After speaking with Origami, Kaguya realized that the timeline had shifted in unexpected ways since her arrival in this world.
To start, Origami's parents had narrowly escaped death and only sustained minor injuries in the fire five years ago. However, whether due to a kind of historical inertia, they met a grim fate days later in an unexpected car accident, ultimately leaving Origami orphaned.
The fire, nonetheless, had caused tremendous destruction, killing hundreds and leveling every building within several kilometers, leaving nothing but scorched earth. Fortunately, a heavy rainstorm hit that night, preventing the blaze from spreading further and causing more devastation—a small blessing in a tragic event.
For those who lost loved ones in the blaze, however, there was no such reprieve. Reportedly, Kotori Itsuka's parents perished in that very fire, along with an adoptive older brother she had just welcomed into her home a day prior—an unfortunate twist of fate.
And this loss had changed Kotori's personality dramatically. She had grown cold, especially harsh toward Spirits, and unwavering in her resolve to deal with them.
Her adoptive brother…?
Kaguya felt a wave of disbelief, her head spinning. Could she mean Kotori's brother, Shido Itsuka?
The main protagonist just died—just like that? After only a day with his new family? So much for his plot armor.
There was also a significant change in AST's equipment, which had been vastly improved compared to the original story. The standard AST CR-Units, which were practically useless in the original, barely scratching Spirits, had now been upgraded to a point where they could actually cause some damage to Spirits.
Of course, it still wasn't enough to decisively overpower a Spirit, but for AST, which excelled at employing human wave tactics, the equipment upgrades were tolerable. At least it wasn't like before, where a whole squad would be unable to breach a Spirit's defenses.
"What's on your mind?"
Kaguya was snapped out of her thoughts by the sight of a lovely face close to hers. Origami's clear eyes were staring intently at her.
"Ah, nothing." Kaguya took a step back.
Who would've thought that behind Origami's expressionless face, she'd be this forward? Then again, recalling her behavior in the original, it wasn't all that surprising.
"What do you plan to do next?" Origami asked. "You've caught Kotori Itsuka's attention. She could attack at any time, and given her personality, she won't let it go."
"That…" Kaguya considered for a moment.
Indeed, being constantly targeted was hardly ideal.
"Come join AST," Origami suddenly suggested.
"What?" Kaguya said, surprised. "AST is specifically designed to combat Spirits, isn't it?"
"Exactly. But no one's ever said that a Spirit couldn't join AST." Origami replied earnestly.
"No way…" Kaguya felt her head spin.
Was this girl trying to set her up? Kaguya couldn't help but doubt her words. Of course, no one had ever said a Spirit couldn't join AST—that was because no Spirit had ever tried!
Wait, though. If she did join AST, it might complicate things for Kotori if she wanted to attack. The AST's ground forces were part of the Japan Self-Defense Force, after all. At the very least, her affiliation would give Kotori pause. Also, since Kaguya lacked Spirit power, she wouldn't trigger any Spirit detection alarms, which meant AST wouldn't have any reason to keep attacking her.
"Well, since you're inviting me…" Kaguya rubbed her chin thoughtfully before looking up and saying, "Sure, I'll join AST."
"Oh?" Origami blinked. "Aren't you afraid of getting captured and dissected?"
"So you were trying to trick me," Kaguya's eye twitched.
"No," Origami poured a glass of juice from the bar and handed it to Kaguya, saying, "I was just joking."
"Your poker face makes it impossible to tell," Kaguya sighed.
"Oh, really?" Origami tilted her head, looking genuinely curious. "Then maybe I should try smiling." She used her fingers to pull the corners of her mouth into a "smile."
"That… still doesn't look like a smile."
Since Kotori was now an adversary and couldn't be relied on, joining AST might be the best way to blend in and stay under the radar.
Yet, when Kaguya followed Origami to AST headquarters, she found things weren't exactly as she'd expected. To her surprise, nearly all AST members were women; the place felt like a female-only country, with a sea of energetic, youthful women as far as the eye could see.
The reason for the lack of men in AST was wrapped in rumors. Apparently, men had once been part of the team, but AST's training regimen was so intense, with punishments so brutal, that most men couldn't withstand the hardship. As a result, no more men were willing to join, and the few who did, like Kannazuki Kyouhei, left as broken men with a twisted taste for pain.
Of course, these were just rumors, so Kaguya wasn't sure how true they were. But she did know that now, she was surrounded by plenty of attractive young women. While they might not quite match Origami or Kotori in appearance, the sheer numbers were a bit overwhelming.
And, more importantly, AST's facilities did come with certain "benefits." Just to her right was a room labeled "Changing Room," and Kaguya could see through a crack in the door, catching a glimpse of bare bodies and slender legs. Since there weren't usually any men around, the girls here seemed more at ease.
AST's building and facilities were impressively well-equipped, with Kaguya now standing in a spacious training hall filled with various weapons and training equipment. Shooting ranges and sparring areas dotted the space, and several AST members were practicing, maintaining a steady rhythm in their training.
Gunfire rang out constantly, flames flickering amidst the lingering smoke.
"Where are we headed?" Kaguya turned her gaze away from the shooting range and asked Origami.
"We need to get you registered, set up your personal file, and then meet the captain," Origami replied.
Just then, a long-haired girl in a green military uniform approached, smiling, "Origami, you did great out there. The higher-ups have commended you. Maybe it won't be long before you're promoted."
"Thank you, Captain," Origami replied coolly.
"Come on now, no need to be so cold," Captain Ryouko Kusakabe said with a smile, patting Origami on the shoulder. "You should take a break now and then—like soaking in a hot spring, maybe? I'll even grant you leave!"
"No need," Origami replied. "I still have a lot to do. Until it's done, I don't have time for distractions."
"Sigh…" The captain sighed, a bit disappointed. "If you keep those nerves wound so tight, you'll get sick—or worse, age faster! Then be careful your crush doesn't lose interest."
Origami froze at that, seeming to think for a moment before responding, "Actually, it sounds like it's you who wants to go."
"Ha!" Captain Ryokou laughed awkwardly. "Of course not! I'd never indulge in something so trivial. As captain, I must always stay prepared for action!" She playfully punched the air.
Then, as if noticing something, Ryokou turned her head. "Who's that? I don't believe I've seen her before, but she's quite striking."
"She's my cousin," Origami said, completely serious. "She's very interested in AST and has been wanting to join, so I brought her here in the hopes she could become part of the team."
"Your cousin?" Ryokou leaned in, studying Kaguya closely. "You two don't look that similar, though I suppose the hair color is close."
"She's my distant cousin," Origami explained.
"Oh, I see." Ryokou nodded as if she understood. Turning back, she took Kaguya's hand, smiling warmly, "Welcome! I'm Ryouko Kusakabe, but everyone just calls me Captain. What's your name?"
"Kaguya. Nice to meet you, Captain," Kaguya replied with a slight smile.
"You really are beautiful! I don't think we've got anyone around here quite like you," Ryokou said, putting an arm around Kaguya's shoulders in a friendly manner. "Are you some kind of heiress from an old family? You have that vibe."
"Something like that," Kaguya said evasively.
"Someone with looks like yours being so humble!" Ryokou laughed. "If my girls here were half as pretty, I think they'd all have their noses in the air."
Kaguya's eye twitched. Even with all these compliments, she couldn't feel happy—not when she still wanted her original body back.
"Alright, but first, let me make something clear." Ryokou placed one hand on her waist and raised a finger. "This isn't a vacation spot or some playground for rich girls. Here, we endure intense training, and we're always ready to face off against Spirits. Injuries—even fatalities—are real possibilities. Once you start here, there's no turning back. Are you still willing to join?"
"Since I've come this far, I'm committed to staying. I'm definitely not here to have fun," Kaguya replied.
"Good!" Ryokou nodded approvingly. "I was worried you'd be one of those heiress types who come here on a whim. It's happened before—some people quit after a few days of training, going home in tears, which is really a headache for me."
She sighed, revealing that even being AST's captain had its share of troubles.
"Captain!" A voice called out from behind her.
Ryokou turned around to see a girl running toward her.
"What is it?" Ryokou asked curiously.
"Someone from headquarters is here—they're holding a meeting. Apparently, they're not pleased with the recent increase in Spirit appearances," the girl said timidly.
"Damn those fat cats, always barking orders! If they're so bothered, why don't they come down here and do something themselves!" Ryokou grumbled, throwing the newspaper in her hand to the floor in anger.
"C-Captain, scary…" the AST girl muttered, shrinking back a bit.
Realizing her outburst, Ryokou cleared her throat and managed a tight smile at Kaguya and Origami. "Sorry about that. I have to attend to something. Go ahead and complete your registration. If there's anything you need, just report to me."
"No problem; I'll handle things," Origami said.
"Right." Kaguya watched Ryokou walk away, frowning slightly as she replayed the conversation in her mind.
The frequent Spirit appearances lately… so there were already other Spirits showing up here. Though it was uncertain who they were, it was somewhat comforting that they hadn't been captured yet.
"Let's go," Origami said, turning to leave.
"Wait," Kaguya stopped her. "Have there really been frequent Spirit sightings recently?"
"Yes," Origami nodded. "Counting you, three different Spirits have appeared in the city so far, causing significant damage."
"I see," Kaguya said thoughtfully, stroking her chin. "Can you tell me about the other two Spirits?"
"One is a Spirit with blue hair, dressed in a green, bunny-like outfit, and she carries a bunny plush. She looks like a little girl and has been given the code name 'Hermit.' She's timid by nature and seems unwilling to fight humans directly, always hiding herself. We haven't seen her on the surface in quite a while," Origami explained.
Hermit.
If Kaguya wasn't mistaken, this sounded like Yoshino. The outfit, the demeanor—it all matched perfectly, so there was little doubt it was her.
"And the other?" Kaguya asked.
Given the storyline, she assumed the second Spirit would be Tohka Yatogami. In the original, Tohka was among the first Spirits to appear, even before Yoshino. Though this was according to the episode order, not the actual timeline.
Unexpectedly, Origami's expression grew more serious. "The other Spirit is extremely dangerous."
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