Chapter 645: No, I Didn't Eat Him

The tremor in the spiritual world subsided, and the chains around the Celestial Castle ceased their clattering. The cracks surrounding it slowly began to close...

"The Ocarina won't hold out much longer..."

The Ocarina had already suffered too much, its strength waning. It wouldn't be able to withstand the Demon King's power any longer. If this happened again, the Ocarina might be destroyed—it was such a shame...

With Itsuka Shido, the Demon King's power had increased, along with his consciousness. He was no longer just a feeling moving automatically, like the last will of the Void Hero.

With Itsuka Shido, the Demon King could now be considered an intelligent being. Although he still moved by impulse and had no memories, his objective was clear, and he would likely no longer be as easily deceived as before.

He also knew where his true home was, and he wanted to return.

But that wasn't all. If the Demon King received the soul fragment, Yuki received the memories of Itsuka Shido. This made him feel nostalgic; he embraced Itsuka Kotori and gently kissed her forehead. She was his adopted little sister, who had cared for him...

Moreover, his strength increased and stabilized his crown, as one of its cracks closed, and his inner world changed slightly.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Suddenly, a scream filled with rage echoed. Yuki immediately raised his guard. He recognized the voice—how could he forget it? That voice was...

"Mio Takamiya!"

The first spirit was enraged. The moment Itsuka Shido disappeared, she felt it. Her body trembled, and the rage in her heart couldn't be contained. She mercilessly struck Origami and pounced toward the culprit.

Who, upon seeing her, quickly entered battle mode...

However, as soon as Mio arrived, she abruptly stopped. An inexplicable feeling from Yuki froze her, as if she was facing her soulmate. Moreover, she sensed Itsuka Shido within Yuki—or, to be more precise, the current Yuki was merely a mask binding her true love...

A false being...

Not to mention that the Itsuka Shido within Yuki was larger and stronger, as if he had regained what he had lost. This made her happy—Itsuka Shido could return to who he originally was...

'Shinji Takamiya.'

She thought she would never be able to bring back Shinji Takamiya, and that 'Itsuka Shido,' whom they considered a weak avatar of her love, was the fruit of her love for Shinji.

But that was no longer necessary. She could bring back the original Shinji, not just a mere copy—they could be together again.

Only one obstacle stood between her and her true love...

"Imposter!"

The ability to think and discover so much in a fraction of a second was expected of the first spirit. So, even though it was her first time seeing Yuki, she already had a plan in mind—and that was to destroy the imposter and free Shinji Takamiya.

Of course, Yuki wasn't afraid. He sent Kotori to his shadow and prepared for the impact.

This time, he was stronger, so he wouldn't end up as miserable. Not to mention that now, with Itsuka Shido's memories, he began to see the first spirit differently.

But this didn't stop their confrontation...

*Boom*

This thought brought more consequences to Tenguu City, as Yuki and Mio Takamiya fought once again. The impact was strong enough to shake the world itself...

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"So that's what happened... You ate Itsuka Shido!"

Watching through the shadow as Yuki from the first timeline fought with Mio Takamiya, Natsumi's mouth opened in shock. Such a level of power was impressive, not to mention the moment when Itsuka Shido disappeared.

This was the reason Itsuka Shido didn't exist in the future—Yuki had devoured him.

"No, I didn't eat him, I am Itsuka Shido!"

Itsuka Shido was a fragment of the Void Hero's soul, so in theory, he was also Yuki.

This would also explain why Itsuka Shido was so kind, reliable. Itsuka Shido was pure, and his soul was so bright.

A person who helps others...

A natural hero on the same level as Yamai.

That's why Kotori fell in love with him. And because Kotori had a part of him, their destiny was intertwined.

Just like in the alternative timeline where Itsuka Shido united with all the spirits, the destiny between them was inevitable since they were part of the same being and his weapon. Not to mention, this was also the reason why even after being reborn, Itsuka Shido had the power to seal spirits and was compatible with any angel or Demon King.

Of course, this was something Natsumi didn't know, and Yuki had no intention of explaining the whole process—it was too complicated, and Natsumi might not understand it.

It was easier to admit that he was Itsuka Shido. Besides, even with Itsuka Shido's memories, Yuki was still the same, just as his goal was.

"We have to go..."

"Huh?"

Still processing all the information that had just passed, Natsumi wasn't prepared for Yuki to suddenly pull her away...

"What do you want to do?"

"The job. I didn't come to this timeline just for Origami."

Entering battle mode, his astral suit materialized, and he unleashed his sealed spiritual power...

"Kurumi, Mukuro, Nia, are you ready?"

[Yes, Danna-sama, everything is prepared.]

[Always, Nushi-sama...]

[Hyahaha, let's go~]

"Then I'll leave it to you..."

Speaking through his spiritual connection and the ninth bullet, Tet, Yuki cracked his knuckles while Kurumi prepared her spark gun...

*Tick, tock*

[Zafkiel: Yud Bet]

The sound of a bullet echoed as a wormhole opened in front of Yuki.

"What... what's happening?!"

Natsumi was no longer understanding. Suddenly, Yuki's aura changed, and the crown on his head began to rotate...

"I'm going to stop her—I hope I can do it without dying... Hehe, wait for me here."

Sighing in excitement, Yuki controlled his breathing and walked toward the wormhole.

This was his first encounter, and Yuki was a bit expectant, whether because of his strength or his obsession...

"Who?! Who are you going to face?!"

For someone like Yuki to fight with the intent to die, Natsumi shuddered. However, Yuki, on the other hand, grew even more excited...

"The first spirit... Mio Takamiya..."

Leaving these words, Yuki leaped into the wormhole...

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**Date A Live World, Temporal River of Time, Division Between Timelines.**

"Imposter! Imposter! Imposter! Imposter!"

Traveling through the timelines that Yuki had opened, Mio Takamiya didn't hesitate to chase after the imposter.

After killing Kotori, Mio Takamiya thought it would be enough to force Yuki to break. After all, Yuki had the memories of Itsuka Shido, and Kotori was his adopted sister. Surely, he couldn't bear the loss of such an intimate loved one, which would break his mind and force him to cross the limit between the Sephira-Qlipha crystals, thus freeing her greatest love, Shinji Takamiya.

She was wrong. Yuki didn't yet have Itsuka Shido's memories and didn't break as she expected. He even reversed the situation—not only did he not destroy Kotori, but he saved her soul and gravely injured Mio. Of course, this wasn't without its flaws, as Natsumi lost her life in the process. But just like Kotori, Yuki also saved Natsumi.

Thus began the hunt through the river of time.

Such a pursuit lasted an unknown amount of time, causing several confrontations between them. Fortunately, due to Mio Takamiya's initial injury and Yuki's increased strength after merging Camael and Haniel into his crown, he was able to persist for so long. However, it still wasn't enough. Mio Takamiya was a being nearly at the limit of Rank 5 strength, a Pseudo-Stellar. Yuki couldn't stop her in the end, which led to their escape through a wormhole.

At first, Mio Takamiya was annoyed, thinking they had escaped. But then she remembered an event that took place five years ago, and she knew where Yuki had gone...

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TN: Sigh.... I said it before and i'll say it again I really hate timetravel and parallel timeline bullshit...