Akane couldn't look her brother in the eyes. The things he said... They actually made her feel worse. If she wasn't helpless, then why was she so useless? She hadn't been able to help at all when they went to Downapolis. They hadn't been able to save anybody. So many people were hurt for her sake. She'd made her only friend suffer horribly. And her own brother had to bear the brunt of that responsibility.

She didn't know what to do anymore. Her heart and her head sank in despair.

But Duster's voice gave her an unexpected jolt. She glanced up at him, transfixed. Did he really think all of that about her? People liked her...? Hidden strength? She wasn't sure if he was just saying it to stop her from breaking down on the spot, or if he truly felt that way. He sounded so sincere. "Dust...I'm so sorry I--"

"So I'm your purpose." The Calamity self, momentarily forgotten was now on its feet with a strange look on her tear-streaked face. Her burning violet eyes were fixed, unblinking, on Santa. "But having a purpose is not the same as having happiness."

At her side, the tip of a long knife could barely be seen concealed against her thigh. He might have been able to guess what would happen next.

"Without your purpose, perhaps only then will you be able to seek your own desires." There was no further warning. The shadow suddenly lunged forward, but not at Santa. Her target was Akane, her true self. And she meant to bury the knife to the hilt in Akane's gut.