Chapter 202
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 202: Version Update, Changes in Favorability Rating
The Danube River sparkled in the twilight.
The sunset clouds outside the window were especially vivid, casting warm outlines into the room.
The girl stopped dancing, holding her final pose still, like a graceful dragon floating in water. Her eyes focused again, and her fingers drooped as her awareness returned. All her strength seemed to snap, making her body lean weakly to one side, about to fall to the ground.
Chu Yuanqing watched this scene in a daze, her dim golden eyes suddenly shining bright. The anger, sadness, and regret in her chest surged like a rising tide, the silver magic of the moonlight crashing around her, quickly softening into countless threads that supported Little Sakura’s delicate waist.
Then, she instinctively moved forward, as if crossing distant years and a hopeless sea of flames, wrapping her arms tightly around the faint shrine maiden, and through the blurry tears, she saw the other’s smile just before the end.
At this moment, a sound like cracking glaciers echoed deep in her soul.
The Sea of Truth had already taken away her memories of Kirimi Miyuki.
Even after taking a long detour, through [Tenno-Gochu], she remembered the scene where the shrine maiden forged Levatin. The curse still clung like a shadow, making the images in her mind hazy again and again.
Chu Yuanqing remained silent, her flawless white hair falling over her shoulders, with a few strands covering her eyes, hiding her complicated emotions. Her expression returned to calm, as the silver magic turned into a dark red halo, trying to resist the power of forgetting.
In the pure white witch’s eyes, the pretty face of the Sakura Idol seemed to match that of the shrine maiden. She felt the real, soft, warm girl in her arms, just like the fleeting cherry blossoms, and she instinctively tightened her embrace. She reached out with her delicate fingertips and gently stroked the girl’s hair, as if she were caring for a fragile treasure.
Chu Yuanqing showed a complicated smile; she was both relieved and sorry as she whispered to herself.
"Miyuki, I’m sorry, I… forgot who you are."
"But I’m really glad to see you again and to know you are doing well in this new era. Thank you."
As these thoughts passed through her mind, the red-black magical power officially faded away, and the "slaughter of extinguished sins" was reluctantly released. The memories, which had some outlines, were buried again beneath thick fog, leaving only a faint recollection of the searing heat of fire and the intense feelings of self-questioning in her chest.
The shrine maiden’s figure was buried by fire, leaving only the unforgettable brilliance of Levatin.
Chu Yuanqing’s expression was blank for a moment, but then she quickly regained her clarity. She sighed in relief, having not forgotten that Kirimi Miyuki was a comrade and had even retained key information about the origins of Levatin.
This was the best news; the other small details didn’t matter much.
Thinking carefully, this seemed to be the first time in 17 years that she had retrieved a bit of memory from the Sea of Truth.
It’s mostly about luck.
"Levatin is special, so special that even in memories, it is wrapped in the power of fate. Especially at the moment it was born, its unique traits are at their strongest."
"So even though the curse took away the memories of Miyuki, because her birth is closely connected with Levatin, the curse couldn’t completely erase that part, leaving a flaw."
Chu Yuanqing sorted out her thoughts and found it too coincidental. She had four teammates, and besides Little Shu, who was her daughter, Xie Qingxuan and Kirimi Miyuki showed traits from the old days. The latter even reminded her of some memories.
What about Liuli? Could Liuli also be someone she knew before?
Although she had guessed before that, given the souls of her old friends, it was almost certain they would stand out in the "Dazzling Stage," she never expected they’d all come together so perfectly.
Chu Yuanqing sensed the smell of fate, or perhaps it was because she inherited the blessings of her old friends, creating an unbreakable bond, like two attracted substitutes drawn together.
Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility of planetary consciousness at work.
While Chu Yuanqing was using "Sending Off" to elevate dimensions, correct the world line, and confront the Sea of Truth, she had also noticed the almost dying consciousness of the planet.
Even though it cannot be compared to the great truth of the Sea of Truth, the collective consciousness of this planet still holds significant power. Going back to its peak, it could access information from the first playthrough, and it makes sense to intentionally gather the past "Hero Team" in New Game Plus.
Unfortunately, planetary consciousness lacks wisdom and exists only with an instinct for self-preservation like that of animals.
Otherwise, communicating with it would be much more efficient than talking to the Dream Weaver Rabbit; a simple chat could reveal the core problem.
At this moment, Little Sakura, fully aware, blinked in confusion. She felt the warmth of being embraced by the Pure White Witch and before she could feel happy, she remembered her previously skilled and smooth Kagura Dance and was greatly shocked.
What is happening? Could it be… that she is actually a dance genius?
Just by working at Hokkaido Shrine for a few days, could she completely grasp the essence of this and naturally recreate that sincere yet graceful dance?
But even so, it shouldn’t lead to suddenly doing the splits to perform the Kagura Dance while practicing a girl group dance!
The more Kirimi Miyuki thought about it, the more scared she became. A little increase in drawing ability or any strange changes could be accepted, but dancing was different; it affected her performance on stage and could easily put her teammates in a tough spot.
Little Sakura could hardly imagine that if she suddenly started to dance the Kagura Dance on stage, the audience would react explosively; probably, the CPU could overheat, and her idol career would come to an end at that moment.
"Are you awake?"
Chu Yuanqing looked at the girl’s confused little face, poked her cheek with her finger, and said:
"Now that you’re awake, tell me about your dreams and any strange things that have happened to you lately."
Kirimi Miyuki came back to her senses upon hearing this, and a strong sense of safety rose in her heart.
Oh right, Little Qing is a very powerful magical girl. If it’s about supernatural events, she will definitely have a way to solve it!
The girl thought of this and reluctantly got up from the soft embrace of Pure White Witch. She sat up straight like a child who had done something wrong, but because of her yoga outfit, her curves were very noticeable, and they looked nothing like a child’s.
Kirimi Miyuki didn’t even bother to put on a jacket; she said earnestly:
"I have had many dreams before at the base, but every time I wake up, I can’t remember them clearly. I only remember a lot of black snow, which suddenly came to mind after hearing Charlotte sing that song in the plaza yesterday."
"Also, that night I tried to draw what I remembered, and I found that my drawing skills became really amazing, almost as if it was printed. I was thinking about asking you about it today, but I just suddenly started dancing that dance."
Little Sakura felt very scared as she talked about this. She wondered if she was possessed by a ghost or if that strange creature had left something dirty on her, making her feel so strange.
After hearing this, Chu Yuanqing had a guess. It seemed that in the old days, Miyuki and Charlotte had a good relationship, and they most likely were part of the bonfire gathering, which is why hearing each other’s songs caused such a big chain reaction.
If that’s the case, maybe she should ask Liuli and Qingxuan. If they both reacted, then perhaps having Charlotte take her place could fulfill the promise made before the bonfire.
So, before she left, she could entrust both the little idol and her daughter to Charlotte, right?
This way, Little Shu would have her mom taking care of her, and Charlotte would achieve her dream.
The Pure White Witch was thinking about many things. She gently touched Little Sakura’s head with her soft hand and said to comfort her:
"Miyuki, don’t be afraid. It’s not a bad thing; there won’t be any danger."
"By the way, did you bring the drawings you made yesterday? Show them to me."
Upon hearing this, Kirimi Miyuki stood up and excitedly dug out a pile of drawings from her bag, spreading them out in front of Chu Yuanqing and said:
"Here, this is it."
Chu Yuanqing arranged them into a stack, held them in her hand, and murmured to herself:
"The Tenno-Gochu system, the Izanagi branch, are these all disaster beasts crawling out from the Underworld?"
"It seems these are some of the monsters that left the deepest impression on Miyuki from the old times; the designs of these weapons were meant to prepare for the task of Tempering of the Heart."
Kirimi Miyuki was on Dongliu Island, which was one of the most special forbidden places in the old era.
Dongliu Island is not like the Pure White Forbidden Zone of the King of Salt, which turns every living thing and material that comes near into salt; the people there live well, but they regularly face processions of evil spirits, slowly being harvested like livestock.
It is mentioned here that the Calamity God can grow.
If we say the way of growth for the King of Salt is through the continuous act of turning into salt.
Then, the Old Testament, which gave rise to gods and Archangels and is centered around the World Tree, extending into the whole form of Norse mythology, relies on a set of internal logic within the divine system to grow.
The[Tenno-Gochu], as the origin in Dongliu mythology, needs to build the so-called eight million gods using the fears, flesh, love and hatred, and beliefs of all Dongliu Island to create its own framework and reveal the body of the main god.
In this regard,[Tenno-Gochu] is very similar to[Youmir], both reviving themselves with the help of divine systems.
However, in terms of strength,[Youmir] is much stronger than[Tenno-Gochu].
When Chu Yuanqing fought against[Tenno-Gochu], Levatin was in its initial state, and Dongliu Island was almost completely dead, having already formed the body of[Tenno-Gochu], with its power very close to its peak.
In this battle, Chu Yuanqing first learned Levatin’s special life-burning technique—[Embers], then through hundreds of deaths, he reached a state of listening to the gaps of all things, glimpsing the rules of points and lines, and even elevated several Martial God Techniques before finally defeating this[Calamity God].
On the other hand, defeating[Youmir] seemed simple, as the other side only revived Odin, who was still some time away from his peak, and was completely defeated by Levatin, forged by the shrine maiden with[Tempering of the Heart], even accumulating double-digit[Calamity God] powers.
In summary, this led to a pleasantly overwhelming feeling.
It can be said that the former savior would postpone attacking[Youmir] until the later stages, which speaks volumes about many issues.
Chu Yuanqing felt like an editor reviewing a comic, flipping through all of Little Sakura’s drawings, and couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.
Even though the Sea of Truth had erased most of the traces from the other side, the weapons that played a huge role in the Disaster Wave battles in Final City and the main cities still left an impression in memory.
The wars of the old times were never just her stage alone.
Chu Yuanqing felt a bit nostalgic.
Although she could not remember her first meeting with the shrine maiden, since the other person belonged to the forbidden place of Dongliu Island and had forged many Mythical Armaments for the main cities using the "Tempering of the Heart," it meant that… she most likely brought the other person from Dongliu Island back to Final City a long time ago.
The information about Dongliu Island being a forbidden place came during the later part of the apocalypse. When this information was revealed, that area had truly become a place that one could only enter, but not leave. If it had been any later, the other person would not have had the chance to shine brightly in the outside world.
Chu Yuanqing gathered her thoughts and said softly:
"Miyuki, keep these designs safe, just tear up the rest."
To her, these blueprints were traces of Miyuki’s efforts to save the world, and it would be too regrettable to destroy them.
But there was no need to keep the other sketches. First, exposing them to Dream Weaver Rabbit would cause unnecessary attention. Second… these were originally the childhood shadows of the shrine maiden; what if keeping them gives Little Sakura nightmares?
Kirimi Miyuki nodded when she heard this. She obediently crumpled up all the sketches of monsters and threw the pieces into the trash can, feeling no sadness about it.
It only took half an hour to make all these drawings, so there was really no time spent, and Little Qing must have her own reasons for saying this!
Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment and continued speaking:
"I can guess what you’re going through, but don’t worry, just keep being as you were before."
Chu Yuanqing had also thought about being honest, but the connections and stories involved were too complicated, completely different from the reasons that could barely be explained when it comes to magical girls. Even if she spoke out, no one would believe it.
Moreover, even if Miyuki believed her and even remembered more things during the conversation, it might not be a good thing for her.
Whether it’s memories from the old time or crises faced in the new era, compared to the daily life she has in this world, it is all too heavy—a true turning point that would change her view of the world.
Four months, only four months left.
The collapse of the "pure white" will change the pattern of the world.
"The Dazzling Stage" has started to move faster. A talented competitor like Miyuki will soon learn some of the truth. Her time to shine on stage as an idol, filled with pure passion, is running out.
If that is the case, why tell her something heavier?
Is it just to make the other person remember Chu Yuanying, so that she feels less lonely in her life?
Chu Yuanqing is not that selfish. She would rather the other person never remember her than lose the happiness they have worked hard to find.
Kirimi Miyuki does not grasp the heaviness of it; she nods, showing she somewhat understands.
Since Little Qing is not saying anything, there must be a good reason. It might even involve a magical girl’s secret rule.
"I understand. Let’s go back. Everyone has probably finished their shower and is waiting for us to go eat together."
Little Sakura shows a pure smile, her pink eyes shining in the light.
Chu Yuanqing feels a bit dazed. She realizes it’s hard to see Kirimi Miyuki as just a simple junior like before.
This is a bit different from Xie Qingxuan; she still can’t remember what the golden retriever looked like in the old days, nor can she recall the past connection between the two of them.
But Kirimi Miyuki is different; her experiences and even the bond from the old days have partly awakened in the fire, slowly becoming clearer in her mind.
Even if the other person has no memory of the old days, the slight feeling of familiarity makes it hard for her to see the other as just a child. Even recalling those past moments feels like a new and complicated sensation.
If before, she always saw kissing Miyuki as a necessary task on the path to saving the world, with feelings of guilt, shame, and joy forced by their magic,
Then looking back at that moment now feels somewhat emotionally ambiguous.
This genuine feeling of betrayal towards Charlotte seemed to intensify her guilt, making her feel extremely ashamed, like a pure little woman caught in an affair, who begins to harshly judge and torment herself because of her conscience.
And at that moment,
Kirimi Miyuki didn’t think too much; just like always, she looked for a chance to get close and happily hugged Chu Yuanqing’s arm. But after a little while, she strangely noticed that Little Qing, who was used to body contact with her, had become very tense.
Little Sakura felt curious; she turned her face to observe Chu Yuanqing’s delicate features and leaned in closer, burying the other’s arm in her soft form. The rich scent rising from her body filled the air, making the atmosphere more and more intimate.
Chu Yuanqing pressed her lips together, seriously keeping her distance from Miyuki. Her fair face blushed a charming coral pink, making the sakura girl feel quite moved, even letting her eyes wander to those soft pink lips.
At that moment, Tang Liuli, freshly out of the shower, walked into the room and saw the scene of the two girls "facing off."
The green-eyed cat was drying her damp hair. She glanced at the Pure White Witch, then looked at the sakura girl, her little face suddenly serious.
In that moment, her astonishing talent triggered an instinctive reaction, sensing that something was off.
Did it feel like… the atmosphere between Little Qing and Miyuki had changed a little?
Could it be that the annoying sakura girl took advantage of her absence to sneakily kiss Little Qing?!
The girl’s eyes turned "fierce," and she couldn’t help but silently check the two girls’ feelings. To her shock, she found there was no lingering taste left; she didn’t have time to feel disappointed or puzzled, only sensing the looming threat of a version behind.
What happened? What did she do to Honey Qing?
Why… did it feel like Honey Qing’s feelings towards Miyuki had changed?
