On one hand, it was a pleasant surprise. This information was a key, a key that could unlock Lynette's defenses and infinitely amplify that'special care.' As long as Serie played the role of the'sister who needed protection'...
But on the other hand...
Annoying... Very annoying!
Could it be that Lynette saw her as a replacement for her sister?
Did Lynette only value Serie for her ability to fill the void left by losing a loved one?
A fake... used to alleviate guilt?
Serie's good impression of Lynette shattered, and she couldn't even tell if this was good news.
At least... Lynette wasn't playing good cop, bad cop?
Damn it... Who cares what Lynette thinks!
It's better if Lynette really does treat her as a replacement!
Anyway... Wasn't Serie also just trying to use Lynette from beginning to end?
Before Serie could fully process these complex emotions, she heard the green-eyed girl sternly say, "But we won't let such accidental events interfere with our judgment, nor will we be fooled by you, an anomaly in human skin, Yuji!"
Her deliberately raised voice carried an undeniable tone, pointing directly at the Asian twin-tailed girl: "Tell her what you found!"
The twin-tailed girl, Yuji, who was suddenly called out, felt her consciousness forcibly dragged back from some distant planet.
She blinked blankly, then slowly turned her head, letting out a long, bewildered nasal sound: "...Huh?"
That lazy, drawn-out "Huh?" instantly shattered the high-pressure atmosphere that the green-eyed girl had painstakingly built up.
The twin-tailed girl named Yuji seemed half-asleep. After a while, she slowly raised her finger, poked the tip of her own nose, and asked uncertainly, "Claudia... did you... call me?"
The green-eyed girl, called Claudia, felt a vein throb at her temple, almost losing her breath.
She suppressed the urge to rub her forehead, squeezing out words through gritted teeth: "It's you! Tell her what you found earlier!"
"Found... Oh—!" Yuji's unfocused eyes finally brightened. She lightly smacked her palm as if enlightened, a relaxed smile spreading across her face. "You mean that! I found that Heinuma Hayato is completely wasting his time!"
"Anomaly S-413," she even friendly nodded towards Serie, "isn't an anomaly at all; there's nothing abnormal about her! I think..."
"You—!" Claudia instantly exploded, grabbing Yuji's collar and pulling her close, almost yelling into her ear, "Did you not hear a single word I just said?! What are you even thinking?!"
Her collar tightened, but Yuji only swayed like a scarecrow blown by the wind.
There was no hint of fear on her face; instead, her eyes began to uncontrollably drift upwards, little by little, as if some ultimate mystery on the ceiling was waiting for her to solve.
And then...
She zoned out again...
This whole commotion was like a bucket of cold water dousing Serie's fear, leaving only a mind full of questions, finding these people a bit inexplicable.
Masters, what kind of work do you all do?
Could they be... Heinuma Hayato's people? Here to deliberately make things difficult for her?
While the two were entangled, Serie's thoughts quickly returned to the problem posed by 'Newborn.'
Ignoring all 'illusory'...
That feeling of penetrating physical obstacles was indeed tempting, but wasn't Wildfire Witch's Raging Flame Remnant Body also moving in that direction?
Although it could only partially transform into flames now, in time, a complete transformation into pure flames might not be impossible.
And speed beyond all else... Including herself, Serie had three bodies, none of which excelled in speed.
After such consideration, the answer became clear in Serie's mind. She ultimately chose to "pursue extreme speed that transcends all limitations."
"Key elements... analyzed..."
"Generating Witch Template—"
At the same time, Serie activated Twin Phantoms.
Her vision suddenly split.
On one side were Claudia and Yuji arguing, and behind them, the bespectacled man who wanted to mediate but kept opening and closing his mouth.
On the other side... why was her face wet...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world.
Just as Serie tried to open her eyes, several large drops of icy water splashed into her eyes!
"Damn it..." She cursed under her breath, fiercely raising a hand to wipe her face, struggling to sit up. "What the hell? Is it raining?"
But what met her eyes was not the outdoor rain at all, but a... gigantic metal space?
Lingering gunpowder mixed with moisture entered her nostrils, and beside her leg lay a blood-stained horse-head mask.
The heavily distorted metal door, twisted and deformed by an explosion, hung askew, revealing empty metal shelves inside, with charred fragments and scraps of paper scattered on the floor.
Several stubborn flames burned on a pile of debris in the corner, and the rising thick smoke was furiously triggering the smoke alarm overhead.
The deluge-like sprinkler system was pouring down on Serie, as if saying—
Grow, little flower, grow~
Serie was completely drenched.
"What the hell... is going on?!" Serie was utterly bewildered. She instinctively brought up the 'Witch' interface to investigate.
Dense water droplets splattered on the metal floor and debris, making a sound like a heavy downpour. Serie's attention was entirely on the 'Witch' panel, and she didn't hear the ticking sound like a timer, nor the increasingly loud sirens in the distance.
Name: Billy Costa
Code Name: Neon Shadow Witch
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Race: Human | Witch
Attributes: Strength E | Endurance D | Charm A | Agility D (S after activating Super Flash Shadow) | Spirit D
Evaluation: A figure comparable to the speed of light, more adept at maneuvering, escaping, and drawing on enemies' faces than direct combat.
Ability: Super Flash Shadow: You can absorb all electricity as an energy source. Consuming stored electricity allows you to gain extreme speed beyond common sense. When the ability is activated, a powerful electrostatic field will generate around you. This force field will protect you and objects you touch, neutralizing the reactive force and physical impact generated by extreme speed movement. (Current Power: 0%)
Background Introduction: A reckless experiment by your parents in your childhood caused havoc to everything nearby, including you, who was practicing sprints on the lawn a hundred meters away, preparing for next week's youth competition.
Purple-blue lightning struck you, but you were not only unharmed; you didn't even notice it.
It wasn't until the competition started the following week, the moment the starting gun fired, that you felt time passing at an extremely slow pace.
As soon as you started running, you ran from a track and field in New York to the Gum Wall in Seattle.
When you returned to the competition venue with your pockets full of unpaid bubblegum and My Little Pony dolls, crossing the finish line, less than ten seconds had passed.
However, you seemed to have thought things too simply...
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