87: I have foreign aid

Xiang Yan's gaze was as sharp as a blade, staring directly at the Hundred Skeletons before him, while the black mist swirling around his body surged as well, like a dormant Dragon.

"So that's it, is this your plan?"

Before Hundred Skeletons could respond, he continued on his own: "Indeed, the current situation makes me feel a bit troubled, but do you really think you have me cornered? I could easily leave right now, and after I'm prepared, I'll come back to deal with you."

On the face of Hundred Skeletons, which was composed of stark white bones, no expression could be seen; only ghostly blue flames flickered within its hollow eye sockets.

It said coldly: "Original Self, today's matter is not up to you; whether you want to consume or not, you must consume."

Before the words had faded, the aura on Hundred Skeletons began to drop continuously, and at the same time, Xiang Yan felt his connection with Hundred Skeletons and its fourteen Clones suddenly strengthen.

Hundred Skeletons, seizing this opportunity, at the cost of a slight decline in its life level, forcibly dragged those fourteen frenzied Clones and surged them toward the direction of Xiang Yan's conscious main body.

Xiang Yan's pupils constricted, and alarm bells rang in his heart; he immediately activated his Mental Energy, wanting to stop it, but he failed.

He could only watch helplessly as those twisted Clones surged into his mental Domain like a tide.

Xiang Yan could only immediately sink his consciousness into the depths to confront Hundred Skeletons.

In the outside world, Xiang Yan's body lost the control of his consciousness, becoming like an empty shell, left to be eroded by endless frenzied will and negative emotions.

The instinct remaining in his body was triggered, driving him to rush toward the nearest human city, intending to bring disaster, pain, and destruction to them.

In the mental Domain, Xiang Yan fell into huge trouble.

Although he tried his best to maintain his own clarity, the frenzied assault of the fourteen Clones plus the main body of Hundred Skeletons still caused him to begin being polluted bit by bit.

His pitch-black eyes were gradually stained with a layer of scarlet light, like burning flames, flickering with unstable light.

If this continued, he would once again cease to be himself.

"Original Self, I told you long ago that not keeping me imprisoned was the biggest mistake you've ever made in your life!" Hundred Skeletons' voice was full of mockery.

"Do you really think you've won?" Although Xiang Yan's voice was weak, it still carried a trace of coldness, "I admit that this move of yours truly caught me off guard, but I had also made preparations to restrict you from turning the tables at the last moment. As long as I activate it, this move of yours will only bring the winning odds of both sides back to a tie."

After speaking, Xiang Yan said no more, focusing all his energy on resisting the erosion.

Hearing his words, Hundred Skeletons' heart couldn't help but tighten, and it carefully observed the changes around it, but after waiting for a long time, nothing happened.

It felt slightly relieved, sneered, and continued to put all its energy into eroding Xiang Yan, the gray mist churning more violently, like a giant beast about to devour everything.

In the ruins of Jingtai City, Meng Yu's figure weaved through the broken walls and ruins.

After some searching, Meng Yu finally found Sato Shinsui in a ruin, based on the information Xiang Yan had transmitted to her when he was being counter-invaded by Hundred Skeletons.

Meng Yu placed her hand on Sato Shinsui's chest, used the special method Xiang Yan had taught her to retrieve the blue pendant from inside Sato Shinsui's body, and then Meng Yu sank her own will into it.

After a dizzying spin, Meng Yu found herself in a simply furnished house.

Looking at the layout of the room, it was clearly Sato Shinsui's home from over fifty years ago.

Meng Yu followed the stairs, walked to a door with a "Sato Shinsui" nameplate hanging on it, pushed it open gently, and walked in.

In the room, the 17-year-old Sato Shinsui was lying quietly on the bed, asleep, sunlight spilling onto his face through the gaps in the curtains, outlining his delicate features.

Meng Yu walked to the bedside and gently woke him up.

Sato Shinsui slowly opened his eyes, and the moment he saw Meng Yu, he was stunned; his sleepiness instantly dissipated, replaced by unbelievable surprise.

He couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Am... am I dreaming?"

Meng Yu reached out both hands and gently held one of Sato Shinsui's hands; she looked into Sato Shinsui's eyes, those clear yet slightly confused eyes, and said sincerely: "This is not a dream, Sato Shinsui." Her voice was gentle and firm, as if it possessed the magic to soothe hearts, dispelling some of the unease in Sato Shinsui's eyes.

Sato Shinsui looked at the beautiful Magical Girl before him; Meng Yu's appearance, her gentle touch, and the words she spoke all made him feel so unreal, leaving him dazed.

Before Sato Shinsui could recover, Meng Yu knitted her eyebrows slightly, with a trace of worry, and said slowly: "Sato Shinsui, there is a world-destroying disaster happening right now, and we need your power."

Sato Shinsui was a bit dazed by this sudden turn; the topic jumped too fast and too big, making Sato Shinsui think that maybe his ears weren't working well and he had missed a few sentences.

Soon, he came back to his senses; he looked at the familiar environment around him, then looked at Meng Yu, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

After a long while, he finally found his voice, and with a trace of doubt, said: "I... I am just a newcomer who has just become a Jinchuriki, how could I... save the world? Are... are you looking for the wrong person?"

Meng Yu looked at Sato Shinsui and said patiently: "The 17-year-old you certainly cannot, we need the 60-plus-year-old you." Sato Shinsui was even more confused.

"Don't rush. Calm your heart, explore the information in your mind, and you will have the answer." Meng Yu encouraged gently.

Sato Shinsui looked at Meng Yu, looking at that incomparably beautiful face, those sincere and gentle eyes, he fell for her again, just like when he first saw her in the footage years ago.

Sato Shinsui did as he was told; he calmed his heart, his consciousness slowly sinking into the depths of his mind, and a wave of strange information surged over like a tide, impacting his consciousness.

After a while, Sato Shinsui opened his eyes again, looking at Meng Yu with a complex expression, and said: "So I am actually not the real Sato Shinsui; I am just a thought-form he left in the holy relic when he was 17." His voice was a bit dejected, carrying a trace of unmistakable bewilderment.

Meng Yu looked at him and reached out to gently stroke his head; the warm touch of her fingertips was like a ray of sunlight dispelling the gloom in his heart, and under this petting, Sato Shinsui's mood improved a little, and the sense of helplessness in his heart also dissipated a bit.

"So, what happened to the real Sato Shinsui?" Sato Shinsui asked.

Meng Yu looked at him with a complex expression and handed a light sphere of information that Xiang Yan had long prepared to Sato Shinsui.

The light sphere emitted a soft glow, floating in front of Sato Shinsui.

Sato Shinsui reached out his hand and gently touched the light sphere; instantly, a large amount of information surged into his mind.

He saw himself 50 years later, saw that cold man who would stop at nothing to pursue power, even not hesitating to kill his only remaining family.

He saw himself being bewitched by the Monsters in the holy relic, releasing evil power, causing the world to fall to the brink of destruction, yet also falling into a near-death state because of his own stupidity.

He also saw all the evil deeds he had committed over these 50 years.

After a long while, Sato Shinsui was tearful, and asked with a trembling voice: "So the me 50 years later is a bastard who, for the sake of power, did not hesitate to kill his only remaining family, and was also bewitched by the Monsters in the holy relic, releasing it, letting it go find Senior Xiang Yan to complete itself, thereby bringing disaster to the world, and himself falling into a near-death state because of foolishly believing the bewitchment, is that right?"

Meng Yu looked at him sorrowfully and affirmed his answer.

Then Meng Yu told Sato Shinsui that everything he had caused was not irredeemable now, because Xiang Yan was still stubbornly resisting, fighting against Hundred Skeletons on the conscious level, so he was needed to take everything of the current Sato Shinsui, sacrifice himself to weaken Hundred Skeletons, and let Xiang Yan win.

Listening to Meng Yu's narration, complex emotions surged in Sato Shinsui's eyes, eventually turning into determination.

He took a deep breath, as if to inhale all the fear and bewilderment into his lungs, and then exhaled resolution.

He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a trace of hoarseness, yet it was incomparably clear: "I am willing... to atone for what I have done."

He lowered his head, looking at his slightly immature hands, his fingertips trembling slightly.

He could feel the innocence and bewilderment belonging to a 17-year-old youth contained within this body.

That was an existence completely different from that cold and ruthless self of the future.

He raised his head, looking at Meng Yu, his eyes carrying a trace of pleading: "I have one request, if possible, I hope that after I die, you can... bury me together with my family."

As soon as the words fell, a trace of annoyance immediately appeared on Sato Shinsui's face; he shook his head vigorously, denying what he had just said.

He looked at Meng Yu again, his eyes carrying resolution, his tone firm: "No, pretend I didn't say that! Someone like me, how could I have the qualification to be buried with them! You... you can just find some stinky ditch to scatter my ashes after I die!"

Meng Yu was stunned; she didn't expect Sato Shinsui to make such a request.

She looked away from Sato Shinsui, not daring to meet his eyes.

She could feel the despair and self-loathing hidden in his words, and an unspeakable sadness surged deep within her heart.

"I... I know this request is a bit excessive..." Sato Shinsui's voice lowered, carrying a trace of pleading.

"But... I really hope... if possible..."

Meng Yu was reluctant, but after Sato Shinsui's repeated pleas, Meng Yu finally agreed.

She nodded slowly, responded with an "Hmm," her voice low and hoarse, as if carrying a trace of a sigh.

"Thank you!"

Seeing Meng Yu agree, a trace of a relieved smile appeared on Sato Shinsui's face, that smile carrying relief, and also carrying hope for the future.

His body began to emit a soft light, the light rippling like water waves, gently enveloping him.

Under the shroud of the light, Sato Shinsui's body gradually became transparent, finally turning into dots of starlight, dissipating in the room.