Boom—boom—boom—!
Accompanied by deafening thunder, brilliant azure lightning smashed straight through the underground levels of the DEM Tengu City branch tower, piercing and melting through soil and reinforced concrete alike.
The torrent of lightning did not diminish in the slightest. It continued crashing violently downward—zzzzt—and under the frenzy of electromagnetic force, everything along its path was torn apart, destroyed, and liquefied.
Only when the pillar of lightning reached the very bottom of the tower—precisely melting through the bunker's composite armor shell—did it finally cease.
Not a trace of energy leaked outward.
The level of control was breathtaking.
Drip...
The titanium alloy ceiling dissolved into molten orange-red metal, flowing downward like liquid fire.
Sizzle!
When it dripped onto the luxurious wooden furniture inside the bunker, it hissed corrosively. Ignited by the extreme heat, flames burst forth at once.
"Westcott, be careful."
Shielding Westcott behind her, Ellen drew the orange-yellow energy blade paired with her [CR-UNIT] Pendragon. With a swift strike, she cleaved apart the burning furniture, her expression grave as she stared toward the shadowed breach above.
"They're here."
Thud!
Taking advantage of the moment Ellen spoke, a slender white figure stained with blood fell through the opening in the bunker ceiling.
The impact was tremendous. The floor cracked and sank instantly. Blood spread uncontrollably from her unmoving body.
"She... she is... Origami Tobiichi?"
Origami wore no AST Combat Realizer Unit. Instead, she was dressed in a pure white bridal gown.
Ellen felt an intense sense of déjà vu at the sight. It resembled—no, it was unmistakably—a Spirit Astral Dress.
Yet strangely, at such close range, the specialized [CR-UNIT] Pendragon did not issue any warning for Spirit spiritual-wave fluctuations.
Looking at the gaping hole torn through Origami's chest, Ellen murmured, "Her condition..."
"There's no mistake. From human to Spirit—and then her Sephira Crystal was taken from her... Has she appeared again? Tsk. Still as elusive as ever, Spirit of Origin..."
Standing slightly behind Ellen, Westcott let out a few light chuckles, relaxed as ever. Holding a wine glass, he calmly brought it to his lips.
He showed neither sorrow for the destruction of DEM, the work of his lifetime, nor surprise at the transformation of a human into a Spirit.
After draining the glass in one swallow, he casually tossed it aside and looked up toward the breach in the ceiling.
"They're here."
"You are rather perceptive. I appreciate that."
Through the opening, amid the roar of artillery and gunfire, Selene descended from the sky.
Under the orange-red glow of dusk, a sacred golden outline framed her figure.
Her lips curved slightly as she gazed at Westcott and Ellen within the bunker.
In her grasp, she held a beautiful figure dressed in a black-and-red gothic gown.
Selene's right hand was wrapped around Kurumi Tokisaki's throat. Judging from the countless wounds covering her body, the earlier battle had been nothing short of brutal.
"The Spirit ritual by which you gathered a planet's leyline and created a magical lifeform—I'm very interested in it."
As she spoke, Selene released her grip and casually tossed Kurumi aside.
Whoosh—whoosh!
Violet-crimson crystalline spikes shot forth instantly, piercing into Kurumi Tokisaki's body.
"Cough—!"
Kurumi let out a pained cry and dropped to her knees, coughing violently. She glared resentfully at Selene.
At the same time, she realized that as the violet-crimson crystals embedded in her body took effect, the spiritual power she generated herself was being continuously devoured.
Without sufficient Spirit power to sustain her, using Zafkiel would become extraordinarily difficult.
Due to Kurumi's ability to create temporal shadow clones, if one did not fully understand the operational principles of the Spirit ritual, even for Selene, completely eradicating her would be somewhat time-consuming and troublesome.
After all, even if the main body were killed, the shadow clones might continue to exist.
It was indeed an irritating ability.
Of course, if she did not care about collateral destruction, Selene could eliminate her effortlessly.
Destroy the entire planet. Even detonate the sun and annihilate the solar system.
Let's see how you survive then.
The fundamental source of every Spirit's power was the aggregated leyline of this world's Earth.
Without transcending it or establishing an off-world connection, the scope of their abilities was confined to the vicinity of Earth.
Perhaps if they established the Spirit ritual on another planet—or another Earth in a different universe—it might function as well. But that was only a possibility.
And clearly, they had not transcended yet.
When the planet ceased to exist, their spiritual power would become a tree without roots, water without a source—an illusory palace in the sky.
Thus, Selene's current optimal solution was to seal Kurumi Tokisaki's spiritual power, prevent her from using Zafkiel, and keep her under close control.
"Nightmare?"
Ellen narrowed her eyes slightly. After careful observation, there was no mistake.
"And the original body at that..."
As the world's strongest mage, distinguishing between Kurumi's original body and her clones was not difficult for Ellen.
"Even the most troublesome, most unpredictable Spirit—whose survival capability is considered the strongest—has been captured so easily?"
Letting out a soft sigh, showing no intention of resisting, Ellen dismissed the energy blade in her hand and looked up.
"Then, Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with us?"
Through the real-time observation systems equipped to DEM's private security forces, they had heard the battle cries of those blue-armored giants and Imperial Auxilia.
"For the glory of Selene."
"For the Empire."
"Long live the Empress."
"For the God-Empress."
It was not difficult to deduce that the invading higher-dimensional civilization was an imperial state—one where the emperor held true authority.
Otherwise, why would they shout with such fervor and reverence?
Selene referred to herself as "I" in the imperial sense, dressed in regal attire, her bearing extraordinary.
Addressing her as "Your Majesty" could not possibly be wrong.
Selene pondered briefly before speaking with faint amusement.
"Deal with you? Your treatment will depend on your performance. However..."
Her tone shifted abruptly.
She extended a slender, tender finger and pressed lightly forward. Within her crimson diamond-shaped pupils flickered a cold gleam.
"Kneel."
A flash of violet-crimson light vanished in an instant.
A terrifying repulsive force erupted suddenly.
Boom!
The dust-filled air expanded violently outward.
The compacted floor beneath Westcott was scraped away in a layer. He dropped to his knees, blood beginning to drip from his eyes, mouth, and nose.
"Weighing the terms of surrender while still calculating against me? Heh. It seems you are not as intelligent as your companion... The arrogance of a genius must also depend on the situation."
Though phrased as a question, it was spoken with absolute certainty.
Selene's crimson eyes locked onto Westcott. The gentle warmth from mere seconds ago vanished instantly, replaced by overwhelming authority and dominance that brooked no resistance.
"When the disparity is too great, any unnecessary scheming will only bring annihilation upon yourself."
One must tailor actions to the person—and to the stage they stand upon.
At this moment, Westcott had yet to obtain the foundation of his transcendence—the inverted Sephira Crystal of Nia Honjou.
To Selene, he did not even qualify as an insect.
He was nothing more than dust and a mayfly in the air.
If she did not currently require him alive for other purposes, she would have killed him long ago.
"I... I understand. As you command, Your Majesty!"
At this moment, Westcott felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss. Every cell in his body screamed in agony.
The pressure of a higher lifeform bore down upon him like a mountain. He forced himself not to tremble.
This was already the utmost courage he could muster.
In the instant Selene's expression shifted, he saw clearly the chasm between them—an unbridgeable gulf.
Merely meeting her gaze and hearing her speak a few words chilled him to the bone.
Even the Spirit of Origin could not compare to such overwhelming presence.
This extraterrestrial ruler had likely surpassed all conceivable limits of power.
"Hmph. Just this once. You remain alive because you are useful. Come with me."
Snap!
With a crisp snap of her fingers, violet light enveloped everyone in the bunker—including the lifeless Origami Tobiichi.
Hum—!
Space twisted and shifted. A heavy sensation of weightlessness washed over them.
When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves standing upon what appeared to be a boundless sea.
"This is..."
For no discernible reason, a profound sense of familiarity rose within Westcott's heart.
"The central Eurasian continent. This is where you once used the Spirit ritual to create the magical lifeform Mio Takamiya. Now—do it again."
Selene's cool voice echoed.
In an instant, Westcott snapped out of his daze.
"This place... thirty years ago, Elliot, Ellen, and I..."
"Westcott. I require the Kabbalah Ritual[1] for experimentation. Do not resist. Open your mind."
Without giving him any chance to refuse, a pale violet Imaginary Claw manifested in Selene's hand and pressed directly onto the crown of his head.
"Ugh..."
The connection between Westcott's brain and body was severed. His eyes turned vacant.
Selene had no immediate interest in his magical knowledge or his expertise in Realizer technology.
Keeping him alive meant she had all the time in the world to exploit such tools.
There was no rush.
Her secondary consciousness invaded the hippocampus region of Westcott's brain, flipping through his life's memories like slides.
"Interesting. A pureblood wizard, is he?"
Westcott was not an ordinary human.
He, Elliot Baldwin Woodman, Ellen Mira Mathers, and Karen Nora Mathers were born in an isolated village, descendants who inherited a pure wizard bloodline.
In this world, a wizard did not refer to the artificial practitioners who fought using Combat Realizer Units.
Nor did it mean a wand-waving sorcerer who could fulfill wishes at will.
True wizards were those who created "miracles" through specific rituals.
But in a society dominated by ordinary humans, wizards were treated as heretics.
To avoid persecution, they withdrew from the world.
Yet one day, their village was exposed.
When Westcott was ten years old, the wizard village he belonged to was destroyed by human hands.
The entire village was massacred.
Only four children survived by chance—Westcott, Woodman (11), Ellen (7), and Karen (7).
As they watched their village consumed by flames, the four swore revenge against humanity.
But there was a fundamental difference.
Woodman, Ellen, and Karen were devastated by the loss of their home and kin.
Only Westcott felt something else.
Deep within his heart surged a strange exhilaration.
He secretly rejoiced.
The deaths of his kin had granted him justification for revenge.
They had given him a righteous banner under which to kill.
Perhaps long before that day, he had already been dissatisfied with the state of wizards.
Why should noble-blooded wizards be forced into hiding by inferior mortals?
The destruction of his clan was merely an excuse.
Hmm. He does feel like a born villain. So what does that make me, taking him under my command? A savior of villains?
Shaking her head with closed eyes, Selene continued browsing.
Later, Westcott persuaded the other survivors to research their family's inherited magecraft.
In the process, they founded DEM.
The Combat Realizer Unit was one of their achievements.
Among their ultimate accomplishments was the Spirit ritual—the origin of the special magical lifeform known as Spirits.
And in the end, they succeeded.
The Spirit of Origin was born.
And in utterly clichéd fashion, both Westcott and Woodman fell in love with her.
That angelic figure captivated them completely.
"Revenge against humanity... and both friends falling for the same magical lifeform. Tsk. A love triangle."
"Enough. I have obtained what I need. Your grudges and romances do not interest me in the slightest. Extract—Imprint."
With a faint, ambiguous chuckle, Selene dismissed the Imaginary Claw. Westcott collapsed limply upon the water's surface.
"Still missing Woodman's portion. Roboute can capture him. Though for now... this will suffice."
After issuing orders to Roboute to apprehend Woodman, chairman of the Fraxinus Round Table, Selene crouched slightly upon the endless water and reached down to touch its surface.
"Activate—Expand."
Hum—!
In that instant, the remnants of the Spirit ritual once left here were reawakened.
"Still requires a catalyst."
Watching the faint azure glow illuminate beneath the water, Selene made a beckoning gesture.
Origami Tobiichi's mutilated body sank directly into it.
Calmly retrieving the Sephira Crystal she had dug out from Origami's chest, Selene crushed it into powder with her bare hand and scattered it into the center of the gradually brightening ritual array.
At the same time, she lightly tapped the water's surface with her toe.
Dense violet-crimson Honkai particles cascaded downward.
"Erode."
Hum—hum—hum—!
Under the erosion of Honkai energy, the vast ritual formation gradually shifted from azure to corrupted violet-crimson.
One by one, the runic lines seemed to come alive.
Within the sinister red glow, they began to tremble violently.
Closing her hand, a golden ring flashed across Selene's crimson eyes.
"Kabbalah Ritual—Modified."
[1] Spirit Formula