Raizen gripped the branch harder. His fingers sank deeper into bark than expected. Not because the wood softened. Because he stopped weighing what he should.
Cloaks lifted slightly. The edges of fabric drifted like they were underwater. Chairs creaked and shifted. Some members reacted instantly, hands snapping toward the table or their seats, trying to anchor. Others didn't move at all.
The crowned woman stayed calm.
The device glowed brighter.
Raizen's body lifted.
Not much. Only a few centimeters.
Then more.
Hikari lifted too.
Raizen's heart was beating quickly, panicked. His hand shot out and found a jagged corner, a rough edge that cut into his palm as he grabbed it.
He swung his other hand toward Hikari without thinking and caught her wrist.
He gripped a bit too hard.
Hikari's eyes didn't even leave the dome.
