Scipio's eyes flickered over to Ichi. Ichi tracked Scipio's gaze to the dull golden sword at Ichi's feet.

"Whatever. Give me my sword back and half the Armory." He ran a hand over his face. "I'll call it a night then."

Satou crossed her arms.

"Ichi, pick up the sword."

Ichi hand half moved at Satou's words. At this point, he felt like interjecting in this love quarrel would be the most stupid thing he could do. Scipio didn't seem like he would die by normal means anyways, and the thought that someone like him was immortal made Ichi want to be a pioneer in research in how to kill immortals. If his hand grasped Scipio's sword, he would do it because the situation called for it. The people around him forced him into it. Really, just get it over with. Ichi's hand loosened around the grip. As his fingers closed around the guard, his hand snapped open. Ichi felt a sense of disgust wash over him.

It was as if the sword itself was something 'wrong'. What Ichi's body sensed standing in front of the sword overwhelmed him. It's just a sword isn't it? Ichi thought to himself. What did Scipio say earlier? Something about aircraft carriers? That this sword was special? No, 'Magic Rejection', when he tried to pick up the orc sword. This disgust. This disgust that ran through every fiber of his body. His disgust at being helpless at this situation, and his disgust at this town, Renya beating him in that fistfight on the roof, that sight of her with her eyes open under the waterfall like a broken doll with cat ears on her head, her pointlessly capable ability-

Renya in general. Mainly, Renya. If he had to say, Renya.

But - Ichi knew this sword wasn't Renya. He didn't know what urged him on. Something deep inside him, some deep instinct, some powerful sense welled up in him to this sword. Ichi's fingers closed around the hilt.

This wasn't a sword Ichi could . However, his hand closed around it anyways.

In Ichi's right hand he still held the black half of the stick of balance. It glowed violet as he grasped the hilt, then sucked into Ichi's body. Black energy pulsed across Ichi's arm, then through his whole body. Ichi felt the black stick 'within' him as he pulled the dull golden sword free of the ground.

He couldn't explain the feeling. He didn't know what was happening. However, he knew that he stared at that sword, and it turned pure white. The entire color changed. It reminded him of the white part of the stick of balance, but it was paler. A dull pale color. As his eyes turned to look at the girls and the vampire squid, he saw all of them with their jaw on the floor.

"What?" Ichi said.

Even Scipio was surprised. Ichi didn't like his face matching Rikya's and Satou's. Satou's head snapped to Scipio and nodded aggressively, then to Rikya. Rikya smiled weakly. Satou nodded at her twice with a stern face. With that, Rikya's smile failed. Her face went straight. She shook her head and put her hand to her face.

Ichi felt even more adrift from the rest of them.

"What? I do something wrong? You told me to take it Satou!"

Satou grimaced. She turned to Scipio. Scipio looked at her with a furrowed brow, his lips drew down.

"That what I think it is? He did it, with my sword, and this guy's an amatuer?"

"'Magic Resonance'..." Satou sighed.