This is not the date I wanted.

Alan sighed secretly.

It's a bit unsatisfying, but it's not a bad thing.

"Although it would be the easiest to kill her and take back the spirit crystal, Ike said it would be best to capture her alive. But to be on the safe side, let's cut off her limbs."

"……learn."

Origami looked at Allen. Although she said she wanted to capture him alive, from her tone, she obviously didn't consider whether he would be tortured to the point of mental breakdown after having his limbs chopped off, or die from excessive blood loss during the process.

It's as casual as deciding the life or death of an animal.

When Qi Zui heard this, his already weak face completely lost all color.

"No, no... don't... save, save... me... it's so... scary..."

Looking at the sword raised by Alan, Seven Sins wailed incoherently in fear.

"Want to live... For you now, this choice will only add to your pain. Or will someone come to save you at this time?"

Allen's words left Seven Sins speechless for a moment.

Someone who came to save me? How could such a person exist? Since the Seven Sins came to this world, all they met were people who ignored their existence and magicians who chased them all day long.

(No, there are also them...)

In an instant, the figures of Gokawa Shido and others appeared in her mind, but soon, Nanashi denied this foolish idea with self-mockery. Nanashi knew best how bad what she had done to Shido and others was. Even if Shido and others saw this situation, it would be incredible if they didn't stab her at this time.

(That’s right… Anyone who would come forward to save someone like me must be out of his mind.)

At times like this, especially when it was not someone else but oneself who came to this conclusion, the mental pain made Nanashi want to shed tears more than the physical pain.

The sword's light drew a ruthless trajectory and swung straight down without mercy. Imagining the pain that would follow, Nanashi closed his eyes and clenched his teeth.

Boom——!

At this moment, suddenly an orange-yellow light shot out, accurately aiming at the sword in Allen's hand and knocking it away.

"!?"

Seeing the familiar light of the electromagnetic cannon, Origami and Alan's pupils shrank instantly, and they instantly realized what was happening.

This was not a surprise. Allen did not think that after he had made such an obvious move, the Ratatoskr and Hackers in Tiangong City would choose to turn a blind eye.

"Tobiichi Origami! The witch is in your hands."

"learn."

Alan immediately rushed towards the direction of the shelling, while Origami was responsible for retrieving the Seven Sins and bringing them back to DEM.

"Aha!"

Suddenly, a giant sword flashing with fluorescent light appeared out of thin air in front of Nanashi and swung towards Origami with great momentum.

"what?"

Because it happened so suddenly, Origami could only quickly reduce the power of the thrusters and hold the sword across her chest.

Fierce flames burst out between the weapons. Although the power of the giant sword was not enough to cause any harm to Origami, it forced Origami to keep her distance.

After steadying herself, Origami finally saw the person swinging the sword - a little girl who was about the same height as the sword in her hand, wearing a faintly glowing spiritual outfit.

"Yatogami Tohka!?"

Although it was very different from his original appearance, Origami recognized the other person's identity at the first sight.

"What are you doing here? Tobiichi Origami."

"It's none of your business! Don't come and get in my way!"

"I won't let you pass!"

Tohka yelled, waving the Aosha-Kou in her hand continuously, holding Origami back.

Seeing that she couldn't shake off Yatogami Tohka, Origami clenched her teeth slightly. After a brief pause, the surrounding magi also reacted instantly, and took the opportunity to catch Nanashi while Origami and Tohka were wrestling.

However, from the other side of the city, a brave tune suddenly sounded. The temperature around them dropped rapidly, and the moisture in the air began to freeze. Even on the transparent barrier outside the magician, frost and snow began to gather.

At some point, a gigantic rabbit wrapped in cold air appeared in front of the magicians, staring directly at them with its scarlet eyes.

"Aa ...

"Well...you are not allowed...to get close to Miss Seven Sins!"

Shion nodded and spoke quietly but firmly.

What's going on? Are they helping themselves?

As if unable to understand the current situation, Nanashi's face was filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"Seven Sins, are you okay?"

"...Itsuka...Shido?"

In Nanashi's sight, Gokawa Shido appeared behind Nanashi without any warning like a mirage in the desert and squatted beside her.

——Why...are you here?

The last sentence was not uttered. Due to the excessive blood loss, Nanashi didn't even have enough strength to speak.

"Wait, I'll treat you right away. Ratziel (Sage of the Dawn)!"

[Received, partial expansion - Camael (Scorching Devil)]

Then, under the shocked gaze of Nanashi, a ball of white healing flame burned from the palm of Shidao's right hand.

10. Magician of DEM

==============================

"Huh... the first step was successful."

Looking at the white flame swaying in his hand, Shidou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he had practiced it several times in the virtual world, it was the first time that Shidou actively summoned the healing flame in the real world.

What is he doing? Nanashi wondered. Although she was surprised that Shidou, who she thought was just an ordinary human, could use the power of spirits, she was more concerned about why this man was here and why he said he wanted to heal her.

"Well, I'm sorry."

Under Nanashi's puzzled gaze, Shidou placed his right hand, which was holding a flickering flame, on the wound on Nanashi's abdomen.

Seeing this scene, Nanashi's first reaction was that Shidou intended to take revenge on her while she was weak and unable to move, and use flames to burn her wounds to torture herself and make her suffer.

However, the reality is quite different from what the Seven Sins imagined.

The white flame spread evenly, completely covering the wound like a thin film. The body, which had been cold and numb due to excessive blood loss, warmed up as if it was infused with vitality.

The wide wound that Allen had pierced was healing at a visible speed under the stimulation of the flames. Soon, the huge wound that Allen had pierced with his sword disappeared.

Without the pain and torture of wounds, Nanashi's complexion improved slightly.

Looking at her intact abdomen, Nanashi looked at Shidou with incredible eyes, moved her mouth, and asked slowly.

"Itsuka Shidou... who are you?"

Hearing Nanashi's words, Shidou smiled bitterly and answered honestly.

"I'm just a high school student who wants to live an ordinary life."

Stop talking nonsense. This thought came to her mind. Then, a strong sense of fatigue swept over Nanashi's body. Although the wound had healed, the large amount of blood loss was something Shidou could not replenish out of thin air. The mental exhaustion and spiritual energy consumption made Nanashi's state unprecedentedly low.

(No... I need to cancel my transformation... I can't sleep... I have to leave quickly...)

Although she kept telling herself this in her heart, after she was relieved from Alan's fear, her tense nerves completely relaxed, and she was too lazy to move even a finger. In a daze, she closed her eyes.

"are you asleep?"

Seeing Nanashi breathing peacefully, Shidou breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, Nanashi's body emitted a faint light. The big sister with the enchanting and sexy devil figure disappeared in front of Shidao, and was replaced by the slender and thin little girl that Shidao saw before.

(Did he cancel his own transformation because of excessive consumption of spiritual energy?)

Shidou gently picked up Nanashi's body. Her body was so light that Shidou felt like he was holding something fragile like glass.

To be honest, although Nanashi's true appearance does create a strong contrast with her original mature lady image, it is not so bad that it is shameful to look at. As long as she works hard to maintain herself, she can become a very cute girl.

(Or maybe the sexy beauty is really not presentable under her guise... Or maybe this carnivorous lady who looks very strong... is she an unexpectedly self-deprecating person...?)

Thinking back to what Meng Yue had said, Shidao sighed with a wry smile.

[Shidou, what's the situation with Nanashi? ]

Kotori's questioning voice came through the earphones.

"He's fine now. He's just still very weak from the blood loss and just fainted."

[I'm glad you're alright. Well done, Shidou. I didn't expect you to be able to use my flames in this way. I'll give you a little compliment.]

“It’s just an emergency measure that we have no alternative but to take.”

In response to his sister's compliment, Shidou shook his head flattered and a wry smile appeared on his face.

The power of the elves is neither good nor evil, it is just a weapon that exists to fulfill one's wishes. What kind of impact it can cause does not depend on itself, but on the user. It's like the same sharp kitchen knife, which has completely different uses in the hands of a gangster and a chef.

So, how should Gokawa Shido use these powers to protect everyone?

In the seven days in the virtual world, Shidao thought of many possibilities under the guidance of Mengyue, and tried all the possibilities one by one. The first thing that came to his mind was the healing flame that had pulled him back from the deadly bad end countless times.

So, can this flame be used on others? Shidou devoted all his time, except for combat training, to this possibility.

Originally, it was impossible for Shidao to perform such a precise operation within seven days, but with the help of the Sage of Dawn, it was not impossible. God will not let down those who work hard. On the day of leaving the virtual world, Shidao finally succeeded in healing the small wound that Mengyue had deliberately cut on his hand.

Of course, it has many limitations compared to self-resurrection and treatment, but it is undoubtedly the greatest achievement that Gokawa Shido has achieved in his training in the virtual world.

But having said that, Shidou didn't expect that his training would come in handy so soon.

Originally, Shidou's plan was to take advantage of the opportunity when Meng Yue led Alan away, sneak up to Nanashi, let Yoshino and Tohka subdue the magicians except Alan, and then take them to the airship to treat them with the manifestation device. After all, Shidou's training in spirit power was only a week, and compared to the immature treatment method that Shidou had just figured out, the manifestation device that had already formed a complete system was undoubtedly safer.

Although she didn't have the absolute control over magicians like Meng Yue, the cold air of Yoshino's ice puppets, which could freeze the Freedom Field together, was also a huge threat to magicians. The remaining magicians who reacted and released the Freedom Field were also opponents that Tohka could easily deal with.

However, what Shidou and the others didn't expect was that in addition to Alan, there was another enemy that they couldn't ignore.

Endless snowflakes danced in the sky, as if winter had arrived two months earlier, and the desolate hills were covered with a layer of silver. Most of the magicians had already lost consciousness and were unable to move under the freezing of Yoshino's cold air. Only one magician increased the output of magic power to prevent the random area from freezing. At the same time, he forced back Tohka who was fighting with her with a sword and flew in front of Shidao.

The magician was wearing a wiring suit very similar to Alan's, and his silver-white armor was definitely very conspicuous among the magicians of DEM.

However, Shidou paid attention to the magus for a simpler reason.

Shidou was very familiar with the appearance of that magician.

"Origami..."

Shidou looked up at the girl with short light-colored hair, his eyes full of doubt and confusion.

[I didn't expect that Tobiichi Origami suddenly disappeared a few days ago. It was because of the addition of DEM. ]

Kotori said in a complicated tone in the headset.

[Shidou, don't be careless. Origami is now our enemy.]

"Yeah...I know."

Now was obviously not the time to dwell on these things. Origami's target was obviously the unconscious Nanashi. Shidou took a deep breath and looked at Origami with a vigilant look.

"Shidou, why are you here?"

Noticing Shidou's presence, Origami frowned slightly and stopped in mid-air.

"The person behind you is very dangerous. Put her down and run to shelter."

"No, I won't let you go."

"why?"

Hearing Origami's words, Shidou shook his head.

"I'm here to save Seven Sins. So, I won't hand her over to you."

"Yeah……"

Origami did not show any surprise after hearing Shidou's words. After a moment of silence, she put the sword in her hand back into the mecha.

Seeing that Origami had no intention of continuing to chase him, Shidou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shidou, how are you? You're not hurt, are you?"