A week passed before Watari finally stirred.

  Outside the training hall, Ren stood at the edge of the sparring grounds, arms crossed as he watched Yumi, Akira, and Ryuko csh against the Jūmonban.

  Their movements were sharper, faster—there was no doubt they had grown.

  He could feel it in himself too.

  His bond with Tsukuyomi had changed.

  He could hear its voice now, no longer a distant whisper but a steady presence.

  And yet, his gaze flickered toward the building where Watari still y unconscious, and that moment of gged activation gnawed at him.

  “We’ve all leveled up… but that kid—he surpassed us in a different way.”

  ?

  When his eyes cracked open, he was met with the dull glow of the Chūkan’s sky, its light filtering through the wooden ceiling above him.

  His body felt… lighter.

  No, not lighter.

  Different.

  As if something fundamental had shifted within him.

  His fingers twitched, feeling the faint hum of energy pulsing through them—

  —not wild, but controlled.

  Before he could fully process it, the sliding door creaked open.

  Koharu stood at the threshold, arms crossed, an amused smirk pying on her lips.

  “Well, well. The storm finally wakes up.”

  Watari groaned, sitting up with effort.

  His muscles still ached, but not in the usual way.

  It wasn’t exhaustion.

  It was overuse.

  “You burned through too much energy during your little resonation moment,” Koharu said, stepping further into the room. “You weren’t just drawing from Takemikazuchi. You were leaking power like a busted faucet.”

  Watari rubbed his face, groaning.

  “So what you’re saying is… I was too strong?”

  Koharu rolled her eyes.

  “I did hear that you weren’t the sharpest tool in the shed. I’m saying you were wasteful.”

  She leaned against the doorframe, studying him.

  “You let it all pour out, raw and reckless. If you’d kept that up, you would’ve drained yourself dry before nding a real hit.”

  Watari frowned, digesting the information.

  “So, what? I need to learn how to hold back?”

  “Not hold back.” Koharu’s gaze sharpened. “Control.”

  A beat of silence passed before she continued.

  “Either way, you’re awake now, so let’s get to business. I’ll make this simple—Kuroda is still not our problem.”

  Watari blinked.

  “Then why the hell are we talking about him?”

  Koharu’s smirk returned, but there was an edge to it this time.

  “Just because he’s an ant, that doesn’t mean we want him building a nest. And now that Mori’s out of the picture… well, someone’s gotta step on him.”

  Watari exhaled, shaking his head.

  “So what, you want me to be your new Mori?”

  Koharu let out a sharp chuckle.

  “Oh, no, no, no. You’d make a terrible Mori. He was efficient and powerful. Truly an unbreakable shield.”

  ”…Wow. Alright.” Watari huffed. “Cool. Thanks.”

  Koharu shrugged.

  “Point is, we aren’t ordering you to do anything. But our goals seem to be aligned, don’t they?”

  Her eyes gleamed slightly.

  “And if you agree… I have a little surprise for you.”

  Watari raised a brow.

  “Surprise? I feel like I should be worried.”

  Koharu grinned.

  “You should. Now, get up. We’re going for a walk.”