The Five Evolution

『"No appearance for fifty-five goddamn Chapters?!"』

"Okay." Hiro’s voice dropped, becoming softer. "Edgelord over here with the murder sword," he said as the footage switched to the Michael scenes.

Raj snorted, looked at Ethan, and immediately straightened.

Ethan’s jaw clenched. "Faith Breaker."

Hiro twirled the pen around his fingers. "Alright man, the floor’s yours."

Ethan sighed. "It negates action by destroying the belief that they’ll work. He then converts that eroded belief into power. Feeds off it somehow."

"Let me get this right," Hiro muttered. "The more certain you are, the more power he gains from your shattered belief?"

Ethan didn’t answer.

Meanwhile, Raj scratched the side of his head. "Wait... if believing our powers work makes him stronger... couldn’t we just... not believe?"

Hiro suddenly spun and grabbed Raj by the shoulders. "Raj, you’re a genius!" He planted a loud kiss on his cheek.

Raj froze. "Bro..." He wiped his cheeks slowly. "We’ve told you to stop doing that."

"It’s a stretch," Hiro said. "But what if Sophia can somehow make us think we’re playing make-believe with our abilities, literally convince our subconscious that none of this is real?"

"Then Faith Breaker will have nothing to feed on," Amara finished, following the logic. "As insane as that sounds, if it can offer even the smallest advantage, it’s worth looking into."

"Like fighting an oblivious reality-warping baby," Hiro said, biting on the pen. "It can alter reality, but it doesn’t know it’s doing it."

"Weird analogy but okay," Amara said, unable to suppress a small smile.

Sophia had been quiet, processing. "I can do it," she said finally. "A telepathic suggestion combined with false memory insertion. Make us think our powers are just make believe."

"Forget it," Ethan said, looking at Amara. "Like you said, it’s insane." He faced Sophia. "Awakeners have a high resistance to mental tampering. How long would your suggestion even work?"

Sophia cracked her neck. "If you don’t try to fight it? I dunno, maybe thirty seconds?" She brought her legs down from the armrest of her chair. "Look, we’re just spitballing here."

The room settled again, and Ethan looked around at everyone before speaking."...Michael is mine."

His voice wasn’t angry, or emotional. It was simply certain. And no one had anything to say in that moment.

"I know how he fights," Ethan continued. "I know what Faith Breaker does better than anyone here." He folded his arms. "If we face the Apostles again, I’ll handle him."

Silence filled the Ops room as Amara’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug.

Her lips parted for a moment to say something. Instead, she quietly rewound the footage, and the Collector appeared on the screen once more, hammer resting casually across one shoulder.

"He relies on intimidation," Amara said, almost forcing the words out. "He’s cocky." She watched him grin at the camera. "Arrogant too."

Raj nodded. "And the bastard acts nice while doing it."

A few quiet chuckles escaped around the room. Then Sophia pointed at the screen. "He certainly does enjoy hearing the sound of his own voice."

"Indeed," Amara agreed. "People like that usually think they’re the smartest person in the room."

"Exploit the ego." Hiro nodded. "I like that."

Sophia stretched her arms over her head. "Okay..." she said. "Now that we’ve gotten through the footage for like the gazillionth time..." She looked around the room.

"...you guys do remember there are eight more Apostles running around, right?"

"Right, eight more crazy people." Raj groaned, slumping in a chair. "Four is already a pain in the ass. Now we have to worry about eight more sociopaths?" He looked at Ethan, "no offense."

"None taken," Ethan replied.

Hiro raised a finger and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut short by the flickering lights.

Following that, the temperature plunged to a familiar degree that made the hair on Amara’s hands stand on end. Her coffee steamed harder, and the monitors hissed with static.

Hiro slowly looked upward. "...You’ve got to be shitting me."

POP.

A familiar leather-bound book appeared in the center of the room, hovering lazily in the air. "I shit you not."

It rotated slowly, taking in the room. "Interesting brainstorming session we’re having here."

Amara didn’t even look surprised anymore. Her eyes narrowed as she stood up. "There’s no we."

The Book looked at her.

"We didn’t summon you," Amara continued evenly. "And we didn’t ask for your input, Book." She folded her arms. "If we wanted something from you... we’d come to the Library."

The Book gave a theatrical sigh. "I think you’ve forgotten something." It floated closer. "I don’t require an invitation."

It paused dramatically. "...Though I suppose that’s what happens when someone refuses to use you since Chapter Eighty-Seven."

Raj blinked. "...What?"

Sophia frowned. "What?"

Nobody else reacted beyond confused looks, but the Book ignored them completely. "Anyway." It rotated once. "If that’s how you want to play it... fine."

Sophia waved once. "Don’t let the door hit you on your way out."

The Book drifted backward. "You can decide whether or not you wish to pay poor old the Book here a visit."

Hiro snorted, folding his arms. "Oh yeah, sure. We’ll put that right at the top of our ’things we don’t give two fucks about’ list. Right next to our ’trust mysterious magical books’ list."

Its pages fluttered lazily. "I may... or may not... possess information regarding why the Apostles require the Twelve Anchors." It stopped moving. "But the price will be much steeper than music."

Nobody spoke.

"The ball as they say, is in your court." The Book’s voice dropped suddenly, directing its attention to Amara. "That is... unless you have no intention of saving your dear Meredith."

Amara’s fist clenched as the room froze.

POP.

The Book vanished.

After a few seconds passed, Sophia was the first to speak. "That piece of shit."

Nobody disagreed.

Ethan slowly turned toward Amara. "So." He studied her face. "What do you want to do?"

Amara stood there for several long seconds. Then she exhaled. "There’s only one thing we can do." She looked around the room. "If any of you don’t want to come... I’ll understand."

Hiro looked genuinely offended. "Are you kidding?"

Raj immediately pointed toward himself. "Another chance to enter the creepy-weird stuff library?" He grinned. "Sign me up."

Sophia stood, stretching. "Of course we’re all going."

Finally, Ethan smiled. "Then it’s decided."

At that exact moment, the surveillance cameras mounted in the corners of the Ops Room whirred back to life, the electronic locks disengaged, and the door burst open.

Half a dozen Institute agents stormed inside with weapons raised.

"We thought there was a—" The lead agent stopped. He looked around and clocked just five of them making use of the room. "...False alarm."

The agents slowly lowered their weapons. "Sorry for the interruption." They turned and filed back out, and the door slid shut once more.

Nobody in the room said a word.

Then Raj scratched his head. "What did the Book mean by a much steeper price?"

Ethan sighed. "I may have an idea."

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