Chapter Twenty-Three: Parting Ways

Chapter Twenty-Three: Parting Ways

Outside the door stood six newcomers. The other nine, including the burly man from the northeast, had vanished, and even Chu Xuan was nowhere to be seen. In other words, the group of twenty had split into two factions: ten whose whereabouts were unknown, and the other consisting of the seven veterans plus the six newcomers.

"It's now ten-thirty in the morning. Let's do this: we'll find a place to talk, and discuss in detail how we'll spend the next seven days. If there are no objections..." Zheng Zha retracted his submachine gun into his storage ring, about to share his plans with the newcomers, when he noticed everyone staring in shock at the second-floor window behind him. Their eyes brimmed with disbelief and terror.

Instinctively, Zheng Zha turned around. Behind the glass of the second-floor cabinet, a woman, deathly pale, lay pressed against the window, her black eyes locked onto Schuster who stood behind Zheng Zha. Those eyes—he could not describe what he felt; it was as if countless malicious grudges hid within them, cold, lifeless, terrifying...

When Zheng Zha came to his senses, he saw lightning crackling in Schuster’s right hand, and heard him muttering, "Clear skies without a cloud, the union of slow and swift! Obey the ancient pact of fire and electricity! Strike him! Lightning Bolt!" A flash illuminated the house, shooting towards the second-floor window.

With a thunderous crash, the window was blown apart. All eyes turned to Schuster.

He shrugged. "Missed."

"Let's get out of here! The Japanese police could show up any minute!" Zhang Jie suddenly exclaimed.

"You all should go. She'll attack us first—we're the greatest threat to her. Find a temple nearby; perhaps there’s a way to deal with her. But... be careful of her little ghosts. When the Lord God transferred us, it mentioned 'The Grudge,' not parts one, two, or three..." Before Schuster finished, Jing Chen loosed an arrow behind him.

A shrill cry rang out as a half-transparent, pale little boy—missing his left side—darted into the house.

"Go now! Don’t distract me!" Schuster roared, turning around.

At his words, everyone quickly departed.

"Is this really for the best, brother?" Jing Chen asked quietly.

"We were never meant to have much contact. As travelers from another timeline, it's time we went back," Schuster murmured, staring dazedly at the house before him.

"Even so, after so many days as comrades, it’s impossible not to have some feelings," Lolita said softly, equally lost in thought.

"Enough. Once we finish this, we'll go home." Schuster’s spirits brightened, as if he'd worked something out.

And with that, the group turned and walked away in the opposite direction from the reincarnators. None noticed that the communicator strapped to Schuster's left leg blinked briefly inside his pack.

Far away, atop a tall building with a clear view of The Grudge's haunted house, stood Chu Xuan, who had previously departed, accompanied by Arnold.

"Travelers from another timeline? Interesting people..." Chu Xuan mused, a communicator in hand.

Two days later

On another tall building, Schuster and his two companions gazed down below.

Below them, Zheng Zha’s group was chasing three individuals.

Jing Chen brushed aside her dazzling green hair, adopting a regal tone. "So this is what Chu Xuan said would happen on the communicator?"

"The ugliness of human nature. I’m grateful I’m no longer human," Schuster replied, looking down with disgust.

"You’re a demon—shouldn’t you be even more vile than humans?" Jing Chen retorted sarcastically.

Schuster swayed, nearly tumbling from the rooftop. After steadying himself, he gave a bitter smile. "I almost regret letting you exchange for Code Geass bloodline. When did you become so dark, little sister?"

"Want me to show you?" Jing Chen snapped back, drawing her weapon and aiming it at Schuster.

"No, let's pretend I never said anything," Schuster raised his hands in surrender.

"Enough, stop fooling around. Both sides are at a stalemate—let's move!" Lolita urged.

The scene shifted to Zheng Zha’s side.

A deafening bang sounded. The first man among Qun Zhong Ding's trio lost his left leg in an instant—a tremendous impact shredded it to bits. The force of the Gauss sniper bullet even dug a bowl-sized crater in the cement beneath him.

The gunshot stunned all three. The second man among Lu Ren Jia’s group reacted fastest, turning to grab Ming Yan Wei, the first woman among Ming Yan Wei’s trio, using her as a shield. He pressed his weapon tightly against her head, and beside them, Qun Zhong Ding collapsed, screaming in agony.

Seeing Zheng Zha’s group approaching, Lu Ren Jia shouted, "Don’t come any closer! If anyone moves, I’ll kill her... And the Buddhist scripture, Qun Zhong Ding! If they take one more step, crush the scripture you got at the temple, as mentioned earlier!"

Zheng Zha’s trio halted less than fifty meters from Lu Ren Jia’s group. Zheng Zha said coldly, "I have nothing more to say. Put down the scripture and I’ll let you leave safely."

Clutching his severed leg, Qun Zhong Ding howled, "Leave? Are you kidding?! You know how terrifying 'that thing' is? Without the scripture, we’d be better off killing ourselves! Damn it, why did you chase us? Why not let us take the scripture safely? You’re so powerful—why not let us weaker ones have it? What nonsense about leaving it in the hall for everyone to avoid! Clearly, you veterans want to monopolize it! Damn you all!"

As Qun Zhong Ding spoke, another shot rang out. The arm holding the scripture was severed at the shoulder, the limb and the scripture falling to the ground. Seeing this, Zheng Zha and Zhao Ying Kong rushed forward...

Thud—twice. An arrow exploded Qun Zhong Ding’s skull, pinning deep into the earth. Lu Ren Jia’s head was similarly pulverized. The two sprayed yellow, white, and red, unleashing a sweeping area attack, splattering nearby with mysterious commentary: "Author, are you sure about writing this? Yellow, white, and red can unleash area attacks? Author: Don’t worry, it didn’t hit you, so you won’t feel sick. Mysterious voice: Damn! Where’s your integrity?"

"An arrow? Is it them? That’ll cost them points, those three," Zheng Zha muttered, then turned toward where the arrow had come from, seeing nothing.

The scene shifted back to Schuster.

Supporting a pallid Jing Chen, Schuster and Lolita walked away.

"Come on, big sister Jing Chen, you’re exaggerating! My first kill wasn’t anywhere near as bad as you!" Schuster complained, watching her retch.

"Exactly, and it was a remote kill. I didn’t expect her to react this way. If she ever kills up close, it could get dangerous," Lolita added.

"You two have some nerve! You made me use Wind Arrow to shoot someone in the head—how could you even think of that!" Jing Chen retched again, then snapped.

"Uh, don’t you find headshots satisfying?" Schuster asked. Lolita nodded.

"Heavens! What happened to you after I left? Who taught you to be like this? When I get back, I’ll kill them!" Jing Chen shouted at the sky.

"No need. They’re already dead," Schuster replied, his voice a little low.

"What? Sorry, brother." Jing Chen, forgetting her trauma, hurried to comfort him.

"It’s fine. Let’s solve that crazy woman. The sooner we finish, the sooner we leave—too much time and emotions get tangled," Schuster quickly recovered.

"Alright! GOGOGO! Let’s fight the boss!" Schuster exclaimed, sounding like an over-the-top anime character, heading toward Kayako’s house.

Jing Chen and Lolita twitched at the sight of Schuster’s dramatic flair.

On another rooftop, Chu Xuan munched on an apple, watching Schuster’s group head toward Kayako’s haunted house. He murmured to himself, "Not human... a demon..."

Schuster’s group arrived at Kayako’s house.

"Who’ll take the first shot?" Schuster asked, facing the house.

"You go," said Lolita and Jing Chen in perfect unison.

"Fine. Triple output! Violet dancing dust, transform this place into the temple of the thunder god! Enhanced Temple of Thunder!" In an instant, all magical elements in the air forcibly converted to lightning. Such power would have been impossible for Schuster before, but thanks to a top-tier electrostatic field, he was unhindered by lack of energy.

"Condense and explode!" He opened his left hand, then clenched it. Lightning magic visibly gathered around Kayako’s house, then—

Boom! A deafening explosion reduced Kayako’s house to rubble. A small mushroom cloud rose.

A shrill, piercing scream echoed across most of the city.

A deathly pale woman crawled out of the ruins.

The final battle began...

PS: This is the last bit of my stockpile. No more left—feeling frustrated and lacking motivation. The next chapters may be watered down.