I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Shaking off those messy thoughts, Yuu Tenkuji stood up and patted his white suit pants, which weren't even dusty.

Unlike last time, this time he did not have the determination to refuse to use "injury time" in order to live up to the resolve he had made.

After all, for him, the person he loves will eventually leave him; so whether they leave sooner or later, the result is the same.

From a rational perspective, using "injury time" to avoid a second blow is the most correct choice.

Thinking this through, Tenkuji Yu didn't hesitate much and shouted directly:

"System, activate 'Injury Stop Time'!"

The system did not respond; instead, the white light once again enveloped his vision, along with a slightly disorienting sense of weightlessness.

Before reflexively closing her eyes, Yuu Tenkuji was still thinking—

I don't think I have any regrets that I want to make up for, right?

I saw her happiest smile and knew that she had changed.

Even if she misses out on him, from this day forward, Asuna Yuuki can walk straight into the life that belongs to her...

With Yukino Yukinoshita as a precedent, Yuu Tenkuji firmly believed in this and prayed for it.

—So, the main story has come to a perfect end, what else can the side story do?

With this question in mind, the next moment, Yuu Tenkuji stepped into a time loop.

……

"Interruption time".

It refers to a period of time that is "finished but not finished," forcibly added in, a period that shouldn't have existed in the first place.

At least from the definition of the system, that is correct.

If we use a line as a metaphor for the world, the system is like cutting this line onto another line, forcibly changing the trajectory of development; while the original line, which should have ended there, has a fragile end tied to its end.

This fragile thread, which will soon disappear on its own, is what is known as the "injury time".

Therefore, one thing becomes very clear—

The world will begin again at the same time it ends.

"Well……"

When Yuu Tenkuji came to her senses, she found herself back in the pure white auditorium.

The baby's breath on her head still exudes a delicate fragrance, and the little hand in her palm still has a soft, warm touch.

The ring was worn all the way down; the slender, pale ring finger paired with the sparkling silver diamond ring created a work of art-like beauty.

—Is this what injury time is?

Tenkuji Yu quickly understood the situation and subconsciously looked at the expression on the girl's face.

If I remember correctly, Asuna should have realized something was wrong and was about to ask herself something when...

"...What's going on?"

As if seeing Santa Claus transformed into a blonde, naturally naive and beautiful girl, Tenkuji Yuu stood frozen in place, looking at her somewhat helplessly.

For some reason, Asuna Yuuki, dressed in a wedding gown, no longer looked like she did before she finished her mission.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her lips were bitten until they turned white, and her brows were furrowed deeply, as if she had a headache.

But she didn't seem to be in too much pain. Instead, she seemed to have suddenly understood something, her expression shifting between surprise, astonishment, realization, anger, and sadness.

The only thing that remains unchanged is probably the left hand that tightly grips its own palm.

—Hold on tightly, very tightly.

"Ming, Asuna?"

After hesitating for a long time, Tenkuji Yu tentatively asked a question, taking a step back at the same time. He tried to pull his hand out as if nothing had happened, but it was stuck in a crack in the rock and he couldn't move it.

"...Yu-kun?"

As if her consciousness had just returned to reality, she slowly opened her eyes, her voice sounding somewhat mechanical.

Tenkuji Yuu couldn't help but shudder twice, from head to toe.

At this moment, the holy and solemn white church looked as if it were built in the polar region.

Even though he couldn't understand what was happening, his intuition still kicked in—

Tell him to run.

It will be too late if we don't run now.

Chapter 116 The Finale He and She Performed Here (Part 1)

In the tranquil, pure white church, another nun seemed to have been excluded from this "space of rest," leaving only the young man and woman in wedding attire, facing each other closely.

The two, hands clasped together, a handsome couple, blessed by the bouquet from the goddess statue, created a sweet and heartwarming scene...

However, at this moment, Yuu Tenkuji felt a tremor from the bottom of his heart.

For no particular reason, the girl's expression at that moment was terrifying.

"Yu-kun."

She murmured another sentence, like a witch's whisper.

Beneath her neatly combed chestnut bangs were dark eyes that seemed to be swallowed by the night, a cold anger burning like candlelight, mixed with incomprehension and sorrow.

The force from the small hand gradually increased, as if it wanted to crush his palm into a meat pie.

"Asuna, what's wrong?"

While frantically asking the system in her mind what was going on, Tenkuji Yu forced a reassuring smile and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Her brow twitched slightly, and Asuna Yuuki took a deep breath, speaking in a deep, flat voice devoid of any inflection:

"Just now, a voice suddenly rang in my head."

"A voice?" Tenkuji Yu was taken aback for a moment, then greeted the system with a string of insults.

—I knew it was you, you traitor, who was behind this!

Looking into his eyes, Asuna seemed to detect a hint of panic and resentment, and her hazel eyes darkened further.

"Yes, it said it was the 'manager of the world,' or it could be called a 'god'... Yu-kun met me under its instructions and became my 'boyfriend' in order to complete its mission."

"Now that the mission is complete, everything should have ended directly, but due to some factors, this time was left for me to say goodbye to Yu-kun... Although I won't even remember this time after it's 'over'."

She gave a brief and concise explanation, and as the person involved, Tenkuji Yu naturally understood the meaning of her words very quickly.

"Did that guy tell you everything?"

Asuna shook her head, staring at him expressionlessly: "There are many strange things. I asked it, but it wouldn't tell me, such as why it should be done this way, or what certain factors are... It was all vague, only saying that it was prohibited for those with insufficient authority."

Perhaps wanting to escape the girl's questioning, Yuu Tenkuji reflexively asked, "So you just believe it like that?"

"Hehe." The chestnut-haired girl slightly tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a not-so-pleasant smile. "It showed me how you were in some desolate world, 'appreciating' the various moments of our encounter, looking so relaxed and carefree... If that scene was fabricated by it, and you, Yu-kun, had no idea about it, then I choose not to believe it, and only believe you."

After speaking, Asuna Yuuki held his gaze tightly, her serious demeanor, which seemed to brook no evasion or lies, solidified the already heavy atmosphere.

"Yu-kun, is that true?"

"..."

Under her gaze, Tenkuji Yu fell silent, his lips slightly parted and then closed again.

Lying to her at this point makes sense.

Since she'll forget about it sooner or later anyway, why not use this "reward" time to comfort Asuna and say a final goodbye with a smile?

I don't know what the dog system was thinking, but it told her the truth that it would go to the trouble of turning back time to hide... But for Yuu Tenkuji, the 'present' is more meaningful than the 'future', and a white lie can lead to a 'present' where no one will get hurt.

But after remaining silent for a while, Yuu Tenkuji gave up on doing so.

It wasn't for some noble reason like "not wanting to betray her trust," but simply because lying to Asuna wouldn't fool her at all now.

After all, the subconscious silence when questioned has already become the most obvious answer.

"Yes, it's true."

The answer remained suspended in the condensed air.

Her rosy lips gradually turned white from being bitten, and her pupils contracted as if they were breathing.

"...You approached me with an ulterior motive, is that also true?"

The sound squeezed out of his throat had a fragile, sharp quality, like an ice pick.

"Hmm." Tenkuji Yu nodded, his feigned expression vanishing as he calmly answered her question.

Asuna continued, "...After the mission is completed, the fact that we know each other will disappear, and you will go to find another girl because of the mission, and it's true that you will become her boyfriend?"

Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but click his tongue: "Tsk, that bastard even said something like that?"

Asuna slowly lowered her head, her body seemingly trembling.

"...So, you've been acting all along?"

"There's nothing we can do; life imitates art, and art imitates life."

Tenkuji Yu shrugged and pulled his hand away from her suddenly loosened grip.

"There's no point in talking about these things now. You'll forget about them eventually anyway, so just relax, Asuna."

As he spoke casually, he turned and walked to the bench under the altar, plopped down, leaned back, and began to complain and sigh.

"What you're saying is that I need to make up for my regrets, but this is clearly torture, and now you're saying I have to take time off... Can't we just end this already?"

Unfortunately, the system was like a dead system, offering no response.

Yuuki Asuna could hear his mutterings clearly.

Her slender, fair fist clenched slowly, and faint blue veins bulged on the back of her hand.

As if in response to this anger, her bridal gown instantly transformed into red and white armor, with a snow-white rapier at her waist.

Suddenly gritting her teeth, the chestnut-haired girl took a big step and stood in front of Tenkuji Yu, raising her hand high.

"Yu-kun, you—"