Koushi's foot landed firmly on the second step.
The moment his shoe sole made a soft sound against the concrete step, Aqua above moved!
Without warning, without a trace, her entire being seemed to transform into a dark purple lightning bolt tearing through space, appearing suddenly before Koushi at a speed the naked eye couldn't possibly catch!
A fair hand, yet containing terrifying power, like an iron clamp, precisely and fiercely grabbed Koushi's neck, slamming his entire body against the load-bearing wall behind him!
"Bang—!"
With a muffled thud, dust from the wall fluttered down.
"Truly... hideous, my Onii-chan!" Aqua's golden eyes burned with anger and a disappointment akin to hating iron for not becoming steel. She pressed Koushi firmly against the wall, lifting his feet off the ground, her voice trembling slightly from suppressed rage.
"You are still so foolish!"
"Why?! Why don't you pursue power! Why don't you pursue the power that rightfully belongs to 'us,' power enough to trample all rules!!"
Koushi gasped for air, his face turning red, but he clutched Aqua's wrist tightly with both hands, trying to break free, squeezing out broken words through gritted teeth:
"Power...? I... I don't know what... power... I only know... my family... something happened... I... have to... fix it!"
"Family? Fix it? With your weak appearance?!" Aqua seemed to be completely enraged by his words, and she slammed her other hand onto Koushi's chest!
Zzzzzzzz—!!
A violent burst of purple electric light instantly erupted, like countless venomous snakes drilling into Koushi's body!
His whole body convulsed violently, his teeth grinding, his eyeballs bloodshot. The intense pain almost made him faint instantly, and his vision began to blur.
"You're still like this! Incorrigible!" Aqua's voice was chillingly cold, close to his ear, like a demon's whisper.
"Without power, you can't protect anything! Just like before! Just like how you couldn't make it, and could only watch everything happen! Your hatred... your resolve... it's still far from enough, my Onii-chan!!"
Zzzzzzz—!!!
A second, even stronger electric shock followed! Koushi's body suddenly arched, letting out a suppressed groan of extreme pain. Finally, his consciousness was completely swallowed by darkness, his head drooped limply, and he fell into a coma.
Looking at the completely unconscious Koushi, the fury in Aqua's eyes subsided slightly, replaced by a complex emotion mixed with disappointment, pity, and a certain obsession.
She released her grip on his neck and tossed Koushi's body aside.
She looked down at the unconscious Koushi, and as if making a declaration, coldly repeated words that seemed to be etched deep into her soul:
"And my answer is still the same. No matter how many years pass, no matter how many times it's repeated, I will say this—"
She leaned down slightly, her voice low and clear:
"'Foolish Onii-chan, come find me when you've become stronger. So that next time we meet, I can slightly... respect your strength, and then... kill you!'"
However, the moment the crucial phrase "kill you" escaped her lips—
Aqua's body suddenly stiffened. She abruptly let go of her hands, covered her head, and let out a suppressed groan of pain.
The face that had been full of madness and coldness instantly flashed with an extremely painful contortion. In her golden eyes, data stream-like blue light and dark purple lightning flashed wildly, as if something was intensely clashing within her.
"Ugh... ah..."
She staggered back half a step, shook her head. The sudden sharp pain seemed to have interrupted what she was about to say and dispersed the cold atmosphere she had deliberately created.
The sudden severe headache receded like a tide. The frantic dark purple lightning and chaotic data streams in Aqua's eyes gradually calmed, replaced by a more serene, rationally glowing blue shimmer.
She shook her head, as if to dispel the last trace of discomfort, then looked down at the charred, unconscious Koushi lying on the ground, letting out a soft, helpless sigh.
This sigh carried emotions completely different from the previous Aqua—it was worry, heartache, and a sense of powerlessness, as if thinking, "Of course it would turn out this way."
She no longer paid attention to the unconscious Koushi, turning her gaze instead to the top of the stairs.
When she saw Shido, guarding Yoshino tensely, his face full of vigilance, and behind him the trembling, blue-haired girl with tear-filled azure eyes, the sharp aura around her completely receded.
She slowly ascended the stairs, her steps light and steady, and came before the still-frightened Yoshino.
Under Shido's watchful eye, she bent down slightly and gently stroked Yoshino's soft blue curly hair, her movements tender, utterly different from Aqua's rough embrace earlier.
"It's okay, it's okay now..." Her voice also became much softer, with a soothing tone, "I'm sorry, I scared you just now."
Yoshino felt this kindness, her body relaxed a little, but she still timidly asked in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "Ai... Aqua... Miss?"
Yoshinon on her left hand immediately chimed in, asking in a tone that, while still comical, was clearly much more cautious:
"Yes, yes, where did that... uh, 'lively' lady from just now go?"
Chinatsu heard this question and showed a complex smile. She looked at Yoshino, then meaningfully glanced at Koushi on the ground, and softly explained:
"Aqua... she's resting for now. My relationship with her is probably... similar to your relationship with Yoshinon, you see."
This analogy was simple and direct, making Yoshinon and Yoshinon seem to instantly understand something. Yoshino softly said "Ah," blinked her still watery big eyes, and nodded as if she understood, yet didn't quite.
After comforting Yoshino, Chinatsu finally straightened up and turned her gaze to Shido, who was standing nearby with complex emotions.
The gentle expression on her face tightened slightly, her brows furrowed, showing clear disapproval and a hint of anger. Her gaze was like that of someone looking at an ignorant child who had caused trouble for the family.
She walked up to Shido, raising her chin slightly. Although she might not be as tall as Shido, at this moment, she exuded an undeniable aura.
"Well then, now it's your turn, Itsuka Shido-kun." Her voice carried a hint of a playful accusation, but her eyes were very serious.
"Could you please explain? Why... did you drag my Onii-chan, Koushi, into this dangerous 'whirlpool'?"
She reached out and pointed at the unconscious Koushi on the ground, her tone filled with heartache and blame:
"He's clearly just an ordinary person, he shouldn't be exposed to Spirits, and he certainly shouldn't face... 'us.' What exactly were you thinking?"
Faced with Chinatsu's questioning, Shido was momentarily speechless, his face showing clear guilt and remorse.
He opened his mouth, but found it difficult to find a perfect reason to explain. Involving his friend in this supernatural war was indeed one of his long-standing burdens.
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