From a distance, Sawada Tsunayoshi could already see the Ishida estate.
The mansion looked more like a manor(estate) than a house—impossible to miss. Tsunayoshi no longer needed Masaki to guide him and headed straight toward it.
As soon as he set Masaki down, a foreign Reiatsu appeared before them.
The manor gate opened.
A tall, silver-haired man stepped out.
"Ryūken, I'm back," Masaki called out with a smile as she ran toward him—though she began gasping for breath after only a few steps.
Ishida Ryūken quickly supported her.
"Why are you so weak?" he asked, concern in his voice. "Where's Kurosaki Isshin? And who is this kid?"
"Forget that for now. Kanae—how is Kanae?" Masaki asked anxiously.
Back when she lived with the Ishida family, Kanae had been one of her closest friends—and the first person who respected her decision to be with Isshin. That was why Masaki had rushed here tonight.
Ryūken's expression changed.
"How do you know about Kanae…?"
"It's Auswählen," Masaki said immediately. "The Auswählen of the Quincy progenitor!"
Her words triggered Ryūken's memory.
His father Sōken's library contained many ancient Quincy records—including mentions of the Quincy progenitor.
Ryūken suddenly felt a wave of regret.
Because of his strained relationship with his father, he had never taken much interest in Quincy history.
"This Auswählen targets mixed-blood Quincy," Masaki continued urgently. "Those with weaker bodies may die immediately! Take me to Kanae!"
"…Understood."
Though he didn't know whether Masaki could solve the problem, Ryūken chose to trust her.
As he turned around, however, his gaze briefly swept over Tsunayoshi.
Masaki noticed the subtle movement.
Having grown up together, she knew exactly what Ryūken was thinking.
He was still wary of Tsunayoshi.
"I was hit by Auswählen too," Masaki quickly added. "Tsunayoshi saved me. He knows about Auswählen."
Trusting Masaki's judgment, Ryūken said nothing further.
"Come along, then, kid."
Following Ryūken through the manor, the three walked down a long corridor until they reached the innermost room.
Inside was a simply furnished bedroom.
A long-haired woman lay on the bed.
Beside her sat a boy around Tsunayoshi's age, tears streaming down his face.
"Uryū… don't cry. Mommy is fine."
Even from her voice alone, one could hear how weak she was.
As soon as the door opened, Masaki suddenly found the strength to stagger forward.
"Kanae, you—"
"Masaki…? Why are you here?" asked Ishida Kanae, her already pale face now almost ghostly against her long black hair.
"How are you feeling?" Masaki asked, leaning over the bed.
"I'm fine," Kanae said gently, trying to reassure her just as she had reassured her son. "I suddenly lost some strength, but I'll recover after resting."
"How could it be nothing…?"
Masaki hesitated and glanced at Ishida Uryū.
Kanae instantly understood.
"Uryū," she said softly, "go to bed first. Mommy will chat with Aunt Masaki for a bit."
Uryū opened his mouth to protest—
"Uryū," Ryūken said coldly, "go to your room."
His father's stern voice left no room for argument.
Uryū fell silent.
Reluctantly, he walked toward the door.
As he passed Tsunayoshi, he glanced at him with surprise.
Why was a stranger his age here?
But under his father's authority, he had no choice but to leave.
The door closed behind him.
Only then did Masaki speak seriously.
"It's Auswählen. Not just you—I was hit too. I can't use my powers at all."
She tried to gather Reishi, but the moment the Reishi veins began forming along her arm, they collapsed.
She had lost control of Reishi entirely.
"Masaki," Ryūken said, stepping closer, "how did you overcome the weakness afterward?"
He wanted Kanae to get out of bed—to return to normal life.
"It wasn't that I overcame it," Masaki replied. "This is just how my body reacted. Tsunayoshi said this Auswählen targets mixed-blood Quincy. Some may even die."
She suddenly noticed something strange.
Ryūken didn't look surprised.
"…Ryūken? You knew?"
"Yes," he said quietly.
"My mother… passed away earlier tonight."
His expression turned icy.
That was why he had been so desperate to find a way to help Kanae.
He feared losing her as well.
"What?! But your mother was a pure-blood Quincy!" Kanae exclaimed.
"She was attacked by a Hollow when she was young," Ryūken said.
"When I examined the body, I found the scar on her leg."
Unlike Kanae—
His mother hadn't survived Auswählen at all.
She had died instantly.
Masaki fell silent.
Then suddenly she turned to the small figure standing nearby.
"Tsunayoshi!"
"You know about Auswählen. Is there any way to help Kanae recover?"
She quickly lowered her expectations.
"Not restore her powers—just let her live normally like me."
Ryūken also turned his attention to the child.
To be honest, if Masaki hadn't insisted, he wouldn't even have allowed this kid inside his home—let alone into his bedroom.
The next moment, Tsunayoshi's answer hit him like ice water.
"There isn't."
He said calmly.
"After Auswählen, mixed-blood Quincy not only lose their powers—they also develop a substance called Still Silver inside their bodies."
"Depending on the individual, some die immediately."
"Others survive… but the Still Silver eventually gathers near the heart, forming a silver blood clot that kills them."
"With Aunt Kanae's condition…"
"If she takes good care of herself…"
"She might have a few months left."
"You brat—what did you just say?!"
Ryūken's eyes flashed coldly.
A Heilig Pfeil formed in his hand.
The spiritual arrow hummed with lethal energy.
Tsunayoshi's words had struck directly at Ryūken's deepest wounds.
A flash of green light—
Tsunayoshi instantly hid behind Masaki.
"Aunt Masaki! This silver-haired uncle is scary!"
Masaki nearly facepalmed.
Of course Ryūken would explode—Tsunayoshi had stepped on every emotional landmine possible.
Masaki grabbed Tsunayoshi by the collar and pulled him forward.
"Tsunayoshi. Tell me honestly."
"How long do I have left?"
She had already accepted the possibility.
According to Tsunayoshi, her condition was better than Kanae's.
If her life was limited, she needed time to prepare for her family.
Tsunayoshi looked away toward the door.
"…I don't know."
"Not if I hadn't appeared."
Masaki's pupils shrank.
She immediately understood.
If Tsunayoshi hadn't shown up tonight—
She would have died after losing her powers.
Killed by that Hollow.
Kanae's fate was similar.
Without Tsunayoshi's involvement, Ryūken would eventually fail to save her.
She would die from the silver blood clot.
But if Tsunayoshi had appeared…
Could the outcome change?
Masaki asked gently,
"Tsunayoshi… do you have a way to stop Kanae from dying from the silver clot?"
Her request had become even simpler.
She only wanted Kanae to live.
Hearing this, Ryūken lowered his bow.
He rubbed his forehead.
A man who normally remained calm under any circumstance—
had completely lost his composure today.
"Well," Tsunayoshi said casually, "why do you think I suggested apprenticing under this grumpy uncle in the first place?"
Ryūken's temple twitched again.
But he stayed silent.
"Ryūken, I'll accept it on your behalf," Masaki said quickly. "Tsunayoshi, please help Kanae."
"That's easy," Tsunayoshi said.
"If Still Silver exists inside the body…"
"Then just remove it before it forms a clot."
"Angiography," Ryūken muttered immediately.
As a medical expert, he already understood the idea.
"Probably not that simple," Tsunayoshi replied.
"If X-rays could solve it, you would've already tried."
Ryūken frowned.
"Then what exactly are you suggesting?"
"Well," Tsunayoshi said, "I have something more convenient than medical imaging."
"Something that can see through every illusion and reveal the truth."
A green light flashed from his chest.
"D. Spade's Demon Lens."
Three floating monocles appeared over Tsunayoshi's left eye.
Each lens had silver spikes and tiny white wings.
This was the weapon of the First Vongola Mist Guardian—Demon Spade.
Legend said anyone stared at through the Demon Lens would be cursed—and their body would float in the sea the next day.
Tsunayoshi suspected the truth was simpler.
Demon Spade probably used the mirror to cast powerful illusions.
For Tsunayoshi, however, the lens didn't strengthen illusions much.
Its true ability was seeing through illusions.
When the three lenses overlapped and were infused with Reiatsu, Tsunayoshi could see the truth hidden beneath all appearances.
He turned his gaze toward Kanae.
Instantly, her spiritual pathways became visible.
Within them were three tiny silver lights.
Then he looked at Masaki.
She had them too.
Five smaller ones, scattered across her limbs and abdomen.
"Aunt Kanae has three points of Still Silver," Tsunayoshi explained.
"One in the chest, one in the right arm, and one in the left leg."
"Aunt Masaki has five—spread across her limbs and abdomen."
"They're moving slowly."
"My guess is that once they gather near the heart, the silver clot forms."
"And the reason Aunt Masaki is healthier is because her Still Silver is more spread out."
"I see…" Masaki nodded slowly.
Then suddenly—
She grabbed Tsunayoshi's cheek.
"Hey! Brat!"
"Did that ability just see things it shouldn't have?!"
"I'll tell Nana about this!"
Tsunayoshi sighed.
Of all things, that was her concern?
"Relax," he protested.
"The Demon Lens doesn't care about bodies."
"What I see are spiritual structures—Reishi pathways."
"And since you've lost your powers, the clearest thing in your bodies is the Still Silver containing trace Reishi."
Masaki was about to release him—
Then Tsunayoshi added:
"Besides… if I could actually see through everything…"
"Do you really think your arm would stop me?"
Masaki's grip tightened again.