Koushi had only walked a few steps, and before he could recover from the frustration of the failed "settlement," an extremely harsh, piercing alarm, loud enough to instantly put the entire city on edge, tore through the sky like ripping cloth, without warning!
— The Spatial Quake Alarm!
Almost the instant the alarm sounded, Tobiichi Origami, who had been standing in front of Shido, instantly had eyes as sharp as knives.
She didn't even waste any words, just quickly and clearly said one sentence to Shido:
"I'm heading out. You go evacuate, and don't approach the Spirit again."
Before the words were even out, she had already turned like an arrow released from a bow, sprinting toward the AST Unit's rallying point at an astonishing speed, her white hair tracing a clean line as she ran.
Shido remained frozen in place, unsettled by the sudden development and Origami's pointed warning before she left.
Just then, Kotori's urgent voice came through the earpiece in his right ear:
"Shido! Spatial Quake confirmed! The epicenter — is right here at your Raizen High School!"
"What?!" Shido gasped, his heart sinking immediately. His school?!
Time: 5:20 PM.
Amidst the chaotic yet orderly flow of evacuees, Shido, utilizing Fraxinus's support, quietly returned to the massive battleship suspended above the streets.
The main screen of the bridge displayed various dazzling data and images.
Kotori had already changed into her signature black Commander coat, a precious jewel dangling from her mouth, and she stared intently at the screen with a serious expression.
"Shido, it's your turn to go out." She said without turning her head.
Hearing these words, Shido's body involuntarily stiffened.
Although he had undergone special training and made up his mind, facing this moment—facing an unknown Spirit possessing destructive power—fear and nervousness still surged uncontrollably.
Especially the decisive departing figure of Chinatsu flashing through his mind made his feelings about "contacting the Spirit" fraught with complex emotions.
Kotori seemed to see through his anxiety, turned around, and said in a rare gentle (relatively speaking) tone: "I know what you're thinking. But Shido, remember, your actions right now are correct and necessary. It is to save Spirits who, like Chinatsu, might be suffering pain and loneliness."
Her words were like a shot of adrenaline, calming Shido's confused mind slightly.
He took a deep breath and nodded.
"Now is a good opportunity." Kotori pointed to the main screen. "Shido, you are very lucky."
"Huh...?"
Shido followed Kotori's gaze.
The screen displayed incomprehensible numbers, and on the map on the right, the location representing his Raizen High School had a prominent red marker, surrounded by several small yellow markers.
"The red one is the Spirit, and the yellow ones are the AST Unit." Kotori explained.
"... So, what's so lucky about that?"
"Look at the AST Unit. They stopped moving a moment ago, didn't they?"
"Ah, yes..."
"That's because they are waiting for the Spirit to run outside."
"Why? Aren't they planning to force their way in?" Shido asked, confused.
Kotori shrugged dramatically, saying in an "You idiot" tone: "Think a little before you speak, it's truly embarrassing. Even slime molds understand this logic."
"Wh-Why!"
"The CR-Unit was not originally developed for the purpose of fighting in confined indoor spaces. Even with the Territory, when inside buildings with many obstacles and narrow corridors, mobility will certainly decrease significantly, and visibility will also be obscured."
Saying this, Kotori snapped her fingers.
The screen immediately switched to a real-time image of Raizen High School.
They saw a distinct bowl-shaped depression in the playground, and the surrounding roads and school buildings had also been neatly sliced away in parts.
"After appearing on the playground, the Spirit seems to have entered the half-destroyed school building. It's rare to encounter such a lucky opportunity, because we can make contact with the Spirit without interference from the AST Unit."
"... I see." Shido finally understood the key point.
But he immediately noticed a flaw in Kotori's words, narrowing his eyes as he asked: "... If the Spirit had appeared outdoors like usual, what method were you originally planning to use to let me contact the Spirit?"
Kotori licked her precious jewel, answering with a completely natural expression: "Wait for all the AST Unit members to die, or just throw you directly into the fierce battlefield."
"..." Shido was speechless.
Compared to a moment ago, he now deeply, deeply realized how precious and "lucky" this current situation was, allowing him to contact the Spirit directly while avoiding the AST Unit.
"Alright, then hurry up and go — Shido, you haven't taken off your earpiece, right?"
"Ah, no." Shido touched his right ear, confirming the earpiece was still there.
"Good. The camera will also be transmitted along with you. If the situation becomes critical, tap the earpiece twice as a signal."
"Hmm... Understood. But..." Shido was still hesitant, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the Fraxinus Strategy Team members below, who were standing ready but looked unreliable, and he sighed helplessly.
Kotori clearly saw what Shido was worried about, and, furious, she jumped up from the Commander's chair, walked directly behind Shido, aimed for his butt, and kicked him without mercy!
"Alright, hurry up and go! If the Spirit runs outside, the AST Unit will gather around!"
Thump!
"... Ow! You... you jerk..." Shido grimaced, clutching his rear.
"Don't worry. If it's Shido, even if you die once, he can immediately resurrect!" Kotori placed her hands on her hips, her tone as light as if discussing the weather.
"Don't joke around! Who do you think I am, some plumber?"
"A brother who doubts his sister's words will encounter misfortune, you know."
"I don't want to be told that by a sister who doesn't listen to her brother."
Despite saying that, with a heavy sigh, Shido obediently walked toward the bridge's teleportation device.
"Good Luck!" Kotori gave him a thumbs up from behind him.
"Oh!" Shido slightly raised his hand in response, without turning around.
His heart was still pounding violently, and the fear had not completely dissipated.
However, one thought was crystal clear in his mind — he absolutely could not miss this opportunity.
Defeating the opponent, making the opponent fall in love, saving the world... these grand goals all seemed to blur.
What drove him now was only a simpler, more direct wish:
Just wanting to talk to that girl one more time.
He had already missed Chinatsu, allowing her to leave alone in despair and madness, even erasing her own existence.
This time, facing a new Spirit, he could not fail again, nor could he allow tragedy to repeat itself.
Carrying this resolve, Shido stepped into the light of the teleportation device.
Target — the half-destroyed Raizen High School building.
The first official contact with the unknown Spirit was about to begin.
What he didn't know was that waiting for him in the ruins of the school building would be a girl with long night-colored hair, beautiful and solitary like a princess.
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