I'm not going to be an Spirit! (Translate)

Although Meteora faction and all the other Creations had prepared to make contact with the newly arrived Creation, it seemed that this new being was not fond of appearing in public.

It had already been a week since the Earth's magnetic field disturbance occurred.

During this week, the government's surveillance team had not found any information about the Creation on social media.

Not only was there no sign of the newly arrived Creation, but even Altair and the Creations from her faction had shown no activity at all.

This quietude, like the calm before a storm, made Meteora and the others increasingly tense, but there was nothing they could do.

After all, now that the [Re:Creators] Chronicle had proven ineffective against Altair, they no longer held the initiative in making the first move.

All they could do now was search for the new Creation who had not once shown themselves since arriving.

If they could bring this Creation into their faction, their chances of defeating Altair would significantly increase again.

Therefore, even without any clues, they continued to tirelessly search for leads throughout Tokyo.

Just like now.

In a shopping mall in Tokyo, Japan—

Natsumi Kyouno and Mamika Kirameki were moving through the crowd.

To avoid causing a commotion, they had changed into ordinary casual clothes to draw as little attention as possible.

But even so, a girl with pink hair and another with green hair still stood out far too much in a crowd.

From time to time, the crowd's gaze would carry various meanings, causing Natsumi Kyouno to hide behind Mamika Kirameki instinctively.

"See… I knew I wasn't ready."

Gripping the hem of Mamika Kirameki clothes, Natsumi said timidly, "Hey, I feel like everyone is staring at me. Can't we patrol somewhere with fewer people?"

"Nope."

Mamika Kirameki smiled sweetly and took her hand, her attitude leaving no room for negotiation. "This is a trial—a trial to overcome the past. Running away now is not an option."

"Uuuuuu..."

Natsumi Kyouno looked visibly anxious, but since her hand was already being held, she had no choice but to steel herself and follow along.

Just as Mamika had said—this was a trial.

Over the past week, not only had Meteora and the others been searching for the new Creation, they had also put a great deal of effort into Natsumi Kyouno development.

In terms of combat training, several Creations had taken turns, and sometimes teamed up, to spar with Natsumi in order to enhance her battle awareness and combat experience.

As a "Mage Lord," Natsumi Kyouno was sorely lacking in both awareness and experience when it came to real combat.

In the original work, AST posed no threat to her at all. No matter who the enemy was, a single "Mirror of a Thousand Transformations" would immediately neutralize them.

She relied entirely on her abilities to fight, which resulted in total helplessness whenever those abilities were nullified.

To cultivate Natsumi into a main combat force capable of standing against Altair, the others had been sparring with her frequently.

Fortunately, Meteora had healing magic, and Creations tended to have tough bodies and rapid regeneration, otherwise it would have been impossible to keep up with the constant training.

Beyond physical training, mentally fortitude was also part of the plan.

Who knew if Altair had any form of psychological attacks?

As long as Natsumi Kyouno inner insecurities remained unresolved, Altair might exploit them to manifest mentally demons and shatter her from the inside.

Therefore, fully curing Natsumi's inner wounds was absolutely essential.

"Although thanks to Mr. Tachibana explanation, you now understand there's no need to feel inferior, understanding it and truly believing it are two different things. Years of accumulated self-doubt aren't so easily wiped away."

Mamika Kirameki kept a relaxed tone as she cheerfully said, "You think everyone is looking at you? That's not just your imagination—after all, you're super cute. What matters now is for you to recognize that fact yourself."

"Cute...? Me...?"

Natsumi lowered her head bashfully and muttered, "The others at the base also keep saying that, but don't think I don't know—they're just saying it to appease me."

"Ahaha…"

Hearing that, Mamika Kirameki could only let out an awkward laugh.

Because Natsumi wasn't entirely wrong.

Though she had the body and heart of a child, Natsumi's intelligence wasn't low. Her personality tended to interpret others' behavior with the harshest assumptions, making her extra sensitive.

The people at their base indeed didn't dislike her, but to say that everyone liked her would be a bit unrealistic.

"But Mr. Tachibana has always treated you warmly. Although you've never been too kind to her, haven't you noticed? Mr. Tachibana affection for you is completely genuine."

"That person's just a lolicon who should be in jail! She likes any loli, doesn't she?!"

Natsumi Kyouno couldn't help but roll her eyes, her voice tinged with annoyance. "After living with her for so long, I'm starting to wonder if turning her into a loli was punishment or a reward!"

"Tachibana attitude should be called 'finding joy in hardship,' an example of optimism."

Mamika corrected her seriously. "You should really learn from Tachibana mindset."

"No normal person thinks that way…"

Natsumi mumbled weakly. "If I can't go somewhere less crowded, can I at least change into my adult form?"

"No means no."

Mamika tone left no room for negotiation. She quickened her pace, still pulling Natsumi by the hand. "Come with me!"

"Where are we going?"

"Just come!"

They twisted and turned through the bustling mall for some distance.

Just as Natsumi Kyouno was about to get dizzy from all the turns, they finally stopped in front of a store.

"Ta-da~!"

Mamika Kirameki stood at the entrance, posing like a shop assistant and doing a "Welcome" gesture. "We've arrived! Now it's time for girl bonding fun~"

"Uh…"

Looking at the sparkling women's fashion store in front of her, Natsumi's face clearly showed resistance. "This place is way too stylish. I've never been inside a place like this in my life. This totally doesn't suit me!"

"Who says it doesn't suit you? Cute clothes and a little makeup are exactly what you need right now!"

"Aren't we still on patrol? Let's get back to business! Otherwise, Meteora will accuse us of slacking off!"

"She won't~ Meteora-chan would love for me to take you to this kind of shop."

Mamika used a mix of persuasion and force, gradually dragging Natsumi into the clothing store.

"I promise, I'll make you feel so cute about yourself!"