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Chapter 7 - Chapter 7

"What's going on here?"

"Everything was fine before—so why would His Holiness suddenly want to cast me out?"

Learning that the Pope of Shikon-den intended to expel him, Haruto Akiyama immediately felt a surge of anxiety.

He had traveled thousands of miles from the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect in the Heavenly斗皇城 just to reach Dōra-den City, all in search of methods for Spirit Evolution.

And the reason he had approached Bibi Tō?

It was to leverage her to achieve that very goal.

And now—he hadn't even succeeded yet!

There was no way he would leave so easily.

Yet, seeing that Haruto still refused to move, one of the temple warriors sneered and stepped forward, slapping him down to the ground.

A bright red handprint bloomed across Haruto's face.

The blow left his mind buzzing in pain.

"Haruto!"

Seeing the temple warrior strike him without warning, Bibi Tō cried out in panic, her heart aching.

Clutching her cane, she hobbled over and helped him to his feet.

"Stop hurting him! We'll leave on our own!" she cried.

With that, she hauled the dazed Haruto up.

Escorted by the temple warriors, they were led to the gates of Dōra-den City and expelled.

"Get out! Shikon-den will never welcome you again!"

After casting them out, the temple warriors' faces were cold and unsympathetic as they turned and left.

At the city gates, both guards and traveling spirit masters watched, murmuring and pointing at the two expelled figures.

Neither Bibi Tō nor Haruto Akiyama could tolerate it. They quickly moved away from the city.

"Bibi, what's going on? Why would His Holiness expel us? And what happened to your leg?"

Once they were a safe distance from the city, Haruto could no longer contain his questions.

Everything had been fine before—how could it suddenly turn into this?

And he still hadn't discovered the method of Spirit Evolution!

"Haruto!"

At that moment, Bibi Tō stopped, gazing at him with deep affection in her eyes.

"Haruto… do you remember what I told you?"

"I promised I would always be with you."

"If my teacher disagrees, I'll run away with you!"

"Actually… today, I spoke to him about it."

"What?!"

Hearing this, Haruto's face paled in shock.

Now he understood why they had been cast out.

It was because Bibi Tō had gone straight to Pope Chihiro Hayate of Shikon-den, demanding to be with him.

And when the Pope didn't agree, she threatened to elope anyway!

Haruto could only stare in disbelief.

Earlier, when Bibi Tō had first mentioned this plan, he had made it very clear:

He cared for her deeply and only wanted the best for her.

He had told her she wasn't ready yet, that she should wait a few more years.

Once he discovered the secret to Spirit Evolution and became a true Spirit Theory Master, he would return to the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect and formally request her hand from her father, Tōgen.

Of course, all of this was mostly talk—a stalling tactic.

He knew very well that, as a member of the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect, Shikon-den would never allow its most talented prodigy and Holy Maiden to be with someone from another faction.

He had thought that Bibi Tō's naive and trusting nature would make her easy to convince, and she might even be touched by his words.

But he never expected her to be so bold—she had gone straight to Pope Chihiro Hayate and told him everything!

And the Pope would never agree!

Haruto felt frustrated.

How could Bibi Tō, the esteemed Holy Maiden of Shikon-den, be so reckless? She had just destroyed all of his carefully laid plans!

"Haruto… I know you care for me and are thinking about my future," Bibi Tō said, her voice steady.

"You said I wasn't ready yet, that you weren't worthy, and that I should wait a few more years. But…"

"But I never thought that cultivation or talent would define someone's worth."

"In my eyes, you are exceptional. You are worthy of me."

"So I don't want to make you wait any longer!"

Her face radiated excitement, as though nothing in the world mattered except being with Haruto.

Listening to her words, Haruto felt touched on the surface, but a twinge of resentment and jealousy stirred inside.

Yes—Bibi Tō didn't care about talent or cultivation.

Who could blame her? She was a Twin Spirit Prodigy with innate full soul power and two top-tier spirits!

Had he possessed her talent, he could have been just like her.

"I thought that if I spoke to the Pope… no! That awful Chihiro Hayate… and declared I would rather die than be apart from you…"

"…he would, in the end, agree to let us be together," Bibi Tō said, gripping his hand tightly, her face full of anger and frustration.

"But I never expected that, even after he agreed… he would demand I repay everything I owed Shikon-den."

"He destroyed my cultivation, severed my left leg, and forcibly took my spirit bones."

"At the time, I even went to the Temple of Offerings, hoping the elders who had raised me would speak for me…"

"But they… were all in cahoots with Chihiro Hayate!"

Her words grew sharper, full of hatred and fury.

"Haruto! Now I finally understand. You were right all along!"

"Whether it was Chihiro Hayate or the elders of the Temple of Offerings… they only treated me well because I was a Twin Spirit Prodigy with innate full soul power."

"They never cared about my happiness. Otherwise… how could they have done this to me?"

Her fist pounded the earth with force, as Haruto watched, sweat dripping from his brow.

No… you really believe it?

He had only said all those things to win her favor and make their love seem pure and precious.

But he never thought she would actually believe him!

"Haruto!"

Her voice rang out again, startling him.

There was no denying it—he felt a pang of fear.

After all, her tragic fate had come from his deception.

If she realized he had lied… he was as good as dead.

"Haruto… you once promised me that no matter what the future held, no matter what I became, you would love me and stay with me."

"Now that I've left Shikon-den, without the title of Holy Maiden, without my cultivation…"

"…and even as a cripple… will you still stay with me?"

Bibi Tō summoned her courage, looking into Haruto's eyes, her gaze full of trepidation and hope.

(End of Chapter)

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