Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 89, Part 4: The Escaped Rabbit

"It's really dark here."

Stepping inside, Ming, dressed in the [Divine Might Spirit Attire - Fifth Grade - Counterattack], strolled leisurely through the pitch-black mall.

"Shido! Shido! Alas, you are..."

Noticing a sound coming from behind him, Ming made the sheep's head mask grow out of his face, then turned around to look at the purple-haired girl shouting behind him.

"It's you, the guy who's been acting all mysterious with that roasted sheep's head on him!"

"How rude of you, Princess. I'm not roasted sheep's head. You can call me Flame Beast, thank you."

"I'm not called 'Princess' either! My name is Tohka! Yatogami Tohka!"

"Alright, hello Ms. Yatogami Tohka, may I ask why you are here?"

Ming crossed his arms, feigning ignorance as he asked the question, his spirit armor swaying slightly. Tohka clenched her fists, watching Ming warily.

"Of course we should find Shido!"

"I see. But it's dangerous here; you'd better leave." Ming deliberately adopted a mysterious air, but in reality, he was thinking:

"Shido, I can hold off Tohka for a bit, but for a while, you better give me some breathing room!"

"Hmph, I'm not afraid of danger at all, and you look very suspicious. Did you hide Shido?"

Tohka questioned him aggressively. Ming shrugged, just then a heavy thud came from the next room.

"Shido!"

Then, Tohka rushed past Ming without stopping, leaving Ming no choice but to follow slowly.

Just as Tohka rushed over anxiously, the scene before her made her freeze in place.

She saw that Shido, whom she had been searching for all this time, was now tightly embracing a petite figure in a green raincoat, their lips very close together.

“Ah…that just now…” Shido looked at Yoshino, who had stood up again, and his face turned somewhat bitter.

'Oh no, my mood is getting worse.' Shido thought to himself as he checked his affection level.

"Ouch, that really hurts!"

Compared to Shido's panic, Yoshino seemed unaware of the meaning behind her actions, or perhaps she didn't care. She simply stood up and lightly dusted herself off.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Shido, it was my carelessness~"

Yoshina apologized, holding a bag in her hand.

"Emergency situation, Shido!"

"Huh? What... Tohka..."

Shido turned his head and stared at Tohka, who was looking furious, and then Mei slowly walked out.

"Mr. [Flame Beast]? Tohka..."

"Shido... what were you just doing?!"

Tohka raised her head, her eyes flashing with a cold light.

"You mean..."

Shido then came to his senses and realized that he seemed to have had intimate contact with Yoshino just now? And Tohka was also there at the time?

'Forehead...'

Just standing next to Tohka and watching, the corner of Mei's mouth twitched slightly beneath his mask.

This scene is like Makoto and Sekai having sex while Kotoha is standing next to them. If she just stands there dumbfounded, is she waiting for the kettle to boil? It's only because Tohka is so innocent; if it were anyone else, Shido would have already reunited with Makoto.

"You mean?" Shido said, subconsciously touching his lips with his finger, while Ming, standing beside him, found it fascinating.

"I was so worried, and you were flirting with other girls... What kind of behavior is this?!"

An enraged Tohka took a step forward, and instantly, the ground cracked open, creating a deep pit about the width of a person, with cracks spreading everywhere.

Even Ming, standing nearby, had to admit that the power that could be displayed in the sealed state was something he could only unleash in the second release of spiritual power. Was this a difference even among elves?

Tohka walked forward silently, head bowed, then pointed angrily at Yoshino next to Shido and questioned her:

"Shido!!! Is meeting this girl the important thing you mentioned?"

“Uh…no…that…” Shido looked at Ming, trying to get the only male spirit to help him, but Ming politely shook his head and refused.

'While I can help you speed up the plan, you'll have to figure out how to handle this mess yourself.'

Just then, Yoshino's arm, controlled by Yoshina, peeked out.

"Big sister, who are you...?"

"Tohka!"

"Tohka, I'm so sorry~ It seems Shido-kun has lost interest in you~"

"Uh?!"

When Shido heard what Yoshino said, he gasped.

"Judging from what you said, he stood Tohka up but still came here to find Yoshina, right? That was already a decision, wasn't it?"

"You..." Tears welled up in Tohka's eyes.

"Tsk."

Ming clicked his tongue, "I almost forgot about this extremely lethal gentleman rabbit."

"Ah~ I'm sorry, it's all because I'm too charming. I'm not saying Tohka isn't good, but~ you can't blame Itsuka-kun for abandoning Tohka and running here~"

"Ugh! So annoying! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! No! This can't be allowed..."

Tohka started dancing around, like a child who couldn't believe reality.

Looking at Shido's miserable state at her feet, Ming felt no pity whatsoever. He was into pure love stories and had explicitly rejected anyone like famous idols or princesses from other countries, so he couldn't understand Shido's feelings at all.

After all, he still keeps photos of his lover at home. When he gets home, he goes to his room to spend his days writing and fantasizing. He tries to learn her smile and cooking skills, and his love is perhaps a little too pure.

Author: This isn't pure love; this is a disease you developed after 25 years of being single.

"Even if you say no...right~ Come on, come on, Shido-kun, say something too, anyway, Tohka's already an unwanted child~"

Yoshino wanted to add fuel to the fire, but Tohka, puffing up her cheeks, pulled the fire away from Yoshino's hand.

"I'm not an unwanted child! Shido... Shido told me I could stay here! I won't let you tease me anymore! Say something! Hey, why aren't you saying anything! Say something!"

This series of actions was swift and decisive; they unplugged the power cord, and the doll was now rendered speechless.

Seeing her "hero" snatched away, Yoshino quickly got up from the ground and tugged at Tohka's skirt, but was ignored.

"Give it back to me...give it back to me...please give me back...Yoshina!"

Yoshino's voice was deep and firm; after all, Yoshina was her only friend. She walked steadily toward Tohka, trying to take Yoshina back from her raised hand.

"What's going on, Shido? Even Yoshina's mental state is starting to waver. Stop her immediately."

"Um, Tohka, um... how about we give the puppet back to her?"

Shido said in a low voice.

"Hmph! As expected, Shido, compared to me, you're more..."

"【Ice Puppet】!"

Seeing that she had been pleading for a long time without receiving a response, Yoshino, in a fit of anger, raised her hand, and a giant ice rabbit-shaped angel appeared!

"Well... it seems I'll have to go open the path of the guide later. I was too hasty in trying to seal it up."

As Ming leaned against the wall, he absorbed the overflowing spiritual energy through the ring on his hand, and then his body slowly decomposed into many flame butterflies that slipped out of the mall.

At that moment, where Shido was, a chilling aura burst through the floor like a surging wave, and a gigantic beast resembling a rabbit bared its ferocious fangs, pointing directly at Shido and Tohka.

Yoshino leaped onto the puppet's back, her palms quietly probing into its body. The previously stiff puppet instantly came to life, standing tall, and a large amount of cold mist surged up like a raging tide, rushing straight towards the two of them, instantly covering the ground with frost.

The puppet opened its massive maw, filled with sharp teeth, and countless ice spikes erupted like a torrential downpour, crashing down on the two of them.

The building's windows shattered instantly under the onslaught of the biting cold air, and more ice spikes, controlled by the puppets, attacked the entire building indiscriminately like locusts.

Once all the ice spikes had been launched, Yoshino manipulated the puppet to smash through the wall and speed away.

"Captain! The Hermit has escaped!"

"I see it, what are you standing there for? Open fire!"

The group quickly climbed onto the roof, found their firing positions, and stood ready. Liao Zi's eyes were fixed intently on the approaching [Ice Puppet], and he gave the order without hesitation.

Upon hearing the order, the team members sprang into action, skillfully wielding heavy weapons and aiming their dark gun barrels at the terrifying [Ice Golem].

In an instant, flames erupted, and bullets rained down like a storm, hurtling toward the target with sharp whistling sounds.

Unfortunately, this "sunset red spear technique"... needs improvement.

After Yoshino escaped outside, Shido pulled Tohka up and tried to explain.

"Tohka..."

"Don't touch me!"

"Anyway, you care more about that girl, don't you?"

"Hey?"

Having eaten a bowl of vinegar, Tohka pushed Shido aside and left. Kotori, sitting above Commander Ratatoskr, commented on this:

"Oh dear, oh dear, it seems like a rather troublesome situation has arisen."

Nibekor, who was listening in from the side, also said, "This Byd named Shido is a character. If I weren't currently using my father's appearance, I think I could go down and add fuel to the fire for them."

Note: Because this spirit crystal was the first to be stained with Nia's color, even though it was taken away, Nibekol's appearance still resembled Nia's.