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Illustrations
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Afterword
Characters

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 ───Asleep as if dead, or dead as if asleep.
A fall so swift, as if dropping into hell at an irresistible force. A crash
so soft, as if gradually ascending to heaven.
Warm memories, cold impulses, everything was gone. Only this
emptiness remained. Swaying back and forth, like a boat thrown into
the sea.
Help me! Help me!
The screams shouted exhaustively. Desperate cries in front of the
raging sea───black waves, black skies, black death.
A hole opened on the bottom of the boat, dragging it into the sea.
Can’t breathe. Nothing can be seen. Nothing can be heard.
Guruguru, shi ~yurururu──guru. No matter how hard I flail my
arms, I just splash the texture of the water in vain.
“You are left with nothing. Because you are an empty shell, filled
with nothing.” A whisper from the depths of that girl’s heart.
In her inner thoughts. Perhaps, because I can’t remember anything
that I am dying like this. A cold hand caught the girl’s right foot,
strongly dragging her into the deep sea.
Die, die, die, die, die, die, die. Live, live, live, live, live, live, live.
Everything is empty. There is nobody at all.
Sinking, sinking, sinking. The girl was sinking into the dark space
without end. Painful, painful,
empty, scary, painful …………lonely.
Suddenly, the girl opened her eyes. At the bottom of this deep
black sea, there was a faint glow.
Forgetting the fear of drowning, forgetting the pain of drowning,
the girl swam towards that radiance. How much pain and suffering

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can be forgetting by going towards it, the girl was a little bit surprised
at herself.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry. I’ll never touch it if I don’t grab this radiance
now.”
Like this, the girl inspired herself.
She grasped it with trembling hands. It was weak, but surely still
shining. Indeed, she should not be permitted; a radiance that did not
belong to herself.
◇
If sleeping is to die, then waking is to live. To live is to think. A girl
was pondering over such an issue.
“──────Ahh.”
That was the connection to this world. She slowly supported her
upper body while stretching a lot. But the girl's sleepiness has not
dissipated, so she slowly lied down once again.
“Na──────”
A sound only permitted while dozing off. Rather than cute, it was a
very strange cry.
But somehow, due to it sounding similar to the cry of a cat, she
wanted to make another sound, but then she noticed something
important.
“…...Where is this?”
After opening her eyes, the girl’s eyes fell into a panic. After getting
up, her mind suffered from a shock. No, rather than a shock, it would
be better to say that it was like an empty shell.
A lack of knowledge, a complete lack of understanding of where
she was now.
“……Who am I?”
In the first place, she didn’t even know who she was.
Shoes worn well, clothes worn well, glasses not worn.

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 There was a chest.
Only these things were known.
For the time being, I could understand that I am a woman. I was
wearing white clothes and could barely understand anything.
Otherwise, nothing was known, nothing could be remembered.
In fact there was an air of indifference to this matter. The unnamed
girl, who remembered what she just said, laughed at the ridiculous
notion.
───And then.
“I just laugh, and laugh, but ah, I wonder what should I do?”
The unnamed girl twisted her neck, clutching her head with her
hand while trying to remember about herself.
……Just like the feeling of being surrounded by a thick fog. Or that
is to say, memories and
other important things about herself have been completely
plundered away. The girl turned to look at her surroundings.
It resembled a specially-customized and refined back alleyway. No,
there should be some stains
and dirt in a normal alleyway. This place didn’t have even a speck of
dust.
From this unconceivable sight, this girl was unable to calm down.
Being surrounded by these pure white walls, in every direction, made
it feel more like being a prisoner in custody.
“Anyway, let’s go ask someone.”
Even if she tried to keep thinking, it would be pointless. She would
be unable to solve this issue here. In that case, there was no choice
but to move onward.
She took a step forward.
Leaving behind the alleyway and walking outside.
“────────────”

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 She was at a loss for words for a while. It couldn’t be helped with
this unfamiliar city landscape. However, even though there was not
even a single pedestrian present, it was not something that could be
described with “nothing”.
An uninhabited street, with a street light flickering and a store
opened. However, the key element of people cannot be seen. Not
even, a stray cat was present.
“Is there anyone here?”
The girl stood and shouted loudly in the middle of the road. But
there was no reply. “Hello! Hello! Hello!” (TL note: First hello is said
in English, second hello in Japanese, third hello in Chinese) There was
no voice.
There was no sound.
There were no people.
Had time stopped or has humanity been brought to ruin?
While enduring the anxiety beginning to spread, the unnamed girl
continued to walk. When it became no longer just enough to walk,
she began to run.
“Someone──! Anyone──!”
Even after running until completely out of breath, nobody was
there. The only thing alive on this street was herself──
A dizzying spell. Although there were no memories, her common
sense was screaming that
something was “unusual”. There must be no humans on this street.
This was quite strange; this ought to be quite strange.
“What to do? A dream? Is this a dream?”
She lost her balance and collapsed. Even though she was lying on
the middle of the road, there was not a single person who found
fault in this.

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 The unnamed girl struggled to resist the urge to laugh. Once she
began to laugh, it felt that it would continue on until she died.
The girl prayed for this to be definitely a dream. Since it was a
dream, there was nobody on this street. Since it was a dream, it was
normal to have no memories.
Once waken up, this nothingness will disappear. She would return
to her daily life──despite not having any memory of what everyday
life was like.
The collapsed girl looked towards the sky──getting up at last upon
seeing a towering building.
“……If looked at this from above……”
If gazed upon from the tallest building, she should be able to see a
panoramic view of the town. The girl rushed to the tallest building
next to her, climbing up the stairs in a panic.
It’s fine, it’s just an illusion. The circumstances of no one being here
were simply by chance. Perhaps there was no one here because of a
nearby festival. This building as well, happened to just have no one
here.
From the rooftop, everything would be understood immediately.
The location of people present would be clear.
Out of breath. Rapid heartbeats. Because of falling down earlier,
there was quite a bit of pain coming from my shin.
Since there was pain, this was certainly not a dream.
She panted while running to the top of the building. After opening
the door, there seemed to be something resembling a coffee shop or
outdoor café, with stylish chairs and tables placed on the open
terrace.
……There wasn’t a single person. “But……!”
Grabbing the railing, gazing at the scenery unfolding before her
eyes──she fell to despair. Nobody was here. Unbelievably, in this
vast town, any creature other than herself did not exist. Her heart

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was in disarray. From this reality, perhaps it was impossible to leave
forever……?
Katan, a sound coming from other than herself resounded.
──Turning around to look back.
──The girl may have called this bad luck.
However, at this time, it was a miracle in of itself for her.
“…………Is, someone, here?”
A black and red Astral Dress that gave the impression of an icy cold
beauty.
Brilliant black hair, glittering porcelain white skin akin to a Bisque
doll, and a slender figure.
The girl in awe of this sight did not notice this abnormality.
Normally, people standing so gracefully on top of a chimney should
not exist.
Her beauty can undoubtedly enable people to automatically ignore
her anomalies. Ah, how pitiful of a backdrop this blue sky served for
her.
The girl surely thought so. The one that best matched her tastes
must be a dark night with a faint amount of moonlight.
“……Excuse.” “……Excuse me!!”
Shortly after that greeting, a bang sound resounded. A strong wind
pressure struck her ear.
“?”
As the girl stared blankly and tilted her head──their lines of sight
intersected. Her eyes blinked.
“My apologizes.”
A voice like a silver bell. After opening her eyes, she saw that the
girl in the dark clothes descended down from the chimney and
landed onto the ground in front of her eyes. Soon after, the girl
noticed how truly beautiful she was.

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 ──That pupil.
A clock was engraved on the left eye of the girl in black clothes. The
second hand made a ticking sound as it made a complete rotation.
Then, as if echoing that rhythm, the minute hand pressed forward
one step as well as well after each spin. The hour hand was rotating
at a lax speed difficult to see with the naked eye.
The beauty of an object working at a precise accuracy, it reached
an even more so brilliant level with the radiance also exuded.
The girl in black spoke with a shallow smile.
“Inadvertently, I fired a shot.”
Fired a shot? The girl tilted her head in confusion.
“Sell? Hit? Shot? (TL comment: All three words are homonyms in
Japanese)
It was shot.
Looking closely, the girl was holding an archaic styled short gun in
her hand. Looking back, the coffee table had been crushed.
“You shot at me!?” “Just shot.”
The girl’s back fell limp. Then, the girl in black spoke with a grin.
“……Yes, you’re still alive. You are”
The girl asked with a stunned look.
“……Are you an angel? Or a demon?”
“When said like that, shouldn’t it be a demon? You ought to
interpret it like that.” The demon snorted and smiled. Indeed, that
smile did not radiate any warmth. “No, I think it is an angel for me.”
Faced with the girl’s words, the demon narrowed her eyes.
The girl continued on.
“……I don’t have a name. I am just Empty. What is your name?”
“……My name is Kurumi.”
The girl in black, as if giving a supplication, said that name.
“……My name is Tokisaki Kurumi.”

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 “So, Empty collapsed on the side of the alleyway.”
Kurumi’s scarlet-red eye, as if piercing though a target, stared at
the unknown girl.
“Yes! So, where is this place, who am I, and why is there not
anyone here!”
Confronted by Kurumi’s indifferent facial expression, Empty (for
the sake of convenience, since
a name more appropriate than that couldn’t be conceived) kept
talking on and on. “Is it not possible to ask your questions one at a
time?”
“Ah──, uh──. So, who am I?”
Even when faced with Kurumi’s giggling laughter, Empty refused to
give up.
“I do not recognize your name at all.” “That’s what I thought!”
“But, I know what you are.”
“You don’t know who I am, but know what I am?”
Empty tilted her head with a confused look. Kurumi informed her
without delay.
“I, as well as you. We are not human beings, but rather an existence
known as Spirits.” “……Spirit……”
Spirit, the word that Kurumi had said.
Although the reasons were unclear, Empty could understand that
word without knowing the reason why.
“You, among them, are a type called a Quasi-Spirit.” “A……Quasi-
Spirit?”
“There’s not the formidable power of a Spirit, but certainly more
than a fleeting human being, an existence like a mirage. Although
having said that, since you’re not human you’ll suffer no illnesses, no
hunger. Traffic accidents cannot occur. You can also fly in the sky.
Correspondingly, a powerful ability may also be serviceable.”
“Seriously!?”

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 How amazing, it was worthy of being bestowed the name of being
a Spirit.
“But since you were just born, it would be impossible for you”
“Gakuri……” (TL note: Original Japanese is がくり a Japanese
onomatopoeia for a falling effect used to express shock. There’s not
really
an English equivalent, so I just went with the romanji)
Kurumi let out a giggle. It seemed that she found Empty’s reaction
to be pleasing.
“Additionally, here is the world where only Spirits live, a place
where once former humans live. Both heaven and hell. ──It is called
the neighboring world.”
“……Neighboring, world.”
Both heaven and hell, for those that were once human──the world
where Spirits lived.
“Of course, it is difficult to survive in this neighboring world.
Although you won’t necessarily die, it is quite hard to live here.
Incidentally, nobody will take care of you here. Everything must be
done relying only on yourself and so on.”
“I-is there a supervisor……?”
“As far as I know, I have never encountered an adult here.”
“Then……then, uhh perhaps. I who have no memories and no
relatives……”
Was this not despair? Was this not hell?
“Well, this inquiry is finished. Now then, if you may please go, I am
very busy.” “But you look to be free.”
“Merely just an appointment that’s all. ……Look, it’s here.”
Wondering who was coming, Empty turned her head to look back.
There was no one at the entrance to the roof. Just as Empty was
thinking, a voice poured down from above.
“Which person is the one who called me?”

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 The voice echoed from the sky. Confused, Empty looked upwards,
there another girl stood. It was a girl dressed in white and blue.
Her hairstyle was in sharp twintails resembling an insect’s antenna.
Her short skirt was fluttering against the wind as there was hint of
malice in her eyes. And one more important point, she was floating
in the sky.
“Sky……flying……”
“The one who called you is me.”
Kurumi replied back while taking a step forward.
“I suppose. But what about that child over there? An assistant?”
“It doesn’t matter if you let her go. Since that is just an empty that
has just formed.”
Ah, the girl nodded in the air as if understanding that.
“So, then you were the one who called me. Is that correct?” “Yes,
that’s right. Inui Yume-san.”
Inui Yume, the so called name of this girl, gave a smile full of
confidence.
“I didn’t intend to drag in someone who had just taken form. Come
to the sky.” “Certainly.”
Tap, Kurumi gently kicked against the concrete floor. Only by this
action alone, her body began floating in the air.
“Ah……”
Empty couldn’t help unintentionally let out her voice. Seeing that,
Yume sneered. “That expression is just like an abandoned dog.”
“Clearly she’s been tamed before raised, but I guess that’s
unavoidable for an abandoned dog.”
Cruel remarks passed as banter.
“I still have a mountain-load of questions to ask!”
“……I know. Then, please wait here. I will be back soon.” “Haah. Uh,
what are you going to do?”

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 Listening to that question, Kurumi and Yume both smiled together.
Smiling, making a facial expression as candidly as possible while they
both made that declaration.
“Slaughtering each other.”
The two immediately flew into the air like birds.
Empty pressed her head against the fence as she watched on
desperately──something resembling two people confronting in a
match could be confirmed.
Tokisaki Kurumi and Inui Yume were facing off against each other.
For a while, Empty stood dumbfounded, her shoulders abruptly
shaking from the thunderous roar. The two people floating in the air
began to dance against each other in the sky.
Nevertheless, that alone was still within a permissible range.
Meeting people who could fly in the sky in an uninhabited town was
undiluted fantasy. But what they were doing was──
“Really……killing each other……”
Shooting with a gun.
Soaring through the sky.
Trying to stab your opponent with a sword.
That is to say, no matter what flowery language was used to
modify this, it was perfect attempts at mutual massacre.

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 At noontime on the streets on an uninhabited city, two girls faced
each other under the backdrop of the blue sky.
One was a girl dressed in white and blue, with sharp twintails
reminiscent of antenna. The purity of her white and blue Astral Dress
matched the impression of a dress suitable for a world marked by
sunshine.
On the other side was a girl dressed in black and red. She had black
hair and an Astral Dress where the colors of red and black
intermingled with each other. However, her most distinctive
characteristic is her left eye. It was a clock──an eyeball ticking away
the time.
Gulp, Inui Yume swallowed her breath.
It was likely due to being on verge of death multiple times now. But
at a single glance, she could read her strength.
“So, why did you call out to me? Although it looks like it has
nothing to do with Doll Master.” Hearing Yume’s words, Tokisaki
Kurumi couldn’t help but smile.
“Yes, yes, that’s right. Completely irrelevant to that. There’s merely
something that I want.” “What do you want? I don’t have something
for you though.”
“There is something. An invitation has arrived for you, has it not?”
“……Heh, what? So it turned out to be that. You sure are a strange
person.” “Araara, ara. So, can you give it to me?”
Cheekily, Kurumi smiled.
In order to break that smile, Yume spat out from her mouth.
“No, if you want it, rely on your own strength──”
A gunshot echoed as an impact struck Yume’s shoulder at a
tremendous force. Yume’s eyes

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widened. In the blink of an eye, the girl in front had pulled out her
short gun.
“Oh, then please allow me to use my strength to hunt you.”
Kurumi smirked a little.
Yume didn’t intend on listening to this conversation until the very
end. It seemed that the other party was aiming to kill her from the
very beginning. With killing intent in her eyes, Yume manifested her
double edged sword (Estoc).
“Ara, is that your Unsigned Angel?” “Let’s go!”
“…..Yes. Please give it your all.”
Kurumi smiled. An extremely sinister expression appeared on the
black and red dressed girl floating in the sky. Perhaps due to this
unclear and oppressive feeling, Yume let out an imposing scream
while charging to attack.
The battle had started.
That being said, even when seen from Empty’s perspective, it was
clearly a one-sided battle. There was a difference in the speed of
flight. There was a difference in the range of attacks.
Despite Inui Yume’s attacks flying at a speed faster than the eye
could see, the girl dressed in
black and red easily avoided them perfectly. Incredible.
Was the existence of a so-called Quasi-Spirit so powerful in this
world? Empty could only breathlessly watch.
Inui Yume’s white and blue Astral Dress was now stained with
blood. An ugly vermillion, a
miserable scarlet red.
She was terrified. Killing each other was what she had expected.
However, the girl in front of her was a difficult enemy far beyond
expectations.
“So, if you hand it over to me, this problem will be resolved.”

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 The black and red girl declared. However, passing this over meant a
defeat. It was owed to her loathing, extreme loathing of defeat, that
allowed her to remain victorious.
“No! Absolutely no! How can I hand it over to someone like you!”
“How bothersome. I want to participate in this game that you also
wish to join. The fixed number
of participants has already been decided, so there cannot be any
mutual compromise between us.” “Clearly you talk about
compromises after the fact, I would have to modestly decline!”
“Here, is there no choice but to fight? I have already decided.
Decided to participate in that game.
For that reason, I’ll crush all obstacles to that goal.”
A chill ran down her spine. This Quasi-Spirit, impossible. It was no
exaggeration to say that attempts at communication would be futile.
Kill or be killed, there was only two choices.
“You, this──!”
Attacks swung down to their targets from the Estoc sword in her
hands. She understood, she understood that this was reckless.
Since, to speak from the very beginning, her attacks have not even
grazed the target……!
But she wanted to win more by participating in that game, to
become stronger. She could never fall at a place like this.
She had used many of her friends as food. For the sake of her own
survival, she had betrayed
them. So surely, in Yume Inui’s eyes, she was the main character of
this world. As things stand now, retreat was impossible……!
──How stupid. Why was it impossible to understand without being
alone?
In a low whisper.
A burst of pain. A hole had opened on her body. The Sephira
Crystal establishing her existence had been snatched away. Rather

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than hurting, it was a feeling of frightening loss. Surely, if looked at a
mirror now, an ugly expression of herself would be undoubtedly
reflected.
“I am the same as you. No, rather my willpower is much stronger. A
desire to be stronger? Is that
all? If it is just that, what a boring worthless wish──please do not
stand in front of me.”
A complete loss.
At the same time the invitation card was taken away, she clung
onto the girl’s foot with a single
hand. As the girl tried to shake her off in disgust, Yume tried to stop
her.
“Wait.”
“What else is there?”
“Tell me your dreams. I want to ask you, my dreams, what kind of
dreams I lost to.”
Kurumi opened her slightly shaking eyes. Inui was glaring at her
with preparedness for death in the corner of her eye. Saying a
falsehood now would not be allowed.
“My dream is──”
As Kurumi conveyed her dream, Yume let out a brief smile of joy.
“Yes. In that case, it would be worthwhile to disappear.”
She let go of her hand. For a moment, Kurumi’s body moved.
However, she was not qualified to
reach out to her.
Yume’s lost Sephira Crystal fell down.
The feeling of breaking down in the sky was not as unpleasant as
imagined──such a thought pondered in her mind at the same time.
◇

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 One person fell while one remained. What remained was the black
and red girl, Tokisaki Kurumi. Just as promised, she had returned.
“That, just now Inui-san, she……” “She’s dead.”
Kurumi coldly and ruthlessly announced. Dead, how? Was she killed
by the Spirit in front of her?
There was not too much sense of reality here. Was it because those
two were just flying in the sky beforehand? Simply, this conversation
felt like taking place in a fantasy world.
“Ara, are you scared?”
As Kurumi smirked, Empty nodded while perplexed for a brief
moment. Speaking of being frightened or not, it was certainly quite
terrifying. However, Empty remained miraculously calm. The girl in
front of her was not someone to be afraid of. No, it was as if
someone had whispered that she shouldn’t be afraid of her.
“But. I will be quite troubled if I leave you now! Although I am
sorry, please stay with me for a
while!”
This time it was Kurumi’s turn to look bewildered. Her eyes
repeatedly blinked swiftly as she stared at Empty. She was under the
impression it would be completely natural to flee now.
Then, it was Kurumi who broke the silence.
“Ha……I understand, alright. It looks like you’ll be at least a little bit
useful.”
Empty gently brushed her chest, lowering her head in gratitude
towards Kurumi.
“Thank you, I am in your care!”
──So, who am I after all?
And what should I do from now on?
Confronted by Empty throwing around various questions, Kurumi
giggled.

25
 “Who you are or not, of course I don’t know anything about it. Also
what you should do henceforth, I competently do not know.”
“That is, even though I know that you don’t know─!”
Despite the hopes for her being seemingly omnipotent, that
expectation was easily lost.
“Then, sorry to disturb you, but is there another Quasi-Spirit in this
town?” “It’s natural for there to not be any here. Since this town is a
stage.”
“Hah, stage. For singing?”
“Yeah, someone other than me will be singing. If you compare it
to……an ensemble of
desperate lament and painful shrieks.” “……?”
This girl couldn’t fully understand the meaning behind those words.
But anyway, Empty could
tell that she was talking about something painful and dreadful.
As Kurumi seemed to be aware of this, her face began to slightly
flushed red.
“Forget it.”
“That……no matter what those desperate lament is; it’s not
something that I can easily forget!”
Since the other party had already fired her gun once, she could
only implement a non-resistance
policy. But it was fine, she wouldn’t tell a soul! Since there was no
one here at all! “Look, I can see the destination gradually. Although
this is my destination.”
Kurumi firmly grasped the girl’s wrist. The strength of her grip was so
strong that even Empty felt some pain, but she still endured it.
She deeply felt that if she let go of that hand, Kurumi would
abandon her afterwards.
Besides, even with that strong grip……being held by someone
didn’t feel that bad.

26
 Looking over, the girl turned her eyes to the sky. In the middle of
the town, there was a strange building among all of the modern style
structures lined up. It was like a spiral, like a pyramid, with those
geometrics characteristics it was quite the bizarre building.
Kurumi pointed to the building as she spoke. “My destination is
that school building.” “……School building?”
“Yes, it’s a school building. Since that is a school.” “School?! Are you
serious?”
“Indeed, very much so.”
Ha─, Empty, completely unable to make sense of the circumstances,
sighed.
“So that is to say, this is the reason. We’re going to school. School
life, great. Nothing to think
about, just learning, it feels good! ”
“Oh dear, I would be of great support if you think that now.”
Kurumi distorted her smile into a bold grin. Despite her face having
such an ominous smile, the
girl couldn’t afford to care about it now.
Then again, even an ominous smile was completely fine. Since
there was nothing crueler than the feelings of loneliness felt at that
time.
The inside of the school building was quite chilly.
“The air conditioning is working, is it not?”
“Even though outside is not that hot, this Dominion is quite
unruly.” “Dominion?”
The girl was left puzzled by this unfamiliar word, but it seemly
unlikely that Kurumi would teach her the meaning behind that word.
However, judging from the grim expression Kurumi had while
muttering that word; the girl speculated that this word was
something unfavorable to her.

27
 “Just to be sure, I’ll ask you again. Do you wish to follow me?” “I
will go, I will go. I am following after you!”
From that quick answer without hesitation, Kurumi stared blankly
with an expression at a loss for words.
“─Now then, be prepared. Surely, you are not stagnating because
of fear. But that is never a
good thing, isn’t it?” “……”
At that instant, the girl fell silent.
“Although I brought you up here on a whim, could this burden be
too heavy for Empty?” “In the first place, I don’t even know what is
inside that building.”
Humans are afraid of the unknown──but.
It was impossible for humans to not be frightened of things they
don’t fully comprehend or things that they cannot touch. The fear of
the night is sparked by sentiments of “will it make you suffer” from
an enigma lurking in the dark. As such doubts are born, fear is
created.
Only an ignorant and innocent infant would not be afraid of
something that cannot be seen or known.
Based on that point of view, this girl was an infant.
Even after being told that she should be afraid, she didn’t know
what to fear. Kurumi thought for a while before it led to an easy to
understand method. “……Do you hate pain?”
“Uhh, that’s true.
“…...Are you scared of terrible things?” “Of course.”
“Do you like fighting?” “Eh.”
Kurumi whispered silently to the girl’s ear without waiting for a
reply.
“Empty, Empty-san. From now on, I am going to kill the Quasi-
Spirits. Are you also going to kill the Quasi-Spirits who are all shaped
like lovely girls?”

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 To kill, just like what happened to Inui Yume a moment ago. It
seemed from now on, she would continue to kill again.
……However, she couldn’t help but follow after her.
After all, what she knew now was only two points: “there are no
memories” and “a city built, with almost no one”.
Perhaps going forward may mean dying, but if she turned back
now she would surely die.
Returning back to that alley and decaying without thinking
anything, it was something which was absolutely not allowed to
happen.
To be left dead by inaction, granted even if God permitted that, she
couldn’t tolerate the same
herself.
Definitely. Absolutely.
◇
Empty was taken aback after accidently looking outside the
window. Taking a closer look, there was no sun shimmering light in
the blue sky. Rather, the whole sky was brightly lit overall.
“In this world, there is no sun.”
“Eh? ……That’s true, I guess a sun would be too large.” “Ah─this is a
different world after all.”
Kurumi glanced towards Empty while muttering to herself. As Empty
tilted her head, Kurumi let
out a ‘ha” sigh.
“Perhaps, that is it. As you have observed, here is a different world.
For you at least now” “Ah, as expected.”
“Let me explain later, if there even is a later.” “Wow!”
The situation there was surprising.
“So many……!”
There were many students.

29
 The interior style of the classroom, while a bit old, could be found
anywhere in Japan. There were wooden chairs and desks standing
side by side, and some crude characters written on the
already somewhat pale chalkboard. And what surprised Empty the
most where the “girls” sitting on the classroom chairs that seemed to
be of the same age as them.
Alive, breathing, and moving. There was no doubt that this
creature was a human being, a girl of the same generation.
Everyone’s clothes were varied; some were dressed in outfits
resembling school uniforms while others were obviously dressed in
casual clothes.
The girls turned their attention to Tokisaki Kurumi and Empty.
Under that gaze, Empty clutched her chest in relief understanding
that there were other living people besides Tokisaki Kurumi.
“That’s a relief. Sure enough, there are some people here who are
alive.”
If she had carefully examined their gazes, she would have probably
noticed that these stares held nothing but hostility, malice, and
murderous intent, but Empty was too happy to realize it at all.
On the podium, there were two dolls that were slightly larger than
a baby. One of the dolls had long chestnut colored hair and a red
kimono, giving it a somewhat gentle appearance. Rather
than saying “cute”, it would be more appropriate to say “beautiful”.
Naturally, it also included a translation of the Chinese characters.
The other one was a rather short blonde hair young boy doll. It was
wearing a pair of trousers and carrying a backpack that matched the
owner’s preferences. From that perspective, it was neither “cute”
nor “beautiful”. The word “gallant” would be most suitable in
describing it. For some reason, Empty thought of it as that.
Well, that appearance was not the problem.

30
 The biggest issue was that the kimono doll suddenly began to wave
its arms, leaning over and jumping from the podium.
“The doll moved……why……?” “Usually, it will not move.”
It was not relying on wires or external forces like motors to move.
Very naturally, its movements
came close to a human being’s actions.
The kimono doll opened its mouth.
“─May I ask you your name?”
The beautiful kimono doll spoke with a voice like a fair chiming bell.
Aside from being baffled and astonished, Empty had already given up
thinking about this. A doll was talking, this lack of common sense.
“New entry, my name is Tokisaki Kurumi.”
In that instant, the doll’s movements stopped. Its glass eyes stared
at Kurumi. “You cannot join the game unless you have an invitation
card.”
“Araaraara. It’s no coincidence; I’ve just received an invitation.”
Faced with those words, everyone but the two dolls stared at
Kurumi with a razor sharp gaze as if to cut apart her body.
Although Empty could not understand, as always Kurumi began to
explain in her own manner
“Against an exceptional person worthy of this invitation, it was
with ease for me defeat.”
After a brief silence, the doll gently swayed its neck. From Empty’s
point of view, the other party seemed somewhat reluctant. ……Even
though it was just a doll.
“……I understand. What about that one?”
Kurumi answered back with a smile.
“I brought her along. It seems she’s just appeared in this world.
Since everyone is here, I’m planning on using her as bait.”

31
 “That’s right. I am the bait brought by Kurumi-san……bait? Am I
bait?!”
Empty shouted in a panic.
“Ara, if you hate the word bait, you could also say decoy.”
“Doesn’t that mean the same thing!?”
“What is it now? A slave or servant would both work well. Not only
do you not need sleep, there is no requirement for payment. The
one that wantonly begged me, wasn’t that you?”
“But I didn’t ask for that! I don’t remember ever agreeing to
become a slave or servant!” “Well, well, that much is not good.”
“Those remarks are a violation of basic human rights!”
Empty’s looks of astonishment had already dissipated. A presence
like hers was already a common “phenomenon”. From time to time
in this world, a wandering lamb having lost everything would
occasionally appear.
Or to say it in other words, a wandering girl who had yet to part
with her own life.
“Certainly, the power of the Sephira Crystal seems to be a small as
gravel. I understand, I accept
this bait treatment.”
The red kimono doll had responded accordingly.
“I appreciate it.”
Kurumi gave her words of thanks. As it looked to be okay for her to
stay here, Empty was able to finally calm down and afforded herself
to look around.
Taking a closer look at the girls around the same age, it was
obvious that something unusual was in their hands.
They were weapons─objects that could fit under that definition.
Great swords, long spears, gigantic bows disproportionate to those
girl’s bodies──even though those were at least understandable,
there was also a huge inexplicable wooden cross.

32
 Clap, a conspicuously loud rupture. Looking at the strange doll
standing on the podium, it was striking its hands together.
Clap, clap, clap.
“Everyone, the participants of this time have all arrived as
scheduled. Please allow me to close the registration.”
The red kimono doll that had returned back to the podium softly
spoke out.
“Apologizes that I didn’t tell you this earlier, but my name is Akako
Machi. I will serve as the
referee of the game.”
Then, the short-haired doll spoke out in a stern voice.
“Likewise, Lycos will also serve as a referee. That is to say, our
words are also the words of Doll Master.”
Everyone displayed a complicated response to the word “Doll
Master”. Fear, anxiety, timidness,
fighting spirit, hatred, all of those various emotions intermingled in
the classroom.
“So then please raise your hand and introduce yourself in order.
Furthermore, I will point out
false declarations of weapons and Astral Dress here.”
Lycos turned its attention to Akako Machi. Akako Machi took the
list with one hand and slowly patrolled the classroom before
beginning to call out each name.
“Participant no. 1. Sheri Musika, please stand up!” “Here, here,
over─here!”
A brown tone girl energetically raised her hand. Her beautiful
appearance and cheerful voice was somewhat reminiscent of a
Brazilian style. With an innocent smile, she looked to have faintly
protruding teeth from her mouth to highlight her charm.

33
 Her clothes were extremely simple with black spats and a pink T-
shirt. It was better to say that it made her look considerably younger
than her actual age.
Embedded on her hand was a large optic lens── “Are those,
magnifying lens……unyah!?”
“Please don’t talk.”
Kurumi softly whispered while casually pinching Empty’s ass.
However, regardless of this,
Sherri stood up to face everyone, lowering her head while making a
peace sign.
“I am of the Fifth Spirit type, Sheri Musika! My weapon is the
Unsigned Angel <Sekhmet> (Hollow Flaming Demon Lens). Astral
Dress is Blazing Spirit Dress no. 28 <Yaqut>! So umm……should we
count the number of people killed?”
She said those cruel and dangerous words in a brisk tone.
“Umm……a joke……”
“……It’s not.”
“Hobbies are saving money! Hanging on to money to support
siblings!”
Empty nodded thinking that she might be a good child. From this
point, Lycos pointed out in a sharp voice. “However, she does not
have any brothers or sisters.” Empty was convinced that she was a
bad child.
“Ahahaha. Exposed─”
Even so, with no hesitation of what she just said, Sheri suddenly sat
back down on her chair.
“Participant number six.” “H-here!”
A girl stood up and bowed to the doll. Then, she lowered her head to
her surroundings as well. Although it would be rude to call it old-
fashioned, for some reason her white sailor suit and long navy blue
skirt felt like something belonging to an old standard.

34
 Her hairstyle seemed to match this with three old-fashioned braids.
The corners of her eyes looked to be slightly drooping, which made
her look quite mild──but there was also a fatal sense of discomfort.
The edge of a ring-shape knife emitting light was hanging from the
waist part of her skirt.
“…..Umm, what is that?”
“That is a chakram. It’s an ancient Indian throwing weapon.”
“Eight type Spirit, I am Tonami Furue. Weapon is the Unsigned
Angel <Silphid> (Wind Ring).
Astral Dress is no. 34 <Skywalk>. My hobbies are cooking and
sewing.”
With the sound of applause, Empty thoughtfully clapped her
hands. With a smile, Tonami waved her hand back.
Now this time for sure, Empty thought that she was a nice person.
“Incidentally, the chakram that one has, your head would come off
flying with a single strike.”
“No, but even so, I still want to believe she’s a good person……!”
If everyone was lovely, virtuous, and docile, then perhaps this
world would change into a dead space without a given pause.
Such a hunch tightly wrapped around Empty.
“Participant number 11. Blue……is it?”
“……Tsuan. Tenth type Spirit, Tsuan.” (TL note: Kanji 蒼 can be read
as blue or Tsuan)
The girl answered in a quiet voice in response to Akako Machi’s
question. Dazzling hair that snatched once sight away and a
determined gaze that cast a cold indifference everything, such
beauty had charm regardless of gender.
“I would like you to stand up.”
Hearing Lycos’ words, Tsuan stood up silently.

35
 In her hands was a long handle war halberd. A combination
weapon that combined a sharp spear with a Warhammer, it was free
choose between stabbing and smashing.
Empty turned her attention─their gazes intersected. Her heart was
beating extremely fiercely. Rather than shame or shyness, this was
due to an intolerable sense of dread.
“Weapon is Unsigned Angel <Lailaps> (Celestial Wolf). Astral
Dress……Extreme Death Spirit Dress no.15 < Brinicle>.”
Hearing what Tsuan had said, the classroom fell into chatter.
Everyone's eyes focused on her, but she gave a feeling of not
thinking about it, as she just stared at the scenery outside the
window.
“……Why did everyone get so noisy?”
“The name of <Lailaps> is famous in this world for defeating 100
opponents and crushing them
with a single blow.”
Indeed, if one could swing that weapon freely, it would be simple
to crush a single person.
“But, it’s impossible to lift such a weapon for a long time. She’s not
a gorilla.”
A sudden chill, the atmosphere of the classroom froze. Tsuan glared
at Empty─with that gaze,
Empty thought “Ah, I’m dead”. Starting from the top of the head, it
would be a single brush for
an attack.
Apparently, it seemed that Empty’s impression had brilliantly
rubbed the girl’s nerves the wrong
way.
Suddenly, Kurumi revealed a bright smile.
“Ara, ara, it seems that you are working on your role as bait very
quickly. I’m so happy you are working so enthusiastically.”

36
 “T-that wasn’t my plan in the least! How to describe it, it accidently
slipped!” “……Hobbies, none. That’s all. ……I am not a gorilla.”
“……Not a gorilla.”
Tsuan said it twice, perhaps to stress its importance.
While glaaaaaaring intently at Empty, Tsuan sat down. Empty
slammed her face downward to continue to escape from that gaze.

37
38
 “Now then……continuing on participant number 13.” “Yes~.”
The girl holding the crude wooden cross and doll stood up.
Compared to the other girls she was extraordinarily young. The girl
was like sugary confection covered in pink Lolita fashion. She was the
only one casting an innocent smile towards everyone since the very
beginning.
“Fourth type Spirit, Ibusuki Panie. Weapon is the Unsigned Angel
<Talos> (Bronze Monster). Astral Dress is Old Thread Spirit Dress no.
52 <Victoria>. Thank you for your consideration, Onee-chan.”
Faced with that smile was a blessing in this world. The only ones
who barely responded to it were Empty and Tonami Furue. The rest
all muttered “idiots” while casting a disgusted look.”
Since from the moment she appeared in this classroom, she and
everyone else here was not the same type of people.
Although Empty was the only one who couldn’t understand, but──
“……?”
“What’s wrong?” “Oh, no it’s nothing.”
Empty was the only one who perceived the subtle unnatural two-
face nature of Ibusuki Panie. That being said, it was truly a minuscule
uncomfortable feeling. For Empty’s thought process right now, it
would be best to do her utmost to grasp the current situation. It
would be unnecessary to be strongly attached to this subtle
information, so Empty immediately disregarded that uncomfortable
feeling.
“My hobby is sweets. Panie is happy as long as I get to eat sweets.
But, Panie needs a lot of
reiryoku to eat sweets. So, need to kill. Uhh.” “That’s a terrible
incentive……”
“Other people are likely to be similar.”
“Everyone’s trying hard! Hey, hey, ohh──!”

39
 Finally, Panie spoke while raising her arm, but nobody joined in
agreement.
“Participant number 15.”
“Yes! I am Hijikata Isami!”
A short-haired girl nimbly stood forward and lowered her head.
She looked to be part of a veritable sports department with sports
shorts and a blue jersey on top.
Her reddish brown eyes held an atmosphere of an unyielding will,
with a Japanese sword held in her hands (although it may be a bit
too big to be called that) she looked like a cheerful samurai.
In regards to the not only just her name and physical education
attire, Kurumi gave a look of disgust.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, that type, I’m not able to deal with.” “Ahh……I understand, I
understand.”
“Of course there is no other meaning behind that? Even though that
doesn’t exist, but……”
“I heard that! It doesn’t matter! Because you are also the type that
is difficult for me to deal with!”
Kurumi pursed her brow as Empty jumped up. Isami, while holding
up her Japanese sword, let out an ahahaha laugh with that look.
Then, the girl behind her supported her glasses up as she spoke.
“……Start introducing yourself quickly.”
“Oh, that’s right! I am of the First Spirit type, Hijikata Isami! My
weapon is the Unsigned Angel
<Yinbentabei>; Astral Dress is Special Military Astral Dress no. 28
<Heiseiwei>! Hobbies are fighting! Interest is also battle! Let’s all cut
each other down together! But ideally I would like to slash
unilaterally! Well, best regards!”
It transition from an athletic department to a human chopping
department.

40
 Indeed, upon a closer look there was a dangerous color in her eyes.
How to describe it; she looked to be the type that would kill people
cheerfully.
Continuing on, it was the girl who had cautioned Isami last time.
“Participant number 16.” “Yes.”
A long black haired girl wearing glasses stood up. She was wearing
a uniform: a navy blue blazer, white blouse, and a checkered skirt of
average length. The glasses were the so-called low- rimmed
spectacles that looked good being suspended above the corners of
her eyes.
If Isami was part of an athletic organization, then she would be part
of a literary one. It also gave the impression of having the attributes
of a super-aggressive discipline committee
member……as Empty would judge so.
The girl with the western-style bow crossed gazes with
Isami──exchanging fearless smiles.
There was likely a strong rivalry involved, Empty couldn’t help but
think that was the case.
“……Second Spirit type, Takashita Ayame. Weapon……Unsigned
Angel <Crotos> (Primitive Longbow); Astral Dress is Stellar Spirit
Dress no. 79 <Alnasl>. Hobbies are reading.”
After that brief introduction, Ayame and Isami crossed gazes once
again. In the absence of all other feelings, their fighting spirit began
to seep out.
“How nice, a rival, what a youth feeling!” “……If it is just youthful,
then it is fine.”
This was not just brimming in youthfulness. That point Kurumi made
very clear.
“Participant number 19.” “Ohh.”
Even in this particularly rich lineup, an eye-catching girl stood up.
Firstly were her clothes. A sailor suit with a tie removed along with a

41
long skirt. Held in a single hand was a long spear marked with a
poisonous color as it dripped down a quite disgusting purple liquid.
Golden hair, but it was obvious that it had been dyed. There were
marks of black hair on her head that make her resemble pudding.
Her expression seemed close to exploding. In other words, if given
the chance, her temper would explode immediately.
Compared to the other students,
“Ninth Spirit type, Nogi. Weapon is the Unsigned Angel <Basilisk>
(Joyous Poison Fang). Astral Dress is the Brilliant Spirit Dress no. 63
<Angel Dust>.”
“Ummm.”
Empty, having felt it was a bit unnatural for an introduction, gently
raised her hand.
“Yes, bait-san.”
“I know your last name, but what is your given name?” “……”
As Nogi sulked and shunted her face the other way, Lycos open its
mouth as a substitute.
“Her name is Aiai.” “Aiai.”
Lycos nodded gently as it said her name again.
“Nogi Aiai.”
“……That’s an interesting name!”
Extremely quiet, the atmosphere in the classroom froze once
again. Even Kurumi had a
dumbstruck “what did you just say……” expression on her face. “To
say a name is interesting is really embarrassing……”
Aiai muttered with a murmur.
“……Uhh, I’m sorry.”
“Head to the back of the school building later to pay me back.”
“Hiiiiiiii!”
Empty clung onto Kurumi’s arms, but Kurumi, feeling that it was

42
inconvenient, quickly pulled
her away.
“Participant number 23.”
The next one to stand up was a very strangely dressed girl. Slightly
brownish hair, a slim body, and above all, her face were hidden
underneath bandages.
While standing up, her movements felt a bit rigid likely due to
concealing her face with bandages. Her clothes also stood out
excessively like a sore thumb, resembling just like a patient’s
pajamas. Even though there was sense of cleanliness in that cyan
color, it still looked out of place in the classroom.
“……Sixth Spirit type, False Proxy. Unsigned angel <Gyges> (Invisible
Finger). Astral
Dress……Hollow Spirit Dress no. 19 <Mastermind>.”
She stood up indifferently, bowed her head indifferently, and sat
down indifferently.
“Are you……sick?”
She did not react at all to Empty’s whisper. Kurumi stared at her
intently. Merely on the account of spite.
Merely on the account of annoyance.
……From this, it was a little strange for Empty.
“Participant number 27.”
Hearing Lycos address the crowd, a girl with plain bundled black
hair silently raised her head. Her clothes were a remodeled indigo
blue colored sailor uniform, with a short skirt to the point of being
overexposed. From the gap of that sailor uniform, a fluttering black
lace was visible; in any case, it was obviously not chainmail.
With a fierce expression, a sharp glint in her eyes wary of
negligence, and a glimpse of those fiendishly seductive thighs……it
was exactly just like a kunoichi.

43
 She appeared to be strong. Very, very, quite much so appearing to
be strong. But for some reason, there was a very dangerous
atmosphere surrounding her, as if she would say “Ku, kill me……”
after being caught by the enemy.
“Seventh Spirit type, Sagakure Yui. Weapon is the Unsigned Angel
is <Qibaoxingzhe> (Seven Treasure Pilgrim>. Astral Dress is……Hidden
Form Spirit Dress no. 34 <Idzuna>……nice to meet you.”
She whispered coldly before immediately sitting back down.
“…….It seems to me that you are the type to say “Ku, kill me” after
being caught.” “……!”
In the moment Kurumi whispered that, Empty judged it necessary to
immediately pinch her own stomach with all her strength to prevent
another mishap, but nothing had happened.
“……”
But while she continued to stare at this scene, there was no
incident at all. Having said that, it was not herself, but Kurumi
instead──of course Kurumi was also keeping her focus resolutely, but
she look calm otherwise.
“Participant number 29.” “She is absent.”
Upon hearing what Kurumi had said, Empty tilted her head──but in a
short while let out a dumbfounded expression.
It was her. She was girl that fell during her vicious fight against
Kurumi and disappeared like sea foam.
Akako Machi and Lycos nodded after looking around the classroom
and confirmed that she was not here.
“Attendance number──none. For convenience, it will be number
29.” “So it’s me.”
Sitting next to her, Kurumi had stood up.
Then with a charming voice, she gave a bombastic self-
introduction.

44
 “Third Spirit type, Tokisaki Kurumi. Angel <Zafkiel>. Astral
Dress──Spirit Dress of God's Authority, Number 3 <Elohim>.”
This time the atmosphere did not become noisy. The space
froze──no time had stopped. “……Angel? It is not an Unsigned
Angel?”
Tonami Furue timidly raised her hand to ask a question to Akako
Machi. The doll then rotated its head in rebuttal of those words.
“No, Tokisaki Kurumi has an Angel. Clad in an Astral Dress of God’s
majesty. That is to say──she is a so-called genuine Spirit.”
It was such a heavy silence that even the sound of someone’s
breathing could be heard.
The atmosphere became extremely unstable. Although Empty did
not know why, the girl known as Tokisaki Kurumi had revealed her
identity without any concern. It seemed even among this group of
distinctive personalities, she remained top-class──a girl worthy of
reverence.
Empty looked around to observe everyone’s reactions.
Almost everyone was shaken and exchanged glances with nearby
people. The only exception was the girl named Tsuan. She tightly
kept her focus on Kurumi without wavering──even when her line of
sight intersected with them.
Immediately, Empty’s mind felt the danger of just like encountering
a bear in a forest, as she couldn’t help but look away.
Meanwhile, Kurumi smiled and waved her hand back every time
her gaze intersected with
someone else’s.
“……Can you believe that?”
As Nogi Aiai muttered those words, several people expressed their
agreement. Others seemed to be too afraid to cross gazes with
Kurumi.

45
 Lycos once again clapped its hands to gather everyone’s attention.
“So far, ten people have arrived.”
“U-uhh. Haven’t I not given my introduction yet?”
Empty sharply raised her hand.
“It is unnecessary.”
Lycos replied back with a voice that clearly expressed boredom.
“I-I always feel that you are excluding me!” “Alright. U─hh, what is
your name?”
“My name! Empty! Ah, I’m called that name for the sake of
convenience.” “Astral Dress……it appears it doesn’t exist!”
“Since I don’t quite know what an Astral Dress is, probably not!”
Empty spoke out with her head stood proud.
“This guy really was just born……”
As if amazed, Nogi Aiai muttered out.
“When I was born? I am about 17 years old……anyhow I think I am
around that age.”
While tilting her neck, Nogi Aiai muttered out an “ah──……” while
pressing her hand against
her face.
“Uhhh, Empty-san. We are not humans.”
Tonami timidly spoke out.
“Yes, I know that, but…..?”
As Empty slanted her head in confusion, Tonami let out a sigh.
“Can I leave it to Tokisaki Kurumi-san to explain everything from
the beginning?” “Eh, I don’t want to. It’s too much of a hassle.”
“Please explain if you can!”
Empty’s shoulders were shaking, but Kurumi still looked the other
way.
“──We are not human beings.”

46
 Nogi Aiai muttered out loud. At that moment, Empty’s movements
came to a complete stop.
“That’s right. We are Quasi-Spirits. Although we use to be human,
we are now an existence living in the neighboring world. What we
need now to survive is not a heart but the Sephira Crystal. What is
necessary more than anything is a……dream.”
Tonami took over speaking for Nogi Aiai.” “……Dream……?”
The girl softly nodded while smiling.
“You can also consider it as a purpose for consciousness. Our
physical bodies do not exist. So, if
you think about it, it is just like a ghost.” “A……ghost?”
“I want to do this, I want to be like that──if there is no such dream,
Quasi-Spirits cannot survive. I do not get hungry, but I cannot survive
unless I want to eat delicious food. If you want to dress yourself with
beautiful clothes, if you want to keep singing, just keep wishing to do
so. And──”
Isami stood up with a fearless smile.
“If you don’t fight, a Quasi-Spirit is also unable to survive. Just like
us!”
“Yes. Fighting, fighting, killing each other. If you don’t cut down
each other lives, you can only see the reality of survival fade away.”
Adding on to Takeshita Ayame’s words, Sagakure Yui continued on.
“──At the end of gradually fading away, all that waits is
annihilation. Since we are creatures
that can only continue to live by consuming our dreams.” “Uhh. I-if
that is the case……is everyone?”
Empty looked on at Lycos──the doll nodded while declaring with an
awe-inspiring voice.
“The ten people here have gathered together to kill each other.”
Empty was at a loss for words.
“This is a war (date).”

47
 Lycos declared.
“This is a mutual battle at close quarters (date).’
Akako Machi spoke out.
“In order to decided who will stand at the very end.”
Lycos continued on.
“Please, please do your best to kill each other.”
Akako Machi declared.
Lycos gently took out a jewel like object from a bag. The size was
probably around a baseball. However, it was too strange to be called
a gemstone. Describing it, it was like smaller fragments sticking
together with adhesive……from that appearance it produced a
feeling of unease.
“To the one that survived, the ruler (Dominion) of the tenth region
(Malkuth), Doll Master, will
provide her this Sephira Crystal.”
“Amazing……”
Fuu, someone let out an exhilarated sigh.
“Uh, what is the Sephira Crystal?”
Empty turned towards Kurumi while asking. After thinking for a
moment, Kurumi thrusted her
hand into Empty’s chest, softly sinking her fingers into her chest. “I-
iyah?”
Kurumi ignored Empty’s cry of confusion.
“The so-called Sephira Crystal is like a heart for a Spirit. No, it is the
heart. We are producing reiryoku from that small crystal.”
“If it disappears──” “You’ll die, won’t you?”
“Eh. In that case, is it possible that is a huge Sephira Crystal?”
In all honestly, there was only a bad sense of foreboding coming
from that. As Empty was thinking so, Akako Machi unexpectedly
replied back very calmly.

48
 “This Sephira Crystal is the weight of a hundred Quasi-Spirits. That
is to say, the one that obtain
this will gain the power of a hundred people.” “One hundred
people……”
Everyone held their breath, peeping out their surroundings to survey
the circumstances. If one was not careful, a brawl to the death would
soon begin at this place. The fighting spirit filled the room at an
accelerated pace.
“──If you want this power, roar out proof that you are strong. That
is the message from that
person.”
“Things like that are being thrown in for a momentary game……I
can’t believe it.” Akako Machi rotated its neck to refute Ayame’s
mutters.
“For my superior, it is not a game. It is in earnest. By acquiring this
Sephira Crystal, the victor
can finally fight my superior at an equal footing. Otherwise, that
person will not survive.” “I see. Then you are in the same position as
us.”
──You cannot survive without fighting. If you don’t kill each other,
you cannot survive. It wasn’t good if there was an overwhelming
power difference. As for knowing why, there was no fulfillment in life
with such a gap in prowess.
“Everyone, there is no objection. If you want to refuse, leave this
classroom silently.” Lycos’ attitude turned serious.
Not a single person tried to leave the classroom. Not even Tonami
who appeared weak, or Ibusuki Panie who looked ill-suited for battle,
did not intend to leave.
“Hey, hey, doll-san. How should we get started? Ready, set, and
begin killing each other all at
once?”
Panie had asked.

49
 “Opposed! I am opposed! Perhaps it is just a rough idea, but I
believe that I will get dragged into
something terrible in front of my eyes!” Empty, sensing a bad feeling,
raised her hand. Akako Machi, who ignored her, replied back.
“As it is, that is out of the question since it the amount of influence
luck holds becomes an issue rather than it being purely a
competition for strength. Please leave this classroom every five
minutes. The order of going out will be determined by lottery. ”
“Well──. In that case, it would be better to leave as soon as
possible. Since you can ambush them one by one afterwards.”
Listening to Panie’s words, everyone’s attention except for Isami
focused onto Kurumi. Only Isami was looking on with brighten irises.
Kurumi then spoke while laughing cheerfully.
“In that case, I want to get an early pick as possible. It seems that
the longer you wait, the more
you’ll become targeted.”
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Be sure to let us go first!”
Empty desperately appealed, but the doll continued to ignore her.
“Trying to seize every opportunity is no good.” “It’s a very serious
problem for me!”
Akako Machi took out a paper box where lottery slots could be
drawn from.
“My apologizes for the preparations being somewhat simple,
please draw lots from here.”
The Quasi-Spirits all drew out from the lottery as they pleased.
Empty was giving her prayers while at the same time intently
watching Kurumi draw from the lottery──.
The result.
“To go so far as to be the very last. To go so far as to be the very
last. Kurumi-san, you didn’t have any lottery luck at all!”

50
 “You’re too noisy, Empty-san. Well, anytime is okay for me.” “Did
you take my life properly into account?”
“No way.”
“That’s too awful──”
Glancing over at the exchange between the two, Sagakure Yui
stood up.
“So, I am up first.”
Everyone stealthily glanced at her appearance. Sagakure glanced
back at Empty──Empty clutched tightly against Kurumi in fear.
“The Sephira Crystal will be mine.”
Opening the door to the classroom, Sagakure’s figure quickly
disappeared. Kurumi looked on at her while quietly whispering
something to Empty. “You, I wonder if you are willing to be useful?”
“Can I survive if I do that?”
“If handled carefully, it would be for the best going forward.”
Despite Empty feeling a bit uneasy with that reply, there was no
other choice but to continue to grab onto this chance.
“W-what should I do?”
“It’s very simple. Just ask them before they leave. What are they
wishing for, what are they fighting for. Fortunately, you are
powerless. That is something everyone understands……so they might
open their heart to you.”
“……I’ll try.”
Empty stood up and looked around at the students. If pressing on
in any order, the first person to ask should be the girl named Tsuan,
but──
“U-uh……” “……”
Responding to that voice, Tsuan turned to look at Empty.
“──────────Ah.”

51
 People will sometimes die from just being stared at. Empty was
experiencing that sensation in earnest right now. She felt that she
would be cleaved opened just for trying to reach out to her hand.
Rather than hatred, it was better to say that she had no interest in
Empty. However, Empty also felt that this time she would end up
dead if she let her curiosity get the better of herself.
“……It’s nothing……”
Tsuan’s interest faded away as Empty hastily withdrew.
The sound of giggling laughter. Turning around to look, Tonami
Furue was waving her hand in invitation. Feeling saved, Empty sat
down right next to her.
“H-Hello.”
“It’s hard work, getting involved in such a situation soon after
being born.” “Y-yes. It’s quite not easy. Umm……how do you know I
was just born?” “Us Quasi-Spirits are born relying on our own the
reiryokuken.”
“Reiryoku……ken?”
“Hmm──let’s say for example, you have this manju here, right?”
“Yes.”
Tonami placed the white manju on the desk. After that, while
clenching her fist with nothing held, she opened her hand once
again. There, another white manju appeared in the palm of her hand.
“Alright, now there are two.” “Eh, a magic trick?”
“No, I created the manju with reiryoku. The reiryokuken is the
boundary that we create. I am literally omnipotent within its interior.
It can create desired things and the situation I hope for──”
Listening to Tonami’s words, Empty hurriedly held out her hand.
“…..Un──come out Castella, come out Castella, come out Castella!
Sweet, fluffy, and with a
thick syrupy filling, come out Castella!”
She opened her hands.

52
 It did not appear.
“It’s not coming out.”
“Yeah, of course there are several conditions for a magic trick just
like now. You can only reproduce the same items at hand or those
that would not be considering strange to the surrounding
background. For example, textbooks and chalk can be created in this
classroom. However, a knife wouldn’t work, since it would be strange
to have a knife in a classroom.”
“Ha──……”
“Also, the items that can be produced will change in proportion to
the size of reiryoku. Empty- san is likely at the level of not being able
to produce anything yet. Hard to say, but you’re at the level of
classroom……fluff?”
“Only at the level of fluff!”
Tonami giggled while nodding her head.
“So that is how everyone knows that Empty-san was just born.
Since, if you can’t develop the reiryokuken for yourself, you’ll die
from only being lightly tapped.”
“H-how can I get the reiryokuken to appear!”
“If taught to you, will you participate in the killing? Since being able
to generate a reiryokuken means that you will be considered a
possible threat. It might even make your Unsigned Angel and Astral
Dress manifest soon.”
Empty groaned upon hearing Tonami’s words. “Ugh, ughhh.
But……”
“Although it is really dangerous not being able to use the
reiryokuken, your current situation
might be a bit safer, Empty-san.” “It’s time, Tonami Furue.”
Akako Machi turned to inform Tonami. Tonami stood up with an
apologetic smile on her face.

53
 “So, I will be taking a step out first. Good-bye, Empty-san.” “Y-yes.
Please take care~.”
As Empty waved good-bye, Tonami also bashfully returned the
gesture in kind before leaving.
It was difficult to imagine that she was throwing down the gauntlet
and entering a battle after this──she looked just like a student going
home from school.
Empty let out a sigh as she decided to challenge the next Quasi-
Spirit.
“I have nothing to say to you.”
Takashita Ayame unhesitatingly refused to converse with Empty.
“D-don’t say that.”
“Likely, it’s Kurumi who told you to inquire some information,
right?”
“Absolutely not, there is no such thing like that at all?” (TL: Entire
sentence is said in katakana in JP, likely to convey
Empty’s guilt at lying)
Ayame coldly stared at Kurumi. In turn, Kurumi feigned ignorance
while staring out at the window, all while still mindful of that gaze.
“As I thought, I can’t imagine her as a Spirit.” “Spirit……is that
different from a Quasi-Spirit?” “Completely different……comparing
those two that is!”
It was Hijikata Isami who interrupted abruptly. Ayame glared at her
with an irritated expression, giving the impression that Isami had
forcibly wedged herself into the conversation.
“Y-yes!”
“So, that is to say, there is not just Quasi-Spirits here, there are
official ones as well?” “Yes……it’ll be just like that.”
“And one of them is Tokisaki Kurumi!”

54
 “……One of the initial ones. The living beings that first existed in
this world. We just happened
to get lost in this world by chance.”
Empty tilted her head in response to Ayame’s statement. “Did
you……get lost?”
“Eh. This is the neighboring. The neighboring world. In that case, the
world adjacent to this one is──”
“That is to say, it’s the world where we used to exist. Memories
and common sense are likely
obtained from when you lived there. Me as well, that is generally the
case for everyone!” “……Like that……”
Empty placed her hand against her chest while thinking about
herself.
Even if she couldn’t remember anything, she would at least like to
know a name.
While watching Isami and Ayame leave, she wished for that.
“Everyone, are you all dead?”
Inconsistent with her youthful face, Panie calmly blurted out the
contents of her cruel imagination.
“Dead……?”
“So, here is heaven……or hell, or at least I think it is such a place.
Panie and everyone else can hardly remember anything but names,
but I only remember encountering very painful things. So I
remember once praying that I didn’t want to die.”
It may have been an accident.
She may have been bullied and chose death.
Or it may have been so abrupt that she didn’t know how she was
killed.
“Just by using the reiryokuken here, you can eat cakes every day
and not gain weight, all of that is very good.”

55
 “In that case, why fight?”
Suddenly, all of Ibusuki Panie’s movements had stopped. “──I will
die. I have to fight.”
Empty was left puzzled by that reply. It was clear that dying by battle
was a possibility, but it was strange to think that she would die if she
didn’t fight.
“It’s not what you think. ……Um───, Panie thinks that her choice
will begin tomorrow. So, need to work hard to survive till tomorrow.”
As Panie said so, she left the classroom while following the
instructions from the doll.
“Starting around tomorrow……you’ll start?”
Looking at Kurumi──she seemed to be eavesdropping on that
conversation while gesturing with her hands.
“U-uhh. Hello, False-san.” “……”
The girl turned her face away in silence.
“I want to talk a bit with you, what do you say?”
Silence.
Just five minutes of silence, she quickly stood up and left the room.
“Ahahahaha, you got rejected.”
“Being rejected is unpleasant to hear! That person is just shy!”
“Even though I don’t understand it that well, that’s probably not
it!” “Oh no──it’s just simply being ignored.”
And so, the ones who came over to talk were Sheri Musika and
Nogi Aiai.
“Sheri-san……”
“You’ll be coming over to talk to us anyway, right?”
“Well, I……I don’t want to talk about things important to myself.”
(TL: Nogi switches from the feminine I (atashi) to the masculine I
(ore))
“Aiai-san……”

56
 “S-stop calling me that name, you bastard! Call me Nogi! No─gi─!”
Nogi began to pinch and twist Empty’s face. Looking on at this
scene, Kurumi clutched her
stomach in order to suppress her laughter. “Ouccccccch, sorry, sorry,
I wasn’t careful!” “So, what did you want to ask?”
“Well……what is the Sephira Crystal?”
“The source of our lives and power. For me, that person, and also
for you as well.”
With a tap, Nogi struck her own chest with her fingers. “Well, to be
accurate, we only have the fragments.” “Fragments……?”
‘Only the original existence has a true Sephira Crystal……a Spirit.
What we have is sort of like a
fragment of that.”
“Is there any difference?”
“Even from just a fragment, the size and energy capabilities would
vary. But if it was a true Sephira Crystal, we can do nothing against its
power…...”
Nogi folded her arms to ponder it over for a while before opening
her mouth to convey her thoughts.
“Right. For a comparison, it’s like a disaster. While we are
overstretching past the human level, a Spirit has the feeling of a
typhoon coming to destroy everything.”
“……Although that’s being said, probably Aiai as well has not seen a
real Spirit yet.”
“Eh, Kurumi-san is……”
Tokisaki Kurumi.
An existence of a different magnitude compared to a Quasi-Spirit, a
genuine, authentic Spirit.
“I don’t agree with what that guy said.” “Is that so? She looks real
to me.”
Nogi frowned in response to Sheri’s words.

57
 “Hey. If that is true, we wouldn’t be opponents that can match
her.”
──The power of a Spirit, it is distinct from the Quasi-Spirits that
exist here. It’s not just the case of being in a different magnitude.
The species is different, the point of origin is different, and most of
all, the power itself is different.
“Well, if you can reach the level of the Dominion, I don’t know……”
“Ah, uhh, what is this Dominion? Is it a card game series to play
with friends?”
“You are totally wrong. ……The so-called Spirits, one day they all
disappeared from this world. Although there were some areas that
didn’t have Spirits to being with, but anyway all of them disappeared
completely. It’s rumored that they went beyond to the other world.
That is to say, this neighboring world suddenly does not belong to
anyone anymore.”
God was gone.
The king had abdicated.
In other words, this was the battle to decide the next king.
“Now, this neighboring world is currently dominated by the Quasi-
Spirit that is closest to an actual Spirit. That is the Dominion.”
“Hah, I see.”
Empty nodded her head.
“But if you can capture that lump of Sephira Crystal──you can
obtain a power comparable to
them.”
Sheri’s facial expression suddenly turned into something that
would inflict chills to people that
saw it. Empty couldn’t help but keep her distance from her, but Nogi
instead boldly laughed.

58
 “…..Yes──that Sephira Crystal is absolutely worth killing everyone
for.” “Eh, can it be solved peacefully?”
“Do you think it can be solved peacefully?”
It most likely wouldn’t work, Empty considered. The doll had said
earlier that it was the equivalent of a 100 Quasi-Spirits. If they could
gain the power of a 100 people, it was no wonder that everyone was
motivated.
“Oops, it’s my turn now. Well then, see you next time.”
“Next is me……Then, the last one is the self-proclaimed Spirit,
survive properly will you? Since
you ought to be killed by me.”
“Ara, ara, I’m looking forward to seeing you.”
Kurumi giggled while watching Nogi leave the classroom.
──Afterwards, Empty finally walked towards Kurumi.
“You haven’t begun to gather any useful information. How
useless.”
“No, it was all very helpful for me. No, it’s because Kurumi-san did
not clearly inform me, so it
couldn’t be helped.”
“A lady should not chatter and jeer without cease.” “So, is Kurumi-
san really a Spirit?”
Finally, Empty had asked this to Kurumi.
Everyone recognized that power. The Spirits, that which is said to
be strongest to the point of being categorized as a different species.
If Kurumi was among them, Empty had to ask her.
“Yes, you are right. I am a Spirit──a genuine one.”
Without showing off, the girl had spoken. She couldn’t tell if this
was lie, since the two had not
spent enough time for her to discern the truth.

59
 Empty raised her voice with an impressed cry in admiration. If she
stepped in to too heedless territory, that old-fashioned pistol would
soon be raised from her hands and aimed at her head.
But, only this she had to ask.
“……Why are you participating in this battle?”
According to the previous conversation, a Spirit already possessed
a special Sephira Crystal. In that case, there was no point in getting
that.
Even if called a Spirit, the circumstances can still vary. ……I wasted a
bit of power. So, I would like that Sephira Crystal as a backup power
supply. Since I am a Spirit anyway, it’ll be easy.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“It is time, well then Tokisaki Kurumi-sama.” “Yes.”
Kurumi stood up and walked out with her gun in hand. On the verge
of leaving the classroom, she spoke to Empty.
“So, let’s go, eyewitness-san.” “Ah, um……I know, let’s go.”
Just before leaving the classroom, she noticed Lycos and Akako
Machi staring at them. Incidentally, those dolls──at first Empty
thought to herself “what the hell were they”.
No one thought it was strange that the dolls moved and laughed,
or was that the power of the Dominion “Doll Master”?
Lycos and Akako Machi gently vocalized in a classroom where
everyone had left.
“Nine attendees, one absent, one proxy.”
“In accordance with those with the naming bearing the Quasi-
Spirits, use the Unsigned Angel as
a slaughtering device to massacre the enemy.”
“Lust and hope, clad in despair and desire, dancing in madness.”
“Submit all the blood and souls. Make your way to the shrine.”
“Come now──let us begin our war (date).”
Soundless.

60
Silence.
Soon after, a sporadic clap, clap, clap, sound was heard.

61
 Soon after leaving the classroom, Empty clung tightly onto
Kurumi’s back. “What is it?”
“No, since. It has already started?” “Yes.”
“Aren’t you worried about being ambushed from a sneak attack?”
“Of course, there are concerns. Only……I know if there is one, there
will only be one person
who would ambush me here.” “She is──”
Just at the moment where she was going to ask who, Kurumi
grabbed Empty’s back, kicking
apart the window of the corridor to leave from that place.
“Huh──?”
Immediately afterwards, the space where Kurumi and Empty just
stood had melted away.
“Ehhhhhhh!?”
“It would be better to close your eyes and hold your breath──”
From the melted corridor, smoke was evoked at a furious
momentum. Empty, who closed her eyes, felt her body being
embraced by the sensation of floating in the air.
It appeared that she had been caught and then picked up with a
single hand. To be honest, due to the intense vertigo from flying and
the gravitational pull, she was about to roughly do an act
unbecoming of a girl.
“I-I feel sick……DEATH.”
“If you throw up now, I’m going toss you aside!”
Empty muttered to herself, as expected Kurumi used all of her
effort to ridicule her into standing up. Suddenly, the sensation of
floating disappeared.

62
 Fearfully, she began to open her eyes.
A bright blue sky──her own hand grabbing onto Kurumi’s. And also,
in front of her eyes. “Aiai-san……?!”
“Like I said, call me Nogi!”
Aiai Nogi gripped a long spear that was dripping with a purple
liquid.
“As expected, I can hardly believe you are a Spirit. ……Anyway,
everyone else is probably carrying out a policy of continual
observation for you.”
Despite the Spirit giving her name and revealing her appearance,
her true strength was still unknown. Therefore, the remaining eight
must have chosen to “observe” instead. Likely, Nogi also believed
this to be the correct choice.
Despite believing that, she also thought that selecting such a
gutless choice was truly bullshit.
“So, it’s up to me to fight this self-proclaimed Spirit!!”
Softly, a glimmering reiryoku overlaid itself on her uniform to form
an Astral Dress.
“Ara, ara, ara.”
“P-please wait a moment. Do you feel like fighting on the roof of a
small tower like this!? At
least do it in a safer place!” “Grate──<Basilisk>!”
Accompanied by a low growl, the tip of the spear was thrusted
towards Kurumi.
──Nogi Aiai was born to parents who gave her a comical name in a
jestful manner.
To a degree it could be called surviving, her childhood itself could
described as a thing of misery. But after becoming a high school
student, she directed all of her strength to reverse her fate.
She thought she should live alone. She prayed sincerely of wanting
to be in a place with no connection to love and friendship.

63
 Sometimes this decision occasionally made her feel lonely, but in
many cases it brought a calm sense of serenity.
Even if it meant pointed by others and called a wicked girl.
That was the way of life she had chosen. Therefore, she did not
care.
The only feelings of disgust were towards her own name.
……Besides, it was not because it was a cute name that did not fit
with her own image. If it carried both of her parent’s hopes, her own
hopes, if that name meant entrusting her with something, then it
wouldn’t matter what that name was.
Anything would be okay.
Her mother once said while drunk, “I don’t remember how I gave
you your name.” Probably, she
was laughing uncontrollably, humming some song with Aiai in it. On
that day, she decided to leave home without hesitation.
She was invited to the neighboring world when she thought about
using the money she had earned from the sale of the brand-name
bag that her mother cherished.
It was here when the reaction came.
Falling into this neighboring world, it felt sweet as sugary
confectionery and poisonous as nicotine.
Having said that, in Nogi Aiai’s mind, the memory just described
does not exist. She remembered the name. The weapon called the
Unsigned Angel in her hands and the Astral Dress that served as
armor.
Compared to reality, this was like paradise.
You could get food by fighting. Victory meant living. In the opposite
world, no matter how
much you fight, you can’t get food. Even if you won, nothing was
obtained.

64
 What had been forgotten in the past, she did not intend to recall it
ever again.
……Only, only this name could not be discarded. It wasn’t out of
love for her parents. It was
because this name was the only peerless proof of her identity. Other
than that, there nothing left anymore.
She had forgotten the faces of her family as well as the thoughts of
any cherished memories with anybody. She regarded no one as a
necessary existence nor did she become a necessary existence for
anyone else.
Therefore, even if she was laughed at several times, she did not
intend to change her name. There was only one thing that she
decided. To surely kill anyone who laughed at her name.
Nogi Aiai had decided so.
At the moment, that girl attacked with the spear she was holding,
Empty finally understood that
this attack was the beginning of “killing each other”.
The Quasi-Spirits that had left earlier had all stopped, watching on
from the sidelines.
“How truly impatient.”
“I wanted to wait for another 50 years!”
Kurumi trivially avoided the poison released. If touched, it would
surely fester. If it reached the eyes, it would inadvertently cause
blindness. But if even if the poison could kill a person within 5
minutes, it was meaningless if avoided.
“Don’t underestimate me!”
The liquid that should have already fallen twisted and turned to
once again to attack Kurumi, sweeping past her Astral Dress.
“How convenient to have a tracking function……!”

65
 Kurumi fell down while holding Empty aside. Empty raised a
scream, but even if she didn’t faint,
the frantic running around in circles made it a supreme effort to
resist the urge to vomit. A liquid snake that rushed over at a speed
over 200 kilometers per hour.
Dodge, dodge, dodge.
If even the slightest scratch was taken, a poisonous fang would
erode away its prey’s life. A legendary monster that petrified
onlookers, the snake king Basilisk was an adequate name for this
Unsigned Angel.
“<Zafkiel>────!”
Behind the falling Kurumi, a huge clock had appeared. The hour
hand looked disconnected from the dial holding it. Empty looked at
this with a dumbfounded stare.
“What is this?”
Kurumi did not reply as she spoke to herself.
“Only having one hand is really inconvenient, sure enough if I let
you go──”
“Please spare me, if you need to let go please do it at least 30 cm
above the ground!” “Ah, that hassle is too troublesome! It’s so much
trouble that I want to die!”
“Eh?”
“What?”
Empty couldn’t stop her in the mere seconds it took. Kurumi
pointed the muzzle of the gun at her own temple and pulled the
trigger without any hesitation.
Don, the sound of a gunshot echoed. Nogi and Empty stood
dumbstruck. It was Empty who first realized that there was no
bleeding.
“<Zafkiel>────the First Bullet <Aleph>.”

66
 Kurumi’s falling body suddenly began to rise and accelerate.
“Wha……?!”
Before her very eyes, a snake-like smile drew on her face as she
approached Nogi.
“That tracking function is fine, but isn’t your footwork a bit
lacking?”
For a moment, for a very brief instant, Kurumi saw through Nogi’s
special characteristics. It wasn’t the Unsigned Angel conducting the
pursuit, but rather it was by Nogi’s own power. If it were tracking by
the speed of human thought, it would be absolutely impossible to
deal with Kurumi’s acceleration.
More importantly, Nogi had been staying almost at the same place
since the very beginning. She had moved four times, and even then
only during the moments when <Basilisk> moved in a straight line.
“If it were undoubtedly a pincher attack between the serpent and
yourself, there will be creative ways to force my checkmate anyway.
Since you haven’t done this, you must have thought up a reason
why, right?”
Nogi covered her dumbfounded look with a mocking smile.
“──Ha, it’s because there was no reason to think of that as
necessary until now.”
……A frank confession.
Until this moment, Empty had not taken seriously what they had
called “war” (date).
Likely fighting, likely hurting, surely it hurts because it is painful.
Enough to make a person cry, Empty had thought.
However, until now that was limit of that girl’s imagination.
A gunshot resounded under the azure sky.
It had taken a while for Empty to understand, to understand that
Kurumi had shot Nogi. Blood was overflowing.

67
The Astral Dress crumbled. The girl had fallen.
“Wait………!”
Empty reflectively reached out. But, in the current state of being
under Kurumi’s arms, it would
not reach. Nogi still had a slightly stunned expression. Falling down.
Kurumi also dropped down chasing after her. On a road with no cars,
Nogi was laying down. “……Ah……”
Still alive, Empty was astonished by this miracle. As her feet touched
the ground, Empty ran towards Nogi in a panic.
“A-are you okay?”
“……Do I look fine, damn……”
“──So, do you admit that I am a Spirit?”
Faced with Kurumi’s inquiry, Nogi responded with a defiant smile.
“No.”
“Is that so?”
Kurumi lifted up her short pistol. Nogi kept smiling while keeping
focus on the muzzle of the gun.
“Farwell, Nogi-san.” “Shut up and drop dead.”
The sound of gunfire was heard again. Kurumi’s bullet had
undoubtedly shattered Nogi’s Sephira Crystal.
“Huh……?”
Empty couldn’t move as if she were frozen. She didn’t expect her
to shoot, she didn’t even consider it. Although this was a game of life
or death, it was still a game. At that point, it was said that dropping
out of the game when too weak to stand was possible.
“Why did you shoot?”
Kurumi responded extremely harshly to being questioned.
“Please don’t ask stupid questions. Of course, it was because she
was still alive.” “But……!”
“Does that mean you are defeated when rendered into a state of

68
temporarily being unable to fight for a while? Who would
acknowledge an irreversible defeat? In order to acknowledge it,
there is no choice but to kill. And after everyone dies, the winner will
finally be decided.”
Empty had known this.
This reasoning was correct; no, even this instinct was correct,
Empty had already understood this.
Yes, it was just within nature’s providence. It was the correct rule for
this game.
However, because it was correct, it was wrong.
“Even so……even so this is wrong. It’s out of the question to not be
wrong.”
“……Don’t joke around. To look at this world in such a naïve
manner, I wonder if you must have had such a happy life in the past.”
Kurumi stared at Empty with a cold look.
“No! ……It’s not like that! I think.”
Yes, it wasn’t like that. I know that I am very naïve. I know that this
principle is an irritating
philanthropy marked with hypocrisy.
I know, but I can’t stop crying. Why, something awakening in my
heart was twisting my thoughts. I wonder if I am a human (no,
presently considered to be a Quasi-Spirit) who would say such a
thing.
Even since knowing that the other party was would mercilessly
murder others, Empty wondered to herself why she would want to
say that.
It was possible to be killed.
Despite not knowing why, it didn’t feel comfortable to tell her what
she wanted to say.

69
 Being stared at──returning the gaze without fear. Empty did not
feel like losing. Eventually, Kurumi turned her eyes away and
muttered with a hint of regret.
“……Let’s hurry up and leave. The atmosphere here isn’t good.”
Empty didn’t think any further on condemning Kurumi. She knew
that that doing this was a
mistake. Even though she knew, she still chose to fight. So long as
she could think so, it was enough.
“A-alright……”
Finally, Empty looked back at the battlefield. Nogi, whose Sephira
Crystal had been crushed, had disappeared with a gust of the wind.
Why was her heart hurting?
Even though they weren’t on good terms, even though they only
talked for five minutes, even
though she knew nothing about her hopes, desires, and despair. That
girl was killed in an effort to kill them.
Perhaps this was a common event in this killing game.
However, there was something that couldn’t be abandoned.
It struck through her heart just like a needle, no matter how far
Empty couldn’t escape from that
feeling.

70
 The friction of a pitched shrill resounded in that space as Takashita
Ayame’s arrow bounced off Hijikata Isami’s Japanese sword.
However, even then Ayame’s figure remained invisible.
“Hiding and moving around as sneakily as ever, Ayame!”
Isami howled in enjoyment. From an unknown location, Ayame’s
voiced responded back. “That is my tactic. Please leave it alone.”
“No. It’s a good thing to fight with all your strength, so I don’t care at
all!” “……How truly straightforward.”
“What!?”
Without responding to that cry of doubt, Ayame fired further
arrows. The three arrows curved, shooting, driving, changing
trajectory towards Isami.
“Ahahahaha! It’s really fun to fight against you!”
“Is that so? I’m not having fun at all, hurry up and die already.”
“How cold!”
No matter how the trajectory changed, the aim of the attacking
arrows she sniped remained constant. At the moment of entering
the reiryokuken, the breakdown of perception and interception
occurred simultaneously.
“Compared to that──!” “What.”
“──Easily won, that self-proclaimed Spirit!” “Yes. Very strong.”
While fighting, the two of them at the same time began to
unknowingly converse ideal gossip with each other. Likely this was
because the two had fought hundreds of times in serious
attempts to kill each other, but even then this was not the reason
why the outcome had not been settled yet.
The state of struggle for each other’s deaths and the ease, at which
senseless gossip can be enjoyed, both existed between the two

71
parties. The two sides did not feel anything strange about this
matter.
“Her ability is unknown that is it!”
“But there are a couple of things I’ve noticed. With long distance
guns, even at close range relying on a gun would improve combat
ability.”
“To be able to deal with both far and near distance! Amazing!”
“For me, it’s an annoying opponent. Although this is also the case
for you as well.”
“What, it’ll be fine for both me and Ayame! I am strong, Ayame is
also strong! Confronted by a
person with the luxury of both far and near distance, we won’t lose!”
“……”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, um. Sure enough, I hate you.” “Why is it like that──”
Firing an arrow that was brimming with passion──and receiving that
passion comfortably.
Hijikata Isami wished for this moment to last forever. The battle
was harsh, painful, exceedingly painful, with victory only bringing a
peace of mind, but.
Fighting against her was always enjoyable no matter the injury. It
feels like she’s been having so much fun that she’s been postponing
settling this matter all this time.
She knew that Ayame hated her. Surely, the reason was that her
playful attitude would never be compatible with her rigid demeanor.
Isami thought it was a bit lonely. However, she also didn’t want to
lie.
But. Still──
Ah, she wished for this pleasurable time to continue forever and
ever. While embracing this hope that she could not tell others, Isami
roared.

72
 “Iyahho──────!!”
……Ah, it’s too irritating, Takashita Ayame thought as she clicked
her tongue.
The appearance of Isami, which was seen across 10 windows and 3
buildings, was something akin to a dot. But for Ayame, that dot was
more than enough to adequately establish a target.
After hundreds of battles, she had finally gotten to this distance.
The feeling of distance between them.
An antimony where friendship deepen through mutual attempts at
killing each other. The stimulus was as indulging as slowly sinking
into lukewarm water.
However, this was already over.
Today, they had come to settle this here and now in order to rise
to greater heights. That was the pledge she made to Isami. Wanting
to become even stronger, they had mutually relied on each other.
For that purpose, both parties were fighting without fear.
To be honest, she couldn’t deny feeling a sense of regret within
herself.
(I wonder if I had ever met her while I was in the other world.)
A friend, a rival, or otherwise just an acquaintance she would say
hello to. Thinking of herself in such a foolish matter, it was quite
annoying.
Takashita Ayame also did not know about her past. However, with
the slight memories she had left and conversations with other Quasi-
Spirits, she began to understand her own existence accordingly.
Perhaps she was a high school girl living in Japan in the other
world. She didn’t know how she
got lost here. Or maybe, she was invited here by someone.
However, those things did not matter now. With no lingering
attachments to the past, she lived day by day with all her might.

73
 Did she go astray in this neighboring world, or was she here from
the very beginning.
Ayame was always, always craving, longing for that. No matter how
focused she was when firing, whenever the arrow landed, she was
unable to suppress this strange excitement.
It could even be said that she was alive for this purpose.
But on the other hand, painstakingly reading a book acquired from
the other world also had an unspeakable sense of satisfaction.
She especially liked books that depicted love. No matter how
clumsily written, for herself who had abandoned the feeling of love,
it was a very charming matter.
To fall in love with someone, to be in love with someone, what sort
of mood is needed in the end? Someday she wanted to understand
that.
But, when speaking of the things done for that goal, it was just killing
and fighting.
Fighting, killing, and aiming for higher places……she had always
been surviving like that up until now. As a Quasi-Spirit who had been
fighting for a long time, the memories of instant chance encounters
were engraved onto her mind.
Ah, that is to say……she recalled some people wearing the same
clothes as herself. However, their faces were faintly hazy to the point
where she could not remember them.
And then, there was only one person around her. Hijikata Isami.
But that was also coming to an end. Since this battle won’t stop until
someone is killed. So, this
time there will certainly be one person who will die.
……Excessive thinking leads to stagnation.
She did not want to feel such stagnation when fighting her. Purely,
there was only joy in confronting Hijikata Isami.
──What is this? A maiden in love?

74
 Not listening to the calm whispers, she casted away her
enthusiasm.
She released the arrow. Firing again and again, bouncing back
again and again, each time it
pointed out each other’s inadequacies.
Thanks to this, when facing Quasi-Spirits outside of Hijikata Isami,
an arrow easily landing its target would seem not too perplexing. It
could be felt that when two people are pursuing strength, the
Sephira Crystals of the two would shine even brighter.
Gradually becoming absorbed in this, the result was choosing these
repeated battles.
How much power could she have if she became the Dominion?
What would the world look like under those eyes?
Takashita Ayame wanted to know.
Desiring that knowledge, she released the arrow.
There was only one concealed motive; the existence of a partner to
share this delight. Yes, for example like Hijikata Isami.
──How stupid.
Ayame closed the lid of that idea. She shouldn’t rely on that
unrealistic hope anymore, now they
simply had to kill each other. She would pierce an arrow through
Isami’s chest.
If not, it was absolutely impossible.
With all the power in her body, she fired her favorite arrow, at last
destroying Isami’s stronghold. “What…..!?”
So far in front of Hijikata Isami, Ayame had been consciously sealing
herself for the moment where she could fire with all her strength.
Someday, when killing her──she would release this arrow at a
speed before Isami could even respond.
Someday, she would realize that this arrow could not be dealt with.

75
 “Ku……!”
Ayame released further arrows. At a speed with a greater
magnitude than so far, Isami and her
reiryokuken couldn’t keep up, causing her Astral Dress to tear apart.
Sneer and deride it as cowardice, slander and criticize her. Today
Takashita Ayame, for this day, for this moment, unleased everything
that she had──!
“Ahahahahaha! Amazing, Ayame is the best after all! How can I
lose to you!” Hearing Isami’s loud voice, Ayame felt somewhat
relieved.
“……Well, I thought you would call me out on my cowardice.”
Right now, she asked herself whether or not her heart could be
described as feeling very pleasant.
While thinking of such a thing, Ayame let out a small smile──
“Right, like I thought! This match between us, can we slightly
postpone it!?” “What?”
Ayame immediately froze.

76
 “Bu──rn. Bu──rn. Fla──mes──bu──rn──!”
Contrary to that relaxed voice, the surroundings were wrapped in
hellfire. The Unsigned Angel in Sheri Musika’s hands <Sekhmet>
focused the sunlight. At her fingertips, the buildings were mangled
while at the same time burning.
“Waaaaaah! Waaaaaaah! Enough already ahhhhhhhhh!”
It was Ibusuki Panie who was running while crying. Her Unsigned
Angel <Talos> was “melted” by Sheri with little effort. Even her Astral
Dress had received 8% damage, as she had no choice but to jump
while fleeing in disarray.
Panie, who had just issued the challenge confidently, was now
distorting her face with dread. Honestly, despite being in bad taste,
for Sheri it resembled a cheerful comical skit.
“So──rry! It’s──over!”
Upon hearing that, Panie’s face was stained in despair as she was
driven into a corner. “S-sorry! No, please help……!”
“No─pe─!”
The blow from <Sekhmet> merciless struck Panie. At the moment
she cried out, Panie’s entire
body was under the illumination of the focused sunlight, leaving
behind not even a grain of ash.
“The end.”
Clap, clap, she patted her hands against each other. The next
moment, accompanied by an extreme murderous intent, the sound
of the wind being cleaved in half was heard.
“……!”

77
 However, Sheri Musika was a veteran fighter. From the very
beginning, she knew that there was someone with a composed look
aiming for her.
The wall of fire was easily splintered, splitting it apart. Although
more than half had melted away, it still cut through as the sharped
edge approached Sheri.
“Don’t look down on me!”
Sheri barely intercepted the blade with her Unsigned Angel
<Sekhmet>.
The tremors that came from her internal organs scattered a
nauseous feeling through her skin. Indeed, that blow made her
realize she was on the brink of death.
“Tonami……Furue!” “Yes, hello.”
Far away, the girl who threw the chakram ring gave off a bashful
smile.
“As relentless as ever─!”
“Haha, who is the one that is merciless? Burning away an opponent
as she was begging for her
life.”
Her mouth was laughing, but Tonami’s eyes looked incomparably
cruel. Of course, that is to say it couldn’t be helped as there weren’t
any rules preventing matters like this.
“You usually wouldn’t do this. That being said, you just want the
Sephira Crystal.” “Yes, it’s just like that.”
Extracted Sephira Crystals, although it will take some time, can still
be absorbed as nutrients.
Sheri, as well as Tonami, had lived in this manner, devouring other
Quasi-Spirits and walking away victorious up until now.
“You better stop doing it that way. It appears that Ibusuki Panie’s
Sephira Crystal is going to cause indigestion.”
“Did you know that Quasi-Spirit just now?”

78
 While gossiping with each other, they made sure to probe without
lowering their respective guards. Although there was the mutual
desire for acquiring more information, they could never expose their
weaknesses to each other.
Alternatively, even if displaying a flaw, it could be an unconscious
flaw or even more an invitation put on display on purpose─.
While going around in circles trying to outthink each other, they
continued to chatter nonstop.
“Recently, I feel that child was somewhat famous. Well, it was
same for me as well.” “Were you seriously famous?”
“Of course it was like that!”
Sheri smiled.
Having missing memories of the other world, that point was
common knowledge among the Quasi-Spirits.
Even so, there were people like Sheri who remembered vaguely.
On the off chance of someone getting lost in the neighboring world
with a book on their person, it started the impetus of remembering
all sorts of things.
As said during her self-introduction, Sheri used to have a younger
brother and sister. The number of siblings couldn’t be recalled, not
due to a lack of love, it was simply due to being part of the numerous
things she couldn’t recall. Judging from her bad behavior, she likely
lived in a city in the other world that allowed for such things to
happen after being exploited. Naturally, her brothers and sisters are
not in this world.
She used to have a starving younger sister who died. There were
some that died in infancy whose genders are now unclear. There
were no parents, or at least there was the likely feeling of that lack of
presence. Even if they were there, it was probably nothing to
remember.

79
 Sheri thought of this world as if it was heaven. Or was it actually
heaven? It was the first time eating so many sweet cakes.
It was also the first time sleeping on such a soft bed.
No matter how much she ate, there was no tooth decay. Even if
she wasn’t full, she wouldn’t be
hungry. She felt neither cold nor hot. Always, life was fun all the
time.
Thus, she continued to kill, since by killing she could live in this
gentle world.
That is why, Ibusuki Panie, who had the same scent as her, was an
opponent that she wanted to crush first.
Capable of using cowardly methods that were unimaginable,
adopting whatever tactics for murder, because they were similar
existences she was unpredictable. So, she had decided to crush her
first.
But the problem here now was Tonami Furue.
She also had the same scent as her as well──and she was a few
steps better than Ibusuki Panie. In the current situation, it was
impossible to land a surprise attack and it was unclear if she could
win in face to face confrontation. Even if she did manage to win, she
definitely wouldn’t have enough power to challenge the next battle.
Being devoured by hyenas was an unwelcomed end. Besides, more
importantly that girl was also here.
“Hey, Tonami-san, let’s team up?” “Team up, I don’t think so.”
“Really? You saw it as well, that self-proclaimed Spirit over there.
“……”
Tonami fell silent. That’s right, the ultimate and worst irregular in
this game.
“Look, isn’t it said that Spirits have created this world in a sense? In
short, aren’t they the source
of the power that we are desperately trying to control? Have you

80
ever imagined how powerful
that would be?” “……I have.”
Sheri was a fifth-Spirit type and a user of flames. Even against an
opponent of the same type, she
was confident that she wouldn’t lose.
But, if against an embodiment of flames itself, how could she win?
“If that is the case. If the Spirits are actually participating in this
mutual killing (date), then we’ll all be effortlessly killed without
leaving behind any fragments.”
“I suppose so. The third Spirit type…..is shadow. Since third Spirit
types are rare, I’ve only fought them two or three times.”
First type (light), fourth type (ice), fifth type (fire), eight type
(wind), ninth type (sound), and tenth type (substance) ──occupied
more than 80% of all Quasi Spirits. The second (information), sixth
(sealing), seventh (transformation) types occupied the rest. The third
Spirit type──a person capable of manipulating shadows was
exceedingly rare and below 1%.
“There must be something besides shadows, but even that is not
enough to judge her strength.”
Tonami had poor fighting experience against the third Spirit type.
And furthermore, the issue lied with most of the third Spirit type
being weak without exception. What needed to be done, what to do
now, even that was not clearly understood.
“Both of us, so in order to get rid of those two, let’s join forces.”
“Two? ……Ahh, so you’re including Empty-san as well?”
“Yes. I’m wondering if that child also has something, or at least that’s
what I’m thinking.”
“I don’t think it is anything. That child is probably a trap (fake). I’m
sure that it would be cautious to crush her now, but I also don’t want
to be caught in an unexpected trap.”
“Oh, that’s hard to understand. So, what shall we do?”

81
 “……Let’s work together. So the immediate goal is Tokisaki
Kurumi?” “The goal is one more person. Only that one is just a simple
threat.”
Sheri smiled while looking at the direction where a huge explosion
had occurred. Tonami’s
expression changed either due to fear or hatred.
“Biscuit Smasher……”
“That’s fine after all. That halberd, I have only seen it once.” “What
are its weak points?”
Faced with Tonami’s question, Sheri laughed as if being caught. “Her
weakness, let’s start looking for it now.”

82
 Sagakure Yui was a kunoichi. She did not remember what she was
like in the other world. However, her role in this neighboring world
was clear.
Collect information and send it to “Princess”, to act as her sword or
her hands and feet.
This meaning behind her existence was her sole joy.
Well, perhaps she was a kunoichi on the other side as well. Or
perhaps she was a corporate slave by nature. What a life to be had to
be a corporate slave already by high school age.
Even if headstrong, frivolous, playful, and unpredictable, there was
no other Quasi-Spirit suitable
for the name of “Princess”. That strength and beauty were
unmistakably genuine.
The problem with the Dominion of the tenth region Malkuth, Doll
Master, was that she never showed her appearance, always
participating using a doll as a proxy even during discussions between
Dominions.
“Isn’t it something that you can do? So, investigate the true
identity of that doll.”
The princess’s orders were absolute and it was only natural to put
her life on the line for it. Because of being a kunoichi, she did not
have an obsession of being victorious in battle.
Although she had decided to participate in the killing, she had
planned to run away at the appropriate timing. The escape route had
already been established.
She had intended to escape. She had intended on doing so. She
was now chased and forced into a desperate situation.

83
 ──There are ten regions in the neighboring world. There are some
areas that no one has ever seen; other areas where many Quasi-
Spirits gather. While some areas are devoted to fighting, others have
Dominions conclude an alliance and never fight.
In the tenth region Malkuth, strength is the ability to survive a
battle. Therefore, the rumors of various Quasi-Spirits would
circulate.
There are rumors that she has power comparable to a Spirit.
There are rumors of being challenged by 100 Quasi-Spirits, with not
a single one returning home.
Many of them were rumors that Quasi-Spirits loved to gossip
about. However, very rarely there was a kernel of truth within such
legends.
There was a girl who could crush everything with a single blow. It
seemed that she could break apart everything as casually as splitting
a biscuit.
“Haah, haah, haah……!”
When arriving at the top floor, Sagakure Yui believed herself to be
fortunate. <Idzuna>, Hidden Form Spirit dress No. 34, although it’s
defensive capabilities were low, it had the secret art of invisibility.
Commencing a surprise attack without missing an instantaneous
chance moment, it was a daily routine for Sagakure Yui to use that to
decapitate her foes.
Of course, Sagakure knew who Tsuan was. She was Biscuit
Smasher, an outstanding Quasi- Spirit suddenly emerged.
To be crushed like a biscuit──Sagakure felt very resentful of herself
for having laughed at this nightmarish joke before.
A single swing from that halberd could smash someone to the
other side of the world. The
invisible sneak attack dealt by Sagakure was indeed successful.

84
However, that was all……it
barely succeeded in landing a hit.
Tsuan’s <Brinicle>, Extreme Death Spirit Dress no. 15, although she
didn’t know its special characteristics, it simply boasted a high
defensive power. Sagakure’s best efforts only got her bruised.
Originally, that level of power would have shattered the skull and
severed everything above the neck.
And then, Tsuan, who noticed the surprised attack, began to wield
her halberd at a furious momentum.
Sagakure, who was taken aback, immediately bent down. The
position where her head was just at was torn down with a
thunderous roar.
Every single blow was quick, heavy, and sharp.
Even if she searched for cover, Tsuan would immediately break
down that cover. Although it was possible for her to use her Astral
Dress for stealth, there were no more chances at finding a
momentary gap. So, in short she could only escape. However, that
girl’s tracking speed was horrifyingly fast.
No, rather than speed, it was the detection range of reiryoku that
should be called abnormal.
“I heard that hound’s sense of smell was a hundred million times of
an ordinary human being……”
Her reiryoku detection skills may be comparable to the same
degree as the other Quasi-Spirits.
In any case, she must first gain some distance……!
Sagakure thought up of several plans and choose the one with the
highest level of certainty among them.
“Cursed wave style──empty fowl’s ribcage!”
◇

85
 Tsuan felt a chill, but after understanding that there was no impact,
she immediately initiated a dash attack.
“Let’s go.”
The halberd swung down with an air of indifference. It shattered
Sagakure Yui’s body just like a
biscuit──or at least it was supposed to.
“Finished……no?”
Tsuan slightly slanted her head. There was no Sephira Crystal
fragment that every Quasi-Spirit should carry. More importantly, the
feeling was too light. When crushing a Quasi-Spirits, there was more
weight on her hands. If the usual could be compared to a biscuit,
then today it was about the level of a cracker.
In other words, this was a fake.
When Tsuan noticed this, Sagakure had already retreated to a safer
place.
◇
Even if she had a hound’s nose, it would be extremely difficult to
find a completely hidden Sagakure. However, it was true that she
would be found sooner or later.
Sagakure estimated that it would take roughly ten minutes to be
found.
“……Five minutes should be enough.”
She took a pencil on hand and wrote down all of the information
gathered so far on a piece of
paper, and then she didn’t hesitate to cut off a piece of her Astral
Dress. “<Idzuna>──go.”
The piece of the Astral Dress transformed into a ferret. As soon as it
retrieved the paper from Sagakure, it quickly ran away from the spot.
“……Although it wasn’t complete, I’ve handed all of the information
I’ve gathered with this.”

86
 She breathed out a sigh of relief. However, due to the dispersion of
reiryoku, her invisibility power became slightly disheveled. Being
disheveled meant being sensed.
“But, I know what I need to do.”
After adjusting her breathing, she raised her specialized weapon
<Shichihōgiyōjiya>. “If faced with a frontal attack……this is also a
countermeasure.”
She took a deep breath.
Not afraid, she jumped out of the shadow of the building to face
Tsuan. There, she moved straight forward towards her.
Of course, that girl changed posture to intercept that attack.
Sagakure took out 7 large kunai from her holsters.
Tsuan gently shook her brow. There was definitely some confusion
at such a move. For the other party to choose a frontal assault, she
must be aware that an ordinary attack wouldn’t work and decided on
a rush attack.
However, Tsuan must attack. There was no other way of dealing
with it.
“<Shichihōgiyōjiya>──Demon.”
Fragmenting all things, it could be described as a single blow to cut
apart the void.
“……!”
The seven kunai landed around Tsuan’s surroundings. At the same
time, the power of the Unsigned Angel was invoked. Tsuan’s vision,
hearing, smell, touch──all five senses, super perceptions like
intuition, as well as reiryoku itself, were all temporarily sealed.
Even if temporary for a Quasi-Spirit, they would be completely
disabled. This was Sagakure Yui’s trump card. Beyond using it as a
countermeasure at the very least, it was not a skill that should be
used for the first round.
But here this trick was used to break through this dilemma.

87
 Moreover, it was not just a matter of killing; it was a means of
escape…..!
However, it was still more important to survive. She did not
participate in this killing game for its original intention. She didn’t
think she would survive up until the very end. There was only one
more important matter to her, and it was not to fight that girl.
The girl who self-proclaimed herself to be a Spirit, Tokisaki Kurumi,
was the subject to a new investigation. However, even compared to
that, detachment from this game was a priority.
Hurry, hurry, hurry. Before she moves again, even a little bit more
distance away──!
“…………………….Ah?”
Suddenly, there was no strength left in her feet. After turning
around to confirm the situation, Sagakure immediately understood.
Indeed, she had accepted it as soon as possible.
Slightly far away, everything below her waist was now about one
meter away.
Then, looking on ahead, Tsuan’s halberd was sticking on the
ground. Perhaps, she had thrown it. With such a silly attack easily
destroying her body, should she admire it or should she despair?
“Could this fill the requirement for assisted suicide?”
Being well verse in Japanese culture, Sagakure thought indifferently
while making strained smile.
This kind of thing always happened during missions. There were as
many dead Quasi-Spirits as there were stars in the sky.
It is said that──death was not the same in the neighboring world.
Originally, they had no physical body in this world. Will they return
back to the other side after dying or return back into being an empty
shell?
However, Sagakure was confident.
Even if she died like this, there will be a next time.

88
 “……Please.”
At the same time as that, Sagakure’s Sephira Crystal was extracted.
Her consciousness was cut off in a flash. There wasn’t even enough
time to say thank you.
“……The best……”
Swallowing the Sephira Crystal, Tsuan nodded several times in
satisfaction. She soon fell asleep after being satisfied. To start
sleeping so quickly, it was impossible to not think of taking
advantage of that in this killing game.
However, no Quasi-Spirit watching her battle with Sagakure made
a move. No one was stupid enough to wake up the sleeping tiger.
◇
As if suddenly noticed, an ambient orange light was beginning to
dye the sky.
“After Aiai-san, it was great to not have anything big to do. There
was only that brief skirmish
with that person covered bandages.”
Empty let out a leisurely voice as if content with her position. It
seemed she had adapted quite a bit to this game. After defeating
Nogi Aiai, a person with bandages covering their face, False, or
someone else, launched a surprise attack at them.
Despite her feet being tangled by bandages and being slammed
against the wall, Kurumi easily reversed the situation but was
satisfied with letting the other side escape after firing a shot.
“As expected for the first day.” Kurumi responded in a calm voice
“Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“Well, tomorrow and the day after that, until someone wins.”
A slightly gloomy look was seen on Kurumi face as she muttered. In
the town, the sound of a chime resounded.
Kurumi had taught Empty that this was to inform a temporary end to
the game. “It’s similar to an agreement. Only during nighttime,

89
battles are forbidden.” “What will happen if you break that
agreement?”
“Of course there will be punishment. If attempted, night attacks
against another Quasi-Spirit
means being purged by the organizer of the game.”
“Even so, how does that make sense? Sure enough, the winner will
become king regardless.”
“In order to prevent that, the dolls are always monitoring. As soon
as a night raid is launched,
that girl will not be able to win.”
Kurumi giggled as Empty tilted her head. “Uhh, sorry. Let me resay
that again.” “Yes, please go on.”
“Kurumi-san is a Spirit and stronger than other Quasi-Spirit, right?
“Yes, that is naturally so.”
”So, the Dominion who manages this game is a Quasi-Spirit, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Why would a Spirit obey a rule made by a Quasi-Spirit? Hey? Isn’t
that a little bit strange? I
can understand why the other girls would obey. But……”
Hearing that, Kurumi smiled while putting her fingers against
Empty’s lips. The cold and pleasant feeling caused her to close her
mouth automatically. “It’s a whim of mine. If the rules aren’t
followed, then it’ll be boring.” “……”
Kurumi smiled. But her expression was as cold as her fingertips,
brimming with a sense of isolation.
“Don’t forget that you are also alive because of my whims.”
Empty nodded silently. Feeling satisfied, Kurumi lifted her finger.
Being alive due to a whim, it was also possible for Empty to be killed
by another whim.
◇
“……Is here alright?”

90
 “Eh? Here?”
Kurumi stopped in front of a single family house that looked to
have everything needed for the night.
Wondering what to do, Empty looked on at Kurumi as she casually
opened the door and went in.
“H-Hold on Kurumi-san! Ku──ru──mi──san──! Here is someone
else’s──”
Chasing after her into the home, Empty was at a loss for words.
It was empty inside. Inside the interior, there was a huge vacuous
space as large as the exterior.
“There is no such thing as someone else’s home. As long as it has
the appearance of a house, it
can be established in this town here. Because there are no residents
here.” “Haha……”
Indeed, Empty pondered that over as she slanted her head to the
side.
“Well, this is a bit inconvenient. At least building a little more
would be better.”
After whispering, Kurumi crouched down and placed her hand on
the white space they were standing on. Could it have been was using
magic, or was it an incantation? Or it could have been using a
magical (programming) language to rearrange the information of this
space.
“Te──”
Hearing that one syllable without any enthusiasm, Empty felt a
little bit disappointed.
Immediately afterwards, the white space transformed. Color was
added, the interior became furnished, changing appearance into a
place suitable for people to live in.
“I’m going to rest.”

91
 “Ah, okay. Do you want to take a bath? If you want to, we can wash
together!” Seeing Empty flutter her hands around, Kurumi frowned
with a blunt face. “No. If you want to wash, go by yourself.”
Blunt words used in a not at all good nature tone.
“Ah, alright……good night.”
Kurumi quickly retreated into a bedroom-like room deep within the
house. After thinking over it for a while, Empty decided to take a
bath first. After turning the lights on in the bathroom, she turned the
faucet on the bathtub to begin accumulating hot water. Whether
Kurumi wanted to
take a bath or not, it should be fine regardless. As a Spirit, that
person wouldn’t stink even after
not taking a bath.
“That’s nice; a Spirit doesn’t need to take a bath.”
While taking to herself, Empty took off her white dress. Her
underwear was also white. How much did she like white? A more
variety of color would be richer, or at least Empty thought so.
Suddenly, she noticed a strange person standing in front of the
mirror.
“……!”
……No, that wasn’t it. This was me (Empty). This was the first time I
had seen my own face. I didn’t really understand this face. For a
comparison, it looked just like blank white sheet of paper.
I didn’t know what was being drawn there, even if it was depicting
something I didn’t know that
either.
What existed here was an ordinary face that could be seen
everywhere: girl who should be buried as part of the background.
“……Who am I?”
──No answer. Empty had no reply prepared.
“……Where did I come from?”

92
 ──No answer. From herself without any memory, the past did not
exist.
“……Why am I here?”
──No memories, no past. There was no meaning behind her
existence. Although she wanted to cry, she endured it. Anyway, first,
uh.
“Okay, let’s take first a bath and completely forget all those
troublesome things!”
In the past, she may have hated taking bathes, but that was trivial
now. After all being only an Empty, she had no choice but to remain
positive.
Fortunately, the bathtub was designed also for water storage. As
expected of Kurumi, it was finely calculated……Empty thought about
it very loudly in her heart. If her heart was ever read, then she would
definitely be dead.
After washing the dirt off her body, Empty gently stepped into the
bathtub.
“Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”
Good bye me until now. Hello me starting from today.
Anyhow, she was going to live leaping into tomorrow as well. Bathing
was the best.
“……Am I settling in too well?”
The future that seemed to be ahead was yet to be seen. First, she
needed to calm down and take a closer look at herself now.
There was no memories, also not a human but a Quasi-Spirit; no
one knew anything about
herself (probably), the killing game……caught up in a battlefield while
only relying on the Spirit Tokisaki Kurumi.
“Ha──……”
The problem at the moment was that she did not understand why
Tokisaki Kurumi was carrying her along.

93
 She had said that it for using as bait, but it didn’t feel as if she
needed to do that.
After all, why else would she use someone who gave the
impression of “that guy is weak” at a
first glance?
……To solve these doubts, a substitute method of thinking was
necessary. But even that was impossible due to not knowing how she
would act even when placed under the same circumstances.
Because that way of thinking wouldn’t make sense either, Empty
tossed it aside.

94
95
 “Tomorrow……can I survive……?”
Tomorrow as well, will it still be possible to thinking about these
various things while taking a bath?
Or will she be just like Nogi Aiai──turning to dust and disappearing.
After getting out and re-wearing her underwear…….she wanted to
change into new underwear
tomorrow. Also, if her white dress got dirtier, it couldn’t be helped
that she also wanted to buy a new one……
Anyway, with her mood refreshed, Empty turned off the light.
Their surroundings were inhabited by no one. This town, this
house, everywhere was silent. To say good-bye before going to sleep,
Empty thought up some extraneous matter.
“No, because if she said ‘I have no obligation to support someone as
rude as not to even say
good-night’, that would be troubling……”
Empty muttered as she peeped into the bedroom......not there.
“Huh.”
On the bed, under the bed, in the closet, she was nowhere to be
found.
No way, could she have escaped while leaving her behind? No, no,
no, that shouldn’t be it. “………………………………………”
From above, there was a faint voice.
Speaking of which, Empty remembered. To be sure, this house was
two stories high. When spreading the reiryokuken, perhaps even a
second floor was built.
Empty went up the stairs……slowly, without making a sound.
“……Ah……aah……!”
Who was in that room? The door was opened. Empty carefully
walked through the dark corridor, sneaking a glance into the room
from the crack; afterwards, she was able to see through.

96
 She saw it.
“Aah……gu……ah……aah……!”
Biting her teeth, but even then the crying wouldn’t stop. Since
there was nothing else to cling
onto, she was hugging a pillow within her arms. Tokisaki Kurumi was
crying.
For Empty, this was like a shock where the world had turned on its
head. She would smile, get angry, and sometimes displayed a sadistic
expression.
However, she shouldn’t cry. Granted even if there were tears from
laughing too much, with this degree of sorrow and tears, that was
absolutely impossible.
Empty had such trust embraced onto Kurumi during the daytime.
But now, the scene in front of her had perfectly crushed this fantasy.
Her tears were constantly overflowing and couldn’t stop. Her lips
were oozing some blood from being tightly bitten. Likely, Kurumi’s
own will prevent herself from stopping.
Grief and passion, something even beyond even despair, both
positive and negative feelings were intertwined.
Why are you crying? Empty didn’t know the reason. However, she
knew that she was being shaken by something where she couldn’t
display tears in front of other people.
──If thought about later, this must have been the moment.
How the perception of her changed, up until when the final
decision was made.
Empty gently left that spot. Since Kurumi was using the bedroom,
Empty decided to sleep on the sofa in the living room.
Closing her eyelids, she recalled the scene of Kurumi cruelly
shooting Nogi Aiai to death and the first scene of her crying being
seen.
No matter which appearances, both were part of a single aspect.

97
98
 The matter of ruthlessly shooting someone to death, Empty had
not accepted that.
But, aah, but──
If those tears are another aspect of her, then it really wasn’t only a
vain performance displayed to
others.
Even though it was impossible to accept the shooting, even though
she displayed a scathingly harsh expression, even if it meant being
publically declared of being a decoy.
Despite all that, Empty was still not going to leave Tokisaki Kurumi.
She had already decided.
Until this wonderful anxiety and uncontrollable desire of seeking the
truth was fulfilled, she would accompany her.
Even better, as a reward of its own, she wanted to help her. While
thinking of such a cheeky thing, Empty fell asleep.
The next morning.
Empty smiled and greeted Kurumi after she woke up.
“Good morning, Kurumi-san.” “……What is this?”
Looking back at Kurumi’s surprised look, Empty smiled again.
“Because it was put away, I tried baking bread.”
“Fu……”
“And coffee as well. Sure enough the Japanese must have a cup of
coffee in the morning.” “……No, I feel that you are mistaken about
this……”
While saying so, Kurumi placed sugar in her coffee. Seeing that
glance, Empty scratched her head.
“Is it strange? Even if we don’t get hungry, eating bread is still
delicious.”

99
 “We are not eating bread, but rather it is eating the idea of bread
itself.” “? ? ?”
Kurumi was convinced that she did not understand.
“……If a Quasi-Spirit has no dreams, they will not survive. This is not
a metaphor or something,
but a fact.”
Kurumi slowly stated the cruel fact.
“A lot of girls have strayed into this neighboring world. Most of
them──disappeared because of
not having any dreams. Well, at that point it can’t be helped
anymore.” “……Why will you disappear?”
“I don’t know the reason. But, it is certain that the relative
importance and influence of the body is weaker in this world
compared to the other world. You won’t starve even if you don’t eat.
You won’t die even if you don’t sleep. You won’t get old. It’s not a
joke to describe it as perpetual youth.”
“Perpetual──youth.”
“But, if you don’t do anything for a long time, your mind will be cut
off. So here, the mind is
more concerned with life and death than the body. And the most
important thing is a dream.”
I want to do something. I want to do this. I want to have this. I
want to that. Pure desire, an innocent hope.
Alternatively, a pitch black desire is fine as well. By this, the heart is
eager to move forward and that produces a strong will to live.
Conversely speaking, the opposite is also true.
“It is really is easy to live here, but the neighboring world does not
tolerate such laziness.” “Laziness──”
No dreams, no strong desire to live on, and feeling that satisfied with
only continuing to exist.

100
 “The flesh will collapse and the mind will break down──becoming a
presence isolated from
others before eventually disappearing.
“Ha──ha……”
Noticing this grave matter, Empty nodded. While nodding, a sense
of trepidation suddenly creeped through her back.
“I think that it will start tomorrow.”
That low whisper, she remembered that she said if she didn’t fight,
she will die……returning
back to the present conversation, was that what Ibusuki Panie was
feeling apprehensive about?
“──Look, your left hand.” “………………Ah.”
She couldn’t breathe. The sense of security just now was uprooted.
Yes, she didn’t have a dream. She didn’t want a particular dream. For
herself without any memories, this cannot be an exception.
“Ayaaaaah……!”
A hoarse scream, the left hand had become translucent. It was
disappearing, this existence
seemed to be disappearing right now……! “Alright. Calm down. It’s
only the left hand.” “Buuuut! But──!”
“Come back.”
“Even my left hand disappeared……………………wait, return? It came
back!”
For a moment, the left hand that had disappeared had easily
regained its appearance. Just to be sure, she tried closing and
opening her hand, the perception was quite clear. However, after a
while, the left hand began to disappear again.
“So, please find a dream. That way you can completely change
back. That left hand as well.”
Although it appeared that the chirp of a sparrow was heard, it was
actually a quiet morning devoid of the sound of any animal.

101
 Empty asked while trembling.
“……With no memories at all? Without knowing what I am good at?
Besides, under these circumstances of your status in participating in
the killing? You want me to think about my future dreams?”
Tokisaki Kurumi responded with the highest smile while lacking
commitment.
“Yes, yes, that’s right.”
It was unreasonable. It was truly unreasonable. But─there was no
other choice.
“By the time this killing game is over, Empty-san will fall into
nothingness. By then, I hope you will find a dream.”
……Silence.
For a moment, Tokisaki Kurumi expressed an ill look that would
infuriate others. Of course people would take offense to that remark.
But there was no choice but to accept that. She would have to
work hard.
“……I understand. I will try hard.” “Be positive.”
“Ahahaha. I cannot do it unless I am already positive!”
Although it was only halfway self-discipline, little by little various
things began to accumulate in the empty vessel.
This was by no means only despair. Joy, expectations, and of
course the desire to move forward, a little bit of everything still
existed.
“So, Kurumi-san. Where are we going today?”
“That’s right……is there anything that Empty-san wants to have?” “I
want freedom, memories, and safety.”
“Unfortunately, those are not sold at all. What else?”
It seemed that those concepts did not exist here. As Empty was
thinking it over, she noticed the stains on the cuff of her clothes.

102
 “Ah──......clothes and underwear. If I slip or get caught in a fight,
the stains on these white
clothes will be quite noticeable.”
Since the piece was pure white, any stains will be unusually eye-
catching.
“If my clothes are okay, can you lend me yours?” “Eh.”
Speaking of Kurumi’s clothes, of course it was a radiant and
glistening pitch darkness gothic Lolita style.
“……No, that…..is too much, don’t dare, hey, ah, uhh……”
Perhaps satisfied with the incoherent answer, Empty quickly
interjected a “no way?” as Kurumi
nodded back.
“In any case, let’s head to the shopping mall. Clothes and
underwear are there.” “Eh, a shopping mall? Is there such a thing?”
“Yes, and there’s also a salesperson to receive guests.”
“T-that’s wonderful!” But a shopping clerk, I thought there were no
other living things except Quasi-Spirits.”
“It’s similar to a robot-like creature, so there’s no problem.” “And
money is──”
“In this world, money isn’t even worth being paper to blow your
nose.”
“The end of the crazy century!” (According to the Chinese TL, this is
a Fist of the North Star reference)
Despite lacking her memories, only unusual knowledge continually
poured out of Empty like a muddy stream.

103
 After leaving home, the doll stood there. The one on the left was
red, while the one of the right was wearing a Gothic Lolita costume
with a principle blue axis. Looking at their hands they were holding a
violin and flute, which they ought to have no problems preforming.
“Hello” “Hello”
They both spoke in high-pitched voices.
“Yes, hello”, said Empty as she replied back politely.
“What is it?”
On the contrary, Kurumi replied back in a dissatisfied mood.
However, the doll continued to speak without changing its
expression.
“In yesterday’s battle, Nogi Aiai was killed by Tokisaki Kurumi,
Ibusuki Pannier by Sheri
Musika, and Sagakure Yui was killed by Tsuan.”
Despite already knowing it would happen, a pain in her heart
would still be felt each time hearing the word “killed”. Ibusuki
Pannier was the young girl who held that doll. Sagakure
Yui……certainly she remembered her as the ninja-like girl who was
the first one to head out.
“A medal for fighting bravely” “Please by all means, please by all
means” “……No need.”
Kurumi kicked it away in irritation, which Empty judged from her
voice and facial expression. In just one day, Empty was starting to
grasp Kurumi’s complicated emotional performance to the point of
being a little bit scared of herself.
“Is that so” “That’s regretful”

104
 “The true power of a Spirit, let us thoroughly examine it today” “It
would be our honor”
A monotone high-pitched voice──Empty couldn’t help but feel
something barely audible burst out.
“……Un, the preliminary skirmishes have already finished.” “You’ll
be certainly targeted today.” “Please be prepared.” “Yes.”
For a moment, Kurumi’s eyes looked to be full of benevolence. But
then she noticed the short
gun in her hands.
“What is this?” “That gun.”
“A Spirit is quite fickle. Next time, please make a doll that won’t
bother me a little, Dominion- san.”
The dolls suddenly jumped back, but it was already too late. While
describing the cause of death for those two, it ought to be no more
than approaching to close to a calamity.
At the very least, if it were a sound-only creature, it should be able
to escape death. The two dolls shattered in quick succession,
transforming into an ugly corpse.
“Uh, I saw something disgusting this early in the morning……”
When all is said and done, the doll was just a puppet. Even after
being broken, there would be no flesh and blood.
However, it was definitely not pleasant to see something with a
human shape being crushed.
“Say, did that make you angry?”
“This is not an issue of whether this makes me angry or not. I am a
Spirit.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Kurumi said as she took a step forward. Namu,
namu, after pressing her hands together in prayer for the broken
doll, Empty hurried to chase after her.
It was a leisurely walk to the shopping mall.

105
 There were no attacks. Although Empty was worried about being
caught in a fight and killed, she was more concerned about her left
arm.
Fortunately, it was not painful. However, there was a ridiculous
strange sense of loss from just disappearing and reappearing a while
ago──but she could only endure.
“Is there anything Kurumi-san wants to buy at the shopping mall?”
“Nothing in particular at all, I have no interest in fashion.”
“Ha, what a pity, you look so beautiful.”
After Empty said that, Kurumi rolled her eyes up──and then
cheerfully laughed from the bottom of her heart.
“Yes, yes, that’s right. I am a beautiful girl.”
As Kurumi finished speaking, she covered up the corners of her
mouth.
……Well, it looked like she was in a good mood.
Empty made the utmost effort to move as positively as possible as
the shopping mall was finally within sight.
The shopping mall, which was covered in pink and white mosaic
tiles, was shaped just like a mysterious castle from a fairy tale.
Going to that castle, anyone could use magic. Any girl could
become a Cinderella princess. She felt that the castle was beckoning
to her.
“Castle……? To me, I can only see a tombstone.”
“I-If you say it like that, it may end up looking like that. Can you not
give such a sinister association to the place we are going to!?”
Certainly it did also look like a grave. A huge tomb fit for a king. If
so, would they be grave robbers?
Kurumi smiled as she spoke.
“The tenth region (Malkuth) was originally in the possession of a
Spirit. So, all of us are illegal intruders here.”

106
 “Ah, right. If you are a Spirit, do you know any other Spirits?”
Kurumi stiffened for a little, but after a while she slowly turned her
head to the side.
“Regretfully. I don’t know any other Spirits.” “Eh……”
It was the Spirits who formed this neighboring world. Tokisaki
Kurumi was among one of them. To be able to create whatever
world desirable, what sort of feeling would that be?
Empty imagined a girl who would create an empty city within an
empty world.
Fearful of the great power of the Spirits, no one would dare to
invade this world. This was a so- called awe-inspiring sanctuary, a
town bathed in white light.
“It’s very lonely.”
Empty quietly muttered to herself.

107
 Hijikata Isami was the type of Quasi-Spirit whose memories had
disappeared beautifully. Generally speaking, girls are more or less
concerned about this.
How in the world did she arrive here? Most Quasi-Spirits wanted to
know this. This was true even for girls who sought their existence
through battle. It was the same for those desiring candy like Sheri
and those seeking books like Takeshita Ayame.
The things sought would differ from person to person, but that was
the only line connecting between the far side to the other side.
Hijikata Isami did not seek such a difficult goal.
After reaching this neighboring world, she discovered that she
could survive in this world by killing others.
And so, she killed. That was all.
There was no need for eating, sleeping, dressing, or even
entertainment.
Because there was no need, it became better to swing a sword.
Although training was troublesome, Isami continued to cut and kill
before suddenly stopping.
──Oh. Could it be said that she had some sort of issue?
As it turns, there was no one who would speak affectionately
towards herself. Acquaintances should keep fading away.
Since she was the one killing, it ought to be like this.
I want a friend. No, I don’t want that. I don’t want to think like that.
It was only a matter of time
before that relationship would be torn apart.
It was a little bit lonely. Not being able to do anything but killing, it
was a little miserable.

108
 ……But still. She could not suppress her excitement, her
accelerating heartbeat, when facing
other strong Quasi-Spirits.
And so, Hijikata Isami liked Takeshita Ayame. Despite knowing
being hated by the other party, it was still a feeling of fondness. And
most of all, rather than now, she hoped to kill each other at the very
end.
There were Quasi-Spirits just as strong as her.
There certainly were Quasi Spirits even stronger than her.
However, as the only girl constantly fighting against, it couldn’t be
helped that she was an
exception.
Therefore, Isami felt relieved when asking for a joint effort.
“Alright, let’s have me and you finish off those guys together!” “Ara?
Does that mean dragging in that pitiful girl Empty as well?”
Ayame raised her eyebrow. Somehow her judgement on that matter
seemed relatively sensible── or at least Isami thought so. While
undoubtedly looking callous and harsh at a first
glance, underneath that mask there was a cluster of tender and
good-nature consciousness. Isami thought she was different from
herself, a ronin who would swing a sword underhandedly.
“That’s right. Cause that chap is an enemy.”
Isami calmly said so. Truly the distinction between the enemy and
them was drawn too fast. There was no room for sympathy, only the
desire the cut down enemies when seen.
That was Isami’s approach, her method for survival.
So even now, Isami would kill Ayame if given the opportunity. She
was already an enemy; merely it was only that now was not the
chance to kill.
However, these useless conversations exchanged on the battlefield
were the greatest salvation for Ayame in this all too merciless world.

109
 Honestly, this can be said to be the reason she has survived up
until now, making it possible for the Sephira Crystal to accumulate
even more power.
Quasi-Spirits cannot live without dreams. If so, Ayame’s dream
was──to someday not have an Unsigned Angel and leisurely converse
with Isami underneath the sunshine. That was all.
Isami would surely laugh if she heard this.
Before killing, before being killed, Ayame hoped……to be at least
able to convey that.
(……Well, even after deciding to kill, I broke down.)
Even though she desired that, she also still didn’t want herself to
die, how utterly foolish.
However, Isami repeated this matter again and again.
“If anything, I want to kill each other at the very, very end!”
“Yes, yes……I also hope for that as well. There are things I want to
enjoy until the very end.”
Isami widely opened her eyes. Ayame felt it was a little strange.
“Hey, let’s go. To the shopping mall to play with both of them.”
“Yeah! Un……let’s go. Whether it’s a Spirit or Quasi-Spirit, it doesn’t
matter. There’s no
difference in withered lives. Be careful──<Yinbentabei>.”
◇
After entering the shopping mall, a strange scene was unfolding in
front of them. There was a clerk. However, the clerk was just like a
mannequin. There was a face, but no eyes and nose, only the faint
outline of a mouth and no holes in the ears to listen to.
Was this a mannequin, or could it be── “It’s a mannequin, that
thing.”
“Welcome, what do you need to serve you?”

110
 “Hello, I want clothes. Are there any recommendations? I am
completely covered in pure white, it feels a bit too dirt free, or that is
to say a bit too simple and naïve. I hope to be able to change into
clothes that give people a more refreshing feeling──”
“Welcome, what do you need to serve you?” “……Is that all you can
say?”
With faintly moistened eyes, Empty turned to look at Kurumi. Kurumi
placed her hand towards her lips while giggling gracefully.
“Well, why don’t you continue this merry one-man play a little
more?” “I’m not performing!”
Empty entered the eye-catching store with her shoulders twitching in
annoyance. (Hey, which one do you think looks good?)
(Isn’t anything fine enough?)
(Don’t say that, I want you to help find clothes that suit me!)
……The faint buzzing in her ears caused Kurumi to scowl. From the
recovery of things that
should have been long abandoned, Kurumi’s head suffered from an
exceedingly sore headache. “Sorry, Kurumi-san. Do you think that
this suits me?”
From Empty suddenly darting out while dressed in underwear,
Kurumi was involuntarily taken aback in surprise.
From her innocent smile, Kurumi felt a faint degree of irritation and
guilt. But at the same time, she unexpectedly did not want to deny
the heart intertwined with that smile.
“……Ah……anything is fine……isn’t that right?”
“I’m troubled when you say that……since I can’t recall any
memories, I don’t know which one is suitable for me.”
Agilely taking a glance to compare Empty’s undergarments, Kurumi
smiled with ill intentions written on her face.
“Isn’t there something good right there? Something quite childish
suits you.” “D-did you said something you shouldn’t have!? Wait a

111
little bit longer!”
After Empty chose a really mature underwear to change in the fitting
room, she vigorously yanked open the curtain.
Well, how about now, Kurumi-sa……nyaan!?”
Kurumi had already undressed with the magnificent figure of her
underwear peeping out.
“Now, what were you saying?”
From top to bottom, with black as the main tone, the underwear
had the most minuscule amount of fabric possible. Although it was
black, the side straps of the panties had many see-through parts. It
was at the level of barely being naked at the last moment.
Bewitching was one way to describe it. It was not a color that high
schooler would wear by mistake nor was it underwear that a high
schooler should wear at all. Including the transparent part, the entire
bottom section was almost completely visible in the light.
Speaking of which, Empty thought that being entirely naked was
not as erotic as this. To think, she had publically changed clothes in
the store without using the fitting room. Anyway, the last thing that
Empty had thought of, in any case, could not be said.
“Um, can I say something?”
As Empty raised her hand, Kurumi, while still in her underwear,
crossed her arms together and nodded. That unruly attitude did not
change even when in her underwear.
“Yes, please feel free to.”
“Obviously, there’s no one else watching, but what do you mean
with that super-obscene style of
dress?”
If this kind of thing was seen by an adolescent boy, he would
transform into a hungry wolf on the spot. Probably, it was also very
lethal to girls as well.

112
 “Underwear is a weapon for a woman. As a lady, how can I not
wear this level of underwear?” “I really think that ladies wouldn’t
wear that kind of underwear……no, forget it.”
Despite not knowing why, there was a tremendous sense of personal
defeat.
“My victory.”
With a refreshed look, Kurumi said so.
◇
“──Activating. First, second, and third shot preparation. Loading.
Determining measurement.
<Crotos >.”
On a drafty structure in the shopping mall, a single Quasi-Spirit
began to drop down.
The target was on the second floor of the ladies’ fashion shop, the
girl Empty who was leisurely changing clothes and Tokisaki Kurumi.
The other Quasi-Spirit carefully took aim.
Needless to say, her goal was the same as the Quasi-Spirit falling
down. From the very beginning,
they couldn’t display mutual assists to support each other.
Since that was the case, the pair decided to attack Kurumi at the
same time. If either one could kill her, that was fine.
Their combat power was doubled. In addition, since both sides
agreed to not kill each other yet, there were further improvements
to their strength.
Of course, the four other remaining Quasi-Spirits──Sheri, Tonami,
Tsuan, and False may intervene. In particular, Sheri and Tonami
would be prepared to plunder the spoils without any hesitation.
However, if they were afraid to come out due to that risk, they
wouldn’t have survived up until this point.

113
 “A person’s life is short; a brief life suddenly blooms and fades. It is
a life to live without
regrets!”
With a smile, the girl prepared to set up her Unsigned Angel.
◇
After the fashion store, there wasn’t much more shopping. Rather,
it was better to say that Kurumi and Empty were making a game of
wandering around the shopping mall. Empty had enthusiastically
called out to Kurumi to enter a store, but Kurumi had ignored each
request every time.
“Really, what is the matter, Kurumi-san?” “I did not come here to
play.”
“Eh, then what did you come here to do?”
Kurumi held the old-fashioned pistol in her hands while looking at
the sky.
“It’s to wait for an ambush.”
Originally, the reason Kurumi had come to this shopping mall was
to fight. Yesterday’s investigation had shown that of the remaining 6
Quasi-Spirits, two of them had formed two-man groups.
Moreover, it could be said with certainty that neither Tsuan nor
False would ever partner up with anyone.
Kurumi was aware. She had thoroughly investigated it. Yesterday, it
had already exceeded 13 times that these ten people have fought
against each other. Why were these Quasi-Spirits participating, what
their spirit genus was, what their stance on this situation was, and
how they were planning the challenge this conflict.
Tokisaki Kurumi was weak. No, of course it was impossible for her
to be weak. From the perspective of being a Spirit, a line was already
drawn between the Quasi-Spirits. However, she was still weak.

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 Only one short gun could be obtained. That ability could only be
used sparingly, including the First Bullet <Aleph>. Above all, it was
impossible to exercise more than that.
It was hard to say that the Spirit Dress of God’s Authority no. 3
<Elohim> was perfect. Contrary to what one might expect from its
stylish appearance, it was difficult to say how long it could withstand
the fierce attacks coming from the Quasi-Spirits.
However, that was the source of her method of survival. She
survived through enduring, investigation, determining a target, and
then driving that opponent completely into a desperate corner.
It was coming, Kurumi’s intuition had whispered to herself.
The shopping mall was a spacious structure. Therefore, if
commencing a surprise attack, now was the perfect opportunity as
the two were about to walk outside.
It wasn’t like those girls to miss such an opportunity.
As she looked at the Quasi-Spirit falling down, there was no look of
surprise on her face. As expected, everything was as planned.
Yes, as expected, what had fallen down was──
“<Crotos>──<Spira>!”
“Welcome, Takeshita Ayame-san. I would like to praise you for not
attacking while a lady is changing clothes.”
As Takeshita Ayame dropped down, Kurumi smiled while pointing
the pistol with her fingers already hanging over the trigger.
The intersection lasted just for a moment.
Even though stunned at being seen through, Ayame fired her
arrow. The arrow was just like a rifle bullet, going forward perfectly
straight in a spiral motion. At the cost of sacrificing speed, the arrow
had the destructive capability of penetrating an Astral Dress──
Kurumi avoid it by slightly bending her body.
“Ku…………!”

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 Other arrows can increase speed by boasting them with reiryoku,
but since <Spira>’s increased
power depended on its rotations, increasing more speed would yield
errors in accuracy. No
matter how much speed increased, it made no sense if a hit couldn’t
be landed.
However, Ayame’s role of pinning that girl to a single location had
already been accomplished. While putting on the brakes mid-air,
Ayame continued firing one arrow after another.
“Kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
It was that girl (Empty) who let out a sorrowful scream while fleeing
in disarray.
On the other hand, Kurumi did not run away as she threw a
clothing rack from the ladies’ shop
towards Ayame.
Countless clothes danced in the air. Ayame’s field of vision was
obscured. A single gunshot rang.
It seemed the other side hasn’t established a target; the bullet didn’t
even sweep past her.
However, the sound of gunfire gave away her standing position.
No problem, within effective attacking range……! “Isami, now!”
Ayame shouted. Immediately, afterwards, accompanied by a
slamming roar, Isami leaped from the fifth floor and landed on the
ground.
“<Yinbentabei>──!”
It was an innocent monster-like roar. An extraordinary onslaught
struck the surrounding region. There was no such thing as a special
ability for Hijikata Isami’s Unsigned Angel. It was a pure mass of
reckless slashing. Merely, cutting, cutting, cutting, until the very end,
a fury of slashes where neither defense nor escape was permitted.

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 Not matter what sort of Spirit; no one could remain unscathed
from this.
“──Eh, there’s no one here!?” “Huh……!?
Ayame froze upon hearing Isami’s voice. Thinking back just before
her thoughts got scrambled,
she remembered the gunshot.
Yes, she seemed to be──able to gain strength by shooting at
herself!
“Ayame, where!?”
“Looking for, now──”
Ayame suddenly looked up. This time, with her arms widely
stretched out, Tokisaki Kurumi was falling towards them.
“Above……!”
After shouting, she quickly noticed that was wrong. What was
falling was merely just a mannequin dressed like Tokisaki Kurumi.
Seeing that was wrong, she wanted to scream that out──Ayame
had noticed. But Isami responded to her voice and looked up to the
sky. However, the problem was not only there.
“Behind──”
From Isami’s shadow, a girl crawled out. There were two main
ways of defeating Isami’s
slashing boundary.
One way was to attack the boundary with enough destructive
power from a distance where her boundary could not reach.
The second way was to not let her attack in the first place.
“To give you a piece of advice……you two should have put more
emphasis on the meaning of working together.”
No matter how much you know each other, no matter how much
you are deeply attached to each
other from the bottom of one’s heart.

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 The act of launching a coordinate attack was a separate matter. It
was only though countless, exercises, negotiations, and failures could
that power be enhanced.
It was not unusual for 1 + 1 to become negative.
“Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Isami turned to look back to slice at what came out of the shadow.
However, there was an indescribable grief within her expression.
She wouldn’t make it in time, was it by instinct or was it──
A gunshot shredded apart her thoughts.
Unable to escape, a blow to the Sephira Crystal. The radiance of life
within that girl’s eyes was
taken away in the blink of an eye.
“Isa, mi!”
──However. Isami continue clung onto to Kurumi.
“Shoot……Shoooooooot!”
There was no hesitation. With the greatest concentration within
her life, Ayame’s promise
inevitably gave way to her greatest single attack.
“<Crotos>──<Spira>!”
At that moment, a phenomenon occurred that even Kurumi could
not predict.
The ground shook, Empty screamed (although this was the case
every time), Isami and Kurumi’s
faces both changed complexion.
“Neighboring world composition (Compiler)……at such a time!”
In the neighboring world, Spirits have already disappeared.
However, even so, the Spirit’s majesty was still unceasingly spread
here. Occasionally, even when in a distant world, they continue to
have a great influence over the Neighboring world.

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 It is unclear when and how this effect will occur. The scale that
would change is also unpredictable.
……According to one theory, the effect would occur when a Spirit’s
mood is greatly shaken, but
that was not certain.
The earth was torn apart.
Black pillars soared up, ravaging this world. From those pillars,
countless needle–like thorns began to grow.
Apparently, this current transformation seemed to have been
brought by a mood turning sour.
“Ah!? No, wait……”
The floor that was about to collapse was now tilted obliquely as
Empty was sliding down without any leverage.
The destination, which used to be a staircase, was now nothing
else than a black pillar protruding outward.
“Kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Empty’s scream. She and Kurumi exchanged gazes──Kurumi was
clung onto by Isami and
couldn’t move. Even so, Empty reflexively stretched out her hand.
The woken thoughts spoke out.
“It was impossible to be saved.”
Empty had known, she had always known. Since she was a very
weak creature, she couldn’t help
but reach out.
“Y-you──”
It was hard to believe.
It was impossible for Kurumi to reach her hand. A faint trembling of
the eyes. As Empty was falling to the hole of death, she thought that
was enough.

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 How comfortably easy it was to sway the heart. As long as she,
reached out towards me──
Falling down.
It was similar to when she was born just a while ago, Empty
thought so.
Soon afterwards, the impact will come; it was a great enough
height to at least die. If she landed on her head, she would die more
easily. She considered that as she closed her eyelids. While waiting
for the shock that would come soon, the worst scenario would be to
continue living while half-dead. The painful experience afterwards
would likely be very difficult.
Soon the impact will arrive, it was impossible to prepare for what
was going to happen. She
couldn’t help but cry. The shockwaves would soon come, she guess
that this was it.
“A──re?”
No matter how long, the impact hadn’t come yet. She trembled in
fear as she opened her closed
eyes.
Then, just at the moment of opening her eyes, Empty finally tasted
the super-level impact.
“No way……!”
Kurumi understood that Empty would not die from a fall from that
extent. At best there will be a little pain or shock. However, those
thorns were quite bad.
Those thorns are said to be the heart of a Spirit itself. There were a
lot of Quasi-Spirits that were swallowed and never returned. It was
the same regardless of whether formed from positive or negative
emotions──. Looking down at the bottom, Empty’s figure couldn’t be
seen as expected.

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 Isami was already dead. On the other hand, Ayame had not
recovered yet. Even so, because her instincts as a warrior, she had
already nocked her arrow.
However, Kurumi’s short gun was slightly faster.
The sound of gunfire resounded.
Ayame’s Sephira Crystal was shot through. “Ku, u──”
The serious collapse had begun. In addition, blazing flames rained
down incessantly from the sky as a souvenir.
“……As expected, the timing is too bad.” Kurumi’s eyes firmly
captured the second attacker. Sheri Musika, along with Tonami
Furue.
“With cute faces, two young ladies who can’t be taken lightly. ……I
have no choice but to escape.”
This was not a battle that can be won. Tokisaki Kurumi’s power was
versatile with extensive uses. Even in the present situation where
only two abilities can be used, it was possible to see the optimistic
prospect of this being manageable.
However, Kurumi understood that this was a gamble.
No matter how convinced of not suffering defeat, there were no
absolutes in battle.
The battle in the shopping mall was because Kurumi expected to
win. Takeshita Ayame would start a surprise attack. She would work
together with her rival Hijikata Isami.
Relying on Ayame’s signal from perhaps above or below, Isami
would rush towards her without
exception.
A slashing boundary that could be called absolute. In order to
escape that, there was no choice but to accelerate with the First
Bullet <Aleph> to escape over a long distance.
In the battle with Nogi Aiai, their eyes should have noticed her
using a bullet.

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 Therefore, she took her gaze off Isami to peek into the surrounding
situation. Then, she kicked away a planned in advance mannequin
that was dressed like herself, using it as a decoy.
All for that brief moment, in order to completely deceive the other
party. And in order to conceal another power in the end.
Tokisaki Kurumi decided to withdrawal.
……Could Empty be able to return in the end? There were few
Quasi-Spirits that could escape capture from those thorns.
It was a pity to lose her, Kurumi thought so. Although it was
extremely of self-interest, there must be a limit to self-deception──.
Forget it. What should be considered right now was something
else. It was almost time for “her”
to appear.
Even with the power of a Spirit, she didn’t know if she could beat
her in the end.
No, she had to win. Anyhow. If not──she would forever be unable
to be saved.
“……Isami……”
The Sephira Crystal had been broken; Ayame understood that this
was defeat. Remorse, despair, all sorts of frightened emotions
escalated──but all she could do was shed tears.
The day would come where they wouldn’t have to fight and be free
to talk to each other without concern. She only had those faint
hopes.
Why did she throw that dream away?
“…...Next time, I hope it’s at least not a relationship of fighting each
other.”
Whispering such words, she closed her eyes.
“──That dream, it’s for you to grant.”

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 She shouldn’t have made such a frivolous wish, Ayame regretted
that at the very end of her last
moments.
□□□□
Opening my eyes, what appeared in front of the field of vision was
a school classroom. However, the appearance was different from the
classroom visited yesterday. The school building was somewhat old
and felt more familiar than the classroom from yesterday. However,
there was just one problem.
The classroom was basically half-destroyed. All of the desks were
damaged or knocked down and there were no chairs left functioning
as chairs.
It was strangely sad, Empty thought──while frightened.
This hand was not her own hand. Rather than the sleeves of her
white dress covering her hand, there was something resembling a
hand guard instead. Not only that, the hand was moving on its own
initiative.
Like within her dream, the hand was moving without permission.
Someone (me) was moving.
There was a door open to the classroom. Although it was not out of
her own will, her gaze reflexively shifted there.
It was like a strong collision against the skull or a sharp blade
striking the heart. In that manner, the painful shockwaves traversed
through her body.
In front of me was a boy perhaps of the same age. With blush black
hair, a slender body, and a gaze that was difficult to conceal the fear
that was permeating.
Something inside me was carelessly released. The door and the
rear window glass were blown
away, as the boy’s face was stained with blood.
(No!!)

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 A loud screech, a hysterical struggle, it didn’t matter if this was a
dream or not.
But, it was hopeless for him. What happened was absolutely
hopeless for him.
Fortunately, the previous attack had just passed through the side
of the boy’s body. It only
caused minor injuries on the face. Even so, it felt as painful as my
heart being carved out.
“──Stop.”
From the mouth, those words rushed out. No, not just that. I am
not myself, but rather borrowing
someone else’s body──Empty was convinced of that.
As for the reason why, it was because this voice was completely
different from my own. Although physique and chest size have not
changed much, the voice and fingers were different. Clothing was
also different. And above all, there was the feeling of not being
myself.
……The boy did not try to escape.
It was impossible not to be afraid. If looked closely, both legs were
trembling. The waist was also a little bit jittery. Both eyes had a timid
hue. She could kill him as easily as picking up a flower, the boy likely
also understood this well.
However, he did not run.
No, it wasn’t a timid look, but rather a look of determination. This
was not something like a man’s resolve.
In order to protect something even more precious than himself, he
would not retreat here.
A worthless conversation had begun. The boy gave his name.
Strangely, that name couldn’t be
heard. However, she thought that it was not likely important. As

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important as he may be, a name was only an accessory.
As a girl without a name, Empty thought so for some reason.
“I……to talk to you……came here.” “I want to talk to you.”
“I──won’t reject you.”
Each word permeated just like a shower of rain, piercing through
her just like a bullet. Was the one crying herself or this host? Even
that was undistinguishable.
I wanted to talk. Thinking deep down, I wanted to talk with that
boy, just like her. Rather than wanting to burn, my heart felt like
ignited like a raging flame. However, this was a flame that would
never disappear without a trace.
As soon as she realized that, it was not a jest to say that she felt
possessed by a murderous intent towards her.
Why was it not herself, why was she chosen?
“────Tohka.”
And so, she at last surpassed Empty.
The girl, who also was without a name, was given the name Tohka.
She was attached to this new name.
What a simple reason. If you forgotten your own name, it was
unassuming enough to have someone else give you a new one.
It’s just, that was it.
She accepted that name. A great name, which she spoke of
proudly. Hazy. Blurry.
Reaching out, even if she stretched and stretched, it wouldn’t reach
that boy. It would never
reach. It felt just like that.
No. I don’t want this. It’s still not enough, I want to talk, I want to
see his smile again, not her, I──”

125
 Screaming. Howling. The tears continued to overflow. Recognizing.
Even without any memories, I would never forget it, how can I ever
forget it.
Like or blazing fire burning, like contaminated water diffusing
outward, or possibly the gloomy sentiments of a shadow lurking in
an alleyway, Empty filled herself.
To herself who should have been nothing, a single guide point was
born. On that day, she fell in love with this boy────────once again.

126
127
 ◇
Opening her eyes, it was like waking up from a dream. The black
pillar had already disappeared. Apparently, it was a temporary object
that would soon withdraw after some time had passed.
Empty was laying down on the first floor of the shopping mall, with
her limbs all stretched out in shape of a 大 character.
There was no pain.
She stood up by supporting herself with her left hand. Speaking of
which the left hand should have already disappeared, while thinking
of such a thing Empty repeatedly closed and open the palm of her
hand. Although there was still uneasiness about the future, there
were already intense aspirations burning within her chest. There was
a strong conviction that her left hand would never disappear again.
She felt she understood the reason why everyone had a dream. It
was love rather than a dream,
but it didn’t change the matter that she hoped to live on for that
purpose.
The neighboring world was very beautiful. So beautiful, a Quasi-
Spirit with dreams could dance here forever as if in paradise.
If an eternal girl could weave a dream forever──how beautiful
could it be?
Conversely, looking at the other world how was it in comparison?
There was no such thing as eternity, only the ugly struggle of the
human world.
Likely, this world here is much better. To be more convenient, a
method to live without fighting should also exist.
However, there was no such person here. Because he was not a
Quasi-Spirit in the neighboring world; but rather, he was a person
living a life as a human being.
Empty fell in love with a person from the other world.

128
 I want to see each other; I want to talk after meeting. If only
through looking, those words would never be said. I want to hug; I
want to be by each other’s side. I want to smell, to look into each
other’s eyes. I want to hold each other’s hand, hear each other’s
voice──.
“……To take a small taste, that would be out of the question.”
The feeling was unbearable.
Anyway, what should be done to meet him? Empty kept
considering that matter.
The color of the world felt like they had become richer. Despite not
knowing where to go, the final destination was already decided
upon.
This was Empty’s dream.
……Now. This girl, with dreams of love almost switched into sleep
mode, suddenly snapped back to reality.
“──My apologizes. Can you be a hostage for a while?”
I really became a hostage. Ahaha.
Two hours after the battle in the shopping mall, Tokisaki Kurumi’s
message was transmitted via doll.
“Taking Empty as a hostage?” “Exactly.”
“Well, I understand. The location is──oh, where? Oh, so that is it.
Please act on my behalf; I’ll head over there at 7:00 PM if possible.”
“Isn’t it already after school hours?”
“To let the other party have a hostage there, a useful overseer who
would already turn a blind eye
to a little matter like this.”
“……I hope not to add too much trouble.”
While watching the departing doll, Tokisaki Kurumi couldn’t help
but softly laugh.

129
 “What is this about talking about her as a hostage? They’ve really
thought of something interesting.”
──After laughing for a while, an icy cold hatred covered Kurumi’s
heart.
Hostage or whatever, it was really amusing. Was she that
important to me?
……In a sense, that was correct. She truly was a cherished
existence. Even if she must be prepared to abandon her
consciousness at the key moment……
Then, when was this critical moment? At that time, it couldn’t be
that the reason she reached out was due to her having unwillingness
to part.
Her thoughts ran stagnant.
She vowed not to look back, but the superfluous past had come
crawling out. No, not yet. Don’t let her heart thaw and be hindered
by worthless emotions. Until that goal was achieved, she would
remain ruthless. Prideful arrogance, fearless courage, scorning
everything with that laughter as such was the worthy presence for
this smile.
……Anyhow, her being made hostage strategy was born.
Reflecting it over, turning strategies on their head, it was all for
eventually reaching that
woman’s side to defeat that enemy.
Was struggling here something to be accumulated?
Yes, truly Tokisaki Kurumi would never have to struggle. With this
graceful power, she would bewitchingly strike down her opponents.
Three hours left.
Tokisaki Kurumi continued to think so.

130
 ──When did the bullying begin?
Thinking that over, Tonami Furue clearly recalled memories from
the other world.
Perhaps it was due to her being quite uncouth, perhaps it was
because of being unremarkable, or perhaps she randomly provoked
a group that incited the bullying. Or maybe, she was simply selected
by chance?
For a long time now, she had certainly been self-conscious of her
plain, docile, and reserved nature.
It started with sneers and malicious gossip.
“Country bumpkin.” “Self-deluded in love” “Teacher’s pet.”
Absurdly serious.” “Natural airhead.” “Smelly (which of course was
slander)” “Filthy (which was also slander)” Germ- spreader (the
follow was an abbreviation)”
It grew to where scraps of paper were thrown at her.
Although it was awfully unpleasant, Tonami couldn’t help but
decide to endure. It would soon be over just like any other case of
bullying, or so she thought.
However, for some reason the bullying intensified as more time
passed. Her shoulders were struck when passing by. She was told lies
of needed to go to another classroom, hiding her learning materials,
writing mischievous text on her desk each day.
And finally, when forced into a bathroom, they thought it would be
amusing to throw in a bucket filled with water. Taking advantage of a
cowardly opening, she grabbed a mob and used it jab at the faces of
those three──well, maybe that was overkill. Their noses were broken

131
and eyes were in awful shape, it made their depraved faces even
more repulsive.
After that, she remembered falling into a pitfall while running
away. Her life in the neighboring world also began from there.
Tonami Furue felt no joy, sorrow, or loneliness living in this world.
There was only the feeling of adapting to this world.
She couldn’t see her parents, she couldn’t see her classmates, but
that wasn’t a big deal. Since she was only dimly alive no matter
which world it was.
However……how to describe it, she always felt that she possessed a
helpless disadvantage as a
unique human being.
What would become a sin in the other world was considered as
respectable skill in the neighboring world.
Tonami Furue was brutal beyond cure. If Sheri Musika was a wolf in
sheep’s clothing born from
a bad environment, then it was Tonami Furue’s natural disposition to
be a furious beast.

132
 As soon as she opened her eyes, Empty saw two terrifying Quasi-
Spirits in front of her. Moreover, contrary to what the two of them
had said (roughly that she had no value in Kurumi’s eyes), they tied
her up as a hostage.
That amount or more was currently confirmation of her current
status.
Right now, time had already passed and night was soon
approaching. That is to say the battle had come to an end for a while.
But still, she wondered why she was kidnapped.
“……Say, this rope is……”
“Please rest assured. We aren’t planning on doing anything like
torture for you.”
Tonami Furue smiled at Empty. That being the case, she wasn’t
asking about that right now.
“Haah, thank you for that……in that case, can you please untie this
rope, both of my hands have already gotten numb.”
“That won’t be good♪”
Hagu, Empty sighed a little. Both of her arms were strongly tied
and suspended to a pole from behind. Besides the numb soreness, it
also felt itchy from the rope digging into her arms.
Although it was not torture, it was still quite the uncomfortable
state.
“If you want to think like that, isn’t interrogation via torture not
out of the question?”
In a cheerful voice, Sheri raised her magnifying glass. Then, she
glanced over the focused laser beam towards Empty’s cheeks.

133
 “Hot……! No wait, was it really just that super-hot just a moment
ago!? My face, is my face
okay!”
“Stop, please restrain yourself from doing this to the hostage. I for
one detest violence that isn’t necessary.”
Tonami glared at Sheri. Sheri shrugged her shoulders while saying
“what’s the harm of something of this level” as the slightest degree
of reflecting on her own conscience flew past her head.
“D-don’t look at me like that. Is my face okay? As a maiden in love,
my face is very important.”
“It’s fine for the time being. ……Love?”
“For the time being!? That line is too vague and subjective; I’m
begging you for a mirror right now! Also, that’s right; I am now
immersed in love!”
Tonami and Sheri looked at each other. “No way, with Tokisaki
Kurumi?” “An unusual hobby?”
“I don’t have those sorts of feelings for that person!” “……Then, who
is it?”
“Sorry, I don’t know his name! I wasn’t able to hear it!”
“If that’s the case! What does he look like!? Is it someone here!? Or
is it someone over there!?” Empty felt her stomach rumble as she
gulped. It felt strangely embarrassing to talk about him.” “It’s not a
Spirit. Uh, he’s not a person in the neighboring world! A human boy!
High school
student! As far as I know, he is the type of person who would talk
with Spirits……!” Her words came to a stop right there. The faces of
those two were full of surprise. “……Excuse me, what……?”
“Incredible. You’re actually, really, in love.”
As Sheri spoke, there was an unmistaken envy that her eyes could
not hide.
“So……it’s true.”

134
 Tonami muttered out while in a daze. Until now, the two who were
so robotic and terrifying suddenly formed a response consistent with
a girl of their age.
“Excuse me……what is going on?”
──Evening approached in earnest. In the factory a light, which was
about to be broken faintly illuminated on those three. The outside
had already been completely shrouded by darkness with no signs of
people.
“That boy is a kind of a legend for us Quasi-Spirits.”
Although it didn’t change from being tied up, the two of them were
chatting with Empty in a
more open manner than before.
“Legend……?”
As Empty slanted her head, Sheri opened her mouth in an amiable
manner.
“Probably it was around the time of the neighboring world
compilation. You must have been
sucked into the black pillar, right?”
The legends in the neighboring world were numerous. Rumors
spread quickly in girl-specific networks, becoming legends that would
sooner or later disappear.
However, there was also a deeply ingrained legend.
“At the beginning……it was about five years ago. It was the era
when the neighboring world was still dominated by a large number
of Spirits. At that time, Quasi-Spirits who were involved in the
neighboring world were said to have spoken ‘I seem to be in love’ or
something like that.”
“With the large departure of many Spirits, those words have
become more and more common.”
“It seems that Spirits have gone to live in his world. However, when
their hearts are deeply impacted or perhaps when experiencing

135
some sort of supreme joy, the mental state of the Spirits still leaves
an influence over the neighboring world.”
“There are some recent events of recalling an intense past from
time to time. The Quasi-Spirits caught in that all return
looking……mostly like they have fallen in love.”
“……And then, as a result of the discussion of these various rumors,
it is presumably true that
the Spirits are falling in love as well.”
“Love──wait……is it to that person? To my man!?”
“T-to talk as if you already own him like a possession……”
“A girl with strong desire for exclusivity will be hated; I understand
that even though I have no
experience!”
“W-why is it like that! How can it be like that──────────!”
Despite wanting to keep her screams to her head, she couldn’t
twist her body violently because
her hands were tied. Clearly, it wasn’t of much use. “Ah, yes, yes,
calm down.”

136
137
 Sheri tried to soothe this lukewarm feeling.
……For example, what would happen after to someone other than
herself who would taste this experience?
Having no clue of what to dream of, not even knowing where to go.
Not being able to recall any names, the same type of Quasi-Spirit as
herself.
If you look at his delicate expression, hear his words even though
they aren’t directed towards
herself. If you accept that sincerity.
Then likely……well perhaps, she would truly fall for that.
With a soft smile, Tonami continued on.
“So the Quasi-Spirits who came back basically fell in love……it
seemed like finding the strength to support one’s survival. It is said
that there will be no more feelings of being “lost” and the
like.”’
“Haha──, so that’s it. No wonder my left hand was restored……”
“So, that left hand was about to disappear. Then it couldn’t be any
better to have it restored back to normal.”
Sheri nodded in admiration as she suddenly looked up to the sky in
loneliness. The crumbling ceiling of the factory was naturally full of
gaps that allowed the stars to be seen through.
Of course, these stars were nothing but fakes. As they repeatedly
flickered, they were no more than an inferior substitute for a light
bulb.
No matter how far the struggle, a nighthawk flying to the stars in
vain was an unreachable hope.
“Love, is it really such a beautiful thing? I don’t understand; I don’t
understand it at all.” “Sheri and I are companions on this point. I also
don’t understand this very well.”
As if showing her approval, Tonami unceasingly nodded her head.

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 “I feel you must come from the country that wouldn’t have the
spare time for matters of love.” “Surely I think I must be the timid
type that would treat falling in love as forbidden.”
The two looked on at the starry sky together. Based on this situation,
Empty was absolutely helpless. The two in front of her were well-
known Quasi-Spirits that were skillful at fighting. If they were
inclined, it was to the extent that Empty would be wiped out from
this world at a
moment’s notice.
The difference would be choosing between being burnt to ashes or
cut apart into pieces.
……But, despite understanding that this way of thinking was out of
place regardless of the situation, Empty still thought the situation
was a misunderstanding beyond repair.
Those two seemed so pitiful.
Not because there was no love. Those two ought to have
comprehended the feeling of love, yet they also could not go
searching for it.
That point couldn’t be denied. It was not a matter of being
incapable of liking a person, rather there were many who have a
fondness for particular objects other than people. But apart from
that, they didn’t seem to be knowledgeable about that matter.
“Falling in love, what in the world is it? Tonami.” “What exactly is
it? Sheri.”
But to consider that they didn’t know anything about love in the first
place.
They didn’t know the indiscernible type of dedication to someone
or something, the warm
passion that drifted here like the flow coming from the waves.
It was because they didn’t know, they couldn’t judge whether love
was a priceless jewel or a worthless block of stone.

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 ……As I thought that was it. Sure enough, Empty still felt a little sad
towards them.
Bzz.
Suddenly, the factory lights were shot down in quick succession.
There wasn’t even enough time for Empty to scream as the
surroundings were immediately covered in darkness.
“Sheri.”
“Yeah.”
In contrast to the simple words those two said, it was enough to
understand that they had completely switched to a different mode.
The girl-like atmosphere had just disappeared. Certainly, their
expressions must have changed to match the proper appearance of a
warrior.
“Let me tell you this in advance. If you run away now, I will kill
you.”
“The moment you try to escape, my chakram will cut you apart
from your head to your bottom.” “N-no, I won’t escape. Please rest
assured I’m not going to run away.”
She could feel that both of them were slowly about to leave. ……This
factory seemed to be full
of gaps and easy to invade, but it was actually full of traps.
There seemed to be a person among the Quasi-Spirits with the
ability to steal Astral Dresses and Unsigned Angels from other Quasi-
Spirits to tamper and maintain them. It is said that she wanders
around the neighboring world, selling those deprived items to those
in need. Of course, if you use those items, even weak Quasi-Spirits
could greatly enhance their combat effectiveness.
An Astral Dress used for snaring its prey and an imitated Unsigned
Angel used for a single counterattack.
……As for those who were ripped off, it was a bit unimaginable.

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 Anyhow, this factory was filled with Astral Dress type traps
improved in that manner. If entered carelessly, even a Spirit would
have to pay hefty price.
Additionally, both Sheri and Tonami had a precise and swift reaction
time. Despite hardly having any interest, the duo pushed forward to
victory with a terrifying cool-headiness.
No matter where invaded or how attacked, they were ready to
respond to any tactic. Although it was simple, it was also amazingly
time consuming──but if prepared enough; they would undoubtedly
come out as the winner.
However, there was nothing that could be completely prepared.
Even as a Quasi-Spirit, it didn’t necessarily mean they could
transcend humanity’s thinking capabilities. Kurumi’s first move was
completely unforeseeable to them.
Tokisaki Kurumi had control over time and shadows, an invisible
domain that couldn’t be seen
even by Quasi-Spirits.
It was then when Empty noticed her faint breath touching her hair
for a split second. Kurumi appeared softly from the shadow of the
pillar that Empty was tied down to. Kurumi had sneaked into the
factory through the shadows, almost as if she had known about the
traps Tonami had set up. The two Quasi-Spirits on alert outside
wouldn’t have noticed this.
Kurumi softly whispered close to Empty’s ear. “──Please be quiet
and don’t make any noise.” “……!”
When hearing those words, Empty was so stunned by Kurumi that
she could hardly even breathe.
“If it is convenient, I am going to kill you next. Please do your best
to die.” (What do you mean? That’s──!)
“Yes, please be obediently killed by me.”

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 It was useless to keep asking questions as she threw some liquid
with an astringent smell onto
Empty’s clothes.
(S-smells fishy…… this smell is rust or something……what the hell is
this!?) There was no reply. Kurumi vanished quickly as she had
appeared. “……Hm? This smell……”
Immediately after Sheri responded, a gunshot screamed near Empty.
Or perhaps it would better to say Empty had been shot.
“Ah……gu……?”
Blood spurted from her mouth. A hole opened in her chest from the
shock.
“Eh……?”
Both Tonami and Sheri looked at the girl who was just struck.
When seeing Empty’s neck bend
back a little, both of them stood up in alarm. Tonami ran over to
raise Empty’s face. “Achoo!”
With this exaggerating sneeze, Tonami was sprayed with ketchup.
From this, she immediately understood everything and gave out a
warning.
“It’s a trap!”
Sheri made the judgment to instantly use <Sekhmet> to sweep
around the surroundings. The sunlight stored during daytime tore
through the darkness.
“Found it……up above, at the direction of 1 o’clock.”
Following Sheri’s voice, Tonami looked up. From a steal beam that
supported the ceiling──a
black shadow dwelled over there.
As if bewitchingly dissolving into the darkness, Tonami lost her
voice for a split second. It was
as if there weren’t any traps at all. How did she move so silently to
that place? An ability of her Astral Dress……or was it the power of a

142
Spirit?
Kurumi overlooked the two with a proud expression.
“The idea of a hostage was wonderful. But the location chosen was
too poor. It’s appealing that you didn’t have any countermeasures
besides standing ready and waiting.”
Silence. Although there was no lighting, there were no issues with
eye contact due to the
illumination brought by Sheri’s sunlight.
Not far from Kurumi’s location, there was a manufactured Astral
Dress type snare set. Through usage of the ninth Spirit-genus’s sound
vibration, it caused a temporary paralysis effect. Even for Tokisaki
Kurumi, it would produce several momentary openings.
And those two would never let go of that opportunity.
“Now!”
At the same time Sheri screamed and tightly clenched onto
<Sekhmet>, Tonami threw her
<Silphid>.
“Ara, ara.”
As expected, it was like being suckered into it. Kurumi fell into the
effective range of the trap. Tonami pressed on a switch. After on a
fraction of a second, the shockwaves ran simultaneously with the
explosion.
At the moment she stopped moving, Sheri would release all of the
sunshine energy stored in her Unsigned Angel. Until her reserves ran
zero, she would give all of her strength into a single blow.
──However. “Kya……aaaaaaaah!?”
Sheri screamed at the same time the explosion occurred. Looking
closely, it wasn’t Kurumi who
was paralyzed by the sound vibrations.
“Why!?”
“Just around the time you two rushed over to check up on Empty.”

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 “A-at that moment, you saw through and removed the trap!?
Impossible……you’re lying……”
“No, seeing the trap was from the very beginning. Going a step
further, I already know when you
set up traps here.”
“Beginning from ten days ago!?”
There was a lot of time before the start of the killing game. Before
teaming up with Sheri, Tonami Furue had planned on using this
factory as a fortress for laying traps.
There were many traps, devices, and even Astral Dresses that she
didn’t even tell Sheri about.
“Since you are a very strong person. Very, very strong. You were
likely to draw your opponents into a trap. You’re the type of person
who would scatter bait and smash the enemy from the top of the
abyss. Therefore, it would be impossible for me not take such
rigorous precautions first.”
No matter how many traps set, the last 90% or more will be in vain.
To be cautious enough to be ridiculed as a coward, to be laughed
at for being paranoid, such was
Tonami Furue’s method for survival──a very difficult way of living.
The Quasi-Spirits, whom all fell into such traps, screamed curses at
her without exception.
Cursing her as a ‘despicable coward’. But if one asked Tonami, the
Quasi-Spirits who fell into such traps were the ‘despicable cowards’.
Their behavior was simply not reflecting their own mistakes and
shirking the responsibility onto others.
Even so, when criticized by others, Tonami’s heart still felt a little
bit stung.
“──So. You don’t think I am a despicable coward?”
“Isn’t that obvious. If you want to smear your own efforts for
victory, then you are

144
despicable──in battle there is only the strong outmatching the weak
in order to prevail.”
Those words were not a lie. Kurumi truly thought of that for
Tonami.
(──Ah, I’ve always felt that was enough.)
Likely, the true cause of her defeat was not that her traps had been
seen through. Rather it was because of her praise that her heart felt
charmed. Even though in the past she was fed up of malicious words
spoken behind her back, hearing those words today made it feel like
everything had been rewarded.
Kurumi’s muzzle pointed towards Tonami. If she used <Silphid> to
block the shot, then she should be able to continue fighting.
However, Tonami had no such intentions at all.
The trap was seen through, and she was made a fool by having it
used against herself, this was more of a one-sided devastation than a
battle.
However, Tonami truly thought it was a time of fulfillment.
Next, she felt a little sorry for her partner Sheri as her last wishes
left her mouth. Speaking it out, it felt more embarrassing and joyful
than she had imagined.
“Ah~ ah, I also want to fall in love too.”
The gunfire echoed as the Sephira Crystal was crushed.
However, Tonami Furue smiled happily while accepting the bullet.
The remaining one.
Kurumi shifted her gaze to Sheri, who was still paralyzed.
“……You, this….……!”
Sheri glared at Kurumi with a look brimming with hatred. In a few
seconds, she would soon recover from the paralysis.
There was no time to hesitate. Kurumi, who made that judgment
call, immediately turned her pistol towards her.

145
 The sound of coughing. This time, it was Kurumi rather than Sheri
who showed a chance opening. Rather than hesitating on pulling the
trigger, Kurumi turned towards Empty.
The most terrifying thing about Sheri Musika was likely her
willpower to keep surviving.
To survive for even a second longer, even if it was only ten
seconds. Keep thinking about survival until just before she dies.
Sheri realized at that moment that Kurumi had turned away from
her and towards Empty.
There was only this instant, wanting to live, it took less than a
second for her to gamble everything.
Sheri forcibly advanced the recovery that should have taken a few
more seconds. She focused all of her nerves and reiryoku into her
right arm to release <Sekhmet> towards Empty.
“Eh──?”
The dazzling sunshine poured out at a great speed. Empty and
Sheri’s eyes also coincided at that instant.
Sheri felt a little apologetic. But even then, she still wanted to live.
Since that girl who should have been empty without a name had
enthusiastically shown her the brilliance of life.
Not only just fighting, not only just killing, at the end of all of this
there must be someone waiting for her after working so hard so far.
So──she must survive by any means possible. Because of the
confusion, a drastic change in the
situation was necessary.
Therefore, the choice of this attack was Empty. Of course, it was
also true that her paralyzed arm
couldn’t take any further action.
It seemed that good fortune had rained down on Sheri. Kurumi,
with a stunned expression that didn’t match her, adopted a reckless
act. Stretching out his arms and feet, a moment’s worth of hesitation

146
separated life or death for her. Therefore, Kurumi didn’t hesitate in
the slightest.
Empty widened his eyes. After a moment of it being unclear of
what had happened, she saw Kurumi standing in front her──blood
flowed from her lost right arm.
“……You are really a troublesome labor.” “S-so……rry?”
No, now was not the time to speak calmly and without stress. As
Empty was thinking of that, Kurumi smiled.
“No, this is my responsibility. My own negligence was to blame for
this.”
Kurumi cut the rope that was tying Empty. Then, she threw her
detached right arm towards her.
“……Ha, gross. Wait a moment, why are you giving this to me for
safekeeping!?”
“Please hold on to it. I have to go end that child──. Also what do
you mean by gross? My right arm should be beautiful, right?”
“No, but it’s disgusting to walk around with a broken limb like
that!’
Kurumi didn’t respond to Empty’s sharp criticism. Instead, she
grabbed the shot gun with her left
hand. Originally, no matter with which hand used, Kurumi could use
her pistol skillfully.
But──by that moment Sheri had already arrived at the entrance of
the factory. Sheri, who was
running away and displaying her back, turned to Kurumi.
A strong wind blew.
“I won’t let you escape.”

147
148
 “I didn’t plan on running.”
Consequently, she understood that victory would go to the one
with the faster attack.
Sheri revealed a sly smile as she spurred on her paralyzed body.
Even during a conversation like this, the paralysis gradually eased.
The damage she received from the explosion was not too deep. If
she continued like this, her power would soon return.
In contrast, the damage Kurumi received was very serious. In any
case, her right arm was disconnected. Her right arm being
disconnected from being burnt off, but to be more precise, it was a
direct blow to the back of her right arm. Even though she was relying
on the protection from her Astral Dress, her back was still bleeding.
It was Sheri, not Kurumi, who would benefit from more time being
spent.
However, it was because of this that Sheri had chosen to act
quickly. She wouldn’t allow Kurumi to get back up. This was war. If
she continued to move slowly, the remaining Quasi-Spirits may
invade this battle.
That was the most dangerous possibility right now. After all, there
were two remaining Quasi- Spirits. There wasn’t much issue with one
of them; a sham like False Proxy would be massacred without much
trouble.
The problem was with the other one.
Biscuit Smasher. The Quasi-Spirit they had scheduled to kill after
Tokisaki Kurumi.
But now that Tonami is dead, there was no chance of winning
unless she returned back to a completely perfect state. Therefore,
Sheri set up her Unsigned Angel to decide this match.
Is it a bullet, or is it a ray of light.
(I’m faster……I’m quicker……I’m better!)

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 Recovery from paralysis, damage to opponent, weight of weapon,
and rate of fire, if all of that considered together, Sheri believed
herself to have the advantage.
Still.
This was like walking on a tightrope.
She wanted to live. Sheri continued to want to hold onto that wish.
She couldn’t die, Kurumi likewise also held that obsession.
In that moment.
Not knowing what the signal came from, both of them set up their
respective weapons at the same time.
“Focus, <Sekhmet>──!!”
“<Zafkiel>──the First Bullet <Aleph>!!”
Even without aiming, the light from <Sekhmet> was about to run
through Kurumi’s Sephira Crystal──just before that, Kurumi retreated
to outside the factory with Empty. A moment later,
<Sekhmet>’s ray passed through the position where Kurumi was just
located.
“Eh……?”
Kurumi didn’t aim her muzzle at Sheri. Her goal was to shoot
herself. It was the same bullet used during the battle against Nogi
Aiai to improve physical abilities.
……Anyhow, she survived. She──somehow managed to survive.
It couldn’t be denied that the chance of victory had diminished. But
even so, she had brought Tokisaki Kurumi to the point of retreating.
She couldn’t beat biscuit smasher. At the same time, it was
impossible now to team up with
Tokisaki Kurumi.
Anyway, she was very tired today.
Go take a shower. Have a meal. Take a break in a warm bed. Then
pray that Tonami would be able to ascend to heaven. The next time

150
she is reborn, Sheri hoped she could live a happy life in the other
world──
Suddenly, Sheri’s feet lost its strength. “Wh……at……”
There was a sharp pain coming from her knee. While thinking over
what had happened, she found there was a small arrow there.
“W-why……who……!? It should be over for today!!”
Even while panicking, Sheri held up <Sekhmet>.
“Nobody said anything about that. Isn’t that right?”
Seeing the appearance of that Quasi-Spirit, Sheri was at a loss for
words. Even her willingness to fight was uprooted by her shock.
“……Hey……why……how come……!?”
At the girl’s side was another Quasi-Spirit. The bandaged woman
that Sheri despised.
“This is not a game. There is no God with strictly defined rules. The
flow of penalties is without meaning. If you can’t understand
something of that level, it’s no wonder you can only serve as bait.”
She made a big announcement with her hands wide open. As a
result, Sheri also understood.
“There were two people this time……!?” “Smile!”
The sound of a finger echoed.
Kusukusu, kusukusukusu,
kusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusu
kusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusuku
ukusukusukusukusukusukusukusukusu────.
That laughter resonated all at once from the surroundings.
Seeing that thing emerge from the darkness, Sheri felt despair from
the bottom of her heart.
◇

151
 Returning back to Kurumi’s house, Empty finally breathed a sigh of
relief. “B-bandages, bandages……”
“Not……necessary……”
Leaning on the front door, Kurumi prompted Empty to hand over
her right arm. Frightened, Empty presented the carelessly amputated
arm for her to reattach.
“And also, a needle and thread……”
After Empty vaguely imagined the creation of a needle and some
thread, Kurumi squeezed the collar of her clothes and forcibly sewed
the arm back on.
“Wait, is that really okay!?”
“Do you think there’s the risk of infection in the neighboring
world? Even the laws of physics
are weird here.”
“But……at least, you should go to bed to sleep.” “No
need……please……let go……”
Kurumi closed her eyelids. It seemed her fatigue had reached its
limit. Empty didn’t lay her down by the entrance as she held onto
Kurumi’s left hand.
“……You should sleep at your own convenience.” “That’s
impossible……really.”
After Empty was done speaking, Kurumi let out a fake-like cheerful
laugh──a rather lonesome
laugh.
“Your personality will be similar if the container changes.” “Eh?”
Kurumi gave a lonely smile as she reached out with her left hand to
touch Empty’s forehead. But, perhaps it was because her
consciousness was beginning to blur, it didn’t look like her eyes were
staring at Empty.
“I used to be, once you. Even if there are memories, if the
container is different, you can be different. What’s more, even

152
without memories, if the container remains the same──sure enough,
you are the same as before.”
Empty saw Kurumi’s tears for a second time.
“What a stupid existence, what a stupid concept, what a
stupid……me.”
“What the hell are you talking about”, Empty was just about to ask
that. However, Kurumi
stopped her by continuing to weave her words.
“You are not you. I am not me. If so, what is my meaning, what is
the meaning of this existence?
These impulses, this determination, everything……perhaps may all be
a hallucination.” The words she spun out were loathsome enough to
let a person’s blood run cold.
“I’m tired……really……tired.”
With a sigh, her life gradually began to fade away. Softly, the
fingers on her right hand disappeared.
“Kurumi-san!”
Empty hurried and shouted as she shook Kurumi’s shoulders.
“Kurumi-san! No! You can’t disappear! Please come back! Kurumi-
san! Kuru──mi──san──!”
“……From the very beginning……you are so noisy…..you’re not
allowed to call me Kurumi……Empty……”
Empty widened her eyes. Just by a little, the pigment of Kurumi’s
black hair began to lose its
color.
Something fatal was occurring.
“Open your eyes! Wake up! Wake up! You still have something to
do!” “That matter…… must be done……”
“Don’t you want to win this war (game)!? If you want to win, isn’t

153
that something you want to do!? Even though I don’t know if that’s
right or not, I can only say this! I don’t want you to die!”
In a world full of unknown, the one who gave me the guideline to
live a little was── “……Yes. You don’t want me to die.”
“I don’t want you to not exist!”
“I’ve had so many disputes with you, used you as bait,
perhaps……even intending to finish you
off at the very end? And you still don’t want me to die?”
“……If you decided to get rid of me, you would have already done
so long ago. Although for me to be used as bait before was
exceedingly painful!”
Since her relationship with Kurumi felt just like gunpowder,
generally speaking it was volatile dream-like state despite the chance
from likely losing consciousness due to the impact.
“……Really……”
Kurumi staggered she stood up. The wound on her back was no
longer bleeding and was beginning to heal.
“The power of the Sephira Crystal will restore if left alone.
Although, it will take some time.” “Um, do you want to take a
shower……”
“No. There’s no problem, I will not disappear, I still can’t disappear, I
just remembered that.”
Looking back, Kurumi smiled. It wasn’t a lonely smile but rather a
smile where devotion could
be felt.
“Likely, tomorrow will be the last. The last remaining Quasi-Spirit is
a super strong enemy.”
Empty slanted her head to the side.
“……Eh? Um, even excluding Sheri-san, aren’t there two enemies still
remaining?” “It doesn’t matter if you count one more. There is a

154
Quasi-Spirit that exists to be
defeated……Yes, even if it just a decoy.”
After saying that, Kurumi swayed herself towards the bedroom.
“Then, the super strong enemy is──”
“Tsuan. Or rather the Quasi-Spirit called……Biscuit Smasher.”
“Biscuit? What, that’s a little bit cute.”
“She can crush the enemy as easily as a biscuit, so that’s how she got
that name.”
“I want to take back what I said. That’s not cute at all, that’s
something straight from a horror movie.”
Kurumi didn’t respond back to Empty. Instead, she continued to
walk to the bedroom with unsteady footsteps.
Smelling her clothes……it reeked of gunpowder and blood. Most of
which was Kurumi’s own
blood.
It couldn’t be worn anymore. Feeling a sense of pity, Empty took
off her clothes.
After entering the bathroom, she also took off her underwear. She
then took a bath to wash away the stains.
Bathing under the water, the girl thought about the end.
As Kurumi had said, tomorrow would be the last. It was between
being caught, killed, or continuing to live like this.
Why did they want to kill each other? Even if asking for the root
cause, they would only answer
back with “it’s just because it’s like this”. For them, living was the
same as fighting.
……But, Tonami-san wanted to be in love. Sheri-san also yearned
for love. Her heart, which ought to be hollow, scorched by his words,
his appearance. That person.
A boy from the other world whom all of the Spirits fell in love with.

155
 Then, the idea suddenly came to Empty. If it was all of the
Spirits──then, Tokisaki Kurumi
should also be the same.
She was so overwhelmed that she completely forgot. Does Kurumi
know anything regarding that person?
Perhaps he was a lover, perhaps she liked him, and perhaps they
went out on a date, either way she had to know!
A maiden in love would basically be unable to care for anything
besides the object of her love. No, maybe such a person was out
there, but at least Empty was not like that.
After finishing the shower, she wiped her body and left the
bathroom. While changing her underwear, Empty walked across the
hallway and rushed into the bedroom.
“Um──, Kurumi-san! I want to talk a little about……”
The smell of blood struck her nose alongside the sight of Kurumi’s
pale face. “Gu……ah……ku……!”
Kurumi squatted on the bed, desperately pressing her head with her
right arm while letting out an agonizing groan.
“A-are you alright!?”
“……Hand still……connected……rest assured.”
Kurumi groaned as she struggled to speak.
The nerves were being forcibly reconnected. The pain from the
amputation was overwhelming, but she still needed to deal with this
pain in order to restore the arm. She couldn’t lose consciousness;
there was no choice but to continue to endure for a few more hours.
“W-what can I do……”
As Empty trembled while asking, Kurumi merely shook her head.
There was nothing. She could do nothing for her or for even herself.

156
 “……You wanted to talk about something……right? Can we talk
about that?” “Oh, but. Now is not the time to ask Kurumi-san…...”
“It’s fine. Now, I want to listen……this can……distract the pain, right?”
Kurumi laughed weakly, but still──wrinkles distorted her face from
the sharp pain that still occasionally struck as she reached her left
hand out to Empty.
This was by no means a testimony of trust.
In any case, it could merely be from the uneasiness in her heart.
Regardless, Empty didn’t
hesitate in grabbing her hand.
No matter how powerful a Spirit may be, sure enough a single
person will likely still suffer from loneliness.
“T-then……from the beginning.”
Empty timidly opened her mouth.
“The boy who the Spirits fell in love with……do you know him?”
Kurumi’s expression remained completely unchanged.
“……No, nothing in particular.”
While feeling something strangely out of place, Empty continued
on.
“It’s the boy that all the Spirits love. Do you really not know
anything?”
“……I don’t know…….you……saw……aah, that’s right……you
were……taken in……”
“Yes. Was it called the neighboring world compilation? I saw it
during that time. The world over there……and also that person.”
“You……fell in love……?”
“……Probably. No……not probably……I love him.”
As Empty spoke, Kurumi’s face changed to complicated look.
“Because it’s the first time I’ve ever felt this way────huh?”

157
 Her heart was trembling. Her cheeks were getting warmer. Her
heartbeat raced, there was a wonderful itchy feeling spread across
her body that made her feel as light as a feather.
Why was she so certain that this was love?
“……Perhaps, this isn’t the first time.” “Eh, that’s───”
That’s.
This was──something different, Empty felt that something was out
of sorts. To consider that she used to have these feelings for other
men. No, wait a minute, calm down. The counterpoint would also
seem too fastidiousness.
“Just kidding.” “Huh?”
“You surely must have loved the same person. It’s just that this is
only the second time.” Kurumi’s riddle felt just like a puzzle piece
falling exactly into place.
“I haven’t been in love. But, I know something close to it. No, if it is
close or not──I don’t know. But it should almost be the same.”
Kurumi’s breathing became disheveled. Painful wrinkles marked
her face as she continued to
whisper.
“……That’s……”
Speaking of a feeling close to love.
“……I have a friend. I──for me it is an important friend.”
Kurumi’s soliloquy seemed to even lower the temperature of the
room.
With a calm look, Empty quietly looking into Kurumi’s eyes. “Do
you think……it’s surprising?”
“No, I somehow knew.”
At that time, the one who Kurumi was looking for while stretching
out her hand was not her.
Her hand was not for Empty, but rather for someone in Kurumi’s
memories.

158
 Although she felt a little lonely after thinking it over……but at the
same time it couldn’t be helped. No, it was because of the traces of
those memories that she was able to be saved in the very beginning.
“Is that so?”
Kurumi seemed to be hesitant. That act did not match her at all,
Empty thought. Empty hoped she would reveal her usual devilish
smile and not this small fiendish giggle.
“Please laugh at me as unusual with your kakakakaka laugh.” “No, I
don’t remember ever laughing like that!?”
“Is that right? Maybe it was an ohohohohoho laugh.” “……Hold on;
wait until my right arm is fully reconnected.” Kurumi spoke while
openly harboring a grudge.
In that regard, Empty felt a little bit happy.
“So Kurumi-san, let’s continue.”
Upon Empty’s urging, Kurumi began to speak once again.
“In the tenth region Malkuth, there are many Quasi-Spirits who use
survival as the motivation for living. However, that is by no means
everyone. There are also Quasi-Spirits that can continue
living just through a desire of enjoying life.”
In a nostalgic and pitiful tone, she recalled her memories.
“I was happy just being with that child. She encouraged and
supported me who had lost everything. Laughing and just living
together was enough to make me satisfied. But──”
Kurumi’s expression changed from nostalgic to being engraved
with hatred. “She was killed.”
“Eh……killed……?”
“She was involved in this game, fighting, fighting, fighting
frantically──until she was cruelly killed. No, it can’t be regarded as
killing. She was toyed with. She was ravaged, insulted,
trampled on until there was nothing of her human dignity left.”
“Eh, who in the world did that……!?”

159
 Kurumi said that unclear name with a disgusted expression
brimming with malice.
“──Doll Master, the Dominion of the tenth region Malkuth.”
The moment she uttered that name Kurumi seemed to even forget
her pain. What existed there was a lone wolf sharped its fangs
through its hatred.
“……T-then. The reason you participated in this battle was to defeat
Doll Master?”
Yes, indeed the reward for this war was a powerful Sephira Crystal.
After listening to what Empty had said, Kurumi smiled.
“Fu~. You really are an idiot huh? ……Do you really think that such a
thing would be given as a reward?”
Empty felt a fierce chill run behind her back.
“……Then, everyone has been deceived……”
“Yes. After all, all of this killing is just a trick. Quite the uncouth
farce. A farce──that one must embrace otherwise the Dominion
won’t appear.”
Cautious, crafty, paranoid.
The Dominion of the tenth region Malkuth is that sort of Quasi-
Spirit.
Even with the overwhelming power surpassing all others, she will
never show up. It was always the Quasi-Spirits under her control that
appeared.
“False Proxy is one of them. I have already confirmed this. In the
first place, False
Proxy……there’s a limit of how much you can make a fool of others.”
“Ah──……!”
Empty patted the palm of her hand with her other fist.
“Maybe some of the other Quasi-Spirits have already noticed it.
No, even if noticed, they wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation.

160
Besides, it wouldn’t be predictable that the Dominion would take the
lead in smashing apart the rules.”
As if a red-hot iron battles, a thunderous battlefield, a raging
inferno of a war.
By being able to chip away at life, the Quasi-Spirits in this region
are the granted a real sense of survival. Believing in that, they would
continue to fight if as in a dream.
Likewise, the Dominion was also the same, secretly participating in
the battle in order to experience the same sensation of life.
However, Tokisaki Kurumi knew. Evil was always omnipresent in
this world and common sense will easily be subverted by such
malice.
If a Quasi-Spirit lost their dreams, they would disappear.
And there certainly existed an evil that wanted to manipulate those
dreams for the sake of personal survival.
“So, Kurumi-san is──”
“It’s just as you think, I’m fighting the enemy in order avenge her.”
“That’s──something──”
Empty thought that this was a good motive. However, there was still
a subtle sense of unease. However, she felt that if she pointed this
out something was likely to end.
“……That’s quite the interesting expression, you.” “Isn’t there a limit
to your rudeness, Kurumi-san!?” “I’m obviously praising you.”
“There’s no boast. That’s not a compliment.”
“I’m a girl in love. Please be a little more considerate.”
“Oh dear. Do you want to make red bean rice manifest?” (TL: note
red bean rice is usually eaten on celebratory occasions for girls)
“After all this time……and you’re still not considerate……”
It should be no good to put red bean rice on the dining table unless
a young maiden was going through puberty or at least Empty
thought so.

161
 “Um……that friend, what kind of person was she?”
“If you wanted to retreat, she was the type that would push you
forward even if it meant snapping your neck.”
“A savage woman!?”
“Go forward, go forward, and just keep going forward. Even if it
hurts and you want to cry, just keep moving on ahead for the time
being. That habit was very naïve and easy for her to get hurt. Since
she was often crying, so I would go comfort her……often.”
In the tenth region Malkuth, one had to fight, kill, and survive to
become stronger. That is what it took to have a dream and not fade
away.
“But that girl had the same dream as myself. Seeing someone with
the same dream fade away, I realize I was embracing onto an
incurable transient fantasy.”
A dream was never something that one could hold and complete
alone.
In the shadows of one girl’s dreams being achieved, there will be
over ten girls crying over their
dreams being shattered. Such a theory was a logical and natural
conclusion.
“The same is true of love. When your love is realized, someone
who also likes that person will definitely cry. It will make her deeply
heart-broken. Perhaps, it will make her unable to fall in love again.”
“……Yes.”
She knew. Empty had already known this.
And surely, she knew that her love would never be fulfilled.
If all the Spirits are falling in love, then she must have fallen the
farthest behind. There were limits to even an illicit love. Not to
mention, she was neither beautiful nor strong.
She was empty, nothing, nothing at all.

162
 Therefore, she was already aware of the conclusion brought by this
love.
……Despite that. “Even so, it’s fine.”
Empty’s voice was calmer than she expected.
“I’m sure that it will be sad to be rejected, but I feel alive now. Just
thinking about that person makes my heart feel warmer──right now
that is enough.”
I am satisfied enough with being in love.
Kurumi narrowed her eyes with both pity and kindness.
“……Helping you achieve……your love……wouldn’t be bad……”
Hearing those scripted lines made Empty feel doubtful.
“……T-thank you……uh, are there no other meaning behind those
words……?”
Frankly, those words sounded like a jinx permitted her to fail,
Empty considered the meaning to be like that.
“Should I shoot you?”
Kurumi took out her short pistol from somewhere as Empty hurried
to explain.
“S-sorry. I thought that you really weren’t going to help!” “…..Well,
then it can’t be helped.”
“Compared to that, are there no problems with being here?” “What
do you mean?”
“Uh, since Doll Master will calmly break rules and launch attacks,
won’t she also do it again this time?”
The chime signaling the end of today’s battle had already surely
rung, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be any more attacks.
“Yes, that’s why I’ve carefully designed traps. About 40% of the
houses in this town have my traces and traps. I’m well aware of her
tricks. Notice how this house isn’t the same as the one from
yesterday?”

163
 Empty wasn’t aware of it at all. There wasn’t even the slightest hint
of it being uncomfortable. If the exterior and interior appearances
were the same, it would be impossible to find no matter how she
searched.
“Hey, weren’t we followed yesterday?”
“Of course, that was intentional. Doll Master is only involved in the
war from the second day. On the first day, she is merely overlooking
the situation, so there’s no need to vigilant. By the next day, we must
be wary of her.”
Boom, the sound of explosion rang. It wasn’t at this house. But it
seemed that something had
exploded at a distance.
“……Just now……”
Kurumi placed her finger against her lips.
“It appears that they were fooled. It would be quite loathsome to
be consumed by a subordinate.
It should be okay for today……though there’s nothing to do but
pray.” “Pray──right.”
There was no choice but to leave their chances to the heavens. But
still, the anxiety remained. If a subordinate found this residence, it
would all be over.
“I’ll have to endure for a few more hours. There will definitely be
continuous battles tomorrow.”
Endure the pain, endure the fear, and just continue waiting for
tomorrow to come.
On top of that, she had to prepare for continuous battles. One of
the last remaining was the
powerful enemy──Tsuan. The other was the Dominion of this region,
Doll Master. This conviction was just like a cold chill freezing Empty’s
body.
No matter who it is, everyone will want to live for happiness.

164
 The problem lies in how, even if it brings misery to others, no one
but herself can understand this happiness as long as she still feels
this happiness.
For a third party, inferences can only be made through ethical
judgment and common sense.
Empty was a third party. It was unclear how much Kurumi missed
her friend. However, there was only one thing that can be said with
certainty.
“Good luck……”
Kurumi must have thought that if this wish could be granted, she
wouldn’t even mind dying. “Please try your best……”
From Empty’s encouragement, Kurumi’s voice began to shake.
“If you think so, continue talking to me. Also please don’t fall
asleep earlier than me──”
Kurumi smiled after saying that.
Empty nodded as she began to speak. Although she lacked
memories, there were an infinite number of things she could talk
about.
After all, Empty was in love. Although Kurumi occasionally
intervened to snark, her expression remained smooth that it was
unimaginable that she was still enduring the pain.
In the few days spent together, this was the longest and calmest
time these two shared together.
◇
“──Mu, mu, mu. Mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu
mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu
mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu mumumu
mumumu mumumu mumumu mumu……fu.”
Doll Master sighed. After smashing in, the subordinates and the
house were blown away by a trap made from remodeling the fifth
type Spirit’s Astral Dress. Two highly-priced, important, and lovely

165
dolls were completely burnt to the point where they could never be
brought back.
Only two. Despite it only being two, Doll Master’s heart was
deeply, deeply hurt. Just like a
mother who had lost her beloved child.
The image shifted as Lycos’s face appeared. Doll Master thought to
boast that it looked lovely today as well.
“What do you want to do?”
Listening to Lycos, Doll Master spoke after careful consideration.
“How many responses are left?”
“136 houses have been detected with a spirit wave response. I am
afraid that all except one have set snares of this level.”
“How thoughtfully prepared. This isn’t something that would take
two or three days to get ready.”
“According to the calculations, this would take three months at the
latest. Another three months should be included in order to move
unnoticed, so it should take a total of half a year.”
“Well, perhaps there are traps in other places as well. Although this
annoys me, withdrawal.
Let’s fight with Tokisaki Kurumi tomorrow.” “Understood, Akako
Machi, master is requesting for you.” “Understood.”
The image of Lycos was cut off.
“Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, for an eternity──this
region is ours.”
Although fighting battles was silly, victory was correct.
So the most important thing was to win before fighting. This foolish
war, before it even began, Doll Master was victorious.
“My master, my master, I have returned now.”

166
 Shaking back and forth, two dolls had come back. With clothes
mimicking an angel, there was a wing on their back which was a self-
made work of Doll Master.
“What happened?”
As Akako Machi called out, the angel doll’s party was wriggling as if
deeply overcome with emotion.
“This was my first time going into the sixth region (Tiphereth).”
“How dreadful──”
“Hey──”
“……Is there a harvest?”
In response, to Ayako Machi’s question, the angel puppet nodded
its head. “Of course. We were ordered to not come back until finding
something!” “That means we had the possibility of never coming
back!”
“I was scared──”
Ayako Machi slammed the fan in its hand against the angel doll.
“……Alright, please explain.” “Yes”. “Yes, yes.”
The angel dolls began to explain the information gathered. Soon
after, Doll Master’s expression
turned smug in the blink of an eye.
“Yes, sure enough you’ve worked. You can step back now.”
The angel dolls joyfully exited out of the room.
“What to do about Tokisaki Kurumi?”
Hearing Ayako Machi’s words, Doll Master exhaled a sigh of relief.
“It’s fine that can be taken care of at any time now. But, there’s still
the need to be cautious. There’s one more problem besides that.
How is Tsuan?”
Ayako Machi read the report it just received.
“Asleep, in the wilderness.”
“Is she not considering being attacked?”

167
 Doll Master spoke out in surprise.
“Or perhaps she must be confident in her own strength.”
“……Well, forget about it. Tomorrow is the last day. Although there
are more irregulars than usual, the result will be the same. Here is
the hunting ground for Doll Master; there is no room for anyone else
to step in.”
◇
Not knowing when she went to sleep──Empty opened her eyes to
find Kurumi closing and opening her right hand.
“Are you……okay?”
As Empty timidly asked, Kurumi laughed.
“Yes, there seems to be no problems.” “That’s a relief……”
Empty sincerely felt relieved from the bottom of her heart.
Kurumi, who was bathing in the morning sunlight, still had imprints
and marks left from
yesterday’s battle.
“Time to take a shower──”
“Yes, there should still be some time left.”
“Then, I’m going to prepare clothes to change, eh, where are the
spare clothes?” “I’ll make the replacement now. Please leave it
aside.”
Kurumi threw the clothes she weaved out of reiryoku at Empty.
“Understood. I’m going to make coffee then.” “Please add three
pieces of sugar for mine.”
After Kurumi entered the bathroom for a while, the sound of the
shower starting could be heard. Listening to that sound, Empty
placed the replacement clothes in the bathroom. Suddenly, Kurumi
unintentionally entered Empty’s line of sight. While she couldn’t see
through the polished glass, but there was a subtle allure coming from
her hazy white back. Feeling that she was acting strange, Empty
quickly looked away.

168
 Empty picked up the dirty clothes to place in the washing machine.
In hindsight, this dress was woven through reiryoku, it should be
meant to be thrown away
afterwards. Kurumi wouldn’t expect Empty to wash it.
Therefore, it was truly a coincidence that Empty found this photo.
Picking up the clothes, it fell onto the bathroom mat. Was it a note
or something similar, as she
was considering that──Empty froze in place after taking a peek. The
sound of the shower as well as everything else felt so far away.
If it was Kurumi on the photo, she would smile. If it was Kurumi
together with someone else in the picture, she would wonder if it
was the friend that Kurumi felt uneasy describing.
Kurumi wasn’t on the photo. On them was a girl with short blue
hair. The other girl was
someone she was familiar with as much as Kurumi. It was Empty.
It was herself, Empty, who had no memories and was completely
powerless. She was holding hands with the short-haired girl, while
smiling shyly.
“This is……me……?”
Instances like this are where memories could be recovered by an
electric shock from seeing this. If such a thing occurred, perhaps
Empty would have raised a scream.
But Empty didn’t feel anything. Seeing someone identical as herself
in a photo, she wondered
how much of it was truly a joke.
Empty stood motionless in astonishment. But──nothing like her
true emotions or the sort had resurfaced.
It was clear that the relationship in the photo was close. But there
wasn’t even the faintest hint of memories flashing through her mind.
Empty quietly placed the photo back in the clothes. She put the
fresh clothes to the side and left the bathroom.

169
 There was one question remaining .Why did Kurumi possessed and
hid of photo with her on it?
Hiding……perhaps it would be better to say cherish.
──Could it be that.
“Kurumi-san and I……didn’t happen to meet by chance?”
If so, was that encounter also calculated? …..She didn’t know. The
more she thought about it the dizzier she became. It was a miserable
feeling just like frantically searching for something on a shelf with
nothing left.
Empty tried to recall while sipping some coffee. But, sure
enough──she could feel anything but surprise coming from that
photo.
“……I am, so callous, so insensible to this degree. No, it feels like
becoming insensitive, but──”
A friend who should be cherished can be forgotten this easily. I am
such a useless good for nothing.
“Fu……so refreshing.” Empty took in a deep breath. Turning
around, she smiled.
“I’ve made the coffee. Three pieces of sugar, right?” “Yes, thank
you.”
Likely, she would laugh at her as well, Empty thought.
“Now, let’s head out.” “Alright!”
Empty decided to make the bed in the bedroom. It was a house that
no one used, but it was still necessary to have the bare minimum of
proper etiquette.
Kurumi forced a smile while waiting for her.
“I’ve kept you waiting, Kurumi-san, now──”
That sound was very loud. Moreover, it was the sort that would be
heard daily. Ding dong, it such a brisk electronic sound. But it was
not a sound that should have ringed.

170
 Kurumi already grasped her short pistol as Empty looked stunned
at the front door. Kurumi slowly opened the entrance door.
“……”
A single girl guarded in silence. On her back was a long halberd. Her
Extreme Death Spirit Dress, Number 15 <Brinicle> was almost like a
knight’s armor──Tsuan, the only surviving Quasi- Spirit besides the
fake.
“Why are you here?”
“The sound of the shower. The odor of reiryoku can be deceived,
but it is impossible to falsify pure sound.”
Empty couldn’t suppress the shudders caused by Tsuan’s words.
The sound of a faint shower in a closed home. How could she even
hear that?
“Well, you have quite the good ears.”
Tsuan nodded her head. Perhaps it was from Kurumi’s compliment,
but there was little reddish
tinge shining on her pure white face.
“U-um. Your goal is……” “You’re the only one left alive.” Tsuan
calmly looked at Kurumi.
“Ara, isn’t there one more person left with the same name as
baked buns?” (TL: baked buns (Pirozhki) have a similar pronunciation
to False Proxy)
“That’s meaningless.”
Of course, in an indifferent tone, Tsuan tossed her words aside.
Meaningless, which also meant
to say──she, also knew. “U-um, Tsuan-san.” “……?”
Tsuan glared at Empty. Her eyes were obviously different from when
she was talking to Kurumi; they were filled with murderous intent.
“Hii, w-why are you glaring at me?”

171
 As Empty became frightened, Tsuan’s expression soon turned
apologetic. “Sorry, it wasn’t meant to be done consciously. So what is
it?”
“Um, can you help us? Can we fight against the Dominion together?”
“Out of the question.”
Tsuan flatly rejected Empty’s proposal. Then, she pointed her finger
in assertion to Kurumi. “That person will likely plot against from
behind.”
Empty cried out indignantly.
“That sort of thing! Won’t happen! There’s no reason! There’s no
need! Perhaps!” “Contrary to what one might expect, you sure have
a breakpoint.”
Kurumi chose to ridicule them both.
Well, to be honest, Empty was convinced that Kurumi would likely
plot against her. And Kurumi was also aware that. Even Tsuan was
convinced to be suspicious towards that.
“Everybody seems to know each other very well!” “Exactly.”
“Location, where?”
It seemed that Tsuan didn’t have any preference to where the duel
occurred.
“I’ll be thankful if we can head a little farther from here…….”
Tsuan nodded back in response.
Against the dazzling sun, Empty narrowed her eyes. Kurumi walked
in front with Tsuan following her and Empty trailing from the end.
Kurumi suddenly stopped walking. The duel was in the middle of a
residential area as Empty tried to hide behind a telephone pole.
“……What are you doing?”
Kurumi looked to the top of the pole that Empty was hiding behind.
As Empty looked towards the sky, she saw that one of Doll Master’s
puppets was hanging on the top of the pole.
“No, no──. Just watching, please don’t mind.”

172
 Without looking back, she causally grabbed the halberd axe on her
back and swung vertically into the sky.
The telephone poll and doll shattered. Just as the name Biscuit
Smasher would suggest, it was pulverized into tiny pieces. The
broken doll’s head rolled towards Empty, who let out a “fugyaa”
scream.
“In the way.”
Tsuan glared at the empty space. Perhaps they were hidden
through some form of optical camouflage, but several dolls appeared
in fear and fled in a panic.
“Well done.”
“Un. Well, despite fighting, they still appeared anyway, come……”
While responding to Kurumi’s praise, Tsuan suddenly stopped
talking as she was replying back.
Kurumi’s figure had disappeared. “What happened……?”
It occurred in a matter of seconds. Kurumi had vanished right in front
of Tsuan and Empty.
“Where…...!?”
Tsuan searched around in a panic. Despite this residential area
being near an intersection, it was still abnormal to abruptly vanish.
But Empty knew how she disappeared.
(It’s the shadow……)
Tokisaki Kurumi had sneaked into the shadows. If you removed
your eyes from Kurumi for even just a moment, she could likely
immediately activate this to disappear.
Tsuan stared at Empty.
“Ah, I-I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything at all!”
Empty hurriedly shook her hands to deny any claims. Tsuan was
unable to judge if this was because she was lying or if this was done
purely from fear.

173
 Tsuan leaped up to position her body into the sky. She looked into
her surroundings from a bird’s eye view──there were neither any
signs of her figure nor any sounds heard.
However, there was one more supernatural talent she was proud
of. It was her keen sense of smell.
With her extraordinary level of smell that was on the level of a
hound dog, she sniffed to search
for Kurumi’s scent from just a moment ago. The slight smell tickled
her nostrils. Direction detected──distance detected──calculating
correct coordinates. (Found it──!!)
Facing that direction, Tsuan released her murderous intent. If it had
been an ordinary person, their movements would freeze in an
instant like ice.
However, there was nothing there. There were only garbage bags
and utility poles stacked within the shadow.
“……!?”
The strange occurrences happening one after the other caused
Tsuan’s mind to fall into chaos.
Believe in your instincts, the Quasi-Spirit that had taught her how to
fight had once said so.
──Becoming wiser meant becoming stronger.
──But until then, you have to think nothing else but fighting.
──It is weak to consider too many extraneous things, which is why
your physical body has grown stronger and stronger.
──Follow your instincts to kill the enemy, this way you can even
outmatch the Dominion.
──But if there were any enemies that couldn’t be defeated in this
manner.
──If the compatibility is bad and the worst match for your abilities,
then the most loathsome enemy for you has appeared.
──Then, there can only be one thing left to do.

174
 From the shadow of the garbage bag, a sneaky white arm jumped
out.
“! !”
The bullets were fired. Along with the sound of breaking the air
barrier, the jet-black bullets flew over. The distance to the target was
about 200 meters. At such a distance it would be a miracle for a
pistol to land a shot, but for Kurumi this was child’s play.
But being given a distance of 200 meters also gave Tsuan enough
time to respond. While a bit frustrating for her, it was also a little
joyful as well.
She was so terrifying that even all of her friends had abandoned
her.
Was it righteous indignation, or poorly placed anger without
reason? Regardless, she felt somewhat happy that her strength had
been recognized.
Of course, the bullets were bounced off.
As long as her <Zafkiel> was the short pistol, her defense would not
be broken. Needless to say, the ability of her bullets had also long
been known.
She was vigilant towards the surprise attack by firing at herself to
multiply her physical ability.
To reach the distance of 200 meters, Tsuan decided to bolster her
Astral Dress with her full power to traverse in a split second.
A second to pull her out of the shadow, another second to render
her unconscious through a head blow, and a final second to crush
her body with < Lailaps>.
A total of four seconds.
As long as there was that much time, it would be enough to kill
Kurumi. She wasn’t afraid of
getting injured in the process. The only fear was that of defeat──no,
not only that. Tsuan was aware that she was frightened.

175
 Although she didn’t know what it was specifically, there was one
thing that was certain. This fear was surely caused by Tokisaki
Kurumi.
So Tsuan let out a roar. Howling, intimidating, she glared to convey
all of her killing intent.
──GO, GO, GO!
Giving orders to herself, her Extreme Death Spirit Dress, Number
15 <Brinicle> greedily consumed her reiryoku to literally shoot out
Tsuan at an insane speed.
If Kurumi shoot out a bullet, it would be the special attack fired at
herself.
It was hardly an exaggeration to say that she had no concern for
her own safety. Since the opponent was the Spirit Tokisaki Kurumi,
Tsuan decided that the price was worth it.
One second to reach the side of the shadow. One second to pull
her out of the shadow.
One second, she should have delivered a strong head strike.
A gunshot.
However, the damage to her Astral Dress was minimal. If she
ignored it, she could land the heavy blow to her head──yet, that
couldn’t be delivered.
Sluggish, heavy, painful.
Her body felt heavy as if trapped in quicksand. Her movements
were sluggish like a turtle, but since the speed of her thought
process remained the same, Tsuan realized that it was undeniable
fact that she had slowed down.
“<Zafkiel>──the Second Bullet <Bet>.”
It was another one of Tokisaki Kurumi’s certain kill skills. Slowing
the progress of time so that even the greatest speed would come to
halt, it was a wretched fairy tale where a rabbit transformed into a
turtle.

176
 Kurumi let out a sinister laugh.
Tsuan now had no more means of dealing with the high-speed
constant barrage. In quick succession, because of the bullets that
passed through, her Astral Dress let out a creaking sound as it began
to crumble.
It was the other party’s turn to be completely crushed.
◇
Tokisaki Kurumi struck with all of her strength. She knew that if she
missed this opportunity, she understood that she wouldn’t be able to
defeat her. She also realized that she couldn’t stop until killing her.
Even between a rebel army victory and a rebel army defeat, there
was no neither evil nor justice for her. In that case, it was her
manner to plan out any unscrupulous measures possible.
Truly a desperate act, Kurumi thought to herself self-deprecatingly.
Countless dreams, her goal meant trampling countless Quasi-Spirits
under the soles of her feet. How worthless would this appear to the
eyes of another?
Even so.
Even so, this body, mind couldn’t suppress what began to stir
restlessly.
After breaking Tsuan’s Astral Dress, the bullets finally landed a
direct hit. After that, all that remained was keep shooting bullets into
her body until the effects of the Second Bullet <Bet> ended.
Shooting.
Keep shooting until she dies, kept killing until she dies. Shooting.
Crushing through the Astral Dress, the bullets struck her body.
Shooting.
Suddenly, Kurumi remembered something about her Astral Dress.

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 Unlike those of other Quasi-Spirits, her Astral Dress was considered
in the minority of being one of the best heretics. (Of course, this was
excluding the majesty of God worn by the Spirits)
Hersey meant being crafty. And crafty meant being strong.
According to rumors spread by Quasi-Spirits, the strength of an
Astral Dress is closely related to strength of that person’s mental
power.
But it was only the Astral Dress that conformed to this rule.
Endurance was exceptional, speed was unusually precise, and
maneuverability was excellent.
However, that wasn’t why it was crafty.
The true essence of Extreme Death Spirit Dress, Number 15
<Brinicle> was to kill the enemy by just approaching.
Therefore, when becoming her opponent, a distance must be kept
to without getting close in order to uniformly crush it.
There was a thirty second delay before Tsuan traverse the entire
200 meters in a single second. Empty was finally at a point where she
could see their fight.
“Kurumi-sa──”
Empty was at a loss for words.
For Kurumi, who was close enough to touch Tsuan’s Astral Dress, it
happened in an instant. The left arm holding the gun and her right
foot began freeze.
“……This……Astral Dress……!!”
Despite the hollow expression, Tsuan’s hand slowly approached
Kurumi, who had an anguished
look on her face. The electrical poles, walls, and even roads also
began to freeze. Standing at the center was the girl called Tsuan.
“Kurumi-san, hang in there……!”
Did her consciousness revitalize from Empty’s encouragement?

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 Or was she simply still unconsciousness?
In any case, the trigger was pulled. The ice was shattered into
pieces as the Astral Dress was crushed.
“`Gu, u ~u~u~u~u……!”
Tsuan reached out to grab Kurumi’s slender neck. “Aren’t you
going to smash me into dust……!?”
“I, don’t intend, to be tied up, by this sort of thing……!! Basically,
with me as the opponent, can you still decide your strategy……!”
Be killed when killing.
Let people die when they die.
Slowly, Kurumi approached death step by step. But even then, she
didn’t know if it was because
of her strong will or perhaps it was due to Tokisaki Kurumi being such
an existence.
Kurumi mercilessly pulled the trigger. Each time a bullet was shot,
Tsuan’s grip had loosened.
Just from that loose opening, a pistol flowed out from the shadow.
As the two struggled to the very end with the goal of killing the
other, it was neither an Angel nor Astral Dress that determined the
difference.
◇
There was a difference in killing intent.
Tsuan had not consciously wanted to kill until now.
Swinging her Unsigned Angel <Lailaps>, smashing her opponent
was just the consequence of that. Under the circumstances where
there are no more hands to play, she was willing to fight to the death
for the sake of victory.
However, Tokisaki Kurumi was different.

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 She must be victorious, with the realization that her path ahead
will be full of blood; she would never allow the corpses stepped
under her feet to lose its meaning.
No matter how many people, no matter how many people.
Even if it was less than Doll Master, the number of corpses she
piled up was also huge. In order to continually kill, there must be an
awareness that can be fully sustained.
Forcing her nearly collapsed heart to move, a creature that only
dreamt of revenge. Consequently, Tsuan wanted to defeat Tokisaki
Kurumi.
Tokisaki Kurumi also understood that she must kill Tsuan.
Under these circumstances, power or ability was no longer
meaningful.
There was a difference in killing intent, a difference in a
determination to face death. Each time a
bullet struck, Tsuan’s memories of the past woke up.
──Even if there’s a guy, there’s no one who can handle your
strength anyway.
──It’s the end of childhood to fight without thinking.
──Move your rusted head. Even if heart collapses because of the
fear of death, use at least 30% of your brain to start thinking.
──You’re an idiot, but there are no laws that idiots can’t think.
──Well, if you’re dead, everything will be over!
Just like that, Tsuan realized.
This was the end of childhood. She was no longer a beast that
considered nothing else during combat. Rather, she was now a
Quasi-Spirit that could accurately reflect over the act of killing.
She loosened the strength in her hand.
There were no less than 28 gunshots fired altogether, which was
sufficient enough to tear through her body.

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 Faced with these bullets, Tsuan let go of her
consciousness──────although it was just for a brief moment.
◇
The ice instantly turned into water as Kurumi regained her
freedom.
“Ka, ha……!”
She couldn’t breathe as her wind pipe felt chocked, but in actuality
this wasn’t too serious.
In the neighboring world, death was the death of the soul. It didn’t
have much to do with a physical death. So, rather than be killed by
suffocation, much of the desperate breathlessness would be due to
the soul choosing death.
“Kurumi-san!”
Empty ran over in a panic──recklessly from a bad premonition.
“Please hang in there──bugya!?”
From the melted ice, a large amount of water accumulated with
the mud from the lower part of the road. It was a murky puddle;
moreover, a relatively deep one had temporarily formed.
And of course, Empty didn’t notice this as she stepped forward.
And of course, the puddle was in front of Kurumi.
And of course, the answer that could be derived from this above
situation was── “……Is it really good to splash muddy water on
someone else’s face?”
With her finger already at the trigger, Tokisaki Kurumi-sama was
furious. The white handkerchief was instantly soiled by mud.
“S-sorry, sorry, I am really, really sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose.
Um, it was involuntary! It was involuntary!”
“Even if that was involuntary, that just means it was vile in another
sense.” “B-but. With this you have defeated everyone!”
Hearing those words, Kurumi took in a deep breath.

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 But that didn’t mean she could relax her vigilance. Kurumi also
understood that as she regrouped her thoughts to fight once again.
Listening to Empty’s words, she couldn’t allow her mind to tremble
now.
Despite this.
If she had taken one more step forward at that moment, her ankle
would have been caught in the
trap at a moment’s notice just as her back would be literally frozen.
Standing.
After bearing more than 30 rounds of bullets, the girl still stood up.
Even the slightest hint of pain couldn’t be seen, a very serene
expression──only her abdomen was covered in blood. It was like
mangled flesh so to speak.
It was impossible to not feel any pain.
Even so, the girl was wearing her Astral Dress again. Her hands
clenched onto her halberd. Then, she said this to Kurumi.
“──Thank you.”
The crisp, clean voice was both relaxed and cheerful. But it was
also a line of unknown meaning.
“Thank……um……what are you talking about?”
Empty’s voice trembled as she asked. Tsuan, as if seemed no
matter how times she was asked for
a reply, continued to nod before speaking.
“Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I can grow stronger.”
Ah, so that was it.
Kurumi and Empty looked at each other while nodding slightly.
In this world, there were opponents that must not be fought. Not
just because they are strong, but because they are simply too
frightening and brutal.
A battle junkie that enjoyed it for fun.

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 An opponent fighting with this mentality was both strong and
scary, but above all a land mind to be avoided.
Because of this, it was inevitable that their way of thinking led
them to seek opponents in order to ascend to greater heights.
Tokisaki Kurumi had overcome all of her opponents up until now by
considering them as obstacles to Doll Master.
However, when an obstacle returned and was happy to see her──it
was no longer an obstacle but an even more bothersome matter. In
this situation it could be fatal.
It was an existence that could be called a rival.
“……So, more, more, more. I want to fight with you.”
Indeed, her stomach was bleeding. However, this pain should have
been pleasurable for her to the point of ecstasy.
“Kurumi-san……”
Even though she had called out, Kurumi didn’t notice Empty at all.
The sense of urgency here
had risen to such an extent.
“You’re fun, interesting, and exciting. I want you to damage me
more and more. Then, I’ll get
even stronger from each hit.”
“Please don’t force someone to do something.”
Even if her heart was beaten and broken, even if a fatal wound had
been given, she would stand up again and again, surviving until
finally winning.
……In general, there was a name given to such an idiosyncrasy.
Hero──a girl with the power to defeat all irrationality while
trembling from the excitement of battle.
The air felt frosty. Empty rushed to take a step back, but felt that
she couldn’t move under the
heavy pressure.

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 However, even if she had no memories of fighting, she knew that
this situation was disadvantageous for Kurumi.
Tokisaki Kurumi had been basically using the weakness of her
opponents. Although it wasn’t as precise as a shogi problem, she had
been cheating with her special bullets and using tricks in hiding
within the shadows to completely defeat the opponent on the board.

184
185
 In other words, it was a sign that she wasn’t good at a head-to-
head confrontation.
……No, although she had never said so before……it had already
been completely exposed. For her, the best type of match up would
be with a Quasi-Spirit like Tsuan, who knew nothing else but a
confrontation style match.
For Kurumi, it would be like animal willingly jumping into a trap.
However, a problem occurred here.
Very rarely, it existed.
An animal that broke through the trap, it was a beast with power
that couldn’t be countered by superficial human wisdom.──We
would describe it like this──no; we would call her a concept like this.
“You really are a monster──”
Tsuan gave a gentle smile as she stepped forward. Kurumi let out a
sigh, appearing exhausted in front of Empty.
The gesture was strangely human, it gave Empty a peculiar feeling.
Even now, Kurumi was still holding onto her pistol.
The matchlock of the deceive battle was quiet. And then, it slowly
cut off.
And at the same time.
This was also a chance for her to start moving.
◇
The classroom was now a stage as her dolls crowded the entire
room. The dolls reported the bad news about Tokisaki Kurumi to Doll
Master, while the angel doll conveyed the good news.
There were also all sorts of other dolls that were whispering to each
other.
“There are only two left at the very end.” “One of them is Tsuan.”
“The other is Tokisaki Kurumi.”

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 “Let them crush and kill each other.” “I have to secure it before it
disappears.” “In the worst case, it doesn’t matter to give up on
Tsuan.” “Tokisaki Kurumi” “She’s not like our existence.” “A
genuine Spirit.” “Really?” “Nonsense.” “But it is true that there is a
portion of that power.” “If that is the case.” “If to not kill.” “If to not
end.” “This world.” “This region.” “If it does not become mine.”
“Please, I ask” “You.”
Without the mouth opening, False replied back.
“No.” “If we are not capable.” “Even stronger ones” “The
reconnaissance team can’t do it.” “The battle has intensified.” “Even
more powerful” “Need”
From the throat, from the heart, from the abdomen, from the calf,
the voice leaked out. As the
dolls listened to that complaint, they glanced at each other’s faces
while rustling nosily. “Who is going?” “Who is coming?” “Who is
going to do it?”
“Me.” “Me.” “Me.” (TL: Note. The first person pronoun (me) here is
different for each doll in Japanese, going from left to right it is
アタシ(atashi)，私 (watashi) 和ボク(boku))
One of them was a doll with a long Japanese sword. One of them
was doll holding a bow.
One of them was a doll possessing a huge magnifying glass.
The puppets squatted, walking over to climb onto False’s body.
False was immovable, completely ignoring their actions. Afterwards,
using both hands to disregard joints of her jaw, she opened her
mouth.
The three dolls jumped into the mouth one by one. Gufu, False’s
abdomen swelled up. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah……”
False let out a hoarse voice in pain.
“No good.” “Someone is coming back.” “Three is too much.”

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 The dolls let out a panicked voice. From the wide open mouth,
another doll had slipped out.
“Dead?” “Disappointed” “Worthless”
The dolls saw that one of them was not moving, so they tossed it
out the window.
“Now, let’s get ready.” “Break them apart, False Proxy” “Go kill
them”
Fixing the strange distorted face from the dolls entering, False
slowly nodded.
……As one can see from this horrific sight, False Proxy was neither a
Quasi-Spirit nor anything resembling a living creature.
It was a collection of dolls pasted with human skin. So, it was a
fake, so it couldn’t die.
This doll has participated in many killing games, sometimes
fighting, defeated, and then resurrected. There were very few people
who knew the truth. Tokisaki Kurumi was one of them.
And needless to say, it was Doll Master who was the commander
of these dolls. Yes, this game had been a farce from the very
beginning.
“Ignorance is terrible.” “Very terrible.” “A sacrificial ceremony”
“Misunderstanding” “Very regrettable”
A wide variety of miscellaneous inorganic sounds intertwined.
Doll Master was cautious, crafty, prudent, unscrupulous, relentless,
cruel, and cowardly.
Even now, there had never been a Quasi-Spirit that defeated her.
Although she remained unbeaten, there were several people who
could achieve a reversal.
But as long as she left everything to the doll, never reveal her own
appearance, and never let anyone know of her position, then she
would definitely invincible.

188
 False flew out the window.
The messily wrapped bandages danced wildly like a spider’s legs.
The two dolls in charge of False’s sight at last caught Tsuan and
Tokisaki Kurumi outside the field of vision.
“According to the surveillance report (Right eye)” “Those two are
still fighting. (Left eye)” “Is it better to wait a little longer?” “That’s
wise.” “Let’s do it!”
“Since those two are very strong.” “Competing against each other.”
“Wearing each other down.” “But that girl” “Surely, all sorts of
matters” “Everything was heard from Tokisaki Kurumi.”
“Then kill it.” “Don’t leave it behind.” “No one will bother.” “Empty!”
“Empty!” “Empty!”
“That girl Empty!” “It’s inconceivable that she’s struggling without
her memories!” “Let’s kill!”
The sound of cheers swirled, the dolls encased in False brandished
their favorite weapons.
Gun, sword, lance, bow, Japanese sword, magnifying glass,
chakram── The monsters in that colony (False Proxy) laughed all
over.
◇
The battle had turned into an uncouth brawl.
Using the First Bullet <Aleph> to accelerate herself to the limit, an
attack from every direction was carried out by Tokisaki Kurumi.
And then, receiving every blow with her tenacious Astral Dress,
Tsuan slamming her down with a kick before catching Kurumi with a
single hand.
“H-hurry, and run away────────────!”
Seeing this battle unfold, Empty issued out a reasonable scream.
The moment Kurumi was caught; she realized the truth behind the
nickname of being called Biscuit Smasher.

189
 Once caught, you could definitely not escape. You will definitely be
killed. You will absolutely be crushed.
Tsuan, who was flinging Kurumi around like a stick, smashed her
against the stone wall. However, that choice was not wise.
Tsuan’s eyes widened as she didn’t feel the sense of impact being
transmitted to her fist. Immediately afterwards she understood why
this had occurred, there was a shadow on the stone wall which
Kurumi had half-burrowed inside.
“Now, please come here……!”
With that said, Kurumi forcibly dragged Tsuan into the shadow. In a
space where it was impossible to breathe or determining up, down,
left, and right, Tsuan flailed both of her arms──meaninglessly.
The halberd, which she should have been holding, had
disappeared.
Accelerated by the First Bullet <Aleph>’s invisible combo, finally
there was a crack in Tsuan’s
Extreme Death Spirit Dress, Number 15 <Brinicle>.
At the very end, a strange sound resounded in that space just like a
trumpet signaling demise. Kusukusu, the sound of laughter.
Tsuan kept silent. But that was not from fear. Delight crawled up her
spine as her spirits were too excited to be controlled.
──Fun!
Fighting against her was so much fun! She couldn’t even predict
what was going to happen to
her in the next second!
It could be said that she was already accustomed to the sound of
this impact. When struck again, Tsuan had thought that. She had
built this logic while thinking it over. Fortunately, there was one
useful thing about this shadowy space.
There was no noise in this reality. Size of sound, direction,
deviation from landing, she could

190
sniff them all to explore Kurumi’s whereabouts somewhere in this
shadow──and locate her.
“Caught you──!”
Without hesitating, Tsuan vigorously grabbed onto Kurumi’s neck.
Instantly, she returned back
to a world full of light.
Her vision momentarily became fuzzy because of the sudden
return.
Empty looked at herself in a resolute manner──no hostility, no
threat, no problem.
On the ground, Tokisaki Kurumi was on the ground. Blood poured
from her forehead as she groaned in pain from hazy
consciousness……but she still kept her antique pistol at Tsuan’s
throat.
If she could endure this bullet, then victory was hers.
But at the same time, she didn’t feel confident that she could
endure it.
Extreme Death Spirit Dress, Number 15 <Brinicle> had all but
destroyed. Her current defense was the equivalent to a single sheet
of countertop paper.
However, as long as that bullet was endured, Tsuan could strike
Kurumi’s head again and win.
Tsuan had the self-confidence in that.
……Of course, she also had the inconsiderate gamble of pulling
back to gain some distance. However, Tsuan’s instincts were
screaming. If she did that, there was no chance for victory.
If she endured this, it was her victory. If she succumbed, it was
Kurumi’s victory.
“My, victory……!”
“No, it’s your defeat……!”

191
 The first one to notice something unusual was Tokisaki Kurumi. It
was because she was laying on the ground, with the humiliating
condition of being concealed by Tsuan looming over her.
The Quasi-Spirit that had descended from the sky──False Proxy. In
her hollow mouth, she had six hands stretched out.
The moment she saw that figure, something broke within Tokisaki
Kurumi’s mind. No matter how brutal the fight to the death with
Tsuan had been until now, even the kill or be killed mentality,
everything had been driven out of her mind.
She shifted the pistol that was aimed at Tsuan’s throat and pulled
the trigger towards the sky.
False tried to reach out to catch the bullet. Naturally, that failed. A
booming screech, the flesh splattered──small cracks spread over the
body in an instant.
False exploded. At the same time, dolls hidden inside emerged on
after the other. The sound of a high-pitched battle cry.
Tsuan noticed this and turned around. Because of this
inconvenience, Kurumi jumped up and kept shooting from her
antiquated pistol in rapid succession towards the sky.
Astonishingly, all of the bullets had been avoided.
“Let’s gooooooooooo!” Accompanied by that loud voice, a
Japanese sword was brandished upward.
“Target confirmation. Fire────!” With a high pitch voice, the bow
was set. “Burn up────!” Along with a brash voice, a magnifying glass
was lifted up.” Magnifying glass.
The moment she noticed this, Kurumi gritted her teeth. If looked
closely, these dolls shared a similar impression with other people
that she could recall.
Tsuan raised her fist to intercept the attack. The doll merely
laughed.

192
 “Slow” “Too slow” “Too sluggish” “It can’t be helped” “Since” “She
must be exhausted!”
Even with that in mind, the doll’s movements were very nimble.
The doll waving the Japanese sword impaled Tsuan’s chest with its
blade. A small arrow pierced her throat. Rays of condensed sunlight
scorched her body.
Seeing Tsuan toppled over, Empty let out a mournful cry.
Was it because Tsuan was knocked down again and they were
surrounded by dolls? No.
“……These, dolls……are……”
Empty quivered while pointing her finger at the doll. It was the
splitting image of Hijikata Isami. The one next to her looked exactly
like Takeshita Ayame. And lastly, the doll that had attacked Tsuan
with the magnifying glass was definitely the same as Sheri Musika.
The dolls screamed, when listened carefully it was indeed their
voices.
Already standing up, Tokisaki Kurumi dreadfully muttered as she
was oozing with the intent to murder.
“Everyone has turned into a doll. No, it would be better to say that
they were turned into one.” “B-being turned into……?”
All Quasi-Spirits are based on the fragments of the Sephira Crystal.
So if you die, the Sephira
Crystal will become someone else’s property.
Doll Master had plundered pieces of Sephira shards from more
than 100 Quasi-Spirits and turned them into dolls.
Isami, Ayame, and Sheri’s dolls began to dance.
They found it extremely enjoyable and humorous, but for Empty it
felt on the contrary to be intolerably repulsive.
Such a ridiculous caricature, it seemed to the vilest and
blasphemous end for those defeated due to a lack of strength.
“So this is your worst. Doll Master.”

193
 She wasn’t just satisfied with turning them into dolls.
Keeping as much of the original personality and abilities as possible
on top of them being made into cute dolls. Moreover, a fatal portion
of the personality had been altered──no matter how arrogant the
original personality, they will become a faithful servant to Doll
Master.
“Fun, it’s fun.” “Everyone gets along so well, so beautifully” “Ah,
it’s so good to be a doll.” “Shut up!!”
For the first time, she saw Tokisaki Kurumi truly enraged.
When hearing this, the dolls began to laugh more and more
cheerfully.
“Angry, you got angry!” “Crumple and collapse!” “Let’s kill, let’s
kill!” “This Spirit is a doll!” “Can make this Spirit into a doll!” “Join our
family!”
The old-fashioned gun blew away one of the frolicking dolls. The
cheers quickly turned silent for a moment.
“What noisy chatter. Does that annoying person think she’s some
sort of king by manipulating these uncanny dolls?”
There was a silent anger contained within Kurumi’s words. But
Empty thought at the same time.
She couldn’t afford that right now. Acting on pure anger towards
the attitudes of those disappeared from being eaten.
On the contrary, it could be because the situation had turned into a
crisis. Or──
“Anyway, is Doll Master just looking on from somewhere? If so, I
will destroy every single doll.
That will make it quick and easy.”
The dolls laughed at once at the same time.
“Impossible!” “Impossible!” “Impossible means that it is
unmanageable!” “Because we are!” “Many!” “An unlimited

194
insignificance!” “A legion, a legion!” “A one thousand strong army!”
“Even for a Spirit, it is impossible to defeat us!!”
Just as those words were said, they were surrounded by the dolls.
Empty fell softly onto the ground.
Those inorganic pupils, more than 2000 of those glass eyes were
staring at Tokisaki Kurumi. She was not afraid, not trembling, not
crying──.
Her expression was full of rage, but there was no fear. But even so,
she wasn’t smiling as usual.
Calmly, she took in a gentle breath as she turned to look at Empty.
“Empty.”
There was no tremor in the sound of her voice.
“Y-yes. What is it?”
“I’m really sorry for getting you caught up in my revenge. You’re
not really Empty”.” “Eh, then……!?”
Kurumi smiled while pointing to the ground. She was referring to a
manhole cover, which she kicked open to reveal an entrance.
“Run away. You’ll be a hindrance if you stay here.” “Eh, but……!”
Although she intended to say some heroic line of not wanting to
abandon her, but── “Saying anything else is worthless.”
Empty’s nape was suddenly grabbed as she was thrown into the
sewer. Fortunately, there was no such thing as an unpleasant odor
due to the lack of human activity in the neighboring world.
“Kurumi─sa”
“Like I said, saying anything more is worthless.”
Kurumi said with a smile as she gently waved to Empty from above.
“You’re sheltering her!” “Important? Important?” “That girl Empty?”
The dolls held their stomach while laughing.
Seeing this ugly scene, Tokisaki Kurumi smiled. There was already
enough pleasure and enjoyment to smile from this.

195
 “No, just──as expected, I’m neither cruel nor shallow enough to
get her involved in this matter.
That’s all.”
The dolls slanted their heads in confusion.
Kurumi raised her antique pistol──aiming not at the dolls──but at
the window of a residential home.
Then.
A flash of light filled the eyes as a boom sound burst into the ears.
However, that was only if……those dolls had eyes and ears.
Burning, bursting, and erupting.
With her at the center, one square kilometer had transformed into
an empty lot.
“A nitro dress that was a combination of roughly over 200 Astral
Dresses and Sephira Crystal fragments. How difficult was it to collect
only that much?”
Kurumi had truly struggled.
First of all, collecting over 200 was not something a sane person
could accomplish. But this nitro dress was a single shot that had the
power to reverse the battle. Therefore, under normal circumstances
it would be impossible, but as long as the single explosion was
needed, she was able to reach an agreement no matter how
irrational the transaction was.
At the time of collecting all 200, others would no doubt begin to
suspect her motives. And once she is suspected, Doll Master would
definitely analyze that information and begin developing the
corresponding countermeasures.
First of all, in order to prevent that, she changed her appearance
when she was negotiating with others. She transformed her voice,
body shape, and even her personality.

196
 It took a long time, but in order to not be discovered by Doll
Master, she little by little installed them in temporary houses.
……Tokisaki Kurumi had already expected her use the dolls when
she survived.
And being a Spirit, she would be more cautious and invest as much
of her forces as possible. In order to kill 1000 dolls, Kurumi arrived at
the conclusion of a wide area explosion.
Naturally, this was a gamble that put herself at a disadvantage.
Frustrated by the sense of hopelessness, there was once or twice
where she couldn’t go to sleep.
But, she won.
Kurumi peacefully sat on the ground──sparing no effort to recover.
Just a little bit more, victory was in sight. I can get revenge. I can
get rid of her.
“Yue, Yue, just a little bit more, a little bit more……”
The words stopped. In front of Kurumi’s eyes was Ibusuki Panie.
Ibusuki Panie, a person who should have been dead.
“Yes, you just said Yue-chan. I understand, I finally understand!”
“……You’re still alive? How surprising.”
Kurumi’s finger was on the trigger of her pistol. Ibusuki Panie denied
that with an innocent smile just like an angel.
“No, no, not alive. Because Panie is already dead.”
“Ah, so that’s it. Then, you are the same as False? Is your little body
full of dolls?”
When she heard Kurumi, Panie smiled and nodded.
“That’s right! Umm, there’s about 400 in Panie (storage house). So,
I have around another 1400
bodies to be kept aside!”
Kurumi couldn’t understand the numbers for a moment.
“Ha……?”

197
 “Like I said, I have around 1800 bodies! Yeah, no one has ever been
able to get past 1000 bodies before! Panie was so moved! So there
are about two-thirds still remaining, please try your best!”
“……You’re bluffing? You’re being driven to that extent, right?”
It was a miracle that Kurumi’s voice was not shaking. There were
1800 dolls left? So much, there was no chance of winning……!
“Does it really matter? Aren’t you a Spirit? Can’t you easily crush
anything on a level that a
Quasi-Spirit can’t compare?”
Silence.
Kurumi restrained the fear that was held closely to her heart.
“……I am Tokisaki Kurumi.”
Ibusuki Panie opened its mouth as wide as False Proxy and took out
a doll from within. A familiar Astral Dress, a familiar weapon, and a
familiar face.
The moment she saw it, Kurumi’s will to fight burst and faded away.
“Hmm, what was this one’s name? Y…Yuei……?”
“It’s Hiriyu Yue, Ibusuki-san.” “Ah yes, that’s right!” “Y…ue……”
Blueish short hair, clear eyes, and a giant claymore sword that didn’t
match her size. Even in the current state as a bad caricature, she
would never forget that face.
“Tokisaki Kurumi has nothing to do with Yue, right?” “Yes! She has
nothing to do with me!”
“If─that’s─the─case──”
Ibusuki Panie glanced over at Kurumi, revealing a faint sadistic
smile.
“Hiriyu-san is your friend?” “Best friend is a Quasi-Spirit!”
──The air froze.
Everything was known, everything was sealed. Even if the pieces
could move freely on the board, they still would never reach the
game master.

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 “Now then, please kill that Spirit-san.”
“I understand, Ibusuki-san! I’ll go kill it!”
The doll turned this way. Those glassy eyes were unable to tell
even the tiniest hint of emotion.
“……Yes, that’s it.”
Tokisaki Kurumi, the girl who kept inspiring herself, lowered her
head.
The doll rushed over with great excitement. It was reminiscent of
how she used to run. Lost, lost, everything was lost. But even, she
still lived on for her sake.
But in the end, it was meaningless. The innocent doll set up its
favorite claymore. Somedays, it felt like a nostalgic dream.
Victory, sometimes she would shout that when greeting her back
home. I hated fighting, I also hated being hurt, even more so if it was
a friend hurt.
However, I didn’t want to disturb how happy she looked talking.
And so, I have always, always been waiting for that day and time
again.
“……I’ve been waiting for you all this time.”
Welcome back, the girl whispered to herself.
She spread her arms out to greet her as the doll’s sword was
embedded in her chest.
Looking at the fallen girl, Ibusuki Panie──the dolls hidden inside
began to snicker.
This war (date) had also ended quite meaningfully. Although it was
a pity that the Spirit was a
fake, it didn’t mean that she fancy the idea of having a real Spirit as
an opponent.
They are a disaster that should not exist in the neighboring world.
They must be living happily in the other world.

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 However, the neighboring world was theirs. The tenth region was
hers. Doll Master nodded with satisfaction as she wanted to praise
her puppets.
The dolls, following the order, happily planned to chop apart
Kurumi’s body. As Doll Master
tried to add a command to not damage the Sephira Crystal──she
witnessed the doll blown away.
◇
The huge explosion could be felt even in the sewer. Empty
screamed with her back pressed against wall, trembling from the fear
of not knowing if the ceiling would collapse.
A short silence.
……After confirming she was still alive and unharmed, Empty stood
back up to her feet.
It didn’t fit the image she had of herself to remain crouching here.
The cause of this explosion was definitely Kurumi. In that case, it
would better to head out to see the results.
Empty didn’t think that she would die. Although she didn’t think
that she would die, she still had
a bad feeling about this.
Following the light coming in, she climbed up the ladder.
The temperature likely had risen from the explosion earlier. And
then, she didn’t even know if Tsuan was still alive after being
engulfed in the explosion. Despite the frightening image of minced
meat, she still felt the urge to eat hamburgers today.
……No, it wasn’t good to let her thoughts wander off into such
worthless matters right now.
But while climbing this ladder, she only felt an uneasiness that
made her heart feel faint. The last thing seen was that lonely
smile──.
She prayed for herself to be wrong.

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 Perhaps it was her intention to die regardless of failure or success.
It was so full of sorrow that it seemed like that, a smile that quietly
accepted the destruction.
Such a smile was not suitable for her. Tokisaki Kurumi should be
more magnificent, illusory, cruelly laughing and trampling over her
opponent.
Arrive above ground; Empty was stunned at the tremendous sight.
The surrounding area had been reduced to rubble; the place where
house were supposed to be lined up was now a free lot.
This ought to have been Tokisaki Kurumi’s hidden card.
In order to deal with the notorious Doll Master, there must have
been no other way but this large- scale explosion.
But……in this explosion. She didn’t know if Kurumi had survived.
Even if there was an Astral Dress……
As she was about to call her name, Empty realized that she was right
in front of her. Even if she turned back, there was no way that she
could miss this view now. “Kurumi-sa─”
The sound of the puncture was quite light; the blood splatter was
also minuscule. But from the chest to the back, a steel-sharpened
blade had run through.
But that wasn’t strange. It was in the middle of a battle, so it
wasn’t strange.
Yet, Empty was unable to comprehend this. At this moment,
Tokisaki Kurumi had actually shed blood and fell down.
“……Kurumi-san?”
She couldn’t understand what was happening at all. She wouldn’t
die; Tokisaki Kurumi had an unfathomably absurd invulnerability.
Don’t die, don’t die to something as trivial as this, absolutely don’t
die.

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 However, the blood would not stop. Whether if it was a Quasi-
Spirit or Spirit, she would die if blood continued to be lost. The mind
would give in before the body.
Nevertheless, the blue-haired doll gladly prepared to cut off the
shoulders, arms, and legs.
“……Hand.”
Completely unconsciously, Empty grabbed what was in that hand.
The doll looked a little surprised as it stared at Empty.
What was in Empty’s hands was Tokisaki Kurumi’s old fashioned
pistol. She understood it only through instinct, the bullets were still
loaded, and afterwards she only had to make a firm resolution……just
by relying on this feeling.
“……Stop.”
Her voice was cold, her fingertips were cold, only her heart felt
warm. Pulling the
trigger──shock, boom, recoil. The right hand of the doll shattered
and fell onto the ground. It was clear to Empty that now was the
time to be stunned.
Ibusuki Panie stared blankly in puzzlement. But after seeing Empty
try to use her shoulders to support Kurumi, both her arms began to
shake while she stared at them.
“Really──! How troublesome──!”
Dolls were released from Panie’s mouth. There numbers were
around thirty, it was a very simple act to kill two people who wanted
to escape.
Empty was not strong enough to carry a girl that had lost
consciousness. If she went by foot, they would definitely be caught.
Additionally, Empty’s mood right now was completely fretful.
Kurumi’s hand was annoyingly chilly from the incessant blood
flowing out. “……Do…..”

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 Kurumi muttered a soliloquy, but right now was not the time to
listen to that. Being caught meant being killed, dying, not only herself
but Kurumi as well.
There was no rescue. There was no miracle that would occur. Destiny
had strictly, ruthlessly, and completely bound them.
──So, this wasn’t a miracle.
If one were to describe it, it was a miscalculation from Doll Master.
Her bad taste caused this development.
The thirty dolls caught up, they were more than enough to kill an
Empty Quasi-Spirit and a Spirit that had lost consciousness.
The doll that finally caught up and swung its sword──repelling
away the others.
“Eh?”
The puppet let out an awkward voice. Sparing no time to cut off
their arms and heads in an instant.
“……Eh?”
This time it was Empty who let out a voice of surprise. Their helper
was neither a God nor a Quasi-Spirit.
“I see, so it was like this!”
The one-handed puppet smiled happily. It was the doll that Empty
had shot just now──.
“Why……?”
Empty stopped her own steps as she whispered blankly. The doll
raised the huge sword with a single hand while shouting.
“You are my friend! I am your friend! So, surely I shouldn’t kill her!
Sorry! I wasn’t aware, sorry!”
There were tears in those glassy eyelids.
Facing Empty who was completely lost, the doll yelled out loudly.

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 “I don’t know anymore. Everything. But, I remember. I can only
remember the things that Hibiki liked, what Hibiki liked! So! That’s
why……”
Run away, she whispered. The doll cut apart the other dolls that
had caught up.
Nothing could be conveyed, nothing was answered. Empty fled
from that place while dragging along Kurumi.
Anyway, they first needed gain some distance. She focused nothing
but on getting farther away to a place that was invisible to the eyes
of the dolls.
Empty’s choice was not the residential building but the abandoned
factory. The place where she was once imprisoned. Although it had
half-collapsed from the fierce attacks, it was because of
that she felt it wouldn’t attract any attention……the only thing left to
do now was to pray. A cold droplet dripped down her neck.
Fortunately, there was a sudden downpour. This way, both their
scent and footprints would disappear at the same time. Although she
was worried about being chilly, being alive right now was more
important.
After that, if Tokisaki Kurumi could wake up.
“……Here is……” “Kurumi-san!?”
Empty hurried to lean over. That pale expression, the loss of color in
her lips, the constant flow
of blood that wouldn’t cease, but even then Kurumi was still alive.
“……Ran away…..why……?”
“Yes. That doll helped us.” “Doll, but……?”
“It said that it was my friend.”
Hearing those words, Kurumi opened her eyes──then; she began to
gasp as if breathing out her soul.
“……I-is that right.”

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 Kurumi used her trembling hands to find a photo in her pocket. It
was the photograph with Empty close together with the girl that
became the model for that doll.
“Aren’t you surprised?”
“Nothing would surprise me at this point.”
“In that case. Even if I said I wasn’t Tokisaki Kurumi, you wouldn’t
be surprised?” “……Even if that’s the case. I won’t be surprised.”
Kurumi touched her chest to wipe out the blood.
“With this much blood flowing……well, it looks like it’s hopeless. I
don’t feel like I can be saved.”
“Please don’t say that!”
“……Do you want to hear an old story?”
Suddenly, her tone changed. As if dissolved in water, her hair
began to lose its color. It was testimony that Higoromo Hibiki had
released Tokisaki Kurumi’s power.
A story overflowed from her lips.
◇
By the time she noticed, she was already lost in the neighboring
world.
Mixed in with the Quasi-Spirits of all sorts of colors, Higoromo
Hibiki was part of the overwhelming majority that was completely
helpless.
The title of Empty was not a false name.
Not just memories, there was sometimes girls wandering around
that would lose their personalities as well. A harmless ghost that was
an eyesore to look at.
Perhaps, they were a symbol of fear that others wanted to avoid
becoming as well. That was Empty.

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 It wouldn’t take long for their hands and feet to disappear
completely before finally those girls
are destined to disappear completely from the neighboring world.
Higoromo Hibiki was such a person. She didn’t know anything, she
was afraid of arriving at this world, afraid of fighting, For those not
fortunate enough to be able to use an Astral Dress, they were afraid
of disappearing.
There were no dreams.
There was no hope.
There was nothing to crave for.
There wasn’t even a heart to crave.
A person who was born not knowing anything should die alone.
That should have been
Higoromo Hibiki’s fate.
In this lethargy, it was a coincidence that Hibiki saw her.
In the tenth region Malkuth communication was marked──by
killing each other. There was a girl who lived happily by fighting.
After several clashes, she had obtained a triumphant victory. With
her hollow eyes, Hibiki tried to match the look of the eyes of that girl.
The girl was full of smiles. To Hibiki who was staring at her
helplessly, she made a victory sign with her two fingers.
“I won!”
Blankly staring at her──Hibiki slowly returned the victory gesture.
“Thank you!”
The girl disappeared after saying that loudly.
Hibiki stood up. She noticed that the arm that was disappearing
had been restored. In such a meaningless exchange, Hibiki had found
hope.
That girl’s name was Hiriyu Yue. Empty’s name was Higoromo
Hibiki.

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 Yue was a typical Quasi-Spirit that couldn’t live without fighting.
And Hibiki was a Quasi-Spirit that can continue living by cuddling
onto some else without needing to fight.
It was like a calm day after a storm.
Each time Yue came back injured her heart would ache. On the
other hand, her heart would also felt relieved as long as she
returned.
Hibiki thought that she didn’t want to use the power of her
Unsigned Angel.
It has horrific power, but the cost was too great. If used recklessly,
all that awaited her was becoming an invalid.
“That’s such a waste!”
Although Yue spoke while complaining, Hibiki just smiled as if a
little troubled. The worst part of that power was being able to
replace herself.
Personality separated, memories deviated, and even the name
Higoromo Hibiki needed to be forcibly thrown away.
It was a shame to forget about Yue who was right in front of
herself.
“It’s fine Yue. I don’t care.”
“Really? It doesn’t matter at all for your body?”
“I don’t like fighting, so I’m okay for now. Un, it’s fine because I am
happy.” Fighting wasn’t the only way to chase after a dream.
There was also a dream of being satisfied through just waiting. The
days spent playing and chatting with Yue.
So Hibiki felt satisfied living in the present.
──But if she lost Yue, this sense of fulfillment would disappear. Why
was it that she would always look away whenever she said that?
Why was it that she was convinced that as long as she waited, her
words of “I’m coming back!” would always ring true?

207
 The last time she said that was after receiving an invitation to a
game sponsored by Doll Master.
“I wanted to participate since the beginning.”
Yue spoke in an unusually calm tone.
“But to participate in the war she’s sponsoring means staking your
life. I think that’s a bit wrong.” “Great, that’s a relief……I was still
wondering if you were going to defiantly go there.”
Hearing Hibiki’s reply, Yue muttered as if embarrassed from the
bottom of her heart. “At the time of fighting for my life, I think that I
would want to know.”
“Yue, when are you going to risk your life?”
“If you ever encounter a pinch, I’ll definitely risk my life on the line
to save you.”
Yue had always categorically said that line.
“Ah──……thank you. In that case, I feel relieved.”
Very embarrassing, but only those words could describe the
emotion filling up her chest.
“Anyway, I’ll refuse it tomorrow.”
The second day after Yue had said that, she had completely
disappeared.
It wasn’t unusual for a girl to go missing in the neighboring world.
Even more so if it was a girl who liked to fight.
Moreover, when the whereabouts are unknown, all she could do
was waiting for her.
In time, Hibiki heard a rumor about Doll Master. She was collecting
dolls, these so-called dolls used to be Quasi-Spirits. If she had her eye
on you, then you would absolutely be turned into a doll.
“Doll Master, Doll Master, Doll Master!” Achieving revenge became
Hibiki’s new dream.
Since the first step was fighting, she grew accustomed to battle,

208
seeing blood, and treating wounds. The next step was collecting
information.
Luckily, the abilities of the Astral Dress were most suitable for
information gathering. She made
a thorough investigation of Doll Master’s advantages, disadvantages,
secrets, and weaknesses. Although many times in the process her life
became targeted, her obsession didn’t permit her to die.
The last step would mark the completion of the plan. In order to kill
Doll Master, in order to defeat Doll Master, what was indispensable?
Thinking, thinking, thinking──looking back, she found that she
come quite far. To imagine that she had lived alone for such a long
time.
Even if she met Yue again, that girl would surely not recognize her.
Well, but. That didn’t matter
anymore. Because it was impossible for a reunion.
Therefore, it was fine not to be Higoromo Hibiki (me) anymore. The
Unsigned Angel of the seventh genus, <King Killing>. It held the
power to plunder. Exchanging bodies with the target, even abilities
can be plundered──the ability to reversal a law in order to murder a
king.
So far, it had been used to temporarily rob the faces of other
Quasi-Spirits in order to hide herself. However, the robbery of
abilities was a far more advanced use, an unknown world to herself.
Once started, she couldn’t lift it until she died. It was power with
great risk that was irretrievable afterwards.
Consequently, Hibiki wandered around the region searching for the
greatest strength and most powerful presence to plunder from.
A Quasi-Spirit with the power to compete against Doll Master.
And so she finally found it. Not a Quasi-Spirit, but it was a Spirit
that was said to bring disaster. It was beautiful.
No matter where, it was matchless beauty.

209
 The girl that was falling out of the sky was about to die.
Nevertheless, she could easily see that huge power.
If there was anything that transcended both human intelligence
and Spirits──it was the once in a million fortune granted to Higoromo
Hibiki through this encounter.
……Hibiki knew. Her ability stole not only both physical form and
Astral Dress, but it even
robbed one’s personality as well.
There was a high probability of discarding a stupid notion like
revenge upon being able to seize this power.
There were no countermeasures. So she strongly thought. She
firmly embraced the memories she shared with Hiriyu Yue into her
chest.
Please I beg of you, it doesn’t matter if you take away anything
from me. After this revenge is successful, I’ll also give up my own life.
So please don’t take my dreams away. Please let me achieve my
revenge.
That is to say, it was expected that there was no spectacle of joy
whatsoever in revenge.
A dark night. In the depths of an unnamed alley devoid of any
human waste. In the rain, a single girl held hands with the dying
Spirit.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry……”
She had considered it countless, countless times. The thought was
already lingering in her mind.
But her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
With her personality altered, she wouldn’t be herself anymore. In
order to kill her opponent she
needed to kill herself.
Higoromo Hibiki was now prepared to kill two girls.

210
 Only in that manner, she repeated that line countless times again.
Despite this, she couldn’t take
the final step forward.
So, she remembered more strongly.
The sight of those days; the peaceful days where it felt fulfilling just
being together. A calm scene that could never be recovered again.
“Don’t forget, don’t forget, don’t forget, don’t forget, don’t forget,
don’t forget!! Absolutely don’t forget that scene!!”
She screamed.
The Unsigned Angel <King Killing> was launched.
A huge claw deprived everything from the Spirit girl who was there,
burying it deep into Higoromo Hibiki.
And then after being deprived of everything, the Spirit became
Empty.
◇
At the end of the long monologue, she slowly changed back from a
Spirit into a Quasi-Spirit. She discarded the filled container and
returned back into being the original Empty.
“……I’ve been lying to you all this time.”
The girl who was just Kurumi until a moment ago had said that.
Empty listened to her confession while stunned.
“I knew why you had no memories. I knew who you were. However, I
didn’t tell you. I knew
that and still lied. Because I can only──lie, lie, lie constantly.”
“……Why didn’t you kill me?”
The girl suddenly laughed.
“I am selfish. I didn’t want to see myself die. That’s all.”
Flowing out, the essence of Tokisaki Kurumi was being slowly
sucked into the girl standing next to her.
“Go. You are a Spirit; that is a fact that no one can interfere.”

211
 The girl standing in front of her eyes was no longer Empty. The
Spirit silently raised her gun.
“──I can’t forgive you.” “……Yes, sorry.”
This ending was also very good, she thought. From the very
beginning she did something terrible to her.
“Aren’t you going to beg for mercy?”
“Didn’t you just say it? Yue protected us. When I heard about that,
it was already okay.”
She protected me.
Even after being turned into a doll, she tried to fulfill her promise
to me.
Not matter how or where, Yue would always be her personal hero.
Just by knowing this, Higoromo Hibiki felt saved.
A thunderous silence.
And thus, Tokisaki Kurumi died──. And thus, Tokisaki Kurumi woke
up.
◇
As the girl left the factory, there was a multitude of dolls
surrounding her. The rain had not stopped falling.
“Found you.”
A battered doll was thrown away into a puddle of mud. It was the
doll of Hiriyu Yue. To be precise, it was only her head. The tossed
torso was incised with countless scars. It should be owed to their
hatred towards the traitor.
The girl squatted down and gently stroked the face of the doll.
She didn’t dislike such people who would firmly keep their
promises, regardless of whether it was a doll or Quasi-Spirit.
“Where is Tokisaki Kurumi? If you don’t answer, we’ll torture you.”
“……”
Silence. Although it was humorous that they had the time for such a

212
remarks, she ignored them as she continued to gently stroke the doll.
Her actions caused the other dolls to become irritated.
“Like your best friend, it’s not bad to kill you after becoming a
doll.”
No response.
Passing this frustration, as strange chill ran through the dolls.
“Did you……hear?”
No response.
Because of the downpour, visibility was poor as none of the dolls
could see her face. Posture, clothing, that was certainly Empty──no,
wait.
“That gun, are you going to use it?”
No response.
The old fashioned pistol used by Tokisaki Kurumi was held tightly in
her hands.
──And then finally, Empty responded.

213
214
 It was a wild laughter like coming from the pits of hell.
Rather than frustration, as the fear reached a critical point, one of
the dolls let out a strange scream and jumped up.
Doll Master’s puppets even reproduced a pseudo copy of the
Quasi-Spirits’ Astral Dress. Her
Astral Dress swirled up in flames as she propelled forward just like a
rocket.
In front of the doll that was rushing forward at a furious force, the
girl, who should have been helpless, shot it down as easily as a fly.
“……Ha?”
The dolls roared. Watching this, Doll Master, for the first time in a
while, felt an extremely unpleasant foreign object clogging her
throat.
“I hope you don’t misunderstand. I don’t have any particular strong
feelings towards that doll.”
──That was true. After all, from her perspective, she was nothing
more than someone completely unrelated to that doll.
“So, I think the safest choice would be to leave here without any
questions.”
That was something that should be done regardless of how many
people there were.
“Just, well. How to describe it? I am somewhat impatient. But now,
I’m already very angry. Whether it’s being caught in a troublesome
manner, still everything about your existence is annoying and
unbearable.”
The tone was different.
Even the voice was different.
Looking closely, the reiryoku overflowing from her Astral Dress was
incomparable from before.

215
 Calm down, the dolls told themselves. Tokisaki Kurumi was an
imposter, a sham, a disguise used by Higoromo Hibiki; there were
countless Quasi-Spirits that could manage this.
Besides, even if it was one in ten thousand chance. No, the
possibility of being a Spirit was one in a hundred million. With these
numbers, it would be unmanageable to lose.
Doll Master desperately tried to convince herself.
It was impossible to lose. Being that she was the Dominion of the
Tenth Region── At most it was feeling hesitant about a single
person──
That can never be allowed!
“All members commence the assault! Do it!”
Without leaving or moving away, the girl greeted the assault by
stretching her arms out. On one hand was a pistol while on the other
was a long rifle.
And behind her, a huge clock appeared.
It was her Angel──the ruler of time and shadows <Zafkiel>.
“No, just being annoyed isn’t enough to describe it. Sorry, I’ll use
more concise and succinct
words──I want to kill you all.”
Black and white began to change.
Rather than mixing, it changed without stagnating. Swishing,
rustling, as if making light of the surroundings.
The soft bones of the various soldiers felt resigned to their death.
Standing before their eyes was a beast that was a harbinger of death.
What awaited them was a blood-soaked death.
Setting the ancient pistol, devouring the shadowy bullet, that
silhouette stood prominent among the shudders.
Something that was difficult to distinguish, an inhuman outsider.
Now come, scream in distress at this calamity.

216
 There was only an unshakable talent, the Dominion of time and
shadows. That which comprised of one-tenth of the neighboring
world.
Her name was Tokisaki Kurumi.
A lovely maiden who strived to be the worst and greatest Spirit in
history.
“I’ll carefully trample on (play with) you all. Riffraff.”
Despair had begun.
It wasn’t the case of Tokisaki Kurumi seriously fighting by herself──
Having the Worst Spirit as an opponent, these dolls weren’t even
qualified.
Bullets were fired in quick succession from each hand. Each bullet
accurately shot out the dolls’
Sephira fragments. After violently laughing, she once again reloaded
her bullets.
“First is the warm-up. <Zafkiel>──the First Bullet <Aleph>!”
Kurumi shot the bullet at herself, charging in with the same
momentum as a storm.
The dolls approaching to slash at her fell into a panic at Kurumi’s
sudden disappearance. “Where the hell is────!?”
A doll that should have been at the rear was blown apart and
launched into the sky.
The doll responsible for Ibusuki Panie’s vision was able to look back
only a few moments later

217
218
 “……What, is this.”
Accompanied by a bang, the doll was crushed on the floor. Kurumi
slammed the doll under her feet. Aiming at its squirming head,
Kurumi pulled the trigger.
“What the hell!? What the hell is this!? This……monster!!”
One after the other, the dolls were being minced and crushed.
The dolls were neither singular nor plural but rather a collective
army. An approaching doll waved a huge razor not for shaving off
hair or a beard, but to cut open her arteries.
Kurumi looked at her and smiled──biting the sharp blade with her
teeth.
“Kihi!”
Blowing away the skull of the astonished doll, she spat out the
razor from her mouth and kicked off against the ground.
Flying at out a furious momentum, the razor pierced the forehead
of a doll aiming at her with a rifle.
“Say, didn’t I mention that? I’m playing around, that is what it
means to fight against me, you
riffraff. So──hey? I hope that you can be more tenacious.”
A doll crawled from behind unnoticed, silently to pierce her chest
with a long spear.
“Ara, ara.”
“Kill!” “No, not yet!” “Collection!” “All members!” “Gather your
power together!”
With long handle angels (weapons) in their hands, the dolls
approached forward. Long spears and sword constantly skewered
Kurumi’s body. There was the feeling of her Sephira Crystal being
crushed.
“Got it!”
The roar of joy──disappeared in an instant.

219
 “W, h……y……”
What they had joyfully pierced was the doll that had tried to pierce
Kurumi with a long spear from the very beginning.
The dolls fell into a panic. The dolls that made up Ibusuki Panie
suddenly remembered something.
“Shadows……!”
Yes, they had forgotten. Her ability allowed her to freely jump
through space by using the shadows.
“Disappeared!” “Where!?” “Not here!” “Not here as well!” “Not
even here!”
Not found, she was hidden somewhere in the shadows.
“Don’t hesitate! Search, search, searc──”
Kihihihihihihihihihi.
Once again, Kurumi laughed.
A chill pierced through their spines like a long spear. If the dolls had
sweat glands, the cold sweat sprouted would have frozen from the
mental pressure.
That one doll had been dragged into shadows──it should have
been like this after they excavated the Sephira Crystal and tossed it
to the side.
Crushing, shooting, harming, twisting, cutting, tearing, dismantling,
beheading, striking, breaking, beating, collapsing, destroying,
exploding, and trampling.
Visually it was miserable to see, the dolls were constantly being
destroyed.
A single bullet was all that was needed completely stop a doll. Even
if slipping through the shower of bullets and throwing down the
gauntlet, they would only be dragged into the shadows. The same
result would occur if they tried attacking from a distance.
Can’t kill. Absolutely can’t kill that.

220
 For the dolls that make up an army that wouldn’t fear death as
long as Doll Master’s instructions
were made, death was by no means a matter not to be concerned
about.
Still, they were proud of being the strongest, the strongest
quantitative force. They believed so
long as hundreds of dolls attacked at once, there was no enemy that
couldn’t be defeated.
Even for a Spirit──Tokisaki Kurumi was no exception. Of course, it
would be troublesome if she had some sort of tyrannical and
unreasonable power like the other Spirits, but that obviously wasn’t
the case.
At most it was just manipulating the shadows……and using her gun
to improve her physical
abilities.
Wrong, completely wrong.
It was fundamentally something not of that degree.
Her ability was positioned much closer to the origin──it was the
ability to rule over the world itself──!!
Emerging from the shadows, Kurumi appeared. The fact that her
abdomen was bleeding was source of comfort for the dolls.
However, Kurumi enthusiastically shot herself with the short gun,
the wound instantly recovered as if time had rerolled back.
What is this? That recovery speed is ridiculous.
Kurumi stared at Panie……or more specifically she peeped into the
dolls hiding inside Panie’s
body.
The dolls raised a shriek.
“──Kihi.”
A mocking laugh.

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 Not being able to be seen until now, there was a clock in one of her
eyes. Her expression seemed to reveal a wonderful delight. No, it
was leaking out her delight right now. It was the type of joyful delight
from the bottom of her heart that she was unable to stop herself
from expressing.
“Isn’t this fun? So much fun that it’s unbearable, right? After all,
this is the same that you’ve done so far. Use overwhelming force to
crush the enemy and enjoy the sight of them struggling and begging
for mercy. ──Yes, yes, I don’t deny that this very fun.”
The doll that slowly lurked behind her back──was shot down
without her even turning around. Its skull and Sephira fragment were
simultaneously shot just as Kurumi had finished speaking.
“Only, well you didn’t seem to think you would become the target
being trampled upon. Ah, ah, this can’t be done. That is terrible
recognition. Anything done will be repudiated, that is heaven’s law
for karma.”
“……S-Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! There are only 300 dolls that
you’ve defeated! There are
more than over 1500 Panie dolls left! You! Can’t! Win!”
“Kihihihihihi! Don’t be so scared. Hey, adorable Panie-san. ──Let
me inform you of something
good.”
Pointing to the abandoned factory, Kurumi spoke.
“Not long ago, the one who was using my powers as a skin was
there.” “Wha──!?”
“But it doesn’t matter for me. If you want to get rid of her, please
feel free.” While saying so, Kurumi jumped. Tap, she landed on top of
the telephone poll. “……What are you thinking?”
As Panie asked with a timid expression, Kurumi let out a remarkably
loud, loud laugh.

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 “I want to head to Doll Master as soon as possible. But doing this,
you might try to use her as a hostage and give some grandiose
speech. I detest such troublesome things. If you want to kill her,
please do so as soon as possible. For her, if she’s taken as hostage,
she’ll probably want to
commit suicide.”
Panie understood the real horror of what Kurumi had said.
Using her ability and wearing it like skin── “Then, then……don’t tell
me you’re real?”
“Say, whether if that is true. Perhaps you’ll understand if you trying
killing me some more? Even so, but……you’re boring me now. I’ll let
you run away. Please escape with your tail tucked
between your legs.”
“Don’t screw around!” “Kill her.” “Kill──”
She shot it down.
The doll whose head was shattered fell to the ground. The power
to fight back no longer existed in these dolls.
“Please be prepared to meet me. Or do you still think that the 100
dolls still here are enough to
destroy me?”
The fighting spirit in these dolls had vanished. That also included
the dolls still lurking inside Ibusuki Panie. She was a Spirit. It was only
possible to defeat her by deploying the entire army.
“Please choose your favorite option. ──To die here or to die by
your master’s hand. Although there’s not much difference in terms
of the end result.”
Kihihihihihi, with that high pitched laughed, Kurumi smiled while
disappearing into the rain.
“Must head back!” “Must head back!” “Must hurry back quickly!”
“She’ll be killed, she’ll be killed!”

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 Ibusuki Panie could no longer decide. But, staying here meant
certain death.” “Retreat! Protect the master! All remaining forces
return to protect the master!” After all of them had left, Kurumi
finally breathed out a sigh of relief.
Her legs were shaking. Suppressing her fierce heartbeat──she
resisted the fatigue rushing into her body. Feeling disoriented, she
could only avoid losing consciousness.
“……It’s great that the IQ of a doll is so low.”
The words from just now, most it had been entirely a bluff. The
angel Kurumi used, <Zafkiel>,
had a terrifying power, but at the cost of the consumption of “time”
being necessary. That is to say, it was also Tokisaki Kurumi’s lifespan.
For her, this consumption is fatal.
“Although I’m used to eating human time……I didn’t expect to be
eating the time of dolls on the verge of death.”
Of the 280 dolls, only around 50 had their Sephira fragments
completely crushed. The rest were preserved as much as possible
during the state of battle.
……Having said that, this was by no means benevolent. “Now……
itadakimasu. Safe travels, everyone.”
Kurumi invoked her terrifying ability. The <City of Devouring Time>, a
boundary that absorbed
the “time” of anyone who stepped into her shadow.
Kurumi didn’t hesitate as she mercilessly to absorb the time of the
half-dead dolls.
The poor feeling was even more than expected, so much so that
she felt nauseous. This was not a doll, but a former human. A Quasi-
Spirit to be exact, but for Kurumi who understood their creation, she
still viewed them as a former human.
So right now, she was killing 280 people.

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 Of course, there were many excuses that could be made. Firstly, if
she didn’t kill, she would be killed. Secondly, in order to survive,
additional time was necessary. Thirdly, they could only live on in this
wretched form with a distorted personality in blind servitude to Doll
Master.
For these reasons, Kurumi thought they should be killed. For these
reasons, Kurumi hoped that they will be killed. Then. That was all.
But there was still one problem.
“If that person sees this……what would he think?”
The sight of being surrounded by a group of corpses.
Anger──that shouldn’t be it Kurumi thought. Although he had a
strong sense of ethics and
justice, I imagine he could determine that this situation couldn’t be
helped.
It would be better to say that he would even try to comfort her
with a sad look. Not because of the death of the dolls, but because of
the sadness in the choice Kurumi had chosen.
If he did such a thing, he would surely be crying…… “I want to see
you……”
That soliloquy faded away alongside the wind. Afterwards, Kurumi
temporarily sealed away her own weak voice. Anyway, the number
of deceased would continue to rise.
She looked towards the abandoned factory that had been quiet.
This place was no longer useful.
She had retrieved her abilities, retrieved her appearance, retrieved
her memories──no, wait a minute.
“……Ara, ara, ara. How strange.”
There was a lack of memories. I only know that I am Tokisaki
Kurumi. I don’t even know the name of that person. Strange. I
obviously like him, I like him very much, but I can’t even remember
anything that he said.

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 And why was she in the neighboring world? It was clear that she
should have been in the living in the other world, the world that the
Quasi-Spirits described as the world of humans.
Dead──that wasn’t impossible.
However, this was still very strange. Can a Spirit return to the
neighboring world after death?
That being said now was not the time for Kurumi to carefully
consider that over. Fortunately, there was no part of the memory
loss that served as an obstacle to fighting.
It was better to describe this as further motivation necessary to
achieve victory.
……Speaking of which, Kurumi would also consider herself to be
ruthless. It was in her nature
to take advantage of others believing her to be callous and brutal.
However, because of this, she was absolutely unable to vilify their
thoughts.
They had provoked this battle of their own will and there was no
room for Kurumi’s intervention. However, that girl had treated them
as worthless. She not only regarded the wishes and hopes of those
Quasi-Spirits as insignificant, she also made a mockery of them.
That was something that couldn’t be forgiven.
Because it couldn’t be forgiven, she was obliged to do this.
“I’ll tear you to pieces little by little until the end of the very end.”
She temporarily locked those memories in an important box.
She prepared her resolution, now was the time to fight against the
enemy that was out of touch with reality, to smash and make
mincemeat out of the mistaken Dominion.
“Let’s start now Doll Master.”

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 A smile appeared on Tokisaki Kurumi’s face as the surrounding air
was distorted by her low
voice.
“Now──let’s begin our war (date).”

227
 ──At first, I remember just wanting a friend.
Because of being an incurable coward, I was at the bottom
standing of the neighboring world, so
there wasn’t a single Quasi-Spirit that could be called a close friend.
When the other Quasi-Spirits looked at me, their icy gaze treated
me like leftover bento scraps,
as if saying “Ah, don’t die soon”.
Even now, that gaze filled me with fear.
My Unsigned Angel created a friend. A friend that was loyal to me,
it said that it would fight in my behalf.
But sadly, the doll was very weak alone. Moreover, the other
Quasi-Spirits couldn’t tolerate the
existence of the doll.
Your doll is something that is an insult and affront to us.
Unforgivable, or so they had said. Very harsh things to be said.
But there was no other way; I needed to increase the number of
dolls. I was forced to rely on their quantity to fight. I increased the
number of dolls, blindly increasing their numbers.
Afterwards, the Quasi-Spirits that knew my ugly past became my
friends. So happy.
Each day was lovely and glistening, controlling this world and being
surrounded by so many friends.
As much as possible, I want nothing to do with the other regions. I
only want to spend my life in this miniature garden forever.
However, foreign elements occasionally came to this region. They
were barbaric Quasi-Spirits
who liked to fight and couldn’t live without fighting.

228
 Although it was very easy to crush them, there was something to
worry about. If it was just a single Quasi-Spirit, she could crush her as
easily as an ant. With ten, it was like snapping off a puppy’s neck.
With 100──although there was the possibility of wining through
heavy sacrifices, there was still the possibility of also losing as well.
Even if their individual power was not too great, their combat
effectiveness would improve drastically when considering their
ability to use different Astral Dresses and Unsigned Angels.
So, I decided to let them kill each other.
The reward was a Sephira crystal worth 100 people. Despite having
said that, I didn’t intend to
hand that over.
The winner was always a doll. Those ugly girls usually self-
destructed before getting the chance to assemble their strengths
together.
Thus I was finally able to pass through each day with my mind at
peace. ──Though days felt so smooth as if it was a dream.
……But then that woman (Tokisaki Kurumi) appeared.
That person was too devilish. How relieved did I feel when
discovering that she was a fake?
However, that major event was far from reassuring. She brought
along that Empty who was the real Spirit.
A mistake, from the very beginning, I should have used all my
might to crush that helpless girl. Although there were opportunities
on several occasions, I had let her go.
However, she also let me go. Now, I have 1500 dolls in hand. So
come, Tokisaki Kurumi. It is I, Doll Master, who controls this region.
“……Found you!” “Found you!” “Found you, found you, found you!”
“Spirit!” “Tokisaki Kurumi!” “Must fight!” “Must guard!” “Must kill!”
──It finally came.

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 One thousand five hundred to one, the difference in numbers was
overwhelming. Their above quality was enough to despair over.
However, quantity can always prevail over quality. Even more so if
that quality was just limited to a single person. In contrast, if her
quality was also in excess, then she would be unequalled.
Moreover, Tokisaki Kurumi was not invincible. Indeed, it was
possible for her to close her wounds in an instant. However, she was
certainly injured at that moment.
“……Listen, listen, listen! She is not absolute! She is not invincible!”
“Yes! She is indeed a disaster; it is not without reason to despair!
But! However! You can resist!
You can win! You can win!”
Ayako Machi’s usual calm voice sounded high-pitched and felt
uncouth.
Lycos’s usual strict voice sounded impatient and felt ugly.
However, the dolls still cheered while raising their Unsigned
Angels. For the dolls, the master’s
orders were absolute.
“It is the master’s orders to kill!” “Master’s commands are to kill!”
The dolls moved in accordance to Doll Master’s words. In the sky, in
the ground, in the building,
everywhere was filled with 1,500 dolls.
And. There was only one person against them──Tokisaki Kurumi.
“Let the war begin, sound the bell.” “Understood, master!”
The chime of the school rang at a foolish volume.
◇
The chime of the school rang──it was a bit sloppy to signal the
beginning of the battle.
“The other party has 1,500, while I’m alone.”
That was also quite good.

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 Without her memories, it was a miracle beyond her understanding
of how she was still alive. It wouldn’t be strange for her to fade away
from this world completely at any time. “……How strange, it feels like
I want to cry.”
If she closed her eyelids, she could see a single boy.
She wanted to ask that person. To ask him why he made that
choice when he might die. People die. However, it was human
instinct to delay death for as long as possible.
When the pain that death is eliminated, even a person seeking death
would also yearn to secretly survive.
……That person wasn’t like that.
He could escape, he could ask for help, even if his spirits collapse,
who could blame him? The girls around him must have also thought
of this at least once.
Why is this person who seems to be dying still standing here?
It wasn’t just for being good to the Spirits. No, it was partially for
that as well, but. He stayed with them so long as──they could be
saved.
“……So, it absolutely won’t do for me to be afraid and cry.”
I have bullets (power).
I have <Zafkiel> (power).
I have Spirit Dress of God’s Authority no. 3, <Elohim> (power).
She filled the shadows into her short and long guns. She tightened
the ribbon on her Astral Dress while checking her appearance
through a mirror.
“……Alright.”
At the very least, she wouldn’t lose in dazzling the people and
surroundings with the splendor of the Spirits. Recently, she had
begun to think that only wearing red and black looked a bit too
heavy, but it was even more detestable to return back to the sweet
loli route of white, white, white.

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 She felt content with herself for considering such useless things.
Satisfied, she jumped out of the window.
The rain had stopped and the sky was at a beautiful sunset. An
orange light illuminated the empty city where no one was present
besides the dolls that were lurking there.
In the middle of the road, she gracefully raised the hem of her skirt
to curtsy. Compared to this,
“Now, everyone. I’m here to save you.”
The 1,500 dolls flooded forward as Tokisaki Kurumi muttered to
herself.
The dolls’ scream signal the beginning of the war (date). “<Zafkiel>
──the First Bullet <Aleph>!!”
Kurumi instantly accelerated. 500 of the 1,500 dolls turned their
eyes without being able to catch up to her speed. The remaining
1,000 only barely managed to catch a faint afterimage with their
glassy eyes.
However, half of the remaining 1,000 understood that they could
only see and do nothing else.
Being able to see Kurumi racing as swift as the wind, there were
only 500 remaining dolls that attacked.
Within that 400 of the attacks were avoided. Kurumi jumped,
turned, intercepted, accelerated, and deaccelerated. Performing all
sorts of movements to confuse them, Kurumi traverse through the
road without acquiring even a single scratch.
Then, only a hundred were remaining left.
“……!”
Kurumi shot from her two guns in quick succession. The 100 dolls
rustled around the ground to avoid the bullets.
“Do you remember me?” “……I remember.”
Hearing the loud shout from a doll with a magnifying glass, Kurumi
replied back while slightly frowning.

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 “Then, me as well?
“In that case, how about me?”
Kurumi nodded with a dissatisfied look towards the two dolls.
“Do you remember us?” “Do you remember me?”
Five dolls were standing in front of Kurumi.
“Sheri Musika. “Hijikata Isami. Takeshita Ayame. Nogi Aiai. Tonami
Furue.” Not a friend or partner, nor a presence that could be called a
good opponent. At best, they had only been trying to kill each other
for three days or so now.
Even then, Doll Master must be looking forward to this. Although it
was brief, even a Spirit may have sympathy due to having interacted.
Don’t hesitate, there isn’t enough time.
──Certainly, sympathy and hesitation may lead to an opening
appearing.
There was only one thing she miscalculated. It must be
remembered that Tokisaki Kurumi was just while Empty until a few
hours ago.
She cried, laughed, and above all sympathized with these Quasi-
Spirits.
“……Yes, is that so?”
There was a girl who wanted to be innocently in love. There was a
girl who admired what being in love was like.
Although it was only for brief moment, she felt close to these girls
who were similar to herself. Not unlike what had happened with her
own name, it was rotten for these dolls to claim the names of these
girls as well.
──Ah, but they have nothing to do with myself.
They have nothing to do with me, but this still puts me in a bad
mood. So let me say this.
“Are you trying to make me even angrier, Doll Master?”

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 While stepping forward, Kurumi pulled her long rifle into the jaw of
one of the five dolls, furiously brandishing it while pulling on the
trigger.
The doll burst open in an instant.
The dolls didn’t have any livers or even sweat glands. However,
their faces seemed to be stiffened with fear.
“I won’t let you play with them even more.”
She will kill them.
She had already decided upon that. It was already decided because
she wouldn’t let them be
humiliated any further.
Since this was what she had decided, it was absolute.
The time needed to kill the five dolls was around 77 seconds.
Kurumi used all of her strength to fight with them, shooting them
with the repeated fire of bullets.
“They bought time!”
“Yes, display your strength now……!!”
Ayako Machi and Lycos gave the commands.
The 95 dolls, 400 dolls, and 1000 dolls didn’t let go of this
opportunity to kill. Tokisaki Kurumi didn’t retreat into the shadows,
but rather just stared straight ahead. All of the dolls were located
behind her. There was nothing left to hinder this.
“I’ve caught you, Doll Master.”
“Impossible. How is it possible to be caught……!”
At 300 meters ahead of Kurumi, there was a school that became
the center of this area. Doll Master was really there.
The top floor of the building was surrounded by a powerful
reiryokuken. It was the only heavenly area that can survive in peace
during this war (date).
Was this necessary for Doll Master to control this region?

234
 The ruler laid at the summit and the person sitting in control must
want to stay at the highest location. Even the careful and cowardly
Doll Master was no exception.
By conveying the message of protecting Doll Master to the
puppets, Kurumi was able change her speculation into conviction.
As expected, the dolls were positioned to protect that building no
matter which direction Kurumi chose to attack from.
It didn’t matter where she was in that building, since there wasn’t
going to be enough time for
her to escape.
“I will drag you down.”
The huge clock turned as the long rifle inhaled the shadows while
aiming straight ahead. Doll Master, who was peeping at her, was left
puzzled by this move that seemed to be meaningless.
“It’s the appointed time, Doll Master. <Zafkiel>──The Third Bullet
<Gimmel>.”
She pulled on the trigger of time.
The bullet struck the school building across the road──the wall of
the school building served as the starting point for everything.
Kurumi’s idea wasn’t wrong. However, the implementation wasn’t
correct either. Even if each bullet struck the building, what will
happen?
“……?”
There wasn’t an explosion. The schoolhouse still stood tall. In the
short moment Doll Master felt at ease, Kurumi continued fire one
round after the other in quick succession, letting even more doubt
seep in.
“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” “The Third Bullet <Gimmel>.” “The
Third Bullet <Gimmel>.”
“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third

235
Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet
<Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>, the Third Bullet <Gimmel>.”
The dolls finally caught up to her.
As Kurumi was tackled by one doll, the other dolls used it as an
opportunity to flood in.
However, even if Kurumi lost her balance, squatted on the ground,
stabbed by a short sword, she still kept the aim of her long rifle
without any hesitation──.
“The Third Bullet <Gimmel>──!!”
She continued to shoot.
Rumble, an unusual sound was heard coming from that building.
“Wh, at……?” “What is this……?”
Anxiety spread through Ayako Machi and Lycos’s faces.
As if responding to that, Kurumi, who was dogpiled by more than
1,400 dolls, replied back with a smile.
“The Third Bullet <Gimmel> shares the same effect of acceleration
as the First Bullet <Aleph>.
However, the role is different. If the First Bullet <Aleph> handles
external time, the Third Bullet
<Gimmel> is the acceleration of internal time.”
The acceleration of the Third Bullet <Gimmel> would be applied to
the inside. In other words, the bullet would consume the internal
time of its target.
Humans would age from children to the elderly. For trees, young
sprouts would turn into mighty trees. And──if it was concrete, it
would become as unreliable as tofu for forming a solid building.
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
The dolls were all shocked. The sacred tower, the starting point
where this war (date) had begun.

236
 The schoolhouse, which symbolized the prosperity of the tenth
region Malkuth, let out a sorrowful sound.
“Was that a new school building? I’m sorry, but that building has
grown to be 1000 years old
now.”
The school building let out a thunderous roar before collapsing.
The dolls screamed, completely forgetting about Kurumi. No
wonder. Their master was on the top of that building.
So, Doll Master could only escape. The only choice was to escape
by jumping into the sky.
However, Doll Master didn’t try to leave the collapsing building.
Even for a Quasi-Spirit, a fall from the top floor would cause an
inevitable injury.
If she didn’t come out despite that, then──
◇
Waking up, there were no wounds on her body.
But, she was a little surprised at how much her clothes were
covered in blood. Whether it was her hair, feet, hands, she was no
longer Tokisaki Kurumi but instead an ordinary empty girl that could
be found anywhere.
The morning sun began to shine into the abandon factory. The
pouring rain had completely stopped as it seemed an entire night
had passed.
“Kurumi-san…….”
Standing up, it was terribly quiet outside. Whether if it was a doll
or Quasi-Spirit, there were no living creatures outside.
“An empty street.”
Sadly, everything in this town was empty, including herself.
……There was only a vague feeling since she couldn’t see any dolls.
But there was nothing to look forward to, since everything was

237
already over. There was the possibility that she already no longer
important in the eyes of Doll Master.
There was no value in her existence. There was no reason to
continue to live.
However, if she was still alive, she had to see this to the very end.
That was Higoromo Hibiki’s duty and responsibility.
As she steadily walked alone, the place to aim for was the original
spot for first encounters, the starting point for the killing and the
school at the very center.
As she got closer, Hibiki slowly discovered the abnormality of this
situation.
“A mountain of corpses.”
The dolls looked like their souls had been pulled out as they
collapsed everywhere. Of course, this was the remains of Doll
Master’s soldiers.
Dead.
Although some were badly injured, the majority was
overwhelmingly unscathed. Her heart began to beat fiercely.
The school building had completely collapsed. That meant──
“Kurumi-san!”
She called out to the girl sitting in the ruins with her legs drooping
as if slightly bored. Kurumi turned around as if slightly disappointed.
“Ah, so you’re still alive.”
“No, it was Kurumi-san who healed me, right!?”
The bullet Kurumi fired was the Fourth Bullet <Dalet> for the
purpose of restoration. Time went in reverse. Needless to say, even a
wound like an amputated arm could be healed. The problem here is
what happens when time is reversed.
If it was only to cure a wound, Higoromo Hibiki would have turned
back into a false Tokisaki Kurumi. But, time had once again flowed

238
backwards. The time reversal restored Hibiki’s physical body in an
instant, so that she could recover her original body without dying.
“Umm, thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Just a whim. Besides, look over there.”
Kurumi replied back indifferently as she pointed to the depths of
the rubble. Hibiki shifted her gaze──her eyes couldn’t help but
widen.
A girl was laying there. And two dolls clung onto her in an attempt to
protect her. Ayako Machi and Lycos. Only these two dolls……were
still alive.
“The doll lying over there seems to be Doll Master.” “……Is she
already dead?”
“I’m alive. It’s a shame. But I can’t even move a finger now.”
Her eyes opened significantly. Doll Master, who was regarded as
the strongest in the tenth region Malkuth, looked exactly like Ibusuki
Panie.
She resembled more like a French doll than a girl.
“Y-you didn’t fight?”
“She doesn’t seem to be able to move. It’s not fault, it was like this
originally.” “Then, she’s only a doll……!?”
“Dolls were my only lifeline. My life was built by them.”
Although she should be detested, Higoromo Hibiki could only sigh
when confronting her.
That is to say, she. Laying on a bed, while only controlling dolls, she
climb all the way up to become the Dominion of the tenth region
Malkuth.
“Oh, but. Then, why……?”
On the other hand, since she appeared like this, Hibiki also
understood. She was powerless. As soon as a single bullet was fired,
everything would be solved.

239
 “……Waiting for you.”
Kurumi sighed.
“Waiting, me?”
Hibiki thought that she couldn’t understand this at all. Kurumi then
fell down in front of the bed
where that girl was sleeping.
The two dolls turned around, staring at her with a fearful but
decisive expression.
“I don’t bear any hatred at Doll Master. I feel a little angry about
what she did, but when it comes to revenge, when it comes to killing,
it’s far from reaching that level.”
Higoromo Hibiki understood what Tokisaki Kurumi was asking for.
“For me?”
“Yes, if you want revenge, this trigger should be pulled by you.
Because there’s no one else who has that right other than you.”
She was robbed of her best friend.
In order to achieve revenge, she completely disregarded her own
life.
Tokisaki Kurumi had only accidentally gotten involved in this
matter. Because of being a temporary passing traveler, she herself
had informed her of this.
“Now, please prepare.”
Kurumi softly held the gun in her hands. Then, Kurumi snuggled
close to the girl as if covering a shroud over her. The shadows quickly
loaded the gun.
“After that, you just pull the trigger.”
“Do as you wish.”
Doll Master let out a small laugh.
“Please, forgive her……please forgive her. If you want, you can
destroy us as much as want.”

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 “Please. Please stop! We’ll give you anything you want! Astral
Dress, Sephira Crystal, anything! It doesn’t matter if you turn the
tenth region into your territory. Realize your dreams however you
want! My master swears! We will absolutely never oppose you
again!”
The two dolls desperately tried to convince her to stop.
In the face of this desperate request Hibiki hesitated──she wanted
to turn around but she steeled herself.
A snicker resounded in her ear as Kurumi whispered.
“……Is that so? Perhaps Doll Master isn’t so sinful after all.”
“I have sins. Have. Please don’t misunderstand, Empty. It was my
will to increase the number of dolls.”
Doll Master proclaimed so with a dignified attitude.
The fingers wrapping around the trigger were infused with more
strength.
Don’t say things words like that which incites hatred. I can’t help
pulling it, I can’t help……!!
“Shut up Doll Master. Please don’t add extra ingredients to influence
her judgement.”
Gently, Doll Master smiled.
That is to say, that girl knew keeping her current situation would
have been the worst choice.
“Kurumi-san, what is behind that doll──”
“All of it has already stopped. It seems impossible to start up again.
After all, it’s specifically fragments of the Sephira that have been
shattered.”
In that case, knocking down the remaining dolls──would that be
the best revenge?
“……Yes. If it was for the sake of revenge, this must be the right
choice. It must be like this.”

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 “Please shut up!”
Her face felt hot, her fingertips cold, her entire body was shaking to
the point it was difficult to aim well.
“No matter which, both would be correct.”
Kurumi whispered.
That sincere whispered simmered and lingered in Hibiki’s chest.
“Whether to pull this trigger or not, it is still likely to be her
retribution. In that case, the most important thing is what your own
feelings are. “
Let her fall into loneliness, let her taste despair.
……It was a great choice. There wouldn’t be any Quasi-Spirits who
would object to this. After all, how many Quasi-Spirits has she made
into her friends by turning them into dolls?
But.
But, this was──why did she feel so strangely.
“……I see. I feel sorry for you.” “By no means is it sympathy?”
“No, I sympathize with you. I feel pity for you from the bottom of my
heart. You look sorrowful. But, because of that I have to pull this
trigger.”
“…..Isn’t that a contradiction?”
“No, it’s not a contradiction. Because the way you are living now is
painful.”
So──she needed to end this already.
Everyone was suffering and struggling, but even then they kept
fighting. As the Dominion of the Tenth Region, that meant she had
also had to fight.
With a body that couldn’t even move a single step, she manipulated
the dolls to stay at that
height. Surely, it must have been painful and difficult.
“I’ll pull the trigger with mercy.”

242
 “……Yes. You’re a bit annoying at the very end. But it can’t be
helped.”
The trigger was lighter than she thought, but the sound of the
gunshot was loud compared to the sound of the impact.
Guarded to her last doll, the light in her eyes faded as her eyelids
closed.
“I killed.”
“No, you made a mistake. You sent her away. You sent her to the
world she wanted to go, the
darkness that she wished for.”
It couldn’t be like that, Hibiki fell breathless as she tried to refute.
Illuminated by the morning sun, Doll Master’s face looked
peaceful.
It was like a child that had finally fallen asleep.
Her memories left her confused. The hatred for her best friend, in
order to kill her she was so bitter. But in the end, she achieved her
long-cherished wish.
However, there were strangely no regrets. Sadly, her heart
understood that this was necessary. If it was her best friend, she
would have done the same. She was sure of this. Since Hiriyu Yue
was so kind, she would do this as well.
She placed the gun down while squatting on the floor. Besides this,
she couldn’t think of any
other way to vent out this feeling.
◇
──Doll Master died. The tenth region Malkuth no longer belonged
to anyone.
But to it would take a little bit longer for Quasi-Spirits in this region
to learn of this.

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 Similarly, the dolls manipulated by Doll Master had all disappeared
without exception. It would also take some time for this to be
known.

244
245
 Higoromo Hibiki muttered foolishly to herself. “……Are we the only
ones that survived?” “No, it seems like there’s one more person.”
As Kurumi said that, a large piece of rubble was thrown at her.
Kurumi sighed as she kicked away the approaching debris. “How
rude, Tsuan.”
“Ah, you’re still alive!?”
Tsuan, with a confused look, inadvertently approached Kurumi,
sniffing her like a dog.
“……Um. Can you please stop that?”
Kurumi turned her body with a look of disgust.
“I’m surprised. Did you peel your skin and replace it?”
Tsuan looked alternatively between Hibiki and Kurumi. Certainly,
from her point of view,
Tokisaki Kurumi and Empty switched places while she fainted, so this
wasn’t unreasonable. “How bothersome. Which one should I crush?”
Tsuan slanted her head.
Somehow she looked like a golden retriever while slanting her
head. Hibiki smiled──but after
thinking it over, this wasn’t anything worth smiling about. “Didn’t
you admit defeat when you fainted, Tsuan-san?” “……But I still want
to fight with you.”
Tsuan spoke as if unable to wait.
“I’ve already experience one battlefield after the other, so the
current situation is very unbearable. If you really want to, how about
waiting a few more days for a fight?”
“Guu……”
Tsuan looked a bit distressed as she awkwardly asked Kurumi.
“If I make an appointment……can you have a serious fight with
me?”
Kurumi smiled as she extended out her pinkie.
“Yes, yes. Of course. You’ll see. It’ll be a good time.”

246
 Tsuan bashfully made the pinkie promise.
(I will keep my promise, you have no idea.….) Only Hibiki alone saw
the truth.
Quietly watching Tsuan set foot back home with a satisfied look,
Kurumi put away her forced smile and sighed.
“Ah, how depressing.”
“It looks like you……really don’t want to keep that promise.”
“Isn’t that natural? I’m not compatible with a sports department
member like that.” “Is there anyone in this world that can get along
with you?”
After Hibiki said that, Kurumi silently twisted her fist against her
head.
“Ouucch!? Sorry, sorry for running my mouth off.”
“I’ll leave here sooner or later and probably won’t see Tsuan ever
again.” “……Um. What does Kurumi-san want to do in the future?”
While feeling her aching head, Hibiki asked.
“I have decided on what to do. I want to go back to the original
world. What you all have
referred to the world beyond this world.” Kurumi’s mind had made
its decision.
If she didn’t return to the original world, she wouldn’t be able to see
that person. She wouldn’t
be able to see him, so she needed to go to him instead. It was just
like that.
“Is that so……it’s a pity but it can’t be helped.” “Yes. Then, Hibiki,
how do I get back?”
“Eh?”
Hibiki’s face looked stunned at Kurumi, while Kurumi also blankly
stared back. “Um, sorry. Going back, I don’t have any memories of
the world over there.” “Well, then in order to go back, what do I

247
need to do?”
“How to do that……probably by being hot-blooded?”
Hibiki lifted both of her hands in victory pose as if telling her to try
her best. For this, Kurumi
didn’t hesitate to use both of her fists to twist against her head.
“Ouuuuch!? I don’t know, I really don’t know! Besides, I wasn’t the
one who brought Kurumi- san here! I found Kurumi-san fallen here!
Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!”
That was also true; Kurumi was convinced. Although she
understood, the anger in heart wouldn’t
dissipate. Kurumi continued to drill against her head for five more
minutes.
“U-um! Even so, I have a few clues about the other world.” She
stopped her fists upon hearing those words from Hibiki. “What is it?”
“Um. Since here is called the tenth region Malkuth, there are nine
other remaining regions. There
is a rumor that the other world will draw closer the more you
approach region number one.” “……That means.”
“Each region is ensured by its Dominion and there is little
communication between each region. In the past, trespassing in
these areas wasn’t so difficult……”
“It’s difficult now, right?”
“Yes. Anyway, in order to reach the first region, you’ll have to
negotiate with each Dominion every time.”
“Hmm……then just ‘negotiations” will suffice?” “You definitely
don’t want to talk peacefully!?” “I consider dillydallying to be a pain
in the neck.” Waving her old fashion pistol, Kurumi smirked.
“U-um, let’s try it a little bit more peacefully. I will follow you!”
“……Ha?”
Higoromo Hibiki corrected her posture as she cleared her throat with
a cough.

248
 “My revenge is over. In other words, I have nothing left to do. But
my Sephira Crystal is telling me to follow after Kurumi-san!
With a faint look, Kurumi stared at Hibiki.
“Didn’t you try to deceive me?” “D-deceive……”
“Didn’t you imitate my face, my voice, and deceived me through
that?”
“T-there’s no such thing……no, I’m sorry. That’s true. But to use my
Unsigned Angel to create a substitute strips away the entire
personality. You would have said the same things even if the
positions weren’t reversed……no, it’s nothing!”
“Such an unscrupulous person, should I really take you with me?”
“Is that……a no? But I feel that I can come in handy……”
Hibiki’s voice was a bit timid, but she still didn’t look away from
Kurumi.
……Finally, it was Kurumi who made the compromise. “It’s
bothersome. …..Well, I don’t mind if you tag along.” “Hooray!”
“But in return, you have to help me as well. Without further ado,
how do you leave the tenth region Malkuth?”
“No problem, I know where the exit to the tenth region is. But
what I know is only the door to
the ninth region.”
“……Whatever, as long as we keep moving forward, there’s nothing
better than that. So, who is the Dominion of the ninth region?”
“About that……there’s only one thing that I know.” “What is it?”
“In the ninth region, being able to sing and dance is the condition
for a strong person. In short, you need to become an idol, Kurumi-
san!”
“I see, so singing and dancing is what defines strength there──no
wait a minute, did you say
something outrageous just now?”

249
 “Now, let’s aim to be idols! Don’t worry, there’s no particular
reason for this, but if it is Kurumi- san, you would make a natural
idol!”
“Please tell more about this! Idol!? Idol, you mean that kind of
idol!?”
Tokisaki Kurumi is a Spirit that control time and shadows.
Falling into the neighboring world, there was only one thing left
remaining after her memories were erased.
Holding the feelings of a boy whose name she couldn’t even recall,
she has to traverse through the neighboring world.
She is in love.
She is in love, a love that couldn’t be achieved or fulfilled.
In the eyes of onlookers, this may seem very strange.
They would say that it is foolish to risk her life on something that
couldn’t be fulfilled. Even so, Tokisaki Kurumi──fell in love with that
person.
So when someone asked her, “what is your dream?” she had the
answer to that question.
──The wish of one day meeting that person again. That girl thought
of that as she took a step forward.

250
 To all Date A Live fans, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Higashide
Yūichirō.
“Do you want to write a spin-off of Date A Live?” ……When I was
asked of that by editor-san, I was very shocked.
Well, an interesting spin-off is difficult and different than what it
may appear at a first glance. As long as it is a spin-off, you must
naturally be familiar with the settings of the home and there must be
no contradictions. Even in a love comedy spin-off when a side
character becomes the
main protagonist……even if it simply, “Is the setting correct? Is the
time table functioning correctly? Are these feelings contradictory to
the character in the home series?” these types of questions will
become entangled from start to finish.
And when this includes a battle structure setting like Date A Live,
the difficulty of the spin-off will further accelerate.
Incidentally, the solution if very simple: “The spin-off should be
done by the creator of the main story!” Even if a contradiction is
found, “I’m sorry, that was a lie before”, that can be said! Can that
be done?
Even though it was difficult to start writing Date A Bullet, it was
almost impossible to continue to write without such difficulties.
Editor: “Tokisaki Kurumi will serve as the main character.”
Higashide: “Since she’s so popular, I like that as well. She uses
guns, controls time, and much
more, erotic with a devastatingly cute voice.”
Editor: “(Completely ignored) And the stage is the neighboring
world.”
Higashide: “Ah, the world where the Spirits come from……I don’t
remember any specific descriptions from the main story.”

251
 Editor: “Yes, there is none.”
Higashide: “If it is like that, that means……I can create whatever I
want!” Editor: “No, because Tachibana-sensei is watching closely!”
……Well, in accordance with that feeling, this is how Tachibana-
sensei will be supervising this spin-off! Even if there is a
contradiction, then……I will prostrate and acknowledge the error.
This so-called neighboring world is where the Spirits had once
existed in the past.
And now, it has become a world not owned by anyone. All of the
Spirits have left for the world (reality) over there.
What are left are girls who got lost in the neighboring
world──people who are called Quasi- Spirits.
This story unfolds the journey of Tokisaki Kurumi in the world
where the Quasi-Spirits are left behind.
Bringing along a young girl (Empty) as a mascot, this is the story of
a girl who kept running in
order to see “him”, whose name isn’t even known.
Understanding an unconditional lead while falling behind, she will
still never give up. A woman in love is unruly, arrogant, cruel, brave,
and adorable.
This is the Tokisaki Kurumi of this work.
Another person is the girl called Empty, who provides an
indispensable supporting role. A woman with no name, no dream, no
purpose, and no future.
She is accurately ridiculed as noisy and unconsciously pretending to
be naïve. For why she has these habits, even the girl in question
herself does not know. Such a girl is surrounded by darkness.
If you read the novel first, I think you already know who she
is……can her dream come true? For readers who are reading this
postscript first, I would feel honored if you would also read this book
as well.

252
 And also the participants in the killing game (date) that surrounds
those two. They have their own wishes and dreams that are
scattered about. Don’t miss the beautiful illustrations drawn by
NOCO-san. I wanted those adorable characters to take a leading role,
what do I mean by
that…….?
Last but not least, thanks to the editor-san who suggested to me
“how about this?” to write this spin-off and got it approved,
Tachibana Koushi-sensei for providing me with such interesting
ideas, as well as deep gratitude towards NOCO-san for drawing such
adorable characters. In a particular, NOCO-san suddenly dropped the
character designs for over 10 people and didn’t raise a single
complainant given the situation. And everyone is so cute! ……I sorry,
I’m really sorry……but it’s not my fault sensei. Tachibana-kun told me
to do this (the cheeky expression of a primary school student).
Anyway, I hope to see you in the next volume
Higashide Yūichi

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