Final Volume: A Tiny World in the Dust, Through Fire (II)

He had no peerless beauty.

No peach-pink hair.

No devilish figure.

Since he was asleep, it was impossible to judge his voice, but... surely it was no longer that captivating, melodious voice, either.

No matter how you looked at him, the person sleeping here was just an ordinary boy.

Hair that was neither long nor short.

Regular features, but nothing dazzling.

Skin that was neither smooth nor rough.

A build that was slightly on the thin side.

A height close to one meter eighty.

Even the clothes he wore were ordinary shirt and trousers.

Sakura Dance had rarely been so at a loss. She had thought that after all their effort, they'd finally found their target, but this person before her... was he really the one they were looking for?

"...Who is he?"

"..."

"Could it really be... Hey..."

"..."

"Um, Haoyue?"

Haoyue suddenly stepped forward, scattering Lycoris radiata petals beneath her feet. Without the slightest hesitation, she slashed at the vines wrapped around the boy with her long sword. But the vines were incredibly supple; even she struggled to cut through them.

"Uh..."

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and help!"

"Huh? Oh, okay..."

Sakura Dance hurried over to help. She yanked hard on the vines—and discovered that they really were stronger and more supple than she could have imagined. Lightning sparked at her fingertips as she slashed at them with all her might, but she left only faint scratches.

"Hurry up, Sakura Dance! The black hole—"

"—It's still there!?"

The suction coming from behind them had weakened. Sakura Dance had thought the black hole would disappear once they reached the end of the Lycoris radiata path, but it hadn't vanished. It had only slowed down!

"So hurry up!"

"I know! But... but..."

Sakura Dance poked the