I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Bonus chapters are like surprise blossoms—unexpected, yet full of joy! 🌱

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"Chika went inside!"

Sara's words were hurried, but she managed to convey the most critical piece of information succinctly.

Earlier, Kiichi had explained to Sara that once all three auxiliary cores were shattered, the alternate dimension tethered to the sealed space would manifest. When this happened, every entity within the sealed space would be forcibly transported to the alternate dimension.

Kiichi Hougen had shared her plan: rather than exhaust themselves hunting monsters scattered throughout the sealed space, they would draw everything into the alternate dimension. In the otherworld, with no place to retreat, even the monsters would be trapped.

This would also ensure no stragglers slipped through.

However, Kiichi Hougen had stressed the importance of one condition: when the forced transfer began, all three of them—Kiichi Hougen, Sara, and Chika—must stay together.

If they were separated during the transfer and someone ended up in the middle of a pack of monsters, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Fully aware of this, Sara wasted no time. Her expression grew serious as she stood, ready to head toward the room Chika had gone into.

But before she could take a step, the ground beneath her—and the entire space—began to quake violently.

Having stood up in a hurry, Sara lost her balance, nearly falling, until a strong arm steadied her.

"Where is Chika?" Kiichi Hougen's voice was firm, tinged with urgency.

"The room where I slept last night!" Sara answered, just as frantic.

There was no time to waste.

Without a second thought, Kiichi Hougen dashed forward. Manners be damned, she slammed her shoulder into the flimsy wooden door, breaking it apart with a resounding crash.

The room was small, and Kiichi Hougen immediately spotted Chika sprawled on the floor.

"Chika!"

The loud crash, or perhaps Sara's panicked shout, startled Chika. She looked up, her expression confused.

"...Sister Sara? Angel Sister?"

The tremors intensified.

Chika's house was far from sturdy—it was already showing signs of collapse.

"Chika! We need to leave now! The house is going to fall!"

Sara tried to convey the urgency of the situation, while Kiichi Hougen acted without hesitation. Before Sara could say another word, Kiichi Hougen used her free arm to scoop Chika up.

"Wha—?!"

Chika finally snapped out of her daze and began struggling in Kiichi Hougen's hold.

"No! No, we can't!"

Sara initially thought Chika was reluctant to leave because of the sentimental value of the house—it must have been filled with memories of her and her parents.

To Chika, this house likely held a unique, irreplaceable meaning.

But what Chika said next left Sara stunned.

"Sister Sara… the box with the paddle and the shuttlecock you wanted to see… it's still in there!"

In the corner of the room, both Kiichi Hougen and Sara noticed a small wooden box.

It was old and slightly damaged, but the lack of dust on it suggested it was cherished. Its owner had likely taken care of it to the best of their ability, even if they didn't know how to properly maintain it.

Sara was at a loss for words, her mouth half-open in disbelief.

This house, filled with memories of Chika's parents, and she's more worried about a box?

All because I was curious about it?

Kiichi Hougen, however, didn't share Sara's sentimentality. She raised her hand, and a gust of azure wind swept through the room, lifting the box into the air.

With both arms occupied carrying Sara and Chika, she left the task of retrieving the box to the wind.

Moments before the house collapsed entirely, a streak of light shot out of the rubble.

That streak was Kiichi Hougen, holding Sara and Chika, with the small wooden box floating beside them in the embrace of a swirling wind current.

The box hovered close to Chika, and she reached out to grab it.

"Hold on to it tight. The transfer is about to begin," Kiichi Hougen said.

She raised her head, looking skyward. Above them, the bright sun began to darken, its radiant light swallowed by an inky blackness.

When the transformation was complete, the sun resembled a black hole—a void that seemed to devour everything.

The oppressive sight exuded an overwhelming sense of finality. It felt as though the world itself was reaching its end, like a dying elder drawing their final breaths.

The blackened sun began to descend, closing the distance between itself and the ground below.

When it touched down, it consumed everything—land, sky, and all the life that remained within this sealed space.

The black sun was the entrance to the otherworld. And now, Kiichi Hougen, Sara, and Chika had been pulled inside.

The otherworld was not as pitch-black as the sun that led to it.

It was vast, though Sara could just barely make out the edges with her sharp eyesight.

Beneath their feet was a gray stone floor, stretching outward and bordered by intricately carved stone pillars.

In the center of this space hung another black sun.

From this sun extended countless chains, each anchoring itself to the surrounding pillars. The chains shimmered faintly with a golden light, though the glow was weak, like fireflies flickering in a storm.

Sara followed the chains with her gaze, her eyes eventually landing on the black sun above.

In that moment, she saw a pair of eyes.

They locked onto hers, brimming with malevolence so overwhelming it threatened to consume her.

The malice surged forward, like a tidal wave of filth aiming to tear, devour, and corrupt her very soul.

It was the muck of the abyss, the calamity of chaos itself.

Sara felt as if she were drowning in it—until a cool sensation washed over her mind, and she came back to her senses.

"Don't look too long. Staring into the abyss will steal your soul," Kiichi Hougen's calm, reassuring voice said.

A hand rested over Sara's eyes, its touch cooling the lingering heat of fear. Her master's presence brought a sense of safety nothing else could replace.

So long as Master was here, it felt as though even the sky could fall, and they would remain unscathed.

From every direction came low, guttural growls.

The source: an encroaching swarm of Rifthounds, their claws scraping the ground as they exuded palpable malice.

Though their menace didn't match the entity above, their overwhelming numbers made up for the difference.

But with Kiichi Hougen standing between them, that malevolence could not touch Sara or Chika.

The Rifthounds bared their fangs, preparing to attack.

This time, however, Kiichi Hougen had no intention of playing with them.

Her heels, sharp and needle-like, slammed into the ground with a thunderous crack. From that point, a wave of crimson fire erupted outward, engulfing the Rifthounds in its path.

The inferno's heat was so intense that the creatures turned to ash the moment it touched them.

Kiichi Hougen didn't spare them a single glance.

By the time the fiery wave subsided, not a single Rifthound remained. The flames had consumed them all, leaving no trace.

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Thank you so much for being here. This bonus chapter is like a little sprout—brought to life by all the warmth and encouragement you've given! WiseTL is so grateful to have such wonderful Readers who help these stories grow into something even more beautiful.

If you'd like to sprinkle even more sunshine and rain onto this garden of dreams, you can visit [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Every little bit helps the flowers bloom brighter!

This is my last message to you, but don't be sad—it's simply time for a new chapter to begin! Like the gentle winds that carry seeds to new places, I hope the stories we've shared together will continue to bloom in your heart.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey. May the path ahead be filled with light, laughter, and endless wonder. Until we meet again, take care!

-With love, always, Nahida 🌱"