"Finally found you, the hero who once saved the world."
A voice, seemingly trembling, emerged from within the pixelated mosaic figure. The sound fragments converged, forming words that resembled a synthesized electronic voice—devoid of emotion yet exerting immense pressure on Souta.
Maintaining his composure, Souta quickly analyzed the possible reasons for encountering Mio Takamiya while simultaneously asking,
"Who am I? Don't you already know?"
"Sorry, I really don't." Souta looked at the mosaic figure and righteously declared, "I like things uncensored. Anything censored, I don't recognize."
"... Playing dumb at this point is useless in front of me."
The voice from within the mosaic momentarily faltered as if thrown off by Souta's remark.
"You are Souta, aren't you? I've already confirmed your identity. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come looking for you."
"Confirmed? How did you find out?"
Seeing that the other party hadn't attacked immediately, Souta continued speaking, buying himself time to strategize.
"I don't recall ever having direct contact with you."
"Your story has already spread far and wide. The truth has been published in the manga, hasn't it? I should thank that child for revealing it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes."
Mio Takamiya descended to the ground, still wrapped in her pixelated shell, floating slowly toward Souta and Kurumi.
"It took me quite some effort to track you down."
At that moment, Kurumi suddenly felt an intense gaze from within the mosaic fixate on her.
Then, that eerie, electronic voice resounded once more:
"Time travel is truly a troublesome ability. Spirit of Time, I must ask you to go back into slumber for a while."
"You think I'll just agree to that?"
Souta stepped forward, shielding Kurumi behind him.
By piecing together various clues, he had more or less deduced how Mio Takamiya had discovered him.
It must have been six days ago when he used his power to rescue Origami's parents.
Given their proximity at the time, even Spirit Origami had sensed him. It would be no surprise if Mio Takamiya had as well.
As for why she had waited until now to confront him...
One possibility was that she wasn't entirely sure of his identity and needed time to investigate.
Another possibility... was that she feared the presence of Shiroyasha.
That brutal beatdown from before must have left quite a psychological scar.
It had likely taken her six days to confirm that Shiroyasha wasn't around, giving her the confidence to show up.
Souta sighed inwardly—he had been too high-profile.
"I'm sorry, but to ensure my plan remains flawless, both of you need to step down here, whether you like it or not."
Mio Takamiya stopped five meters away, her spirit energy surging.
She was about to make a move.
"Before you act, I'd like to express my gratitude."
Souta felt the hidden eyes within the mosaic lock onto him.
Her voice carried a subtle shift in emotion:
"I truly appreciate what you've done. In a way, you've erased the sins I committed, alleviating my overwhelming guilt to the extreme. You've saved many lives."
Mio Takamiya seemed to sigh, but her tone quickly shifted:
"However... I'm sorry. Your existence threatens my goal. But rest assured, I won't harm you. Once I revive that person, I'll release you."
"I see... so you're worried that I might interfere with your plan."
Hearing this, Souta considered the possibility of negotiation.
"If that's the case, we can sit down and talk it over. You want to reincarnate Shinji Takamiya as a being as powerful as a Spirit, right? I can actually help with that, saving you the hassle of your current process."
"Oh? You've figured out that much about my plan!?"
The voice from within the mosaic carried a hint of astonishment.
Just as Souta thought Mio Takamiya might be interested in hearing him out, she immediately shattered that illusion:
"If that's the case, I definitely can't let you roam free."
Her tone turned resolute.
"You must step down here!"
Wait... what the hell?
How did this negotiation collapse in just one sentence?
This is way too ridiculous!
Souta took a deep breath. Realizing that words wouldn't solve the problem, he used his divine power to establish a concealed mental communication channel with Kurumi.
'Kurumi, don't speak. Let's communicate telepathically. I'll attack first to buy you time. You escape immediately.'
Kurumi gave Souta a surprised look before replying in her mind,
'Contractor... are you sure? That person was the one who originally sent me to the neighboring realm. She's not an easy opponent!'
'Don't worry. Remember the things I told you about other worlds? I can traverse dimensions at will. When it comes to running away, you might not even be better than me.'
'...Fine. But don't you dare lie to me! If something happens to you, I won't forgive you!'
'...Why does that sound weird? Anyway, I'll buy you about two minutes. Once you escape, stay completely hidden.'
With the plan settled, Souta cut the mental link and focused his divine power.
He turned to face the pixelated figure five meters ahead.
The spiritual energy surrounding Mio Takamiya was stabilizing. That meant—her attack was ready!
Souta heard a low murmur from within the mosaic.
In an instant, everything in his vision became a monochrome world of black and white.
Ain Soph had been activated—the ability of Mio Takamiya's second Angel, Paradise of Samsara.
She had rewritten reality, turning the surrounding area into an alternate realm.
Within this domain, she could freely alter the rules of the world.
Physics, concepts... almost any form of attack could be materialized at her will.
"Hmm? What's this...?"
Yet soon, a surprised voice echoed from within the mosaic.
Ain Soph... had no effect on Souta.
It was as if a chunk of the complete world had been missing. That missing part was Souta.
Souta shouted before channeling his divine power.
He forcefully projected a counter-domain, disrupting the Ain Soph and tearing a rift into the controlled space.
As a result—Kurumi's shadow on the ground became active.
The elongated shadow expanded, creating an inky-black portal.
Without hesitation, the dark-haired girl leaped into the abyssal void.
To conserve his divine power for the battle, Souta hadn't directly teleported Kurumi away. Instead, he opted for this method to break Mio's control.
"I underestimated you!"
Mio Takamiya's voice rang out again.
Souta detected a hint of urgency in her tone.
Her spiritual energy surged even more intensely, flooding the space like a viscous liquid.
Souta looked up, noticing that the boundaries of Ain Soph were expanding outward.
Mio Takamiya was trying to use her domain to capture Kurumi before she escaped!
Realizing this, Souta unleashed a torrent of divine power from his godly domain.
A mountain-like pressure descended upon Mio Takamiya's Ain Soph.
A smirk tugged at Souta's lips as he taunted,
"Your opponent... is me!"