Standing there was Kurumi who looked exactly like the one he remembered.
No - to be more precise, the only thing that remained the same was her apparent age, but her attire was somewhat different.
Women's blouses and skirts were in monochrome tones embellished with lace and ruffles, and their hair was not tied up but worn with a headband decorated with roses.
What's even more distinctive is her face. She has a medical eye patch covering her left eye, as if it's covering the face of a clock.
At this time, it was Shidou who could not help but frown slightly, and then through the same connection in his mind as Katsu, he asked Kurumi a question:
"…Tokisaki-san? Why are you wearing an eyepatch?"
"Please don't mind."
"Could it be that you was injured?"
"Please don't mind."
"But..."
"Please, don't, act like you know me," Kurumi said this in a tough and cold tone, and Shidou had to remain silent. After all, he was not Katsu, and Kurumi did not have that much tolerance for him... He was somewhat self-aware of this."Oh my, oh my, oh my." After saying this, Kurumi made a funny pose and tilted her head cutely.
"What are you standing there for? What's the matter with coming to a place like this?" Kurumi said to Katsu and Shidou in a relaxed tone, with her gaze mostly fixed on Katsu - there wasn't a trace of slackness in her eyes.
Although her expression showed a smile, her eyes were calmly and accurately observing the appearance and actions of Katsu and Shidou.
"Kurumi... no... no, it's - Kurumi! We have something to ask of you!"
"...Ah?" After Katsu called Kurumi's name, she raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"You know my name... who are you?" Kurumi said as she raised her right hand. Then, an old-fashioned pistol flew out from the shadow spreading out from Kurumi's feet and flew right into Kurumi's hand.
With one smooth movement, Kurumi pointed the gun at Katsu.
Shidou got anxious when he saw it, and waved his hands hastily---
"Wait... wait a minute! We have no hostility─" Before he could finish his words, a bullet exploded on the floor beneath Shidou's feet.
"Woooooa ...
"I didn't ask you---Also, please don't move without my permission. I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you don't answer me honestly, your life will be in danger. ... I sense a dangerous aura from you---" As she said that, Kurumi raised her pistol again and pointed it at Katsu. Then, she moved it again and pointed it at Shidou: "You answer it. The first question---Who are you?"
If I don't answer the question, I feel like the bullet will go through my heart next time.
Shidou clearly noticed this, and immediately raised his hands and spoke:
"My name is Shido Itsuka, and this person is Katsu. We are from five years later. Moreover, this Katsu is your future lover. So please lend us your power!"
Katsu also have Kurumi power but he just acquire this ability and it too dangerous to use a ability that he haven't use before in this situation.
"...What did you just say?" After Shidou finished speaking, Kurumi's expression immediately changed.
"If you keep talking nonsense, you'll be playing with fire." As she said that, Kurumi narrowed her eyes, glanced at Shidou, and her gaze fell on Katsu again---
"... Ah, how should I put it... Shidou is right, we are from five years later... I am your... future lover, right..."
A hint of anger flashed across Kurumi's face.
But at this moment, a voice sounded in Katsu's mind: "Oh, oh... I was really cautious before - but, that's right, before I met Katsu-kun, it was really hard for me to imagine falling in love with anyone - Katsu-kun, find a way to touch [me]. I'll tell her."
"Touch…"
Hearing what Kurumi said, Katsu was stunned for a moment, then swallowed his saliva---
"Um---kurumi-san, you can't---just keep holding the gun. Can you hold my hand?"
"I'm not a pure girl who would be so foolish as to listen to what someone of unknown origin says."
"My Kurumi said she wants to talk to you."
"...!" Hearing what Katsu said, Kurumi's eyebrows twitched.
"Sharing, senses? Kurumi's heart skipped a beat.
Taking a deep breath: "Oh...really?" Kurumi stared at Katsu cautiously as she moved forward. She now believed what they said a little, so she simply ignored Shidou standing beside her and touched Katsu's hand.
So──Kurumi shuddered slightly, as if a weak electric current had passed through her.
"Should I say...long time no see? I."
"...I see. That's definitely my voice... eh? What on earth happened to the world five years later?"
It seems that Kurumi five years ago can also hear the voice of Kurumi in Katsu's mind. This is indeed more effective than any lobbying.
"The world five years later..." In response to Kurumi's question about the past, Kurumi pondered for a while, then sighed and briefly explained the causes and consequences of the origami reversal and the future status quo.
"… …" Upon hearing this, Kurumi was silent for a long time. Shidou on the side became a little nervous, fearing that Kurumi would refuse their request.
After a while, Kurumi finally spoke, but what she said was not what Katsu and the others were concerned about---
"Hey, [me], is this person really my future lover?" In the past, Kurumi looked at Katsu with a half-smile, one hand still holding Katsu's hand.
"Yes," Kurumi answered without any hesitation.
"Oh, I see. That's really surprising. What kind of person is he?"
"You will know. Okay, please use the [Twelfth Bullet] to help them quickly."
"Ah, well, after all, it was my own request and that of my 'lover'---" As she said that, Kurumi walked over and let go of Katsu's hand with a smile--
Slightly stepped back---
"Ah! Are you willing to help us?" Shidou shouted in surprise.
"Ah - didn't you hear it? How pitiful, he's deaf at such a young age." Kurumi glanced at Shidou and said casually.
"… …" Shidou twitched his lips and said nothing more.
"Well - give your own spiritual power, and I will use the [Twelfth Bullet] to send you back."
"Use mine. I have more spiritual power." Katsu spoke first.
Hearing this, Kurumi couldn't help but look into Katsu's eyes again, and then nodded with satisfaction---
"Yes - no problem... come out! [Zafkiel]!"
The pistol in her hand was raised straight up. Then, a dense shadow seeped out from [ⅩⅡ] on the [Zafkiel] dial and was sucked into the muzzle of the gun.
"[Twelfth Bullet]."
"Okay. Then I'm going to shoot." Kurumi slowly pointed the gun at Katsu.
"Just now he said your name is... Katsu? Right?"
"Ah... yes."
"Well, good luck to you, my future lover~" As soon as she finished speaking, a gunshot was heard.
"Bang!" Katsu heard the sound of a gunshot, and then his body stiffened slightly as he looked at Kurumi---
He smiled and said, "This outfit is very beautiful, especially the eye mask---" As soon as he finished speaking, Katsu heard the chuckle of Kurumi in front of him, "Thank you for the compliment." and another gunshot of "
[Twelfth Bullet]".
Consciousness falls into darkness ---
On the other side, five years later, when Kurumi heard Katsu's last words that perfectly passed Kurumi's way, her eyelids twitched slightly. Now she feels the same feeling of being tease of his past self from Katsu.
… …
"Katsu-kun…Katsu-kun?"
The magnetic and pleasant voice in my mind awakens the drowsy trees.
Katsu opened his eyes slightly, and after a while, he found himself lying on his back.
He was on the same rooftop as before.
However, the figure of Kurumi from five years ago was no longer on the top floor──more importantly, there was no flame in Town seen from the top floor.
"Did it succeed?" Katsu murmured, then sat up.
"Hmm..." A slightly confused mumbling voice sounded beside me.
Katsu turned his head and saw Shidou lying next to him.
"It looks like it was successful." Kurumi responded to Katsu.
That's right. Although they didn't know the exact moment, they did travel through time again and returned to the past. --- Back to the world before the fire. Back to the world before Kotori became a spirit.
——Returned to the world before Origami killed her parents.
Katsu took a deep breath, then pushed Shidou beside him----
"Shidou, Shidou wake up, we succeeded..."
"Hmm...?" Shidou opened his eyes, blinked a few times, then suddenly sat up and looked to his side.
"Katsu? Are we...back?"
"Ah - yes." As he said that, Katsu once again turned his head to look at Tiangong City under the building - there was no fire, no explosion...
"There's no time to dwell on your feelings, Katsu-kun." The Kurumi in his mind spoke up as a reminder.
"Yeah... I know." After hearing Kurumi's reminder, Katsu wanted to stand up, but the feeling of weakness came over him again and he almost fell down. Fortunately, Kisara reacted quickly enough and appeared to reach out to pull him up in time.
He once again looked at the scenery of the Town that was spreading out before him. He clenched his fists and whispered softly, as if calling out to Kurumi, who had only a voice.
"Cough cough cough cough..." After coughing for a while, Katsu hugged Kisara's shoulders, pressed most of his weight on her, let out a long breath.
"Let's go and change the world..."
"ah--"
"However, although we have successfully returned to the time before the fire, what should we do next?"
"… Shidou, has anyone ever told you that you have no way of reading the mood?" Katsu said expressionlessly.
"Huh? Is that... like that? Why do you say that?" Shidou scratched his hair in confusion.
Seeing this, Katsu sighed: "The cool atmosphere before was destroyed by you in an instant---"
Shidou's mouth twitched. For some reason, he suddenly had the urge to abandon this person and run away...
"Forget it. Let's not worry about the atmosphere for now. Let's talk about the next action first. The reason you failed the first time you came here was that you didn't know what would happen next and you don't have power. But now that I am let's make a plan based on this---"
"So --- Shidou-san! Question: What is the main goal of our operation this time?"
Katsu asked like a teacher, his tone suddenly becoming serious.
"Ah... it should be - not letting Origami kill her parents, right?" Shidou replied, twisting his body uncomfortably.
"Yes, that's right. So, what can you do to achieve this goal?"
"...try to stop Origami...or something?"
"That's the most obvious approach, but I don't think it's very practical."
Origami believed that the phantom was the one who killed her relatives and enemies, and she only wanted revenge. No matter how much she was shouted at to persuade him, Origami might not stop.
In addition, after becoming a spirit, her power can only be described as extremely powerful. In fact, in the first round, when Origami and [Phantom] launched a series of dazzling aerial battles, Shidou had exhausted all his energy just chasing her.
Even if he can let Kisara and Mana fight it might backfire and those attack might still hit Origami parent's.
"So... let Origami's parents escape to a safe place--or something like that?"
"Hmm... this should have a higher chance of success than stopping Origami herself."
"Right...right? Then-"
"But... if a stranger came up to you right now and said, 'It's going to rain light from the sky soon, go take shelter quickly!' what would you think?" Katsu squinted at Shidou.
Upon hearing this, Shidou immediately understood what Katsu meant. He meant that Origami's parents would most likely not believe what they said...
"Just...just explain the reason to them──" Shidou still didn't give up.
"You said you were from the future, and that they were about to be killed by their future daughter, so you hoped they would believe you and run away with you. Is that so? --- I'd be surprised if they didn't call you a psychopath."
"… …" Shidou's eyelids twitched slightly. Katsu, this guy, is really rude… …
But then again, if you think about it carefully, the reason why Kurumi five years ago believed their words was because Kurumi's own ability could cause time to flow backwards - the most important point was the voice of Kurumi that sounded in Katsu's mind.
Besides, Origami's parents don't know the existence of spirit at all. If she were to explain the reason to them, a fire would probably break out halfway through.
"But...if I use my magic, I can make them obey our orders---"
Hearing this, Shidou's face suddenly showed a look of joy, but before he could say anything, Katsu immediately poured a basin of cold water on him---
"But --- assuming everything goes smoothly and Origami's parents are successfully taken to the evacuation camp, it's not certain that things will end in a happy ending."
"Eh...what does that mean?" Shidou was even more confused. They had agreed that the difficulty was to persuade Origami's parents to believe in him, but now Katsu said that even if he succeeded in getting Origami's parents to listen to him, it wouldn't work---
"If the world wants to follow the original history──Is it possible that Origami's light could be directed to the place where her parents took refuge?"
"Or the aftermath of the disaster strike and hit her parent's. Even if I leave Mana and Kisara to protect them I can't stay for long and eventually disaster will strike again so this may not be a perfect solution."
Shidou was speechless for a moment. This possibility was not impossible.
"Then tell me...what should we do?" Shidou had a few black lines on his forehead.
"...Hmm---Let me think..." As he spoke, Katsu pinched his chin and motioned to Shidou not to stop here and to quickly find the location of the [Phantom]---
Shidou rolled his eyes, but didn't say much. He sighed, then follow Katsu and walked in a certain direction. After walking for a while, Shidou suddenly turned his head and looked at Katsu, who still had a thoughtful look on his face.
"Katsu---I have an idea!"
"oh?"