She panted softly, gripping her spear tightly as she stared toward where the silver pillar of light had appeared.
Efnir knew that pillar of light all too well. It was the phenomenon triggered when an agent underwent First Synchronization and entered Exile Form.
But... why here...?
And who could it be?
If the fall of a meteor marked the silence of a wish, then agents were born alongside the prayers of countless people.
"Efnir!"
Yet at that moment, Shinomiyami Nami's anxious voice suddenly came through her earpiece.
"Efnir! Headquarters has finished matching the energy reaction type and signal wavelength... The corresponding 'Beacon'..."
"Is the one that was stolen..."
"'Fifina.'"
The resolve to fight
During First Synchronization, an Eligible underwent a painful and prolonged period. It was the process by which the body was completely remade upon first accepting the Order Force.
That silver pillar of light was the energy flow leaking out when the Order Force ran wild and the initial state of Synchronization was released.
Simply put, it was the most primal form of the Order Force, and before Synchronization, it was the most violent form that an agent could not wield. Such a pillar would persist for nearly a minute, and the immense Order Force would indiscriminately affect all life nearby. Recklessly approaching it was not a wise choice.
"Fifi... na?"
Efnir looked at the dazzling silver pillar, her expression shifting from shock to grim resolve.
"So... that's how it is? It seems... she's an enemy..."
The new Eligible was not one of the Organization's people.
Every Beacon was unique and corresponded to an Eligible with a unique wavelength. Like gears of varying sizes and specifications, an Eligible could only Synchronize with the Order Force after obtaining a Beacon compatible with herself. Only then could the "gears" turn and transmit kinetic energy.
The relationship between an agent and a Beacon was a two-way choice.
Eligible were exceedingly rare. The Orderkeepers Organization had screened everyone in the city, and anyone judged to be a potential Eligible was placed under observation.
In short, if there had been another Eligible for "Fifina," Efnir should have known long ago.
"I really don't want any more trouble at a time like this, but I'm not someone who backs down so easily. If she's an enemy, I just need to deal with her—Nami, can you tell me the details about the stolen and missing Beacon you mentioned before?"
"Ah? Y-yes... Our database was destroyed in the attack five days ago, and the key information stored within it was leaked as well... The Beacon was preliminarily estimated to have gone missing forty-three minutes ago, around the time you met Yukina. Immediately afterward, we received the emergency report that a Whale-type Erosion Entity had suddenly appeared..."
Shinomiyami Nami spoke quickly through the earpiece.
"I'm terribly sorry! We didn't tell you about this right away, Efnir... Because... because it involved Fifina, so... we hesitated..."
"It's fine. Don't worry about it. In any case, if she's confirmed to be an enemy, that makes things simple."
Efnir paused.
"More than that, I want to know who this 'Fifina' is, what force she belongs to, and what her purpose is... If she came here prepared, then our situation may not be very pleasant."
"Y-yes... Headquarters should investigate as quickly as possible... If she's Fifina's Eligible, there might be some clues in the database..."
"There won't be."
Efnir shook her head, cutting Shinomiyami Nami off.
"I've never heard of Fifina having another Eligible. For Fifina—even in all of Xijing City, we barely managed to find only Fengling Shiyin as a compatible Eligible. So this person probably came from 'outside,' and..."
Suddenly, someone's figure surfaced in Efnir's mind, and the rest of her words caught in her throat.
Her younger sister... Shiomi Yukina.
She was a rare Absolute Compatible Candidate. According to what "that person" had said, if it was Shiomi Yukina, she should have been capable of Synchronizing with any Beacon.
If it was her...
"No... impossible..."
Efnir murmured, denying her own suspicion.
Yukina had already been escorted to a shelter. Before the disaster warning ended, the shelter would never allow anyone to leave. There was no way she could be here, and Yukina could never have obtained the Beacon "Fifina."
"Efnir... did you... say something just now?"
"Nami... there's something I want to confirm with you."
"Ah? If it's something I know, please go ahead."
"It's about Yukina... You personally escorted Yukina and saw her enter the shelter, right? She didn't do anything unusual before you left, did she?"
"Ah? Y-yes. I took Yukina to the shelter and only left after speaking with her for a while. At the time, Yukina even mentioned you. She was very worried about you."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Shinomiyami Nami's answer, Efnir let out a breath and felt somewhat relieved.
"Why bring up Yukina all of a sudden? Did something happen?"
"There's just something that's been bothering me..."
"Did Efnir discover something?"
"It's nothing major... More importantly, Nami, please erase our conversation after the battle. I'll speak to the commander about this personally."
"Yes."
Efnir stared expressionlessly at the silver pillar of light. By then, it had already begun to dim.
That meant the mysterious thief was nearly finished with First Synchronization, and Efnir's gaze grew increasingly sharp.
"Though there are things that concern me... I'm not going to back down so easily before I find out."
Of all things, it had to be Fifina.
Fengling Shiyin was still lying in a hospital bed. Without realizing it, Efnir tightened her grip on her spear.
"I need to confirm whether she's an enemy."
"Please wait, Efnir. Headquarters hasn't issued an order yet. If she's an enemy, going over there so rashly is far too dangerous..."
"I know, but wouldn't leaving her alone be more likely to cause trouble? If she's an enemy, then we should deal with her while she's at her weakest. That's the simplest and most practical approach. No matter what, Shiyin fought to the very end as Fifina. The title of Fifina is not something just anyone can claim. I absolutely will not turn a blind eye to this."
Efnir took a deep breath and looked toward the pitch-black sky.
Thanks to their efforts, the enormous Floating Island overhead and the countless Crows had slightly reined in their assault.
The crowd had also completely evacuated from this area.
The enormous black shadow above let out an eerie howl.
Efnir pressed her lips together and fixed her gaze on the slowly fading silver light.
"All right, we can discuss the rest later. It's about time I got moving too."
"...Ayse, Canary! Can I leave things here to you for now?"
Efnir called loudly into her earpiece.
Ayse and Canary were junior agents dispatched to support Efnir this time. As the current agents in Xijing City, their seniority was second only to Efnir's. Together with Efnir, they were the strongest fighting force the Orderkeepers could currently deploy.
At that moment, one of them kept a close eye on the Whale's movements, while the other faced off against the Crows.
"If it's only ten minutes, there won't be a problem..."
Ayse's voice came through the earpiece, followed by a piercing tremor.
A burst of starlight exploded in the air.
Canary leaped down from above and landed beside Efnir, panting as she held a willow-leaf blade in her hand.
"Whew... Forget ten minutes. If you don't come back soon, Senior, I'm going to snatch all the credit over here!"
Though the Crows were numerous, more than half had been defeated beneath the combined assault of Efnir, Ayse, and Canary.
She grinned broadly at Efnir.
"Eh, just kidding, haha. Anyway, Senior, please give that counterfeit Fifina a proper beating. I can't approve of someone taking a comrade's things."
"Thank you for giving me a hand... Then I'll leave this side to you and Ayse. I'll go meet that counterfeit."
"Well, we're not very good at fighting people, so even if you called us over, we might not be much help."
Canary spread her hands, a faint smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
Efnir turned around.
"Well... also, even though the crowd has fully evacuated, don't go overboard. After eliminating the Crows, just keep an eye on the Whale. Make sure that thing doesn't get away. Finally... don't push yourselves."
"Mm, then the same goes for you, Senior. If you're in danger, please retreat. May victory be with you."
Passing Canary by, Efnir faced the opposite direction and leaped down from the steel framework.
Thick smoke and scorching wind swept across her cheeks.
"Efnir... are you planning to find her...? But we have no idea why she appeared here. Isn't going over there like this a little too reckless...?"
"Mm, perhaps... There are many things I don't understand either. In that case, I just need to see for myself."
"Please be careful, Efnir."
"I will. As for Canary and Ayse, please keep a close watch on them for me."
"Leave it to me!"
Efnir sprinted all the way to the eastern venue. The silver pillar of light had almost entirely vanished, and she was nearly there.
The third floor... that was the preparation room.
But...
The air seemed quieter than she had expected.
The answer
Yukina was immersed in a void of memories.
Countless fragments flashed before her eyes: stark white, icy walls; her brother's reassuring smile; bone-chilling metal locks; the soft palm of someone's hand... What had that felt like? Silver light swallowed the black mire inch by inch, dissolving it... turning it into starlight.
Her body could not move.
Surrounded by searing heat and agonizing pain, the resentment and despair filling her chest fermented. It was as though something had been stuffed into her heart, while an unfamiliar throbbing pulsed within her chest.
Yukina did not know how long she had wandered through that confusion. When she came back to herself, she stood blankly before the empty preparation room. The silver light and the black Erosion Entity had seemed like bubbles from an illusion, leaving behind no trace at all.
What had just happened gradually returned to her consciousness.
An icy, heavy sensation came from her palm. Her wrist felt as if something had locked around it, while her hair, as though scattered by the wind, spilled down her back to her waist.
Her vision was clearer than it had ever been.
The lingering scent of mango and lime in the air, and the delicate sound of the breeze flowing past her ears.
At that moment, the world seemed to have become bright and crystal-clear. Even without consciously trying to sense it, every sound and movement around her reached her without exception.
Yukina had never experienced anything like this before. It was as if...
She had become someone else.
Yukina lowered her head blankly and looked at the longbow clenched tightly in her hand.
Her feet unconsciously shifted backward.
What on earth was this...
"How long are you planning to stand there like an idiot?"
Before you continue