A strong gust swept across the rooftop of the old factory, ruffling the hair and clothing of Bijou, Sora, Roboco, and Towa. The midday sky stretched wide above them, a sea of serene blue, watching over the gathering from on high. The rest of Towa's team, driven by curiosity, had followed them to the upper floor, though they chose to remain just inside the stairwell, the rooftop door left ajar.
"Umm, what exactly are we doing up here?" Bijou asked, glancing between the three.
"Tell me, Bijou-chan," Sora said gently. "Do you still wish to fight those demons?"
The question hit Bijou like a whisper from her own heart. Part of her wanted to deny it. She longed for a normal life—days spent at amusement parks with Fuwamoco, shopping for cute outfits with Nerissa, friendly dates with Shiori, shared laughter with the members of Advent. A peaceful existence, as everyone deserved.
But who was she trying to fool?
As long as those demons remained, they would continue to feed fear into the hearts of humanity. That fear would stir her, corrupt her, and make her lose control. She would hurt people—again. No. The only path left for her was to fight, until they were all gone.
She straightened her back, eyes burning with silent resolve. She nodded.
"Sadly, my fate leaves me with no other choice, Sora-senpai."
A faint smile tugged at Sora's lips, the kind only a warrior could give to another who had chosen their path despite the pain it carried.
Bijou was ready—for whatever came next. Whether Sora would execute judgment herself or haul her before the Council's tribunal, she would not go quietly. Her hands tensed at her sides.
"Good," Sora said softly. "Then I have a reason to do this."
She raised her left arm, splaying her fingers wide. A glowing white circle of magic spun into existence. Instantly, Bijou slid her right hand to her sheathed katana at her left hip.
From the door, Ollie let out a gasp and lunged forward.
"STOP, RISU-SENPAI! LET ME GO!" she shouted.
"I won't let Biboo face one of Sora-senpai's summoned knights alone!" Risu barked, yanking Ollie back by the collar and then—losing patience—slamming her flat to the floor.
"Calm down, Llie," she murmured, releasing a thread of her own magical aura in warning. She would strike Sora, Roboco, even Towa herself if Bijou was harmed.
Startled by Risu's intensity, Chihaya rushed to Ollie's side. Lui remained silent, arms crossed, studying Bijou and Sora carefully. Okayu stepped closer, hugging Risu from behind, gently petting her hair.
"You need to trust her too, Risu. Towa wouldn't bring Bijou into this unless she meant to protect her," Okayu whispered.
Risu understood. Intellectually, at least. But emotionally, her heart was not at peace. She knew just how powerful Sora's knights truly were.
"Now—appear, one of my strongest knights of sorcery!" Sora commanded.
The summoning circle activated.
Dark clouds gathered, dimming the sky. A heavy magical pressure thickened the air, and even the bravest among them felt their hearts skip. From the swirling portal emerged a towering figure, nearly four meters high, clad in radiant white armor, bearing a staff and grimoire. Lightning crackled across the sky.
Bijou's knees trembled. But she smiled.
This… this was the kind of fear that made her feel alive.
"I have heard the conviction in your heart, Koseki Bijou," Sora declared calmly. "So I shall grant you my aid."
Bijou blinked, confused. She slowly released her grip on her katana, resheathing it.
"…Your aid? What do you mean, Sora-senpai?"
Sora approached, her smile gentle now.
"I'll craft a new identity for you—one that hides you from the Council and from Holocorp. On the battlefield, no one will know you're Koseki Bijou."
Bijou's brows furrowed further. "How… would that even work?"
Sora explained. Slowly. Clearly. Bijou listened.
"To keep your current self intact, we'll bind your new identity into a vessel," Sora said. "That katana of yours will do nicely."
Bijou hesitated. That sword, "Tomato," was dear to her. But after a long breath, she handed it over.
Sora nodded and passed the blade to her summoned knight.
"Please, Kishi-kun."
The knight bowed and accepted the blade. A moment later, the katana gleamed with blinding white light. Arcs of violet lightning danced across its surface. Bijou clutched her chest—her crystal core throbbed with a deep, wrenching pain. She collapsed to her knees.
Then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended.
The sky cleared. The knight vanished. The katana floated gently into Bijou's lap, now faintly glowing with the mark of its new purpose.
Sora knelt beside her. "Are you alright, Bijou-chan?"
"…Yes," she said, gripping the blade tightly. "I feel stronger."
"Good. As long as the blade remains sheathed, you're still Koseki Bijou. But once drawn, your identity will shift. You won't lose who you are—everyone here will still remember the real you."
Relief washed over her.
"My task is complete," Sora said. "Now it's your turn. Do you have a name for your new self?"
Bijou closed her eyes, thinking. So many names—so many game tags she could choose. But one name rose to the surface. A name born from her journey with Risu. Her steps with Towa's crew. Her decision to fight.
"…My new identity is that of a hunter. My name as Koseki Bijou will remain hidden, right, Sora-senpai?"
"Yes," Sora replied with certainty.
"This feels like I'm some sort of secret agent," Bijou chuckled.
"Then call me… Code: 81800!"
With those words, she unsheathed her katana. At once, cracks began to spread across her body—lines of power etched along her left cheek, over her nose, down to her right shoulder and left knee. Her left iris shimmered a bright magenta, contrasting her usual violet hue. Her twin-braided hair shortened, now cut into a sharp bob, her long fringe covering one eye.
Everyone gasped in awe.
Before them stood not Koseki Bijou, but a Demon Hunter—Code: 81800.
---
A-D-V-E-N-T
Elsewhere in the City…
Beneath the glass towers and neon lights, past shadowed alleys and hidden corridors, lay the city's underbelly—a slum festering with outcasts, crooks, and broken souls. A place too vile for most… but perfect for those deemed "too dangerous" by Holocorp.
Here, Haachama, Pekora, Mio, Akirose, and Koyori had carved out a sanctuary.
They were unpredictable. Labeled as threats by some within Holocorp, yet too useful to discard. They called themselves villains—but they hunted demons in their own twisted ways.
"Sora and Roboco left with Towa earlier," Akirose said, stepping into Koyori's underground lab.
"Did you catch any of their conversation?" Haachama asked, narrowing her eyes.
Akirose shook her head. Roboco had spotted her before she could eavesdrop.
"They won't ally easily," Mio said from where she leaned against a wall, arms folded. "Still… we're ready for the next phase."
Footsteps echoed from a darkened corridor.
A silhouette emerged—a girl with mouse ears.
"What Mio-san said is true," the figure declared arrogantly. "My plan to awaken chaos through the Ancient One inside Ina… it will be the finest entertainment for us forgotten by this world. In a world bursting with power and talent, the bored deserve a little horror."