Chapter 693: Trap

"What exactly was that storm just now?" Ellen frowned, her right hand covering the portable communicator on her ear, as she asked the personnel aboard the Arbatel. "I don't recall there ever being such a powerful storm on Mayuri Island during this period."

The storm that had suddenly struck just now had left her, someone whose motor skills weren't exactly great, in quite a disheveled state, and she had even nearly dropped the specialized camera in her hand. What she found most bizarre was that this storm had not only arrived without any warning, but it had also disappeared just as—

"Report to the Commander, we detected Spirit power fluctuations during the previous storm!" a crew member on the Arbatel reported to Ellen.

"Spirit power fluctuations, a storm?" Hearing this, Ellen's brow couldn't help but furrow, as if she were thinking of something. "Could it be that those two Spirits have appeared again?"

"Judging from the Spirit power fluctuations detected at the scene, it is indeed those two Spirits who have been in constant conflict—the Berserkers! Furthermore, it is very likely that these two Spirits have also remained on Mayuri Island now!" the crew member on the Arbatel replied.

"Berserkers, huh?" Ellen tightened her grip on the camera in her hand; she felt that the situation on Mayuri Island was gradually beginning to exceed their expectations. "That makes a total of six Spirits now!"

In fact, there had never been a situation in this world where so many Spirits had gathered in one place. Even though Ellen herself did not fear any single Spirit, she still felt a bit apprehensive when facing six Spirits who were highly likely to join forces, especially since among them was the Swordsman, whose strength was the most unfathomable.

"Get ready, tonight is when we execute the first step of our strategy!" Westcott's voice came through Ellen's earpiece.

"I understand!" Ellen nodded with a serious expression.

"What is this letter about?"

Night had already fallen, and Itsuka Shido looked at the letter in his hand, his face full of confusion.

"How could Tobiichi Origami have been kidnapped, and the kidnapper is demanding that I go to a designated location alone, while also forbidding me from telling anyone? Oh no, it seems I haven't seen Tobiichi Origami since dinner!"

"Do you really think Tobiichi Origami was kidnapped by someone? Since the other party demanded you go alone, couldn't it be a trap to deal with you?" Tokisaki Kurumi suddenly emerged from the shadows, giving him a huge fright.

"But... I don't recall having any enemies, so why would there be a trap targeting me?" Itsuka Shido asked with a hint of confusion in his tone.

"Perhaps their true target isn't you, but the person behind you!" Lingyun appeared by his side as well.

"You mean? Tohka? But, isn't Tohka's identity information complete?" Itsuka Shido asked, full of bewilderment.

"For some people, concrete evidence is not what they need at all; they only need a suspicion as an excuse to take action!" Lingyun said.

"Who are they?"

"DEM, the greatest enemy of Spirits in this world, and also the organization that modified your sister," Lingyun said indifferently.

"Then what should I do now?" Itsuka Shido was, after all, just a high school student; upon hearing this, he couldn't help but feel a bit panicked.

"Leave this kind of thing to us," Lingyun patted Itsuka Shido on the shoulder.

"Is this the place?"

In a dense forest, Itsuka Shido quietly walked along a small path, his tone filled with doubt. After reaching the end of the path, a small clearing appeared before him.

"Tobiichi Origami?" When he saw the girl lying in the middle of the clearing with her back to him, his expression shifted slightly, and he hurried toward her.

Just as he was about to reach the person lying on the ground, a whistling sound came, and a large net suddenly shot out from the canopy, covering him from above.

Itsuka Shido's expression changed slightly, and a purple light flashed in his hand as a magnificent long sword appeared. With a flash of sharp light, the net was instantly torn apart.

At the same time, the girl lying on the ground suddenly sprang up, a syringe hidden in her hand popped out, and she lunged toward Itsuka Shido, who had his back to her.

"Clang—"

A crisp sound rang out; at the very last moment, Itsuka Shido turned around, and the long sword in his hand perfectly blocked the syringe in the girl's hand.

"Swish—" A figure like lightning rushed out from the dense forest, a Light Sword in hand pointed directly at Itsuka Shido.

Itsuka Shido kicked the girl in front of him away, while simultaneously swinging the purple long sword in his hand to meet the Light Sword thrusting at him. In the span of a single breath, the two exchanged blows several times.

"You are not Itsuka Shido!" Ellen gripped the Light Sword in her hand, staring fixedly at the Itsuka Shido before her.

Itsuka Shido grinned slightly: "The one here isn't Tobiichi Origami either, is she, you fifty-year-old lady?"

"You... who exactly are you, how could you know about that?" Hearing this from Itsuka Shido, the corners of Ellen's mouth twitched slightly, but her tone was filled with more confusion; who exactly was this person before her to know her age?

Powerful Spirit power surged from Itsuka Shido's body, and as a hurricane swept through, Ellen couldn't help but take several steps back.

"The time on your body has already told me your current age!"

When the hurricane dissipated, the black and red windbreaker that appeared before her eyes made Ellen's eyes widen. This time, Lingyun was not wearing a mask, but his right eye had transformed into a golden clock, exuding an invisible majesty. The purple long sword in his hand had vanished, replaced by an ancient-looking long sword.

"The Swordsman!?" Looking at the figure before her, Ellen's expression turned serious in an instant.

Although she knew they would inevitably clash once she learned the Swordsman had also appeared on Mayuri Island, she had not expected that her first opponent here would be the most mysterious Swordsman. At this moment, she couldn't help but feel a bit fortunate that Westcott had already made arrangements; otherwise, if they had used the lineup prepared for the Princess to deal with the Swordsman, they really might have suffered a crushing defeat.

"Plan changed, target shifted to the Swordsman, everyone prepare for battle!"

Since her plan to kidnap Itsuka Shido to lure out the Princess had failed and instead drawn out the Swordsman, Ellen changed her combat plan straightforwardly, intending to capture Lingyun first.

Upon hearing Ellen's command, the robot troops hidden in the surroundings were activated simultaneously, and the DEM mages also rushed toward this location. At the same time, the Arbatel in the sky also left its hidden area, intending to block Lingyun's escape route from above.

"Hee hee hee, how could there not be me in a situation like this?" The shadow beneath Lingyun's feet twisted violently, and Tokisaki Kurumi stepped out from the shadows gracefully, looking at Ellen in front with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Brother, Yoshino wants to fight too!" Little Yoshino poked her head out from behind Tokisaki Kurumi and said to Lingyun.

"The Swordsman, the Nightmare, and the Hermit, huh?" A scorching fighting spirit burned in Ellen's eyes. "Then let me see just how strong you really are!"