Ikezawa stared blankly. "Sparkle? How is Sparkle here? How could the System be Sparkle...?"
The first part of his shock stemmed from the fact that Sparkle was actually in this world. The second part was from the realization that the System could possibly be Sparkle in disguise.
Yet, he couldn't deny the sheer elation and utter "Sparkle-ness" of tricking a transmigrator into believing they had a System, only to manipulate them like a puppet.
Normally, anyone who'd been played like this would be furious, right? But as Ikezawa gazed at Sparkle before him, he found it hard to muster much anger, feeling mostly helpless resignation.
Perhaps it was because beautiful people were more easily forgiven, no matter what they did? Or maybe it was because he had genuinely liked Sparkle's character even before all this?
At that moment, Lü Heng emerged from the bathroom, his face etched with exasperation as he stared at Sparkle. "My little tormentor," he groaned, "can't you just give me a break? I'm really not gay!"
Technically, Sparkle had only been playing "jokes" and hadn't committed any actual crimes. Even as a government official, Lü Heng had no legal grounds to arrest her. Moreover, even if he wanted to, he stood no chance against her in a fight.
It's worth mentioning that Sparkle used to be a wanted criminal in the Sakura Nation. However, after the nation surrendered and became Sakura Prefecture, the warrant was rescinded.
Hearing this, Sparkle feigned disappointment. "But it was so much fun!"
Lü Heng gritted his teeth. "No, no, no! You're the only one who thought it was fun! I almost lost my dignity! Are you some kind of fujoshi?"
Sparkle shrugged. "Anyway, thanks for watching my movie and having such a great time today. Miss Sparkle will be generous and give you all a little gift."
Then, as if by magic, four Chibi Sparkle plush dolls materialized in her hands. She tossed one to each person present, even Li.
With a final wave, Sparkle's figure gradually faded away, accompanied by a series of crunching sounds.
Invincible Bro stared at his Sparkle plush doll, puzzled. "How can a disappearing act have sound effects?" He turned around and suddenly understood. "My chips!"
The freshly opened family-sized bag of potato chips that had been sitting on the living room coffee table had vanished right before Invincible Bro's eyes, disappearing in the exact same mysterious way.
After the strange "joke," the four friends exchanged glances, each reacting differently.
Li remained completely bewildered. Clutching the cute, soft plush doll, she couldn't resist hugging it and nuzzling her cheek against it. "That person gave me a gift, so they must be a good person!"
Invincible Bro, more concerned about his missing chips than anything else, patted Ikezawa on the shoulder sympathetically. "We've all been pranked before. Don't worry, I understand."
Lü Heng, ever the pragmatist, pressed for answers. "So, what exactly is going on?"
It took Ikezawa a moment to recover from his mental shutdown. The conversation, though brief, had been packed with shocking revelations.
Sparkle is in this world too? Well, considering we already have Robin and Elysia, adding one more Sparkle to the mix doesn't seem too far-fetched.
That movie, "The Final Lesson," was actually directed by Sparkle?! Okay, Sparkle did visit the Honkai 3rd world out of kindness. It makes sense she'd find it fun to adapt the story into a film.
Finally, Ikezawa explained, "Right after the movie ended, a System suddenly popped up in front of me. You know, the kind transmigrators usually get."
Lü Heng's lips twitched. "So, you're here to hit on me?"
Ikezawa replied, "Hey, don't blame me! It's all part of the System Mission. You guys understand, right? Completing it gets me a reward!"
Lü Heng sighed. "Yeah, I get it."
However, Lü Heng's understanding wasn't one of sympathy; it was born of personal experience. "After all," he said, "I have a System myself."
Ikezawa blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
Invincible Bro looked equally bewildered. "What the hell?"
Lü Heng shrugged. "Just like how Invincible Bro got his 'Data Vision' Super Ability from a Dimensional Rift, and Shu Cat got his Chat Group from another, I got my System from a Dimensional Rift Incident when I was a kid."
Ikezawa's confusion deepened. He scrutinized Lü Heng from head to toe. To be honest, if they fought right now, Ikezawa would utterly dominate. After consuming the 'Divine Meat' in the Beast-Eared Girl World and receiving its enhancements, his physical capabilities already surpassed those of ordinary Evolvers. Not to mention, Lü Heng's raw strength wasn't even on par with an average Evolver's.
Lü Heng explained, "I'm serious, I'm not lying. My System is called the 'Villain Cultivation System,' and its initial mission is to kill my mentor, Captain Zhong."
Lü Heng could never bring himself to do it. When he was a child, he had nearly been killed by a monster that emerged from a Dimensional Rift. But then Zhong Wanhong had appeared like a hero descending from the heavens, stepping in front of him and slaying the creature.
Blood splattered across Zhong's body, dyeing him crimson and making him look like a god of war, impossibly handsome. At that moment, young Lü Heng etched the scene into his memory, making it his lifelong ideal.
He, too, wanted to become someone who saved others—a brave, handsome, and powerful savior.
Having been saved himself, he yearned to save others.
Then, like a protagonist destined for greatness, Lü Heng unexpectedly gained a "Super Ability"—a System—during the Dimensional Rift Incident. But this System turned out to be strangely paradoxical.
Even after ten years, the System's Newbie Quest remained incomplete.
For Lü Heng, completing the quest would unlock the System and grant him formidable power. But what did it matter?
"At least the System isn't entirely useless," Lü Heng said. "Maybe to prove it works, or perhaps to tempt me, it unlocked the Shop feature early, allowing me to purchase items with Sin Points. I occasionally do petty things, like secretly squeezing lemon into Yu Lin's water cup, which earns me a fraction of a Sin Point. After saving up, I bought the cheapest physical enhancement available."
Lü Heng turned to Ikezawa. "So, buddy, you need to understand—contentment is key. What's meant for you will come to you eventually. What isn't, no matter how hard you strive, will remain out of reach. Cherish what you have now."