Could the culprit behind the successive Aberrant attack events actually be 'Epiphany Manufacture'?
To be honest... Su Yuzu felt really mixed inside.
Because... the name of the in-game purchase store was 'Epiphany Manufacture'.
From the most basic stamina potions, 'Medical Units', and standard equipment... all the way to the 'Ten-Pull Headhunting Permit' bought to pull for 'waifus', most had the 'Epiphany Manufacture' tag.
When Yamabuki Nanako said that for 'Epiphany Manufacture', money was just a number, Su Yuzu absolutely did not doubt it at all. After all, that was all funded bit by bit by pay-to-win whales just like her.
So... upon hearing that the mastermind might be 'Epiphany Manufacture', even if it might just be a laboratory affiliated with 'Epiphany Manufacture', Su Yuzu's mood was extremely complicated.
There was a strange, subtle feeling of having spent money in a game only to fund the final Boss.
Su Yuzu looked at the exquisite girl frozen on the screen, as well as the map beside it marking the girl's location.
The exquisite girl, with her head tilted up as if gazing at the screen, had jet-black eyes that wouldn't make anyone think she was an Aberrant.
"Did Director Saionji not stop her earlier?" Beside Su Yuzu, Unohana Chiyo, who had been staring at the map in silence for a long time, suddenly asked.
Saionji Sagara simply shook her head. "I didn't go."
"Eh?" Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was a bit confused. "Why..."
"My student is here." Saionji Sagara looked up at Mihou Sakai inside the emergency medical pod.
"Moreover..."
Saionji Sagara looked at the Aberrant girl frozen on the screen.
"She is just a knife sent to Keigunen."
"Weapons are certainly dangerous."
"But the one holding the knife is even more terrifying."
Saionji Sagara reached out her hand, taking out an amber-like ability crystal from her pocket. Sealed within the 'amber'... was a shattered earphone.
The design of the earphone had smooth and sci-fi lines, but most importantly... on the edge of the earphone, Su Yuzu clearly saw a line of small text.
[Epiphany]
[Epiphany Manufacture].
The 'kite' released into Keigunen Private Academy had its string cut.
"Now is our best opportunity."
Turning back to look at Yamabuki Nanako, a glint seemed to flash across Saionji Sagara's glasses. "Didn't you want a base body?"
"Isn't there the best possible base body right there?"
She didn't hide from Director Saionji her suspicion that the Aberrant might be coming for her.
Su Yuzu didn't like the feeling of hiding everything.
Although... the living throne suppressed within her chest was indeed a secret that couldn't be spoken of directly.
But regarding herself... there was also the Keigunen secret that she was the so-called 'seventh rule-type ability user' observed in human history.
Saionji Sagara nodded to indicate she understood.
To be honest, she also had speculations in this regard. After all... the only intersection between the Saotome family's young lady and Mihou Sakai, who was from a nearly destitute family, was Su Yuzu.
It was just that she hadn't mentioned it in front of Su Yuzu.
She didn't want her student to feel guilty. To feel a sense of guilt that... it was because of her that her kouhai got hurt.
After repeatedly warning Su Yuzu to be careful and cautious, and suggesting that she could even move directly into Unohana Chiyo's dormitory for the next few days if necessary, Saionji Sagara watched Unohana Chiyo and Su Yuzu leave.
Saionji Sagara propped her hands on the edge of the console.
Looking at the Aberrant girl frozen on the screen, a deep worry suddenly rose in her heart.
Only one rule-type ability user would appear in every era.
She would become the hope of this era, but... she would also inevitably become the center of the vortex of this era.
'Eye of Insight' had already noticed Su Yuzu.
'Epiphany Manufacture' had very likely noticed Su Yuzu as well.
Compared to 'Epiphany Manufacture', what Saionji Sagara was more worried about... was the Aberrant faction.
Those Aberrants were also evolving. They would no longer allow a rule-type ability user to grow to a level where they could threaten them.
Just like that Saintess from the 'Holy Royal Court' who willingly broke her own wings.
If they discovered Su Yuzu, they would definitely strangle her in the cradle before she could grow up.
Saionji Sagara's expression was somewhat sorrowful.
She had already lost a student once; she didn't want to lose one a second time.
She had to protect Yuzu.
She must... protect Yuzu.
*
"Sorry..." Leaving the laboratory with Su Yuzu and Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi, Unohana Chiyo apologized to Su Yuzu.
Little Mihou Sakai was left in the laboratory to recuperate.
If only Yamabuki Nanako were in the lab, Su Yuzu would never have left the girl there no matter what.
But if Director Saionji was there too, then there was no problem. Su Yuzu trusted Director Saionji very much.
Of course—
She would also closely monitor the 'Operator Development' of the girls around her these few days. Last night she almost lost the Little Rabbit, and today she almost lost Mihou Sakai.
"What is Ms. Unohana apologizing to me for..." Su Yuzu also looked a bit tired.
"Yamabuki..." When Unohana Chiyo mentioned Yamabuki Nanako, Su Yuzu's brows furrowed.
Even if Yamabuki Nanako was also one of Su Yuzu's Operators.
But... her words today still made Su Yuzu feel very uncomfortable.
Su Yuzu had almost directly grabbed a 'Primary Combat Records' and smashed it onto her face, letting Yamabuki Nanako witness what 'Lady Fate's Heavy Blow' meant.
Unohana Chiyo showed an apologetic look. "Actually... Yamabuki used to work in a laboratory under 'Epiphany Manufacture' as well."
"When it comes to matters regarding 'Epiphany Manufacture', she gets a bit extreme..."
"It's fine, Ms. Unohana." Su Yuzu looked at Unohana Chiyo, who wanted to defend Yamabuki Nanako. "Let's not mention this anymore."
"I understand."
Yamabuki Nanako was, after all, Unohana Chiyo's friend for many years.
Su Yuzu didn't want to make things difficult for Unohana Chiyo because of Yamabuki Nanako.
Seeing that the girl didn't even want to bring it up again, Unohana Chiyo could only bite her lip and swallow her words.
She didn't notice.
In her conversation with Su Yuzu, unknowingly, she seemed to have already handed the initiative over to Su Yuzu.
"Then..."
"Does Yuzu want to stay at my place for the next few days?" Seeing the girl's seemingly unhappy appearance, Unohana Chiyo hurriedly changed the subject.
"I still have two spare rooms that can be tidied up."
"And I don't have habits like excessive drinking or staying up late, and I don't snore when I sleep..."
Unohana Chiyo's voice got lower and lower, and it seemed to be veering off in a strange direction.
Su Yuzu was just about to answer.
Suddenly—
"No!!!" A voice even more urgent than Su Yuzu's rang out from inside the training hall.
Soga Yura ran toward Su Yuzu, gasping for breath.
From the moment she heard the Aberrant attack alarm, she had started sprinting in the direction of her precious Yuzu.
Because she had been running for too long, Soga Yura's lips seemed about to lose their color, even feeling a bit numb.
Even though she could barely catch her breath, she still struggled to pant out her refusal of Unohana Chiyo's proposal.
Her crimson eyes landed on Unohana Chiyo.
Then... the moment she saw Unohana Chiyo's voluptuous figure, Soga Yura suddenly felt she couldn't quite bite her lip.
She associated this with the girls around Yuzu, whose figures were one better than the other.
Damn it...
What exactly was it that made her Yuzu's aesthetic sense gradually become so twisted!
"No!!!" Soga Yura crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Absolutely not... no one is allowed to snatch away her Yuzu!
________________________________________
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