An Ex-Machina on a Dimensional Journey

Pseudo-Canon: Gabriel, activate.

"Use Yud Aleph to send me into the future."

As Gabriel's power took effect, Kurumi, her spirit power sealed, naturally could not resist Xiu Er's control.

Soon, the light in Kurumi's eyes dimmed.

"...Okay."

Only after confirming that Kurumi was under her control did Xiu Er release the seal on her.

Nia, watching from the sidelines, saw it all.

"Is this the new ability you got recently? Hypnosis?"

"No. I had hypnosis before I came to find you. I just didn't use it on you."

"I don't need weapons to deal with you."

Nia's mouth twitched. She knew perfectly well she was no fighter, but having Xiu Er point it out so bluntly was still embarrassing.

Sorry I'm so weak.

She couldn't help it. It was true, and she had no way to argue.

Ignoring Nia, Xiu Er opened a Teleportation Gate and took Kurumi away.

Xiu Er controlled Kurumi and made her use Yud Aleph on her.

Yud Aleph

After consuming spirit power, it sent the target it struck into the future. The time cost was considerable.

Xiu Er drained the "time" Kurumi had worked so hard to store and made her activate Zafkiel's ability.

Watching the muzzle fill with Yud Aleph's power, Xiu Er readied herself.

Before meeting Kurumi, Xiu Er had sought out Nia.

Besides asking her to look up the Origin Spirit, Xiu Er had also had her use Codex of the Whispers to observe future events and learn exactly when Origami would obtain the Spirit Crystallization.

Since that moment was not far off, finding it had not been difficult.

Still, why did Nia so rarely use such a useful ability?

Xiu Er couldn't understand it.

The Flintlock Pistol fired.

Yud Aleph's power struck Xiu Er.

Then, before her eyes, the surroundings changed.

So this is the future?

Looking at the slightly changed surroundings, Xiu Er felt nothing.

It had happened in an instant, without any special effects.

Not bad. And...

"Data collected. Beginning analysis."

Analysis of Yud Aleph had begun as well.

"Analysis complete."

Now, in addition to the first through eighth bullets, Xiu Er's Zafkiel possessed Yud Aleph's ability.

That meant Origami was about to obtain the Spirit Crystallization.

Knowing exactly why she had come, Xiu Er immediately accessed the nation's networks, taking control of every surveillance camera and image-producing device in the country.

"Codex Opening—Pseudo-Codex—Zafkiel: Het!"

To finish things quickly, Xiu Er immediately activated Het.

More than a dozen of Xiu Er's Doppelgangers appeared behind her.

Once they received her orders, they flew off in different directions.

Origami lay injured on the ground, surrounded by dense forest.

Here, she had challenged the spirits, only to be defeated by Tohka after Tohka manifested her limited Astral Dress.

"I... can't do... anything..."

She reached toward the sky.

Memories of the past passed through her mind until, finally, she saw her parents' faces.

Origami's bloodshot eyes filled with unwillingness to accept defeat.

As though God had answered her, a miracle occurred.

A light suddenly appeared before her.

Then a crystal emerged within it.

Origami's eyes widened at the unbelievable sight.

She knew what it was. Right now, it was the only thing that could help her defeat those spirits.

"I..."

She strained with all her might to touch the crystal. It was her only hope.

But just then, something unexpected happened.

Just as Origami was about to touch it, a hand entered her field of vision and snatched away the crystal that represented her hope.

"Wha...?"

Someone took it?

In her current state, Origami's mind could not process what had happened.

Following the hand upward, she saw who had taken her hope.

That cold face entered Origami's sight, stirring memories of the past.

"Target acquired. Beginning analysis."

The Spirit Hunter!

Why? Why take it away?

She remembered clearly what the Spirit Hunter had done to the other spirits. Their abilities were what the hunter had been after.

Then, for some unknown reason, the Spirit Hunter had vanished. No trace of the hunter had appeared since.

So it was only natural that the hunter would take the Spirit Crystallization that should have been hers.

But she couldn't accept it.

She had watched her only hope get stolen, helpless to stop it because her injuries left her unable to move.

At that moment, Origami's mind finally gave way.

Tears spilled from her eyes. The girl who had always been so strong began to cry like a child.

Faced with Origami's sobs, "Xiu Er" remained unmoved, coldly reporting her progress.

"Notify the Commander Unit. Data collection complete. Analysis complete. Mission complete."

"..."

"Understood."

After receiving her next orders, "Xiu Er" tossed the Spirit Crystallization back onto Origami.

"Huh?"

Still caught between grief and anger, Origami was completely bewildered. She looked from the Spirit Crystallization, now back beside her, to "Xiu Er" and back again.

What was going on?

What just happened?

The Spirit Hunter stole the Spirit Crystallization, then gave it back?

Huh?

For a moment, Origami's tear-streaked face hovered between crying and stopping.

She could only stare blankly at "Xiu Er."

Her brain seemed to have short-circuited.

But "Xiu Er" paid no further attention to the baffled Origami lying on the ground. She simply took off and left at the speed of light...

The Harvest

While "Xiu Er" was snatching Origami's Spirit Crystallization to analyze it, the other spirits also received a visit from "Xiu Er."

Tohka looked up at that familiar figure in the sky, her body already braced for a fight.

Apart from their first encounter, she had never fought that figure again—the one people now called the Spirit Hunter.

In recent years, the hunter had challenged every spirit in turn and, after winning, copied their powers.

She and the faction behind her had become a source of dread for powers across the world.

Then, for unknown reasons, the Unknown Faction had withdrawn with the Spirit Hunter. No one had learned anything more about them since.

Now that the hunter had suddenly appeared before them again, Tohka had no idea what she wanted.

So Tohka gripped Gokurokugai tightly and watched "Xiu Er" with full attention.

She had the same face and expression as she had back then.

"What do you want here?"

Tohka demanded an answer, but "Xiu Er" ignored her.

She merely swept her gaze over everyone present.

"Princess, Diva, Berserkers..."

"Xiu Er" looked across the group's varied expressions. Miku's was especially strained. Judging by her trembling legs, she would probably have collapsed if she had not been holding on to the Yamisei Sisters on either side.

"Record complete. Updating data... Update complete."

At last, her gaze settled on Tohka's Gokurokugai, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.

Ignoring Tohka and the others, "Xiu Er" suddenly raised her head and looked elsewhere.

Tohka was not pleased at being ignored. It felt as though the hunter was looking down on her.

Yet, for some reason, her instincts made her look in the same direction.

A glow appeared before them.

A white figure emerged as the light faded.

Tohka recognized her.

It was Origami, whom she had defeated moments ago.

But something about Origami now felt wrong.

Origami wore a pure-white Astral Dress like a wedding gown. Silken strands woven from light streamed from a ring floating above her head, like a bridal veil.