Chapter 5: The One Who Pull the Trigger

──Shidou thought that this was a dream.

He thought it was an illusion caused by going past his limit.

However, the real presence of the girl flashing in front of his eyes blew away that weak-minded thinking.

Beautiful hair the color of the night dancing in the wind, a pair of crystal eyes that reflected back light, and wearing a brilliant dress overlapping her purple armor.

That's right. The Spirit──Yatogami Tohka had appeared here while wearing a complete Astral Dress.

"Toh,ka...Tohka...!"

At the same time his brain was able to confirm her appearance clearly, tears started to fall from his eyes.

A feeling of relief swept him that Tohka was alive. But on top of that, although it was just for a second, Shidou couldn't forgive himself for carelessly forgetting

everyone's wishes and nearly surrendering himself to Mio. "Sorry, Tohka...I...for a moment I was about to give up── "What are you saying?!"

As if to interrupt Shidou, Tohka raised her voice.

"Because you did not yield, Shidou is still alive right now! There are no results other than that!"

"...!"

Hearing those words, Shidou felt a jolt as if he was struck by lightning.

It was a warning to himself. Shidou let out a frustrate sigh once more at having to rely on Tohka coming back.

In order to repay Tohka and the others Spirits, he had to stand up on his feet...! "Un...thank you, Tohka."

While injecting more strength to his legs, Shidou stood up. A strange energy was overflowing in a body that should have reached its limits.

"Really──I am always being saved by Tohka."

"What are you talking about? I am the one depending on Shidou even now.

Because I have Shidou, I was able to come back. Because Shido is here, I can stand before Mio again."

"Tohka..."

Calling out her name once again, Shidou wiped away the remaining tears in his eyes as he raised his face again.

"...So that's it."

Mio turned around to glance at her own splintered Astral Dress.

"...As I thought, it is you──Tohka. Ah, that's right. If there was someone who could confront me, I thought it would be."

"...What?"

Hearing what Mio had said, Shidou frowned.

But then, Tohka interrupted by giving her own response.

"Although I don't know the details...but──it seems I am a different type of Spirit than everyone else."

"Different...Spirit?"

As Shidou asked in confusion, this time it was Mio's turn to respond in a deeply emotional tone.

"...I divided my power into the ten Sephira Crystals and granted them to humans to create Spirits...but for some reason, one of the Sephira Crystals developed its own ego. Just like, when I was born."

As Shidou nearly choked of his own breath, he turned his eyes to Tohka. "No way, that means..."

Then, Mio gently nodded.

"Shin, did you notice it? The difference between Tohka and the others Spirits. What the other Spirits had that Tohka lacked."

"What did you say──"

Then, Shidou's shoulders began to tremble.

With that natural question, Shidou remembered an uncomfortable feeling that he had nearly forgotten.

Origami. Nia. Kurumi. Yoshino. Kotori. Mukuro. Natsumi. Kaguya. Yuzuru. Miku.

What they all had, but Tohka did not.

That's right. Among all of the Spirits, Tohka──was the only one that didn't have a name.

"..."

However, even as she was being told this, Tohka did not look slightly stunned. No, to be more precise, it was as if she already knew this.

Tohka opened her lips as her eyes showcased a resolute will.

"──It was confusing; sometimes I suffered from not having a name. But I am grateful for that fact now.

Because I didn't have a name, Shidou was able to give me one.

Because I am not human, I am able to stand before Shidou again!" "Tohka──"

Looking at Tohka's noble determination, Shidou felt a shiver of frustration in preparation. Even though there was such a reliable companion right in front of him...!

──Ah, yes. Why did Shidou feel so frustrated? Why was he on his knees before? Shidou stood besides Tohka, who was pointing her sword towards Mio.

"! Shidou?"

"Perhaps, there is still something we can do. I will not give up──let's fight together."

"...! Umu!'

Tohka gave an affirmative nod as she placed more strength into her grip on

.

Looking at this, Mio sighed softly as she narrowed her eyes.

"...Although the schedule has become quite messy, it doesn't matter. The result will not change."

Then, as if responding to Mio's voice, a huge inorganic tree appeared behind Mio as the different space expanded accordingly. Above their heads, a huge flower-like Angel also manifested there.

"Tohka, what's this?"

"Umu──It's called and . Watch out, in this space all laws become under Mio's control. Also, you'll die if you touch the light coming from that flower. If you don't have any reiryoku, you'll die instantly."

Hearing Tohka's succulent but shocking reply, Shidou felt sweat course down his face.

"Ah, isn't that foolishly frightening."

"Well, it is certainly dangerous. ──Want to give up?" "No way."

Tohka raised the corners of her lips as Shidou wiped away his sweat.

Kicking down on the ground as the signal, Tohka swung down ferociously with

. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh──!"

The flash of the sword became a shockwave quickly approaching Mio. Not even flinching, Mio prepared to catch the blow directly. However──

"...!"

Just the verge of touching Tohka's sword attack, Mio frowned as she moved back.

The sword slash grazed past Mio's nose. ──Although minuscule, a part of her Astral Dress had been cut.

"──Huh!?"

Noticing the effect of her attack, Tohka widened his eyes in surprise. "We did it Shidou! The attack went through!"

"Ah...but there doesn't seem to be much damage at all."

"What are you saying? Even couldn't land a scratch before!?" "What did you say...?"

Hearing what Tohka had said caused Shidou to raise his brow.

As the Spirit of Origin, Mio boasted an overwhelming power. Shidou couldn't imagine that Tohka was lying.

However, although small, a portion of Mio's Astral Dress had been cut by Tohka's

. What was the difference between then and now? Was Mio holding back? Was her power declining? Or── "...!"

At that point, Shidou had noticed something.

That's right; Tohka was now wearing a complete Astral Dress rather than a limited one. However, unlike last time, Shidou did not feel Tohka's reiryoku completely reverse back.

In other words, Tohka's reiryoku was still residing in Shidou's body.

What on earth did this mean? Although Shidou did not understand God's intentions, wasting this opportunity to take down the absolute Spirit Mio would be the same as remaining ants trapped in a hole.

"..."

As if noticing Shidou's thoughts, Mio's expression slightly twitched before focusing her attention back to Tohka.

"...I see. This is a bit troublesome."

Mio let out a small sigh as turned to their direction.

"──Excuse me, Tohka. From now on, I will not look down at you. I will use all of my strength to take Shin from you."

"I won't let you succeed, Shidou──"

Crying out in response to Mio's words, Tohka kicked off the ground again. "Shidou belongs to me!"

"Eh...?"

Shidou felt a momentary shock at hearing Tohka's unexpected statement.

However, deeming it not the time to dwell on such matters, Shidou quickly made the decision to support Tohka.

"───"

On strike, two, strikes, three strikes, four strikes.

In Mio's vision, slashes from flashed at a speed which eyes could not keep up with.

Until now, Mio could defend from the previous attacks without moving. But presently, the Angel was now equipped with the power to break through Mio's defenses and cut down her Astral Dress.

"...So that's the reason."

While blocking Tohka's swords swings, Mio let out a small mutter before stretching out a band of light to retaliate.

That's right. It was more than just Tohka's reiryoku that could be sensed from

right now.

Perhaps, while escaping from Mio, she absorbed fragments of reiryoku from the other Spirits and even Mio herself. The current was enriched in dense power even superior to .

In fact, as if to showcase this newfound power, there had been no faltering in Tohka's movements from the very beginning.

──Mio had been attempting to bind her movements with .

However, it wasn't unreasonable. was Mio's Angel. Although it was only a fragment, if Tohka had a portion of Mio's reiryoku, it was natural for her to not be hindered.

"...I didn't expect you to take my strength."

Mio muttered to Tohka in a volume that was almost inaudible.

While a sarcastic quip born from impatience, the words at the same time were a monologue displaying an unfathomable result.

──As Tohka said herself, she was born in a way completely different from the other Spirits.

No, to be more precise, it can be said that she was the only pure Spirit outside of Mio herself.

Born form nothingness just like Mio. Having no name just like Mio.

And then──having met Shidou just like Mio. In a sense, Tohka was like Mio's copy.

Such a girl was using Mio's own power against her.

In such circumstances, Mio couldn't help but sense a strange feeling. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

With enough force to leave fissures on the ground, Tohka swung directly towards Mio.

"──"

Mio's eyebrows slightly shook as she called out that name.

In an instance, a branch of , sharpened like a sword, emerged from the void and intercepted Tohka's blow.

"Muu...!?" " "

While parrying Tohka's slash from , Mio glanced over to Shidou.

That's right. From behind, Shidou had been using to continually strengthen Tohka. No doubt that this also served to increase Tohka's power.

No──not just that.

Perhaps out of worrying of hindering Tohka or knowledge that his attacks would be ineffective, but Shidou did not try to attack Mio directly.

However, while she was fighting Tohka, Shidou continued to stare at Mio. The light in his eyes was incomparable to the face of despair he had earlier.

──Perhaps, even at this time, he still kept thinking.

Whether there was any way to defeat Mio. Whether if it was possible to revive the other Spirits.

Mio felt her heart tightly contract at that gaze. "...Ah, sure enough despair does not suit you."

After pondering that over, Mio sharpened her gaze as she shifted her attention back to Tohka.

Then, she extended up both of her hands as Tohka was about to charge in again. "──Pierce through, ."

At that instant, the space surrounding Mio began to distort as several "roots" from

were released.

"What...!?"

Tohka hacked away the "roots", but the "roots" chased after her like a whip in pursuit.

Indeed, the laws of did not apply to Tohka, who had a portion of Mio's power. However, the same cannot be said about being penetrated by the

exterior roots, which quickly extended towards Tohka's body at Mio's command. But──at the next minute.

"Tohka!"

With a roar, Shidou jumped in front of Tohka. "...!"

Suddenly, Mio trembled as she stopped the attack just before the "root" reached Shidou.

With 's power, even being pierced through the chest wouldn't be enough to kill him. It was for this reason that she planned to initially seal

's healing power into Shidou first.

But even so, it was impossible for her to willingly pierce through Shidou's chest.

At the moment, Shidou jumped in front of Tohka, Mio's mind flashed back to the scene from thirty years ago──the sight of Shin falling down from the enemy's merciless bullet.

"…..Ku──"

Mio slightly distorted her expression as she manipulated the "root" to throw Shidou far away.

"Uwa...!?"

Shidou let out a groan as he rolled to the ground. Being temporary──Mio's offense was only hindered for a brief moment.

However, the result of forcibly terminating her own attack sparked a chance opportunity in a single instant.

And for Tohka, it was the push needed to turn the tides.

"──!"

Tohka called out the name of her Angel as her heel struck the ground.

Responding to her command, a huge throne exceeding Tohka's height was raised from the ground.

──.

The moment she saw it, that name appeared in Mio's mind.

The trump card of the Angel of the sword, . A sword of unparalleled destructive power.

If had been the old Tohka, Mio would not even need to defend.

However, if was now capable of land a blow on herself, then it would be impossible for this to be harmless.

If that were the case──

"──."

As Mio stretched her arms forward, as a palm-sized sphere appeared in front of her hands.

A flower bud of extreme death. As the sphere blossomed in an instant, a condensed light of death shot out in a straight line towards Tohka.

< Halvanhelev> was certainly a powerful blow, but it took some time to generate and release the attack.

Summoning the throne, breaking it down, equipping it to the sword, and finally swing down.

At the moment, where all of the power was focused on the sword, Tohka's body was left vulnerable. As long as she targeted this opportunity with a direct hit from

, even Tohka with Mio's power would not be safe.

However── "──!"

"...What?"

Hearing what Tohka had said, Mio couldn't help but wrinkle her brow.

The shards of the broken throne wrapped around Tohka's body like armor rather than covering the sword in her hands.

Then, Tohka twisted her body to avoid the ray of light from .

──Equipping the Angel on her own body, it was reminiscent of Yoshino's

.

The authority of an Angel was not restrained to a singularity. Although the

attribute of the Sephira Crystals are pre-established, the powers that manifest depend on the personality of the host. As a result, not even Mio could fully grasp everything.

At the very least, it was Mio first time seeing Tohka's current figure. "Wha──"

"Haaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh──!"

Covered in the armor of her golden throne, the roots and branches of were deflected back as Tohka closed the gap between herself and Mio in an

instant.

With that momentum swinging down, she slashed Mio's shoulder.

──Sharp pain. The Astral Dress covering her body was torn apart cleanly as Mio's bare white skin was scratched for the first time.

"───"

The shockwave from the slash struck her entire body, blood spurted out from the crackling wound.

Ahh──it was a mysterious feeling.

Ever since she was born, there was no enemy who could oppose her.

For Mio, the first time she had ever suffered an injury was given by an existence close to her own daughter or copy.

From the both the strange sensation and euphoria, Mio lifted up her face that was covered in blood.

"...Splendid, Tohka."

Those words were not just for landing that attack.

Even when her companions were killed, even when she was imprisoned within herself, Tohka did not lose hope and stood in front of Mio once again.

"To your noble, heart, you have my utmost respect.

──So, I will respond to that."

Mio spoke while staring directly into Tohka's eyes. And then, she recited.

The name of the last Angel possessed by Mio.

"──."

In moments.

Light filled the entire world.

"...! Tohka...!?"

──At that moment, equipped with her throne as armor, Tohka swung her sword towards Mio as the different space was whitened by light.

Blown away by Mio, Shidou inadvertently covered his eyes as he shouted Tohka's name.

Then, he didn't know how much time had passed.

When Shidou opened his eyes, there was Mio's silhouette with her Astral Dress torn and her body covered with blood.

"...!"

The trepidation and sympathy to Mio's painful form, while also the excitement by Tohka's attack landing on it's the target, the two emotions simultaneously surrounded his heart.

But immediately, Shidou's consciousness was dominated by an unpleasant sensation that followed.

"Toh, ka..... ?"

That's right. Tohka's silhouette just before attacked Mio, now cannot be seen anywhere.

Mio sighed shortly as she pointed her eyes towards Shidou. "...Tohka is gone."

"Eh...?"

At Mio's words, Shidou froze for a moment and opened his eyes wide in shock. "! You, no way?"

However, he soon immediately understood the meaning behind those words.

Perhaps Mio perceived Tohka as a threat, and like Shidou earlier, moved her to another place.

If so, until Tohka returns, Shidou will have to face Mio alone. No, if she's moved to somewhere near this place, Shidou was still fine, but if Tohka was blown to the same place as Shidou last time then──

Then, as Shidou was wary of thinking about it, Mio slowly shook her head as if looking into his thoughts.

"I haven't moved her. From the beginning, with a Tohka who has taken power from me, a little trick will have no effect at all. "

"Hah..... ? Then after all──"

As Shidou said that, Mio slightly moved her lips.

"──Like I said, she already no longer exists. Not blown to a certain place, nor killed──but rather vanished into nothingness."

"...What...did..."

"The void Angel ignores all laws and eradicates the target completely.

──Let me say it again, Tohka is gone, no longer a part of anywhere in this world." "────"

Hearing what Mio had said, Shidou was rendered speechless. Tohka was gone.

Even if it was difficult to understand it well, those words were the only thing that mattered.

"Of course, Tohka's reiryoku has also completely disappeared. For that reason, I didn't want to use that Angel...but there was no other way to reach my desired outcome with Tohka's strength.

──On the other hand, Tohka has forced me to play my final trump card. Please give her your praise. She surpassed her limits while thinking about you."

While saying that, Mio stroked her wounds with her hand.

Then, her injuries disappeared like a film put on reverse. Her splintered and cut Astral Dress also returned to its original appearance.

"...Well, Shin. Now no one can get in the way. ──Don't worry, although the loss of Tohka has decreased the amount of reiryoku, with your existing strength it should be enough to give you eternal life. All I have to do now is to return you

completely back to Shin." Mio slowly turned to Shidou.

Shidou felt his own breathing clog up.

His fingertips trembled. The despair that had once disappeared now resurfaced, clinging onto his feet.

──However. "──!"

Shidou clenched his teeth as he loudly roared.

He raised his hand to summon the Angel of light, firing a volley of rays of light towards Mio in the process.

Ah, it certainly was a desperate situation even worse than before. All of the Spirits had been killed and even his last hope, Tohka, had been erased.

However, Shidou's knees did not yield as he snarled against the invincible Spirit. Because he already sworn. He had promised to Tohka, to the Spirits.

He vowed to never give in again. A promise that he would never give up...! "Ohhhhhhhhhhh──!"

With in his left hand and in his right, he released cold air and flames simultaneously.

However, Mio did not even need to move to withstand the chaotic attacks. As if

her body was protected by an invisible layer of film, the attacks did not even reach her.

Indeed, he could understand why Tohka was so surprised that her attack cut a small portion of her Astral Dress. The difference in power was unreasonable.

Even so, Shidou did not give up.

Utilizing to seal the enemy's powers. Transforming Mio into a non-

attacking form through . Summoning the wind with . Letting the voice from resonate. And finally slashing with to fend Mio back.

Shidou used every Angel in his arsenal to resist against Mio.

However── "...It's useless." "...!"

Just by saying that, all of Shidou's attacks were eliminated.

Then next moment, Mio raised a finger, causing a band of light to grow from the ground and entangle his feet.

"Wha...this is──"

"Sorry, but it's troublesome to let you jump around."

As she apologized, Mio kicked off against the ground, drawing forth a strange trajectory that resisted gravity as she drew closer to Shidou.

"Ku──"

Although Shidou tried to untie the restraint, the band of light seemed to be inseparably assimilated into his feet. Even if he tried to cut it off with

, the band of light remained unscathed.

In the meanwhile, the distance between Mio and Shidou was getting shorter and shorter.

─Indeed, this certainly seemed to be the end of the line. Even so, Shidou still did not give up.

Until the last second, these thoughts continued to race as he watched Mio quickly approach.

As a result──Shidou did not miss seeing what happened next.

──He saw a stray bullet strike Mio's hand. "...!?"

"...What?"

Shidou's astonishment overlapped with Mio's voice. Mio's hand had not been injured.

But surely just now, a bullet had just hit Mio's hand.

However, it did not seem to be a massive clump of metal launched by gunpowder. Actually, Shidou couldn't smell any gunpowder or see the sparks igniting from a rifle.

That's right. It resembled more like a black shadow solidifying into the shape of a bullet──

"────Kihihihihi."

As if to interrupt──no, rather that voice served to validate Shidou's thoughts. A characteristic laugh came from nearby.

"──Ara, ara, apparently I came just in time." "Wha..."

With the appearance of the owner of the bullet emerging onto this different space, Shidou instinctively raised a voice of disbelief.

An Astral Dress stained by blood and darkness. Raven black hair tied unevenly on both sides.

And──the same peculiar golden clock in the left eye. That's right. The person that was here was──

"Kurumi...!?"

The Spirit Tokisaki Kurumi made an unexpected appearance.

"What...what does this mean!? You were killed by Mio back then..." Shidou spoke in a surprised tone as he widened his eyes.

Since Shidou had seen it through his own eyes, Mio crawling out of Kurumi's chest and turning Kurumi into a corpse. Even the surrounding clones had disappeared.

But now, the Kurumi right in front of him was too vivid to be a hallucination, and her personality was too similar to be seen as a fake.

I am very sorry, Shidou-san. I should have arrived earlier, but being the first time doing this, the timing didn't quite go exactly as planned."

"...? What do you mean..."

Hearing Kurumi's intriguing words, Shidou felt even more befuddled. Then, Mio's demeanor slightly changed as if realizing something. "...The Eleventh Bullet, , right?"

"Eh...?" "──Kihihi."

As Shidou was still lost in confusion, Kurumi exposed a fearless laugh after hearing what Mio had said.

◇

──Going back to a hour ago.

On the battlefield, a white arm was growing out from Kurumi's chest. "A-ah..."

Her throat trembled as a groan escaped from her lips. "Me...!"

But the scream was an empty cry as Kurumi's voice became more and more faint──as if to match that, the arm slowly crawled out from her chest.

Eventually, a beautiful young girl appeared. A beautiful girl with a pair of languid eyes. "What──"

Looking at that girl's appearance, all of the surrounding Kurumi clones felt their breathing clogging up.

It was a natural expression seeing that a girl was crawling out of her body. However, for the Kurumis present, their horror was not just for that.

All of them──were familiar with that girl's appearance.

──Takamiya Mio.

The girl who had turned Kurumi into a Spirit.

The girl who had worked and fought side-by side with Kurumi. And the girl who had caused the death of Kurumi's best friend.

That's right; she was both the starting and endpoint for Kurumi's revenge. The despised Spirit of Origin was there.

"...!"

Recognizing this, Kurumi's clones understood the situation.

A few days ago, Kurumi had met with the Spirit of Origin and caught her in her shadow.

As the sucked up the time of the swallowed object. Those who were dropped in would be deprived of their lifespan until the fires of their lives were extinguished as death beckoned them──or at least, that is how it is supposed to be.

However, for some mysterious reason, Mio had not died. On the contrary, her body had rejuvenated back to the age where she first met Kurumi. As if she was the one absorbing time from Kurumi.

"Ga...ah...!"

Having discovered the identity of the girl emerging from her chest, Kurumi let out a beast-like roar as she injected strength into the hand holding her short pistol.

"...!"

Then next moment, in response to Kurumi's voice, a shadow squirming underneath her feet was sucked into the muzzle.

Then, seeing Mio growing out of her chest, Kurumi pressed the trigger.

However, at that moment, Mio twisted her body in order to break free from Kurumi.

"Ga...!"

Kurumi let out an anguished groan as her posture was broken. Needless to say, the bullet Kurumi fired did not land on Mio── "...!?"

Instead, the trajectory of shot landed on one Kurumi's clones. "Wha…..m-me!?"

The Kurumi clone gasped as she clutched her chest. " !"

Such misfortune to the point of being comical. To think, that this would be the final blow from the so-called Worst Spirit, Tokisaki Kurumi.

However, the clone quickly noticed that this bullet was not just a solidification of shadows.

There was no pain coming from her chest. Instead, from the entry point of the bullet, there was the sensation of her entire body being caught in a whirlpool.

"This is...no way...!"

The clone opened her eyes as she stared at Kurumi. " "

Then, just for a moment, Kurumi smiled silently before collapsing into the abyss of death.

"Ah──"

In that instant, the clone noticed.

Kurumi did not fire a desperate last attack.

She tried to aim for Mio in order to camouflage her true intentions.

Yes, Kurumi, who realized that death was approaching, poured out her remaining power ──in order to entrust this bullet to her clone.

──.

Kurumi's secret weapon, paired with Twelfth Bullet , the bullet used to send the target to the past.

The taboo bullet to send a target to the future.

She understood Kurumi's intentions as she fired that shot.

No words or instructions were necessary. Since the clone shared the same intentions and aspirations as Kurumi, she was nothing more than also Tokisaki Kurumi.

"...Me──"

Having been entrusted with everything, the clone swallowed her words as she resisted the urge to yell back.

Kurumi had deliberately missed so that Mio's attention would not be focused on the clone. She couldn't waste that dedication in an ephemeral moment of passion.

The clone chanted softly in a volume inaudible to anyone else.

"──Yes, yes, you have entrusted it to me──the future."

The clone whispered those words before disappearing completely from this world.

◇

"That's correct, Mio-san. I am a clone of Tokisaki Kurumi sent to the future from an hour ago. The last assassin sent to kill you."

Kurumi spoke while holding the dual antique pistols in her hands. Seeing that move, Mio sighed softly.

"...Are you seriously saying that? A clone is a threat to me?"

"Yes, yes. The real me has been killed by you. And every clone other than me has disappeared, but──through the reiryoku entrusted to me through , I can continue to exist until my time is exhausted. That is enough time──to kill you!"

Kurumi screamed as she kicked off the ground and fired from her two guns.

Despite both guns resembling single-shot antique muskets, a shadow was sucked in each time she fired a bullet, reloading the magazine in an instant. A shower of bullets approached Mio.

"..."

Mio twitched her brow as she lightly pushed Shidou's chest.

Then, with a momentum unimaginable for this casual gesture, Shidou's body was blown to the rear.

"Ku..... !"

Despite falling to the ground, Shidou's eyes remained fixed on both Mio and Kurumi.

Kurumi's bullets rained down on Mio like a relentless squall.

Of course, Mio remained unharmed, but the stray bullets continue to bounce

around, leaving numerous bullet marks on the ground. Perhaps, Mio's prior action was out of a concern for Shidou's──no, Shin's──it was probably out of a dislike the probability of Shin's body being scratched even a little.

Then, as if anticipating Mio's actions, Kurumi landed right between Mio and Shidou.

"! Kurumi, what on earth are you doing──"

Shidou narrowed his eyes as he called out her name. In return, Kurumi quietly glanced at Shidou.

"──I've already said earlier that I came here to defeat Mio-san. ──Ah, though there is one more thing."

Kurumi strained the corners of his lips.

"──Perhaps, it's because I couldn't forget the feeling of Shidou-san's lips." After saying that, Kurumi kicked the ground again to attack Mio.

"What..."

While watching Kurumi's back, Shidou frowned.

The reason was simple. It was because Kurumi's actions were completely inconsistent with what was expected from Kurumi.

"──Kihihihihi──! Hey, what's wrong? This isn't just a defensive fight." " "

Kurumi continued to fire a barrage of bullets at Mio from her two antique pistols. However, these attacks continued to have no effect on Mio.

──Too much, there was an excessive power difference. He didn't think that Kurumi did not understand this. "What's...going on?"

Just as the clone had said, the original Kurumi had been killed by Mio. The clone should understand that she could never win against Mio.

Undoubtedly, Kurumi had sent her clone into the future for a purpose. For what goal though?'

──Even if she knew it was useless, did she still do it for the sake of revenge? " "

No, Shidou immediately denied that possibility in his mind.

If it had been an ordinary person to do this, Shidou would have been convinced.

However, it was unimaginable for Tokisaki Kurumi to do this. That girl, no matter what limit she was pushed into, would never use her secret bullet without some purpose.

There must have been something. Surely, there was something hidden so Mio wouldn't discover.

That's right. Kurumi's resolve would not shake even at the face of death.

Shidou was confident of that due to having relived Kurumi's past through the Tenth Bullet .

No matter what──it was impossible for her to give up.

In order to rewrite the world, Kurumi continued to fight even after sinking herself in savagery.

Repeatedly revising time in order to save Shidou's life──

(──Perhaps, it's because I couldn't forget the feeling of Shidou-san's lips.) "────Ah────"

That moment.

A weak voice escaped Shidou's mouth as he inadvertently touched his lips with his fingers.

In his mind, there was the feeling of the last piece of the puzzle falling in place. The sensation of an intertwined thread being unraveling in an instant.

No doubt, Kurumi surely── "...Ku, ha...!"

Suddenly, Shidou opened his eyes after hearing a painful cry come out from the front.

"! Kurumi...!?"

As he raised his face in a hurry, he saw Kurumi's figure as her body was pierced through by numerous bands of light emerging from the ground.

"So…rry... really.... was no..."

While vomiting blood, Kurumi look back to Shidou with an empty look. But looking at Shidou's expression──she silently smiled.

Surely, it was properly transmitted. The answer had reached Shidou. "Ah──ha..."

Kurumi smiled softly as she fell to the ground──just like that, she disappeared back into shadows.

"...It's hard to understand. You should have known that you couldn't have defeated me."

Mio looked down to the place where Kurumi had arrived with a strange look before slowly turning to Shidou's direction.

"Anyway──now everything has been settled. I praise everyone's resolve and

applaud their willingness to fight. But in the end it was futile resistance. As for the result, nothing has changed."

"──Futile?"

Hearing Mio's words, Shidou felt a tremble in his throat.

"It was not...futile. Everything──everything was necessary." "...Shin?"

Perhaps finding Shidou's response unexpected, Mio showed a baffled expression. Shidou continued looking straight towards Mio.

"─Because everyone was here, because Tohka fought, Kurumi arriving on time...allowed me to realize.... !"

Almost unconsciously, tears fell down his eyes. Yes, everything was necessary.

If a single thing was missing, then Shidou's memories would have been lost forever.

However, a series of miracles connected a thread that allowed him to maintain his life.

While watching Mio, Shidou let out a small sigh.

Mio was certainly powerful to the point where calling her 'strong' seemed like a vast understatement.

It was impossible to repel her, no matter what means he used.

's light

's cold air

's flames

's sealing

's transformations

's wind

's sound

's blade, none of these attacks would even reach Mio.

Even if enough of Nia's Sephira Crystal remained to use in combat, the result would presumably be the same,

However, within Shidou's body──there was the power of one more Angel. "...!"

Shidou called out the name of that Angel. " ──the Sixth Bullet !"

At that moment, Shidou's shadow──creeped up from ground and gather in his hand to form a short pistol.

At the same time, mechanical ticking sounds were heard coming from his left eye. That's right; a golden clock had engraved itself onto Shidou's left eye.

Kurumi had held the Angel of time, .

Upon her death, that power was absorbed back into Mio──but one-twelfth of that power, the Sixth Bullet , had already been sealed in Shidou's body.

In the past, Kurumi had given Shidou a kiss as a prank. As a result, only that bullet had been sealed.

The power──to send one's consciousness back to a past body.

Whenever Shidou was killed, Kurumi had kissed him to regain that power in order to send her consciousness back to the past.

However, as far as this world was concerned, Shidou was still not dead. Inevitably, the power of the Sixth Bullet was still in Shidou's body. Nevertheless, Shidou had never summoned until now.

It was impossible to reach this idea through his efforts alone.

Ah, that's right. Kurumi had squeezed out the last of her power to send a clone to the future in order to inform this last move to Shidou──!

"...What──?"

Seeing that, for the first time on Mio's face, there was a sudden oscillation. But──too late.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa──!"

Shidou shouted, pointing the gun at his temple── Then he pulled the trigger.

◇

"────!"

His hazy consciousness gradually became clear again. The starry sky was spread before Shidou's eyes. "...This is..."

Shidou looked down at himself before turning around to confirm his surroundings.

Glass-tiled ceiling. A white room with vending machines selling drinks by the wall, as well a few foliage plants for decoration. Sitting on a bench, he was holding a paper cup filled with milk tea.

──That's right. This was the resting area onboard . Shidou quickly placed the paper cup on the bench as he hurriedly took out his smart phone to confirm the date on the screen.

"──February 19th──"

He whispered that date in his mouth as his grip on his smart phone tightened.

The day before and DEM's final battle. And also, the day before the Spirits was killed.

"...Ah."

Shidou bent down in an almost prayer-like position, struggling to contain the unbearable passion in his throat.

Relief from the success of the Sixth Bullet and deep appreciation for everyone filled his heart.

"..."

However, Shidou's expression soon turned grim as he gulped.

Certainly, through his consciousness traveling back in time with the Sixth Bullet

, Shidou had escaped from the worst ending with the crisis of destruction and death of all of the Spirits.

But even so, that didn't mean the problems were solved. The Spirit of Origin·Takamiya Mio.

The absolute Spirit bearing the name .

Even going back in time, as long as there was no way to defeat her, the threat of the same ending repeating still remained.

It was meaningless unless the root of the issue was dealt with. Shidou began to desperately ponder.

──A difference between the former world and the present one. A possibility needed to break down the tragedy from happening.

The only thing that came to mind was the existence of Shidou who knew the events from the past. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the possibility of

avoiding everyone's deaths in less than 30 hours depended on Shidou's actions.

However, on the basis of that thinking, the questions of what specifically needed to be done were raised. It was extremely difficult for Shidou to arrive at an answer.

While in his solitary monologue, Shidou began to mutter to himself.

──To not have Mio appear in the first place?

No, Mio was already inside Kurumi, and also existed as Reine as well. That was not possible anymore.

──Keep repeating history through the Sixth Bullet until finding the correct answer?

No, if both Kurumi and Shidou died on the battlefield, they could no longer use

to change history. Additionally, the power from was derived from Mio. There was there possibility of Mio's intuition catching on that he was

repeating history.

──Seal Kurumi's power and travel back to 30 years ago using ?

No, even if he attempted that, Mio would learn of those prospects from inside Kurumi. Eventually, that would lead to Kurumi's death.

"Ku..."

Shidou shook his head. The appearance of Mio was at the endpoint of each choice.

Killing all living creatures and rewriting every law, the Spirit of Origin could extinguish all of existence.

"What exactly should be done──"

──At that moment, Shidou's face was flushed with confusion. "──Shidou?"

Behind him, such a voice echoed. "...!"

The moment he heard that voice, the illusions produced by the lingering thoughts in his mind were all washed away.

He turned around to see the owner of that voice. "What's wrong, in such a place?"

"Tohka──"

He opened his eyes in surprise as he slowly said that name.

That's right. Tohka was standing there while wearing adorable pajamas.

It was reasonable when thinking it over. At that time, Shidou had encountered and talked to Tohka in the rest area.

However, Shidou couldn't think about that.

Tohka, a girl who inspired Shidou to stand up and challenge Mio──an existence that was erased was now standing right here.

Shidou half-consciously opened his arms to hug Tohka. "Tohka...Tohka..."

"What…..! S-shidou!?"

While initially startled by Shidou's sudden hug, Tohka noticed he was calling out his name with tears in his eyes, so she gently caressed his head.

"Well, it's me──what happened Shidou." "Tohka, I──"

In his excitement, Shidou was about to confide in Tohka what happened next and how Tohka's existence had saved him.

However──he stopped just as he was about to say something. The reason was simple. They were still inside .

Speakers and microphones with sound collection were installed in all of the main facilities inside the ship, with each conversation recorded and stored as data.

Unless there was a guarantee that it would not be viewed by Reine, it wouldn't be wise to talk about the future here.

Therefore, Shidou let out a sigh as he kept the information to himself. "...I had a dream."

"A dream?"

"...Yes, a very bad dream where everyone was killed in the battle with DEM. I...I couldn't do anything even though Tohka was trying so hard."

"Shidou..."

Tohka suddenly loosened his cheeks and gently patted him on the back. "Everything will be fine. That certainly won't happen."

As Tohka said that, she continued while slightly wandering off in a joyful expression.

"Hmm...but in that case, I was working hard in Shidou's dream." Seeing that smug look, Shidou felt some his tension being relieved. "...Ah. Oh yeah, you really planned a huge active role."

"Hehe, if so, it is wrong for Shidou to not be able to do anything, so I must have worked extra hard for Shidou."

"Tohka..."

"Shidou rescued me. You didn't regard me, a Spirit, as an enemy and lend out your hand. So, I swear that I will protect Shidou no matter what happens."

While saying that, Tohka tightly embraced Shidou.

"Moreover──it's not a problem. Isn't Shidou the man who can handle me and all the other Spirits? How can a person like that be killed by DEM?"

"Haha...that's...maybe so."

Shidou felt his cheeks relax while hearing Tohka's words.

To be sure, just as Tohka said, all of the Spirits currently in were once called humanoid disasters that wielded a tyrannical power.

"Of course, whether it was through a power that transcended human intelligence or the destruction brought by a spacequake, it was not something that Tohka and the others necessarily wanted. It was because of this that Shidou was able to seal the Spirits through dialogue──

"───"

Suddenly, while thinking of this, Shidou widened his eyes. "...That's right. Yes─this way."

"Muu, what's the matter, Shidou?"

Hearing what Shidou said to be confusing, Tohka slightly tilted her head in

puzzlement. Shidou once again clung back to Tohka immediately after his arms were resolved with a newfound determination.

"──Thank you, Tohka. Thanks to you, I feel like that I saw what I needed to do." "Muu…..? Umu, is that so? That's great then."

Although Tohka didn't understand everything, Shidou's smile to her was a sign that everything was well again.

With this newfound affirmation, Shidou left the rest area. Then, he walked heavily on 's long corridor.

"...Ah."

Shidou muttered to himself.

──Why did such a simple thing not come to mind. Was it because of Mio's sudden appearance?

Was it because of Mio's overwhelming power? Was it because Mio killed all of the Spirits?

Perhaps it was because of all of these reasons. Even after using the Sixth Bullet

, Shidou's thoughts were still dominated by fear and trepidation.

If he didn't defeat Mio, he couldn't be able to move forward. Until a moment ago, Shidou really felt that way. He regarded Mio as an enemy and treated her as such.

But──that was wrong.

Shidou had forgotten until Tohka reminded him.

That's right. As long as the opponent was a Spirit, then there was only one thing that Shidou should have done from the beginning...!

"…..!"

While thinking this over, he stopped his feet as his eyebrows shook. He found a woman at the end of the corridor.

Styled with untidy hair, there were heavy eye bags underneath her face.

──'s analytic officer·Murasame Reine. And also a provisional appearance for the Spirit·Mio.

Shidou clenched his fist with determination as he took another step forward. "──Reine-san."

"...Hmm? Ah, what's the matter, Shin?"

Reine replied back the same as usual. However, it was unlikely that he would ever be able to hear being called Shin the same way as before.

However, now was not the time to be soaked with in such sentiments. Shidou sighed softly while staring directly at Reine──then, he asked.

"Reine-san. Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?"