Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 184 Neighborhood Arc: Night in the First Realm

A gunshot rang out, echoing throughout the city.

The head of the girl named Nogi Aiai was pierced, and her spirit dress gradually began to disintegrate. Under the shocked gaze of Kongwu, her blood gushed out from her head.

"I'm not reconciled... In this world where hell and heaven intertwine, I haven't lived enough..."

The poison gun had already fallen to the ground, and Nogi Ai's body collapsed to the ground. In the moment before she was shot, it seemed that her memories of her previous life flooded into her mind like a revolving lantern.

"Ugh... these things are really annoying. They only come to bother me right before I die. How awful..."

As her memories deepened, she seemed to have been born into a family where her parents had foolishly given her a ridiculous name.

My childhood was extremely miserable; it was a painful experience where I barely managed to "survive."

The only thing that made her feel fortunate was that after entering high school, her strength grew to the point where she could fight back.

In the past, I longed to live and sincerely hoped to stay away from the poison called love and friendship that caused me pain.

Although this determination often makes him feel lonely, it also helps him remain calm and composed in most situations.

Even when her classmates scolded and pointed at her, calling her a delinquent girl.

But that's just how they live their lives; how could those glamorous people understand?

My name... it's the thing I hate most in this world... not because it's too cute, nor because it doesn't suit my image, it's just...

"Any name is fine, but... my mother can say without a care that she doesn't remember the process of choosing the name!"

She probably just picked out the name randomly when she was singing a nursery rhyme.

That night, I left home without hesitation.

I casually sold my mother's favorite designer bag, and just as I was wondering what to do with the money, I was invited here.

I have no memory of that time. The only thing I remember is that ridiculous name and the obsession with living on.

Perhaps for me, this place is paradise compared to reality.

Food can be obtained through fighting, and survival depends on victory. In the original world, no matter how much fighting one did, food could not be obtained; even if one won, one would only be insulted by others.

She had long forgotten the past and had no intention of remembering it, but... she couldn't let go of her own name.

It wasn't out of longing for family, but simply because this was the only thing that could prove I was alive.

"yes……"

With that thought in mind, after the gunshot, the girl relaxed and closed her eyes. After only a moment of pain, she was freed forever.

"Thinking about it carefully, although both sides are hell, this place doesn't seem so bad."

—At the same time, on Shirley's battlefield~

"Sorry! Prepare to die!"

Panie, trapped in the inferno, looked increasingly desperate. She knelt on the ground and begged for mercy with all her might to the ugly, dark-skinned girl of the same height in front of her.

"I...I was wrong! Please! I don't want to die! Please spare my life..."

“No~ okay—!”

Sherry, standing before her, simply smiled quietly, yet her life seemed to be a death knell. Then came the attack of the [Flame Demon's Eye], which mercilessly struck Panie.

Just as Panie said the words "Don't burn," the scorching sunlight, focused on a single point, engulfed her entire body, burning her to ashes.

"It's solved!"

'slap slap'

Shirley clapped her hands, but the next moment, a strong killing intent accompanied by a sharp wind blade slashed towards her.

"..."

However, Sherry Mujika was also a seasoned veteran who knew that someone had been secretly watching her as she pretended to be calm and collected ever since she stepped into the neighboring world.

The opponent effortlessly cleaved through the wall of fire, and even though the blade was half melted, he continued to slash relentlessly, gradually closing in on Sherry.

Don't underestimate me!

Sherry barely managed to deflect the blade with the intense light emitted by the nameless angel, the Flame Demon's Eye.

A chill ran through her, rising from her stomach and relentlessly tormenting her skin. She could clearly feel the powerful wind carrying the message that her death was imminent.

As Shirley's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her attacker.

"Oh? Tonami... Sie-e!"

"It's me, hello."

In the distant distance, the girl who had thrown the Indian war wheel revealed a shy smile.

"You still enjoy ruthless and cruel killings, don't you~"

"Haha, who's the ruthless one? Even if your opponent spared your life, you still chose to burn them alive."

Although she wore a gentle smile, Tomi's eyes were extremely cold.

Of course, since it's a rule, there's nothing we can do about it.

"Of course, I wouldn't normally do something like that. Besides, aren't you just after those soul crystals?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Although it takes some time to extract the soul crystal, it can be absorbed into the body and become nourishment for one to become stronger, which is an unparalleled delicacy for the elves of the tenth realm.

How did they both survive? They cannibalized each other, eventually using their own kind as nourishment.

"I still advise you to give up. I feel that consuming the soul crystal of Ibusuki Panie might cause indigestion."

"Do you know that guy from earlier?"

Both of them chatted casually while cautiously probing each other. They wanted to gather information, but they absolutely couldn't give the other any opening.

Furthermore, even if a flaw is revealed, it's difficult to determine whether it's a subconscious revelation or a deliberate attempt to create a trap—a trap designed to be set intentionally.

They were openly scheming and chatting, which to outsiders might just seem like the interaction between a dark-skinned little girl and a high school girl.

"She's become somewhat well-known recently. I'd say she's about as famous as me."

"Oh, so it's the kind of shady character you're looking for?"

"That's right!"

Shirley burst into laughter upon hearing the answer.

Meanwhile, on Rion's side after the battle ended, Rion and Wuming...

Night has arrived in the spirit world.

In an apartment building that had recently opened, Wuming and Rineme sat comfortably on a soft sofa, chatting leisurely.

"I'm so tired~ I really can't run anymore... I really want to go back to the Ninth Realm and be a good-for-nothing!"

Rion Meng sighed as she half-reclined and made sarcastic remarks.

"Uh, I was the one carrying you when we were running away, how can you say you're tired?"

"Of course! It's exhausting to be constantly on guard, always feeling like there's danger approaching!"

"Then you really are lazy."

"Mind your own business! I'm an idol! You know what an idol is! All you need to do is be cute and have a beautiful singing voice!"

"How come someone like you doesn't have any haters?"

"During my time as Dominator, I was very popular with the other demigods!"

The two chatted casually as if nothing had happened, even though Wuming still had a large hole in his chest.

"Speaking of which, Wuming, your structure is really amazing. Even though your soul crystal was pierced, you were still able to stand up. When I ran over, I thought you were going to die and I was about to cry."

As Li Yinmeng spoke, her hand unconsciously reached towards the hole in Wu Ming's chest, as if it were a natural extension of her.

Aside from a slight heat, it felt fine.

"Are you really alright? What if you die..."

"Please don't worry about me, it's just a common, fatal wound."

"Then who will protect me?!"

"Forehead?"

Turning the glasses he had just snatched after the battle around in his hand, Wuming's eyes narrowed. He had a strange feeling that he was treating her like a Pokémon, but she was treating him like a Mythical Pokémon Pal.

"Could you remove your hand from my chest? Although the regeneration process is slow, it is still happening. If it gets stuck on your hand, don't blame me."

"Wow! It can actually regenerate? Then your survival ability is as terrifying as a tardigrade."

(Fun fact: Tardigrades are one of the most resilient organisms known to exist.)

"It's all because of you. Look at this skirt, it restricts my movement so much."

"These are some of the few clothes I had left after I abdicated! If you don't want them, you can give them back to me, uh... okay, they're all torn like this, so you can take them off for the next battle, right?"

"Then let me ask you this: am I supposed to fight those pseudo-elves naked? Or do you think about the differences between you and me?!"

"Hey! That seems to be it..."

Rion looked on with an innocent yet suddenly enlightened expression, then pointed ahead.

What about that one?

You mean?

"Whichever it could be, it's definitely not the one you temporarily tied back with a rope made of spiritual power after defeating it."

"Oh, you mean that archer lady who almost killed you?"

"Yeah, well, I always felt there was something off about what you were saying..."

"Oh, so what do you want to ask?"

"What else could it be! Why did you tie her up in such a shameful position?!"

Rion covered her face and pointed at the colorful eyes that were bound in front of her with a tortoise shell-like protective technique, shouting.

"do not know."

"do not know?"

"I just felt that this was related to the way I was bound in my previous life. In my fragmented memories, I seemed to have seen this kind of binding before, so I used it."

"No... what did you do when you were alive...?"

Although it feels a bit strange, it's understandable that someone's memory isn't complete.

(Note: Due to the incompleteness of his memories, Ming may confuse his past life with his previous life.)

Just as the two were bickering, Caiyan, who was bound by tortoise shell, slowly woke up, even though his mouth was still stuffed with a rag.

She opened her eyes groggily and saw Liyinmeng and Wuming.

"Hmm... I'm still alive..."

Her eyes widened instantly. Although they were somewhat blurry because her glasses had been taken away, they were full of vigilance as she struggled to think.

But they discovered that both hands had already been dislocated and the bones removed. They tried to pry them back, but their entire body was unable to move.

(Note: The "dislocation" mentioned here does not mean peeling off the skin; it simply means dislocating both hands.)

The cries of Caiyan's struggle caught the attention of Liyinmeng and Wuming.

"Hey, look! Wuming, she seems to have woken up."

Rion stood up, walked to Ayame, squatted down, and poked her nose with her finger as if it were a novel experience.

But Caiyan's fierce eyes quickly shrank behind Wuming.

"Ah, please save me! Wuming."

"Um!"

With its mouth stuffed, Caiyan could only let out faint whimpers.

"Haven't you realized it yet?"

Wuming looked at Caiyan, pondered for a moment, then walked to her side and squatted down. Flames in his hand condensed into a sword, which he then raised.

"Well..."

Caiyan's gaze was filled with flames, and a sense of fear of death arose spontaneously.

"Hey! Wuming, what are you doing!"

Ignoring Rion's question, Wuming's sword fell, but it severed the rope binding Caiyan.

Removing the rag from her mouth, Caiyan gasped for breath, glaring fiercely at Wuming as if she wanted to say something, a thousand words unspoken, but all culminating in one sentence:

"Hmm...why don't you kill me? You want to torture or kill me, right?"

Her expression was full of hostility; if it weren't for the fact that her arm was already dislocated, Caiyan would have attacked directly.