[Through several questions about herself and Tail, Huohuo discovered that these "Xueyi" in the mirrors either shouted about preparing to eat Mr. Tail, or knew absolutely nothing about her own blood sister Hanya, or went to extreme lengths to humiliate her own timidity.]
[But Huohuo knew that Xueyi had always understood her cowardice and had never harshly blamed her for it.]
["Tch, the Ten-Lords Commission doesn't care at all. You're the only one who cares so much." Tail looked away and huffed. "As long as you don't drag this great one down, be as cowardly as you want—this great one doesn't mind either."]
["Tai~l—" Huohuo smiled so brightly she practically melted.]
[Stelle saw right through Mr. Tail's tsundere, tough-talking act: "Actually, you two have a pretty good relationship…"]
[Tail immediately jumped up to retort: "What the hell do you know! Sigh… why are we even talking about this! What do we do now?"]
[Huohuo deduced there must be other mirrors. After looking around, they indeed spotted one on a floating island not too far away… though it was a bit distant…]
[Huohuo stepped onto the semi-transparent bridge. She glanced down below her feet and instantly felt her soul fly out in terror—her legs went weak, shaking like a sieve, and she could barely speak: "Uwaaaah~ C-C-Can I crawl across instead…"]
["You… you… I…" Tail sounded utterly exasperated, like he couldn't stand the disappointment. "Tch, get it together for this great one!"]
——
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
Tohru sat cross-legged on the sofa, her tail tip unconsciously tapping lightly against the cushion. Her golden vertical pupils were fixed intently on the screen, watching the trembling Huohuo.
"Mmm…" Tohru tilted her head, her dragon horns brushing against Kobayashi's shoulder. "Kobayashi, Kobayashi, this child is obviously really timid—why would the Ten-Lords Commission still hire her as a Judge?"
Though Tohru didn't agree with Cirrus's earlier attacks on Huohuo, the same question had taken root in her own heart.
Kobayashi took a sip of beer: "Tohru, I don't even understand what the bosses at my company are thinking—how would I know what the Ten-Lords are thinking? I don't think it's purely because of Tail either?"
"It's like our company—some people handle programming, some do front-desk reception, some handle business… Different personalities suit different positions. There must be plenty of strong and brave people in the Ten-Lords Commission, right? Maybe they just needed someone exactly like Huohuo?"
"Plus… she's got a tail that shoots flames!" Kobayashi's face was flushed from the alcohol. She suddenly hugged Tohru's thick dragon tail. "Tohru, when are you going to get one just like it?"
"If Kobayashi likes it, I can change into one anytime~ But before that…" Tohru blinked, picking up a chunk of meat from the plate on the table. "Kobayashi, open wide, ah~~"
Smelling that familiar meaty aroma, Kobayashi's alcohol-fogged brain instantly cleared. She rubbed her eyes and finally saw the indescribable muscle texture on the meat.
"Tohru, what kind of meat is this?"
"It's special treatment just for Kobayashi~ The raw material is, of course, your favorite—my tail~" Tohru opened her mouth and exhaled a gentle dragon breath to lightly sear the tail meat, releasing a faint charred fragrance.
"Look, flame-tail meat~ Haven't you always wanted some?" Tohru used the plate to cover her mouth, shyly twisting her waist. "I prepared this carefully—it's about time you accepted it, right?"
——
[After passing through the mirror and returning to reality, Xueyi was already waiting in front of the mirror for the group.]
[Xueyi instantly locked her gaze on Stelle, her eyes sharpening: "You didn't run into any trouble along the way, did you?"]
[Cirrus marveled at Xueyi's sharpness and simply revealed herself openly. After the group explained everything from start to finish, Xueyi slowly shook her head: "Worrying about Cirrus isn't the priority right now. Fyxestroll Garden has been dragged into an illusion by an even more powerful Heliobus. The Nether Envoys who went to suppress it have all lost contact."]
["Huohuo, if even I and Hanya cannot subdue that demon together, the heavy burden of dealing with it will fall on you."]
[Huohuo trembled even harder upon hearing this, shaking her head like a rattle drum. But Xueyi only smiled, saying that both she and Stelle had unique advantages—they each had a Heliobus residing inside their bodies.]
[A Heliobus cannot possess the body another Heliobus is attached to. On this point, no Judge in the Ten-Lords Commission could surpass her.]
["Huohuo, do not belittle yourself. After thirty-eight years of service to the Ten-Lords, you are already a qualified Judge. You should be more confident."]
[Facing the current predicament, Xueyi hoped to split the wrathful flame into countless fragments, then defeat them one by one and suppress them individually. Cirrus actually agreed with Xueyi's plan and offered to contribute a strategy of her own.]
——
Bleach
"Is this Cirrus trying to trick them again?"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya crossed his arms in disdain, giving the Heliobus a cold glance and letting out a sharp huff: "Sneaky and treacherous… Even without thinking hard, it's obvious she has ulterior motives. This should be reported to the Seat of Divine Foresight and informed to the General… Rashly cooperating with such a lowlife will probably backfire."
"Oh my~" Shunsui Kyōraku lightly lifted his hat, lazily leaning against a pillar. "That's true, but sometimes 'sneaky and treacherous' types are actually easier to control than 'upright and honorable' enemies, you know? After all… their goals are very clear."
"With a common enemy, a scheming Heliobus like Cirrus makes for an excellent temporary partner at this stage."
"It's just bargaining with a tiger." Hitsugaya spoke gravely, his gaze sharp. "If it can betray its own kind so easily, how could it truly cooperate with Stelle and the others? Who knows if this 'plan' she's talking about is just a trap for them?"
"Hehe, I understand your concerns, Tōshirō." Shunsui said lightly. "But think carefully—back when we faced Yhwach together, didn't Aizen also contribute greatly to that final victory—"
"…I know that." Hitsugaya frowned slightly, irritably cutting Shunsui off. Though he knew that man had contributed a lot to the ultimate victory, just hearing his name made Hitsugaya feel a twinge of displeasure.
Looking at the boy's slightly twisted expression, Shunsui smiled helplessly: "What I'm saying is… as long as the goal aligns, even former enemies can cooperate temporarily and be used. Besides, a lot of what Cirrus says can be treated as intelligence—and intelligence itself has considerable value."
——
["Everyone knows the story of the great Heliobus Blazing Prairie fiercely battling the general. It was the result of numerous Heliobi fusing into one."]
["However, each of us Heliobi carries the emotions and desires we absorbed from the hosts we possessed, and we mutually despise each other. None of us wants to fuse with another—like multiple personalities in one head constantly fighting."]
["But this kind of fusion is very fragile. Once stimulated by external force, the balance collapses easily—which is exactly why Blazing Prairie split into all of us after its great battle with the general."]