Chapter 159: Partners Grow Alike
After Aleister vanished, Shiren was left standing alone on the battlefield.
She had cornered that great evil, nearly defeated him even—and yet, in the end, she’d let him escape. Worse still, she had lost her partner and her allies along with him. The weight of that failure pressed down on her mind, suffocating her with guilt.
(…I was careless. I let that sudden power in my right hand fool me! I actually believed I could defeat Aleister!! That I could end everything here and now—stop all the tragedies once and for all!! How naïve… I was far too naïve. And because of that, both Reicia-chan and Kakine-san are gone.)
The Board Chairman of Academy City—one man who controlled half the world. Before such a being, Shiren had fallen, undone by her own overconfidence.
"──Come on, cheer up, Shiren-san."
A boy’s voice brushed against her ear—light, teasing, and far too casual for the moment.
"Hyah—!?"
Startled, Shiren jumped back. Standing there was a short-haired boy in a black shirt and a white lab coat.
"S-Souji-san!?"
"Now, now, no need to look so surprised," he said with a lazy smile. "I’m here to handle that yellow magician—Vento of the Front, was it? If I came all the way to the School Garden for that, it’s only natural I’d run into you, don’t you think?"
"Wha—wait, what!? Vento-san is in the School Garden!?"
Until now, Shiren’s focus had been entirely on Aleister, but of course, the members of God’s Right Seat were also threats she couldn’t afford to ignore. And if one of them was inside the School Garden—a place full of young female students—that was a disaster waiting to happen. Even her Divine Punishment Spell alone could cause countless students to collapse.
Worse still, Shiren herself was a potential target for that same spell. If she were to pass out now, with less than two hours before her time limit expired, it would be game over for her—without question.
"W-what should I do? My Divine Contract—Near Death Promise—has gone out of control, and if I don’t stabilize it within two hours, I’ll apparently transform into something completely different… If I get caught in the range of the Divine Punishment Spell, that’s it for me…"
"How do you always manage to make things so interesting the second I take my eyes off you, huh?"
Souji laughed in amusement—but his eyes didn’t match his tone. He looked genuinely displeased. Apparently, the thought of Shiren transforming into something unrecognizable before he’d had his fill of research wasn’t exactly appealing to him.
With a small sigh, he straightened up.
"Well, I think you’ll be fine, Shiren-san. From what I’ve heard, that Divine Punishment Spell of hers shouldn’t affect you."
"…Eh? Why do you think that?"
"Because that spell only targets people who’ve merely heard descriptions of the caster, right? But you’ve already seen her for yourself—you have a perfect mental image. And you’re standing here completely fine. Doesn’t that tell you something?"
Souji’s tone made it clear he couldn’t believe Shiren hadn’t realized it herself.
"…Ah."
"Honestly. I don’t know why you’re panicking so much, but calm down, would you? If you’ve reached the point where a Kihara has to lecture you about common sense, that’s when you know you’re in real trouble."
On that point, Shiren could only nod deeply.
"…I see. So it really was the Board Chairman, Aleister Crowley. Well, if that’s the case, I suppose your shaken state makes perfect sense."
As they made their way toward where Kuriba—no, the Doppelgänger—was currently clashing with Vento, Shiren gave Souji a brief rundown of everything that had happened.
That Aleister had made contact.
That her ally, Kakine, had been taken while still unconscious.
That Reicia, with whom she’d nearly managed to regroup, had also been separated.
And that although she’d gained this sudden power in her right hand, she had revealed it to Aleister—meaning he might have already prepared a countermeasure.
"Hmm… yeah, telling him about your ability might’ve been a mistake," Souji said, sounding mildly troubled.
Shiren already knew that much, and she exhaled a quiet sigh. But what Souji said next completely shattered that simple regret, replacing it with shock.
"If I were Aleister, the first thing I’d do is provoke Reicia-san."
"…What?"
"I mean, your ability activates when it detects hostility, right? Then all he’d have to do is turn someone against you who, no matter what happens, could never harbor ill will toward you."
Shiren froze.
He was right. That possibility was all too real. In that moment back there, there was a good chance she had caused some misunderstanding with Reicia. And if Aleister had taken advantage of it—feeding Reicia false information, telling her that Shiren had been brainwashed or that her aggression had been artificially heightened—then…
Of course Reicia wouldn’t abandon her. Even if it meant standing against her, she would try to save her.
And that intent could never, ever be called “malice.”
No. Absolutely not.
In other words, Reicia would confront Shiren with nothing but pure, tearfully sincere good will. And against an attack born from kindness, Result Twister—the strange ability in Shiren’s right hand—would be powerless. Her right hand could do nothing to stop someone trying to save her.
…But that wasn’t what mattered most.
"S-she wouldn’t…!"
What truly mattered—what cut deepest into Shiren’s heart—was the simple, unbearable truth:
She might be forced to fight against Reicia Blackguard.
"…Shiren-san," Souji murmured quietly.
"Yes. I understand," Shiren replied.
Her voice was steady—calm, even.
There was no anger in her gaze, no despair twisting her face. Only a single, unwavering focus.
"Reicia-chan made the resolve to fight me because she believes I’ve been controlled—and she wants to save me. Then how could I, in turn, not find the resolve to fight her, to save her, when she’s the one being deceived and used by Aleister? That wouldn’t be fair, would it? However—"
Her eyes sharpened, fixing on the silver-haired, green-eyed human who had orchestrated everything.
"—The one who drew this little picture, that so-called ‘human.’ I refuse to give in to his schemes. No matter what, I will seize the happy ending I want—with every ounce of will I have. Like the selfish, arrogant villainess I am, I’ll take it all—in full!"
That was fury.
Pure, unyielding fury.
(The Board Chairman probably thinks he’s found the perfect counter to that ‘Right Hand that Balances Malice’ of hers…)
If Shiren’s body truly had something like a reverse scale—the kind no one was allowed to touch—Souji figured it had already been shattered.
(But I think… he made a mistake. A pretty big one.)
At the very least, he knew one thing for certain: he wouldn’t want to face her like this.
Souji thought that with the detached amusement of someone watching a storm from afar.
Final Chapter – I Don’t Believe in Predestination - Theory "was" Broken.
Episode 133: Partners Grow Alike - Never.
It took only a few minutes of running down the central avenue of Academy City’s learning district after leaving Tokiwadai Middle School. The battlefield between the Doppelgänger and Vento was obvious at a glance.
Why?
Because an entire section of the European-style red-brick neighborhood had been completely painted over in white.
"Hyaah~ that’s spectacular. Those are all genetically engineered slime molds, right? In terms of combat potential alone, they might rival a Level 5 esper."
"Kuriba-san! Doppelgänger-san! Are you both okay?!"
While Kihara Souji observed the scene with genuine admiration, Shiren called out beside him. There was no response—only a sudden shift in the situation.
A deafening boom!
The stitched-up girl in the white coat—the Doppelgänger—was sent flying through the cocoon-like web of white slime that covered the area.
"Wh—Kuriba-san!? Are you all right!?"
"…Ah, Shiren. Don’t worry, I’m fine. No real damage. Ryoko, on the other hand, got hit by the Divine Punishment Spell early on and passed out."
Doppelgänger—Kuriba—stood up, brushing off debris with movements that showed no sign of injury. She wiped the corner of her mouth, where a thin line of blood glistened. She’d clearly taken a hit to the face, but beyond that, she seemed unharmed.
Her expression, however, was far from calm. Frustration flickered across her features—displeasure at how much harder this battle had turned out to be than expected.
"I managed to neutralize both the Divine Punishment Spell and the wind projectiles… but it seems Vento over there hasn’t shown her full power yet."
A violent whoooosh! tore through the air, shredding the layers of slime as if they’d never existed.
The force of the gale easily surpassed the full-power storm of the White-Black Sawblade Jagged Edge. The fact that the School Garden’s townscape wasn’t already reduced to rubble felt almost unnatural.
"Tch. Guess I still can’t break through, huh. Damn, your defense is so ridiculously solid it’s pissing me off. Would you hurry up and just die already?"
A woman in a yellow hood and a bizarre nun’s robe stood before them—Vento of the Front.
"…Oh? What do we have here? Reinforcements? Don’t tell me you’ve been stalling for time this whole while, nya~?"
"No. You’re the unexpected one here. I planned to finish you off before regrouping with Shiren."
From her right arm, Doppelgänger extended tendrils of slime that crept across the ground as she spoke flatly.
"…Shiren. From the looks of it, you didn’t manage to reunite with Reicia. What happened?"
"She’s been taken by Aleister… We have to catch up, quickly."
"Understood. Then go. This front will hold—with me and that boy over there."
"No."
The situation was urgent.
Doppelgänger alone was holding her ground. With Kihara Souji’s assistance, their combined power would easily be enough to defeat Vento. From a tactical perspective—and given Shiren’s objective—it would have made sense to leave the battle to them.
But Shiren didn’t choose that path.
"What’s wrong? We have enough strength here. Go achieve your objective. That’s why I’m helping you in the first place."
"That… would not be right."
True, only two hours remained before her time limit expired.
If Shiren truly wanted the happy ending she sought, then yes—leaving the fight to them might have been the correct decision.
But perhaps she’d lost sight of something, too focused on the greater cause.
That even now, there were countless civilians still in this very area.
Indeed, if Doppelgänger and Kihara Souji teamed up, they could likely overpower Vento in time. Even with minor injuries, they would probably neutralize her without suffering serious harm. That would free Shiren to pursue the happy ending she desired.
But how much collateral damage would occur in the process? Even with Doppelgänger’s slime acting as a barrier, it couldn’t protect everything. If the chaos spread, the School Garden—home to numerous talented espers—might see some of its more reckless students attempt to “protect the city,” only to fall victim to the Divine Punishment Spell.
Even without that, a single glimpse of Vento through a break in the defenses could trigger disaster. And there was no guarantee Doppelgänger could maintain her protection until the battle ended. Just moments ago, Vento’s strike had blasted her aside and obliterated the slime barrier. If that happened again, the city would be at risk.
And then there was Kihara Souji himself. While a formidable ally, assuming that a Kihara’s attacks would conveniently spare the surroundings was far too optimistic. His involvement would almost certainly bring destruction.
Simply surveying the battlefield made the dangers glaringly clear.
Knowing all this, could Shiren truly turn away—for the sake of her happy ending? Even when the Divine Punishment Spell had no effect on her? Even when her right hand could neutralize malice itself? If she joined the fight, she could at least minimize the damage.
Would she really abandon the potential victims of Vento’s rampage—all for the sake of a future with Reicia?
Put another way—
Even if everything ended perfectly, could Shiren Blackguard ever look Reicia in the eyes and smile, knowing someone had been sacrificed to make it happen?
"…………Impossible."
Coincidentally, Shiren’s decision mirrored Reicia’s exactly.
The anger boiling inside her toward Aleister had not faded. The outrage of seeing Reicia used as a pawn was among the greatest she had ever felt.
And yet—
Precisely because of that—
If she prioritized her own convenience in the face of obvious suffering, she couldn’t face the partner who wasn’t even here. To let her rage toward Aleister consume her—to discard her morality for vengeance—would be the worst possible betrayal of Reicia Blackguard.
Fully aware of that, Shiren spoke.
Like Vileynes—the villainous young lady who took everything she desired—she wore a daring, radiant smile that could make the entire world her enemy.
"Let’s end this quickly! I will seize the ultimate happy ending I desire!"
"Tch… foolish saint, relying blindly on your good intentions."
"Ahahahaha! Come now, Shiren, let me observe carefully that new ability of yours—your right hand!!"
Facing her was a woman who wielded a power capable of turning the entire world against her.
Vento wore a grotesque grin, so twisted it was hard to believe she belonged to an organization bearing the name of God.
"Germany? This one? You’re treating me like an opening act?"
Vento roared from the front.
"Seriously, aren’t you underestimating the God’s Right Seat way too much?!!!"
And then—
An atmospheric “wall” of destruction erupted from Vento’s body, vast enough to level the entire city in an instant.
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