With the C'tan's soul completely devoured, Duanmu Huai's duties in this world had come to an end. After that, he simply took Kurokawa Akane and left this world, arriving at... a hospital.
"I really didn't expect this thing to be able to connect with her."
Standing outside the hospital room, Duanmu Huai looked at the now-awakened Hoshino Ai, who was chatting and laughing with Ruby, and couldn't help complaining.
Of course, another reason the two of them had come to the hospital was that... although Duanmu Huai had been fully focused on the C'tan at the time, he hadn't paid particular attention to the battle behind him. Kurokawa Akane, however, had seen everything clearly. The phantom of the girl who had fought her was none other than Hoshino Ai.
At the time, however, Kurokawa Akane had been playing "Duanmu Ai." Let alone Hoshino Ai's phantom—even Hoshino Ai herself would have been cut down without hesitation if she had stood before her. Thus, Kurokawa Akane had swung her blade directly at Hoshino Ai without the slightest hesitation, cleaving her in two.
Of course, once the "performance" was over, Kurokawa Akane immediately found Duanmu Huai and explained the truth. After all, she had cut down someone's mother, and Kurokawa Akane had no idea how Duanmu Huai would react.
Duanmu Huai's reaction, however, had indeed been exactly what Kurokawa Akane expected. Although he didn't know what had happened, it was obvious that the one who had fought Kurokawa Akane at the time had been Hoshino Ai's soul. Considering that her soul might have been bound by that inarticulate giraffe, it wasn't strange that she had ended up like this.
And after Kurokawa Akane destroyed that phantom, Hoshino Ai's binding vow was dispelled, allowing her to return to her own body.
"Forget it. Just