Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 191 Neighborhood Arc: "The Girls Driven to Desperation"

As Tonami Sie looked at Hijikata Masami charging forward again, her eyes grew even colder.

"Damn it... I shouldn't have chosen this madwoman as my opponent. I regret it so much... I should have given her to Sherry, who is better at ranged combat."

Regretting it, she moved her hands rapidly, and the war wheel, under her control, changed its attack trajectory once again.

While dodging, Hijikata Masami looked for an opportunity to counterattack.

"Got you!"

Suddenly, he spotted an opening, lunged forward, and thrust his knife straight at Rinpa Shiie.

Responding swiftly, Tobiha Shigeki dodged to the side, while simultaneously sweeping his battle wheel toward Hijikata Masami's arm.

Hijikata Masami winced in pain, nearly dropping his sword. But instead of backing down, he used the momentum to ram his shoulder into Tonami Sie.

Sie was knocked back a few steps, her steps faltering. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Masami Hijikata swung his sword again, this time with all his strength.

Li Bosai took a deep breath, concentrated, and the war wheel spun rapidly, forming a barrier.

"Haha! You've got quite a few skills! Although you're not as good as the boss and Rainbow Eyes, this time you can really have some fun!"

The blade clashed with the war wheel, producing a piercing sound. Spiritual energy surged around them, creating an atmosphere of extreme tension.

Since neither side can kill the other in a short time, this fierce battle will continue...

Meanwhile, on the other side, Kong Wu and Rion Yume were still frantically fleeing.

"Wow! Why are you still chasing me?!"

"I didn't! Whew..."

Why are you running?!

What are you chasing?!

"I didn't chase after him..."

The two little ones were wandering around the shopping mall. Perhaps because neither of them had any offensive capabilities, they looked like two lost children arguing.

Just as Kongwu and Rion were bickering and both thought they were safe here, a person vaguely emerged from next to the decorative dolls.

"Huh? I have a chill down my spine..."

"Phew, it finally stopped. Phew... Now that you mention it, it does feel a bit cool?"

As the shadows gradually cleared, a strangely dressed girl stood there. Her hair was brownish, and she was even thinner than Wuming. Most importantly, she was covered in bandages.

Because her whole body was wrapped in bandages or for some other reason, her gait was very stiff. Her clothes were the pajamas commonly worn by hospital patients, which seemed extremely appropriate in this eerie environment.

"Aaaaaaahhhhh—There's a ghost!"

Upon seeing the person emerge, both Sora and Rion exclaimed in unison.

The sound echoed in the corridor, but no one responded, only the strange man's gaze.

"As expected... it's best to deal with you now... turning you into a puppet is the most appropriate thing to do, Kiri Rionmu."

The strange woman spoke like a machine, word by word, in an unusually stiff manner. Because her whole body was wrapped in bandages, no one knew how she even began to speak.

"Huh? Wait...is this someone you know?"

Kongwu paused for a moment, then turned to look at Liyinmeng beside him.

But all I got in return was a puzzled look on my face.

"I don't know him at all."

"what?"

"I have no recollection of her at all. If she were a near-elf who was once my fan in the Ninth Realm, it wouldn't be impossible, but the strange feeling in her voice tells me that it's definitely not her."

Rion Meng spread her hands and analyzed the situation. Although she couldn't understand the situation, she could feel the murderous intent in her words.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Kiri Rine, ruler of the Tenth Domain. I am Frost Prochiz. May I kill you and then turn you into my ally?"

"Ha, you want to kill me and make me your ally? I'd be happy to be invited to be your ally, but it seems impossible, because I already have one."

Rion replied in a very carefree manner.

"Huh? Is that the important point?!"

"Isn't that so?"

"Of course not!"

"What should I do?"

"Run!"

Kongwu grabbed Rion's hand and ran away, with Forlus Prochshi in hot pursuit.

She moved extremely fast, and although her gait was stiff, it had an eerie quality, like that of a marionette.

Kongwu and Rionmu ran desperately ahead, feeling that Forlus Prochsis was getting closer and closer behind them.

"Ah, help me—!"

Suddenly, Rion Meng stumbled and almost fell, but Kong Wu quickly grabbed her.

"Are you... alright...?"

In that instant, Forlus Prochise caught up and reached out her bandaged hand to grab Rion.

Kongwu instinctively stepped in front of Rion, and just then, a familiar figure appeared, blocking their path. A flash of sword light severed Prochis's hand.

"Uh...who?"

"Hahaha! Luckily I made it in time! Although I gave up a prey that was almost in my mouth, it's not bad to kill a guy that I just don't like!"

The two looked up and saw Hijikata Masami, who was panting heavily and stood in front of them with a passionate expression.

"Huh? Oh! Miss Hijikata!"

"Hey, Rion, don't just stand there! We just happened to see it this time. We can't protect you if a fight breaks out, so run!"

Rion and Sora reacted and immediately turned to continue running. Hijikata Masami, meanwhile, faced off against Frost Prochise.

"Hijikata Masami? You actually protect... a pseudo-Elf that can be killed at any moment. That's rare. It's like a watchdog with its teeth pulled out."

"Oh! No, I just don't like you! You bandaged guy, let me chop you up!"

Hijikata Masami excitedly brandished his sword and charged toward Prochise.

"Slay it—[A Fallen God]!"

Prochis, not daring to be negligent, simply muttered, "We'll have to use other dolls." Then, he untied the bandage from his mouth and spat out a large number of dolls.

"Rotten away—[Invisible Finger]!"

Meanwhile, not far away, Rinpa Shige, who was leaning against the wall and clutching her abdomen which had been slashed open by the sword, was struggling to survive.

"Ah...ah, damn it, I shouldn't have chosen that madman Hijikata Masami as my opponent back then...it hurts so much, I was so close to succeeding...why can she suddenly grow such a fast sword strike?"

Silently murmuring, just when she thought the battle wheel could slit her neck, Hijikata Masami simply sheathed his sword, followed by an electromagnetic sword draw that was no longer visible to the naked eye.

The speed was so fast that if it weren't for the cry for help that had just distracted her, it wouldn't have just severed a few nerves in her abdomen, but would have cut her in half at the waist.

He recalled Hijikata Masami's murmur after sheathing his sword.

"Oh! It's Rion Yume! Well... this is a bit of a disappointment. But if she gets killed, the boss probably won't let me off the hook. I want to fight the boss, but it's not the right time yet."

As he said this, Hijikata Masami glanced at himself and then rushed toward the direction from which the sound came at an extremely fast running speed.

—As for Rion and Sora, who are currently on the run~

"Wow, Hijikata-san is amazing!"

Rion Yume ran while marveling at the sight.

"Never mind that for now, let's find somewhere to hide!"

Kong Wu pulled Rion Meng into a small alley, though to be precise, he didn't know why he was pulling her along.

But as soon as you enter, a faceless waiter doll walks out from inside.

"Oh! It's a waitress!"

"Oh, this looks a bit scary, and there's something off about the atmosphere..."

He took a step back without any warning.

The faceless waiter doll moved stiffly toward them, and as if on some command, suddenly pounced on Rionmu.

"Oh no! Why did she suddenly attack!"

Rion closed her eyes in fright, and Kongwu also panicked, but his body seemed to react instinctively, pulling Rion's clothes back by the same way Wuming pulled.

Just then, several more faceless waiter dolls appeared at the end of the path, blocking their escape route.

"No way... how... how come there are still some?"

Kong Wu stared wide-eyed at both sides; it could be said that the two of them were now practically strangers.