younger sister.
Liuli took a deep breath and finally made up her mind.
She bent down and picked up the dagger, the coldness of the metal spreading through her palm.
Holding the dagger, she walked step by step toward the little girl with vacant eyes who was slowly approaching.
So close at hand
Liuli thrust her arm, gripping the dagger, forward with a fierce thrust!
However, the moment the dagger was thrust out, it suddenly slipped from his grasp.
A streak of cold light flashed, shooting straight towards Kamishiro Chiho!
At the same time, the Echo that Liuli had been secretly building suddenly activated!
Countless butterflies fluttered out from her sleeves!
Like an enraged swarm of bees, they swarmed their opponent!
But two of them separated and gently, like kisses, touched the little girl's forehead.
The little girl's empty eyes instantly regained their clarity.
Almost at the same time, a tremendous force slammed into her, pushing her toward the alley entrance.
The little girl, who had stumbled and regained her footing, only had time to turn around and see the beautiful older sister with flowing, misty purple hair yelling at her:
Run! Run!
During her years as a spy and infiltrating the City of Kindling, Liuli has directly or indirectly caused the deaths of many people.
She knew that someone like her would certainly not have a good end.
So she thought, even if it's just one person, it would be fine.
If she can make anyone think she's a good person, then her life hasn't been in vain, right?
The little girl in front of him was someone Qiji had saved, someone Qiji wanted to protect.
So how could I let her die by my own hand...?
How could we let Qiji's efforts go to waste?!
"You really are... stubborn and incorrigible."
Kamishiro Chiho snorted coldly, her eyes widening slightly, and all the butterflies in the sky immediately fell to the ground.
The next instant, she appeared beside Liuli as if by teleportation.
Reaching out, like an iron clamp, he fiercely gripped Liuli's slender neck, lifting her off the ground!
"I think you really... want to die."
Liuli gripped Kamishiro Chiho's hand tightly, her legs kicking helplessly in the air, the feeling of suffocation causing her cheeks to flush rapidly.
She knew she was unlikely to survive the day.
So, since we're going to die anyway...
Let her perfectly embody her persona of "having had enough of life" and "wanting to die".
With all her might, Liuli managed to squeeze out a hoarse sound from her tightly choked throat.
"Then... just kill me..."
Do you think I'm... afraid of dying?
Liuli looked at the other person with disdain, trying to provoke them.
She thought that as long as Kamishiro Chiho was thoroughly enraged and focused all her attention on her, she would succeed.
So, perhaps the little girl will be able to escape safely?
You were saved by Qiji, you must live a good life.
"Lie! More Lie!" Kamishiro Chiho's voice was shrill with anger.
"You know, because I can taste the Lie... that's why I hate liars the most!"
You despicable woman, you've never uttered a single truth since you were a child!
That's why I couldn't like you from the very beginning!!!
It was all Lie...
Liuli's consciousness began to blur, and her vision began to go black intermittently.
Of course, it's Lie.
Not afraid of death or anything like that...
Perhaps it truly was Kamishiro Ruri.
But now...
Light and shadow flickered in the Liuli, unfocused pupils.
It's a collection of fragmented images.
She remembered yesterday—
Beside Qiji- san...
Beside the carousel, on the screaming drop tower, in the eerie haunted house, in front of the dazzling video game screen...
She wanted to experience that kind of day, no matter how many times.
I want to ride the Ferris wheel again, I want to ride the drop tower again, and I want to go on another haunted house adventure.
I want to win a game at the arcade with my friend Qiji.
even...
I want love.
I want to be loved.
If you want someone to whisper in your ear, you're not alone.
I want to live to be 100.
I want to travel the world.
If none of those things can be done—
At the very least, I want to be the only one who knows all my secrets, all my darkness...
Yet, someone who was still willing to save me, willing to consider me a friend, and willing to smile at me...
Around me.
So, I don't want to die.
I really don't want to die...
I want to live, I want to see Qiji- chan one more time.
So this is what death is...
This was the first time Liuli had noticed.
I'm so unwilling to accept this...
I wish I could have died before I met Qiji.
Then, my life, which is utterly worthless, meaningless, and colorless...
Even if I die.
I wouldn't feel any regret at all.
Chapter 93: The person who saved her, without a doubt, was me (Part 2)
When Kijika went to get the barbecue grill, he returned to find that one person was missing.
He looked at Huomu: "Where's Qiji- kun?"
He went to the restroom.
"Oh."
Kijika nodded.
After a while, he still hadn't seen Qiji return, and he frowned, somewhat puzzled.
"Did this guy fall into a pit?"
He stood up, still feeling uneasy, intending to go and check on it.
The wind whistled in my ears, and the surrounding scenery rushed past.
As Qiji watched Liuli's live stream on the system interface, he kept telling himself:
Liuli won't die.
How could I possibly die here?
She's one of the main female characters in this anime!
Someone will definitely save her at the crucial moment.
Of course someone will save her!
Qiji recognized the woman opposite Liuli.
Kamishiro Chiho, a fourth-order Echoer, has mastered the complete second-stage Armament.
In the original storyline, this incident was glossed over because even a minor character who appeared in it was someone the main characters at that time couldn't handle!
Even now, Qiji, whose combat power far surpasses that of all the main characters, remains the same.
Even if he included his Armament, his mask, and every other means he could muster—
At this stage, he can only defeat opponents at the third tier at most.
The difference between third-order and fourth-order is only one order.
But this level is worlds apart!
To advance to the fourth level, one must first construct a prototype of a Palace that is uniquely one's own using "building materials" within the Sea of Consciousness.
The completion of each part of the [Palace] will nourish the spirit, the Heart Essence, and the body, enhancing their purity, capacity, and strength.
That's right, against a fourth-tier Echoer, even Qiji's most prized physical advantage will be diluted...
Of course, if Qiji also builds his own Palace, that would be a different story.
With a physique already at the Max level, further enhanced by the Palace, Qiji is even confident that one day in the future he can dismantle a Gundam with his bare hands.
But right now, Qiji is just a pure sports student who can't even be considered a first-tier Echoer!
More importantly, the Echoer's advancement to the fourth tier means that he has mastered the second form of the Armament.
At the third tier, when Echoer awakens their Armament, they will choose one form to awaken first based on their own characteristics.
It may take the form of "Heart Essence Mantle" which leans towards circuits and spellcasting, or the form of "Imagery Armor" which leans towards melee combat and numerical values.
For example, both being "Person in the Mirror," the Armament Suyo belong to the former category—
Her Armament style, which involves equipping Armament, is to better construct her energy circuits and draw upon her Heart Essence.
Qiji Seki belongs to the latter category.
His Armament was a full-body suit of armor that did not provide any bonus to Echo Casting, but the defense, speed, and power Armament offered far surpassed those of the "Heart Essence Mantle" form.