Shido was on the cold ground, a giant hole at where his heart would normally be and a sword pierced through his head.
A pool of blood gathered beneath him as the embers of life continued to ebb away slowly but surely. Camael's flames, which had always healed him without fail, was nowhere to be seen. They had already dwindled, his injuries too severe. The sharp pain that had filled his entire body was residing away but so were all his senses. A still coldness had already taken over, as it lured him to close his eyes. His body had already stopped breathing and his heart wasn't beating. Blood stuck in his throat with no strength left inside him to cough, hazy nausea filled his head.
Death. Shido realized that was what he was experiencing.
"Why… does it always end like this?"
Shido realized he wasn't alone as a weak voice was faintly heard near him. He tried to turn his head, wanting to see who was with him but he had no strength to do so. However, from the corner of his eyes, even with his fading sight, he could make out a girl in a crimson Gothic dress.
"Is fate telling me that no matter how hard I try, the outcome will always be the same? That I'll have to see this same scene over and over again?"
It was clear that the girl was suffering based on how unsteady her voice was.
"Ne, tell me, Shido-san."
The girl clenched her fist so hard that blood was drawn.
"How long… do I have to do this?"
"!" Shido abruptly woke up.
With sweat dripping from his brow, it was only when Shido saw that he was still in his bed that he realized it was a dream.
Again? Shido frowned. This wasn't the first time. Lately, he had been having strange dreams and visions like the one he just had. Closing his eyes, he tried to recall his dream but soon shook his head in resignation. Like always, the details would always elude him, not letting him grasp the full picture. However, while he wouldn't exactly remember them, he always remembered one thing.
His death.
Whether it was being stabbed or beheaded by a sword, riddled with bullets, crashed by a car, crushed by a falling building, poisoned to death, he had always ended up dying. Hell, there was even a time when he was ripped to pieces by identical Spirits that looked similar to Nia.
With all this, Shido couldn't help but stay on guard throughout his day. After all, weren't these dreams foreshadowing him of something terrible?
However, it was the exact opposite.
Whether it was buying groceries, picking up supplies, checking out clothes, although they were soon going to war with DEM, Shido was on the streets of Tengu City, spending his daily life as usual.
…it's not supposed to be like this.
Shido couldn't describe why. There was nothing he could find unnatural in this peaceful city. Yet, goosebumps would rattle his body. It was the hand of death grazing him, the grim reaper only missing slightly. Shido once again recalled his dream again as his hands moved towards his chest. As wrong as it sounded, there should be a hole there.
Stop, me. It was just a dream, right? Shido thought, shaking his head as if trying to get rid of the uneasy notion but he couldn't get rid of the anxiousness inside him. Despite his body and mind telling him that his recent visions and dreams were nothing more than delusions, his soul was telling him that they were all real, that he was supposed to die.
Shido sighed. "Maybe I just need a break from all the life-threatening situations. I must be going crazy, to think that I'm dying despite nothing happening." Lightly clapping his face, Shido cleared his head, trying to think of something else more positive.
Now that I think about it, I wonder how Kurumi is doing.
Three days had already passed from when Shido had sealed Kurumi. And whenever Shido remembered that he had actually succeeded in sealing Kurumi, he also remembered how they had sex in tandem. Shido lightly blushed. After losing his virginity to her, Shido realized why so many people had sex just for the fun of it. Because it just felt that good. Just recalling the experience created an ache inside of him.
He still remembered the taste of her lips and their sweetness. And her tongue. Oh God, her tongue. If kissing was like that, he would gladly kiss Kurumi all day. He also couldn't forget how tight she felt when he went into her. The way her walls just clenched around him each time her hip rolled against him. If he closed his eyes, he could see Kurumi's smiling face over him as she bounced on top of him over and over again…
Shido snapped back to reality when he felt his pants become tight. Looking down, he found that there was a noticeable bulge sticking out to his embarrassment.
…is it bad that I find this normal now?
Or not. After everything Shido went through, he had come to accept the fact that having an erection about Kurumi was just a natural process. The problem now was how to calm himself down, whether it was through deep breaths or….
"… ten minutes. Then, I need to make dinner for Tohka and the others." Taking a deep breath in, Shido quickly returned home with a sigh. Kurumi, as much as I love you, you really did a number on me this time.
Shido didn't realize however that Kurumi was doing more than just that for him.
"I apologize for my inadequacy of getting rid of him."
At the DEM Industry headquarters, Ellen Mathers, the Strongest Wizard, was bowing her head. Standing next to her was Artemisia Ashcroft, who was silently listening and observing the situation. Both of them were currently reporting to Isaac Westcott, who was sitting in his office at his desk.
"Hm." Giving a small hum, Westcott put a finger to his chin. "With Nicelbol's manpower and Beelzebub's omniscience, there were plenty of opportunities to kill Itsuka Shido. Even if we factor in variables, the fact that not a single one of our attempts has succeeded is quite disturbing."
Just as he said this, the Nicelbol gathered around him with grumbling faces.
"Father, if it wasn't for that pesky Spirit, we would have killed Itsuka Shido by who knows how much times!"
"She's so annoying, always mocking us and killing us!"
"That Nightmare called us counterfeit, insulting Father!"
"Nightmare… I wonder…" Westcott, hearing about this, opened his hand. "Beelzebub." Upon calling the Demon King, darkness apparated above his palm, forming into a demon-black book. Opening the book with a serious gaze, he waded through the pages as his eyes adopted a serious tone.
Ellen, Artemisia, and the Nicelbol, once realizing what Westcott was doing, immediately turned silent to not disturb him. Of course, that didn't stop them from staring in fascination at the scene of Beelzebub gleaming upon Westcott's face with its dark light.
After a little while…
"I see." Westcott closed Beelzebub with a light clap, a colorless smile on his face. "This explains how Nightmare outsmarted our plans constantly."
"What do you mean, Ike?" Ellen was confused but Westcott continued. "It seems that she's already experienced our attacks and by utilizing her Angel, she's able to go back in time with knowledge of the future. Thus, she's able to take preventive measures beforehand and as a result, stop our attacks."
"What?!"
Ellen, Artemisia, and the Nicelbol could only shout in shock and disbelief at the absurdity of what they heard.
"Ike, doesn't that mean Nightmare will always know and stop whatever we do?"
Tap. Tap. Tap.
In contrast to Ellen's worry, Westcott calmly tapped his fingers on his deck in a light manner, his face still the same despite the surprising information. "Nightmare's mind and psyche must be quite exhausted from constant time loops. After all, for us, this is just one time but for her, this might be the hundredth time."
Tap.
Westcott's finger stood still.
"We will mobilize everything we have so that even if Nightmare knows of our attack, there will be nothing she can do. Once she gives up and Itsuka Shido, who is loved by all the Spirits, falls by our hand, we shall achieve our desired dream."
Wescott stood up from his chair as he turned to face Ellen.
"We shall prepare immediately. Ellen, show them the might of the strongest Wizard. Bring me victory."
"I won't disappoint you, Ike." Ellen saluted and together with Artemisia and Nicelbol, they headed out the door.
After seeing them leave, Westcott turned to face the window.
"Kuku." A chuckle that could barely be heard rang out in the room.
"Kuku, hahahahahahahahaha!" It soon grew into uncontrollable laughter. If Ellen saw this, she would be shocked at the rare sight of Westcott laughing. "Itsuka Shido, you continue to exceed my expectations! Going back in time and sealing the First Spirit? What a ridiculous yet brilliant idea!"
Amusement couldn't be hidden from Westcott's expression as he put his hand over his chest, a dark light shining dimly from within.
"You desire my Qlipha crystal and would declare war just for a single girl? Very well. Itsuka Shido, if it's war you want, I'll gladly give it to you. However, it will be your death that will be the result. It will be the start of a new worl-"
Kaboom!
It would have been an ominous scene had not an explosion rang out inside the building.
The impact shook the room, creating dust from the cracks of the ceiling. Stabilizing himself, Westcott's expression quickly changed as what soon followed was a series of yelling and screaming alongside the sounds of bullets. Before he could fully comprehend the situation, a voice from the darkness rang out.
"Ara, we finally get to meet, Isaac Westcott.
…
204 times.
The number of times Kurumi had to reset the world to save Shido. Using the Sixth Bullet, Vav, she found herself turning back the hands of time, always going back to the time she was just about to enter Shido's school again.
In the beginning, she had been hopeful that she would be able to save Shido. However, with every repeat, with each failure, her mind became more exhausted and her soul wearier. Even though she would hold off one plot, DEM would quickly find another way to kill Shido, not letting her have a moment's rest.
Through all this, Kurumi could barely hold her sanity together. Each time she thought she had succeeded, she would find herself in front of Shido's dead body. No matter what she did, no matter how many times she went back, he died. It was to the point where Kurumi wanted to just give up.
However, whenever she began her reset and saw Shido, whenever she saw him smile at her, she couldn't bring herself to give up. It was through pure determination and willpower that she decided that no matter what happened, she would definitely see things through to the very end.
And it was finally the 204th loop that everything paid off.
Kurumi was finally able to have an uninterrupted date with him. Technically speaking, this would be the first proper date between the two of them. Of course, that didn't stop her from being "intimate" with Shido. She figured that she deserved this much after going through countless loops of planning making sure this date would go without a hitch.
She also didn't expect the date to end in such a passionate night…okay, she actually did but the process that led to it was quite different; she was planning to have sex to convince him to give her his Reiryoku but she was happy with how things turned out. Mm, Shido made her very happy that night, if she must say.
However, when she woke up, she was immediately reminded that Shido's life was still in danger and that there was one more thing she needed to do in order to seal the deal.
So, after she woke up and left Shido, she immediately left to head to the DEM headquarters. The risk was much greater than expected, considering that she had been recently sealed but thankfully her clones didn't disappear upon sealing so her main advantage and method were still there.
She quickly restrained Nibelcol with the Seventh Bullet, Zayin by shooting the pages that they came from before Ellen could throw them out, preventing more Nibelcol from joining the fray. and used her clones to hinder Ellen and Artemisia while she dealt with Isaac Westcott, the mastermind of everything.
"Ara, we finally get to meet, Isaac Westcott." Kurumi stood in front of Westcott with her guns pointing at him.
"Ya~, Nightmare. You came at quite an unexpected time. Or rather, did you plan to attack this time because it was unexpected?" Despite the grim situation, Westcott maintained a calm expression as Kurumi began laughing.
"Kihihihi, of course. The only time your people weren't attacking was at this moment, discussing with you why their previous attacks weren't working. I merely took advantage of this moment."
Kurumi acted as if what she did was simple but Westcott knew better. How long exactly was his private meeting with Ellen and the others? It couldn't have been more than 15 minutes. Yet, she was able to organize such a grand attack. Even if she did have knowledge of the future, Westcott had to give her credit for being able to checkmate him.
"Nightmare, it's quite surprising that the Worst Spirit would help a single human and fall in love. How ironic that out of all the people, you chose him. After all, Itsuka Shido isn't who you think he is."
"Excuse me?" Kurumi asked but Westcott continued as if he didn't hear her with an eerie laugh.
"How vexing that everything seems to be going according to her plans. Do you think you've succeeded in saving Itsuka Shido? You're only presenting him on a silver platter to her. If I knew that this was going to happen, I would've killed Itsuka Shido immediately the moment I saw him."
Bang!
The bullet grazed Westcott's cheek. However, Westcott had not so much as flinched, only smearing his finger with the drawn blood on his face. His eyes continued to remain on Kurumi's seething glare as she spoke.
"As much as I hate the First Spirit, I hate you just as much for bringing her into existence. I'll never forgive that, you bastard. I'll be taking the Qlipha Crystal that you stole. Also…"
Shadows immediately began to violently flicker around her. Manifesting a giant gold clock behind her, Kurumi pointed her gun towards Westcott.
"…it takes guts to kill my Shido-san. I won't let off anybody who'd dare try to take him away from me."
"Haha, if you're this adamant, I guess there's nothing more to talk about."
With those words, the two engaged in battle.
…
Kurumi was the winner while absorbing the Qlipha Crystal from him. However, before she could finish Westcott off properly, Ellen had broken through with the last of her strength and ran away with him to someplace else. However, with their leader and strongest soldier missing, DEM was basically finished.
"Rasiel."
After Kurumi purified and absorbed the Crystal from Westcott, she immediately manifested Rasiel to figure out where Shido was. Isaac's provocation had shaken her more than she revealed on the surface.
Sweat ran down her face as she quickly browsed through the book, focusing with all her might. She hoped it was just a taunt but if what Westcott said was true, then she would be making her move at this time.
Shido-san, please be safe.
Kurumi prayed as she rushed to where Shido was.
Shido was called by Reine who said that she had something to discuss in private before the war. Reine had made reservations at a hot spring, saying that they should discuss after they were relieved and rejuvenated. Seeing no reason to refuse and wanting to thank her for all the help that she's given in sealing the Spirits, Shido agreed and went with her.
"Ah~, that felt really good."
Shido wondered when was the last time he went into a hot spring. It was a refreshing experience, letting the hot water wash away all his worries and stress. Donning a blue yukata, he took a seat across from Reine, who smiled at him warmly.
"I'm glad to hear that, Shin."
As usual, Reine's eyes looked as if she hadn't slept at all but having just come out of the hot spring, her pale skin had a light glow to it and, with the bluish-white yukata she was wearing, a fairy-like beauty could be seen from her.
"I never expected Reine-san to invite me out like this. Why the change of mood all of a sudden?"
"Do you not like this, Shin?"
"Of course, I do. I'm thankful for Reine-san's support for everything and for giving me advice continually. I couldn't have done it without you." Shido wasn't exaggerating. Reine was with him ever since the beginning and although he was doubtful of her capabilities in the beginning, he soon realized how important she was, whether it was her role as an analytic officer or as emotional support.
Reine gave a slight smile before stating, "You give me too much credit, Shin. You were able to save them because of your good heart. Being able to put your life on the line for a stranger despite the danger is something that not anybody can do. I really am amazed by your courage."
Shido's face turned light red from the compliment. "You're overexaggerating."
"I'm not exaggerating. After all, you were able to save Kurumi because you were willing to lay your life down for her, right? Even when she took almost all of your Reiryoku, you never gave up on her to the last moment."
"Haha, I guess that's true but Kurumi was a special case. After everything she did to me…" Shido stopped. The conversation was going so smoothly that Shido had almost missed it.
How did Reine know about Kurumi almost devouring him? He and Kurumi were alone that time in a forest. There was no way Reine could have known about that.
He looked at Reine again carefully.
She was still smiling.
But, that only made Shido's anxiety grow.
"Did Nia tell you?" Shido hoped that was the case. Because if it wasn't…
"I knew from the very beginning." However, Reine's answer crushed his hopes. "All of your meetings with Kurumi, whether it was the one after she attacked Raizen High or the one after you saved Tohka from DEM, I know about all of them."
"Wh-what…" are you saying? Shido tried to ask but words couldn't come out.
"Shin, I don't mean to berate you. In fact, I'm quite happy that you were able to open that girl's heart. After all, I wished for that girl to find happiness after what I did to her. And, thanks to her, you're still alive. As expected of my friend. If it wasn't for her wonderful efforts, you would be dead right now from DEM's hands. But, she went through 204-time loops to save you and even succeeded."
"Time loops?" Shido asked. He was confused on why Reine was talking about Kurumi so familiarly but this caught his attention. Reine had also said that he should be dead which coincided with his recent dreams. "Then, those dreams were actually… memories of my death?"
"Ah, that's most likely a side-effect from sealing Kurumi. Since you gained her Reiryoku and established a pathway between the two of you, you were able to gain memories from past parallel timelines."
Shock only continued to spread over Shido's face. He felt this whole situation was off-putting. The reason wasn't because of what Reine was telling him. It was how she was telling it to him. Even though she was explaining knowledge that seemed to go beyond a normal analytic officer, she acted as if they were having a normal conversation.
"Reine-san, who are you?" Shido asked.
Reine paused at the question, hesitant on something.
"Shin, you know who I am." Reine pursed her lips, firming her resolve. "Kurumi should be obtaining the last Sephira Crystal as we speak. It's a bit early but… I've waited long enough." With those words, Reine immediately shined with dazzling white light.
Forced by the brightness, Shido averted his eyes away to not be blinded. Only when the light started to dim did he turn his head back. When he did….
Gasp.
…he was met with ethereal beauty. Reine appeared to look much younger and with an Astral Dress: a beautiful white dress with flower ornaments at her head and bosom. Her hair had become polished and lustrous with her clear white skin. If goddesses existed, the person standing before him was one of them.
However, it wasn't her beauty that stunned Shido. It was from how his chest pounded from familiarity, how a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Emotions, such as longing and yearning, sprouted uncontrollably. It was similar to how he felt when Kurumi shot him with the Yud bullet, but the difference was that these emotions came from deep inside of him. As if there was another self inside of him.
"…Mio?"
Out of Shido's mouth came a name that he shouldn't have known.
Mio slowly moved toward him and before he could react, she put her hand on his chest. Leaning in and putting her forehead on top of his, she whispered in a younger and soft voice, "Remember, Shin."
Upon contact, a migraine manifested inside Shido's head. Mio was awakening his locked memories as the information began to overwhelm his head. Soon, memories of another boy, of Shin began to mix with his. Suddenly, he couldn't tell whether he was Shido or he was Shin.
"I finally get to see you again, Shin. I missed you so much," said Mio softly.
"I… also missed you, Mio," Shido replied. At that moment, that was how he truly felt.
Mio gently smiled and caressed his head. "Let's be together forever this time. I love you, Shin."
Mio leaned in and kissed Shido. When their lips met, Shido suddenly felt the longing from Shin overtake him, not being able to resist his other self's emotions and the burning desire that it created within him as he reciprocated the kiss in full. Mio gave a little moan when he pushed forward with his lips. His arms on her shoulder, Shido was about to further the kiss…
"What do you think you're doing?"
Bang!
A bullet shot at the place where Mio previously was.
Shido immediately woke up from his stupor as he turned around to see Kurumi smiling. However, Shido could immediately tell that she was not happy at all; in fact, he could sense intense energy radiating from her, causing Shido to shiver in fear.
"Takamiya Mio, or should I rather say Murasame Reine? Get the fuck out here. Shido-san is mine." Shido could only gasp at Kurumi's crass words. Did he already say that she wasn't happy? Because that was an understatement.
Bullets had already begun flying before Kurumi finished her sentence. Shido had to scurry out of the way due to Kurumi's fierce firing.
Unlike him, Mio gracefully dodged all of the bullets by flying. She stated, "Tokisaki Kurumi, to be able to harness 2 Sephira crystals at the same time, despite one being partial, is a first in history. Your compatibility with them is indeed amazing. I knew I chose well when I gave you the Sephira crystal." Hearing Mio, Shido realized that Kurumi's Astral Dress looked different than before. It was reminiscent of Nia's nun-like Astral Dress, crucifixes ordaining her dress.
"You're the last person I want complimenting me. If anything, you should've never given me this Sephira crystal." Kurumi snarled at Mio's praise. If anything, it only sounded like mockery to her. If it wasn't for foolishly accepting Mio's offer, she would have never have killed her best friend, Sawa, and was one of her greatest regrets.
Mio sighed. "I see. Then, I hope you don't mind if I reclaim those crystals." With a wave of her hand, she suddenly sent a blast of pure Reiryoku towards Kurumi. Kurumi tried to block with her guns but could only mitigate the attack slightly as it proceeded to knock her to the ground.
"Kurumi!" Shido yelled in concern towards Kurumi, coughing from the impact. He could only watch as Mio stretched her hand out, a tree made of light familiarizing behind her. Shido instinctively felt that this was Mio's Angel and could already feel a huge density of Reiryoku gathering around Mio.
"Ain So…" Mio was about to attack but stopped, to Shido's confusion.
What happened? Why did she stop? Shido could only wonder as Mio turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly in turmoil. Shido looked in the same direction that she was looking in but saw nothing. However, something had seemed to have caught Mio's attention as she made no further signs to attack, only looking into the distance.
"I'll stop for today. Something requires my attention, unfortunately." Mio withdrew her hand as the tree of light faded away. "Shin. I'll come back when everything is settled." She looked back at Kurumi who was now on one knee, heavily breathing but vigilantly staying on guard after the attack. It would be easy for Mio to finish the job but, deciding to show mercy, she disappeared in a flash of light.
"…sigh." I was scared for a second. Shido finally let out the breath he was holding as he looked around. The room was filled with bullet holes, the tatami floor, and walls a complete mess.
"Dalet." However, Kurumi immediately called out her Angel and shot the room and herself, which reversed time, which turned the room back to normal and reset her injuries. She then turned her attention to Shido, her expression full of scorn.
"Ara ara, I must give Shido-san my admiration for being able to frolic with another girl behind my back."
"Ku-Kurumi…" Seeing Kurumi's expression, Shido suddenly felt like a cheating husband who had just been caught by his wife. Needless to say, said wife was barely holding back her wrath.
When Kurumi identified that Shido was in an isolated place with Reine, she immediately headed over to his location, assuming the worst had happened. However, imagine her distress when she instead found him kissing Mio. Not a kiss for the intention of sealing but out of love. Just remembering the scene sent Kurumi's heart to turmoil.
Kurumi grabbed the front collar of his yukata with one hand and growled, "Shido-san, you love me, right?" Shido quickly nodded his head, trying to show his sincerity but Kurumi wasn't appeased.
"Shido-san, do you love that girl?" she asked. Although her tone was demanding, there was a hint of desperation in her voice.
"I…" Shido tried to deny Kurumi's suspicion but the words got stuck in his throat. Whenever he thought of Mio, he felt his emotions swirl and could feel how much Shin had loved her. He couldn't repress the warmth he felt when thinking about her.
Even though Shido didn't finish his sentence, Kurumi already got her answer as she bit her lips in frustration.
"…what the hell is this?"
Her hand started to shake uncontrollably.
"I gave everything I could so that I could save Shido-san! Countless times I failed to but not once did I give up! The reason wasn't that I wanted to take Shido-san's Reiryoku! I did it because I loved Shido-san! I loved Shido-san so much that I was willing to walk through that hell! Yet, what the hell is this?! Why is Shido-san kissing her?! Why?! Why?!
"Why?!"
Upon the cracking of her voice, darkness began to wrap around her. However, these weren't the usual shadows that Kurumi controlled. This was a murky, pitch-black darkness that was defiling Kurumi.
"Kurumi!" Shido immediately recognized this phenomenon. Unfortunately for him.
Inversion. The state when a Spirit is overwhelmed by despair to the point where their emotions descend towards the negative.
Kurumi, who had not inverted even when she saw Shido's death during her time loops, was now on the verge of one. It was the worst-case scenario.
"Even if Shido-san failed to keep his promise, I would've just been content with just his love! But, if Shido-san would rather give his love to Mio, to that wretched woman, then what was the point?! What was the point of everything I did?! I would have rather…!"
Kurumi was already changing. Her beautiful black hair was slowly losing color and her gold eye was changing into a different color. Darkness began to form a demonic saber in front of her.
Shido knew that if he didn't act now, he would be too late. So, he did the only thing he could think of.
Going in, he pressed his lips against hers.
Kurumi widened her eyes, placing her hands against his chest to push him away. However, Shido didn't give up as he continued to hold her, pulling her into his embrace. Kurumi, who wanted to initially refuse the kiss, found her hands becoming weaker and weaker with each push. The corrupting darkness that had surrounded Kurumi soon disappeared as she closed her eyes. Her appearance that had been affected by the Inversion had now reverted to her normal self.
Once Shido saw that she calmed down, he gave an inward sigh. Thankfully, it seemed that the storm had passed.
"Mmmph?!"
However, just as he was about to end their kiss, he found himself being pulled in. His eyes widening, he tried to push Kurumi away but this time, it was Kurumi who made sure that the kiss didn't end. With no intention of separating, she held on to his yukata tightly and began to dominate the kiss.
"Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!" Shido desperately needed to breathe but it was useless. Only after kissing for a full minute did Kurumi let go of his mouth, allowing Shido to gasp for air.
"Kurumi… ha… that was… ha… too much…ah!"
Thud!
Without warning, Shido found himself on the floor, Kurumi pinning him down with her slender arms. In just a moment, he was beneath her, unable to move. A shudder ran through Shido when he saw the look Kurumi was giving him. Although a simple smile adorned her face, a dangerous gleam could be seen in her eyes.
"Then, Shido-san would have rather kissed Mio-san instead?"
He found himself gulping at her fiery gaze. Kurumi was so beautiful that even when she looked down on him with a fiendish aura, her face still was able to dazzle him. Despite knowing that she was angry, Shido couldn't help but feel aroused. It didn't help when she traced her hand on his chest, letting her finger send electric jolts down his bare skin. When she reached the sash around his hip, her finger hooked around the knot before pulling, immediately loosening his yukata.
Kurumi gave a smirk once she saw the bulge in his underwear. She cupped her hand on it and began to palm it, making Shido gasp in pleasure. She gently rolled his balls between her fingers and massaged them, making the area feel good. In an instant, she had him melt like putty with her hands alone.
"Tell me you want it," Kurumi demanded him. His cock twitched as she continued to play with him, heat gathering to the area uncontrollably.
"I… want it."
"Want what exactly?" Kurumi's hand slowly slipped his underwear down, directly touching his dick as she squeezed it hard. Shido found it hard to focus, trying to restrain his desire to just mindlessly buck his hips into her hand but it was so tempting to just stop thinking and do so. Her fingers were soft and expertly making his dick erect.
"I want to… fuck you," Shido confessed with a flush on his face but when he thought about their first time, he couldn't help but want to experience that again.
Kurumi's grin widened at his response. Her head slowly leaned down towards the side of his head. Letting her breath tickle his ear, she slowly whispered into his ear.
"No."
Her hand left his dick alone, leaving it unattended as it stood painfully stiff. Shido let out a whine of disappointment but Kurumi ignored his plea of want.
She continued, "I'm going to take my sweet time with Shido-san. Shido-san's been a bad boy so I'm going to thoroughly teach you what it means to anger me, Tokisaki Kurumi. I'll make sure that by the end of this, you'll be cumming and moaning my name only. You won't be able to think about anything else but me. Even when you think you had enough, I'll have you be begging me for more.
"Or…" Kurumi playfully tilted her head. "…does that actually turn you on?"
It did. He already wanted to beg her. To just take him and fuck him to oblivion. He was already desperate and Kurumi knew that, drinking in his lust for her.
"But, first…"
Kurumi lifted herself off from him, making him lift his head. She then slowly took off her clothes, her dress slipping off of her in a seductive manner. Shido found his eyes locked on as Kurumi was left in just her bra and underwear. They were the same ones he had picked out for her on their Valentine's date: white. While simple, it added to her clear porcelain skin and bewitching pure aura. Soon, they came off as well, allowing his eyes to be blessed with the sight of Kurumi in her natural, naked beauty.
Kurumi, knowing she had all of Shido's attention, sat down on a nearby low table. She raised one of her legs, her foot pointed at him.
"Kiss it."
Any other time, Shido wouldn't do something so humiliating but when he saw Kurumi's expectant and stern gaze at him, he couldn't refuse. Going to her, he went and held the foot in his hands. He placed his lips on them and began to kiss them. Her foot was surprisingly soft. When he used his tongue, he was met with an odor that was a bit strong but undeniably of Kurumi. The taste was intoxicating as he began to passionately kiss them. Shido felt her toes curling against him during this process, inviting him to suck on them. Gosh, why was everything about Kurumi just so addicting?
Kurumi gave a sound of approval at seeing Shido's eagerness. "Don't forget the other foot now, Shido-san." At her prompt, Shido let go of the foot he had currently and moved to do the same process to the other foot. He couldn't resist the softness as he began to lick and kiss her feet, worshipping her. Every part of her was perfect, whether it was breasts or her feet. Hearing Kurumi's mewls of delight only encouraged him as he continued his endeavor.
"Shido-san, you're doing very good. I'm glad to see that you're working hard but that's enough for now." Disappointment filled Shido upon hearing Kurumi's words. However, he immediately reprimanded himself for the notion.
Kurumi laughed upon seeing his conflicted expression.
"Is there something wrong, Shido-san? If you're that reluctant to part from my feet, then, by all means, keep kissing them."
"Yo-you have the wrong idea!" He only did this because Kurumi told him to, not because he was obsessed with her feet. Definitely not… and even if he was, it was only because it was Kurumi he was obsessed with.
However, that all went to the back of his mind as Kurumi snapped her fingers. Immediately, two hands from the ground appeared and grabbed at Shido's ankles.
"Agh!" With a shout, Shido tried to shake free but more hands appeared from the darkness on the ground, each of them grabbing onto him and his clothes. As a result, Shido was forced to the ground where he ended up lying flat naked on the floor in a widespread position, bound by the wrists and ankles.
"To think that we would be used like this to vent me's jealousy."
"Ufufu, how cute. Shido-san, please forgive me for her childness."
"Shhh, me will hear us if we're too loud!"
Shido faintly heard such voices, so faint that he would've questioned if he had heard them if it wasn't for Kurumi's frowning after. Apparently, her clones were whispering while holding Shido down and although he could only see their hands from the dark portal, he could imagine their faces laughing and smiling mirthfully.
Tch, those girls… Kurumi clicked her tongue, keeping in mind to punish those clones later. But for now, she wanted to punish the person in front of her.
She stepped on his dick and used the heel of her foot to grind it. Shido cried out slightly in pain but because of his restraints, he couldn't push her leg away and was forced to endure Kurumi's grinding.
"Does it hurt, Shido-san? But, I want you to know that the pain I felt was much worse when you betrayed me. But Shido-san doesn't need to worry. After I'm done with you, you'll never even think about that woman that way ever again."
Shido could barely pay attention to her words due to the pain. It hurt, but… the friction and wetness of her still saliva-covered foot… he soon found that he found the line between pain and pleasure blurred as he tried to hold back a moan.
"Ung…" However, when she put more of her weight on her foot, he let out a low grunt. When he did, Kurumi raised an eyebrow questioningly. Then, she saw the flush on his face and the way he was panting. Her beautiful lips curled.
"Ara ara, could it be that Shido-san enjoys me stepping on him? How dirty of you."
"N-no, I…ah…" Shido tried to deny it but when Kurumi pressed harder, he accidentally let out a loud moan instead. It wasn't as if the pain had disappeared but the longer it went, he got used to it and eventually, the pain started to feel like pleasure. God, was he ashamed but it felt so good.
Kurumi continued to grin as she started to grind methodically, making him pant and moan for more.
"It's okay, Shido-san. If you want to moan, just moan. If you even beg me, I can step harder on you. It'll feel so good, won't it? Go on. Beg. Aren't we past formalities at this point?" She looked down with her signature smile as she watched him buck his hips against her foot, trying to get more pressure.
"…pl-please… step on me more." Shido didn't know he had it in him to say something so embarrassing but in face of the pleasure that Kurumi was offering him, he found his pride to be inconsequential.
"Of course, Shido-san. As you wish." With that, Kurumi went faster. Kurumi pushed with her foot again, eliciting a loud moan from him. She moved her foot up and down against him, rubbed the underside of his dick with the sole. Her toes would occasionally brush against his tip and press on it in a stimulating manner.
"Kurumi… Kurumi…" He could feel an orgasm building up inside him. He was so close. The pressure at the base of his dick was so overwhelming. His dick was already pulsing against her foot. He was… he was about to-
"!"
However, just as he was about to brace himself, Kurumi dug her sole into his cock. Hard. She forcefully stopped his cum from being released, keeping it locked and denying him the sweet release.
"Kurumi!" Shido whined, looking at her in a betrayed manner but Kurumi didn't show any mercy.
"Ara ara, did Shido-san think it would be that easy? Only when I allow it will I let Shido-san cum."
With those words, Kurumi lowered herself down to straddle him, taking a seat on his thighs. She began to trace her fingers on his inner thighs, edging toward his balls but never touching them.
"Kurumi, please!" Shido was about to break. If he could, he would touch himself to finish himself off but because of the restraints, he could only helplessly watch as Kurumi smiled at him sadistically. Having been denied his orgasm, he desperately wanted to cum for her. He would do anything for her to just touch him, to do something, anything. His erection was achingly hard and swollen, just waiting desperately for her touch.
"Do you want me?" Kurumi asked casually as she looked down at Shido's erection. She stroked it one time, which earned a needy moan from him.
"Yes, I do! Oh God, I want you so much!" Shido yelled. He never felt this horny before, causing him to speak deliriously.
"Mm, that's good to hear. So, does Shido-san still love Mio then?" Kurumi started to give harder strokes, almost making Shido cum right there and then.
"No! I don't!" Shido instantly replied.
Kurumi gave a wide smile. That's right, that's how it should be. She may not know what kind of relationship Shido may have had with Mio but in the end, all that mattered was that Shido was hers.
She stopped stroking his erection which earned Shido's gaze. She placed her hands on his chest and positioned herself. Excitement brewed in Shido as he watched her slowly lift her hips, his tip right at the entrance of her vagina. And then…
"Ohhh!"
Shido let out a moan of pure bliss. He could feel her inner walls sliding so deliciously against him. Kurumi continued to take him in more and more until soon, he was completely inside her. Shido's brain exploded from the overload of turbulent pleasure. He would've cummed instantly if it wasn't for the tightness of her sex. That's how compact she was, the sensation that he would be willing to die for.
Kurumi also gave a loud moan before smiling confidently at Shido. However, she made sure to go at an extremely sluggish pace. When she pushed down on him, she would take her time, taking him in with occasional clenching, and then pull away until only the tip was inside. She would push down again and repeat the process. Shido groaned in want. The friction of her inner walls against his dick was so amazing yet excruciatingly slow. It was sweet torture at this point as he tried to buck his hips but it was a futile attempt.
"Would Shido-san like it if I went faster?"
"Kurumi! Please, please, please! Kurumi! Just fuck me!"
"Ara ara, how desperate you sound. It makes me just want to tease you and hold back."
"Kurumi! Please! It feels so good that I'm going to die! I'll do anything! Kurumi! Kurumi!"
Shido was wrapped around her finger, unable to hold back his lust for her. Kurumi smiled as she leaned down and whispered into his ear in a sensual tone,
"Good boy. I won't hold back then."
With that, Kurumi slammed down. Shido's entire body shook as she dropped herself onto him. She wasted no time as she began to ride him in an unrestrained manner.
Oh God, I can't…! Shido breathed heavily as he rolled his hips into her. She felt so good that his mind go blank. Her cunt felt as if it was about to swallow him whole and squeeze him dry. He tried his best to meet her bouncing hips but each of her thrusts was pounding him in an irregular but powerful rhythm. Each drop of hers filled him with a burst of unadulterated pleasure as Shido trembled underneath her.
"Shido-san, doesn't it feel sublime?!" Kurumi quickly sped up if that was even possible as Shido felt an enormous pressure building up inside of him. "I bet Mio never made you feel this way, had she?!"
She clenched around his dick, making his vision black out for a second. Shido could barely speak from the sensation. He barely heard what Kurumi said as he was already moaning out her names in breathless pants.
"Kurumi… Kurumi… Kurumi…"
A particular hard bounce from Kurumi made his breath hitch. His orgasm, which was denied before, was now coming again with greater force than ever.
"Kurumi… I'm… I'm about to…"
Kurumi heard him and yelled.
"Cum inside me! Fill me with your seed, Shido-san!"
Kurumi dug her nails into his chest, letting her have a better grip as she also approached her own orgasm. Her whole body gleamed in sweat as she looked down at Shido with a sensual smile.
When Shido saw the beautiful Spirit before him looking so intently at him, he found a reserve of energy flowing through him. He bucked with more fervor and braced himself for the inevitable orgasm. And then…
"Kurumi!"
… with one final buck, his back arched upward, he erupted like a volcano.
A gush of cum entered Kurumi, who gloatingly took it all in, wringing out everything he had to offer. Squeezing around him, she made sure that not a single drop was left as she savored the feeling of her insides being filled with warmth.
Shido's body twitched constantly from the huge orgasm that he had. He could barely register when Kurumi's lips met his as her tongue slowly wrapped around his. It was a sweet moment as Shido returned the kiss with all he had.
When they finally separated, Kurumi leaned in and whispered something into his ear. While her voice was faint, Shido was able to hear it and blushed immensely.
"Again?" His voice was filled with bewilderment and astonishment but Kurumi didn't miss the anticipation inside his voice.
"Ufufu, don't you want to do it without restraints this time?"
Shido realized that his wrists and ankles weren't grabbed anymore, giving him free mobility now. He had desperately wanted to hold Kurumi with his own hands during their session but couldn't. And…
"This is Shido-san's reward for being such a good boy. I'm all yours now."
…once Kurumi leaned back and spread her legs open for him, cum still dripping from her, he already felt himself becoming hard. How was he supposed to hold back with Kurumi tempting him like this?
And so, he got busy.
…
Shido was laying down next to Kurumi. After a long time, both of them had finally run out of energy.
"Shido-san, you love me, and not her, right?" Kurumi asked in a soft voice. Shido looked at her. Her expression looked calm but he could tell from the way her eyes slightly shook that she was slightly nervous, which he found cute.
"Shin may have loved her which confused my own feelings but I love you, Kurumi. Not Mio." You helped make that very clear to me. Shido didn't say the last part but his words were already enough for Kurumi, who smiled in contentment.
Shido smiled. "Also, thank you, Kurumi. I can never thank you enough for saving me. I can't imagine the pain you went through. I can't ever repay what you've done for me but… I really am grateful."
Kurumi brightened as she snuggled closer to Shido.
"It's fine, Shido-san. You don't need to repay me anything. I did it because I loved Shido-san."
"I love you too, Kurumi."
"Ufufu, then, can Shido-san show me his love with his actions?"
"Huh?! Wait, we just-"
They got busy again.
Shido and Kurumi both returned to Ratatoskr. There, they explained everything to the other Spirits: Kurumi's time loops, her infiltration of DEM, and how Reine was actually Mio, the Spirit of Origin.
While the Spirits were shocked at the information, they had no choice but to accept it. If what they heard was true, then they had to start preparing immediately to confront Mio.
Also…
"Umu? Is that true?" Tohka asked with wide eyes.
"Haha, yeah." Shido scratched his head in embarrassment. "I hope it's not too much of a shock."
"…I'm amazed. To think that Kurumi would be the one that Shido chose. Umu, I'm glad for you." Tohka smiled.
Shido decided to announce that he and Kurumi were together as a couple, much to the surprise of all the Spirits except Origami and Nia, who already knew. Shido had expected an outbreak to occur but aside from the initial commotion, they were surprisingly accepting, stating that if that was who Shido chose, then they would come to terms with it.
"Shido, I think I got the gist of the situation." Kotori talked to Shido once he was separate from the others. Shido looked at his sister worryingly; even though she made sure to keep a strong appearance, she was the one who took the fact that Reine was Mio the hardest.
"It must've been hard."
"Don't worry about me." Kotori waved her hand, but she was inwardly happy at his concern. However, there was a specific reason that she wanted to talk to him alone.
"I have a question. You said that you learned that Reine was the Spirit of Origin on the day you arrived at the hot springs place. That was a week ago. Why didn't you come back immediately to report this?"
"… Ummm, I was…" That's right. Shido had spent an entire week with Kurumi at the hot spring. He would have come back earlier but Kurumi was very… energetic and they ended up both losing track of time.
"Ah, didn't you say that Kurumi came to save you almost right after Reine revealed her true self? Does that mean that you were with Kurumi that whole time? For an entire week? What were the two of you doing during that time?"
"… exercising?" That was the only thing Shido could think of in the short amount of time he had.
"…yes, I'm sure you were exercising real hard with Kurumi." Exercising in bed, in fact! Who exercises at a hot spring! That was the best excuse you could come up with?! Kotori was getting second-hand embarrassment for her brother as Shido just stayed silent with a furious blush.
On the other hand, Nia had some things to say to Kurumi.
"Ne, Kurumin. You said that you got the Crystal from Westcott, right? So, where is it? Where is it?" Nia had a happy expression while Kurumi stared at her blankly before smiling.
"Ah, I absorbed it."
"What?! You can't do that! You're lying, right? Right? If you take my only role, what else will I have?!"
At an unknown place…
"Ellen, is it ready?"
"Yes, Ike."
Ellen stepped aside, giving way to Westcott who looked up towards a unique, large Realizer. The Realizer was shaped like a huge ring. The Realizer was a transportation device. Its purpose was to open a gateway. As to where…
"I finally did it! I finally found a way to the Neighboring World, the dimension of Spirits!" Westcott laughed. "After all our experimentations on Sister and with Beelzebub's knowledge, we finally were able to discover the Neighboring World. With this, we'll be able to gather the necessary amount of Reiryoku to carry out the Spirit Formula."
Westcott had initially hoped to accomplish this with the Inversion of the Spirits but this was his alternate option. As the dimension of Spirits, the Neighboring World was not lacking at all in Reiryoku but only Spirits were able to have access to it. However, with the gathered data of Reiryoku through experimentations on Sister and using Beelzebub's omniscience to create this Realizer, he was able to do the impossible. Of course, Beelzebub was now taken away from him but that didn't take away the information he learned from it.
"Ellen, activate it."
At his words, Ellen used her Territory and began to pour Maryoku into the Realizer. The Realizer started to glow in mechanical light as energy began to flow through its circuits. Soon, a portal formed in the middle of the ring.
"Ike, it's a success."
"As we expected. We made this based off of Beelzebub's calculations so it would be stranger if it didn't work." Ike smiled reassuringly.
Bzzz! Bzzz!
"?!"
However, the portal started to act up, becoming more violent out of the blue. Ellen looked at Westcott, hoping to get an answer but Westcott was just as surprised. What he didn't calculate was that a portal wasn't just a one-way path. He couldn't predict that there would be someone who also wanted to travel between this world and the Neighboring World. However, unlike him, who wanted to go to the Neighboring World, there was someone who wanted to come to this world.
Thus, when a person stepped out of the portal, both Ellen and Westcott were shocked. Even more so was the identity of the person.
"Nightmare? No…who are…!"
Crash!
…
A few minutes later…
A girl appeared in the same place. However, there was nothing except the broken remains of what seemed to be a Realizer and traces of battle.
Was I too late? Mio pondered as she walked around. She had sensed a pathway between the Neighboring World and this world forcibly opened and had immediately left Shido and Kurumi to investigate.
She reached her hand out towards a specific area.
"Space distortion? Is it Zodiac? No, this Reiryoku doesn't seem to belong to her… who in the world…?"
Mio was dumbfounded for once. She looked around one more time, wondering if she missed anything but there was nothing. She wondered if she should go back to Shido and the others to obtain the Sephira Crystals but she hesitated.
…it wouldn't hurt to give them some time. In the end, Mio decided to hold off. That would be her form of thanks to Kurumi for saving Shido. For now, she decided to try to find the culprit of this situation.
But, inevitably, she would have to go to Shido and put an end to everything. After all, she had come too far to stop now.
Shin, wait for me. We'll finally be together after 30 years.
Omake
"Mukuro-san, may I have a moment with you?"
The blonde-haired girl, upon hearing her name called out, turned to see a beautiful black-haired girl smiling at her. Hoshimiya Mukuro recognized the girl as Tokisaki Kurumi as gold eyes were met with a pair of red and gold eyes.
"Does thou need something from Muku?" Mukuro asked, tilting her head in slight confusion.
"Yes. In fact, I've been wanting to talk to Mukuro-san for a long time."
"Mun, thou did?"
"Ara ara, does that surprise Mukuro-san?" Kurumi asked to Mukuro.
"Yes." Mukuro nodded her head slightly. "After all, Kurumi shouldn't have known about Muku until recently."
She didn't have that much of a connection with Kurumi as she had spent most of her time in space back then and had only been in Ratatoskr for a short time compared to the other Spirits. In fact, this was the first time that Mukuro was having a conversation with Kurumi.
"Kihihihihi, I suppose that is true. But once I learned about Mukuro-san, I became very eager to meet her."
"Muku is honored." Mukuro slightly bowed her head.
"Don't be." Kurumi waved her hand nonchalantly with a giggle. "After all, I always wanted to see the Spirit that had dared seal away my memories of Shido-san."
"…ah." Mukuro realized what had happened.
While Mukuro was still an unsealed Spirit, she had sealed away everybody's memories of Shido besides herself in Tengu City. Thus, she had also sealed Kurumi's memory as collateral damage and in doing so, she had angered one of the Spirits that should never be angered.
"I understand that Mukuro-san had her reasons and circumstances but I really detest having my memory tampered with after the first time." Kurumi's voice continued to remain pleasant but the hidden bloodlust could now be detected by Mukuro. It was enough to make her skin crawl with goosebumps.
Mukuro had to quickly remedy the situation. She said, "Let Muku give her apologies…"
"I don't need it." Kurumi quickly replied.
Mukuro immediately closed her mouth at Kurumi's words. If she only listened to the sound of Kurumi's voice, it would be very polite and charming. Yet, Mukuro felt only more scared. It was like standing in front of a ticking bomb, wondering when it would explode right in your face. She desperately wanted to run but her instincts knew that the moment she did that, everything would fall apart.
"Does Mukuro-san understand how it feels when you're trying to sort out your feelings about a person and then all of a sudden, you can't remember who that person is and all your emotions suddenly have no place to go? When the person you care about has vanished from your thoughts? When the goal that you swore your life upon and was close to completion suddenly felt far away? All because you couldn't remember one person? It was really…"
Kurumi had a short pause.
"…stressful."
"…please forgive Muku." Although Mukuro had been devoid of social interactions for a long time, she knew that "stressful" was putting it lightly for everything that Kurumi felt.
All hope in her life felt lost when she couldn't remember Shido. After all, back then, her plans had depended on devouring Shido. Adding to the fact that she had a complicated relationship with Shido at that time, when all of that suddenly disappeared, it was enough to make Kurumi almost go crazy.
If it wasn't for Kurumi immediately using the Tenth Bullet, Yud on herself to regain her memories, just as she did when her memories were changed by Mio, she reckoned she would've gone through an inversion.
In hindsight, this helped Kurumi realize how important Shido was to her and helped smooth out her feelings toward Shido.
However, Kurumi wasn't going to thank Mukuro for that. To be exact, she wasn't feeling any sort of positive emotion with Mukuro as she leaned in closer towards Mukuro's ear.
"Mukuro-san, I can barely forgive what you did to me, and I emphasize barely… but there's one thing we need to make clear between us."
While Kurumi felt she could let the matter be water under the bridge, there was one thing that Mukuro did that she didn't like. It was the reason for the memory wipe as Kurumi's voice dropped a pitch lower.
"Shido-san is mine. Mine. If Mukuro-san tries to take Shido-san away from me again…" Kurumi didn't finish the sentence but the message got across.
"…yes, Muku understands." Mukuro wanted to argue that she wasn't exactly trying to take Shido away from her specifically but she restrained herself after seeing the craziness and hysteria in Kurumi's eyes.
"That's good. I'm glad we came to an understanding." Kurumi's bloodlust immediately disappeared and gave a charming smile. However, instead of feeling warmth, only a cold sense of dread ran through Mukuro's body.
For the first time, Mukuro understood why Tokisaki Kurumi was called Nightmare.