at the very beginning, Tohka had actually been quite well-behaved throughout the whole trip. Even though she looked unhappy, she didn't do anything special even after Mukuro left, just waiting patiently.
It was just... how should he put it. Up until now, all three inverted Spirits Shido had seen, including Tohka, had launched indiscriminate attacks on their surroundings the mont they inverted. This gave Shido a very bad impression of the word "inversion."
(But thinking about it, I've really never had the chance to talk this calmly with an inverted Spirit before.)
"Hey!"
Just as Shido was thinking this, Tohka suddenly spoke.
"Wh-What is it, Tohka?"
"That na again..." Tohka frowned and said in a questioning tone.
"I have been wondering since earlier, what is this 'Tohka' you keep saying? Is it my na?"
"Ah... yes, it is."
Although he was very surprised that she would start a conversation with him, he still nodded.
Tohka's beautiful eyebrows twitched slightly, seeming a bit surprised by this.
"This na, did I—no, did the from over there give it to myself?"
"No, that was... I gave it to you."
"..."
Hearing Shido's answer, Tohka silently narrowed her eyes, then quietly stepped on Shido's foot.
Unable to hold it in, Shido let out a cry of pain.
"Uwaa! Why did you do that suddenly?"
"Unconsciously."
"Eh..."
Hearing Tohka's answer, a drop of cold sweat appeared on Shido's forehead. He asked a bit depressed.
"...Do you have another na?"
"I don't. So even though it is not what I want, you can call by the na Tohka."
"Is that so... then, Tohka."
The mont Shido said the na, Tohka stepped on his foot again.
"Wh-What are you doing..."
"Unconsciously."
Tohka answered without changing her expression.
Is this really okay? Shido thought, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Coughing lightly, Shido tried to adjust his emotions.
It was rare to have a chance to talk to an inverted Spirit, so he wanted to use this opportunity to confirm so things with Tohka.
"Um... Tohka. What exactly are you? What is inversion? By the way, what exactly are Spirits..."
"Inversion... huh? So that is what you call the phenonon of the from over there turning into ."
"Mhm... pretty much."
Hearing Shido's answer, Tohka sighed in annoyance.
"I don't really like that term. Speaking of which, I am the incarnation of the Sephira Crystal—the Spirit itself."
"Eh? What does that an?"
Shido showed a confused expression.
The concept of inversion was a simple explanation Shido got from Kotori. In reality, even Ratatoskr didn't grasp the true aning of this phenonon. It was just a guess put together from scattered pieces of information.
"Tch..."
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Tohka explained impatiently.
"When the First Spirit split her power to create the Sephira Crystals, the attribute of the Sephira Crystals was what you consider the inverted state. But if they fused with humans like that, they would easily corrupt the human body. That is why the First Spirit found a way to change the Sephira Crystals into their current state."
"W-Wait a minute!"
He originally just asked out of curiosity, but he didn't expect to get information beyond his imagination. Unable to keep up for a mont, Shido quickly called for a ti-out, holding his head and trying to sort out the information he just heard.
"...In other words, our premise was backward. The First Spirit, in order to make humans adapt to the Sephira Crystals, changed the inversion—the original attribute of the Sephira Crystals—into its current state."
"Hmph, that is right."
Shido's heart was filled with shock.
The First Spirit, that was the culprit who caused the world's first spacequake thirty years ago—the Eurasian Great Spacequake.
Although Shido didn't understand the reason and purpose for her adjusting the Sephira Crystals to an attribute that humans could adapt to.
But it was a very strange coincidence that he happened to know an entity who gave Sephira Crystals of unknown origin to humans, turning them into Spirits.
—Phantom.
(The First Spirit who split her Spirit energy and made Sephira Crystals that humans could adapt to, Phantom who gave human won Sephira Crystals to turn them into Spirits, and this power in my body that seals Spirits. Is all of this really a coincidence?)
For so reason, Shido suddenly rembered the na Mana said he had unconsciously spoken while he was out of control—Mio.
In an instant, a terrifying guess surfaced in his mind, making Shido's expression turn serious.
(Could it be that I actually know the First Spirit? Were Tohka, Origami, Yoshino, and the others purposely turned into Spirits by Phantom just so their Spirit energy could be sealed by ?)
"However, what you guys call inversion isn't completely wrong in a certain sense."
Just then, a strange sentence from Tohka broke Shido's train of thought.
"What do you an... by that?"
"That woman with brown hair from earlier. Although her existence is very similar to a Spirit, she wasn't born from a Sephira Crystal made by the First Spirit. My situation can only be described as returning to my original form for so reason. If what you call inversion is a reversal caused by Spirit energy going out of control due to the stimulation of extre emotions, then the only one who fits that concept is that woman with brown hair."
Tohka's casual words made Shido completely lose his cool.
Because he knew that the woman with brown hair Tohka was talking about was none other than Ryougi Yutsuki.
"Yutsuki can invert? What does that an?!"
"Hmph, who knows. It doesn't matter anyway."
However, facing Shido's pressing questions, Tohka seed to have lost interest in talking. She gave a quick, half-hearted answer to end the topic.
"It is not sothing that doesn't matter! Tell right now!!!"
Grabbing Tohka's shoulders anxiously, Shido demanded an answer in an almost rough tone.
If it were normal, Shido, who always put the Spirits' feelings first, wouldn't keep pressing. But right now, his heart was already filled with shock and unease from the truth about inversion Tohka revealed. Plus, hearing the bad news that Yutsuki could possibly invert was like lighting a match in a room full of gas. For a mont, his emotions lost control.
As expected, Tohka's face darkened. Her left hand grabbed Shido's collar and lifted him right up.
"Guh... ah...?!"
"Do not get carried away, human. I didn't say that because you asked to. It was just a whim."
After giving a cold warning, Tohka swung her left hand, and Shido's body slamd against the glass wall of Tengu Tower.
Imdiately after, Tohka let go, stepped forward, and used her arm to pin Shido by the throat, slowly bringing her face closer to his.
"Hmph, too weak. I'm going to have to do this sooner or later anyway, so I might as well just steal your lips right now. Compared to running around following that woman's demands, this is definitely faster."
"...Toh...ka."
Squeezing out a little breath, Shido said with difficulty.
(What should I do?)
Looking at Tohka's face getting closer and closer, Shido hesitated.
If he wanted to, he could completely release the Spirit energy inside him to push Tohka away. But doing so would undoubtedly an declaring war on Tohka. Moreover, if Tohka recovered from her inversion after kissing like last ti, that would definitely be a good thing for Shido.
However, before he could choose between rejecting or accepting it, a voice suddenly reached Shido's ears.
"You... what are you trying to do to Nushi-sama?"
Looking toward the voice from the corner of his eye, Shido saw that Hoshimiya Mukuro was standing not far from them. Her expression seed frozen, only her eyes looking at Tohka were filled with killing intent.
"Hmph! None of your business."
Noticing Mukuro's presence, Tohka let go of Shido, turned to look at Mukuro, and replied coldly.
...
Ti and space seed to freeze. That was Yutsuki's only feeling right now. If Mukuro and Tohka's states before were like two burning flas, then right now, it was bone-chilling ice.
(Why did it turn out like this?)
Looking at this scene that was like a world-famous painting, Yutsuki couldn't help but hold her face in a headache.
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