"Move, Ryougi Yutsuki!"
"Wha——!?"
Yutsuki, whose focus had been sharpened to its limit, was startled by Tohka's sudden roar.
Before she could understand what was happening, Tohka abruptly gave up the contest of blades. She took Yutsuki's strike with her own body, then violently pushed her away.
Only then did Yutsuki see it.
A clear, soft ribbon of light had appeared where she had just been standing. It pierced straight through Tohka's Astral Dress, the sa Astral Dress that had been able to withstand even Ratziel's slash, as if it were nothing at all.
Then the ribbon slowly pulled back. Drawn by it, a purple gem began to float out from Tohka's body.
"Tohka!?"
"Ugh... Don't look down on !"
An overwhelming drowsiness attacked Tohka's mind. She bit down hard on her tongue, using the pain to keep herself conscious, and swung Nahemah toward the ribbon.
Even though the blade had already cracked, Nahemah was still without doubt a Demon King with the strongest physical destructive power.
Yet against the Demon King's slash, the ribbon showed no damage at all. It did not even gain a single scratch. While it had enough piercing power to break through Tohka's Astral Dress, it also possessed unbelievable defense and flexibility.
Instead, Nahemah reached its limit after that strike and shattered into particles of light.
However, the impact had shaken the crystal loose from the ribbon. It fell into Tohka's hand.
Tohka forced out a proud smile.
"Sorry... If you want to take this thing... it won't be that easy..."
After saying that, Tohka felt her knees weaken. Her whole body collapsed limply to the ground.
The ribbon paused for a mont. After realizing the Sephira Crystal had been taken back, it stabbed toward Tohka once more.
"tatron——Mal'akh!"
Yutsuki summoned the Angel at once. Using tatron's teleportation, she reached Tohka a split second before the ribbon could pierce her, picked her up in her arms, and dodged away.
"Tohka?! Are you okay?"
Yutsuki asked anxiously.
Hearing Yutsuki's voice, Tohka slowly opened her eyes and spoke in a faint voice.
"Hurry... leave this place..."
Even without Tohka's warning, Yutsuki had already noticed the strange change around them.
It was not only that bizarre ribbon of light. Above the desert where they stood, a giant sphere had suddenly appeared.
Like a flower bud about to bloom, ripples spread across the surface of the sphere floating high in the sky. Gradually, one beautiful petal after another unfolded.
Countless motes of pollen drifted out from the blooming flower, slowly falling from the sky like snow in December.
It was a breathtaking, beautiful scene.
But from that beautiful flower, Yutsuki felt the threat known as death.
"Michael——Lataib!"
Without any hesitation, Yutsuki summoned Michael at once.
After obtaining Michael from Mukuro, Yutsuki had selected several uninhabited locations around the world to use as ergency escape points. After opening a door connected to a grassland in Europe, Yutsuki carried Tohka and withdrew from the desert.
"Michael——Segva! Ratziel! Camael!"
After escaping, Yutsuki imdiately closed the door and summoned the healing flas to treat Tohka.
However——
[Report——No fatal external or internal injuries detected in the target's body——No treatnt required——Please confirm task content again——]
Ratziel gave Yutsuki an answer that made no sense.
There was no wound where the ribbon had pierced Tohka. Not even a single drop of blood flowed out.
Yet Yutsuki could clearly feel the warmth leaving Tohka's body. Her skin was losing color, and both her heartbeat and breathing were weakening at a visible speed.
"What kind of joke is this?! How is this 'no treatnt required'?! Hurry up and heal her, Ratziel!"
Yutsuki urged in panic.
"It's useless... Ryougi Yutsuki..."
Tohka spoke in a very calm voice. She slowly stretched out her right hand and placed the Sephira Crystal into Yutsuki's hand.
"Tohka's soul...is inside this...That is all I know...The rest...you have to find a way yourself..."
"...Why?"
Holding the target she had always wanted in her hand, Yutsuki asked in a choked voice.
"Hmph...Don't misunderstand...This does not an I accept you..."
Looking at Yutsuki, who had tears streaming down her face, Tohka answered with a cold smile.
"It's just..pared to handing Tohka to that woman...giving her to you is a little better... Also..."
In the next mont, like a machine running out of power, the light gradually faded from Tohka's eyes. Her outstretched hand fell weakly toward the ground.
"I told you...I am not Tohka..."
Finally, Tohka's body also began to turn transparent. It beca countless tiny particles of light and scattered into the air.
"Even if you say that... I still don't know your na, you idiot..."
With no one left in her arms, Yutsuki looked at the only remaining Sephira Crystal in her hand and forced those words through clenched teeth.
(I failed again——)
Anger, sadness, regret——negative emotions tangled together in Yutsuki's heart.
But she had to stay calm.
Other people could let their emotions control them. They could choose to run away, go berserk, or give up on themselves.
But Yutsuki alone could not.
She had to face everything directly, or else everyone's death would beco aningless.
"Haa——huu..."
After taking a deep breath, Yutsuki's expression gradually cald. Looking at the Sephira Crystal Tohka had entrusted to her, she placed it against her chest as if paying respect.
"Ratziel, begin."
[Received. Beginning scan——No rejection response detected——Direct absorption possible——Task received——Applying special processing to this crystal——]
Unlike the Inverted Crystals from before, this Sephira Crystal did not resist Ratziel's touch. It only released a cool light and lted into Yutsuki's body.
A faint stream of emotions surfaced in Yutsuki's heart.
Helplessness.
Reluctance.
And a small amount of expectation.
Soon, blue white lightning flashed around Yutsuki and gathered into a dark blue chanical bow.
Only, it was slightly different from before.
Subtle purple patterns now floated along the body of the chanical bow. At the center of the grip, a beautiful purple gem was embedded.
(Tohka's soul... is inside this?)
Yutsuki could not help thinking.
Because of what Tohka had said, Yutsuki did not absorb the Sephira Crystal directly. Instead, she embedded it into her Angel to preserve it.
Maybe it was only her imagination, but Ratziel, which had once felt very light in her hand, now carried a heavier weight.
Was this the weight of Tohka's soul?
Yutsuki had no way of knowing.
After forcing herself to settle her emotions, Yutsuki used the earpiece she carried with her to contact Fraxinus.
[Biri-chan?! Are you okay?!]
Hearing Nia's flustered voice, Yutsuki's heavy mood sohow eased a little. She answered in a lighter tone.
"Relax. I'm safe. I'm at European ergency point C. What about your side?"
[We're fine too. But Biri-chan, that flower-like thing that appeared where you were fighting Tohka was seriously insane.]
Nia swallowed, then spoke with so confusion.
[The pollen-like stuff released by that flower killed every animal and plant in its range. And not only living things. The drones we sent out, the desert, and even the minerals underground were all destroyed. How should I put it... anything caught by that thing had its life? Lifespan? Durability? Anyway, all of that instantly dropped to zero. Maybe an absolute death ray? Basically, it's the kind of setting that would never get past an editor if you drew it in a manga.]
[Adding a note for Nia-san, who can only explain things with manga examples: individuals with spirit power seem able to resist that effect.]
After Nia finished speaking, Maria added an explanation at the right mont.
"I see."
Hearing Nia's explanation, Yutsuki let out a relieved breath.
Luckily, in order to fight Tohka one on one, she had moved the airship far away. Otherwise, if it had only been her, that might have been fine. But if the airship had been caught by the flower's effect, they might have been wiped out without even understanding what had happened.
[Yutsuki, that flower is moving.]
Marina suddenly reported.
[Just now, it started moving north at three tis the maximum speed of our airship. Judging by its direction, it is probably heading toward you.]
"Okay, I understand."
Most likely, it had sensed the spirit power wave from her using her Angel.
Yutsuki looked down at Ratziel in her hand, then continued.
"Kannazuki-san, follow the target's path and co to the coordinates I'll send you. It's fine if you can't catch up. If the target turns back and attacks you, withdraw imdiately."
[Understood.]
"Nia, contact Ratatoskr's European branch and have them fly DEM's airships to the specified location. Maria and Marina will provide the detailed coordinates shortly."
[O-okay, Biri-chan.]
After finishing the arrangents, Yutsuki ended the wireless call, took a deep breath, and quietly waited for the target to arrive.
She did not have to wait long.
Only a few minutes later, the flower shaped Angel appeared above Yutsuki.
Dreamlike, crystal clear pollen covered the grassland.
Just as Nia had said, Yutsuki saw the once lush green grass begin to yellow, age, wither, and finally turn into dust in less than a second. The land beca a dead wasteland.
Rather than a rose with thorns, it was more like a god of death wearing a beautiful shell.
Before that flower Angel, everything seed terribly fragile and powerless.
Yutsuki felt a chill in her heart.
Without spirit power protecting her, she would probably lose her life instantly, just like those plants.
Then, from the flower Angel, a girl slowly descended.
She was a breathtakingly beautiful girl.
Objectively speaking, after arriving in this world, Yutsuki had t many beautiful girls and Spirits with distinct charm. But compared with the girl before her, all of them——including Yutsuki herself——would appear slightly dim.
Soft silver hair.
A face beautiful enough to sha the moon and flowers.
A pure white dress decorated with leaves and flowers, different from modern clothing styles.
If she had to be classified, she would belong to the category of fairy or goddess. If this woman walked into a ballroom, she would surely draw every gaze and beco the absolute center of attention.
At about ten ters above the ground, the girl stopped descending and looked down at Yutsuki from above.
Facing such a beauty, the feeling Yutsuki had was neither fascination nor intoxication.
It was fear.
The hairs on her skin stood on end. Her heart beat wildly beyond her control.
Perhaps this was how herbivores felt when facing a predator.
Yutsuki's instincts were ringing alarm bells over and over, telling her not to face this being and to run away imdiately.
Of course, that was impossible.
Yutsuki knew very well that even if she fled to the ends of the earth, the other party would chase her without rest.
"...Long ti no see."
Yutsuki pretended to be calm and greeted the girl.
Yes.
Yutsuki knew this person.
Although her clothes, age, and aura had changed greatly, the girl's face still overlapped with soone Yutsuki knew.
Moreover, tied at the girl's waist was a small bear doll Yutsuki was very familiar with, one that had been nded many tis.
"It's been three or four months, hasn't it? The dark circles are gone too. Looks like your sleeping conditions improved, Reine-san."
"..."
"Or would it be better to call you this? Phantom? The Origin Spirit ? Deus? Or——"
At that point, Yutsuki paused. She looked straight into the girl's hostile eyes and spoke.
"Takamiya Mio."
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