Chapter 86: The mastermind behind the scenes is someone I know?

Seeing Charlotte effortlessly ignore her Pain Diffusion, Zhong Shuixi’s fighting spirit wavered.

‘That person… is she really that strong?’

‘No wonder Senior lost to her!’

With that person here, there was no way she could ensure Senior left this world satisfied.

‘Did I really lose just like that?’

No, it was too early to give up.

She still had one ultimate trump card left.

And that was…

Zhong Shuixi suddenly flipped the silver dagger in her hand and stabbed it hard toward her own heart.

If her heart stopped beating, the resulting pain diffused by her superpower would surely stop Charlotte’s heart as well, and it would not resume beating for at least ten minutes.

A body with no heartbeat for ten minutes was practically dead.

This move was called—Life and Death Synchronization.

‘Senior, I’m sorry. For your sake, this is all I can do.’

Zhong Shuixi closed her eyes tightly as she stabbed her own heart, quietly welcoming her death.

However, the expected pain did not come.

Zhong Shuixi opened her eyes in confusion and was horrified to see that Charlotte had rushed in front of her, blocking her silver dagger with her own slender right hand.

The silver dagger pierced clean through Charlotte’s palm, and blood slowly trickled down the blade and dripped onto the floor.

But because of this, Charlotte was able to tightly grip Zhong Shuixi’s hand, preventing her from driving the dagger into her heart.

Seeing this, Zhong Shuixi’s eyes widened in shock.

Even Yukina, who was watching from not far away, gasped. She wondered if her brother had studied Ninjutsu in the other world, since she was stabbed through the palm and didn’t even flinch.

“Let go of me quickly!” Zhong Shuixi tried to struggle, but no matter how much she struggled, Charlotte held her hand tightly.

“You bastard! You not only charmed Yukina, making her forget the brother who cared for her, but you’re also stopping me, who’s taking Senior’s place to punish her! I must make Yukina remember who protected her, cared for her, and made her the center of their world! This woman is the one who made him act crazy! It’s all because of you!”

Zhong Shuixi struggled to shake off Charlotte with her free hand, completely unaware that tears had flooded her face.

“Stop it, Zhong Shuixi!”

“I-I won’t!”

“Zhong Shuixi!”

Charlotte remained silent, and Yukina simply watched from the side, seemingly waiting for something.

“Huh? You’re telling me to let go of the silver dagger?” Zhong Shuixi looked at Charlotte, who was tightly pressing her down, confused.

How else could she punish herself? How could she punish Yukina?

“No, that must be it. It’s only because Charlotte doesn’t know why I am acting so strange.”

“If she knew why I ended up like this, she wouldn’t do this, would she?” Zhong Shuixi suddenly asked Charlotte.

Zhong Shuixi expected Charlotte to deny it, but Charlotte only looked up with her purple eyes, staring intently at Zhong Shuixi, and then nodded softly.

‘Did Charlotte know something too?’

“Then tell me why I became like this?” Zhong Shuixi asked anxiously.

“I have a premonition. I know why you became like this, it’s just… I can’t say it yet…” Charlotte hesitated, then whispered. 

“A premonition?” Zhong Shuixi frowned.

“You did this just based on a premonition? Did you consider that your actions might kill me, and even kill Yukina?”

Zhong Shuixi felt she completely misunderstood her. She was truly a weirdo.

“You, why are you doing this?” Zhong Shuixi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and asked again.

“I don’t know. I just felt I should do this…” Charlotte shook her head, then whispered.

‘What was she thinking?’

Zhong Shuixi felt like she was going to be driven insane by this woman.

“I know why you became like this…” Charlotte’s voice trembled slightly.

She then lifted her head gently, and her purple eyes were slightly teary.

“It’s because of me…”

“What?!” Zhong Shuixi exclaimed.

She hadn’t expected Charlotte to say something like that.

‘She…….she said it was because of her?’

“You, what do you mean?” Zhong Shuixi asked anxiously.

“I, I don’t know how to explain. I just…”

“You, speak up!” Zhong Shuixi urged.

“I, I don’t know how to explain. I just… I just felt… I just felt…” Charlotte’s voice became softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

“What the hell are you talking about!” 

“I, I…” Charlotte’s tears finally fell. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

She lunged into Zhong Shuixi’s arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

“I, I, I don’t know how to explain. I just… I just…”

“……….”

Zhong Shuixi looked at Charlotte in her arms. She didn’t know what to say.

She could only gently pat Charlotte’s back and softly comfort her.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Tell me what’s wrong. I’m listening.”

“I, I…” Charlotte’s voice was small. She spoke intermittently. 

Zhong Shuixi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She knew she couldn’t get angry now. She had to stay calm. She couldn’t let Charlotte affect her.

“I can’t let him be forgotten so easily! Even if it costs my life, I’ll make Yukina regret everything she’s done!”

Zhong Shuixi’s body trembled slightly as she tried to use her words to strengthen her resolve.

Charlotte, meanwhile, remained silent, quietly listening to Zhong Shuixi’s grievances.

“Is that what you truly want to do? You’re pointing a sharp weapon at the friend you’ve always cherished, all for the sake of a person who is no longer here? Are you kidding me? Didn’t you treasure your friendship with Yukina? Didn’t you wholeheartedly protect this friendship? Just because one person died, the friendship you valued the most is being thrown aside like a rag? What was all your effort over the past few years for, then?”

“An insignificant person? How dare you call Senior an insignificant person? If it weren’t for Senior’s help, I probably wouldn’t have my own thoughts, and my relationship with Yukina would have stagnated, never moving forward. I will never forgive you for dismissing all of Senior’s hard work in protecting us with just a few words!”

“I didn’t teach you to let a buried person dictate the rest of your life!”

“Eh?”

“Since your Senior helped you find yourself, he must have wanted you to live your life your way, without worrying about what others think! So, are the things you’re doing now truly what you want to do? Do you want to spend a bright, sunny tomorrow with Yukina, or spend a lifetime overshadowed by the gloom of your Senior? Did your Senior truly want you to do this? Stop this self-indulgent foolishness! This absurd farce needs to end, Xiaoxi!”

Saying this, Charlotte suddenly slammed her forehead against Zhong Shuixi’s nose, knocking her backward. Zhong Shuixi stumbled and fell to the ground.

The silver dagger tightly gripped in Zhong Shuixi’s hand was instantly snatched away by Charlotte.

“If your Senior were still alive in this world, seeing you like this, he would only be deeply disappointed! Because you never truly stepped out of his shadow. He helped you find yourself, but he never meant for you to be consumed by his world! Everything you’re doing now is undoubtedly trampling on his wishes. Is this really what you want to do?”

Under Charlotte’s torrent of scolding, Zhong Shuixi’s emotions completely shattered.

Undoubtedly, those were the words her Senior would say to her.

Zhong Shuixi saw the shadow of her Senior’s angry, scolding face in Charlotte. Tears burst uncontrollably from her eyes.

“Senior… Senior… I’m sorry… I was wrong… I’m so sorry for disappointing you…”

However, before she could finish her confession, Zhong Shuixi’s eyes rolled back. She fainted on the spot, completely losing consciousness.

“Xiaoxi!” Charlotte quickly rushed to Xiaoxi’s side, checking her condition.

After all, she had continuously cut herself with the dagger to use her power and was at risk of severe blood loss.

After a thorough check, Charlotte confirmed that Zhong Shuixi was not in any immediate life danger.

However, at that moment, a cloud of black energy suddenly emerged from Zhong Shuixi’s body and quickly darted out of the Kendo Club.

Seeing the black energy appear, Charlotte’s face filled with rage.

Ignoring the injury on her right hand, she immediately chased after it.

“Yukina, I’m leaving Xiaoxi to you!”

“Eh?” Yukina’s face was utterly astonished.

“You want me to take care of Xiaoxi, who just tried to kill me? What the hell are you thinking, brother?”

But Charlotte had no time to explain.

That black energy was undoubtedly magical power.

Zhong Shuixi’s awakening of such a terrifying superpower must be connected to this magical power. Perhaps she, too, was misled by the mastermind, which is why she acted out of character and pointed her weapon at her best friend.

‘Who is it?’

After running out of the Kendo Club, Charlotte ignored her promise to Yukina and immediately took to the air, flying across the school grounds.

After flying over a cluster of trees, she finally found the mastermind.

On the roof of the teaching building, a tall, blue-haired man wearing a demon mask took out a small bottle and poured the freshly acquired magical power into it. A smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

“I can’t believe I managed to accumulate so much energy in just one day! That child truly is a genius Esper! If I had given her a little more time, I might have filled the entire bottle!”

“Ngh!” Yukina stared at the scene in utter shock.

Although she didn’t understand why her brother wanted her to take care of the Xiaoxi who had pointed a knife at her, her brother’s words made some sense.

“Brother, why did you make such a strange decision?”

Charlotte landed on the rooftop of the teaching building.

“It was you who was causing trouble behind the scenes! Unforgivable!” Charlotte flew up to the rooftop, swung her broomstick, and glared fiercely at the man.

“Oh? You found me this quickly? As expected of the Esper who easily defeated this child. Your perception is quite sharp!”

Seeing Charlotte fly onto the rooftop, the man showed no surprise. Instead, he looked completely at ease, as if he believed he could fight Charlotte to a stalemate.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why? Hehe, don’t you think it’s an interesting story to manipulate someone into backstabbing her best friend?” Saying this, the blue-haired man spread his hands confidently like Camus, smiling smugly.

“Who asked you that? I asked, what do you plan to do with all the magical power you’re collecting?”

“What? Magical power? How do you know I’m collecting magical power?” Hearing Charlotte suddenly say the word “magic,” the blue-haired man was briefly stunned.

“Wait a minute, why do you look so familiar?”

The blue-haired man scrutinized Charlotte.

Suddenly, he looked terrified, as if he had seen a nightmare that had plagued him for years. He staggered backward.

“What? Why are you here? You bastard! Wasn’t it enough that you tormented me so badly in the old world? Are you going to interfere with me in this new world too? Damn it! If I had collected enough magical power, I wouldn’t let you get away with this today!”

Leaving those incomprehensible words, the blue-haired man casually waved his hand, and a void rift appeared behind him.

Seeing this, Charlotte was shocked.

“There’s no doubt. That’s the effect of cross-world magic.”

“Hmph, I’ll let you be smug for a few days! I’ll get my revenge for the grudge from twenty years ago!”

With that, the blue-haired man slipped into the void rift, vanishing along with it.

“Hey!”

Charlotte wanted to chase him, but it was too late. The void rift had disappeared.

At this moment, countless questions churned in Charlotte’s mind.

‘Who was that man?’

‘Why was he also in the real world?’

‘And what was the “grudge from twenty years ago”?’