At first he thought he had died again, but it was different from the strange and empty feeling of death. After a moment, he remembered where he was now.
"Dream? Am I dreaming? This is really rare. I haven't dreamed anything for a long time when I was sleeping. I thought I had lost the ability to dream."
When was the last time you had a dream? It seems like it was when he was 12 years old and still sleeping at home before starting his journey, right?
"Ash——"
"Who!"
He took out Closed Gear Gun and pointed it in the direction of the sound. When he saw the person coming, Ash raised the muzzle of the gun but frowned.
Speaking of Cao Cao and Cao Cao, I just thought about what happened when I was 12 years old. The person who appears in front of Ash now is what I looked like when I was 12 years old.
I have forgotten many things, but at least I will not forget myself.
"System?"
Inexplicably, he felt that even if the person in front of him was not his past self, he would not be a stranger. On the contrary, he felt extremely familiar with him, so he tentatively asked his partner's name.
"Ash."
"Ah, it's really you." The familiar tone made Ash look helpless. "Let me tell you, you really do have your own consciousness. After all, Hedgehog Cat's system is not an inhumane simple task release tool. Tell me, why didn't you tell me before?"
"I have told you many times, but you have always forgotten it, so unless this is the case, I will not disturb you."
"Well, that's a reasonable explanation."
Ash covered the topic directly. He didn't want to get entangled with his "old friend" on this matter.
"Then why did you come to me this time?"
"Ash, you yourself understand this kind of thing. You have already thought of it and realized it."
What the system is referring to is exactly what is displayed on the Ash system panel at this moment: [Reserves are full, please deal with Dark Echo in time].
Under normal circumstances, the upper limit of Ash's existence in a world is one year, because even if he did not actively participate in the story of justice and evil and just watched the battle during this year, the trace amount of Dark Echo absorbed would be full after a year's accumulation. Of course, if Ash only watched but could not participate, it would be better to kill him.
But it is extremely rare that the place is so full that it is about to overflow.
"The current progress of collecting Dark Echo is because the relationship with that thing has changed. Even if I let it go, it has already far exceeded the scheduled situation!"
"Now you are almost unable to fight as you like, right?"
"That's really a problem."
Ash nodded somewhat depressedly. In fact, as Dark Echo is absorbed, his power will become more powerful. However, when Dark Echo's collection reaches the upper limit that his body can bear, this power will slowly decline over time.
"But Ash, it's not just that. If Dark Echo is fully loaded for too long, your memory in this world will also be eroded, and continuing to fight will aggravate the situation!"
When the past leaves a world immediately, memories will slowly pass away, that is at a normal speed, and occasionally you will think of things you have forgotten.
The current situation may even make him completely forget everything in this world! That would make no sense! It's too cruel to you!
"If you continue to fight, transform your body three or four times... No, your spirit will not be able to hold on before that!"
The Ash of the past extended a hand to the Ash of the present.
"Ash, it is indeed my fault for taking you to the unplanned precure world on my own initiative, so stop it now!"
"This is really troublesome."
Ash scratched his head when he heard this, and there was indeed a headache expression on his face, just when he thought he was going to change his mind.
"Click."
Ash pointed the Closed Gear Gun in his hand at the past self in front of him.
"Actually, I don't think there's anything bad about Pretty Cure's world."
"I haven't had enough fun yet. It would be too boring to give up now. You should know that I don't care about my own life, right?"
"Is the impact... so serious?"
"What are you talking about? Listen, no one can sway my choice, and neither can you!"
"That's it, see you later."
A long cry echoed throughout the world.
"Bang————"
"Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang——————!"
Chapter 121 Let the war begin, both of you!
"Sure enough, he fell asleep."
Ash was not lying. He almost fell asleep as soon as he lay down on his seat. He leaned his head on the armrest and tilted the backrest, and he almost opened his mouth to snore and drool.
Such an inelegant sleeping posture made Rikka feel extremely uneasy with the preaching in his heart.
Although it was a good time to defeat the enemy while he was sleeping, Rikka was not prepared to do so. Firstly, because she didn't believe that Ash didn't have the means to defend against sneak attacks in his sleep, and secondly, as Pretty Cure, they couldn't do such despicable means.
"Really, pay attention to catching a cold when you sleep."
Rikka sighed, picked up a blanket and covered Ash's body. Just as she was smoothing the last corner and preparing to leave, a looming object next to Ash attracted her attention.
This is... a panel?
The transparent panel gradually solidified, making herself clearly visible in front of Rikka, so that she could read the words on it clearly.
"This, this is!?"
Rikka looked at the words on the panel, his eyes widening.
[Look——Can you see it?]
"This, what is this?"
Ash He has never shown it in front of them. What is this thing like a pop-up window on the computer? I have never heard of it!
Rikka looked left and right, and found that this thing was actually floating in the air out of thin air, and suddenly felt even worse.
"Are you, who are you communicating with me?"
Although I don't understand the situation, judging from the words that keep popping up on it, someone should be manipulating it.
[Legendary warrior, I want to ask you a favor]
[I want to ask you to save this person. ]
Hishikawa Rikka's hands are trembling.
"Ash Is he going to die?"
The first reaction was disbelief.
The Ash and Kamen Rider Ryuga they knew so well, who had unknowingly walked into their lives and battles, were about to die?
Even now, they just want him to apologize, not want him to die.
The death of others is definitely not what any Pretty Cure wants to see.
Moreover, how is it possible! Didn't he just do lousy things all day long and argue that it was too boring? He didn't look like a dying person.
Suddenly Rikka thought of what they had discussed before, Ash had done something strange recently.
Yes, Ash His current situation seems to be much worse than before.
But if you really want to die, why are you doing these things now? Even if it's the kind of incurable disease on TV, why not enjoy life but torture yourself here!
[So I want to ask you something. ]
A sharp tip slowly protruded from the panel, and the blade and handle attached to it gradually appeared, until the entire knife was spit out from the panel.
[I want you to kill him now. ]
"I refuse!"
Without any hesitation, Rikka immediately refused.
The battle with Selfish Organization and defeating Jikochu are also ways of purification. Even if you are prepared to defeat those cadres, the cadres born in darkness are not human beings after all. Defeating the enemy and killing people are completely different things.
Even if Ash is an enemy now, Rikka will never kill anyone, whether as a human being or as Pretty Cure!
"I can't do this kind of thing!"
Every human life is uniquely valuable.
Not to mention taking away this person's life!
Looking at Ash who finally seemed calm in his sleep, Rikka's heart beat slightly.
And you have to kill him in order to save him. Isn't this just taking off your pants and farting? There is no logic in doing so.
[But if you don't take action, Ash what will happen to him in the future will be more terrifying than death! Do you want this to happen to him? ]
"His life belongs to him, and it shouldn't be decided by you and me!"
Liuhua began to hate the guy she was talking to.
[What if it is compared with this world? ]
"Eh?"
[The biggest enemy you DokiDoki! Pretty Cure face in this world: King of Jikochu, or Jikochu Progenitor, is now in his body! This is the truth about his changes! ]
The words that appeared on the tablet made Rikka's mind feel like a thunderbolt from the blue.
[This is indeed an oversight on my part, but it is meaningless to blame anyone now.]
[The current situation is that if you don't do it, not only will his efforts in this world be in vain, but Jikochu Progenitor will also come back in a stronger state! ]
[In fact, once this darkness completely breaks out, you will face an enemy you have never seen before, and even a miracle cannot defeat it. ]
The bold and red text on the panel scared Rikka.
"Such a thing!"
[Please believe me, I won't lie. ]
Inexplicably, there was obviously no sound, but text kept popping up.
There seems to be magic in these words, which makes Rikka want to believe it involuntarily.
"Save... the world?"
The knife appeared in Rikka's hand at some unknown time. The knife he held was slowly raised until the reflective blade reflected the girl's slightly distorted expression.
That's right... He even took away my Mana... this matter...
The absent-minded Rikka stared at the knife in front of him, until the moment his eyes met the sharp blade, he came back to consciousness and was thrown aside by her forcefully.
"No! I don't want to kill Ash-sensei, I can't-!"
You can't save the world by sacrificing someone, no matter what!
Ash opened his eyes.
He saw Hishikawa Rikka sitting on the ground in despair, and the knife dropped aside, and seemed to understand something.
"Hooray? Do you plan to kill me with one knife while I'm sleeping?"
"No... no, I-!"
Rikka was interrupted by Ash in the middle of her seemingly weak defense. The fists and kicks that Ash thought would give her a lesson did not come to her. Instead, her hair was messed up with wanton palms.
"Isn't this great? It's amazing that you still retain the spirit of resistance."
"Eh?" Rikka was dumbfounded.
"It doesn't matter if you betray me. Rather, I welcome your betrayal at any time."
"Because of this, it will be more interesting, hahahahaha——!"
Looking at Ash who was laughing loudly, Rikka was stunned, and then burst into violent anger.
"That's not right. I am also abiding by the rules of the game. I betray you because of my own feelings and desires. Who are you looking down on!"
Thinking that he almost "dirty" his hands, Rikka felt nauseated.
"Ash——Ash-sensei, why, why are you indifferent to this kind of thing!"