The atmosphere on the scene instantly grew tense.
Just moments ago, everyone had been getting along quite well, but with just one sentence from Kakizaki-sensei, the harmonious mood disappeared in a flash.
Meteora and Selesia immediately raised their guard to the highest level, both ready to enter combat mode at any moment.
Meanwhile, Sōta Mizushino, who had no combat ability whatsoever, was already starting to regret following along uninvited.
However, unlike the three tense companions, Kakizaki-sensei himself, though already standing on the edge of danger, still wore a sincere expression without the slightest trace of retreat.
"Natsumi, I wasn't making fun of you. Everything I said just now was the truth."
This kind of explanation was absolutely useless given the current situation!
At a time like this, shouldn't he be trying to calm things down?!
He's the creator—why the hell is he dancing on landmines?!
Anxious to the extreme, Sōta Mizushino screamed silently in his heart.
"It's just that, Natsumi... the version of you I like is not the current you, but the real you."
Facing the clearly hostile Kyouka Natsumi, Tachibana voice rose a bit louder.
As if he was afraid those around him couldn't hear, he practically shouted like he was declaring to the world:
"Because—I'm a lolicon!"
His voice was so loud that even nearby passersby turned their heads to look.
And yet Kakizaki didn't care at all about the strange looks from those around him. He didn't give anyone a chance to interrupt and continued, spreading his arms wide:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I love loli! I really love loli! I absolutely adore loli!
I love flat-chested loli! I love cat-eared loli! I love emotionless, kuudere loli!
I love loli in tidy school uniforms, changing clothes together, wearing school swimsuits, diving into pools—when water splashes into the air and lands back on their little bodies, my heart dances with excitement!
I love cat-eared loli riding old-fashioned bicycles, pedaling at 15 km/h, crashing into roadside lampposts—when they whimper and crawl out tearfully from the fallen bicycle, only to get hit on the head by a falling bento box—at that moment, my feelings... oh, they're simply overwhelmed with moe!
I also love ponytailed natural airhead loli being endlessly teased—especially when I see them tear up, pounding the ground in frustration, nothing makes me burn with passion more!"
The more he spoke, the more intense Tachibana tone became.
It was like a fuse inside him had been lit by some strange coincidence, and all the feelings he had hidden in his heart for so long were now erupting out.
The sheer intensity of his conviction was so overwhelming that not just his allies behind him, but even Natsumi herself—who had been preparing to explode in anger—stood frozen in place.
Even the spectator who had stopped to watch the commotion couldn't help but gather around, staring with curiosity or disbelief at this man who dared to openly declare himself a lolicon.
"Loli are justice! Loli are truth! Loli are the treasures of the world!"
As he spoke, Tachibana expression suddenly turned sad. He pointed accusingly at the two mounds on Natsumi chest and scolded:
"Natsumi! Are those two extra lumps of flesh on your chest really making you proud and satisfied?! Things that will one day sag and become ugly—what's the point of pursuing them?! And not only that—this 'older sister' act you're putting on right now is really annoying!"
With Kakizaki pointing at her like that, the surrounding people—who had gathered to watch out of curiosity—also began turning their attention to Natsumi, their gazes shifting toward her chest.
It seemed that due to Tachibana Corporation's outburst, Natsumi Kyouno face was now redder than the sun itself—an even deeper shade than just a moment ago.
"You... you... you..."
Whether it was from embarrassment or anger, Natsumi Kyouno repeated the word "you" several times, her voice changing pitch:
"I get it now! So you're a pervert!"
"No! I'm not a pervert!" Tachibana Corporation denied without hesitation.
"Natsumi, you're not in your original world anymore. Maybe people in your previous world didn't like loli, but let me tell you—everyone in this world is a lolicon!"
As he spoke, Tachibana Corporation slightly turned his head and gave a signal with his eyes to the three people beside him.
The first to understand his intent was Sōta Mizushino, who had read all volumes of Date A Live.
Although he was initially shocked by Tachibana Corporation's words, upon further thought, it actually seemed like the most correct thing to say.
Having understood the plan, Sōta Mizushino stepped forward and declared righteously:
"Loli have three virtues—delicate, gentle, and easy to cuddle. Loli have three charms—innocent, pure, and forever youthful!"
Seeing that Sōta Mizushino had joined in the nonsense, Selesia and Meteora exchanged glances.
Though they didn't fully understand what was going on, they trusted Sōta—if he chose to go along, then he must have his reasons.
Selesia gritted her teeth, and Meteora took a deep breath, both choosing to cooperate.
And not just the four of them—some bystanders who were there for the spectacle also started cheering and jeering.
After all, it looked pretty entertaining.
"As expected of the creator of Date A Live, no one understands the original work better than the author."
Looking at Natsumi Kyouno, who was at a complete loss and overwhelmed with shame and anger, Sōta Mizushino couldn't help but admire inwardly.
Natsumi pathological mindset stemmed from how, in the original work, when she appeared before the world in her true form, people didn't treat her kindly.
Because of this, with her already sensitive and insecure personality, she became even more extreme—developing a hatred for her own appearance, even transforming herself into another form.
Solving this problem could be said to be both simple and difficult.
All that was needed was to build up her confidence.
But in the original work, even the main characters spent a long time doing that—how could they possibly manage it in such a short time?
Not to mention, the main cast went through many hardships and invested much effort to help her regain her self-esteem.
So Tachibana Corporation had to take a different route.
That was—to let Natsumi Kyouno understand that this world would not reject her because of her appearance.
Honestly, Sōta Mizushino didn't understand why random background characters in the original story would verbally attack a little girl on the street for her looks.
After much thought, he could only chalk it up to "plot necessity."
In reality, while appearance-based insults are not rare online, most people wouldn't be so rude in real life.
What Tachibana Corporation was doing, then, was to draw a clear and righteous line between the people of this world and the people of Natsumi original world.
People in your world hated your appearance?
So what!
You're in another world now!
And in this world, everyone is a lolicon!
See? Not just me—these people around me are all lolicons too!
What? You think you're short and ugly?
It doesn't matter!
I already said I love all types of loli equally, so even if you're short and ugly, I still won't hate you!
So you don't need to feel like you're not accepted!
Tachibana Corporation didn't try to change how Natsumi saw herself—he tried to change how she viewed the world.
"Natsumi, I know you must be full of questions right now—honestly, so am I."
Seeing that the mood had warmed up and that he'd achieved his desired effect, Tachibana Corporation raised his hands to calm the surrounding noise:
"If you can, please come with us to a place more suitable for conversation—let's answer each other's questions."
With that, he put on a gentle smile and extended his hand toward Natsumi Kyouno.
If all went well, she would surely go with them next.
But if nothing unexpected happened... something was about to go wrong.
"You think I'm stupid?"
Natsumi Kyouno glared at him sharply. A witch's broom appeared in her hand.
"I know you're all perverted lolicons—why would I go with you?!"
An unexpected situation had occurred!
No—rather, wasn't this actually the normal human reaction?
The plan clearly hadn't gone as intended. Meteora and Selesia felt their hearts sink.
And when they saw Natsumi summon what appeared to be her exclusive weapon, a sense of dread intensified.
Sure enough, just a second after that ominous feeling arose, the broom's shaft transformed into a smooth circular mirror, reflecting the faces of Tachibana Corporation and Sōta Mizushino.
"Duck..."
The last word hadn't even been spoken when the circular mirror emitted a blinding light.
Everyone present instinctively closed their eyes or raised their arms to block the light.
But when they opened their eyes again, they realized—the entire world had become bigger.
Not just the surroundings, but their own field of vision had shrunk drastically.
No—wait.
Someone quickly caught on and looked at their own body.
"Ahhh—!"
A shrill scream like a child was heard from the crowd. A little girl in a pink princess dress screamed in fear.
"W-Why do I look like this?!"
A loli in a school swimsuit tugged at her outfit, but no matter what she did, she couldn't take it off.
"What is... what is this?!"
A gothic loli with cat ears touched her ears in disbelief, clearly still confused about what had just happened.
Watching the crowd, which had just been laughing but now descended into chaos, Natsumi Kyouno gradually calmed down.
The corner of her mouth curled into a cold smile. She withdrew Haniel and looked at Tachibana Corporation and Sōta Mizushino—now also turned into loli:
"Since you all love loli so much, consider this my little gift to you... heh, no need to thank me."
"Do you—do you even know what you've done?!"
One after another, delicate childish voices echoed in the air. Seeing the nearly one hundred transformed bystanders around them, Selesia felt like her head was going to explode.
The arrival of fictional characters in the real world was something that absolutely could not be made public.
While videos of fictional characters arriving or fighting had occasionally leaked online, Japan's government had managed to suppress them quickly enough to avoid widespread awareness.
But now, Natsumi had turned nearly a hundred people on the streets of Akihabara into loli.
This was, by far, the most disruptive incident to date involving fictional characters.
At least the combat videos could be dismissed as special effects.
However, nearly a hundred living eyewitnesses? There was no way to cover it up.
Once they went home, and word spread from one to another, unless the Japanese government had the capability to forcibly contain all of them—and silence their families—it would inevitably trigger public exposure of the fictional character phenomenon.
"I deeply apologize for their foolishness which angered you."
Meteora was the first to calm down, using a negotiating tone: "But we really have no enmity. If Miss Natsumi is willing to cancel the transformation magic, we will not bother you anymore."
"What if I say no?"
Natsumi Kyouno raised her chin proudly and snorted:
"I don't think I did anything wrong. Weren't you all the ones who started this?"
Seeing her firm attitude, Meteora could only give up trying to persuade her with words.
To act so recklessly and without care for consequences... truly a villainous character.
It seemed Tachibana Corporation had messed things up this time.
But... she couldn't entirely blame him—or rather, her—after all, this was her first time interacting with a fictional character. An incomplete plan was understandable.
In fact, Meteora had opposed making contact with Natsumi so hastily.
But Sōta Mizushino and the other creators insisted that Natsumi had overwhelming combat power and must not fall into the hands of the Military Uniform Princess. With no other option, Meteora agreed.
Now, however, things were heading toward the worst-case scenario.
"Meteora-san, at this point... isn't it time to use our final resort?"
Just then, a clear male voice came from the sky.
The clouds split open, and a massive humanoid mecha, no longer cloaked, revealed itself to everyone.
Inside the cockpit was the protagonist of Monomagia: The Infinite Over Machine, Rui Kanoya, who had moved to block Natsumi behind:
"You're not a kid anymore—so why act so spoiled? These people didn't even do anything to you. Was that really necessary?"
"Hmph. I didn't do anything to them, either."
Natsumi retorted coldly, showing no mercy:
"They love loli so much, so I turned them into loli. What's the problem?"
"You're not the one who has to deal with the aftermath—that's why you think there's no problem!"
Rui Kanoya eye twitched as he turned to the other two fictional characters.
"Meteora-san, Selesia-san, there's no point arguing with someone like this. Let's just hold her down first—then make her cancel his magic!"