The Mecha-Kai Species During Dimensional Travel

[Pseudo-Canon: War Song Diva], activate.

"Please use the Bullet of Eleven to send me to the future."

With the War Song Diva's ability activated, Kurumi, whose spirit power was sealed, naturally couldn't resist Xiu Er's control.

Soon, Kurumi's eyes dimmed considerably.

"...Alright."

After confirming that Kurumi was indeed under control, Xiu Er undid the seal on her.

All of this was witnessed by Nia, who was eating melons on the sidelines.

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

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

"Against you, I don't need armament."

Nia's mouth twitched. Though she was well aware of her unsuitability for combat, being so bluntly called out by Xiu Er still stung a little.

Sorry for being so weak, huh.

No helping it—it was the truth, and she couldn't argue.

Ignoring Nia beside him, Xiu Er casually opened a Teleportation Gate and left with Kurumi.

He had Kurumi use the Bullet of Eleven on herself.

[Bullet of Eleven]

After devouring spirit power, it sends the struck target to a future time, consuming no small amount of energy.

Draining the "time" Kurumi had painstakingly stored, he made her activate Zaphkiel's ability.

Watching the muzzle infused with the power of the Bullet of Eleven, Xiu Er prepared himself.

Before meeting Kurumi, when Xiu Er had sought out Nia.

Aside from having her search for the Origin Spirit, he also had her use the [Codex of the Whispers] to observe future events, learning the exact time when Origami would obtain the Spirit Crystallization.

Since the time wasn't far off, finding this information wasn't difficult.

But with such a useful ability, why did Nia never use it?

Couldn't figure it out.

With the sound of the Flintlock Pistol firing.

The power of the Bullet of Eleven struck into Xiu Er's body.

Then, in his vision, the surrounding environment shifted.

So this is the future?

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

Just an instant, no special effects.

Felt alright, and...

"Data collection successful. Beginning analysis."

The analysis of the Bullet of Eleven had also begun.

"Analysis successful."

Now, Xiu Er's [Zaphkiel] possessed the ability of the Bullet of Eleven in addition to Bullets One through Eight.

Now was the point when Origami was about to obtain the Spirit Crystallization.

Well aware of the purpose of this trip, Xiu Er immediately began interfacing with the nation's network, taking control of all surveillance and mechanical devices capable of producing images across the entire country.

"-[Codex Opening]-[Pseudo-Canon]-[Zaphkiel of Eight]-"

To finish quickly, Xiu Er immediately activated the Bullet of Eight's ability.

Over a dozen clones of Xiu Er appeared behind him.

After receiving his orders, they each flew off in different directions.

Origami lay on the ground, covered in wounds, surrounded by dense forest.

Here, she had challenged the assembled spirits, ultimately unable to withstand Tohka, who had manifested her limited Astral Dress, and was defeated, falling at that spot.

"I've already... nothing..."

She reached out toward the sky.

Scenes of the past replayed in her mind, and finally, her parents' faces appeared in her thoughts.

Origami's bloodshot eyes were filled with unwillingness.

As if a deity had answered, a miracle occurred.

A beam of light suddenly appeared before her.

Then, a crystal materialized in front of her.

Origami's eyes flew wide open as she stared at this unbelievable sight.

She knew what this thing was, and at this moment, it was the only thing that could help her defeat those Spirits.

"I..."

She strained with all her might, trying to touch that crystal—it was her only hope now.

But just then, an accident happened.

Just as Origami was about to reach the crystal, a hand appeared in her field of vision, snatching away that symbol of hope.

"Wh—?"

The thing... was taken?

Origami's current mental state couldn't process what had just happened.

Following that hand, she saw who had taken her hope.

That cold face appeared in Origami's eyes, stirring up memories of the past.

"Target acquisition successful. Beginning analysis mission."

Spirit Hunter!

Why... why did they take it away?

The Spirit Hunter's past actions against the Spirits were still vivid in her mind—their goal had always been the Spirits' powers.

But later, for some unknown reason, the Spirit Hunter had vanished, and in the time that followed, there was no trace of them.

And now, it was only natural that they would take this Spirit Crystallization that should have belonged to her.

But she couldn't accept it.

Watching her only hope being taken away, unable to move because of her injuries, powerless to do anything.

At that moment, Origami's spirit finally couldn't take it anymore and shattered.

Tears streamed from her eyes. The once-strong girl now wept like a child.

Faced with Origami's sobbing, "Xiu Er" remained unmoved, coldly reporting the mission progress.

"[Notification] Commander Unit, data collection complete. Analysis finished. Mission accomplished."

"..."

"Understood."

Receiving the next instruction, "Xiu Er" tossed the Spirit Crystallization back onto Origami's body.

"Huh?"

Origami, still in a state of grief and anger, was now completely confused. Staring at the crystal that had returned to her side, she looked back and forth between "Xiu Er" and the crystal.

What was going on?

What happened?

The Spirit Hunter took the Spirit Crystallization... and then gave it back?

Huh?

For a moment, Origami, her face streaked with tears, didn't know whether to cry or not.

She just stared blankly at "Xiu Er."

It seemed like her brain's CPU had fried.

But "Xiu Er" paid no more attention to the bewildered Origami lying on the ground. She simply took off on her own, vanishing at light speed...

Chapter 30: Harvest

While "Xiu Er" was taking the Spirit Crystallization from Origami for analysis, on the other side, the group of Spirits also received a visit from "Xiu Er."

Tohka stared at the figure in the sky from her memories, her body already poised for battle.

In her memories, the one she hadn't fought since their first meeting, now called the [Spirit Hunter], existed.

In recent years, they had challenged all the Spirits one by one and, as the victor, copied their powers.

She and the faction behind her were feared by all forces in the world.

But later, for unknown reasons, that Unknown Faction withdrew with the Spirit Hunter, and since then, no force in the world had obtained any information about them.

Now, suddenly appearing before them again, Tohka had no idea what the other party intended to do.

So, gripping the Gokurokugai tightly in her hand, she stared seriously at "Xiu Er."

The other party was just like back then—that expression, that appearance.

"You came here—what do you want?"

Tohka demanded of "Xiu Er," but "Xiu Er" paid her no heed.

He merely swept a brief glance over everyone present.

"[Princess], [Diva], [Berserkers]..."

"Xiu Er"'s gaze passed over the group, each wearing a different expression. Among them, Miku, whose face was especially ghastly, stood out the most. Judging by her trembling legs, if the Yamisei Sisters hadn't been holding her up on both sides, she would probably have already collapsed to the ground by now.

"Recording complete. Updating data... Update finished."

Finally, his eyes settled on Tohka's Gokurokugai, and the light in them gradually faded.

No longer paying attention to Tohka and the others, "Xiu Er" suddenly lifted his head to look somewhere.

Seeing that the other party actually ignored her, Tohka, feeling slighted, was in a very bad mood.

Yet, for some reason, a certain instinct made her follow his gaze and look in the same direction.

A ball of light appeared in everyone's sight.

A white figure emerged from the fading radiance.

Tohka recognized the newcomer.

It was Origami, whom she had just defeated.

But the way Origami looked now made her sense something was wrong.

A pure white Astral Dress, like a wedding gown, adorned Origami's body. From the halo floating above her head extended silks woven of light, resembling a bridal veil.