Haruno Successfully Gets Herself Killed

Shizuka Hiratsuka wasn't angry; instead, she asked, "So what do you want? He committed suicide, already using his life to atone for his mistakes. What more do you want?"

"I didn't mean anything by it, I just felt like I'd be letting myself down if I didn't give him a few slaps."

Shuya's gaze passed over her and glared at the Little Fox.

"Eek!"

The Little Fox screamed in fright and floated up to hide behind Haruno.

He was hoping that Shizuka Hiratsuka, who had just spoken up for him, would scold Shuya.

But she casually said, "Make a note of it first. He can't take many hits right now. We'll talk about it when he's stronger. Then we can call him to spar with us. Hehehe, having a god as a sparring partner, just thinking about it makes me a little excited."

Shuya was taken aback, then said in a deep voice, "... What you say makes sense, then I'll write it down for now."

The Heavenly Demon Body and the Natural Martial Bone have reached a temporary consensus.

Knowing their true nature, the Little Fox felt that the future was bleak.

"Rest assured!"

Haruno picked up the Little Fox and smiled beautifully.

"Waaaaah!"

The Little Fox perked up, thinking that Haruno trying to comfort it.

Haruno laughed and said, "You're a god, dying is just a matter of being replaced! Go and spar with me without worry!"

"Waaaaah---!"

The Little Fox slumped in her palm, its eyes filled with utter despair.

With these two big shots on my radar, how can I possibly survive?

Oh, previous generation, how utterly deceitful you were...

At this moment, the Nine Pairs of Foxes who had been watching came over.

They bowed to Haruno, then turned into light and merged together, casting their Haruno.

A delicate bracelet appeared on Haruno's left wrist.

This bracelet is made of eighteen miniature foxes.

"Sister, what's this?"

Yukino asked.

"Hmm... let me see."

Haruno received a message from the bracelet in her mind.

"It seems that after the Fox God became my Shikigami, these foxes also wanted to follow me. They were the Fox God's familiars, so now they're like my subordinates?"

With a wave of her left hand, Haruno summoned phantom foxes to command; she could sense them and summon their physical forms.

Then she discovered that she had acquired a series of Strange Arts knowledge about Fox Fire and other such things, Power of Will began to grow.

In this operation, Haruno Yukinoshita turned out to be the biggest winner.

Shuya didn't comment on her effortless victory.

He glanced around; the scenery had returned to normal.

After the Fox God's Age of Gods, the Divine Domain shrank.

All the energy that constitutes the Divine Domain has vanished; only some power can be sensed in the Main Hall of the Shrine.

The Fox God was weaker than ever before.

But the Power of Faith brought by today's Bon Festival is still gathering, and after tonight, He should be able to recover a certain degree of His strength.

"Let's go back first; there's no point in staying here."

Shuya picked up Rena and led everyone out of the Shrine and down the mountain.

On their way back to the inn, the group realized something. The Fox God was dead, and the people all over the streets hadn't been dealt with yet.

"Let's talk about it later, let's go back now."

Shuya said something and walked back without looking to the side.

He was actually daydreaming.

Back at the hotel, Shuya took Rena back to the Quintuplets' room. The Quintuplets were fast asleep and didn't notice anything amiss.

Everyone gathered in Shuya's room.

Shuya then asked the Little Fox perched on Haruno's shoulder, "Can you handle the people outside?"

Little Fox: "Waaah."

Haruno translated, "He said He wants you to give Him some energy and replenish His strength."

Shuya: "Didn't you convert the Power of Faith into Divine Power?"

"Waaah."

Haruno continued translating, "He said that those Natural Martial Bone possess a high quality of energy, which can be well transformed into Divine Power."

What about me?

Shizuka Hiratsuka was unconvinced; she also had a special constitution!

The Little Fox cried out in terror, "Waaaaah!"

Haruno: "He said He would die."

"Cut."

Shizuka Hiratsuka clicked her tongue.

"... bring it on."

Shuya directly pinched the Little Fox and continuously channeled his energy into it.

Once the Little Fox had converted enough Divine Power, it used its Strange Arts to erase the memories of the people on the street and planted a suggestion in their minds, sending them back to their homes.

"Eek."

The Little Fox called out to Shuya, then quickly ran back to Haruno.

A moment of silence followed.

After a long silence, Tsuruko Aoyama asked, "Inoue- kun, what are your plans for the future?"

"..."

Shuya said expressionlessly, "To be honest, I haven't thought about it."

Shizuka Hiratsuka couldn't help but ask, "Kid, which side do you want to choose?"

Shuya's eyes flashed, and he said, "... I have no right to choose anything. Besides... since Rena agreed to let the Fox God use forbidden techniques back then, I think the answer is already quite obvious."

"I really hate this rational side of you."

Shizuka Hiratsuka said in a low voice.

"Then tell me, can acting on emotions solve problems? If you were me, which side would you choose?"

Shuya appeared calm on the surface.

He gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Of course I can make a scene and choose according to my own preferences, but... do I deserve it? What right do I have to make decisions about someone else's life?"

No one could answer his question.

This is too much of a burden.

No one can answer that.

No one dared to answer.

With six lives at stake, no one dared to speak out lightly or irresponsibly.

Chapter 198, Section 182: Haruno Successfully Courts Death

If one day someone tells you that the feelings you've always believed in are fake.

What would you do?

Others might not know, but Shuya himself was completely confused.

Pursuing Rena has always been a major goal for him.

It's a goal that spans an extremely long period, from chapter eight to chapter one hundred and eighty-two.

But now fate has suddenly played a trick on him: Hey, actually you were bewitched! Surprised? Unexpected?

Shuya just wanted to beat the twisted monster who designed this kind of plot to death.

He sat blankly in the room, his eyes vacant.

To be honest, he wasn't thinking about anything, yet it seemed like he was thinking about a lot of things.

But if someone asked him what he was thinking, he certainly wouldn't be able to answer.

Knowing that Shuya was confused, Shizuka Hiratsuka Shuya the others didn't stay to disturb him and returned to their own rooms.

After sitting there for a long time, Shuya quietly went out and walked to the room of Rena and the Quintuplets.

He went inside.

The room was dark, but moonlight shone in, allowing him to see clearly.

Shuya walked over and knelt down next to Rena, looking at her perfect face.

He confirmed again and again that he no longer had that fervent liking for her, nor that obsessive inability to tolerate anyone speaking ill of her.

Shuya reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

However, a special feeling still welled up in my heart.

He didn't know what this feeling was.

Once the effects of the Charm Art were removed, Shuya discovered that he had a serious problem.

He didn't know what "love" (harmony) meant.

He suddenly remembered that before Mai- chan played the role of the Art Academy, she had asked him what it felt like to like someone.

He couldn't answer it at the time either.

He initially thought it was just that he couldn't summarize it.

But now that I think about it... I realize I really didn't understand.

The so-called "love" he understood was nothing more than a false emotion brought to him by Strange Arts.

It was more like protecting one's master than saying "I love you."

But how could someone who values another person so much not harbor some lingering feelings?

Rena still holds an important place in Shuya's heart.

He remained silent in the darkness, then suddenly...

His head turned stiffly, looking at the Quintuplets next to Rena.

They were sleeping soundly.

Shuya's gaze gradually shifted to their slender necks.

---It only takes one second.

He will then be able to complete the blood sacrifice.

In the quiet room, only their barely audible breathing could be heard, and...

Xiu's heart pounded even faster.