The Mastermind of Multiverse: Starting from *The Eminence in Shadow*

She closed her notebook, hesitating for a moment:

"Right."

"According to what Ichinose said in the group chat, what you faced in the first trial... was a Parasite, right?"

"Mmhmm." Su Wei hummed softly.

"In that case, you should also remember the characteristics of Parasites as described by the Black Sphere, right?"

"They look no different from ordinary people, can perfectly disguise themselves as humans, possess decent intelligence, yet are emotionally indifferent..."

"So, what are you implying?" Su Wei raised an eyebrow.

"I suspect," Horikita Suzune said with certainty, "that there is a Parasite in our class."

Su Wei was stunned for a moment, an individual flashing through his mind.

Could it be...

"You aren't trying to say Ayanokoji, are you?"

"Precisely."

Horikita Suzune continued:

"Don't you think his outward behavior is very similar to the characteristics of the Parasites we encountered?"

"The same hollow gaze, devoid of any emotional fluctuation..."

Good grief!

Su Wei fought back his laughter, coughing twice to mask his awkwardness:

"...Perhaps."

"But even if he is a Parasite, as long as the Black Sphere hasn't issued a mission designating him as a target, there's nothing we can do about him, is there?"

Horikita Suzune nodded in agreement, her brows furrowed:

"That is indeed a problem."

Watching her stern expression, Su Wei pursed his lips, afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would lose his composure.

"Alright, good luck then."

"I have things to do, I'm heading out."

Stepping out of the library, Su Wei finally stopped holding it in.

This trip hadn't been in vain; at the very least, he had been thoroughly amused.

Still, it was normal for Horikita Suzune to guess that way.

Even if the conclusion was wildly off the mark, one had to admit that Ayanokoji did indeed share certain traits with a Parasite, at least in terms of being a "pseudo-human."

Just as he was pondering where to find some new amusement, he heard it.

"Tap, tap."

The crisp sound of a cane approached from afar.

Su Wei looked up.

At the end of the hallway, Sakayanagi Arisu was walking toward him with elegant steps, leaning on her cane.

Beside her followed a blue-haired girl with a quiet temperament, clutching a book.

Shiina Hiyori?

How did these two end up together? Did I skip a chapter?

Under his puzzled gaze, Sakayanagi Arisu stopped, a perfectly measured smile of surprise appearing on her face:

"Yo, isn't this Su Wei?"

"To think I'd run into you here; truly... we are quite fated."

Su Wei: "..."

"If you put your phone away, I might actually believe you."

Sakayanagi Arisu acted as if she hadn't heard his retort, turning to smile at Shiina Hiyori beside her:

"Shiina-san."

"Since I've found the person I was looking for, I won't trouble you any further."

Shiina Hiyori looked between the two of them, somewhat bewildered. Although she sensed the subtle atmosphere, she still nodded politely:

"It's no trouble, I was coming to the library to return books anyway."

With that, she gave a slight nod to Su Wei, hugged her books, and brushed past them into the library.

Once Shiina Hiyori's figure vanished.

Su Wei looked at the teasing expression on Sakayanagi Arisu's face:

"You're quite good at playing the victim."

"Hmph-hm~"

Sakayanagi Arisu hummed, not only failing to deny it but taking a step forward and grabbing his hand with righteous indignation:

"It might be manipulation for others, but certainly not for you."

"After all..."

She shook the cane in her hand:

"You still owe me half an hour of labor that hasn't been paid out yet~"

"We have a purely transactional relationship."

Su Wei sighed helplessly: "I'll just pay you back 2500 points, then."

"That won't do."

Sakayanagi Arisu tightened her grip, feeling the warmth radiating from his palm, her eyes shimmering:

"The things I give out..."

"There is no such thing as taking them back!"

py:<Starting from the Lord Ravager Kiana, a Truly Historical Mess>

Chapter 20: My Authority is Above Yours

"I'm saying..."

"You didn't just come looking for me for such a trivial matter, did you?"

Facing the smug Sakayanagi Arisu, Su Wei didn't indulge her.

"There is no Black Sphere exam right now, and while your legs may be inconvenient, you have Kamuro Masumi; it's not as if you can't walk without someone else's help."

"As for the points..."

"I imagine you aren't exactly short a few thousand."

"Su Wei-kun is truly sharp, yet so dense."

"You aren't wrong to say that."

Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head:

"But thanks to the Black Sphere, Kamuro-san now looks at me as if I were a flood or a wild beast, desperate to take a detour whenever she sees me."

"Sigh, I don't even know whether to call her naive or what..."

"What if a surprise exam were to suddenly happen right now?"

The young girl blinked her pale purple eyes, her tone lingering and soft:

"In such a helpless, isolated situation, wouldn't I still have to rely on you, Su Wei-kun?"

Su Wei didn't believe this half-truthful flattery.

He had even less intention of asking why Sakayanagi Arisu didn't go find Ichinose Honami, who would never refuse her.

He simply replied offhandedly:

"If Ichinose is right, we will have a random slot for every exam from here on out."

"So, Kamuro Masumi will eventually have to accept reality. At that point, you won't need me anymore."

"Hehe~"

Sakayanagi Arisu smiled, "So, does Su Wei-kun mean that... until then, you are willing to be my exclusive crutch?"

"I never said that. Don't go adding your own script."

Su Wei raised a hand in a gesture to stop her:

"My rates are very expensive; you couldn't afford them."

"Oh?"

Sakayanagi Arisu acted as if she had heard an amusing joke:

"Then I am truly curious."

"What kind of price could possibly make Su Wei-kun think that I 'couldn't afford' it?"

Su Wei pondered for a moment, "I make millions every minute."

"If you want me to help you, my hourly rate would have to be at least ten million points, right?"

"..."

Sakayanagi Arisu froze for a moment, then was rendered speechless.

Ten million points.

In this school, even as a student of Class A, one might not necessarily accumulate that amount even after three years.

This was clearly an absurd joke fabricated for the sake of refusal.

She gently nudged Su Wei's side with her elbow, chiding him playfully:

"Su Wei-kun is truly humorous."

But Su Wei was actually being serious.

Ten million to bribe God—the cost-effectiveness was absolutely maxed out, wasn't it?

It was only because of your good looks, after all.

If it were anyone else, they wouldn't even have this opportunity.

Following this, the two continued forward while maintaining a subtle atmosphere.

Sakayanagi Arisu held onto Su Wei's arm, yet she did not push her luck by pressing any closer.

She followed step by step, her center of gravity still relying mostly on the support of her cane.

That boneless, fragile appearance made it seem as if she were truly frightened by Su Wei's "exorbitant price," daring only to maintain this superficial attachment.

And Su Wei did not heartlessly shake her off.

The path Sakayanagi Arisu led him down was quite secluded, with few people passing by; she was clearly someone who understood boundaries.

Or rather, she actually enjoyed this kind of interaction where she only grazed the surface without going any deeper.

After all, with a body that could collapse at any moment, she could only be sharp-tongued as long as she remained unhealed.

Su Wei deeply agreed with this sentiment.

Until the two rounded a shaded corner of the school building.

"...Is there really no other way?"

A female voice, emotions suppressed, drifted vaguely on the wind.