Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

When Fang Zheng brought Tokisaki Kurumi to the place where Yoshino had been waiting anxiously, Yoshino’s face lit up with a smile upon seeing him, and she ran up to his side with quick, light steps.

”...You’re back... Mr. Fang Zheng...”

”Ah, I’m back.”

Looking at Yoshino in front of him, Fang Zheng smiled and patted her head before turning to his companion.

”Let me introduce you, this is Tokisaki Kurumi, she’s an elf too.”

”Hello.”

At that moment, Kurumi also stepped forward to greet Yoshino, her face once again wearing her usual elegant smile. She lifted the hem of her dress in a curtsy to Yoshino.

”I am Tokisaki Kurumi, pleased to meet you for the first time, I look forward to your guidance.”

”Ah...”

Facing Kurumi’s greeting, Yoshino seemed somewhat anxious, instinctively hiding behind Fang Zheng, peeking at the beautiful girl before her, then lowering her head and quietly responding.

”I am... Yoshino... Hello... Miss Tokisaki...”

”Huhuhu...”

Seeing Yoshino’s slightly flustered appearance, Kurumi narrowed her eyes and chuckled softly.

”No need to be so nervous, Yoshino, we’re both elves, we should be closer. If it’s okay with you, just call me Kurumi.”

”Then... Sister Kurumi...”

Seeing that Kurumi in front of her was not as scary as she thought, Yoshino relaxed a bit. Fang Zheng clapped his hands at this moment, breaking up their conversation.

”Alright, now that everyone is acquainted, let’s hurry up and get out of here. Otherwise, those troublesome fellows will come back to bother us again.”

Both Kurumi and Yoshino clearly had no objections to Fang Zheng’s suggestion—after all, those magicians had been easily dispatched by Fang Zheng, but who knew if new troops would be sent after them. Although these magicians’ abilities were negligible in their eyes, they did not relish the thought of being constantly hunted.

Fortunately, at that moment, Fang Zheng keenly sensed the space around them vibrating.

”It seems like we’re about to return to the Borderland. Let’s talk about what’s next once we get there,” he said.

As Fang Zheng’s words ended, in an instant, the three figures quietly vanished into thin air.

Not long after they left, another group of magicians hurried to the scene, led by Mana Suginomiya, who had spoken with Fang Zheng not so long ago. She quickly arrived at the battlefield, frowning upon seeing the unconscious magicians.

”How could this happen?”

As she looked at the completely defeated advance troops, Mana clenched her teeth. She had intended to leave the city due to Fang Zheng’s presence, but to her surprise, she had just boarded a plane when she received a message that the target elf had been spotted in the city. She had to rush back, but it seemed she was a step too late.

”Damn Nightmare...”

As she glared at the magicians, Mana clenched her fists tightly.

”Next time, I will surely catch you!”

Once back in the Borderland, Fang Zheng finally had time to have a proper conversation with the girl named Tokisaki Kurumi, but to his surprise, Kurumi seemed to know much more about the Borderland than Yoshino did.

For example...

”Is there really such a maneuver?”

Upon their return to the Borderland, Fang Zheng had planned to invite Kurumi over to his tent for a visit, but he hadn’t expected that upon seeing his tent, Kurumi sighed. Then she led Fang Zheng and Yoshino to a nearby house and pushed the door open to enter.

Like the other houses, this one had no interior decorations and looked like a bare clay house. But soon enough, Fang Zheng saw Kurumi reach down to touch the wall, and in the next moment, the room transformed as if a ”background set” from a game had been loaded, turning into a beautifully decorated European-style home complete with sofas, a colorful TV, and other furnishings.

To tell the truth, both Fang Zheng and Yoshino were startled by the sight; they had never imagined such an unscientific way of doing things.

”The laws of the Borderland are very free compared to the Present Realm,” explained Kurumi with a smile, holding up a finger.

”If you wish, you can create the form you desire; of course, this will consume some spiritual power.”

Afterward, due to the day’s exhaustion, Yoshino quickly went to rest. Fang Zheng accompanied her until she fell asleep and then left the room to go to the living room. There, Tokisaki Kurumi was elegantly sipping from a teacup, tasting her tea while slyly watching Fang Zheng.

”I never thought you’d have such a good relationship with that child. Did you force her to come along too?”

”Of course not.”

Fang Zheng, concerned for his reputation, felt he couldn’t remain silent.

”In fact, she was the first one I met in this world. She looked like a little cat that had been abandoned, bewildered and helpless. She knew nothing about this world, or even herself. I couldn’t just ignore her, so that’s why I stayed with her.”

”I see. But Mr. Fang Zheng, you were quite forceful with me.”

”That’s because I have decided that you belong to me.”

Fang Zheng wouldn’t budge on this point; after all, what reason was there to throw away a limited edition treasure once obtained?

”That’s not very gentlemanly... Shouldn’t you be more gentle with women?”

Facing Mr. Fang Zheng’s resolute answer, Kurumi couldn’t help but sigh and put down the teacup in her hand.

”However, from what Mr. Fang Zheng said, it seems you are not a resident of this world?”

”Of course, I come from another world.”

Fang Zheng did not conceal this fact; he had already mentioned his origins to Yoshino before. After all, he was going to leave one day, so there was no need to hide these matters.

”Then, why did you come to this world?”

”To obtain power.”

”...Power?”

”Exactly.”

Fang Zheng sat across from Kurumi on the sofa and then spread out his hands.

”I was tricked by an annoying bastard in my world, which caused some problems with my power and soul. Now I need more power to repair my soul. I came to this world to find an existence that can become my power.”

”Is that so?”

Perhaps Kurumi didn’t expect Fang Zheng would be so upfront about his current situation, which left her somewhat astonished. She looked blankly at Fang Zheng and, after a moment’s pause, blinked her eyes.

”But... if that’s the case, Mr. Fang Zheng, why would you give your power to me?”

Kurumi could feel that, after Fang Zheng transferred his power and the Power of Time to her, the aura of his power seemed much weaker than before. Even so, Kurumi had no thought of fleeing from Fang Zheng’s side. She was very aware that, even in this state, he was still much stronger than herself.

But... Fang Zheng said he was here to find power, yet he gave power to her. Wasn’t that contradictory?

”Because what I am trying to increase is the upper limit of power, while what I gave you is the power I currently possess.”

”But this power will also be absorbed by me, right? Aren’t you worried, Mr. Fang Zheng?”

Upon hearing this, Kurumi revealed a smile tinged with a hint of danger.

”I am not a woman who is easily moved, Mr. Fang Zheng. I will stop at nothing to achieve my goals. I have already killed many people, and it wouldn’t matter if I had to kill more. While I am grateful to you for letting me absorb so much spiritual power, if necessary, I won’t hesitate to take you down. Are you okay with that?”

”Although I am glad you explained all this to me, don’t worry.”

Facing Kurumi’s ”threat,” Fang Zheng lifted his head and glanced at the time on his phone.

”It’s almost midnight, Miss Tokisaki. Do you mind if I perform a little trick for you?”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng stretched out his hand, and along with his motion, a delicate and beautifully crafted object, which appeared to be made up of several gears, emerged from his hand. It emitted a faint radiance, and Kurumi could also feel it contained a considerable concentration of power.

”This is...”

”Zero Hour Resurgence, one of my Noble Phantasms. So, Miss Tokisaki, can you try to absorb its power?”

”Of course, no problem.”

Though unsure what Fang Zheng intended to do, Kurumi could feel the strong fluctuations of spiritual power within the item. For her, who desired and urgently needed spiritual power, it was like the finest delicacy. Therefore, Kurumi reached out her hand without hesitation. Soon, accompanied by Kurumi’s action, a pitch-black domain of shadows emerged around her, enveloping the Zero Hour Resurgence.

Immediately after, the light from the Zero Hour Resurgence began to dim slowly, while Kurumi’s expression turned to excitement.

She could feel her spiritual power growing rapidly. By absorbing the power of the Zero Hour Resurgence, she had gained a year’s worth of the Power of Time in just a few minutes!

If it continued like this, if she kept going, she would be able to amass enough spiritual power to fulfill her wish!

”That’s enough for now.”

Just then, Fang Zheng’s voice sounded again. Hearing his words, Kurumi hesitated but withdrew her domain. She could also feel that the power residing in the Zero Hour Resurgence was nearly depleted.

”What a pity...”

The radiance on the Zero Hour Resurgence was now so faint that it was almost invisible, and a look of regret appeared in Kurumi’s eyes. Although she didn’t know what kind of Noble Phantasm it was, it was evident from the immense spiritual power it had provided her that it must be a rather rare item.

But at that moment, Fang Zheng spoke again.

”Don’t worry, Miss Tokisaki. I said I would show you a trick...”

”Trick?”

Hearing that, Kurumi looked at Fang Zheng with confusion, while he reached out, took out a clock, and placed it before her.

The hands were almost at midnight.

”Tick, tock...”

The hands moved slowly forward and, ultimately, reached midnight in Kurumi’s view.

And at that moment...

”————!”

”How can this be!”

Kurumi was astonished to find that the Zero Hour Resurgence, which had almost disappeared from Fang Zheng’s hand, was glowing brightly again. At the same time, she could feel that the spiritual power, which should have been nearly exhausted from being absorbed, was fully replenished!

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