Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

Kurumi's smile never wavered as she observed Shido's reactions. However, Shido wore a wry smile, mentally noting how troublesome her ability truly was.

He knew exactly how she had avoided his attacks earlier by using the ninth bullet, Tet, to swap places with one of her clones.

Kurumi raised her musket once more, unleashing a barrage of bullets aimed directly at him.

Shido moved fluidly, weaving through the hail of projectiles with precision as his long silvery-white hair swayed with the wind while his Observation Haki was at its peak. Despite the chaos, he didn't break a sweat, his calm demeanor adding an edge to the battle.

Kurumi's gaze narrowed slightly as understanding dawned on her.

"Ara, so you have an ability that lets you glimpse moments of the future, just like me." Her voice carried a playful curiosity. The vast amount of Reiryoku and life force emanating from Shido made her even more intrigued.

With a twisted smile, Kurumi tilted her head. "Neh, neh, Shido-san, let's become one, alright? I assure you that I won't hurt you."

Dodging her attacks, Shido rebuked sharply, "Like hell, I'll believe you!"

"Ara, ara~" Kurumi sighed with mock disappointment. "I've been rejected again."

Suddenly, a dark circle began spreading from under her feet, and Shido tensed as he realized he was standing within the shadowy area as well.

"This..."

Kurumi's smile deepened.

"The City of Devouring Time."

Shido's expression grew grim as he recognized the technique.

"She's not planning to devour me like this right?"

She chuckled darkly, watching his reaction. "Fufufu, even though I still want to play with you, I believe that any further disturbance will alarm the AST."

Shido also understood the implications. The fight might alert not just AST, but Ratatoskr as well. That was why he had refrained from using his angel's power again after unleashing Yod HaOr earlier.

Even though it was a holy attack, its destructive potential could inadvertently harm others and cause more disturbance.

"Our meeting might be brief..." Kurumi continued with a sly grin, "but this will go on for eternity once I become one with you, Shido-san~"

Annoyed by her obsession, Shido snapped, "Why are you so fixated on me? Aren't there others you could ask?"

Kurumi's laugh was melodious yet unsettling. "How could you suggest throwing me to other men? Shido-san, you're so cruel." She paused, her golden clock eye glinting as she leaned slightly closer.

"Surely you know, don't you? Your entire being radiates an overwhelming amount of Reiryoku and life force. It's so boundless that it made me fall for you so deeply."

"If we become one, I will gain the strength to use the twelfth bullet repeatedly. Isn't that wonderful? And we'll be together forever~"

Kurumi's moan as she spoke unnerved Shido further. His irritation boiled over, so he grumbled in his mind, 'So, it's because of my Spirit Body,?!'

The system chimed in

[With the host's Spirit Body, you are nearly immortal. As long as your soul doesn't scatter, you will continue to exist.]

His frustration turned to the system. "So that's why she's hell-bent on devouring me?!"

[Precisely.]

"Precisely my ass!" Shido growled.

Despite his anger, he couldn't deny the Spirit Body's immense benefits. He might have been annoyed at the system's lack of forewarning, but there wasn't much point in complaining now.

His constitution, the Spirit Body was really amazing since it made him almost indestructible but the only thing that made him extremely depressed is that he met Kurumi very early on.

If the system reminded him of the effect of his Spirit Body then he can buy a concealing skill that can mask his boundless life force and Reiryoku.

While he was immersed in thought, the air grew heavy, and a massive clock face materialized behind Kurumi. Dark aura poured from the eighth digit as Kurumi pointed her musket at her temple and fired.

"Eighth bullet, Het!"

From the expanding shadows, countless pale arms emerged, glowing with an ominous red hue. Shido's eyes widened as clones of Kurumi began crawling out of the dark abyss, each wearing the same unnerving grin.

Kurumi's ability to summon clones of herself or her past selves made Shido laugh bitterly. "You've got to be kidding me. This is cheating. I can't even create this many copies using the concept of multiply…"

Realizing his Concept of Multiply was still at an advanced level and far from perfect, he resigned himself with a sigh.

Kurumi, catching his reaction, feigned guilt for a moment. However, she quickly shifted to a teasing tone, putting a finger to her lips. "I'm not letting you escape, you're mine!"

"Seventh bullet, Zayin!"

The digit lit up on the clock as Kurumi fired more rounds, dark energy surging through her weapons. Thankfully, Shido's Observation Haki allowed him to predict and avoid the attacks, though it was clear Kurumi was starting to get frustrated by this ability.

"First bullet, Aleph!"

Kurumi's speed accelerated suddenly, and she appeared before Shido as if she had teleported. She raised her musket, its barrel aimed at his forehead.

"Seventh bullet, Zayin!"

Shido's pupils shrank. She was too close, and he could see every detail of her unsettling smile. Even with his foresight, dodging at this range was nearly impossible.

"Bang!"

A split second before the bullet could connect, a sharp sound of metal-on-metal echoed.

"Clang!"

Shido had summoned Elucidator, the black sword gleaming ominously as it deflected the projectile. The force of the block reverberated through his arms, but he remained steady.

The moment left Kurumi stunned, her crimson eyes narrowing in bewilderment. She clearly hadn't expected Shido to counter her so effectively, and confusion flickered across her face as her sharp mind pieced together what she had just witnessed.

"Ara... How peculiar, Shido-san." Kurumi murmured, tilting her head slightly as a sly grin reemerged.

"That sword... Is it your Angel?"

Kurumi's gaze shifted briefly from Shido to the dark, gleaming Elucidator now firmly in his grasp. She thought of her own Angel, Zaphkiel, and immediately dismissed the idea, it didn't emanate the same divine energy, and her sharp senses were certain the source of his Angel's power lay elsewhere.

Her gaze darted back to Shido's gauntlet, confirming her suspicion; the clawed, dark-and-light aura pulsating from his hand matched that of an Angel.

Because Shido didn't use his Angel again after his first attack Kurumi began to think of why he didn't continue to use his Angel and instead wield a strange sword.

"But then... how?" Kurumi muttered softly, tapping her chin.

"An ordinary weapon would have shattered like glass against my Seventh Bullet... yet yours stands unbroken."

Her crimson gaze locked back onto Shido, sharp and calculating.

"I must admit, you've intrigued me even more. That sword of yours—no, you—are something far beyond what meets the eye."

Shido remained silent, focusing his breathing and steeling his resolve. He tightened his grip on the Elucidator, feeling its weight and balance as an extension of himself.

He could sense her curiosity shifting toward unease, a sign he might gain the upper hand. However, his own thoughts darkened; he couldn't afford to get caught up in her mind games, especially not now.

His Spirit form wasn't limitless, it was draining like sand slipping through an hourglass. Every second ticked away as his energy dwindled, a fact that Kurumi likely understood even if she didn't let on.

Even if his INT was temporarily increased to A+ rank, Shido had been in Spirit Mode for more than 50 minutes. He can't maintain this form much longer.

Against an enemy at her level, wielding a frightening Angel, and the terrifying precision of her Seventh Bullet, prolonging the fight was a gamble he couldn't take.

"If you're done analyzing my weapon, Kurumi, maybe we can stop with the compliments." Shido rebuked with a wry smirk. "You've already said too much about my... uniqueness."

Kurumi's eyes glimmered with dark amusement as she let out a small laugh. "Fufufu, Shido-san, I just can't help myself." she admitted. "Everything about you screams mystery and power. I just can't resist wanting to unravel every little piece of you... until there's nothing left."

Her teasing smile, accompanied by her eerie intensity, sent a shiver down Shido's spine. Yet he met her gaze without faltering.

"I'll pass on that." he said bluntly.

For a moment, the two stood frozen in the darkened space, tension crackling like static. Then, Kurumi's unsettling grin widened.

"Well, Shido-san." she purred, raising her musket. "Let's see if that sword is truly worthy of standing against my Zafkiel."

Her musket pointed again, but Shido's mind was already racing, scanning for an opportunity, a break in her tempo.

He might not possess her unnatural synchronization with time, but Observation Haki was his weapon to predict her next move. Still, that realization didn't comfort him; his Spirit form wouldn't last forever, and Kurumi's abilities, if she kept revealing more of them could overwhelm him before time was up.

He shifted his stance, preparing for the next move.

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There are some adjustment in Shido's INT. I also changed the name of his Angel to Abaddon since the former name sounds more like an Astral Dress.