"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law! Tell me more about that 'phone' thing! Can it really send people's voices really, really far away?"
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law! Can I borrow your purple fire to roast this sweet potato? I want to see if it'll taste like grape flavor!"
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law! When are you going to fight Zankuro again? I didn't get to see clearly how you turned him into sparkles!"
Her innocent charm and occasional "bold remarks" never failed to make Cloud chuckle.
Nakoruru, meanwhile, gave all her tenderness to Cloud.
She prepared three meals a day for him, brewed his tea with spring water fragrant with nature's essence, and when he grew tired from "teaching," she would massage his shoulders with her soft little hands.
The way she looked at Cloud was always so gentle, so focused—as if her entire world had narrowed down to him alone.
One night, beneath a sky brilliant with stars.
By the sacred lake of Divine Village, a bonfire crackled and popped.
Cloud, Nakoruru, and Rimururu sat side by side, gazing at the endless stars reflected on the lake's surface.
"So beautiful," Cloud sighed with genuine feeling.
This tranquility and beauty—he had never experienced anything like it in the KOF world, that city filled with conspiracies and conflict.
"Yes." Nakoruru gently rested her head on Cloud's shoulder, her voice soft as a dream. "If only... we could stay like this forever."
"Sister..." Rimururu watched this tender scene from the side, her small face flushed, eyes filled with a hint of envy.
Cloud felt the warmth and trust emanating from his shoulder, and something stirred in his heart.
He knew there were certain things that deserved a clear answer by now.
He turned his head to look at Nakoruru's breathtakingly beautiful face, so close he could count her eyelashes, and the love in her eyes that seemed impossible to dilute.
He said nothing. He simply, slowly, lowered his head.
Nakoruru's eyelashes trembled violently for a moment, then she obediently closed her eyes.
In the glow of the bonfire, witnessed by the countless stars above, their lips gently met.
Rimururu, watching from the side, felt her face instantly flush crimson. She instinctively covered her eyes with her hands—but couldn't help peeking through her fingers, her heart pounding wildly.
The kiss ended.
Nakoruru's face had turned as red as the evening clouds. She shyly buried her head in Cloud's chest, too embarrassed to lift it again.
"From the KOF world to here... Nakoruru, thank you for always being by my side." Cloud gently stroked her long hair, speaking softly. "I may not be a good man who's faithful to just one person. There are already many people in my world. But I promise you—there will always be a most important place for you in my heart."
"I... I know." Nakoruru's voice carried a hint of tears, but even more happiness. "I don't care how many people you have... All I know is that in my world, there is only you. No matter where you go, I'm willing to... follow you, protect you, just as I... protect nature itself."
This was the purest, most devoted confession of a shrine maiden of nature.
Hearing these words, Cloud's heart melted completely.
What else could he say?
Only to hold the girl in his arms even tighter.
Just then, a timid voice came from beside them.
"Then... what about me?"
Cloud froze, turning to look.
Rimururu had somehow lowered the hands covering her eyes. She bit her lip, those pure blue eyes brimming with tears, filled with grievance, envy, and a hint of longing she herself hadn't yet recognized.
"I... I also want... to be like sister..." She summoned the greatest courage of her entire life and whispered softly.
Cloud looked at her "pitiful, weak, and helpless" appearance, and his heart softened.
He extended his other arm toward Rimururu, a gentle yet slightly "wicked" smile spreading across his face.
"Silly girl, haven't you already been calling me 'brother-in-law'?"
"Brother-in-law's embrace... naturally has a place for you too."
Rimururu's eyes instantly blazed with incomparable brilliance!
She let out a cheer and threw herself into Cloud's other arm like a young swallow returning to its nest.
"Brother-in-law!"
In this moment—one beauty on each arm.
On his left, the gentle-as-water shrine maiden of nature.
On his right, the pure and adorable ice sprite.
Sisters both won—life's ultimate peak!
Cloud raised his head to look at the stars above, unable to help crying out in his heart:
System! I love you! This business trip is absolutely god-tier benefits!
[System: ...Please pay attention to your image, Host. Maintain your aloof persona. Also, friendly reminder: your vacation balance is running low. New KPIs will be coming online soon.]
Cloud's smile froze on his face.
He had a feeling his wonderful "retirement life" was about to come to an end.
...
After successfully unlocking the ultimate achievement of "one on each arm, both sisters won," Cloud's "fish life" in Divine Village reached the peak of happiness.
During the day, he continued playing the role of "God of Martial Arts," giving Haohmaru and the others "pie in the sky"—ah no, "teaching and passing on knowledge."
Watching these top-tier powerhouses who had already achieved legendary status in their respective fields listening attentively like elementary school students brought a satisfaction even greater than winning a god-tier battle.
At night, he returned to his identity as "life's winner," enjoying the meticulous care of the shrine maiden sisters Nakoruru and Rimururu.
The three of them watched stars together, gazed at the moon, discussed everything from poetry and songs to life philosophy (mainly Cloud one-sidedly outputting various internet jokes and chicken soup for the soul).
Their little life was so blissful that even immortals would be jealous.
However, beautiful times are always fleeting.
Just when he was about to completely sink into this gentle haven and forget he was still a worker burdened with "KPIs," the system's "death warrant"—ah no, "friendly reminder"—arrived right on schedule in his mind.
[Ding! Host, your "paid vacation" in the Samurai Shodown world has severely exceeded its time limit. Detection indicates that new dimensional rift fluctuations have appeared, energy level: medium-high. Please complete your wrap-up work in this world as soon as possible and prepare to proceed to your next "tourist destination."]
[Friendly tip: For a better "dining experience" at your next "buffet," we recommend first settling and using the "reward points" from this trip. Our shop has just received a batch of "limited blind boxes"—don't miss them!]
Cloud: "..."
Good grief, this nagging about business sounds exactly like the client who hassles me for the PPT at the end of every month.
...
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