He seemed to be staring at Mana. A faint smile formed at his lips.
"Long time no see Sister."
Mana frowned. She recognized that younger brother, with whom she was never close.
"Ouma Shu?"
"It's me, Sis."
Shu smiled, but that emotionless curve of his mouth sent chills down their spines. He raised his right hand, fingertips swirling with purple crystalline specks.
"The Apocalypse Virus?!"
Mana exclaimed, startled. She knew that power all too well from its distinctive aura.
"Surprised?" Shu said.
"I never imagined I'd return in this form eitherthe virus chose me, Sister. I'm Adam now."
That once-ordinary student Ouma Shu was gone, replaced by a menacing Adam, exuding danger. He spread his arms wide, nearly manic.
"Sister Come join me once more as Eve, so we can forge a new world!"
Mana glowered.
"You're the chosen Adam? Or maybe just a hostunable to break free of the virus?"
""
Shu tilted his head, the violet glow in his eye intensifying.
"'Break free'?"
He repeated softly. Then he laugheda mocking laugh.
"No, Sister."
"You're just running away from your true essence. We were born to remake the world."
Reaching out a hand:
"Come with me, so we can reshape it together."
Another invitation. Mana's expression, however, remained calm.
"I refuse," she said firmly. Because of Rei Ao, she was no longer that Eve controlled by the virus.
"I've found the life I truly wantand the one I truly love. I won't return to that madness. You're nobody to mehow do you have the right to invite me anywhere?"
Her words were blunt, treating Shu like a stranger. Hearing this, Shu's face hardened. The courtyard lights flickered, and the air quivered slightly.
"You fell in love with someone else?"
He spoke in a voice so low it was barely audible.
"Heh Hahahahaha"
All at once, Shu erupted in mad laughter, tinged with despair.
"How ridiculous!"
"I came back seeking Eve, like the Apocalypse demanded. But the former Eve says this?!"
He grabbed the bandages around his head and yanked them off. Mana and Inori both tensed. Shu's right eye had entirely crystallized, purple virus markings crawling from his eyelid across half his cheek, an evil-looking pattern.
"Look at the world, Sister!"
He threw his arms wide. Tiny purple cracks spread across the ground beneath his feet.
"A world so fake, filthy, full of lies! Only we can purge it! You must've seen it as well, thanks to the Apocalypseso why don't you understand?!"
Mana raised a brow inwardly. He's beyond saving. The virus must have shown him too many visions, just as it did to her. In other words, he'd gone mad. His voice climbed to a near roar:
"Since you refuse to be my Eve, I'll make this world bury itself with me!"
Purple light burst from Shu's entire body.
"!!!"
Mana and Inori had to shield their eyes. When they opened them again, the area was filled with soaring purple crystals.
"You turned me down, Sister," Shu said, voice eerily calm, more frightening than his earlier mania.
"Then witness the Lost Christmas once again."
He lifted his hands. A violet beam shot into the sky. From afar came thunderous crashes, the earth trembling violently. Through a shattered window, they saw the city center's ground heaving upward.
A colossal purple crystal tower thrust out from beneath the streets, spearing into the clouds. Standing in the midst of it, virus markings covering most of his body, Shu looked down at Mana, not a shred of humanity in his gaze.
"If I can't create a new world with you, then I'll destroy this old one. Farewell, Sister."
His figure faded into the purple glow, only his voice echoing in the air. More massive crystal pillars erupted from the ground. Drawn by the commotion, Arisa and Ayase rushed out, looking on in shock.
"What happened?!"
""
Mana's face was grim. She glanced at Inori:
"This time, I'm afraid we do need Rei Ao."
"Yes!"
Inori nodded emphatically, opening the chat group.
~~~
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Chapter 611: Wanting to steal my woman? The nerve...
On the other side of the city
Alarms blared through GHQ's headquarters.
"Apocalypse Virus outbreak!"
Operators reported in a panic.
"It's the same pattern as Lost Christmas, butthe energy readings are even higher!"
Keid Shichir stood before the surveillance screens, wearing a grim expression as he watched the towering pillar of purple crystal rise in the heart of the city.
"Why is it starting now?"
Clearly, something had gone wrong. Of everyone in this world, he was likely the person most knowledgeable about the Apocalypse Virushe'd even created the so-called "Three Kings" power.
He, too, had been scheming to harness Adam's power to forge a new world. This turn of events caught him off guard; his face darkened as he stared at the monitor, then issued a cold command:
"Announce the advent of the Second Lost Christmas!"
In the Chat Group
Inori: @Rei Ao, something strange is happening here.
The timing was apt, as Rei Ao had just finished his own "business." He apologized to Sayuri:
"Looks like we'll have to pause here."
"Yes, I see,"
Sayuri responded, still looking a bit dazed as she snuggled against his shoulder.
"Go handle your affairs. We can continue anytimeand besides"
She blushed.
"I need a little rest too."
For Sayuri, that onslaught from Rei Ao had been quite intense, even if he seemed fine. Also, with Eriri around at home, she felt too embarrassed to go further. Rei Ao offered a small smile. He had gone a bit farher wearing Eriri's uniform was simply too tempting.
Sitting up, he refocused on the chat:
Rei Ao: "Inori, if it's not too urgent, could you describe the situation more clearly?"
Inori: "It might not be immediate. Mana says the Second Lost Christmas is starting."
Miko Yotsuya: "Lost Christmas? Is that a Christmas celebration?"
Shiba Miyuki: "If it were a celebration, they'd be happy. But Inori obviously sounds like it's a crisis."
Inori: "Lost Christmas refers to the imminent outbreak of the Apocalypse Virus, accelerating crystallization in infected people."
Busujima Saeko: "The Apocalypse VirusI see, so a disaster is about to break out?"
Inori: "Yes. Just now, a man named Ouma Shu showed up and asked Mana to become Eve. When Mana refused, he started raging, and then it all turned into this. He said he'd create a new world, and Mana says he's become Adam."
Bibi Dong: "Sounds like he's gone mad."
Rei Ao: "By my guess, that's about rightlikely brainwashed by the Apocalypse Virus. Calling him insane wouldn't be far off."
Rei Ao: "@Inori, just open a trade request. I'll come over now."
Inori: "Understood."
[Ding! Inori has initiated a trade request!]
[Trade Content]: Resolve the Lost Christmas incident.
[Ding! Please select trade conditions!]
[Ding! Trade has commenced!]
[Trade target]: Inori
[Trade content]: Resolve the Lost Christmas incident.
[Trade condition]: "Unlimited Body Usage Rights"
When the trade was confirmed, Rei Ao leaned in to give Sayuri a parting kiss.
"Sorry, guess that's it for today."
"It's alright~"
She gave a gentle smile, teasingly rubbing her stomach as she stuck out her tongue.
"Honestly, I'm already very satisfied. If we went any further, it'd get messy."
Although she wouldn't have minded, she was a bit self-conscious about Eriri being nearby.
"I'll make it up to you next time," he promised. Seeing Sayuri unbothered, he felt at ease. Still, he flicked his gaze toward the door and quietly reminded her:
"Don't forget to comfort Eriri."
With that, he traveled to Inori's location.
"Huh?!"
Sayuri blinked as he vanished. She gazed at the bedroom door, then called softly:
"Eriri?"
"Waaah!!!"
A startled cry came from outside.
""
Sayuri's cheeks flamed. So Eriri had been right there at the door!
Outside, by the Courtyard
Tsugumi looked anxious. Ever since that purple tower appeared downtown, the air felt oppressive. Another Lost Christmas. That previous catastrophe returning left hardly anyone calm. She was still an ordinary girl who hadn't even experienced a normal romancehow could she not be scared?
In contrast, Arisa Kuhouin and Inori seemed remarkably composed.
"What do we do now?!"
Tsugumi asked in panic.
"Are we just going to wait?"
Arisa remained calm.
"Wait?"
Tsugumi became more agitated. "Shouldn't we run?!"
"Run? Where to? The scope of Lost Christmas might cover all of Roppongi at minimumor even the entire world. We can't possibly escape that quickly."
"Then are we just going to sit here and wait to die?!"
Tsugumi felt overwhelming despair. She didn't want to die before she'd fully lived.
"I said we're waiting, not waiting to die,"
Arisa said, frowning.
But Ayase Shinomiya caught on:
"You're talking about waiting for him?"
"Not 'him,' but Master,"
Arisa corrected solemnly.
"Er you mean Rei Ao? Right, the rumored 'Superman from Another World'? Is he really coming to save us?"
Tsugumi glanced around. "I don't see him anywhere. This might be a scam."
Arisa was about to scold her again, but her expression abruptly changed, brightening with joy.
"Master!!!"
Inori and the others turned. There stood Rei Ao behind Ayase's wheelchair.
"Wah! Who are you?!"
Tsugumi jumped. He'd appeared so silently that it was terrifying.
"Me? Possibly your 'master,' I guess,"
Rei Ao teased lightly.
"Huh?!"
"We can discuss that later. First, let's handle what's happening now."
His gaze fell on the distant purple crystal tower. His eyes narrowed, lips curling in a cold sneer.
"Adam? Hah, wanting to steal my womanwho gave you the nerve?!"
~~~
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Chapter 612: Clowns...
The city fell into chaos.
Purple crystals spread like a plague, devouring everything in their path. Terrified screams resounded as people scattered in every direction, only to be swallowed by the burgeoning crystal.
The sky glowed an eerie purplish-red, as if the end of days had come.
In the center of the city, a towering structure of crystalformed by countless crystallizationsrose skyward. A sinister red glimmer flickered atop it.
Under that blood-red glow, the sky was threaded with strange purple lines criss crossing like a spider's web, turning it ominous. Small fragments of viral crystal drifted down, each reflecting twisted, agonized human faces.
At the tower's base coiled innumerable purple, eye-studded tendrils. Artillery fire thundered continuously.
"Charge!!!"
Armored GHQ soldiers rushed forward, struggling to fight those crystalline tentacles. Some fired their guns, but every second, someone else got crystallized by a tentacle's onslaught.
"Aaaah!"
Screams rose amid the roar of cannon fire, merging into a dreadful chorus. An even more bizarre melee, though, took place: GHQ forces clashed head-on with Funeral Parlor.
Both aimed for the tower, while also forced to deal with fresh crystal spikes that speared up from the ground. Each side knew of the Apocalypse Virus and the existence of Lost Christmas.
Keido Shuichiro and Ouma Gai:
They both believed the second Apocalypse outbreak had been triggered by Ouma Mana, and each wanted to see her, hoping to fuse with her to become Adam. Hence, they fought to stop each other.
"All troops, retreat! The second defensive line has fallen!"
Gai's voice boomed through a loudspeaker. His body had aged so drastically that he needed a life-support exoskeleton to stand, but he still insisted on commanding.
Funeral Parlor had fewer than twenty members left, and GHQ was in poor shape as well; heavy mechs exploded one after another within the purple crystal clusters. Both sides were desperate to claim the position of Adam.
Just then, several figures suddenly appeared in the center of the battlefield.
"Ouma Shu, are you not going to come out?"
Rei Ao's cold voice rang out. Everyone halted. The GHQ commander, Keido Shuichiro, pushed aside his guards, eyes peering in astonishment from behind his glasses. Ouma Gai stood there with a stunned expression, staring at one of the figures who had arrived: Ouma Mana.
He remembered how he'd escaped from the lab in the past, drifting around until he ran into Mana, who gave him some food. From that day on, he admired her deeply.
But later, when Lost Christmas happened and he learned Mana had caused it, he resolved to become Adam himself. Now, unbelievably, Mana was here in the flesh! Though more mature than that memory, he couldn't possibly mistake her:
"Mana! Is it you?!"
He opened his powered suit's visor, shouting excitedly. Mana glanced back, eyebrows raised:
"Who are you?"
"!!!"
Her disregard failed to anger Gai; rather, he grew even more elated.
"I'm Ouma Gai! You saved my life once, and I want to save you now. Let me become Adam!"
Now that it truly was Ouma Mana, he pulled out a Void Genomic vial and gulped it down in one go.
"Look, this is my power as a King!"
""
Watching his display, both Tsugumi and Ayase wore looks of disgust. Once, they'd trusted him. Now he was using the Funeral Parlor as disposable pawns. They'd witnessed countless comrades perish.
"No, I'M the rightful candidate to become Adam! Mana, let's reign over the new world together!"
Hearing Gai's declaration, Keido Shuichiro also stepped forward, unwilling to let anyone else take the seat of Adam.
Mana frowned in utter revulsion. She clung to Rei Ao's arm and said in a sweet, aggrieved voice,
"Rei Ao, they're bullying me!"
Rei Ao smirked.
"Don't worry; they won't survive long."
He turned to the pair with a mocking grin.
"You two aren't after 'Adam's seat'you're after Eve's seat."
Since Ouma Shu was Adam, that made Mana the Eve. A messed-up love triangle, if there ever was one.
Seeing Mana so intimate with an unfamiliar man made both Gai and Shichir seethe with jealousy. One simply felt envy, the other angry he might lose the position of Adam.
At that moment, the tower suddenly emitted a deep hum. Innumerable crystal spikes rained like a monsoon onto the ground.
"Sister, so you came after all."
