Gathering of the Girls

Imagine a beautiful young girl suddenly calling you "Mom." How would you react?

You'd probably think that something so absurd could never happen—especially if you're a man. Well, not exactly a full-fledged man, but close enough. You'd probably question your whole existence, wondering how you could possibly have a daughter this old. Could it be that some remnant of a wild, euphoric night resulted in an irreversible mistake?

Just thinking about it seems impossible.

And besides, the person in question is a Spirit—a Spirit with a beautiful face and fair, delicate skin. It's a completely different species. Though, now that I think about it, Spirits were once human, too…

Could it really be?

Kaguya was utterly bewildered, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu in this surreal situation.

But whatever the case, this kind of thing was definitely hard to accept.

Could it be that she'd just experienced too much intense stimulation and had finally lost her mind? Or had she been…completely thrown off?

Ever since Kaguya had grabbed her wrist earlier, ignoring her struggles and protests, and overpowered her into submission, leaving her blushing and speechless, the "lock" on her heart had seemed to loosen. Her stiffness softened, her gaze grew more alive, and she became more animated.

But somehow, things had taken an odd turn. For reasons unknown, Mukuro Hoshimiya began acting more attached to Kaguya. Her demeanor changed in subtle ways, and her glances became charged with something inexplicable.

And the real shock for Kaguya came when Mukuro suddenly started calling her "Mom." For a moment, she thought it had to be a mistake—or maybe even some kind of strange joke.

Mukuro took two steps forward and hugged Kaguya's arm tightly, pressing her impressive chest against her. Mukuro's physique rivaled even that of Tohka Yatogami. Tohka's figure was famously well-proportioned, her slender frame perfectly balanced. And while Mukuro wasn't quite as tall, her curves were enough to leave anyone stunned.

So, for a young girl—especially one who had just opened her heart to Kaguya—to start calling her "Mom," Kaguya wondered if the world was about to end for something so ridiculous to happen.

"Mom." Mukuro's gaze was filled with an earnest intensity as she looked up at Kaguya, her large eyes brimming with innocence.

"Hey, you must have mistaken me for someone else," Kaguya said, a bit exasperated, trying to push her away. But she accidentally pressed right into a soft, white mound.

"No mistake; you are my mom," Mukuro replied firmly, her serious expression suggesting there was no room for doubt.

"Wait, even if you say that," Kaguya quickly grabbed her shoulders and said, "I've never had a daughter like you! Why are you calling me 'Mom'? If anything, shouldn't it be 'Dad'?"

Sure, having an eager daughter suddenly appear might seem like a great thing, but the truth was, Kaguya was completely in the dark here. How had she ended up with a daughter out of nowhere?

"Mom is Mom. Is there a problem with that?" Mukuro tilted her head, her puzzled look only deepening Kaguya's confusion.

That was such a convincing answer, she was at a loss for words.

"But why are you calling me 'Mom'?" Kaguya felt like her head was about to explode.

"Because you are my mom," Mukuro said softly, smiling as she spoke.

"…?"

Kaguya had a feeling that no matter what she asked, she wouldn't get any clear answers. Mukuro's deadpan expression suggested she was dead serious, leaving Kaguya feeling lost.

Just like that, Kaguya inexplicably gained a daughter—something she'd never anticipated.

Kaguya wasn't planning on getting too involved since she'd already completed her mission objectives. But Mukuro looked at her like a small, eager puppy, practically waiting to wag her tail. Kaguya really didn't know what to do with her.

Should she just erase her and be done with it?

Her expression darkened with a hint of malicious intent.

Of course, that was out of the question.

Only a deranged villain would do something so utterly heartless.

And so, only one option remained: to take the girl home and take care of her. There really wasn't any better solution.

"Here, put on some clothes first." Kaguya pulled out a set of clothes from her storage space. It was an outfit that originally belonged to Yoshino. "Try it on and see if it fits."

When Kaguya had gone shopping earlier, she'd stocked up on clothes for everyone, tossing them all into her storage space. This way, she wouldn't need to go out as often. Aside from clothes, she had also bought a lot of daily necessities, especially things with a long shelf life. Since time flowed normally in her storage space, food would spoil if kept there, so she'd only stored items like long-lasting compressed biscuits and canned meat.

Just then, Mukuro, who was changing her clothes nearby, suddenly cried out, "Ah! It's…tight…"

Returning to her senses, Kaguya glanced over at Mukuro and froze. Mukuro was struggling with Yoshino's outfit, her expression exasperated as she tugged and twisted, trying to force it on. The fabric across her chest appeared too tight, and no matter how she pulled, she couldn't fit into it. She had no choice but to press down on her soft, fair chest with her pale hands, attempting to squeeze it into the top. Her chest shifted and changed shape as she struggled.

Watching this, Kaguya couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Yoshino. Look at Mukuro's development—both were the same age, but the difference was almost unfair.

Just as Kaguya was finishing helping Mukuro get dressed, she heard rapid footsteps approaching from behind.

"Kaguya!"

Hearing her name called, Kaguya turned her head in curiosity. "Who is it?"

Several figures came into view, approaching at high speed. In a blink, they were already close by.

Kaguya recognized these familiar figures—several beautiful young women—and was slightly surprised.

Weren't they supposed to be at home? How did they end up here?

The approaching figures were none other than Origami Tobiichi, Tohka Yatogami, and Yoshino. Trailing behind them was even Natsumi, though she looked rather unwilling as Origami held her hand and pulled her along.

"Why did I have to come too?" Natsumi Kyouno complained, looking irritated. "Wouldn't it be better if that person just disappeared?"

Origami, however, ignored her grumbling and continued moving toward the familiar figure up ahead.

"Oh, so you came too," Kaguya said, scratching her head. "Sorry for making you wor—ah!"

Before Kaguya could finish speaking, a figure suddenly leaped at her, knocking her to the ground. She felt a pair of lips pressing against her own.

But Kaguya wasn't one to be outdone. She wrapped her arms tightly around her attacker, returning the kiss with her own fierce response, even slipping her hands under the other's clothes. Her hands roamed freely, giving particular attention to her "target."

Under Kaguya's swift counterattack, her "opponent" soon became flustered and breathless, her face flushed. Whether it was from the run or from something else entirely was unclear, but her body grew soft and unresistant.

Finally, Kaguya released her "offering" of a lamb, saying with surprise, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to stay safe at home?"

Kaguya had specially reinforced their apartment, making it strong enough to withstand even a nuclear blast. She felt safe leaving them there, only to be surprised that they had ventured out anyway.

"I was worried about you. There was so much commotion outside, and you weren't at home," Tohka said, clutching Kaguya's sleeve. "We thought something happened to you, so we came to look for you."

"See, I'm perfectly fine," Kaguya said, gently patting her head with a smile.

"Even if you're safe, I'd rather you tell us about things. We may not be able to help directly, but we could at least offer suggestions," Origami said calmly. "That would help us feel at ease."

"Y-Yes," Yoshino added softly from the side.

"Kaguya-chan, that wasn't very fair of you," Yoshino's puppet chimed in, waving its little hands.

"Oh, sorry about that," Kaguya said with an apologetic smile, scratching her nose. "If anything like this happens again, I'll let you know."

"You're lying," Origami said bluntly.

"Huh?"

When did Origami develop the ability to see through people?

Of course, Kaguya couldn't allow the girls to worry. From her experience, the girls were usually more hindrance than help in situations like these, often getting into troublesome situations themselves. Injuries requiring treatment, kidnappings that needed rescues—sometimes even more complicated and "bad end" scenarios.

So to Kaguya, it was better if they stayed home being adorable.

"How did you know?" Kaguya coughed lightly, changing the subject.

"Because you always scratch your nose when you lie," Origami replied seriously. "You've scratched it thirteen times already. Last time, in the bathroom…"

She hadn't finished speaking when Kaguya quickly covered her mouth.

"Let's not worry about that, hehe, hehe," Kaguya said with an awkward laugh.

What had happened in the bathroom?

Not only Tohka and Yoshino but even Natsumi looked curious now.

"Mom, who are they? Are they also your daughters?"

Just then, a soft, sweet voice sounded unexpectedly, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

Now they noticed that there was another unfamiliar person standing there.

"Wh-Who are you?" Tohka asked in surprise.

"If I heard correctly," Origami, taking the chance to slip out of Kaguya's grasp, spoke up, "did you just call Kaguya 'Mom'?"

"Mom?" Yoshino and Natsumi exchanged confused glances.

That said, Natsumi had always had a tense relationship with everyone else in the household. From the moment she arrived at Kaguya's place and saw these cute Spirit girls, she had assumed they were all deceived by Kaguya, or perhaps even forced to stay. Determined, Natsumi resolved to "rescue" these "imprisoned" girls and free them from this "evil clutches."

So she frequently told the others that Kaguya was actually a bad person, someone who manipulated young women's emotions. With heartfelt pleas, she tried to convince them to escape from Kaguya's influence.

But Tohka couldn't bear to leave Kaguya, Origami had already fully accepted her, and Yoshino also depended on Kaguya. They were all treated to good food, good care, and Kaguya even provided emotional support when needed. So how could they possibly distrust Kaguya because of a stranger's words? Rather than seeing Natsumi as a hero, they started to ignore her, eventually dismissing her entirely.

This nearly made Natsumi explode with frustration. She couldn't believe they were choosing to believe someone as awful as Kaguya, and she resolved never to help them again, figuring they'd learn their lesson if they suffered for their blind loyalty.

Especially since she often heard strange, agonized groans at night, which only confirmed her suspicions that Kaguya was indeed up to no good.

"Hmph. Serves them right for not listening to me," Natsumi thought, feeling secretly smug.

Though she disliked Tohka and Origami, seeing them as foolish women, she still liked Yoshino, who was gentle and reserved. She frequently spent time with Yoshino and often warned her not to leave her room at night, lest she end up suffering like the others.

Of course, Natsumi didn't fully understand the context behind those mysterious sounds.

—

"I still have something to take care of. You all go back home first," Kaguya said as she turned to the girls.

"No, I want to go with you!" Tohka immediately protested.

Kaguya sighed. "I haven't even told you what I'm doing. Why would you follow me?"

"No matter where you go, I want to go with you," Tohka said firmly. "Don't even think about leaving me behind."

Compared to Tohka, Origami seemed a bit more grounded. "Are you going to handle the AST's Ground Self-Defense Force and DEM Corporation, the ones behind this attack?"

Since Origami had once been a member of the AST Ground Self-Defense Force, she was familiar with their channels for gathering intelligence. So as soon as Kaguya's battle with the AST and DEM began, she had already heard about it. She hadn't expected them to move so quickly and was surprised that they'd regrouped and launched an attack this soon, instead of lying low as she had assumed they would after their last defeat.

Kaguya smiled slightly. "You guessed it. They've come knocking on my door, and I can't just let them get away with it. It'd be too impolite not to return the favor."

"I want to go too!" Tohka grabbed Kaguya's hand, her expression serious.

"If you're going to deal with them, take me along," Origami said. "I know the AST and DEM's hidden facilities and their coding systems. I might be able to help you."

Compared to Tohka's unthinking insistence, Origami's reasons were far more rational and convincing. However—

"No, none of you are coming." Kaguya shook her head.

"Why not?" Tohka complained, and Origami also looked at Kaguya, clearly expecting an explanation.

"This is my problem; there's no need for you to get involved," Kaguya said with a smile. "Besides, I'm more than enough on my own. If you're with me, it might just split my focus."

"Your problem is our problem," Origami started to say, but Kaguya interrupted her. Kaguya placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said with a gentle smile, "Relax. Don't worry about me. I've already been through much fiercer battles than this. Do you really think this will be any worse? Just wait for me at home."

"But…" Origami trailed off, hesitating.

Kaguya leaned close, smirking as she whispered in her ear, "If you stay here and keep them from worrying, I'll give you a reward tonight—a reward just for you."

Origami blinked in surprise, her face gradually turning pink as she realized what Kaguya meant. Even her pale neck showed a hint of blush.

Kaguya straightened up and said with a smile, "Just wait for me to come back. Don't worry; it won't take long."

Just as she expected, Origami relented. "Alright, we'll wait for you at home. But you'd better come back soon, or I'll come find you."

Kaguya nodded, smiling.

"Hey, hey," Tohka walked up, looking displeased. "Why did you agree to let her stay? And what were you two whispering about?"

"It's nothing," Origami said, turning her head away nonchalantly. "If we go, we'll only get in Kaguya's way. Instead of distracting her, we should just wait for her to come back."

"That's not what you were saying earlier!" Tohka huffed, puffing out her cheeks in irritation. "Traitor!"

At that moment, Kaguya leaned over and whispered something in Tohka's ear, causing her eyes to light up with excitement. Even Origami couldn't help but feel curious.

"Well, in that case, I suppose we have no choice," Tohka said, putting on a show of reluctance. "We'll just wait for you at home, then." But the lifted corners of her brows betrayed her true feelings.

Origami looked between Kaguya and Tohka, a slight furrow appearing in her brow.

Finally, after placating the girls, Kaguya was able to leave and confront DEM Corporation. She was thoroughly annoyed by their repeated interference and was more than ready to settle the score.

Thanks to Origami's intel, Kaguya knew that DEM Corporation's headquarters in the city was merely a front, with the real base hidden on a small offshore island. This base was heavily guarded with military forces and bristling with weaponry, giving it more firepower than the main Japanese army.

It was remarkable, Kaguya thought, just how feeble official military had become in this world. To think that an arms corporation's private army had more firepower than the entire national defense was laughable.

Of course, for Kaguya, it didn't make any difference. It was just like stepping on an ant, or perhaps a slightly larger ant.

Meanwhile, in the opulent government office—

"Useless! You're all completely useless!" roared a bald man. "We've mobilized nearly half of the country's military strength, and you still couldn't take down a single Spirit?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Prime Minister," stammered a middle-aged official, nervously dabbing sweat from his forehead. "The explosion of the nuclear weapon disrupted our communications with the frontline, but it won't be long before we reestablish contact."

"Then hurry up!" the Prime Minister bellowed, throwing all decorum to the wind.

"Yes, sir!" The official scurried out of the room like a frightened dog.

The Prime Minister's face remained contorted with anger, his bloodshot eyes glaring intensely. His breathing was ragged, and he took a large gulp of water, attempting to calm himself.

Earlier, they had meticulously gathered and deployed over half of Japan's military forces, especially their best-equipped units, even summoning reinforcements from the Northern Islands. Joining forces with DEM Corporation's troops, they had even resorted to nuclear weapons, aiming to eliminate the Spirit in one decisive strike.

But just moments ago, reports from the frontlines indicated that the Japanese army, the AST, and even DEM's airships had been severely beaten by the Spirit's counterattack, with the military suffering heavy casualties. The Prime Minister was beside himself with fury. Such a massive force should have been prepared for a world war, yet they had been defeated by a single Spirit. It was unbelievable.

More than anger, he felt a creeping fear—a fear of the sheer power wielded by that Spirit.

"Well, well, I've finally found you. So this is where you've been hiding all along. You really made me search high and low."

A melodious voice sounded abruptly in the room, causing the Prime Minister's face to twist in horror.

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