"You've really had enough, haven't you—showing up wearing DEM's armor to attack me?!" Climbing off Nia, Tohka's eyes fixed on the person floating in midair. Sure enough, it was Origami Tobiichi in a brand-new Realizer. As for why she knew it was DEM's—come on, that massive emblem on it, did they think she was blind?
"Spirit!!" But when Origami heard Tohka's words, she didn't react to them at all. Instead, she glared at Tohka with her big eyes, looking like she wanted to tear her apart on the spot.
"Tch, looks like you've been holding this in for too long. I really wonder what that Westcott filled your head with. But from the look of it, I'd better help you cool down." Seeing her reaction, Tohka could basically guess what had happened. She'd always known Origami held a grudge against Spirits, but after spending time together recently, Origami had seemed much calmer. Still, it was clear she hadn't let go—she'd just buried it deep inside. Besides, wasn't she supposed to have feelings for Kotori? How did it shift onto her instead? Obviously, this time Westcott must have been involved.
Since she'd come here to pick a fight, Tohka didn't bother with courtesy. The fact that Origami hadn't fired again meant she wanted a proper duel. So, after quickly reassuring Nia, Tohka stepped forward in a single bound. A torrent of spiritual power surged from her body as blue-violet armor materialized to cover her. She drew her massive sword without hesitation and charged straight at Origami.
Bang!! The two collided in midair, and Tohka forced Origami back up into the sky. She really didn't want to start fighting down here—one clash could flatten half of Tengu City, and Kotori would probably find some way to blackmail her again.
"Ara, not bad." Forcing the unprepared Origami higher, Tohka smiled faintly. She had to admit; this armor had given Origami a massive boost—several times stronger than she'd been in AST. To be honest, if Tohka were still half-disabled like before, she might not have been able to gain the upper hand. Unfortunately, right now she was in full fighting condition. With no hesitation, she raised her sword again and slashed down toward Origami's face.
"Ugh!!" Origami quickly blocked the attack, but this time she didn't have it so easy. Earlier, Tohka had held back her strength, using the impact mainly to push Origami into the air. Now, though, she wasn't being so merciful. The clash sent a shockwave down Origami's arms, leaving them numb.
"Heh, is that all?" Tohka sneered. Deciding she would teach this girl a proper lesson, she raised her sword again and brought it down in another heavy strike—then another.
"Aaaah!!" Origami screamed as her weapon was smashed from her hands, sent flying by Tohka's blow. Fine cracks opened in her gauntlets, and fresh blood welled out. Tohka had kept pressing in so close that she never had a chance to fire her arm-mounted cannons. But that wasn't even the worst of it—what truly devastated her was realizing that Tohka hadn't been aiming for her body at all. From start to finish, she'd only targeted the weapon—if she'd wanted, she could have flattened Origami in an instant.
"Hmph." Seeing her reaction, Tohka let out a cold snort. She shifted from slashing to a broad sideways swipe, batting Origami from the sky and sending her crashing into the ground.
"Looks like this armor is pretty sturdy—after all that, you're still not really hurt." Tohka descended slowly, landing beside the crater. Origami looked battered, but she still managed to stagger back to her feet. Tohka could tell she hadn't taken any real damage—she had to admit, the defensive barrier on this suit was impressive.
"Huff... huff..." Looking up at Tohka looming above her, Origami didn't say anything. She panted raggedly, raised her arm, and pointed her energy cannon straight at Tohka.
Crack!! A flash of sword-light, and the cannon was cleaved apart. Origami collapsed to one knee, as though her strength had deserted her all at once.
"What's wrong with you? What happened?" Tohka asked, genuinely puzzled by her reaction. "Why come at me like this, only to fall apart?"
But as she spoke, a thought occurred to her. By now, nearly every Spirit had appeared—only one was left. Her eyes narrowed, and she smiled, her voice suddenly full of curiosity. "Tell me, Origami... do you want to save your parents?"
!!! Hearing that, Origami's head snapped up. She stared at Tohka with desperate hope, clearly praying she would continue. After all their time together, she knew Tohka almost never lied. If she was saying this, it meant she was nearly certain.
"Ara, you're very eager to know, aren't you? I can tell you—but you'll have to pay a price. You do realize there's no such thing as a free lunch." Tohka stepped down from the air, landing lightly in front of her with an unsettling smile.
"Tell me. Whatever the price is, I'll agree to it." Origami's voice was firm; her eyes locked on Tohka's. She didn't even hesitate.
"Uh... that direct, huh." Tohka looked a little surprised. But then she continued calmly. "Do you remember the day we first met—do you remember who stepped in to block my attack for you?"