112: Chapter 112 Tuan'er's "Surprise" Deduction

Shimazu Hayato's trump card ultimate skill: [Life Reduction · Self-Sacrificing Offering (Passive): When a teammate dies, Shimazu can devour their corpse, permanently increasing his own maximum HP by 10% and attack power by 5%. When devouring the corpse of a Shrine Maiden, he gains an additional [Kagura Blessing]: Immune to the next fatal damage.]

It had already been used up. Just a moment ago, the strike from Mia's clone had already pierced his heart. If it weren't for the lingering warmth of the remains of the already deceased Shrine Maiden, Fujiwara Chiyo, he would have been a corpse on the deathmatch arena floor long ago.

Even if he were to sneak attack and kill Uesugi Ryosuke now to devour him, it would be of no avail.

Uesugi Ryosuke activated his curtain-call skill, [Final Form · Hundred Wastes Burial] (Ultimate Skill). It unlocks when HP is below 20%. Uesugi stabs [Karmic Fire] into his own heart, detonating all the vengeful spirits within his body. It deals indiscriminate AOE damage within a 50-meter radius (Base value = Max HP x 3), and he dies simultaneously.]

Accompanied by Uesugi Ryosuke's unwilling howl, the massive explosion instantly vaporized several of Mia's [Hundred People] clones. Mia, watching from behind, felt her eyelashes tremble. The number for the [Blood Debt Paid in Blood] mission displayed on [Soul Blade: One Person] changed from [3850 / 15000] to [3845 / 15000].

In other words, the cost of losing the clones could be replenished in similar national war instances, or instances where invaders occupy the Great Xia Kingdom background. As long as the corresponding number of Heroic Spirits' wishes for revenge were fulfilled, the souls in [Soul Blade: One Person] would continue to increase. One must know that there are far more than 150,000 compatriots who sacrificed their lives or were slaughtered on the battlefield.

This truly is a precious blade filled with slaughter; even after being purified into [Soul Blade: One Person], it still retains its murderous nature…

Mia did not let the clones of [Soul Blade: One Person] rush to execute Shimazu Hayato. Mia snapped her fingers lightly with her fingertip, and the one hundred ghostly blue clones ceased their offensive simultaneously.

They sheathed their blades with elegant postures, yet used intangible soul power to drag Shimazu Hayato's broken body before Mia. The thorns of [Blood Rose] grew wildly from the ground, weaving into a throne adorned with sharp spikes, perfectly supporting Mia's slightly reclining waist.

She crossed her right leg, wrapped in gradient silk stockings, and pressed her toe against Shimazu Hayato's bald head, which was stained with blood. "Rampaging in the instances for so long," Mia's voice was still as husky and sexy as ever, but it contained a coldness not usually present, "hasn't the Coordination Office or any righteous people from the civilian side come to sanction you?"

"Pfft… Hahaha!" Shimazu Hayato coughed up blood foam and threw his head back in wild laughter, his broken cervical vertebrae emitting a tooth-aching friction sound. "I thought you were some kind of demonic heretic; turns out you're just a naive idiot!" His murky eyeballs suddenly bulged, "Of course there were… that Shrine Maiden… Fujiwara Chiyo…"

The dying swordsman suddenly revealed a ferocious grin: "She wore her Shrine Maiden outfit to persuade us to turn over a new leaf, but now her outfit has been stripped off by a Yin Ghost, and her body has been worn by the Yin Ghost on its ghostly form! Except for that foolish monk Kukai, we have all tasted the Shrine Maiden's flavor…" His mangled left hand suddenly twitched as he made an obscene gesture, "Do you know what she looked like in the end? Her soul had its memories and humanity eaten away bite by bite by our Yin Ghost…"

"Enough." Mia's foot pressed down violently, and the crisp sound of cervical vertebrae snapping cut off the filthy language. She gazed at the bizarre expression frozen on Shimazu Hayato's face—that twisted countenance mixed with sadistic pleasure and strange mockery; even death could not erase this madness.

The mechanical voice of the Bugs Bunny referee sounded right on cue: "Deathmatch termination conditions met. Winner—Great Xia Kingdom 'Monster Squad'!" The red light curtain shrouding the arena faded away like ripples, and [Soul Blade: One Person] dissipated into silver quicksand in Mia's palm.

[Yazhou Adventurer, Heart-Eye Blade: I was wondering why the kind Shrine Maiden previously suddenly turned into such a lewd and vicious person? Damn it, it turns out she had long since been harmed by this bunch of scum. Tipped Mia 5000 points.]

[Yazhou Adventurer, Evil Must Be Slain: Another vicious group has fallen. The matter of the Shrine Maiden serves as a reminder to us; next time we go to persuade or eliminate evil, it's best to find a few like-minded Adventurers to go together. Tipped Mia 3000 points.]

[Tipped Mia points…] [Tipped…]

[System Announcement: Live broadcast ended, deathmatch concluded. Remaining Adventurers will be teleported out of the arena within 10 minutes, please be prepared.]

The red light curtain, specially reinforced by Bugs Bunny, dissipated. Mia deactivated the combat state of [Soul Blade: One Person], and the Tang blade, flowing with silver light, vanished from everyone's sight.

Just as she stepped off the arena, Tuaner crashed into Mia's arms like a cannonball. Those manga-like legs, clad in over-the-knee socks, wrapped around Mia's waist with practiced ease, and her fingers eagerly pried open the almost transparent lace collar at Mia's neck: "Where did you hide it? Our wealth code!" Her breath, carrying the fragrance of succubus blood, sprayed onto Mia's collarbone, "Can this 'drawing a sword from the chest' move be brought back to the present world? I even have the cosplay outfit… Ouch!"

Mia already had a special constitution, and when Tuaner drank her blood earlier, it had even triggered a strange resonance. Now, being molested by this crazy girl, her legs went weak, and she nearly fell to the ground.

Fortunately, Sister Loran steadied her, but Mia was already blushing furiously. She first gave Tuaner a flick on the forehead, "Are you part koala?"

Mia used all her might to peel her off her body. A breathless Mia turned her head and glanced at Ryan Nephalem, "Your reputation has been preserved."

Ryan Nephalem raised his hand to signal his thanks. Then he looked at Tuaner with curious eyes. "So…" Ryan Nephalem, lying on the recliner, suddenly spoke up, "Is this the 'surprise' you were talking about?" The entire room's gaze instantly focused on Tuaner.

Tuaner's expression began to turn serious. After hesitating for a moment, she said firmly, "Mia, have you ever thought that you might be the same as Lay Buddhist Erli, or, uh, have some similarities? The Original Owner is just a personality split off from your inner guilt…"

"Because, the last time I tried to attack him, the Paradise Lost System prompted me: Prohibited from attacking teammates—Mia!"

[Paradise Lost System prompt: Teleportation starting, preparing for post-battle settlement.] Amidst the stunned gazes of everyone, they all transformed into starlight and were teleported to the Paradise Lost settlement hall. It was the same pure white metal room as always, and the large screen on the wall was scrolling through the combat replay of this deathmatch.

Everyone, however, was not so concerned about this and gathered around Tuaner, waiting for the rest of her story. Tuaner felt a bit embarrassed under their gazes, "I've already said all the useful information; the rest is just speculation…"

Everyone kept staring at her. Tuaner swallowed hard, "I suspect that the current Original Owner is a second personality transformed from Mia's own inner guilt. Its purpose is to torture Mia after each instance ends, letting her use this to alleviate her sense of guilt over the possession and rebirth. If I have to find a basis for this, it's: why has he never thought about seizing control of the body? After all, it looks like he completely suppresses Mia."

Mia stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by [Jianggong Thunder]…