The next day at school
The day went by as usual, with all the students going about their respective routines. It was peaceful, but Kaito, who had watched the anime, knew that this was the calm before the storm. This morning, he had witnessed Shido and Tohka's interaction at the shoe rack, seemingly discussing something serious.
Kaito was currently in the restroom, washing his hands at the sink while looking in the mirror.
The pale white light of the fluorescent lights illuminated the ceiling of the Raizen High School boys' restroom. The sound of water trickling from the sink echoed faintly, accompanied by the soft clink of water as the last drops fell from his washing palms. Arashi Kaito stood in front of the large mirror mounted on the wall, letting the cool water run through his slender but strong fingers.
His face was clearly displayed in the glass. His silvery-white hair was still naturally messy, and his crystal blue eyes reflected a calm… even a little lazy. He took a moment to stare at his reflection, then sighed softly.
"I think I need more sleep…" he muttered, shaking the water off his hands before grabbing a tissue.
But the next second, something changed.
The atmosphere suddenly became… silent.
Not just any silence, but a depressing, suffocating silence. It was like the world was holding its breath.
The air in the toilet seemed to thicken. The once-bright lights began to dim slowly, as if swallowed by an invisible fog. The temperature dropped drastically, but not from natural cold, but from something far stranger. Every particle of air felt as if it were filled with pressure… as if gravity itself had grown heavier.
Kaito stopped moving. His hands were still slightly damp, drops of water falling slowly onto the sink. But he didn't move, showing no sign of surprise.
Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face as he stared into the mirror.
"So it's starting again, huh…" he muttered softly.
Without a command, the Omnicore embedded within him reacted immediately. The strange energy that enveloped the room, instinctively trying to absorb the consciousness and energy of all living beings around him, had no effect on Kaito's body whatsoever. All attempts to suppress, lull, or isolate him from reality failed.
To him, this was nothing more than a minor annoyance.
He didn't need to look directly to realize that the spiritual field enveloping the school was Kurumi's technique. He recognized the energy pattern: a spiral of time wrapped around reality, enveloped by the dense aura typical of time spirits. This field acted like a spiritual blanket, lulling anyone within its reach. This wasn't magic. This wasn't mere spiritual pressure. This was a denial of time itself, created so Kurumi could move uninterruptedly… and choose her victims at will.
Kaito vividly remembered a similar incident in the anime canon. At a time like this, only Shido, Origami, and Tohka remained conscious. Shido because his body was protected by the spiritual energy sealed by Tohka and Yoshino, and Tohka… because she was a spirit.
Kaito's steps stopped inches before he reached the doorknob.
Suddenly, a cold, familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Main mission has been released]
[Mission: Defeat Nightmare and Efreet
Status: Incomplete
Reward: Conqueror's Haki (Perfection) (S), 1x Legendary Ticket, 10,000 XP, 2,000 PS]
Kaito frowned slightly. "Nightmare and Efreet…?"
"So that means…" he whispered softly, "…Kotori."
Kotori Itsuka. The girl who had always appeared to be Shido's cheerful and energetic little sister. But Kaito knew that behind her bright red ribbon and innocent smile lurked an equally terrifying entity: a Fraxinus Commander, and at any given moment… a spirit with the power of fire that could destroy a city in minutes.
Kaito's eyebrows raised slightly. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Kaito decided to change into his costume, the one he wore as Noir Blade.
In an instant, his school uniform vanished, replaced by a dark, slim-cut robe with sharp lines that emphasized his strong silhouette. A navy blue jacket with silver detailing enveloped his body, blending perfectly with dark combat pants and long, protective boots. Beneath the high collar, black gloves covered the fingers that once held demonic power and were now fused with something greater, the Omnicore.
Then, the gray-white combat mask appeared in his hands. Neon blue lines lit up from the eye slits down the sharp sides, exuding a silent yet oppressive aura. He held it for a moment, then slowly placed it on his face.
Noir Blade had reappeared.
Behind the mask, his breathing calmed. His vision became sharper, deeper. Every particle of energy around him was clearly visible, including the remnants of Kurumi's spiritual field that enveloped the school like a fine, invisible net.
…
On the rooftop of Raizen High School, a far more tense scene was unfolding.
There, Itsuka Shido stood facing a girl with long, black hair and a graceful red ribbon. Tokisaki Kurumi smiled sweetly, but behind that smile lurked an intention darker than the night. The atmosphere around them seemed cut off from the outside world—silent, lifeless.
Kurumi approached slowly, her slender fingers reaching out toward Shido's face.
"Shido-san… could you give me just a moment of your time?" she whispered softly, but a deadly aura permeated the air around her.
Shido gritted his teeth. "Kurumi, you don't have to be like this. There's another way—!"
But before Kurumi could touch his face—CRASH!
A flash of light flashed, and Kurumi's right hand was suddenly severed from the wrist.
Blood didn't even have time to gush out. The cut was so clean and swift.
Kurumi froze. Her eyes narrowed.
A girl in a silver-blue DEM Combat Suit suddenly appeared in front of Shido. Takamiya Mana, with a serious face and a sharp, glowing photon blade in her right hand, stood ready to fight.
"Don't touch my sister," she said coldly.
Shido was shocked. "M-Mana!?"
Kurumi looked at her severed arm... then smiled as if nothing had happened. Calmly, the black-gold energy from the large clock that appeared behind her—Zafkiel—wound time around the wound. In an instant, Kurumi's hand was whole again, as if it had never been lost.
"Fufufu~ Interesting... so there's a little bug bothering me," Kurumi muttered as she stepped forward.
Mana wasted no time. She charged at high speed, slashing, stabbing, and firing a flurry of photon projectiles, but Kurumi, with calm movements, dodged them all with light, dancing steps.
Then… BOOM!
An explosion erupted as Kurumi fired a Zafkiel bullet from the shadow of one of her clones, hitting Mana and sending her flying into the roof's retaining wall.
Mana stood unsteadily. Her armor cracked, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. One more shot, and—BOOM!—her body was thrown halfway to the roof, unconscious.
Shido ran towards her. "Mana!?"
But before he could get any closer, another footstep echoed from the rooftop door.
THUD!
The door swung open. Two figures appeared at once—Tohka Yatogami, in her school uniform, whose purple spirit aura was beginning to pulse throughout her body, and Origami Tobiichi, clad in AST armor.
"Tohka! Origami!?" Shido exclaimed.
Tohka stared at Kurumi with eyes that had turned purple. Her spirit aura flowed wildly, but remained barely under control.
"Don't touch Shido!" she shouted angrily.
Origami wordlessly unleashed a beam of light from the particle rifle on her back. The attack was swift, but—ZRAAK! Kurumi vanished for a moment, reappearing behind Origami, and with a single, well-timed slash, partially sliced Origami's armor apart, sending her crashing down.
Meanwhile, two Kurumi clones emerged from the shadows, restraining Tohka and Origami.
As Kurumi began to raise her hand, a spatial earthquake rift opened—a sign that she was about to summon even greater power, perhaps even tear reality apart.
However—
WOO ...
A wave of heat and a fiery red aura stopped everything.
From the sky above the school roof, a girl with long red hair appeared, dressed in white with a hint of black and fiery red. A pair of small horns protruded from the sides of her head, and her golden yellow eyes shone brightly.
Itsuka Kotori. In her Efreet spirit form.