90: Eternal Bliss Cult

Eriri was completely stunned. Shiyu's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, sending ripples through her chaotic thoughts. Yes, Tomoya had changed too much—not just his distant attitude, but his entire aura had become unfamiliar and... dazzling. This could never be explained by a simple "I don't want to make games anymore."

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Eriri raised her eyes warily.

The corners of Shiyu's lips curled into a meaningful arc as she said softly, "Nothing much. I just think that as companions who were unilaterally 'abandoned' by him, we at least have the right to know the truth. After all, the 'Game Appreciation Society' hasn't been officially disbanded with everyone's consent yet, has it?"

A surge of inexplicable courage rose from the bottom of Eriri's heart. That indignation, those worries, and the burning curiosity quietly ignited by Shiyu intertwined into a force in her chest. She nodded vigorously, her blonde hair swaying. "You're right... we can't just give up without knowing why!"

The two weeks of tailing that followed quietly eroded the two girls' patience and determination. Every day after school, they turned into clumsy detectives, hiding in the shadows of corners, behind telephone poles, or blending into the bustling crowd of students, following Aki Tomoya's back from a distance.

However, the results were incredibly frustrating.

His route was as regular as clockwork: classroom → shoe locker → school gate → home. Along the way, he no longer lingered in bookstores or stopped in front of game shop windows as he used to; his steps were hurried and determined, as if something were chasing him from behind, or as if some urgent goal ahead were calling to him.

"Home again... straight home..." Eriri crouched at a street corner, watching that familiar figure disappear into the apartment building entrance. She punched her knee in frustration. "Has this guy really turned into a total model student of the 'Home-going Club'?!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha leaned against a wall, her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly. She didn't wear her disappointment as openly as Eriri, but her tightly pressed lips and the flash of irritation in her eyes betrayed her unsettled mind. This excessively regular routine stood in stark contrast to the obvious transformation in Tomoya, making it seem all the more suspicious.

"It's too clean..." Shiyu muttered to herself. "It's almost like a peace that's been meticulously polished."

"Hmm? Shiha-senpai, what did you just say?" Eriri asked, looking up.

"Nothing." Shiyu straightened up and smoothed her skirt. "I was just thinking that if someone is intent on hiding something, then maintaining such a flawless facade might be the biggest flaw of all."

"But we've followed him for two weeks! We haven't found anything!" Eriri was almost at her breaking point. "Could it be that he really treated us that way because... he's just tired of it?" The thought sent a sharp sting through her heart.

Shiyu glanced at her indifferently, offering no comment. She didn't believe it. The Rinri-kun who once had light in his eyes for his ideals and had brought everyone together at any cost could never show such a complex and resolute expression just because of a casual "I'm tired of it." Something must be happening beyond their sight.

"Tomorrow, we continue," Shiyu said with an air of finality that brooked no argument.

"We're still continuing?!" Eriri let out a groan.

Fortunately, a turning point arrived quietly the next day—Aki Tomoya's trajectory finally changed.

The two exchanged a look, surprise and anticipation flashing in their eyes. Was the truth right before them? Had he found more suitable partners? Or had he truly abandoned the dream they once shared? They didn't dare relax, their gazes locked onto the figure ahead as they followed quietly.

The path gradually veered away from familiar neighborhoods. Pedestrians became sparse, while the buildings on either side grew increasingly elegant and luxurious. They seemed to have entered an area where the wealthy gathered. Eriri had some impression of this place; coming from a well-to-do family, she lived in a similar community. However, despite being developed early, this area had few residents. Rumor had it that an unfortunate incident had occurred years ago, and people in the same circles felt the place was unlucky.

Despite their doubts about Aki Tomoya's purpose here, they chose to remain in the shadows and continue their pursuit.

However, after turning a corner, his figure vanished into thin air.

At the same time, two hands lightly tapped their shoulders.

Startled, the two spun around to see a smiling young stranger standing behind them. His smile seemed gentle, but his tone carried an air of unquestionable authority:

"Ladies, this area isn't very safe. Please leave as soon as possible."

Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha turned simultaneously to face this young man who had appeared out of nowhere, smiling yet firm.

His words were less a suggestion and more a gentle eviction order. However, these two girls—one a stubborn and persistent Genius artist, the other a sharp and perceptive writer—were not characters who would be easily frightened away.

A flash of indignant anger immediately crossed Eriri's deep blue eyes. She was Sawamura Spencer Eriri; when did she ever need to follow a stranger's orders? Danger? She didn't care at all about what this sudden newcomer said, and she certainly wouldn't leave obediently just because of a vague warning. All she could think about now was the vanished Aki Tomoya and the truth about to be revealed; anyone standing in her way seemed suspicious and meddlesome.

In contrast, Kasumigaoka Utaha appeared much calmer, but beneath that calm was a deeper scrutiny. She keenly caught the key phrase in his words—"not very safe." Instead of scaring her, it acted like a spark of inspiration, confirming her previous suspicions.

If this place truly was "unsafe," then why would Aki Tomoya, who was meticulously maintaining a facade of "absolute safety," come here? Behind this glaring contradiction must lie the answer they were seeking. Even if there really was danger ahead, she was determined to see for herself the truth that had caused such a massive change in Tomoya.

The two quickly exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other's intent—they could not give up now.

Eriri tilted her chin up, leading with her signature, almost arrogant stubbornness. "We're just passing through and were just about to leave," she said, trying to brush him off with a perfunctory excuse.

Shiyu took half a step forward, a playful and distant smile appearing on her face. Her tone was casual but carried a sharp edge. "Thank you for the warning, sir. But what exactly does 'not very safe' mean? In broad daylight, in such a well-planned neighborhood, are there really secrets that can't see the light of day?"

She didn't confront him directly but instead asked a clever counter-question, expressing her unwillingness to leave while also trying to fish for more information. Their cooperation was seamless—one pretending to comply while stalling, the other launching a verbal probe—both with the single goal of staying to uncover the truth.

Eriri's stubborn response and Shiyu's sharp counter-question didn't seem to cause a ripple in the young man.

Facing their overt and covert resistance, he didn't argue, nor did he say another word.

His only response to them was a crisp snap of his fingers.

"Snap."

The moment the sound fell, an invisible force swept over the two girls' minds. The anger in Eriri's eyes and the scrutiny in Shiyu's gaze dimmed instantly, like candles blown out by the wind. Their eyes became hollow and vacant, as if they had lost focus. Their bodies turned around unconsciously and obediently, and they began to walk back the way they had come, like two exquisite dolls programmed with a set routine.

The young man quietly watched them leave until he was sure they were far enough away and showed no signs of hesitation or waking up. Only then did he turn around. His gaze shifted toward the corner where Aki Tomoya had disappeared. His brow furrowed imperceptibly, and he muttered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of faint confusion:

"A Repelling Barrier was clearly set up in this area... how did two 'ordinary people' wander in this time?"

The barrier he spoke of was meant to isolate the area, sealing the "abnormality" within. And the core he was guarding—or rather, monitoring—was related to a name that had recently surfaced: the Myriad World of Ultimate Bliss Cult.

This emerging cult, spreading like wildfire, had attracted a significant number of followers in just a month or two. Its doctrine sounded deceptively persuasive: it advocated enjoying life with a calm mind and preached that there was "no need to force yourself to endure anything painful or unpleasant." This simple promise, which directly addressed the spiritual plight of modern people, provided a harbor for weary Souls and allowed the cult's influence to expand rapidly.

Initially, the Special Affairs Department—the agency responsible for handling supernatural incidents—didn't pay it much attention. Although the cult was growing fast, its activities seemed limited to spiritual guidance and a certain degree of illegal fundraising; it hadn't crossed the line into using followers for extreme sacrifices or causing mass casualties. To the Special Affairs Department, which was always short on manpower and resources, there were more pressing threats to deal with.

However, the peace had been broken recently. A series of inexplicable disappearances began to surface. After futile investigations by conventional departments, all clues pointed vaguely toward this seemingly peaceful Myriad World of Ultimate Bliss Cult. The cases carried an extraordinary aura that conventional methods could not handle, so the case files were once again transferred to the desks of the Special Affairs Department.

Faced with these sudden and bizarre events, the understaffed Special Affairs Department found itself in an awkward position. All senior members were busy with other missions. Out of necessity, a decision involving both risk and opportunity was put on the agenda: dispatching several interns who were still in their probationary period to go undercover and investigate the cult.

The young man who had just turned away was one of the contacts for this infiltration mission. He took one last look at the corner where the two girls had disappeared before his figure slowly dissolved into the shadows deep within the barrier.

Deep inside the Myriad World of Ultimate Bliss Cult, the atmosphere was entirely different from the outside world. The air was filled with a tranquil fragrance, and the soft lighting seemed meticulously designed, falling upon the well-tended space. At the center of all the light, the focus of all the followers' gazes, was the Cult Leader seated above.

He looked exceptionally young, with a face so handsome it almost transcended gender, rivaling any popular idol of the day. His well-tailored, fashionable clothing made him appear even more radiant. However, the most striking features were his hair, as clean as white oak, and those... incredibly bizarre eyes.

The irises of those eyes were a dreamlike rainbow of colors, each hue blending softly into the next, as if containing all the emotions and secrets of the world. They were breathtakingly beautiful yet deep enough to inspire fear. If a follower or visitor dared to look into those eyes for too long, they would feel their consciousness being drawn into a slowly rotating vortex. Everything around them would gradually blur until only those eyes remained—eyes that saw everything and promised ultimate bliss, causing one to sink in unconsciously and lose the will to resist.

He simply sat there quietly, a compassionate and transcendent smile on his lips. The aura of the entire space centered on him, forming an absolute Domain that was both sacred and eerie.