Yukino sat on the sofa, cradling Haru while her fingers gently scratched the kitten's fur.
"Meow…" Haru narrowed her eyes in bliss.
"Haru… what should I do?" Yukino asked softly.
Haru tilted her head. She could understand every word Tatsuki said—and everything this human called Yukino said as well. Yukino looked completely lost, just like Haru earlier when torn between a small dried fish and a big one. Acting like a veteran, the kitten patted Yukino's hand with her little paw.
"Meow! Meow‑meow! Meow‑meow!" (Don't hesitate! Follow your heart! Small dried fish tastes the best!)
Yukino stroked the paw, then smiled radiantly. "I think I know what to do."
…
Tatsuki stepped through the door. Yukino set Haru down, rose, and hugged him.
"Thank you…" Her voice was soft but sincere.
Looking up, her moist eyes shimmered. "Tatsuki‑kun, will you go somewhere with me?"
He nodded. "Sure."
They reached Yukino's old apartment; the lease still had months left, so it remained hers. Sitting on the lone sofa, Tatsuki glanced around the empty room. "What brought you back here?"
"This was the first place I chose for myself," Yukino said, eyes sweeping the space. "The first place I tried to change my life." It had been her first turning point; the second was meeting Tatsuki. In this solemn place she wanted to speak solemn words.
"Tatsuki‑kun, I can't lie to myself anymore. I want you to know my true feelings."
A breath. "I like you."
All the memories she had planned to recount—first meeting, the rescue, confusion, today's joy—dissolved into that one simplest confession. Tatsuki's gentle smile said he'd already seen it in her eyes.
"Thank you, Yukino. Will you entrust yourself to me?"
"Yes."
They leaned in—their first kiss born of pure feeling. Yukino's heart pounded sweetly; bodies pressed closer.
"Here? On the sofa?" she whispered.
With a chuckle he lifted her and carried her to the empty bedroom. Golden wings flared; prayer power formed mattress, frame, pillows, quilt from pure faith. No time to marvel—he laid her down.
"Wait—won't anyone hear?"
"No sound leaves this room," he promised. "And only those carrying my aura can approach."
"How does one carry your aura?"
"Exactly what we're about to do."
"Mmph!"
…
Ding! High heels clicked; Haruno Yukinoshita stepped out of the elevator, muttering that it was time to trick a confession out of her dear sister. Spare key in hand, she slipped inside—then frowned at the empty entryway. "Yukino!" Shoes still on, she raced to the equally bare living room, then followed muffled voices to the bedroom.
Handbag raised as a weapon, she flung the door wide. "Let go of Yukino!"
Two startled faces turned; three pairs of eyes locked.
"Haru!"
"Tatsu-kun!"
"Nee-san!"
…
Moments later all three sat on the sofa—Tatsuki in the middle, staring in astonishment at Haruno. Short hair now, but unmistakably the same face: Haru, the woman who once saved him, and Haruno, Yukino's elder sister.
Haruno's eyes slid from Tatsuki to Yukino. The man she'd once loved was with her little sister. Yukino clenched her fists, shame and confusion knotting together.
"Nee‑san, I—"
"Say no more," Haruno interrupted, a flawless smile masking her turmoil.
"This is your choice. If it's Tatsuki‑kun, I'll support you. Leave Mother to me." Haruno smiled—an obviously forced smile. Yet her nails dug into her palm, and her heart throbbed with pain. I walked away first; this must be my payback.
"Ha‑ha, I won't bother you two anymore. Yukino's all grown up now. Tatsuki‑kun, be gentle with her, okay?" She pointed at Tatsuki, rose, and started for the door.
Tatsuki caught her wrist. "Haru—"
"I'm Haruno, thank you. Tatsuki‑kun, you must have the wrong person." She didn't turn around; the tremor in her voice gave her away.
"Nee‑san…" Yukino saw droplets falling from her sister's hair.
Tatsuki could not be mistaken. Anyone who could enter his domain and carry his aura—she had to be Haru. Confronting her—Haruno, Haru—Tatsuki suddenly didn't know what to do.
Just as the three stood frozen, a voice rang in their ears:
[Third Apocalypse Game has finished loading!]
[Map: Colossal‑Beast Wastestar!]
[Players: 6]
[Goal: Survive 7 days—or eliminate all hostile life!]
[Failure Penalty: Game becomes reality!]
[Game start!]
[You have touched one of the World‑Anomaly Apocalypse factors!]
[Apocalypse Chat Group connected; rewards converted to Apocalypse Points!]
Tatsuki and Yukino vanished.
"Tatsuki! Yukino!" Haruno panicked—they were gone in an instant. "What on earth…?"
Her gaze fell on the floating prompt with YES/NO. "Is this the cause?" Already familiar with the supernatural, she guessed the Apocalypse Game had whisked them away.
"YES!" Without hesitation she chose it. One was her beloved sister; one was the man she had loved. If there was danger, better to die together.
…
Tatsuki opened his eyes. The sudden game had caught him unprepared. Dense jungle surrounded him; no one else was near. A strange powered exosuit clung to his body, complete with weapons—and the operating manual had been stuffed into his mind.
"Powered exoskeleton?" Cool—but pointless. He stripped it off.
Unsure if Yukino had also arrived, he flared his power. "All things of creation, submit to me!" A full bankai. Instantly he dominated the entire planet. Heart‑voices filled the world—teeming life—but only five humans besides himself. He separated them by thought: Yukino, Chika, Kaguya, Marin… and Haruno!
"Haruno came too?" Worse, everyone was scattered across the globe, and Haruno—the nearest—was still far away. Without him, this game gave no one a chance. Why? He looked up.
A spider tens of meters tall loomed above the treetops; a needle‑like leg stabbed down.
"Scram." One glare— the giant arachnid burst into pink mist.
From the planet's data he learned more: a paradise of titanic monsters. Countless behemoths roamed; at the apex stood a dozen super‑giants—among them the Monster King… Godzilla. Zombies, Aliens, now Godzilla—seriously? Without an over‑spec like him, how could anyone last a week? Maybe Yukino had a chance; but what about newcomer Haruno?
No time to brood—he had to find them. Haruno was closest; he charged toward her signal.
…
"Where… is this?" Haruno—now clad in an exosuit—stood amid thick jungle. She remembered selecting YES; in the blink of an eye she'd arrived here.
Yukino and Tatsuki were nowhere around. She quickly discovered the in‑game shop: rocket launchers, power armor, war mechs—devices impossible in reality. All required Survival Points. Her current balance? Zero.
"So this is the Apocalypse Game… How do I earn points?" While pondering, boom, boom‑boom: the ground shook. Birds burst from the canopy; trees toppled. A gigantic creature emerged: a lizard head sheathed in bone‑like armor, two limbs and a massive tail.
The shadow fell over her; cold sweat broke out. One step from that thing would paste her. "Run!" Survival first; only alive could she see Tatsuki and Yukino again. Instinct kicked in—jets flared from her exosuit's back, palms, and boots, lifting her skyward.
She carried a rifle, but against that it was useless. Full speed!
"ROAR!" The beast opened a bloody maw; saliva dripped from a forked tongue. Tail whipped—trees crashed. Then it crouched— and jumped!
Haruno never guessed such bulk could leap. In mid‑air she had no maneuver left.
Boom! The monster slammed down, flattening a swath of forest—then howled in rage, pinned by an invisible force it couldn't budge.
...
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