You call this a love game?

Countdown to Witch's Night: 00:04:04

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Finale, Settlement, Simulation Continues

Like a grand fireworks display, the firelight, enough to illuminate the entire sky, briefly dispelled the heavy dark clouds. The heat wave from the explosion rushed towards her, blowing against Homura Akemi's long hair.

"Is it over..."

Miki Sayaka, who was thought to be missing, was leaning on her longsword, panting heavily, her gaze fixed on the location of the violent explosion in the distance.

In this battle, all she could do was help clear out the familiars around her. Her sword was useless against this colossal witch; she felt as if she would be melted just by getting close.

"No, it's not that simple."

Homura Akemi's face was solemn, her expression filled with worry and unease.

If a few rounds of explosions could really solve Witch's Night, she wouldn't have had to reincarnate so many times and still be unable to defeat her opponent.

Before the smoke and dust from the explosion had completely dissipated, the witch known as the stage device emerged from the flames, seemingly unharmed.

As it turned out, Homura Akemi's intuition was correct.

"Haha~ Uh ahaha—"

That grating laughter echoed in their ears once more, and the fear of being dominated by Witch Night swept over them again, casting a shadow over Homura Akemi's heart.

"How could this be... This is just too unreasonable."

Sayaka stared in disbelief at Witch's Night, which was flying back into the sky. Apart from the gear at the top appearing to be slightly tilted, she couldn't see any signs of injury on it.

"Heh, looks like I've failed again this time..."

Homura Akemi watched the building debris flying towards her, letting it crash down on her without making any attempt to dodge.

She admitted that there was a moment when she wanted to give up, to give up this endless cycle of reincarnation, and to sleep forever underground.

But when she saw Shiraha running towards her from not far away, her mind cleared instantly. Sayaka, who still had some strength left, pulled her arm and barely managed to dodge, avoiding being hit directly by the ruins of the building.

But the shattered debris still struck her body. The cement slab that she could usually break easily was now as hard as the Witch's Night, completely unshakeable.

She put all her strength into her right leg, which was pinned down, but unfortunately, she couldn't move an inch even when she was exhausted. The part of her body that was pinned under the concrete slab gradually lost sensation, and the massive blood loss was slowly taking away her life and body temperature.

"It's so cold..."

Sayaka was half-buried under the rubble of the building, a piece of cloth that had been burned and broken fell onto her arm as she leaned forward, emitting smoke and the smell of burnt flesh.

However, she could no longer feel anything; the blood flowing down her head blocked her vision, and the blood and pain overwhelmed all her senses.

When Bai Yu arrived at the battlefield, he found that the battle was already over.

Guided by Kyubey, he discovered Homura Akemi and Sayaka deep within the ruins.

Upon seeing the two people buried under the rubble, their heads bleeding, Bai Yu quickly ran over to check their injuries.

Sayaka had already fainted, so Shiraha had no choice but to go and help Homura Akemi first.

"Let me help you open this up, just hold on for a bit!"

After saying that, Bai Yu was about to move the cement block that was pressing down on Xiao Meiyan with his bare hands, but she grabbed his sleeve.

Homura Akemi forced a bitter smile, "It's no use, we've already failed. I'm sorry, Shiraha-kun, I still couldn't protect you..."

"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine."

Seeing the elegant and aloof young woman from yesterday now in such a miserable state, he still felt sad for her even though he knew it was just a game.

Bai Yu forced a smile, telling himself that everything would be alright, while his hand trembled as he gently stroked the girl's cheek, wiping away the blood that had flowed into her eyes.

However, the more he wiped, the more blood he produced, eventually staining his entire face a deep crimson.

He squatted down beside Homura Akemi, somewhat at a loss. The girl's life was like a candle flickering in the wind, unable to sustain even the last bit of light, with only the residual heat of the burnt-out candle remaining. Even her healing abilities could not save her.

Even though the person he cares about is right in front of him, he always feels that the other person is about to leave him.

This wasn't the first time he'd sensed such a separation, but it was the first time he'd felt such sorrow, and silent tears streamed down his face.

Homura Akemi gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, staining his fair face with a smear of her own blood. She then took Shiraha's hand and pressed it against her own face, looking at him with tenderness in her eyes.

"Ahem... I'm sorry, Bai Yu-jun. See you next time. Don't be sad, I'll always be by your side."

Perhaps it was because she was about to leave, but Homura Akemi suddenly felt a surge of strength. She struggled to sit up and gently kissed Shiraha's forehead.

"I promised you I would save you."

After saying that, the girl's whole body began to flash with a dazzling white light, so bright that Bai Yu had to close his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, the sound of the waves had disappeared, and the smell of gunpowder from the battlefield was gone. In its place was the takeout food that hadn't been thrown away in his room for days, emitting an unpleasant odor.

Lying on the bed, Bai Yu couldn't forget the girl's sorrowful face at the end, but the familiar ceiling pulled his thoughts back to reality.

It was as if everything that had just happened was a dream, a nightmare, like a third-rate writer's mediocre and clichéd script, a bad ending forced for the sake of tragedy, abruptly ending when everyone was happy.

[This simulation ends]

The system popped up at a very inopportune moment; it hadn't fully recovered from the grief of the girl's passing.

[Score for this simulation: 59 point]

[Mock Assessment: You gained Sayaka Miki's trust and affection by leveraging your position, but you lack the most crucial element—spiritual connection. Only a direct connection of hearts can lead to true understanding. Even if the world is illusory, love is real. When the tide of love surges, no one can escape; accepting it is the best choice.]

[Simulated Settlement: Panacea, Time Stop]

After the system completed its final settlement, Bai Yu lay on the bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling through the pale blue text.

Even though he knew it was just a game, he still felt uneasy and indignant about the girl's tragic fate.

Sayaka is insecure and timid. Even though she likes him, she doesn't dare to confess her feelings. She even signed a contract to heal his arm, becoming a magical girl who walks on the edge of death. Even after paying such a high price, she doesn't want to take credit for it.

As for Homura Akemi, although he didn't spend much time with the girl, their interactions were more in-depth than Sayaka's, and the experience of being a magical girl left a deep impression on him.

Although he was not yet clear about the girl's purpose in doing so, he was certain of one thing: Homura Akemi also liked him.

"System, is this game really a game?"

The salty tears streaming down his cheeks were warm, the shocking sight of blood was warm, and the gentle kiss that fell was warm as well. He couldn't believe it was just a string of code.

This system is a dating simulation game system that helps you encounter female protagonists with different personalities and engage in delightful youthful romantic comedies with them.

"Okay, I shouldn't have relied on you, you bot."

Bai Yu sighed softly, composed himself, and decided to capitalize on his earlier excitement to play another round.

He turned his gaze back to the pale blue screen that was the only source of light in the room and clicked on the option to start the simulation.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Homura Akemi with Braided Hair? Who are you?

[Simulation officially started. Uncompleted world - Puella Magi Madoka Magica - has been detected and automatically selected. You can re-select a world after completing the romance with at least one heroine.]

[Romantic options: Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi, Mami Tomoe, Kyoko Sakura, Sayaka Miki]

[Should I select a primary objective...?]

Seeing the familiar words reappear, he subconsciously wanted to click on Sayaka Miki's name, but after thinking for a moment, he chose Homura Akemi instead.

There was no other reason; Homura Akemi's behavior in the previous timeline was simply too bizarre, and he couldn't understand why she would do such a thing.

Although he had collected a lot of information about the girls, he still needed a closer identity to truly understand their minds and the motivations behind their actions.

He wasn't a dating expert; he couldn't make a girl blush and her heart race with just a few words, causing her to fall head over heels for him and open her heart to him.

Even with experience from hundreds of bishoujo romance games, he couldn't just apply it directly here. In a visual novel, there are three dialogue options for him to choose from, but this simulation game doesn't have that feature.

Compared to his initial casual attitude, he's now really serious and wants to sit up and play.

At least let's try to achieve a good ending first, right?

Also, damn witch, give me back Homura!

He hadn't had enough of the magical girl experience yet, and he didn't know if the all-powerful healing spell could restore his depleted energy. Otherwise, he would definitely make sure Homura Akemi had her fill.

Once the option was confirmed, the system responded.

[Primary target identified: Homura Akemi]

This simulation will prioritize targeting individuals with similar identities.

[This simulated identity comes with a unique talent: ****]

[****: Your approachability has slightly increased, making it easier for you to gain the trust of your main target in your interactions.]

[The simulation has officially begun and has been deployed.]

The familiar feeling of weightlessness returned, and Bai Yu lay on the bed in a daze. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a familiar place.

[Simulation Introduction: Your name is Nakazawa Shiraha, an ordinary student in Class 3, Grade 2 of Mitakihara Municipal Junior High School. Your grades are in the upper-middle range of the class. You have a very good relationship with your classmates and teachers, which is why your teachers often call on you to answer questions in class. Today, a mysterious new transfer student, Akemi Homura, has become your deskmate. The girl seems like a completely different person, unlike the one you saw before. You have been entrusted by your teacher to help your classmates and guide Akemi Homura as much as possible. How will you face her now...?]

[This simulation has no restrictions; the host is free to use their abilities.]

"So, let's introduce ourselves?"

Saotome Kazuko nodded slightly, a warm smile on her lips, her eyes sparkling with encouragement.

"Um... my name is... Akemi... Yan, um... please... take care of me..."

With her hair tied in two braids, wearing slightly outdated red-rimmed glasses, and the familiar black hair clip above her forehead, 'Akatsuki Homura' was stammering as she introduced herself to her classmates.

She stood there, her hands gripping the straps of her schoolbag tightly, her fingers trembling involuntarily. Her eyes darted away, instinctively glancing at the floor. Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on her from below the podium, making her afraid to look up and meet their gazes.

"Xiaomei has been hospitalized due to a heart condition and hasn't been to school for a long time, which will cause her a lot of trouble. Let's all help her!"

Saotome Kazuko turned her gaze to a seat in the front row and smiled, "Nakazawa-kun, Akemi will be your deskmate starting today. Please take good care of her for me, okay?"

"Ah, yes." Bai Yu quickly replied, but his heart was filled with turmoil.

Is this Homura Akemi? Are you kidding me?

He preferred to believe that this guy was Kyubey in disguise rather than that it was Homura Akemi.

Where did Homura Akemi, who was always so aloof and expressionless, go?

Or is it an act?

But no matter how Bai Yu looked at her or scrutinized her, the girl's coy demeanor didn't seem fake at all; all her small gestures and movements showed that she wasn't pretending.

If it really was an act, then Bai Yu can only be called a veteran actor; his genuine reaction is enough to make a TV series in one continuous take.

But what about the Homura Akemi he saw in the simulation last time?

Which of these two people is the real one?

The girl's behavior at this moment was completely unlike that of someone who knew him. She no longer had that unrestrained and uninhibited demeanor in front of him, such as the kind that would kiss him as soon as they met.

If he weren't still in class, he would definitely find her and get to the bottom of this.

Looking at Homura Akemi sitting upright beside him, not daring to make any small movements, even when she noticed his scrutiny out of the corner of her eye, she didn't make any move, her eyes still fixed on the blackboard.

But Bai Yu could clearly see that the girl's profile was becoming increasingly flushed, her ears were completely red, her lips were trembling, and her hand, which was seriously writing notes, unconsciously stopped, clearly indicating that she was no longer paying attention.

Seeing this, he couldn't help but smirk. He never expected Homura Akemi to make such an expression; it was just too cute.

Even after class ended, Shiraha did not stop 'stalking' Homura Akemi.

After all, Homura Akemi was to his left, and the blackboard was also to his left, so even if asked, he could say that he was looking at the blackboard.

As soon as get out of class ended, a group of people immediately surrounded her. After all, she was a new transfer student, and everyone would be curious, especially these middle school girls who had nothing to do and nowhere to vent their energy.

"Where did Xiaomei go to school before?"

Have you participated in any clubs? Sports clubs? Or literature clubs?

"Wow, your hair is so long! It must be so much trouble to braid it every morning, right?"

Faced with a barrage of curious questions from her classmates, Homura Akemi was completely overwhelmed. She couldn't keep up with their questions and stood there helplessly in her seat, unsure of where to begin answering.

"That...I..."

Just when she thought she was about to ruin the social interaction, a gentle and calm voice sounded from the side.

"Everyone, please be patient and ask one by one." Bai Yu gently tapped the table with a warm smile on his face. "Xiao Mei is new here and hasn't gotten used to the environment yet. Be careful not to scare her if you're too enthusiastic."

The girls gathered around the table then realized that they had indeed been too enthusiastic, and they all took a half step back in embarrassment.

"Xiaomei, you've just arrived here, let me show you around the school. You have a heart condition, you can't go without taking your medication at the infirmary, can you?" Bai Yu walked up to Xiaomei Yan's desk, looking at her with interest, waiting for her next reaction.

Homura Akemi's lips parted slightly, but she pressed them tightly shut before making a sound.