The clear sun hung high above, and gentle breezes blew through the wide blue sky, rolling golden waves of wheat across the boundless fields.
Old machinery roared like breathing while harvesting gold from the earth. A young child sat on her father's knee, looking through the vehicle window at the world beyond the fields, her eyes filled with longing.
—You want to go outside? Sure. But you'll have to wait until you grow up. Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?
The child shook her head blankly. Her father could not help letting out a hearty laugh, and a cheerful folk song swayed in the wind.
(Why… did I leave my hotown?)
Staring at the ruined fields around her, the child wondered in confusion.
…
Cars roared through the streets in rushing streams. Towering buildings reflected dazzling light. The tide of people coming and going was grander than the fields, overwhelming to the eye.
The girl ignored the noise of the city and turned to throw herself into training that was nearly hellish.
—If the Spirits disappear and peace returns to the world, how about we open a shop together?
Listening to her peer's endless chatter, the girl lowered her head without speaking. She silently hugged the firearm in her arms and waited for the day she could take revenge on the disaster.
However, when she discovered that the disaster was only a young girl, the finger she had placed on the trigger hesitated.
(Why… did I want to fight?)
Watching her comrades be devoured by shadows amid despair, the girl wondered in confusion.
…
Dark clouds filled the sky. Cold wind stirred sand and dust, sweeping a gray haze through the ruins of what had once been a city.
The people known as Wizards sat or lay unard in the dirt pit, as if so pillar in their hearts had collapsed. Each of them looked ashen.
—I quit! We can't beat that kind of monster at all! It's practically humanity's natural enemy! We're not Ellen Mathers! I don't want to die! I want to go ho!
Ignoring the captain whose ntality had collapsed, the woman picked up the hilt that had lost its light and repeatedly tried to activate it. But in the end, all that remained for her was unwillingness and disappointnt.
(Why… have I still not given up?)
Watching her forr teammates resign and return ho one by one, the woman thought blankly.
…
The roar of battle rang endlessly in her ears. The shockwaves and air blasts from the city fortress and airships exchanging fire spread in all directions. Even in the outskirts far from the city, the trees could be felt trembling.
The Wizard advanced with stiff, heavy steps, following the main force. Recalling the pain and weightlessness from fainting not long ago, she still felt her hands and feet turn cold even now.
Falling from the sky once again had left a psychological shadow far beyond what she had expected. Right now, she—no, this entire squad of Wizards—were nothing more than free cannon fodder.
After realizing her own helplessness and weakness, even dying had lost value and aning. Then what aning was there in staying here?
—Run.
No one knew who said it first. The entire Wizard unit scattered like startled pigeons.
(Why… did I run away?)
Blankly looking at the gray haired man's gentle smile, the Wizard thought in a daze.
…
Driving her CR-Unit forward, the Wizard arrived before the Spirit and swung her magical blade.
A hard impact was transmitted through her hand. Solid ice blocked her attack. When she broke through the obstruction, the Spirit had already widened the distance.
The Wizard did not stop. She rely skillfully manipulated her Territory and chased after her. In truth, after cutting away the unnecessary limbs from her body, the burden needed for the Wizard to fly had been greatly reduced. Catching up to the Spirit had beco easy.
"Why… Why…"
During the chase, the Spirit kept murmuring those aningless words. Glittering ice crystals fell from her face like pearls.
The Wizard of the past might have struggled over the aning behind them. But now, after obtaining new life, she would no longer be disturbed by noise of that level.
Unwillingness, pain, fear, despair—all the emotions that had made her hesitate had already been cast aside. The only things she needed to think about now were how to convert more magical power into cannon output, how to swing the blade in her hand faster, and how to cut the Spirit before her into pieces.
Because Spirits had to be destroyed.
Crack.
A strange sound entered her ears. The firearm that should have expanded and fired lost its response. The Wizard lowered her head and looked. The armants on her body were undamaged, but her left hand had begun to decompose and turn intangible at so point, becoming dark particles that scattered into the air.
It was not only her. The Wizards around her were also more or less showing the sa symptoms.
"Stop… If this keeps going… you'll…"
After noticing their change, the Spirit cried out in extre panic, heedless of everything.
They were about to vanish.
Strangely enough, even after understanding this, not a single ripple appeared in the Wizard's heart. Instead of wasting ti on despair, it was better to use the final monts to drag the Spirit down with them.
Without any communication, the Wizards all drove the last of their strength at the sa ti and charged at the Spirit like moths flying into fla.
Tragic explosions rang out one after another. Dusty light, flas, and ice crystals combined into bone chilling fireworks.
Finally, after breaking through the last defense, the Wizard continued rushing forward by inertia. Her arm stretched out as far as possible, doing everything it could to pierce the Spirit's body.
However, just as she was only a few ters away from the target, the Wizard suddenly felt all strength leave her body. She uncontrollably crashed into the earth. Only then did the Wizard realize that the damage to her body had already reached the point where she could no longer maintain even the most basic movent.
(Failure… What should I do next…?)
The Wizard blankly felt her body gradually turning into nothingness. After losing the final goal of destroying the Spirit, the only thing she could do was quietly wait for her life to disappear.
Suddenly, her right hand was wrapped in a warm presence. The Wizard barely turned her head. In her blurred vision, the Spirit had, for so reason, left her Angel and co to her side, tightly holding her palm.
"Why… Why… Why would you go this far… and still keep trying to destroy Spirits?"
"Why…?"
The Wizard examined her empty heart. Her lips moved, and with confusion and numbness, she said,
"…I forgot." (TL:shit...such good session)
____________
"Mm, while we're resting, I'll emphasize this to everyone again. Although our enemies are unforgivable villains, that does not an we can represent justice."
Not long ago, while everyone was undergoing group training in the cyber world, Ryougi Yutsuki had been emphasizing ntal preparation to the Spirits.
"At most, what we're doing can be considered self defense. From a Wizard's point of view, we are disasters that harm the world, humanity's natural enemies. In truth, even if it wasn't voluntary, we did indeed do things like that. I won't try to excuse myself. So I hope that when the battle begins, everyone won't try to talk the enemy down with speeches. If they throw a bunch of righteous reasons at you, we might be the ones who are in the wrong. Kaguya, Nia—don't think I'm just saying useless things. This is very important."
Beside her, Yoshino listened seriously to Yutsuki's words. After thinking for a while, she slowly raised her hand.
"What is it, Yoshino? Do you have a question?"
"Um… Yutsuki-san… What should I do… to stay calm in battle… like you?"
After thinking for a mont, Yutsuki answered.
"That isn't really the case. Even I can't stay calm like a machine. When I encounter sothing I hate, I get angry. When I run into troubleso situations, I get anxious too. If I have to give you an answer… I suppose I'm always asking myself what I want to do."
"Asking… yourself what you want to do?"
"Mm. Do I want to destroy the world? Do I want to protect world peace? Do I want to live a peaceful life? Why do I want to help others? Am I in the right? Face everything directly, constantly question your own heart, and build a scale of judgnt that you can accept for yourself. That way, even when anger rises, you can avoid being ruled by your emotions."
"I-I see…"
Looking at Yoshino, who nodded seriously despite still seeming sowhat dazed, Yutsuki smiled wryly and sighed.
"Honestly, if there were a better choice, I really wouldn't want you all to get involved in a battle like this."
________________
It was February, the beginning of spring, yet fine snow fell from the sky like cherry blossoms. The icy cold air turned into frost, forming a thick white layer across the ground.
"Is that… Yoshino?"
Looking down at the earth from the sky, Ryougi Yutsuki gazed at the giant beast of ice and snow standing among the tall buildings, and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.
"Hey~ DEM bad guys. You really made a ss, didn't you? Yoshino-chan and Yoshinon's ho has been trampled into complete disorder because of you."
Yoshinon opened its beastly mouth, cold air overflowing from within. Its usual cheerfulness was gone, and anger showed in its low voice.
"Let say this first… This ti, Yoshinon and Yoshino-chan are genuinely a little angry."
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