"So don't make Setsuna sound like a bad person.
Do you think she didn't want to save everyone?"
At this point, Qiji's voice softened slightly.
"Listen, Huomu, there's something you have to remember-
A hero thinks calmly, saves the people they can, and then keeps living while bearing the 'sin' of not saving everyone else.
That's the path one must walk to become a hero."
Qiji paused for a moment, then added one last thing:
"Besides, you just said-
You have people you want to protect, even though you have no power.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with having people you want to protect.
But I think there's something else you should think about first-
Why don't you have power?"
When he finished, Huomu and Setsuna both froze.
Setsuna stared blankly at the upright, masked young man before her.
As she watched him say those words so calmly, it was as if a stone had been cast into the lake of her heart, stirring up a thousand ripples.
Then a thought more powerful than any other echoed endlessly in the girl's mind-
He...
He really...
Understands me so well!!!
Qiji had said everything Setsuna wanted to say but hadn't known how to put into words.
He had expressed those complicated truths about responsibility, choices and helplessness completely and clearly, in words so calm and powerful.
He's practically my spokesperson!!!
After hearing Qiji out, Huomu's whole head was buzzing.
He hadn't thought about any of that at all.
He wasn't smart, so he could only act on whatever came to mind.
Sometimes, his mind even went blank, and his body acted on its own.
Just like it had a moment ago.
Only after Qiji's earnest words did he finally understand why Setsuna had been so angry.
If Qiji hadn't stepped in in time, his recklessness might have gotten everyone killed...
Huomu's expression changed, and he couldn't help reflecting on himself.
A moment later, he turned to Setsuna. This time, his apology was far more formal and solemn than before.
He bent at the waist and bowed his head deeply.
"I'm sorry, Setsuna... I was too stupid. I didn't think of any of that!
You were right. I was... too reckless just now. I almost got everyone hurt.
I'm really... sorry!"
Then he turned to Qiji and spoke sincerely:
"Qiji, thank you too... Thank you for making me see it, and thank you... for saving me and everyone else again."
Qiji saw how genuinely remorseful he was, though he could barely hide his dejection. He smiled and reached out to pat him on the shoulder again.
"All right, don't act like the sky's fallen and you've made some terrible mistake.
You really don't need to blame yourself so much."
Qiji's tone softened, taking on a hint of encouragement.
"Being kind and passionate, unable to resist rushing in when you see someone in danger...
That might be reckless, and it might not be very 'smart'...
But that's also exactly what's good about you. It's an amazing quality, something I could never manage.
You don't need to be so hard on yourself.
I only said all that because I hoped you'd understand Setsuna."
As he spoke, Qiji looked at the two children, who had stopped crying and were sneaking glances their way. He smiled and said,
"At least this time, these two children really were saved because you risked your life.
If you hadn't blocked that fatal blow for them, even I might not have made it in time.
So without a doubt, Huomu, you're their hero."
Hearing Qiji say that and seeing that Huomu looked ready to cry, the two little ones came forward together at the older child's encouragement and thanked him:
"Big brother, thank you!"
Unexpectedly, though, it would have been better if they hadn't said anything. Once they did, Huomu could no longer hold back, and tears suddenly poured down his face like a broken dam.
But with children present, Huomu thought crying would be too embarrassing.
So he immediately raised one hand to wipe the tears from his face, pointed at Qiji with the other, and spoke to them, his voice tinged with a sob he could barely suppress:
"I... I didn't do anything. He's the one who saved you."
"You saved us together! We'll never forget what you did for us!"
The older child was mature and sensible for his age. As the older brother, he took his little sister by the hand and bowed solemnly to Qiji and Huomu.
For a moment, the scene seemed to give people the satisfying feeling that a "world where nobody got hurt" had been achieved.
The barrage of comments flooded the screen, spurred on by Qiji's successive highlights in both action and drama:
"Holy shit! What a great personality!"
"The flavor is strong, no extra salt needed!"
"Absolute strength! Perfect character! The one who taught Huomu to be a hero is..."
"Prisoner Ji, you're so yasashii, you bastard!!"
"I want Prisoner Ji to pat my head too!!! (writhing) (crawling) (screaming)"
"I declare that this is a man who could be my mother!"
"I'm dying, look at the way Setsuna's looking at Prisoner Ji!"
"Why not take another look at the way Liuli's looking at Setsuna!"
"Liuli: Oh no, the love rival alarm has been sounded!"
Chapter 39: That's Why I Hate Her
While Qiji was settling things on his side, the battle on Yuejian's side had also been decided.
With the God of the Moon Scroll's armament, Yuejian had won effortlessly.
With just one blow, Kamishiro Seian, who had been so overbearing in the Kamishiro Family and hailed as a heaven's chosen, had been defeated.
Now, Yuejian was stepping on him like a dead dog.
Kamishiro Seian was covered in wounds and looked a mess.
Yet at the same time, his eyes were astonishingly bright.
There was none of a loser's humiliation or anger in them. Instead, they burned with an adoration so fervent it was warped.
It was as though he wasn't the one who had lost.
"That's... that's wonderful..." Kamishiro Seian coughed up blood, but his face was alight with excitement.
"Senior Moon Bearer, you really are everything I expected...
Cough, cough... Even with your Palace destroyed, you're still that... dazzling existence...
Amazing, truly amazing...
To manifest a complete armament after losing your Palace... It's a miracle...
As far as I know, in hundreds upon hundreds of years, you're the only person who's done it!!"
As he spoke, he actually shed tears of emotion, his voice choking up.
"I... I knew I hadn't... admired the wrong person..."
Looking at the tear-streaked man, Yuejian couldn't help frowning.
Though they were enemies now, this fellow called Kamishiro Seian could indeed just about have been considered half his "disciple" thirteen years ago.
And whether in the past or now, the things he said were utterly sincere...
To kill someone so wholeheartedly devoted to "admiring" him...
Yuejian felt it would probably affect his mood when he watched his shows that night.
Ultimately, was it probably because he hadn't really killed anyone in a long time?
That was why he had grown so indecisive.
"How about this?" Yuejian moved his foot off him and spoke softly.
"I'll work overtime for three more seconds. If you're not dead by then, consider yourself lucky."
But the moment he finished speaking-
"Pfft!"
Kamishiro Seian, who had seemed to be on his last breath, suddenly opened his mouth-not to scream or beg for mercy.
Instead, a blood arrow condensed to the extreme shot from his mouth!
It gleamed black and red, faintly distorting the space around it.
It was incredibly fast, heading straight for Yuejian's face!
Yuejian seemed to have expected it, or perhaps he simply didn't care.
He merely tilted his head slightly, dodging the vicious blood arrow.
At the same time, he raised his index finger, moonlight gathering at its tip.
"One."
He counted the time calmly.
But Kamishiro Seian, lying on the ground, smiled as though his scheme had succeeded.
"Hmm?" Yuejian raised an eyebrow, sensing something was wrong.
He spun around. The blood arrow he had dodged traced a bizarre arc through the air, making no attempt to attack him again. Instead-
It changed direction and tore through the air even faster, heading toward the people of Class Eight in the distance!
Yuejian's gaze sharpened, and he almost raised a hand to block the attack for Class Eight.
But the next moment, he sensed something, shook his head and stopped.
Because the target of Kamishiro Seian's attack was Liuli.
-Kamishiro Ruri.
That girl thought she had disguised everything well.
But Yuejian had seen through her identity the moment he first saw her.
He just couldn't be bothered to act.