Vol 2 Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 5: Frozen Earth
Part 1
”………!?”
Yoshi+no 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……”
Yoshi+no looked around her
She was inside—a city which she does not know
The only thing surrounding Yoshi+no 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 so which she has already experienced et tired of—it was the feeling of the real world
But if there was so different this ti from her left hand
”………!”
From the sky, she heard a sound that she had memories of
And over there was—as what Yoshi+no had predicted, a nu above her
”—Target confirmed All members, initiate attack”
””Yes””
After that response the hus at Yoshi+no
”………………………!?”
Yoshi+no gasped and flew into the sky by kicking off the ground
Just like that, to escape the attacks fro 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 AstralDress, the attacks would have resulted in Yoshi+no being killed over a 100 ti intent and malice
”………!………!”
While Yoshi+no 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
Yoshi+no could not tolerate theher from someone else
Normally it would be—different
Usually, [Yoshi+non] would talk for her from her left hand
Since [Yoshi+non] was very reliable, it would act as if this attack was nothing to it
That's why, Yoshi+no would feel safe and okay And she would refrain fro everyone else
But, right now—
”Kya………………”
Yoshi+no felt a strong i a soft screaround
It was not an attack that could pierce through the AstralDress However, it was a heavy attack that sent Yoshi+no, with her AstralDress's protection, to the ground
The feeling of fear was spreading inside Yoshi+no'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
”U, a,a………”
zaa,zaa-----and the rain had gotten even stronger
”—Okay, let us up this all the way”
At the same time when the leader styled lady said those words, all the humans and their ominous weapons were all pointed at Yoshi+no at once
And then, fro intent they have released so far was poured into it, and took shape before it was launched at her
Just the h up to the sky
—and
”……………<zadkiel>…………!?”
She swings her hands down, together with the angel's name
”——Took her down!?”
Ryouko's h the transmitter
While Origauard she looked around the surface of the earth covered with smoke
”……………………”
It had been al and the alar
The aan their extermination plan
Right now in the area were 9 ed 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
Norht of the equipment would be too heavy to ravity neutralizing absolute power field, the Territory which is brought forth by the Realizer
All of thethe visitor, the [Her the situation
”Wha—?”
The voice of someone filled with confusion was, delivered to all of the h the transmitter
The s the area where [Yoshi+no] fell dispersed iure of a doll with a sloitted silhouette appeared, which was unconfiro
—On its back, [Herhtly attached to it
”That is—”
The sound of Ryouko's voice through the transami's eardrum
There was a memory of that doll It was the weapon [Herel
And thus, the puppet took a slouching posture, and when she thought that both its front legs touched the ground, Guoooo, a white sht 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 caround turned white and increased in radius
”Wha-What is this………!?”
A voice of a team member filled with uneasiness echoed
But [Her out an evil cold air and roars
Each ti white
”…………”
Origaht
The ihts was—the whole city, having the sa
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 noas getting endlessly supplied ater from the sky
When the large quantity of raindrops, touched the ground covered in ice, it was iround
An endless invasion and the growing of ice castles
That hat; 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—
”…………”
Origa for a moment
Before their ammunitions reached [Her, the around
Origami immediately sent instructions to her brain, and simple analysis was put into operation
When she did that, s appeared on her view, it was so much that it was scary
”Wha………what is going on?”
”—It is probably, the rain's fault”
”Ah, rain?”
In the ami made a short answer
”Yes, although it is little, the rain contains Spirit power”
The heavy rain left no gaps in her view
The et covered in ice and even the firepoould 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, [Heriant dolls back
Guoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo——and it raised a roar that was like the sound of a er 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 at breath
”…………! All members, take cover!”
The same time Ryouko made that order, she sent mental instructions from her brain to the thruster units, and left the airspace where Origao
That instant, when she thought that, the doll ether with an unpleasant sound that can tear her ears apart, from the mouth, a blue beam was released
”Uwa…………!?”
”Gu——”
In the transuish from the other members It would seem that, it was too late to run away
”———”
She limpse doards
Over there were 2 ice boulders with a radius of 3around
There was no uished 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 teaht her eyes to [Heruard
And—maybe [Hermit] felt that the AST ain
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 treround
”Kuh………we are chasing her!”
””Roger!””
Origami and the others sent the instructions to their own brains, and drove the Thruster units
Part 2
”………………!?”
Tohka was sleeping in the deepest room located on the second floor of the Itsuka house; she immediately raised her face up when the unexpected sound of explosions echoed
”Wha-What………!?”
She raised her body because she was surprised by the dangerous situation, rumble rumble, she opened the hile these sounds happened
At that moment, Tohka shook her body unconsciously
Instead of an outrageous feeling of fear, she shi+vered from the unexpected coldness, of the wind that entered from outside the
It was so weird that the surrounding te Tohka looked around in a bad
”Th-This is………”
Rain was pouring down on one side of her viehat's round it froze up and turned to ice
”Wha-What on earth is happening now…………”
And, at thatfrom just now
During the ti like the sound of Uuuuuuuuuuuu——echoed
She thought that it was a drea, but that was………
”Was that…………the thing called the alarm……!? Which means this is the………spacequake?”
The ie of the explosion and so on was quite different from what she heard from instructor Tae situation She has to hurry and evacuate to the so called shelter
And—at that moment when Tohka was about to leave the room
”……………!?”
Outside the , a strange object passed by with tremendous speed
It was a doll with a body length of 3 meters that had a short and stout form
What's irl with a green colored coat
”That was……from that time”
Yes, that was the girl that shi+dou had met up with
The sa in her heart
She does not have any basis But for soht be with that girl
”……………”
After biting her lips, Tohka ran out of the room
Part 3
”Wha………, what the heck, is this………?”
While holding the puppet in his hand, shi+dou who had just left the apart in front of him
At any rate, the town's landscape that he was familiar with, turned into a winter wonderland
What'son it The toas purely, frozen
”—Did you not hear the alarm? It's Yoshi+no”
Fro its silence, he could hear Kotori's voice from it
”Leaving that aside What were you doing before the Spiritthe room”
”…………No, I got caught by a birdlime[2E 1] that was set up at the front entrance”
Yes, when he was trying to leave Origa that would slow hi outside
………………But it was a weird trap Although it would take someone's time but it was not a trap that was impossible to escape fro an intruder fro from inside…
”……………Nononono”
Noas not the tiained his thoughts
”So this is…Yoshi+no's doing?”
”Yes”
He said that while viewing the city covered in ice and Kotori replied back to him
”It is not a situation where you can take your time leisurely and inally but even that got frozen up, if this situation continues there round and underground shelter”
After taking a deep breath, Kotori continued on
”—The only ones that can stop Yoshi+no are you, and that puppet Will you go for it?”
”Of course I can't leave Yoshi+no and the city like this anymore”
”……………shi+n, I have one thing to say too, is it okay?”
And, from the intercam, he heard a sleepy voice It was Reine
”………………I did a lot of investigating but—it would see”
Speaking of the—Question, it was probably what shi+dou asked, when Yoshi+no visited his house a few days ago
Now that he thought about it, he felt that Kotori did ate it
”……………Since we don't have time I will tell you the brief details Yoshi+no is—”
Reine explained the situation briefly
”………………”
The sahtly squeezed, passed throughout shi+dou's whole body
But—
The only feeling he had was an agreement of, aah, if it's Yoshi+no then, it's understandable——
And the absolute conviction of, as expected I need to save the girl
”…………Kotori”
He looked at the city again and took a breath He thenhis chest a few ti violently
She uessed shi+dou's intention just by that, Kotori's voice resounded back
”—Very well Run straight to the right, until you get out of theat the speed and the direction Yoshi+no is heading, you will reach there in approximately 5 minutes If it is from that spot you can reach that location before her”
”Roger………!”
Receiving his instructions, he swiftly stepped on the ground firmly But,
”Hurry and finish increasing her affection level, and give her a kiss”
”………………Uhh”
………………It was a specific way to say it out of the mouth, shi+dou became a little shy from that
”What's wrong? Is there a problem?”
”N-No…………Although it is not about that but……errr”
shi+dou said that while lightly blushi+ng, Kotori h like she was tired of him
”Why are you getting embarrassed now? It's not like this is the first time you've done it”
From Kotoris words, shi+dou remembered what had happened inside the department store, his face turned even redder because of that
”Th………That, h it was like an accident at that time butIf I am suppose to do it intentionally, then it feels like a cri…”
”—Aah, what is this? Is there a chance that shi+dou ht be a lolicon?”
”…………Th, tha, that's wrong!”
”That reaction Bull’s-eye? Is your strike-zone from middle school and below? Kyaa—scary I have to be careful from now on”
Kotori said mischievously
”Oi oi”
And shi+dou replied back while scratching his cheeks
”No, that won't happen”
No matter how much he wasn't connected by blood, Kotori was his sister and they have been brought up together since they were young
As expected, there was no way such a thing would happen
”…………………”
”Kotori?”
”Shut up, hurry up and go!”
It was rare for Kotori, in her oppressive Co
”Wha-What's wrong with her………?”
While shi+dou was feeling it was hard to understand her, he dashed in the middle of the cold rain
He was so on the frozen road
And iht—he then firround
”—She's co”
Right after Kotori's warning—immediately, he saw a sloitted silhouette
It was a s rabbit-like ears There was no el <zadkiel> Yoshi+no summoned
shi+dou, raised his voice until his vocal cords alot crushed
”—Yoshi+noooooooooooo!”
”…………………!”
Yoshi+no as attached to the back of the doll which wasat extreme speeds, showed some reaction
It would seem, that she noticed shi+dou
<zadkiel> that was ht in front of shi+dou
And when he thought the sloitted doll bent its body, Yoshi+no as attached to the back, raised her face that was soggy fro
”H-Hey, Yoshi+no Long time no see”
”…………shi+dou-san………”
Yoshi+no raised her body, and un un vertically swung her head
At that occasion, Yoshi+no pulled out her hand that was inserted in the hole behind <zadkiel>'s back On Yoshi+no's finger , and from inside <zadkiel>'s interior, there were thin treads stretched out Like a puppet, it ht be used to control <zadkiel>'s movements
”Yoshi+no, there is soive to you”
”…………?”
After wiping her tears with her sleeves, Yoshi+no tilted her head as if questioning him
”Aah, this is—”
And, that moment when shi+dou took out the puppet that was kept in his pocket
”shi+dou!”
The same tiht beam of some sort, was aimed and fired at Yoshi+no
The shot grazed the tip of Yoshi+no's shoulder and her cheek, as it continued on passing behind her
”Wha…………?”
shi+dou's voice clogged up, and he immediately turned his head to look behind him
Over there was Origa on air while carrying a large cannon
”O-Origami………”
And what'swhen it happened, in shi+dou and Yoshi+no's surroundings, ASTaround them
”—That young irl”
With a voice that was passed through using a machine, the woman that appeared to be the captain made a practical speech
But,
”U——ah, ah, ah, ah, ah……”
And immediately such a voice came froinal direction
Yoshi+no looked at the AST ure and, tre
”…………………Uh”
shi+dou, raised his eyebrows and gasped
”Ah, aaaah, UAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh---------!”
She shouted, Yoshi+no then inserted both her arain
And while spreading an extremely cold air around it, it slides towards its back direction
”U,Yoshi+no………! Wait!”
shi+dou's entreaty could not reach
<zadkiel> which was being controlled by Yoshi+no, was Guuooooooooooooooooo-------- atmosphere
”Th-That is……!”
Tohka who had been running in the frozen city, was frightened at the scenery she was looking at
In the cleared up road, she was able to recognize the figures of shi+dou, the blue haired girl she saw a few days ago, and also the ASTthere
And, the girl driving the doll retreated to the back of the doll and, the doll bent backwards and started sucking in the surrounding atmosphere
”——Uh”
Tohka felt a cold chilly feeling deep down her stomach
The only level she could describe that feeling was it an instinct of some sort, but so was—not soood
It was hard to put into words but, yes, the shaking of the atmosphere and the ht to make a final blow, it was extremely similar
”……………, shi+dou!”
Tohka raised her voice
But, she understood that even if she did call out to hi so
Tohka iround
”<sandalphon>…………!”
And, she called that name It was Tohka's final sword, the throne It was the name of the miracle that held a shape
”……………………………, Kuh—”
But nothing happened Tohka distorted her face
It was not like she did not predict this She did receive many explanations from Kotori and the others, just in case
Like what kind of existence Tohka was And what Kotori and the others were planning to do with Tohka
And following that process, Tohka was also told why her poere sealed up
Naturally, it would be a lie if she wasn't uneasy at first That's because the power she had until now, suddenly disappeared all in one day
Depending on the situation, she understood that it was a necessary factor to lead a normal life with shi+dou and the other humans
Honestly speaking—Tohka's current lifestyle was unbearably fun
Although she was still intolerant of Origami, and still does not completely trust Kotori or Reine
But, the days passed together with shi+dou, were shi+ning radiantly and were floith feelings she had never felt before
—But
”<sandalphon>——<sandalphon>! <sandalphon>………uh!”
For the sake of saving shi+dou, right now, she once again sought for the power that was supposed to be unneeded
She stoain
But, no matter how much she tried; <sandalphon> would not manifest itself
”Kuh—I beg you……Please come out, <sandalphon>………!”
She clenched her teeth, and her eyebrows approached each other, while she was close to crying, she continued kicking the floor
”…………Kuh”
Inside her head, the clear scene of shi+dou falling down from the assassination bullet resurfaced
His sto doerless Herself not being able to do anything
She absolutely does not want to experience that again
—At that inal position
”………………Uh!”
wobbling shaking Tohka'sunstable The treh to blow her conscious aas, overrunning inside Tohka's head
”Ku—a, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
And then, the moment when <zadkiel> released the condensed cold air from its mouth
”U-Uuwahh………!?”
shi+dou fell on his butt unintentionally
He was overpowered by <zadkiel>'s tremendous pressure
The AST s initiated a barrage of attacks on <zadkiel> when it began sucking in the surrounding at rain
And thus——an extre stream of cold air was released by Yoshi+no’s <zadkiel>
”Wha——?”
Although he did not know about the details but froe he had, it was an attack that would probably rob shi+dou of his life, and he somehow expected that this would be the case
Judging fro that was impossible to avoid
”shi+dou—”
And, he heard Origami's voice, but it was too late shi+dou closed his eyes unintentionally—
After his body was stiff for a few seconds, but feeling no disco his neck and opened his eyes
”Thi-This is—?”
And while he was dumbfounded he opened his mouth
It was because, before shi+dou knew it, a giant throne was rising in front of hiht have protected shi+dou from Yoshi+no's attack
”San<sandalphon>…………?”
Yes It was the luxurious throne with the texture of metal On the steel blue colored ar its face out like it was peeping
That was, none other than Spirit Tohka's peerless weapon—<sandalphon>
”Wh-Why is this—?”
”—It’s simple”
Froht ear, Kotori's voice echoed
”Kotori…………? What does this mean? Wasn't Tohka's power sealed?”
”I told you before If Tohka's mental state turns unstable, there is a chance that the supposedly sealed poould counter-flow back, froh it is far from her full powers but it was unexpected for her to be able to suel………………Well aren’t you loved, shi+dou?”
”Huh………? S-So why is Tohka's—”
When shi+dou was flabbergasted, there were s