Picking Up a Doomsday Girl 5

I was completely baffled.

"Sorry, I didn't understand."

"What part didn't you understand?" Maza asked.

"Wait a moment, wait a moment..." I held up my hands, signaling for a pause.

Let me preface this by saying I believe my ability to accept things is very strong. I had already prepared myself mentally to accept whatever unbelievable identity or origin she revealed, no matter how outlandish.

Even if she claimed to have uncovered dark, top-secret documents from national or major corporate entities and was currently being hunted by countless assassins; or, like in some fantasy stories, said she was an artificial superpowered individual who had escaped from a mysterious research facility, I could still consider believing her perspective.

But, time travel, the end of civilization, the arrival of Doomsday?

Wasn't the scope of this narrative jumping way too far? I thought I was in a modern-day ghost story or a crime thriller, not something that felt more like a sci-fi disaster movie I'd seen before... Wouldn't a terrifying villainous robot from the future suddenly appear to hunt her or assassinate someone important in this era next?

Moreover, as a time traveler, shouldn't one keep their secret and use invaluable future information to maximize their own profit? Or was it just that I'd read too many web novels, leading me to think this way, and a visitor from Doomsday without the influence of web novel culture wouldn't immediately consider this?

Perhaps I should just listen to her continue. Even if she was just making up a story to entertain me, she should at least tell a story worth my time, and I'd just listen like I was hearing a tale. As for today's class, I'd ask for leave from school via my phone later. I could always attend class anytime, but this kind of surreal conversation was a rare opportunity.

"How many days ago did you travel here?" I asked first.

"If I only slept for one night before, then it was yesterday," she replied, her speed suggesting she wasn't making it up on the spot.

"Yesterday... You mentioned 'Doomsday' just now, what kind of Doomsday was it specifically?" I asked again. "Was it a virus that turned humans into zombies spreading worldwide? Or did an asteroid fall from the sky, or did a nuclear war finally break out?"

She must have sensed my skepticism, but she also decided to continue the conversation.

Compared to when she ambushed me while pretending to sleep earlier, her attitude had softened for some reason.

"What caused Doomsday, and what extent did human civilization fight against it... I have no way of knowing. From the time I was old enough to understand, the world was already in the era of Doomsday. For a long time, I even thought the world was supposed to be like that..." She briefly and genuinely showed a hint of reminiscence, then composed herself and continued patiently, "The biggest difference between the current world and the Doomsday world is time and space—time and space in the Doomsday world are distorted, and survivors could encounter strange and bizarre phenomena at any moment.

"Coupled with the presence of numerous powerful monsters, even with Blessed Cultivators among humans, they couldn't reclaim lost territory, let alone revive human civilization. They could only march towards extinction step by step, their ways of survival becoming increasingly twisted in the process."

I didn't expect a sci-fi disaster movie, but rather a magical wasteland story... As I listened, my ears caught a word I couldn't ignore.

"What is a 'Blessed Cultivator'?"

"In terms of this era's language, perhaps 'superpowered individual'?" she said uncertainly.

"So, this era also has superpowered individuals?"

"Probably, I heard there are... but unlike in the Doomsday era, superpowered individuals in this era seem to be obscure."

"Could it be that their numbers are very small in this era, and after Doomsday, they drastically increased due to some factor?" I thought of many Doomsday novel settings I'd seen online.

"No... While I can't guarantee whether the numbers are large or small, I heard they have very powerful organizations in this era..." The topic clearly moved into territory she was unfamiliar with, and her responses became hesitant, "As for why they are obscure, I'm not sure... Perhaps there are some taboos and rules. When I arrived yesterday, I inquired about clues regarding them, but I couldn't find anything immediately."

It would be a miracle if I could find them immediately. I've visited many famous mountains and rivers to seek out immortals and deities, tested numerous fortune tellers and feng shui masters who were faking it, and investigated countless urban ghost stories circulating among the public, all to no avail.

Does a powerful organization of superpowered individuals truly exist in this era? Even if there were some taboos and rules, I should have stumbled upon them at least once, shouldn't I?

Was she deceiving me after all?

I swallowed my unspoken thoughts, noticing the conversation had veered off course, and steered it back.

"Since you're a time traveler, what was the method you used to travel to this era?"

"You've misunderstood... It wasn't that I used some method to come to this era; I don't know why I traveled. The last thing I did in that era was to try my best to escape from the clutches of a great demon with my friends..." As she spoke, a look of melancholy appeared on her face. "But the power gap between me and the great demon was too vast; no matter where we ran, we were caught. In the end, I tried to use spatial transfer to make one last struggle with my friend, but for some reason, I transferred myself to this era, and my friend disappeared... It must be my fault..."

"--Huh?" I caught a key point. "You? Power gap? Spatial transfer?"

"Right... I forgot to mention." She gestured to her chest. "I am the Blessed Cultivator I mentioned earlier."

"You mean, you also have superpowers?"

"Yes."

"To be honest, I can't believe a single punctuation mark of what you just said. Suddenly talking about a Doomsday era, it just sounds completely fantastical to me." I stated frankly.

"I thought so," she nodded, unsurprised.

"But since you have superpowers, everything becomes easier to explain." I stared intently at her. "As long as you use a superpower at least once in front of me, I'm willing to believe you, believe whatever you say."

I meant it sincerely.

However, she fell silent, seemingly hesitating whether to answer truthfully.

After a moment, she replied with difficulty, "I can't."

"Why?"

"I was burned in my soul while escaping the great demon. After arriving in this era, I forced myself to use my blessing—that is, my superpower—and that incident worsened my soul's injury." She said through gritted teeth, "When you were talking to the police earlier, I tried to use my power in the room, but I couldn't."

It seemed admitting her weakness in front of me made her feel very unwilling.

"If you say that, I can't trust you..." I said. "And besides, why would you tell such important things to an outsider like me?"

At first, she was prickly, her tone domineering and firm, showing me an intimidating stance;

But now, although she still maintained an obvious wariness and distance, she had become willing to spend a lot of words, answering every question wholeheartedly as if she had no reservations.

I wasn't sure what kind of internal journey she had undergone. Was it because I protected her in front of the police? Or were my earlier lines and acting of pretending to be a good person really that brilliant, touching even her cold and suspicious heart?

She answered my question again.

"Actually, it's not that complicated. Although I don't know why I came to this era, I've thought it through. If my transmigration truly holds some significant meaning, then perhaps it's to stop the arrival of Doomsday in this era." She said seriously, "I must warn more people about the approaching Doomsday, and you are just the first. I wanted to test how a 'person living before Doomsday' would react to my prophecy, so that I can gain the trust of more people in the future."

"So, you've tested the results now. As long as you use your superpower, most people will at least believe you halfway. Too bad you can't use it." I teased her a little.

"Hmph..." Hearing this, her expression soured, and she immediately retorted, "Say whatever you want. I came to you because I needed something anyway. Now I need to leave, I don't have time to keep accompanying..."

As she spoke, she pushed off her knees, trying to stand up from the bed, but her body suddenly went limp, and she fell back down.

Many people with low blood pressure or low blood sugar experience blackouts when they stand up too quickly after squatting. Her current symptoms were similar, if not worse. I quickly stepped forward and supported her soft, petite body, but she had already fainted again.

What a troublesome person.

I laid her flat on the bed, then went to sit by the desk, looking at her young and adorable face while pondering the Doomsday information she had told me earlier.

The Doomsday is coming, time travel, Blessed Cultivators and superpowered individuals...

In my opinion, Maza doesn't quite fit the "cold-blooded, cruel, selfish Doomsday survivor" image I had in my mind. At most, she's just a highly skilled, eccentric, mysterious beautiful girl. "The Doomsday is coming" and "time travel" are even more outlandish; I can't immediately believe these "settings" are real in reality.

However, I do believe that "superpowered individuals" are real.

My friend's past words surfaced in my mind.

--If you've never seen real supernatural power, why have you been investigating Ghost Stories and legends?

--You need some positive feedback... some related evidence or clues to keep going, don't you think?

Yes, I do.

I have clues and evidence of the real existence of supernatural power.

That is myself.

I am a superpowered individual.