The moment Rin broke away from her rendezvous with the mysterious girl, she didn't hesitate; she turned her body toward the Spire's looming headquarters and flew, cutting through the night sky like a silver blade. The deal she had made with Kentaro and his group burned in her mind; this was her end of the bargain, and she would see it through.

But she wasn't alone. Every few seconds, she cast a glance behind her.

And every time, the sight nearly unsettled even her, nineteen other Rins flying in formation, the same pale hair streaming behind them, the same sharp expression carved into their faces. To anyone else, it would have been nightmare fuel, but even for Rin, an Alberline, seeing twenty versions of yourself gliding silently across the heavens was… Unnatural. A sight that was never meant to exist.

The sky itself seemed to reflect the tension. It was still dark, as if the night refused to end, but the edges of the horizon had begun to pale, the promise of dawn trying to break through. This endless night was reaching its final movement. Everyone knew it. Rin, Spire, Kentaro, and even Cradle, who had finally withdrawn after believing they had killed Kentaro Takamiya and Icebreaker. No more distractions. No more delays.

It was the last stretch.

The Spire's tower loomed ahead like a black monolith clawing into the sky. Rin narrowed her eyes, angling her descent. But just as she drew within range, the air before her tore open with movement.

Almost a hundred humanoid creatures burst out from behind the building.

They weren't like insects, but the way they swarmed through the air gave the same suffocating effect, except each one was the size of an adult woman, average height around five feet three, sleek and fast, their bodies jerking unnaturally as they locked onto their prey.

Behind them, weaving between the creatures like herding dogs, came the real soldiers. Not Null, not puppets. These were living Spire soldiers, shouting orders, controlling the swarm, driving them toward Rin and her copies like hunters unleashing their pack.

And further back, almost touching the shadow of the tower itself, floated a woman Rin would never forget.

Velza.

Her arms were crossed, her posture calm, but her presence burned like a warning flame. She didn't move, didn't command. She was waiting, reserving her strength for when Reiden called.

Rin stopped midair, hovering, her expression hardening. Then, slowly, the edge of a smile curled across her lips.

"My… It seems we've got some guests."

Another Rin, identical voice, identical smirk, echoed her.

"Yes, yes. Let's go show them what a good time is."

And then the sky filled with laughter.

Not joyful, not sane. The sound of twenty Rins giggling in unison, sharp and offbeat, echoing across the sky like a scene ripped from a horror film.

The soldiers tensed. One of them shouted, his voice cracking with rage.

"YOU ALBERLINE SCUM!"

The Rin's smiled at the needless shouting from the soldiers before aiming their weapons at the Null and soldiers, commencing the final battle.

*

As Kentaro readjusted himself to his surroundings, he could only curse Yumi's lack of intelligence.

"Why waste the van? We could've gone in any other way."

Thankfully, his seatbelt had done its job, and he wasn't too badly injured. He turned to the side to find Yura groaning and scratching her head. She looked dazed, but otherwise fine. Relief hit him, then panic followed.

Serica. The one who wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

He quickly unbuckled, vaulting over the seat to check on her.

Bad mistake.

There, Serica was, flat on her back, eyes spiralling like some anime character that had just taken a frying pan to the face. But that wasn't the worst part. Her skirt had flipped completely over, and Kentaro was given a full, undeniable view of her pink lingerie. A sight he didn't, well, did want to see.

"EEK!" He yelped, jumping back.

Yura, startled by his scream, leaned forward to check, only to see the same scene. Her face went scarlet as she scrambled to fix Serica's skirt, slapping her lightly on the cheek until she stirred.

Kentaro turned, still rattled, and went to wake Shogo, who was somehow just sitting upright in the front seat, staring blankly ahead like a mannequin. Kentaro waved his hand in front of him, but there was no reaction. He tapped his cheek lightly.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Shogo screamed like the world had just ended, a delayed reaction that nearly gave Kentaro a heart attack. Kentaro jumped back, colliding with Yura and sending them both tumbling. His vision went dark as he realised where his head had landed, the forbidden fruit of a woman.

Between her legs.

Yura's eyes widened. Kentaro's eyes widened. Both of them screamed in unison:

"AAHHHHHH!!"

They sprang apart. Kentaro immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head so hard it nearly dented the van floor.

"PLEASE, YURA, IT WAS SHOGO'S FAULT! HE SCREAMED OUT OF NOWHERE!"

Yura's face froze for a second before her pout deepened, her face still crimson. After a pause, she muttered, "It's fine… Let's just get going."

Kentaro exhaled in relief, then turned to glare at the man who caused this chaos.

"Shogo!"

But Shogo was already up, brushing himself off, offering Kentaro a hand like nothing had happened. "My bad. Sorry. Stuff like this never happens, I'm not used to it, haha."

Kentaro sighed. He couldn't even be mad. After all, they had just crashed a van into Spire HQ headfirst.

By then, Serica had wobbled back to her feet, her "Anime knockout" finally over, and she trailed after Yura out of the van. Kentaro followed with Shogo, only to notice something that made his brain stall.

The van.

It was perfectly fine. Not a scratch. No dents. It looked like it had just rolled out of a dealership.

Meanwhile, Yumi stood in the lobby, eyes wide, staring around at the vast interior like a child in a candy store. Kentaro walked up beside her, rubbing his temple.

"Yumi, I know the van's strong, but come on… Maybe more of a heads-up next time?"

She didn't even look at him. Just threw him a thumbs-up, still mesmerised by the building.

Kentaro followed her gaze, and his jaw tightened.

The Spire lobby was enormous, like a cathedral of steel and glass. Stairs coiled up the sides toward a second-floor balcony, while above that, higher and higher, balconies branched out in layers, each offering a dizzying vantage point into the hollow centre. In the middle of it all rose a massive pillar, thirty, maybe fifty Kentaros wide (according to Serica's guess), stretching up countless stories like a titan's spine.

Ten floors? Maybe more.

But their path wasn't up. It was down.

They approached the colossal pillar, its surface gleaming. Buttons lined its base, an elevator system hidden inside. Before Kentaro could even process, Serica's curious fingers began mashing buttons.

The double doors hissed open, revealing a white chamber inside, one wall lined with a spotless mirror.

And in that reflection.

Kentaro's eyes widened.

A Spire soldier. Sword raised. Right behind him.

He spun forward just in time, the blade whistling past his ear. Yura and Serica leapt back as Shogo stepped in, disarming the soldier with brutal efficiency. But there was no time to breathe; more soldiers dropped in from the balconies, from the left, from the right.

"In the elevator!" Shogo barked.

Without thinking, they all bolted inside. The doors sealed, and the sudden stillness was jarring. Elevator music chimed softly, almost mocking. After the chaos outside, the ride felt unbearably slow.

Too slow.

The five of them crammed together in the space, far too close. Kentaro, who hated tight spaces, elbowed Yumi in the chest by accident.

"Watch your hands, perv!" She shrieked, bonking him on the head.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kentaro babbled, hands raised. Serica and Yura both pouted, their cheeks pink, but Shogo… Shogo decided to tempt fate.

"There wasn't much to touch anyway. Yumi, relax. We're just a bit tight."

"…"

"…"

"…YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Yumi's gun was out in a flash, the muzzle jammed against his head as she fired. Shogo ducked with inhuman speed, the bullet sparking against the elevator wall.

But Yumi, embarrassed and seething, fired again, this time into the elevator itself.

A shudder. A groan. Then.

CRASH.

The elevator screeched to a halt, flinging all five of them around like pinballs.

"KENTARO! KENTARO!" A voice crackled in his comms, but he could barely focus, his head pinned down by something soft. Kentaro groaned as he tried to lift his head, only to feel resistance pressing him back down. Something soft. Warm. He froze.

He pushed a little harder, his forehead brushing against it.

"Ah!" A tiny, startled sound slipped out above him.

His pulse spiked. He tried again, jerking his head up more forcefully, and once more, the soft pressure yielded, sliding against his hair, dragging across his cheek. Another breathless moan escaped.

He could smell flowers, almost as if he were in a field full of them.

Kentaro's heart hammered. No way. No, no, no-

This time, determined to free himself, he shoved upward. But the motion only buried him deeper against her, his face brushing firmly against the curve. The noise Serica made was not one he was prepared to hear, half gasp, half whimper.

Every attempt to rise only made it worse. Every movement turned into another accidental brush, another humiliating sound.

Then, realisation struck him like a lightning bolt. His hands trembled as he reached up, desperate to confirm the impossible. And when his fingers met the unmistakable shape of her thighs, when the truth clicked in, he froze solid.

Serica's face went beet red. She finally jolted upright with a panicked squeal, smacking him hard on the back of the head before scrambling away and hiding behind Yura.

Kentaro lay there, dazed, the light returning to the room now that her skirt wasn't draped over him like a curtain.

Yura blinked in confusion until Serica leaned close and whispered furiously in her ear. Yura's face went just as red in an instant.

Yumi, arms crossed, looked at Kentaro like he was trash. Then at Shogo. Her lip curled.

"Pervs. Both of you."

Shogo blinked in confusion, crouch-free. Kentaro pieced it together instantly and bowed so hard he nearly cracked his spine. "I-I'm sorry!"

Yumi didn't wait. She raised her boot and kicked the elevator doors wide open.

On the other side.

A chamber packed wall-to-wall with Spire soldiers, every one of them armed and already turning in shock at the uninvited guests.

"…Shit," Yumi muttered.

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