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Half an hour later.
the sea where the elementary school student accidentally drowned.
Yukinoshita Haruno had transformed into a twin-tailed, dark-skinned elementary school student and was picking seashells on the sea, acting as 'bait' for a fishing tactic.
A gentle breeze blew, and the sea rippled softly. The scenery was completely different from previous dungeons.
"Is she here?"
Passing a corner, Yukinoshita Haruno suddenly noticed a figure standing behind a reef, silently watching her.
Yukinoshita Haruno felt completely confident at this moment and continued to unhurriedly pick seashells on the sea, keeping her head down so the other party couldn't see her face.
A moment later.
The figure behind the reef finally emerged and quietly approached Haruno.
"You're not me… Who are you?"
The mysterious figure tilted her head, looking at Haruno, who was picking seashells, with confusion.
Yukinoshita Haruno looked up upon hearing this, seeing the mastermind who had been lured out—it was Sakurako, the elementary school student who had accidentally drowned earlier.
Her hairstyle, swimsuit, height, and appearance were all identical, as if cast from the same mold. Only her facial expression was too calm and indifferent, completely lacking the liveliness and playfulness of a child.
Besides that, this Sakurako seemed to have just come out of the sea; she was completely soaked, and water droplets were still dripping from her hair.
"Eh?" Yukinoshita Haruno blinked, her expression bewildered, "I'm a tourist who came to the Island with my mom and dad… What's your name? Do you want to play together?"
"…"
The elementary school student Sakurako didn't speak, only gazed at Yukinoshita Haruno indifferently.
A moment later, she spoke coldly:
"You're lying."
Haruno refused to admit it: "I really am picking seashells. If you don't believe me, look, there are so many in the basket."
The elementary school student remained unmoved, her expression cold, and continued:
"It's been over an hour since the rumor appeared. Tourists who come to the Island for a trip play around and then leave. No one wastes that much time picking seashells."
"So you're lying."
"Oh, I've been found out." Yukinoshita Haruno smiled, clapped her hands, placed the bamboo basket of seashells on the ground, and said with a smile, "How about we play a game?"
The elementary school student Sakurako's expression was cold, and she said calmly:
"What game?"
"A very simple question-and-answer game." Yukinoshita Haruno extended a finger and said with a smile, "We each ask the other a question, and we must tell the truth. What do you think?"
"Okay." The elementary school student calmly agreed, "I'll ask you first."
"That's not fair!"
"Hmm?"
"For a game, fairness is the most important thing." Yukinoshita Haruno extended her right hand, "Let's play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins gets to ask the question first, how about that?"
"…"
The elementary school student Sakurako thought for two seconds, nodded slightly, and then said, "Let's play rock-paper-scissors behind those rocks over there. I don't want to be seen."
"No problem."
Yukinoshita Haruno readily agreed.
The two elementary school students walked one after another to the rocks not far away, where no other people could be seen.
"This is the place." The elementary school student's voice was faint, "Here, whatever you do won't be discovered."
Yukinoshita Haruno looked around and nodded in agreement:
"Indeed, it's a good place for a crime."
"…"
The elementary school student Sakurako turned to look over, extended her right hand, and said calmly:
"Let's play rock-paper-scissors."
Yukinoshita Haruno nodded: "Let's go."
"Rock, paper, scissors…"
On the sea with a gentle breeze, the two elementary school students threw their hands at the same time.
"Hehe, I won." Yukinoshita Haruno smiled brightly, withdrew her right hand, "So, I'll ask you a question first?"
The elementary school student Sakurako's expression was calm; she didn't seem angry at all about losing, and said coldly:
"Ask."
Yukinoshita Haruno extended a finger and asked:
"When I was playing on the Island earlier, I happened to see a family holding a funeral, and the elementary school student in the picture was you. So… who are you?"
"Of course I'm Sakurako." The elementary school student tilted her head, "Or rather, a copy of Sakurako."
Yukinoshita Haruno pressed on:
"Was the real Sakurako killed by you?"
The elementary school student's eyes were cold: "That's the second question."
"Ah, sorry." Yukinoshita Haruno raised her hand to cover her mouth, her face full of apology, "You ask."
The elementary school student looked at Haruno, a hint of curiosity in her tone: "Why are you pretending to be me to deceive people?"
"Well…" The apology on Yukinoshita Haruno's face disappeared, replaced by a joyful smile, "Of course, it's to find you."
"…"
The elementary school student Sakurako frowned, suddenly feeling a quiet unease creeping in.
Find herself?
Why would this human want to find her?
Spreading rumors on the Island, picking seashells on the sea—was it all to lure her out?
Yukinoshita Haruno said expectantly:
"It's my turn to ask a question again."
"The question-and-answer game ends here." The elementary school student said calmly, her expression cold, "I've decided to kill you."
Acting without hesitation, this elementary school student showed no procrastination. She decisively extended her right hand, grabbed Haruno's wrist, and prepared to drag Haruno into the sea.
The feeling of being manipulated was quite unpleasant, so she would kill them all.
"Ugh…"
Yukinoshita Haruno felt as if her wrist was clamped by an iron vice, and a sharp pain came, causing her to let out a soft groan.
After being injured, the transformation skill naturally couldn't be maintained. A faint light flashed over Haruno's body, and she instantly returned to her original appearance.
"What kind of creature are you?"
The elementary school student Sakurako's eyes widened in disbelief.
A twin-tailed, dark-skinned elementary school student suddenly transformed into a fair-skinned female university student right in front of her. Even as fellow unscientific beings, a look of shock couldn't help but appear on her face.
"Natsuki-kun!"
Yukinoshita Haruno hurriedly called out.
The stinging pain in her wrist made her realize that the child in front of her was not a normal human at all; her strength was clearly greater than that of an adult.
The next second.
Under the shocked gaze of the elementary school student Sakurako, Amamiya Natsuki, without clothes, appeared out of thin air. This time it was even more exaggerated; he didn't transform from an elementary school student into a university student, but rather appeared out of thin air.
Since Haruno was used as bait, her safety had to be protected no matter what. The best way to protect her was naturally to directly transform into a Leg Attachment, providing constant close-range protection.
It was precisely for this reason that Yukinoshita Haruno was so confident in following the elementary school student behind the rocky beach.
"Haruno, well done. Leave the rest to me."
Amamiya Natsuki stood in front of Haruno.
"Cough…" Yukinoshita Haruno's gaze involuntarily drifted downwards, her pretty face flushed slightly, and then she quickly turned her head, covering her chest and looking elsewhere, "It's up to you."
A large python… No, it's an Anaconda!
The development of high school students these days is too exaggerated!
"Who exactly are you people?" The elementary school student Sakurako looked directly at Amamiya Natsuki, without any shyness on her face, "No, I should say, what kind of creatures are you?"
Amamiya Natsuki discussed:
"Let me put on my clothes first, then I'll answer you?"
The elementary school student Sakurako was expressionless, decisively took two steps forward, and kicked Amamiya Natsuki.
Bang!
A dull thud echoed.
Amamiya Natsuki raised his hand to block the attack, gathering information.
"Very fast, very strong, even surpassing adult males… What are you?"
The elementary school student's eyes narrowed, she didn't answer, but continued to launch fierce attacks.
Unfortunately, it was completely useless.
Amamiya Natsuki's current physical fitness already exceeded human limits. Both his strength and speed were superior to the elementary school student's, so he dealt with her without any pressure.
(Only using fists and feet, no special abilities?)
After several rounds of combat, seeing that she couldn't kill Amamiya Natsuki, the elementary school student Sakurako was quite decisive and quickly turned to escape into the sea.
"After all this hard work, how could I let you escape?"
Amamiya Natsuki decisively caught up, pressed the elementary school student's head down onto the sea, and then took out the Rope of Magic from his game backpack, throwing it onto the elementary school student.
This magic rope quickly selected the closest target and swiftly bound the elementary school student using the 'tortoise shell' method.
"Hoo…"
Seeing this, Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, biting her lips while covering her body and looking over.
Sea.
Elementary school student.
A male high school student without clothes.
And a terrible way of tying…
Fortunately, no one else saw it, otherwise, they would definitely be arrested as perverts!
"Natsuki-sama, Haruno, I'm here!"
A clear shout rang out as Sayu, holding clothes, arrived belatedly.
"It really is that elementary school student." Sayu propped herself up on her knees, curiously looking at the elementary school student lying on the ground, "Strange, why are there two elementary school student Sakurakos?"
Yukinoshita Haruno, having put on her clothes, said, "She just said that she's actually a clone of Sakurako."
The elementary school student struggled for a while, then, finding she couldn't break free, quieted down. Her expression was cold, as if she didn't care about her fate at all. She turned her head and asked, "What exactly are you guys?"
"Good question." Amamiya Natsuki lifted the elementary school student with one hand. "We are the great detectives who solve 100% of cases."
"…"
"Natsuki-sama, how is the dungeon mission coming along?"
Sayu asked in a low voice.
"It's completed. She is the mastermind behind elementary school student Sakurako's drowning." Amamiya Natsuki nodded slightly. "However, the dungeon mission has entered its next phase; there's something else behind her."
After successfully apprehending the target, what should be done next?
Of course, it's time for interrogation.
"Let's leave here first. Although there are reefs around, it's still not secret enough." Amamiya Natsuki, carrying the elementary school student with one hand, spoke in a low, sinister tone, "We'll interrogate her properly in the forest."
Without needing prior coordination, Yukinoshita Haruno immediately played along: "Sakurako-chan, if you tell us the full story of the drowning incident, I can promise you that Natsuki-kun won't harm you."
Amamiya Natsuki cast an appreciative glance at Haruno.
Not bad.
Although this Haruno was entering a dungeon for the first time, her psychological resilience was excellent. She knew what to say and do at the right time, clearly a natural player seed.
Unfortunately, it had no effect.
This cloned elementary school student's expression remained cold, as if she didn't care about life or death at all.
"To the forest."
Amamiya Natsuki stopped wasting words. Carrying the elementary school student with one hand, he, Sayu, and Haruno left the Sea and headed for the deserted forest.
Ten minutes later.
An abandoned cabin in the forest.
"Now for…" Amamiya Natsuki stood before the elementary school student, looking down at her, "the body examination."
"Eh?" Sayu was startled. "Isn't it the interrogation phase?"
"Before interrogation, we need to determine if punishment will be effective on her..." Amamiya Natsuki replied. "Don't let her being an elementary school student fool you; her strength is much greater than an adult's. So, it's very possible she's not human, but some other creature."
Yukinoshita Haruno looked up and said, "Natsuki-kun, what parts do you want to examine?"
Amamiya Natsuki snapped his fingers and said, "Temperature, heartbeat, breathing, five senses, blood… In short, check everything."
Haruno raised her hand in a salute: "Understood."
"…"
Since this mastermind was an elementary school student, to avoid trans-dimensional attacks, the body examination was naturally left to Haruno and Sayu. Amamiya Natsuki stood by, responsible for recording information.
"Her body has temperature..." Sayu said first. "It feels about the same as ours."
Yukinoshita Haruno placed her right hand on the elementary school student's chest and continued, "She has a heartbeat, but it's very slow, only about forty beats per minute."
"Vision and hearing are normal… The five senses are fine."
"Finally, the blood test."
The blood test was, of course, performed by Amamiya Natsuki himself. He took out a scalpel and made a cut on the elementary school student's finger. Bright red liquid immediately flowed from the wound.
Amamiya Natsuki and Sayu remained calm. Although Haruno was a novice player entering a dungeon for the first time, she merely raised an eyebrow slightly, having no objection to Amamiya Natsuki using a scalpel.
As for the bound elementary school student… Her expression remained cold from beginning to end. Even when her finger was cut, she didn't even blink.
"There's blood inside her body."
"The color is normal."
"Without professional testing equipment, I don't know the blood composition… Wait."
Amamiya Natsuki's gaze narrowed as he looked at the wound on the elementary school student's finger.
Sayu's eyes widened in surprise: "The wound healed so quickly?"
Under the gaze of the three, the wound on the elementary school student's finger was rapidly healing at an astonishing speed, returning to normal in less than a minute.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Sayu and Haruno: "There's no creature in nature with such rapid wound self-healing, is there?"
"No, there isn't." Haruno shook her head. "Although Sakurako-chan looks exactly like a human, she's clearly not a real human."
"Sakurako, right?" Amamiya Natsuki stood before the elementary school student, looking down at her. "If you don't want to cry, then honestly tell us the truth."
Facing kidnapping and threats, a real elementary school student would surely be crying by now, but the elementary school student before them still had a calm expression and cold eyes, as if she knew no fear. She merely tilted her head, looking at Amamiya Natsuki, and finally uttered two words: "Heh heh."
Amamiya Natsuki: "…"
His fists hardened.
His fists hardened.
No wonder they say brat are infuriating; that contemptuous look combined with "heh heh" instantly makes one furious.
Amamiya Natsuki, expressionless, tightened his grip on the scalpel: "Since you won't cooperate, then you won't see tomorrow's sun."
"Natsuki-kun, don't be so hasty." Haruno stopped him, extending a finger with a smile, "I heard that in ancient times there was a punishment called 'goat torture.' Before the interrogation, honey would be smeared on the prisoner's soles, and then a goat would be brought in. As everyone knows, goats like to lick sweets, so upon seeing the honey, they would continuously lick the person's soles, eventually making the prisoner laugh until their body convulsed and tears streamed down. Little Sakurako doesn't seem afraid of harm, so goat torture might be more effective."
Sayu looked over in shock: "…Haruno is so scary."
Even the elementary school student, whose expression had been cold all along, couldn't help but cast a surprised glance: "Humans truly are a perverted species."
Haruno's voice was gentle as she persuaded, "If you don't want to experience it, please tell us the truth. I promise to let Natsuki release you."
The elementary school student's expression returned to coldness: "There are no goats on the Island."
"No goats, but there must be ants on the Island, right?" Yukinoshita Haruno's voice was gentle. "If we brush your entire body with honey and then throw you into an ant nest, something very scary will surely happen."
Sayu covered her mouth in shock.
So scary.
Yukino-chan's older sister is too scary!
Unfortunately, the psychological tactics were completely ineffective.
"You can try it." The elementary school student tilted her head, her tone completely devoid of fluctuation. "See if I'll talk."
This elementary school student was not human; she had a strong disregard for pain and death. Ordinary interrogation methods were completely useless.
Generally speaking, at times like this, one should approach it from an emotional angle, just like when he violated Yukino in front of Haruno, using the blade of kinship to kill and punish the heart. Unfortunately, this thing wasn't human, so it probably didn't have parental affection.
"In that case, we can only resort to technology and brute force."
Amamiya Natsuki put away the scalpel and took out an ordinary small mirror.
This was the truth mirror that Yukinoshita Yukino had specifically borrowed from Rikka before coming from Chiba Prefecture.
"You must be curious about our identities, right?" Amamiya Natsuki half-crouched in front of the elementary school student and whispered, "How about we play another question-and-answer game? Of course, if you encounter a question you don't want to answer, you can say 'I refuse to answer.'"
The elementary school student clone's gaze shifted, looking at Amamiya Natsuki. Although she wasn't afraid of pain or death, she clearly had curiosity: "Okay."
Amamiya Natsuki said, "To show sincerity, you ask first."
The elementary school student tilted her head: "You're not human?"
Amamiya Natsuki shook his head and said, "I'm very sorry, we are genuine humans."
"Liar." The elementary school student's expression was cold. "Humans can't suddenly grow big from small, or appear out of thin air."
Amamiya Natsuki said, "The world is so big, there are always some incomprehensible situations. However, from a biological structural perspective, we are indeed human."
The elementary school student was slightly silent: "It's your turn."
Amamiya Natsuki held up the truth mirror: "How many people have you killed?"
The elementary school student looked at the mirror: "One."
The mirror had no reaction, clearly indicating it was the truth.
"It's my turn..." the elementary school student continued. "What is your purpose for coming to the Island?"
Amamiya Natsuki said seriously, "I am a detective by hobby, and I just happened to encounter an unnatural death, so I want to investigate the whole story… Why did you make Sakurako drown?"
The elementary school student calmly said, "By killing her, I could use her identity to move around. It's just that I encountered a patrolman by the Sea at the time and didn't have time to dispose of the body."
The two played the question-and-answer game, while Haruno and Sayu were responsible for recording information on the side.
A moment later.
Amamiya Natsuki held up the truth mirror and asked, seemingly casually, "Your true body is actually the shadow on the ground, isn't it?"
"No…" The elementary school student's gaze sharpened, wanting to deny it. The next second, her eyes suddenly widened, and she felt her mouth move uncontrollably, blurting out, "It's the shadow!"
"I see." Sayu suddenly understood. "No wonder you weren't afraid of us harming you. So the shadow is your true body."
Amamiya Natsuki said unhurriedly, "You don't care if your body is harmed, so what about harming your shadow?"
"…"
The elementary school student tightly pursed her lips, saying nothing, clearly having discovered the mirror's peculiarity.
However, Amamiya Natsuki didn't care, because a corresponding prompt had already appeared before him:
[Excellent interrogation!]
[Using a question-and-answer game to make the brat relax her guard, and in the moment she relaxed, decisively striking and obtaining her most important secret]
This prompt was a bit informal, but Amamiya Natsuki didn't mind, because the information that followed was quite useful.
[After careful interrogation, you found that by inflicting a sufficient amount of damage on the shadow, you can kill the opponent]
"Very good, weakness identified."
Amamiya Natsuki was quite satisfied. Just as he was about to speak, a knock on the door suddenly sounded.
"Who's knocking?"
The three of them simultaneously turned to look at the door.
This was an abandoned cabin in the forest, which should have been deserted for a long time. Why would someone suddenly knock?
However, the next second, a familiar voice sounded from outside the door: "Natsuki-kun, it's me, hurry and open the door."
"It's Chika's voice." Sayu breathed a sigh of relief, stepping towards the door. "I'll open it."
"Wait a moment."
Amamiya Natsuki suddenly reached out and grabbed Sayu.
"Eh?" Sayu looked over, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"I'll open the door." Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, pulling Sayu behind him.
Sayu froze, then quickly reacted, lowering her voice:
"Natsuki-kun suspects there's something wrong with the person knocking?"
"I don't know." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head, whispering, "But it's always right to be vigilant."
Compared to Sayu, Yukinoshita Haruno, though a novice player, was clearly more cautious; she retreated behind everyone without asking another question.
"President, hurry up and open the door." The knocking sound came again, Fujiwara Chika called from outside, "It's boiling hot out here."
"Coming."
Amamiya Natsuki responded and stepped towards the door.
Creak.
The door opened slightly, creating a gap.
Bright sunlight poured in, accompanied by the fresh, damp Sea breeze.
In the sunlight at the doorway stood a pink-haired girl with a very dark bow tied to her forehead—it was Fujiwara Chika.
After confirming the identity of the person, Amamiya Natsuki opened the door completely and asked curiously:
"Chika, why did you come over?"
"I came over…"
The next second.
Fujiwara Chika suddenly took half a step forward, and at the same time, her right hand, hidden behind her back, suddenly came out, tightly gripping a gleaming dagger.
Pfft!
Under the shocked gaze of Sayu and Haruno, secretary Chika's expression was indifferent as she plunged the dagger into Amamiya Natsuki's abdomen.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars for advance chapters|Every 100 powerstones=1 extra chapter|Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr | There's 16 novels being updated, I can't read your comments