This time the atmosphere did not become noisy. The space froze, no time seemed to have stopped.
"Inverse Spirit… not a Quasi-Spirit."
Tonami Furue timidly raised her hand to ask a question of Akako Machi.
The doll then rotated its head in rebuttal of those words.
"....No, Tokisaki Ikari is genuinely an inverse."
It was such a heavy silence that even the sound of someone's breathing could be heard.
The atmosphere became extremely unstable.
No, really, in the first place, was it even possible for someone like an Inverse Spirit to exist?
What's more, he was different from them—a male.
Although Empty did not know why, the male known as Tokisaki Ikari had revealed his identity without any concern.
It seemed even among this group of distinctive personalities and genders, he remained top-class─a person in his own league.
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 Ikari 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, Ikari's smile remained neutral as he sat back. 'So, he likes this type of thing, huh?'
Empty thought so as she looked at him.
"... Can you even believe that?"
As Nogi Aiai muttered those words, several people expressed their agreement.
Others, however, seemed to be too afraid to cross gazes with Ikari.
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 I don't have one."
Empty spoke out with her head held proud.
"This guy really was just born…"
As if amazed, Nogi Aiai muttered that wide-eyed.
"I was just 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 Ikari-san to explain everything from the beginning?"
Tonami threw the responsibilities to Ikari, however, Ikari being Ikari burnt said responsibilities down with a word.
"... I'll think about it!"
"It's not a matter of thinking about it; please explain it!"
"Eh? But I don't want too...."
"You have too!"
Empty's shoulders were shaking, but Ikari still looked the other way to avoid her gaze.
With a sigh of pity directed at Empty, someone finally spoke out.
"──We are not human beings."
It was Nogi Aiai who muttered that out loud.
At that moment, Empty's movements came to a complete stop.
"That's right. We are Quasi-Spirits. Although we used to be human, we are now an existence living in the neighbouring 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's 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?"
Nobody answered. Ikari too had an indescribable expression.
If he doesn't win this war before his body breaks down, then it was right to say he would face annihilation.
However, Empty didn't see this. Instead, Empty looked on at Lycos─the doll which 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)."
Lycos declared.
'This is a mutual battle at close quarters (date).'
Akako Machi spoke out.
"In order to decide 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 Ikari while asking.
After thinking for a moment, Ikari opened his right palm as a crystal formed in his hands.
"The so-called Sephira Crystal is like a heart for a Spirit. No, it is the heart. Spirits, even Quasi-Spirits like you produce reiryoku from that small crystal. If it disappears─"
"You'll die, won't you?"
"Eh. In that case, is it possible for such a huge Sephira Crystal to exist?"
In all honesty, there was only a bad sense of foreboding coming from that.
As Empty was thinking so, Akako Machi unexpectedly replied back very calmly.
"This Sephira Crystal is the weight of a hundred Quasi-Spirits. That is to say, the one that obtains this will gain the power of a hundred Quasi-Spirits."
"One hundred Quasi-Spirits…"
Everyone held their breath, peeping out at 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 on 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 fulfilment 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 yet, not a single person tried to leave the classroom.
Not even Tonami, who appeared weak, or Ibusuki Panie, who looked ill-suited for battle, intended to leave.
"Hey, hey, doll-san. How should we get started? Ready, set, and begin killing each other all at once?"
Panie had asked.
"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 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's focused onto Ikari. Only Isami was looking on with bright irises.
Ikari blinked before letting out a smile.
"So, I'm first, huh?"
He understood. It wasn't a stretch to say he was currently the strongest here.
At the same time, he knew the entire war was just a ruse.
Becoming Dominion of the 10th region might be easier than he expected.
Akako Machi took out a paper box from which lottery slots could be drawn.
"My apologies 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 Ikari draw from the lottery.
The result.
"To go so far as to be the very last. Ikari-san, you don't have any lottery luck at all!"
"You're too noisy."
Well, he had always been unlucky to begin with, so hearing that from Empty made him nostalgic.
"Did you take my life properly into account?"
"Huh? Who?"
"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 who then clutched tightly against Ikari in fear.
"The Sephira Crystal will be mine."
Opening the door to the classroom, Sagakure's figure quickly disappeared.
Ikari looked 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, and 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."