Within the massive crater left by the spatial shock, a towering golden throne stood at its center.
Perched atop it was a girl clad in revealing violet armor, her long purple hair flowing behind her, eyes glowing with an ominous light as immense spiritual energy radiated from her form.
Shiori Itsuka's eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed upon the warrior before her. A samurai-like figure, exuding an overwhelming presence, stood nearby, staring down at her with an expression of exasperation.
"Geez, didn't I tell you it was dangerous? Why'd you still come here?"
"H-Huh? Just now…"
"Just call me Ryuu. Seriously, I really didn't expect you to turn into a girl."
The voice came from behind Shiori, making her spin around in shock. Only then did she realize that the one addressing him was Ryuu—though something about the scene felt eerily off.
The girl standing atop the throne was unmistakably Yatogami Tohka, an immensely powerful Spirit. Ryuu, on the other hand, seemed entirely unfazed by her presence.
As Tohka's gaze locked onto them, she wordlessly grasped the hilt of the enormous greatsword embedded in the throne and effortlessly pulled it free. Without hesitation, she swung the blade in their direction, unleashing a devastating wave of violet energy.
Ryuu reacted instantly. Grabbing Shiori by the collar, he leaped away just in time to evade the incoming slash. The sheer force of the attack carved deep trenches into the battlefield.
"Ah, I see. Your bloodlust is surging... Well, no helping it, then. Let's have some fun."
"Ryuu-san, what do you mean by that?!" Shiori exclaimed.
"Exactly what it sounds like. If you don't want to get caught in the crossfire, I suggest you stay out of the way."
Without another word, Ryuu summoned his signature weapon—the Blade of Rebellion—and surged forward, his body enveloped in a crimson aura.
The two swords clashed in a flash of sparks, sending powerful shockwaves rippling outward. The force of the impact alone was enough to send Shiori tumbling backward. She quickly scrambled behind a pile of rubble, peeking out cautiously as the battle unfolded.
Little did she know, two separate factions were already watching from afar.
###
Above the Battlefield, Fraxinus Airship
On the bridge of the floating warship, Kotori Itsuka—now in her commander mode—pinched the bridge of her nose, struggling to suppress her frustration.
"Unbelievable… Why is shiori such an embarrassment."
At the same time, she narrowed her eyes at the display before her. The presence of this unknown entity, Ryuu, had completely disrupted her calculations. A human who could match a Spirit in direct combat? And yet, there was no sign of a Realizer Unit on him.
"Someone get me everything we have on this 'Ryuu.' I want a full background check, now."
"Commander, the database has nothing on him!"
"What? That's impossible. Is he from DEM? Why can't we find anything?"
"No records of his existence. It's like he appeared out of thin air. We don't even have anything beyond his name."
Kotori bit down hard on her lollipop. This unexpected variable was throwing all her plans into disarray.
She studied Ryuu's battle stance through the monitor, watching as he met Tohka's raw power head-on. There was something terrifyingly abnormal about him—an energy entirely different from DEM's magicians.
And stronger. Much stronger.
Beside her, Vice-Commander Kamazuki Kyouhei stepped forward, his expression grim.
"Commander, should we extract Shiori? This battle is beyond her league—"
"No need. She'll be fine as long as he talks his way out of things. Keep observing. Wait… what the hell?"
Kotori suddenly shot up from her seat, eyes widening in disbelief.
On-screen, Ryuu conjured flames from thin air.
A human—generating fire without the use of a Realizer?
Kotori, being a Flame Spirit herself, could feel the raw intensity of his power.
"Reine… are you absolutely certain this guy isn't a Spirit?"
"Positive. No Spirit signature detected. He's human."
"Impossible… A human shouldn't be capable of this…"
Her grip tightened around her lollipop. If Ryuu wasn't a Spirit, then what the hell was he?
###
Elsewhere – AST Unit Observation Post
Meanwhile, the Anti-Spirit Team had also arrived at the battlefield. Dozens of female operatives, clad in sleek mechanical battle suits, watched in stunned silence as Ryuu clashed with Tohka.
For a moment, they could only stare in disbelief.
"…Captain, we've identified the Spirit. Codename: Princess. Do we engage?"
"Hold on. Before that… someone tell me—who the hell is that guy fighting her?"
Captain Ryouko Kusakabe narrowed her eyes, studying the duel below. There was no mistaking it—Ryuu wasn't using a Realizer Unit. And yet, he was matching a Spirit's power blow-for-blow.
The AST members exchanged uneasy glances, each one silently acknowledging the same unsettling thought:
They had no idea who Ryuu was.
A certain white-haired operative, Tobiichi Origami, stared at him with something beyond curiosity.
For years, she had dreamed of a moment like this—standing against a Spirit in a battle to the death. And now, watching Ryuu fight, she saw something she had never seen before.
A glimmer of hope.
###
Back on the Battlefield
Ryuu's aura flared as he surged into his third blood surge state. Despite the prolonged battle, his breath remained steady, though he could feel his stamina starting to dip.
Tohka, on the other hand, remained unrelenting. But something was different. The sorrow in her expression was unmistakable.
Ryuu clicked his tongue in irritation, lowering his blade.
"Quit looking at me like that. I don't want to fight you in this state."
"…You're not here to kill me?"
Ryuu exhaled through his nose. "I just wanted to see how strong you were. And yeah… you pass. You're worthy of joining me."
Tohka's grip on her sword tightened. "What nonsense are you spouting? You're with them, aren't you? The AST?"
Before Ryuu could respond, a barrage of missiles rained down from the sky—targeting Tohka.
The AST had finally received the attack order.
Ryuu's expression darkened as his battle-high instantly soured.
"Tch. Damn pests."
Without hesitation, he swung the Blade of Rebellion, sending a crescent slash soaring through the air. The wave of energy intercepted the incoming missiles, detonating them midair before they could reach their target.
Ryouko's eyes widened in shock.
"What the…? He's helping the Spirit?"
"We're here to assist you!" an AST soldier shouted toward Ryuu.
Ryuu scoffed, leveling a cold glare at them. "When did I ever ask for your help? Get lost, or I'll carve you up next."
The AST operatives bristled at his arrogance, but before they could retaliate, Origami shot forward—her blade drawn, aimed directly at Tohka's throat.
Ryuu's eyes narrowed.
"You really don't listen, huh?"
A torrent of flames erupted from his body, streaking toward Origami with lethal intent.
Sensing the sheer heat behind the attack, Origami was forced to abandon her strike, pulling back just in time to avoid being incinerated.
As the battlefield descended into chaos, only one thought crossed Ryuu's mind:
Idiots. If you don't want to die, don't get in my way.
====
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