Saki: Hehe, I Want to Live / Do You Have to Bow Down When You Find Out Your Friend Is a God?

② The descendant of Amaterasu, Japan's new emperor, decided to enroll at Moon Forest Girls' Academy.

③ Tanaka Time-Price Shopping Network was voted the year's most popular shopping website, No. 1.

④ After learning that the group members had transformed into Magical Girls, Hiiragi Tina deeply regretted missing the Ursus assault operation and said she had to be called next time there was an event.

⑤ Moon Forest Girls' Academy, Shujin Academy, Suguru Gakuen Academy, Gekkoukan Academy, and other prestigious high schools held a joint multi-school examination. In order to achieve good results, each school added one extra morning study session and two evening study sessions, halving the number of actions students could take each day...

Most of those messages had little to do with Qianyi. Only the fifth one mattered more, because the multi-school examination was a major event. It forced him to put aside his many complicated affairs and focus on studying, leaving him without even the time to retrieve the Persona Summoner he had left with Shoko.

In truth, after obtaining Heracles' Divinity, Susanoo-no-Mikoto could already be freely used in reality. The Persona Summoner had become optional for him, but summoning a Persona by firing a gun was simply too fashionable and stylish. Unless he found a cooler summoning method, Qianyi had no intention of giving it up.

Besides, doing things this way would confuse his enemies. They would think that losing the Persona Summoner meant losing his combat ability, making it their primary target. By the time they realized the truth, it would already be too late.

Enemies, don't blame me for being underhanded.

???

Shujin Academy.

At the podium, the teacher enthusiastically explained complex mathematical formulas. The blackboard was densely covered in symbols and charts, while the students sat neatly at their desks, seemingly listening attentively. Their eyes stayed fixed on the teacher, and they occasionally nodded in response. Yet a few students quietly lowered their heads, using upright textbooks to hide their faces as their fingers deftly slid across their phone screens.

Qianyi was not one of them, because he did not need to take out his phone to browse the group chat.

This was the confidence the Dimensional Chat Group gave me.

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: I have good news, everyone. I successfully sold Rita's weapon!

Lower District Flying Head Barbarian: You sold it?

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: Yes. I asked my sister to negotiate with Heavenly Mandate. I was already prepared for them to simply snatch it by force, but I didn't expect the deal to actually go through.

Talulah: How much did you sell it for?

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: Just as quoted before, one hundred million~!

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: One hundred million! Yen? Did you sign a contract? Was it a standard-form contract? Or would the contract be reviewed after performance? Would it be carried out by the representative agency or jointly?

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: Calm down, Shoko. You don't need to be this excited.

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: Sorry, I got too excited.

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: But it's normal for you to be excited, because I'm excited too. Originally, I only intended to ask for one hundred million yen. Who knew the one hundred million Heavenly Mandate negotiated with me would be in US dollars? Damn, is this what they call filthy rich?

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: One hundred million! US dollars?!!

Talulah: What are US dollars? Are they different from yen?

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: The difference is enormous! They may both be one hundred million, but their purchasing power is worlds apart. If one yen could buy a pound of rice, then one US dollar could buy one hundred and sixty pounds of rice. One hundred million US dollars converted into yen...

You never knew until you calculated it. The result instantly shocked Shoko.

Nearly sixteen billion yen!

That inconspicuous scythe was almost worth as much as all the money her father had lost. Didn't that mean she could repay everything she owed her grandfather and the Toyokawa Family in one go? Then her father could pull himself together, and the family could start over?

But then she realized she was being too fanciful. Although she had stolen the scythe herself, it was ultimately the result of everyone's efforts. Without Qianyi and the others holding Durandal back, without Artoria and Hiiragi Tina defeating Rita, she would never have gotten her hands on something like that in her lifetime.

That credit belonged to the Community of Shared Destiny known as the Dimensional Chat Group.

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: But the maid beside my sister said one hundred million US dollars is a huge amount, so it will need to be paid in installments. They might use supplies, gold, and cash as different payment methods.

Lower District Flying Head Barbarian: There are supplies too? How considerate. This Heavenly Mandate organization really is a good organization.

Hiiragi Tina: Can Valkyries be converted into cash? I don't need my share. As long as some of Heavenly Mandate's Valkyries become Magical Girls, and I get to watch videos of Magical Girls of every kind fighting monsters and battling evil forces, I'll be completely satisfied.

Wutina, you embarrassing fool!

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: Gold? That's a hard currency. Even if it's still US dollars, money from Kiana's world might not necessarily work in ours. But if it's converted into gold, we won't have that concern.

At the thought that she might acquire another large amount of gold, Shoko could not help humming softly.

Life was getting sweeter and sweeter.

Steel Prison Big: That old bastard Otto is testing us.

Talulah: I get the same feeling. Cash, supplies, and gold—it seems like every kind of payment is something we need. Kiana, be careful. That Otto is no easier to deal with than Koschei. Like Koschei, he may have set his sights on your body or abilities and wants to use you to achieve some purpose.

I want to eat Mei-flavored instant noodles: It's fine. With the Herrscher of the Void's power, the Kaslana physique, and Heracles' body, I'm invincible. Not to mention the power of a Magical Girl. Otto is nothing—I can suppress him with a wave of my hand! Even my sister doesn't scare me!

Child of Prophecy: Really? Kiana is amazing!

Lower District Flying Head Barbarian: ...

Customer Service Xiangzi is at your service: ...

Steel Prison Big: Lia, don't believe her nonsense. She just gained new power and immediately got absurdly cocky. In a couple of days, she'll be crying for the group members to save her.

In terms of raw stats, Kiana might indeed have the advantage. But during the Second Honkai Eruption, the six-core Herrscher of the Void had completely overwhelming stats too. Didn't she still get kicked offline in the end?

If Kiana were besieged by Valkyries led by Durandal, while Otto caught her off guard from the side with Void Archive, blood spikes modified from Sanyate Holy Blood, and the God-Slaying Spear, then the odds of her getting taken down... were surprisingly high!

Thinking about it that way, the problem was quite serious.

I needed to find an opportunity to kick Otto to death. Otherwise, I would not even be able to sleep peacefully.

Otto was no good. It was best if nobody played with him.

That was already everyone's shared understanding. Still, when the enemy sent over sugar-coated shells, they should eat the sugar—but not forget to throw the shell back afterward.

One hundred million US dollars was no small sum. With that money, everyone could strengthen themselves, increase their power, and then pick an auspicious day to beat the hell out of that bastard.

Before that auspicious day arrived, it was better to lie low for the time being.

Moreover, after absorbing Heracles' Divinity, Qianyi could vaguely sense Susanoo-no-Mikoto undergoing some kind of change. He did not know how to describe it, but based on his guess, it was similar to a Stand coming into contact with a Requiem Arrow or completing some ritual, evolving toward Requiem or Over Heaven.

However, Susanoo-no-Mikoto was not an ordinary Persona. Its original source was one of the creator gods in Japanese mythology. That little bit of divinity was still insufficient to push it fully to that level.

Fortunately, he could enhance his Persona's strength by forming relationships and contracts with other people. Given Izanagi's current stage of evolution, perhaps forming one more contract would trigger another evolution.

Who exactly would be the next person to form a contract with him? It was truly something to look forward to.

???

Haneoka Girls' Academy.

In front of an automatic vending machine that often got stuck.

Qianyi stared in despair as five consecutive cans of his favorite Sugar-free Fanta got stuck. The expected move of using the force of later drinks to knock down the cans jammed in front never happened.

"Calm down. At this point, there's only one thing left to do—ORA!"

He delivered a heavy spinning kick to the cold, heartless machine. It was as though he had wound up a broken mechanism again, making it successfully produce a pleasant clunk.

Item obtained: Sugar-free Fanta ×5.

"Here." Qianyi handed one of the cans to Shoko.

"I'm truly sorry to make you come all the way here." Shoko fully demonstrated her artisan spirit, bowing as she respectfully presented the Persona Summoner with both hands.

"You're as serious as ever. By the way, you didn't use Heracles' Twelve Trials, did you?" Qianyi took the Persona Summoner and asked casually.

"Mm. Do you want to use it? I can give it to you." Shoko was startled, then immediately revealed a delighted expression.

"No, there's no need. That thing suits you better." Qianyi declined.

Toyokawa Shoko fell silent. The bubbles in the Sugar-free Fanta gurgled quietly, making the atmosphere seem especially peaceful.

"Twelve Trials (God Hand)" was an immortality granted by divine blessing and curse. This Noble Phantasm possessed no form such as a weapon or armor; if it had to be expressed somehow, the body itself could be considered the Noble Phantasm. It could nullify all attacks below rank B and automatically resurrect the body after death. As long as one was not killed twelve times, one would not die.

For an ordinary person like Shoko, a Noble Phantasm with such an effect could be called the strongest without exaggeration. But precisely because it suited her so well, Shoko could not make up her mind to use it.

Qianyi immediately understood. It was that girl's so-called pride acting up. She thought she was being pitied, thought her contribution did not deserve such a reward, and thought the item should go to whoever needed it most.

The mistakes of youth.

Perhaps this was when he should put Shoko under intense pressure, make her understand that anyone who could not keep up with the team's strength should be eliminated, then spend the rest of her life as a warehouse manager before finally being kicked out of the group, thereby stirring up her motivation to improve?

No, that felt like it could easily make Shoko explode on the spot. The next time they met, it might be in a morgue—or she might have become Shoko-chan.

Fortunately, he was very good at dealing with God-kin who could pilot EVA units. He just had to be more of a God-kin than her, better at piloting EVA units than her, and deploy a stronger AT Field.

After gathering himself for a moment, he decisively spoke. "Shoko, it was love at first sight for me. Could you entrust the rest of your life to me?"

"?" Shoko slowly typed out a question mark.

No, have you lost your damn mind?

You're the brain and pillar of our chat group. If you go crazy, won't everyone else go crazy too?

"No, I'm serious. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Can you spend the rest of your life in the Dimensional Chat Group with me and go on missions with me forever?" Qianyi grabbed Shoko and pulled her closer. Sunlight shone into the girl's eyes.

"Ah... this..." Shoko, suddenly pulled over, panicked beyond measure. "W-why, why are you saying this?!"

"Because Miss Shoko is about to die. If I don't say it now, I might not get another chance."

"Ah?"

"Next, we're heading to Kiana's world to march on Heavenly Mandate. Without the buff from a world mission, Miss Shoko, who is only an ordinary person, might be corrupted into a Honkai zombie just by getting a little too close. No, Shoko, you don't have any Honkai Energy Resistance at all. You might even turn straight into ashes. Once the battle is over, everyone will only be able to collect your ashes while singing mournful songs for you."

Like a poet upon an opera stage, Qianyi vividly described a heartbreaking opera titled "The Death of Toyokawa Shoko," while examining Shoko's gradually stiffening expression. "But it's okay. Even if Miss Shoko dies, we'll carry your ashes with us and let you fight alongside us. I'm sure your spirit in heaven will bless us."

"..." Shoko was nearly scared unconscious by the sheer pressure. She could only say weakly, "Can't you give me a slightly better ending?"

After thinking for a moment, Qianyi's eyes lit up. "Of course. I can have Talulah find the Sarkaz Absolutionists and ask them to revive you from your ashes. Although that Shoko won't be the real you, only a program with your memories, at least she can continue joining the Dimensional Chat Group with us. Hmm, but I still can't accept a replacement meal. Oh, I've got a great idea. Why not just stuff your soul into Victoria's Steam Knight? Then you can become a Dreadnought-class Titan and continue fighting alongside us. That way, it will be the original, authentic Shoko."

Shoko: This is terrifying.

What kind of authentic original was that? Why would they not let her go even after she died?

What kind of group was this, exactly?!

Oh, and she was actually an administrator, and one of the first group members. This was utterly humiliating!

Why had their Dimensional Chat Group become like this?!

"I'll use it! I'll use it, okay?!" Shoko decisively abandoned her pride and decided that, no matter what, she would use the Twelve Trials.

Hehe! I have to survive!

She could feel her pride and resilience rapidly disappearing. If this continued, what kind of monster would she become?

She did not know, but it no longer mattered.

Her bond with Qianyi has greatly increased???

Courage has greatly increased???

In that instant, Qianyi felt his Persona undergo some kind of change.

Susanoo-no-Mikoto → Susanoo-no-Mikoto: Thief God

Today was Friday afternoon. Friday students were the most polarized of all students, with morning and afternoon serving as the dividing line. On Friday mornings, students often looked like zombies that had escaped from a zombie apocalypse, their faces slack and their bodies as inconvenient to move as mummies buried underground for hundreds of years. Yet once school let out in the afternoon, those same zombies and mummies became national-level athletes, their entire bodies brimming with the scent of youthful hormones.

Even shops that usually closed early unusually chose to prepare extra ingredients and continue serving customers today. Girls in wooden heels clicked across the asphalt roads, while men who looked rather like smooth-talking players often gathered around them to discuss the day's activities. But no matter the activity, it probably could not escape hot springs and inns.

After retrieving the Persona Summoner, Qianyi had originally planned to go home and clear out a small plot in the courtyard to grow cherry tomatoes and vegetables. But Toyokawa Shoko insisted that, since he had returned to Tokyo after a year away, she had to throw him a welcome-back celebration and take him somewhere fun.

In reality, Shoko simply thought Qianyi was far too intense. The moment she heard he planned to go home alone and figure out how to grow vegetables, she felt he had absolutely no social life whatsoever. It scared her so badly that her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

Would he cultivate her into seeds and plant her in the ground after she died someday?

Just imagining that possibility made cold sweat pour down Shoko's back. No matter what, she could not let Qianyi go. She had to take him somewhere crowded so he could experience the sunny, youthful atmosphere.

And when it came to a sunny atmosphere, nothing beat a band.

Along the way, Shoko racked her brains for conversation topics. "Come to think of it, when I visited your home before, I didn't see your parents at all. Do they work out of town?"

"Mm, they work overseas," Qianyi said.

"Overseas?" Shoko exclaimed. "That's amazing. But if both your parents are overseas, why did you stay in Tokyo instead of going abroad with them?"

"Because I don't like flying, and high-speed rail doesn't go directly overseas," Qianyi answered honestly.

"That makes sense. Japan is an island nation, after all. Unless high-speed rail runs through an undersea tunnel in the future, the only way to go abroad is by plane. If you dislike flying, there really isn't much you can do." Shoko remembered that Qianyi had once been in a plane crash, then quickly changed the subject. "Where do your parents work?"

Qianyi thought for a moment. "I think it's called Bethel. I don't know much about it specifically."

Shoko first gave an "Oh," then thought about whether her parents or grandfather had ever mentioned that company. But after considering it carefully, her eyes suddenly widened.

Wait, where did your parents work? Bethel?