Chapter 133: Youmu, Go Get Some Sunflower Seeds!
[???]
[Wait, why is this new powerhouse so… so young?]
[+1]
[+2]
The moment Youmu's figure was fully revealed on camera, the group chat was instantly flooded with a tidal wave of question marks. They had assumed, based on Haruto and Kaguya's appearances, that the new expert wouldn't be ancient, but they hadn't expected this level of absurdity.
Haruto and Kaguya at least looked like they could pass for high school students.
But this new powerhouse… although one could see she was trying her utmost to project the stern demeanor of a guard, her delicate, youthful features made it impossible to associate her with words like 'powerhouse' or 'guard.'
"Hey, hey, what's that supposed to mean? You make it sound like I'm not young," Haruto complained, turning the Ghost Phone's camera back to himself.
[That's not what we meant, Boss.]
[+1, we just think that Boss Youmu is a little… too young.]
Haruto rolled his eyes. "Don't be fooled by Youmu's appearance," he explained. "In truth, she isn't any younger than I am. In fact, she's much, much older."
[???]
[???]
[???]
A perfect, synchronized cascade of question marks scrolled across the screen as the players in the group chat expressed their collective confusion. It was only then that many of them recalled a crucial fact: these individuals weren't human. They couldn't be judged by human standards. It was entirely possible that, despite her 'young' appearance, her actual age was greater than all of their grandmothers combined.
Seeing the comments begin to veer wildly off-topic, Haruto's expression darkened as he hastily tacked on a clarification.
"Kaguya and the others might have mysterious ages, but I am genuinely young. Guaranteed."
The moment the words left his mouth, a single, conspicuous comment floated by—
Her Highness the Princess of Eientei: [???]
Haruto let out a dry cough and quickly swiveled the camera back toward Youmu, carefully adjusting the angle as he continued.
"Youmu is a Half-Human Half-Phantom. Her growth cycle is different from that of an ordinary person, but as a gardener and a guard, her skills are absolutely top-tier."
At this, a few curious viewers began to wonder about her actual strength, asking if she could offer a little demonstration.
Haruto didn't waste words. He casually picked an apple from the fruit bowl on the table and tossed it high into the air.
"Youmu, peel this for me."
The apple traced a perfect arc through the air. Youmu's eyes narrowed, her right hand resting lightly on the hilt of her katana.
The members of the group chat didn't even register the blade being drawn. All they perceived was a flicker of silver light, so brief it felt like the camera feed had glitched for a split second.
By the time their minds caught up, Youmu was already standing calmly in place, holding the apple in her hands.
Just as the players were collectively wondering what had just happened, the skin on the apple suddenly unraveled and fell away in a single, perfect spiral. Its thickness was so impossibly uniform it looked as if it had been processed by a precision machine.
[???]
[What just happened?]
[I blinked and it was over?]
Youmu presented the apple to Haruto with both hands, her expression still locked in that serious mask, though a flicker of hope for praise glinted in her eyes.
"Haruto-sama, it's peeled."
Haruto took the apple and waved it at the camera. "How about that? This bladework is decent, right?"
The group chat instantly detonated.
[You call that peeling an apple? That's a work of art!]
[I didn't even see the sword leave the scabbard!]
[So this is the strength of a true powerhouse?]
[Wait, wait, something's not right!]
Everyone suddenly noticed that the perfectly smooth, round surface of the apple was scored with several faint, almost invisible lines.
She hadn't just peeled it.
She had also sliced the entire fruit into perfectly portioned wedges, each one thin enough to be picked up by hand. But because the blade had moved with such impossible speed, the apple still held its original, uncut shape.
Haruto plucked a slice free, crunched on it twice, and then casually offered another slice to Youmu.
[!!!]
[Just how fast must that sword be…]
[Boss Youmu, please accept my utmost respect!]
Youmu watched the comments fly by and lowered her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "These are just the most basic sword techniques. Compared to others, I am still far too weak."
[What the hell do you mean 'basic'?!]
[Was that even a speed a human can achieve? Can we do it? Boss, please teach us!]
Seeing the rapidly scrolling requests, Youmu began to explain earnestly, "This truly is the foundation of swordplay; it is not difficult. You only need to achieve the unity of heart, eye, and hand. When you focus to the absolute extreme, the sword in your hand becomes a part of your body…"
Youmu taught with a sense of genuine responsibility, but the group members were still lost in a sea of question marks. Even after her lesson concluded, the comments kept pouring in.
[I'm sorry, I didn't understand a single word.]
[We're all just foolish mortals; it's normal not to understand. cries]
[How long do you have to practice to master 'basics' like that?]
[Suddenly I feel like my ten years of kendo were a complete waste of time…]
"How long?" Youmu tilted her head, pondering the question. "Starting from the moment you first hold a sword… if your talent is good… it would take about thirty years to reach this level of precision."
[Thirty years? Just for that?]
[As expected, the powerhouses' concept of time is completely different from ours.]
[Wait, then how old are you this year, Boss Youmu…]
Seeing the topic was about to drift off into another tangent about age, Haruto interjected. "Alright, alright, that's it for today's demonstration."
[Okay, goodbye, Boss.]
[Don't go yet, Boss! We want to see more.]
[So soon? I wanted to learn more about the simple lives of the powerful.]
Everyone assumed Haruto was about to end the broadcast, but the group livestream didn't stop. Holding his Ghost Phone, Haruto walked out the door.
"Today, I'll show you all my secret cabin. It's in the Sunflower Field and was built with the help of Yuuka-nee."
[Phew~ As long as it's not over. I'll watch whatever the boss broadcasts.]
The comments buzzed with renewed excitement. But when the camera panned to show the surroundings, the chat fell instantly silent.
The golden sea of flowers they had imagined was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a protective ring of eerie Ghost-Faced Flowers. Their twisted, fleshy petals, combined with the leering, almost-human faces at their centers, created a deeply unsettling sight.
[What… what is this?]
Clearly, the Ghost-Faced Flowers had completely bewildered the viewers.
Haruto, however, introduced them with great enthusiasm. "Don't be fooled by their unique appearance; they're incredibly effective. Not only do they recognize their master, but they also prevent theft and keep out a certain black-and-white mouse."
After saying that, he turned back to Youmu. "Right?"
Youmu gave a slightly awkward nod. To her, as long as Haruto-sama was happy with it, that was all that mattered.
Wu Wenwen: [Wait, aren't those the Ghost-Faced Flowers from the last instance?]
Seeing this message, Haruto nodded in confirmation. "The very same. My sister Yuuka helped me plant them. She specializes in plants, so growing these was effortless for her."
Meanwhile, far away in another world, Tong Yi was staring intently at the livestream. When she recognized that these flowers had grown from the Ghost Seeds she had given away, she froze, her eyes filling with an expression of pure existential doubt.
Back then, she had gone through unimaginable trouble just to cultivate a single one, sacrificing over a dozen animal… and even human corpses just to barely succeed, nearly losing her own life in the process. How could it be so simple for someone else?
Haruto gave the group members a brief tour of his secret cabin and, at everyone's fervent request, took a short stroll through the Sunflower Field before finally ending the stream.
All he wanted now was to properly relax.
Back at the cozy cabin, Haruto found a spot by the window with a clear view of Hakugyokurou in the distance and leaned lazily back in a lounge chair.
The autumn breeze drifted in, carrying the faint, sweet scent of flowers. He squinted, enjoying the luxury of being hand-fed apple slices by Youmu, his gaze occasionally drifting toward the distant Netherworld tower.
After a while, certain that Yuyuko-sama wasn't home, he finally spoke.
"Youmu, why don't you go gather some sunflower seeds?"
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