It was exactly like that scene from all those years ago—back when she was diagnosed as a [Level 0 - Psychokinesis User] and had first faced Soga Yura.
A terrifying psychic storm erupted within the theater, spreading with reckless abandon.
Thud, thud, thud, thud—
The sound of bodies hitting the floor echoed relentlessly around them.
Su Yuzu clutched her forehead, wincing in pain.
'Is she... using her powers without restraint again?'
Even as a child, Yura could tamper with people's cognition at will. Now that she was grown, even a momentary burst was enough to instantly knock out nearly every spectator in the theater.
Fortunately, though—whether due to her unique status as a transmigrator, or perhaps because of the [Game System] that might have always been with her but only recently fully activated—Yuzu was not entirely susceptible to Yura's "Mind Control."
Still... the basic psychic impact was unavoidable.
After all, Yuzu was still only a Level 10 First Sequence Esper. Even if she possessed a "rule-type ability"—a rarity in human history—she was, in the end, still only a First Sequence Esper.
Yura, on the other hand, was a Level 39 Mind Control User, standing at the absolute pinnacle of the Third Sequence.
Yuzu felt a stinging pain shoot through her head.
She watched as Yura scrambled out of her embrace. Panting heavily, the girl's crimson eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.
It was just like all those years ago—the image reflected in the eyes of the girl hiding under the covers when Yuzu had pushed open the door to a shivering Yura's room.
Yura struggled to support herself against the seat beside her, her chest heaving with every breath. She looked at Yuzu hesitantly, her mouth slightly parted... as if once again at a loss for words.
Yuzu looked at Yura, her expression gradually turning cold.
At this moment, they were the only two people left in the entire auditorium who could barely stand and remain conscious.
What? You ask about Kujou Katora?
True, as a fellow Third Sequence Esper, Katora could indeed have withstood that momentary psychic shock.
But... who said Yura was the one who knocked Katora out?
Yura merely delivered the coup de grâce.
After Yuzu had clicked confirm twice in a row for Yura's chibi avatar, well... she noticed that the [Develop] button above Katora's head had also finished its cooldown.
To avoid "playing favorites," Yuzu finally dealt the ultimate, fatal blow to Katora, who had been teetering on the edge for nearly the entire movie.
The pitiful Katora hadn't even recovered from her endless hell of shame before she was plunged into an even deeper abyss.
The culprit behind Katora's fall was... just as she was struggling, about to fall into the abyss, hanging precariously by a single hand to the edge—Yura's psychic shock came down like the stiletto heel of a standard anime villain stomping on her fingers.
Katora let out a whimper and plummeted completely into the depths. She twitched twice, then sank into unconsciousness, moving no more.
In an instant, the entire auditorium fell into utter silence, save for the movie's final, sentimental, and desolate background score—which, fittingly enough, only added to the atmosphere.
Yura supported herself on the seats, retreating step by agonizing step.
The girl bit her lip until it turned white.
Truth be told, her body was weak and exhausted; with every step, a strange sensation stirred in her heart.
But... seeing Yuzu's expression turn gradually colder, clearly believing that she had released that psychic shock to reject Yuzu's embrace...
Yura bit down hard on her lip, burying those sensations deep within her heart.
'No... it's not like that...'
She wanted to explain.
'I didn't release that shock to push you away.'
'According to the script... if she turned and walked away now, she would push Yuzu completely into the hands of those other girls.'
Whoosh—
Deep within her crimson eyes, an hourglass seemed poised to overturn.
But this time... a pale hand clamped down firmly on that hourglass.
It pressed down with all its might on the hourglass that represented "Domination."
'When I see Yuzu—'
Inside the mirror... a young child was weeping profusely.
'Every ounce of my affection must be turned into an even greater measure of loathing.'
'This "Domination"... must absolutely never be lifted.'
'...'
Seeing Yuzu's expression shift from playful to icy cold, Yura... desperately grabbed onto that hourglass within her heart.
Sakura Mai's words echoed incessantly in her ears.
'Yuzu rejected you just once... and you're already crying like you can't take it?'
'Then think about it...'
'Over all these years... how many times have you rejected Yuzu?'
'Think—'
'Think hard...'
'In the dead of night, all these years, how many times has Yuzu cried alone?'
'I don't... I don't want to torture Yuzu... or torture myself anymore.'
Yura gripped the hourglass tight.
The young girl in the mirror gradually transformed into the older—yet not quite fully grown—Yura.
The entire world seemed poised to overturn along with the hourglass, but this time, Yura crushed the hourglass against her chest.
'You will regret this...'
'If I hurt Yuzu one more time... that is when I will truly regret it.'
'Short-term pain is better than long-term suffering. After this, it won't hurt so much anymore.'
'Because Yuzu already belongs to them, right?'
'And... short-term pain?'
'Yuzu has already cried far too many times.'
Crash—
The mirror in the depths of her heart shattered completely the moment Yura crushed the hourglass.
She stood trembling before Yuzu.
Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
The sheer exhaustion of holding back the hourglass seemed to have drained every ounce of her strength.
Yura held onto the seat, struggling to stand, and finally sobbed in a voice that was nearly hoarse, "I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry..."
"I didn't mean to."
"I... I can't do it..."
"I want Yuzu."
"I want to..."
"I miss you so much..."
"Uuu... I miss you..."
She tried to look at the expression on Yuzu's face, but her vision was hopelessly blurred by tears.
'I must have lost completely this time, haven't I?'
'Even though I broke the hourglass... but, but... Yuzu must be so heartbroken.'
Yura staggered, turned around, and fled.
The only sound left in the theater was the girl's choked, sobbing whimpers... the sound of her apologies.
Yuzu stood there, rooted to the spot.
She watched Yura's stumbling, retreating figure.
And then... she suddenly smiled, truly happy.
She was... genuinely happy.
It was completely different from the Yura of the past... This time, there seemed to be a light in her eyes.
And in that light... was Yuzu herself.
________________________________________
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