---
Saving Yoshino? Does that mean knocking her out like the other spirits?
Yuki hesitated. Was this really a good idea? Yoshino was unstable right now. If she were like the Yoshino from the other timeline, he wouldn't have hesitated—he'd have just taken her home like before. But now, he wasn't sure what was happening with Yoshino...
So, what should he do?
Yuki still didn't know, but while he was thinking, Origami didn't stop. Her projectiles kept firing, draining her magical power rapidly.
But this was expected. White Lycoris was still a prototype, and its stats were impossible for an ordinary mage to handle. It placed a tremendous burden on Origami's mortal body.
"Darling! Hurry, don't let them hurt Yoshino-chan!"
Miku, who had already reached Yuki, pleaded with anxiety and pain etched on her beautiful face, softening Yuki's resolve.
"Alright, I'll bring her back."
He wanted to observe a bit longer, but Miku was on the verge of losing control, something Yuki absolutely wanted to avoid...
As he began gathering spiritual power and his Sharingan started spinning, Nia's voice stopped him.
[No, wait. Not yet.]
"Hm?"
In the spiritual realm, Nia, responsible for intelligence, had been working on the anomaly that Yoshino presented. After some time, Rasiel identified the source of the problem.
"Two Yoshinos?"
[A fusion between them. The current Yoshino is a gateway to the other alternate timeline...]
"..."
Now it all made sense, at least partially. The reason Yoshino's power was stronger was that both the Yoshino from the first timeline and the Yoshino from this timeline had fused into one being to avoid creating paradoxes and time gaps.
At some point, when the first timeline ended, Yoshino arrived in this one. This also explained why Yoshino had memories of being saved by Miku and Yuki—it was all the influence of the Yoshino from the first timeline.
(What a headache...)
Dealing with time was always a hassle, but as a survivor, Yoshino managed it—or rather, the 'Yuki' from that timeline sent her.
As for his objectives, there was no need to spell them out; Yuki had already guessed them. He had to open that timeline, to fix the loop, but in doing so, Yuki would have to pay the price.
"Darling!"
"It's okay, Miku. Yoshino won't get hurt."
*Tick, tock*
Reassuring the diva, Yuki called on Zafkiel. Since Yoshino was an anomaly, it was a job for his time angel to fix it. However, at that moment, Origami caught his attention...
*BOOM*
The explosions continued. AST and Origami were forced to retreat due to the immense power of Zadkiel. The weather grew more intense, and the territory above them froze with each passing second.
"Tsk!"
Origami bit her lip. She couldn't even defeat Hermit, known as the most cowardly spirit. There was no doubt she would lose against Yuki...
(No, I won't lose again!)
In this life, she had lost too much. The stimulus and strength ignited the mark on her chest, and the crown that protected her began to spin. The magical power within her surged, and the territory of White Lycoris flickered as if it were gathering immense energy.
"This time, I won't be the one to lose!"
White Lycoris' cannons aimed at the giant rabbit, and Origami clenched her teeth.
*BAM*
"Ahhhh!"
A powerful beam of energy shot from her cannons, pushing the giant rabbit back. But not just that—the shockwave also hurt Yoshino.
The beam was so powerful because it was a product of Yuki's power. It was so strong that everyone was astonished by the attack. After all, it pierced through the entire underground and shot towards the sky...
Everyone's gaze shifted to Origami. They swallowed hard, even Tohka, who had faced Origami more than once, was surprised...
"That mecha-human..."
That power was enough to cause severe damage, her spiritual armor wouldn't protect her. For the first time, a human had surprised her.
"Yoshino-chan!"
Miku, after the initial shock, recovered and turned her head. Such an attack could have killed the gentle Yoshino. Fortunately, her tears didn't have time to fall because the shadow of the giant rabbit appeared in the cloud of smoke, allowing her to relax...
*ROOAR*
The rabbit's roar was clear to everyone; Yoshino hadn't been defeated. Although her body suffered damage, Yoshino had managed to cushion the blow with ice.
"Tsk!"
Origami gritted her teeth. The mark on her chest stopped glowing, and her body felt weak. Because she used a power that wasn't hers, the strain on her body increased. Now, sweat poured down her face, and her breathing became erratic. Yet, her desire for victory didn't wane. She raised her cannons again, ready to attack once more, but couldn't as Yuki finally moved...
*ROOAR*
"Ahhhhh!"
The giant rabbit roared again, and Yoshino screamed. Finally, the person who had made her Sephira crystal unstable appeared before her, and without hesitation, the giant rabbit attacked.
"Onii-chan!"
"Darling!"
Yuki ignored the shouts from Origami and Miku. He even ignored Zadkiel's attack. His eyes were on Yoshino the entire time. This timid little spirit... there was joy, pain, and sadness in her gaze.
She had gone through so much to get here that Yuki sighed, raised his spark gun, and Zafkiel appeared behind him...
*BAM*
The giant rabbit's massive paw was intercepted by a large sword before it could strike its target. The clash between them sent a shockwave that temporarily dispelled the blizzard...
"You won't touch Yuki!"
As his bodyguard, Tohka did a good job. She gritted her teeth and blocked the rabbit. This, of course, irritated Yoshino, so Zadkiel raised its other paw. Unfortunately, it was too late. Yuki had already pulled the trigger.
*Tick, tock*
"Now, let's restore the timeline."
*BANG...*
The bullet hit its mark—Yoshino's small chest—causing her eyes to widen as her mind traveled to a memory she didn't want to recall...
And not just her. Origami and Kotori on Fraxinus also changed their expressions, clutching their chests tightly.
The mark illuminated, and the power of Zafkiel opened the alternate timeline, allowing them both to enter the loop...
---
The first timeline was destroyed, and Yoshino is the only survivor still 'alive' from that timeline.
And since the Requiem ignored her and didn't devour her power, Yuki sent Yoshino to this timeline to save her.
That timeline was hell. Yoshino witnessed everything crumbling, even Yuki, who in her heart was invincible, was overpowered by the overwhelming force of the Weapon Coffin.
The power of the Requiem was no joke. That cosmic weapon devoured the entire timeline, and nothing could stop it. Faced with such a situation, Yuki had no other choice.
"I'm sorry, Yoshino, but this is all I can do to protect you... You must live! You can do it; you have to."
"Yuki-san... I... I can't... I don't want you to leave me..."
Yoshino cried. She didn't want to part from Yuki. She didn't want to leave him. Miku was dead, and he was the only one she had left in this world. But, unfortunately, Yuki had to let her go.
"It's alright, Yoshino... Even if you go now, you won't be alone. I'll still be there. I'll always be there... This time, everything will be okay, I promise. It'll work, and I'll bring everyone back..."
Even if it didn't work the first time, Yuki would keep going back in time as many times as needed. No matter how many timelines he had to create, he would find a happy ending, one where Yoshino would smile again, where all his girls would be alive, where the Weapon Coffin wouldn't devour the dimension...
Embracing her delicate body, Yuki said goodbye, not without giving her one last kiss. He then raised his spark gun to his head...
*Tick, tock*
*BANG...*
"Yuki-san!"
---
TN: WHO DARE MAKE THE LOLI CRY?!?