Life is but a game.
People come into the world with a particular set of stats, traits, and debuffs, take on specific roles and classes, and then grind experience in order to complete questlines and unlock various perks, all the while competing or cooperating with their fellow players.
Without ever knowing the rules, people play a game with no end in sight and that can never be won, only continued until the inevitable game over screen.
Yes, life was but a game, and none were better gamers than Mana Takamiya.
At the moment, she stood in the Ground Self-Defense Force's special maneuvers area. All around her lay the fallen forms of the Anti-Spirit Taskforce's 11th squadron. There were ten wizards in total, and Mana had already taken out nine of them.
Casting her gaze about the field, she used her Realizer to increase the volume of her voice.
"Whoever's left, show yourself! Nobody likes campers, ya know?"
Saying this, she made herself an easy target by standing conspicuously atop some faun rubble.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a figure emerging from cover, the breeze kicking up her short, white hair.
"Oh, you're approaching me?" Mana cracked a smile. "Instead of running away, you're coming right at me?"
To her disappointment, the wizard did not quip back, instead activating her standard issue energy blade without a word and rushing Mana, her thrusters exploding to life.
Well, this one was braver than the others, if nothing else.
That got a grin out of Mana as she deployed her Murakumo blade from her shoulder equipment.
The wizard closed the distance in a flash and then, at the very last second, she contracted her territory to a fraction of its standard size and released her thrusters, instantly transforming them into missiles.
Mana let out a surprised shout as she reflexively cleaved the thrusters in two, their remains exploding in a thick cloud of smoke. And not a second later, the AST wizard charged her from behind, an energy blade aimed at her back.
Ordinarily, this might have been game over for her, but the instant the wizard entered her territory, Mana needed only to send a mental command and the girl's motion was halted, as surely as if she'd been encased in concrete.
A buzzer sounded from above, followed by a voice over the intercom.
"Game set. Win goes to Mana Takamiya."
Her opponent dropped to the ground, catching her breath.
"I should have expected... nothing less... from the second strongest wizard..."
Glancing down at the girl, Mana flashed her a conciliatory smile before offering a hand from above.
"Hey now, that feint was freaking awesome! You've gotta tell me your name."
"...Private Origami Tobiichi."
Her words were blunt, but Mana paid that no mind as she took Origami's hand and lifted her to her feet.
"Well then, good game— Tobiichi!"
After that, the squadron returned to the garrison bunker for what was likely to be quite the dressing down.
Takamiya and Kusakabe entered in short order, the older woman standing at the podium while the younger took point beside her.
She had a confident look about her, both in her posture and her face, which sported a small beauty mark beneath her left eye. Her build was slight enough that Origami wouldn't be surprised to find that the girl was younger than her, but Takamiya was obviously well-trained, her CR unit baring her toned figure for all to see.
"I still can't believe what she's wearing..."
"That's what all the Adeptus wear, isn't it..."
"Can you imagine? Talk about daring..."
"Right? I could look at that toned body all day..."
Yes, the CR units of the Adeptus — those wizards directly under the command of Deus Ex Machina Industries — were perhaps the most sophisticated pieces of military hardware in the world, and they were replete with advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment.
They were also incredibly revealing.
Though her arms, legs, and even flanks were encased in the hardware of her CR unit, the skin between that hardware was clothed in a kind of transparent, skintight material that exposed the front of her body entirely.
From her petite breasts and nipples, to her firm abs, all the way down to her shaved crotch, where her clitoris sat conspicuously atop the apex of her labia, Takamiya was as good as naked. And, from what Origami had seen as she walked in, the girl's rear was similarly undefended.
If she was embarrassed by her public nudity, she didn't show it, displaying a casual confidence even as the wizards before her commented on her body.
Beside her at the podium was Captain Kusakabe, seemingly just as blasé about all this as she finished reading over her documents and addressed the room.
"This is Adeptus Two: Mana Takamiya. The good people over at DEM have lent her to us, along with a few other service members, in response to the recent uptick in spirit activity."
That was the politically correct explanation, but everyone there knew the real reason was their failure to deal with that uptick, and that bout-cum-rout just now had only confirmed it.
Before them all, Takamiya stood at attention, the easy smile never leaving her face.
"Well, the captain here already did it, but I guess I'll introduce myself anyway. The name's Mana. Nice to meetcha!"
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Back in the present moment—
Kurumi Tokisaki.
Class 2-4's newest transfer student.
She liked animals more than people.
And—
She was a spirit.
Did I hear that right?
Neither Kotori nor Reine had mentioned anything about spirits attending school like regular people. Maybe that was just how some spirits were?
Either way, Shidou was now listening very intently, and it seemed Tohka and Origami were as well, from the way they had stiffened in their seats.
To everyone else though, Kurumi's bizarre introduction had only invited bemusement from anyone paying attention. About half the student body were too captivated with her looks to pay her words any heed.
"Uh... well!" Tamae awkwardly clapped her hands together. "What a... unique introduction! Anyway, there should be an empty seat right over..."
"Before that, do you mind if I say something?"
Kurumi cut in, her deep gaze settling squarely on Shidou.
"I'm afraid I don't know my way around the school just yet. Would anyone be so kind as to show me around, perhaps... after classes?"
Instantly, Tonomachi shot up.
"I volunteer as tribute!"
"Not you."
Destroyed, the boy slumped back into his seat while the class president rose up as if to take his place, pressing his glasses coolly into place.
"If what you desire is a tour, then I shall be—"
"Thank you, but no."
"Then what abo—"
"Definitely not you."
"I-I can—"
"Sorry, I don't swing that way."
Fed up, Kurumi paced towards the back of the classroom, her blood red eye never leaving Shidou.
"My, my, it seems as if there are no suitable volunteers. Whatever will I do?"
Well, she's not exactly being subtle here, is she ...
Shidou suppressed a frown as he answered.
"You just need a tour, right? Then is it okay if it's me?"
"Oh yes! That sounds wonderful!"
Shidou pointedly ignored the glares of male and female students alike as he responded.
"Well, I'll see you then."
Kurumi let slip a coquettish smile as she looked down at Shidou.
"I look forward to it."
All eyes were on her, yet it seemed this girl had eyes only for him.
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Tengu Garrison, Measurement Room — 9:02 a.m.
Ryouko stared at the readings on the monitor, gripping the chair's backrest with white knuckles.
"And you're certain there's no mistake?"
Beside her, Lieutenant Ashimura nodded gravely.
"I am. This is the most accurate device this side of the equator. The false positive rate is below zero point three-three percent."
What they were looking at was a read out for a scan that had recently been performed on a high school girl. Or rather, what had seemed like a high school girl.
"A spirit transferred to a high school? If this is a joke, I ain't laughing."
At precisely 0840hrs, the garrison had received a transmission from Private Tobiichi requesting spirit confirmation on a newly transferred student claiming to be one and, despite the astronomical odds, the scans had confirmed the situation.
Ryouko wiped her forehead. Despite the air conditioning, her sleeve came back damp.
She'd noticed an uptickin odd behavior from spirits in the past few months, but this was ridiculous. To transfer into a high school required a birth certificate, proof of residence, not to mention a basic understanding of human culture...
No ordinary spirit could do something like this.
Something strange was going on here, and the thought that she had no idea what put Ryouko on edge.
"If it's an abnormal spirit, then it can only be that one."
She started at the sudden voice but kept her composure as she turned to face the diminutive form of Takamiya.
At the moment, she was (thankfully) wearing the standard issue fatigues rather than her Adeptus CR unit. Her gaze was locked squarely on the monitor.
"Nightmare — the worst spirit."
That call sign made Ryouko's blood run cold.
Nightmare.
As a lieutenant, she'd heard tales of that spirit. Most notably that standing orders for general personnel were something to the effect of flee on sight.
"...Are you serious?"
"Very. Nightmare is the most dangerous spirit known to date. For the past several decades, it's caused disasters all across the globe. All in all, at least ten thousand casualties have been linked to that spirit."
"Ten thousand?"
Ryouko almost couldn't believe it, if not for Nightmare's reputation. And a monster like that had set its sights on this city.
"But... why the hell would it come to Tengu?"
"No idea." Takamiya turned away. "All I know is that it has to be dealt with before it can do whatever it came for."
Ryouko almost didn't realize the girl was about to just up and leave in time to catch her by the shoulder.
"What's the matter?" Takamiya glanced back at her. "My specialty is eliminating that thing."
"Look, I know you're used to operating on your own, but here we have something called the chain of command, and I'll ask you to respect that chain while you're here. Alright? Don't just go wandering off without authorization."
At her words, Takamiya fell silent, and it took Ryouko a moment to recognize what she was doing.
The girl was deciding whether she would obey her order, and Ryouko had half a mind to reprimand her right then and there.
She held off though. The COs who flew off the handle at the first sign of insubordination were more often than not the least respected.
But more than that, Ryouko was stopped by the knowledge that Takamiya was acting under the auspices of those people— Deus Ex Machina Industries. For all intents and purposes, this girl was her superior officer, and any pretense otherwise was merely kindness born of noblesse oblige.
Eventually, Takamiya answered "Alright," with a tone that was far too cavalier, before carelessly shrugging off Ryouko's hand and leaving the measurement room.
Somehow, she felt the girl was humoring her — looking down on her — and she clicked her tongue.
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Raizen High — afternoon.
Classes had let out for the day, and Shidou found himself gazing out one of the windows of his now empty homeroom. He fished the earpiece from his pocket, taking a deep breath as he nestled it in his ear, and then pressed it.
"...I'm ready."
"Good to hear." Kotori's voice came through. "We've got everything ready on our end. Now all that's left is to wait for Kurumi to make the first move."
"Yeah..."
He hadn't really believed it at first, that this Kurumi girl was actually a spirit, but apparently the scans had confirmed it.
Shidou wasn't sure what to think of it. Neither Tohka or Yoshino had seemed to know much of anything at all about human society, nor directly asked him out on a date.
Currently, the game plan was to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity by seducing Kurumi before the AST had the chance to make any moves.
A little half-baked, but Shidou was feeling unexpectedly confident about this.
He'd done something like this twice already, after all. He could do it again.
Just as he thought this, he felt a tap on his shoulder and nearly jumped out of his skin.
Shidou turned to find Kurumi standing innocently before him. She cocked her head and let out an unexpectedly mischievous giggle.
"My my. Did I startle you, Shidou?"
"Not at all. I just wasn't expecting that just now."
That's literally the definition of being surprised!
If Kurumi noticed this slip up, she paid it no mind, simply holding out an arm and flashing a teasing smirk.
"In any case, I hope you're prepared to show me a good time."
Her tone dripped with innuendo and Shidou couldn't help a gulp at her sudden forwardness.
"O-Of course."
He failed to keep the nervousness out of his voice and, trying to quickly move on from that little misstep, took her arm and led her out of the room and into the hallway.
As they walked, Shidou struggled to keep his pace measured.
Why does it feel like I'm escorting a wealthy young lady?!
She had a refined, composed air about her, yet there was a certain coyness about her demeanor, hinting at a hidden wild side.
Shidou hadn't thought much of the girl when she'd first introduced herself this morning, but Kurumi was quickly making quite the impression.
15,000 meters above—
"Rapport: forty-five point five. No change."
"Buying temperature: sixty-eight degrees. She's stable."
"Spirit signal, one-fifty point zero. Delta of minus three point four from previous measurement. Within tolerance."
Status reports rang throughout the bridge of the Fraxinus. At the Commander's quarters stood Kannazuki at Kotori's side, studying the spirit stats displayed on the main monitor.
"Her dominance levels are off the charts," he marveled. "They're the highest I've ever seen..."
Dominance. The measure of a spirit's propensity to take control of a set. Its opposite was submissiveness, the measure of a spirit's willingness to cede control to another.
Kotori chewed on the stick of her lollipop in silence as she mulled over the data. In the past, this situation might have spelled doom for her brother, but after seducing and sealing two spirits things had changed.
He had game now.
Back in the field, Shidou was finally beginning to compose himself.
Keep control of the frame ... keep control of the frame...
Yes. He could do this.
This was no different than Kotori and her relentless flirtation. The only difference was that he now welcomed Kurumi's advances.
You. Can. Do. This.
"I know it might not seem exciting, but Raizen High's got some surprisingly interesting sights."
"Oh, is that so? Then I eagerly await your decision on where to take me first."
Humming, Shidou held a finger to his chin in mock-thought.
"Hmm... Let me see..."
Having already anticipated this, the Fraxinus' AI had pulled up a rough overview of the high school, complete with the names of various classrooms and facilities, as well as several possible routes.
The AI had selected the following locations for consideration:
1. The roof
2. The nurse's office
3. The cafeteria store
Kotori reviewed the resulting vote with a cursory glance.
"Hmm, so the roof is the top choice?"
"Well, it's the obvious answer." Nakatsugawa answered first. "The roof is the perfect spot for youthful indiscretions! The perfect spot to fornicate while enjoying a perfect view! There is no better place to kick things off!"
"But high school roofs are normally locked off, right?" That was Minowa. "It's too dangerous."
"What!? Is that true..."
Kotori cleared her throat. "No problem. We have several agents posted at the school. It will be no problem for one of them to unlock the door before Shidou and Kurumi arrive."
The matter seemed settled but before things could proceed, Kawagoe joined in.
"If I may, how can we skip past the nurse's office? The translucent curtains that invite both exhibitionism and voyeurism. The neatly ordered beds juxtaposed against the animal act of coitus... Isn't that the perfect spot for public sex on campus?!"
"Wh-What?! It's far too exposed! How dare you compare that to the majesty of the roof?!"
"Pfft! If you have objections, perhaps you should stop that nosebleed first, Nakatsugawa?"
"Ah!"
"Right..." With an unconvinced tone, Kotori turned her eyes to the screen once more. "And who is the single vote for option three?"
"...That was me."
Reine brought her sleep-deprived eyes to meet Kotori's as she raised her hand.
"It's a simple matter of elimination. The school nurse is still in the office... Likewise, the roof won't release its full potential until the sunset starts later in the afternoon."
"Why, quite the romantic, aren't you, Reine?" A smirk played at Kotori's lips as she pressed the intercom. "Shidou, show her the cafeteria and school shop first."
Silently accepting, Shidou lightly bumped Kurumi's elbow with his own to let her know they were moving.
"Why don't we head to the café? The school shop is also there, so it's a good place to start."
Kurumi followed wordlessly, walking with a refined but leisurely pace. In their wake, the voices of departing students sporadically filled the air.
"Wha— who is that?"
"The new transfer, right?"
"And isn't that Itsuka from Class 4 beside her? Why is he with her?"
"He's with Yatogami, Tobiichi, and now the hot new transfer student?"
"Do you think anyone would notice if he went missing..."
Ignore them, Shidou ...
He was in the middle of a date right now. It would be very rude to forget about his partner like that.
"So, Kurumi, what brought you to Raizen? There are plenty of good schools in Tengu City."
Beside him, the girl tilted her head in thought.
"...A little birdie informed me that there are many cute boys at this school."
"Is that so?"
"Mm-hmm. And it seems they were right."
Kurumi said this while sending a knowing glance Shidou's way, his heart skipping a beat at the clear innuendo in her gaze.
"Oh, the shop's this way," he said, briefly guiding Kurumi by the small of her back.
When they arrived at the closed shutter of the school shop, Shidou directed Kurumi's attention to the menu.
"The fried noodle bun is the most popular item, so it always sells out fast. Personally, I always get the durian bun. Just as filling, but way less likely to be sold out. Just make sure to brush your teeth aft—"
Right as he was about to finish off his spiel with a cheeky smirk, he caught sight of Kurumi examining him intently, utterly ignoring the lunch menu.
"Oh, see something you like?"
Somehow, he managed to keep himself together, shifting smoothly into a casually confident reply.
Kurumi let her eyes go half-lidded as she put on a knowing smirk.
"Why yes. I was just spellbound by your knowledgeable explanation."
Quite against his will, Shidou blushed at the straightforward compliment.
"Uh, well... Thank you..."
This girl consistently had him on the back foot.
Her game's good.
Two months of near-constant PUA training, as well as literally having sex on a daily basis, and he was just barely able to keep up with her.
While Shidou thought this, a new set of choices appeared on the Fraxinus' main monitor.
1. Kurumi, you've got pretty hair. (Casually stroke her hair)
2. Whoa, yikes! (Pretend to stumble and press against her)
3. C'mon, this way. (Smoothly take her hand)
Staring at them with steely intensity, Kotori crunched through the last of her lollipop.
Each of these choices were designed to emphasize one of the cornerstones of seduction— kino escalation.
By carefully making physical contact, one could gradually escalate the level of intimacy a target was comfortable with. Shidou had already done well to touch Kurumi at context-appropriate times up till now, but the spirit's directness called for a more assertive approach.
"Shidou," she hit push-to-talk after the results came in. "when you're ready, head to the nurse's office. Make sure to hold her hand when you do."
Back in the field, Shidou considered the command.
A little fast, aren't we?
He knew exactly what Kotori was getting at by sending him to a place like that after the nurse had likely clocked out. If it weren't for Kurumi's constant flirtiness, he'd definitely feel like his sister was rushing things.
As it was, though, this seemed like a good opportunity for them to blow off some of the sexual tension they had been building up.
"Oh! I should show you the nurse's office. Good to know where places like that are, right?"
As he said this, Shidou casually took Kurumi's hand. He made every attempt to play this off as he led her, even as the girl herself made no attempt to hide her awareness of his actions.
"My, so handsy, Shidou. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you'd taken a fancy to me."
"Hmm? Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we? I'm just a hands-on kind of guy."
"Aw, you're such a tease~"
"Really? I feel like you've been doing all the teasing."
"My, my, are you saying that I arouse you, Shidou?"
Again, Kurumi went straight for the jugular.
"That's... And what if I was?"
Entwining her arm with his, she pinned Shidou to the wall, allowing the slightest contact between their bodies as she brought her lips right up to his ear.
"Then get as aroused as you please."
With a laugh and a naughty little smirk, Kurumi slipped out of Shidou's grasp, humming some tune as she went on ahead and left him a flustered, blushing mess.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were the one being seduced here!"
Kotori's amused remark came through loud and clear, and he pressed his earpiece testily.
"Yeah, I know that, but what do you want me to do? This girl is literally out of my league!"
"Hmm, that certainly is true..." —did she really need to so readily agree with that— "She's fascinating. This is a type of spirit we've never seen before. I want to get more information out of her before this set is over. And just like that, a selection of options comes up. Hold on a sec."
1. What did you mean this morning when you said you were a spirit?
2. Where did you go to school before, Kurumi?
3. Kurumi, what kind of panties are you wearing right now?
"I knew it. It was obviously going to be one."
Kotori tapped her chin after the votes were cast. Beside her, Kannazuki nodded at the results.
"Quite reasonable. Kurumi shouldn't know that Shidou knows about spirits. We may be able to shake her with this."
"That's very true." Kotori nodded. "By the way, Kannazuki, which did you pick?"
"Three, of course."
"And why did you choose option three?"
"Because white panties beneath black pantyhose are truly one of mankind's greatest treasures."
He answered like he truly believed this was nothing more or less than utter common sense.
Hearing these words, Kotori hummed and shut her eyes as if in deep thought, then snapped her fingers.
Immediately, a pair of crew members appeared behind Kannazuki, hooking their arms under his and dragging the vice-commander kicking and screaming off the bridge.
"No, wait! Please! Commander! Have mercy!"
His cries and wails were summarily cut short by the bridge doors sliding shut, leaving the space eerily silent.
"Nakatsugawa, is the AI on the fritz again!" Kotori slammed her fist on the console. "Seriously, this is a choice it came up with? 'Kurumi, what kind of panties are you wearing'..."
An instant later, she realized she'd just hit the intercom switch, and lifted her hand like it'd been burned.
"Whoops."
In any other circumstance that would have been the end of it but Shidou, floundering for any sense of direction, completely missed the mocking tone in Kotori's voice.
A joke to take her off guard, huh? Crazy enough it just might work ...
He'd definitely been on the defensive side for the majority of this set. He needed to get more active if they were heading to the nurse's office.
"Since things are clearly headed to the bedroom, why don't you tell me what panties you're wearing right now?"
With that thought in mind, Shidou boldly asked Kurumi a truly cursed question as she waited for him by a flight of stairs.
"My, my, Shidou. What a daring request."
"If it's too much, you can always say no."
"Oh, I don't mind at all..." She cocked her head demurely. "In fact, I want you to see them."
Kotori made a noise like a dying animal as Kurumi paced halfway up the stairs. There, she turned around with a coquettish grin, her eyes trained solely on Shidou.
Then, slowly, teasingly, she began to draw up the hem of her skirt one deliberate motion at a time. In the distance, the sound of a saxophone played passionately from the music club all the while.
At the foot of the steps, Shidou was beside himself with arousal.
Why am I getting so flustered? I've already had sex plenty of times! This should be nothing!
Normally, Shidou wasn't one to get so taken by simple lewdness. But Kurumi conveyed a kind of hunger that was impossible to ignore. She seemed to want him on a very primal level, and that naked desire was making his baser instincts go wild.
Suddenly, with a whip-like motion, the girl in question flapped her skirt up around her chest, holding it there for all to see.
"I'm not wearing any! Sorry to disappoint."
Not only was Kurumi not wearing panties, but the crotch of her pantyhose had been completely cut out, exposing her bare lips to Shidou's entranced gaze.
"Oh, its... um, no problem at all."
With a monumental act of will, he managed to pull himself together.
As he muttered this, Kurumi descended the staircase, taking measured steps even as she kept her skirt up high and her glistening pussy in sight.
"A-Anyway, what did you mean earlier today? When you said you were a spirit?"
Not the smoothest transition, but Shidou's brain was dealing with a sudden lack of blood flow.
"Oh, don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what's going on here."
A deep blush accompanied those words, as Kurumi pressed her body against Shidou's, exposing him to her heat as he felt the curves of her body and her sultry breath at his neck. With an irrepressible little groan, she ground her exposed crotch on the erection straining against his pants.
"Enough with the appetizers. Why don't we stop fooling around and get straight to the main course?"
He tried to speak, but a moan came out instead.
This girl was the sexiest person he had ever met.
Gazing into her eyes was like staring into a bottomless well of lust, one that Shidou was finding harder and harder to resist slipping into.
It was light years away from the kind of bubbly lust that Tohka always expressed, or the demure desire of Yoshino.
In no uncertain terms, this girl wanted him — to consume him — and Shidou honestly wasn't sure whether that frightened him or not.
With a yelp and a crash, Tohka and Origami tumbled out of a nearby supply closet in a tangle of limbs. Specifically, the two had fallen into quite a compromising position, Tohka on top and her crotch planted squarely on Origami's face.
Shidou whipped around at the unexpected noise, blinking like he'd just been woken from a dream.
"T-Tohka? Origami?"
Beside him, Kurumi abruptly pulled away, dropping her skirt and smoothing it out as she regarded the sudden intruders.
"Oh?" Kurumi eyed them dismissively. "And what exactly are you two doing, barging in on us like this?"
With her ass facing them, Tohka struggled to get to her feet.
"Th-That's my lin-"
She was cut off by Origami seizing her in a headlock, her thighs wrapping tightly around the other girl's neck as she addressed Kurumi with an authority that belied her position.
"Students are not allowed to engage in sexual activities at school."
Kurumi tittered at this, covering her laugh with all the grace of a débutante.
"My, my, it seems the pot is calling the kettle black now, doesn't it?"
Origami actually blushed at this, as Tohka finally broke free from her grasp and leapt to her feet.
"What do pots and kettles have to do with anything? I just wanted to know what you were doing with Shidou!"
Had these two been tailing them? For once it seemed they were on the same page. In response, Kurumi fanned herself.
"You see, I was having a hot flash so I was fanning myself. Shidou here was kind enough to shield my modesty while I did so."
Weren't hot flashes commonly associated with menopause? And that was definitely not what she was doing just now.
Before Shidou could voice these thoughts, Origami began fanning herself with her skirt.
"I'm having a hot flash too..."
"..."
"Aren't you going to protect my modesty?"
"What is there to protect?!"
While Origami failed to seduce Shidou, Tohka crossed her arms in haughty superiority.
"Hah! Pathetic! This heat is nothing for the likes of m—!?"
Halfway through her boast, Tohka seemed to realize something.
"...Wait! I think I'm also in heat, Shidou!"
So saying, she began swinging her hips. For some reason.
"Oh my lord, Tohka that's not even the right word..." Shidou dragged a palm down his face. "And Origami, quit faking it too!"
The three bantered for a bit before Shidou realized he'd completely forgotten about his date.
"Ah, sorry about that—Kurumi?"
It seemed, in the brief instant he had been distracted, Kurumi had beat a hasty retreat.
Given that he was supposed to be seducing her right now, that should have been a negative outcome. But, as Shidou dealt with Tohka and Origami's antics, he was struck by the impression that these two couldn't have come at a better time.
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As the afternoon gradually gave way to evening, the light from the setting sun cast off the Raizen school building long shadows that steadily steeped the landscape in darkness. Stepping out from one such shadow, as if emerging from it, Kurumi set foot onto the streets leading away from the school.
"Aah, Shidou, such a tease you are..." She pressed her fingers to her lips. "Though, I suppose it will make it all the sweeter once we finally get to spend some alone time together..."
She let her eyes slide shut and her loins tremble at the thought of what she'd do to that boy until she bumped into something.
Knocked out of her fantasies, Kurumi blinked to see three strangers — college boys, by the looks of them — standing before her.
"Oh! My apologies, I didn't see you there."
The one she'd run into turned a glance down at her.
"Now, hang on there, miss. You bumped into me. You think sorry's gonna cut it?"
As he spoke, his companions moved to surround her, their eyes roving over Kurumi's body.
"Look at what we got here. She's a pretty one..."
One of them whistled.
"Seems like we won the lottery today, huh..."
"Oh!" Kurumi started as if she had just realized what was going on here. "Could it be that you three wish to have relations with me?"
That got a laugh.
"Relations, she says!"
"Nice. So you're into that kind of thing, huh?"
With her free hand, Kurumi lifted her skirt, just enough to confirm the state of her underwear, and let it fall.
"As much as anyone else. Perhaps we should take this somewhere more... private?"
She tilted her head towards a nearby alley, wreathed in darkness by the residential brick fencing.
The trio were all too happy to follow her, eager grins on their faces. Kurumi set her satchel aside and leaned forward against the alley walls, swaying her ass in wide motions.
"Come now. It's rude to keep a girl waiting, you know."
"She's raring to go, huh?" The man she'd bumped into motioned his head at one of the others. "Toshi, make sure no one walks in on us."
At Kyou's familiar command, Toshi had to suppress a reflexive groan.
This was always how it went down, getting Kyou and Renji's sloppy thirds. The man was lucky he was hot.
Said man let out a low whistle as he presumably got to fucking their latest lay.
"Ooh, fuck. You really know how to work it, dontcha..."
Rather than words, the girl responded with a throaty moan that made Toshi's dick throb with need.
"Ffffuck... I'm already... gonna cum...!"
"Mmm... Yeah? You wanna cum?"
"Oh, fuck... you know it, baby...!"
"Then do it...! Cum inside my hungry cunt! Don't hold back... a single drop! Aahn~!"
Talk about fast. Sure, the girl knew how to dirty talk, but was Kyou seriously about to cum in less than a minute? Usually, the guy lasted at least three.
Kyou managed to last another minute before cumming, letting out a sound that echoed through the alley into the street. He pulled out with a wet pop, the sound accompanied by the impressed wow of Renji.
"Bruh, you unloaded in that bitch..."
Kyou didn't even reply, just staggered over to Toshi as he zipped his pants.
"Having me on watch ain't gonna do much good if you're moaning like that."
"S-Shut it..." He rested an arm on the wall as he caught his breath. "That bitch is crazy. It's like... she sucks the life outta ya..."
Toshi had rarely ever heard Kyou sound like that. The man seemed positively spent. Had that girl really done that to him?
The thought had scarcely crossed Toshi's mind before the sound of Renji and that girl's bodies clapping against each other started, and with it her intoxicating moans of pleasure.
Fuck, that sounded so hot.
Why did they always have to do it out in the open like this? They had money. They could afford a love hotel. Really take their time with a girl. Get to watch each other...
"Ooh, baby! I'm gonna give it to ya...!"
"Aah! Give it to me! You can't stop until you give me all your cum!"
Renji's movements briefly reached a fever pitch, so wild and untamed that Toshi had to bite back a moan of his own, before the man cried out in ecstasy like he was an opera singer belting out the climax note.
Why so loud?!
Even normally, the guy always sounded like he was having the most satisfying nut of his life, but this was just ridiculous. Was this bitch really that crazy?
Whatever. Seemed like it was his turn finally.
"Guess I'm about to find out what made you guys so—"
Toshi stopped when he saw Kyou laid out on the pavement, completely motionless.
"...H-Hey! Hey, Renji!"
Panicking, he whipped his head around to the end of the alley, only to find the man in a similar state, slumped against the alley walls with his cock out, face gaunt and his jaw slack— the black-haired girl standing above him.
With a sudden motion, she turned her gaze on Toshi.
An instinctive terror raced through his core, and he made to take a step back, only to trip as something caught his foot and he tumbled ass first onto the hard pavement.
"Wha... W-What the hell'd you do to 'em?"
The girl turned fully and began to pace towards him, the cum of his incapacitated friends dripping down her thighs.
"Kihi... hihi... All I did was take a bit of their time. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a bit of yours as well..."
She stared into his eyes with a deranged intensity, and Toshi realized in no uncertain terms that this bitch was crazy, and that they'd been fools not to realize that.
He turned, scrambled to his feet, and ran.
He needed to get the hell out of here! Get out, or else end up like Kyou and Renji!
And just then, Toshi tripped on nothing at all, crashing to his hands and knees before twisting around to face his attacker.
The girl was on him in an instant, squatting over his waist, gripping his shirt, and staring into his very soul.
He should have punched her, or head-butted her or kneed her, or even just screamed. But in that moment, Toshi was frozen by that gaze of hers, pinned in place by a fatal desire.
With one hand, the girl grabbed his cock — when had she unzipped his pants? — and stroked it in preparation. All the while, his body ached for her pussy, which hung painfully just out of reach above it.
Whatever happened next, he didn't care, so long as he got even a taste of that ruinous allure that had already consumed Kyou and Renji.
But, just as her lips parted to swallow him whole— she stopped, and her eyes rolled up to meet something beyond him.
"As always, you have just the worst timing..."
"Of course," came a girl's voice. "As if I'd miss a rare event like this."
The black-haired girl rose, Toshi's body protesting at the sudden distance between them, and began to retreat into the darkening shadows of the alley.
Somehow, he managed to tear his eyes away from her and send them back, at the girl standing in the street outside the alley.
She looked like a middle schooler, wearing a casual hoodie and shorts combo, as well as an easy smirk.
"You should count yourself lucky." The girl glanced down at him. "A second later and you would have ended up like them."
She returned her gaze to her seeming opponent, and the smirk she wore took on a dangerous edge as her clothing vanished in a flash of light, replaced by something indescribable.
A moment later, the air became heavy, as if a great weight was pressing down on every inch of his skin, crushing the very breath out of his lungs. As his consciousness rapidly slipped away, a final thought crossed Toshi's mind.
The hell is she wearing ...
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
In the aftermath of that disastrous date, Shidou and Tohka had hurried over to the shopping district to take advantage of some last-minute sales.
Feeling the satisfying weight of a full shopping bag in his hand as they made their way home, Shidou's face naturally broke into a smile. He'd managed to snag some choice ground beef for 30% off. Talk about a steal.
Beside him, Tohka merrily swung their arms back and forth, their fingers entwined tightly, and as they walked, Shidou's thoughts gradually settled on turning the day's events over in his mind— in particular, his "date" with Kurumi.
He almost couldn't believe just how outclassed he'd been. She'd had a response for every tactic, as if she'd known everything that would happen.
Was that just how good someone's game could be?
He'd really thought he knew, but he guessed he hadn't.
Either way, he was going to have to find a way to seduce that girl, though he was not liking his chances.
Unlike Tohka or Yoshino, Kurumi seemed not only fully aware of human society and culture, but she was intentionally trying to seduce him. Was that a bad thing? It was certainly new, and Ratatoskr had been going hard on him seducing the spirits, but if the spirit was trying to seduce him, that was arguably a much more favorable position to be in, right?
This whole situation brought up a lot of questions, and at this stage in the game, he wouldn't be able to get any answers until he had a chance to speak with Kotori and the others.
Putting his thoughts to more productive matters for the moment, Shidou glanced Tohka's way.
"You in the mood for anything tonight?"
"Mmm... let's have Salisbury steak tonight!"
"Ooh, that sounds good." Kotori's voice chimed in. "Go with that."
He felt like she probably shouldn't be using official equipment for personal business like that, but what did he know?
It was while thinking this that Shidou noticed a young girl in a pastel hoodie with culottes, stopped in the middle of the street and seemingly staring at them— at him, specifically.
No, that couldn't be it. Why would a stranger be watching him?
Shidou was prepared to just ignore the girl when she said something that stopped him in his tracks.
"...Big brother?"
Tohka came to a stop a second later, as Shidou eyed the girl in confusion.
"Um... what?"
She stared at him for a little while longer, before running up and throwing her arms around him in a crushing bear hug.
"Big brother!"
"Big brother!?"
Shidou and Kotori were impressively in sync as the girl pulled her face away to reveal a broad smile.
"It really is you! I finally found you, Big brother!"