Intensification

“Yisha, I have a few questions for you.”

Itsuka Kotori’s expression was grave. Yisha frowned, then nodded.

“Do you truly need to be sealed?”

Shido was thunderstruck, turning a shocked gaze towards his sister. Itsuka Kotori subtly gestured for him to remain silent.

“Oh my, starting with such a bombshell right away?”

Her eyebrows arched, and Yisha’s interest was piqued.

“Could you tell me how you arrived at that question?”

“It’s a simple deduction. You and Phantom are mortal enemies. The power we’ve demonstrated to you thus far hasn’t reached a level capable of contending with what you call ‘it’.”

“Therefore, considering your own safety, you wouldn’t willingly put yourself in a dangerous position. In other words, you need someone to protect your vulnerabilities, while you deal with ‘it’.”

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Yisha applauded Itsuka Kotori’s words, though Itsuka Kotori herself showed no reaction. Another person, however, reacted quite strongly.

“If that’s the case, then we can’t seal Yisha, can we? If she’s sealed, Yisha will die!”

“Sit down, Shido. We’ll discuss that question later.”

Itsuka Kotori shot Shido a cold glance, her tone utterly detached.

“No! If Yisha would die from being sealed, then I’d rather not do it at all!”

Shido roared, and then—

Smack!

“Are you calm now?”

Yisha’s voice was frigid.

Shido froze for a moment, then gripped Yisha’s shoulder, about to speak again.

Smack!

“She said we’d talk later. I’m not in a hurry, so why are you?”

Realizing what had happened, Itsuka Kotori immediately rushed forward to separate them. Yina, meanwhile, silently moved to Yisha’s side and held her hand.

“Shido, calm down! We’ll talk about this later, alright?”

It was rare to see Itsuka Kotori flustered. Shido, whose head had been clouded by emotion, instantly sobered up.

“Alright, please continue.”

Shido returned to his seat. Yisha glanced at him, then also settled back into her own seat.

Despite the brief interlude, neither of them had forgotten the topic at hand.

“Given your honesty, I’ll tell you the truth as well, even though honesty is a prerequisite for any transaction.”

Shido silently clenched his hands. He had heard those two words from Yisha’s lips once more.

A maelstrom of emotions churned within him, yet he forced himself to focus on Yisha’s voice.

“In truth, I don’t care about being sealed. What I care about is whether I can kill ‘it’. If I can, then any power is inconsequential to me.”

“Is that why you’re researching Realizer technology?”

“Of course. After all, it’s technology referred to as magic. Wouldn’t ‘technological magic’ sound a bit better?”

Yisha tilted her head, pondering a more suitable name for ‘Realizer’ technology, until Yina patted her shoulder, bringing her back to attention.

Fortunately, Itsuka Kotori didn’t mind her digression; instead, she focused on the implications of Yisha’s statement.

“What if the Realizer can’t achieve that?”

“Then sealing becomes unnecessary.”

Yisha glanced at Shido beside her, spreading her hands in a gesture of resignation.

“Even if Spatial Quakes cause you significant trouble?”

“Even so, choosing between my own life and the hostility of the world requires no thought.”

After confirming Shido wouldn’t erupt in another emotional outburst, Itsuka Kotori began to ponder.

‘From what I can tell, Yisha seems capable of controlling Spatial Quakes to some extent, yet they still pose a danger. Sealing isn’t strictly necessary for her; instrument readings show she’s essentially indistinguishable from an ordinary person.’

‘In other words, unless a Spatial Quake occurs, Yisha won’t face any issues. Our original goal was to save the Spirits, to free them from their dire circumstances, but Yisha already possesses that freedom. Her primary problem lies in her opposition to Phantom…’

“Wooooosh~~~~~~!!! Alert! A Spatial Quake is imminent in this area! Please proceed to the nearest shelter immediately. Alert…!”

The sudden alarm shattered the silence. Bridge crew members who had left their posts swiftly returned, and even Itsuka Kotori resumed her seat.

Yisha glanced at Shido, who was looking down, lost in thought. She then walked over to his side.

“Does it still hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

The girl leaned in, observing his face closely. It was flushed crimson. Yisha had held back considerably on those two strikes; while they were moderate for her, they had been quite heavy for Shido.

Raising her hand, she gently massaged the reddened area. Feeling the warmth beneath her touch, Yisha’s usually stern expression softened.

“I’m sorry I hit you.”

“No, I was impulsive.”

Shido felt a slight discomfort with such close proximity. He took a step back, just about to put more distance between them.

“Don’t move.”

His body involuntarily froze. Yisha leaned in further, making sure she hadn’t unconsciously used any techniques that might necessitate on-the-spot first aid.

“You don’t need to apologize. You were looking out for me.”

Shido remained silent, so Yisha continued.

“Just now, you reminded me of some unpleasant memories. I superimposed you onto him, which is why I lashed out. I apologize.”

“Unpleasant memories?”

The girl gave a wry smile. Was he really focusing on that, even as she was apologizing and explaining?

“A moment of impulsiveness once led to irreparable consequences. I mistook you for someone equally impulsive and wanted you to calm down, but I used the wrong method. I’m truly sorry.”

“It’s fine, really. In fact, if I hadn’t calmed down, things wouldn’t have been resolved.”

After a thorough check, Yisha confirmed there would be no lasting repercussions. She then took two steps back and bowed deeply.

“Though I’ve said it many times, I still need to formally apologize. For hitting you earlier, I am truly sorry.”

“No, no, no, I was also at fault. Please don’t do that.”

Shido quickly urged Yisha to straighten up. However, Yisha was resolute in seeking his forgiveness, refusing to stop until Shido uttered the three crucial words: “I forgive you.”

“I apologize for interrupting, but we’ve arrived at the site. Shido-kun, you need to head down now.”

Kannazuki walked over, cutting short their conversation.

Shido composed himself, then turned and ran towards the transfer room.

Yisha and Yina silently found their positions, preparing to observe the upcoming strategy.

“Is the manifesting Spirit Hermit? The frequency is so high, even though she only just manifested.”

The green, rabbit-eared hooded dress that appeared on the screen instantly identified the Spirit.

But—”Communications and cameras have been cut off! What’s happening?”

Just a moment ago, they had clearly seen Shido descending the stairs to the Spirit’s floor. The next second, the screen went blank, and all communication between Shido and Fraxinus was severed, leaving only the static hum of electricity to indicate the situation.

“Kannazuki, check all systems! Deploy the Leaves of Yggdrasil!”

Itsuka Kotori reacted instantly, issuing commands, but a fleeting figure made her pause.

“Teleport me to the ground, quickly!”

Yisha had already departed the bridge, leaving only her words hanging in the air. If not for the faint afterimage she left, Itsuka Kotori might have thought she had teleported away.

“Kannazuki, teleport! All other orders remain unchanged.”

“Understood.”

Kannazuki swiftly retrieved a headset from a nearby box and placed it on his head. With the aid of the transmission device, his brain rapidly took control of most of the ship’s functions.

“Transfer complete. Leaves of Yggdrasil, units 1 through 6, launch!”

In the sky, the beast, previously hidden by optical camouflage, revealed its form for the first time. Its distinct angular frame and overall rounded armor elicited admiration for the designer’s vision.

Behind it, devices resembling the spreading branches of Yggdrasil began to glow. The first few, once activated, descended towards the ground.

“Hee-ho, hey! Hee-ho, hey!”

A girl, clutching a rabbit doll, bounced back and forth through the sports equipment store. From the sound of her voice, she seemed to be having a wonderful time.

Clang!

A sound from behind made her stop. She turned to see a barbell plate spinning on the floor, eventually coming to a rest.

Thump, thump…

Footsteps echoed from the darkness ahead. In her tension, she slowly moved towards the window she had flown in through.

“You really made me search, Hermit. Just a rabbit who only knows how to burrow!”

The newcomer slowly emerged from the shadows, his CR-UNIT shifting rhythmically with his breathing.

“Forget it. Let’s finish this quickly and leave. My plans can’t be ruined because of you.”

The very next moment after he finished speaking, an alarm blared in the girl’s heart. Her spiritual power instantly surged, propelling her towards the exit.

Boom!

The man crashed straight into the sports equipment like a cannonball, with some pieces even falling around his landing spot.

Without defense, he might have been knocked unconscious.

Alas, the renewed premonition in the girl’s heart indicated he was completely unharmed.

“!”

A scorching ray was dodged by mere millimeters; the touched part of her Astral Dress had already vanished.

Realizing her opponent was formidable, the girl accelerated her flight, intending to leave the building before he could recover.

But a voice from behind made her hackles rise.

“A rabbit that only runs, wouldn’t it be better to turn around and bite someone?”

Thud!

A fist landed on the girl’s back. The sudden heavy blow and pain nearly made her lose control, but fortunately, the hand puppet’s call prevented her from retaliating impulsively.

“They say even cornered rabbits bite. Were they lying to me? You only ever run.”

Noticing the opponent’s next attack, the girl arched her back, narrowly evading it.

Thud!

A heavy punch, identical to the last, landed squarely on her abdomen.

Her body slammed onto the ground like a broken sack. The excruciating pain made it nearly impossible to think; the impact even rendered her temporarily immobile.

That sensation, as if her stomach acid was rising, was pure agony.

“Hey! Hey, Yoshino! Yoshino!”

She heard its voice in her ear, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t move. She understood.

A rabbit couldn’t possibly fight back against a wolf, yet this rabbit didn’t want to hurt anyone.

However, the wolf wouldn’t stop because of the rabbit’s kindness. He was toying with her, using her life as a plaything—a toy that could be destroyed at any moment.

“Don’t…”

“Ah, did you say something?”

The man casually picked at his ear, intending to approach her.

“Don’t…”

“Not interesting at all. As expected of Ms. Yuan’s technology. Time to return to normal.”

In her vision, he was adjusting, pressing closer with each step.

It was just like that day: a pitch-black night, a man-eating beast. At the end of that day, she had unleashed her power and harmed others.

“Don’t!”

If only she could leave without using her own power, a departure where no one felt any pain!

“!”

The scene before her instantly shifted. It was no longer the dark, gloomy building, but the sky bathed in gentle moonlight. The predatory wolf who sought her life was gone, replaced by the kind older sister she had met that afternoon.