"Clap...clap...clap..." The crisp, monotonous applause echoed in the empty, lifeless ruins of the department store, sounding particularly jarring, as if pounding on everyone's heart.

"Congratulations, you idiot bro."

Ah Quan's voice came from the shadows, carrying a cold, almost cruel calm.

“I…no, I can give you a chance.” She held up a finger and pointed to the steps at Qianyuan’s feet.

"As long as you take two steps back and leave this place, I will pretend that nothing happened today, and you can leave safely and unharmed."

Her tone suddenly turned sharp, filled with undisguised murderous intent:

"But on the other hand—if you want to come here to die, if you think your life is too long... then go ahead and step forward."

These words, like an ultimatum, instantly increased the pressure in the air. Shido's palms sweated with tension, and he even held his breath.

However, faced with this blatant threat, Chiin smiled again, a smile that conveyed both relief and resolve.

But soon, his smile faded, and his expression returned to calm, even with an unusual serenity.

"When I first learned of your existence, and discovered that I had a 'sister' like that..."

Chiin spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"To be honest, I was terrified. My legs were weak, my whole body was trembling, and I was ready to turn around and run away at any moment. I wanted to treat it all as a nightmare."

His words seemed to unveil a long-buried wound, trembling slightly.

"My heart succumbed to that immense, unknown 'evil' and terrifying bondage... After you erased my memories, I lived... a life of aimless wandering like a stray dog."

Shido, standing to the side, couldn't help but cover his earpiece and whisper to Kotori, "Is he talking nonsense? How could such a thing happen? He was living a perfectly good life before..." Kotori could only remain silent.

Chiin seemed oblivious to Shido's complaints, or perhaps he was completely absorbed in his own narrative; his voice gradually took on a deep sense of lingering fear and realization:

“I used to… even longed for a life without you, thinking that would bring me peace. But now I realize that the emptiness of a life without such an important part of you… is more terrifying than death.”

He paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening and hardening, as if a flame were burning within it:

"But, but now... standing here, facing you, I don't feel the slightest fear."

He raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and pressed it against his chest. "At this moment, my heart is filled with nothing but boiling fighting spirit! The friendship with Shido and Kotori, the encounter with that idiot Tohka, and learning about the situation and suffering faced by the Spirits."

"...All of this, like sunshine, has completely dispelled the fear I had of you!"

He raised his head, meeting Ah Quan's gaze hidden in the shadows without fear: "So, I've come."

On the platform, A-Quan gently licked her glossy lips, and in the shadows, one could almost see a dangerous and eerie curve at the corners of her mouth.

"Is that really true? That sounds so sweet..." Her voice was seductive and provocative.

"Then come on up, my... silly brother."

The final step seemed to become the boundary between safety and danger, past and future.

Chiin took a deep breath, and without the slightest hesitation, lifted her foot and resolutely stepped onto the first step leading to A-Quan.

The gears of fate began to turn faster with this step.

Chapter 216 My Foolish Onii-chan

Qianyuan's feet firmly stepped onto the second step.

The moment his shoes made a soft sound as they hit the concrete steps, Ah Quan above moved!

Without warning, without afterimage, she seemed to transform into a dark purple lightning bolt that tore through space, appearing suddenly in front of Senin at a speed that was impossible for the naked eye to perceive!

A pale hand, yet brimming with terrifying power, gripped Chiin's neck with precision and ruthlessness, like an iron clamp, slamming him against the load-bearing wall behind him!

"boom--!"

With a muffled thud, dust fell from the wall.

"How... ugly, my brother!" A-Quan's golden eyes burned with anger and a disappointment that was almost like a heartbroken man. She pressed Qian Yuan against the wall, making his feet off the ground, and her voice trembled slightly because of the suppressed anger.

"You're still so stupid!"

"Why?! Why not pursue power! Why not pursue the power that rightfully belongs to 'us,' the power that can trample all rules?!"

Chiin was being choked until he could hardly breathe, his face turning red, but he gripped A-Quan's wrists tightly with both hands, trying to break free, squeezing out broken words through gritted teeth:

"Power...? I...I don't know anything about power...I only know...my family...something happened...I...have to...take care of it!"

"Family? Settle it? With your weak appearance?!" A-Quan seemed to be completely enraged by his words, and pressed his other hand hard against Qian Yuan's chest!

Sizzle—!

A burst of violent purple lightning erupted instantly, like countless venomous snakes burrowing into Qianyuan's body!

His whole body convulsed violently, his teeth clenched so hard they rattled, and his eyes were bloodshot. The intense pain almost made him faint instantly, and his vision began to blur.

“You’re still the same! Stubborn to the end!” A-Quan’s voice was icy cold, close to his ear, like the whisper of a demon.

"Without power, you can't protect anything! Just like before! Just like when you missed it all and could only watch helplessly as everything happened! Your hatred... your awareness... is far from enough, my brother!!"

Zila——! ! !

A second, even stronger wave of electric shocks followed! Chiin's body arched violently, letting out a suppressed groan of pain. Finally, his consciousness was completely swallowed by darkness, his head drooped limply, and he fell into a coma.

Looking at the completely unconscious Senin, the rage in A-Quan's eyes subsided slightly, replaced by a complex emotion mixed with disappointment, pity, and a certain obsession.

She released her grip on his neck and tossed Chiin's body aside.

She looked down at the unconscious Chiin, and as if making a declaration, coldly repeated the words that seemed to be engraved deep in her soul:

"And my answer remains the same. No matter how many years pass, no matter how many times it's repeated, I will say the same thing—"

She leaned slightly forward, her voice low and clear:

“'Foolish brother, come back to me when you've become stronger. So that when we meet again, I can at least… show some respect for your power, and then… kill you!'”

However, the moment the crucial words "I'll kill you" were uttered—

A-Quan's body stiffened abruptly. She suddenly released her grip, covered her head, and let out a suppressed groan of pain.

On that face that was originally filled with madness and coldness, a twist of extreme pain flashed across it in an instant. In her golden eyes, blue light like a data stream and dark purple lightning flashed wildly and alternately, as if something was violently clashing within her body.

"Uh... ah..."

She staggered back half a step, shook her head, and the sudden, sharp pain seemed to interrupt what she was about to say and also shattered the cold atmosphere she had deliberately created.

The sudden, intense headache subsided like a receding tide, and the frenzied dark purple lightning and chaotic data stream in A-Quan's eyes gradually calmed down, replaced by a calmer, more rational blue glow.

She shook her head, as if trying to dispel the last trace of discomfort, then looked down at Qianyuan, who lay unconscious on the ground, his body charred black, and sighed softly, with a sense of helplessness.

This sigh carried a completely different emotion from Ah Quan's earlier one—it was worry, heartache, and a sense of helplessness that "it was bound to turn out this way."

She ignored the unconscious Chiin and turned her gaze to the top of the stairs.

When she saw Shido nervously protecting Yoshino with a wary expression, and the blue-haired girl behind him trembling with fear and tears welling in her azure eyes, her fierce aura completely subsided.

She slowly walked up the stairs, her steps light and steady, until she reached Yoshino, who was still terrified.

Under Shido's watchful gaze, she bent down slightly and gently ruffled Yoshino's soft blue curly hair, her movements tender, a stark contrast to Izumi's rough embrace just moments before.

"It's alright, it's all alright now..." Her voice softened considerably, carrying a reassuring tone. "I'm sorry, I scared you just now."

Yoshino sensed this kindness and relaxed slightly, but still asked timidly in a voice barely audible, "Where...Where is Ms. Izumi?"

Yoshina, on her left hand, immediately chimed in, asking in a tone that was still comical but noticeably more cautious:

"Yes, yes, where did that... uh, 'lively' lady go?"

Upon hearing this question, Chinatsu gave a complex smile. She glanced at Yoshino, then gave a meaningful look at Chiin lying on the ground, and explained softly:

"A-Quan... is taking a break for now. My relationship with her is probably... similar to your relationship with Yoshino."

The analogy was simple and intuitive, and Yoshino and Yoshina seemed to understand something instantly. Yoshino let out a soft "ah," blinked her big, watery eyes, and nodded as if she understood.

After calming Yoshino down, Chinatsu straightened up and turned her gaze to Shido, who was standing to the side with a complicated expression.

The gentle expression on her face faded slightly, her brows furrowed, revealing a clear disapproval and a hint of anger. Her eyes looked as if she were looking at a disobedient child who had caused trouble for the family.

She walked up to Shido, slightly raised her chin, and although she might not be as tall as Shido, she had an undeniable aura at this moment.

"Well then, now it's your turn, Itsuka Shido." Her voice carried a hint of coquettish questioning, but her eyes were very serious.

"Could you please explain why... my brother, Chiin, was dragged into this dangerous 'vortex'?"

She pointed to the unconscious Qianyuan on the ground, her tone filled with heartache and reproach:

"He's just an ordinary person; he shouldn't have come into contact with elves, much less face... 'us'. What are you really thinking?"

Faced with Chika's questioning, Shido was speechless for a moment, and his face showed obvious guilt and remorse.

He opened his mouth, but found it difficult to find a perfect reason to explain. Involving his friend in this extraordinary war had indeed been one of his long-standing concerns.

Chapter 217 Two Kinds of Invitations

Faced with Chika's reproachful questioning, Shido sighed deeply, knowing that he indeed bore an inescapable responsibility for this matter.

He overcame his momentary embarrassment, his expression becoming serious and solemn, and began to explain the considerations behind it.

"Chika, you're right. It's my responsibility to involve Chiin."

Shido said frankly, looking directly at Chinatsu, "But please believe me, this is not what we wanted, but rather a result of the circumstances."

He paused, organized his thoughts, and continued, "Chiin... didn't truly distance himself from this vortex just because you deleted his memories."

“An organization called ‘DEM’ has been capturing Pokémon worldwide, and they’re ruthless in their methods. If they discover your relationship with Chiin, and find out he’s your only blood relative…”

Shido's tone turned serious: "They will do anything to capture him and use him as a hostage to deal with you. At that time, Senin's situation will be a thousand times more dangerous than it is now."

“We informed him and got him involved in order to protect him and also to gain the upper hand before DEM could take action.”

He looked into Chika's eyes, trying to make her understand the helplessness and necessity behind it:

"We can't keep him in the dark forever; that would only put him in greater danger due to his ignorance. So..."

Just as Shido was about to further explain Ratatoskr's ideas and the "sealing" plan, trying to gain Chika's understanding or even cooperation, Chika gently raised her hand and interrupted him.

"That's enough." Qianxia's voice was calm, yet it carried a knowing understanding that knew everything. "There's no need to say anything more. I already understand your reasons for telling him the truth."

Her gaze fell once more on the unconscious Qianyuan on the ground, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

There was heartache, helplessness, and perhaps a barely perceptible anger at her brother for disregarding his own safety.

But deep within those eyes lay a profound and inseparable bond.

She watched quietly for a few seconds, as if trying to imprint this moment in her heart.

Then, she withdrew her gaze and looked back at Shido, her tone becoming serious:

"So……"

Chika's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable sense of entrustment.

"I'll leave my clumsy and stubborn older brother in your care for now."

"He's fine now, he's just unconscious at most. Let this idiot lie on the ground for a while, ignore him, consider it punishment."

This statement not only entrusts Chiin's safety to Shido, but also implies that she temporarily approves of Shido and the organization behind him's "protection" plan for Chiin.

Just as Shido was looking in Chinatsu's direction, with many questions still in his mind—especially about the truth behind Chiin's mysterious disappearance—and was about to ask, Chinatsu's voice seemed to see through his thoughts and rang out again, interrupting his unspoken question.

“Now,” Chika’s voice regained its calm and detached tone, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness and a “that’s enough” feel to it, “the time for formalities and family ethics is over. It’s time to get down to business.”

Her figure did not reappear, but her words came clearly, as if they were right next to my ear.

She slowly turned around, her gaze no longer fixed on Shido, but instead falling directly on Yoshino, who was still somewhat uneasy and was being subtly protected behind Shido.

A smile, both rational and approachable, returned to his face, a stark contrast to the seriousness he displayed when facing Shido earlier.

She walked back, gracefully crouched down in front of Yoshino, her gaze level with the petite blue-haired girl, and then extended a hand to her, palm up, in an inviting gesture.

“Yoshino, and Yoshina,” Chinatsu’s voice was soft, yet carried a firm strength, “I am creating an organization called ‘Anti-Entropy’.”

She looked into Yoshino's deep blue eyes, which held a mixture of confusion and curiosity, and explained earnestly:

"The purpose of this organization is to rescue elves like us and to seek justice from those 'bad people' who know the truth about elves but deliberately conceal it or even use the truth to their advantage and harm us."

Her tone gradually became serious: "Humans use force to suppress us and fear to drive us away. So, elves must naturally retaliate with force to protect themselves! Blindly giving in will not bring true peace, and endless tolerance will only embolden the other side!"

Her words struck like a hammer blow to the soul: "Dignity exists only on the edge of a sword! Truth exists only within the range of force! Only when we defeat our enemies, make them fear us, and make them clearly realize that harming us comes at an unbearable price, will they be willing to sit down and treat us in an equal and peaceful manner!"

Chika's gaze was intense, filled with conviction: "Right now, Anti-Entropy needs companions, it needs power. Yoshino, Yoshina, I need your power. Would you... join us?"

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