Aqua looked at him, her chest heaving violently a few times, then she took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the surging anger.
The expression on her face once again became cold and distant. She took a step, slowly walked to the upper platform of the staircase, and looked down at Koushi, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
The light from the broken ceiling shone from behind her, outlining a blurry halo around her, but her face was hidden in shadow, making it difficult to discern her exact expression.
Then, slowly, one by one, she began to clap.
"Clap... clap... clap..." The crisp and monotonous applause echoed in the empty, dead silent ruins of the department store, sounding particularly jarring, as if striking everyone's heart.
"Congratulations, Idiot Older Brother."
Aqua's voice came from the shadows, carrying a cold, almost cruel, calmness.
"I... no, this King can give you a chance." She extended a finger, pointing to the steps beneath Koushi's feet.
"As long as you retreat two steps, leave this place, this King will pretend that nothing happened today, and you can leave safely and unharmed."
Her tone suddenly sharpened, carrying undisguised killing intent:
"But, conversely—if you want to seek death, if you think your life is too long... then go ahead, step forward."
These words, like an ultimatum, caused the pressure in the air to surge. Shido's palms were sweating from nervousness, and he even held his breath.
However, facing this blatant threat, Koushi smiled again, a smile filled with relief and determination.
But soon, the smile faded, and his expression returned to calmness, even an extraordinary serenity.
"When I first learned of your existence, knew that I had such a'sister'..."
Koushi spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"To be honest, I was terrified. My legs were weak, my body trembled, and I could have turned and run at any moment, wanting to treat it all as a nightmare."
His words seemed to uncover a long-sealed wound, carrying a subtle tremor.
"My heart, in the face of that immense, unknown 'evil' and terrifying restraint... yielded. After you erased my memories, I lived... a muddled life, like a stray dog."
Shido couldn't help but cover his earphone, whispering to Kotori, "Is he talking nonsense? How could such a thing happen? He was clearly living quite well before..." Kotori could only remain silent.
Koushi seemed not to hear Shido's complaint, or rather, was completely immersed in his own narration. His voice gradually took on a deep sense of lingering fear and realization:
"I once... even longed for a life without you, believing that I could find peace that way. But now I understand that such an empty life, having lost an important part... that is truly more terrifying than death."
He paused, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp and firm, as if flames burned within:
"But, but, now... standing here, facing you, I feel no fear at all."
He raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and pressed it against his chest, "My heart, at this moment, is filled only with boiling fighting spirit! The friendship with Shido, Kotori, and the others, the encounter with that idiot Tohka, learning about the plight and suffering faced by the Spirits."
"...All of this, like sunlight, has completely dispelled that fear of you in my heart!"
He lifted his head, meeting Aqua's gaze hidden in the shadows without fear: "So, I came."
Aqua, on the platform, lightly licked her moist lips. In the shadows, one could seemingly discern a dangerous and bewitching curve forming at the corner of her mouth.
"Is that really so? How beautifully said..." Her voice carried both temptation and provocation.
"Then, go ahead and come up, my... Idiot Older Brother."
The final step seemed to become the boundary between safety and danger, past and future.
Koushi took a deep breath, no longer hesitating in the slightest, lifted his foot, and resolutely stepped onto the first stair leading towards Aqua.
The gears of fate, with this step, began to accelerate their turning.
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