The Ishikawa Family Are Dogs of the Main Family

Looking at Su Youzi, who was smiling brightly before her.

And behind Su Youzi, the woman who bared her teeth at her, revealing a crazed, threatening smile.

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi felt only one expletive in her heart.

"An explanation?"

Did she still dare to ask for an explanation?

That was a Third Sequence Ability User.

Even her own Father... had only recently stepped into the Third Sequence.

Su Youzi's Older Sister, the celebrated genius of the Soga Main Family, was only a Second Sequence.

And yet, a Third Sequence Ability User stood before her.

How could she dare to ask for an explanation?

She looked at Su Youzi and Kujo Ryuko, who stood obediently behind her.

Her mind was filled with doubts.

Perhaps... Su Youzi's position in the Soga Main Family wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Otherwise.

Why would a Third Sequence Ability User specifically guard someone like Su Youzi, a "waste" who only awakened her Ability at seventeen?

Due to some rather peculiar coincidences, Su Youzi's malice that morning...

Kujo Ryuko happened to be wearing a tight-fitting short skirt without any markings of the Fourth Action Department.

Otherwise... Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi would have recognized her.

The woman before her wasn't a subordinate dispatched by the Soga Main Family to guard Su Youzi.

But rather, the lunatic from the Investigation Department's Fourth Action Department.

Suppressing her feelings, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi forced a fawning smile at Su Youzi, "Sister Youzi, you jest..."

"I mean... 'When striking a dog, one must consider its owner.'" She spoke with difficulty, "The Ishikawa family is merely the Main Family's dog."

"How could we tolerate anyone barking at Sister Youzi."

Behind her, the girls who had fallen to the ground listened to Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's words and felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their backs chilling.

The young lady wasn't as gentle and elegant as she appeared.

Su Youzi had made her grovel and lose face.

After leaving the training hall... they would be the ones to suffer.

Su Youzi watched Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi with amusement.

She was quite resilient.

Normally, she might have just waved Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi away.

Like a fly buzzing in her ear, it was best to send it as far away as possible.

But... things were different now.

Completely different.

In Su Youzi's eyes, Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was nothing more than a mobile treasure chest.

Su Youzi's lips curved upwards.

She and Soga Toyura were twins.

For a fleeting moment--

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi even felt as if the person standing before her wasn't an abandoned child of the Soga Main Family, but rather Soga Toyura, who stood high above, always looking down on them, their peers, with the contempt of a god observing ants.

But... she shook her head gently.

The girl's graceful figure reminded Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi.

The person standing before her was merely Su Youzi.

Not Soga Toyura, who possessed terrifyingly dominant mental power.

"Since Sister Kiyomi doesn't want an explanation... why don't we talk about my matters instead?" Su Youzi held the gleaming katana.

It was a reward for Kujo Ryuko's affection points increase.

[Collectible Katana].

[☆☆☆☆].

It was almost the most precious reward Su Youzi had received for affection points.

"Sister Youzi, please speak--" Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was prepared to bleed heavily.

But... looking at Kujo Ryuko behind Su Youzi.

She could only endure.

"If it's something Kiyomi can do... Kiyomi will absolutely not refuse."

The girl's voice fell silent.

Su Youzi's smile suddenly widened.

That kind of smile made her even more uneasy.

But... it also brought a tiny bit of relief.

After all, the person standing in front of her wasn't Soga Toyura.

That girl, who seemed to never smile, was an unshakeable shadow, a nightmare, a terrifying dream that made Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi tremble.

"Sister Kiyomi also said--"

"I've only just awakened my ability," Su Youzi said, twirling the sword in her hand. "So..."

"How about Sister Kiyomi practicing with me?"

"Don't worry."

"I, Su Youzi, am not someone who can't handle a loss."

"One on one."

"I absolutely won't let a third person interfere."

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's eyes suddenly widened. The girl, who had been prepared for heavy losses, almost burst out laughing.

What could she say to her?

Stupid and naive?

This was like her offering her face to be slapped.

Did she really think her swordsmanship alone could contend with an Ability User?

A martial artist was still just a martial artist.

"Okay--" Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi agreed quickly, almost worried Su Youzi would change her mind.

"Sister Youzi, don't worry."

"I'll be mindful of my limits."

The girl arrogantly lifted her chin. "I am a First Sequence Level 14 Mental Ability User."

"My ability is 'Mental Interference'."

"Sister Youzi, be careful."

"No problem," Su Youzi said with a wide smile.

'Mental Interference' was a type of mental ability that affected the opponent's will.

The simplest manifestation was stunning the opponent instantly.

A mild effect was like motion sickness, causing dizziness and nausea.

A powerful one... could make someone faint on the spot.

However--

It was nowhere near as potent as Soga Toyura's 'Mental Manipulation'.

Soga Toyura... could even rewrite a person's will.

She gripped the narrow katana with both hands, spread her legs slightly, lowered her center of gravity, and slowly pointed the blade at Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi.

"Then let's begin, Sister Kiyomi."

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi stood still. The girl's orange-dyed long hair fluttered as if in a breeze, and her crimson eyes lit up, an invisible wave spreading outwards.

Malice surged within the girl.

Her ability wasn't just a simple 'Mental Interference', of course.

More accurately... her ability should be 'Area-wide Mental Interference'.

Though only two words different, the manifestation of the ability was worlds apart.

If the former was just a single-target attack, allowing Su Youzi a chance to escape, then 'Area-wide Mental Interference' was a no-holds-barred, all-encompassing assault.

The girls standing closer to Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi even clutched their heads in pain.

Yet... Su Youzi seemed completely unaffected.

The girl wielding the sword lunged forward with a thrust as graceful as a butterfly dancing on the battlefield.

Kujo Ryuko looked on with approval.

Then... it was a little regrettable.

If Su Youzi's ability wasn't 'Telekinetic Ability', it would have been better.

Even a most ordinary physical ability would have made Su Youzi a terrifying sharp blade on the battlefield against Anomalies.

Combined with her sister... the two sisters would have been a force even more feared by Anomalies than the 'Seat of Evil' of the past.

However... she recalled the "Blood Dress" fluctuations she detected in Su Youzi's room last night.

Are a girl's abilities truly limited to telekinesis?

Meeting Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's mental interference net head-on, Su Youzi charged directly into it.

The gleaming blade tip lightly... sliced open Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's uniform at the chest, leaving a shallow vertical bloodstain on the girl's chest.

"How is this possible..."

If this were a game.

Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's experience would likely be... she woke up, and was instantly defeated. The screen went black, but she wouldn't even know what happened.

Picking up the scabbard from the ground, Su Youzi slowly sheathed her sword.

Just as expected... no surprises.

Perhaps it was due to being accustomed to Soga Toyura's influence.

Even Soga Toyura's "Mental Manipulation" only caused Su Youzi unbearable headaches, but couldn't rewrite her will.

"Mental Interference"?

What kind of trash is that.