Category: oshi

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—Crimson confetti spilled from the sleeves of the robe, swirling upward in the skyscraper winds.
 
Brighter than the orange-stained white fortress—red, scarlet, vermilion—the vortex spread outward.
 
—Like a flower blooming on the distant shore.
 
At its center, I looked up at Rui.
 
She scrutinized the crimson paper, her expression puzzled.
 
Just a flashy spectacle, right?
 
A hunter of cold-blooded precision wouldn’t understand the purpose of such extravagance.
 
A faint smile escaped me.
 
Apologies for gifting you this [Killing Intent] myself, but—
 
“I’ll give you an excuse.”… Read more

I had to expand my awareness—diffuse my focus.
 
The deadly arcs advanced slowly, inexorably.
 
Priority order: lower right, upper left, upper right.
 
Assessed. Then concentrated on just one swing.
 
First—lower right.
 
Simple. A kick off the ground would evade it.
 
But of course, she anticipated that. The blade from upper left came next.
 
I responded by—fully extending my arm.
 
Rotational slashes favor cleaving over thrusting.
 
Which also meant there would be moments when the hilt faced me.… Read more

Act 6: Repercussions
 

 
The aroma of coffee filled the air in the calm, relaxed atmosphere of [Café Manhattan].
 
At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than a stylish urban café, but in truth, it also served as a gathering place for [Negā-Messiah: The Covenant of Salvation].
 
On this unusually quiet holiday, the shop’s owner, Bakurou Yuika, placed an order in front of a customer seated at the counter—
 
a sweet café latte, generously mixed with honey.… Read more

“Tsukumo.”
 
“Mmm?”
 
Somehow already beside me, Tsukumo watched the fight with sparkling eyes like the other kids.
 
Though I wished she’d stop muttering “So cool how she disappears into shadows…”
 
“I need to get to the [Moon Tower].”
 
“…Oh? And?”
 
“Uh, yeah. I mean, …… ”
 
She looked intrigued.
 
I look back into those big eyes and ask.
 
“Well… You got any ideas?”
 
I asked about escaping this battlefield.… Read more

But [Izayoi] laughed at my expectations.
 
She crossed her blades, deflecting the strike with a slippery twist—
 
Bending her body like a contortionist, she barely avoided the sword—
And melted back into the shadows before hitting the ground.
 
“Tch…!”
 
Rui clicked her tongue in frustration. Even if she’d failed to land a hit, she’d still protected the children when no one else could—
 
Wait.
 
For [Utsurugi Rui], missing that strike was unthinkable.
 
—She’s still not at full strength…!… Read more

As I hesitated, she continued.
 
“Wouldn’t you like to set off fireworks? On the grandest stage—something that’ll overshadow even [Nega Messiah].”
 
“…………Outdo them?”
 
“Exactly.”
 
The recent incident where rampaged through the shopping mall remains fresh in memory.
 
To my irritation, their influence as the largest antisocial faction is substantial.
 
I had considered staging another performance soon, but accounting for their notoriety, I decided against it.
 
And at that very moment—an invitation from one of the world’s foremost merchants of death.… Read more

── [You should look in a mirror sometime too]
 
When Kushina told me that, I hadn’t understood what she meant.
 
Only when I realized I was truly part of this world did it make sense.
 
No matter how many times others tell you, you can’t truly understand without feeling it yourself.
 
In the end, the only one who can really change you is yourself.
 
But the words we receive from others still have meaning.
 
After all, it was Kushina’s words that gave me a real clue.… Read more

Act 5: Dear Rainy Girl
 

 
The ones enjoying the performance of Excia, the Winged Guardian, weren’t just the children (and otaku).
 
Up on the second floor of the chapel, the so-called “dignitaries” were also enraptured by the heavenly music.
 
Isana, seated at the far end of the guest section as their guide, was—
 
“Ugh… I can’t take this anymore… Why do you like me…? I don’t get it… It’s scary…”
 
—mentally battered by the unreasonable affection from some suspicious otaku.… Read more

Interlude: Reverberations – Part 2
 

“H-Hah! I—I fell in love at first sight! Please go out with me!”
 
“No.”
 
“Damn, you’re gorgeous. Be mine.”
 
“Die.”
 
“U-Um, Utsurugi-san, you’re really beautiful, so—”
 
“Goodbye.”
 
Ever since awakening my Talent Lux, the number of confessions I’ve received—regardless of gender—has skyrocketed.
 
Back then, it was maybe once or twice a semester. Now, I’m forced to endure this farce two or three times a month.… Read more

“Welcome to our sanctuary~”
 
Guided by her, we passed through the door—and the blue sky vanished in an instant.
 
Even the children, without realizing it, were now captivated by the new surroundings.
 
Amidst it all, Tsukumo alone scanned the area with an unimpressed look.
 
“Eh, this isn’t that special.”
 
Her blunt remark made me chuckle wryly.
 
She wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t all that different from Notre-Dame de Paris or Cologne Cathedral.
 
Wooden pews, grand stained-glass windows, statues of angels lining the walls, a central altar—
 
after being dazzled by the White Scales of Cyclic Protection Prim-Libra, it was understandable she’d feel underwhelmed.… Read more