A beautiful girl who transmigrates into a Herrscher of the Void is treated like an elf and conquered

“…In that case—” Shido seemed to have grasped a glimmer of hope and looked at Kotori eagerly.

But Kotori interrupted him, her tone still cold and realistic: "If you ask the AST to show them mercy, it's all in vain—as long as she's still an elf, as long as she can still cause a spacequake."

"…………!" Upon hearing this resolute answer, Shido felt as if he had been doused with cold water. He bit his lip and swallowed his resentment.

No—he actually understood. There was no point in elaborating; he had already learned this deeply from Tohka's experience. Her personality, her innocence, meant nothing to AST.

Because what they are determined to attack is the existence of "spirits" themselves, a "phenomenon" that may endanger the world.

There is no way to refute their idea. Unless…

"Hey, so—"

Senin, who had been observing from the sidelines, chimed in at the opportune moment, nudging Shido with his elbow. His face held his usual teasing expression, but his eyes held less of the playfulness and more of the seriousness.

"Now that the plot has progressed this far, it's time for our hero—Lord Itsuka Shido—to make a dazzling appearance, stage a 'hero saves the damsel in distress' scene, and then naturally pick up the girl... oh no, I mean 'seal the spirit' scene, right?"

Upon hearing this, Kotori turned her gaze from the screen to Shido, crossed her arms, and said leisurely:

"That was indeed the original plan. But, Shido, it seems... you haven't completely made up your mind yet? Faced with a spirit that doesn't fight back but only runs away, are you 'resolved' enough?"

Instantly, almost everyone on the bridge focused their attention on Shido. A silent question and anticipation filled the air.

Kotori looked directly into Shido's eyes and asked, word by word, "What do you think, Shido? Do you want to save her? Now, make your choice."

Shido took a deep breath, the scent of which seemed to carry the smell of gunpowder and rain, penetrating the screen and lingering around his nose.

He closed his eyes, and his mind flashed back to the pair of azure and shy eyes in the rain yesterday, to Tohka's trusting and dependent gaze, and to Chika's cold and resolute back... Finally, his mind settled on the petite figure helplessly dodging bullets on the screen.

He suddenly opened his eyes, which were no longer filled with confusion and hesitation, but instead with a clear and firm understanding.

"Does that need to be said?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was unusually steady and carried an undeniable power: "I must go."

Kotori seemed to have anticipated his response, a subtle smile playing on her lips, but she still asked in a challenging tone:

"Oh? Can you do it? Facing an attack from the AST, facing an elf who might be unable to communicate due to fear, facing all the uncertainty and danger—can you do it?"

Shido met Kotori's gaze without flinching, his answer resolute and filled with the determination to shoulder everything:

"It's not a question of 'whether it can be done' or not."

"It's not that I 'have to do it'."

For the girl who gave him a shy smile in the rain, for the sake of preventing more spirits from being hunted down like Tohka, and also for... finding a path different from AST that can truly save them.

His awareness has already been conveyed.

Chapter 206 Light Bulb?

Hearing Shido's resolute and unwavering answer, Kotori's barely perceptible smile finally widened into a satisfied smile that conveyed approval and "as expected of my brother."

“Very good.” She uttered two words softly, then deftly changed direction, turning her gaze to the entire crew standing ready below the bridge. She raised her hand, her voice clear and firm, echoing throughout the bridge:

"All personnel, final preparations confirmed! Operation Ratatosk against the Elves, commence immediately!"

"Ready!"

"System is all green!"

The crew responded in unison, their hands moving rapidly across the control panel.

The data stream on the main screen refreshed rapidly, with various parameters and aiming boxes locking onto the target area below. The hum of the system and the sound of command confirmations echoed in the bridge, and the atmosphere instantly became tense and efficient.

As Kotori gazed at the orderly, precision-machine-like scene, she switched the jewel in her mouth to the other side, gently licked her lips with the tip of her tongue, and her eyes gleamed with a sharp and excited light, like a raptor spotting its prey.

Then, in her unique voice, a blend of girlish sweetness and commander's authority, she uttered that signature line, which sounded both like a declaration of war and an invitation:

"Then—let's begin our war (DATE)."

This sentence was like pressing an invisible switch, and the entire operation of Fraxinus seemed to have been upgraded to a higher level.

The teleportation device began charging, emitting a faint glow, its target pointing directly at the battlefield below, a scene of smoke and rain.

Shido took a deep breath, feeling the surging energy and unwavering determination within the bridge. He knew there was no turning back.

He had to get to that girl and forge a different path amidst the hail of bullets.

His date (war) has begun.

However, just as Shido took a deep breath, preparing to step into the teleportation beam and head to the battlefield called "Date",

Suddenly, Chiin leaped forward, raised his hand, and with a perfectly measured look of confusion and a mischievous grin, asked loudly:

"Um—Commander! Excuse me for interrupting! So… according to the plan, do I also need to go down with Shido?"

He scratched his head, giving him a "this doesn't seem right" look, and continued to explain:

“Look, the elf we’re going to ‘conquer’ this time, according to you, is that blue-haired girl called ‘Hermit,’ not my troublesome little sister, Chika.”

"Shido went down there to carry out his sacred (?) mission of 'going on a date with her and making her blush,' and I, a grown man, am following behind him like a third wheel... Isn't that a bit inappropriate? It'll ruin the atmosphere!"

As he spoke, he nudged Shido, who was about to leave, with his elbow, and whispered with a wink:

"Right, bro? You don't want someone watching your entire picking up girls live, do you? Especially someone like me who's good at making sarcastic remarks."

Shido's serious demeanor, which he had just managed to build up, almost dissipated after being disturbed by him, and he glared at him irritably.

Upon hearing this, Kotori, who was sitting in the captain's seat, tapped her chin lightly with the stick of a lollipop and pondered for a moment.

She glanced at the "Hermit" on the screen, who was still desperately dodging the AST's pursuit, then looked at Chiin, who had a "I don't want to be a third wheel" look on her face, and nodded.

"Hmm... Your concerns are valid. Under normal circumstances, Shido's 'date' does need to be kept away from external interference as much as possible, especially for someone like you who has an 'unstable吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or witty remarks) aura'."

But then she changed the subject, her eyes sharpening: "However, considering Chika—she might very well extend an invitation to every spirit in the present world, just like she did when she tried to contact Tohka before, in an attempt to form her so-called 'Anti-Entropy' organization."

"As someone who currently has a deep connection with her and is a key part of our plan, you must be on standby near the scene."

She offered a compromise: "How about this, you still follow the teleportation, but you don't have to stick close to Shido. Wait at the edge of the battlefield, in a relatively safe area with a good view."

“Once you detect Chika’s spiritual wave reaction, or if she actually appears and tries to contact the ‘Hermit,’ you must appear and intervene immediately.”

"Do you understand? Your primary task is to deal with the possible appearance of Chinatsu, not to devise a strategy that interferes with Shido."

Upon hearing this arrangement, Chiin immediately gave an "OK" sign, her face showing a relaxed expression that said, "That's right!"

"Understood! Mission accomplished! Infiltration, stakeouts, and a dazzling appearance at the crucial moment to disrupt... oh no, I mean, to handle it! That's my specialty!"

He patted Shido on the shoulder and chuckled, "Go ahead, Shido, go and conquer your little girl. Your godfather will be right here to keep things under control and also to watch out for my troublesome 'little sister' causing trouble."

After clarifying their respective tasks, Shido and Senin stepped into the teleportation pillar one after the other.

They share the same goal: that perilous battlefield. However, their missions are quite different.

One is to save the relationship and date, while the other is to deal with potential "family" and greater uncertainties.

Chapter 207 Resolute Combat

Shido was precisely teleported to the predicted route of the Spirits—near the entrance of a large department store. He subconsciously looked around but didn't see Chiin. He guessed that Chiin had been teleported to a slightly farther location to carry out his "camping" mission.

According to Ratatosk's prior analysis, as an elf who appears frequently, the "Hermit's" behavior pattern has certain regularities. Combined with Lingyin's thought simulation, it is possible to roughly determine her escape route.

Typically, AST's main equipment—CR-Unit—is not suitable for combat in complex indoor environments. They often choose to wait for the spirits to leave the building on their own, or, in the worst case, like when dealing with Tohka, force the spirits out by destroying the building.

In any case, there will always be a gap period, whether long or short, which is the precious window for Shido to contact the spirits.

However, the scene before him completely overturned Shido's understanding and was completely different from Ratatosk's prediction!

The AST team members in the sky showed absolutely no hesitation or waiting!

They hovered in mid-air like a swarm of bees, their weapons constantly spitting out tongues of fire!

Dense live ammunition and miniature missiles trailing dazzling flames poured down like a torrential downpour on the petite blue figure fleeing in panic!

"Boom!!!"

“Da da da da——!!”

The explosions and gunfire were so intense they were almost instantaneous! The once bustling commercial street was instantly transformed into a sea of ​​fire and ruins! Shop windows were pulverized by the shockwave, sturdy walls were easily torn apart, and billboards twisted and fell from great heights!

Even more alarming was that even if the "hermit," with its small stature and agile movements, managed to find shelter in a still-intact building, AST's response was extremely brutal and direct—

Several team members immediately adjusted their posture, and shoulder-mounted large-caliber grenade launchers or man-portable missiles instantly locked onto the target!

"Bang! Boom—!!"

The high-explosive munitions accurately hit the building's key support points, causing an entire wall and even half a floor to collapse amidst a deafening explosion!

Smoke and flames shot into the sky, instantly turning that area into hell.

The petite blue figure was forced to flee from the ruins and flames in a disheveled state once again, continuing to navigate through a hail of bullets. Her cloak, adorned with rabbit ears, was already tattered, making her appear even more pitiful.

"What...what is going on?!"

Shido watched in stunned silence, his heart pounding in his chest. This was nothing like the "brief gap" he had anticipated! AST's actions were filled with undisguised murderous intent and destructive desire, as if they were willing to raze the entire block to the ground just to completely destroy that girl!

He immediately covered his earpiece, his voice trembling with anxiety: "Kotori! Did you see that?! This isn't what we expected! They...they don't care about destruction at all! What's going on?!"

Kotori's voice, equally grave, came through the earpiece: "Ah, I see. It's definitely unusual. It seems this time the AST commander... is a particularly bloodthirsty guy. Or perhaps, he received some kind of death order to kill without mercy."

At this moment, Ling Yin's calm and even voice intervened, providing crucial information:

"...According to the intelligence we intercepted, the AST forces stationed in Tiangong City recently replaced a batch of brand-new, significantly improved display devices and supporting weapon systems. Their operational budget has increased by nearly 100% compared to last month."

She paused, then continued her analysis: "The likely reason is that 'Walter Yang's' public declaration of war previously created an unprecedented sense of crisis at the national level. Therefore, they spared no expense in significantly increasing their investment in the Elven combat forces, intending to suppress them with overwhelming firepower."

Kotori scoffed from the bridge, a lollipop dangling from her mouth, and grumbled, "Hmph, quite generous with their investment. Too bad, the idea is nice, but reality is harsh. Elves… especially the slightly serious ones, can't be dealt with by these kinds of grunts and sheer firepower. It'll only increase the destruction."

However, the situation on the battlefield changed again the instant Kotori finished speaking!

A white figure, with astonishing speed far exceeding that of the other AST members, swiftly cut into the battlefield from the flank like a white lightning bolt tearing through the air! Her movements were fluid and sharp, instantly intercepting the "Hermit" who had just escaped from a partially collapsed building!

It's Origami Tobiichi!

The armor she wore was no longer the old CR-Unit that Shido was familiar with. It was a completely new set of armor with smoother lines, a more futuristic look, and a pure white and light blue color scheme!

The joints shimmered with a deep blue energy, and the thruster nozzles on her back were smaller, but the flames they emitted were more solid and intense, giving her unparalleled mobility.

What's most eye-catching is the light blade in her hand—no longer the relatively simple beam sword of the past, but a huge light saber that is solidified like a physical object, with high-frequency energy pulsating around its edges, and exuding a chilling aura!

Origami remained expressionless, her grey eyes displaying only absolute calm as she locked onto her target. Without uttering a single word or making a single movement, the lightsaber in her hand whistled through the air like the Grim Reaper's scythe, slashing down with precision and ruthlessness!

"Click——!!"

The thick ice crystal shield that the "Hermit" hastily conjured in front of him, strong enough to withstand conventional bullets, shattered like fragile glass in the face of this enhanced light blade!

Ice crystals scattered and flew everywhere, reflecting the fear and helplessness that instantly expanded in the "hermit's" sapphire-like eyes!

Origami's new equipment demonstrated overwhelming performance superiority with just one strike! The danger on the battlefield suddenly surged!

Chapter 208 A New Power

Shido stared intently at the figure in the air that resembled a white grim reaper, growing increasingly alarmed with each passing moment.

The new Origami display device not only far surpassed its predecessors in performance, but the design style of some of its components and the flowing arcs of energy... always gave him a strange and unsettling sense of familiarity.

He murmured unconsciously, "That equipment...part of its structure...am I somewhere...?"

"...Your feeling is correct, Xiao Shi."

Lingyin's calm voice came through the headset, confirming his guess: "According to our intelligence analysis, the core structure and energy conduction technology of the new tactical display device equipped by Sergeant Tobiichi Origami are not entirely independently developed."

She paused, then dropped a bombshell that sent shockwaves through Shido: "The technology originated from the mecha wreckage left behind after the Elf previously known as 'Walter Yang' was destroyed at the scene of the war. Humanity has clearly invested enormous resources in conducting emergency reverse engineering research on those wreckage pieces, which contain technology far exceeding current levels, and has prioritized the application of its findings to this new equipment."

"What...?! Reverse engineering...Walter's...technology?!"

Shido gasped. Weapons created with the power of spirits, used to hunt spirits? This was simply... full of irony and paradox!

Kotori snorted coldly on the bridge and replied, "That's right. It seems that the engineers on the human side have really gone all out to produce an application-level product in such a short time. Although it's definitely just a rudimentary product, being able to put it into actual combat so quickly is still a 'significant achievement'."

Looking at the high-performance, pure white and light blue gear on the screen, she spoke the newly bestowed, mythical official codename in a tone that was both mocking and undeniably threatening:

"—Its official name is said to be 'Gungnir'."

“Gungnir…” Shido repeated the word, the name of the infallible spear of Odin, the chief god in Norse mythology. The name perfectly matched Origami’s precise, efficient, and lethal fighting style, and also symbolized how humanity transformed this technology, which originated from the “gods” (elves), into a sharp spear aimed at the “gods” themselves, carrying the resolute determination that “hitting the mark” meant “killing.”

At this moment, the origami clad in "Gungnir" seemed to truly transform into a "spear of God" wielding the will of humanity, carrying the sharpness forged by the enemy's power, and with unstoppable force, it slashed towards the panicked "Hermit." The cruelty and complexity of the battle instantly rose to a whole new level.

Clad in pure white "Gungnir," the origami, like a Valkyrie locking onto her prey, traced a sharp trajectory through the sky. In her right hand, she held a solid lightsaber with high-frequency energy pulsating at its edges, while in her left hand she carried a simple-looking hand cannon that contained destructive power.

She seamlessly switched between long-range firepower suppression and close-range deadly strikes, combining offense and defense to force the "Hermit" into perilous situations.