The gentle light dissipated, and Shido's figure appeared on the Fraxinus's teleportation platform.
The feeling of solid ground returned, yet his heart remained adrift.
"Congratulations, Shido!"
"You worked hard, Little Shido."
Kotori's and Reine's voices rang out almost simultaneously. Kotori had already jumped down from the Commander's chair, a new precious jewel dangling from her mouth, a hint of relaxed amusement on her face.
Murasame Reine stood nearby; for her, this was already a considerable display of "enthusiasm."
"The first contact operation with the 'Princess'—oh, I suppose we should call her Tohka now—can be considered a success based on the results."
Kotori walked up to Shido, placing her hands on her hips.
"At least you survived, she didn't attack you again, and she disappeared peacefully in the end. Next time, we can directly arrange a date, increase her affection, and then naturally..."
"Kiss and seal her, right?"
Shido finished her sentence in a low voice, his tone lacking much joy, instead carrying a sense of exhaustion.
He lowered his head slightly, his blue eyes lacking luster; clearly, he wasn't energized by this "success."
Kotori and Reine exchanged a look, both seeing understanding in the other's eyes. They knew clearly that the source of Shido's current dejection was not the somewhat rushed and chaotic conversation with Tohka, but the white-haired, golden-eyed figure who came and went like the wind.
Kotori sighed, deciding not to beat around the bush. She turned and walked back to the command seat, her tone becoming serious:
"Alright, we know what you're thinking. About Chinatsu—or rather, Heavenly Judgment."
At the mention of that name, Shido finally lifted his head, his gaze becoming slightly more focused.
"Her appearance this time explicitly brought up 'Anti-Entropy recruitment.'"
Reine adjusted her glasses and took over the conversation. Her voice was as slightly hoarse as ever, but the content made Shido's heart tighten.
"This is an extremely dangerous signal, Little Shido."
Kotori crossed her hands beneath her chin, activating full commander mode:
"'Anti-Entropy,' according to the background Welt previously fabricated... or rather, revealed, is a mysterious organization aiming to oppose the DEM company, and even the current world order that is hostile toward Spirits."
"If this organization truly exists, or if she intends to establish it, then her goal is definitely not limited to recruiting just Tohka."
Reine called up the data and analysis reports from the previous battle, displaying them on the main screen:
"Based on her operational pattern and her words to Tohka, we have reason to believe that her 'recruitment' plan is systematic. This means that every new Spirit who appears in the future could become her target and receive her 'invitation.'"
Kotori's voice grew heavier: "Think about it, Shido. One Spirit is already a catastrophe-level threat. If Spirits are organized, form a scale, and even possess common goals and action guidelines... that would be an unprecedented catastrophe for the human world."
"The human world, whether in technology, military, or social structure, is far from prepared to deal with organized, structured Spirit attacks, let alone war."
Reine added the most crucial point: "And the Heavenly Judgment Herrscher, she possesses such power and has demonstrated such intent and... leadership? Or perhaps, cohesion? Tohka's closeness and dependence on her is a dangerous sign."
"We must re-evaluate her threat level and regard her as a'strategic-level' existence capable of overturning the existing world structure, not merely a 'tactical-level' disaster."
The atmosphere inside the bridge became incredibly heavy due to this analysis. The crew members held their breath, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Listening to this analysis, Shido felt his heart being tightly clenched by an invisible hand.
He naturally understood the seriousness of the matter, but thinking of Chinatsu's lonely retreating figure, the emotions she occasionally revealed that contradicted her cold exterior, and her final silent lip movements... he couldn't simply regard her as a "threat" or "disaster" that must be eliminated.
(She wants to create a Spirit paradise... using this method?)
(What exactly does she... want to do?)
(What did she say to me in the end?)
A multitude of questions and complex emotions intertwined in his heart, making him fall deeper into silence.
Kotori looked at Shido's appearance, knowing he needed time to process, but what needed emphasis must be emphasized: "Shido, I know you have complex feelings for Chinatsu. However, from now on, you must clearly understand that she is not just 'Chinatsu'; she is also the Heavenly Judgment Herrscher, an existence that could potentially drag the entire world into war."
"Our mission is to save and seal as many newly appearing Spirits as possible before she successfully 'recruits' more of them. Now, this is not just about preventing Spatial Quakes and saving Spirits; it is also about... preventing a potentially destructive war from breaking out."
Shido slowly raised his head, looking at the threat assessment report regarding Chinatsu on the main screen, and finally nodded heavily.
"I... understand."
Yet, his voice was filled with unspeakable struggle and confusion.
Saving the Spirits and Chinatsu's "ideal"—these two paths seemed to be inevitably clashing. And he was caught in the center of this vortex.
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