The elevator-like realm was quiet as it carried them upward, the mist swirling zily around them. No one spoke.

  Because no one knew what to say.

  ?

  Ren’s Thoughts – The Pill

  He stood with his arms crossed, gaze distant. His mind wasn’t on Akanagi.

  It was on that pill.

  What the hell was that?

  What happened to that man?

  Hyouma’s Tamashkii had torn itself apart. Like his body had been nothing more than a vessel—one that couldn’t handle the weight of what had been crammed inside.

  The thought made him uneasy.

  If the Kegare were creating something like that…

  What the hell are they pnning?

  Ryuko’s Thoughts – Akanagi

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  His fingers drummed against the hilt of his bde.

  He wasn’t thinking about the pill.

  Or the explosion.

  Or even the Kegare’s bigger pns.

  He was thinking about Akanagi.

  I kind of wanted to fight that thing.

  A pause.

  No—no, I definitely wanted to fight it.

  His grip tightened slightly.

  Next time, I’m not sitting on the sidelines.

  Watari’s Thoughts – His Own Weakness

  He wasn’t thinking about the Kegare.

  He wasn’t even thinking about Hyouma’s death.

  He was thinking about his own speed.

  His fingers twitched at his sides, his jaw tightening.

  I thought I was fast.

  I thought I was one of the fastest.

  And then Ayase proved him wrong.

  And then Koharu proved him wrong.

  I’m not even close to them… am I really as strong as I thought?

  What’s the point of having all this power if I can’t even reach them?

  That wasn’t the type of power a two year gap could fix. I could’ve been here those two years and still not move like that.

  That was honed technique, trained swordpy, perfect resonance….

  His head tilted slightly. His gaze flickered toward Ayase.

  The man stood as rexed as ever, eyes closed, expression unreadable.

  Watari still didn’t know how he had moved that fast.

  But one thing was certain.

  He wasn’t even close.

  Yumi’s Thoughts – The Explosion

  She kept repying it.

  The moment Hyouma’s body broke apart.

  The way his energy twisted, his Tamashkii warping into something unnatural.

  He was alive.

  And then he wasn’t.

  Her arms were crossed. Her grip was tighter than usual.

  Something about this didn’t sit right.

  Kaito’s Thoughts – Amano

  …No thoughts. Head empty.

  Just Amano.

  Kaito stared into the golden mist, eyes narrowed.

  He didn’t know why he was thinking about her.

  But he was.

  He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his head.

  Damn, I think I got a crush.

  Another sigh.

  Not the time, bro. Not the time.