A purple-haired Spirit was leisurely walking in the middle of a forest. Her face was young but not lacking in beauty and dignity. Her eyes shone with such perplexity yet pure manner, giving off a mystical aura. Her Astral Dress, a Spirit's strongest armor and defense, casted a delicate light amongst the thicket of trees.
The Spirit closed her eyes, letting the evening breeze go through her. She took a deep breath in and subtly shifted her right foot back.
Swish!
The Spirit opened her eyes sharply, manifested her sword out of thin air, and swung behind her in a horizontal sweep. She did this all in one fluent motion and delivered a sword slash into the darkness from a distance away.
Something moved in the darkness.
"Ara ara, that's quite the greeting, Princess."
The attack exposed a beautiful girl with uneven twin tails and skin as white as porcelain. Wearing a crimson and black Gothic Lolita Astral Dress, her gold clock eye flirtatiously glimmered in the darkness. Donning her two guns, she easily neutralized Princess's attack with her own.
"Nightmare."
Princess's face hardened, her wariness rising exponentially.
Nightmare performed an elegant curtsy in response to her name. "As always, Princess's instincts are as sharp as ever. Even though I hid my presence, you still detected me." Nightmare's shoulders helplessly shrugged.
Princess scoffed. "Don't underestimate me. I recognized your scent the moment you came near. Did you come here to eat me?" she asked.
Nightmare giggled. "Are you talking about what happened with Efreet? I'll have you know that she was the one who attacked me first. Besides, I could never bring myself to eat my cute Princess."
Princess harrumphed. There was no way she would completely believe that. Not wanting to stay, Princess turned to leave but Nightmare didn't let up, immediately following her with light steps.
"Ufufu, no need to be so cold. I was merely curious about what Princess was doing here."
"Nothing important."
"I've heard a rumor that you've been attending school as a student. Is there a particular reason?"
"No."
Hearing Princess's short but firm rejections, Nightmare sighed despondently. "With such a stiff attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have any friends in school. Such a shame. Even though your looks are good, any boy who may have wanted to ask you out on a date will be immediately turned off." Nightmare quickly snickered after. "Though you probably don't care about such things."
That's not true. Even I… Princess didn't reply but in her head, a certain person and his gentle smile appeared. Her expression softened as the corner of her lips turn ever slightly up.
"Ara ara, that's quite the expression you have there, Princess." Nightmare remarked with an ambiguous smile. "I wonder whom you're thinking of right now."
"It's your imagination." Alarm bells ringing in her head from Nightmare's shift of tone, Princess quickly brought her face back in control but it was too late as the corners ofNightmare's mouth raised in amusement. "Really, you should've told me you had a boyfriend! Have you guys kissed yet?"
"Ki-ki-ki-kiss?" Princess's face turned bright red to Nightmare's amusement. "He-he's just a person I happened to meet. I'm not interested in him at all, mu!"
"Ara ara, is that so? Even so, I've become very interested now. In fact, let me meet him. Since you said you're not interested in him, if I see that he's to my taste, I'll gladly take him off your hands. Ufufu, I wonder how he'll taste…"
"Never. Touch him and I'll kill you."
Princess's cold voice ruthlessly cut Nightmare off. If looks could kill, Nightmare reckoned she would be dead based on the amount of animosity Princess was sending to her.
"Ah, ah, what should I do? When someone tells me not to do something, it makes me want to do it even more." Despite the pressure, however, a smirk crept onto Nightmare's face as her guns appeared in her hands. "Besides, you? Kill me? I didn't know Princess was the type to make jokes."
Princess tightened the grip on her sword when Nightmare released her shadows, turning the atmosphere a tone darker.
"He's someone special to me," Princess stated. "He showed me how wonderful this world is and how lucky I am to live in such a place. If he were to die, I would never forgive myself."
Princess readied herself for battle but Nightmare made no signs to move. Her face unreadable, she instead inquisitively looked at Princess.
"You've changed, Princess." Nightmare commented. "Before you would only wear that wistful face of yours but now, you've become much more expressive. It's almost as if you're a different person."
In front of Nightmare wasn't a Spirit but a girl who simply wanted to protect the one she loved.
A relationship between a human and a Spirit. Spirits were considered calamities to the world and combined with Princess's mistrust of humans, Nightmare would've thought such a thing was impossible.
"For Princess to have someone who cherishes her…" Nightmare's voice softened. "…it does make me a bit jealous."
Princess was taken aback by how Nightmare's expression turned lonely for a split second. It was a difference from the confident, strong appearance that Nightmare usually had.
"Very well. I'll back off for now." Nightmare lowered her guns and to Princess's surprise, the shadows around them dispersed to thin air. "When I see Princess's face so frightened, it makes even me feel guilty, you know?"
"I-I wasn't scared!" Princess shot back in anger. Nightmare's teasing smile was back on her face, making Princess wonder if she actually saw what she had previously.
"Princess." Nightmare suddenly said in a serious voice. "Make sure you properly tell him your feelings so you don't regret anything."
Princess was startled but nodded. "I will. Thank you."
Nightmare wasn't done. "However, I won't deny that I'm still curious about who Princess is seeing. He must be quite the person if he was able to break through that stone-walled heart of yours. So, while I won't proactively search for him, if I ever do meet him I'll have him eating out of the palm of my hand."
"Oh, thanks!" Although the wording was weird, Princess was grateful that Nightmare would feed him. Food was always great after all.
"Kihihihihi, how innocent." Nightmare rested a finger on her charming lips. "I dare say he'll be begging me for more once I have him experience what I can do."
"… are you planning something?" Princess finally realized something was off but Nightmare denied it.
"Of course not."
"You're not planning on eating him, right?"
"Ufufu, don't worry. Even if I do, the "eating" that Princess is thinking of and the "eating" that I'm thinking of may be different."
"What is that supposed to mean, mu?!"
The purple princess, and the red-black nightmare.
In the solitary forest, the night was filled with the echoes of angry shouts and playful laughs.
"What is the meaning of this, Chancellor?!"
Shido was currently tied up to a chair with the culprit being none other than his school chancellor, Isaac Westcott. Shouting, he did his best to free himself but to no avail.
"Don't fret too much. I merely wanted to have a private conversation with you." Westcott pulled out a chair from a desk in front of him before taking a seat, crossing his legs in the process. "It would be troublesome if outsiders were to learn about Spirits."
"Spirits…" Shido repeated in a low voice. "Are you the one behind Tohka's death?"
"I am."
Westcott answered in a simple manner, taking Shido off guard. It was as if Westcott was commenting on the weather rather than confessing to a murder.
Shido's mouth pursed. "Why?"
"Why, you ask? The Spirits are too dangerous to be left alive. If they ever decide to use their powers to harm humanity, it would be a disaster for the earth. As a human, I feel it's my responsibility to…"
"Shut up. If you thought that, you would've never created them in the first place."
Shido interrupted Westcott with a sharp voice. Any respect that may have remained was all but gone from Shido, not bothering to keep his voice polite.
Westcott wasn't bothered, however. "So, you already know that much? If that's the case, then there's no need to hide it from you then."
Wescott reached into the inside of his suit with his right hand before taking out a crystal. Large enough so that it took up the entire palm of Westcott's hand yet small enough to be held with one hand, the crystal shone a faint but vibrant purple light as Westcott placed it on the desk between the two.
"Is that…?!" Even though Shido had never seen one before, he immediately recognized what it was.
"Beautiful, isn't it? The Sephira Crystal, I mean." Westcott caressed the purple Sephira Crystal, staring at it with unadulterated fascination. "In all my life, I've never laid my eyes on something more breathtaking. They're the best toys I could ever ask for."
"…toys?" Shido's voice became dark.
"Ah, forgive me for the lack of a better word but I truly am happy." Westcott finally withdrew his gaze from the crystal, putting it on a nearby table. "Their Sephira Crystals hold an immense amount of Reiryoku, spirit power that has never been seen before. When I first saw what it was capable of, I was immediately enchanted."
Westcott outstretched his arm exaggeratingly. "I don't know about you but I do my best to find pleasure in what I do and I give my all in enjoying them. Even if I don't end up getting what I want, I wouldn't mind as long as the journey was fun. But, until then, I will continue to make as much effort as possible for the sake of my curiosity and goals."
Westcott suddenly thought of something. "Oh, it's a bit overdue but you have my condolences for what happened to Princess. As a Spirit who contained my precious Sephira Crystal, I hoped to keep her alive if possible but she resisted until the very end. It's a shame and I'm sure you think so too."
Not a hint of malice could be seen in the Westcott's eyes but at the same time, not a single hint of regret could be seen either.
That's when Shido realized it. Westcott didn't hold hatred towards the Spirits nor did he see them as tools. Whether they lived or died never mattered. He was indifferent to their very existence, only caring about the fact that they held a Sephira Crystal.
Shido found a wave of repulsion filling his chest.
"Her name is Tohka. Not Princess."
"What?"
"Westcott, Tohka isn't someone who exists for your entertainment," Shido spat. "She was my dearest friend whom I loved. Because of your action, you made her suffer and I won't forgive you for that."
Are you my enemy?
Shido finally realized why Tohka had said that when they first met. Because she was a Spirit, she was targeted and ambushed by people who only sought her for their own selfish ambitions. That's why she wore a cold expression to protect herself, why she looked so lonely but chose to isolate herself. Just the thought of it infuriated Shido to no end, anger boiling inside of him like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"How ridiculous!" Westcott laughed when he saw Shido's furious face. "I was wondering what you were after, forming a relationship with Princess but it was only this? I would understand if you saw her as a tool that would bring you endless power but you claim to merely see her as a woman?" Westcott's lips curved up. "Besides, you have no say in this matter. Since their lives came to be because of me, shouldn't I also have the right to take it away?"
"Weeeestcooooott!"
At that moment, as Shido yelled with his enraged voice, the Sephira Crystal, which had been beside Westcott, suddenly shone with great purple brilliance.
Shine!
To both Westcott's and Shido's surprise, a pulse like a vivid heartbeat sounded from the Sephira Crystal as it rose into the air. The Sephira Crystal continued to beat faster and faster until finally flashing the entire room with a blinding light-purple light.
"…this is…"
Shido found himself freed from his constraints, remnants of the ropes on the floor. However, that wasn't what caught his attention.
In front of him floating was a sword. A large sword that shone mysteriously with power and splendor.
As if bewitched, Shido reached out and grabbed the sword's handle. It was heavy but for some reason, the sword also felt natural in his hands, fitting into his grip perfectly. Power flowed from the sword into him as it brightened with joy at his touch.
"How is that possible?"
While Shido was captivated by the sword, Westcott's face was stunned. What Shido was holding was Princess's strongest weapon, Sandalphon. Yet, it should be impossible for a human to wield it. No, why did the crystal even respond to him in the first place?
"Ellen, capture him!" Westcott called, pushing away his concerns. He would have time to investigate once everything was over but first, he needed to deal with the immediate situation.
Out of the blue, a woman in a wiring suit with a laser sword appeared from Shido's rear, ready to pierce him through. Shido instantly recognized her as the person who initially knocked him out after the dance.
Although Shido was inexperienced and didn't know any fancy techniques, he wasn't oblivious to how a sword was supposed to be used. Gripping the sword tightly, he prepared to attack with all his might. The sword, as if responding to his will, began to light up strongly.
Ellen harrumphed. Despite Sandalphon's pressure, based on both of their attack speed, she knew her sword would reach him first and cut off his arm before he had the chance to swing it.
"!"
Ellen's face distorted as her body suddenly faltered, causing her attack to slow down. Shido didn't know the cause but he realized this was a huge opening. Shido raised the sword and with a shout, he swung the sword.
Ellen quickly regained her strength and hastily put up layers of protection but the attack easily cleaved through the defense. A giant wave of sword energy immediately rushed out, almost transcending the concept of space and time to overwhelm Ellen and Westcott.
Westcott instinctively raised his arms to cover his face as whiteness filled his vision. At that moment, he suddenly found himself not in the classroom but in an unfamiliar house.
Was he experiencing a flashback? Westcott looked around, seeing toys spread messily on the floor. However, he quickly widened his eyes. Near the corner of the room was a small blue-haired boy that couldn't be older than five years old laughing as he played with gems of varied colors.
However, the boy wasn't alone. He was in the lap of a tall, beautiful woman with long, pale blue hair as she patted the boy's head gently with a soft smile.
"Don't tell me…?!"
"Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott. I remember you telling me you don't mind failing as long as the journey was fun?"
Westcott's surprise didn't end as the woman turned her head towards him. Although this was supposed to be a memory, the woman was speaking directly to him with cold eyes, none of the previous warmth there when looking at the boy.
"Then, die while having a smile on your face."
The woman waved her hand and Westcott's vision disappeared, being brought back to reality.
Boom!
All the tables and chairs were disintegrated and the walls were destroyed by Shido's sword wave. Yet, the attack didn't lose momentum as it continued for several meters, blasting a portion out of the building and into the sky.
Alarms began to ring out from the entire school as all the students who were relaxing while the gala came close to the end were horrified at the sudden explosion. With a scream, the crowd went into panic as security guards started to move, guiding the nearby students to exit while gathering a team to investigate the source of the bright light.
Clank!
Shido fell to his knees with a groan. Everything around him was in complete wreckage. He hadn't expected the sword to be so powerful, taking out all his strength within him.
"Kuku, hahahahahahaha! What a truly amazing turn of events!"
Shido widened his eyes as he saw a limp figure come out of the rubble. His face was all covered in blood and his previous neat black suit was ruined but Westcott was alive.
Ellen also was beside him in a similar state, her right arm was hanging lifelessly. Her long platinum hair was tinged and in disorder.
Westcott saw how Ellen uncharacteristically stopped and slowed down the moment she was about to cut off Shido's arm. Westcott, realizing something was off, quickly put up his own defense, letting him barely keep his life.
Westcott let out a hacking cough, blood spurting from his mouth but he still couldn't help but laugh in joy.
"Just a little bit more! Had your attack been just a bit more precise, you could've actually killed me!" Westcott exclaimed. "But, you truly are interesting, Itsuka Shido! You easily harnessed the power of a Sephira Crystal, something that we have been attempting to do for years! But, considering your relationship with her, it all makes sense!"
Shido tried to get up from his knees but the moment he tried to, his body screamed in pain. The world was spinning around him so much he had almost blacked out. He only registered a few words through Westcott's ramble and laughter as his entire mind was focusing on merely staying conscious.
"Not yet…" However, Shido ignored the pain and, using the sword as a crutch, he brought himself back up. His eyes showed no signs of surrender as he lifted the sword again.
"Hmph, it'll be best if you give up." Ellen scoffed, noticing his condition. "It's clear that Sandalphon bears a heavy toll on you. Even in a hundred years, you'll never beat me."
Shido let out a dry laugh. "You can try putting up a brave front but even I can see that you're not in the best shape. I've already hit you once. Another time won't be difficult."
Ellen's face darkened in response. She brandished her sword with her left hand with bloodlust. "Your attack was a one-time trick yet you dare boast with your meager skill? I'll kill you…"
"No."
Westcott interrupted to both Ellen and Shido's surprise, his voice eager. "Itsuka Shido, with your Reiryoku, there's no need for Spirits and their Sephira Crystals! You are the key that I've been waiting for, the missing piece in all my plans! I must have you!"
"Kihihihihi, unfortunately, he already belongs to me."
The surroundings darkened, taking everybody by surprise. Ellen and Westcott let out a cry of surprise as fatigue and weakness filled their bodies. Ellen tried to move but found themselves sinking into a pool of shadows to her dismay.
On the other hand, Shido was perfectly fine but he could tell the atmosphere had become thicker and ominous. However, instead of fear, only a sense of relief filled him as he found this scene familiar.
"That voice…" Shido's eyes lit up, realizing who had come.
"Ara ara, the moment I lay my eyes off you, you get yourself into trouble." Not betraying his expectations, a beautiful Spirit in a red and black gothic Astral Dress emerged from Shido's shadow, eliciting a short yelp from him. "Perhaps we should've gone to the bathroom together. Then, Shido-san would've been having fun with me rather than fighting for his life."
Shido recalled with a blush how he sped off after Kurumi kissed him, telling her that he was going to the bathroom. His eyes inadvertently were drawn to her glistening lips. They looked so soft, and inviting as they enticed him to taste them again.
"So, it was you, Nightmare!" Ellen yelled in an accusing voice, breaking Shido out of his daze. Ellen realized it was because of Kurumi's interference that she had suddenly lost power at the critical moment of dealing with Shido. She attempted to attack her, only to grimace when her injuries flared up due to her anger. Right now, they were currently in Nightmare's City of Devouring Time, a domain that siphoned the life and Reiryoku of those inside it. The longer they stayed here, the worse the situation would get. However, combined with her injuries from Sandalphon, she could only remain helpless.
"I see. That explains everything." On the other hand, Westcott remained calm. He continued, "Whether it be the anonymous tip-off of Itsuka Shido's connection with Princess, the sudden disappearance of Jessica, and Ellen's sabotage, you manipulated the strings so that this very situation would be orchestrated."
Kurumi let out a light laugh and replied, "Of course. After all, leaving you guys alone would only pose a threat to me in the future. But, if I were to deal with the two of you by myself, I would've used more time than I'm comfortable with. In that regard, I didn't expect Shido-san to perform so wonderfully. As expected of my boyfriend."
Shido wanted to argue that he wasn't her boyfriend yet but when Kurumi turned to him with a gorgeous smile, he was transfixed by her seductive beauty. Ah, get yourself together, me! Just because she gave you a kiss of a lifetime, you can't give in so easily! Despite that, Shido felt his face heat up more as he began to remember the feeling of Kurumi's tongue slipping into his mouth. So hot…
Ellen was furious when she saw how the two of them were staring at each other. Did the two of them think they were the only ones in the room?
Ellen's eyes sharpened. Not caring about the consequences, she forcefully strengthened her body and with a swing of her sword, she cleared the shadows with a burst of energy. Flying midair, she sped towards the two of them in a split second. She gathered all of her remaining strength to strike Kurumi down, hoping to catch them off guard.
As quick as Ellen was, Kurumi was faster, however. Pushing Shido to the side out of danger, she easily evaded the sword, arcing her back backward with the flexibility of a ballet dancer. She returned fire with her guns at the same time.
"Nightmaaare!" Ellen swung her sword again, blocking all the bullets with fine swordsmanship.
Kurumi laughed, gracefully dancing out of Ellen's range. "Ara ara, if you say my name so passionately, others may get the wrong idea, you know. Besides, my heart is already claimed."
"Is all you know how to do is jest?!" Ellen leaped towards Kurumi's direction, her sword flashing towards her. Kurumi smirked as she readied her guns again and the two of them engaged in a flurry of fast-paced exchanges.
Shido found his mouth hanging over the fierce battle. He couldn't help but admit that he had severely underestimated Ellen's strength, her sword flowing like a river. He now knew Ellen wasn't joking when she said his strike hitting her was a lucky fluke. If he were to face Ellen again, he would most likely have lost in the first exchange.
Ellen skillfully flickered her sword towards Kurumi's neck, the speed fast enough to decapitate any other opponent. However, frustration could be seen on her face when she felt only air. All she needed was one good hit but Kurumi continued to step in and out of the shadows, not letting her get a good lock on her movement. No matter how many times Ellen attacked, Kurumi was always just beyond her blade's reach, the taunting smile on her face only serving to frustrate her.
"How long are you going to keep scurrying around like a rat? Fight me fair and square!"
"Kihihihi, is that a complaint I'm hearing? Even though you're deemed as the Strongest Wizard?"
As the battle dragged on, Ellen could feel her sword getting heavier and heavier. Her body had already reached its limits, her breaths getting more labored with each passing second. With her energies being constantly drained due to Kurumi's City of Devouring Time along with her previous injury from Sandalphon, it was only a matter of time before Ellen's stamina ran out.
Ellen tried to escape at multiple points but was again blocked by Kurumi's firing. Just when she was feeling hopeless, from the corner of her eyes, she saw Shido at the side. Like a beast gone mad, she roared and pounced toward him, her sword aimed toward him.
Shido hadn't expected such a vicious attack from Ellen and raised Sandalphon in front of him in a hurry. Ellen's sword clashed with his, locking in a stalemate for a moment before overpowering him, knocking Sandalphon into the distance, and swinging at him. Upon impact, Shido flew back and hit the wall harshly, his back blazing from pain as he bitterly grimaced. Ellen attacked again, determined to land the finishing blow.
"Zafkiel, Seventh Bullet, Zayin."
Upon calling out her Angel, a gold clock formed behind Kurumi. The hands in Kurumi's clock eye began to rapidly go backward as she quickly drew her gun and fired.
Shido's face flinched when he saw Ellen's blade soaring towards them but when he felt nothing, he opened his eyes to see Ellen paused in midair. Her body showed no signs of movement with her angry face frozen. It was as if Ellen's time had been stopped.
"You claimed wanting to fight fair and square but dared to attack my Shido-san?" Vile anger tinted Kurumi's voice as she put her palm out. "Not even hell is enough for you." Clenching her fist coarsely, Kurumi opened another portal of darkness and had her shadows drag Ellen in.
"That just leaves you, Isaac Westcott." She turned to see the man, whose lower body was already submerged in the shadows and still sinking.
Despite his apparent death, Westcott merely chuckled. He had never expected things to turn out this way but he accepted his loss. Nightmare wasn't the strongest Spirit but she was one of the most troublesome Spirits to deal with. Her manipulation of shadows and time was unparalleled, allowing her to gain control of the battlefield with ease while being able to escape through her shadow portal if needed.
For Nightmare to act against them when she never had so previously, Westcott had to ask.
"Nightmare, what exactly are you after?"
"Ara ara, did I not say already?" Nightmare propped her chin with her hand, looking extremely happy.
"I want Itsuka Shido. I want to make him mine and become one with him."
"…so, that's how it is?"
Westcott looked confused at first but after a few moments, realization struck his face as all the puzzle pieces started to fit together. He began to laugh heartily.
"This truly is interesting!" After all, Itsuka Shido, you of all people should be the one who hates her the most.
Westcott gave one last glance to Shido, giving him a sense of foreboding for some unknown reason. Even when his head started to sink as well, amusement still resided in his eyes before disappearing into the shadow.
Shido had no time to ponder why though as Kurumi said to him, "Shido-san, we should leave now. Things will become troublesome if the police were to see us here."
Shido hesitated for a moment but when he heard the sirens in the distance and how much damage they caused, he nodded. Taking Kurumi's hand, she brought him into her shadows, silently leaving the school.
Kurumi had taken him into what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse through her shadows. After telling him that she was going to check out the situation for a bit, she quickly went outside, leaving him alone temporarily to his own thoughts.
We… actually did it. We defeated Westcott, the mastermind behind everything.
The gravity of the situation still hadn't settled with Shido. What was supposed to be just a date with Kurumi turned out to be one of the most extraordinary nights he had ever experienced. He did think that Westcott was suspicious but never had he expected the situation to turn drastic so quickly. If it wasn't for Kurumi's well-timed interference, he wouldn't be standing here but a test subject most likely.
"I've checked your school and it seemed that the situation is more or less settled there." Kurumi returned with good news. She further explained how besides Westcott and his assistant, everybody was unharmed. Due to the police still investigating the explosion Shido had made and the damage to the school it had made, the school was to be suspended until further notice.
"Shido-san, is there something wrong?"
After Kurumi finished her report, she could tell Shido had only passively listened to her, his thoughts somewhere else.
Shido hesitated. Looking down to the ground, he tentatively asked, "Kurumi, you already knew Westcott was behind everything, right? After all, Westcott did say you were the one who told him about my relationship with Tohka."
Whether it be the anonymous tip-off of Itsuka Shido's connection with Princess, the sudden disappearance of Jessica, and Ellen's sabotage, you manipulated the strings so that this very situation would be orchestrated. Shido still remembered Westcott's words back then. Most likely, after he met Kurumi for the first time, Kurumi leaked Shido's info to Westcott.
He continued, "I thought it was strange for a chancellor to call in a student personally just because of one visit to a brothel but looking back, he probably did so, knowing about Tohka. If that's true, that means you…"
You lied to me. Shido didn't finish his sentence. Kurumi had told him before she didn't know who the mastermind was but that wasn't true. If that was the case, then what else did she lie about?
"Shido-san."
Shido lifted his head when he felt a smooth hand on his cheek. Looking face to face with warm eyes, Kurumi said to him, "I did lie to you. I won't bother denying that. But, I refrained from telling you about Westcott being the mastermind not out of malice but because it was too important. I don't know who's listening and if he somehow caught wind of what I knew, everything would go to waste."
Kurumi gave a mellow sigh. "Isaac Westcott. That man is very cunning and careful. If he felt even the slightest thing was suspicious, he wouldn't reveal himself. It was only because you were an innocent student with a completely normal background that he decided to take such a proactive approach.
"Everything I do, I do it with you in mind." Shido felt her hand lightly trembling against his skin, her shaking eyes never leaving his.
"So, please, don't hate me."
Kurumi's beautiful eyes wavered as she gave him a complicated look, anxious about his reaction. The girl in front of him, despite looking so strong in her battle with Ellen, was now the spitting image of a pitiful girl afraid to be abandoned. Not a single person could look at her and not feel terrible for seeing a beautiful girl make such a face.
The little resentment that had grown in Shido disappeared as he grabbed Kurumi's hand on his cheek. "I can't hate you. I know that even if you did lie, you would never hurt me. In the end, it's because of you that I was able to get revenge for Tohka. I couldn't have done it without you."
Kurumi's beautiful face slowly came back to life. "Shido-san really is the one who understands me the best. The more I spend time with you, the more I can't get enough of you." Her hand shifted in Shido's grasp to hold his as well, her grip soft but firm.
"I promise you. From now on, no matter what happens, Tokisaki Kurumi will never lie to you." Her charming eyes gleamed at him.
Ah. Shido found himself bewitched by Kurumi's beauty as her smiling face drew closer to him, her soft lips parted. Leaning in, she…
Kurumi's eyebrows furrowed. "Shido-san, what are you doing?"
"Ah, um…" His voice muffled, and Shido stuttered while covering his mouth with his hand. When he saw Kurumi's face drawing near, their passionate kiss immediately reappeared in his mind. Realizing what Kurumi was aiming for, his body's instinct immediately kicked in and blocked his mouth from being plundered. He felt if he received that kind of kiss again, there was no going back for him. He would be addicted for the rest of his life.
Seeing that Kurumi was dissatisfied with him blocking her attempt to kiss him, he explained in a panic, "Er, don't get me wrong. I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me. I'm touched that you feel this way about me. But, I don't think I'm ready yet – ah, not to say that I dislike you! It's just that I just feel that everything is just happening too fast and I haven't had the time to process this and there's Tohka as well and… uh, where was I going with this again?"
Shido hadn't known he could speak so fast and had to pause to take a breath from the jumble of words that came stumbling out of his mouth. After recollecting his thoughts, he slowly said with a red face, "Um, what I think I want to say is… is it possible to give me some time to sort out my feelings and for now, continue our previous relationship?"
"No."
"Eh?"
Shido was taken aback by Kurumi's terse response.
"I told Shido-san already, didn't I? I said I would wait patiently for you since I know that Shido-san is a bit shy when it comes to these kinds of things. But, I also said that the moment you give in, I wouldn't let you go. That I would savor you fully."
Kurumi was smiling yet Shido found himself unbelievably scared by the way she was looking at him. Yet, he also found himself terribly aroused as a shiver went down his spine.
Taking a step in, Kurumi closed the already meager space between the two, pressing her supple breasts against his chest. Stroking his ribs with her fingers before wrapping her arms around his chest, she gave a sultry smile and said, "Shido-san, you can deny it all you want but when I kissed you, I saw your desire, your lust for me. As a courtesan, I'm very perceptive about how a person is thinking through their eyes. And, I didn't just see it but experienced it as well. The way you kissed me like a beast told me everything I needed to know about how you truly feel."
Kurumi leaned in and brushed her top lip against his lips in a teasing manner, not kissing him fully but enough to keep him on the edge. Shido couldn't help but marvel at the feeling of her lush lips as they permeated into his brain.
Just when Shido couldn't take it anymore and tilted his head to capture her lips, Kurumi nimbly turned her head away. "See? What did I say?" Kurumi smirked, seeing Shido's stupefied face. "You do want me."
Shido's face turned red as a tomato. He had no rebuttal as he couldn't help but notice the softness and smoothness of her skin and how sweet she smelled. He found his body heating up in response to her advances, her touch overwhelming all of his senses. She was so beautiful and enticingly close to him it was making him crazy.
Kurumi pressed onto him even more, her breasts squished against his chest. "Don't you want to kiss me again, Shido-san?" Kurumi teased with a charming smile and breathed into his ear in a seductive breath, "I can make you feel so good."
"I…"
It was only with great effort that Shido moved back with hurried steps. However, Kurumi had been holding onto him and due to his sudden movement, was dragged forward. Her feet tripped and losing her balance, they both collapsed with a small shout.
"Ugh… Kurumi, are you alright?"
The impact had Shido grunting, his back aching in pain. He looked down to see Kurumi on his chest. Once he saw she was okay, Shido tried to get up but winced when she increased her weight on him, using her soft body to trap him. Then, putting her hands on his shoulders, Kurumi moved up so that she hovered over him. Startled, Shido could only watch with bated breath as her gorgeous face gazed at him exquisitely.
To Shido's surprise, Kurumi said, "You're hurt."
She pressed her hand lightly on his chest, only applying some pressure but Shido grimaced. Kurumi frowned as she quickly unbuttoned his shirt to take a look at his body. She was appalled to see tons of lacerations and bruises on his body.
"Why did you hide this?" She realized that whether it be Shido using Sandalphon taxingly or Ellen's brutal attack, the damage that Shido experienced couldn't be little. She almost forgot due to how Shido acted as if he was fine.
"Um, it looks bad but it doesn't hurt that much now," Shido tried to explain when he saw Kurumi's face turning angry. "My body has always been durable. It'll be fine with a little saliva."
"Hm, is that so?" Kurumi narrowed her eyes. Even if that was true, that didn't mean the pain was nonexistent. He still had that habit of putting out a bold front while suffering on the inside. Well, if that's how he wanted to play, so be it.
Shido watched with wide eyes when she leaned down. Sticking out her tongue, she licked the wounds on Shido's chest. Shido immediately went taut as hot wetness went along his skin.
"Wha-what are you doing?!"
"Didn't you say that it'd be fine with a little saliva?" Kurumi looked back up at him with a coy smile. "Don't worry. I'm infusing Reiryoku into your body using my saliva as a catalyst. It should help your injuries recover faster."
Although that's a lie. Kurumi thought but she wasn't going to tell him that. Why would she pass over a golden opportunity?
"N-no, even still…"
"Shh. Be a good boy now and stay still."
Shido had said that but when Kurumi licked him again, he hissed in a breath of air, going back into silence. He recalled how when they first met, Kurumi had also licked his face, telling him that he was delicious. He still remembered not only the sense of helplessness but the thrill of letting her take control.
This time was just as sensuous as the last time if not even more.
His skin was sensitive from being exposed to the night air, causing the heat from Kurumi's tongue all the more distinct. Her tongue was extremely nimble and flexible as Kurumi began to become more and more enthusiastic. Kurumi's seductive face as she ran her tongue all over him in an obscene yet suggestive manner was burned into his mind as their current situation filled him with dangerous yet exciting thoughts.
"Ara ara." Kurumi paused temporarily. "You didn't tell me you were poisoned as well."
"Poisoned?" Shido asked.
"Of course. Why else would this place be swelling so much?" Kurumi showed him what she meant as she pulled away the clothing covering it. "Don't worry. I'll suck the poison out."
"Th-that's…!"
Seeing Kurumi lower her head, Shido tried to stop her but it was already too late.
Shido's breath hitched.
Indescribable pleasure ran through his whole body. Her mouth was warm and slick with saliva. Never in his life had he ever felt such warmth. Yet, he still managed to keep his reason as he placed his hands on Kurumi's shoulders. He knew he should be pushing her away, that he shouldn't be allowing this sort of thing but…
Shido gasped when Kurumi flicked the tip with her tongue and engulfed him with her soft lips. He found his hands instinctively moving from her shoulders to her head and he ran his fingers through her smooth and sleek hair.
Just… a bit. I'll stop then… Shido thought, compromising himself. Surely just one time wouldn't hurt, right?
Kurumi's eyes narrowed in satisfaction when she saw Shido didn't push her away. Her thin lips pressed harder around him as if to assure him he didn't make the wrong choice.
Shido shuddered when Kurumi sucked him harder, taking more of the swelling into her mouth. Keeping eye contact with him, she moved accordingly to his facial reactions, running her tongue all across him to find all his sensitive areas. She ended up going back to the tip of the swelling, rotating her tongue around him in short but fast clockwise motions before tantalizingly licking him again.
Shido could only squirm powerlessly as her tongue sublimely wrapped around him like a snake coiling around its prey. He was completely at her mercy.
"Kurumi… Kurumi… I…" Shido could only helplessly utter the courtesan's name in agonal glee much to her delight. She twisted her mouth sharply as if trying to wring all the poison out of him.
Shido threw back his head with a cry. He could feel himself breaking, the pleasure corrupting his mind to depravity and he loved it. If he knew it was going to be like this earlier, he would've let Kurumi have her way with him much earlier as his body mindlessly bucked to her.
Kurumi opened her mouth, breathing hotly onto the swelling. "Give in, Shido-san." Her voice was soothing yet domineering. "Your heart, your body, your reason for living, your very existence, give it all to me. Become mine."
Shido tried his best to hold back but as if to tell him it was useless, Kurumi took him back into her mouth and sucked him vigorously. Shido let out a loud moan and on cue, Kurumi sucked out all the poison from the swelling and milked out every liquid from it. She made sure to not let a single drop escape as she made a show of gulping it all down with one swallow.
Is that… safe to swallow? Shido couldn't find it in himself to think anymore, however. Rather, he was unable to. He had never experienced such a thing but now that he did, the only thing on his mind was to gain more pleasure, the bliss still lingering.
Kurumi licked her lips in an alluring manner. Fixing his clothes quickly so he was covered, she then seductively slithered her way up his body to align their faces.
"Shido-san, I have a request." Kurumi's lips parted. "You'll listen to it, right?"
Shido felt his reason collapse from her sweet voice. His mind was already out of it, unable to think rationally in the afterglow of pleasure. Only the goddess that was Kurumi filled his view. Whatever it was that she wished for, he would give it to her no matter what it was, even if it was his life and subconsciously nodded.
"Ufufu, I'm pleased to see that."
Kurumi smiled invitingly, noticing his dazed state. She leaned toward his face and this time, there was no resistance from Shido's end as she easily placed a kiss on his lips, ready to claim him as her own.
Shine!
A black light shone from Kurumi's chest. A rare face of confusion crossed Kurumi's face, not knowing what was happening but Shido instantly recognized this familiar scene, quickly breaking out of his muddled-head state. "This is just like…!" Shido recalled how Tohka's Sephira Crystal had also shone in a similar matter and for some reason, Kurumi's Crystal was also responding the same way.
Before either of the two could react, the light had enveloped the two of them.
Shido suddenly found himself alone in the middle of the city, the loud crowd and honking cars usually heard in the day gone. Confused, he looked around but only saw empty streets and towering buildings. What was peculiar however was how the floor was reminiscent of a black and white chessboard.
Shido turned his head when he heard from a distance what seemed to be clashes from a battle. Running, he quickly made his way, trying to see what was happening. When he arrived at the scene, he found two people there.
Kurumi? Shido's heart couldn't help but skip a beat as she wore her crimson and black gothic Astral Dress. However, contrary to usual, her Astral Dress was full of blood and dirt, her face no exception. However, she didn't seem to notice his existence, her face expressionless as she held her flintlock pistol up.
As for the other person…
Shido widened his eyes.
The other person was a woman on the verge of death, her hand on her abdomen in an attempt to stop the leaking blood from it. However, her natural beauty couldn't be hidden. With long light blue hair and pale skin, the woman wore what seemed to be a sophisticated white dress full of flower ornaments but parts of it were dyed red. Her blue eyes were gentle yet weariness could be seen in them. Sitting in a collapsed manner against the side of a building, she let out a light sigh.
"…mom?"
The moment Shido identified her, his brain was unable to handle the shock. "Wh-why… what…"
"Farewell, Spirit of Origin."
Shido turned his head just in time to see Kurumi pull the trigger. With a bang, the black bullet cleanly hit his mother's chest and after a tremble, she went still.
"!"
Shido found himself back in reality, sitting back up abruptly. Sweat dripping on the side of his head, he found Kurumi staring right back at him, her face also shocked over what transpired.
"You…" Shido managed to break the silence. "You killed my mother."
Kurumi remained silent, her face already back in control with no hint of emotion.
Seeing she wasn't saying anything, Shido bit his lips before continuing. "Why aren't you saying anything? Were you planning on hiding this from me forever?"
Shido clenched his fist. How was he supposed to feel about this? His mother was the Spirit of Origin and the girl in front of him was the one who killed her. However, he remembered Kurumi's story of why she did so: to avenge her best friend. Yet, the mother he knew would've never done that.
What was the truth? What was the lie? Suddenly, he didn't know anymore.
"Kurumi, explain yourself!" Shido finally couldn't take it. "Otherwise, I'll…!"
"Otherwise you'll what?"
Kurumi suddenly pushed him down by the shoulders. Shadows suddenly erupted all around them as bloodlust appeared in Kurumi's eyes.
"I killed the Spirit of Origin. And, when I saw Shido-san, I knew that you were her son. After all, the Reiryoku inside you is the same as hers. That's why I wanted to eat you. Such delicacy is almost irresistible after all."
Shido tried to struggle but Kurumi pressed him harder. "It's a shame that it came down to this. I tried to do this the easy way. If everything went according to my plan, your death would've been painless and pleasant but you just had to learn the truth."
Kurumi snickered ominously. "Are you happy now? This is who I am, Nightmare, the Worst Spirit, who eats people for their time. And now Shido-san will be my next meal."
"You…!" Shido tried to retaliate but found to his alarm, his strength being drained by the shadows beneath him. However, he still had one more trick up his sleeve.
"Zafkiel!"
Kurumi was shocked to see her own Angel in Shido's hand, the pistol's muzzle at point-blank range to her chest. Shido gritted his teeth, doing his best to hold the gun steady despite his reclining strength.
"Shoot it then." Kurumi simply said, her voice cold. "If you want revenge for your mother, this will be the only chance I give you, in light of what we've been through together." Having said that, she grabbed the muzzle right toward her heart.
Shido pursed his lips. With his finger at the trigger, Shido only needed to pull it and a hole would be through Kurumi's heart. If he wanted to shoot, he had to do it quickly before the shadows took away all his Reiryoku.
"…"
Yet, when he saw Kurumi's face, he found he couldn't do it, his hand letting go of the gun and dropping to the floor, leaving Zafkiel in Kurumi's hand. He closed his eyes in resignation, letting his life slip away.
"Onii-chan!"
The door to the warehouse burst open with fiery flames, the fire burning all the shadows inside the space.
Kurumi clicked her tongue, forced to dislodge from Shido's body as the flames filled the spot where she was just moments ago.
"So you came, Efreet!"
Shido, on the floor weak, managed to see from the corner of his eyes a petite girl with red hair holding a huge red halberd with flames on the end.
"Kotori…?"
Author's Note: Guys, trust, Kurumi's only sucking out the poison from Shido's body. On a serious note, thank you guys for reading. I was wondering if I killed Westcott off too early but decided that if I wanted to end this story, it's best to do so now. I don't want to write out another battle and have it be like my Kurumi's Seduction story. Next chapter will most likely be the last chapter where Shido and Kurumi's relationship will finally be settled.