Chapter 4
Somewhere within the mountains surrounding Tenguu City, several figures could be seen lying down on the ground lifeless while two figures faced each other. One was gasping for air, barely holding the weapon in hand with exhausted stamina and several wounds all over. While the other just stood there confidently, barely a wound or any signs of exhaustion visible in sight.
"This is... impossible... I am... DEM's Strongest Wizard. There's no way... I am outclassed... by a mere Spirit..."
Ellen still could not believe the pitiful position she was in, putting her eyes away from the reality in front of her. Her thoughts was understandable, since she and her subordinates was clearly putting their target in a tough spot since combat between them and the target began a few minutes ago.
Then all that changed into a one-sided massacre in ten seconds when those words echoed from the target to the surroundings, with the target suddenly placing both hands on the waist while giving a confident smile.
"Reaching activity limit. Entering Final Protocol: The Great Turnabout"
With a rather mysterious music (Pursuit~ The Great Turnabout) suddenly being played at that area, Ellen saw the target lift his left hand and pointed a finger towards one of her subordinates, followed by that subordinate suddenly bending his body hard as he was blown backwards by a huge invisible force and instantly retired when he fell to the ground. Seeing this, Ellen and the other subordinates she had instantly put defensive barriers around themselves and flew into the air.
They did not know however that the target's mysterious attack has infinite distance, can pass through any methods of defense and hits its target instantly making it impossible to evade, so one by one Ellen's subordinates fell just by the target pointing towards them. Even Ellen was forced down by the sudden rapid impacts she suffered when the target started moving from one place to another and smacked her all around with the mysterious attack, like the situation of a certain taijutsu-only ninja against a red-haired sand-controlling ninja.
"Ugh..."
Finally, Ellen fell to the ground. She had no strength left and all her equipments plus Realizers except her laser blade have been destroyed. A true checkmate by the target; the male Spirit towards Ellen. Of course, Ellen did not know that the male Spirit she had fought was a robot made to copy the appearance of the male Spirit, nor did she know that its inventor has made it to self-destruct when it reaches its activity limit. Or that the mysterious attack she tasted several times with her body was a move of a certain ace attorney in a fighting game installed by said inventor and made reality through the Nasod technology of the inventor, also known as the Nasod Queen.
"Activity limit reached. Self-destruct initiated"
So when the male Spirit in front of her suddenly explodes and its pieces evaporates, Ellen got a huge shock and realization before passing out.
"I-It was... a fake...? ..............Damn you, male Spirit-------Mukyuuuuu."
*****
"Hmm? The power I gave to that robot is back...? So the robot self-destructed, huh?"
Back at the mall, the fact that robot he sent to distract Ellen had blown up was noticed by him; a young teenager with dark blue hair that reaches the neck and bangs that covers the sides of his face, eyes of bluish darkness that seemed to draw those who gaze into them into bottomless abyss, wearing a dark blue coat and brown gloves plus long pants and safety shoes. The one with the name of Aaron, who is also someone that Yoshino, Yoshinon and Kaguya had met before.
"Wait, you guys know him?!"
"Y-Yes, that's right..."
"But he looks more matured than the last time we saw him..."
To Shidou's question, both Yoshino and Kaguya gave their own reply, in which Aaron continued after Kaguya.
"Well, a few years have already passed since that time when you all returned to your original worlds. It's obvious that I would have grown up."
"Eh..."
"A few years?! But it hasn't been three months since--"
"For you two maybe, but for me three years have passed. Well, I've been travelling between worlds, so the time experienced by us would be quite different...... But enough about that. I think those two are very confused right now."
"Ah..."
Yoshino and Kaguya looked towards Origami and the crossdressing Shidou who, like Aaron said was having that difficult look on his face. Then, Origami took a step forward while facing Aaron with her same expressionless face.
"...Who are you? How did you know about Yoshino and Kaguya?"
"You can call me Aaron. I met Yoshino-san at my previous school; Cardfight Academy, while I met Kaguya-san and her sister Yuzuru-san at the island I once lived when they were searching for Yoshino."
"? I do not understand. There has been no reports of the three of them ever being in such places according to the files I've read. I request additional information regarding the subject of you meeting them."
"Err, if I remember correctly... When you became... err, Inversed I think? You wasted their whole city and caused a massive rift of space and time which forced Yoshino-san and Yoshinon into my world. Kaguya-san and Yuzuru-san then appeared some time after that looking for her."
"...Wait a minute, did you just say something about Origami going Inversed and wasting a whole city?"
"Yes, that's right... Itsuka Shidou."
"Wha--"
"Why are you so shocked? I heard about you from Yoshino and the others, and also about Shiori-san. Although I have to admit, you really were so cute that I was tricked into believing you were a girl."
"Guh?!"
Again, Shidou felt like his heart was pierced by an imaginary spear. However, he soon recovered from it as he thought about the words that Aaron had said.
"If what he said is true, then he must have met them at 'that timeline'..."
"Anyway... Seeing as you are in that Shiori outfit, you guys must have thought that I am Spirit and wanted to seal my powers by making me fall in love with you and then kissing me, am I right?"
"Ah, yes. That's right."
"...Well, I'm afraid even if I fall in love and kiss you, I doubt any of my powers would be sealed."
"E-Eh?! W-Why?"
"That's because--"
Before Aaron could finish his words, the sound of glass being broken could be heard from above. When they all looked up, a single figure covered in flames while raising that mighty halberd came down along with raining glass.
"Shidou!!"
"Kotori?!"
"Woah!?"
Before reaching the ground, Kotori swung her halberd towards Aaron, who jumped backwards in order to avoid the infernal onslaught. However, he was not out of danger yet, as another figure came through the broken glass ceiling and rushed towards him.
"You're wide open!!"
"!!!! Gah?!"
Unable to move out of harm's way, Aaron was forced to taste the laser blade of the ponytailed girl who had a canny resemblance to Shidou.
"Mana?!"
"Oi, what are you doing Mana!! I thought I told you not to go and kill the Spirit!"
"Don't worry, I didn't hit anything that could kill him. Besides, this would make it easier for us to take him with us right?"
"U-Ugu... !!!!"
Along with the pain of having a laser blade stabbed in his stomach, a sudden sensation hit Aaron from the inside. Like a single heartbeat which travelled through his entire core.
"N-No way... This girl, don't tell me she...!"
"Eh? Woah!?"
Without warning, Aaron suddenly grabbed Mana at the arm and threw her away, making her crash into Kotori as they both fell down. For someone who usually treats the opposite gender with care and respect, this was something Aaron would normally never do. However, he had to do so, as he cannot afford to have anyone near him at the moment.
"G-Guh..."
"A-Aaron-san!!"
"Aaron!!"
"Don't come near me, both of you!!"
Yoshino and Kaguya moved towards Aaron, only to be stopped by his fierce shout. The confidence on his face was gone and replaced with pain and agony. The laser blade that was stuck piercing through him was engulfed and eaten by the reddish darkness aura which appeared around Aaron the same time he threw Mana.
"A-Ah...."
"N-No way, don't tell me you're..."
[This is bad!! This is really really bad!! Aaron is turning into 'that' again!!]
Except for Yoshino, Yoshinon and Kaguya, the others who were there had no idea what was happening. However, it could be said that they were fortunate not knowing, for the fear Yoshino, Yoshinon and Kaguya was showing on their faces as they watched the aura around Aaron slowly growing bigger was clearly something nobody wanted to have.
"Y-You guys... Hurry up... and get away from here... Hurry... before I lose control... GO!!!!"
With that shout that was strong enough to shake even the building they were in, both Yoshino and Kaguya immediately moved. Tears could be seen on Yoshino's eyes as she ran past Shidou while he was still confused.
"Wha-- Y-Yoshino?!"
"We need to get out of here, Shidou!!"
"K-Kaguya? W-What is going on?"
"I-I'll explain everything later!! Right now, we need to get as far away from here as possible!!"
Kaguya took Tohka who she had laid on the floor a moment ago and immediately followed Yoshino who was also heading towards the exit. Although his mind was still confused, Shidou decided to listen to Kaguya's words.
"Kotori, Mana, we're getting out of here!!"
"Eh? Ah, yes, Nii-sama!!"
"W-Wait, Shidou!!"
"......."
As Shidou, Kotori and Mana headed for the exit as well, Origami paused for a while to look at Aaron before she too retreated from that place. Seeing all of them had ran away, Aaron finally smirked.
"With this... I can finally... focus on re-sealing... this power..."
---AST Report No.2016. A radius of one kilometer with the mall as the center is confirmed to have been destroyed. No spacequake reading has been detected during the affirmed time of its destruction. Analysis has confirmed that the cause was an explosion which occurred from inside the mall. Investigations are still under-going, however the possibility of a Spirit being involved is believed to be zero.
*****
"This is Adeptus 2. I have arrived at the location where Adeptus 1 and her subordinates have engaged the Spirit and lost contact."
"I see. What is the situation over there?"
"--Adeptus 1 and her subordinates sighted. They seem to have lost consciousness. Moderate damage on all personnel. Proceeding to collect them to be send to the medical facility."
"Hoh, to think that Ellen would lose... Looks like the Spirit this time is too much for Ellen in her normal equipment... Well, I'll just have her use <Goetia> next time. Adeptus 2."
"Yes."
"Continue on searching the Spirit. He is still in this world according to <Beelzebub>, but again I cannot know about his whereabouts or his current situation. You are given permission to engage in combat upon contact. You have no worries about witnesses, all of them will be taken care of."
"...Roger."
"Ah, but limit yourself to ground search until night comes. Having too many witnesses would make it difficult to 'fix' the situation."
"Affirmative. From here, Adeptus 2 shall begin pursuit of the Spirit codenamed <Demon God>."
"Good girl. As expected from DEM's new No.2. I shall await good news from you."