Journey to Find Heroic Spirits

Chapter 39: Being a Harem Master is a Skill

Yuxian and the others arrived at Rentaro's home early, and the small room was instantly packed with so many people.

Due to the large number of people, quite a few ingredients were needed for the hot pot. Rentaro couldn't manage it alone, so Yuxian and Mash proactively went to help. Otherwise, this hot pot meal would have taken ages to start.

The few little ones gathered together and started playing merrily, making the house exceptionally lively. Seeing Enju so happy, Rentaro's heart also felt joyful, and a lot more smiles appeared on his face, no longer rejecting Yuxian so much.

With the three of them working together, the ingredients were quickly prepared. The steaming hot pot was set up in the room, making the entire house feel even warmer. However, no one's enthusiasm waned because of this; they were all eager to start eating.

"Why isn't President Tendo here yet? We're just waiting for her. If she doesn't come soon, we'll start without her."

Ding dong!

As soon as Yuxian mentioned Kisaragi Tendo, the doorbell rang outside. It was indeed timely.

Rentaro walked over to open the door. Upon opening it, he found two heads crammed together outside, unwilling to give way to each other.

Bang!

This must be the wrong way to open it, Rentaro thought, and without a second thought, he closed the door again.

The two people outside were Kisaragi Tendo and Sima Miori. These two were mortal enemies; they would always start arguing whenever they were together.

Sima Miori was the daughter of the giant weapons company 'Sima Heavy Industries' and the student council president of Rentaro's school.

After letting the two into the house, Rentaro had a look of helplessness on his face, immediately feeling that this hot pot meal might not go smoothly.

Kisaragi Tendo sneered, "Someone's really thick-skinned, inviting themselves!"

"Between Rentaro and me, there's no need for politeness!" Sima Miori hugged Rentaro's arm, acting like a delicate bird. Seeing this made Kisaragi Tendo's forehead veins bulge.

Yuxian gently nudged Aihara Enju's arm and whispered into her ear, "Enju-chan, hurry up and defend your position! If this continues, Rentaro will be snatched away!"

Mash, seeing Yuxian stirring up trouble, quickly pulled him away.

It was chaotic enough already. If Enju jumped in, this hot pot meal would be completely ruined.

Yuxian sighed, "Rentaro really has good luck with women!"

"Is Senpai envious?" Mash asked calmly.

Yuxian instinctively wanted to nod, but he instantly sensed something was wrong. He turned and found Mash looking at him with a dangerous glint in her eyes. He immediately shook his head righteously.

"Such behavior should be severely criticized. How can one be so indecisive and openly build a harem!"

After saying that, he cautiously glanced at Mash's expression. Seeing that she was taking care of the little ones, he breathed a sigh of relief. As expected, one couldn't be careless; he almost let slip what he shouldn't have.

Building a harem, that ultimate dream for men, truly required a high level of skill. It was genuinely difficult for ordinary people to manage. One wrong step and you could capsize, just like the tragic example of Brother Cheng!

This hot pot meal ended joyfully amidst Kisaragi Tendo and Sima Miori's subtle rivalry.

Except for Rentaro, the host, everyone else ate very happily.

After the meal, Rentaro pulled Yuxian aside and said, "Dr. Muroto Sumire wants to meet you. Do you know when you'll be free?"

Muroto Sumire? Yuxian was stunned. He had almost forgotten about this genius scientist, one of the 'Four Saints'.

As the former head of the New Human Creation Project, Muroto Sumire was conveying her desire to meet through Rentaro. Yuxian had to take it seriously.

He nodded and said, "I'll arrange a time to go tomorrow."

Yuxian began to ponder Muroto Sumire's purpose in wanting to see him, but then he stopped bothering to rack his brain over it.

He decided to bring Teacher Chiron with him tomorrow. These matters were best left to smarter people to resolve. He figured the sage and the genius would have more common ground.

The public opinion in the Tokyo Area was gradually becoming more favorable towards the Cursed Children. Seitenshi, the young leader, had done quite well in this regard. Yuxian held her in high regard.

On his evening walk, Yuxian occasionally overheard people discussing the 'New Gastrea Law'. This law was in the process of being drafted and would eventually be enacted.

The status of the Cursed Children would significantly improve in the future, bringing Yuxian's goal one step closer.

In reality, most citizens did not have extreme prejudices against the Cursed Children. The importance of public opinion was particularly evident at this moment.

As for the small minority of extremists, Yuxian believed Kisaragi Tendo would not go easy on them. Compared to Rentaro, she was more ruthless and employed more drastic methods.

Although he didn't know if this was good or bad, overall, Yuxian was willing to trust Kisaragi Tendo, believing she wouldn't turn into another villainous big boss.

To avenge her parents, Kisaragi Tendo's abilities had been pushed to their maximum. For a girl of high school age to establish herself so quickly by Seitenshi's side was already quite an accomplishment.

"Senpai, hurry up!" Mash's voice urged in Yuxian's ear. "Alice! Jack! You guys slow down, don't run so fast!"

Yuxian stopped overthinking and quickened his pace to catch up with everyone, lest Mash couldn't manage them all alone.

Accompanying everyone for a post-dinner stroll was the life Yuxian truly desired.

Chapter 40: Mutual Praise, Neither is Simple

The next day, Yuxian called Chiron and, as promised, headed to Muroto Sumire's research institute with Rentaro.

The research institute occupied a vast area, appearing to be a large-scale scientific research institution. Various advanced instruments and equipment were displayed in numerous research rooms. Many strange and peculiar limbs and organs were immersed in unknown liquids. These were parts cut from defeated Gastrea, used to study their characteristics.

The security measures throughout the institute were extremely stringent. Yuxian noticed surveillance cameras everywhere along the way, indicating a very high level of security.

Scientific research was, after all, extremely important. The data and information generated here were undoubtedly crucial for the leaders of the Tokyo Area.

Therefore, this research institute was one of the few key facilities in the Tokyo Area.

As the head of this research institute, Dr. Muroto Sumire, a genius scientist, still held a very high position in the Tokyo Area, even though she was no longer the highest person in charge of the New Human Creation Project.

However, Yuxian found the institute unexpectedly quiet. From the moment he entered, he hadn't seen many researchers. The cold, deserted environment made Yuxian feel uncomfortable.

Yuxian didn't let Mash and the others follow him inside. The research institute wasn't a good place. He let the children play outside on their own. With Mash watching, he wasn't afraid they would cause any trouble.

Led by Rentaro, Yuxian and Chiron went straight to Muroto Sumire's office.

Compared to the vastness of the entire research institute, Muroto Sumire's office could be described as pathetically small.

The office was crammed with all sorts of equipment and documents, piled up haphazardly everywhere. It was so messy that there was hardly any room to step.

"Doctor, we're here!" Rentaro was very familiar with the place. Without knocking, he called out from the doorway.

"Oh!" Muroto Sumire responded and got up from a pile of documents.

She wore a white lab coat, her hair was a bit messy, and she wasn't dressed up like a typical woman. She had deep dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating she often stayed up late.

Being unkempt was probably a common trait among all researchers obsessed with their work. Muroto Sumire, as she appeared before Yuxian, was a very typical researcher.

Muroto Sumire haphazardly swept things off her desk, pulled out two chairs from somewhere, placed them in front of the table, and said faintly, "Please sit!"

Her attitude was very calm, even a bit cold, lacking any warmth for guests.

She picked up a beaker from the side, containing something she had brewed, and asked them symbolically if they wanted to share.

Yuxian immediately shook his head in refusal. He really didn't have the courage to try the food, which looked worse than "dark cuisine."

Muroto Sumire didn't stand on ceremony. She poured herself a plate and started eating slowly, looking quite pleased.

Yuxian wasn't angry at her neglect. He knew that people like her had irregular meal times, and this might even be her breakfast.

He sat down quietly and waited for Muroto Sumire to finish eating. Yuxian had at least this much patience.

"Esteemed Grand Sage, it is an honor to be able to communicate with you so closely." Muroto Sumire casually wiped the food residue from her mouth and gave Chiron a slight bow.

Chiron smiled and nodded, "Thank you for having me."

Chiron's attitude was very amiable, and the two began to converse happily. At first, Yuxian could listen attentively. Gradually, the topics they discussed became more profound. Not only could Yuxian not participate, but he couldn't even understand what they were talking about.

Yuxian and Rentaro exchanged glances. They were completely left out, feeling like illiterates.

The conversations of highly intelligent people were indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals. Moreover, they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely and showed no signs of stopping.

It was a strange sight to see two people from completely different eras getting along so well. Yuxian didn't even know how to react and could only nervously pick at his fingernails to hide his boredom.

"As expected of the Grand Sage from mythology, thank you for your guidance."

Muroto Sumire's casual demeanor vanished. She stood up very solemnly and bowed deeply to Chiron.

A genius scientist like her was inwardly very proud. Ordinary people could never make her bow like this. Clearly, she had gained a great deal from their conversation, making her feel deeply grateful to Chiron.

Chiron smiled gently, "You are very intelligent, much more so than my disappointing disciples."

"I wouldn't dare compare myself to the heroes," Muroto Sumire said humbly as she sat back down.

As for how much sincerity was in her humble words, only she knew.

She turned her gaze to Yuxian and said, "With Teacher Chiron here, my worries seem a bit excessive. I believe you can handle the current situation. If you need anything, feel free to come to me. I still have some influence in the Tokyo Area."

Yuxian expressed his gratitude for the goodwill Muroto Sumire conveyed.

This reclusive genius scientist and doctor wasn't as detached from external affairs as one might imagine.

Her original intention in meeting Yuxian was to warn him and offer some advice.

But after witnessing Chiron's wisdom, she abandoned her original plan and simply said, "Seitenshi is a good leader."

This nonsensical remark left Yuxian bewildered, unsure of what she meant.

Was she simply expressing support for Seitenshi? Did she want Yuxian not to shake Seitenshi's position?

Yuxian didn't understand, but he hadn't intended to make a move against Seitenshi anyway, so he simply nodded to indicate he understood.

He had expected to gain something from this meeting, but in the end, Yuxian just made a brief appearance and left.

After they left, Rentaro looked at Muroto Sumire with confusion, wanting to ask something but not knowing where to start.

Muroto Sumire casually crossed her legs, enjoying Rentaro's troubled expression, and smiled, "Rentaro, don't worry. This might not be a bad thing."

"Why?"

"Because it can't possibly get any worse," Muroto Sumire said calmly. "Rentaro, they might be the only chance."

Meanwhile, Yuxian, having left the research institute, reunited with Mash and the others and slowly walked back.

Chiron bid them farewell halfway. He had to go back to teach the children. He was very dedicated to educating them, and it was one of his few hobbies.

Before parting, he reminded Yuxian, "That young girl, Seitenshi, becoming a leader at such a young age must mean she has her strengths. Don't underestimate her."

Yuxian was taken aback. He naturally knew that as the highest leader in the Tokyo Area, Seitenshi couldn't possibly be just a pretty face or a naive simpleton.

Her ability to push through the New Gastrea Law amidst so much pressure and opposition could be affirmed.

However, from Chiron's words, Yuxian sensed something different, and he recalled Muroto Sumire's earlier words.

Yuxian vaguely understood that this Seitenshi's power was even greater than he had imagined.

However, on second thought, since the Seitenshi placed considerable trust in Kisaragi Tendo and Rentaro, having more power would make many things easier.

This wasn't bad news for Yuxian, as the Seitenshi was at least relatively open-minded towards the Cursed Children.

Section 41: Chapter 21 - There's a loli sleeping here, why don't we...

Tokyo Area Central Plaza.

Yuxian was taking everyone for a stroll. It was a rare moment of leisure, and the weather was nice too. Wandering around outdoors to pass the time put him in a very good mood.

Mash walked alongside Yuxian, and the two chatted casually. "Senpai, aren't you going to help Rentaro and the others?"

"Being a bodyguard is out of the question. I need Mash to protect me, so I won't join the fray. Rentaro can handle it on his own."

Yuxian had no intention of becoming the Seitenshi's personal bodyguard. His mortal body couldn't withstand a single sniper shot from Tina, so he'd leave that to Rentaro.

Saikyo Munemitsu choosing this time to visit the Tokyo Area clearly had his own agenda. Yuxian couldn't fathom where he got his confidence, wasn't he afraid of being sent back to where he came from by an 'Orbital Weapon'?

Perhaps for someone like him, fulfilling his ambitions was more important than anything else.

Yuxian had no interest in guessing Saikyo Munemitsu's thoughts. He was wandering around here partly because he had been a bit bored these past few days, and bringing everyone out for some fresh air also held the hope of trying his luck and seeing if he could encounter Tina Sprinter.

If he wasn't mistaken, Tina should have already infiltrated the Tokyo Area and be preparing to carry out her assassination plan.

Resolving the threat from its source was the best method. As long as they found Tina, the killer loli, more than half the problem would be solved.