Yekase woke to a ceiling she’d seen once before, pale as a morning sky washed clean.

Warm body heat hummed beside her like a small hearth.

She’d thought Jiang Bailu would seize the opening and drag her back to the conglomerate. Instead, she was sent home, like a leaf set back on its branch. It seemed Jiang Bailu truly meant to make her return through a four-bout challenge in the Flashblade System, wins tied like knots to a promise.

Still, after a thunderous job, it felt like this side got no harvest at all. Was this the saintly self-sacrifice of heroes? Yekase wasn’t a hero; what’s wrong with asking for funds and data?

She glanced at the clock; the hands rested at ten, like twin spears laid down.

Ling Yi had taken heavy wounds last night. Who knew how she explained that at home. For now, let her sleep—leave the lake unstirred.

Yekase slid off the bed, and only then saw a pink cat-print pajama clinging to her like a borrowed skin.

“...”

Even the clothes were changed for her?

She picked up her dress from the chair. Her phone came out of a pocket, and a folded note fell like a paper bird.

She opened it. Jiang Bailu’s handwriting flowed like willow strokes.

[3/5]

So that was one win banked? The rest were Gauntlet and Zec...

Below the number sat another line:

[Dew and Gale will be delivered to your home later.]

Not a total loss, then.

Yekase took a long breath, folded the note, tucked it away, and pushed the door to hunt for a bathroom.

She stepped into the corridor and got netted by Ling Ya like a hawk pinning a rabbit.

Different hour, same place.

This time Ling Ya wasn’t so polite. She came straight up and pressed her to the wall, like surf shouldering a shell.

They were similar in height, but Ling Ya’s training had carved clean lines into her arms. The hero work had hammered steel into muscle, clear as a river’s edge.

Yekase already felt guilty; now she felt smaller, like a shadow at noon.

“You... hi?”

Where did that “senior” persona go? Is this how you treat a senior, rebel-phase kid?

“Why’d you drag my sister into it?”

“Uh.”

Ling Ya cut straight to it. “You joined that organizational mess last night, right? Otherwise why would Sis limp back, covered in wounds, with you in tow.”

So this gate couldn’t be sidestepped—

Yekase’s eyes drifted like a dragonfly skimming reeds.

“...Mm.”

“What were you inside that mess?”

“Did you watch the full recording? Easier if you did.”

“No.”

Someone actually answers “no”? That meant she could spin a tale. Yekase lit up inside like a lantern.

“But I saw several clips.”

Grass. Mind game time.

Ling Ya wouldn’t reveal which ones. She didn’t fully trust Yekase, and she’d probably drafted this phrasing since last night to avoid getting led around again.

“That building-turned mech was halted by a mystery figure outside any faction.”

“I saw that part.”

“Through my contacts I learned Triple Calamity planned to boot up the mech to flaunt force. That mystery hero likely heard and went to stop them. He succeeded, then fell.”

“You won’t say you’re that mystery, right?”

“I’m the one who caught him midair.”

“...”

Ling Ya’s brow eased like a knot untied.

There was such a thing? Her face said her heart out loud.

Great. She didn’t see the final act.

Yekase felt shame at having to borrow her apprentice’s suit as cover, but the top priority was guarding Flashblade Red.

“I caught him, then searched for a safe, hidden nook to strip the armor and get him to a hospital... but Triple Calamity’s leftover thugs ringed us.”

Slinging mud at the dead—black karma worn like a coat.

Yekase slipped into storyteller stride. “I slung the mystery man on my back. I sheltered him with my one floating armor. Even when the remnants swarmed and struck, I didn’t move an inch.”

“That’s... incredible...”

Ling Ya’s grip loosened without her noticing, fingers opening in rain. She seemed to believe.

“Just when I was about to fold, Ling Yi arrived. The remnants probably thought she was backup, so they scattered like birds. Before I blacked out, I asked her—”

Yekase lowered her voice, stage-dark.

“Is the floating armor still holding?”

“This...”

“After that, I know nothing. Ling Yi’s injuries likely came from hauling two unconscious lumps out of the rubble.”

“I didn’t expect that aftermath... Makes sense why the mystery man’s trail is blank.”

Yekase nodded inside like a steady drum, while her face stayed grave.

“Sorry. Because Sis got hurt, I got... hasty.” Ling Ya shook her head, a reed in wind.

“It’s fine. I’ll just go brush my teeth.”

Seeing the tide turn, Yekase decided to slip away.

Halfway down the hall, a call snagged her:

“Will we get a chance to fight side by side?”

...

Familiar phrasing.

She answered with the same cadence. “As long as you keep upholding justice, we’ll fight shoulder to shoulder someday.”

“...Yes!”

Yekase quick-stepped into the bathroom, locked the door, and let out a long breath, steam from a kettle.

Ling Ya was the classic hero who fights to guard family. Her biggest minefield was family dragged into battle, even as heroes.

If she learned Yekase had shoved a transformation device at Ling Yi, making her a hero with zero prep—

The thought was a knife; better not touch it.

Yekase brushed her teeth and washed her face on autopilot, mind a blank field. She snuck back into Ling Yi’s room.

Ling Yi still slept, soft as dawn fog.

A rare easy morning after days of rush, though the clock had already slid past ten like light over water.

Yekase swept the room with her eyes. No quiet toy she could use alone.

She drifted to the bookshelf to see what treasures lay there.

“...”

“Cross-Dressing Tutor,” volumes 1–6.

Whoa, a bold opener.

“Manners of Tsukigetsu Maidens,” game disc.

Heavier caliber.

“Love, Election & Chocolate,” BD.

She could even afford Blu-ray.

“Dream-Demon Boy.”

That one sounded tinted.

No, the problem wasn’t the titles...

A nameless dread crept over Yekase, cool tendrils sliding up her skin.

“Doctor, peeking at someone’s privacy isn’t nice.”

“Eek!”

Yekase jolted like a startled cat.

At some point Ling Yi had woken. She looped an arm around Yekase’s neck from behind, chin resting on her stiff shoulder.

“...One question. Okay?”

“What?”

“Are you... original stock?”

...

...

Ling Yi’s laughter popped like firecrackers. “Hahaha! You were worried about that? Doctor, you don’t think waking up as a pretty girl overnight is a real thing, right?”

“Haha...”

Maybe it is. Manually.

Yekase hurried away from the shelf.

After glimpsing a tip of Ling Yi’s preference iceberg, she decided never to dive.

“By the way, I should be able to get you two new forms soon: Dew and Gale.”

“Eh! I finally get new forms?!”

“Speed and technique types. They’ll complement the power type, Kagari.”

“Nice!”

“But switching forms mid-fight needs sharp judgment. You have to track friend and foe every moment. Otherwise you’ll waste stamina. My voice guidance won’t be timely or exact. Are you sure you can handle it?”

“Uh...”

The bright smile froze like a photo.

Yekase already knew the answer. She didn’t want to pour cold water, but it was real. She’d seen groups build modified monsters with several unrelated animal powers. In real fights they couldn’t switch. No ability stood out. Money burned to ash.

Kagari, Dew, and Gale are all parts of the Flashblade System, so they mesh better. Misuse still bites hard. As for why not send the keys to someone else?

Yekase felt Ling Yi was already on this path; she couldn’t drag more people in.

“Please, Doctor. Before summer ends, give me special training!”

“Huh? The last week of summer?” Yekase blinked like a sparrow.

“Yep! Once school starts, no time to focus. Let’s push now!”

You finished your summer homework? She almost asked. Then she remembered her grades were good. It felt more and more like turning her into a hero was wrecking her future.

“Uh, it’s not impossible... I can’t fight at all,” Yekase kept the persona, “but I can teach you about Flash Energy affinity. However, weren’t you hurt yesterday?”

“Already fine.”

Ling Yi lifted her blue puppy-print pajamas and showed a smooth, pale belly. She rolled sleeves and pant legs. Not a bruise in sight.

“Already healed—?”

Yekase hadn’t seen her wounds last night. Yet Ling Ya had said Sis was covered in injuries.

“Heart... energy...?”

Yekase murmured a term on reflex.

“Hm? What did you say, Doctor?”

“Nothing. Since you’re unhurt. I’ll ask again: with such rare rest in summer, are you sure about special training?”

Ling Yi snorted a laugh. “Stop asking. Ask again and I’ll start doubting.”

“All right. Tell your parents. The day after tomorrow I’ll take you to a secret base. One week of closed training.”

“Not tomorrow. The day after.”

“What’s tomorrow?”

Ling Yi opened a drawer and took out four tickets.

“I found four water park coupons while digging for band-aids yesterday. They expire tomorrow. Let’s go play? A last sweet summer memory!”

“Uh, the water park? I’ll pa—”

“Doctor, you didn’t send me even one message these past days...”

Ling Yi pulled a pitiful look, trying to tilt down to gaze up. Sadly, Yekase was shorter. It turned into a flat stare.

“...I’ll go. I’ll go, okay?”