Chương 12: Better than none.

Ch. 12- Better than none.

Amy's body shifted against the infirmary pillows, trying to find a comfortable position as the book's glow intensified. The pages shifted and transformed before her eyes, the familiar amber leather morphing into the pages of a manga volume before settling into her hands.

"You know," Amy said, attempting to keep her tone light, "I'm weirdly excited to see how I look in action. Is that narcissistic? That feels narcissistic." [Absolutely.] She attempted a laugh, but it turned into a pained cough.

"Ow. Everything hurts." [Perhaps you should rest instead of—]"No." Amy's fingers tightened around the book.

"I need to see it. Now." She caught herself, then added more casually, "I mean, I'm curious how it all went down." Her hands betrayed her with a slight tremor as she turned to the first page. A sigh left the book. [Very well. Chapter 152 is titled "Mysteries of Building B." It covers events from a little before the inauguration ceremony, up to your discovery of the nightmare.] The cover art for Chapter 152 prominently featured Crow in the foreground, holding the golden key between his fingers.

Its surface caught the light in an almost ominous way. Behind him stood his usual companions—Ash, Lyra, and Lain—with the Academy's Building B looming in the background. Partially obscured by shadow, Amy herself appeared behind the party, her eyes seeming to glow with prophetic light. [They keep making you look cool for some weird reason…]"What do you mean? I am cool." Amy flipped to the first page and began reading.

The chapter opened with Crow in Professor Vanheim's office, his expression unreadable as he placed the golden key on the professor's desk." You've made no progress?" Vanheim asked, his silver-streaked beard catching the lamplight as he examined the key." None," Crow admitted, frustration evident in the tension of his shoulders." Every conventional method of analysis has failed. It's as if the key exists... between realities somehow." Vanheim stroked his beard thoughtfully." It's not entirely unprecedented.

Artifacts from the Old Kingdom occasionally exhibit such properties." He paused, his eyes narrowing." Have you considered consulting Zayd Gaspard? His prophetic abilities might—"" No," Crow interrupted, his tone sharp." I'd rather explore other options first." Vanheim's expression shifted to one of careful neutrality." Your aversion to the Gaspard family, while understandable given your... history, limits your resources unnecessarily." A small flashback provided context.

It depicted how six months ago, Crow had discovered evidence suggesting the Gaspards' involvement in his father's disappearance.

"I have another possible option," Crow said after a moment, his gaze distant.

"There's a new student. I believe she might have... special perceptive abilities." Vanheim's eyebrows rose.

"Ah. I think I know who you're talking about."

"Is she related to the Gaspards…?"

"From all I know, her relationship with them is nonexistent, which raises a lot of questions… I didn't think you two knew each other." A few scenes depicted Crow's internal debate over whether or not to tell the professor everything he knew about Amy. He trusted his teacher with his life, but he also didn't want the man to pester him about his decision to trust that girl over Zayd.

If Crow told him that his encounter with the new student had not only been a coincidence, but that she seemed to possess an ancient consciousness-bearing artifact, and that she'd appeared out of nowhere on the day the Onyx Star was closest to the world, then his teacher would surely start thinking of Crow as a fool.

"We don't. I met her randomly some time ago."

"I see… Just between us, a new Professor, Kaelen from the Gaspard family, has expressed... significant interest in her potential." Crow's eyes narrowed at that.

"What kind of interest?"

"Professional curiosity, nothing more," Vanheim replied smoothly, though a subtle tension underlined his words.

"Professional curiosity that seems unusually... focused, compared to his typical indifference toward first-year students. But that's not my immediate concern." He leaned forward, fixing Crow with a penetrating stare.

"What concerns me is your willingness to trust this girl—someone you barely know—with information about an artifact that's potentially connected to your father's disappearance." Crow crossed his arms defensively.

"I'm not sharing everything I know with her."

"Yet," Vanheim countered.

"But you're considering it. I can see it in your expression, boy. You've always been transparent to those who know where to look. This artifact may be the most significant clue you've found in years. And you're ready to entrust it to an unknown variable."

"I have no reason to trust Zayd," Crow said, his voice tight.

"At least with her, I'm starting fresh." Vanheim sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Just... be careful, Crow. Not everyone is as they first appear." Crow nodded curtly and collected the key from the desk.

"I know." He turned to the exit.

"And Crow," Vanheim called after him,"remember what I taught you about perception and reality." The manga showed Crow pausing at the threshold, not turning back but clearly listening.

"The simplest explanation is often correct—except when dealing with the past. Then, it's never simple. Be careful, boy, and don't let your father ruin your life more than he's already done." After those words, Crow left the room. Amy grimaced at the page.

"Am I really that unreliable? Like, I get I'm suspicious and all, but does it genuinely have to be this exaggerated?" [If you were in their position, you would be just as apprehensive. Perhaps even more considering your… attitude.]"The hell are you talking about?" [Nothing.]"Whatever." It was a hopeless endeavor to waste one's breath on the nonsense of this insolent little book.

The manga scene shifted to Crow during the opening ceremony reuniting with his friends, whom he had barely seen before and no chance to really talk to since summer break. Ash enthusiastically recounted the adventures he'd experienced with Crow in the orphanage, Lyra shyly presented gifts she'd brought back from her homeland, and Lain stood quietly beside them, a small smile occasionally gracing her features. Then another figure entered the frame—a tall, athletic girl with copper skin and a confident stance.

Iris Wright, Amy recognized from the manga. Class S's combat specialist and another recurring character in the story.

"Survived another summer with your folks?" Crow asked her with a rare half-smile. Iris snorted, flipping her braided hair over one shoulder.

"Barely. Father insisted I master three new weapons before my return. As if I didn't already outclass most of the lower-grade instructors here." Her gaze swept over the group, pausing briefly on Lain.

"You look well, Arkwright. Managed not to freeze anything important over the break?" Lain's silver eyes flickered briefly, the only indication of her response to the friendly jab. The conversation continued, full of the easy camaraderie of friends who'd faced dangers together in the past. There were subtle references to previous events Amy recognized from earlier manga chapters—the tournament arc from last year, the Northern Ruins expedition, the confrontation at Blackthorn Bridge.

During the conversation, Crow was becoming more and more annoyed after Ash teased him a couple of times about his relationship with the blonde first-year student. So he ended up telling the group about Amy, their encounter in the teahouse, as well as everything he knew about her.

"How nosy. Doesn't this guy know that it's bad to gossip about others this much?" Amy commented with a frown. The next several pages covered the opening ceremony from Crow's perspective, focusing particularly on his reaction to seeing Amy formally introduced as part of Class S. The artist had drawn his eyes following her movement across the hall, his expression at first thoughtful rather than suspicious. A text box captured his internal monologue: As expected, she's in class S.

A potential seer not bound by Gaspard traditions. Perhaps...

"So he really was trying to use me from the start," Amy muttered, feeling oddly disappointed.

"That's not how protagonists are supposed to be..." [I'm not sure that's entirely fair. He was looking for help, and you appeared to be someone who could provide it.]"What are you, his PR team?" Amy frowned, flipping to the next page. The chapter continued, showing Crow's decision to approach Amy about the key while talking about the deal he wanted to make, and then leaving when he sensed the headmistress' eyes on the two of them.

What happened next were a boring lecture and his reunion with other second-year students, such as Vulty and Kain. And then, the somewhat polite but awkward greeting between him and Zayd; she still didn't understand where the two of them stood. Eventually, the first-years arrived, and class began, then ended. And finally he approached Amy and talked about their deal, then his companions butted in, annoying him a little bit, but eventually relenting.

What followed was the conversation on the balcony where Amy had agreed to help him. The artist had captured the wariness in Lyra's eyes, the curiosity in Ash's, and the silent observation from Lain, who looked very wary of her. When Amy had made her declaration about being able to find what the key opened, a panel showed Crow's genuine surprise, quickly replaced by calculation. A small text box revealed his thoughts: Either she's bluffing, or her power truly is remarkable. Either way, I will know soon.

The deal continued with Crow offering payment, but Amy declining and instead asking for a favor. Something that deeply unsettled Crow, though he eventually accepted. With the conversation over, both parties went their separate ways. However, right before the scene changed, there was a full page of Amy walking home, accompanied by a single line of dialogue.

"Will I be able to stop it, I wonder…" As she read this part, Amy could not contain her surprise.

"I'm so fucking gorgeous…!" [... is that really what you should be focusing on?] Amy cleared her throat before shifting her attention to the line she'd spoken back then.

"I didn't expect the author to add this part. Am I in danger…?" [Why would you be in danger? I'm confused.]"What if they depict something where I break my character?" [Then I'll censor it before it reaches them.]"You can do that?" Amy's eyebrows rose, and her eyes opened slightly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" [I can only do it when you haven't exposed yourself directly to the characters or other similar situations. As for why I haven't told you, it's because I have a bad premonition that you'll try to exploit this rule.]"I would never!" she exclaimed even as she considered how to use this to her advantage. [Forgive me, but I'd much rather trust a clown than you.]"Why a clown…?" [Don't you have a chapter to finish?] Amy stared at Libris in silence, still trying to understand why it had mentioned clowns specifically, but a few seconds later she gave up and returned her attention to the manga. The scene shifted to the next day after class, with Crow and his companions waiting outside Building B. His fingers toyed with the golden key as his gaze scanned the Academy grounds. This place feels... wrong, his internal monologue read. Has it always felt this way? Or am I simply more attuned to such things now?

Amy arrived shortly after. They talked briefly and then entered the building. The following pages depicted their group splitting up to search, focusing briefly on Crow accepting Libris from Amy with a puzzled expression. His mind raced with thoughts, trying to discern the woman's intentions. It also showed Lain and Amy's weird standoff as neither of the two moved their gazes from each other. Lain's silver eyes followed Amy's every movement with her usual expressionless visage.

A small text box captured her thoughts: There's something wrong here. The way she appeared so suddenly... so conveniently just when Crow needed her… I need to keep watch. A panel showed Lain's fingers subtly frosting over as her anxiety increased—an unconscious manifestation of her powers that the artist had used in previous chapters to indicate her emotional state. She quickly clenched her fist, dispersing the ice crystals before anyone could notice.

"And here I was wondering why she decided to approach me… What did I do to deserve this…?" [Quite a lot—]"You know, your snarky, quirky comments are getting old. Is your whole personality just that?" [Yes, actually.]"..." Amy sighed, something that she felt happened a lot lately. With a shake of her head, she once again returned her focus to the manga. It was only after a long silence that someone finally spoke.

"Is there anything you need, Lain?" Amy asked bluntly. The panel showed Lain's hesitation, her silver eyes darting briefly to the side before meeting Amy's gaze again. When she spoke, her speech bubble and font were drawn smaller than usual, indicating her quiet voice.

"... can I come with you…?" Lain asked, after a big effort. Amy seemed to think for a second before just nodding and walking away. Lain followed behind. The manga perspective shifted again, this time showing Crow searching everywhere, and even talking to students, all without success. Once the agreed-upon ten minutes were over, everyone returned except for two. Amy and Lain.

Ash wasn't bothered at all, and in fact, repeatedly reassured the concerned and mildly impatient Lyra, who kept imagining the worst possible outcomes. Meanwhile, Crow just stared in silence at the book, a deep frown on its face. Why did she give it to me? he thought. Could it be that something is about to happen…? And with those ominous words, the perspective switched to the last panel. Amy and Lain stared at the bloodied figure of a student held in ropes with some kind of cursed magic holding his organs in place.

[End of Chapter 152.] Amy exhaled slowly.

"Pretty accurate to what happened, though seeing it from Crow's perspective is... interesting." [Ready for Chapter 153?] Amy nodded, and the pages shifted again, revealing the cover for the next installment. This one was more dynamic—Crow in mid-combat, his blade slicing through the distorted version of a student. In the background, chaos reigned as more monsters attacked. Amy and Lain appeared in a small inset panel at the bottom, surrounded by darkness, their expressions determined as they faced unseen horrors.

"So dramatic," Amy commented, yet her voice held no warmth. Instead, a hint of fear could be heard. She began reading the new chapter, which opened with Crow standing at the rendezvous point, checking the clock in the hall with increasing frequency.

"Seventeen minutes late…" he muttered to Ash and Lyra, who waited nearby.

"Maybe they found something?" Ash suggested, though his tone betrayed his doubt.

"Could an assassin have attacked them on their way back?" Lyra added, her expression filled with fear.

"Perhaps they found a demonic ritual and are currently trapped in a nightmare!" Crow's gaze moved unconsciously to Libris. The book bothered him more than he wanted to admit. His internal monologue revealed more: Something's wrong. This entire situation feels... off. The key, this building... none of it feels right. Before he could pursue that thought further, movement caught his attention. Amy and Lain approached, their expressions neutral.

"Lain! Where were you!? I almost had a heart attack!" Lyra immediately ran and hugged Lain, who returned the hug shyly.

"Did you find anything?" Amy asked, her golden eyes revealing nothing. Crow studied her for a moment, something nagging at his instincts.

"Nothing yet," he replied carefully.

"And you? You're quite late."

"We got lost. As you saw from our first encounter, I'm not the best with directions."

"I see…" Crow narrowed his eyes, but eventually just nodded.

"Then, have you found anything?"

"Nothing," Lain answered, her voice as quiet as always. Crow sighed before handing Libris to her.

"Your book," he said, extending it toward Amy.

"I'm not sure it was of any help to me." Amy made no move to take it, her gaze sliding past the book as if it weren't there. The panels zoomed in on Crow's eyes, narrowing with sudden suspicion. A small text box appeared: Why isn't she taking it… Not even glancing at it… Is it possible that…

"Actually," Crow said, sliding the book towards Lyra, who held it with a confused face,"I think we should check the east wing again. Lyra, would you come with me? Ash, stay with Amy and Lain." Amy was confused at the reasoning behind this, but Crow didn't elaborate, and in the end she had no choice but to agree. As Crow and Lyra moved down a hallway, he activated his Soul Sight—one of his abilities that allowed him to see higher planes.

The panels showed his vision shifting, colors inverting as he looked back at the group they'd left behind. Where 'Amy' and 'Lain' stood, his enhanced vision revealed distorted, twisted auras—nothing like the clear, defined signatures of true living beings.

"They're not Amy and Lain," he whispered to Lyra, whose eyes widened in shock.

"How can you be sure?"

"Three things," Crow replied, his voice tight.

"First, Amy's book. She treasures it, yet her copy didn't even acknowledge its existence. Second, my Third Sight confirms they're not human. And third..." He hesitated.

"My intuition." The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"This writing is ass…" Amy couldn't help but mutter those words at the 'my intuition' line. [You're miserable, you know that?] The next sequence showed Crow carefully maneuvering to isolate 'Amy' from the others, leading her down a secluded corridor under the pretense of checking a classroom. Once alone, the pages depicted a brutal, efficient attack—Crow drawing his blade in one fluid motion and driving it through the impostor's back before it could react. Instead of blood, black ichor spilled from the wound.

The creature's form rippled, its features melting into a grotesque approximation of humanity, before collapsing into a puddle of writhing darkness. Amy winced at the graphic depiction.

"Wow. He really didn't hesitate, did he?" [As I mentioned earlier. Not a single doubt. Quite impressive, actually.] The manga continued, showing Crow and Lyra confronting 'Lain' together after explaining the situation to Ash. The impostor fought back with considerable strength, its limbs elongating into blade-like appendages, but the three Class S students overwhelmed it with coordinated attacks, and in a matter of seconds, it was dead.

As the second impostor dissolved, Crow examined the black ichor with growing concern.

"This is blood magic. Ancient and forbidden. Could it be the Blood Emperor?"

"We need to alert the headmistress," Lyra insisted.

"Whatever's happening here, it's beyond what we should handle alone."

"Agreed," Crow nodded.

"Lyra, go. Ash and I will search for Amy and Lain—the real ones."

"And the other students in this building?" Ash asked, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by grim determination. Crow's expression darkened.

"Assume any student you encounter might be an impostor until proven otherwise." The subsequent pages showed Lyra departing while Crow and Ash began methodically searching the building. As they progressed, they encountered more students—some genuine, others impostors who attacked when their deception was discovered.

"All of them are copies..." Ash muttered after they'd dispatched another creature. A loud screech echoed through the building. The impostors they'd encountered previously had maintained their human disguises even when attacking, but now more monstrous forms emerged from classrooms and hallways—abandoning pretense for savage ferocity.

"No more disguises, it seems. They know we're onto them." Crow realized, drawing his sword as three creatures converged on their position. What followed was a dynamic, multi-page battle sequence as Crow and Ash fought their way through the increasingly chaotic building. Other students caught in the madness either fled or, in some cases, attempted to help—though most lacked the combat prowess to be effective against the monsters.

"Get to safety!" Crow shouted at a group of Class B students who had bravely but ineffectually tried to assist.

"We'll handle this!" The fight spilled out into a courtyard as more creatures poured from the building. Ash's strength-enhancing abilities allowed him to literally tear the monsters apart with his bare hands, while Crow's swordplay created a whirlwind of death around him. Amid the chaos, the perspective suddenly shifted to Lain, deep within the nightmare realm. The artist had captured her internal struggle quite well—her normally impassive face betraying subtle hints of confusion and concern as she glanced at Amy.

Who is she? Lain's internal monologue read. She speaks of visions and fate, yet knows this place as if she's walked it before. Not a Gaspard, yet with prophetic gifts that rival Zayd's. A seer who appeared out of nowhere just when we needed one... The panels showed Lain observing Amy closely as they navigated the nightmare, noting how she moved with purpose. Too convenient, Lain's thoughts continued. Too precise. Whatever she is, it can't be something simple.

What continued were the events as Amy had lived them, depicting how they had barely escaped from the monster into a secret tunnel. The chapter reached its climax with a dramatic split-panel: on one side, Crow and Ash standing back-to-back in the courtyard, surrounded by monsters; on the other, Amy and Lain in the ritual chamber, Amy pressing her bleeding palm to the channels as Lain defended against the creatures pouring in. Eventually, almost everything worked out.

Crow managed to keep outside casualties to zero as he drew all the monsters' attention on himself. Lain and Amy saved almost all of the sacrifices, with Amy falling unconscious at the end and Lain princess-carrying her. Right when the teachers and professional ability users arrived. Nobody had died, except for one person. [End of Chapter 153] Amy closed the book with a frown. [You did well, Amy.] She leaned back against her pillow. Not responding.

After a long while, the door to the infirmary opened, and a healer entered—a middle-aged woman with a serene expression and streaks of silver in her dark hair.

"Ah, you're awake," she said, smiling gently.

"Good. How are you feeling, Miss Stake?" Amy quickly composed herself, pushing away the complex emotions stirred by the manga chapters.

"Fine." The healer chuckled, approaching to check Amy's vitals with practiced movements.

"So strong~." As the woman began her examination, Amy's gaze drifted back to Libris, now once again in its simple book form on the bedside table. Twelve saved, one dead. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than the original outcome. Perhaps that was the best she could hope for in this world—not flawless victories, but improvements on tragedy. The thought provided little comfort as the memory of Elias's crushed face flashed once more in her mind.

It took some time, but the nurse finished her inspection, then she excused herself, saying that she would be right back in a minute. [Would you like to see how readers are reacting to these chapters?] Libris asked after a moment of silence. Amy groaned, pulling the blanket up to her chin.

"Do I have to? I'm not sure I'm emotionally equipped to handle a bunch of strangers dissecting my actions right now." [It might be enlightening. The readers' perception directly affects your abilities, after all.] Amy stared at the ceiling, considering.

"Fine, show me the comments with the most likes, and any relevant threads related to me," she said finally.

"But if it gets too weird or annoying, we're stopping immediately." [Fair enough.] The book's pages began to glow, shifting and restructuring themselves. [Displaying comments from chapters 152 and 153.] [Ch. 152] MidnightReader"Will I be able to stop it, I wonder..." WHAT DOES AMY KNOW??? That line dropped like a bomb at the end! + The golden key subplot has been teased for like 20 chapters, and we're getting somewhere. The Building B mystery feels genuinely creepy.

↳ 14k likes ⋅ 216 comments KeyMaster42 ↪ replying to MidnightReader, I've been saying Building B was sus since the background details in chapter 87. Takahashi-sensei plays the long game with his foreshadowing. ↳ 378 likes ⋅ 16 comments CrowStans4Life Can we talk about how Crow keeps using Amy while simultaneously not trusting her at all? Bro needs to make up his mind ↳ 982 likes ⋅ 157 comments Psych000 ↪ replying to CrowStans4Life Classic Crow behavior though.

Remember how he treated Lain when she first joined the group? That's just his daddy issues taking hold. ↳ 453 likes ⋅ 15 comments GoldenEyes Amy is such a breath of fresh air in this series. She's mysterious but not in an annoying way, and her dynamic with the group is already so interesting. ↳ 876 likes ⋅ 94 comments LoreHunter ↪ replying to GoldenEyes Her character design is gorgeous too. Those golden eyes against that dark character palette Takahashi-sensei uses? chef's kiss.

↳ 328 likes ⋅ 13 comments Skep101 ↪ replying to GoldenEyes I don't know about her, she's so sus. Even if her intentions might be good, she still seems antagonistic... ↳ 112 likes ⋅ 43 replies Lolenhd ↪ replying to Skep101 Right? Even Vanheim is wondering about it.

"Transparent to those who know how to look" - Crow is being played. ↳ 67 likes ZaydFan2000 Everyone's focused on Amy, but let's not forget Zayd Gaspard. I miss my boy; ---; ↳ 1487 likes ⋅ 94 comments PlotTheorist That last panel with Amy and Lain finding the student... chills literally down my spine. Takahashi-sensei never disappoints with the horror elements. ↳ 754 likes ⋅ 87 comments Mangasucker ↪ replying to PlotTheorist Those thirteen blood marks are definitely some ritual.

I'm betting it connects to the Forbidden Arts mentioned in the Library Arc. ↳ 312 likes ⋅ 7 comments LainDefenseSquad Lain asking to come with Amy instead of staying with her usual group?? Character development. ↳ 708 likes ⋅ 76 comments Charay ↪ replying to LainDefenseSquad Lain's internal monologue about Amy being "not right" is so fascinating though. Her instincts are usually spot on. ↳ 287 likes ForeshadowingExpert ↪ replying to Charay She clearly knows way more than she's letting on.

Calling it now - she's seen the future somehow. ↳ 31 likes ⋅ 8 comments VanheimFanclub Professor Vanheim proving once again why he's the best character in this manga.

"Be careful boy, don't let your father ruin your life more than he's already done" - OUCH. ↳ 1584 likes ⋅ 167 comments KeyTheories Deep dive on the golden key: Old Kingdom artifact + "exists between realities" + Crow's father disappearance = DIMENSIONAL PORTAL??? ↳ 547 likes ⋅ 213 comments BalconyScene That balcony conversation was the perfect setup for the whole Building B investigation. ↳ 501 likes ⋅ 58 comments ShipperTrash ↪ replying to BalconyScene The lighting in that scene was gorgeous too.

The artist is spoiling us. ↳ 203 likes [ch. 153] SageFan426 Well, that was INTENSE. Takahashi-sensei really said "no brakes" this time. I'm still processing everything that happened in Building B. Thoughts? ↳ 8007 likes ⋅ 3438 comments AcidRainDreamer ↪ replying to SageFan426 I cannot believe Takahashi-sensei didn't just kill everyone like he used to. Was the rumor of their partner scolding them because they killed too much true?

Also, the Elias death was brutal tho 😭 but holy shit Amy and Lain actually rescued almost everyone. In the rough draft leaks it seemed like Takahashi was setting up another typical "everyone dies" moment but then SWERVED US. ↳ 4954 likes ⋅ 902 replies KingOfTheories ↪ replying to AcidRainDreamer I'm honestly shocked. Quest for Avalon never lets characters save people. Remember the Village Arc? The Temple Collapse?

The fact that Crow managed to protect everyone and Amy and Lain saved 12/13 students, that's huge for this manga. It's like Takahashi is signaling a tonal shift. ↳ 1426 likes ⋅ 138 comments NotLikeOtherMCs ↪ replying to KingOfTheories Exactly. And the contrast between Crow's "eliminate the threats" approach versus Amy's "save everyone" mission really highlights the changing dynamics. I love that she's bringing a new energy to the story.

↳ 198 likes ⋅ 38 comments EternalCynic ↪ replying to NotLikeOtherMCs Don't get too excited. We're still in the "Hope" part of Takahashi's typical "Hope -> Despair -> Deeper Despair" cycle. These 12 students are probably just being saved for something worse later. ↳ 137 likes ⋅ 14 replies CriticalReader21 ↪ replying to AcidRainDreamer Am I the only one who thinks this was WAY too convenient? New character shows up and suddenly the established grimdark tone changes?

This feels like editorial interference or Takahashi trying to appeal to a wider audience. ↳ 29 likes ⋅ 8 replies AestheticDoom ↪ replying to CriticalReader21 not everything is a conspiracy theory against your precious dark stories lmao. Maybe the author just wanted to try something different after 150+ chapters of complete misery? 🙄 ↳ 83 likes MangaOtaku88 ↪ replying to SageFan426 Crow's "zero hesitation" moment when he stabbed fake Amy was the coldest shit I've ever seen in this manga. My man did not BLINK.

Just "you're not Amy" STAB 💀 ↳ 1200 likes ⋅ 127 replies CelestiaPrime ↪ replying to MangaOtaku88 He didn't even question it lmaooo like "this girl I barely know is acting weird" immediately commits murder AND HE WAS RIGHT ↳ 678 likes ⋅ 97 replies BloodiedSword ↪ replying to CelestiaPrime Bro has trust issues the size of the moon and I'm here for it 👏 Crow said "nah this ain't my mysterious seer gf" and chose violence instantly ↳ 354 likes ⋅ 17 replies CalmNinja ↪ replying to SageFan426 Anyone notice how Lain had warmed up so fast to Amy throughout these chapters?

Like she says more to Amy in 2 chapters than she did to most other characters in 150+ ↳ 798 likes ⋅ 87 replies FrozenRose ↪ replying to CalmNinja That's what I'm saying. Lain, the girl who can barely speak three words to people she's known for years, voluntarily going with Amy and then fighting alongside her is huge, why are people not talking more about this?

↳ 431 likes ⋅ 17 replies IceQueenLover ↪ replying to FrozenRose she literally carried amy's unconscious body out of the collapsing nightmare and the panel where she's looking down at amy with actual emotion on her face… i ship it your honor 😳 ↳ 367 likes ⋅ 243 replies ShipWars2023 ↪ replying to IceQueenLover Here we go again with people shipping characters who've known each other for two days.

↳ 29 likes ⋅ 88 replies FrostSeeker ↪ replying to ShipWars2023"shipping characters who've known each other for two days" my brother in christ Lain doesn't HAVE friends besides like 3 people and she immediately latched onto Amy. That's not normal Lain behavior ↳ 107 likes ⋅ 87 replies CleverAnalysis ↪ replying to SageFan426 I think we need to talk about the massive revelation that Building B has been compromised for who knows how long? There are 13 fake students we know about, but what if there are more?

The paranoia potential here is incredible. ↳ 654 likes ⋅ 42 replies ConspiracyTracker ↪ replying to CleverAnalysis Holy shit you're right. What if this is just the tip of the iceberg? How long has the Blood Emperor been infiltrating the Academy? How many "students" are actually imposters? ↳ 228 likes ⋅ 22 replies ThatsN ↪ replying to SageFan426 Am I trippin or was Elias Varn never mentioned in the manga before?

Feels like they created him just to kill him off ↳ 43 likes ⋅ 7 replies MangaHistorian ↪ replying to ThatsN He was actually mentioned in ch 87 in the background during the tournament. Just a name drop though. ↳ 95 likes SeriousFan101 ↪ replying to SageFan426 Can we discuss how Amy basically destroyed herself to save those students? The panel where she's bleeding from her eyes while still trying to free more people? That's the most hardcore thing I've seen from a new character.

↳ 723 likes ⋅ 54 replies ProtagonistVibes ↪ replying to SeriousFan101 It changed my whole outlook on the character. I thought she was a villain, but she might genuinely be good. ↳ 392 likes Realig ↪ replying to ProtagonistVibes Nah, she's evil. Have you seen that face? I know that bitch is plotting something. ↳ -8 likes ⋅ 26 replies CommonSense2023 ↪ replying to Realig She saved 12 lives while putting hers on the line. If that's not heroic idk what is.

↳ 15 likes GrangerThoughts ↪ replying to SageFan426 The contrast between Crow's tactical approach (isolate threats, eliminate efficiently) vs Amy's emotional one (save everyone even at personal cost) is such interesting character work. In terms of personality, we haven't seen much of Amy, but in terms of actions, they're like opposites but somehow complementary. ↳ 527 likes ⋅ 38 replies TheoristSupreme ↪ replying to GrangerThoughts Takahashi loves his "opposing approaches that actually need each other" dynamic.

Remember Ash and Mina's whole arc? This feels like a new version of that with Crow and Amy. ↳ 219 likes ⋅ 28 replies CryingInTheClub ↪ replying to SageFan426 no bc why am i sobbing at amy desperately trying to save elias even after everyone else escaped?? the way she REFUSED to leave him behind?? i can't handle this emotionally 😭😭😭 ↳ 612 likes ⋅ 27 replies EmotionalDamage ↪ replying to CryingInTheClub LITERALLY SAME and then when the tentacle just.... i can't even type it.

Takahashi really said "you get to save almost everyone but watch this one die HORRIBLY" ↳ 341 likes Matias45462 ↪ replying to EmotionalDamage god the way this fandom talks now makes me feel ancient.

what happened to actual discussion instead of whatever this is ↳ -37 likes ⋅ 12 replies D"ck27 ↪ replying to Matias45462 go back to the retirement home grandpa, let people enjoy things ↳ 127 likes ⋅ 8 replies Thread: Controversial Opinion - Amy is BAD for this story TruthTeller99 [Thread Starter] I'm probably going to get downvoted to hell but somebody needs to say it: Amy is RUINING the core essence of this manga. Quest for Avalon has ALWAYS been about the harsh reality that you can't save everyone.

The despair and tragedy are what make triumphs meaningful. Now suddenly this random new girl shows up and saves 12 people? This completely undermines the established tone and themes of the story. It's like Takahashi is catering to fans who complained the story was "too dark." And don't get me started on how she's already being set up as a love interest. The "mysterious girl with golden eyes" trope is SO overdone.

↳ 17 likes ⋅ 131 comments FanSince2019 ↪ replying to TruthTeller99 dude it's literally been 3 chapters with her, maybe wait before declaring she's "ruined" a 150+ chapter manga? 💀 ↳ 213 likes RIPLogic ↪ replying to TruthTeller99 So your complaint is that... too many people survived? That's honestly weird. ↳ 178 likes ⋅ 12 replies TruthTeller99 ↪ replying to RIPLogic No, my complaint is that the core THEMES of the manga are being undermined.

QfA has always shown that sacrifice is necessary, that you can't save everyone. Now suddenly you can? ↳ 19 likes ⋅ 138 replies LiteraryAnalysis ↪ replying to TruthTeller99 Have you considered that subverting expectations is the point? That the story might be evolving to explore what happens when someone REFUSES to accept the "you can't save everyone" premise? ↳ 430 likes ⋅ 18 replies NeverSatisfied ↪ replying to TruthTeller99 LMAO did we read the same chapters??

One kid still died horrifically, Amy almost killed herself trying, and Lain barely saved both of them. Yeah real happy sunshine outcome there.

↳ 970 likes ⋅ 8 replies ShippingWars ↪ replying to TruthTeller99"Don't get me started on how she's already being set up as a love interest" my brother in christ Crow STABBED HER DOPPELGANGER WITH ZERO HESITATION ↳ 754 likes ⋅ 28 replies LogicalShipper ↪ replying to ShippingWars To be fair that's basically Crow's love language at this point ↳ 186 likes ⋅ 3 replies Thread: Amy's backstory predictions??? CharacterLover [Thread Starter] We still know almost nothing about Amy's background! Where did she come from?

What is her objective? And most importantly, what's with the talking book? Drop your theories below! Most creative one gets my free award:) ↳ 342 likes ⋅ 197 comments WildGuess ↪ replying to CharacterLover I'm thinking she's actually related to the royal bloodline somehow. I remember someone commenting that on an old thread. The golden eyes/hair are a dead giveaway - remember the ancient queen in the flashback from ch 120? same coloring.

↳ 87 likes OutlandishTheory ↪ replying to CharacterLover The book is actually Amy from the future who went back in time to guide her past self and prevent some catastrophe BOOM ↳ 120 likes ⋅ 5 replies ReasonablePerson ↪ replying to OutlandishTheory This makes zero sense but I'm upvoting for creativity ↳ 14 likes GrassyField ↪ replying to CharacterLover no theories just here for the vibes.

↳ 43 likes DeepLore ↪ replying to CharacterLover Realistically, I think she comes from one of the Outer Territories that were lost during the Cataclysm. That would explain why her prophetic abilities are different from the Gaspard tradition - they evolved separately.

↳ 102 likes ⋅ 17 replies Theories on Amy's Powers (Based on Chapter 152 and 153 revelations) PowerShjfAnalyst [Thread started] THEORY THREAD: Amy's powers explained after the Building B incident She doesn't just "see" the future - she seems to physically navigate potential futures She has knowledge no first-year student should have about the building layout and academy situation The physical toll (bleeding eyes, collapse) suggests her power has serious drawbacks She seemed to know that the students were trapped before finding them What do you all think?

Is she more than just a seer? ↳ 1200 likes ⋅ 247 comments MultipowerTheory ↪ replying to PowerShjfAnalyst I think she's like Crow - multiple abilities that work together. Prophetic sight + some kind of fate navigation that lets her navigate the consequences of different choices. ↳ 1438 likes ⋅ 128 replies ShadowSage23 Anyone notice how Amy seemed to be conserving her strength until the ritual chamber? Then suddenly went all out? She knew exactly when to use her full power.

↳ 876 likes ⋅ 34 comments AbilityHoarder ↪ replying to ShadowSage23 This suggests she has way more control than a typical first-year. Her power might be new to the Academy but not new to her. ↳ 295 likes ⋅ 4 replies OutsideContext Wild theory but what if Amy has all those drawback because she was so far away from the book?

↳ 743 likes ⋅ 167 comments MetaReader ↪ replying to OutsideContext There was a theory that said that the book is the main body, and honestly, it might actually be right ↳ 284 likes ⋅ 17 comments Nerd Amy breaking the blood ritual requires specialized knowledge, so the ability she explained to Crow is most likely real. However, it doesn't explain her leaving the book behind to Crow like if she knew exactly what was going to happen.

↳ 247 likes ⋅ 16 comments TwoBooksTheory ↪ replying to Nerd I wonder if her book is her soul, or has her soul contained in it. ↳ 247 likes ⋅ 9 comments EyeBleedingSymbolism Theory: The bleeding eyes aren't just a physical toll - they're symbolic of how her power works. She's literally seeing through time until her body can't take it anymore. I genuinely believe that she might be an irregular just like Crow and have an ability that permits her to gain more than one ability.

↳ 631 likes ⋅ 92 comments LimitBreaker ↪ replying to EyeBleedingSymbolism Personally I just think it's a single ability that tells her what to do. The further she "looks" into possible futures, the less focused it is so it doesn't put as much strain on her body. But with the rituals, it was because they were so complex that she needed to overdrive her core. ↳ 218 likes ⋅ 12 comments ClassSSecrets Amy hasn't told anyone her full abilities - calling it now.

That "finding what keys open" thing is just ONE aspect of what she can do. ↳ 587 likes ⋅ 84 comments FutureTense ↪ replying to ClassSSecrets Agreed. Notice how she described her ability in the vaguest possible terms? She's hiding something. ↳ 201 likes ⋅ 54 comments ConsequenceTracker The 12/13 survival rate is unprecedented in this manga. Amy must be able to precisely calculate the outcome of her actions to achieve this.

↳ 529 likes ⋅ 76 comments Arminmybeloved Does anyone else think Amy might have some kind of time manipulation ability? Not full control, but maybe she can slow her perception of time to make better decisions? She looked so adaptable during all the impostor stuff ↳ 487 likes ⋅ 95 comments CostAnalysis Power scaling theory: Amy's abilities are S-tier but with S-tier drawbacks. She's not overpowered because using her full strength nearly killed her. Balanced character design.

Good job Takahashi-san ↳ 452 likes ⋅ 63 comments Thread: POWERSCALING AFTER CH 153 PowerLevelGuy [Thread Starter] Updated power rankings after the Building B short-arc: S-TIER: headmistress, teachers, Crow, Vanheim A-TIER: Zayd, Iris, Ash, Lain, Amy (maybe higher?) B-TIER: Lyra, Kaelen, other Class S seniors C-TIER: Tallen, Alba, Stella, other Class S firsties D-TIER: Normal students Thoughts? ↳ 989 likes ⋅ 1430 comments ActuallyPays Attention ↪ replying to PowerLevelGuy Amy in A-Tier? Are you HIGH?

She literally collapsed after one fight and needed to be carried out. Her attack power is non-existent. ↳ 76 likes ⋅ 88 replies PowerLevelGuy ↪ replying to ActuallyPaysAttention Her prophetic power is A-tier. She literally broke a blood magic ritual that was supposed to be unbreakable. Attack power isn't everything. ↳ 393 likes ⋅ 84 comments FactsOnly ↪ replying to PowerLevelGuy Bump Lain up to S-tier. She was fighting those monsters non-stop while also breaking the ritual and carrying Amy out.

↳ 427 likes ⋅ 54 comments NoContextMemes ↪ replying to PowerLevelGuy Elias Varn: D-tier from dead. 💀 ↳ 880 likes ⋅ 17 replies CommonDecency ↪ replying to NoContextMemes Seriously? Making jokes about a kid who died horrifically? You are horrible. ↳ -15 likes ⋅ 84 comments NoContextMemes ↪ replying to CommonDecency Touch grass lol. ↳ 5 likes ⋅ 1 comments"That's enough," Amy said abruptly, her voice tight. The room seemed to be spinning.

"I can't... I don't need to see any more." [Are you alright?] Libris asked, the glow fading from its pages.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically, though her hands were shaking and a cold sweat had broken out across her forehead.

"Just tired." [You seem distressed.] Amy forced a small, brittle laugh.

"Wouldn't you be? Reading all that... commentary about yourself? It's weird." She kept her voice deliberately light, fighting to control the tremor that threatened to creep in. [It's more than that, I think,] Libris observed quietly. [The comments about—]"I said I'm fine," Amy cut in sharply. Then, softening her tone with effort, "Really. Just need to rest."

She settled back against the pillows, forcing her breathing to remain steady even as her mind kept replaying that moment—the sickening crunch, the spray of red, the absolute finality of death. Not a plot point. Not a dramatic story beat. A real person, gone forever. Would it happen to her, too? Death? What would it be like? Would she just stop existing....? [If you want to talk about what happened—]"What's there to talk about?"

Amy interrupted, staring fixedly at the ceiling to hide the moisture gathering in her eyes.

"Twelve survived. One died. Better than none, right? That's what matters." [Perhaps. But that doesn't mean you can't acknowledge what witnessing his death did to you.] Amy swallowed hard, fighting the tightness in her throat.

"There's nothing to acknowledge. We saved most of them. The readers loved it. My powers will get stronger. Mission accomplished." The book remained silent for a long moment, as if weighing whether to push further. [Very well,] it said finally. [You should rest now.] Amy nodded, turning onto her side away from Libris, using the movement to discreetly wipe at her eyes.

"... I haven't forgotten about your favour… tell me later... the status, too…" she murmured. [Sure.] As she closed her eyes, Elias's head—whole, before the tentacle—appeared in her mind. She hadn't even known him. Had never spoken to him. But she'd tried to save him, and failed. Twelve out of thirteen. Better than none.

The words felt hollow as she repeated them to herself, a mantra that did nothing to dislodge the weight in her chest or erase the memory of death that now seemed permanently etched behind her eyelids. Better than none. Remember… better than none.