Chapter 343: Chapter 341 The Harem Must Be Harmonious to Open_1
Marked Detonation was an excellent Superpower. It was capable of blowing enemies to smithereens and, on days Aozawa didn’t feel like eating, annihilating food as well. Leveraging his Marked Detonation and Time Suspension Abilities, Aozawa made the food he swallowed vanish from the world. Since the explosions from Marked Detonation were limited to the marked items, they didn’t damage his throat. Besides, the sound of Marked Detonation was only somewhat loud when blowing up large objects. Lamb skewers and chives produced almost no sound, which he could easily cover up by pretending to sip some orange juice. This enabled him to accept all the food the two girls fed him.
Despite this, by the end, his stomach was full. He had also resolved to improve the relationship between Phoenix Academy Maggie and Ayatsuki Ayaka. Based on his experience with books and anime, a harem could only thrive if its members had harmonious relationships. This meant there couldn’t be excessive animosity among them. Allowing them to compete like this every time was clearly detrimental to a united atmosphere.
"The next event is the grand finale of this camping trip—the Courage Test!"
Takahashi Saeko saw it was about time. She took out a wooden box she’d prepared earlier and said with a smile, "For the Courage Test, you’ll form teams of two. Those who draw the same number will be paired together. Anyone left over will also join a team with the same number through a draw. Teams will take one of five different hiking routes to reach the mountaintop and grab a wooden plaque. The team that secures it wins."
"Okay."
Hojo Tetsuji pushed up his sunglasses, his expression stern. The Courage Test was the reason he had come camping. He dreamed of protecting Little Sayuri from a crazed black bear in the forest during the still of the night. That way, maybe sparks of love could ignite between them.
Aozawa used his X-ray Ability, intending to see how he might cheat. However, he discovered Takahashi Saeko had hidden a secret compartment inside the box.
"Tetsuji, I’ve heard the last person to draw from the box gets a special advantage."
"What?!" Upon hearing this, Hojo Tetsuji immediately shouted, "Let me hold the box!"
Before Takahashi Saeko could react, Hojo Tetsuji snatched the box. He shook it frantically, as if praying to the heavens, then held it out. "Alright, everyone, go ahead and draw," he said.
As things stood, Takahashi Saeko couldn’t retrieve the box from Hojo Tetsuji. She stepped forward and drew a stick. "I’m number three."
Aozawa stepped forward and drew number five.
Ayatsuki Ayaka stopped pressing her hands together in prayer. She reached into the box. Five, five! she prayed to the gods in her heart.
Sorry, Aozawa thought. Tonight, I won’t be on the same team as either Ayaka or Maggie. I have to pair them up together.
"Damn, it’s number four!" Ayaka fumed inwardly. Gods, what a bunch of unreliable beings!
Phoenix Academy Maggie was secretly delighted. As she reached into the box, she thought, This is my first time playing a courage test like this! She was a bit excited, hoping to be paired with Aozawa.
Using his X-ray vision, Aozawa saw Phoenix Academy Maggie’s fingers reach for number five. He immediately activated Time Suspension and used Telekinesis to swap numbers four and five.
As time resumed, Phoenix Academy Maggie drew her stick. Looking at the number four on it, she stated emotionlessly, "I am number four."
"Eh?!" A look of shock appeared on Ayaka’s face.
On this dark and windy night, she was actually on the same team as Phoenix Academy Maggie! This was more terrifying than encountering a Ghost in the mountains. Horrifying newspaper headlines flashed through her mind: a young girl found stabbed eight times, a female corpse with a mutilated face discovered in the mountains. These thoughts chilled Ayaka to the bone. She felt the gloomy forest transform into Demons in the dark night, clawing and gnashing their teeth, eager to devour her. Her wheat-colored face turned pale with fright.
Tama Chan patted her hand, whispering softly, "It’s okay. We’re here. She won’t do anything too outrageous."
"Mhm." With Tama Chan’s reassurance, Ayaka’s cold hand gradually warmed up.
Indeed, if she really wanted to kill and silence me, she wouldn’t choose to do it with so many witnesses around, Ayaka reasoned.
Before setting off, Takahashi Saeko deliberately told a frightening story to heighten the atmosphere. "Evil Spirits are said to haunt the mountain," she began. "Every year, people disappear during the Courage Test. This is one reason the Glacier Camping Site has few visitors, despite its scenic beauty." She then distributed maps of different routes and flashlights.
Route number four involved a rugged path up the mountain, cutting through the woods to the summit. Looking at the map in her hands, Ayaka began to feel anxious again. She feared Phoenix Academy Maggie might pretend Evil Spirits were present during the Courage Test. Then, Maggie could kill her and disguise the death as an accidental fall or a suicide by hanging.
Darn, I’m so nervous, I really need to pee, she thought. The flashlight in her right hand trembled slightly.
Phoenix Academy Maggie glanced over. "Why is your hand shaking?" she asked.
"Haha, it’s nothing!" Ayaka quickly shook her head, trying to maintain her last shred of composure.
"Everyone has their maps now! I’ll count to three, and then we start!"
The four teams rapidly dashed into the mountains.
Phoenix Academy Maggie patted Ayaka’s shoulder. "What are you standing around for?" she exclaimed. "Let’s go."
"Mhm." Ayaka nodded. She didn’t dare retort to Phoenix Academy Maggie now and was very compliant. She was like a Puppy that had been aggressive but now found itself in the hands of the one it had barked at. She couldn’t even make a sound, as if wishing she could tuck her tail between her legs.
Ayaka was terrified but still pointed her flashlight toward the mountain path. The forest at night was terrifying; darkness lurked just beyond the beam of her flashlight. The ground was covered in a thick layer of leaves, seemingly undisturbed for a long time, with some unrecognizable insects occasionally scuttling out. The mountain path was treacherous. Ayaka carefully walked behind Phoenix Academy Maggie, trying to avoid being attacked from the rear.
Phoenix Academy Maggie took out her phone and switched on its flashlight function.
"Weren’t we supposed to only use the flashlights we were given?" Ayaka asked timidly.
"I’m using my phone’s flashlight mode," Phoenix Academy Maggie replied indifferently. Relying only on Ayatsuki Ayaka’s flashlight would limit their vision too much; using her own phone’s flashlight function was far more convenient for Phoenix Academy Maggie.
"Oh." Ayatsuki Ayaka didn’t dare argue with Maggie’s flawed logic, so she could only nod and continue to follow.
When they were halfway up the climb, Ayatsuki Ayaka felt a chilly sensation on her shoulder, as if someone were tapping her from behind. This made her fear not just Phoenix Academy Maggie but also the dark surroundings.
"Phoenix Academy," she called out softly. Her heart was tense with the fear that if Maggie turned around, her face would be pale and streaming with bloody tears, signaling something terrible.
"What is it?" Phoenix Academy Maggie turned around, only to have Ayaka’s flashlight beam shine directly in her face. She raised her hand to block the light. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
"Sorry! I was just worried you’d suddenly... look terrifying." Ayatsuki Ayaka quickly moved the flashlight away, explaining why she had shone it in Maggie’s face.
Phoenix Academy Maggie gave a strained smile. "Are you mocking me?"
"No, not at all!" Ayatsuki Ayaka shook her head frantically.
Seeing her anxious expression, Phoenix Academy Maggie guessed she was afraid of the dark. How troublesome, she thought, her hand reaching into her bag.
"Ah! Don’t kill me! Saeko and the others will definitely testify against you!" Terrified, Ayatsuki Ayaka quickly backed away, intending to flee. But she slipped and fell hard onto her backside. The small rocks beneath the fallen leaves scraped painfully against her skin through her denim shorts. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain. "Oof..." she whimpered.
Phoenix Academy Maggie was dumbfounded. She pulled a piece of chocolate from her bag. It was meant for Aozawa but had ended up in her waist pack since they weren’t on the same team. "I was just going to ask if you wanted some chocolate."
"Eh?!" The fruit knife she’d imagined didn’t appear. Ayatsuki Ayaka hurriedly wiped away her tears, stubbornly claiming, "I—I’m crying because I fell, not because I was scared!"
"Haha." Phoenix Academy Maggie couldn’t help but laugh but quickly suppressed her amusement. It wasn’t Ayatsuki Ayaka’s pouting that stopped her; she simply didn’t want to get too friendly with a love rival.
She took a deep breath and deliberately tried to scare her. "Don’t worry, I won’t stab you with a knife. If I truly wanted you dead, I’d make it look like an accident—like a car crash or being hit by something falling from high above."
"Hehe." Ayatsuki Ayaka actually felt more at ease hearing this.
If Phoenix Academy Maggie really wanted me dead, she wouldn’t say such things, Ayaka thought. Besides, even though we’re clearly love rivals, she’s giving me chocolate because she saw I was scared of the dark.
"Phoenix Academy, you’re actually pretty nice."
"You’re just an idiot." Phoenix Academy Maggie’s face quickly turned cold. It has to be said, Ayatsuki Ayaka has a knack for triggering protective instincts in others, regardless of gender. Truly a terrifying individual, she mused. She tossed the chocolate to Ayaka. "Get up."
"Hey, wait a minute! That fall really hurt." Ayatsuki Ayaka caught the chocolate. With a flushed face, she added, "And... I need to go to the bathroom."
"You’re such a pain." Phoenix Academy Maggie looked impatient. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from helping Ayatsuki Ayaka up. "I’m only doing this so we can reach the summit faster," she clarified. "Don’t get the wrong idea."
"Thanks, Phoenix Academy."
The smile on Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face only intensified Phoenix Academy Maggie’s irritation. This is why I didn’t want to help her, Maggie thought. Give this girl an inch, and she’ll take a mile.
Ayatsuki Ayaka got up, then hesitantly crouched back down. Looking at Phoenix Academy Maggie, who had deliberately turned her back, she whispered, "Please don’t go too far... I’m scared of the dark."
The faint sound of trickling water was audible.
Phoenix Academy Maggie sighed. Why do I always end up in situations like this? she wondered.
"Phoenix Academy," Ayaka began, trying to break the awkward silence with her voice, "did Aozawa ever tell you he wanted several girlfriends at the same time?"
"He did," Phoenix Academy Maggie replied nonchalantly.
"And would you allow that?"
"Of course not."
"...I wouldn’t give Aozawa up to anyone else either," Ayatsuki Ayaka mumbled.
Saeko was right, Ayaka thought glumly. There’s no chance for surrender.
After finishing, Ayatsuki Ayaka wiped herself with a tissue and stood up. "Phoenix Academy," she asked, "can we hold hands while we climb the mountain?"
"No."
"Phoenix Academy, please? Just for a little while. We can let go when we reach the summit." Ayatsuki Ayaka realized Phoenix Academy Maggie wouldn’t actually stab her. Now, she wanted to rely on her to combat the fear brought on by the darkness. She was genuinely terrified of the dark.
Phoenix Academy Maggie really wanted to retort. All the way to the summit is ’just a little while’? But when she turned, she saw Ayaka’s eyes, full of expectation, like a stray Puppy on a rainy night gazing up at someone.
"...Just for a little while then."