"This guy..."
Yui Yuigahama, who had just looked worried and seemed on the verge of tears, saw this photo of Ye Xing with two different yet equally beautiful women. Combined with the caption below, which, though silent, clearly conveyed a lightly teasing tone just by reading it, her worries and sorrow vanished completely, replaced by profound speechlessness.
Mai Sakurajima said irritably.
"No wonder he said he wanted to go alone. So he was planning this all along. You think we'd just get in your way, is that it?"
Hina Amano, meanwhile, carefully examined the photo, looking at Hizuru Minakata within it, and said thoughtfully.
"Hey... don't you think this glasses-wearing big sister looks a lot like someone we know?"
"Like who?"
Seeing Rio Futaba's confused expression, Hina Amano stated bluntly.
"Like a taller, adult version of you."
"Huh?"
Rio Futaba frowned slightly and glanced at Hizuru Minakata in the photo.
"Don't be ridiculous. We look nothing alike. Our hair and eye colours are completely different. What part of her looks like me?"
Everyone seemed to have something to say, but hesitated, except Yui Yuigahama, who blurted out first.
"Your chest."
Hearing this, Rio Futaba's face flushed red, and she clenched her fist and waved it.
"Little Dango, do you want to get beaten up?"
"No no no, I was wrong, I was wrong."
Watching the playful banter between Yui Yuigahama and Rio Futaba, Mai Sakurajima, the slightly older member who always played the role of cooking expert and big sister in the club, smiled and said.
"Actually, what Dango mentioned is secondary. The main similarity is in their aura. How to describe it... that kind of..."
Kazusa Touma said calmly.
"That awkward sense of feigned indifference?"
"Well... though it doesn't sound very nice, that's exactly the feeling."
Rio Futaba adjusted her glasses and sighed helplessly, holding her forehead.
"You guys... I really don't understand what part is similar."
Yui Yuigahama said with a laugh.
"Look on the bright side. Maybe it's precisely because this big sister has a similar aura to you that Ye Xing asked for her help. What's that word called... substitute, yes, that's it. Having a substitute shows how deep Ye Xing's feelings are for you."
"Little Dango, stop being so abstract."
Rio Futaba sighed slightly and changed the subject.
"Anyway, since he's found a helper on the island, it means the situation on Hitogashima Island isn't entirely hostile as we imagined. At the very least, there are normal humans there. Everything... let's leave it to him."
...
Meanwhile, in the forest.
"You've taken the photo. Now, will you tell us what your plan actually is?"
Facing Hizuru Minakata's question, Ye Xing slowly replied.
"Actually, there's not much of a plan. From my initial observations, Hiruko isn't in very good condition. The ability to rewind time probably can't be used too many times. And since no one has come for me yet, it means among the enemies, only Hiruko can retain memories through the time rewinds."
"Hiruko doesn't know that I can also retain memories after time reversal. From her perspective, there are still five days until the point where she was forced to reverse time."
"These five days are the window I've left."
At this point, Ye Xing paused, looking at Hizuru Minakata and Ginjiro Nezu before him, speaking word by word.
"And during these five days that repeat over and over again, I need both of your help to thoroughly understand the situation on Hitogashima Island - that is, to uncover all of Hiruko and Shide's trump cards."
"And when Hiruko can no longer perform time reversal, meaning on that timeline where all actions become fixed reality, I will eliminate all enemies and potential threats at the fastest speed possible, achieving the perfect outcome with minimal casualties."
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Ginjiro Nezu and Ushio Kofune were completely bewildered, but Hizuru Minakata clearly resembled Rio Futaba not only in bust and temperament - her intelligence was also of the exceptionally clever type, just like Rio Futaba.
"If that's the case... I still have one question. Why don't you directly go after Hiruko's main body after each reversal, forcing her to continuously use her time reversal ability until her power is exhausted?"
"That method you mentioned, I've certainly considered it too."
Ye Xing first nodded, then spoke with a smile.
"But on one hand, this strategy of information disparity can only be used once. From when I start acting to when I capture Hiruko's main body, there would still be a gap of several dozen seconds. I can't be certain whether she could complete a transfer in such a short time. But if she successfully escapes me even once, she'll know that I also possess memories of time reversal, and in subsequent reversals, she'll always reverse time to the point after she's already escaped me. I don't like gambling on such matters."
"On the other hand..."
The words Ye Xing spoke next, with a smile, sent chills down the spines of Hizuru Minakata, Ginjiro Nezu, and Ushio Kofune.
"Only when they believe there's hope of victory will the hero repeatedly load saves, challenging Satan over and over. If they knew from the start that victory was absolutely impossible, then she might resort to desperate measures - such as using time reversal to preserve the reality of Hitogashima Island's destruction. I don't have any time reversal abilities myself, and I believe you wouldn't want to see Hitogashima Island and all its residents destroyed like that, would you?"
Hizuru Minakata frowned slightly, deep in thought.
"Assuming your plan succeeds, how will you manage to simultaneously eliminate Hiruko and Shide, and clear all threats on the island on the final timeline? No matter how strong you are, you're still just one person in the end..."
"Not just one person."
Ye Xing shook his head and smiled.
"I'm just the first. When the final timeline arrives, that will be the moment for everyone to make their appearance."
...
After leaving the woods, Ushio Kofune wore a complicated expression, murmuring.
"Um... Ye Xing-san, I can understand why you came to find Hizuru-san and Nezu-san, but why... do I have to be involved too?"
"Because you're the female lead."
"Huh?"
Ye Xing waved his hand dismissively, brushing it off as a joke before changing his reasoning.
"Because since I arrived on the island, you've had the most contact with me. If a shadow copied you and passed information to Ushio, it would easily notice me as an outsider, which would affect the plan. To prevent this, I need you to stay by my side twenty-four hours a day."
"T-twenty-four hours?"
Ushio Kofune froze momentarily, flustered as she spoke.
"E-excluding... bathing and toilet breaks, right?"
"No."
Ye Xing said with complete seriousness.
"Especially during bathing and toilet breaks."
Ushio first frowned slightly, then clapped her hands as if suddenly understanding.
"Oh, right, you said that when someone is in an enclosed space alone, that's when they're most easily copied by shadows, correct?"
"No."
To Ushio's surprise, Ye Xing actually shook his head and gave a very honest answer.
"Mainly because I want to watch."
Ushio Kofune: "..."
In that moment, this mixed-race beauty also felt the power of something called abstractness.
Ye Xing had been so blunt that she didn't even feel embarrassed or angry anymore.
"Alright, let's go home and rest first."
Ushio said this, then seemed to suddenly remember something and asked curiously.
"By the way, since you've experienced one regression, that means this isn't your first time coming to my home?"
"No, it is the first time. Last time I refused your invitation, and we had no further contact in the following five days."
"Eh? Then why are you agreeing this time..."
"I'll tell you after we get home."
"Okay."
Watching Ushio leading the way ahead, Ye Xing thought about what he had told her in the previous timeline, the original timeline.
He was a high school student from Kyoto.
In a place like Hitogashima Island, outside visitors stood out. If, after saying this, Ushio had been copied by a shadow, then upon hearing the location Kyoto, Rikka Sakuragawa from the enemy camp would likely have doubts about his identity.
However, in the previous timeline's five days, Ye Xing hadn't encountered any attacks or shadow copies until the day he went to Hitogashima Shrine.
Was it that Ushio hadn't been copied...
Or that Ushio had already been copied before, so she couldn't be copied again?
...
When they arrived at the Kofune residence, Ushio led Ye Xing inside and pointed to a girl with short black hair whose skin appeared tanned from years of outdoor sports, giving off a vibrant, healthy impression.
"This is my younger sister, Mio Kofune."
"Hello, hello."
Ye Xing smiled and shook hands with Mio Kofune, while Ushio, beside him, noticed that his right foot seemed to casually step on Mio's shadow cast on the ground.
Seeing that her sister's shadow didn't evade and moved completely in sync with her body, Ushio finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, shadows possessed all the memories and emotions of their originals - they were perfect copies. Beyond this, there was simply no other way to identify them.
"You're back? Perfect timing, dinner's ready."
Hearing her father's words, Ushio Kofune ran over, picked up two plates of prepared curry rice, and said with a cheerful smile.
"Dad, Ye Xing, Mio and I will eat upstairs then."
"Eh? Me too?"
"Come on, come on."
After leading Mio Kofune and Ye Xing upstairs into her room, Ushio first placed the plates on the table, then looked at Ye Xing. The smile vanished from her face, replaced by a serious expression.
"Can I tell Mio about those things?"
"Go ahead."
"Thank you."
Ushio breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She had a straightforward personality and wasn't good at keeping secrets, especially from Mio, her sister and the person she trusted most.
...
While Ushio Kofune was explaining the truth about the shadows to her sister Mio Kofune, at Hinoto Shrine.
Rikka Sakuragawa looked at the being before her. Though it appeared as a young girl, its expression and eyes held no trace of childish innocence. It seemed like a distorted creature disguised in a little girl's shell. Frowning slightly, she said.
"So this is the conversion target prepared for me? A shadow?"
Still unaware that his true nature had been discovered by Rikka Sakuragawa, Masahito Karikiri, still wearing his Shinto Priest robes, smiled and replied.
"Is there a problem? Shadows are equivalent to humans; they also have desires. Doesn't that meet your conditions?"
Hearing this, a cold glint appeared in Rikka Sakuragawa's eyes.
This Shide... truly isn't someone to be taken lightly.
Could shadows be converted into psychics?
Rikka couldn't confirm this, but the more important question was - if shadows that originally obeyed Hiruko were truly converted into psychics, who would they obey? Herself, who possessed the soul's true form, Izanami, or would they continue to obey Hiruko as their mother?
"I can't do it."
Hearing Rikka Sakuragawa's response, Masahito Karikiri showed no surprise, merely speaking softly.
"In that case, I hope you'll agree... never mind, it doesn't matter if you disagree. I'll conduct another experiment."
As Masahito Karikiri's words fell, a blinding flash of light and the click of a shutter sounded.
A dark shadow that had been resting on the ground suddenly twisted and squirmed, beginning to evolve from two dimensions into three.
"You bastard..."
Seeing the shadow's face becoming more and more like her own, undisguised killing intent surfaced in Rikka Sakuragawa's eyes.
The other party... actually dared to replicate her?
In that instant, Rikka Sakuragawa had already decided to risk everything.
If her memories were copied, the other party would learn that she had discovered Shide's true identity and intended to transform Shide into a psychic, devour Hiruko, and seize the time regression ability.
If that happened... it would all be over.
Just then, Rikka Sakuragawa suddenly saw the twisted, writhing shadow suddenly burst apart like a splash of ink while emitting a piercing shriek, as if unable to withstand something.
"Hmm? Unable to replicate?"
Seeing this, Masahito Karikiri slightly furrowed his brows and said with interest.
"Interesting... very interesting... This is the first time such a situation has occurred. So this is what they call a psychic..."
Rikka Sakuragawa spoke slowly.
"In that case, shouldn't you provide me with another conversion target? I need real humans, not your inferior shadow replicas."
"Of course."
Masahito Karikiri smiled and pointed to the little girl sitting nearby.
"This child's name is Shiori Kobayakawa. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll have her invite some familiar young people to go swimming in the sea, then pretend to be drowning to lure others to rescue her."
"Of course, I won't have shadows replicate and then give you the information. After all, we can't let shadows be sacrificed for nothing, and Mother wouldn't be pleased. At most, I can provide you with information about those people. If you can't manage the conversion, we'll replicate and then kill the person who enters the sea, taking over their identity."
Rikka Sakuragawa nodded expressionlessly.
"Young people... No need for you to replicate. I can guide the conversion myself."
"That's good."
Masahito Karikiri nodded, then spoke with a smile.
"Just... Shiori Kobayakawa needs to replace the original first... And we can't let such a young child become an orphan, so tomorrow morning, the shadow will kill the Kobayakawa family and become the new Kobayakawa."
...
Early the next morning, at the Kobayakawa family's doorstep.
Ding dong.
At the sound of the doorbell, a young woman wearing an apron opened the door. Seeing the person outside, she froze in surprise, then covered her mouth, her expression a mix of delight and astonishment.
"You... are you Hizuru?"
Facing her childhood friend, Hizuru Minakata couldn't help but show a slight smile and nod.
"Asako, it's me."
"Really you?"
Asako Kobayakawa stepped forward and gave Hizuru Minakata a big hug, her voice filled with both joy and a hint of reproach.
"When did you return? You didn't tell me in advance - I could have picked you up."
"It's fine. Even though I've been away for so long, I still remember the way at least."
Asako Kobayakawa nodded and smiled.
"Come in first."
The moment Hizuru Minakata stepped inside, she suddenly caught a faint, peculiar smell.
Her eyes flickered briefly, but she showed no expression as she looked towards Shiori Kobayakawa in the living room and said calmly.
"Asako, is this your daughter?"
"Yes, her name is Shiori. Come, Shiori, say hello to your Aunt Hizuru."
Shiori Kobayakawa looked timid, but still walked up to Hizuru Minakata and greeted her obediently.
"Aunt Hizuru."
"Mhm, hello."
Hizuru Minakata nodded in response, then glanced towards the staircase leading to the second floor, asking as if casually.
"Where's your husband? Is he not home?"
"Oh, he's upstairs dealing with some matters."
After these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly grew silent.
The smile on Asako Kobayakawa's face gradually faded, replaced by an expression of indifference, her voice carrying a chill.
"Really... Hizuru, why did you have to come at this exact moment? I truly didn't want to kill you."
Hizuru Minakata's pupils constricted slightly as she swiftly retreated. A black shadow swept past right in front of her, nearly slicing her in half.
"As I thought..."
Hizuru Minakata tied her hair into a high ponytail, gritting her teeth as she looked at the mother and daughter before her.
"You have already killed the real Kobayakawa family..."
"You... are shadows..."