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"Haru, are you hurt?" Tatsuki landed beside her.
"Tatsu-kun?" Haruno blurted the old intimate name; turning, she saw him already at her side.
She stared at the monster. He reassured her, "No worries, I've got it pinned." Gently he guided her back to the ground. The beast in front of them—whether to call it a lizard brute, a skull reptile, or a skeletal megalizard—couldn't even open its mouth now; Tatsuki thought the thing's breath stank.
Haruno marvelled at his strength—far beyond the Tatsuki she once knew.
"Bullying Haru? Did you ask me first?" Tatsuki's eyes turned cold; he slapped the air.
Boom! The behemoth flew hundreds of meters, then burst into chunks before a single scream could leave its throat. The chat prompt flashed: +10 000 Apocalypse Points—but he ignored it and looked to Haruno with a soft "Feel better?"
Her heart pounded at that familiar face and gentleness. Yet she clasped trembling hands behind her back and forced a smile. "Thank you, Tatsuki‑kun, but I'm Yukinoshita Haruno, Yukino's sister."
Tatsuki stared at her for a long moment. "Haruno."
"Mm." Pain stabbed her chest; she stiffly changed the subject. "Tatsuki‑kun, can you explain what's going on?"
Once calm, he told her about the Apocalypse Game. "We need to find Yukino and the others."
"The others?" she asked.
"My friends—and girlfriends."
"Your girlfriend isn't just Yukino?"
"Yukino's one of them. I have… several."
"Ha?" Haruno was dumbfounded.
"No time for that. We'll find them first." He took the still‑buffering Haruno and shot off.
…
Elsewhere, Yukino stood in a field of ice she had created. Monsters many times a human's size were frozen mid‑charge, sculptures in glittering crystal. Suddenly, from behind an ice pillar, a panther the size of a tank lunged.
"Yukino! Look out!" A shout from above.
"Nee‑san?" Instantly she recognized the voice. But her right hand swept out; frigid air burst forth—crack crack crack! The panther froze solid, crashing to the ground like iron.
Tatsuki and Haruno landed. Haruno stared in disbelief—Yukino had unleashed that frost bare‑handed. Is this the sister I know?
"Why are you here, Nee‑san?" Yukino was equally shocked that Haruno had been dragged in.
"Yukino's been through two Apocalypse Games with me," Tatsuki explained, "so she's strong now."
"I see…" That answered every mystery—Yukino's change, their closeness…
Yukino's eyes drifted to the hands still linked—Tatsuki had ditched Haruno's exosuit; pointless scrap with him around. He'd carried her here, and they were still unconsciously holding hands. Haruno noticed, hastily let go, and laughed, "Tatsuki‑kun protected me, you know. Yukino's boyfriend is amazing, and Yukino has super‑powers—color me shocked."
She didn't know how forced that smile looked to Yukino, who knew her sister too well. Once those barbed words might have crushed her. Not this time.
"Drop the mask, Nee‑san!" Yukino's voice rang clear. "You like Tatsuki, don't you?"
Thunder in Haruno's ears. "Yu‑ki‑no…" Since when was her little sister this direct?
"I don't know what happened between you and Tatsuki before, but the way you look at him— it's the same way I do. I understand—we're alike! Don't hide your feelings behind a mask, Nee‑san… don't do it for my sake…" Her voice trailed off; she couldn't bear her sister wearing that sad, false smile just to accommodate her.
Tatsuki sighed—his own mess. Yet his desire was simple and greedy: he wanted Yukino and Haruno—he wouldn't let either slip away.
"Yukino, Haruno, we'll discuss this later. First we must find Megumi and the others."
"Megumi's group is here too?" Yukino understood—now wasn't the time to quarrel. The planet teemed with monsters; Megumi and friends could be in danger. "Then let's hurry."
She took silent Haruno's right hand and murmured, "Later, you'll tell me the story of you and Tatsuki." Her left hand reached for Tatsuki's. Haruno, for the first time, felt her little sister had truly grown up—even she, the elder, was being taught.
…
Tatsuki kept checking on everyone's safety.
By streaming information through his Dominion he could "talk" with them and confirm they were all fine.
When he finally gathered the group he found, indeed, that things were going smoothly:
Megumi–her ridiculous Presence Block was so perfect that not a single monster could even sense her.
Marin–her succubus charm was downright broken; a dozen monsters stood around her as bodyguards, completely enthralled.
Chika–now a wind sprite of the jungle, transparent wings on her back let her zip through the canopy; a touch of wind magic handled any beast that wasn't truly colossal.
So far none of them had run into a Godzilla‑class titan. Even the skeletal megalizard that attacked Haruno had only been a juvenile.
After introductions everyone learned Haruno was Yukino's elder sister.
Time in the real world was frozen, so there was no need to rush. With a prayer Tatsuki used faith‑energy to create several tents and a campfire—a tiny base.
"Wow, amazing! Tatsuki‑kun, how did you do that?" Chika stared wide‑eyed; it was creation ex nihilo!
Obliging the curious girl, Tatsuki spread the Wings of Chaos—one black, one gold, glittering against the night sky.
"Pretty!" Marin instantly pictured an angel‑and‑demon cosplay.
After a short primer on faith power, Tatsuki turned to Megumi. "Megumi, want to become my angel?"
Her personal combat power was still too low; with an angelic body plus Presence Block she'd be deadly.
"I'm willing. What do I do?" Megumi tilted her head.
"Just think about how much you like me."
"I understand."
The moment she closed her eyes, Tatsuki felt pure longing—Megumi's simple wish to love. Golden faith poured down; before everyone's eyes she became a radiant angel in mid‑air.
"I can feel it—my body's stronger." She retracted wings and halo and landed lightly.
"Better than cosplay—an actual angel!" Marin's eyes sparkled. "Can I be one too?"
"Your succubus power doesn't pair well with an angel form," Tatsuki answered gently.
"Eeh, how come…" Marin drooped—until he added, "But an Apostle of Sin might suit you."
"Apostle of Sin?"
"Think of something sinful, something truly wicked."
"Sinful, wicked…" Marin's cheeks reddened; a dreamy smile spread. "Hehehe…"
The creepy giggle made Chika edge away. Tatsuki went silent—he did sense sin, the sin of Lust. And he saw exactly what she pictured: herself hog‑tied, forcing bizarre cosplay onto him, stomping him in stilettos, whipping, dripping candle wax… Black lines popped across his forehead—mental contamination overload!
He abruptly severed the link and dumped Sin Power onto her. Black light engulfed her; unlike Megumi she sprouted pitch‑dark wings and a shadowed halo. Coupled with succubus horns and tail, she looked like Mostima, Exusiai's cousin.
"I'm a fallen angel!" Marin stroked the wings with glee.
"Apostle of Sin," Tatsuki corrected; mention cosplay and she lost all restraint.
Only Haruno stood frozen, reeling at Tatsuki's current might—transforming humans into angels or fallen ones.
"Tatsuki‑kun, did you ascend to godhood?"
He shrugged. "Hardly—just one facet of my power."
Big, shining eyes blinked up at him. "Can I become an angel?" Chika asked.
He grinned devilishly. "Do you love me?"
"Eh?"
Sliding an arm around Megumi, he got an instant, knowing kiss on the lips. "See? Megumi loves me; that's why she became an angel. What about you?"
"I‑I…" Chika blushed scarlet. "I'll—go gather firewood!" She bolted, stammering all the way.
Exactly the reaction Tatsuki wanted; he had no intention of letting a girl he'd already tasted slip away.
Haruno watched Megumi's serene glow, Marin's dark wings, Chika's flustered retreat—trying to process it all. Megumi is one of his girlfriends… Marin and Chika aren't, yet their bond is clearly special. Even more baffling: Yukino stood right there, unfazed by all this closeness.
"Nee‑san, Tatsuki-kun, come with me—we need to talk." Yukino turned toward the trees.
Tatsuki started to brief Megumi, but she shook her head with a gentle "Mm‑hmm." Good, sensible Megumi. He couldn't resist one more kiss on her fragrant lips.
"Kanae, keep an eye on things."
"Understood, Tatsu-kun." Kanae appeared from the shadows.
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