"Amamiya, what were you doing just now?"
After watching Ren clearly finish writing, Aizawa Sakuya asked curiously.
Having completed the daily log, Ren took out a rather ordinary-looking white amulet. It appeared metallic, resembling a special kind of badge.
"This is what I was working on."
Staring at the round badge in front of her, Aizawa Sakuya blurted out instinctively:
"A badge?"
"To be precise, it's an amulet," Ren corrected her simply before explaining further.
"This is actually a defensive amulet, somewhat similar to a flash bomb. When thrown, it emits an intense light. Anyone whose eyes are exposed to that light will be hypnotized by it, losing self-awareness and the ability to resist for a short period of time."
"It was my first time operating it earlier. I didn't expect that some of its power would leak out just as it was nearly completed."
Aizawa Sakuya recalled the bright flash she had seen before fainting. So, it was that flash that had made her dizzy.
However, she didn't feel like she had lost consciousness completely.
So she asked instinctively:
"But I didn't lose consciousness. I only saw the white flash, and then, when the light faded…"
Suddenly, Aizawa Sakuya realized something.
"Amamiya, how long was I unconscious just now?"
"About half an hour… well, to be exact, forty-three minutes," Ren replied after checking the time, giving her an answer accurate down to the minute.
This response left Aizawa Sakuya a little stunned. She genuinely felt like it had only been the blink of an eye. Who would have thought she had been out for so long?
"Lose self-awareness… and resistance… for a short period of time…"
"Forty-three minutes. You call that a short period?"
Aizawa Sakuya felt that forty-three minutes was anything but short.
"That's for ordinary people," Ren replied calmly. "Also, you're still young, and your resistance isn't very strong. For adults, the duration would be shorter, probably around thirty minutes. For those who have undergone special training, it would likely be effective for about twenty minutes."
"If it's Kaguya and the others, it would probably last about one minute at most. For Ran, it would probably only work for twenty seconds."
Listening to Ren's explanation, Aizawa Sakuya felt her earlier judgment had been correct.
"Even so, this amulet is still incredibly powerful. After all, those with special resistance are the minority. Most people in the world are ordinary. This amulet is still very useful."
For ordinary people, it was essentially forced control for forty minutes. If they encountered danger, using this amulet could completely save them from the crisis.
Aizawa Sakuya carefully examined the amulet. On the surface, there was nothing special about it, which meant that most people would not be able to defend against it.
"But if this amulet is used carelessly, wouldn't it also put me at risk?"
Ren nodded slightly.
"There's indeed that issue. This kind of amulet activates when thrown to the ground, and the strong light affects everyone indiscriminately within a fifteen-meter radius. If I'm also within that range, I'd be affected as well."
"But there's actually a way to avoid that. With the right protective measures, the user can prevent being affected."
Aizawa Sakuya agreed that there had to be some kind of safeguard. Otherwise, this amulet would be too dangerous to use.
"Why did you suddenly decide to make this kind of amulet?"
Ren simply shook his head lightly at her question.
"I've actually had the idea for a while. In critical moments, a disposable defensive tool like this could make a huge difference."
"But the main reason is still Sonoko. Her situation is different from others. The power she receives doesn't directly strengthen herself. Her abilities are more auxiliary, so in essence, she's no different from an ordinary girl. She also needs some tools to protect herself."
Aizawa Sakuya understood immediately.
Because of her lack of abilities, Sonoko had to rely on external means to ensure her safety.
As someone who was also an ordinary person, Aizawa Sakuya could easily relate. After all, she had often been targeted for kidnapping in the past. Being from a family that was distant relatives of the Sanzenin, with some assets of their own, it was inevitable that they'd be targeted.
If she had self-defense tools like this back then, it would have made a big difference when dealing with kidnappers.
Ren gently pushed the amulet he made toward Aizawa Sakuya.
"Miss Aizawa, this amulet is for you."
"Huh? For me?"
Although Aizawa Sakuya had really wanted it, she hadn't expected Ren to give it to her. She thought he would be giving it to Sonoko.
"Well, Miss Aizawa is actually in a more dangerous situation. It's necessary for you to have some self-defense tools. Sonoko is usually with us, but Miss Aizawa isn't."
"Hmm…"
Indeed, Aizawa Sakuya hadn't planned to transfer to Teitan High School. She was doing fine at her current school and didn't see the need to transfer.
Under those circumstances, the only times she could meet up with the group were on weekends or when she occasionally took leave.
From that perspective, she was certainly the one who needed self-defense items the most.
"Then, I'll take it."
Without any false modesty, Aizawa Sakuya chose to accept it directly.
"Then, how do I avoid getting caught by the amulet's effect myself? Can I wear sunglasses?"
"That won't work," Ren shook his head slightly.
"The strong light works as a form of hypnosis and suggestion. It's not just ordinary light. Simply turning your head won't help. As long as you catch even a glimpse of the flash, you'll be affected. Unless you use special equipment to cover your eyes completely, it won't make a difference."
"As for the method I mentioned—"
At that moment, the RV slowly came to a stop, cutting off the conversation.
"Amamiya, Sakuya, we're here."
Nagi's excited voice came from the first floor.
Ren shook his head slightly and glanced at Aizawa Sakuya.
"Looks like we'll have to talk about this another time."
Aizawa Sakuya felt a little frustrated, like something had gotten stuck in her throat. The words were right there, yet she had to swallow them back.
But there was no helping it. After all, the weekend trip had already brought them to their destination.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to find time later."
(To be continued.)
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