"DXD: Multiverse Journey"Chapter 209: Showdown—Confronting Kurumi
It wasn't long before Shuo Nangong emerged from the kitchen, apron still tied at his waist. He spotted Mana, now fully recovered and sitting upright, and greeted her with a gentle smile.
"Oh? Seems our little Mana finally knows the truth. You believe me now, don't you?"
Mana's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She stood, bowing her head in gratitude.
After uncovering DEM's dirty secrets, Mana could no longer stomach the thought of her former benefactors.
She'd never imagined the organization she'd once idolized could be so cruel behind closed doors.
In the end, Mana made her choice—she would join Ratatoskr and help resolve the Spirit crisis.
"That's a wise decision," Shuo said, surveying the crowded living room. "But it looks like we're running out of space. Guess I'll have to do something about that…"
With a snap of his fingers, the humble house shimmered and expanded, transforming into a stately villa before their eyes.
"Mana, there's plenty of room now. Go pick one you like."
"Oh… right!"
Mana blinked, still dazed by Shuo's casual display of power, and wandered upstairs to claim her space.
The other girls barely reacted—they'd seen this kind of magic before.
Dinner that night was lively, laughter echoing through the new halls.
It would've been perfect if a certain useless Spirit hadn't latched onto Shuo like a piece of sticky candy.
The next morning, the classroom bell rang, but Kurumi was nowhere to be seen.
Shuo didn't worry. When it came to news about the First Spirit, Kurumi's curiosity was unstoppable.
All he had to do was wait—she'd come to him.
Right on cue, just before noon, the school's spacequake alarm blared.
Shuo perked up, instantly alert.
But this time, something was different. Instead of the usual chaos, the entire sky above the school had turned a deep, unnatural crimson.
Shuo moved to the window.
Below, students lay collapsed across the grounds and hallways—everyone except Tohka, Shiori, and Origami in his classroom had succumbed.
He recognized the phenomenon immediately: Kurumi's City of Devouring Time.
Within the barrier, time was drained from all living things, leaving their bodies heavy and unresponsive.
If he hadn't protected Origami in advance, even her Realizer unit wouldn't have let her move.
Shuo wasn't about to let innocent bystanders suffer.
With a subtle wave, he nullified the barrier's effects on the other students—though he left them sleeping, just in case, until Kurumi's crisis was resolved.
He turned to the three girls, quickly explaining the situation. He'd have to confront Kurumi alone.
Tohka met his gaze, her eyes earnest.
"Shuo saved me. He gave me a life without fear, filled with happiness. Please… save Kurumi too. She's just like me."
She pressed her cheek to his chest, voice soft but determined.
"I understand how it feels to be attacked and rejected. Please—help Kurumi, just like you helped me and Yoshino."
Shuo was taken aback; he hadn't expected such heartfelt words from his resident foodie princess.
He smiled, ruffling her hair.
"I would've helped Kurumi no matter what, Tohka. But thank you."
With encouragement from all three, Shuo vanished, reappearing on the rooftop.
The school roof was empty—at least at first glance.
He called out, half amused:
"If you're planning to drain my power, Kurumi, you'd better know your limits. Wouldn't want you to burst from overeating—though I wouldn't mind."
As he spoke, his aura flared, and the pale arms reaching for him from the shadows were repelled in an instant.
A blood-red vortex spun open on the rooftop. Kurumi Tokisaki stepped out, Gothic dress swirling around her.
She lingered, savoring the sensation—a rush unlike anything she'd ever felt. Her cheeks flushed, body trembling as if she'd tasted something forbidden, something divine.
It took her a moment to recover.
She turned to Shuo, voice husky with delight.
"Ara, forgive me. That was… rather indecorous of me."
She lifted her skirt with both hands, one leg slipping back, and bowed with exaggerated elegance.
"But… thank you, Nangong-kun, for the feast."
She ran her tongue over her lips, eyes sparkling with hunger and satisfaction.
Never before had she absorbed so much time she'd actually wanted to stop.
If she could do this a few more times, she wouldn't need to hunt for spiritual energy—or worry about her tragic wish—for quite a while.
Her gaze grew more intense, longing flickering in her eyes.
But she steadied herself, recalling yesterday's events, and exhaled slowly.
"So… I've come in person, just as you asked. Isn't it time you honored your promise?"
Her hatred for the First Spirit burned as fiercely as Origami's once had for all Spirits.
Shuo met her gaze, silent for a moment, then smiled gently.
"Once, you were a sheltered heiress—tricked by the First Spirit into believing you were a magical girl, destined to save the world. In the end, you killed your best friend, Sawa Yamauchi, by mistake."
"So ever since, you've hunted and hoarded time, planning to use the Twelfth Bullet to return to the past, kill the First Spirit, and change everything. Isn't that right?"
Kurumi's eyes widened in shock.
"How do you know that?"
Recognition dawned—she'd guessed the source.
"I see… The Second Spirit—the nun's Angel—told you, didn't it?"
Shuo stepped forward, teasingly pinching her cheek.
"Kurumi, you're underestimating me. You think I need that useless nun's Angel?"
He leaned in, voice low and meaningful.
"But here's something you didn't know: The First Spirit… met you face-to-face just yesterday."
He let the words hang, watching as Kurumi's pupils dilated, the world tilting beneath her feet.
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