"Sorry, sorry~ I got a little excited when I saw you were still alive."
"You make it sound like you've seen me die."
Cold sweat ran down Shido's forehead.
Lingmeng didn't deny it. She simply nodded.
"I'll explain what happened later. Right now, the important thing is..."
As she spoke, Lingmeng turned a sharp gaze toward the sky.
But she wasn't looking at Tohka and the others. She was looking at an empty patch of sky on the other side.
"No need to hide. I've already found you."
"Oh? You're quite observant."
A familiar voice came from the clouds.
Then a figure slowly emerged from them.
It was none other than Ellen.
"Ellen!?"
Shido, Miku, and everyone aboard Fraxinus looked stunned.
They truly hadn't expected her to come back.
Lingmeng gave a casual shrug and smiled.
"Heh. I learned my lesson last time. Why would I let you ambush me again?"
"Last time? What on earth are you talking about?"
Ellen frowned, unable to make sense of Lingmeng's words.
Lingmeng didn't answer. She simply went on.
"Everyone hiding aboard the airship, why don't you come out too? Save me the trouble of dragging you out myself."
"..."
It seemed she had discovered them all.
DEM's airship dropped its camouflage and appeared before everyone.
Surprise still lingered in Ellen's eyes, but she composed herself.
"I came back hoping to make you go Inverse too. I don't know why, but it seems you've already managed it."
Her expression grew grave.
"But why can you still keep your sense of self after going Inverse?"
"I don't have to answer that."
Lingmeng spoke lightly and raised her right hand high.
"Entropy Apostle!"
She called out the name of her first Demon King.
The next instant, pitch-black Spirit Power gathered in her hand and took