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Chapter 168 — Kurumi Is Just Too Useful
🕑 Added 2025-07-12 15:09:11 +0000 UTCIf there's an organization like Ratatoskr that seeks peaceful coexistence with the Spirits and represents the "good" side, then logically, there must also be an organization that represents "evil"—one that covets the power of Spirits.
After all, if the only major antagonist in this world was Mio Takamiya, it would feel a bit underwhelming.
Not because she's lacking in strength, but because her mentality and ambitions just aren't enough.
If this other organization were truly determined, they might be capable of eliminating every Spirit—except for Kurumi, of course.
Her time-based abilities are even more unkillable than a cockroach.
Even Mio herself would have a hard time taking Kurumi down unless she could retrieve her Spirit core first.
That’s assuming Kurumi has enough "time"—in other words, energy.
The DEM Corporation is a paramilitary group founded by Westcott to obtain the power of the Spirits.
In this world, those born of pure sorcerer bloodlines have a unique trait—they can absorb the inverse Spirit Crystals without losing control or being driven insane, and they can even wield their powers as Demon Kings.
Westcott’s ultimate goal is to use the Spirits’ powers to rewrite the physical world via the neighboring realm—seeking revenge on humanity for their persecution of sorcerers.
Though calling it “revenge” might be a stretch.
Because this man is... well, a twisted hedonist.
Like Father Kotomine from Fate, but arguably even more deranged.
He believes the only two emotions that ever existed are pleasure and displeasure.
He finds joy in the death of a dog—not because he killed it, but simply by observing its death.
He won't go out of his way to kill for pleasure.
He’ll just calmly wait for the moment it dies.
Death—and destruction—are what bring him joy.
He doesn’t actively pursue destruction for his own satisfaction.
But when humanity, out of fear, tried to wipe out the sorcerers, they handed him the perfect excuse to destroy the world.
Using various methods, he managed to capture and imprison Nia Honjou, the one who knows the identity of the First Spirit.
He’s been torturing her ever since, trying to force her into an Inverse state so he can absorb her Spirit Crystal.
Oh, and by the way—he's also in love with Mio Takamiya.
He's her number-one simp.
Too bad for him, the goddess would rather die than accept him.
Her heart belongs solely to Shido Itsuka.
"Honestly, he might be a simp, but he’s definitely not someone to pity," Nagami muttered.
Thousands of meters above the ground, the airflow sliced past Nagami’s energy shield in a streamlined trail, the speed surpassing the sound barrier and forming visible conical shockwaves.
In a classic princess carry, he held the Spirit girl in his arms—his left supporting the bend of Kurumi’s silk-wrapped legs, and his right resting gently on her exposed, rounded shoulders.
As they flew, he explained the details about Westcott.
"You’ve fought Ellen before, haven’t you? One of his subordinates?"
Ellen Mira Mathers—the strongest sorcerer in the world.
"Yeah, I’ve run into that monster," Kurumi replied, her eyes narrowing as the memory surfaced.
Her clone had been instantly annihilated—completely powerless.
That sorcerer didn’t even feel human.
Even if her true body faced Ellen, Kurumi knew she’d probably lose.
But if she decided to run, there were very few in this world who could stop her.
"Mm, Nagami-kun, we’re almost there," Kurumi said, glancing at the terminal Kotori had given.
The blinking red dot had reached the designated location.
She looked mildly surprised—Nagami’s flight speed was beyond anything she’d imagined.
Spirits could fly too, of course—but not this fast.
Being max level definitely had its perks.
But Nagami wasn’t satisfied.
Flight was still too slow.
Spatial teleportation would be much faster.
Unfortunately, there was still no telling when “Blank” would arrive in Disboard—his hopes of leeching off on Ted’s spatial magic would have to wait.
Thankfully, Kurumi had a skill that could serve as a poor man’s substitute for teleportation.
Shadow Space.
Normally, she used it for hiding or storing her clones, but it could also be used to imprison targets.
Her shadows could appear anywhere, making it perfect for fast travel.
It wasn’t quite as fast as true teleportation, but it beat flying.
Nagami had already begun analyzing it.
The mystery level of the skill wasn’t particularly high, so it wouldn’t take long to decode—especially compared to the time-based abilities.
"I see. Let’s check the area…" he murmured.
Activating multiple skills at once, Nagami scanned the suspicious buildings nearby.
Neryld Island wasn’t very big, and it didn’t even have a fully mapped-out layout.
So it didn’t take him long to find a facility with an underground structure.
Artificial sorcerers guarded the place.
That was nearly a 100% confirmation it was their target.
Nagami generated negative refractive index metamaterials around himself and activated optical camouflage, becoming invisible as he boldly flew to the rooftop of the DEM facility.
He gently set Kurumi down, and she immediately summoned her Astral Dress.
"I’ll leave finding them to you. I’m taking a break."
Not that he was tired—he just didn’t see the point of doing the work himself when he had such a perfect helper.
"No problem~ Master can leave it to me~" Kurumi replied sweetly, not questioning his excuse.
Flying at such speed must’ve taken a toll.
A black shadow bloomed beneath her feet as her real body slowly sank into Shadow Space.
Two clones stepped out to take her place.
"Feeling tired? Then allow me to help you relax, Master~"
With a stiff smile on her real body’s face, one of Kurumi’s clones grabbed Nagami’s hand and sat down directly atop the shadow space, gently easing him onto his back.
She cradled his head in her soft, pale thighs.
Kurumi’s true body took a deep breath.
This clone... she was a mistake.
Absolutely never letting that one out again!
She wasn’t even sure which time fragment this particular clone originated from, but one thing was clear—it had started spreading this dangerous idea like a virus.
Now, all the other clones were beginning to think the same way: that by cozying up to Nagami, they could somehow get the upper hand over the original Kurumi.
Unbelievable. Absolutely infuriating. This had gone completely off the rails.
"I’ve heard that a lap pillow can do wonders for both physical and mental fatigue~"
With her delicate hands resting on Nagami’s forehead, the clone gazed down at him, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders and brushing softly against her chest.
"Feeling a bit better now?"
Another clone waved to the real Kurumi, then knelt beside Nagami and began massaging him with her soft, white hands.
"Eh… I guess it’s not bad," Nagami replied, a bit awkwardly.
To be honest, something like a lap pillow felt like child’s play to him now.
He wouldn’t even complain if Kurumi demanded double the energy cost for maintaining all these clones. Because...
Kurumi was just too damn useful!
Her army of clones began pouring out of the shadow space, infiltrating every corner of the DEM Corporation’s underground facility.
The guards and patrol units inside were equipped with CR-UNITs—tactical manifestation devices.
These weapons were normally stored within form-fitting suits known as “line suits” and could be instantly deployed during combat.
But standard artificial sorcerers, even with their equipment, still couldn’t compare to Spirits.
Only a rare few were exceptions.
"Is the Second Spirit really hidden in a place like this?" Kurumi thought, somewhat skeptical. Nagami hadn’t told her where he got his intel.
Still, she was just a humble employee now. Whatever the boss said, she’d follow orders.
"...Huh? This feeling..."
Suddenly, Kurumi turned sharply in one direction.
Something had caught her attention—she sped forward without hesitation.
A fluctuation in Spirit energy!
———————————————————————
Meanwhile…
"AaaaaaaAAAAHHHH!!!"
A bloodcurdling, high-pitched scream pierced the air, loud enough to rattle the ceiling.
Blood gushed like a fountain across the floor.
A once-white restraint uniform was now soaked deep crimson.
The girl’s short gray hair was stained red, and her teal-blue eyes were filled with terror and emptiness.
Her delicate, beautiful face was twisted in pain and horror, but the white-coated female researchers around her acted as though the screaming didn’t exist—or perhaps they had long since become numb to it.
Several screens surrounded the girl, each displaying footage of other Spirits undergoing torturous, inhumane experiments.
"This Spirit’s got some stamina. Still hasn’t inverted after all this… I’m starting to get annoyed," one researcher muttered, cold light gleaming off her glasses.
She pressed a scalpel directly into the girl’s soft skin.
"Seriously. I can’t believe someone can endure so much pain."
The tone was clinical, but the glimmer of sadistic pleasure was unmistakable.
Another researcher picked up her own scalpel and moved in.
The blade tip glinted under the fluorescent lights as it hovered closer to the girl’s pale skin.
Then—
‘Bang!’
A gunshot rang out.
"Aahh!!—"
But unlike the Spirit girl’s agonized screams, the researchers’ cries were like music to Kurumi’s ears.
Several pale hands reached up from the shadows, seizing the researchers’ bodies and clamping over their mouths.
"Humans really are... fascinating creatures!!!"
The Spirit known as Nightmare surveyed the blood-splattered white room—this grotesque hellscape that could only be described as a living purgatory.
A crimson glint flashed in her deep wine-colored eyes, and a mad smile curled across her lips.
"Now then… how should I deal with you?"
