The Scent of Cherry Blossoms (High-Energy Chapter)

Yae Sakura looked at the shocking wound, and a sense of self-blame welled up in her heart.

"If it weren't for me... Feng Chen wouldn't have been injured, right?"

The vines behind them gradually stopped their pursuit. Judas was moving too fast, hopping along. Even the Simulated Herrscher itself would probably not be able to catch up.

Judas gradually slowed down and entered a ruin.

In the ruins, a little girl with silver hair was sitting on a fallen stone pillar, humming a song and reading a manga.

"Himeko, that idiot, definitely didn't think I'd secretly hide a manga on me, hehe... If Schicksal discovers a Simulated Herrscher, they'll definitely send someone to deal with it. Maybe it'll be that annoying guy... It's fine to cause her some trouble."

"Slap!"

"Ouch! Who hit me!"

The little girl looked up and saw a golden cross. The cross was dragging two people, one of whom was a man.

Of course, that wasn't the main point. The main point was that the cross's chains had come undone and were about to bind her.

"Ju... Ju-Ju-Judas! I'll go do the mission right away, don't bind me!" She didn't dare to experience the feeling of being bound by Judas. What Judas tied was authentic "Kagomatsuri," which was incredibly embarrassing.

The little girl ran out, only to be pulled back by Judas.

"What is it now?"

Judas's chains pointed to the two people being dragged. Feng Chen's face looked a bit grim; he was clearly poisoned.

As for the other person, the girl with pink hair... why did she feel somewhat familiar? And... a little close?

"You're poisoned?" After all, it was a matter of life and death, so the little girl chose to focus her gaze on Feng Chen.

"A child? Why is there a child here?"

Feng Chen and Yae Sakura both had this thought at the same time. And judging by Judas's attitude towards her... could she be Judas's master? (The Valkyrie Judas's attitude towards the Judas launcher Theresa didn't seem to have any problems.)

"Hey, don't look down on me because I'm small. I'm already..." She couldn't stand their strange gazes and wanted to state her actual age, but couldn't. After all...

"What is it?"

"N-Nothing! Let's check the injuries first!"

Theresa squeezed out some of the poisoned blood for Feng Chen. The purplish-black blood was clearly highly toxic, and with that color... it was probably beyond saving.

"I'm sorry... I also..."

"It's okay, I know the poison of a Herrscher is incurable."

The System said Yae Sakura could save him, but seeing Yae Sakura's expression, he knew that even Yae Sakura couldn't do anything.

As expected, this broken system was lying to him.

"Could you please step outside for a moment?"

Yae Sakura suddenly said to Theresa, a decision seeming to form in her heart.

Theresa helped Feng Chen to the corner of the wall and carried Judas outside as well.

"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining rewards: 1000 Honkai Energy, Theresa Apocalypse Affection +5, Yae Sakura Affection +5." Without a doubt, her mission was complete.

"Yae Sakura's affection has increased to 100, reaching the level of Soulmate (Dependent). Yae Sakura's route completion. Host has obtained route completion rewards: 1,000,000 Honkai Energy, Divine Key - Jizou Mitama, Special Dungeon - Stigmata World: Sakura Cycle. None of the above rewards are provided by this System."

"If you didn't provide them, why mention them..."

"Just to give the Host a heads-up, so you don't faint from shock later."

"Go on, am I like you say?"

"Yes, after all, with 1,000,000 Honkai Energy, you can buy the Host's exclusive Stigmata."

Feng Chen was speechless. He did want to buy exclusive Stigmata, but what good was Stigmata if he lost his life!

"Feng Chen... thank you for taking care of me all these days."

Yae Sakura's words were unexpected for Feng Chen. Shouldn't it be him saying goodbye to Yae Sakura at a time like this? Why did it feel like Yae Sakura was saying goodbye to him?

"Sakura, what are you saying? We're friends."

"Friends... Feng Chen, do you really just see me as a friend?"

What was going on? Had she found out?! Feng Chen thought carefully about his actions during this time. There was nothing that could indicate he liked Yae Sakura, so how did Yae Sakura know?

"I..."

"Alright, no need to say more. I hope Feng Chen can put away that answer, because I might... not be able to reciprocate, Feng Chen."

Tears appeared in Yae Sakura's eyes. This wasn't the first time Feng Chen had seen her cry, but this time, it felt... like his heart ached.

"Yae Sakura's affection has increased to 150, entering Perfect Route, level is Infatuation."

"!" Feng Chen realized why Yae Sakura's affection had suddenly increased. Could it be...

"I'm sorry, please forgive my willfulness... In this life, my heart already belongs to Kallen. If there is a next life..."

"Yae Sakura's affection has increased to 200, level is Adoration."

"Enough, System, stop it!"

The higher the affection increased, the more Feng Chen felt something was wrong, as if... Sakura was about to leave him.

"I'm sorry, Host, affection isn't something this System can control. These are all sincere feelings from the depths of everyone's heart."

"Then find a way to lower Sakura's affection! Even if it goes into the negatives!"

"That's impossible, I can't control emotions."

"This..."

Tears were already falling, landing on the ground. It was impossible to tell whose they were, as there was no longer any distance between the two of them.

"Yae Sakura's affection has increased to 300, Level: Lover (Unconfirmed)."

Feng Chen's body couldn't move. The poison had already paralyzed most of his nerves, leaving only his ability to speak.

"It... smells like cherry blossoms."

"Goodbye, Chen-kun..."

"Ahhhhhhh!"

It started raining. He remembered the last time he saw rain in the Honkai world, it seemed to be in Sakura's memories.

Sakura was leaning on Feng Chen's shoulder, her body gradually turning into cherry blossoms and scattering in the wind.

"Sakura... wake up!"

Sakura's eyelids twitched, but Feng Chen's intuition told him her eyes would never open again.

"Chen-kun... if only it were possible, I truly wish I could go see the cherry blossoms with you... If there's an afterlife, let's go see them together, okay?" Sakura's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.

"No, I don't want to go see cherry blossoms with you in the afterlife... I want to see them with you now, right now!"

Sakura smiled. Although Feng Chen couldn't see it clearly, this kind, gentle, and beautiful girl truly left with a smile.

"Sakura... can you see? The cherry blossoms... they've bloomed."

Wrapped in petals, Feng Chen seemed to see that familiar place.

It was a small stream, with fragrant grass by the bank and the sound of cicadas. That kind girl washed clothes here every day. She had always been washing her own miko outfit until one day, she washed another piece of clothing.

The style of the clothing wasn't feminine, and the style didn't quite match. However, the girl's face was undeniably beaming with a smile.

"Ninety thousand miles, the roc soars. Wind, do not stop, blow my skiff to the three mountains!"

Feng Chen waved his left hand, and the scene before him changed.

It was that familiar place.

A long embankment of fragrant grass, with faint singing drifting everywhere. The water's surface was smooth as glazed jade without a ripple, and he didn't notice the boat moving.