Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 619 619: The End of the Past

—Ellen.

"Ngh…"

Within the hazy white light, Ellen slowly opened her eyes. Not far away, a blond man with a hearty smile and a quiet woman wearing glasses stood there.

"…Elliot? Karen?"

Looking at her two forr companions, Ellen asked blankly.

—What's wrong, sister? Still not awake?

—We're planning to leave the company and strike out on our own. Do you want to co with us? If you're there, you'll definitely be a huge help.

With no guardedness or distance between them, the two spoke to Ellen with nostalgic smiles, causing warmth to rise in her heart.

Faced with Elliot's enthusiastic invitation, Ellen unconsciously reached out her hand. However, when she saw her gauntlet covered in blood and wounds, she suddenly sobered.

This was not reality, nor was it a mory. It was only a certain possibility fabricated from a girl's wishful fantasy.

Suddenly slapping Elliot's hand away, Ellen shouted angrily.

"Don't ss with !!!"

…

"—!!?"

Ellen suddenly opened her eyes. The sll of dry soil entered her nose, and the only thing in her field of vision was the dim sky covered by black smoke.

"…A dream?"

Her muddled consciousness gradually cleared. Pain from every part of her body constantly reminded her of reality.

She had originally been preparing to unleash her full power strike at Woodman, but at the critical mont, she had been ambushed by a Spirit and was defeated by Woodman taking advantage of the opening.

Thinking of this, Ellen could not help gritting her teeth in anger.

"Yo."

At that mont, a voice so leisurely it made her angry ca from the smoke. Woodman flew toward her as if greeting her.

Although more than half of Woodman's armor had been damaged, the weapon in his hand had long since lost its original form, and his dignified blond hair was stained with blood, making him look quite battered, even so, he was still in better condition than Ellen, who was covered in wounds and collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

Ellen widened her eyes, as if wishing she could shoot him dead with her gaze.

"What's with that look? So scary, so scary~ What? Do you still want to keep fighting?"

"…Kill !"

Ellen said coldly.

"This is your victory, Elliot. Hurry up and kill ."

"Oh?"

Woodman raised his brow and asked with surprise,

"How straightforward. I thought you would definitely curse for being despicable and shaless, not following the rules, and demand a rematch."

"This is a battlefield. I fell for your provocation, lost my reason, and was plotted against by my opponent. That is my own fault. I simply didn't expect that the always honorable Elliot would actually rely on this sort of petty cleverness!"

Ellen snorted coldly. However, judging from the unwillingness that seed squeezed out from between her teeth, what she thought in her heart was clearly sothing else.

Faced with Ellen's resentnt, Woodman shrugged helplessly.

"If I could, I would also like to defeat you fair and square. Unfortunately, ti waits for no one."

"Excuses."

Ellen sneered, then closed her eyes as if accepting her fate.

"Do it. If you are still the Elliot I know, then don't let suffer humiliation."

"Ah…"

With a sigh, Woodman drew a small laser sword from his waist and walked toward Ellen.

Snap.

The sound of so machinery being damaged entered her ears, but the unpleasant sensation and intense pain of her heart being pierced that Ellen expected did not co for a long ti.

Ellen opened her eyes in confusion. That laser sword had not pierced her chest. Instead, it had passed under her armpit and stabbed through the Realizer loaded into her CR-Unit.

"What is the aning of this, Elliot!!??"

"As you can see, ensuring that the enemy is completely neutralized is common sense on the battlefield. Losing ans you have to die? What era are you from?"

Hearing Ellen's roar, Woodman impatiently dug at his ear. He knew very well that Ellen's strength as a Wizard was inversely proportional to her own physical ability. As long as the Realizer was taken care of, she herself would not pose much of a threat.

However, seeing Ellen's eyes turn red with anger, Woodman kindly added one more sentence.

"Besides, I made a promise with my subordinates. I do not intend to kill anyone in this battle."

"…You've changed, Elliot. You're even more naive than you were thirty years ago."

In response to Ellen's sarcasm, Woodman said unconcernedly,

"People always change. Aren't you the sa? Although your appearance hasn't changed much, your temper is much fiercer than it was thirty years ago."

"And whose fault do you think that is?!"

It would have been better if he had not ntioned it. The mont he did, the anger clogging Ellen's heart exploded instantly.

Thirty years ago, it was precisely because of Elliot's betrayal that DEM, which had originally been advancing steadily, split apart, leading to the current situation. In the end, everything was this man's fault.

"If you and Karen hadn't suddenly left, none of this would have beco like this! If you hadn't betrayed us, the world we hoped for would have already been realized! Why—why—"

However, her scolding ca to an abrupt stop midway.

She discovered that the familiar Elliot was rapidly falling behind. The golden armor scattered, and the handso young man from before beca an old man past middle age in an instant.

"Elliot… your body?"

Ellen asked, at a loss.

"Ah… the ti was even shorter than I expected."

Looking at his wrinkled hand, Woodman smiled bitterly.

"Is there any need to be that surprised? I haven't deliberately used magic to maintain my youth like you and Ike. Thirty years have passed, so of course I've aged."

After leaving DEM, Woodman had chosen to embrace birth, aging, sickness, and death as a human in order to separate himself from the position of a Wizard. In reality, the current Woodman already found it difficult to even walk on his own.

Although Ellen had heard a little of this information from Westcott, until she saw this mont with her own eyes, her impression of Woodman had still remained fixed on his pri from thirty years ago.

Had he been fighting her in this state all along? Ellen thought in shock.

At that mont, Woodman had already shed the vigor and sharpness from before. His gentle face showed a trace of apology.

"Sorry, Ellen. After not seeing you for thirty years, I originally wanted to catch up with you a little more. If possible… I hope you can forget your hatred and live well."

Hearing that, an ominous premonition surged in Ellen's heart.

"No… wait, wait!"

However, contrary to her wishes, the intense pain throughout her body suddenly disappeared, and then an irresistible drowsiness swept over her.

Ellen knew that Woodman was using Territory to sever her consciousness.

"Liar! Despicable villain! You're not allowed to run! Woodman! Why?!"

Amid her fading consciousness, Ellen cursed Woodman with all her strength, her voice carrying sobs.

"Why… didn't you take with you?"

…

(I carelessly talked for too long.)

Looking at Ellen's sleeping face, wet with tears, Woodman could not help feeling regret.

He had originally intended to end things quickly while the magic was still in effect and deal with the matter as soon as possible. That way, Ellen would not know Woodman's fate. Even if her pride was damaged, she would continue living while clinging to her obsession with him.

However, the growth of Ellen's strength had sowhat exceeded his expectations.

"Cough—"

Suddenly, Woodman could not help coughing up a puddle of blood. At the sa ti, his body was also slowly turning into sand and scattering in the wind. This was a sign that his flesh was collapsing. He understood that miraculous magic required a price. After freely using the strength of his pri, his body had finally reached its limit.

(It's rare for to return to my younger form, and I got a little carried away.)

With a bitter smile, Woodman's body also began to uncontrollably fall toward the floor.

However, beyond Woodman's expectations, his head did not hit the hard ground. A gentle force supported his back and carefully laid him down.

"You pushed yourself again, Elliot."

A calm voice reached his ears. Woodman slowly opened his eyes, and Karen's familiar, beautiful face appeared before him.

"Karen…"

Woodman's expression unconsciously softened, and he asked in relaxation,

"You being here… ans Commander Itsuka's side is all right?"

Karen nodded lightly.

"Mm… The rest can be resolved by them."

"That's good… Thank you for your hard work."

"Mm. If it is Elliot's request, I will complete it even at the cost of my life."

"Don't go that far…"

Elliot smiled bitterly, originally intending to chat with Karen as he usually did. But midway, he suddenly felt several wet drops fall onto his cheek.

"How rare… So you cry too."

"Please don't act surprised by sothing like this. I am human too. The person I love has beco like this… I… I…"

"That's true… You're right…"

Looking at Karen's gradually reddening eyes, Woodman felt both sowhat surprised and sowhat enlightened.

For all these years, Karen had never avoided her own feelings. But due to Woodman's infatuation with the Origin Spirit and his sympathy for the other Spirits, he had always avoided speaking about it.

If Woodman's feelings toward Ellen were worry and regret, then toward Karen, they were unwillingness and guilt.

Back then, knowing that he would beco a traitor, he had originally intended to conceal everything from everyone and leave alone. But the person before him had seed to predict his choice long ago, taking a step ahead of him and naturally waiting for him at the exit.

"Elliot… If you fall asleep, if I kiss you like in a fairy tale, will you wake up?"

Isn't the gender reversed?

If it were normal, Woodman might have teased her like that. But at this mont, he could only helplessly change the subject.

"Ellen… I leave her to you. If no one watches over your sister, I'm afraid she'll do sothing foolish again."

"…I understand."

Karen did not complain about anything. She only silently nodded and accepted Woodman's request. Although her personality was extrely proactive, she would never do anything that went against Woodman's wishes.

And precisely because he saw this side of Karen, Woodman's heart ached even more.

"And… forget ."

"I cannot."

Looking at Karen, who answered decisively, Woodman revealed a weak, bitter smile.

"Sorry… Karen. If…"

His body turned into sand bit by bit. Woodman still wanted to say sothing, but the god of death seed to have co to welco this old man, and the light gradually vanished from his eyes.

…

"Yare yare. Why is it that the mont I hurry back, I have to run into a life and death farewell like this? Honestly, what a pain…"

"Zafkiel—Dalet."

(TL: Kurumiemon save the day!!!)