Levin lay in a pool of blood. Yueyue Shenlian’s ability had dispelled his Silent Space, restoring my powers just in time for that final strike. Killing would weigh heavily on any ordinary high schooler’s conscience—but not a shred of hesitation or doubt crossed my mind. I simply acted on instinct. Guess I really am a dangerous person myself.

“Why did you track me here?” I asked, though I already had a hunch. Yueyue Shenlian smirked at me. “We had Senhara watching you nonstop. Every move you made was under our control—including you sleeping with a middle schooler.”

Don’t twist the facts. This guy gave me the weird feeling he’d been stalking me *for my own good*. Though… they did save my skin in the end.

“Most of the stragglers here have already fled. Any Ability Users still capable of fighting won’t be many. Leave the cleanup to you.” They’d handle the aftermath far better than I ever could. At best, I’d just smash everything and walk away.

“Brother…” A weak voice called my name. Tia had woken from her unconsciousness at some point. Badly wounded, she struggled even to open her eyes.

“What more do you want?” Was she still planning to fight me? Limping heavily, Tia picked up the black hourglass lying nearby. “Brother… since I’ve failed my mission, I have no reason to exist anymore. End me—with your own hands.”

Why cling to obsession like this? If I’d been brainwashed too, I might’ve become a war machine far more terrifying than Tia. I glanced at Yueyue Shenlian. Arms crossed, she shrugged. “This is your call to make.”

“Time Bomb!” Tia recklessly burned her dwindling life force, determined to bury us all here. Yueyue Shenlian’s ability held no combat power—but it was the ultimate counter to temporal powers. Just like how I couldn’t even raise a hand against Levin.

Wasted. Tia collapsed to the ground, eyes hollow. The sands of time in her hourglass had completely drained. “I see… I still can’t win against you, Brother.”

Her time was running out. Without the power to steal time, every use of her ability consumed her own life. To her, she was just a biological weapon—drained of energy.

The girl who shared my Time Ability sat quietly awaiting death. Her form began to fade. When her final minute ended, she’d vanish from this world without a trace.

I hesitated—should I save her? My Time Ability couldn’t resurrect other Ability Users with temporal resistance. If Tia disappeared completely… there’d be no second chances.

Vice President Ori Kozu finally snapped. She shoved me hard. “If you’re a man, decide *now*! Better to regret a choice you made than regret never choosing at all!”

Her words jolted me. I’ve always been the type to act first and face consequences later.

I sprinted to Tia, gripping her delicate hand tightly. “You’ve died once already. This time… live for yourself.”

Transferring time to her was all I could do. Tia’s fading form solidified as her remaining time steadily increased.

I wanted to give her more—but human capacity for time is limited. Like pouring water into a full cup, the excess would only spill.

……

“Thank you, Brother.” Tia’s soft voice brushed my ear.

The secret base of the Supernatural Resistance was actually Yueyue Shenlian’s home. Seriously, this so-called sister’s mansion was absurdly huge. Marrying her would save decades of struggle.

“That’s why I need to return to my country,” I explained my plan to everyone. Tia—the Nordic girl in a black gothic skirt—now lived here as part of the organization. “Brother, I’m coming to China with you!” she insisted urgently. But this was something I had to handle alone.

I ruffled her hair. “No need. I can manage this myself.” My unreliable sister, surprisingly serious for once, added: “I’ve already booked your flight to China, Little Brother Cold Creek. Remember to come back to us.” She pulled me into a suffocating hug. *I will.* I wriggled free. “Farewell. Give my regards to Nana and the others.”

Finally, I boarded the flight back to China. A shadow still lingered in my heart. I couldn’t let go of the past as easily as I’d claimed.

Everyone has their reason for living. Mine? I’d never figured it out. But now… I had a small goal: protecting my friends’ smiles.

***

“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated!” A hijacker’s voice crackled over the intercom from the cockpit. “This plane is now under our control. Do *not* move. My men are trigger-happy—they might shoot if startled. Stay in your seats.”

Yueyue Shenlian, heiress to a fortune, had naturally booked me first-class. This flight carried plenty of celebrities and tycoons—which explained my rotten luck.

Chaos erupted. “Do you know who I am? I’m CEO of XX Group! If I die, none of you will escape justice!” A man in a gray suit whipped out a pistol from under his seat and shot the loudmouth dead. *Idiot. Didn’t he know the tallest blade of grass gets cut first?*

Panic spread. “Don’t kill me! I have money—take it all!” A wealthy woman beside the corpse trembled violently, head bowed.

My first thought? *My return to China just got delayed again.* Still… being hijacked was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

***

*BANG!* A gunshot echoed. The hijacker’s voice returned over the intercom: “A plane needs only one captain. Allow me to introduce myself: Kurokawa Fujio. I am your new captain. This flight from Chiba, Japan, is now rerouted to a private island. Enjoy the journey.”

No returning to China today. The hijackers must have insiders in the airline—otherwise, this takeover would’ve been impossible. Money really could buy anything in this world.

A random thought struck me: *Should I use my ability to win the lottery?*

***

The plane was forced to land on a remote island. The pilot’s smooth landing confirmed he was in on it too. Escaping this place wouldn’t be easy.

After dumping the dead man’s body into the sea, the hijacker’s voice boomed again from the cockpit:

“Welcome to your final destination—my kingdom!”