Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Ai, Mai, and Mii ask Lingmeng to deliver threatening messages to Shido about standing Tohka up. Their exaggerated claims involve curses, an SM-queen mother, and an assassin uncle. Mii’s normal speech surprises the others, who thought she only said “Maji hiku wa.”
• After the girls leave, Lingmeng drops her sweet, innocent act and reveals she had used it to lower their guard. Shido, whom she had hidden on top of a utility pole to keep him away from them, admits he heard everything.
• Lingmeng transports Shido to Fraxinus. Kotori sends him off to continue his date with Origami, part of a three-way date with Tohka and Kurumi.
• Origami has apparently beaten up several delinquents who were bothering her, but insists they merely “slipped.” She then leads Shido to Tenguu Quinter—the same destination as his dates with Tohka and Kurumi—leaving him anxious about accidental encounters.
• During the date, Origami takes Shido to a family restaurant beside the aquarium where he had been with Tohka. Seeing it reminds him of Tohka’s worried expression.
• Aboard Fraxinus, the crew monitors Tohka. After Shido has been away for some time, she becomes emotionally unsettled and leaves the aquarium to search for him.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng shows her calculating side: she has been pretending to be cute to disarm the other girls, and she helps Shido evade them.
• Mii unexpectedly speaks in full, ordinary sentences, revealing that her usual catchphrase is not her only speech.
• Shido remains caught between the girls, worrying about Tohka while trying to manage his date with Origami. He is also wary of Origami’s violence and evasiveness.
• Origami is calm and direct, taking control of the date and dismissing the injured delinquents’ fate with repeated insistence that they “slipped.”
• Kotori and the Fraxinus crew supervise the dates and recognize the danger of Tohka finding Shido with Origami.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: Lingmeng’s cute persona is a deliberate disguise, while Origami’s “they slipped” explanation conceals what happened.
• Romantic entanglement and jealousy: Shido’s overlapping dates require him to avoid being discovered, while Tohka’s growing distress raises the stakes.
• Comic danger: Threats, a boy stranded on a utility pole, and Origami’s injured adversaries blend slapstick humor with genuine peril.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kotori and Lingmeng realize that the situation may trigger Spirit Power Reversal, requiring Lingmeng to intervene.
• Tohka leaves the aquarium to search for Shido after he disappears for nearly an hour.
• Shido is secretly having dinner with Origami at a family restaurant after fleeing from the other girls earlier.
• Tohka nearly discovers him when she approaches the restaurant and sees the window-side table.
• Lingmeng intercepts Tohka and lies that Shido asked her to keep Tohka company.
• Tohka’s hunger provides a convenient distraction. Lingmeng takes her to the nearby food street, preventing her from discovering Shido and Origami.
• At the restaurant, Shido accidentally sprays pasta onto Origami’s face after seeing Tohka. Origami unexpectedly eats the noodles, claiming that food should not be wasted, creating an even more awkward atmosphere.
• Lingmeng accompanies Tohka on an expensive food crawl, buying her takoyaki, okonomiyaki, crepes, soup dumplings, and many other foods.
• Lingmeng worries about the rapidly shrinking contents of her wallet and asks Kotori whether Ratatoskr will reimburse her.
• She also wonders whether Origami might have done something strange to Shido, highlighting the danger of leaving him alone with her.

Character Developments

• Shido becomes increasingly anxious about being exposed for dating several girls simultaneously. His panic causes him to spray food onto Origami.
• Tohka is shown to be trusting, easily distracted by food, and extraordinarily hungry. She temporarily forgets her search for Shido once Lingmeng offers to buy her snacks.
• Lingmeng acts as a quick-thinking mediator, successfully preventing Tohka from discovering Shido. Although she is helpful and generous, she is also comically concerned about money and expects Ratatoskr to cover the expenses.
• Origami remains emotionally unreadable and behaves in an unconventional, intimate way by eating the pasta that landed on her face. Her actions suggest a possessive or unusual interest in Shido.
• Kotori supervises the situation remotely from Fraxinus and relies on Lingmeng to keep Tohka away from Shido.

Significant Themes

• Romantic deception and escalating complications: Shido’s attempts to maintain multiple relationships create increasingly dangerous and awkward situations.
• Trust and manipulation: Lingmeng protects Shido by misleading Tohka, while Tohka accepts the explanation without much suspicion.
• Food as comedy and distraction: Tohka’s enormous appetite drives the plot, while the pasta incident emphasizes the awkward intimacy between Shido and Origami.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Lingmeng helps Ratatoskr and Shido despite the personal cost, though she humorously insists on financial compensation.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Origami’s behavior toward Shido suggests a desire for closeness, contrasting with Shido’s nervous efforts to avoid being caught.

Character Interactions

• Kotori and Lingmeng: Kotori assigns Lingmeng to manage Tohka, while Lingmeng seeks reassurance that Ratatoskr will reimburse her.
• Lingmeng and Tohka: Lingmeng distracts Tohka with food and accompanies her around the shopping district, successfully keeping her away from Shido.
• Shido and Origami: They share an awkward meal, made more uncomfortable when Origami eats the noodles Shido accidentally spat onto her.
• Shido and Tohka: Though they do not directly interact in the main events, Tohka’s search for him creates the central tension.
• Kotori and Shido’s situation: Kotori monitors the developing crisis from Fraxinus while Lingmeng works to prevent Shido’s secret from being exposed.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng’s role in Shido and Tohka’s date ends once Shido returns. Tohka eagerly invites him to eat with her, while Lingmeng excuses herself so she won’t interrupt their date.
• Back on Fraxinus, Kotori sends Lingmeng straight back out to keep Kurumi company while Shido is away. Lingmeng initially protests, but agrees after remembering the promised “One-Day Shiori-chan Experience Pass.”
• Lingmeng finds Kurumi waiting outside a lingerie shop with a bag of lingerie Shido chose for her. Kurumi teases Lingmeng by offering to let her try it on, leaving Lingmeng flustered and embarrassed by her own thoughts.
• Since Lingmeng is temporarily taking Shido’s place on the date, Kurumi asks her to choose their next activity. Lingmeng suggests a cat café, then an arcade. Kurumi insists on the café, claiming Lingmeng likes cats, and presses her until Lingmeng gives in.

Character developments

• Lingmeng remains reluctant about being sent on dates, but is easily persuaded by the prospect of spending time with attractive girls and the promised reward. Her awkwardness on her first date with a girl, along with her lingering awareness of having once been male, creates much of the humor.
• Kurumi shows her playful, provocative side, teasing Lingmeng about the lingerie and then maneuvering her into choosing the cat café. Her insistence suggests she is interested in spending time with Lingmeng on Lingmeng’s terms—at least ostensibly.
• Tohka is enthusiastic and affectionate toward Shido, quickly welcoming him back and wanting to share food with him.
• Shido returns from his date with Origami and, despite already being full, agrees to eat with Tohka to avoid raising her suspicions.
• Kotori continues directing Lingmeng’s involvement in Shido’s dates, treating the task as an opportunity Lingmeng should enjoy.

Character interactions

• Tohka greets Shido warmly and invites him to eat; Lingmeng tactfully leaves them alone.
• Kotori orders Lingmeng to keep Kurumi company, and Lingmeng reluctantly accepts.
• Kurumi teases Lingmeng about her lingerie purchase and offers her the chance to try it on.
• Kurumi takes control of their outing by steering Lingmeng toward the cat café and playfully—but insistently—getting her to claim she likes cats.

Significant themes

• Dating as duty and disguise: Lingmeng repeatedly fills in for Shido, helping preserve the appearances and flow of his dates.
• Flirtation and embarrassment: Kurumi’s teasing and Lingmeng’s flustered reactions create comic tension.
• Identity and lingering self-perception: Lingmeng’s thoughts about her former male self complicate her reactions to feminine clothing and dating.
• Persuasion and playful control: Kurumi’s charming insistence shapes their plans, while Lingmeng’s reluctance gives way to accommodation.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng takes Kurumi to a cat café, expecting a date, but Kurumi immediately becomes absorbed in petting the cats while Lingmeng watches, feeling ignored.
• Jealous, Lingmeng takes an orange cat off Kurumi’s lap and teases it. The cat scratches her face, prompting her to threaten to take it to be neutered.
• Kurumi stops Lingmeng from retaliating, then jokingly tells the cat that neutering may help it live longer. The cat seems to understand and hides by Lingmeng before eventually returning to Kurumi.
• Kurumi encourages Lingmeng to feel the cat’s paw pads. Lingmeng finds them unexpectedly pleasant and joins in petting the cats, though she is embarrassed to admit she enjoys it.
• As they leave, Kurumi reminds Lingmeng of her promise to cosplay as a catgirl if she did not take the cat to the animal hospital, leaving Lingmeng flustered.

Character developments

• Lingmeng begins indifferent to cats and resentful of Kurumi’s attention being elsewhere. After being scratched and then introduced to the feel of a cat’s paw pads, she discovers an unexpected fondness for petting them. Her jealousy and embarrassment are played for comedy.
• Kurumi reveals a playful, affectionate side through her enthusiasm for cats. She is gentle with Lingmeng, but also mischievously holds her to her own joking promises.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and affection: Lingmeng’s mock jealousy shows that she wants Kurumi’s attention during their outing.
• Unexpected enjoyment: Lingmeng’s attitude changes when she tries something she had dismissed.
• Playful teasing: The characters’ banter and Kurumi’s remembered callback turn the outing into a lighthearted exchange.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng’s attempts to reclaim Kurumi’s attention lead to a comic clash with the orange cat.
• Kurumi protects the cat from Lingmeng, then gently invites Lingmeng to share her enjoyment.
• By the end, Kurumi turns Lingmeng’s own exaggerated threat into a teasing reminder, leaving Lingmeng embarrassed.

Plot points and events

• Kurumi persuades Lingmeng to wear a catgirl costume by pretending to be disappointed, while Kotori urges her to cooperate. Lingmeng gives in, partly to preserve her promised “Shiori-chan One-Day Experience Pass.”
• At a clothing store, Lingmeng reluctantly changes into white cat ears, a bell collar, paw gloves, and a fluffy tail. Though Kurumi finds her adorable, Lingmeng is mortified by the outfit and the way it makes her look.
• Fraxinus’s crew watches the transformation. Kannazuki enthusiastically praises Lingmeng’s appearance and reminisces about cross-dressing, prompting Kotori to punch him.
• Kurumi notices Lingmeng’s embarrassment and offers to dress as a catgirl too. She returns in a matching black outfit, then asks Lingmeng to pet her head. Lingmeng agrees and does so.

Character developments

• Lingmeng reluctantly puts aside her masculine pride for the mission and gains a small understanding of Shido’s embarrassment at becoming Shiori. Her discomfort softens enough that she can compliment Kurumi and indulge her request.
• Kurumi uses playful teasing and mock disappointment to persuade Lingmeng, then shows consideration by sharing the costume experience. She also openly enjoys how cute Lingmeng looks.
• Kotori remains focused on the mission, while Kannazuki reveals his enthusiasm for cross-dressing and gets reprimanded.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter plays with gender presentation, embarrassment, and empathy: dressing as a catgirl lets Lingmeng better understand Shido’s experience.
• Teasing and reassurance shape the relationship between Lingmeng and Kurumi. Kurumi first coaxes Lingmeng into the outfit, then makes the situation less awkward by matching her costume; their roles briefly reverse when Lingmeng pets Kurumi’s head.
• The contrast between Lingmeng’s usual tomboyish manner and her cute appearance drives much of the humor.

Plot points and events

• While Lingmeng is patting Kurumi’s head in a Catgirl outfit, Kotori warns that Shido is arriving and tells Lingmeng to go find Origami.
• Shido arrives after being delayed by an upset stomach, having apparently eaten a great deal with Tohka. He is startled to see Lingmeng dressed as a Catgirl. Kurumi explains the situation, and Shido admits Lingmeng looks cute, much to her embarrassment.
• Lingmeng leaves Shido and Kurumi together, then returns to Fraxinus. Kotori enjoys seeing her outfit before teleporting her to continue her mission.
• Since she cannot be teleported directly into the restaurant, Lingmeng has to run there, drawing unwelcome attention from passersby.
• Origami, who has been waiting for Shido, becomes worried when he is gone for nearly forty-eight minutes. When Lingmeng arrives, Origami assumes she has abducted him and repeatedly interrupts her explanation.
• Origami accuses Lingmeng of dressing up to seduce Shido, calling her “green tea” and then “aged pu’er.” Lingmeng denies the accusation and fires back that Origami herself is trying to win Shido over.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng remains self-conscious and resentful about her Catgirl costume, but nevertheless tries to reassure Origami about Shido. Her patience wears thin as Origami dismisses her and insults her.
• Kurumi is affectionate toward Lingmeng and offers to eat with Shido, despite knowing he has already eaten—leaving him horrified at the prospect of another meal.
• Shido is awkward about Lingmeng’s appearance but compliments her, while still dealing with the consequences of his earlier meal.
• Kotori continues to orchestrate events from Fraxinus and takes obvious amusement in Lingmeng’s humiliation.
• Origami shows her intense concern for Shido, but her suspicion and jealousy lead her to misread Lingmeng’s visit and attack her motives.

Significant themes

• Embarrassment and role reversal: Lingmeng’s forced costume clashes with her self-image, while Shido’s compliment only makes her more mortified.
• Jealousy and misunderstanding: Origami’s worry for Shido turns into an unfounded accusation against Lingmeng.
• Comedy through contrast: Lingmeng tries to act calmly amid increasingly ridiculous circumstances, while Shido’s overfeeding and Origami’s blunt insults add to the farce.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng tells Origami that Shido asked her to wait, and Origami agrees—though she warns she’ll search for him if he hasn’t returned within half an hour.
• Origami asks whether Shido will finish his leftover pasta. When Lingmeng says probably not, Origami eats it, then licks the fork Shido used. She excuses this as avoiding food waste, while Lingmeng privately recognizes her real motive.
• Lingmeng tries to make conversation, but Origami’s blunt replies about the weather and her favorite food—Calorie Mate—quickly shut it down.
• Lingmeng changes tactics and shows Origami her extensive collection of photos of Shiori, including many in cosplay. Origami is thrilled and asks what Lingmeng wants in exchange.
• Lingmeng offers the photos for free, explaining that because they both like Shiori—and “Shido is Shiori”—they should be allies.

Character developments and interactions

• Origami remains intensely devoted to Shido: she is watchful about his safety, seeks out small ways to feel close to him, and becomes openly excited at the sight of Shiori’s photos. Her usual composure briefly disappears.
• Lingmeng shows that she can read Origami’s interests and redirect a failing conversation by focusing on Shido/Shiori. She presents herself as generous and playful, though Origami remains skeptical of her motives.
• Their relationship shifts slightly from awkward, adversarial banter toward a tentative alliance. Origami accepts the offer but questions why Lingmeng is being so kind; Lingmeng answers with a deliberately playful rationale.

Significant themes

• Obsession and intimacy: Origami’s attachment to Shido shows in her concern for him, her fascination with Shiori, and her fixation on objects he has touched.
• Awkward communication: Lingmeng struggles to connect with Origami through ordinary small talk, revealing their contrasting personalities.
• Alliance through shared affection: Lingmeng uses their common interest in Shiori to build rapport and frame the photo-sharing as mutual support.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng gives Origami photos of Shiori in exchange for Origami’s email address. Origami accepts immediately, then suspects the “free” gift may be a scheme; Lingmeng admits to herself that she mainly wanted Origami’s contact information.
• Shido returns looking sick after eating several meals during the dating arrangement. Origami worries about him, while he realizes Lingmeng has been taking on the exhausting task of keeping the dates running.
• Lingmeng continues rotating between Tohka, Kurumi, and Origami: eating with Tohka, following a conventional date routine with Kurumi, and entertaining Origami with embarrassing stories about Shido supplied by Kotori.
• Tired of the long day, Lingmeng asks Kotori if she can quit. Kotori says the work can end if Kurumi is the only girl left on a date with Shido. Lingmeng proposes removing Origami by force and sending Tohka home with a false warning about rain. Kotori approves, prioritizing Shido’s date with Kurumi.
• Tohka grows suspicious of Shido’s repeated disappearances and Lingmeng’s conveniently timed interruptions. She goes looking for them, but collides with an unfamiliar girl.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng is opportunistic and playful, but increasingly worn out by managing the dates. Her desire to collect girls’ contact details contrasts with her role as Shido’s reluctant helper.
• Origami is intensely devoted to Shido and Shiori, willing to risk a trap to obtain the photos. She is also wary of Lingmeng, though she misreads Lingmeng’s straightforward motive.
• Shido recognizes that his thoughtless agreement to a triple date has burdened Lingmeng and reflects on how bad the situation makes him look.
• Kotori firmly directs the operation and supports Lingmeng’s plan so Shido can focus on Kurumi.
• Tohka shifts from confusion to suspicion as she notices the repeated odd behavior surrounding Shido and Lingmeng.

Significant themes

• The chapter mixes romantic rivalry and comic scheming, with Lingmeng manipulating events to keep the dates on track.
• It highlights misunderstandings and mismatched motives: Origami expects a hidden bargain, while Lingmeng simply wants her contact information.
• Loyalty and obligation run beneath the comedy, as Lingmeng continues helping Shido despite exhaustion.

Key plot points and events

• Tohka and Origami unexpectedly meet and discover that each believes she is on a date with Shido. Origami suspects Shido may be dating them both, but neither has proof.
• When Lingmeng returns, Tohka asks whether the suspicion is true. Cornered, Lingmeng refuses to answer and flees, leaving Shido to explain.
• Origami reasons that Shido cannot be with either Tohka or herself, so there may be a third person involved. She suspects Kurumi and heads to the AST base to alert her captain, Ryoko Kusakabe.
• Lingmeng hides from Tohka, then learns from Kotori that Tohka is several streets away. They agree the group will have to explain the situation honestly, perhaps soothing Tohka with kinako bread. Lingmeng then heads home.
• Kurumi waits alone on a park bench and remarks that Shido has seemed distracted during their rare chance to date.

Character developments

• Tohka is excited about her date with Shido, but becomes confused and increasingly suspicious when Origami challenges her story.
• Origami remains composed, but her concern about Shido’s contact with Kurumi drives her to act quickly and seek backup.
• Lingmeng tries to manage the deception but panics when confronted, choosing to escape and leave the explanation to Shido.
• Kotori offers practical reassurance, though she leaves Lingmeng to handle the immediate confrontation.
• Kurumi appears to be involved in Shido’s date, heightening the sense of danger surrounding her.

Significant themes

• Deception and consequences: The effort to conceal Shido’s overlapping dates is beginning to unravel.
• Jealousy and uncertainty: Tohka and Origami struggle to make sense of Shido’s unexplained absences.
• Protection and danger: Origami’s attempt to keep Shido away from Kurumi reflects her fear of Kurumi’s threat.

Character interactions

• Tohka and Origami clash over who is really dating Shido, then jointly press Lingmeng for the truth.
• Lingmeng appeals to Kotori for help, but ultimately runs from Tohka rather than answer her.
• Origami connects Shido’s absence to Kurumi and turns to the AST for support.
• Kotori reassures Lingmeng and suggests being honest with Tohka; Kurumi, meanwhile, waits for Shido and notices his distraction.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kurumi reflects on Shido’s unusual “triple date,” noting that Lingmeng repeatedly appears shortly after Shido leaves, suggesting that their meetings are planned rather than coincidental.
• While waiting for Shido, Kurumi buys a drink and hears a kitten crying in a nearby alley. She discovers several delinquent-looking men shooting toy guns at the helpless animal.
• Kurumi confronts the men, apparently intending to punish them for their cruelty.
• Meanwhile, Shido speaks with Kotori while traveling to meet Kurumi. Kotori reveals that Tohka and Origami already know about his simultaneous dates, though she promises to explain the situation.
• Kotori also reveals that she persuaded Lingmeng to help Shido by offering her the chance to dress and appear as “Shiori-chan.” Shido is shocked and upset that Kotori has once again used him as leverage.
• When Shido reaches the meeting place, Kurumi is missing. Kotori directs him toward the vending machine, but he instead hears a scream from the alley.
• Shido discovers a gruesome scene: pools of blood, human remains, and Kurumi standing in her Astral Dress with a medieval pistol. One surviving man begs Shido for help.
• Kurumi condemns the men for wanting to kill while being unwilling to face death themselves. She then shoots the man through the chest, killing him.
• Kurumi declares that she will now “devour” Shido, revealing that she intends to consume him and later Lingmeng so that they can live within her.
• Shido attempts to flee, but shadowy arms emerge from the ground and restrain him. Kurumi approaches him as the surveillance feed suddenly cuts out.
• Kotori loses contact with Shido and angrily strikes the command desk, left unable to intervene.

Character Developments

• Kurumi: Her possessive intentions become explicit. She views both Shido and Lingmeng as future parts of herself and treats dating as merely a step toward consuming them. Her brutal punishment of the animal abusers also reinforces her sadistic and morally warped sense of justice.
• Shido: Though accustomed to supernatural danger, he is horrified by the sight of genuine human remains. His shock and nausea emphasize his ordinary humanity and make him especially vulnerable when Kurumi turns against him.
• Kotori: She continues manipulating circumstances behind the scenes to protect Shido, including exploiting Lingmeng’s interest in “Shiori-chan.” Her frustration becomes evident when communication with Shido is severed.
• Lingmeng: Although absent for most of the chapter, she is shown to be crucial to Shido’s survival strategy. Kurumi’s statement also reveals that Lingmeng is one of her intended targets.

Significant Themes

• The danger beneath romance: Shido’s date appears lighthearted on the surface, but Kurumi’s “romantic” interest is ultimately predatory and murderous.
• Possession and consumption: Kurumi equates love with absorbing and permanently possessing the people she desires.
• Justice versus cruelty: Kurumi punishes the men for attacking the kitten, but her response is far more violent than their original act, raising questions about whether her actions are justice or sadism.
• Human vulnerability: Shido’s inability to cope with the bloodshed contrasts with the supernatural violence around him.
• Deception and manipulation: The triple-date arrangement, Lingmeng’s assistance, and Kotori’s use of Shido’s cross-dressed identity all show how survival depends on schemes and concealed motives.

Character Interactions

• Kurumi speaks to herself about Shido and Lingmeng, revealing her possessive plans.
• Kurumi confronts the animal abusers and mocks their unwillingness to face the violence they initiated.
• Kotori guides Shido through the date and admits that she manipulated Lingmeng into helping him.
• Shido protests Kotori’s secret use of his “Shiori-chan” identity but ultimately accepts that it helped keep him alive.
• Shido and Kurumi reunite in the alley, but their interaction immediately shifts from a date to a life-or-death confrontation.
• Kotori desperately attempts to communicate with Shido after Kurumi captures him, but the cut-off surveillance leaves her helpless.

Key plot points and events

• With surveillance offline, the Fraxinus crew cannot locate Shido. Reine and Kotori decide to summon Lingmeng back, despite her having just finished work.
• Lingmeng is about to go home and play Honkai Impact 3rd when Kotori tells her Kurumi is about to kill Shido in an alley at Tengu Park. Lingmeng immediately teleports there.
• Kurumi, having killed and apparently eaten people, is poised to feed on Shido. Lingmeng interrupts by hurling her into a wall.
• Kurumi attacks with shadow bullets, but Lingmeng swiftly disarms and restrains her with the Wind Element, defeating her in seconds—even though Lingmeng’s own power is sealed.
• When Kurumi expects Lingmeng to kill her, Lingmeng says that Kurumi’s actions are unforgivable, but she herself has no right to take another life. A kitten’s meow then draws Lingmeng’s attention.

Character developments

• Lingmeng puts aside her leisure plans and acts urgently to save Shido, partly because his survival is tied to Shiori’s. Her decisive strength is balanced by a firm belief that every life is precious, even a criminal’s.
• Kurumi is shown as casual and disturbingly indifferent about killing, yet Lingmeng’s refusal to execute her seems to surprise and unsettle her.
• Shido is helpless during Kurumi’s attack but warns Lingmeng not to underestimate her. He is astonished when Lingmeng wins so quickly.
• Kotori and Reine prioritize Shido’s rescue and recognize Lingmeng as their best option against Kurumi.

Significant themes

• The value of life and limits of justice: Lingmeng condemns Kurumi’s violence but refuses to become an executioner.
• Duty versus personal enjoyment: Lingmeng abandons her eagerly anticipated gaming session to protect Shido.
• Power and restraint: Lingmeng’s overwhelming strength is paired with moral self-control.

Character interactions

• Kotori urgently calls Lingmeng back, and Lingmeng responds without hesitation once she learns Shido is in danger.
• Lingmeng confronts Kurumi, rebukes her indifference toward her victims, and defeats her in combat.
• Kurumi asks Lingmeng to kill her, but Lingmeng refuses, leaving Kurumi visibly confused.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng finds Kurumi standing over several dead people and a wounded cat surrounded by toy guns. She infers that Kurumi killed the attackers to protect the animal.
• Lingmeng releases Kurumi from suspension but condemns her for taking lives, saying that pursuing justice requires knowing where to draw the line. She refuses to let Kurumi go and intends to reform her.
• Before Shido can answer Kurumi’s question about whether he agrees with Lingmeng, Mana suddenly appears and cuts off Kurumi’s head.
• Mana explains that Kurumi is the “Most Evil Spirit,” credited with killing ten thousand people, and that she herself has killed Kurumi before. Kurumi can apparently revive, which is why Mana came to stop her.
• Shido is horrified—not only by Kurumi’s death, but by how casually Mana describes killing. He fears that repeated violence is hardening his sister.
• Lingmeng calms the siblings and reveals that Mana recognized her as the powerful Spirit Element Maker. Mana decides not to attack Lingmeng, noting that she has harmed few people and protected Shido.
• Mana urges Lingmeng to take Shido away before AST arrives and asks her to keep the incident secret. After they leave, Mana discovers Shido’s abandoned earpiece and hears someone checking on him.
• Back at Fraxinus, Shido is examined and sent home. He remains deeply shaken by witnessing Kurumi kill people and Mana kill Kurumi; Kotori and Reine monitor his unstable mental state.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng shows sharp observational skills and a strong moral distinction between stopping wrongdoing and executing wrongdoers. She protects Shido and mediates between him and Mana, while remaining prepared to defend herself.
• Kurumi is presented as capable of protecting the vulnerable, but her response is lethal. She teases Shido and Lingmeng, and her apparent ability to return after being killed complicates the consequences of Mana’s attack.
• Shido is caught between opposing impulses: he does not want Kurumi to hurt people, but he also cannot accept Mana killing her. His concern shifts toward the emotional toll violence is taking on Mana.
• Mana is revealed as Shido’s younger sister and an AST member who hunts Spirits. Though accustomed to killing, she shows care for Shido and gratitude toward Lingmeng, and ultimately chooses not to attack her.
• Lingmeng and Mana reach a temporary understanding: Lingmeng appreciates Mana’s restraint, while Mana repays Lingmeng for protecting her brother by letting her leave.

Significant themes

• Justice versus revenge or execution: Lingmeng argues that stopping evil does not justify killing, even when the target is guilty.
• Violence and its emotional cost: Shido sees that familiarity with killing may be dulling Mana’s feelings, and he reacts more strongly to that than to the tactical danger.
• Conflicting loyalties and moral uncertainty: Shido is torn between protecting his sister and defending a Spirit, while Mana’s duty clashes with her personal gratitude.
• Mercy and trust: Mana’s decision to spare Lingmeng, and Lingmeng’s effort to protect both Shido and Kurumi, show cooperation emerging across opposing sides.
  The excerpt ends as Lingmeng and the crew begin considering how to comfort Shido.

Chapter summary

• After Shido’s triple date is exposed, Kotori says Tohka surprisingly accepts the explanation without getting angry. Reine then asks Lingmeng to speak with Shido, worried that the day’s events could undermine his role in future missions. Kotori is considered unsuitable: commander-mode Kotori might be harsh, while her softer “little-sister” mode feels too vulnerable to her.
• At home, Shido broods over seeing Kurumi kill someone and Mana kill Kurumi. These events overturn his assumptions that Spirits are essentially innocent and that AST members cannot kill them. He is especially disturbed by the cold, practiced expressions both women showed afterward.
• Lingmeng arrives and encourages him to act according to what he believes is right rather than simply moping. Shido realizes she was sent by Kotori, but says he plans to make Kurumi fall for him because he believes he is the only one who can save her.
• Lingmeng slaps him—not to hurt him, but to make him confront his real feelings. She points out that he sounds driven by obligation, not genuine desire, and compares that mindset to Mana’s. Shido admits he is confused: he once agreed to save Spirits because he believed their harm was accidental, but Kurumi knowingly kills people, leaving him unsure whether saving her is right. Lingmeng’s response—“That’s it?”—ends the excerpt.

Character developments and themes

• Shido shifts from confidence in his mission to moral uncertainty. He must distinguish between choosing to help Kurumi and feeling forced to do so because he is supposedly the only one who can.
• Lingmeng takes a direct, candid approach to supporting Shido, challenging rather than merely comforting him.
• Kotori and Reine recognize Shido’s distress but delegate the conversation to Lingmeng, whose manner they believe is better suited to it.
• The chapter explores personal choice versus duty, whether a person who deliberately harms others deserves saving, and the emotional cost of repeated violence.

Key interactions

• Kotori and Reine discuss how best to support Shido.
• Lingmeng jokes with Shido before challenging his stated resolve.
• Shido admits his doubts to Lingmeng, who pushes him to examine whether his wish to save Kurumi is truly his own.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng challenges Shido’s belief that Kurumi is fundamentally different from the other Spirits because she has killed. She points out that Spirit-caused Spacequakes have also killed many people, even if the Spirits never intended them.
• Lingmeng argues that Kurumi is kind by nature but has taken her sense of justice to extremes. She urges Shido to help Kurumi change, seal her powers, and find a way to make amends rather than abandon her to her cycle of killing and death.
• Shido remembers why he began saving Spirits: he cannot bear to see them suffer. He resolves to save both Kurumi and Mana, who is also being worn down by the conflict.
• Lingmeng tricks Shido into blurting out that he wants to marry her, then pulls him into a teasing, comforting embrace. Their exchange turns the serious scene into comedy.
• The next morning, Shido tells Kurumi he will save her. She shows a faint reaction, and they arrange to meet on the rooftop at lunch.
• During class, Lingmeng falls asleep. When she wakes, her classmates are unconscious, an ink-black shadow has spread over the school, and Shido, Tohka, Origami, and Kurumi are missing.

Character developments

• Shido regains his conviction and commits to saving Kurumi as well as preventing Mana from hurting her further.
• Lingmeng acts as Shido’s moral guide, while using humor and teasing to ease his tension. She also recognizes that Kurumi’s actions are wrong without treating her as irredeemable.
• Kurumi remains outwardly composed, but Shido’s promise to save her seems to affect her.
• Mana remains absent from the scene, but Shido’s concern for her is reaffirmed.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and intent: Unintended deaths still matter to those who suffer them, complicating the distinction between the Spirits and Kurumi.
• Redemption and compassion: Kurumi’s crimes do not erase the possibility of helping her change and atone.
• Hope amid despair: Shido chooses to keep reaching for both Kurumi and Mana, even when saving them seems impossible.
• Comedy as relief: Lingmeng’s teasing breaks the emotional tension before the story shifts abruptly into danger.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng challenges Shido’s judgment of Kurumi and persuades him to renew his commitment to saving her.
• Shido and Lingmeng share a playful, affectionate exchange that mixes comfort with embarrassment and teasing.
• Shido tells Kurumi he intends to save her; she responds subtly, and they agree to meet privately.
• The chapter ends with Lingmeng waking to a mysterious crisis that has separated her from the others.

Key plot points and events

• Kurumi’s shadow spreads through the school, draining students’ life force to replenish her Spirit Power. Lingmeng realizes Shido and she are likely targets because they carry substantial Spirit Power.
• While worried that Shido, Tohka, and Origami may be facing Kurumi, Lingmeng uses Mind Detection and Spatial Movement to evacuate thousands of unconscious students to safety. The effort temporarily prevents her from using Spatial Movement again.
• A Spacequake alarm sounds and then abruptly stops, deepening Lingmeng’s suspicion that Kurumi is behind the events.
• On her way to the rooftop, Lingmeng runs into a Kurumi and knocks her into a wall. She then realizes this may not be the Kurumi confronting Shido.
• On the rooftop, Lingmeng finds roughly a hundred Kurumis holding Shido, Tohka, Origami, and Mana captive. The central Kurumi says she is trying to make Shido abandon his promise to save her; she intends to drain the students’ “time” as food.
• Lingmeng refuses to retreat. She quickly frees Tohka, Origami, and Mana, then strikes the Kurumis holding Shido and the others. The central Kurumi dodges, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

Character developments

• Lingmeng shows compassion and responsibility by prioritizing the unconscious students’ safety, despite her own fatigue and urgency. She also displays confidence and decisiveness when facing Kurumi’s overwhelming numbers.
• Kurumi is revealed as willing to endanger classmates to obtain Spirit Power and time. Her multiple bodies and apparent ability to evade Lingmeng’s attack emphasize how formidable she is.
• Shido remains committed to saving Kurumi, even though she calls that resolve ridiculous. He is also concerned for Tohka and the others after Lingmeng intervenes.
• Mana is frightened by Kurumi’s strength and urges Lingmeng to escape with the others, but Lingmeng’s confidence reassures her.
• Tohka and Origami are captured and unable to speak, then rescued by Lingmeng.

Significant themes

• Compassion versus survival: Lingmeng risks losing time and strength to save her classmates rather than leaving them behind.
• The value of life: Kurumi treats people’s remaining life as a resource, while Lingmeng rejects that view.
• Resolve in the face of overwhelming odds: Lingmeng acts despite being weakened, and Shido’s determination to save Kurumi remains central to the conflict.
• Trust and rescue: Lingmeng’s arrival changes the group’s situation, but the chapter ends with the danger still active.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng infers Kurumi’s motives from the shadow’s effects and rushes to help Shido and the others.
• Kurumi taunts Lingmeng and explains her attempt to break Shido’s resolve; Lingmeng condemns her treatment of their classmates.
• Mana urges Lingmeng to flee, but Lingmeng insists she can handle the fight.
• Lingmeng checks on Shido after freeing him, while Shido immediately asks about Tohka and the others.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng moves the badly injured Tohka and the others to a nearby warehouse and asks Reine—temporarily covering for Kotori—to send help.
• She offers to move Shido to safety, but he insists on staying so he can continue trying to save Kurumi. Lingmeng reluctantly agrees, warning him about the dangers.
• Kurumi summons numerous copies of herself and launches a barrage of bullets. Lingmeng reflects the shots back at them, then uses rapid movement and an electrified chain to incapacitate the copies without killing them.
• Lingmeng attacks the main Kurumi, but Kurumi uses Zafkiel and a bullet to the head to disappear and reappear behind her. Lingmeng blocks the surprise shot and realizes Kurumi’s apparent teleportation is actually extreme speed.
• Curious about Kurumi’s powers, Lingmeng asks how they work. To her surprise, Kurumi agrees to explain, prompting Lingmeng to wonder whether Kurumi is confident she can win.

Character developments

• Shido shows firm resolve: despite his injuries and the danger, he refuses to retreat because he does not want to abandon his attempt to save Kurumi.
• Lingmeng fights with speed, tactical skill, and restraint, choosing to incapacitate Kurumi’s copies rather than leave a pile of corpses. She also begins reassessing Kurumi’s abilities as the fight unfolds.
• Kurumi remains playful and provocative in combat, but her willingness to reveal her ability suggests either unusual confidence or a hidden motive.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng and Shido briefly coordinate while the fight is still underway. She protects him but accepts his decision to remain.
• Lingmeng and Kurumi trade attacks and taunts: Kurumi tries to unsettle Lingmeng with flirtatious theatrics, while Lingmeng stays focused and challenges her directly.
• Shido warns Lingmeng of Kurumi’s attack from behind, allowing her to block it.

Significant themes

• Resolve and responsibility: Shido chooses to face danger rather than abandon his goal of saving Kurumi.
• Mercy amid conflict: Lingmeng deliberately avoids killing Kurumi’s copies, even while fighting decisively.
• Confidence and deception: Kurumi’s tricks, sudden movements, and unexpected offer to explain her powers keep Lingmeng—and the reader—uncertain about her real intentions.

Key plot points and events

• Kurumi reveals that her Angel, Zafkiel, controls time. Its clock numbers correspond to different abilities, and the many Kurumis fighting alongside her are versions of herself from alternate timelines.
• Lingmeng realizes Kurumi has numerous time-based powers, while Shido points out that Lingmeng herself has twelve distinct abilities.
• Kurumi uses the bullet Bet. When Lingmeng blocks it with her Elemental Spirit, the bullet slows Lingmeng’s time even though it never hits her directly.
• Kurumi and her clones fire at the slowed Lingmeng. Lingmeng counters by speeding up her own time and raising an Ice Shield.
• Lingmeng then briefly stops time and uses the opening to attack. When time resumes, the Kurumi clones are scattered and unconscious, while Kurumi is thrown into a rooftop wall.
• Kurumi gets back up and correctly guesses that Lingmeng used Time Stop.

Character developments

• Lingmeng initially dismisses Kurumi’s tactic as a cheap trick, but recognizes that she let her guard down when Bet affects her weapon and slows her.
• Once trapped, Lingmeng stays composed and adapts, using her own time-manipulation ability to reverse the effect and turn the fight around.
• Kurumi is shown to be clever and dangerous, using clones and a trick that can affect a target through something they are holding. However, she is surprised by Lingmeng’s matching abilities and speed.
• Shido is left watching the sudden reversal in confusion.

Significant themes

• Adaptation and counterplay: The fight hinges on each Spirit anticipating and countering the other’s powers.
• Power and limitation: Lingmeng can stop time, but her sealed state restricts the ability to one second, forcing her to make that brief opportunity count.
• Confidence and caution: Lingmeng’s initial overconfidence nearly costs her, while quick thinking saves her.

Character interactions

• Kurumi explains her powers to Lingmeng, who challenges her over having so many abilities; Shido humorously points out Lingmeng is hardly one to complain.
• Kurumi taunts Lingmeng and attempts to capture or kill her, while her clones restrain and attack.
• Shido warns Lingmeng not to block Bet, but she acts too late to avoid the effect.
• After being struck, Kurumi recognizes Lingmeng’s time-stop technique, and Lingmeng confirms it with a teasing reply.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng confronts Kurumi, who has recovered from her injuries with Zafkiel’s Dalet bullet and can still command a large number of clones.
• Low on Spirit Power, Lingmeng tries to flee with Shido rather than continue fighting. Kurumi uses Aleph to accelerate her clones, who capture Lingmeng.
• Kurumi fires Zayin, apparently stopping Lingmeng’s time, then prepares to drain her Spirit Power with City of Devouring Time. She also restrains Shido, preventing him from helping.
• Kurumi cannot drain the captured Lingmeng. The figure she has trapped is an illusion: the real Lingmeng appears above her and strikes her with the Elemental Spirit.
• Lingmeng explains that she created the illusion after seeing Kurumi heal herself. While Kurumi was distracted by the decoy, Lingmeng moved into position.
• With both fighters weakened, Lingmeng escapes while Kurumi is dazed. Kurumi orders her clones to pursue.

Character developments

• Lingmeng shows resourcefulness and composure despite being badly depleted. Rather than rely on strength, she uses deception to create an opening and escape.
• Kurumi remains determined and cruel, intending to drain Lingmeng and then turn to Shido. However, her confidence makes her vulnerable to Lingmeng’s feint.
• Shido is once again helpless to protect someone he cares about. He rushes toward Lingmeng, but Kurumi’s shadow hands restrain him and silence him.

Significant themes

• Strategy over strength: Lingmeng’s illusion succeeds where a direct fight would likely fail.
• The cost of power: Both Spirits have limits—Lingmeng is nearly out of Spirit Power, while Kurumi’s reliance on her abilities does not protect her from being outmaneuvered.
• Helplessness and resolve: Shido’s inability to intervene contrasts with Lingmeng’s determination to find her own way out.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng and Kurumi trade taunts and tactical moves, with Lingmeng briefly pretending to flee before Kurumi captures her.
• Kurumi threatens to make Shido watch her drain Lingmeng, hoping to break his resolve.
• Lingmeng turns the tables by revealing the captured version was an illusion, striking Kurumi and escaping before the clones can stop her.

Plot points and events

• Kurumi’s clones swarm Lingmeng, but without their Angel’s powers they are no match for Lingmeng’s physical strength and Elemental Spirit. Kurumi heals her own injury with Dalet and escalates the fight.
• Kurumi summons a massive Spacequake above Raizen High School, intending to overwhelm Lingmeng and Shido. Shido is trapped by shadowy hands and cannot intervene.
• With only one use of Spatial Movement left, Lingmeng decides to teleport Shido to safety and face the blast herself.
• Before she can act, an equal-sized Spacequake collides with Kurumi’s and cancels it. A new Spirit appears overhead, and her flames burn away Kurumi’s clones and free Shido.
• Lingmeng recognizes the newcomer as Kotori, though she appears in a dramatic, fiery Spirit form. Shido is also singed by the flames as he struggles to get up.

Character development and interactions

• Lingmeng shows protectiveness and willingness to sacrifice herself, choosing Shido’s safety over her own despite the danger.
• Shido resists being left behind, but his restraint leaves him unable to help Lingmeng directly.
• Kurumi reveals how far she is willing to go to make her opponents suffer, using a Spacequake as a final escalation. Lingmeng and Shido remain wary of her afterward.
• Kotori’s sudden arrival shifts the balance of the fight, but the chapter ends before her transformation or motives are explained.

Significant themes

• Self-sacrifice and protection: Lingmeng’s choice to save Shido highlights her loyalty and care for him.
• Escalation and restraint: Kurumi’s destructive attack contrasts with Lingmeng’s focus on getting Shido out safely.
• Uncertainty and revelation: Kotori’s arrival introduces a new mystery and sets up the next confrontation.
  The chapter ends just as Kotori addresses Shido, leaving her new Spirit form unexplained.

Plot points and events

• Kotori arrives in her full Spirit form, surrounded by fire, and tells Lingmeng to protect Shido while she takes over the fight with Kurumi.
• Shido admits he had only just learned that Kotori was a Spirit, surprising Lingmeng.
• Kotori summons her Angel, Camael, a huge flaming battle-axe, and attacks Kurumi. She cuts through Kurumi’s clones and initially appears to have the advantage.
• Kurumi uses Aleph to accelerate herself and attack from behind, then Zayin to stop Kotori’s time. While Kotori is frozen, Kurumi’s clones shoot her repeatedly, and Kurumi fires a final shot through her head.
• Shido rushes to Kotori, but Lingmeng stops him and urges him to trust her. Kotori suddenly reappears, alive, as blue flames burn over and heal her wounds.

Character developments and interactions

• Kotori reveals herself as a confident, forceful fighter, taking command and openly defending Shido. Her apparent death—and recovery—shows that her powers include a remarkable ability to heal.
• Shido is shocked both by Kotori’s Spirit form and by her apparent death. His protective instincts drive him to intervene, while Lingmeng tries to steady him.
• Lingmeng recognizes Kurumi as a serious threat but remains confident in Kotori, drawing on her understanding of Spirit powers and her trust in the “Commander.”
• Kurumi taunts Kotori and boasts about the gap between Spirits, but Kotori’s survival shocks her and disrupts her confidence.

Significant themes

• Trust under pressure: Lingmeng’s faith in Kotori holds firm even when Kotori appears to have been killed.
• Hidden identities and revelations: Shido and Lingmeng learn that Kotori is a Spirit, changing their understanding of her.
• Power and vulnerability: Kotori is formidable, yet Kurumi’s time-based abilities can leave her exposed; her recovery hints at a powerful counter.
• Family loyalty: Kotori’s decision to fight is motivated in part by Kurumi’s attack on Shido.