Meanwhile, the residents of Hitogashima Island thought this was just another peaceful and tranquil morning like any other.
Alain Kofune, the father of the Kofune sisters and the only foreigner on the island, opened his door and stretched with a long yawn, watching the rising sun on the horizon as he let out a heavy sigh.
"Where have Ushio and Mio gone... they haven't come home all night. They couldn't be with that Ye Xing... but that wouldn't explain all three of them together... and they just met..."
Just as Alain Kofune was hesitating whether to go find the island's police officer and report the situation, he saw Mio Kofune approaching from the distance.
"Mio?"
Alain Kofune hurried forward to meet her, first sighing in relief before quickly asking.
"Where's your sister? You didn't come home all night—where have you been?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing Alain Kofune's words, Mio Kofune tilted her head as if puzzled and murmured to herself.
"Why... my sister and I should be home at this time in the morning... staying out all night... why has this change occurred..."
At that moment, Alain Kofune suddenly saw another Mio Kofune appear in the distance, shouting anxiously at him.
"Father, stay away from that thing!"
Before Alain Kofune could react, the Mio Kofune standing before him suddenly flashed a cold light in her eyes, her right hand, which had been resting at her side, drawing a gleaming blade from her clothing.
"Found you."
Shadow Mio Kofune moved with ghost-like swiftness, darting before Mio Kofune and raising her right hand with the blade reversed, aiming to strike the face identical to her own.
"Mio!"
Hearing her sister's voice, Mio Kofune wanted to evade, but as an ordinary girl—despite daily swimming and exercise—she found herself frozen with tension in this critical moment, unable to move even a step.
"Yahallo~"
Just as the blade in Shadow Mio's hand was about to pierce Mio Kofune's face, her wrist was suddenly seized.
Hearing this unique, cheerful greeting, Shadow Mio glanced to the side to see a girl with peach-pink hair in buns, wearing light lip gloss, and with an exceptionally cute appearance that radiated lively sweetness, standing beside her and smiling playfully.
"No fighting allowed."
Meanwhile, Ushio Kofune, who had followed closely behind, stared in stunned silence at the girl who looked exactly like her, even mirroring the same expression of bewilderment.
"You're... the shadow version of me?"
In an instant, two pairs of identical Kofune sisters appeared. Even their father, Alain Kofune, was utterly confused, unable to grasp what was happening.
Noticing Shadow Mio's flickering gaze and the shadow at her feet moving in stark contrast to her body—as if attempting escape—Yui Yuigahama maintained her sweet, gentle smile, but her words sent a chill down the spine.
"Don't even think about running, or I'll kill you."
From the grip on her wrist—not painful but impossible to break—Shadow Mio understood clearly that this sweet-looking, slightly gyaru-style girl indeed possessed the ability to eliminate her in an instant.
"Consider yourself lucky."
Yui Yuigahama sighed softly and spoke with earnest gravity.
"If Miko were handling this instead of me, you'd be in for a rough time. She isn't as gentle as I am."
Then, gazing at Shadow Ushio and Shadow Mio before her, Yui mused thoughtfully.
"But just as Ye Xing said, you two are acting completely contrary to the behavioural patterns of shadows."
After numerous time reversals and with the assistance of analytical minds like L, Light Yagami, and Rio Futaba, the members of the Supernatural Society had largely deduced the choice Rikka Sakuragawa would make on the final timeline.
It was nothing more than using Izanami's power to transform over a hundred residents and tourists on the island into psychics.
Rikka Sakuragawa didn't know that Ye Xing had retained his memories from the very beginning. Because Ye Xing always appeared at the same time on the same day without altering his patterns, it created the illusion that she still had time to prepare for the final confrontation.
As for her manipulation of Masahito Karikiri to seize Hiruko's left eye and transplant it into the eye socket of Izanami—the soul's true form—Ye Xing was naturally aware of that as well.
Since Rikka Sakuragawa's goal is to transform all residents of Hitogashima Island into psychics, Shadow Mio's recent actions clearly contradict this plan.
And Shadow Ushio is even more so.
Her recent actions weren't like Shadow Mio's attempt to kill and replace the original, nor was she helping Shadow Mio. Instead, she seemed to be trying to prevent Shadow Mio from killing the real Mio Kofune.
"It seems... you don't want to disappear, right?"
Hearing Yui Yuigahama's words, Shadow Mio remained expressionless and spoke calmly.
"I don't care what orders Mother has given. Since she's telling us to willingly die, she's no mother in my heart anymore. I just want to continue existing, no matter how many humans or shadows I have to kill to make that happen."
To Shadow Mio's surprise, Yui Yuigahama actually nodded upon hearing this.
"I can understand your feelings. After all... you already exist in this world, and from what I know, you haven't killed any humans until now. We could allow you to continue existing."
Then Yui Yuigahama's tone shifted.
"But have you considered that even if you kill the real Mio, you'll still disappear when we eliminate Hiruko, since you're a shadow split from her? This isn't a solution."
As the Supernatural Society's diplomatic and image ambassador, despite Yui Yuigahama usually appearing ditzy and not particularly intelligent, her exceptionally high emotional intelligence stood out among the society's group of problematic girls like a crane among chickens - almost as if she were from another dimension entirely.
She didn't deny Shadow Mio's desire to continue existing, but went straight to the point, telling her directly that killing the real Mio Kofune no longer mattered given the current situation.
Because the source of all shadows, Hiruko, would be eliminated before sunset today.
"But if you're willing to follow our plan... no... both of you..."
Yui Yuigahama looked at Shadow Ushio and Shadow Mio before her and spoke slowly.
"Perhaps both of you could continue existing in a different way."
Shadow Ushio and Shadow Mio exchanged glances, their expressions complex.
Although Shadow Ushio had been hiding in the shadows without attempting to kill the real Ushio Kofune, that didn't mean she didn't want to continue existing.
Once born into this world, even shadows want to survive.
Shadow Ushio was an anomaly among all shadows. Whether due to mutations during replication or to Ushio Kofune's unique nature, unlike Shadow Mio, who defied Mother's orders to act for herself, she couldn't hear Mother's voice at all.
This was information Ye Xing had confirmed during his time reversals.
And although Shadow Mio didn't possess the ability to retain memories, she wasn't foolish either. She knew that Hiruko had performed countless reversals until this moment when her power was exhausted, and she could no longer reverse time.
Why had she reversed time so many times?
Having failed so many times in confronting the enemy.
To expect success this time?
Don't be ridiculous.
From a rational perspective, switching sides would be the wiser choice.
"Why?"
Shadow Mio stared directly into Yui Yuigahama's eyes, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Why... would you allow, even help, both me and Ushio to continue existing?"
"On one hand, if we let you continue existing, you might become two important assets. On the other hand..."
At this point, Yui Yuigahama's expression turned complicated as she shook her head helplessly, speaking as if making a sarcastic remark.
"Probably because our captain is a pervert."
...
Meanwhile, in the police duty room on Hitogashima Island.
Due to the small permanent population, there was only one resident police officer on the entire island - the man named Tetsu Totsumura, who appeared somewhat frivolous and had already been converted once by Rikka Sakuragawa in a certain timeline.
"The weather's so hot..."
Tetsu Totsumura picked up a magazine featuring swimsuit models, fanning himself as he admired the pictures, tugging at his collar.
"This damn weather makes me not want to move at all."
Just then, a bizarre and unnatural female voice suddenly echoed in Tetsu Totsumura's ear.
"Embrace your truest desires... then, submit to me..."
"Desires..."
Tetsu's will wasn't particularly strong, just as Rikka Sakuragawa had tested in over a dozen previous timelines - all it took was a single whisper from Izanami to complete this guy's conversion and control.
But the next moment, something unexpected occurred.
With the sound of shattering glass, before the floating Izanami, who was in the process of conversion, could react, she felt a chill on her neck.
Kazusa Touma, holding Juzumaru Tsunetsugu in one hand, used her other hand to grab Izanami's severed head that hadn't yet dissipated, staring directly into the other's eyes that glowed faintly red beneath the swirling mist, speaking word by word.
"Do you remember me?"
"This time, you have nowhere to run."
...
Meanwhile, Rikka Sakuragawa, who was at the Hitogashima Shrine, sensed at that moment that her soul's true form, Izanami, had been slain, her expression instantly changing.
"How could..."
She reformed Izanami beside herself, asking in a slightly panicked tone.
"What exactly happened? Why were you suddenly killed? Who did it?"
"That tall girl with long black hair."
Hearing Izanami's description, Rikka Sakuragawa's pupils contracted in shock, unable to believe it.
"H-how... how is this possible... Why would she come... Why again today... This... this can't be..."
Rikka Sakuragawa had originally thought that having a full four days would be completely sufficient to convert every resident of Hitogashima Island into psychics and that she could even attract more people to the island by manipulating the residents.
Moreover, beneath the entire island, just like with Shitennō-ji Temple, they had buried an astonishing amount of explosives. Using the information gap created by her cursed immortality from eating mermaid flesh, she had turned this island into the burial ground for Mask.
But why?
Why had the timing moved forward? And... even that black-haired girl she had seen last time had appeared on this island...
Rikka Sakuragawa instinctively sought to sense the fluctuations in spiritual power on Hitogashima Island.
The moment she did, her expression froze completely.
Unlike before.
Now, from every direction of Hitogashima Island, came extremely intense, completely unconcealed spiritual power fluctuations.
It was as if, in this single moment, over a dozen powerful psychics had suddenly appeared on the previously empty Hitogashima Island.
"How could this be..."
At this moment, Rikka Sakuragawa was like a player who, after challenging the final boss dozens of times through save scumming, believed she had perfected her strategy, fully stocked her supplies, and was absolutely certain she could clear the stage this time - only to discover upon facing the boss that its level had jumped from LV30 to LV99, accompanied by over a dozen enemies that weren't supposed to appear.
What made her despair even more was...
Her save file opportunities as a player had been completely exhausted.
Checkmate.
"No... there's still a chance."
Rikka Sakuragawa took a deep breath and immediately stood up, heading towards the underground cave.
"As long as I completely devour Hiruko... I still have a chance..."
...
Somewhat later, inside the underground cave.
Hearing steady, unhurried footsteps approaching from the distant entrance, Rikka Sakuragawa sat in the spot where Hiruko had previously been seated. Her originally pale yellow pupils had now transformed into the same bright red as Hiruko's, complemented by light purple eyeshadow that created an eerie, chilling beauty.
"Mask..."
Seeing those black pupils that had appeared before her through over a dozen time reversals, Rikka Sakuragawa spoke softly.
"You... also possess the ability to retain memories through time reversals, don't you?"
"You figured it out."
Ye Xing chuckled in response, step by step approaching where Rikka Sakuragawa sat.
"Except, you don't get another chance."
"Is that so?"
Facing Ye Xing's gradual approach, Rikka Sakuragawa merely rose slowly from her seat, her face showing no discernible emotion.
Yet Ye Xing noticed that the surfaces of her slender, pale forearms kept cracking repeatedly - healing completely between breaths as if the cracks had never existed, only to reappear again, continuing this cycle endlessly.
Blood from Rikka Sakuragawa's wounds dripped from her fingertips onto the ground, making ticking sounds like a leaky faucet.
"You devoured Hiruko..."
Ye Xing shook his head as he observed these abnormalities in Rikka Sakuragawa's body.
"Your physical constitution can't support such powerful spiritual power. If not for the mermaid flesh curse granting you immortality, your body would have completely collapsed by now."
Hearing him reveal her secret of immortality, Rikka Sakuragawa's eyes finally showed some fluctuation. Gazing at Ye Xing from three or four meters away, she asked softly.
"Who... are you really?"
"Want to see? Doesn't matter anymore."
Ye Xing smiled indifferently as the black mask on his face vanished.
The moment she clearly saw his true face, Rikka Sakuragawa first froze momentarily, then shook her head with a wry smile as if remembering something.
"So it's you... Ye Xing from Kyoto. I once read your reports about the Sunny Doll Killer incident and your views on Mask. Originally... I intended to transform you into a psychic."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because..."
Rikka Sakuragawa gazed directly at Ye Xing's face and let out a soft sigh.
"I can't find it, nor can I even begin to guess what kind of desires someone like you might possess. With your excellent academic performance, outstanding appearance, strong-willed personality and behaviour, and even being in a club where all other members are female, you're practically the perfect high school student."
"Or perhaps..."
Rikka Sakuragawa's tone shifted as she lowered her voice.
"Deep down, I've long had an inkling of your true identity, which is why I never attempted to convert you..."
"No matter. You can still satisfy my desire now."
Ye Xing waved his hand with a smile, but as he finished speaking, the smile vanished, and the mirth in his eyes faded, leaving only a calm statement.
"My desire is to completely erase Rikka Sakuragawa from this world."
"Why must you oppose me?"
Rikka Sakuragawa sighed again. Her calm expression and eyes created a deep sense of dissonance with her face, which was slightly twitching and contorting from the pain of her body being on the verge of collapse while constantly repairing itself.
"A world so filled with desires and evil thoughts... it would be better destroyed sooner rather than later..."
"Stop whining."
Ye Xing interrupted impatiently.
"I can't be bothered reasoning with you. I'm stronger than you, so the future of this world should be defined by me. And I prefer this world to maintain its current state - that's reason enough for me."
"So... I truly cannot shake your resolve..."
Rikka Sakuragawa shook her head, her red eyes suddenly gleaming with a bright light.
"But now, having exchanged endless pain and torment for this power, I am stronger than you."
"Domain Expansion: Pathway to the Underworld."