"Changing the world is easier than you think."

"I can even take you to other worlds—perhaps one of them has the kind of society you've always dreamed of."

Rei Ao smiled calmly, sketching a future full of hope and beauty for the two women.

Kurumi's clock‑eye twitched.

"What if I want the Origin Spirit to disappear completely?"

Those simple words carried the deepest obsession of Kurumi's life.

Ever since regaining her memories, she had spent every waking moment hating the Origin Spirit.

"Child's play."

Rei Ao's smile was steady, his gaze full of confidence.

"But would that really satisfy you? Think of all the years you've devoted to this goal… Doesn't it deserve a bigger payoff than simple revenge?"

"I think you two should give it some serious thought."

He gave each of them a light pat on the shoulder and vanished, leaving them to wrestle with their thoughts.

Even after Rei Ao's figure had completely disappeared, Kurumi and Ellen remained on the balcony, each lost in contemplation.

The truth about the Origin Spirit, the fall of DEM Industries, the bargain Rei Ao had offered—the night's revelations were overwhelming.

Their minds felt like snarled threads: impossible to unravel, impossible to know which way to turn.

Kurumi's nails bit deeply into her palms; the glow of her clock‑eye flickered, the outward sign of her inner struggle.

For years, revenge had been the only lighthouse guiding her through the darkness.

Now someone had told her that vengeance could be achieved with ease—only to dangle an even greater temptation: a "greater reward" that went beyond revenge.

"Do you truly believe he can rewrite the world?"

Kurumi finally broke the silence, her voice as rough as sandpaper scraping metal.

She fixed Ellen with a stare, trying to dig the answer out of her eyes.

Ellen hugged her own arms. Moonlight stretched her shadow long and thin, twisting across the floor like a wolf's silhouette.

"DEM's destruction is proof enough."

Her voice trembled. "Power that defies all logic… maybe he really does come from a higher dimension."

Thinking of the tragedy she herself had helped create, her fingernails almost pierced her skin.

"If I can correct my mistakes—any price would be worth it."

Kurumi's breathing steadied. She looked up at the moon; something in her outlook had begun to shift.

…

At the same time

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!!!"

Alarms exploded across Ratatoskr's bridge.

Kotori Itsuka sprang to her feet, the splintered stick of her lollipop clattering to the deck.

On the main screen the ruined DEM complex—dead seconds ago—erupted with violent energy.

Countless ghost‑blue motes rose like fireflies, knitting eerie runes in the air.

"That's a… precursor to spatial transfer!"

Reine's fingers hammered the keyboard, sweat sliding down her pale cheek.

"And the energy spike is stronger than any spacequake we've ever recorded!"

Kotori's pupils contracted. She snatched up the intercom:

"All hands to battle stations! Raise the defensive barri—"

She never finished. The whole ship lurched.

Outside, the starry sky warped into a vortex; reality's fabric was being torn by an unknown force.

A rainbow‑colored beam ripped the darkness—and Rei Ao appeared in the center of the bridge.

Thousands of sparkling shards of light orbited him like falling stars.

Instinctively Kotori unleashed her flames, but the fire snuffed out the instant it touched the hem of his coat.

"No need to panic, Commander Kotori Itsuka."

Rei Ao smiled, cosmos‑deep hues swirling in his rainbow irises.

"I've come to show you a little gift."

He snapped his fingers. The bridge's holographic display flipped to a new scene:

A barren desert beneath a bizarre purple sky.

A man knelt in the sand; from his back sprouted black thorns woven from twisted human faces, each one silently screaming.

The view zoomed in—

Kotori and Reine gasped.

It was Isaac Westcott—dead long ago—yet his features writhed and re‑formed like a crab's moulting shell.

"These are the after‑images of Westcott and DEM's core members," Rei Ao said lightly.

"Their consciousnesses are trapped in a quantum crevice, suffering a fate worse than death forever."

"A little present from me to DEM's arch‑enemy—Ratatoskr."

Kotori's fists clenched, nails carving crescent wounds into her palms.

She forced her voice steady. "What do you want?"

"Something simple."

Rei Ao was suddenly behind her, warm breath brushing her ear.

"I'm interested in you. I imagine you're looking for Tohka—and for me—right now, aren't you?"

His fingertip traced the nape of her neck, leaving a faint golden sigil.

Cold sweat broke on Kotori's brow.

This guy is even more dangerous than I thought—Reine, please save me!

"Commander, what happened here…?"

Right on cue, the command‑room doors slid open and Analyst Reine Murasame stepped in.

Her eyes locked on Rei Ao, narrowing to slits. "Who are you?"

Rei Ao smiled placidly, releasing Kotori and turning to her.

"Which role are you questioning me as?"

"Reine Murasame, Ratatoskr analyst?"

"Or the Origin Spirit—Mio Takamiya?"

"!!"

Reine's pupils shrank. Her gaze on Rei Ao changed completely.

"Origin Spirit?"

Kotori whirled in shock.

She wasn't stupid. "Reine… don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

Silence. Then Reine spoke softly:

"Perhaps our mysterious outsider, with his impossible powers, should introduce himself."

She had to know—who was Rei Ao?

He was immeasurably strong, yet his power wasn't from a Spirit crystal, and he knew secrets no one else did.

Rei Ao gave a faint smile.

"Rei Ao. That's my name—just a traveler from another world."

~~~

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