In the seemingly endless flow of time, just as I was trying to grasp something gradually organizing in my mind, I felt a trembling hand clutch my leg.
Thud—
I looked at the desperate gesture.
“…Albit?” “Se-Senpai…!”
Albit spoke with a face completely pale from the black mist.
“Run away—!!” “…!” “We…! We can’t run… We’re going to die…! So, please…!”
A girl with tear-filled brown eyes. She sincerely wanted to save me. I remembered the everyday moments I had seen before.
“Run away—!!!”
Joyful. Angry. Sorrowful. Cheering.
The everyday life I watched… it was always genuine. The girls living in this world were always sincere.
“…”
I looked at my juniors, trembling in fear.
‘Albit, Lota, Kara…’
Had I been sincere with you? Was I, hiding behind the mask of ‘Clara’…
‘What I wanted to give you was…’
I wanted to teach you about love, hope, and friendship. I wanted to show you the beauty and shining hearts in this world. I wanted you to reach the story’s ending with the brightest teachings.
I wasn’t a player raising you…
‘I was your senior.’
The moment I realized that, The masks I had worn so far were removed. What remained was only one thing, the true heart of a ‘senior.’
“…I see.”
I gently set Lota down on the ground.
“…!”
Lota had a determined look on her face. Tears streamed down as she bit her lip and nodded. But what she had resolved to do wouldn’t come to pass.
Albit and Kara’s cries softly echoed in my ears.
“Hurry!! Run away—!!” “Run away…! Please…!”
The children who were always confident and strong were now trembling in fear. But even in the depths of fear, they were trying to save me.
‘Even as [Faded Spiral], even as [Clara the Foolish Senior]… you’re trying to protect me.’
Just like Senior Frida said. The flowers that bloomed from meeting you and me… They were truly beautiful beyond words.
‘Then I should show you my true feelings.’
I wiped Lota’s tears. Her cat ears twitched as she looked confused. She looked at me with reproachful eyes, asking why I wasn’t running away.
I gently caressed Lota’s cheek and spoke.
“Don’t worry.” “…Senpai?” “Senpai…!” “Senpai… comrade…!” “…I’ll show you.”
The juniors sitting on the ground, looking up at me. Their eyes were filled with questions.
Why wasn’t I running away? Aren’t you the powerless [Faded Spiral]? Their sincere feelings were tangled, deceived by the mask I wore.
“I’m sorry… for everything up until now.”
I decided to show the answer only through action.
“Watch as [Spiral] moves forward from now on.” “…!” “…!” “…!”
My [Spiral] still shines.
‘But I can’t win with just 100%.’
Following an instinctive urge, I walked toward the scattered black crystals. I picked up the largest one.
Swoosh—
The size of a human head. A heavy-shaped crystal.
Inside it, I felt the ether gathered from numerous students kidnapped by the <Ratatosk> followers.
‘I can feel it. Where this ether comes from.’
Strangely, The moment I made my decision, I could feel something beyond what I had never felt before. I could feel beyond the ether, the force that made up this world.
‘Then I…’
I imbued the crystal filled with countless ethers with [Fundamental Ether]. Not chasing the correct answer. Following the path of the heart. Just imbue the ether.
Surprisingly… it responded to my ether without any issue.
Two years since I arrived in this world. For the first time, I imbued [Fundamental Ether] into an object. It was a path that had taken a long detour.
I smiled proudly at Albit and spoke.
“[Fundamental Ether]… I finally succeeded!” “…!”
Albit’s brown eyes widened in amazement.
Sizzle—
The crystal reacted to my ether and disintegrated. Inside, I felt the ether of more than hundreds of students. I felt their memories, hearts, and love that made up the world.
“…”
The kidnapping incident that saved Lota. The many students involved in that incident.
Though the kidnapping incident was resolved, and they were freed, Their ethers remained in the hands of <Ratatosk>.
‘I’m glad that this ether isn’t a remnant of your lives.’
I felt grateful for that.
The path following my true heart shone brighter than the correct answer from the original.
‘I’m glad I could protect your shining school life.’
I had been following my true heart more than the correct answer from the beginning.
‘I thank the sky for making me realize all this.’
So… I dared to ask the ether left by the kidnapped girls to join me.
If 100% isn’t enough, let’s charge forward with 200% of everyone’s power. If 200% isn’t enough, let’s move forward with 300% of everyone’s hearts.
‘It’s just a story full of determination…!’
But. This world stemmed from a game, but it wasn’t a game. Forget about probabilities and correct answers.
Forget everything.
Follow the heart.
Sizzle—
As the crystal disintegrated, The ether scattered like dust. Then, it clung to my body. Starting to shine in pink, driving away the black mist. The numerous pink ethers appearing in response. Hundreds of black crystals around me also disintegrated in response.
This place was filled with pink. All the ether within a radius of dozens of meters responded to my heart.
A true power different from the realm of infinity.
“The power of… the heart…!”
Like the flowers that bloomed from our meeting in a spiral. Like the school uniform a girl protected alone. Like the cherry blossoms blessing the start of a girl’s spring day. Like the peach blossoms at the beginning of the hero’s story in ancient times.
Past and future. Past life and present life. Everything I loved until now was in pink.
“The name of my soul is… [Spiral].”
Everyone watching my actions was shocked. Even [The Priest of Corruption] loosened his grip and looked puzzled. Just staring with his mouth open, amazed by the sudden actions.
“…!” “…?!”
Ether is the power of [Fate] that makes up the world. Imbuing oneself with someone else’s ether is foolish. External ether that isn’t built up by oneself is nothing more than impurities.
Unless you’re <Ratatosk>, who prayed to a dragon to change their existence. Absorbing the ether of hundreds of people… is nothing short of suicide.
Everyone who knew this fact shouted.
“Senpai—!!” “What are you doing!! Stop it now—!!” “Pink hair…?! What are you doing?!” “Spiral?!”
Indeed. There are consequences to foolish actions.
Drip—
Hot blood gushed from my nose instantly. A bitter taste of blood filled my mouth after a long time. My heart pounded as if I had drunk a box of coffee.
But without showing it, I moved forward and declared. Since 100% wasn’t enough… I absorbed all the ether around me and declared.
“The name of my soul is [Spiral]…! The color of my soul is… [Pink]…!”
Boom—!!
Pink ether spread within dozens of meters. They approached me as if supporting my choice was right. I could now exert 200% of my power. But just by receiving 200% of power, My whole body screamed and told me to stop immediately. My heart pounded, and it felt like my body would burst at any moment.
Then I had to brace myself.
‘It’s still not enough…!’
Boom—!
I would take another step forward.
Boom—!!
With my step, all the black crystals around me scattered and floated. Inside them, the hearts and ethers of the girls responded and added to me.
[The Priest of Corruption] was startled by the single step.
“Guh—!!”
True to his cautious nature, he quickly reacted to the abnormal situation. He hurriedly threw Eir and returned to his main form.
“Grrk?!”
Eir quickly regained her stance, still looking at me in surprise.
“[Pink Spiral]…!!”
[The Priest of Corruption] wriggled his whole body in preparation for a transformation.
“This ether…?! It’s not mentioned in the prophecy?!”
Ah. That guy was taken aback for the first time.
‘You didn’t know about my existence.’
It seemed that neither I nor Clara was in his precious prophecy. How could anyone predict the chaotic spiral?
Then let me tell you now.
My existence. My name. My soul. My form.
The way I move forward.
It is [Spiral].
For the first time in this world, I poured out my true feelings. From the deepest part of my heart, I screamed out all the overflowing love and realization.
“I am—!! The strongest in Academy City—!! [Pink Spiral]—!!” “…!” “Senpai!!” “Spiral..!!”
In fact, I wanted to fight together with everyone. In fact, I wanted to have a frank conversation. In fact, I still wanted to beat Hilde.
‘I want to be the true strongest!!!’
More sincere than I ever was. 200% stronger than I ever was. 300% more perfect than the path I had walked.
A punch thrown with the most perfect trajectory compared to any punch I had thrown before. A step taken with the most honest heart made everything respond and start shining.
At this moment, Everything turned pink. Everything within hundreds of meters turned pink.
Pink. It is the most honest color.
Lemon. It is the freshest finish.
Sorbet. It is…
『Clara! Let’s go to the cafe and eat delicious sorbet later!』
…Memories.
I poured all of that into my punch. Thousands, tens of thousands, millions of hearts formed from the 300% of the heart. Amplified dozens of times by the near-infinite power of everyone.
‘An attack I could never have made alone!’
So, With the hearts of countless girls, I threw a massive spiral made of infinite hearts hundreds of meters long.
“Ultimate move!!! Pink!! Lemon!! Sorbet――!!!”
Boom—!!!
Let there be light.
This is a greeting and farewell from the strongest in Academy City’s past. The giant pink flash is the crystallization of countless hearts and memories. The spiral pouring from the fist is a universe carved with the infinite love of a girl.
Rumble—!!!
All the ominous aura and land in front were shattered and sucked into the pink universe. Those around hurriedly took cover from the storm of destruction.
Maybe it was a mistake to adjust the range so the kids wouldn’t get caught. Or maybe it was the huge price for borrowing the secrets of the world.
I felt excruciating pain for a moment.
“Gah…?!”
Ulp—!!
Blood gushed from my nose and mouth. Blood vessels burst in my arms and legs, leaving bruises.
But even in the pain gnawing at my soul, I stared straight at the enemy.
Look at me here. The current me is the Spiral. A pink light of destruction.
Boom—!!
A pink storm obscured the view as the ground erupted. Everything within a radius of hundreds of meters in front of the fist was destroyed and disappeared. The pink pillar erased everything threatening the girls.
A spiral erasing everything in a moment. But the guy was still alive even amidst the pink storm. Withstood while shaving off the near-infinite ether.
Roar—!!
[The Priest of Corruption] survived the final move I miraculously unleashed, amplified dozens of times.
Rumble—!!
The dragon’s roar. He was returning to his original form. He slowly emerged even within the massive spiral pillar. Four wings blocked the moonlight, covering the dawn with twilight. A menacing dragon, like a centipede with hundreds of horns embedded in its body.
I saw the form.
“…!”
I jumped up and prepared a second attack.
Roar—!!
Even in his incomplete transformation, [The Priest of Corruption] regained his posture, raising his massive body dozens of meters high in the air. He opened his mouth wide, preparing to spew ominous black ether toward me.
‘If he takes to the sky, the attack range…!’
At that moment,
Eir burst out from under the dragon’s shadow. Her bizarre sword was engulfed in a dark crimson flame.
Tap—!!
Eir quickly leaped towards the hovering dragon. The sword she drew depicted a wheel of fire, like the chariot wheels of ancient gods. A purifying flame capable of cleansing even the distortions of Yggdrasil.
Slash—!!
Eir slashed at the dragon’s belly with a giant sword trail like a wheel of fire.
“[Wheel of Purification]――!!!”
The name is [Trajectory]. The way the girl moves forward. The flaming wheel spins.
Slash—!!
The black-clad girl’s rotation. It became a massive flame hundreds of meters large. The giant wheel shaved off the dragon’s scales as it spun.
Crack—!!
Roar—!!
“Aaaahhhhh!!!!”
With eyes bloodshot, exerting all her strength. Eir swung her sword, embodying the resolve to surpass her limits.
I extended my punch toward the intersecting point of the dragon and the wheel of fire.
The pink spiral formed again, becoming a storm.
I approached the dragon enveloped in the massive flash.
Then unleashed the attack.
“Ultimate move――!!! Pink!! Lemon!! Sorbet――!!!”
The extending spiral.
Boom—!!! Roar—!!
The giant wheel danced. The pink flash sang. The black dragon howled under the dawn’s light.
‘Even with an incomplete transformation and a surprise attack, it’s still not dead…!’
The most insidious trap-preparing dragon. It was slowly trying to escape before the most unreasonable miracle. If it escapes now, it will surely come back with even more insidious traps.
‘At this moment…! If not now with all miracles aligned!! I’ll never catch it!!’
The dragon spread its massive wings, slowly flying up into the air.
Eir could no longer approach the dragon and fell to the ground.
“Damn――!!!” “…”
Even if I die here. To ensure those left behind don’t suffer under unreasonableness. I resolved to burn everything.
300% isn’t enough.
With a pink spiral on my right hand, I drew a massive pink spiral in the air. A massive pink spiral drawn with a fist wrapped in a pink spiral.
Whoosh—!!
A massive spiral trajectory spinning. Drawing a pink spiral in the early morning sky, chasing the fleeing monster.
I could no longer see ahead.
My mind was blank as if it could drift away any moment.
Drifting away in the flow of power. Even if it looked precarious. My heart aimed at the dragon’s heart. The spiral decided by my heart covered the vast sky.
I heard the flapping of wings nearby. I heard the breath of the fleeing creature under the dawn’s light.
In the dimming consciousness, I shouted with my last resolve.
“Ultimate move――!!!”
The sky’s curve. The dawn’s light. The dragon’s heart. The pink spiral. Everything converges.
[Pink Lemon Sorbet]
Boom—!!! Roar—!!
In the faint consciousness, I pierced the fleeing dragon’s heart.
Slowly fading consciousness.
In the agony of near-death, I laughed cheerfully.
‘What the hell, it died like the first boss even though it’s the final boss.’
Ah… I’m worried about my juniors. I miss Hilde after a long time.
The wind hitting my ears.
My body was swaying powerlessly as it fell.
“…”
I closed my eyes and resolved.
Thud—
“…?”
It’s warm. But there’s an uneasy touch.
I struggled to open my eyes and look ahead. In front of me were the tears of a silver-haired girl. The tear drops sparkled, reflecting the dawn’s light.
“…Hilde…?” “…Clara.”
Is this a dream? Or a vision just before dying? In the faint consciousness, I uttered the words I had kept for so long.
“I’m… sorry.” “…”
Gah—
Talking too much after using forbidden power. My consciousness slowly dimmed with those words. I felt the blood from my mouth soaking my front.
And so, I lost consciousness.