Who exactly was that man? Why did he let them go? Was it a trap? Or was it simply internal conflict?
As he pulled Mio along and ran through the endless dark forest, Shinji could not stop thinking about those questions.
However, Shinji was not truly trying to find an answer. He simply could not let it go. Judging from the skill that man had shown, if he had truly wanted to take Mio, then even if Shinji had fought with his life on the line, he would probably have been killed in an instant.
There would have been no resistance. No value in it at all. That was how weak he was.
Could soone like him truly protect Mio with his life? Did he really have the right to be loved by Mio?
(I can't keep thinking about this!)
Shinji shook his head hard and threw those distracting thoughts away. If he continued to dwell on this, he would probably lose the very aning of staying here.
"Haah… It's okay—Mio, we're almost at the exit. We'll definitely escape."
"Mm."
Mio answered lightly.
The two of them pressed onward without stopping. Perhaps they had already escaped the enemy's pursuit, because the sounds of gunfire behind them gradually faded. Within the darkness of interwoven leaves, they finally saw a faint light.
"We're almost out of the forest."
Hearing Mio's voice, Shinji could not help showing joy.
However—
"Welco. I must say, you did well to make it this far, Spirit."
It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them.
On the wide road, what greeted the two of them were the muzzles of dozens of machine guns, and the malicious smile of a gray haired man.
"You are…"
Shielding Mio behind him, Shinji stared at the man with an uncertain expression.
"Hello, Takamiya Shinji. I am DEM's executive director, Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott. This is my secretary, Ellen."
The gray haired man gave Shinji a slight bow and introduced himself with a friendly smile.
"…"
The blond woman did not answer, rely bowing quietly along with him.
Although the man's tone was extrely friendly, Shinji felt not the slightest goodwill. This was their first eting, yet the other party already knew his na.
"…Shin… Those two… be careful…"
Mio warned him softly from behind. In her eyes, compared to the dozens of ard n surrounding them, the unard man and woman before them were far more dangerous.
"I truly am grateful to you. You protected our Spirit. As thanks, we have prepared an appropriate return gift."
Our Spirit—as if he were speaking of Mio as a lost pet belonging to them, the gray haired man said it as though it were perfectly natural. That attitude made Shinji feel anger welling up inside him.
"What kind of joke—"
"That gift is your younger sister, Takamiya Mana. We found your sister in the forest and placed her under our protection."
The gray haired man said with a smile.
In an instant, both Shinji and Mio held their breath in shock. Although the gray haired man had used the word "protection", both of them understood that it was nothing more than a blatant threat.
"You bastard! If you lay a finger on Mana, I'll never forgive you—"
"Oh? What do you plan to do? Why not tell ? I'm quite interested." (TL: I'll have my reincarnation beat the hell out of you~)
Hearing Shinji's threat, the gray haired man did not feel afraid. On the contrary, he asked with great interest.
"You—"
Feeling as though he had been humiliated, Shinji clenched his fists in anger.
"Oh? Could it be that you're angry? My apologies, my apologies. I spent a little too long in the laboratory, so it seems my communication skills have declined sowhat."
After laughing apologetically, the gray haired man raised the corners of his mouth. Staring at Shinji with dull, lightless eyes, he continued.
"Then? Would you return the 'Spirit' to us? If you do, your sister will also return to your side. Let us each return to our proper paths."
"You…"
Shinji clenched his teeth tightly.
Unlike the blond man from before, although the gray haired man's tone was friendly, his words left not even the slightest room for negotiation.
Shinji's thoughts were in chaos. He had not actually seen Mana. But he also did not dare deny the possibility that she had been captured. Had Mana really been caught? Or was it rely a lie ant to deceive them?
If what he said was true, then choosing to run would put Mana's life in danger. But even if they did not run, should he really obediently hand Mio over here?
What should he do? What exactly was the right choice?
His vision blurred. A terribly unreal, floating sensation spread from beneath his feet. Shinji felt like a baby who had only just learned to walk, yet was now being forced to push open a door thousands of tis heavier than himself.
It was only natural. For Shinji, who had been living as an ordinary person until not long ago, the choice that had now fallen upon him was far too heavy and far too unreasonable.
However, at that mont, Mio spoke first.
"…Promise . If I go with you, you will let Shin and Mana go, correct?"
"Mm, of course."
The gray haired man nodded with a smile.
"Mio?"
Mio's voice brought Shinji back to his senses as though he had awakened from a dream.
"Wait, Mio! What nonsense are you saying?!"
"…It's all right. I was never supposed to appear here in the first place. I can't let Mana be placed in danger because of ."
Looking at the panicked Shinji, Mio answered calmly.
As if his confusion and weakness had been seen through, the expression reflected in Mio's clear eyes seed so fragile and ridiculous.
"Ah… ugh…"
"—Though it was brief, being with you… truly made happy."
Facing Shinji, who could not say a single word, Mio shook her head with a smile and walked toward the gray-haired man.
The small hand that had been tightly holding his slipped away from Shinji's palm.
In that instant, Shinji instinctively understood.
If he let go here, Mio would never return to his side.
And so—
"…Don't… screw with …!"
Shinji pinched his own thigh hard, using the pain to temporarily drive away his fear. Then, with one burst of resolve, he grabbed Mio's hand and pulled her toward the depths of the forest.
"Stop!"
"Don't let them run! Fire!"
For a mont, the continuous sound of gunfire rang in his ears. Yet, strangely enough, not a single shot from the dense hail of bullets struck Shinji's body. Instead, all of them were blocked by a curtain of light resembling a shield that Mio had released.
In that instant, Shinji felt that he was so ridiculous he wanted to cry. He had said so many tis that he would protect Mio, yet in the end, he was the one being protected by Mio.
"Shin, what are you doing?"
Mio shouted in surprise.
"Idiot! Do you really think those people will keep their promise? Even if you go with them, there's no guarantee they won't kill and Mana!"
"That is—"
"As long as you're still by my side, they won't lay a hand on Mana! In that case—there's still a chance to take Mana back while letting you live happily. That's the best route, isn't it?!"
What an unrealistic dream.
Shinji mocked himself in his heart. Without wisdom, without power, what right did a frog in a well like him have to paint such a beautiful dream?
He simply did not want to watch the happiness in his hand disappear right before his eyes.
(And yet, Mio…)
"…! Mm, I understand, Shin!"
(Why… can you always believe in without hesitation?)
—Boom!!!
At that mont, a sound of wind being cut, different from gunfire or cannon fire, rang out. A sharp blade of light pierced through the spiritual shield and vanished into the dark forest.
Lowering his head slightly, Shinji saw that, at so point, a hole had appeared in his chest.
His heart, lungs, organs—everything had been hollowed out by that gaping wound.
And the blood that sprayed out splattered across Mio's stunned face.
______________
"Target confird killed."
After deactivating her Realizer, Ellen answered calmly.
"Yare yare, this really puts in a difficult position. I never intended to lie."
Westcott shrugged and sighed as though terribly troubled.
"Shall we recover the Spirit now?"
"…No, forget it."
After thinking for a mont, Westcott shook his head.
"Why?"
Ellen asked in confusion.
"Since earlier, the spiritual power detector's readings have been rising at an astonishing speed. Most likely, the boy's death has caused a stimulus affecting the Spirit."
Westcott looked ahead. A sorrowful wail echoed through the mountain forest, startling countless birds into flight.
Countless particles of light gathered from all directions, transforming into a crystal great tree that towered into the clouds, shining with pure white radiance in the darkness.
"Also, should I call it fortunate or unfortunate? Deus has fully awakened. But I haven't prepared the ritual formula to counter it. If we stay, we will certainly die."
As he spoke, Westcott waved his hand in boredom and turned to leave.
"Retreat. There's no point staying here any longer."
"Understood. But Ike, should we not contact Elliot and the others?"
"Ah—Elliot has most likely already betrayed us. Otherwise, do you think that boy and the Spirit could have safely escaped from the forest he was guarding?"
"Wha—"
Ignoring Ellen's surprised voice, Westcott looked back. He gazed at that tree of light with a sowhat fascinated expression for a short while before sighing regretfully.
"Haah… It looks like this will be a long war from here on."
…
(What… happened to ?)
Shinji thought in confusion.
For so reason, he had lost all feeling in his limbs. Pain spread through his entire body. He could not move, could not breathe, as if he had been subrged in a cold sea, his body gradually losing warmth.
—Shin! Don't die!
(…Mio. What happened…)
—Please! Don't die! Shin! Don't die!
In his lifeless eyes, the only thing left was Mio's tear-covered face, filled with despair and helplessness.
(…Don't cry, Mio… I'm right here, aren't I?)
He wanted to tell Mio that.
However, Shinji found that no matter how hard he tried, he could not raise his hand to wipe away Mio's tears. He could not make even the faintest sound.
Gradually, the sound faded away, and the tearful face of the girl before him blurred.
It was as if everything was leaving Shinji's side.
No.
In truth, he already understood.
He was the one leaving Mio's side.
(Please… Mio… don't cry anymore…)
(I didn't… do this… because I wanted you to make that face…)
(Please… please…)
(…Don't cry anymore…)
And with that, Shinji's consciousness was swallowed by nothingness.
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