Deus Ex Machina, commonly known as DEM Industries, has its headquarters in London, England.
And the directors at that headquarters were currently gathered in one place, trying to calm their anger.
"Are you really going to just sit there after Westcott did something like this to us!"
A long-haired man wearing glasses slammed his hand on the table and shouted at the other directors.
His name was Roger Murdock.
The directors gathered here, including Roger, had all tried to remove Westcott from his post, only to have their arms cut off by Ellen and then reattached.
"But still..."
Because of that, the other directors besides Roger had no choice but to hesitate when it came to opposing Westcott.
"Didn’t we learn our lesson from this incident? He was on a different level! We were the fools..."
"Even so! He has to be made to pay for what he did!"
Even when the other directors backed away with skeptical looks, Roger did not waver.
Instead, as if this were their chance, he pressed harder.
"Made to pay, you say... Just how do you plan to do that?"
"Westcott is in Japan right now, correct?"
"And what of it?"
"My plan is this."
Roger Murdock explained his plan in full, his plan to kill Westcott.
And everyone present decided to join in.
*****
When Hieta and the others had been turned into trainers and animals by Natsumi’s prank, Natsumi had been watching them suffer from a nearby building.
"Ahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Too funny~ Serves you right. That’s what you get for humiliating me like that. Now then, next is..."
Just as Natsumi was planning her next prank, she suddenly sensed something approaching her.
"Something’s coming... Don’t tell me it’s Hi-kun’s companions? Still, I’m not getting caught in a place like this."
Even if what was approaching her was not Hieta’s companion, it was definitely coming with some kind of purpose.
She summoned Haniel and flew off on top of it to escape.
However, for some reason, the distance between them never seemed to widen. Natsumi frowned.
Why? I’m flying this fast, so how are they keeping up?
The AST’s speed should not have been enough to catch her.
So how was it that the presence she felt now was tracking her so precisely?
At this rate, it felt like they might even catch up.
'Tch!'
In the end, Natsumi decided to descend to the ground and deal with the group chasing her.
The moment Natsumi came down onto a mountain trail, missiles came flying at her.
"Ghk!"
Natsumi groaned in pain as she took the impact of the missiles head-on.
Still, because her spirit armor protected her, there were no injuries on her body.
After enduring the missiles, Natsumi looked up at the pursuer staring down at her from the sky.
"That’s a pretty aggressive greeting for Hi-kun’s companion!"
The pursuer chasing Natsumi was a woman with long pale-gold hair, violet eyes, and a pure white CR-Unit.
Her name was Ellen Mira Mathers.
The one chasing Natsumi was none other than a Wizard from DEM.
"I am not Higa Hieta Hai’s companion."
"Then you’re from AST? Well, I don’t really care either way. What do you want?"
As Natsumi asked, Ellen also descended to the ground and replied,
"I will hunt you."
At Ellen’s words, saying she would hunt her, Natsumi snorted.
How was a mere human supposed to hunt a spirit like her?
With Haniel, attacks would not work, and even if they did, her spirit armor would protect her.
So when she heard Ellen’s words, Natsumi only found them ridiculous.
"Hmm. I’d say that’s impossible."
At Natsumi’s mocking provocation, Ellen drew the sword mounted on her back and shot back,
"Whether it’s impossible or not, you’ll find out when we try."
"Ufufufu. And the proof of that confidence is... huh?"
Other Wizards began appearing around Ellen.
The Wizards glared at Natsumi and prepared to attack.
"Well, I guess it doesn’t matter either way...!"
As Natsumi swung Haniel, a red slash burst from its tip and swept over Ellen and the Wizards.
And the cloud of dust that rose from it obscured their vision, delaying their timing. During that moment, Natsumi prepared herself for the attack.
"You little—!"
Once the dust cleared and the Wizards confirmed Natsumi’s position, they pulled the triggers first.
Countless shells fired from the muzzles and flew toward Natsumi, who casually raised Haniel.
"[Haniel]"
As if answering Natsumi’s call, the tip of the broom split apart.
Then it transformed into a mirror, and every shell reflected in that mirror turned into food.
"...!"
"Oh my, oh my. You’re giving me snacks as a gift? How lovely. I should return the favor!"
Bright light burst from the tip of Haniel and shot toward Ellen.
At that intense light, Ellen raised an arm to shield her eyes, and the Wizards stared at her in shock.
"E-Ellen!"
"W-What is this!?"
Ellen sensed that something was wrong.
Her field of view was far too low.
Natsumi had not gotten bigger.
Then there was only one possibility left: she had gotten smaller.
Because of Natsumi’s power, Ellen had become younger.
"You look cuter like that."
"Tch...!"
"Now then, what are you going to do?"
"The fight isn’t over yet. This is enough to kill you."
Saying that, the shrunken Ellen kicked off the ground.
It was a force and speed that were hard to believe had been reduced at all.
The ground Ellen had kicked apart shattered and was driven back, and an attack too fast to follow with the eye shot toward Natsumi.
"Kgh!"
Ellen had already moved behind Natsumi.
When Natsumi turned around to find Ellen’s position, a tremendous pain struck her waist.
"Ghk...!"
Red droplets began beading along Natsumi’s waist, then burst out under pressure like they were exploding.
"H-Hiiik!"
In that instant, Ellen had pierced through Natsumi’s spirit armor and cut into her waist.
Natsumi clutched her bleeding side in shock.
'How, how did she get through my spirit armor? She got younger, so how does she still have that kind of power...?'
Countless thoughts crossed her mind, but the strongest one was just one thing.
'I’m going to die.'
The fear of death.
The terror that she would die if she stayed like this crept over Natsumi and devoured her mind.
"L-Lies! Lies...! What is this supposed to be!"
Looking at Natsumi as she denied reality, Ellen said flatly,
"I missed the vital point. It seems my strength really has dropped."
With those words, Natsumi’s power was undone and she returned to her original form.
"Then..."
"P-Please...! No...! Save me...! No, save me...! Please, save me...!"
Unlike her calm demeanor from moments ago, Natsumi now begged for her life with a pitiful expression.
Ellen looked at her and smiled with open contempt.
"There’s no need to worry. It will be over soon."
The moment Ellen raised her sword and brought it down, Natsumi shut her eyes in preparation for the death that was about to come.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
She felt no pain.
If she had been cut, she should have felt pain.
And yet, she felt nothing anywhere in her body.
'What...?'
Natsumi wondered at the absence of pain.
'Why?'
Had the enemy spared her?
But that seemed strange too.
Then why?
To solve that question, Natsumi slowly opened her eyes.
And she could see it.
An armor that looked like it belonged in the Middle Ages, scorched and dented in places as if it had already been burned through.
When she lifted her gaze a little higher, red hair was sticking out through the gaps in the helmet.
And one sword in that armor’s hand.
What it held was closer to a club than a sword, twisted into a spiral.
The armor had blocked Ellen’s sword with that one blade and protected Natsumi.
"W-Who..."
Seeing someone she had never met before protect her, Natsumi asked who the person was.
Fwoosh!
The mysterious figure answered Natsumi’s question by drawing flames up from the spiral blade.
Facing those flames head-on, Ellen felt the heat nearly melt her CR-Unit and stepped back.
Then she quietly muttered the name of the person who had blocked her attack.
"[Knight]... no, Higa Hieta Hai."
"Ah, long time no see. Photographer. No, wait. Ellen?"
"W-What did you say...?"
The voice was familiar yet unfamiliar, but Ellen’s words made the identity clear.
He turned at Natsumi’s voice and looked back at her through the helmet.
"It’s been a while for you too, Natsumi."
"W-Why..."
Natsumi was confused by the person who had protected her.
After all the torment she had put him through, after trying to ruin him socially too.
Why would he protect her?
She wanted to ask all of that, but the blood loss made it hard to speak.
Seeing Natsumi like that, the man casually tossed something to her.
"Drink this. You’ll get better."
What he threw her was a yellow glass bottle engraved with an old-fashioned design.
There was liquid inside, and when Natsumi carefully lifted it, it gave a faint sloshing sound.
The man shifted his gaze away from Natsumi and looked at Ellen, then drew up his strength.
"Now then, let’s settle things from back then."
Flames rose from the body of the man, Higa Hieta Hai.
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