Chapter 347

A straight uppercut to the cheek……

Shido Itsuka spat blood and flew backward……

——Such a scene, suitable for all ages yet bloody and violent, cruel and brutal, naturally did not happen.

"Tch."

Kotori Itsuka clicked her tongue, biting on a Doublesugar Candy, wearing a look of disdain; she turned her face away and spoke:

"Tell me your reasoning."

"……"

"……"

"Does this even need a reason? No matter how you look at it, this is obviously very problematic, okay?"

Shido Itsuka fell silent for a moment, looked around left and right, and sighed in discouragement: "I feel this is just a farce, and it must stop here."

Yes.

He felt it was time someone stepped forward to stop all this.

He had originally hoped someone else would stop it, but after thinking it over carefully, Shido Itsuka felt something wasn't quite right.

Including his own younger sister, this group of professional personnel aboard the "Fraxinus" who looked very unprofessional at first glance all believed without a doubt that dates could save the world.

They not only firmly believed this verbally, but also put their bodies into practice and strove for it.

That is to say, they believed it without a doubt, and were deeply mired in it.

So, waiting for them to wake up on their own and stand up in opposition — who knows how long that would take.

Shido Itsuka could only step forward himself and bravely voice his protest.

"Hmph! In the end, you never believed in this plan from the start, did you……"

Although Kotori Itsuka didn't give him an uppercut and knock his teeth flying, she was clearly somewhat displeased.

"That's true, but you can't blame me for it either……"

The corners of Shido Itsuka's eyes twitched slightly, but he still couldn't help protesting, arguing forcefully: "Up until now, we haven't even been able to meet a Spirit face to face……"

This is also one of the reasons he felt it was unreliable.

For something so obviously absurd, if there is no timely, active positive feedback, then it is indeed very hard to persist.

If results could be seen from the initial brain-overheat phase, perhaps he could truly believe and accept these absurd settings.

But regrettably……

They hadn't even met face to face.

The subsequent date tactics were naturally impossible to carry out.

——Mainly because Kurumi Tokisaki intercepted, the Time Spirit with a head full of promotion thoughts, took the person away just when Tohka Yatogami happened to be wandering around.

So Shido Itsuka, who had been unable to produce results, slowly let his overheated brain "cool down".

Especially after being blown by the cold wind on the disaster zone wasteland, he felt the unreliability of the whole matter even more keenly.

"In any case, I think at least this operation plan needs to change, and moreover don't you find it strange? This plan was originally aimed at sealing the Spirit's spiritual power……"

Shido Itsuka wasn't simply opposing for the sake of it; he had his own understanding——

"Back then there might have been some leeway, but with the current situation, no matter how you look at it, it's impossible to persuade a Spirit to cripple their own martial arts……"

His words carried a trace of worry.

"Emmmmm……"

Kotori Itsuka in Commander Mode propped her chin with her hand, and swiftly stood up that Doublesugar Candy.

"What you say makes sense; at this time, persuading them to seal their spiritual power is indeed not a good opportunity."

"Not a good opportunity? This is clearly the worst possible opportunity." Shido Itsuka retorted: "Gunfights are happening everywhere on the streets, ordinary people are still worrying about not having guns……"

"We, on the other hand, at this time go find Spirits and tell them 'In order to help you survive better in this world, we need to temporarily confiscate your firearms'……"

"No matter how you look at it, it's hard not to suspect we have ulterior motives……"

To put it in an exaggerated way, this is not merely having ulterior motives, but the kind that insults the other party's intelligence.

"Tch."

Kotori Itsuka wrinkled her nose lightly again, emitting a dissatisfied syllable.

However she also had to admit the other party's words made sense; sealing a Spirit's spiritual power is not such an easy matter.

Judging from the calculation results, even in the previous normal situation, under the most ideal conditions, perhaps only an extremely small number of exceptional Spirits would be easy pushovers.

——Utilizing their innocence, simplicity, and unfamiliarity with worldly affairs……

——Utilizing the opportunity of their fear of the human world, blankness, and inability to find their own positioning……

As long as this critical window is seized, releasing signals of goodwill and expressing willingness for friendly exchange, then perhaps the goal can be achieved relatively easily.

However, aside from these extremely few exceptional simple Spirits, the rest are definitely troublesome, every single one of them.

The most extreme example is that of "Nightmare".

It is truly suspicious——

If Shido Itsuka rashly stepped forward and came into contact with that most evil Spirit, he would very likely be killed in the blink of an eye before he could even speak.

And this is under normal world conditions.

According to the current situation, everyone is in danger for themselves, yet you still want to run over and negotiate with the other party, asking if you can seal their spiritual power and then control their power source from your side……

Just slightly putting oneself in their shoes, Kotori Itsuka herself felt she couldn't help but want to heh heh.

"I also feel——it's time some changes should be made."

A slightly weary voice, sounding as if not fully awake, weak and powerless, drifted over.

The voice was pleasant, but lacked strength.

Everyone was familiar with this voice, and they all turned their heads to look.

"Miss Reine!"

"Analyst Murasame!"

The one who appeared on the Air Battleship was naturally Analyst Reine Murasame; she had just been standing behind the Itsuka siblings and the crew, watching quietly, then suddenly spoke up to give her opinion.

No one knew when she had appeared.

It was as if she had been on the bridge all along, only it seemed everyone had failed to notice her figure until she opened her mouth, at which point everyone's attention was drawn to her.

"Kannazuki needs to return for treatment; he requires medical equipment to accelerate his recovery……"

Reine Murasame forced out a smile, her gaze sweeping over her colleagues, passing over the Itsuka siblings without a trace.

There was no pause at all.

She also controlled herself well, not making any unusual display; the more critical the moment, the steadier she had to be, only then could she avoid arousing suspicion.

"By the way, I'm also back to tell you something; it might just change the Fraxinus's current purpose and Action Policy……"

Exhaling lightly, Reine Murasame continued.

She had returned now to recruit new staff; the Fraxinus did indeed need a Transformation.

Life is like that thing; if you can't resist, you can only enjoy it…… the whole world currently has to follow the trend, so naturally they also have no way to go against the current.

In any case, that's how it is; whatever the original plan was, it can only be changed now.

After all, a person under the eaves has to bow their head; only by surviving in this world first does one have the qualifications to discuss the future.

"What thing?"

Kotori Itsuka raised an eyebrow, subconsciously asking.

"Rest assured, in the general direction it's actually fairly consistent with what we were going to do before; it hasn't deviated too much." Reine Murasame spoke after deliberation.

She pondered for a moment, mulling over how to package this matter to look better.

For instance, it's still for World Peace, and they can still take action against Spirits, just not like before; the plan's focus has to shift somewhat……

There's also the matter of changing bosses; although this was already a settled fact, it still needs to be formally announced who they'll be working for from now on……

Thinking rapidly, Reine Murasame glanced again at everyone waiting for her next words.

Inexplicably——

She still felt a rare case of goosebumps.

Everyone is abnormal.

——They don't suspect why she suddenly appeared on the battleship.

——Nor do they suspect why Kannazuki Kyōhei suddenly needs medical equipment to speed his recovery.

——Likewise, they don't suspect what she's about to say; they're just waiting as if it's only natural.

This is extremely terrifying; even the First Spirit can't help feeling like an Ordinary Person who has wandered onto a supernatural film set.

Everything in the Surroundings, the World taken for granted, the familiar daily routines, have quietly undergone a mutation.

Yet everyone turns a blind eye to it; then the sole awake one must bear all the pressure alone.

Monster……

Reine Murasame silently sighed in her heart.

She strongly suspects she only passed through unscathed because the other party hadn't discovered any clues, so she passed a Group Charm Check based on the average Willpower strength of the entire Fraxinus crew.

Everyone else failed; only she passed the Will Save.

But if she exposed herself, that Monster certainly wouldn't mind adding another Charm targeted specifically at her.

At that time…… whether First Spirit or First Spirit, they'd likely be instantly branded with a Soul Brand.

Therefore——

That side also has to speed up; the two identities must be separated as much as possible, leaving no suspicion.

The Analyst gritted her teeth secretly.

………………

………………

The other side of Earth——

A "Phantom" covered in Mosaic, completely impossible to accurately perceive, is advancing alone……

Far away, Origami Tobiichi with a cold face, expression taut, driving her Tactical Manifestation Device, follows cautiously at the Rear.

The Manifestation Device on her body is clearly different from the Tactical Equipment previously deployed in Tengu City.

It is a massive Manifestation Device that can completely envelop the girl's body.

The back is equipped with a whole row of what look like Missile Launchers; extending from the back to the Arms' components, a Large Light Sword manifesting a long light blade can be seen.

Moreover, on its outer side, there are two giant cannons like a battleship's Main Cannon.

This was found in the ruins on the day the DEM Headquarters fell——

After sending her injured superior to the surviving Medical Bay for treatment, Origami Tobiichi immediately found a set of Equipment, adjusted it, and put it on.

Originally it was just to take Hinagiku Kusakabe, escape with their lives, and flee the burning London……

Unexpectedly, she stumbled upon an earth-shattering Secret.

——Spirits……

——Are actually artificially transformed!

For Origami Tobiichi, this was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.

So when she came to her senses, she discovered she had followed without thinking…… she had to figure out one thing! She absolutely had to figure out one thing!

In Origami Tobiichi's pupils, something seemed to be burning.

And she didn't notice that behind her, someone else was also following.

Even…… very close.

"Quite a decent résumé, high potential too……"

Xia Zhi examined Origami Tobiichi just ten-odd meters ahead while flipping through the "résumé" in his hand.

"A little tuning, and she'll be able to suppress Spirits with tactical equipment…… throw in a few more Blessings, let the Cyber Talisman kick in, and it gets even better."

Mantis Stalks Cicada, Oriole Waits Behind.

Origami Tobiichi didn't know that "Phantom" had deliberately exposed herself, wanting to use her to stir up a slight commotion in order to achieve a separation of identities.

And "Phantom" likewise didn't know that her own idea of severing her identity for a certain someone to see had long been exposed, and that said someone was even now trailing along behind at a leisurely pace.

As for Xia Zhi himself, he was more than happy to cooperate with this little play.

He had even begun scouting actors in advance.

With his assessment of Origami Tobiichi complete, he released his grip, letting the manifested résumé dissipate in mid-air, turning into motes of light particles.

"An obsession with dead relatives, is it……"

"Then this is going to be all too easy to manipulate……"

Kaserik Som — wasn't it because the Bone King resurrected his daughter who had been dead for over a hundred years that he completely changed his Belief and defected to Milk's Alignment?

Xia Zhi pondered, and quickly decided what to do.

Originating from that Weave and Crystal Sphere System Multiverse, their Divine Rank abilities are, in a certain sense, absurdly broken.

Even Weak Divine Power likewise grants the shared ability to resurrect any previously living mortal from death.

They can use this ability at will, regardless of the current bodily condition of the Target to be resurrected……

The sole Requirement is that there must be some avatar, or some holy relic, presiding over the resurrection at the location of the body.

As for Greater Divine Power, it can kill any living creature with a single thought; likewise, They can reverse this process anywhere, granting life to any mortal that has been killed.

Even the True God with the lowest Divine Rank holds Life and Death Authority in Their hands.

Bringing the dead back to life is but the turn of a palm.

"Heh, speaking of which, seems I can also stimulate Kaguya Yamai by the way……"

Thinking of this, Xia Zhi couldn't help but laugh.

He suddenly really wanted to see — when death is discovered to be so effortlessly reversible, life so simply and directly reclaimable……

at that moment, will "Phantom" be able to keep her composure?

In short, he knows how to mess with mindsets.

(Chapter End)