The sky had completely darkened at some unknown point. Lead-gray clouds pressed low over the city, and the muggy air seemed to solidify, signaling the imminent arrival of a heavy, satisfying rain.
The already dim light in the back alley grew more ambiguous, and shadows spread wantonly in the corners of the walls.
The route Origami had guided them along was indeed secluded; the further they walked, the fewer people they encountered.
On both sides were long-abandoned old warehouses and low-rise buildings slated for demolition, with weeds stubbornly pushing through the cracks in the broken concrete.
The hurried footsteps of the three individuals sounded exceptionally clear in the increasingly oppressive silence.
Chinatsu, walking at the very front, and Origami, close beside her, could already see the outline of the slightly open abandoned park at the alley's exit—the exact sniper point chosen by Ellen Mathers for the Herrscher of Reason.
Shido, lagging a few steps behind, was also nervously observing the surroundings. Kotori's voice in his earpiece carried an unprecedented urgency:
[Shido! Just ahead is that abandoned park! The AST ambush is likely set up there! Be extremely careful! We are trying to locate their sniping system, but it will take time!]
Just as the three were about to step out of the alley and into that death trap—
A powerful piece of music began playing, a melody that was graceful, melancholic, yet possessing an indescribable sorrow and eeriness. It abruptly pierced the heavy air and drifted slowly toward them. The mournful, lingering music, like the whisper of a ghost, was utterly out of place with the desolate surroundings and instantly seized the trio's attention.
It was the sound of a saxophone.
This music clashed sharply with the ruined, dangerous environment, seeming to come from another space and time, carrying the languor of a nightclub and the luxury of a bygone era, yet sounding like a dirge played for the dead.
All three stopped simultaneously.
Origami instantly entered a state of maximum alert, turning slightly to direct half of her attention toward the source of the music while the other half remained locked on Chinatsu and the park ahead.
Shido also stopped abruptly, looking around nervously for the source of the sound.
Chinatsu's icy blue eyes suddenly narrowed. (This melody... this ominous feeling... could it be—?)
Under an old streetlight at the alley mouth, flickering due to poor contact, space rippled like water. A figure, accompanied by drifting shadows, emerged elegantly and eerily.
It was a girl of breathtaking beauty. Her skin was snow-white, and her hair, which seemed woven from night and day, was tied up with an exquisite black ribbon hair accessory.
She was wearing a black and red, ornate Gothic Lolita spirit dress, and a golden clock-eye slowly rotated in her left pupil, emanating a mysterious and dangerous aura.
There was no saxophone in her hands, yet the graceful music seemed to revolve around her, lingering in the air.
It was Tokisaki Kurumi.
However, in stark contrast to this breathtaking, almost inhuman perfection was her current condition. Her magnificent spirit dress was severely damaged—
The once crisp fabric was torn, the edges curled and blackened as if licked by flames; there were several long gashes in the skirt, faintly revealing more grievous wounds beneath, and the delicate lace was stained with dirt and clotted dark red blood.
On her fair, almost translucent cheeks, there was a highly unnatural, seductive flush, like the colors of a sunset, yet beneath this blush lay undeniable weakness and pallor.
Her breathing had lost its usual composure, becoming shallow and rapid. With every intake of breath, her beautiful brows would involuntarily furrow slightly, as if the air itself had turned into tiny ice needles, piercing her lungs.
Her tightly pressed lips were drained of color, and a trace of crimson, not entirely wiped away, lingered at the corner of her mouth, striking and tragically beautiful like a red plum suddenly blossoming in the snow.
The graceful saxophone music surrounding her persisted, but now it seemed tinged with a tremor, playing a mournful accompaniment to the pride she desperately maintained and the suffering she endured.
Her presence here was a collection of contradictions—an ultimate work of art, and a battlefield that had just weathered a storm.
That beauty was highlighted by her severe injuries, making her seem all the more shocking, fragile, and... dangerous.
"Ara lala~" Kurumi lightly tapped her chin with a blood-stained fingertip. Her golden clock-eye narrowed slightly, and her gaze, almost tangible, swept over the nervous Shido and the expressionless but instantly tensed Origami, finally settling on Chinatsu, whose pupils had contracted, standing at the very front.
"Good evening, you three."
Her voice was syrupy sweet but carried a chilling coldness. "May I ask you three if you have seen a certain someone~" She deliberately drew out the last word, as if recalling something amusing.
"...The brown-haired gentleman wearing a gray suit and black-rimmed glasses? Oh~" She seemed to suddenly remember something, covering her mouth with a fan and letting out a soft, meaningless laugh.
"..."
The air seemed to freeze. Shido and Origami instantly understood who she was looking for—the one who had declared the name "Anti-Entropy" on the battlefield and fiercely fought Ellen: "Welt Yang"! Chinatsu's internal alarm bells were screaming even louder!
(She's definitely coming for me! These injuries... were they caused by a fight with the AST or DEM? What does she want with 'Welt'?!)
Kurumi seemed not to notice the trio's drastically changing expressions, continuing in her operatic tone: "...If you happen to meet this gentleman who always uses a cane-sword as a walking stick, please be sure to inform me."
She leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes flashing with maniacal obsession. "After all—we have an appointment to share a dance... a waltz."
"You three."
She emphasized her final address. Though smiling, the invisible pressure surged like a tide, locking onto everyone present.
She was severely injured, but precisely because of this, she resembled an enraged, cornered beast, her danger level increasing rather than decreasing.
Origami immediately stepped half a pace forward, subtly shielding Shido further behind her. Her hand was already resting on her concealed equipment, and she said coldly:
"We haven't seen the person you're talking about. Please leave."
Shido nervously swallowed, forcing himself to remain calm. "Y-yes, we are preparing to go to the shelter..."
Chinatsu was inwardly agonizing.
(What should I do?! She clearly believes 'Welt' is connected to us! If I show any abnormality, I'll instantly be targeted! But right now... I can't beat her!)
She felt the near-depletion of the spirit power within her; she had temporarily stripped away her core to create the Welt substitute as a diversion. Facing Kurumi, who was intimidating even when severely injured, a feeling of powerlessness welled up.
(If I fight, I'll just expose my identity. If I don't... judging by her posture, she won't let us go easily if she can't find 'Welt'! Origami and Shido can't stop her!)
(No choice... I have to...)
Chinatsu steeled herself and made a decision. She had to completely distance herself from "Welt"!
"Welt" had to appear as a completely independent, accidental intervenor!
She struggled to maintain a slightly pale expression of being startled by the sudden appearance of the Spirit, leaning slightly toward Shido as if seeking protection.
At the same time, using the corner of her eye, she transmitted a mental command in an extremely subtle manner toward a distant shadowed corner.
(Appear now... 'Welt'... come save the day... but, act like... you don't know me at all!)
Just as the smile on Kurumi's face grew increasingly dangerous, and she seemed on the verge of losing patience, with shadows beginning to writhe and expand beneath her feet—
"Tap... tap... tap..."
Steady, clear, unhurried footsteps came from the depths of the even darker dead-end alley behind and to the side of the group.
Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn over.
A tall, upright figure slowly stepped out of the shadows.
He had messy brown hair, deep light-gold eyes, a handsome face marked by slight ruggedness, and the familiar pair of black-rimmed glasses resting on his nose.
He was wearing that gray classical suit vest and a necktie, holding a cane-sword of antique design that was currently emitting a faint blue light.
It was "Welt Yang"!
At this moment, he was wearing well-fitting gray trousers and leather shoes. His entire demeanor was composed and refined, exuding the air of a mature scholar.
This was completely different from the image Kurumi had described, save for the iconic cane-sword.
He adjusted his glasses. His gaze behind the lenses calmly swept over the scene, pausing briefly on the severely injured Kurumi with a hint of scrutiny, before looking toward the tense standoff between Origami, Shido, and... the "panicked" Chinatsu.
His eyes showed no fluctuation, as if he were merely a passing observer.
"It seems quite lively here," he spoke, his voice deep and magnetic, carrying an inherent calmness and authority.
"I believe I heard someone was looking for a... gentleman who enjoys wearing skirts?"
His tone contained a perfect measure of confusion and detachment, and his gaze finally settled on Kurumi.
"I regret to say, Miss. To my knowledge, people who fit your latter description are quite rare."
He completely ignored Chinatsu and the other two, treating them as insignificant, ordinary youths caught up in the incident.
Chinatsu sighed internally with relief. (Excellent! That's the reaction I needed!)
But outwardly, she, like the others, watched the suddenly appearing, exceptionally distinguished "stranger" with eyes full of surprise and a touch of curiosity.
Kurumi's golden clock-eye instantly locked onto "Welt." The smile on her face grew deeper and more dangerous, and she lightly licked away a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.
"Ara... I have finally found you, my dear... Herrscher of Reason."
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