A New Spirit

The three "little bunnies" hadn't run far when Ai Yamabuki, who was leading, suddenly stopped in her tracks. Unable to brake in time, Mai Hazakura and Mii Fujibakama crashed right into her, and all three girls tumbled to the ground.

"Why did you suddenly stop?!" Mai protested irritably.

"Exactly!" Mii grumbled, rubbing her forehead where a bruise was already forming.

"Look!" Ai swallowed nervously, her voice trembling.

The two girls lifted their heads and were startled by the sight. The silver-haired girl, who'd previously been behind them, was now standing right in front of them, as if she'd appeared out of thin air.

The three girls instantly leaped to their feet with agility that would put athletes to shame.

"W-when did she get here?" Mai stammered, feeling a sudden dryness in her throat.

"Could she be a ghost?" Mii whispered, hiding behind her friends, peeking out cautiously.

"Idiot," Ai knocked her lightly on the head in exasperation, "there's no such thing as ghosts in broad daylight."

"What are you whispering about over there?" Kaguya walked toward them, her expression puzzled.

The three girls scrambled backward, nervously waving their hands, forcing smiles. "N-nothing! Please don't arrest us. We'll leave right away. We promise never to sneak out during an alert again."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Kaguya looked at them, then at Ellen in her arms, and seemed to understand. With a smirk, she said, "Alright, you three—come here."

A moment later, the three girls found themselves holding Ellen between them, exchanging bewildered glances.

Having handed Ellen over to these unexpected "helpers," Kaguya was finally free to move. She eyed the trio thoughtfully; they seemed oddly familiar, as if she'd seen them somewhere before, but she couldn't quite place them.

Oh well. It wasn't important right now.

What mattered now was taking down Westcott for good. Kaguya realized she'd been too merciful before by not eliminating him entirely. Leaving him alive was a mistake, and now she intended to rectify it.

She leaped into the sky like an arrow loosed from its bow. She could sense a powerful energy source overhead—one far beyond what an ordinary person could possess.

However, as she ascended into the area where the energy pulsed, she was taken aback. The scene before her was not at all what she had expected.

Against the backdrop of the blue sky was a vast swarm of tiny black dots. Kaguya, who had mild trypophobia, shuddered involuntarily. But upon closer inspection, she realized they weren't anything grotesque or organic; they were robots equipped with manifestation devices, their sharp claws gleaming coldly in the sunlight. It was a unit from the Beast Corps.

They were all gathered in a tight formation, seemingly surrounding something.

Narrowing her eyes, Kaguya could make out a petite figure in the center of the swarm. When the figure turned, Kaguya saw her clearly.

She had golden curls and eyes like amber. Her petite figure was accentuated by an ample chest. Her spirit outfit resembled a qipao, adorned with star-like patterns and constellations across her gloves and hemline. Long, knightly armored boots clad her feet, lending an unexpectedly harmonious touch to her otherwise mismatched attire.

Kaguya's gaze sharpened. This girl wasn't human—at least, aside from her appearance, she had no trace of a human aura. If Kaguya was correct, this was indeed a Spirit. But why was she here?

Strangely, Kaguya didn't recall any such Spirit from the original series. This particular Spirit didn't match anyone she knew from the anime.

Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of gunfire and explosions. Countless missiles, leaving white trails in their wake, screamed toward the blonde girl at the center.

But the girl's face remained expressionless, her icy demeanor radiating a chill like that of a snow-covered mountain. She showed no sign of the emotions a normal person might have in such a situation.

Calmly, she extended a slender, white arm and swung it through the air, summoning a staff that looked more like an ornate key. Its head bore a beautiful decoration, and its shaft featured jagged, metallic gears, pulsating with a potent spiritual energy.

Kaguya's mind raced as she analyzed this aura; it was even stronger than Kurumi Tokisaki's or Ellen's. This spirit's power far exceeded theirs, something Kaguya found rather surprising. Date A Live's power scale wasn't exceptionally high, but this Spirit's aura was clearly in a class of its own.

With a flick of the staff, the blonde girl whispered a single word, her delicate lips parting as she softly spoke. Her voice was inaudible, but from the tip of her staff, a shimmering wave of energy burst forth like a dream, spreading outward in rippling circles.

Anything the energy touched—whether bullets, missiles, or the Beast Corps' robots—instantly disintegrated into powder. This was no exaggeration; they genuinely turned to dust. Even Kaguya, with her Star Eyes, could clearly observe the process. Under this strange power, the materials dissolved down to minuscule particles, practically to the molecular level.

There was no sound of explosions. All around, the Beast Corps units simply turned to dust, scattering into the air.

Kaguya was amazed. This power was unique, a force of pure destruction. She knew that even she might suffer damage if she wasn't careful around this ability. It reminded her of the Third Tsuchikage's Dust Release, which similarly could disintegrate matter down to the molecular, even atomic level.

At that moment, the Spirit seemed to sense Kaguya's presence. She turned around, her golden eyes focusing on Kaguya as her lips parted.

"Who are you? Have you come to kill me as well?"

Her delicate features remained cold, as if carved from ice. Her expressionless face held a translucent glow, but her tone was devoid of any emotion, as though discussing the most ordinary matter.

Kaguya looked at the petite spirit girl before her and asked with a playful smile, "Why would I want to kill you?"

The girl's voice was soft and delicate, like a gentle spring breeze, as she responded, "Aren't you with them?"

"I'm not sure why you would think that," Kaguya replied, "but I'm not here to kill you. I have no reason to."

"Is that so?" The Spirit girl glanced at Kaguya thoughtfully before looking away, showing no further interest in her.

Kaguya had already concluded that this girl was indeed a Spirit. Only a Spirit could possess such power. And since she was a Spirit, Kaguya saw her as a potential target to conquer. However, she had other matters to attend to first. She needed to deal with the nuisance named Westcott before thinking about how to approach this Spirit.

But just as Kaguya was about to leave, the panicked voice of the System Loli rang in her mind.

"Not good, not good at all!"

"What's wrong?" Kaguya was taken aback. In her experience, the System Loli was a lazy entity, usually impossible to reach, often ignoring her or even dozing off. Getting it to come out was as rare as a pig climbing a tree. So for the System Loli to appear without prompt surprised Kaguya.

"The time! I got the time wrong!" The System Loli sounded frantic, and although Kaguya couldn't see her face, she could easily imagine her scrunched-up, worried expression.

"What time did you get wrong?" A sense of dread began building in Kaguya's chest.

"The mission duration was supposed to be three months, but—" The System Loli's voice trailed off, sounding nervous.

"But what?" Kaguya's heart sank further. "Wait a minute. Wasn't this mission supposed to last a year? When did it become three months?"

"Promise you won't get mad, then I'll tell you," the System Loli mumbled, clearly uneasy.

"Hurry up and tell me!" Kaguya's frustration was rising. This little brat was testing her patience.

"You have to promise!" the System Loli insisted.

"Fine, I promise. Now spill it." Kaguya managed to keep her tone steady, though in her mind, she was already planning on giving the brat a solid spanking later.

"I... I messed up," the System Loli admitted, realizing just how big a mess she'd made.

"What exactly did you mess up?" Kaguya's voice was now laced with a barely suppressed anger. "If you don't tell me, I'll skin you alive and roast you over a fire!"

"Alright, alright! I'll tell you!" The System Loli hesitated before blurting out, "Actually, the mission time was three months, not a year. And due to, uh… a system malfunction, the time limit was accidentally shortened."

"How much was it shortened?" Kaguya's sense of foreboding grew stronger.

"Only two months remain…" the System Loli whispered timidly.

"Two months… two months?!" Kaguya was on the verge of exploding. She had already spent more than a month in this world, meaning she barely had a week left. Trying to capture the rest of the Spirits' hearts within a week was practically impossible!

So far, she'd only succeeded with Tobiichi Origami and Tohka Yatogami… and then she realized she'd only managed to gain two Spirits' affection.

With Kotori Itsuka openly hostile toward her and unlikely to cooperate, Kaguya had decided to avoid her for the time being. And as for Yoshino, she was practically a child, barely past puberty. Targeting her might be a little… unsavory.

As for Kurumi Tokisaki, while she flirted constantly, whenever things got serious, she would pull away. Kaguya had no idea what Kurumi was thinking.

And she hadn't even met the other Spirits yet. How was she supposed to have a chance with them?

If the mission had lasted a year, she might have managed, but just three months? It was a cruel joke.

"Are you kidding me?" Kaguya struggled to contain her anger, her voice low and dangerous.

"Ahaha… well, ahaha…" the System Loli stammered, laughing nervously. "Oops, I just remembered I have something to do, so I'll be off now. Bye-bye!"

"Hey! You little brat! You think you can just run off like that?" Kaguya yelled, furious.

But the System Loli had already disappeared without a trace, vanishing faster than a rabbit.

Kaguya's fury nearly made her want to tear the Loli apart. The situation was beyond frustrating; this fun mission had suddenly turned into a race against time. If she failed, three times her achievement points would be deducted, which meant she'd go into the negatives considering her previous purchases. And if she didn't have enough points… the system's harsh penalty mechanism would kick in, which meant… obliteration.

What had seemed like a fun journey now felt like a countdown to doom.

She had no choice but to accelerate her pace, or she'd be in serious trouble.

"Wait."

Hearing her voice, the Spirit girl halted, turning to face Kaguya with an expressionless look. "What is it?"

Kaguya's lips curved into a smile. "I do indeed have a request. But I'll need your cooperation."

"Cooperation?" The spirit's face remained impassive, her voice questioning but emotionless.

"Yes," Kaguya replied, "I'll need you for this, so I hope I can gain your cooperation."

"What do you need?" the Spirit asked.

Kaguya's face lit up with a bright smile as she said, "If possible, could you surrender your chastity to me?"

Originally, Kaguya's target wasn't the young-looking, large-busted girl in front of her, but rather the pest-like Westcott. However, plans often couldn't keep up with changes. Letting this girl escape now would mean who knows when she'd encounter her again.

Now, Kaguya finally remembered who this Spirit was. She didn't appear in the anime but emerged later in the novels—the Tenth Spirit, Mukuro Mukuro… someone who had once drifted alone through space.

Kaguya realized that catching up to someone wandering through space would be impossible; if she floated outside the planet, how would Kaguya find her?

In fact, approaching Mukuro wasn't that difficult—it was simply a matter of dispelling the seal she'd placed upon herself. Her loneliness was profound enough that she isolated herself within it, and once her inner seal was broken, the puzzle would naturally solve itself.

However, Kaguya didn't have that much time to go through the lengthy effort of winning her over; one-by-one strategies could mean she'd be out of time or, worse, facing death before she finished.

"Chastity?" Mukuro's eyes widened in shock, a look of deep offense flashing across her face.

"Precisely," Kaguya responded. "All you have to do is hand over your chastity to me. Rest assured, I won't try anything untoward."

If you told any random girl that on the street, you'd be lucky to get away with just a slap. It's the kind of thing only a professional troublemaker would even attempt. Don't try it at home; best-case scenario, you'll end up with a black eye; worst-case, you'll end up explaining yourself to the cops or, well… you know the rest.

"Apologies," Mukuro's voice turned icy as she regarded Kaguya with thinly veiled contempt. "That's completely out of the question. I would never agree to that, much less at the expense of my own honor. So, stop dreaming."

"While you say that, I'd like you to consider it," Kaguya continued, smiling, "After all, it wouldn't cost you much at all. Think of it as doing someone a favor." Her implication was beyond clear: "Sleep with me," or more precisely, "Let me sleep with you."

"Do someone a favor?" Mukuro scoffed, even more unimpressed. If anyone else were present, they'd have judged this exchange harshly.

"I have no such interest and would never do something so meaningless," Mukuro said firmly, "And I doubt you have the means to even begin changing my mind. Don't you realize that your chances are impossible?"

"No need to worry," Kaguya reassured with a smile, "It'll only hurt for a moment, nothing too bad. I promise I'll be gentle."

Mukuro shot her a look that was nothing short of a death glare, making it clear just how revolted she felt.

"Ugh," Kaguya scratched her head, sighing, "Of course, I figured it wouldn't be that easy. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't agree either. Though, if it were with a cute girl, that might be a different story… But since you rejected me so coldly, I guess I'll have to force it."

As she finished speaking, Kaguya shot forward, tearing through the air like a bolt of lightning aimed directly at Mukuro.

Mukuro's face went pale with shock, but she quickly regained herself and unleashed a scorching ray of energy in Kaguya's direction. The blinding beam cut through the air, sizzling as it warped the surrounding atmosphere.

Kaguya, however, made no attempt to dodge. She charged straight into the blazing light.

Boom!

A fierce crackling erupted as the beam struck Kaguya's Truth-Seeking Ball, scattering brilliant sparks everywhere.

"Impressive… I wasn't expecting such power from a Spirit," Kaguya chuckled lightly and advanced, determined to close the distance. As long as she could get close enough, the Spirit would be nothing more than prey on her table.

The Spirit girl was now just an arm's length away when—Crack!—a sharp, snapping sound rang out. Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she tilted her body slightly. A scorching beam narrowly missed her, slicing past her side and tearing into the sky beyond. She could feel the heat radiating off it; even her clothes had singed to a faint yellow.

"As expected from one of the strongest Spirits," Kaguya muttered, glancing at the scorched edges of her outfit. "I almost underestimated you."

"You're no match for me," Mukuro replied coldly, her gaze unyielding. "You might as well give up now before it's too late."

"Oh? Quite the arrogance. Are all Spirits this full of themselves?" Kaguya taunted. "Well then, how about trying this?"

Without waiting for a response, Kaguya extended her hand, palm open, as a pitch-black orb materialized and began growing larger, crackling with small bursts of lightning that fizzed and popped around it.

When Mukuro's eyes landed on the ominous black sphere in Kaguya's hand, her expression finally shifted slightly, betraying a hint of unease. This was no ordinary energy.

Kaguya's smirk widened, her fingers closing slightly. The black-tailed Beast Ball tore through the air, streaking toward Mukuro like a dark bolt of lightning.

BOOM!

A searing white light burst forth as the explosion erupted with a deafening roar, the noise reverberating as though even the clouds above trembled. A massive mushroom cloud spiraled upward, and the shockwave scattered the mist to reveal a bright blue sky.

Yet Kaguya's face didn't show a hint of triumph; instead, she frowned slightly. The direction she'd aimed wasn't where Mukuro now stood. Somehow, she'd managed to evade it. Mukuro reappeared, albeit a fair distance away, watching her warily.

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