Deep purple erosive patterns, like living vines, stubbornly climbed along Origami's fair neck, already past her jawline, beginning to trace eerie and dangerous designs on her cold, clear profile.
The intense pain from energy overload was like countless red-hot needles continuously piercing her brain, yet in her blue eyes burned a calmness that bordered on madness.
She ignored the mournful cries from her body and the piercing alarms from the system, her gaze fixed on the cover where The Hermit had disappeared, responding to the anxious Ryoko beside her with a tone that mixed absolute rationality with fanatical obsession:
"Captain, did you see that? We can do it! We really can defeat them! That Spirit has been injured and driven away by me! She is in a weakened state now, this is the best opportunity!"
Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremor from forcefully suppressing the pain, but the determination within it was unwavering.
"Have everyone else immediately begin a search and cordon off that area! I just need a little time, as long as I break free from this ice... I can definitely completely eliminate her!"
"No! Origami, stop immediately! That's an order!"
Ryoko's voice was firmer than ever before, and she flew directly in front of Origami, attempting to block her line of sight with her body.
"It's not just my order, but a direct directive from high command! The combat data for gungnir is too valuable, this prototype unit absolutely cannot be damaged here due to overload! Do you understand its worth?!"
Seeing that Origami still showed no signs of disengaging the drive, and was even trying to forcefully shatter the ice freezing her legs, Ryoko's tone softened, taking on the earnestness of a senior and a friend:
"Origami... listen to me, I'm begging you as an individual."
Her voice was lowered, filled with worry, "Overusing gungnir is mortgaging your future! Look at yourself now!"
"Even if you succeed in eliminating the Spirit, your body might be completely ruined! Your nervous system, muscle tissue... these injuries could be permanent!"
She tried to use a more intuitive analogy to make Origami Understand the situation: "The current gungnir test unit is completely a half-finished product! It's like forcefully stuffing a jet engine into a fragile bicycle! It's already a miracle that it can even start and run!"
"We have already proven its potential and feasibility, that's enough! The subsequent optimization and improvements should be left to the scientists in white coats to complete in the lab!"
Ryoko stretched out her hand, as if wanting to grasp Origami's shoulder through the cold armor, her voice almost pleading:
"Origami, stop. For your own sake, and for... your future possibilities. Now, immediately, disarm and undergo machine cooling and physical examination."
The purple patterns on Origami's face glowed faintly with the energy flow, she bit her lower lip tightly, falling into a brief silence. On one side was her obsession with eradicating Spirits and the seemingly within reach victory, on the other were her captain's orders, her comrades' concern, and warnings of irreversible damage to her own body.
Deep within those cold eyes, a rare trace of struggle flickered.
Just as Origami and Ryoko were at a standstill, and the AST Unit's attention was temporarily diverted by internal issues, Kotori's clear and swift instructions came through Shido's earpiece:
"Shido, opportunity! Origami is temporarily tied up, and the AST Unit, without gungnir, should not dare to rush into complex buildings for a cleanup in a short time. Even if they could force the Spirit out, without Origami's assault capabilities, it would only be a futile expenditure. Now is your best window of action!"
Her tone was unequivocal, carrying the decisiveness characteristic of a field commander: "The Hermit's coordinates have been re-locked, she's at your 11 o'clock, inside that partially collapsed department store! Teleport coordinates set, energy fully charged — now, move immediately!"
There was no time for hesitation, not even time for much thought. Shido took a deep breath, taking one last look at Origami, still trying to break free from the ice, her face's purple patterns flickering, and the anxious AST Unit members gathered around her.
He had to go. He had to find her before she was forced into a desperate situation again!
"Understanding!" Shido responded with a low shout.
The next second, the familiar slight sensation of weightlessness came, and the scenery around him instantly blurred, twisted, and then was replaced by a new scene.
When his vision cleared again, he was already inside a chaotic, dimly lit department store.
The air was filled with dust and the smell of scorching, broken shelves lay scattered, goods were strewn everywhere, the overhead lights flickered intermittently, emitting buzzing electrical sounds, and occasionally, gravel chips of stone peeled off from the ceiling.
This was The Hermit's final hiding place, and it was also the battlefield he had to seize, leading to another possibility. Shido steadied himself, carefully stepping over the mess on the floor, and headed in the direction Kotori had indicated, towards the depths of that silent and unknown shadow, taking his first steps.
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