My and Their Anime-Style Otherworldly Survival Adventure

Jiuxiao waved to Mami Tomoe and said, "Give me your Soul Gem and you'll find out."

Although puzzled, Mami still handed her Soul Gem to Jiuxiao as instructed. Jiuxiao took the gem, gently caressed it, and his eyes became profound.

"It's so beautiful, just like the senior's soul, dazzling and pure. Like the rising sun, it brings a positive and uplifting feeling." Jiu Xiao exclaimed softly, while also hinting at the essence of the Soul Gem. Then he silently activated the mana replenishment skill granted by the system.

Mami felt a strange sense of shame, as if Jiuxiao was caressing not her Soul Gem, but her whole being, naked. Fortunately, this feeling didn't last long. As Jiuxiao activated his mana replenishment, Mami felt warm all over, and the fatigue accumulated from days of battles and daily chores seemed to vanish, leaving her feeling refreshed and invigorated.

The filth within the Soul Gem dissipated at a visible speed, restoring its original purity and brightness.

"Huh? What's this?" Mami Tomoe exclaimed in shock, almost pressing her face against Jiu Xiao's. She could hardly believe her eyes. If Jiu Xiao's combat prowess had impressed her earlier, then his ability to purify the soul gem had completely overturned her worldview.

In her understanding, the Soul Gem could only be purified through the Seed of Lamentation, something she had never heard of before.

Jiu Xiao smiled and withdrew his hand, gently placing the purified Soul Gem back into Mami's palm. It really was a case of "pretending to be cool for a moment is great, but pretending to be cool all the time is even better." Looking at Mami's shocked yet somewhat adoring eyes, Jiu Xiao felt incredibly smug.

"So, senior, does my secret meet your standards? By the way, why did you suddenly come so close? Do you want to kiss me to repay my kindness?" Jiu Xiao teased with a mischievous smile.

Mami Tomoe blushed slightly and quickly sat back down. "I'm sorry, I lost my composure. Junior, you really don't need the Grief Seed if you have this ability. You're practically a human Grief Seed purifier! This ability is incredible. I've never heard of anyone being able to purify the Soul Gem directly before."

The feeling of being a saint in front of others made Jiu Xiao feel smug, but he still maintained a humble smile on the surface. "Humanoid Lament Seed Purifier and stuff, it sounds terrifying, okay? Senior, are you praising me or insulting me? But I'm happy to be able to help you, after all, we're partners."

After all, we're partners...

Partners, huh...

When Jiuxiao successfully triggered the keyword, Mami felt a sudden brightness before her eyes, as if some kind of power was surging from the bottom of her heart. What she had always longed for became clear at this moment, making her feel exceptionally comfortable.

"Partners...you're right, we're partners." Mami Tomoe nodded, her voice filled with sincerity. Looking at the boy sitting opposite her, Mami Tomoe pressed her advantage, "By the way, Gen-kun, would you like to stay for dinner? I'm quite confident in my cooking skills, you know."

Jiuxiao was tempted, but when he thought of Xiaomei Yan at home, who was still crying for milk, he extinguished the idea and shook his head with some regret, "Although..."

I really wanted to eat my senior's cooking, but I probably can't today. My cat is waiting for me to come home and feed her; I can't leave her behind. I'll have to try again another day.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Mami's eyes, but she hid it well and nodded understandingly. "Oh, I see. It's alright. Let's have dinner together again sometime. The kitten is important too, after all, it's family."

Fortunately, Homura Akemi wasn't here. Otherwise, if she heard Jiuxiao compare her to a "kitten," she probably would have pulled out her RPG and shot Jiuxiao.

Speaking of RPG Nine Heavens, I think of Sania. I wonder how that girl is doing over there, and whether she has made up with Ella.

PS: The next chapter might start to be out of character (OOC) warnings. It's really too difficult to add all five color teams to my harem QAQ. If you feel there's anything inappropriate, please point it out. I will try my best to control the personalities of each character.

Chapter 144 Homura Akemi's Disastrous Cooking

After chatting with Mami for a while, Jiuxiao prepared to leave. His favorability towards her had reached its limit for the day, and staying any longer would likely backfire. He tried to get up and say goodbye several times, but Mami persuaded him to stay with various excuses.

As dusk approached, Mami Tomoe seemed completely oblivious to the passage of time. Her enthusiasm put Jiuxiao in a difficult position, but he couldn't bear to interrupt her directly. The lonely senior was really eager for a companion she could chat with.

Finally, during a brief moment of silence, Jiu Xiao seized the opportunity, stood up with a smile, and said, "Senior, although it's a pity, I have to leave. Cinderella's ball always ends before the midnight bells, and I also have to get home before nightfall."

Although Jiuxiao's analogy was amusing, Mami Tomoe wasn't happy at all. She forced a smile and said, "Okay, junior, I really enjoyed talking to you so much today. You must stay for dinner next time!"

Jiuxiao nodded heavily and turned to walk towards the door. Watching Jiuxiao's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Mami couldn't help but call out, "Junior Yuan, let's fight together tomorrow too, okay?"

Jiuxiao didn't stop, but simply raised his hand, waved at Mami Tomoe, and shouted back with his back to her, "Of course, partners should fight side by side! See you tomorrow, senpai!"

As the door closed gently, silence returned to the room. Mami Tomoe clutched the Soul Gem tightly, as if the warmth of the heavens still lingered there. A smile involuntarily crept onto her lips, and an unprecedented surge of emotion welled up within her.

After Homura Akemi parted ways with the others, the girl went alone to the supermarket where she and Kushou had shopped the day before, and casually bought some groceries. Passing by the apron, Homura Akemi unconsciously stopped, hesitated for a long time, and finally picked it up.

She gently stroked the fabric of the apron, and by the time she came to her senses, she had already paid and was standing at the supermarket entrance with her shopping bags.

"What am I doing..." Homura Akemi muttered to herself, a hint of struggle flashing in her eyes.

Back in the empty apartment, Homura Akemi tossed her shopping bags haphazardly into the entryway before heading straight into the living room and collapsing onto the sofa. The silence was broken by her breathing, and an indescribable oppressive atmosphere filled the air.

Burying her head in the cushions and taking a few deep breaths, Akemi Homura, realizing something was wrong, blushed and hurriedly got up.

Why does the cushion smell like that guy?! Doesn't this make her look like a perverted Thai fanatic? Then she suddenly recalled what she had done to Madoka in other reincarnations, and it seemed that it was indeed even worse...

Homura Akemi's cheeks were so hot they could practically fry an egg, and her long-dormant heart stirred with ripples. It was as if a long-blocked dam had finally found its outlet, and those suppressed emotions surged forth like a flood, leaving her somewhat bewildered.

She hurriedly got up, tossed the cushion aside, and then stood up, pacing back and forth in the room. After a long while, feeling uneasy, Homura Akemi turned back and put the cushion back in its original place. Only after confirming that everything was the same as before did she sit back down on the sofa with a little more peace of mind.

Time ticked by, but Homura Akemi's emotions remained unsettled. Reaching the entrance, she carefully removed the groceries from the shopping bag, then meticulously stored the apron in a closet in her room, determined to seal this secret away forever.

After Jiuxiao's failure to return, a sense of resentment, perhaps imperceptible even to herself, began to rise in Akemi Homura's heart. The ingredients had been bought, but the "chef" was still nowhere to be seen, leaving her somewhat annoyed.

"I wasn't expecting anything anyway..." Homura Akemi comforted herself, though it was unclear who she was talking to.

Entering the kitchen, she tried hard to recall when she had last cooked for herself. In her memory, it seemed like a very, very long time ago... Hopefully, her skills hadn't become too rusty. Homura Akemi muttered to herself as she clumsily began preparing.

Cooking rice, washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, putting them in the pot. Oh no, I forgot to add oil!

In a panic, Akemi Homura grabbed the oil bottle and poured it into the sizzling pan. Oil splattered everywhere, startling her so much that she quickly took a few steps back. In her haste, she accidentally knocked over the spice jars next to the stove, and the various bottles and jars clattered and rattled, as if mocking her clumsiness.

Homura Akemi blushed, her resentment towards Kushou intensifying. It was all his fault; why did he always make her prepare ingredients? Wasn't a bento box from the convenience store better? Why did he have to torment this kitchen novice?

Despite her complaints, Homura Akemi still forced herself to squat down. Looking at the mess on the floor, she felt that her life was just like these scattered spice bottles, a complete mess.

"Seriously, what am I doing..." This was the second time Homura Akemi had questioned herself tonight.

She sighed helplessly, slapped her forehead in frustration, and began picking up the spice bottles one by one from the floor, putting them back in their proper places. Returning to the stove, she found the food in the pot was already somewhat burnt.

"...Never mind, I'll just eat this."

She scooped the burnt food into plates and placed them on the stove. The next few dishes didn't go smoothly either; either too much salt was added, or the heat wasn't controlled properly, resulting in either undercooked or overcooked dishes. Looking at the unappetizing plates on the stove, Akemi Homura felt a mix of emotions.

"Anyway, I'm eating it myself, and no one will laugh at me," Homura Akemi thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, but a hint of disappointment still lingered in her eyes. Just as she was about to give up and accept the fate of this "culinary disaster," the doorbell rang.

Homura Akemi's heart sank, and her resentment materialized, spreading outwards.

Outside the door, Jiu Xiao suddenly shivered. He could smell a burning odor through the door, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart. After ringing the doorbell several times without any response, just as Jiu Xiao was about to call Akemi Homura, he heard rustling sounds from behind the door, and then the door was slowly pushed open.

Akemi Homura stood at the door, silent, her face so dark it seemed to drip water. Seeing this, Jiuxiao's heart skipped a beat, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Um, what a coincidence..." Jiu Xiao chuckled awkwardly and rambled on, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere with this illogical statement.

Veins bulged on Homura Akemi's forehead. She suppressed her anger and forced out a sentence through gritted teeth: "You're back so early, just in time to savor my 'masterpiece'." For some reason, Homura Akemi felt inexplicably relieved after saying those words, as if she had found an outlet for her emotions.

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao's heart sank. He cautiously stepped over the threshold, his eyes never leaving Xiao Meiyan, fearing she might suddenly attack. He sniffed the air; the acrid smell grew stronger, and he inwardly groaned. What a disaster!

"Sorry, sorry, something came up on the way and I was delayed." Jiu Xiao apologized repeatedly, trying to change the subject. "But, Xiao Yan, are you making a big meal? It smells... um, very special."

Upon hearing this, Akemi Homura's expression didn't improve; instead, it darkened even more. She stepped aside to let Jiuxiao enter. After changing his shoes, Jiuxiao went straight to the kitchen, his gaze falling on the various dishes, and he almost burst out laughing.

Jiu Xiao dared not turn around, desperately suppressing his laughter, his right hand gripping his thigh tightly to maintain his composure, but his trembling shoulders betrayed him.

"Just laugh if you want to, there's no need to hide it!" Homura Akemi said irritably, her voice carrying a hint of self-abandonment.

"Well, I've received professional training. No matter how funny it is, I won't laugh unless I can't help it... Hahaha..." Jiu Xiao finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, but then realized his lapse in composure and quickly stopped laughing, putting on a serious expression. "Ahem, maybe it just looks bad, but it might taste pretty good." Jiu Xiao tried to salvage the situation, picking up his chopsticks and taking a piece of boiled broccoli that looked edible.

The moment Jiu Xiao tasted the broccoli, his expression became priceless. It was so salty, incredibly salty, the kind of salt that made you want to scream and kill the old man selling salt! Jiu Xiao's face contorted in pain, but he still forced himself to swallow the bite.

He tried to engage his facial muscles, wanting to give a positive response, but the indescribable taste spread in his mouth, causing Jiu Xiao to frown slightly. However, upon seeing Homura Akemi's tightly clenched fist, Jiu Xiao relented.

"Well, there's still a lot of room for improvement... I can tell you do have some culinary talent, but you probably just had an off day this time." Jiu Xiao praised you insincerely, while inwardly groaning—was he just dumping a bag of salt into the dish?! The other dishes were so dark and unrecognizable that Jiu Xiao had already lost the courage to even try them. He wasn't one of those gentle, kind male protagonists in Japanese anime who could eat any kind of bizarre food and then praise it afterwards.

Hearing Jiu Xiao's clearly insincere praise, a hint of pleasure flashed in Xiao Meiyan's eyes. "Serves you right for standing me up!" she thought to herself, her face remaining impassive, though a slight, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips.

"Since you like it so much, then eat more. I'll make more if you're not full. Don't be shy!" Akemi Homura said, and then picked up a bowl to fill Jiuxiao's bowl with those "masterpieces," each spoonful of which was full of NaCl.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't!" Jiu Xiao quickly waved his hand, his face full of a fawning smile.

Homura Akemi snorted coldly, "Hmph! Hypocritical!" Putting down the bowl, Homura Akemi turned and walked to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of milk, and placed it heavily on the stove in front of Kyuu. The moment the bottle touched the stove, it made a "bang" sound, as if venting the owner's dissatisfaction.

Jiu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly picked up the milk, gulping it down in large gulps, trying to wash away the indescribable salty taste in his mouth with the sweet liquid. As he drank, he pondered a solution, and suddenly a brilliant idea struck him—perhaps there was a way to salvage the situation...

After sending Homura Akemi, this formidable figure, back to the living room, Jiuxiao asked before leaving, "Can you eat garlic?"

Homura Akemi was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Kyusho to suddenly ask this question, but she still quickly gave an answer: "Well, just a little bit."

Jiu Xiao had a plan in mind, and he began to prepare the boiled broccoli. First, he blanched the broccoli again to remove excess salt, then quickly stir-fried it in hot oil, adding minced garlic and a little chicken bouillon for flavor. The garlic released a rich aroma under the high temperature, instantly filling the entire kitchen, a stark contrast to the previous "culinary disaster."

Looking at the remaining ingredients, wow, there were even two fist-sized potatoes! Surely that'd make a plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes? Having made up his mind, Jiu Xiao quickly began preparing the potatoes. He first peeled them, cut them into thin strips, and then soaked them in water to remove excess starch, making the stir-fried potato strips crisper.

After finishing the shredded potatoes, Jiu Xiao picked up the condiment bottle and began mixing the hot and sour sauce. He carefully weighed the amount of each ingredient, adding the sourness of the vinegar, the spiciness of the chili peppers, and a little sugar and salt to balance the flavor, afraid that he might accidentally make another inedible dish.

After preparing the hot and sour sauce, Jiu Xiao heated the wok and poured in a suitable amount of oil. Once the oil was hot, he first sautéed minced garlic and dried chili pepper pieces until fragrant, then added the drained potato shreds and stir-fried them quickly over high heat. As the spatula moved, the potato shreds bounced in the wok, gradually becoming translucent and releasing an enticing aroma.

When the shredded potatoes were about 70-80% cooked, Jiu Xiao evenly poured the prepared hot and sour sauce over them and continued to stir-fry quickly, ensuring that each shredded potato fully absorbed the flavor of the sauce. In no time, a plate of delicious and visually appealing hot and sour shredded potatoes was ready.

Jiu Xiao brought out the hot and sour shredded potatoes and also the broccoli he had previously modified. Looking at these two brightly colored and fragrant dishes, he couldn't help but feel secretly pleased with himself. This should be enough to save face.

By the way, the garlic and dried chili peppers were brought to Jiuxiao by himself; he always kept these seasonings, which Japanese people don't use much, in his system space. After all, the essence of Chinese cuisine often lies in these seemingly insignificant ingredients.

When the prepared dish was served, Homura Akemi stared in disbelief. Leaving aside the broccoli, what on earth was that plate of thinly shredded vegetables? She didn't recall ever buying such an ingredient. This wasn't entirely Homura's fault for being unsophisticated; in Japan, potatoes are mostly used in stews or mashed potatoes, and very few families would cut them into thin strips for stir-frying.

"Come, come, try my cooking. This hot and sour shredded potatoes is one of my specialties." Jiu Xiao warmly greeted Xiao Meiyan, his face beaming with a confident smile.

"This is a potato? What a strange way to cook it..." Homura Akemi, with a hint of curiosity and doubt, picked up her chopsticks and put a strand of hot and sour shredded potato into her mouth. The hot and sour sauce burst on her tongue, first with the tangy vinegar flavor, followed by the spiciness. The crispness of the potato shreds and the hot and sour flavor blended perfectly, giving her an unprecedented taste sensation.

"Cough cough cough, it's so spicy!" Homura Akemi was suddenly choked by the spiciness, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Jiuxiao quickly ran to the kitchen refrigerator, took out a bottle of milk, and handed it to Xiaomeiyan. Milk can alleviate the spiciness of the spiciness in the mouth to some extent. Xiaomeiyan took the milk and gulped down several large mouthfuls, and the spiciness gradually subsided.

Just then, with a "bang," the lights suddenly went out, plunging the entire building into darkness.

PS1: This chapter is 4.3K words, which is a way of making up for the part where I wrote about cooking with water.

PS2: Guess who caused the power outage.

Chapter 145 Homura Akemi, the Arms Queen, a Grand Serialized Novel!

Meanwhile, a white-haired loli was standing under a power distribution box taller than herself, looking at the sparking circuits, and wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Oops, I think I went a bit too far. Did the gods go to such great lengths to send me down to the mortal realm just to 'help' that womanizer? I really don't understand what these important figures are thinking." The white-haired loli muttered to herself, completely unaware that her actions would paralyze the entire building's electrical circuits.

The white-haired loli is named Hyakue Nagisa, a divine messenger dispatched by the Law of Cycles. She was supposed to descend to this world with Kusho, but due to various reasons (actually, she went off to collect all sorts of cheese around the world), she arrived at Kusho's side two days late.

Stepping out of the building, Hyakue Nagisa sensed a familiar presence in a certain direction. Without looking back, she flew towards that direction, muttering, "Wait for me a little longer, I'll free you soon..."

Snack Witch, danger!

Inside Homura Akemi's apartment, one problem after another arose. She hadn't even finished her milk when the sudden darkness choked her, causing her to cough up milk that sprayed all over Jiuxiao's face. The bottle in her hand also fell to the table with a "clatter," rolling a few times before landing on Homura's lap. The liquid melted on her black stockings, like chocolate drizzled with milk, making it look incredibly tempting.

Jiuxiao wiped the milk that Akemi Homura had "exported" from his face, and as his hand brushed against his lips, he inadvertently tasted a hint of milky fragrance, which made him somewhat distracted.

"Cough cough cough..." Homura Akemi continued coughing, pulling Kusho's consciousness back to reality.

He quickly patted Homura Akemi's back, trying to help her stop coughing: "Are you alright, Homura? This apartment of yours is unreliable. What era are we living in? The power still goes out suddenly." As he spoke, Jiuxiao took out a tissue and wiped Homura Akemi's face and body haphazardly.

Xiao Meiyan blushed. She felt Jiu Xiao's hand wandering unintentionally over her body. Even through her clothes, the strange touch made the veins on her forehead bulge.

"Hey! Where are your hands? If you don't want them anymore, I can chop them off for you!" Homura Akemi's tone was tinged with embarrassment and anger as she glared menacingly at Kusho.

After Jiuxiao's eyes adjusted to the darkness, they landed on Homura Akemi's chest... Holy crap, she's completely flat-chested! Almost no curves in her skin; if Homura hadn't pointed it out, Jiuxiao would have thought she was wiping her back...

"How long are you going to keep touching me?!" While Jiuxiao was still in a daze, Xiaomei Yan's voice rose a few decibels, filled with intense killing intent.

Jiu Xiao abruptly withdrew his hand, as if he had been burned, and awkwardly scratched his head: "I, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I thought it was the back... cough cough..." Realizing that he had said the wrong thing, Jiu Xiao quickly stopped talking, but it was too late.

Homura Akemi's face turned ashen. Not only had this guy touched her, but he was also complaining about how small she was? This was a blatant insult! If she weren't immobilized, she would have already rushed over and made two holes in Kyuu's body. Taking a deep breath, Homura Akemi tried to calm herself down, snatched the tissue from Kyuu's hand, and hastily wiped the milk off her face before glaring at him fiercely.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Jiu Xiao dared not say another word and could only stand silently to the side, trembling like a quail. He knew his behavior had indeed been inappropriate; how could he have said something like "flat" to a girl's face...?

Sayaka Miki: Doesn't your conscience hurt when you say that?

A moment of silence fell. Suddenly, a ball of flame appeared in Jiu Xiao's hand, dispelling the darkness in the room. Light returned, and Xiao Meiyan looked at Jiu Xiao's face, which was still dripping milk, a hint of shyness flashing in her eyes.

"I'll let you off this time... but if there's a next time, I won't forgive you so easily." Homura Akemi turned her head away, unable to look directly at Jiuxiao's face covered in milk, but her tone carried a hint of softness. She quickly grabbed a tissue from the table and handed it to Jiuxiao, gesturing for him to wipe his face.

After tidying up, dinner ended in silence. Power was restored shortly afterward, and the apartment lights came back on, dispelling the awkward atmosphere caused by the power outage. Jiuxiao and Xiaomei Yan sat at opposite ends of the sofa, quite a distance apart, as if an insurmountable chasm separated them.

"I need to go out for a bit." Homura Akemi suddenly stood up, breaking the silence in the room.

"Huh? It's so late, where are you going?" Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao couldn't help but look up, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Homura Akemi didn't answer and walked straight towards the door. Kyuu quickly followed, as if remembering something, "Hey, hey, hey, you're not thinking of secretly 'protecting' Madoka again, are you? No way, she already knows Kyubey's purpose." Although Kyuu's expression was subtle, Homura Akemi still heard the teasing in his words.

Stopping in her tracks, Homura Akemi said coldly, "I know, I wasn't planning on going to find Madoka. I just wanted to replenish my supplies. At the end of the last cycle, I had very few weapons left..." As she said this, Homura Akemi's eyes began to dart away, like a child who had done something wrong.

Jiuxiao immediately understood; it turned out they were going to "stock up" on goods.

With a knowing smile, Jiu Xiao eagerly asked, "Where should we get our supplies?"

Homura Akemi frowned. When did it become "we"? And the whole "purchasing goods" thing... it actually makes a strange sense of it. Seeing that Homura Akemi didn't refuse outright, Kyuu was secretly pleased and followed her without thinking.

Once on the street, Jiuxiao asked again, "Xiaoyan, where are we going?"

Homura Akemi thought for a moment and then said, "The territory of the yakuza, or the police station."

Homura Akemi, the Queen of Arms, is a serialized novel! Jiu Xiao gave her a mental thumbs up, but at the same time felt it wasn't exciting enough. What new things could gangsters and police stations possibly have? After thinking for a moment, Jiu Xiao made a fingertip universe and said, "Too small, too narrow-minded."

Jiuxiao's mysterious smile looked particularly eerie in the night. He gently patted Akemi Homura's shoulder and said in a low voice, "How about we pull off a big heist? You know about the US military base in Yokosuka, right?"