Sayuri crouched beside Satoru, her fingers hovering just above the jagged, unnatural wound in his chest. A faint hum of cursed energy flickered from him like a dying ember. He was alive—but only barely. Her cousin's once-imposing, overly confident presence had been reduced to something fragile and unrecognizable. She swallowed hard, her hand trembling as it pressed against his blood-soaked shirt. Beneath her touch, his cursed energy churned violently.

Reverse cursed technique.

Shoko had explained it once, back when Satoru broke her nose. It was something unique. Something even he hadn't mastered. Until now, it seemed.

The warm, slick blood stained her pale skin, and her breath caught in her throat. The most powerful sorcerer she knew lay unmoving. How had this happened? Her mind spun, trying to make sense of it all. What did that mean for Suguru if someone or something had the power to bring Satoru to this state? The thought of him hurt—or worse—sent a wave of dread crashing over her, suffocating any calm she had left.

"Sayuri!" Nanami's sharp voice yanked her back to reality. He and Haibara had caught up, their faces grim once they found Satoru. Nanami knelt beside her, his hand reaching for her arm.

"Is he dead?" Haibara's voice cut through the silence.

"No." Her voice trembled, but she forced it to steady. "He's using reverse cursed technique. I think he'll pull through, but—" She stood abruptly. "You two stay with him until he's stable."

Her feet were already moving before she realized it, but Nanami's hand closed around her wrist. "Where are you going?" For the first time, she saw fear in his eyes. "We need to stick together, Sayuri."

"No." Her gaze darted between him and Haibara. "...I have to find Suguru." The thought of him in danger gnawed at her, making her decision less a choice and more a primal instinct. Nothing anyone said would change her mind.

"Sayuri." Nanami pulled her closer, frustration creeping into his voice. "Let's think about this for a second…" He knew better than to let emotions cloud judgment, but looking into her eyes, he realized there was no space for reason. Not when her mind was already made up. Not when Suguru was at risk. Was it wrong of him to wonder if she would've reacted the same way had it been him or Yu?

But Sayuri twisted out of his grip, her movements quick and sure. Nanami hesitated, watching her retreating form, his hand hanging in the air as if he could pull her back. Deep down, he knew—stopping her would be a battle he couldn't win.

Letting her go felt like a mistake. A mistake Nanami feared he might never forgive himself for.

Sayuri sprinted through crumbling remains, following whatever sensation pulled her forward. When she reached the untouched building, her chest heaved with breath. She pressed a hand to heavy wooden doors, slipping past the barrier and into the strange stillness within. Ahead of her, there were more doors than she could count, each shifting in a synchronized rhythm. The entrance to the Tombs of the Star Corridor was a maze—the walls alive and weaving reality into a blur. But only one door led to the path she needed.

Hesitation flickered across her delicate features. The concealment barrier's chaotic movement was disorienting. And as if it sensed her growing desperation, the doors began shifting faster.

Pinching her eyes closed, Sayuri felt the familiar tug in her chest—subtle at first but growing stronger as she focused. Her connection to Suguru thrummed like a lifeline, drawing her focus to one door in particular. It stood out—but only just barely. The edges seemed to blur, a miniscule glitch in the barrier's attempt to remain hidden.

Something screamed to trust the bond that had yet to fail her.

So, she stepped forward, her gaze darting between the shifting doors. What if it was a trap? What if Tengen's barrier distorted the connection she felt? What if whatever had fought Satoru had lured her here to meet the same fate? Surely, she wouldn't survive.

But deep down, she was ready to take that chance.

A trembling hand reached out until her fingers brushed the cool iron handle. Her bond with Suguru flared, a surge of warmth coursing through her, reassuring her that this was the right path. With a sharp breath, Sayuri pushed it open and slipped inside.

The chaos of the shifting doors vanished, replaced by an unsettling quiet. Sayuri stood in a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and moss. Towering trees rose around her, their branches creating a twisted canopy that blotted a sky she could not see. The grass beneath her feet was soft and muffled her steps as she ventured deeper.

Eventually, Sayuri came to an elevator, and she descended into the Tombs of the Star Corridor.

When the elevator doors opened, Sayuri was greeted by ancient buildings surrounded by a massive, gnarled tree. Here, Tengen should have merged with Riko Amanai. But Sayuri grew skeptical as her eyes fell on the path, spotting fresh blood in the dim light. Her chest tightened as she followed the trail—taking one step at a time until she saw him.

"Suguru!" Sayuri's breath hitched as she knelt beside Suguru, his powerful frame slumped against the cold stone. Blood soaked through his uniform, and his expression, though calm, could not hide the pain. "What happened?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as she pressed a hand to his chest. Like Satoru, he bled through his uniform. The wound was less savage, but it was deep nonetheless. Gently, she coaxed the slashed fabric of his uniform aside. The blood soaking through the material was warm against her fingers.

He flinched with her touch. "I'm fine." The tremble in his voice betrayed his reassurance. "If I can get to Shoko, she'll—"

"You're bleeding too much…" There was no time to get him to Shoko and no way to drag him there in his current state. She had to act now. Panic gnawed at the edges of her control, threatening to pull her under. But amid the chaos, Sayuri remembered something—Suguru's words from their brief call in Okinawa.

Remember what I taught you.

The words echoed in her mind as she pressed a trembling hand against his chest, feeling the faint warmth of his skin and the fading strength of his cursed energy beneath her palm. It had become as familiar as her own in such a short time. Borrowing his cursed energy had strengthened her before, leaving her to question—would it be enough for reverse cursed technique? If Satoru could do it, why couldn't she?

Two negatives create a positive.

Like a candle struggling against the wind, Suguru's cursed energy hummed weakly under her touch. Perhaps she could reverse the damage if she could just reach that spark and meld it with her own.

"Suguru…" she murmured. "I can try to heal you." Her gaze held his. "I can't do it alone, but if you help me… it might be like before."

Like the first time they'd synchronized or when she first used Blue.

It was reckless—a wild gamble with no guarantee. Reverse cursed technique had always seemed far beyond her abilities. Yet, teetering on the edge of losing Suguru, the impossible seemed within reach.

Suguru's dark eyes locked onto hers, and Sayuri pretended not to notice the flicker of doubt in them. Instead, she focused on the hand moving over hers. His nod came, quiet but sure as if he believed in her more than she believed in herself. And drawing in a shaky breath, Sayuri closed her eyes, trying to find calm amid the storm of emotions. Fear of failure, guilt, and doubt clashed inside her, but she forced them down.

Her whole body trembled as she began weaving their energies together, strands of power intertwining like threads in a fragile tapestry. The clash and fusion of their cursed energy was still beyond her understanding, and the strain was immediate. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her limbs grew heavy as she fought to maintain control.

Slowly, agonizingly, blood stopped flowing. The gashes along Suguru's body began to close beneath her hands, the torn flesh knitting together. Pulling every ounce of strength she had left drained her, but Sayuri refused to stop. Not when it was working.

His breath evened out eventually, the tight lines of pain softening in his forehead. And as Sayuri teetered on the brink of collapse, Suguru's hands found her, cupping her face with surprising tenderness. His fingers stroked pale flesh as her body sagged forward. Sayuri leaned into him, utterly spent.

"You are so special…"

Sayuri blinked up at him through the haze of exhaustion, tears welling in her eyes. Relief crashed over her in waves, but the memory of his injuries still lingered—a darkness that hadn't fully lifted. Suguru's arms wrapped around her, and for a fleeting moment, nothing else mattered. She buried her face against his chest, feeling his heartbeat strong and steady beneath her cheek. It had been far too long since she had felt this close to anyone.

They stayed that way for some time. Wrapped in each other's presence, the sorcerers found a fleeting sanctuary amid the ancient stillness in the Tombs of the Star Corridor.

But the quiet couldn't last forever.

"I couldn't protect Riko," Suguru's voice broke the silence, thick with guilt. "She's dead."

She hadn't known what to expect, but having found Satoru and Suguru so gravely injured, Sayuri expected the worst. For a moment, she hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

More quietly, almost fragile, Suguru continued. "Is Satoru dead, too?"

She swallowed, forcing herself to answer. "No," she whispered. "He was alive. Nanami and Haibara stayed with him."

Suguru exhaled, shaking his head as he continued. "We let our guards down…" he murmured, his tone darkening. "The assassin was a non-curse user... I've never fought anyone like him."

"All that matters is that you're alive," she whispered.

"No," Suguru defied, growing frustrated. "I should have done more to protect her. All that effort and I failed so easily…"

"We all failed," she told him. "This isn't just on you, Suguru."

A heavy silence settled between them, and Suguru's arms loosened slowly, his warmth slipping away as he forced himself to stand. Still on her knees, Sayuri looked up at him, her head tilting to meet his gaze. Despite her exhaustion, something in her chest ached for his closeness again.

"Someone needs to bring Riko's body back." There was still strength behind his eyes—an intense, unyielding determination that made her feel fuzzy. Despite the weight of defeat pressing down on him, despite everything he'd lost today, there was no trace of surrender in his gaze. He stood tall, his presence unwavering.

In that moment, something shifted inside Sayuri. She had always admired Suguru. But now, seeing a man who refused to surrender despite his loss, she understood how deeply that admiration ran. He had a quiet, unshakable strength, a power that went beyond cursed energy. It resonated within her in ways she hadn't realized until now.

Her heart pounded in her chest—a wild, insistent beat as she gazed at him. The startling clarity of her feelings hit her like a crashing wave. She would do anything to keep the warmth in her chest alive.

She would do anything for him.

And there was no turning back.

The sun had all but dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in twilight hues as Suguru led Sayuri up the steps and into a Star Religious Group facility. Shadows stretched long and ominous, creeping through glass windows as they moved down the narrow corridor. The distant sound of clapping grew louder with each step, rhythmic and eerie, like a heartbeat far too calm for the tragedy it acknowledged. Sayuri's mind swirled with the weight of what had happened on school grounds, her gaze drifting down to her hands. Fingernails absently tugged at the dried blood that marred her pale skin. The sight left her hollow, the familiar rush of adrenaline replaced by an unsettling numbness.

Before they reached the door, Suguru halted, his body taut. "Stay behind me," he said.

Heavy doors creaked open, and inside, the clapping continued—a slow, mechanical applause that resonated through the air like an unsettling hymn. Children of the Star stood in neat rows, dressed in pure white, their faces devoid of emotion. They acknowledged the death of the Star Plasma Vessel with cold reverence. In their cruel eyes, without Riko, Master Tengen would remain pure.

The crowd began to part, leaving a wide path where Satoru Gojo appeared with someone cradled in his arms. Riko Amanai's lifeless form was wrapped in a bloodstained white sheet. Satoru's appearance was a far cry from his usual pristine confidence. He looked no different than when she had found him near death in a pile of rubble. His face was smeared with blood, his shirt stained a deep crimson, and his hair disheveled. The only difference was his eyes.

They shimmered unnaturally, the bright blue orbs reflecting an infinite void of something unrecognizable—everything, everywhere, all at once.

"You're late, Suguru."

The sight of his friend in this strange condition forced Suguru's eyes wide, and confusion settled over them both like a heavy cloak. She peeked around Suguru's shoulder, her heart clenching when Satoru's empty gaze fell on her.

"Cousin," he said, as though her presence barely registered. "What are you doing here?"

"She healed me," Suguru told him.

Satoru's eyes flicked back to Suguru. "Impressive."

"I'm fine now." His gaze lingered on Riko's still form. "But that doesn't change this..."

"I screwed up... You are not at fault."

The eerie clapping continued, nothing more than a monotonous echo against the stillness that lingered between the three students. Suguru's arm extended toward Sayuri, his protective instincts rising as he gently urged her back. "We should leave—all of us," he urged.

But Sayuri couldn't pull her eyes from Satoru. His voice was unknowingly cold—a detachment that made him feel so far away. She watched his grip tighten around Riko, his voice cutting through the steady rhythm of applause with chilling clarity.

"Suguru… should we kill these guys? The way I feel right now…" He continued slowly. "I doubt I'd feel anything about it."

Panic rippled through Sayuri, her stomach lurching as she instinctively stepped forward. But Suguru's arm shot out, holding her back as Satoru stepped forward.

"There's no point," Suguru said firmly, his eyes never leaving Satoru. His voice always carried reason amidst growing chaos. "They're just common believers."

Satoru continued past them, the clapping finally ceasing once he had slipped past the threshold. Without turning, he spoke again, his voice distant.

"Does there really need to be a point?"

The stillness that followed him was suffocating.

Suguru's beliefs, while once unshakable, wavered. He always fought to protect the innocent, using his power for the right reasons. But now, Suguru found himself at a crossroads, with Satoru's apathy gnawing at the foundations of everything he held dear.

As Satoru disappeared around the corner, his best friend finally exhaled. The sound was barely audible, but Sayuri caught the tremor in it.

"…Suguru?" she whispered, her voice small and afraid to disturb the fragile silence.

He turned to her. And while his face was calm, his eyes showed otherwise. Shoving both hands into his pockets, Suguru motioned for her to follow. "Let's go, Sayuri."