Chapter 14 14: Tsukuyomi (Part 1)

"Origami!"

"Captain."

Ryouko passed through the barrier and reached Origami's side.

"Tell everyone to be careful."

"Understood."

Origami also seemed to sense something strange.

If they had broken the barrier by force, that would be one thing. But this time, it felt as if the Spirit had invited them inside herself.

[!!!]

At that moment, the change happened.

A huge pressure forced everyone to fall to the ground.

Ropes strung with sacred paper wrapped around the barrier and built small pillar like barriers inside it, trapping them like prisons.

"What is this? These weird ropes..."

Ryouko drew her laser blade and slashed at the cylindrical space outlined by the sacred ropes.

"A seal."

Origami frowned slightly.

It had already been confirmed that Miko's Angel was good at building barriers.

A barrier existed to stop enemies from invading from the outside.

Then if that barrier was reversed, it would become a seal that stopped enemies inside from escaping.

"What is that Spirit planning? If she's just locking us up, isn't that no different from keeping us outside?"

Ryouko lifted her proud heavy machine gun and opened fire on the seal.

"Lost. She's waiting for the moment she disappears. Miko plans to drag all of us into the Neighboring World!"

Origami suddenly showed panic.

"What?"

Ryouko's eyes widened.

Unlike when Shido and Tohka had entered the barrier, what Mikoto had opened this time was not a normal suppression field, but a seal. It was meant to drag every AST member into another world.

[Unfortunately, my Angel really isn't good at attacking. So please come back to the Neighboring World with me.]

Looking at the AST members in the distance, Mikoto's heart was wrapped in a cold emotion.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

After understanding the other side's plan, Ryouko could no longer stay calm. She pulled the pin from a grenade and threw it at the seal. At the same time, she deployed her Territory to defend herself from the blast that might reach her.

The Neighboring World.

That was the world where Spirits stayed before manifesting in this world.

No one knew what would happen if humans entered that unknown place.

Maybe it would be like space, and they would die from lack of oxygen.

Maybe it was an endless void where they would wander alone until they died of thirst.

Even if they were lucky enough to get caught in some Spirit's manifestation, the moment they returned to this side, they would be hit by a spacequake.

Boom!

The grenade exploded. The crimson flames of anger failed to damage the seal at all.

"That level of attack isn't enough."

"Origami?"

Ryouko turned her head and saw Origami raising her laser blade.

The hot, bright blade meant that Origami had focused all of her power into it.

"That's too reckless. You're putting all the power of your Realizer into the sword. If Miko attacks you now, what will you do?"

The AST unit used tools called Realizers to create Territories.

Right now, Origami seemed to have placed all of her power into her blade, leaving herself with no means of defense at all.

"Why did Miko choose to drag us into the Neighboring World instead of attacking directly?"

"Huh?"

"If she could, wouldn't it be better to kill us for certain? That means Miko's Angel probably isn't good at attacking. In that case, we should abandon defense and use all our power to destroy the barrier!"

"I see! Girls, raise your swords!"

As expected of Origami. She had figured out that Angel's ability this quickly.

Ryouko ordered every team member to raise their weapons.

As long as they could break the seal, killing Miko, who had no attack power, would not be just a dream.

At the same time Ryouko gave the order, Origami finished preparing.

The girl raised her laser blade high. Her silver hair danced in the air.

She aimed at the sacred rope and swung with all her strength.

"Huh?"

Everyone widened their eyes.

Disbelief appeared on every face.

Like a glass work of art, the laser blade shattered beautifully the instant it struck the seal.

"You're... kidding me."

Ryouko understood.

Origami was the strongest Wizard in this team. If even she could not do it, then no one could break this seal.

[There's... no way out.]

After the attempt to snipe Tohka, Kusakabe Ryouko once again tasted the bitter result of angering a Spirit.

———————

"Angel manifestation detected!"

Inside Fraxinus, the report Kotori least wanted to hear rang out.

"That idiot Shido won't give up, and we can't just leave Yakumo Mikoto alone either."

Looking at the data, the explosion at the shrine had turned Mikoto's emotional values into a total mess.

If they simply left her like this, the situation might worsen beyond repair.

For example, she might begin attacking AST without holding back.

Or worse... she might inverse.

[Shido, can you hear me?]

Pushing away her overly pessimistic thoughts, Kotori began communicating with Shido.

"Yeah, loud and clear."

Shido answered while running.

[Next, Fraxinus will fire Mystletainn at the Angel. Once we open a gap, you must quickly reach Mikoto and seal her. Her emotional values are already a disaster, but fortunately, her affection toward you has not dropped.]

With Shido's own strength, breaking that barrier would be impossible.

Although Kotori truly did not want to do this, there was no other choice right now.

"All crew, attention! Prepare to fire Mystletainn!"

The warning alarm before the cannon shot echoed inside Fraxinus.

The huge airship removed its invisible camouflage.

Magic gathered inside the main cannon, turning into burning destructive energy.

"Fire!"

Kotori pressed the red "Fire" button.

The cannon roared and struck Tsukuyomi.

Since the target was fixed in place, the powerful warship cannon hit the center with ease. Some crew members even made victory signs before the result was confirmed.

But—

When the smoke cleared, what appeared on the screen was an unharmed barrier.

The huge torii gates stood there like an immovable fortress, as if the cannon shot had never happened at all.

"What is with that Angel...?"

Kotori bit down hard on her Chupa Chups.

Leaving aside the AST's on testing-phase equipment and weapons, if even Mystletainn could not damage it, then this was practically cheating.

[Kotori...]

Shido's shocked voice came through the speaker. Clearly, he had also confirmed the result on his side.

"Shido, if I told you to give up this chance and come back, would you listen?"

It was a question, but Kotori already knew the answer in her heart.

[Don't joke around! I'm definitely going to save Yakumo-senpai!]

"Hah... I knew you'd say that..."

Kotori sighed and made her decision.

"Kannazuki, I'll leave this place to you... Use Gungnir."

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