Shirou's Dream Party / The Dreams Women Have

"Um... you mean, after you go to heaven?"

Izaya raised his head high, bursting into laughter as he waved his hands, saying, "No, no, you've already decided to commit suicide, and you still want to go to heaven? Isn't that a bit too shameless? Even the three largest religions in Human History, although their doctrines differ, all properly warn people that suicide has no good outcome. No, that's what makes humans interesting."

Do you two believe in an afterlife?

"I believe it, but rather than an afterlife, I think people probably become ghosts after death and wander around this world..."

"I don't believe that after death there is only nothingness and darkness... but it's still much better than now."

In Japan, teachers typically use √ and o to grade exam papers.

The √ doesn't mean "correct." In fact, it's the same as the X in modern China, not the x in addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, nor the x of an unknown quantity. It represents the error. In Japan, however, √ means error, while a circle means "acceptable."

This is somewhat related to the scoring standards of the imperial examinations in ancient China; however, Japan maintained its ancient traditions, while China chose to follow the international mainstream.

At this moment, Izaya Orihara mentally gave the two people in front of him a big thumbs up.

"Ugh, so disappointing, what a waste of time! These two are probably only at a middle school level. The last meeting with that group of atheists was much more interesting; in the end, they only cared about themselves."

It wasn't that they were wrong; those kinds of questions don't have definite answers. It's just that they weren't interesting enough, so Izaya Orihara was disappointed, that's all.

Izaya Orihara thus concluded that the two people before him did not take death seriously, or perhaps they were simply viewing it according to their own imaginations. He narrowed his eyes, a slightly mocking expression on his face, and laughed, "That won't do. How can someone who's about to commit suicide care about the afterlife? Believing in the afterlife is a right only the living have."

If this is indeed the conclusion you've reached after constantly pondering and considering death, then I have nothing to say. But you're actually here because you're so incredibly stupid, so dumb that you feel you can't go on living, right?

Furthermore, those driven to the brink of despair, like those deceived by financiers and forced to take their own lives, those driven to desperation by external pressure, also have this right. You're simply not smart enough to go bankrupt, are you?

"Huh?"

"Mr. Naikura?"

The two girls looked at the man in surprise; the one who had been understanding just moments before had suddenly become a sinister, heartless demon.

Izaya maintained his amiable smile and continued speaking calmly:

"But your situation is nothing more than the result of the pressure you put on yourselves, isn't it? Besides, since you've already chosen to take your own lives, wanting to pin your hopes on the afterlife is a very unacceptable attitude. So, since you want to die, could you borrow money for me everywhere? Whether it's online loans or loan sharks, I can introduce you to as much money as you need."

Chapter 931 Shirou's Dream Party

They couldn't understand Izaya Orihara's words; they simply stared at him as if he were something incomprehensible. However, at that moment, they also noticed something. Just now, only they had been frankly explaining their reasons for wanting to die, while this man before them hadn't said a word about his own affairs.

"Excuse me, Mr. Nakura, do you... intend to die?"

To this blunt and direct question, Izaya remained unmoved and replied, "No."

In an instant, only sounds from other rooms could be heard in the private room. Soon after, one of the women screamed like a river bursting its banks:

"This is outrageous! How could you deceive us like this!" one of the women slammed her hand on the table, glaring angrily at Izaya Orihara.

"I'm telling you... you've taken this joke too far!" another woman said angrily.

After the woman shouted, another woman also harshly criticized Izaya. But even in the face of their reactions, Izaya remained unfazed.

--Oh well, so it's still the same...

Izaya had faced similar situations many times before. Everyone reacted very differently. Some attacked without batting an eye, while others left without a word. However, it seemed that no one could remain completely calm.

If someone's reaction to this situation is simply "Oh, is that so?" and they brush it off so casually, then that person probably never needed a "companion" to die with them in the first place.

Of course, Izaya hadn't seen all of humanity, nor did he believe he could make judgments entirely based on psychology books, so he wasn't entirely confident, but he still thought so. If someone could remain calm in this situation, they were either there for the spectacle, or deep down they hoped someone could persuade them not to commit suicide, or they wanted to stop others from committing suicide and that's why they snuck in; or perhaps they were someone "like him."

"This is awful! Stop messing around, you bastard! Who do you think you are? This is going too far! I'll kill you!" the woman said angrily. Heartbroken, she wanted to end her life, but unexpectedly met a kind and gentle man. She was initially touched, but she never expected to be treated like a fool.

She'd had enough. She'd been fooled by men. Why did she have to suffer this fate after giving her true feelings?

"Huh? What? Why would you say something like that? Aren't you people who want to die? In your eyes, this world is beyond saving, isn't it? That's unbelievable."

Izaya's expression at that moment truly conveyed a "I don't understand what you're saying" look. After scanning the two of them back and forth with his innocent eyes, he then closed them—

A few seconds later, when Izaya opened his eyes, the grinning expression on his face had completely disappeared, replaced by a different kind of smile.

"Babble...?"

Upon seeing his expression, the woman, who believed in the afterlife, couldn't help but let out a scream-like gasp.

The smile on Izaya's face was indeed genuine. However, it was a completely different type of smile from before. After seeing his expression, the two women realized that "there are many kinds of smiles," some of which were particularly cold-blooded and cruel.

Although he was smiling, his expression was as stiff as a mask. Even in a smile, it was extremely cold, and it was precisely because it was a smile that it instilled a profound fear in the viewer—a smile that genuinely treated them as toys for amusement.

The two women, who should have had countless swear words to vent, were suddenly speechless, unable to utter a sound. It was as if they were facing some kind of non-human monster.

Izaya, still wearing that unsmiling expression, asked the same question again:

"Why? What exactly went too far? I completely don't understand."

That's because...

"You guys--"

The woman was about to say something, but was firmly stopped by Izaya's words:

"Didn't you all decide to die? So, it shouldn't matter what I say to you anymore, right? Whether you're deceived or insulted, it'll all disappear in a little while anyway. If you're in pain because I deceived you, just bite your tongue and kill yourself. Actually, biting your tongue doesn't cause death from excessive bleeding, but from sudden shock, where the remaining tongue presses against your throat, causing suffocation. That way, all the unpleasant things will disappear. You won't exist anymore. It's so easy to solve, yet you accuse me of being unreasonable. You're the ones who are unreasonable."

You're skeptical about the afterlife, yet you still want to die. Does your religion not only condone suicide but also encourage you to 'die if things aren't going well in your job search or romantic relationship'? If that's the case, I'll have nothing to say, and I'll even think you're amazing—but if that's not the case, then shut up."

Really...

God said, "There is no righteous person, not one." Humans are born sinful, and only by receiving God's forgiveness can they go to heaven and gain eternal life. Suicide is killing oneself; one is human, therefore breaking the Ten Commandments "Thou shalt not murder," and without God's forgiveness, one cannot enter heaven.

The Buddha said: Suicide violates the precept against killing, and one should be reincarnated in the underworld every Seven Heavens to experience the pain of suicide until the end of one's life in the mortal world. If one is a follower of the Buddha, who is a future Buddha, then one's sin is compounded.

Even when Shirou was in trouble on the mountain, an old tanuki grandpa he met said something similar, "There are only cats who die in battle, not stupid cats who commit suicide. If you want to eat me, then show me your real skills." Of course, Shirou didn't want to eat it, so he let it go.

At last...

As if seeking their agreement, Izaya Orihara tilted his head slightly before slowly revealing his final conclusion:

"Those who half-heartedly believe in an afterlife, please refrain from discussing it. It's an insult to the afterlife. Especially for those who don't want to die but are forced to by malicious intent, it's an even greater disgrace."

Then, in those few seconds, though it was only a very brief sleep, it felt like an incredibly long dream journey to the two women.

"Shirou-kun, it's your turn to perform now," Izaya Orihara, clapping his hands.

"Hmm." Shirou nodded. Since he had accepted the request, he had to complete it, just like Miss Celty. To be honest, he didn't really understand the difference between justice and evil in humanity.

Chapter 932 The Dream of a Woman

"Wanting to die is nothing to be ashamed of. What's truly remarkable are those who can use that energy to confront life's difficulties head-on. Of course, if you're just a bunch of idiots who try to solve everything with your muscles, then you guys are definitely more adorable."

The enigmatic man in the room, named Izaya Orihara, continued his long-winded discourse.

The man closed his eyes again, and when he opened them again, his expression had returned to its original reassuring, gentle smile.

The frozen air finally began to ease, but the two women still dared not move an inch.

"Oh, haha... Actually, what I just asked you guys about 'what happens after you die'... To be honest, I was really asking about money!"

"Huh!"

"Because I hate wasting money the most, could you please try to borrow money from everywhere you can, and then give it all to me before you die? Because the insurance review process has become increasingly complicated lately, it probably won't work, but borrowing money shouldn't be a problem, right? That way, even if you die in vain, at least the money you borrowed won't be wasted. Also, if we take care of your household registration and your bodies, we'll have a considerable sum of money. Anyway, I happen to know some ways to handle these kinds of things."

In stark contrast to his terrifying smile just moments before, Izaya's smile Izaya exuded humanity, and the words he uttered were utterly true to human desires.

The two women tried to say something, but their words were drowned out by Izaya's loud voice.

Feeling dizzy and disoriented, they no longer had the strength to argue or defend themselves. Their eyelids felt heavy, and before they completely lost consciousness, all they saw was the man's detestable smiling face.

"Question! First question: Why am I sitting in the seat closest to the door?"

When the two women realized that Izaya's actions were like deliberately blocking the doorway, they felt a fear completely different from their previous experience. If Izaya's smile before Izaya of a demon, then Izaya now seemed like an amalgamation of all human malice.

"Question 2. What are these two wheeled suitcases under the table for?"

It was a large suitcase used only when traveling abroad, and the two women didn't realize it until Izaya mentioned it.

Hint 1: These two luggage compartments are empty.

Upon hearing this, both women felt a sense of foreboding. Although it was their first meeting, they shared an unspoken understanding regarding Izaya.

"Tip 2: The sizes of these two suitcases are 'matching the two people who chose them'."

A nauseating feeling suddenly overwhelmed the two women, stemming from their intense disgust for the man before them. However, another force caused the world in their eyes to begin to spin.

By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late; the two of them didn't even have the strength to stand up.

"Question 3: If the two of you worked together to resist me, you might have a chance of survival. Why couldn't you do it? Hint: I handed you the drinks one by one after they were brought to you."

The world kept spinning, and in their fading consciousness, Izaya's voice echoed in their ears. His gentle voice, like a lullaby, pulled them into a world of darkness...

Inside the box, they would face an even more arduous and difficult journey.

Nightmare, good dream—although Shirou didn't know his identity, given his current constitution that allowed him to obtain energy through dreams, he could probably only guess at a few types.

It doesn't quite resemble a nightmare, a succubus, or a mischievous little fairy, so everyone says it's a dream-eating tapir.

Listening to Izaya Orihara's words, Shirou, the yokai Shirou, gradually fell into deep thought. He wasn't really doing that; he was simply bringing out the fears in people's hearts in his dreams.

The older woman began to dream.

In her dream, she was reborn with hazy memories. To change her tragic past life, she vowed never to repeat the mistakes of her previous existence.

So, having been born in a remote rural area, she began to study desperately. In such remote rural areas, a teacher for one grade often had to teach three or four subjects, and the best and worst teachers were the same person. Moreover, there was only one school to choose from, so it is conceivable that the quality of teaching provided was very poor.

Firstly, the most sought-after professions in Japan are doctors and lawyers. Admission to these universities is extremely difficult, and tuition fees are among the highest in Japan. While the rewards for becoming a doctor are correspondingly high, it's still beyond what her family could afford. Those who can study there are either scholarship-winning geniuses or wealthy families with a long medical tradition.

The same applies to lawyers. Without connections, the career paths they can pursue will differ. Even if she becomes a lawyer, she won't become a lackey of the powerful or a judge in court responsible for adjudication. She will likely only be assigned to handle some trivial civil cases.

So her only goal was to get into the University of Tokyo.

She worked hard, giving up all contact with her friends from her past life, distancing herself from her family, and throwing herself into her studies. People around her considered her an oddball, but she succeeded.

A distant relative of theirs had produced a student whose grades were good enough to get into Tokyo University or Kyoto University. They all pooled their money to support her studies in Tokyo. Although thousands of people were admitted to Tokyo University every year, in this dilapidated and remote village, even at its peak, fewer than two hundred people were admitted. To them, the woman was undoubtedly the top scholar.

The specifics are unclear, but the hundreds of people in the village are all related by blood or marriage. If they weren't all the same person or brothers when they went back to the generation of their great-great-great-great-grandfather, I really can't think of a single one.

Everyone shares the same fate, so when someone truly succeeds, everyone is willing to lend a helping hand.

Thus, the woman received a glory she had never received in her previous life. Even the handsome boy who had thrown away her love letter in her previous life showed great admiration for her and seemed to want to confess his feelings to her.

Of course, she wouldn't bother with her anymore. She was destined to become a privileged person, no longer someone an ordinary man from the countryside could be worthy of.

She plans to continue her studies at university, find a good job at a Fortune 500 company, marry a loyal ordinary employee, have many children, and live a happy and fulfilling life.

Of course, all these plans came true, and the woman attributed it all to the fact that she finally had the good fortune she lacked in her previous life.

"Yes, yes, that's it. Let her get everything she wants, let her accumulate happiness, and then at the peak..." Izaya Orihara said with a smile.

At this moment, Shirou is following the man's instructions, fulfilling the woman's wishes little by little in his dream.

Chapter 933 Shirou Invades the Girl's Dream

However, in such a closed-off village, if an outsider appears, their fate will be extremely tragic.

When she succeeded, everyone congratulated her, but when she fell on hard times, everyone looked at her with such strange eyes.

Her mother developed a mental illness that would cause her to go mad, screaming and shouting, and she was extremely afraid of strangers. No one but her son could calm her down. Later, the illness became more and more serious. If she was not seen by anyone for even fifteen minutes, she would start screaming and shouting.

Inside the ward, she hysterically cursed others, blaming her for being useless and for not letting her be discharged. She was clearly not sick, so why did she have to stay here?

After failing to find a doctor in Tokyo, the PhD student had no choice but to quit her job and return to her hometown to take care of her elderly parents. Once hailed as a genius and full of confidence at the Tokyo research institute, she became a superfluous presence back in her village.

Fortunately, she had a devoted husband and an obedient child. They stayed in Tokyo, and without her managing the household chores, she still had to cook and do laundry for herself in addition to work and school, without any complaints. That's how the family managed to stay together; otherwise, her life would have been ruined.

Late at night, she woke up and looked in the mirror, suddenly noticing that her once thick body hair had thinned considerably, and there was even a bald patch.

The woman felt a chill run down her spine, a cold that seemed to penetrate to the very bone. Hadn't her entire life been ruined?

The woman, her dream shattered, suddenly found herself falling without support, screaming in terror.

"Hahaha!!! Masterpiece! Why? Why not just live for yourself? You've already decided to die for yourself, haven't you?" Izaya said with a laugh and a curse.

Of course, in reality, the girl who was admitted to the University of Tokyo was simply half- Izaya and half-dragged into a suitcase by Izaya.

"Then let me see another girl's dream, Shirou-kun," Izaya said, looking at the boy.

Shirou nodded, and then another girl's dream appeared on the screen.

She was an only child, pampered by her parents, and everything she did was done her way. She had no older siblings to bully her, and no younger siblings to compete for her affection. She was incredibly intelligent, with an IQ exceeding that of Einstein. She could grasp the knowledge in a book simply by touching it, and by elementary school, she had already surpassed university professors. Even the aesthetic standards of the era aligned with her face, making her a heartthrob.

She became an idol, a singer, an actress, and a Pretty Cure! The world revolved around her.

She initially thought she was perfect and entitled to all the happiness in the world. But her good fortune didn't last long; the world's trends suddenly reversed. She became the embodiment of ugliness, and everyone said that being ugly wasn't her fault, but going out and scaring people was.

She lost everything—friends, lovers—and in the end, she could only hide at home. If even her family spoke ill of her and abandoned her, perhaps she could find relief.

But her family silently brought her food, offering support even though she couldn't leave her room. Forget helping her family, she couldn't even take care of herself—in a sense, she had ruined her parents' lives. If this happened to me...

The only thing I can think of is death, and all I can do is cry.