Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 146 Rinne Arc: "The Hero Who Vows to Save the Girl VS. Obstacles on His Journey"

The blood-red sky, as if stained with blood, exuded a chilling color. And the towering Heavenly Palace Tower, reaching into the clouds, was now tightly entwined by scarlet vines.

In this scene that resembles the end of the world, Shido and the others finally gathered together in the distance.

"Tell me, Shido, what exactly happened?"

After confirming that everyone had returned safely from that space, Kotori first asked Shido a question.

Shido frowned, his eyes filled with worry.

"Huh? Uh...where should we even begin to talk about this..."

Shido recounted the entire process and events of this Paradise Barrier Reincarnation to the spirits.

And after the fact that Rinne hasn't returned yet~

"Rinne...is missing?" Kotori's expression changed slightly, and she also became worried about Rinne's safety. "I see...that's really worrying...have you noticed anything else?"

Shido kept reminiscing about their date until today, after Rinne made up an excuse...

The sudden appearance of the Dominator, and the concern shown in the Dominator's eyes, along with this series of events, led Shido to a conclusion he was extremely unwilling to accept...

Raising his head and looking at everyone again, Shido hesitated for a moment, still unable to believe the most obvious answer, "...Ah, no...nothing..."

"I see. Hmph, then let's leave it at that for now."

"But...why did the Dominator attack Shido?"

Tohka stepped forward and expressed her confusion to everyone.

"I don't know. But... I want to talk to that [Dominator] again." Shido's eyes darted around after hearing this, but there was one thing he wanted to figure out for himself, so he continued to express his thoughts to everyone:

"I don't know why I think this way, but I just feel that the ruler is not bad."

"Shido..."

A hint of jealousy flickered in Tohka's eyes as she murmured softly. Yet, she still chose to support the boy's absurd idea.

"Okay, I'll help you, Shido!"

However, unexpectedly, many other spirits, including Tohka, also expressed their willingness to support Shido's idea.

Hearing the support from the crowd, Shido couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart.

"Okay, thank you everyone. Let's not talk about this anymore and leave together."

"Well then, Shido, there's no time left. If we drag this out any longer, this world will be destroyed."

"Ah...oh!"

Kotori's irritating voice interrupted Shido's thoughts, drawing his attention back to his current predicament—how to leave this place.

"Then we have no choice but to fight! We can't let our city be destroyed! Also... we must find out the [Dominator's] purpose!" Shido firmly stated to everyone.

"We don't yet know why she did this... but if both sides communicate properly, we might be able to find a solution outside of fighting!"

For Shido, who no longer has the ability to regenerate, these are extremely dangerous decisions, but even so, everyone still chooses to continue to assist him.

Just as he made up his mind, a large group of monsters with angel wings appeared in the sky, rushing towards Shido and the elves like lightning.

Faced with this sudden situation, the elves did not panic, but quickly calmed down and discussed a solution together.

After a heated discussion, the elves finally decided to split into three groups, heading to the monument, the water tower, and the shrine, respectively.

These places are the relatively weak points of the Paradise's barrier. They hope to take this opportunity to break through the barrier, giving Shido more time and space to destroy the barrier protecting the Heavenly Palace Tower and the ruler inside.

Without hesitation, the elves set out, each leading a group of their companions and rushing toward their target.

Origami heads to the nearest water tower, Kurumi goes to the shrine, and Yoshino is sent to destroy the barrier at the monument. As for Tohka and Kotori, who are the last two remaining, they stay behind to protect Shido before the barrier is destroyed.

On Shido's side, the guards fiercely swung their spears at the three of them. Tohka activated her "Slaying Master" technique, wielding her heavy sword with all her might, and struggled to defend against the attacks.

Meanwhile, Kotori's [Burning Demon Slayer] was equally formidable, with flames erupting from its giant axe as it countered the guards' attacks while also protecting Shido within its reach.

Just as Tohka and Kotori were putting up a difficult fight, a guardian seized the opportunity, bypassed their defenses, and pounced on Shido.

"Careful! Shido!"

However, the expected attack did not come. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Tohka's desperate defense, and continued to fight the guardian.

Kotori also took this opportunity to readjust herself and fight against the Guardians together with Tohka.

At that moment, news came from afar that Origami, Kurumi, and Yoshino had successfully breached the weak point of the barrier.

"Huh?! Kotori... Kotori! The barrier has disappeared!"

Seeing the spiritual barrier protecting the Heavenly Palace Tower disappear, which signified everyone's success, Shido spoke up to remind the two who were still fighting fiercely.

"Hmm... well done, it seems everyone has completed their tasks smoothly."

Kotori, caught in the fierce battle, managed to respond, but the sheer number of defenders made it incredibly difficult for her, who lacked the ability to launch a wide-range attack at once.

"Shido! You go first!"

Tohka, holding the "King of Slaughter," protected Shido in front of him.

"Sigh...but..."

"Yes, Tohka is right, these guys are increasing in number... We'll stay here to clean up the mess, you go quickly!"

Kotori echoed, saying that given the current situation where the enemy outnumbered them, it was the wise choice for them to let Shido leave first.

"Hurry! Shido! Weren't you supposed to be stopping the [Dominator]?!"

"I understand! But please don't push yourselves too hard!"

Hearing Tohka's urging, Shido perked up and, with Kotori and Tohka leading the way, he also rushed towards the Heavenly Palace Tower.

Shido successfully entered the tower. The moment he stepped into that place, scenes flashed through his mind like a movie.

That was the moment he confessed his love to the elves, the moment when their hearts were connected.

However, just as these fond memories had not completely faded, a cold light suddenly rushed from the stairwell, as swift as lightning.

Shido looked closely and saw that it was a samurai sword made of ice, blocking his way.

"what?!"

"Oh dear, you chose happiness yourself, and now you're going to deny it all? You know who that so-called 'Dominator' is, but you just can't bring yourself to believe it... Itsuka Shido."

As the voice that Shido knew so well rang out, a long-haired man wearing a sheep's head mask slowly walked down from upstairs.

"A Flame Beast?!"

Shido looked at the Flame Beast, his heart filled with shock and confusion.

"How did you get here? And what does all this have to do with you?" Shido shouted.

Ming Tinghou smiled lightly after hearing this, "It doesn't matter much. I was just asked by a friend we both know to stop you."

Shido clenched his fist and questioned:

"What are you talking about?!"

"Isn't this a rhetorical question? Or do you not even have the courage to believe the truth?"

Ming's words gradually became more sarcastic, and he pointed another katana made of ice at Shido.

"How pathetic, Shido. I'm giving you two choices: either pick up this katana from the ground and defeat the determination I've shown you, or be stopped here by me and wait for the world to collapse."

Shido looked at the ice katana on the ground and hesitated for a moment. Although he didn't have the ability to regenerate and would die if he was hit, he thought of his comrades who were still fighting outside and the answer he had to ask in person.

Shido gritted his teeth and reached out to grip the hilt of the sword.

The blade was icy cold, but it only strengthened his resolve.

"What are you talking about... or what is your relationship with the Dominator?!" Shido shouted, brandishing his katana as he charged toward Ming.

Meiji charged at him without hesitation, and Meiji raised his katana to defend himself with a cold smile.

'call out--!'

'clang--!'

The two samurai swords clashed, and Mei and Shido stared intently into each other's eyes.

"Hahaha, interesting, Itsuka Shido. It wasn't for nothing that I carried the training memories of that 'Artemisia,' you really made good use of them! Even more successful than I imagined!"

As Shido listened to Ming's increasingly frantic words, his doubts deepened. Although his hands were aching from the force of Ming's blows, he gritted his teeth and struggled to hold on, continuing to fight Ming with all his might.

"What do you know! Answer me! Flame Beast—!"

Shido's questioning voice echoed throughout the entire tower, but Ming only sneered.

"Don't you know very well? Isn't that [Dominator] your childhood friend—Sonkami Rinne?"

“I know, but…”

Shido raised his sword and slashed down. Although he didn't show any killing intent to kill Mei, even in his anxious state, because of the boy's personal situation, he still did not show any killing intent to kill Mei.

The two men's swords flashed in the narrow stairwell, each collision sending ice shards flying.

"You know better than anyone that she's acting strangely... She's not your childhood sweetheart at all; she's just implanting this false memory into your mind."

Ming spoke jokingly, the sharp sword light almost slicing through Shido's throat, but the boy's momentum did not diminish.

"Heh... So, you're really going to save this girl who deceived you?"

"Shut up! Rinne isn't... Ahhh!"

Phew...!

Shido suddenly felt a sharp pain. He looked down and saw a flash of cold light on his abdomen, and blood gushed out of the wound like a spring.

"Shido, although you mercifully avoided my vital points with every sword strike, I, as your enemy, will show no mercy..."

As Shido collapsed, Ming watched quietly. He understood that although he only wanted to test Shido's current level, this level of pressure alone would not be enough to make the boy unleash his full potential.

"Still not giving up? Then let me tell you a secret. Actually, you were the one who wanted to kill her. This paradise is based on the concept of reincarnation. As long as you die for any reason, this world will start anew. But the moment you deny her, the paradise will begin to be destroyed... You denied the existence of the Garden God Rinne."

"No...that's not it. I didn't deny Rinne's...existence! What I'm denying is this world that only has beauty but no sense of reality..."

Shido spoke somewhat indistinctly, his katana planted in the ground to support his body.

"I'm not denying her existence, I'm taking her away... from this unreal world... so... Rinne can live happily with us... instead of just being in a dream!!!"

With all his might, Shido gripped the hilt of the sword and slowly drew it from its sheath.

Every movement he made seemed incredibly difficult, but his eyes were exceptionally resolute, as if this sword carried all his hopes and beliefs.

As the sword was gradually revealed, a cold light flashed in the darkness.

This cold light seemed to be formed from the boy's longing for that girl, containing all of Shido's emotions and strong desire to save Rinne.

Finally, Shido successfully drew his sword. He took a deep breath, then swung it sharply, aiming to slash.

Looking at Shido, who had made up his mind, Mei's lips curled up slightly beneath his mask.

"So that's how it is? It's a pity that it's still far from being able to truly kill me..." he muttered to himself.

The next moment arrived, and Shido had already bypassed Ming's body, while Ming turned around and smiled with satisfaction.

"Is this your resolve? Itsuka Shido, a boy worthy of being called a miracle..."

'Click...'

With the sound of ice crystals shattering, the sword in Ming's hand snapped in two, and the ram's horn on the right side of his mask was also cut off.

Shido did not respond to Ming's words. Instead, he gripped the samurai sword in his hand and helped himself up, climbing up the roof step by step.

He went to save the girl who was waiting for him at the top of the tower. Seeing that Shido had not told him to come back, he was not angry. He calmly snapped his fingers, and the wound on Shido's abdomen was immediately covered in flames and repaired.

"Ah... Kotori's Flame of Regeneration!"

"No, this is my Flame of Regeneration. Now that you have shown me your determination, I will naturally not continue to stand in your way... Go, the girl who was born to love you has also seen your determination to save her through this battle."

"Ah... thank you, Flame Beast..."

Shido tossed the katana aside, walked upstairs, and said one last thing to Ming.

"There's no need to thank me. I'm not your ally. Of course, in the future, if possible, when I'm about to destroy the world... please, someone like that, or even stronger, kill me..."

Shido paused for a moment after hearing this, but did not respond to what Ming said, nor did he turn to meet his gaze. He simply climbed upstairs alone, unsure of what to do.

Seeing that Shido did not give a reply, Ming also took the initiative to disintegrate the ice sword in his hand, and lay directly on the floor of the Heavenly Palace Tower in a starfish position, looking at the scarlet ceiling. What kind of flavor did the eyes under the mask see?

"It seems my request has been rejected... Sigh, it seems I still need to find Shido's motive for killing me before that plan even begins, and how to maximize his power as the 'Killer'... Sawa, wait for me."

Thinking this, a tear quietly flowed from under the mask. Ming casually manipulated the flames to evaporate the tear, and his body disappeared into the tower.

Although he used more spiritual power to create the katana for Shido, Shido's ability to find the flaw that Mei deliberately left for him despite the disparity in power is truly remarkable.