...
After bidding farewell to Akashi, Setsuna and his accompanying shipgirls made their way back, intending to visit some old companions.
They soon arrived at the residential district.
The little lolis all lived together in dormitories, with Bulins taking care of their daily needs. Meanwhile, the Heroic Spirits, Spirits, and some of the shipgirls resided in villas.
At the entrance of a three-story villa, just as they pushed open the gate, a lively commotion could be heard from within.
"Impossible! The Excalibur can one-shot Sandalphon! The Knight King's Noble Phantasm is a legitimate city-destroying weapon. Can you do that, Tohka?"
"Mio said that Tohka can switch to Spirit Dress and shatter the earth with a single swing of Sandalphon! What about that?!"
"Megiddo? So you play with fire too? Tsk tsk tsk, why don't we just have a match and see who's stronger?"
Pushing the door open, Setsuna found the living room packed with over twenty Spirits and Heroic Spirits.
Gudako, Kotori Itsuka, and Origami Tobiichi were locked in a heated debate, their faces flushed with intensity.
Others, including Black and White Jeanne, Nero, Jing Ke, Kurumi, Mukuro, and Natsumi, sat nearby, watching the spectacle unfold.
Noticing Setsuna, they all stood up to greet him.
"Ara, Setsuna, what a rare guest we have here."
"I didn't expect you to be the type to barge into a room full of girls unannounced…"
Kurumi leaned against the wall, lazily stroking a cat while gazing at him with a teasing smile.
"I just came to check in and see how you all are doing."
Setsuna ignored Kurumi's suggestive tone and turned his attention to Gudako and Kotori, intrigued.
"Oh? So the Chaldea crew and the Date A Live group are all here? What were you arguing about?"
"We were discussing whether Spirits or Heroic Spirits are stronger," Gudako said, puffing out her chest.
In the interdimensional empire, power debates were never-ending. People from different worlds who wielded similar weapons or abilities often couldn't resist comparing their strengths.
For instance, Origami Tobiichi's Angel Metatron or Tohka Yatogami's Sandalphon bore striking resemblances to certain Heroic Spirit Noble Phantasms.
"Do you really need to argue? Can any of you defeat Mio right now?"
Setsuna chuckled.
"She's an outlier, so she doesn't count. We're only discussing conventional combat strength."
Gudako shook her head.
"For example, who's stronger between Artoria and Tohka? Or what would happen if Megiddo clashed with Jeanne Alter's Noble Phantasm?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the debate flared up again, with everyone shouting terms like "Do you even understand city-scale Noble Phantasms?" and "Have you considered Spirit Reversals or Blackened Saber?"
"..."
"Have any of you considered how the people involved feel about this?"
Setsuna turned his head.
Artoria and Tohka were peacefully sitting together, munching on soybean flour bread, taking turns as if they had an unspoken agreement.
The two gluttons seemed to share a deep understanding when it came to food.
"If you're so eager to compare battle strengths, why not just hold a match? Of course, not inside the city, and don't go overboard."
Richelieu sighed, lamenting how Heroic Spirits and Spirits were always so energetic—unlike the harmonious shipgirls.
"Fine, let's do it."
Jeanne Alter and Kotori exchanged determined glances.
"Setsuna, who do you support?"
Kurumi suddenly spoke up, licking her soft, cherry-colored lips with a meaningful smile.
"Do you prefer Heroic Spirits… or Spirits?"
"Oh, and don't forget—we all signed contracts with you. You personally recruited us."
"Yet, you just left us here and stopped paying attention. How cruel of you~~~~"
Kurumi dragged out her words, her expression filled with intrigue.
Her crimson right eye shimmered with an alluring glint.
"Aren't you all supposed to be comparing battle strength?!"
"The others I can understand, but you? Aren't you the one who comes to my office every day just to pet cats and tease the little catgirls?!"
Setsuna was dumbfounded.
Thankfully, as a seasoned commander, he had long since developed a thick skin.
"You are all my wings. Whether it's the Heroic Spirits of Chaldea or the Spirits, I like you all the same."
As he spoke, he reached out and ruffled Kotori and Natsumi's hair.
"I'll make sure to visit more often. You can always come to the administrative center to find me or play with the shipgirls."
"Ohh?!—"
The younger Spirits were instantly delighted.
Yoshino threw her arms around Setsuna in a hug. "I like you too! And Sister Mio!"
Meanwhile, Origami quietly took out a packet of powder from her bag, discreetly pouring it into a cup of tea before offering it to him.
"Setsuna, please have some."
"If you don't mind, perhaps we could take a walk tonight, watch a movie, and then… you could do to me what you do to the shipgirls…"
"..."
"Origami, I should remind you that your drugs don't work on the commander."
Yat Sen sighed, staring at the white-haired loli with exasperation.
"And where exactly did you even get that? This kind of thing isn't sold anywhere in the base!"
"Oh? Is that so? Then I'll just consult Akashi or Purifier. They should know something about it."
Origami remained expressionless as she regretfully put the cup away.
"..."
The shipgirls exchanged complex looks.
Akashi would probably refuse, but considering Observer and Purifier's dubious moral standards, who knew what kind of shady advice they might give Origami?
"How sneaky. All you do is make little girls happy."
Jeanne Alter scoffed.
"I'll make sure to spend more time with you too."
Setsuna chuckled and pinched Jeanne Alter's cheek.
"I know you all had nothing to do while we were in the Blue World since it's the shipgirls' home turf."
"But according to the plan… in the upcoming worlds, everyone will have their chance to shine."
"Seriously?!"
The Heroic Spirits and Spirits immediately perked up, surrounding Setsuna excitedly.
"Of course. Once the starship modifications are complete, we'll be launching full-scale expeditions into other worlds. This time, I'll need the help of everyone, not just the shipgirls."
Setsuna knew exactly what they wanted.
They had come to this new world to see different landscapes and embark on adventures, not to be stuck in the capital city endlessly.
"We might head to the Third Singularity, fight battles in the Akame ga Kill world, go play with Autobots, or even hunt goblins."
"If you're not into fighting, you can visit peaceful worlds instead."
"Either way, I'll make sure you all get your chance to shine."
With just a few words, he had successfully painted an enticing future for the Spirits and Heroic Spirits.
"Ohhh—"
Jeanne Alter's eyes gleamed with interest before she quickly turned away with a huff. "Tch, well… if you really need help, I suppose I could lend a hand…"
"In that case, I'll just bring Jeanne d'Arc instead."
Setsuna had a knack for handling tsunderes.
"Hey?! Master?! How could you say that?!"
"Fine, I was wrong, okay?!"
Jeanne Alter pounded the table in protest as Jeanne d'Arc giggled beside her.
"..."
"Setsuna, you've really gotten good at charming girls…"
Kurumi smirked, her gaze playful.
"Of course."
Setsuna stood up, walked over to Kurumi, and pinned her against the wall with one hand.
Looking down at her from above, he held her in place.
"What's wrong? Want me to pamper you too? Maybe a kiss, a hug, or even a lift?"
"!?"
Kurumi hadn't expected Setsuna to be so direct. A flash of panic crossed her gaze.
"Setsuna, everyone's watching."
She glanced around—both the Spirits and Heroic Spirits were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Origami, in particular, looked ready to jump in.
"So what? We're all on the same side."
"How have you been here?" Setsuna asked with a smile.
"…"
"I… It's been nice."
Kurumi lowered her head, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.
When Setsuna had been comforting the others earlier, she hadn't thought much of it. She had simply acknowledged that this man had an uncanny ability to attract women—surrounded not only by shipgirls but also by Heroic Spirits and Spirits who adored him.
But now that she was the one being singled out, she suddenly felt at a loss.
"What's wrong? Don't you usually love teasing me? Why are you so quiet now?"
Setsuna gently lifted her chin, locking eyes with her crimson gaze.
Within seconds, Kurumi averted her eyes, her face turning even redder.
It was too sudden.
If she had been prepared, or if they were alone, she could have come up with a hundred different ways to counterattack. But now, her mind was a chaotic mess—she had no idea what Setsuna was planning.
A kiss, a hug, or even being lifted?
She had no doubt that if she nodded, this man would actually go through with it.
After all, he never seemed to hold back when being affectionate with the shipgirls, even in front of others.
Of all the people in this room, why was he fixating on her now?!
"If you ever want me to spend time with you alone, just say the word, Kurumi."
"…"
Kurumi was silent for a long moment before tilting her head up.
"Alright, Setsuna. Just don't regret it."
"Pfft. Me? Afraid?"
Seeing Kurumi's mix of shyness and frustration, Setsuna was thoroughly amused.
She was exactly his type.
The problem with Kurumi was that her personality was too complex. If he played along with her, he'd either be led astray or teased until he lost his bearings.
The most effective strategy was to go on the offensive.
Direct moves could solve 99% of problems.
Date A Live didn't lie.
Going on a date with a Spirit would inevitably make her flustered.
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