By the time she noticed, she was already lost in the neighboring world.
Mixed in with the Quasi-Spirits of all sorts of colors, Higoromo Hibiki was part of the overwhelming majority that was completely helpless.
The title of Empty was not a false name.
Not just memories—there were sometimes girls wandering around that would lose their personalities as well. A harmless ghost that was an eyesore to look at.
Perhaps they were a symbol of fear that others wanted to avoid becoming as well. That was Empty.
It wouldn't take long for their hands and feet to disappear completely before finally, those girls were destined to disappear completely from the neighboring world.
Higoromo Hibiki was such a person.
She didn't know anything; she was afraid of arriving at this world, afraid of fighting. For those not fortunate enough to be able to use an Astral Dress, they were afraid of disappearing.
There were no dreams.
There was no hope.
There was nothing to crave for.
There wasn't even a heart to crave.
A person who was born not knowing anything should die alone. That should have been Higoromo Hibiki's fate.
In this lethargy, it was a coincidence that Hibiki saw her.
In the Tenth Region, Malkuth, communication was marked—by killing each other. There was a girl who lived happily by fighting.
After several clashes, she had obtained a triumphant victory. With her hollow eyes, Hibiki tried to match the look of the eyes of that girl.
The girl was full of smiles. To Hibiki, who was staring at her helplessly, she made a victory sign with her two fingers.
"I won!"
Blankly staring at her—Hibiki slowly returned the victory gesture.
"Thank you!"
The girl disappeared after saying that loudly.
Hibiki stood up. She noticed that the arm that was disappearing had been restored. In such a meaningless exchange, Hibiki had found hope.
That girl's name was Hiriyu Yue. Empty's name was Higoromo Hibiki.
Yue was a typical Quasi-Spirit that couldn't live without fighting. And Hibiki was a Quasi-Spirit that could continue living by cuddling onto someone else without needing to fight.
It was like a calm day after a storm.
Each time Yue came back injured, her heart would ache. On the other hand, her heart would also feel relieved as long as she returned.
Hibiki thought that she didn't want to use the power of her Unsigned Angel.
It had horrific power, but the cost was too great. If used recklessly, all that awaited her was becoming an invalid.
"That's such a waste!"
Although Yue spoke while complaining, Hibiki just smiled, a little troubled. The worst part of that power was being able to replace herself.
Personality separated, memories deviated, and even the name Higoromo Hibiki needed to be forcibly thrown away.
It was a shame to forget about Yue, who was right in front of herself.
"It's fine, Yue. I don't care."
"Really? It doesn't matter at all for your body?"
"I don't like fighting, so I'm okay for now. Un, it's fine because I am happy."
Fighting wasn't the only way to chase after a dream. There was also a dream of being satisfied through just waiting. The days spent playing and chatting with Yue.
So Hibiki felt satisfied living in the present.
─But if she lost Yue, this sense of fulfillment would disappear.
Why was it that she would always look away whenever she said that?
Why was it that she was convinced that as long as she waited, her words of "I'll be back!" would always ring true?
The last time she said that was after receiving an invitation to a game sponsored by Doll Master.
"I wanted to participate since the beginning."
Yue spoke in an unusually calm tone.
"But to participate in the war she's sponsoring means staking your life. I think that's a bit wrong."
"Great, that's a relief... I was still wondering if you were going to defiantly go there." Hearing Hibiki's reply, Yue muttered as if embarrassed from the bottom of her heart.
"At the time of fighting for my life, I think that I would want to know."
"Yue, when are you going to risk your life?"
"If you ever encounter a pinch, I'll definitely risk my life on the line to save you." Yue had always categorically said that line.
"Ah─... thank you. In that case, I feel relieved."
Very embarrassing, but only those words could describe the emotion filling up her chest.
"Anyway, I'll refuse it tomorrow."
The second day after Yue had said that, she had completely disappeared.
It wasn't unusual for a girl to go missing in the neighboring world. Even more so if it was a girl who liked to fight.
Moreover, when the whereabouts are unknown, all she could do was wait for her.
In time, Hibiki heard a rumor about Doll Master.
She was collecting dolls—these so-called dolls used to be Quasi-Spirits. If she had her eye on you, then you would absolutely be turned into a doll.
From there, she instinctively knew the reason why Yue hadn't returned. "Doll Master, Doll Master, Doll Master!"
Achieving revenge became Hibiki's new dream.
Since the first step was fighting, she grew accustomed to battle, seeing blood, and treating wounds. The next step was collecting information.
Luckily, the abilities of the Astral Dress were most suitable for information gathering.
She made a thorough investigation of Doll Master's advantages, disadvantages, secrets, and weaknesses.
Although many times in the process her life became targeted, her obsession didn't permit her to die.
The last step would mark the completion of the plan. In order to kill Doll Master, in order to defeat Doll Master, what was indispensable?
Thinking, thinking, thinking─looking back, she found that she had come quite far. To imagine that she had lived alone for such a long time.
Even if she met Yue again, that girl would surely not recognize her.
Well, but. That didn't matter anymore.
Because it was impossible for a reunion.
Therefore, it was fine not to be Higoromo Hibiki (me) anymore.
The Unsigned Angel of the seventh genus,
Exchanging bodies with the target, even abilities could be plundered─the ability to reverse a law in order to murder a king.
So far, it had been used to temporarily rob the faces of other Quasi-Spirits in order to hide herself.
However, the robbery of abilities was a far more advanced use, an unknown world to herself.
Once started, she couldn't lift it until she died. It was a power with great risk that was irretrievable afterwards.
Consequently, Hibiki wandered around the region searching for the greatest strength and most powerful presence to plunder from.
A Quasi-Spirit with the power to compete against Doll Master.
Finally, she found it. Or so she had thought. But it was not a Quasi-Spirit—it was an inverse, rather, if it could even be called one to begin with.
That person falling out from the sky was about to die. Rather, one could say their chances at survival were extremely slim.
Nevertheless, she could easily see that immense power.
If there was anything that transcended both human intelligence and Spirits—it was the once-in-a-million fortune granted to Higoromo Hibiki through this encounter.
However, her ability to steal even physical form along with their personality didn't work on him.
Flipping the situation around, it wouldn't have been him, but her, on the near-death experience.
Using her ability on him would only kill her faster, so she changed her intentions.
If that were the case, in her inability to rob him of his powers, she thought—perhaps if she used him, she would get her revenge.
So she strongly thought. She firmly embraced the memories she shared with Hiriyu Yue into her chest.
Please I beg of you, it doesn't matter if you take away anything from me.
After this revenge is successful, I'll also give up my own life. So please don't take my dreams away. Please let me achieve my revenge.
That is to say, it was expected that there was no spectacle of joy whatsoever in revenge.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..."
Her hands wouldn't stop shaking as said things poured into their minds. Going as far as to rob herself of her own identity…
"Haa. I've had enough of this farce."
Ibusuki Panie—rather, Doll Master—said that, shaking her head, dismissing everything. This wasn't the first time someone had declared her a revenge target.
She had seen a lot of them, and they had all come and gone.
Hundreds, thousands, what more would one add. However—TSUN!
A hot gust of wind that carved the ground passed by her, shocking her in place as she looked at Ikari.
"You just shut up and wait."
Ayame: 'Ikari. I've found it. The coordinates. I'll send them to you now.'
Ikari: 'Alright. Get ready.'
"....Ikari-san. I'm sorry. I've been lying to you all this time."
Empty, who looked to be dying in the hands of the puppet with a greatsword embedded into her stomach, said that.
"I saw everything. Your memories, and it's beauty. However, I didn't tell you. I knew that and still lied. Because I can only─lie, lie, lie constantly."
"Even back then. I thought. I can't let you die, until you fulfil my purpose, so I kept on helping you."
She was okay with it. Empty—no, Higoromo Hibiki—was okay with him hating her. Her losing her memories was a short-term thing.
Healing someone whose soul was on the verge of shattering completely was a huge burden, even for her.
Luckily, with the plundered abilities she had, she was able to hold him together for the meantime.
It wasn't a permanent solution. One that just reduced the chances of him dying early. Meeting him again, she was quite fortunate.
And, so, hearing his goal was to participate in the game, she clung to him.
In the first place, even if he had no wish to join, she would have coerced him too. Fate simply brought them together.
"... I won't forgive you."
"Yes… I'm sorry."
"But I don't hate you."
Ikari said that. Even he felt a tad-bit embarrassed that the progression wasn't by his powers alone.
At the very least, she mended him together when he was on the verge of death—that alone meant something.
"However, I'm sorry, like I've said. I've sworn my life to two people already. But I promise you. As long as I don't get to compromise them for you, I'll always put you above all. For saving my life… I owe that much to you."
Hibiki, still on her knees, smiled, muttering thank you.
"Now then, I guess I can't even spare you anymore. Not that I intended to." Ikari turned to Doll Master. "But that's not all. You are guilty of so many things I can't even begin to count."
"For that, none of us will spare you."
HAHAHAHA!
Doll Master snickered. She laughed. Surely, she was victorious.
The heavens were on her side. The one person she was most wary of was one step away from death, barely holding himself together.
"The others aside. You. Ikari is going nowhere."
"Fine then, bring it on."