78 Chapter 16: Mirror and Frozen Worlds [3]
——
[Tenka PoV]
He did it again...
That bastard did it again!
Just how many times will he mess up? Tenka can't understand why the bastard would leave them here without notice.
"Rei where are you? Rei!"
Now Tohka was on the process of having a panic attack—no, not really. Most likely, Tohka was on the verge of 'blowing up' with the stress she was constantly feeling right now.
All this time, Tenka knew that no matter how Tohka looks relatively calm on the outside a while ago, she could feel the turmoil boiling up within her.
After all, Tohka and Tenka are connected by some sort of invisible string. A string that could keep each other's state in check. A string that let's them know—or at least have a gist of the 'emotional state' of the other party.
Consequently, these strings are also connected to the bastard in some way. Tenka deduced that he was still nearby, yet nowhere to be seen.
It's as if the bastard has been spirited away to another realm.
Sighing, Tenka then glanced at her other half, visibly becoming more... unstable as time passes. If anything, she really wants to give the bastard a piece of her fist, no matter what excuse he may come up later.
Thinking over that, she then stated. "Calm down, Tohka"
Rather than calming down however, Tenka instead received a reaction that she would never have expected from Tohka.
"Calm down? Sis, how could you calm down in a situation like this?" For once, Tohka glared at Tenka with a complicated expression as she spit out those words laced with venom.
'Can't she feel or understand what she is going through?' is the covered meaning of that message.
Nonetheless, Tenka remained unmoved as she sighed once more. She would admit that she almost lost her composure not expecting Tohka to talk to her like that.
However, Tenka soon realized a mistake on her part. She somewhat failed to consider Tohka's feelings when she said those words—well, not exactly, she did consider, but that wasn't up to the point when she said that she should just 'calm' down.
Her words sounded as if it was insensitive in a sense, even though it wasn't exactly like that. Knowing this, Tenka looked at Tohka dead in the eye, she then spoke.
"Is panicking or letting your emotions take over you a good thing just because the bastard wasn't here?" Tenka questioned, and Tohka flinched. "Tohka. I know you are not dumb enough to not know the answer about that"
Tenka wouldn't apologize, she won't bend just because she knows that she was partially wrong. Tenka will always keep this strong front if possible, even if she ends up to be the evil one in the process.
On the other hand, at Tenka's words, Tohka herself was shocked. She hadn't expected this. Not at all. Still, she knew that Tenka meant good things behind those words of hers, only in a form of sharp dagger that is.
"...Then what should we do?" Tohka asked, slowly calming down.
"Hmph. Try feeling it...if you know what I mean," stated Tenka.
The message couldn't be anything more than vague. Feel what exactly? Tohka tilted her head as she asked for more about what Tenka said.
Tenka sighed, again, as she gave her an explanation...which could be described as vague again. However, gladly this time, Tohka got the gist of it.
Tohka nodded as she began to follow Tenka's words. Tohka never doubted her words so far, she knows that lying won't do anything good.
Besides, what any good would be there if she doubts her at such situation where only Tenka could be classified as the only person she could trust, then what would happen if she doesn't believe her right now?
"Tenka...he is still here, right?"
"...."
"I...no, you also can still feel it right?" Tohka clutched her fists as she placed it on her chest. "Rei is still nearby!"
"He is." Tenka simply confirmed. "So? Now that you have that answer, what should we do? Find him? We are already doing that a while ago, and it has been fruitless endeavor so far"
"We could still try to find harder—"
Tohka's words was cut off by Tenka as she took a step in front of her. She
"Should we continue doing this fruitless job of finding him, or just be like sitting ducks waiting for his return? Or should we deal with other matters out there for interrupting us—our date?"
The answer was obvious.
Tenka then continued. "The bastard can probably handle himself well enough up until we finish another task. He doesn't need our help most of the time, nor does he always needs us by his side." She then turned to the direction where the 'battlefield' was most likely located. "Waiting and doing nothing or doing, that isn't what we want is it?"
Tenka was trying to reassure her, and Tohka knew it as well. In the end, Tohka merely nodded in response.
"Hmph. Now that you have your answer, we should head out. The problem wouldn't really walk by itself to us and solve itself that easily." Tenka stated as she huffed.
To be fair, the sudden disappearance of the bastard shocked Tenka at first. That made her more or less similar to the situation Tohka was at just a few moments ago.
However, Tenka was somehow more adept on hiding her emotions unlike Tohka. Tohka was a very expressive and emotional individual after all while Tenka was a person who keeps most things to herself unless important matters pop up that would be the call for her to open up.
And speaking of the bastard, she can't help but also be...a little concerned for him. She definitely tried to remove him from her thoughts, even just for a while, but she can't. It was ridiculous.
The irritated expression was evident on her face. Tenka grumbled as she mocked herself silently, 'Am I really worrying about that bastard too much?'
"Ne, Tenka..." A faint voice was heard, and it was none other than Tohka.
Tenka looked back, slowly widened her eyes at the sudden call of her name, and replied, "...what is it?"
"Why...do you sound like you hate Rei that much?"
Tohka's question was filled that of curiosity and sadness. Tenka and Tohka is definitely the same person—and the 'same' that Tohka was thinking was in literal point. That's why Tohka can't understandable why Tenka has this very unfavorable impression of Rei.
"Tohka"
"Mm?"
"Imagine, what would you do if your most precious person was hurt by some person, what would you do to that said person?"
"...."
"Figures.
"That doesn't clearly answer the question, Tenka..."
"It already does," Tenka replied, with a more higher voice. Why does Tohka keep asking about this matter?
"Tenka. Please be truthful in answering this question... just this once..." She said in a pleading tone catching Tenka off guard.
Tenka gave a hard stare at Tohka. She then turned away as she left her words, "...you already know my answer on it, what's the point of me answering it again?"
"...you can't be honest with yourself, couldn't you?" Tohka said as she showed a faint smile, with a expression that is eagerly waiting for Tenka's answer.
Tenka would be honest this time.
Tohka knows.
That's why...
"... perhaps I am. Hmph"
...Tohka can't help but give a short laugh of joy. It seems that they are very similar to each other after all.
——
[??? PoV]
A few minutes earlier before Rei, Tohka, and Tenka arrived...
"...…!?"
The Spirit opened her eyes. And she trembled in panic.
Together with the feeling of waking up after dozing off in the dark—a gentle breeze brushed her cheeks and the view of the city flowed into her sights.
"Eh...ah..."
The Spirit looked around her.
She was inside—a city which she does not know.
The only thing surrounding Yoshino was a crater formed from an explosion of some sort that had blasted the area off.
And the sky was cold and raining.
It was the something which she has already experienced many times, an experience that she was starting to get tired of—it was the feeling of the real world.
But if there was something different this time it would be——that her irreplaceable friend was missing from her left hand.
"...…!"
From the sky, she heard a sound that she had memories of.
And over there was—as what Yoshino had predicted, a number of humans covered with machines and armor floating above her.
"—Target confirmed. All members, initiate attack"
""Yes!""
After that response the humans fired many bullets from their arms and legs at Yoshino.
"...…!?"
Yoshino gasped and flew into the sky by kicking off the ground.
Just like that, to escape the attacks from the humans, she was using complex maneuvering and running away.
"Don't let her escape!"
""—Roger!""
She heard such voices echo behind her, and many more bullets were fired at her.
It was the final strike, because each attack held a lethal level of power respectively. If not for the [Astral Dress], the attacks would have resulted in Yoshino being killed over a 100 times; it was the incarnation of killing intent and malice.
"...…!"
While Yoshino was dancing in the sky feeling confused, she was also raising inaudible shouts.
Her heartbeat turned rough,
Her stomach started to hurt,
And her eyes were spinning round and round.
Yoshino could not tolerate the malice and killing intent targeting her from someone else
Normally it would be—different.
Usually, [Yoshinon] would talk for her from her left hand.
Since [Yoshinon] was very reliable, it would act as if this attack was nothing to it.
That's why, Yoshino would feel safe and okay. And she would refrain from hurting everyone else.
But, right now—
"Kya..."
Yoshino felt a strong impact behind her, and while she was making a soft scream she fell to the ground.
It was not an attack that could pierce through the AstralDress. However, it was a heavy attack that sent Yoshino, with her [Astral Dress's] protection, to the ground.
The feeling of fear was spreading inside Yoshino's heart to the extent that it could not be helped.
*clatter* *clatter* her tooth cried,
*rattle* *rattle* her legs trembled,
*shake* *shake* and her sights was shaking.
The inside of her head was already mushy to the level that it can't be helped.
"Uwa..aa...…"
*zaa*,*zaa*-----and the rain had gotten even stronger.
"—Okay, let us up this all the way. It seems this is the end..."
At the same time when the leader styled lady said those words, all the humans and their ominous weapons were all pointed at Yoshino at once.
And then, from the machines, the most killing intent they have released so far was poured into it, and took shape before it was launched at her.
Just the moment before impact. Yoshino raised her right hand high up to the sky.
—and.
"...…<Zadkiel>!"
She swings her hands down, together with the angel's name.
"——Took her down!?"
Ryouko's mildly excited voice was heard through the transmitter.
While Origami was making a long and thin sigh, without lowering her guard she looked around the surface of the earth covered with smoke.
"...."
It had been almost 30 minutes, after the residents had finished evacuating and the alarm rang.
Also, this was her newest sortie mission after being discharged from the hospital. It ahs always been a miracle as for how she survived that Spirit.
Thinking over it brought her headaches... memories that are left to be forgotten...or something like that.
Anyways, The moment they confirmed [Hermit]'s figure, Origami and the rest of the team immediately began their extermination plan.
Right now in the area were 9 members of the AST floating on the air, covered with long-ranged equipment.
Together with the wiring suits covering them and the normal thrusters unit as its center, it was extermination equipment that has a whole bunch of anti-Spirit ammunition loaded in it.
Normally the weight of the equipment would be too heavy to move around with but—it was compensated by the gravity neutralizing absolute power field, the Territory which is brought forth by the Realizer.
All of the members were facing the visitor, the [Hermit], and Ryouko was watching the situation.
"Wha—?"
The voice of someone filled with confusion was, delivered to all of the members ears through the transmitter.
The smoke covering the area where [Yoshino] fell dispersed immediately—and from the inside of the smoke, the figure of a doll with a slow-witted silhouette appeared, which was unconfirmed until just a few moments ago.
—On its back, [Hermit]'s small body was tightly attached to it.
"That is—"
The sound of Ryouko's voice through the transmitter shook Origami's eardrum.
There was a memory of that doll. It was the weapon [Hermit] summoned from last time—the Angel.
And thus, the puppet took a slouching posture, and when she thought that both its front legs touched the ground, *Guoooo*, a white smoke-like substance was released out of the abdomen part right pass the four legs, and from the mouth.
The puppet then turned its head and faced toward the sky.
*KuooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!*
And, it raised a strange roar that left a buzzing in the ears.
When it did that—the doll as the center, a crispy sound came from the ground, and the ground turned white and increased in radius.
"Wha-What is this...…!?"
A voice of a team member filled with uneasiness echoed.
But [Hermit]'s doll did not care about the team, and continued letting out an evil cold air and roars.
Each time it did that, the ground continued turning white.
"...."
The image that was projected in her sights was—the whole city, having the same phenomenon occurring.
Suddenly the puddles made from the heavy rain started to rise, and instantly froze to form countless commercialized-like needle shaped ice.
The frost was creeping and falling around the city's road and building, the situation was like having one whole city being put into a freezer.
In the blink of an eye—Origami and the others had their vision covered in ice.
And adding on to this terrible situation, the area they are in right now was getting endlessly supplied with water from the sky.
When the large quantity of raindrops, touched, the ground covered in ice, it was immediately absorbed into the ground.
An endless invasion and the growing of ice castles.
That was what; Tenguu city was covered up with.
"...Kuh! All members! Don't falter! Shoot!"
Together with Ryouko's orders, Origami fired that instruction into her brain.
And the muzzle's equipped onto her whole body, activated all at once.
The other AST members acted the same, and fired at [Hermit] with all ammunition they had left.
But—
"...?"
Origami stopped breathing for a moment.
Before their ammunitions reached [Hermit], they froze far from it, without even igniting, the ammunition fell to the ground.
Origami immediately sent instructions to her brain, and simple analysis was put into operation.
When she did that, many weak but vast amounts of Spirit energy readings appeared on her view, it was so much that it was scary.
"W-what is going on?" A teammate of hers voiced out in shock.
"—It is probably, the rain's fault," Origami answered.
"Ah, rain?"
In the midst of the team's confusion, Origami made a short answer.
"Yes, although it is little, the rain contains Spirit power."
The heavy rain left no gaps in her view.
The moment it touched the ammunition, it would get covered in ice and even the firepower would freeze before falling to the ground.
The rain covered in the Spirits power and the cold air. In this curtain of water, and the ice castles that covered the land, acted as a strong protective wall to protect its enshrined master.
"…...!"
And—at that moment, [Hermit] showed some movement while she was attached to the giant dolls back.
Guoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo——and it raised a roar that was like the sound of a moving machine, this roar was larger compared to just now, the doll then bent its body backwards.
That aspect was a little different from usual.
Yes, putting it into words, instead of releasing cold air, it was as if it was sucking in the atmosphere by taking a big breath.
"This?! All members, take cover!"
And at the same time Ryouko made that order, she sent mental instructions from her brain to the thruster units, and left the airspace where Origami and the others were floating just a moment ago.
That instant, when she thought that, the doll moved its head back to its normal spot, together with an unpleasant sound that can tear her ears apart, from the mouth, a blue beam was released.
"Uwa!?"
"Urk—!"
"Gah...!"
In the transmitter, she could hear the voice of anguish from the other members. It would seem that, it was too late to run away.
"———"
She made her body spin midair, and took a glimpse downwards.
Over there were 2 ice boulders with a radius of 3 meters, *roll* *roll* that were rolling around.
There was no mistake. It was the owners of the anguished voices she heard from the other side of the transmitter just now.
"...Did they get frozen together with the Territory...? This isn't a joke...!?"
"...."
While hearing the other team members voice, Origami brought her eyes to [Hermit]'s behavior without lowering her guard.
And—maybe [Hermit] felt that the AST members were in disarray, it showed some movement once again.
When it thought that Origami and the others had turned their backs, the doll landed onto the ground with its four legs, and just like that with tremendous speed, it ran away like it was sliding on the frozen ground.
"Kuh...we are chasing her!"
""Roger!""
Origami and the others sent the instructions to their own brains, and drove the Thruster units.
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[A/N: It's been a while guys and here I am again. I've reread the 2nd volume of DAL again as I was writing this chapter, and boom I was surprised how OP Yoshino really was.
As in, there was a reason why she won that Spirit Battle Royale (Volume 20). Her abilities, if used properly, was like a cheat code! I mean, she could technically control the three phases of water itself! That alone makes too many branches of abilities and tactics that one might think off.
If Yoshino were to use this in the early parts of the novel in the earnest, I think Tenguu City would be in literal shambles already. Imagine a frozen city...and everybody just dies within it due to the cold and harsh weather..or something else that might happen in a frozen city....
Scary I say. Scary....
Anyways, that's all for this chap. See ya on the next one guys! Ciao~
PS: 3.1k words this time hehe]
