I loaded the geek game

Chapter 872 The clusters of red spider lilies bloom, a place where I find peace.

“There probably isn’t any.” Kamiya took a step forward and stood side by side with the white figure of Kensuke Yuki. He looked at the flowing river and said softly, “If you cast your line here, you’ll probably only catch a demon.”

"That's such a pity."

"Ah."

Kamiya's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile that could barely be considered a genuine smile.

He should have said something more, but all the words stuck in his throat, turning into a burning, hard lump.

On the contrary, Kenshin Yu remained as carefree as ever: "Kid, don't make that face. I'm here waiting for you, prepared to hear you say some words of admiration and respect. After all, I'm pretty formidable, right?"

The white shadows swayed, and the spider lily he leaned on swayed gently as well, its delicate petals spreading softly in the wind, like a kind of unspoken yet understandable comfort.

"Yes...very impressive," Kamiya replied in a low voice.

“That’s right, a mere mortal like me defeated an invincible god. As for you, you can’t count, you can’t be considered a mortal.” Uncle Jiecheng said seriously.

"actually, I……"

Kamiya took a deep breath; the damp air from the flower field carried a bloody, sweet scent. Now was the time to be honest with Mackenyu Yuusaki and tell him everything.

But Jie Cheng simply shook his head: "No, there's no need to explain. I can't possibly be stupid enough to believe that you're just a disciple of the Demon God. Kid, you're different from me. You're destined for great things, and you've been doing remarkable things all along. No matter what you do next, I believe my judgment will be sound. I have that much confidence. Since I took a high-ranking position in the Countermeasures Office, I've never misjudged anyone."

He paused, then his tone suddenly became serious: "Kid, can I ask you for a favor?"

"You said."

"Take care of Xiao Lie for me. And please tell her I'm sorry, I don't think I can stay with her anymore."

"No, you have a chance. You should tell her yourself. Xiangyue is Yama, the demon of the underworld. Now that the order of the Sanzu River is being restored, Xiangyue can help you reincarnate."

"Hehe, it seems I still have a chance to go back to the outside world." Jiecheng laughed loudly.

"Kid, you know what we're like, right? Our world is terrible. Demons roam everywhere, and people die all the time... And even in times like this, those politicians in the countermeasures office are still most concerned about their votes. I've had my share of humiliation from them. Oh, and damn it—even the grilled sausages at the convenience store have gone up to 400 yen recently."

"But I really love that world. After all, no matter what happens, the cherry blossoms bloom in spring, the cicadas sing noisily in summer, and in autumn... well, autumn is the best. In Yokohama's harbor, the fish are abundant in autumn, and the sea bass and mackerel caught are plump and delicious. It's so good... so good... If I could go back, what would I have to complain about?"

"I don't remember you ever being this artistic before," Kamiya said with a smile, accompanying Mackenyu Yuuki.

"Then you underestimate me. Let me think... um..." Kensuke Yu's words were cheerful, but the weakness in his voice could no longer be concealed. "The red spider lilies bloom in clusters, which is the place where I rest in peace... Kid, how about it? Pretty cool, right?"

"what."

Suddenly reciting a haiku or something, how arrogant.

Kamiya turned his head, only to see the spider lily beside him swaying weakly—

The thin, silk-like petals curled up, like embers slowly consuming the interior. The damp wind blowing from the great river lifted them up, and the delicate red petals finally broke free from the stem's constraints, like several pieces of red silk shattering at the same time, rising into the wind and drawing pale red trails in the air.

Immediately afterwards, the blurry white soul attached to the spider lily also dissipated, turning into only a few wisps of fluorescent light that floated into the sky.

"Kid... I'm counting on you from now on..."

……

The crimson spider lilies, as red as blood, sway in the wind of the underworld, layer upon layer, stretching to the horizon.

Amidst the surging waves of flowers, several figures appeared and disappeared.

The Yatagarasu spread its jet-black wings, took flight, and stirred up a gust of wind carrying petals. She glanced at Kaoru Kaoru, who nodded slightly, her form transforming into a wisp of fragrance that gently brushed across the sea of ​​flowers. Wherever the fragrant breeze passed, the spider lilies swayed, creating crimson waves, as if making way for her.

The soul of Shinken Yuu was too deeply corrupted by the power of the Ugly Woman of Izumizu to remain in the Sanzu River for long. Now that his last wish to see the Kamiya River has been fulfilled, the girls of the underworld must guide him towards the cycle of reincarnation.

The Yatagarasu disappeared into the gray sky, and the fragrance of Kagetsuka gradually diffused at the end of the sea of ​​flowers.

All that remained were Mary, Hannya, and Onizuka Kirihota.

Mary stood silently amidst the sea of ​​flowers, her red and black dress fluttering in the wind, the hem almost blending into the surrounding spider lilies. She gazed at the silhouette of Kamiya River in the distance, her glass-bead-like eyes trembling slightly.

“...He’s laughing,” she said softly, her voice ethereal as if it came from a great distance, “but he’s not happy.”

She took a step forward, her hard-soled boots crushing a few fallen petals as she tried to walk towards the Kamiya River. However, Hannya and Onizuka Kiri Hotaru reached out at the same time, grabbing her wrists from either side.

“Let him stay alone for a little while longer,” Prajna said softly, her voice beneath the mask even gentler than usual. “Just a little while, then we’ll go back to him.”

Onizuka Kiri Hotaru didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly, her fingertips tightening slightly.

Mary stopped, remained silent for a moment, and finally slowly retreated to her original spot.

……

Riverbank of Sanzu.

The River Styx surged and churned, countless souls rising and falling in its dark currents, their sobs drowned out by the ceaseless roar of the water. Kamiya stood on the bank, his black haori soaked through by the moisture rising from the river, the fabric hanging heavily, water droplets dripping from the hem and pooling at his feet.

He didn't move, but just silently gazed at the river.

A few seconds later, he slowly bent his knees and sat down directly on the cold, wet riverbank, letting the mud seep into his clothes.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled cigarette box.

The cardboard box was soaked in blood, long since dried to a dark brown, with several finger marks remaining on the edges. He opened the lid and pulled out a broken cigarette.

With a gentle flick of the fingertip, the tobacco ignited spontaneously without a flame, its tip glowing a dark red light that stood out starkly against the gray riverbank.

Kamiya himself didn't smoke; he simply lowered his eyes and gazed at the wisp of smoke. Then, he bent down and gently placed the burning cigarette beside him—there, a cluster of newly withered spider lilies was turning into fine red dust, scattering away with the wind.

"...Don't smoke this kind of stuff anymore, it's bad for your health."

He spoke in a low voice, his voice, which had just been able to cheer up and laugh, now sounded hoarse and was broken by the howling river wind.

The tobacco crackled and burned in the humid air, quickly becoming soaked by the mist from the Sanzu River. The sparks struggled to flicker a few times before finally fading away. The blue smoke twisted and rose, mixed with the lingering smell of rust, damp, cold, and pungent, making Kamiya's eyes swell.

He raised his hand, pressed his knuckles against his brow bone, and pressed down hard.

"Damn...it's really choking." (End of Chapter)