Crossover Shipgirls: Building a Dimensional Empire from Scratch

Initially, Kurumi had been cautious and suspicious of the strange man who had appeared before her. She even considered finding a way to devour them all to replenish her spiritual energy.

But when Setsuna mentioned the name of the First Spirit, her calm demeanor shattered.

In a flash, she activated her transformation mode.

Zafkiel—Elohim

Her outfit changed to a black and red gothic dress, revealing her left eye, which was hidden before. It gleamed like a golden clock.

Her left hand wielded a flintlock rifle, her right held a vintage pistol, and she stepped forward to stand before Setsuna, looking up at him.

"What else do you know?!"

"Don't get worked up."

Setsuna gently pushed her gun-wielding hand down.

"Let me think… Where should I start?"

He proceeded to recount Kurumi's life story in detail.

Kurumi, originally an ordinary young lady, was attacked by an unknown monster one day after school.

She was saved by a self-proclaimed "hero of justice," the First Spirit, Mio Takamiya, who lured her into becoming a Spirit and bestowed upon her the Angel Zafkiel.

Thereafter, Kurumi assisted Mio in hunting down other Spirits, until the day she encountered the Flame Spirit, only to realize it was her best friend. She also discovered that the Spirits she had been hunting were all once humans.

Mio had been deceiving her all along to refine Spirit Crystals. When Kurumi tried to confront Mio after learning the truth, her memories were erased, and she was cast into the Neighboring World.

It took a long time for Kurumi to return from the Neighboring World. With Zafkiel's power over time, she managed to recover her memories and vowed to return to the past to kill the First Spirit.

"…"

Without a doubt, Kurumi was a tragic figure. From the moment she met Mio Takamiya, she had been manipulated like a pawn.

Even if she somehow gathered enough power to travel back 30 years, she would stand no chance against the First Spirit.

"Who… are you?"

After hearing Setsuna's recount, Kurumi staggered back two steps, collapsing onto the ground.

"How do you know all this?!"

"What are you trying to do?"

It felt as though every secret she had, including her darkest history, had been laid bare before this man.

It was as if her entire being had been seen through.

"I told you, we're also looking for the First Spirit."

Setsuna smiled, extending a hand to help her up.

"Hm? You have a way to travel to the past?"

"Yes. That's our time machine. You don't need to exhaust yourself collecting spiritual energy anymore."

Setsuna pointed to the Bulins in the distance, who were busy assembling the receiver.

Their efficiency was impressive—in less than ten minutes, they had already erected the framework of a tower-like structure.

"Oh?!"

Kurumi let out a soft exclamation. She didn't understand much about technological advancements, but her instincts told her that Setsuna was serious.

Her gaze swept over the Bulins and then back to Setsuna.

"So, are you planning to help me kill the First Spirit? Using your spaceship or some other weapon?"

"No, we're going to solve this in a different way."

Setsuna spent some time explaining the background of Mio Takamiya to Kurumi.

In the world of Date A Live, there existed a profession known as "Wizards." These were people born with innate differences, possessing immense magical energy and talent.

However, with the evolution of society, pureblooded wizards had dwindled, often facing hostility from ordinary humans.

About forty years ago, a village populated by wizards was attacked by humans, leaving only four survivors.

Driven by vengeance, these wizards gathered immense spiritual energy through a ritual to create the First Spirit, Mio Takamiya. This event triggered the Eurasian Sky Disaster, which resulted in over 150 million casualties.

Following that, they established DEM Industries to harness the power of Spirits and reshape the world.

What followed was a tangled battle among Spirits, AST (Anti-Spirit Team), DEM Industries, and others.

"..."

Kurumi was momentarily dumbfounded.

She had only known Mio Takamiya as someone who deceived her, forcing her to kill her best friend.

Yet now she learned that even the First Spirit had a tragic origin—an entire world turned upside down, all to resurrect a single person?

"Our goal," Setsuna said, "is to take Mio away. If she doesn't exist in this world, none of the tragedies that follow will ever happen."

He had no intention of letting Kurumi handle it herself or attempt some sentimental mother-daughter reunion.

"No, that won't work. She tricked me, made me kill so many people, including my friend..."

"I have to kill her..."

Kurumi shook her head, her heart in turmoil.

Even knowing that Mio was, in some ways, a victim, she couldn't forgive her actions.

"Foolish girl."

Setsuna gently tapped her forehead.

"You're supposed to be the Spirit of Time, yet you don't realize that altering the past will affect the current timeline?"

"?!"

Kurumi's eyes widened as though remembering something crucial.

"If I deal with the First Spirit and take down DEM Industries, the root of all tragedy will vanish."

"Mio won't create a host of Spirits and monsters just to resurrect someone. The part of your history where she manipulated you won't exist anymore."

"On a new timeline, your friend Sawa Yamabuki will survive as an ordinary human."

Setsuna's words struck her like a hammer blow.

"!"

"!!"

Kurumi froze, staring at Setsuna as if forgetting how to breathe.

That's right.

If they traveled back in time, eliminated Westcott, and resolved Mio's grievances, her friend would survive.

Sawa Yamabuki's death was the very reason Kurumi sought revenge against Mio.

But if Setsuna could twist the timeline to let her live...

Then Kurumi's need for vengeance would cease to exist.

In fact, for such a goal, she ought to fully support Setsuna's efforts.

"No... no..."

"Let me think about it..."

Receiving such an overload of information in an instant left Kurumi Tokisaki's thoughts in disarray.

She sat down, scratching her head and counting on her fingers, trying to work through the logic and weigh the pros and cons.

Even if she struggled alone, painstakingly collecting enough spiritual energy to travel back forty years, could she really defeat Mio Takamiya?

Setsuna said she couldn't. To be honest, she didn't have much confidence in herself either.

But according to Setsuna's plan, they could use the Spiritron Calculation Engine to project themselves into the past, gently resolve the situation with the First Spirit, take her to another world, and eliminate unstable factors like Westcott.

From then on, world peace. Everyone lives happily ever after.

"Wait."

Kurumi suddenly remembered a critical question.

"If we change the past, wouldn't that mean Spirits would no longer exist in this world?"

"And when we return, wouldn't Sawa Yamabuki and I have already become old ladies?"

The two of them were actually older than Mio Takamiya, but thanks to the effects of Spirit Crystals, they remained eternally youthful.

Losing the protective blessings of their Spirit powers and returning as ordinary humans would be an embarrassing situation.

"Pfft—"

Setsuna couldn't help but laugh at her puzzling concern.

"Do you think I'm going back to when Mio Takamiya was created just for fun? Why not go even further and simply take out Westcott and the four wizards to solve everything?"

"As long as we secure the First Spirit, she can separate out Spirit Crystals and let you both become Spirits again."

This was the cornerstone of his Spirit Collection Plan.

After resetting the timeline, Mio Takamiya could gently recreate the Spirits through a peaceful process.

Even if their original times of birth were different, the Spiritron Transfer Device and Kurumi's abilities could bridge those gaps.

"!"

Kurumi was stunned.

All her concerns were addressed. There was no plan more perfect than this.

Her best friend would be resurrected, they'd both remain Spirits and live eternally, and humanity's tragedies would be wiped from history.

In her eyes, Setsuna was utterly unfathomable.

"Can I come along? I want to personally take out those wizards."

After ten minutes of contemplation, she raised her head, flashing a charming smile.

"And one more thing, Mr. Alien: if you're planning to charm the First Spirit, I'll help you."

"I think my abilities might come in handy."

"..."

The corner of Setsuna's mouth twitched.

Considering that Mio Takamiya was, in a way, Kurumi's "mother," what did this even mean?

If the two of them ended up together in the future... what would that be? A double serving?!

That would truly be... spectacular.

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