(L) Date A Live [Light Novel]

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by tokisakikurumi

My prediction is the spirits will get overpowered one by one against Mio. Then Shido will step in and just when he is about to seal her Isaac shows up. I can see him being the final big bad, since it was him that started all this. Maybe he could find a way to absorb spirit energy. Then the spirit Shido cares most for, which would probably be Kurumi could get hurt and he would go inverse. I think it would be an interesting way to do things, then Mio could sacrifice herself to save him and help defeat Isaac once and for all.

If Shido cares more for one Spirit than any other, it'd likely be either Tohka or Kotori.

And something bad HAS happened to Kurumi - she's stabbed by Mio at the end of V17.

[tokisakikurumi]

I was unsure if Shido was around when Kurumi got wounded. The summaries for volume 17 gave me hope it may be Kurumi he ends up with, after the confession he makes. Looks like Tohka still might win in the end. Makes sense though since she has been there since the start of the series.

[Shinji103]

Yeah, a OTP ending will definitely be Tohka. They've been building it up with each volume.
The one hope for us Kurumi fans will be a harem ending, which may actually happen given Shidou’s passionate confession to Kurumi in volume 17. (which I still haven’t had time to fully read yet -_-)

On the volume 18 summary, looks like I was right and Mio is going to be an enemy. Her Tragic Ending Probability has risen a good deal. I can see Isaac stepping in during the conflict with Shidou and killing or “killing” her.
In that case, her best chance would be Shidou using the combined powers of the spirits to bring her back to life. But that would be a little too hax; if Shidou did that, he’d probably be able to bring her back as a newborn child or something at best. Which would make sense since she basically did that for him.
And that would actually be a nice ending; he’d then raise her with Tohka, or with all the girls if it’s a harem ending.

[pervypig]

... Why can't every harem story...

... and every harem protag...

Just be like Trinity 7's ...

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by tokisakikurumi

I was unsure if Shido was around when Kurumi got wounded. The summaries for volume 17 gave me hope it may be Kurumi he ends up with, after the confession he makes. Looks like Tohka still might win in the end. Makes sense though since she has been there since the start of the series.

He was right in front of her yeah. It's meant to mirror the scene in Volume 3.

[tokisakikurumi]

That's kind of disappointing. I had a lot of hope after the confession in volume 17, especially since I can't recall him having one like that towards any of the other girls. It seems kind of pointless to have that scene and the festival side story, if he is just going to end up with Tohka. I should of seen it coming though, since she is the main girl, I just thought they'd break away from the norm for once. I at least hope they wrap up things well.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by tokisakikurumi

That's kind of disappointing. I had a lot of hope after the confession in volume 17, especially since I can't recall him having one like that towards any of the other girls. It seems kind of pointless to have that scene and the festival side story, if he is just going to end up with Tohka. I should of seen it coming though, since she is the main girl, I just thought they'd break away from the norm for once. I at least hope they wrap up things well.

He confessed to Mukuro as well. Not to mention Kurumi Star Festival is just one of many side stories - every Spirit has t lead one; most several, and although many of them aren’t as romantic as Kurumi Star Festival, some of them are.

[Shinji103]

The first of Pulchra’s announced Date A Live figures is up for pre-order with an August release, starting with Halloween Yoshino.

[AP24]

Vol 18 cover should be out soon. Looking forward to see Mio's astral dress.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by AP24

Vol 18 cover should be out soon. Looking forward to see Mio's astral dress.

For a given measure of ‘soon’. We’ll get a thumbnail version on the first, and then a proper version a couple weeks later.

[FunPark]

Is this month's dragon magazine out yet?

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by FunPark

Is this month's dragon magazine out yet?

Dragon Magazine is released bi-monthly. If V18's cover were to have been in an issue, it would be out already.

In other news! I have prepared for you all a summary of events for Date A Live Fragment: Date A Bullet.

Spoiler:

A girl who has lost her memory meets Kurumi Tokisaki. She is unable to answer Kurumi’s questions as to who she is as she has no memory.
Due to not even knowing her name, Kurumi calls her ‘Empty’.
Kurumi then tries to abandon Empty, as she has things to do, but Empty - having nowhere to go - begs for Kurumi to take her with her, pledging to do anything.
Kurumi sees some worth in having a decoy or human shield, and so agrees to Empty’s request.
Kurumi then reveals that she is here to participate in a Survival Game.

She explains that Empty is a <Quasi-Spirit> - an existence that was once human, but is now no longer, and that possesses power greater than a human, but lesser than a <Spirit>. An <Empty> is a <Quasi-Spirit> that has no sense of self.
If a <Quasi-Spirit> falls into despair, or loses all of their hope, then they will become <Empty>, and, eventually, disappear. Kurumi speculates that the Empty before her is one such <Empty>.

Kurumi goes on to say that she needs an Invitation Card to participate in the Survival Game. They are handed out by the <Dominion> of the region they are in, <Malkuth>. <Malkuth>’s <Dominion> is called <Doll Master>.
Since Kurumi Tokisaki is a Full <Spirit> - a unique existence in the world - she was ineligible to receive one.
A Quasi-Spirit named Yume Inui then appears and reveals that Kurumi challenged her to a duel. Empty then gets to witness first-hand the powers of <Spirits> and <Quasi-Spirits>, as Kurumi kills Yume and takes her Invitation Card.

The participants of the Survival Game gather in a school building (the feeling is vaguely Danganronpa-esque). Like the start of a new semester, one-by-one, the <Quasi-Spirits> stand up and introduce themselves. Each Survival Game (there have been others; <Doll Master> organises them regularly) has ten combattants - one of each <Sephirah>.

Quasi-Spirits are each aligned to a <Sephirah>, like <Full Spirits>, with their powers being tied to the respective Full <Spirit>.
01 - Light
02 - Precognition
03 - Shadow
04 - Ice
05 - Fire
06 - Locking/Unlocking
07 - Transformation
08 - Wind
09 - Sound
10 - Energy

When we reach Kurumi, she reveals that she is a Full <Spirit>. Immediately, the other nine combattants all single her out. As a Full <Spirit> she has power on another level compared to <Quasi-Spirits>, and so is the biggest threat to the competition.
As Empty neither possesses an Invitation Letter, nor any combat ability, she is unable to take part in the Survival Game; however, she is permitted to remain with Kurumi so long as she doesn’t take part in combat.
Kurumi decides to use her as a decoy.

When not trying to kill each other, the <Quasi-Spirits> seem to treat each other as classmates, and so Kurumi sends Empty to converse with them, to try and determine what their powers and mental characteristics are like.
Empty speaks very honestly and frankly, but in an innocent way. Most participants answered because they did not see Empty as a threat. Only one, Tsuan (a 10th-type Quasi-Spirit), takes afront to Empty.
This is because Empty insulted her femininity accidentally due to her frank honesty.
Ao calls upon her <Innocent Angel> - a massive battleaxe/warhammer hybrid, the <Star Wolf: Laelaps> and threatens Empty with it (in a comedic, Tsundere way).


The game is presided over by a <Doll>, who is an agent of the <Doll Master>, who then signals that the killing is to begin via a School Bell.
Everyone draws a lottery ticket to determine their first opponent. Kurumi draws last.


The other <Quasi-Spirits> are stunned upon seeing Kurumi’s ferocity and power level. Those that had doubted her status as a Full <Spirit> found themselves unable to any longer after facing her directly.
They had individually wanted to kill Kurumi first to remove the threat that she represented, but it now became apparent that that wouldn’t be possible.
.
After the battles for the first day are over, Kurumi takes Empty to a seemingly-vacant house that Kurumi seems to know very well.
Kurumi retires to the bedroom, stating that she needs a rest, whilst Empty decides to take a bath.

After her bath, Empty decides to say goodnight to Kurumi. Peeking through the door to see if she’s awake, she sees Kurumi clutching a pillow and crying distraughtly in a manner most unlike Kurumi Tokisaki.


The following day, Kurumi and Empty go shopping. <Malkuth> has facilities not only resembling School Buildings, but Shopping Malls as well.
The mall is staffed by another <Doll>.
Empty asks Kurumi what she will buy, but Kurumi replies that she has no interest in fashion. Empty expresses surprise, given Kurumi’s obvious beauty, to which Kurumi responds with surprise (her basic reaction is literally ‘Oh yeah, I’m a beautiful woman now’).
Empty finds this odd.

While Kurumi and Empty are shopping, two <Quasi-Spirits> were laying a trap for them. They’d decided to collaborate to kill Kurumi, before once more reverting to enemies.
So Kurumi goes to fight them, but during the battle, something occurs. A phenomenon that occurs when the original <Dominion> of a region - that is to say, the Full <Spirit> feels intense emotion. The Full <Spirits> originally went back and forth between the world of humans, and the world of <Spirits>. But eventually, one by one, the <Spirits> stopped coming back.
Despite this, the region they ruled are still tied to their mental states, and so intense spikes in emotion cause changes and disasters in the region they are tied to.

So in this case, since it is occuring in <Malkuth>, something is happening to Tohka in the human world at that moment. Empty and Kurumi are cut off during the confusion Kurumi tries - and fails to reach her. She then freaks out uncharacteristically, stating that she’s worthless if she can’t even look after Empty.

Empty, meanwhile, sees Shido - specifically Tohka’s memories of Shido. Empty realises that she knows this boy. She recognises him instinctively as the boy she is in love with. She would do anything for him. She wants to see him and talk to him. She wants to embrace him, hold his hand, hear his voice, be his girlfriend.

She doesn’t want to just stand in the shadows and watch him ‘anymore’..

She wants to lick him.
.
The narrative points out how odd those last two are.


When she awakens, Empty has become a hostage of the two Quasi-Spirits who sprung the trap upon her and Kurumi - Sheri Musika (5th-type) and Furue Tonami (8th-type). They have her tied to a pillar and are using her to lure Kurumi into battle.
To pass the time, they talk to Empty, who tells them about the boy she is in love with. Furue and Sheri express jealousy, as they have never experienced love, and ask her what it’s like.

Kurumi, however, intervenes. She swallows Empty into her Shadow, and proceeds to attack them ruthlessly. She succeeds in killing Furue, but Empty sneezes from within Kurumi’s shadow, causing her to blow her cover. This distraction allows Sheri to injure Kurumi, and Kurumi then uses <Aleph> to escape.
.
Sheri is relieved upon Kurumi’s fleeing, so that she can survive, but another combattant then appears to kill Sheri.

Empty is worried about Kurumi’s wound, but she insists it’s fine, and beings to sew up her wound. As it’s incredibly painful, Kurumi decides to tell Empty why she is participating in the Survival Game.


Kurumi says she used to live here in <Malkuth> with a <Quasi-Spirit> named Yue Hiryu. Yue was selected for a Survival Game, and refused to participate in the killing. As a result, she disappeared. She seeks revenge for that friend’s apparent death.
seems that my friend lived in friendship with mad three.


After telling this story, Kurumi takes a shower, only for Tsuan - the last remaining participant to appear and demand a duel with Kurumi. Empty asks Tsuan to fight the <Doll Master> with Kurumi, but Tsuan refuses, stating that she will kill Kurumi.

Kurumi and Tsuan begin an explosive battle. No matter how much power Kurumi throws at Tsuan, Tsuan will not go down. Tsuan admits that fighting Kurumi is the most fulfilment she’s ever felt doing anything before, and that she wants to fight her more.

However, during the fight, Paine Ibusuki (4th-type) appears and reveals herself to be <Doll Master>. She conjures the seven deceased participants in the Survival Game, and Kurumi realises that the <Quasi-Spirits> killed in the games are turned into <Dolls> by the <Doll Master>.

Yue Hiryu appears as one of the dolls.

A fight occurs, and Tsuan is defeated (not killed, mind you, she’s the tritagonist of the DAB story, together with Kurumi and Hibiki). Yue, however, seems to have some lingering sense of presence, and holds off the other <Dolls> for long enough for Kurumi and Empty to escape.

Kurumi then reveals the truth to Empty. She isn’t really Kurumi Tokisaki - she’s a <Quasi-Spirit> named Hibiki Higoromo, who, as a <Quasi-Spirit> of the 7th <Sephirah> has transformation abilities similar to Natsumi.

Hibiki’s <Innocent Angel> is a set of claws, the <Throne Usurper: King Killing> and it allows her to switch bodies with a single target. She assumes the target’s identity, taking their body, powers and memories - even their personality - whilst the target’s soul is trapped in Hibiki’s own body, with no memories and with Hibiki’s personality imposed over their own.

That is to say, that the Kurumi Tokisaki here is actually Hibiki Higoromo, and the <Quasi-Spirit> known as Empty is, in fact, the real Kurumi Tokisaki.
.
Hibiki, distraught after Yue’s disappearance, decided to kill her - but lacked the ability to properly fulfil such a goal. She discovered Kurumi critically injured in <Malkuth> and could tell that she was a full <Spirit>. Knowing that that power was what she would need to avenge Yue, she used her <Innocent Angel> on Kurumi, stealing her power.

(From no on, when I say ‘Hibiki’ I mean Hibiki-in-Kurumi’s-body, and when I say ‘Kurumi’, I mean Empty, who has recovered her memories).

Hibiki apologises to Kurumi, but Kurumi says she can’t forgive her.


They are then surrounded by dolls. Kurumi, who has reverted to her true personality, despite still being in Hibiki’s body, manifests one of <Tzaphkiel>’s guns and assists Hibiki in defeating the dolls.

Paine runs away, and Kurumi realises they can follow her to where <Doll Master>’s real body is, having deduced that Paine is nothing more than a <Doll> that she is acting through.
However, Kurumi is then wracked by fatigue, and so consumes the <Time> of the defeated <Dolls>. Hibiki then gives Kurumi her body back, and we see that the real Hibiki has blue eyes (and slightly messier hair) rather than Empty’s red, which came from Kurumi.

Kurumi and Hibiki then head to the final battle with the <Doll Master>. <Doll Master> tries to overwhelm Kurumi by sheer quantity, summoning a huge army of dolls to defeat her. However, Kurumi - now back in her real body - is unmatched and defeats her effortlessly.

Kurumi then stands back, insisting that it is only right for Hibiki to strike the final blow, for Yue. Hibiki goes to, but is dumbstruck by <Doll Master>’s true form.
<Doll Master> is a <Quasi-Spirit> that awoke in this world in an immobile body. She could only see and hear through her <Dolls>, whom she thought of as friends. She harbours no ill-will toward other <Quasi-Spirits>, she was just trying to make friends the only way she knew how.
She became the <Dominion> due to the sheer number of <Dolls> that she had made.

Hibiki felt sorry for her, and though she does kill her, it is out of mercy. Kurumi states that <Doll Master> looked happy with this outcome.
.
However, Tsuan then awakes and immediately notices that Kurumi and Empty have switched back to Hibiki and Kurumi, and insists upon fighting the real Kurumi - as, since fighting ‘an imitation’ was so fun - fighting the real one would be perfection.

Amused, Kurumi states that she is tired, and promised to fight Tsuan the following day. Tsuan innocently believes Kurumi, and promises to return to this place the following day to duel.
Hibiki realises that Kurumi is lying and helps keep the secret.
.
Kurumi then states that her memory is still fragmented. She states that she needs to return to the other world to see the boy she is in love with. She confesses that she cannot be apart from him. She tries to recall how to return to the other world, but realises she cannot. She asks Hibiki, but Hibiki doesn’t know either - Quasi-Spirits can’t cross worlds.

She does, however, suggest heading to the First Region <Kether>, as, surely, journeying through the different regions will yield someone who knows how to recover Kurumi’s memories, or how she can cross over. Kurumi agrees, stating that it is a very good suggestion.
Hibiki then offers to be Kurumi’s guide through the regions, as she’s journeyed as far as the Sixth Region, <Tiphetreth> before, and so, will be able to help her acquire information.

Hibiki then states that the next area - the ninth, <Yesode> is a world of idols, where ‘strength’ is determined by one’s talent and popularity as an idol. Kurumi expresses distaste in being an idol, but Hibiki points out that since Kurumi is so deeply in love with that boy, she’d be a great idol.

Interesting things to note are the fact that it confirms Kurumi is in love with Shido, and strongly implies via the narrative that Quasi-Spirits are ex-Spirits - like Kurumi's friend Sawa - and that Mio isn't mercilessly killing them, but instead lets them live in another world.

Also the only characters really focused on are Fake!Kurumi/Hibiki, Empty/Real!Kurumi, and Tsuan. They're also the only survivors.

The other Quasi-Spirits are, for the most part, background characters who just exist to die. Furue Tonami and Sheri Musika get a bit of focus, and Paine Ibusuki and False Proxy - as manifestations of the book's mastermind do as well, but for the most part they're just fodder.

[Shinji103]

I’d pos-rep you if we still had the rep system.

No time for comments on the story right now though, I’m off to work.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

I’d pos-rep you if we still had the rep system.

No time for comments on the story right now though, I’m off to work.

Hehe! Thank you!
I’ll be doing V2 when I get time too!

Glad to be of survice to the community! *curtsies* Good luck at work!

[CCPDarkraiRules]

Thank you for the summary. I actually had a feeling the Quasi-Spirits were going to be the Ex-Spirits. By the way what type of Spirit is Doll Master I am guessing she is 10th type. When does this take place in relation to the main series?

[FunPark]

Originally Posted by CCPDarkraiRules

Thank you for the summary. I actually had a feeling the Quasi-Spirits were going to be the Ex-Spirits. By the way what type of Spirit is Doll Master I am guessing she is 10th type. When does this take place in relation to the main series?

I feel like the <Doll Master> is something similar to Yoshino, looking at the puppet theme, but I can be wrong.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by CCPDarkraiRules

Thank you for the summary. I actually had a feeling the Quasi-Spirits were going to be the Ex-Spirits. By the way what type of Spirit is Doll Master I am guessing she is 10th type. When does this take place in relation to the main series?

Originally Posted by FunPark

I feel like the <Doll Master> is something similar to Yoshino, looking at the puppet theme, but I can be wrong.

Doll Master’s Sephirah isn’t mentioned, but she’s strongly implied to be 4th-type, like Paine Ibusuki, the Doll she communicates through.

Although it should be said, puppetry isn’t the theme of the fourth Sephirah, ice is.

As for when it takes place, it’s implied to be between V17 and V18, with the critically-injured state Kurumi is in when found and attacked by Hibiki being the result of Mio’s assault on her at the end of V17.

Also, you’re welcome everyone <3

[FunPark]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Doll Master’s Sephirah isn’t mentioned, but she’s strongly implied to be 4th-type, like Paine Ibusuki, the Doll she communicates through.

Although it should be said, puppetry isn’t the theme of the fourth Sephirah, ice is.

As for when it takes place, it’s implied to be between V17 and V18, with the critically-injured state Kurumi is in when found and attacked by Hibiki being the result of Mio’s assault on her at the end of V17.

Also, you’re welcome everyone <3

Oh yeah, and thanks again for sharing the story!
Can you give some really quick info about how the quasi-spirits use their powers(attacking or anything else)?
I'm really interested in that.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by FunPark

Oh yeah, and thanks again for sharing the story!
Can you give some really quick info about how the quasi-spirits use their powers(attacking or anything else)?
I'm really interested in that.

You're welcome!

And...no, not really? I'm sorry! They don't really get to do much. Like, at all.
I'll try, though.
For the most part, they attack in the same way their Full Spirit counterparts do - energy waves for Tsuan, for instance, just like Tohka. The ones that we see, anyway. Like I said, most of them are just...there. They have a few lines...and then die.

The only Quasi-Spirit other than Tsuan who really gets detailed descriptions of her attacks is Sheri, whose Innocent Angel is a giant magnifying glass (Sekhmet) that she uses to focus the sun's light into a laser beam. She melts Paine's Innocent Angel - a bronze giant (Talos) using it. It's every bit as ridiculous and cool as it sounds.

[CCPDarkraiRules]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Doll Master’s Sephirah isn’t mentioned, but she’s strongly implied to be 4th-type, like Paine Ibusuki, the Doll she communicates through.

Although it should be said, puppetry isn’t the theme of the fourth Sephirah, ice is.

As for when it takes place, it’s implied to be between V17 and V18, with the critically-injured state Kurumi is in when found and attacked by Hibiki being the result of Mio’s assault on her at the end of V17.

Also, you’re welcome everyone <3

Thanks I had a feeling that was when it is.