The chapter continues from upstairs. Naomi gives Sumato a frustrated look.
"Is this really the time to be confused about me and my sister?"
Sumato smirks. "Well, maybe just not because of this. But how do I stop them?"
Naomi flicks his forehead.
"Ouch. That hurt."
Sumato turns to her, confused.
"Maybe if you start by listening, we can help them."
Sumato nods slowly. "Okay, Iâm all ears. What do we do?"
Meanwhile, Kazumi, Amelia, and Quiera face down a swarm of infected girls rushing toward them.
Amelia glances at Quiera. "We need to kill that thing. It's weak now."
Quiera nods and adjusts his glasses.
Kazumi prepares to lunge. "You canât be serious. Are your glasses really that loose?"
Quiera raises an eyebrow as he restrains some of the girls with summoned earth. "Kid, if you still donât know adjusting my glasses activates my ability, maybe you should rethink your training."
Kazumi squints. "Wait. Ability?"
Quiera lets off a burst of shinen that knocks several of the girls unconscious. "My weaponized shinen lets me analyze any situation or enemy as long as I fix my glasses."
Kazumi watches, impressed, and summons a few clones to hold off the girls. "So you fight using non-lethal tools too?"
Quiera chuckles. "You kids need better history classes. The things you donât know are scary."
Kazumi ignores the jab. "So what do your glasses say about this situation?"
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Quiera sits down on the floor with a serious look. "Not good. In about two minutes, Ciontiar is going to evolve. Once he does, every infected girl will die. Their shinen will be drained instantly."
Amelia, dodging more girls, shouts, "But canât their cores regenerate over time?"
Quiera shakes his head. "Not this time. When the core is overworked like that, it fails. Think of it like an organ. Once it breaks, the damage spreads through the body and ruptures the nervous system. Instant death."
Kazumi watches as his clones are trampled. "Then why are you just sitting down?"
Quiera smiles calmly. "Because I canât help anymore. This is your story now. You originals. The ones who came here first. Me and Amelia? Fate keeps us from stepping too far. So save the day, boy."
Back upstairs, Naomi explains her plan to save Viera.
"Unlike most girls here, Iâve awakened an advanced shinen affinity. We can use it to bring her back."
Sumato blinks. "Okay, hold on. Iâve been hearing about these affinity things. What are they, exactly?"
He ducks as a crystal spike from Viera nearly hits him.
Naomi groans. "You donât know? Youâre this strong and still donât know?"
Sumato grins. "Strong? Aww, now youâre embarrassing me."
She sighs and shakes her head. "No time for a full lesson. But basically, advanced affinities are evolved shinen traits. They let you control things beyond the usual. Even something simple like sound becomes dangerous once it evolves."
Sumato leans in. "That sounds awesome. So whatâs yours?"
"I can purify corrupted things. I can also travel through pure materials like dust, glass, or even certain drugs."
She looks at him seriously.
"If you can hold Viera down for three seconds, I can purge the infection."
Sumato cracks his neck. "Three seconds? Iâve got this."
Naomi calls out just as he takes off. "Wait. Arenât you going to tell my sister?"
Sumato shudders. "Nope. Your sister looks like sheâd beat me up from a mile away just for whispering."
Naomi laughs. "Good point. Just three seconds."
Sumato nods and vanishes in a blur. In an instant, he grabs Viera and locks her in a firm headlock. Feathers begin to swirl around them as Naomi chants.
"Purify!"
The feathers burst into a blinding white light. The sludge burns away from Viera's body like ash in the wind.
Sumato lets go, and Viera collapses to the floor, unconscious but free.
Naomi cheers and runs to check on her sister. She turns to Sumato with a big smile and holds up her hand for a high five.
But Sumato doesnât move.
Her smile slowly fades.
Sumato is still standing, but his pupils are gone. His body is upright, but his mind isnât there.
Breathing. Alive. But completely unresponsive.