"Splash."
"Splash."
On this tranquil night, a clear, bright moon hung high in the sky, shining alone through the ages.
Its bright light transford into a calm gaze, allowing the deep sea to trace its outline through the sparkling waves.
Only at this mont, at the edge of its field of vision, was a quaint wooden cabin resting quietly on the coastal beach.
Inside the cabin, with its sliding door half-open, a lovely young girl lay on her side in the white bedding with a blushing face and slightly parted lips. Around her lay scattered pieces of intimate clothing, indiscriminately tossed this way and that.
Her satisfied sleeping face was nestled in her smooth black hair, like a slightly disheveled flower after being nourished by spring rain...
So fragile, yet so beautiful and endearing.
The bedding over her body only reached her collarbones, leaving her neck slightly exposed.
As a result, faint crimson marks could be seen on her fair skin, like lingering traces of spring on a flower petal...
It was not that the spring rain had been too cruel, but rather that the flower was too tender.
Even a gentle kiss seed reluctant to let the person leave, determined to leave a conspicuous proof.
"..."
The young girl was already fast asleep, naturally unable to hear the gentle sea breeze rustling through her hair, or the rhythmic breathing of the sun and moon turning into the tides lapping against the shore...
This peacefulness was enjoyed solely by the young man sitting upright outside the sliding door, his lean and muscular upper body exposed.
The young man sat perfectly still on the edge of the bed, his empty gaze fixed on the distant ocean for a long ti.
It was as if he had transcended and ascended...
All that was missing was a glimring golden Buddhist aura radiating around him.
"ow~"
Right at that mont, a pair of jade-green eyes suddenly opened in the darkness around him.
Then, under the moonlight, the figure of a small black cat gradually beca clear.
Hearing that cat's ow, the young man finally broke out of his "transcendent" state of enlightennt...
He continued to look at the ocean, but he murmured softly,
"I actually did it... and I did it... so many tis."
"ow?"
Looking at the young man, whose face was filled with profound shock as if his entire worldview had been turned upside down, Myau-chan showed a speechless expression and finally just shook its head.
It could only be said that a little innocent boy was just like this, ow.
"Yes, ow... But why are you so lancholic? Looking so emo late at night..."
Myau-chan moved a little closer to him, then sat down elegantly, its tail swaying back and forth on the ground behind it.
One person and one cat, yet they cast only a single silhouette under the moon.
"How should I put this..."
Yan Huan took a deep breath and murmured,
"At the ti, An Le was crying with such sadness. I should have comforted her and stopped her from continuing to feel that way...
"I should have expressed my feelings to her: whether it was guilt, gratitude... or affection...
"But in the end, I ended up using the most... that kind of thod, and now it has turned into this."
'Reminiscing?'
'Yan Huan, oh Yan Huan, you really are...'
"..."
Beside him, Myau-chan had dead-fish eyes. Watching Yan Huan enter sage mode while clutching his head, it couldn't help but sigh.
Then, it raised its eyes, looking at Yan Huan and said,
"An Le, who had nothing, degraded love into the dust, mistakenly believing that obtaining your body ant obtaining all of love...
"And you placed love on a pedestal, terrified of defiling that unreachable, illusory thing, so you could only watch from afar, never getting close."
At this mont, within Myau-chan's clear jade-green eyes hung a bright divinity, as luminous as the moonlight.
It just looked at Yan Huan like that and said softly,
"However, Yan Huan... 'Lust is a steel knife that scrapes the bone, yet without it, the path is broken and humanity is scarce.'
"Between a man and a woman, the so-called 'sex' and 'love' are actually just the yin and yang sides of the sa thing. Neither can be neglected, and neither can be overly relied upon.
"To pursue sex for pleasure detached from love will only lead to the abyss of numbness; to pursue a highly idealized love detached from sex will plunge you into a whirlpool of confusion."
As it spoke, Myau-chan couldn't help but sigh again, telling Yan Huan,
"That evil god doesn't understand this principle and only uses extre desire to replace balance. Yet often, such a path is the most destructive and attractive. It really gives
a headache, ow..."
Listening to Myau-chan's words and facing the gentle breeze, Yan Huan suddenly experienced a mont of enlightennt.
Perhaps he was simply questioning his own feelings for An Le, nothing more.
As for An Le, was it really a reminiscence of the past, simple guilt, or was it barrenly just him being very lustful?
Yan Huan was unsure, but...
As the saying goes, one realizes that the past cannot be anded, but the future can still be pursued.
Now that the deed was done, rather than continuing to agonize over the true aning of love, wouldn't it be better to just take action?
Thinking this, Yan Huan decided to change the subject, asking Myau-chan,
"If that evil god's invasion is successful, will the world turn into what I saw earlier?"
"That is indeed the case, which is why we must stop Him."
Hearing this, Yan Huan said nothing more, simply gazing at the calm and peaceful sea before him.
"Fortunately, thanks to our joint efforts this ti, He didn't succeed, ow!"
Saying this, Myau-chan beca full of confidence, puffing up with pride as it threw a few 'ow-ow punches'.
Watching its round-headed, silly appearance, Yan Huan couldn't help but chuckle softly, not bothering to refute it.
After all, if Myau-chan hadn't stepped in to save the day this ti, he and An Le would have been in a truly pathetic state.
But speaking of this, Yan Huan suddenly rembered sothing and asked suspiciously,
"By the way, if it weren't for this ti, I wouldn't have known you could actually hoard a secret stash. What is the deal with those snake scale fragnts?"
"ow?"
Upon hearing this, Myau-chan imdiately showed an expression of a guilty conscience.
However, it still explained frankly,
"Well, it's because when the evil god first began the invasion, I had a battle with Him..."
"You actually fought with Him? What was the result?"
"Hehe, a complete defeat, ow. I was beaten so badly I pissed my pants and fled back to hide..."
"..."
Faced with such an expected answer, Yan Huan really shouldn't have asked.
"Why are you looking at
with that kind of expression, ow?! Let
tell you, it's exactly because I lost that I was able to save you today, ow!"
"Huh? What kind of logic is that?"
Myau-chan didn't feel embarrassed at all. Instead, it explained proudly,
"Hmph hmph, it's because I was beaten up by Him before, causing my main body to be injured, so if I had eaten the fragnts earlier, those fragnts would have been used to heal my main body, ow!
"I figured that this avatar of mine might need to help out at a critical mont, so I stored those fragnts away instead of absorbing them... Isn't that deeply far-sighted, ow?"
Yan Huan stared blankly at Myau-chan, who was holding its head high with absolute pride. After a long silence, he pointed out sharply,
"Is there a possibility that, if you had won, He wouldn't have started the invasion at all?
"And then, there wouldn't be any modifier hosts whatsoever, let alone the disaster of the two of us almost falling to our deaths today?"
Hearing this, Myau-chan was completely dumbfounded by Yan Huan's question.
It stared blankly at Yan Huan, and in the next second, it suddenly turned its head away and said,
"Compared to that, there's another, much bigger problem, ow."
"Your attempt to change the subject is too stiff..."
But while Yan Huan was complaining, Myau-chan turned its head back to look at him again, asking teasingly,
"Now that you've done this sort of thing to An Le, how are you going to face Spencer, Sakuramiya Hitomi, and Tong Yingying after this?"
At this mont, Yan Huan's expression suddenly froze, and his pupils inevitably shrank.
"Are you going to pull up your pants and refuse to acknowledge them? Or will you draw a clear line in your heart with other won from now on?"
"..."
Yan Huan remained silent for a long ti before he slowly withdrew his gaze from Myau-chan.
Seeing him suddenly stumped, Myau-chan licked its paws and said unhurriedly,
"There's no need to rush to give an answer, ow, you can..."
"No, I should give an answer right away."
The paw-licking Myau-chan paused slightly, looking up at Yan Huan.
Gazing at the calm sea, Yan Huan furrowed his brows and spoke, having learned from his past pain,
"The previous situation with An Le beca so serious precisely because I was wavering and indecisive..."
"Yes, ow... Right now, there are only two paths laid out before you."
Myau-chan nodded, agreeing with Yan Huan's perspective,
"Either you wrong their feelings, ow. Cleanly cut off all those other relationships you've already established and choose An Le alone; or..."
Myau-chan's words trailed off, only hinting at the rest.
But Yan Huan had already understood what it ant. "Phew..."
At this mont, the sea breeze was the sa as before, and the moonlight was soft.
Yan Huan furrowed his brows slightly, but he couldn't help turning his head to look at the wooden cabin behind him.
Inside the cozy cabin, the lovely young girl was facing him.
In her sleep, she slightly parted her lips, as if having a restless dream,
"Xiao... Xiao Huan..."
Hearing her soft murmurs, Yan Huan lowered his eyes, gently reached into the warm bedding, and held her hand.
Feeling her body heat, Yan Huan closed his eyes.
But unconsciously, the image of that night when Spencer and he shared a bed also appeared in his mind's eye.
Imdiately after, ca the sense of security he felt while staying in Tong Yingying's arms, pouring his heart out.
Finally...
It was the racing heartbeat he felt the first ti he received a birthday gift from Sakuramiya Hitomi.
"..."
The more he thought about it, the more conflicted Yan Huan's expression beca, as if he could already foresee the pain of separating from them.
After a long, long silence, right when Myau-chan, who was sitting elegantly aside, began to yawn, Yan Huan finally opened his eyes.
His eyes seed to burn with a profound fire, yet his voice was incredibly deep when he spoke,
"Myau-chan... To resolve the modifier, we need to make all the hosts verbally give up at the sa ti, right?"
"Yes, ow... And just as I said from the very beginning, relying on the modifiers to drive the tiger to swallow the wolf is unfeasible..."
Myau-chan nodded, looking toward An Le,
"An Le thought that by doing what she did, she easily accomplished the goal we haven't been able to achieve for so long... Little did she know, that was rely carrying firewood to put out a fire; ultimately, it will all return to the starting point."
But at this mont, Yan Huan wasn't discussing the so-called thod to resolve the modifier.
Hearing this, he abruptly turned his head back to Myau-chan and spoke with unwavering resolve, enunciating every word,
"Therefore... I will save all of them."
"ow?"
Myau-chan blinked, and imdiately realized what he ant.
It swished its tail and helplessly yawned again,
"What a truly greedy man, ow~"
"..."
"There is no turning back once the bow is drawn, ow. Choosing this path might end up being even more dangerous later on!"
Yan Huan didn't speak; he just slowly tightened his grip on An Le's hand inside the bedding.
After a long while, he finally said,
"I know."
"ow~"
The adorable Myau-chan swished its tail, then sat elegantly outside the sliding door, looking at the tranquil sea,
"In that case, hurry up and get so good rest. Enjoy your limited downti, ow...
"After all, there are still plenty of challenges waiting for you ahead."
As it spoke, it suddenly turned its head back to look at Yan Huan and added playfully,
"Oh wait, waiting for us, ow!"
Hearing this, Yan Huan chuckled softly. He nodded and gently closed the sliding door, shutting out the moonlight from outside.
Imdiately after, he lifted the bedding and lay down on his side.
However, the mont he slipped under the bedding, the soft, warm body of An Le pressed right up against him.
"Mmn..."
Yan Huan stared blankly at An Le, who was holding him tightly as if reluctant to ever part, realizing that she probably hadn't been fully asleep earlier.
Fortunately, the entire conversation with Myau-chan just now had taken place in his mind, so An Le couldn't hear it.
For so unknown reason, Yan Huan spoke with a hint of apology,
"Sorry, did I wake you up?"
"...No, I was just worried Xiao Huan might catch a cold... I wanted... to warm Xiao Huan's body."
Yan Huan opened his mouth to speak, then gently lowered his head and slowly held An Le tightly,
"I'm very warm right now, An Le... Thank you."
"Hehe... That... That's good..."
An Le let out a silly giggle, as if she had thought of so happy things.
But as she laughed, her body gradually relaxed bit by bit...
Until she fell fast asleep, completely resting in Yan Huan's arms.
"Creak, creak..."
"Thud!"
At this mont, in the dead of night, inside a deserted Akihabara shopping mall.
A storage locker near the entrance, after a long period of silence, was finally pushed open gently.
Within the deathly silent mall, the petite girl who had been curled up for who knows how many hours found her body completely limp, unable to even walk.
As a result, the mont she pushed the locker door open, she tumbled onto the ground. Unable to stand, she could only struggle to crawl forward.
"Sob..."
However, even as she crawled in total darkness, all the previous scenes remained vividly clear in her mind.
The sight of the sky filled with tentacles closing in, devouring Spencer while she could do absolutely nothing...
The sight of An Le kissing the President, completely claiming him as her own...
The more she thought about it, the more agony the petite girl on the floor felt.
"Ugh..."
She slamd her fists fiercely against the cold floor like she had gone mad, but because her strength was so delicate, the thuds were barely audible.
Aside from causing herself pain, she accomplished absolutely nothing.
If only... if only her body weren't so fragile...
Then she wouldn't have fainted just from kissing the President, nor would she have beco a burden to Spencer, causing her to be devoured by the tentacles.
If only... if only she weren't so cowardly...
Then she wouldn't have been frightened into hiding in a storage locker, only daring to crawl out now in the dead of night when nobody was around and everything was over.
If only... if only she weren't so foolish...
Then she wouldn't have crippled her own progress and completely ruined the feelings she previously shared with the President.
If only... she weren't...
A tidal wave of imnse regret crashed down like a tsunami, threatening to crush everything Sakuramiya Hitomi was.
She just lay there on the floor, clenching her delicate feminine fists so tightly that her fingernails dug right into her palms.
"Sob... sob..."
But just as Sakuramiya Hitomi was weeping in such bitter remorse, a bright beam of light slowly descended from above, right before her eyes.
That warm light gradually illuminated her field of vision, completely enveloping her current exhaustion, agony, and weakness.
"..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi's body stiffened slightly, and then she raised her head in disbelief to look upward.
Reflected in her bloodshot eyes, a mask hovered right there in front of her.
It was a Fox Mask.
That mask, no matter what aesthetic standard, thod, or angle it was viewed from, was unimaginably beautiful.
Its material and color hit the absolute perfect mark with pinpoint accuracy, entirely flawless.
The knowledgeable and experienced Sakuramiya Hitomi felt an imdiate realization at just a single glance:
There was absolutely no artisan or material in this world capable of crafting a mask of such extre beauty.
However...
Shouldn't a Persona Mask only be able to appear within a barrier?
Right now, she was lying in a semi-open-air shopping mall, not having cast a barrier at all.
But that Fox Mask was floating so realistically right in front of Sakuramiya Hitomi.
"..."
Yet, Sakuramiya Hitomi was already struggling to even think.
She just lay there on the ground in such a wretched state, staring blankly at the breathtakingly magnificent mask...
After examining it for a long ti, she finally, with a trembling motion, reached her delicate hand out toward that mask.
And the crystalline mask floating in mid-air—its hollow eyes faintly flashing with the phantom image of a thousand-legged centipede—just watched as her hand drew...
Closer and closer.
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