Fraxinus Airship.
Beep-woo... Beep-woo... Beep-woo!
"Commander! Emergency! The Spirit identified as Snowstorm has reappeared!"
The bridge was flooded with flashing orange-red warning lights. Panic flickered across the faces of every Ratatoskr member present.
It was too sudden.
The interval between Snowstorm's two manifestations was far too short. They hadn't even finished preparing a strategy tostrategize against her.
They couldn't help but be afraid. The aggressiveness Esdeath had displayed during her first appearance had been overwhelming. She had shown absolutely no hesitation in killing.
Even Nightmare—the Spirit considered the most evil, with over ten thousand confirmed personal kills—could not compare.
As reluctant as they were to admit it, according to the globally shared Spirit database of the anti-Spirit task force AST...
In the earliest official records, Nightmare had not been particularly aggressive during her first manifestation. If anything, she had adopted an evasive stance.
It was only after repeated malicious pursuits and attacks by the human anti-Spirit forces that her attitude gradually shifted. The reason for such a drastic transformation remained unknown.
From Ratatoskr's perspective, to some extent, it was humanity's own extremists who had forced that once-pure Spirit into becoming Nightmare.
Snowstorm was different. It was as if violence was her nature. The moment she was attacked during her manifestation, she was already prepared to kill.
"What's going on? Why did the same Spirit manifest again so quickly?!"
Kotori Itsuka, who had been preparing to return to the ground, immediately rushed back to her command seat on the bridge.
"Confirm the Spacequake location..." After issuing the order, her brows suddenly knit together. "Wait—why was there no Spacequake warning this time?"
"Full situation report. Now!" Kotori swung her legs anxiously as she sat in the commander's chair.
"Just moments ago, Snowstorm appeared above the crater in southern Tengu City left by the previous Spacequake. Her spiritual power merely condensed—there was no Spacequake reaction."
Faced with such an urgent situation, Kannazuki Kyouhei dropped his usual perverted antics and instead gathered and compiled the Spirit signals temporarily captured by the Fraxinus with a serious expression.
"Commander, our preparations are insufficient. Should we notify Shido?" he asked solemnly.
"Don't tell Shi—"
Just as she was about to continue, a certain voluptuous woman with a golden clock in her left eye flashed through Kotori's mind, and her face changed dramatically.
"Could it be that Snowstorm, like Kurumi Tokisaki, can trigger Spacequakes at will?"
Thinking of Nightmare, whose powers had yet to be sealed by Shido even after their date, Kannazuki nodded.
"I'm afraid so. Ah... troublesome. A Spirit who can advance or retreat freely like this makesstrategize against practically a distant dream."
"Indeed..." Kotori muttered.
"Commander! Snowstorm is moving—this is bad! Her direction is toward the Itsuka residence!"
A Ratatoskr member cried out in alarm.
"What?!"
Kotori's expression darkened instantly. The precedent of Nightmare—Kurumi Tokisaki—approaching her brother Shido to devour his Spirit power was still fresh in her memory.
Now Snowstorm could control Spacequakes at will and, upon manifesting, had pinpointed her brother's location with frightening precision.
There was no way Kotori would believe this was a coincidence.
There was only one possible answer—Snowstorm had set her sights on the power of other Spirits!
"This is bad!" She hurriedly pressed her headset, trying to connect to Shido. "Shido, Shido! Hello? If you can hear me, respond!"
Before the chaos could settle—
"Wait! An explosion has occurred... Commander! It's the AST Tengu City Garrison Base. They appear to be under attack!"
"What?!"
Still clutching her headset, Kotori scanned the bridge frantically, searching for a certain experienced Spirit analyst.
"Damn it! Why now of all times? Where did that woman Reine disappear to?!"
At that moment—
"Shido! Run!"
The communication line finally connected, and Kotori shouted at the top of her lungs.
...
"Huh? Run?"
Shido, who was examining the purplish-red-glowing ice crystal in his hand together with Tohka Yatogami, responded sluggishly to his sister's frantic voice through the earpiece.
Hearing the shrill alarms echoing throughout the city, he quickly said, "Kotori, is it the new Spirit manifesting again—"
But Kotori cut him off roughly.
"Forget about that Spirit!"
"Shido, leave immediately! Snowstorm has manifested again and is heading straight toward you. She's less than five kilometers away! She wants to kill you and seize Spirit power!"
"Get to an open area right now! I'll have the Fraxinus teleport you back. Shido—big brother—please hurry and leave!"
By the end, Kotori's voice trembled, almost on the verge of tears from sheer worry.
"No."
Shido answered firmly.
"If she's coming for me, how can I run? And nearby—at home—Yoshino and the others are still there."
Holding Tohka's hand, Shido looked back toward the Itsuka residence not far down the street.
"Don't worry, Kotori. I'll do everything I can."
Though often called a foolishly kind-hearted protagonist pushed along like a puppet into building a harem, Shido's will was firm. He possessed the sense of responsibility he ought to have.
If not for a certain 'Spirit mother' clinging to her attachment to his previous life, perhaps Shido would have lived an ordinary yet fulfilling life.
But speculation was meaningless. Shido's very existence had been born with a powerful purpose. His life had long been laid out before him.
"Big brother..."
Five kilometers was nothing for a Herrscher.
In the few seconds of argument, Shido's last chance to escape using the transfer device had already vanished.
Buzz—!
Boom!
A freezing gale swept past. The shockwave generated by high-speed movement swallowed all visibility, blasting apart nearby buildings. Shattered debris shot toward the two of them.
"Shido, get back!"
Tohka Yatogami threw aside the ice crystal and instantly stepped in front of Shido, crossing her arms as violet light surged skyward.
The violent storm forced Shido to raise his arms before his eyes.
Crash—!
Crunch... crunch...
The faint sound of reinforced concrete rubble and shattered glass being crushed underfoot echoed clearly through the still air.
"Transcendent lifeform—Spirit. You were quite difficult to find."
As the cold female voice rang out, Shido struggled to remain composed. From within the swirling dust, a tall ice-blue figure stepped into view.
She stood over 170 centimeters tall, wearing a white crown and a deep-blue veil. Her upper body was clad in a black-blue formal dress adorned with white hexagonal ornaments, the sleeves gradually deepening into dark blue.
A deep-blue cape fading into white draped over her shoulders, two icy chains hanging from it. Below, she wore white stockings patterned with blue motifs and crystal high heels.
Behind her, frost and snow devoured everything, weaving curtains of white and icy blue. Frozen skyscraper fragments pierced the earth like trees in a forest of ice.
"Snowstorm..." Shido murmured as he faced Esdeath at true close range for the first time.
"Snowstorm? Is that what the people of this world call me? How unpleasant. My name is Esdeath. Remember it well."
Ignoring the hostile glare of the princess-like girl with purple-black hair, Esdeath crushed the conical ice shard in her hand.
"If I hadn't taken precautions—using the ice crystals scattered across the city—it would have been rather troublesome to find you turtles hiding in your shells."
"Esdeath... that's a beautiful name. May I ask why you sought out Tohka and me? Why are you destroying the city so recklessly?"
"Of course—for slaughter."
Clang!
As she spoke, Esdeath flicked her hand lightly. A razor-thin blade of frost swept past Shido, leaving a thin bleeding line across his pale skin.
Slice!
The street behind him—and the shop beyond—were severed cleanly, the building collapsing moments later.
"Show me your true strength. I can feel it. There is enormous power within you!" Esdeath said sharply, lowering her hand.
Whether to satisfy her thirst for battle or to personally measure this world's transcendent combat strength for transmission to Legion Commander Roboute, Esdeath had no intention of resorting to a sneak attack.
"Next time, I won't miss."
Only after she finished speaking did Shido belatedly react, cold sweat drenching his back.
Too fast.
If it had been even slightly closer, he would have been the one split apart. Though both wielded cryokinetic abilities, compared to Yoshino, the Esdeath before him was at least a hundred times more dangerous.
"Shido! Damn you—how dare you!"
Seeing Shido injured, Tohka's entire body erupted in blinding light.
"Gabriel!"
Whoosh—!
Her black school uniform, partially covered in armor, was instantly replaced by violet armor.
The dress that enveloped her resembled a princess gown, its seams, lining, and skirt composed of intangible light membranes radiating a mysterious glow.
The magnificent Astral Dress known as "Tenka" flowed in a loose yet battle-ready princess style. As Tohka's emotions surged, the Spirit power sealed within Shido's body instantly flowed back to her.
The next moment, an enormous broad-bladed greatsword completely disproportionate to her slender frame materialized in her hand.
The combination of battle dress and giant blade felt strangely harmonious.
"Halvanhelev—!"
"That's more like it. Come!"
Esdeath grinned, leaning forward.
Buzz—!
The Honkai energy radiating from her body shook the surrounding air, exploding like muffled thunder.
Though it was peculiar that the black-haired girl's power was transmitted from the boy's body, Esdeath merely kept it in mind.
Fight first. Treat it as this world's unique power system for now. Record and upload. Research can come after.
"Tohka! Wait!"
Grasping Tohka's shoulder as she prepared to swing her blade, Shido forced a relaxed smile despite his pounding heart.
"I'm fine... calm down. Leave this to me."
"But..."
"There's no 'but.' You're both Spirits. You're sisters. I don't want you killing your own kind. If battle can be avoided, why not try talking first?"
Cutting off Tohka's hesitation, Shido stepped past her. Wearing the most confident expression he could muster, he placed his thumb against his chest.
"Trust me, Tohka."
"Talk? Very well. Let's hear it. I am somewhat interested in you."
As Shido approached her like an ordinary student mustering his courage, Esdeath relaxed her stance and crossed her arms, watching him with interest.
Having grown up at Selene's side and been influenced by her for over a decade, Esdeath—unlike her original self—had no intention of pursuing romance.
However, she did not dislike younger individuals with pure smiles, firm will, and ambition.
In some ways, Shido met several of the criteria that would raise her favorability. That was why she was willing to listen.
"Miss Esdeath, although AST attacked you the moment you manifested, I hope you can reconsider your view of humanity. There are many humans who harbor goodwill toward Spirits."
Listening to the fragmented so-called 'love masters'' advice crackling through his earpiece—and finding none of it reliable—Shido spoke cautiously.
"I want to save you."
"Save me?"
Esdeath tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.
A vanguard invader like me needs saving from a native? Are you planning to save the hundreds of thousands of Astartes under Roboute next?
It seemed he viewed her as a transcendent lifeform born of this world.
With such unequal information, no matter how sincere Shido sounded, they were speaking on entirely different wavelengths.
"Save me... If that is all you have to say, then this conversation is over."
Lowering her arms, Esdeath shook her head indifferently.
Shido was at a loss. Facing this mature onee-sama type, he could only gamble on Kannazuki's terrible advice.
"Then... Miss Esdeath, before we fight, would you go on a date with me?"
Click.
She froze on the spot.
Do people in this world truly have no sense of timing?
"A date?"
Esdeath admitted—this was a situation she had never encountered.
As silence settled over the scene, she suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"A date? Fine. But you'll have to defeat me first."
"The victor claims everything. That is my creed."