Chapter 29 - Seconds.

Nia POV:

Guoh!!

Now that's what I call relaxing!

Drinking beer!! Laxing around!! Watching exclusive show!!

Now this is life!! Doing nothing while enjoying the gel eat of life is the ultimate resting!! Kyaa!!!!

Heck, the only thing lacking here is my tablet to draw manga, and it will be perfect!!

Perfect… like my normal life… before all that DEM shenanigans…

Heh. To think this day would come again… how ridiculous.

When was the last time I could be this free? 5 years ago?

Or was I… even be this unbothered?

Was I ever being ignorant, ever not looking at for a single moment, ever not being cautious when meeting anyone…?

… Yeah, ain't care about that. Not like I can do anything about it ya?

The whole of Ratatoskr was all behind my back now. All I have to do was to watch my back out here, and everything should be fine ~

Although I kinda hope they'd provide me more freedom and beer… like when at that thing place…

… Hm.

Dang it. Why am I even thinking back about that place…?

What's wrong with me?

"Hi there, sis ~"

Wha—

Shido POV:

"Mhm…"

I silently murmur at the muddy sky through the open window, slightly shivering from the cold droplet.

To think there's rain at this time… I hope it's no discouraging sign.

… Although, looking at the rain here, I couldn't help but reminisce about that day… Not like it was that long ago, but still…

My eyes slowly moving from the hazy window back to inside… back to the little girl sitting far from me.

Yoshinon.

Seeing the little girl hiding herself from everything, retracted even from the faintest of movement… disturbed me.

Of course I know how it feels, and that only further concerns me.

I really wanted to help her here, to make her realize she's not alone… but not now.

Not after dragging her into this. Not after saving Kotori. Not until I… satisfy my selfish wish.

My fist clenched hard remembering that moment, when I forced her—asking her to do something she shouldn't.

I make her fight. I make her confront me. I hurted her.

And the worst thing here… was that she's not giving up.

"… I won't give up. I… I wanted to fulfill his wish! And, perhaps, to save him too!"

The very word she said on the jet, with a terrifying manner, when I pleaded with her not to do this.

She's clearly afraid of it, I can easily see that… and yet, she still wants to push forward.

She still wants to help me, despite everything. And not even for her own… but for other wishes.

…That is why I couldn't do it—why I can't simply say 'no' to her face.

Yoshinon's no monster. Never have been. All she wanted to do, as far as I can tell, was to be accepted.

Not to be denied the right to live. Not to be hinted at like a mere animal. Not to hurt others just to exist.

And if I deny that, deny her wishes to be a part of something, then how can I wish to save the other?

Besides, I did ask her for help… despite the situation, despite my oath, I still asked to fight for me.

I asked her to be a part of something, and to deny that now on top of everything… That's not good, not at all.

So I couldn't deny her wish to be here, even when she's trying to be alone here.

"It's boring ~"

And then there's Tome, stretching her arms with a relaxed expression, almost sleepy…

Someone I failed not even a day ago. Someone I wished to never fail once again.

… There's also the , who's disappeared ever since we stepped into this place and is currently unable to contact.

"I'll be back once finish with what I've built. Just stay here and be on guard, I'll put the Sentries around."

That was it parting word, before reroute the jet around… leaving us alone here…

And for some reason, Tome… wasn't seem to be all against that fact we're all by yourself here. Like, she did express her unease with it, but overall didn't much hostile with the whole thing.

… I feel like it rather kill us off using Kotori here, but I didn't particularly believe in that—mostly due to the fact it already can.

Another thing, my phone ain't working for some reason. The whole signal is all a mess… seriously, was it this careful with me?

So all in all, we're kinda on our own.

One cripple Spirit, one child, and one useless human, against a full bloom Spirit, who once decimated us from what I've seen… and is my sister.

So yes, everything's pretty great. We have a plan which I hope would work, starring in a secluded space, waiting for Kotori to catch the dumbest bait ever and come here.

… Yeah, not a great plan.

Worse, we've been here for over an hour here, long enough for me, and probably Tome, to relax subconsciously.

Growing comfortably here was probably the last thing I desired, but it's not like I could command my instinct to defy the obvious response here. Not counting the fact that we're pretty visible here by the window, something should be hidden by the rain.

But after what Tome told me, and what I've personally experienced… yeah, I doubt a simple rain could hide our presence from Kotori at all.

All in all, we're pretty open for an ambush. Something Kotori should aim for no—

"How bold of you, Shido-nii ~"

What?!

I immediately look behind me, along with Tome and Yoshinon from what I've seen.

Crossing her leg on the box just right behind me, with a grin hanging on her face, was the same girl who pushed me into the unknown path.

"Kotori…"

I look up at her, trying to truly look at her…

… And yet, despite my best attempt to feel something from her distant gaze—I just can't.

"Hah ~ so this is the plan? Asking him for help ~?"

With a casual shrug, Kotori—Efreet, slowly stood up on the box, even stretching her arm in the process.

"So… are we gonna do that again? Tearing ourselves to shred—well, I'm tearing you guys to shreds?"

She casually threatened us with the chillest voice I've ever heard from Kotori, pushing the whole atmosphere to the max.

She… she's going to do it. Without any hesitation…

"Stop this, Kotori."

"Hm?"

With one last attempt to reach her, I called out for Efreet—Kotori, earning one slightly irritated expression from her.

And, in a single moment, probably even less so… I saw it through her eyes.

Recognition.

"… Tch."

Then, what happened next… I initially didn't even realize.

One moment, I was standing in front of Kotori—the next, I was already in Tome embrace, collapsed on the cold steel ground.

And where I was supposed to be before… were decimated by her .

"… Huh?"

It took me a second to realize where I am.

It took me another to see what just happened.

Kotori was… intended to behead me with her , but Tome saved me in a nick of time.

"Ah… thanks for the save, Tome."

"Eto… you welcome."

We quickly stood up staring down Kotori, with Tome in front of me donned in her Astral Dress and Angel.

"Hm… though I could get rid of you there…"

The little gremlin—Efreet casually remarked and picked up her Angel on her shoulder, returning the looks with a hint or irritation.

Everyone then, even me, slowly tensed with each other, ready to move at even the slightest of her decisions.

The whole thing slowly turning unbearable, with everyone ready to throw their strongest attack at even a smallest brea—

"…. Ah, screw this!!"

Surprisingly, Efreet threw up the whole stand-off first, even retracting her own there… one that only further intensifies the situation.

"To be honest, I'm kinda bored of being all evil and cruel over here. So why don't we diplomats out of this?"

Efree tried to de-escalate… or I hope so, as she surrendered her hand up.

… I have a bad feeling about this.

"So this is how it go, you either surrender him here…"

Efreet let out a faint grin between us all, one that shivered me slightly as her eyes linger on me.

"… Or, and you might hate this—I kill ."

… Huh?

I looked straight at her, truly straight at her, as my mind turned blank.

… No… no… she didn't.. please no…!!!

"You…"

"Shido?"

My mind slowly going full panic mode, trying to come up with other reasons of her words—somethibg already proved to be futile.

The very next instant—everything happened.

Tome moved forward with both her donned on, and swung at her neck.

Yoshinon pointed her hand forward, shooting many icicle spikes at her feet.

And Efreet… swept both attacks away, with her halberd, the , took the broadsword, the away and burned away all those spikes.

The instant I realized what just happened, everyone was already at a standstill, holding their respective strike at a standstill.

"Hm ~ pretty slick there, Tome-chan ~"

"Gkh!"

Efreet casually… uh, based on the voice I heard, probably flirted with Tome (?). And Tome, much to my relief, took a step back while letting out a shiver in response.

"And you…"

Then, as her eyes slowly move to the youngest one in our group… I heard a faint sneer.

A hateful, angry sneer. Something not even commander Kotori could muster.

And yet… this thing—Efreet, forced her to mutter it.

"… You eyesore!"

"Huh—"

Before I could even comprehend anything afterward… Efreet has made her move.

"Ah."

I immediately turned around… and slowly horrified by the scenery.

Efreet, without any exaggeration, pierced through Yoshinon's chest.

Yoshino eye are that of terrified, while Efreet, even from behind, merely expeess… nothing beside a bored glance.

"Can't let ya interfere, lil brat."

Muttering the line casually, Efreet then retracted her hand back, letting Yoshinon fall to the ground… with a hole in her chest…

… Before suddenly liquefied, turning to mere water.

"Huh?"

Efreet let out a sound mixed between dumbfounded and surprise, unexpectedly unaccounting for this.

And this moment—was something we're all aiming for!

"!!!"

Then, before Efreet could even turn her head back—light shrouded the whole warehouse—

"That… sting!"

—And it did absolutely nothing to her, nowm walking away from Tome's strongest strike with no injury.

"… What?"

Tome visibly shocked by this, proved from her widened gaze and gasping mouth… while I just simple stared in disbelief

"Gotta take it more than that to kill me, ya know ~"

And she can even be obnoxious after that… dang it.

Right then, many icicles suddenly appeared out from around Efreet, much to my surprise, and shit toward her.

"Childplay ~"

Yet once again, Efreet swiftly dodged most of the strike without a care in the world, with simple steps through the icicle rains… as if dancing…

"!!!!"

With a loud scream, Efreet point her toward a rando direction, and let loose a concentrated of fire.

Kuh?! What the?! It's hot???!!

Even from the distance—it still this hot?!

I, along with Tome, quickly sprint back further to the corner, trying to ignore the killing heat emitting—

"UAGHHHH!!!!"

—And vaguely see it hit something invisble… along with a scream…

"Yoshinon!!"

I immediately realize what Effeet just did—and can only watch in horror, as a small figure falls down from the impact.

… And by the look of it, even from this far—it's beyond horrible.

While not entirely scorched black, there was a big hole through where her stomach used to be… and she's clearly in pain.

Although she… probably didn't outright die from that… it didn't seem like she's any better than one.

"Never being panic in a fight, dear ~ Oh well, not like you can adapt such after this ~"

At that moment, as my mind was still processing the whole events, my body had already decided.

"Hm?"

"Wha—"

I sprint toward Efreet, unaware of everyone's reaction, and all I can see now… was Yoshinon.

I jumped toward Yoshinon with one blind leap, and somehow successfully approached her.

I snatched her up before hitting the ground, right beneath Efreet, and covered her in my arms as I rolled on the hard ground.

"Fu ~"

Efreet, probably seeing an opportunity here, immediately dived down with her halberd on me with unnatural speed.

"… ?!"

But before the attack connects… I narrowingly dodged that.

And not stopping with that, I even deliver an upper kick on her face, before retreating back to the other side of the room.

"Hah…hah…"

Once I landed on the other side… or, in the exact term, slammed straight into the wall, I turned back to face Efreet, eyeing every of her movement…

"Ouch…"

… Huh? Wait?! What the?!

What did I… what have I done?!

Did I… did I just… attack her—and survive?!

"Dang, that… a surprise."

Efreet slowly murmurs up, still rubbing her face… weh?!

The heck?!

"You got some moves there, Shido-nii ~"

A faint chuckle can be heard from Efreet, as she covers her lips with her hand, seemingly hiding her grin there.

"Ah! Right!"

The very moment she suddenly uttered such words, a loud impact sound erupted.

The broadsword, coming from Tome, was blocked by the Efreet halberd handle. And even worse, contrary to Tome's clearly annoying face… Efreet just merely smiles back.

"Hm? You think I'd miss you, Tome-chan ~?"

"Khcg…!"

With a tongue click, Tome quickly kept her distance from Efreet… even let her broadsword go, for some reasons.

"Hah ~? Smart move there, Tome-chan ~"

With a casual, even joyful, she then… much to my horror, crush her sword in a simple gesture, til there's nothing but mere scrap before dissipated.

Wha… did she just… was she this strong?!

Then, while I was still dazed from Efreet's demonstration, fire suddenly erupted around me, threatening to devour me whole.

I can't dodge…!! Dan—

"No…"

—Huh?

A faint, almost quiet, slowly mutters from my arms, slightly distracted me from my own impending doon—Then, it stops.

The fire which covers every possible escape, was halted inches before us.

It's still clearly unbearably hot, but still more tolerable than what I was supposed to take.

Wait… this is… water?

A water veil… stopped the inferno…!

"Yoshinon?"

I look down at my arm in awe, but quickly frown down seeing her rapid breathing and painful expression.

I look down further, the hole in her chest still there. No blood… but her expression tells me everything.

… Dang it!

"Shido!"

Tome, with a terrifying roar, approaches Efreet once more, this time with her first. The fire, the moment Efreet moved away, dissipated.

"Run, Shido!!"

Tome screams at me as she delivers another slashes on Efreet, one proved to be effective as the little twin tails dodge them all with ease.

… Dang it!!

Using this opportunity, I push myself to stand up, right as when everything quickly escalated.

"Yo—!"

"Hyaaa!!!!!"

I faintly heard the small grunt from Efreet, and a loud scream from Tome behind me, before a small explosion suddenly occurred.

"Tome—Take care!!"

With the line behind without looking back, unknowing if she could hear it or not… I did it.

The only thing I never wished to do… yet the only thing I could do right now…

I ran away.

I slam myself into the iron door, breaking the lock I previously did, ironically, and keep on the momentum into the heavy rain.

[BOOOM!!!!]

From the action-packed sound happened just right behind my back… yep, keeping distance might be the genuine play here.

And so, with my vision wholeheartedly shrouded by the heavy raindrops, and one hell of adrenaline rush thanks to the almost carnage Efreet just did back then, I cover Yoshinon's injured body with my arms from the rain and push forward…

Tome… please live…

Tome POV:

Slash!

"Too slow, Tome-chan ~"

Slash! Slash!

"10 point for effort ~ keep this up, and you might touch my hair in around ~ 10 years ~"

Slash! Slash! Slash!

"How cute ~"

Dang it… Why can't I land anything?!

"!!!"

I threw the ultimate sword on her once more, enveloping the whole place in light… while hoping for it to do the job—

"Hm ~ not bad at all ~"

—Just for her to walk out from that unscathed… again…

"Hah… hah…"

I threw everything at her, even my strongest attack… and yet, all it did was wear me out.

Meanwhile, that girl… Kotori… was merely playing the whole time.

It never seems like she's trying in the slightest… as if my attacks are all game for her…

Why… why just can I… ?!

How long… was it…?

"Hm… oh well, it's been fun for a while ~"

As she spoke with a thoughtful gesture… fire suddenly erupted from everywhere.

From the wall, from the ceiling, from the ground.

She practically painted the boring steel gray of the warehouse… to a pure chaotic crimson flames.

And I… there's no way for me to escape…

… Heh… so this is huh… this is how I'll feel it…

A fraction… of what he feels…

The feels… to die…

"Come!!"

I roar back at her with all my strength, my trusty slightly shaken in my hand as I'm all for everything.

If I'm going to die here… then at least I'll buy them more time!!

Shido POV:

"Achoo!"

Dang it… it's cold… the damp clothes and heavy rain only amplified it…

Ghrghr… When will the rain even stop…

We're currently hiding beneath a shrine statue… the one that, ironically enough, was where I first met Yoshinon.

"Ugh…"

"Don't move much, Yoshinon."

I caressed Yoshinon while first-aiding her wound… Well, as much as I could anyway.

Not like I could just whip out a first-aid kit here and magically heal the hole in her.

All I could do here was just… patching her injury with whatever dry pieces of clothes I could gather around here.

Kotori—Efreet did some wonders on her, in a lot of ways.

Seriously… why am I even here?

Why am I, a mere human with no power, even participating in this?

I couldn't even convince her, and I'm sure as hell couldn't even do anything to her whatsoever.

I was just a deadweight here. An useless man.

What a sealer am I, heh… I couldn't even stop my own sister here…

And worst, what she just said minutes ago… what she threatened me for…

Nia-san…

Dang it… What should I do now…?

Kotori POV:

Tch… now I really, really hated this.

Seriously, why everything should've complicated?!

Hah ~ what a bother. Now I have to hunt 'em again all over again ~

"So, you still didn't wanna speak?"

I shake that damn rabbit up with my most I timidated glare, trying to pry anything from it.

… Still silent.

Damn. Guess I have to do it all over again ~

Ah well, time to get my ultimate price then.

Let's see, consider his personality…. Ah hah, there!

Hm… closer than I expected.

Well, not that I expected him to carry that deadweight that far ahead of me, though.

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Licking my lips devilishly like those imouto in anime, I fembark into the muddy sky toward them…