Chapter 10: Testing the Pawn’s Power

The following afternoon the Host Club room was unrecognizable. The gilded lounge chairs and tea tables were stacked against the wall; in their place a glowing circle of runes pulsed on the parquet floor.

Haruhi stood in the center, feeling very much like a mouse in a magician’s experiment.
“This looks like a summoning pit,” she muttered.

Kyoya smiled faintly. “Technically, it’s a stabilizing array. We’re going to measure the capacity and limits of your Sacred Gear.”

Tamaki stood at the edge, golden aura shimmering like sunlight through stained glass. His eyes still flickered with the memory of the stray devil’s claws. “We’ll go slowly,” he promised. “But we must know how to defend you — and how you can defend yourself.”

Honey bounced on his heels, Mori at his side. The twins whispered conspiratorially. Nekozawa sat quietly in a dark corner, his puppet Beelzenef perched on his knee, murmuring a protective chant.

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Shield Test

“Again,” Kyoya instructed. Hikaru conjured a whip of crackling black fire and snapped it toward Haruhi.

She raised her hands; the crystalline shields snapped into place with a soft chime. The black fire splashed harmlessly off the shimmering barrier.

Kaoru whistled. “She’s good.”

Kyoya scribbled notes. “Reflex speed improved. Output stable.”

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Push Test

Mori stepped forward next, his arm sheathed in demonic strength. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

He thrust a palm strike toward her shield; she braced, the force sliding off her barrier like water off glass. The recoil knocked Mori back a half step.

Honey grinned. “Whoa, you pushed Takashi!”

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Discovery of Its Nature

As the tests went on, a clearer picture emerged:

Her Sacred Gear was primarily defensive, a crystalline barrier that could shape itself into shields or wings.

It also had a counterpulse — a concussive burst that could knock opponents back or shatter energy attacks.

It drew power from her emotions — fear in the alleyway had awakened it, but determination strengthened it.

Kyoya flipped his notebook closed. “It’s a rare type. Not purely offensive, but one of the strongest defensive Sacred Gears I’ve catalogued. Properly trained, it could even withstand a direct strike from a High-Class Devil.”

Tamaki’s eyes softened. “Perfect,” he murmured. “A power that protects.”

Haruhi flushed. “Don’t make it sound so dramatic.”

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After Training

As evening fell, the club began to disperse. Honey and Mori escorted Haruhi partway home as a precaution. The twins went ahead to check the perimeter of the school for stray devils. Tamaki lingered, clearly troubled.

Kyoya watched him, unreadable behind his glasses. “You’re thinking about the enemy.”

Tamaki nodded once. “Whoever sent that stray will come again.”

Kyoya’s smirk was faint and sharp. “Then let them. We’ll be ready.”

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Elsewhere

A shadowed chamber.
“She is adapting faster than expected,” the same voice hissed. “Accelerate the test. Send something stronger.”

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✨ End of Chapter 10