Popularity is everything; I play a super genius

That's right. A third-tier Echoer's armor can only focus on one aspect. In other words, at that time, their armor was not perfect and had weaknesses!

However, once you reach the fourth tier, you can unlock the second form—

"Imaginary armor" superimposed with "mental primordial outer garment"!

When any attack lands on them, the "Mind Essence Garment" will first buffer a portion of it, and then the "Imagination Armor" will bear the remaining impact.

The defense alone has almost doubled, not to mention the comprehensive improvement in other attributes!

Therefore, it's very difficult to win.

No, it's that we can't win...

Saki never fights a battle he's not confident of winning.

He only fights opponents he can defeat.

His fighting philosophy was to bully the weak, and it was also the secret to his invincibility.

He is a genius who cannot afford to lose; he only fights battles he is certain to win!

Yes, that's right.

should be.

Of course it should be done that way.

Otherwise, if one acts impulsively at this moment and goes up against a fourth-tier Chiho Kamishiro, one might get utterly thrashed...

All of Nazaki Seki's carefully cultivated "invincible" persona will crumble in front of the camera...

If possible, Saki would certainly like to use the mask now to awaken Echo.

If he can awaken his powers, he might be able to fight against Chiho Kamishiro.

No, it definitely can!

He will win!

We will win!

Then, amidst a barrage of praise in the comments, he casually said to Liuli:

"Are you alright? I just happened to be passing by."

but……

The three rituals that would unlock the "miracle" had already been completed by him, and now it was time for them not to be changed.

The day of his awakening has already been etched in the sea of ​​consciousness.

Ritual Days Recognized by the Sea of ​​Consciousness —

It can only be on the day of the academy's grand competition!

A day earlier wouldn't work, and a day later wouldn't work either.

So, it's time to stop...

Don't go any further.

If someone shows up at the scene but doesn't take action, they will be questioned and scorned by the audience.

Saki, who can solve all difficulties simply by being there—

If one day he shows up, but can't do anything...

His magic was gone; he was unable to recreate his miracle.

Then he...

What right do we have to win the audience's favor?

Just like what Saki said to Hōki a month ago—

Everyone has moments when they feel powerless.

Clearly, this is the moment when Saki is powerless to do anything.

He wanted to tell himself that he had done his best.

In those nine years, he never slacked off for a moment.

He has a clear conscience.

He believed he had done the best he could.

He could even say with certainty that, under the same conditions, no one could put in more effort than him!

Therefore, it's not possible to defeat a fourth-tier enemy head-on...

It wasn't his fault.

After all, in the original storyline, even at the end of the first season, Huomu and the others had only just reached the third rank.

Saki told himself:

Stop it now.

That's enough, stop.

Don't go any further.

You cannot go any further.

However, the scenery keeps receding.

White Harbor Beach, before I knew it, was now right in front of me.

……

The moment I realized I didn't want to die, the moment I admitted I was afraid of dying—

Liuli began her final struggle.

The butterflies that Chiho Kamishiro had previously knocked down on the ground are now lighting up again, one by one.

They were originally lifeless illusions, but at this moment, they seemed to come alive in an instant.

Fluttering their wings, they swarmed toward Liuli's body.

A pair of huge, translucent butterfly wings suddenly unfolded from behind the girl, with countless fine heart patterns flowing across their surface.

Immediately afterwards, a long, form-fitting dress made of a material resembling the thin membrane of butterfly wings quietly appeared.

Like a half-open, half-closed white butterfly flower, it gracefully outlines the girl's delicate figure.

Light shimmered at the hem and cuffs of the skirt, with tiny light butterflies constantly appearing and disappearing.

Yes, that's right—

Liuli unfolded her armor!

Liuli, who had just entered the third stage not long ago, finally faced her own heart at this critical moment of death!

She admitted that she was afraid of dying!

She acknowledged her deep attachment to life!

In a split second, she completed her exploration of her "imagery" and projected and solidified it in reality!

Genealogy attached.

Armed manifestation.

——【I Saw a Butterfly】!

With a flutter of its wings, countless butterflies, gathered from the essence of the heart, surged forth like a tide.

Chiho Kamishiro never took Ruri seriously.

She didn't activate her protective gear, nor did she even mobilize her inner energy.

Therefore, for a moment, he was slightly stunned by the sudden spiritual resonance from Liuli.

The five fingers that were gripping the other person's neck loosened for a moment, almost instinctively.

It was just a fleeting moment!

Liuli immediately used both hands to pry open the hand that was gripping her neck, kicked the other person in the chest, and at the same time flapped her butterfly wings violently—

Using the combined force of her wings and kicks, she finally broke free of the restraints, leaped backward, and stumbled several steps.

Chiho Kamishiro let out a soft "Huh?", a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes:

"Oh? He actually awakened his armor at the very moment of his death?"

That's... damn talent.

do you know?

This should have belonged to Qingxian.

You stole his talent!

You deserve to die!!!

Chiho Kamishiro was immediately enraged and wanted to kill Ruri in one fell swoop, but then she realized—

Killing her like this would be far too lenient.

So, Chiho Kamishiro narrowed her eyes cruelly and with great interest, thinking of an even more interesting method of execution.

She snapped her fingers again.

The little girl who had just run out of the alleyway lost focus once again.

She turned stiffly, walked back, bent down, and picked up the dagger from the ground.

Then, step by step, I walked towards the glass.

Liuli is currently fleeing towards the alley entrance.

She never intended to win from the beginning.

She had only one goal—

run!

As long as I can survive, I don't care how pathetic my escape is.

As she fled, she collided head-on with a girl at the alley entrance.

Faced with the little girl stabbing at her with a dagger, Ruri released Echo once again. With the blessing of her armor, she forcibly broke free from Chiho Kamishiro's mind control in an instant.

Chiho Kamishiro paused for a moment—

This time, unlike her previous manipulations, she used a fourth-order echo!

Despite being a whole rank apart, Ruri was able to crack her circuit so quickly...

The best spiritual talent truly lives up to its reputation...

However, just as Liuli was about to run away with the little girl,

The moment the control was released, the little girl suddenly turned the dagger around and stabbed herself in the chest.

Liuli's pupils shrank suddenly, and she struck the girl's wrist with her palm.

The dagger flew out of his hand and landed with a clang in the distance.

"Ayaka, are you crazy?!"

"...Sister, how...how do you know my name?"

The girl looked up, her eyes regaining focus, and paused for a moment in slight surprise.

……

Ruri knew Ayaka's name because of Saki.

I remember it was the Wednesday after the monthly tasks ended.

Ruri saw Sakiji furtively writing something.

At the time, Ruri thought that Saki was writing a love letter to some vicious woman.

Then, with the good intention of "not wanting to see Saki-san suffer from a pig-butchering scam", she secretly opened the letter while he was sleeping on the rooftop.