When Chinatsu appeared at the classroom door, her figure "enhanced" by the school uniform created a shocking impact, and the class's reaction, even during break time, was spectacular.
Tonomachi Hiroto, who was closest and had a very good relationship with Koushi, began to lose his mind under Shido's helpless gaze:
(His eyes instantly turned heart-shaped, and he nearly rocketed out of his seat.)
"Y-Younger Sister Chinatsu!!!!"
He suddenly stood up, his voice cracking slightly from excessive excitement, gesturing dramatically with his hands in front of his chest:
"Don't worry!!! From today onward, your older brother Koushi Hōoin is my dearest friend and brother! His younger sister is my own sister! Your studies are my studies! Your worries are my worries! If you have any difficulties, whether academic or personal, just come to me, Tonomachi Hiroto! I will go through fire and water for you!"
(As he spoke, he tried to maneuver around his desk to approach Chinatsu, his face beaming with a smile that was too bright, even a little idiotic.)
However, just as he was about to get close, Chinatsu subconsciously, almost instinctively, took a tiny, elegant, and swift step back, perfectly evading his enthusiastic "charge."
Her movement was as light as a startled fawn in the woods, carrying a sense of detached wariness.
(Hiroto missed, but his enthusiasm didn't diminish at all; instead, he clasped his hands together, his gaze growing even more fervent.)
"Oh! This elegant evasion! This wary posture! Truly worthy of Younger Sister Chinatsu!"
His exaggerated behavior and Chinatsu's cool avoidance drew a chorus of low laughter and many more whistles of unclear intent from the surroundings.
Meanwhile, the other male students had their eyes glued to her as if by magnets, whispering to each other, their voices filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
"Hey, hey... Is this real or fake... That Phoenix-in... actually hid a nuclear-level younger sister..."
"Winning the genetic lottery is too ridiculous, isn't it?! Isn't the difference in style between the siblings a bit huge?"
"Damn it... Why wasn't I the one who got injured protecting his younger sister..."
"I've decided! From today onward, Koushi Hōoin is my life idol!"
"Save it... But speaking of which, seeing her up close... the impact is even stronger..."
(Some boys, embarrassed to keep staring, pretended to look at their textbooks, but their eyes involuntarily drifted toward the podium.)
As for the other girls, their reactions varied, and they whispered amongst themselves.
"Wow... Her skin looks amazing up close too... Her features are so delicate..." (Enviously)
"But that figure... it's just too unfair... How exactly does she wear the school uniform to get that effect..." (Confused, mixed with a hint of jealousy)
"Is she mixed-race? Her aura is so unique... She seems a little cold?" (Curiously)
"Did she just lightly dodge Hiroto? Her movement was so graceful..." (Focusing on an odd detail)
"She seems... hard to approach. But she came to substitute for her injured older brother, so she must be a good person, right?" (Kind speculation)
"Did Yamabuki and the others already 'make their move'? They're so fast..." (Focusing on gossip)
There were also some subtle reactions: for instance, a boy accidentally knocked over his pen and nearly hit the desk when bending down to pick it up. Or a girl subconsciously looked down at her own chest, then silently sighed. Some students sitting in the back even slightly stood up just to get a clearer view.
The air was filled with an atmosphere mixing curiosity, astonishment, envy, and a hint of restlessness...
Fraxinus Bridge
On the massive main screen, a holographic map of Amamiya City slowly rotated.
However, on one side of the screen, a split view clearly displayed the real-time footage of Raizen High School, Class 2-4—thanks to a nano-level sensor hidden inside a classroom decoration painting.
The focus of the footage was undoubtedly the new transfer student sitting upright, with ice-blue hair and a figure so good that the school uniform was bearing pressure it shouldn't—Phoenix-in Chinatsu.
The atmosphere inside the bridge wasn't tense, but it was definitely highly focused.
Suddenly, a sharp but not jarring alarm sounded, and complex data streams rapidly scrolled across one side of the screen.
"Commander!"
An operator immediately reported.
"A weak, unknown Spirit wave source detected! The intensity is extremely low, but the pattern is unrecognizable! Precise coordinates located—Raizen High School, Class 2-4 classroom!"
"What?"
Itsuka Kotori, sitting in the central Commander's chair, shot upright, the precious jewel in her mouth being crunched with a sharp "crunch."
Her brows were tightly furrowed, her red Commander uniform highlighting her extremely displeased expression.
"The 'Princess' wave just stabilized, the remnants of the 'Reason Law (Welt)' haven't been fully analyzed, and now another one pops up?! And she's sitting right next to that Idiot Older Brother, claiming to be his 'younger sister'?"
The baton in her hand pointed like a sword at Chinatsu on the split screen, her voice carrying an undeniable tone of command:
"Kannazuki! Reine! Investigate this for me! Perform a triple cross-comparison of this 'Phoenix-in Chinatsu's' Spirit wave pattern with the one who was speeding on a motorcycle yesterday, and finally, with Welt! I need to know within five minutes if they are the same person or working together!"
Kyohei Kannazuki's expression instantly became serious and professional. He pushed up his non-existent glasses and analyzed calmly:
"Understood, Commander. The target individual's appearance is highly deceptive, utilizing the'sex appeal' label in human society as a disguise to lower the surrounding vigilance. The strategy is quite cunning... Hmm, the contrast between this guilt-inducing figure, the icy gaze that pushes others away, and the *censored* that is practically bursting forth, is indeed a highly effective..."
His speaking speed gradually increased, his tone began to rise, and the professional analysis in his eyes was slowly replaced by a fanatical gleam.
"...But! But, Commander!!" He suddenly whirled toward Kotori, his previous composure completely gone. He spread his hands dramatically, a perverted blush spreading across his face, and his voice became impassioned:
"This vulgar temptation, full of *censored*, is merely a low-level sugar-coated shell that only common fools would indulge in! How can it compare to your small, pure, and flawless body, like an uncarved jade, which contains supreme power and majesty! This perfectly timed scarcity! This is the symbol of absolute power! The perfect physique that only a deity could possess! Ah, Commander! Please use your flat..."
"Smack!"
Before he could finish, Kotori expressionlessly grabbed some unknown device nearby (perhaps a tablet computer) and accurately slammed it into his face, knocking him down onto the floor again.
"Analyze using your normal mode (even though you've never been normal)! If you utter one more word of nonsense, I'll throw you off the bridge!" Kotori said fiercely, a vein throbbing on her forehead.
"Y-Yes! Commander! Your violence is also an expression of your love for me!"
Kannazuki groaned contentedly while lying on the floor, then quickly scrambled up and stood at attention, as if he hadn't been having an episode just moments ago.
"The conclusion is, the target is highly suspicious. I suggest immediate elimination... Ah, no, strict monitoring."
At that moment, Murasame Reine, who had been silently operating the console, pushed up her glasses. Her heavy dark circles seemed even deeper under the screen light.
"...Preliminary analysis complete, Commander." Her voice, as always, carried a tired tranquility, yet always cut straight to the core issue.
"Speak." Kotori turned her sharp gaze toward her.
"The Spirit waveform of the target individual, 'Phoenix-in Chinatsu,' is extremely unique,"
Reine brought up a complex spectrum comparison chart.
"Its base frequency does not match the waveforms of the recorded 'Princess' or yesterday's 'Reason Law.' It can be preliminarily judged as an independent, unrecorded Spirit individual."
A slight gasp echoed through the bridge. Another new Spirit?
"However,"
Reine changed the subject, zooming in on a specific area of the spectrum chart.
"In the waveform's 'modulation method' and energy decay characteristics, an extremely faint background noise highly similar to the 'Reason Law' was detected. The similarity is approximately 7.3%. It is impossible to determine whether this is due to shared technology, imitation, or interference from a higher-dimensional entity."
"7.3%?" Kotori chewed on the number. "Coincidence? Or intentional disguise?"
"Furthermore,"
Reine continued to drop bombshells in her usual monotonous tone.
"The household registration database records... are complete. The transfer process... has no logical errors. All paper and electronic files are flawless."
She paused, then uttered the most crucial sentence:
"The excessive perfection, in fact, becomes the greatest source of suspicion. This looks more like... the 'result' was written directly into the world, rather than the 'process' occurring naturally."
Kotori's face darkened completely. She understood Reine's implication. This wasn't a normal disguise; this was close to "reality alteration."
"What exactly does she want? Approaching Shido directly..." Kotori bit into a new lollipop, her eyes flickering. "Protection? Surveillance? Or... is her target the sealing power within Shido himself?"
"Awoo! Regardless of her purpose, this newly emerged Spirit Miss has placed the Holy Son in peril!"
Kannazuki had somehow climbed back up, his face full of "righteous indignation." "Please give the order, Commander! I am willing to go personally and use love (physical)..."
"Shut up."
Kotori interrupted him coldly, thought for a moment, and then decisively issued the command.
"Listen up! Raise the observation level of 'Phoenix-in Chinatsu' to LV. 4 (High Concern/Potential Risk)."
"Strategy change: Until more concrete information is obtained, strictly prohibit any direct contact or provocative actions. Prioritize non-coercive, natural intelligence gathering through Shido."
"All departments, fully investigate all background information on 'Phoenix-in,' searching for logical flaws. Simultaneously, secretly raise Shido's security level and double the standby teams to ensure the absolute safety of my Idiot Older Brother!"
"Reine, continue analyzing that 7.3% similarity. I need to know exactly what it means."
"Understood."
"Yes! Commander!"
The bridge crew quickly sprang into action.
Kotori leaned back in her chair, watching the blue-haired "girl" on the screen who seemed to have slightly relaxed her shoulders after solving a math problem, her expression complex.
"Phoenix-in Chinatsu... or rather, whichever Spirit Miss you are. Who exactly are you? What exactly do you intend to do?"