Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

As Shido was browsing his status, he suddenly focused his eyes on the Spirit Mode section, where he could see his Astral Dress alongside an additional display.

Angel.

For a moment, he stared in disbelief, realizing that he finally had an Angel of his own.

He speculated that it must be due to the sealed Reiryoku of Tohka combining with Reine's, resulting in the birth of Orifiel Machashevet, his Angel.

Nevertheless, Shido couldn't suppress his curiosity and decided to review the description of his Angel.

Angel: Orifiel Machashevet

"Orifiel" (オリフィエル): Derived from the Archangel Orifiel, a figure associated with divine judgment, balance, and the guardianship of cycles such as death and renewal.

"Machashevet" (マハシェヴェット): Taken from the Hebrew word "מַחֲשָׁבָה" (Machshevet), which translates to "Thought" or "Divine Plan." This word symbolizes the intricate interplay of light and darkness, embodying the cosmic balance shaping existence. The fusion of Orifiel and Machashevet represents a celestial force capable of harmonizing creation and destruction in perfect equilibrium.

Shido's Angel, Orifiel Machashevet, had manifested as an elegant yet domineering pair of gauntlets that extended up to his elbows, enhancing his powerful aura.

The right gauntlet gleamed with a holy white color, etched with intricate blue patterns swirling across its surface, radiating an undeniable holy aura.

The left gauntlet, by contrast, was a deep jet black, accented with golden designs that exuded an ominous and foreboding presence.

The visual interplay of the twin gauntlets, one imbued with holiness and the other shrouded in darkness.

Shido, however, found himself quite confused by the appearance of his Angel.

Normally, an Angel manifests as a weapon, such as a sword or a lance. Yet his had taken the form of gauntlets.

Given his swordsmanship mastery, he had expected it to be a sword, something that aligned with his combat expertise.

Despite his initial surprise, he didn't really mind. In fact, the unique form intrigued him further, making him even more curious about its true power.

He felt a surge of excitement but quickly tempered it. He decided to test this newfound power later, as he was currently in a public area and didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

Shido then shifted his gaze to the Spirit Integration section, where he saw the names of Reine and Tohka.

This meant the spirits he had sealed were now linked to him, and he could access both their Astral Dresses and Angels.

Now he didn't have to worry about fighting using his own Spirit form since he didn't want to alarm Ratatoskr, AST, or even DEM right now since he was still weak.

Still, he can now use other spirits' Astral Dress and Angel.

However, he can't use Reine's Astral Dress and Angel due to her identity being Phantom. Shido can openly use Tohka's Astral Dress and Angel since she is an officially sealed spirit.

As for the explanation of how he can use their Astral Dress and Angel. He just shrugged it off as if he could just lie and said that he didn't actually know.

'My ability to seal Spirits is already strange enough, so using the Astral Dress and Angel of the Spirit I sealed won't likely cause too much suspicion.'

'Probably...'

Then his gaze shifted downward to the Constitution section, where he saw something that confused him, Spirit Body.

At first, he thought it might be similar to the unique constitution traits he'd read about in novels, like an Extreme Yang Body or Primordial Dragon Body.

However, when he tried to view the full description, only one effect was visible, with the rest listed as a series of question marks.

The description of the only visible effect was simple: This body makes Spirits impression of the user favorable, reducing the likelihood of hostility.

That made sense, considering the interactions he'd had with the sealed spirits so far.

'It's probably why Tohka didn't attack me'...

'What else is there?' He tried to unlock more details but was met with no further information, leaving him more curious than before.

But as he was in deep thought, a sudden raindrop splashed gently against his face, pulling him back to reality.

Looking up at the darkening sky, he noticed the slowly approaching heavy rain, and with a slight frown, he made his way quickly toward the shrine in front for shelter.

As he ran, a sudden thought struck him. 

A certain scene from Date A Live that had occurred during the rain.

He stopped for a brief second, his heart skipping a beat as he remembered a certain figure.

'Will it happen today?' he thought in surprise.

His mind pictured a small girl, covered in a large green hood. His expression softened instinctively, recalling how kind and sweet she was.

The rain intensified as Shido continued his dash toward the shrine.

The image of the girl still in his thoughts, he began to prepare himself, thinking about how best to approach her and gain her trust.

The rain had now intensified, drenching everything around Shido as he found shelter in the shrine.

He glanced up at the dark sky, his mind drifting to how off the weather report had been, given the sudden downpour.

But then, a thought crossed his mind.

'Yoshino's ability was related to water manipulation. While her usual use of ice made it seem different, it wouldn't surprise him if the rain had something to do with her powers.'

As Shido pondered that, a faint splashing sound echoed from a puddle nearby.

He turned, and his eyes widened in recognition as he saw a small girl playing in the water.

She looked around 13 or 14 years old, with striking blue eyes, and long wavy blue hair, and was dressed in an oversized green raincoat decorated with a cute rabbit theme. Her coat had a poofy tail and pink ribbon on the back, with a hood adorned with rabbit ears.

Shido immediately recognized her.

Yoshino.

As she leaped and landed in a puddle, her small frame lost balance and slipped, sending her tumbling to the wet ground. Her delicate face pressed against the muddy surface, while her rabbit puppet, Yoshinon, was flung from her grasp and landed a short distance away.

Worry shot through Shido. Without hesitation, he dashed toward her with a concerned expression.

When he reached her, he gently lifted her from the ground.

"Are you okay?"

Shido took a moment to look at her, captivated by the innocence she radiated. Her gentle, docile expression made him wonder how anyone could ever want to harm someone so lovely.

His heart clenched at the thought of AST going after her.

Without thinking, he instinctively activated his Scan ability, gathering her information.

Name: Himekawa Yoshino

Level: 71

Age: 40

Race: Spirit

Height: 144 cm

Measurements (B/W/H): 73/55/78

Class: Cryomancer

STR: 37

VIT: 185

AGI: 363

INT: 671

CHA: 104

LUK: 28

Threat Level: B

Affiliation: None

Shido was taken aback at the sight of her extraordinary stats, particularly her high Intelligence and Agility, as well as her impressive Vitality.

Despite her small stature and seemingly frail appearance, her stats proved otherwise, and her Cryomancer class explained her connection to ice magic and that incredible Intelligence.

Shido quickly closed the scan, his focus returning to the girl in his arms.

Yoshino, in contrast, stared at him blankly, her wide, blue eyes gazing up at him.

An undeniable sense of trust seemed to radiate from her as if she instinctively knew she could rely on him. She felt a longing, a desire to be with him that seemed completely natural, but just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, something caught her attention: her left hand was empty.

Her precious puppet, Yoshinon, was gone.

Panic quickly overcame her. She looked around frantically, searching every nook and cranny. Seeing her distressed, Shido gently placed a hand on her shoulder and asked in a calm voice, "What's wrong?"

Yoshino, still holding back her shyness, quickly gathered the courage to ask for help.

Without the feeling of hostility due to the effects of Shido's Spirit Body, she lightly pulled the hem of his blazer and, with a small, trembling voice, said, "P-Please... help me look for Yoshinon..."

Shido was struck by how different Yoshino seemed in this moment compared to how she was in the anime.

Normally shy and hard to speak but now, she was looking at him with anxiety but also hope, showing her vulnerable side.

Perhaps it was due to the calming effect of his Spirit Body, but her usual reserved demeanor seemed to soften in his presence.

Nevertheless, Shido couldn't help but feel moved that she'd gathered the courage to ask for his help. He smiled gently at her, moved by her courage even if she still felt a bit wary of him.

Yoshino's heart was pounding as she awaited his response, scared that he might reject her.

But then, to her great relief, Shido crouched to match her height and smiled warmly, his voice soft and reassuring.

"Okay, let's find your friend."

He gently patted her head, his action was gentle, which only made Yoshino's heart flutter even more. Her eyes brightened in happiness, and she couldn't suppress the innocent smile that spread across her face.

"Thank you..." Yoshino murmured, feeling an overwhelming sense of warmth as Shido's palms made her feel so safe and so cared for.

She began thinking, 'Why does it feel so warm being with him?'

After gently patting her head, Shido stood up, scanning the area.

"I wonder where Yoshinon went..."

As he surveyed the area for the missing puppet, he felt a cold yet soft touch on his palm.

When he looked, he found that Yoshino had held his hand with hers, timidly but firmly.

Her face was hidden beneath the oversized hood of her raincoat, but her blush was clear through the slight opening where her face was exposed.

Shido smiled softly, his heartwarming at the sight, and instinctively tightened his grip on her small hand, reassuring her. "Don't worry, we'll find Yoshinon."

Feeling the warmth of his touch and seeing his gentle smile made Yoshino's heart flutter.

She nodded with a bright, relieved smile, feeling comforted and even happier than before. "Un!"