Page 351
Page 351
Click, click, click. Looking at the scenery outside the tram, Banami's sense of time had become somewhat blurred.
How long has he been lingering here in this mental landscape?
One year, two years, ten years? Or... a hundred years?
From the moment he encountered the tenth Wakaba Mutsu, he had given up thinking about the passage of time, since it didn't flow at the same speed as in reality anyway.
However, he clearly remembered each of Wakaba Mutsu.
1023, one thousand and twenty-three times, one thousand and twenty-three different Wakaba Mutsu.
The passage of time did not numb his will; on the contrary, he became increasingly "unbreakable."
He once kissed Wakaba Mutsumi at the ends of the earth; he accompanied Wakaba Mutsumi through her childhood as a young child; he rode alongside her, upholding justice; she stayed with Wakaba Mutsumi for life, until their hair turned white...
He didn't know when his journey would end, but he could clearly remember every moment he spent with them, and every emotion of Wakaba Mutsu had its own charm.
At the same time, it also represents every responsibility on his shoulders.
The tram slowly came to a stop, and no one knew what kind of Wakaba Mutsu would be on it this time.
But he had a premonition that the journey was probably coming to an end.
But when he got out of the car, he found the scene somewhat familiar: a gray-black forest, with black rain falling from the sky.
Not far away, Wakaba Mutsumi, dressed in a hen costume, stood here.
"Um, you are...?"
But before he could finish speaking, black raindrops fell on the cold blade of the sword, striking his original spot like a bolt of lightning.
However, at this moment, Banami was no longer the same as before. In his 1,023 experiences, he even went to the world of martial arts, and thus barely managed to dodge the sword of "Wakaba Mutsumi".
"If you're not Wakaba Mutsu, then who are you?!" Hachina felt goosebumps rise on the back of her head.
Even though each of them has a variety of emotions and is different, all 1023 of them have one thing in common.
That is, they never tried to hurt Hanami.
Completely different from this... puppet (?) in front of me.
Only now did Banami clearly see that the sword-wielding Wakaba Mutsu in front of her was more like a puppet carved in imitation of Wakaba Mutsu.
"You are...Metis?" Banai asked as if she understood something.
No wonder this place looked so familiar to him; isn't this the Demon King's castle from their monster girl world?
The puppet, with its head tilted to the side, made a clattering sound, then shouted, "You guessed right, Banami! Too bad... there's no reward. Now just go die!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the puppet's sword came flying through the rain. Banami, who was prepared, fell to the ground and dodged the straight sword. Then she kicked the puppet in the stomach, sending her flying. The puppet seemed to fall apart.
"Hahaha, is this all you've got, Teacher Da Mo? Is this all you've got?" Banami couldn't help but mock him, even though he didn't know what was going on.
"Hehehe, Banami, you're so naive, so incredibly naive! Come forth, Endless Demon King Metis!"
The broken puppets seemed to stand up as if pulled by threads. Not only that, in the dark forest, one, two, three, countless "Wakaba Mutsumi" puppets appeared. Their numbers seemed to outnumber the trees in the forest. They slowly surrounded Hachimi, just like in the final battle.
Banami's expression immediately turned serious, and she shouted, "What exactly do you want, Metis? Don't you want Wakaba Mutsu to come back?"
"Hahaha? After you win over Mutsu, you'll make him your harem? Then I'll have to watch Mutsu be with you. Don't disgust me, Banami. Mutsu is mine, mine, only I can awaken Mutsu!"
"You won that final battle by using despicable means. This world wasn't created by you; your fabricated rules are no longer effective against Demon King Metis."
Seeing that Banai immediately understood, she exclaimed, "That night, after waking up Xiangzi, you deliberately led her to catch Wakaba Mutsu and me having a secret rendezvous. You were deliberately trying to make Wakaba Mutsu and Xiangzi turn against each other, weren't you?"
"Xiao Mu is mine, she's mine. Toyokawa Shoko is superfluous, Mori Minami is superfluous, and even Banami is superfluous."
I just... I just never expected Xiao Mu to disappear because of this.
But it doesn't matter. Now, as long as I can wake Xiao Mu up, she will be my Xiao Mu alone. Xiao Mu only needs me.
People like you will only hurt Xiaomu.
So, you'd better die!
As Metis grew agitated, the troupe of puppets began to stir restlessly, and countless gleaming swords came hurtling toward him.
Chapter 83 I'm Back, Xiao Xi (End of Volume 10)
The black rain fell in a steady drizzle, stealing the warmth from all life.
Only the puppets are unaffected, because they only dance when guided by their owners.
Even Banami, surrounded by so many Wakaba Mutsumi puppets, seemed to be struggling to keep up, and had already sustained several wounds.
Even so, his face remained optimistic, and he was still smiling.
After dodging the straight sword aimed at his forehead, he shouted, "Teacher Momo, I guess the last person I defeated in the last battle was the last fragment of Wakaba Mutsu's personality, and the real Wakaba Mutsu is currently sleeping in the Demon King's Castle, right?"
Perhaps influenced by the person who was pulling the strings, the puppet's movements were momentarily sluggish when Banami finished speaking.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Banami jumped onto the open ground, and then heard Metis shout angrily, "Do you think you're a hero who will save the princess? You're just a plumber who will always be the princess's best friend!"
Metis's angry retort almost made Banami twist her ankle. Who would have thought that you, Teacher Metis, are also a Sony fanboy?
What did Nintendo do to you?
"With me here, you can't possibly see Xiao Mu by yourself!" As the master's emotions fluctuated, the puppet began to dance a killing dance, as elegant as a ballet, but the slightest lapse in concentration could take a life.
If Hanami were killed here, he probably wouldn't actually die, but would only be forced back to reality. In that case, all of Hanami's efforts would be in vain, and he wouldn't even be able to fulfill his promise to Wakaba Mutsu.
He absolutely will not accept this outcome.
Suddenly, Banami shouted, "Who told you I'm all alone!"
The boy's roar startled Metis for a moment, and then he saw Banami shout, "Metis, you don't really think you are Wakaba Mutsu, do you? You don't think you are the master in the Heartscape, do you?"
You and I are both just passing through.
After saying this, Banai pointed her finger to the dark sky, and then a meteor broke through the black rain curtain and fell on the Demon King's castle.
One...two...three...countless meteors, even comparable in number to puppets, answered the call.
I have cheat codes, and all the ones I draw are SSRs!
***
Xiangzi watched as Banaijian and Metis fought, and then he realized that Metis had deliberately woken him up that night.
If you think about it carefully, the fact that Metis woke her up is actually quite contradictory.
If she was only doing it for Mutsu's sake, then she should know that at that time, Mutsu had lost her childhood friend Shoko and her anchor in society, and was already somewhat precarious. It was her physical intimacy with Hanami that made her a little more stable.
But letting Xiangzi discover this will only make things worse.
But what if Metis's goal isn't to make Mutsu better, but rather... to possess Mutsu all to himself?
"I'm such an idiot, such an idiot, why didn't I even think of this!" the god cried out in frustration.
Da Ruoye smiled and gently stroked Xiangzi, saying, "Perhaps it's because, in your heart, Xiao Xi's importance has unknowingly surpassed 'me'."
"I..." Xiangzi was speechless.
Da Ruoye gently shook her head and said, "I'm not blaming you, Xiao Xiang. No matter who it is, their importance in someone else's heart is not static. You and Xiao Xi have been through a lot. She has entered your heart, which is why she has become more and more important to you."
Xiao Mu never understood you, nor did she know how to get into your heart. And you, too, didn't understand Xiao Mu as well as you thought. So, the way things turned out for you two isn't just anyone's fault.
Xiangzi felt a little down. Even though Da Ruoye was trying to comfort her, she still didn't deny the incident.
That is, Xiangzi can no longer be Xiaomu's only childhood sweetheart.
The next moment, Da Ruoye gently stroked Xiangzi's forehead.
When Xiangzi opened her eyes again, she had returned to her original form as a young girl.
"Huh?!"
She looked at the other person with some surprise.
Then, Xiangzi noticed that Banami's finger was pointing to the sky, where countless shooting stars streaked across the dark, rainy night—that was...
“Xiao Xi needs my help now. This is the final step. He has already conquered all of Ruo Ye Mu’s personality fragments. As long as he can finally awaken Xiao Mu, then… the rebirth ritual will be complete.”
Then, Xiangzi saw Da Ruoye Mu gradually disappear, a smile on her face.
"Xiao Xiang, let's meet again in real life, but back then, we'll be... rivals in love."
Then, Daiwa Muku also transformed into a shooting star that streaked across the rainy night and headed towards Hanami's side.
Clenching his fist, Xiangzi whispered, "Keep going..."
The mature woman, who had vanished without a trace, seemed to leave behind a soft "Mmm" in the breeze.
***
Countless meteors rushed over from other mental landscapes. Metis seemed to realize that something was wrong and intensified its attack on Banami before the meteors arrived, making Banami look even more disheveled.
And this black rain seemed to have the same effect of accelerating the depletion of his physical strength.
His foot stepped into a puddle, but he slipped.
He knew he was in trouble, but the puppet Ruoye Mu didn't miss the opportunity and sent a silver sword beam toward his heart.
Banami's mind went blank for a moment. Was she going to lose everything here?
However, at that very moment, a meteor crashed down in front of him.
With a bang, the originally sharp-edged Wakaba Mutsumi doll was smashed to pieces by the opponent's guitar.
"Hahaha, I'm here!" Appearing before Yagami was the delinquent girl, Wakaba Mutsu.
She held an electric guitar, hands on her hips, looking incredibly arrogant.
"Boss!" Banami called out. Of course, he wouldn't use a delinquent girl's name; he was very sweet-talking.
"Tsk tsk tsk, as my little brother, you're in such a sorry state, it's really unbecoming. But it's okay, I, as your boss, am very forgiving. Come on, I'll clear the way for you."
After the young delinquent finished speaking, she slapped her guitar again, sending the oncoming puppet Ruoye Mu flying.
Banami wiped the rain off her face and exclaimed with a smile, "As expected of my boss."
The young delinquent laughed even more smugly, protecting Banami as she rushed forward.
"Why...why are you helping this man? He's the one who stole Toyokawa Shoko!" Metis shouted angrily, and the puppet army surged forward again.
"Huh?! What's it to you? It's just residing in my body. Do you really think you're Wakaba Mutsu? A guest should act like a guest. Stay put, you outsider!" the delinquent girl cursed.
It was probably the term "outsider" that immediately enraged Metis, who shouted, "I hate you all! You people are so annoying!"
The mountain-like army of puppets seemed to engulf the two, making it impossible for them to move an inch.
But at that moment, a dark, swamp-like substance began to entangle the army of puppets.
Seeing this, Yai's eyes lit up, and she said, "Owaro no Hachimu!"
Da Ruoye Mu turned her head and revealed a long-lost gentle smile: "So you use this title to distinguish me from others. But I am indeed not young."
After saying that, her fingers intentionally or unintentionally brushed against her chest.
Banami chuckled.
"What...what is this? Why can't we move?!" The puppet spoke Metis's words.
Da Ruoye Mu gently splashed the ink-like substance onto the dolls, making it impossible for them to move.
"This is my 'hatred,' but for now, my hatred is for paving the way for my future with Wakaba Mutsu."
"Bad children need to be properly disciplined."
“Damn it...damn it...damn it…” the puppet cried out in Metis’s voice.
Hanami and Oowa Mutsu nodded slightly, as if they were on the same wavelength. The two girls, the delinquent girl and Oowa Mutsu, escorted Hanami to the Demon King's Castle.
The army of puppets kept pouring in, but the meteors arrived one after another.
"Ahhhh, the Evil King's True Eye! Now is the time to break the seal and save the world."
My words and deeds are as clear as a mirror; everything I have done is righteous!
A beam of light, like a laser, swept across the army of puppets.
"You chuunibyou!" Hanami shouted.
"Don't forget, I'm here too." A jet-black wing unfurled in the air, and then, countless dolls that were heading towards Banami began to bewitch each other as if they were bewitched.
“You…you…why are you all on his side? You’re making me so angry!” Metis shouted.
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