"…"
Sitting on a bench in the lounge area of the airship Fraxinus EX, Murasa Reine stared blankly up at the ceiling.
A blue sky. Drifting clouds. Bright sunlight spilled into the room like ink across paper, making warmth naturally rise in one's heart.
This was not a projection or an image, but the real sky. Unlike the rest of the ship, the lounge ceiling was not plated with tal, but made from a highly transparent reinforced glass. Although this slightly reduced the armor strength of the hull, it had little effect on an airship that focused on fighting with Territory fields.
Moreover, compared with the airship's combat ability, Kotori and Woodman valued the airship's versatility and comfort more. In order to house Spirits for long periods during special circumstances, rest areas like this, comfortable living environnts, and entertainnt facilities were all fully prepared aboard the ship.
Even after Fraxinus was specialized for combat and beca Fraxinus EX in preparation for DEM's attack, these facilities had not been changed in the slightest.
Such insistence was not aningless. In fact, whenever a Spirit first ca aboard the airship and saw the interior arrangents, without exception, they showed fondness and satisfaction toward this place.
Naturally, Reine herself did not dislike this design either. Rather, whether airships or Realizers, they were gifts brought to humanity alongside the birth of Spirits. Compared to using these technologies for force and battle, using them for the sake of Spirits like this could also be considered a good thing.
While enjoying this leisurely ti in the spacious lounge, she suddenly took the little bear plush from the pocket of her uniform and lifted it up with both hands as if soothing a child.
The plush had already been with her for many years. Although its shape was still endearingly cute, the many patched and nded marks across its body made it look sowhat like Frankenstein's monster.
As if so mory had been stirred, a trace of nostalgia appeared on Reine's sleepy face.
"…Hah."
With a light breath, Reine lowered the little bear plush and returned from her thoughts.
(There are still two left… what should I do?)
There were currently two Sephira Crystals that had yet to be sealed by Shido. Kurumi's date with Shido had ended without any result, and Nia's Sephira Crystal had been stolen by Westcott after it inverted.
Moreover, Nia could now live normally without being affected by her Angel. Even though Beelzebub posed a trendous threat to Shido, Shido had neither the motive nor reason to seal Beelzebub.
Taking another step back, an inverted Sephira Crystal placed too great a burden on a human body. If Shido sealed it directly in that state, there was no telling whether it would produce so harmful effect.
The situation had now deviated greatly from her expectations. Reine could no longer predict whether the future from here on would be good or bad, or in what direction it would develop.
Thinking this, she could not help feeling a little envious of Yutsuki, who could predict the future.
(…Should I intervene?)
Reine thought this to herself. With her power, she could indeed overturn the current situation as if using a cheat and forcefully realize her wish.
But as the price, she would have to abandon the identity of "Murasa Reine" and beco the enemy of everyone.
"…"
After briefly imagining such a scene, Reine unconsciously pressed her lips together.
She had originally thought she could harden her heart and decisively erase all the mories and bonds she had gained until now. But when she truly faced that choice, she found herself hesitating this much.
(It seems… I like everyone even more than I imagined…)
Reine let out a helpless sigh, her mouth filled with bitterness.
"Shinji…"
Lost in thought, Reine gently stroked the little bear plush's head and murmured the na she missed so unbearingly.
In another room aboard Fraxinus EX, a row of cocoon shaped Realizer units had been arranged. Inside them, a total of six people—Natsumi, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Miku, Yoshino, and Yutsuki—were lying asleep.
Of course, as soone who had experienced it before, Shido knew very well that they were not truly sleeping. They were using the Realizers to dive into the computer world and receive Yutsuki's training by making use of accelerated ti.
Considering that Shido could not be left without Spirit guards, Yutsuki had not let everyone dive together. Instead, she split them into two groups and took turns guiding them in the computer world.
"Oh~ I see, I see. So this is the structure…"
At that mont, Nia was circling around the room. From ti to ti, she changed angles to examine the machines while nodding and sketching in her sketchbook.
"Nia… what are you doing?"
Kotori could not help asking. Nia scratched her hair and answered.
"Well, how should I put it… occupational disease? I'm free anyway, and it's rare to get the chance to see this kind of dive device in reality, so I couldn't help wanting to draw a setting sheet first. Maybe I can use it as material for a manga plot soday."
"You really are in high spirits."
Kotori sighed speechlessly.
"Of course I am, Imouto-chan! It's rare to experience sothing as high tech as a virtual world in reality. How could I not join in?"
Nia excitedly waved her pen.
"You're just happy because the training has nothing to do with you, right?"
"Of course!"
"You actually admitted it…"
"Well, that's Nia for you."
Hearing Nia's words, the corner of Kotori's mouth twitched slightly. Shido could only smile wryly and smooth things over.
"Nushi-sama, Nushi-sama."
Mukuro tugged at Shido's clothes and asked curiously.
"Onee-chan seem asleep, yet in truth they train in another world?"
"Mm, that's basically right. Co to think of it, Mukuro, you haven't been to the computer world yet either, sa as Nia, right?"
"Mm. Thus Muku is greatly amazed. To think machinery can now accomplish such great deeds."
Mukuro sighed in disbelief.
"That's right. The drinks and food inside taste just like reality. And even if more than ten days pass over there, less than half an hour has passed by the ti you co back."
Tohka took on the air of a senior and explained this to Mukuro.
"Oh—"
Mukuro first let out a small cry of surprise, then clenched both fists and said excitedly,
"Muku shall strive hard and train diligently to protect Nushi-sama."
"Umu. Let's beco stronger to protect Shido!"
"Oh~"
"Haha…"
Listening to their conversation, Shido's expression beca sowhat complicated. He was grateful for their feelings, but Yutsuki's training would probably be completely different from what they were imagining.
"It's almost ti."
Origami said this, and everyone's gaze imdiately gathered on the Realizers. With a series of electronic beeps, the green lights on the switches ca on, and the hatches of the Realizer units slowly opened.
"Now that the Demon King has awakened, the world has been invaded by the demon race. Not a blade of grass remains anywhere. Faced with the cruelty and savagery of the demons, humanity, helpless to resist, has fallen into an unprecedented crisis. And at that mont, the legendary hero who sealed the Demon King in ancient tis and had slept until now—finally awakens."
"Nia… be serious."
"Haha—sorry, no more jokes."
Noticing everyone's gaze, Nia gave an awkward laugh.
Soon, once the hatches had fully opened, the Spirits woke one after another, removing the chanical visors from their faces. They looked around blankly, appearing lost and bewildered.
Shido could understand their reaction. Every ti he finished training in the virtual world, he would often feel a dissonance, as if the gears between that world and reality no longer shed properly.
(According to Yutsuki, the ti ratio this ti was set to one hundred tis. One hour should be a little over four days, so from last night until now, around a month and a half must have passed over there…) (TL:damn~)
Although Yutsuki's training assignnts for everyone were probably different from his, simply imagining them training under Yutsuki for a month and a half filled Shido's heart with sympathy.
"Everyone… are you all right?"
Shido could not help asking worriedly. Hearing Shido's voice, light gradually returned to the Spirits's eyes. Then, tearful grievance began to well up in their eyes.
"Darling! I finally see you! I was so scared! Save !"
"Demon… I finally understand now… the true nature of our comrade is a demon from the Netherworld…"
"Trembling. Yuzuru… Yuzuru has had enough… She does not want to go a second ti…"
"Idiot Shido… I'm… back in reality now, right? I am, right?!"
"…Shi… Shi… uuh… do… san… hah…"
"There, there… don't cry, don't cry. It's okay now."
(Yutsuki, what exactly did you do to them?) (TL:A lot~)
While comforting the sobbing group, Shido thought this with a cold sweat.
"Um… everyone, was Yutsuki-nee's training… really that scary?"
Seeing their intense reactions, Kotori was slightly frightened.
"It's not sothing as simple as whether it was scary or not…" Natsumi let out a dry laugh, turned her gaze away, and muttered, "For a while from now, if I run into Yutsuki in a hallway at night, I might just wet myself…"
(Has it already left psychological trauma?)
The corner of Kotori's eye twitched.
"Hehe—You probably cannot understand. A comrade who has lost the shackles of morality… just how utterly deranged such a being can beco."
"Trembling. When the technique of the whip and the candy is pushed to its utmost limit, she can lead people into the cruelest hell with a smile that holds not a trace of malice…" (TL:hehhehehehehehehhe)
Hearing the Yamai sisters's description, everyone present swallowed in unison.
"Hah… everyone's back, right?"
At that mont, a yawn ca from behind them. Yutsuki was climbing out of her Realizer, scratching her hair.
"—!!"
Like rabbits encountering a predator, the five first trembled, then suddenly hid behind Shido and ford a line.
(Miku isn't groping Yutsuki like usual?! Natsumi is voluntarily hugging Miku?!) (TL:!!??!??! hahahahaha)
Looking at their actions, Shido could not help being deeply shocked.
"…Mm?"
Noticing Natsumi and the others acting strangely, the culprit herself, Yutsuki, tilted her head with no self awareness whatsoever.
After silently observing for a mont, Yutsuki tried taking one step toward Shido's front left.
"—!!"
The five of them moved in perfect coordination, pulling Shido to the right.
"…"
Yutsuki changed direction and turned toward the right.
"—!!"
The five pulled Shido to the left again.
"…Are we playing ga here?"
Yutsuki asked speechlessly.
"Um… Yutsuki-nee. What kind of special training did you give them?"
"Mm… that's a little hard to explain. Aside from training in spirit power control and various battlefield simulations, each person had a different training assignnt. If I had to summarize it simply…"
Yutsuki counted on her fingers as she explained.
"It's like how the human tongue and nose adapt to tastes to a certain degree. Once you get used to eating ingredients with too much salt, ordinary food starts tasting bland. By the sa logic, if a child hates eating bitter herbs, just make them eat canned surstromming for a month, and then they won't think bitter herbs are bitter anymore. It's training similar to stimulation therapy, I guess?"
"…"
For a mont, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines.
"Well, their efforts weren't wasted. Everyone's strength really did improve, so we'll have a better chance against DEM."
"Um… Yutsuki-nee, it's good that you're motivated… but please be careful to hold back."
Hearing Kotori's words, Yutsuki fell into thought.
"Mm… I suppose I was a little strict. All right, I'll pay attention to the limits."
(Only a little?!)
"Then, Natsumi and the others should rest for now. The next group, get ready. We'll dive into the electronic world and begin training in ten minutes. Also, Nia—"
"Ah—I suddenly rembered sothing urgent. Sorry, I'll excuse myself first."
The mont Yutsuki called her na, Nia's danger alarm rang loudly in her head. Without hesitation, she turned and fled.
However, before she could run more than a few ters, Yutsuki reached out from behind and locked an arm around her neck.
"You're free anyway. You can summon your Astral Dress and Angel in the computer world too, so you might as well train while we're at it."
Hearing Yutsuki whisper beside her ear, Nia's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"
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