Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 83, The Incense Chapter: "The Shattered Sunset"

In the blink of an eye, the blazing sun that had been hanging high in the sky gradually sank in the west, and by then, time had quietly slipped away to dusk.

In the tranquil and beautiful park atop the highest point of Tengu City, a gentle breeze rustled through the treetops. Tohka and Shido stood side by side, their figures appearing exceptionally harmonious in the soft twilight.

The two were talking quietly, their conversation gradually shifting from the trivialities of daily life to the unspoken dreams and desires deep within their hearts.

"Shido, today was really fun!"

Tohka held the soybean flour bread pillow that the boy had recently caught for her in her arms, smiling as she looked at him. The afterglow of the setting sun gave her a youthful beauty.

"Really? I'm glad you said that... Tohka."

"So, Shido, what exactly is a date? I still don't understand."

Shido hesitated for a moment after hearing this, then said:

"That's...you know, when a boy and a girl go shopping together, or something like that, hanging out and having fun, right?"

"Haha, I see. Well then, Shido and I had a pleasant date today." Tohka laughed happily after hearing this.

"Hmm... I guess so."

The boy and girl were enjoying the beautiful sunset together; it was truly a magnificent scene.

"Great, a date."

Tohka turned and gazed at Shido. The two were bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, a breathtaking sight.

Tohka looked solemnly at Shido and this beautiful world, and slowly revealed her new understanding of it:

"So far, all the people I've met have been good people."

"Yes, nobody wants you dead."

"Yes, the world is so happy, so fulfilling, so wonderful, yet I've never thought of it this way..."

Tohka slowly turned her gaze back to Shido, and then softly said:

"I finally understand why those mechanical groups attacked me. Every time I appear in this world, I inevitably destroy those beautiful things... mercilessly."

At this point, Tohka lowered her head slightly, as if her heart was filled with self-blame and pain.

Then, the girl slowly turned her head back to the direction of the setting sun in the west, her eyes filled with sadness and guilt.

"...Tohka"

"Shido, perhaps it would be better if I didn't exist." Tohka turned around, and Shido looked at the girl with heartache.

"No, that will absolutely not happen! Look, just today, everything was fine, there wasn't even a spacequake."

When Shido said this, his expression was unusually firm. He stared at Tohka, who was beginning to doubt herself, and shouted.

Upon hearing this, Tohka unconsciously gripped the bread-shaped cushion tightly and said firmly:

"No, the next time it happens, it won't be the same every time. It will fall asleep as soon as it goes back, and then I won't be able to control it with my willpower alone!"

"Then as long as you don't go back, that's fine!"

Tohka was slightly taken aback when she heard Shido shout these words with all his might.

"Have you never tried? Even just once, to stay here forever!"

"But... well, I don't know anything about this, and I lack the common sense to survive in this world..."

"I will teach you these things."

"But... we still need a place to sleep and food... and there's always the possibility of unexpected things happening."

"I'll handle these things. Unexpected things happen, so we can think about them later!" Shido said, his tone becoming resolute.

In that faraway place, Ming was quietly crouching at the foot of the mountain not far from the park.

His body was slightly curled up, and at this moment, his sharp eyes were fixed on everything happening in the park ahead, not missing a single detail.

At the same time, he secretly observed the movements of Ryoko Higasaki and Origami on the mountain out of the corner of his eye.

The two of them seemed to be lying in wait on the mountain, trying to snipe Tohka, who was being distracted by Shido.

"Keep it up, Origami! As your mentor, I really need your help right now."

Mingzheng muttered to himself, "Without a doubt, maximizing the benefits means having Origami snipe Shido. This will make Tohka go berserk in anger, so there won't be a reversal, but it will help maximize Shido's favorability."

Let's switch the focus back to Itsuka Shido's side~

Shido's words were like a key, gently unlocking the girl's heart. Tohka seemed to have a great weight lifted off her shoulders, and her eyes regained some clarity.

Then, Shido slowly extended his hand to Tohka, sincerely inviting the girl to continue exploring this wonderful world together.

"Hold my hand, Tohka, let's go see the beauty of this world together!"

Upon hearing this, Tohka could not hide her excitement and reached out her hand towards Shido's. However, at that very moment, Shido seemed to sense something was amiss, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Without hesitation, Shido shoved Tohka hard. In that instant, a bullet flew like lightning, mercilessly piercing the boy's left chest and the bread-shaped pillow he was clutching. Blood splattered everywhere, like scarlet flowers blooming in the air.

The boy slowly fell, his body crashing heavily to the ground. Tohka's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief. She sat there blankly, staring at Shido lying in a pool of blood.

In that instant, her eyes were quickly filled with surprise and anger, and she seemed to have lost her soul.

Tohka staggered to Shido's lifeless body, her beautiful eyes now filled with tears, glistening drops rolling down her cheeks. Her lips trembled, her voice low and hoarse:

"The Way of the Scholar."

The call seemed to have exhausted all her strength, but she received no response whatsoever.

The boy who once always smiled and brought her warmth and hope now lies quietly on the cold ground, motionless.

Tohka slowly squatted down, reaching out her trembling hand to gently stroke Shido's face, feeling his body temperature gradually cooling down, and anger completely overwhelmed her.

"If Shido could be here right now, maybe... even in the face of dire difficulties, I think he could manage it, but... no!"

The girl's body trembled uncontrollably, her sorrow overflowing.

"As expected... it still doesn't work... The world has so ruthlessly denied my existence!"

The girl slowly raised her hand, and between her slender, fair fingers, streaks of jet-black lightning began to converge and intertwine.

The girl's ordinary school uniform gradually disintegrated, and the fabric seemed to flow on its own as if it had a life of its own, eventually transforming into a magnificent suit of armor that shone with a deep purple light and clung tightly to her body!

Then, she glanced at the white-haired girl on the distant mountaintop who was holding her head and repeatedly muttering to herself, and a murderous intent appeared in Tohka's eyes.

"Come out, Lord of Slaughter!"

"Tohka shouted, stomping her left foot hard on the ground. As the ground cracked, a golden throne about 2 meters tall appeared.