In the original timeline, Kotori had only managed to defeat Kurumi because Mana had already drained most of Kurumi's Reiryoku during their intense clash. But this time, things were different.
Although Kotori was slowly draining Kurumi's energy, the circumstances had changed Shido and Tohka were both present. If they joined the fight now, they could easily overwhelm Kurumi.
Looking up to the sky where the intense battle was happening, Shido decided to use Spirit Integration with Tohka's Astral Dress and Angel.
"Spirit Integration!" Shido said in a low voice, he waited for a few seconds only for the system to rang into his head.
Ding!
[Spirit Integration failed. The original Spirit is currently utilizing their Astral Dress and Angel. Only one manifestation of each may exist at a time.]
"What?!" Shido's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're telling me I can't use the Astral Dress and Angel if the original owner is already using them?"
[Affirmative.]
The system's response echoed in his mind, cold and mechanical.
"Sigh… You could've told me that earlier." Shido muttered, a vein twitching on his temple. It was like dealing with a gacha game that only explained the rules after you lost your pull.
He let out a sigh of frustration. It wasn't the first time the system dropped something important at the worst possible moment.
Still, he wasn't out of options.
"Fine. Tohka's out, then."
His gaze sharpened as he scanned the sky again. The battlefield raged on, but in his mind, another plan was already forming.
Tohka wasn't the only Spirit he sealed, there are still others and Shido had already decided which powers to use.
Meanwhile, from the perspective of Tohka, Origami, and Mana, Shido's behavior looked… strange.
One moment, he seemed confident and composed. The next, he appeared utterly deflated, only to suddenly bounce back, determination burning in his eyes once more.
His emotions shifted so rapidly, it was almost comical, if it weren't so concerning.
"…Is Nii-sama alright?" Mana asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Yeah." Origami replied without hesitation, as if used to this by now. "This happens sometimes."
"…Shido." Tohka muttered, a worried frown tugging at her lips.
All three girls stared at him with mixed expressions, confusion, concern, curiosity. But none of them interrupted.
And just as quickly as his strange episode had begun, Shido's expression settled. The flicker of hesitation vanished, replaced by a firm and serious gaze.
"Spirit Dress of God's Authority, Number 4. El!"
As soon as Shido uttered those words, an icy gale burst outward, swirling with a power so intense it caused the air itself to shimmer and crackle. The ground beneath him began to freeze over, creeping outward in jagged patterns of frost. The temperature plummeted, and even Mana and Origami instinctively took a step back feeling the intense cold.
The frigid wind enveloped Shido entirely, concealing his form within a vortex of shimmering snow and ice. Then, in the blink of an eye, the storm subsided.
And what emerged from the center of that blizzard was no longer the same Shido.
His new form stood tall, graceful, regal, and ethereal, yet cold and merciless. He was clad in a flowing, green robe embroidered with silver threads that shimmered like morning frost.
His sleeves billowed slightly with each movement, and delicate patterns resembling snowflakes danced across the hem. His hood bore no rabbit ears like Yoshino's, but instead, an elegant mantle trailed behind him like mist on a winter night.
Instead of a Raincoat, he wore a robe that made his appearance more elegant. He looked like an Elven King born of snow and silence.
Tohka, Origami, and Mana stared wide-eyed as Shido completed his transformation. Their mouths hung slightly open, stunned by the majestic aura he now radiated.
He stood like a sovereign of winter, cold air swirling gently around him, each breath of wind glittering with frost. The elegance of his form and the serene, commanding presence he exuded left the three speechless.
Meanwhile, aboard the Fraxinus, Yoshino sat before the monitor, her cheeks tinged pink as she watched the screen. Her eyes sparkled with wonder, completely captivated by the sight of Shido donning her Astral Dress.
"Shido-san…" she whispered, her voice soft with admiration, unable to look away. Her small hands clutched her sleeves tightly, her heart fluttering as her dress, the power that represented her, was now adorned him with such grace and nobility.
She could feel that the strange connection between her and Shido became much deeper.
"Oh my~ Oh my~ Someone's happy~!" Yoshinon chimed teasingly, placing her little plush hands over her mouth like she was holding in a giggle.
Yoshino's face immediately deepened in color, the blush spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. She lowered her head, trying to hide her expression behind her sleeves.
"…Yoshinon," she mumbled, her voice became flustered and meek.
"Hahaha~ sorry, sorry! I just couldn't help myself." Yoshinon giggled, her voice playful and mischievous. "Seeing Yoshino-chan staring so intently at Shido-kun like that is so cute~!"
"Wuah…" Yoshino let out a flustered squeak, her hands flying up to cover her face as the redness deepened. She looked like she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear, her delicate fingers barely able to hide the glowing blush that had overtaken her cheeks.
Yoshinon continued to chuckle softly, clearly enjoying the reaction.
Standing beside them, Reine glanced over, her drowsy and deadpan face softening for a brief moment. A rare, gentle smile curved on her lips as she observed the innocent girl.
Back at the Amusement Park.
Shido scanned his appearance and saw the stark difference in this Astral Dress and Yoshino's Astral Dress. It all stood in stark contrast to Yoshino's original, more childlike Astral Dress. Yet, he didn't mind in the slightest.
In fact, he thought it looked… cooler.
"Zadkiel!"
After observing his appearance, Shido slammed his hand on the ground.
The ground trembled.
With a deafening boom, Shido slammed his palm down onto the earth. Cracks of ice burst outward from the point of impact, surging with raw power. From the frozen rift, an enormous being began to rise, towering and majestic. It was like a guardian deity that governs the realm of Ice.
A gigantic puppet, nearly the size of a building, erupted from the ground. Its icy-blue armor glinted under the light, frost radiating from its massive limbs. Steam hissed from its joints as its head tilted back, then roared in a majestic manner.
Kotori and Kurumi who was so focused on fighting finally noticed something was going on when a majestic beast appeared and roared. They could feel the sudden change in the air as it became colder. Even Kotori who's ability was based on fire felt a little cold.
But it didn't cause her to frown, instead, Kotori smiled knowing that Shido had used his Spirit Integration using Yoshino's Astral Dress and Angel, which made her excited. But then a thought crossed her mind which made her wonder why he used Yoshino's Spirit Integration instead of Tohka's.
She shook her head, brushing the thought aside for now. 'I'll ask him later.'
On the other hand Kurumi's expression was the opposite of Kotori's excited expression. Right now, she wore a grim expression, her crimson and golden clock eyes squinted seeing the scene.
She know that it would be troublesome to fight Kotori with Shido now. But she couldn't retreat now, as she didn't have a much more suitable chance to get Shido.