Chapter 26 - In the Name of the Moon, I Shall... Heal You
During their shared adventures, the Ninja Master had always been the one leading the way, brimming with vitality and sharp focus. Today, however, she was uncharacteristically sluggish, trailing behind the group with a dejected posture that lacked even a spark of her usual spirit.
Nestled against Himiko’s chest, the Hero—the slime known as Aotian—whispered softly, "Tang is acting so strange today." His watery, translucent eyes blinked rapidly. "Could it be... that after witnessing my heroic display in defeating the Water Wolf yesterday, she’s fallen hopelessly in love with me? But she was raised in the deep mountains with the sole goal of becoming the world’s greatest ninja; how could she allow herself to be troubled by romance? Yet, her love for me is so deep she cannot extricate herself, hence this agonizing hesitation..."
The Aotian Slime shook the ripples atop his head with a flourish. "Even I find it hard to resist the dashing allure of my own Heroic Soul. But—" He looked up, gazing affectionately at Himiko. "Hime, my heart belongs only to you." Despite his words, his eyes couldn't help but drift back toward the ninja. That desolate, swaying figure truly stirred a sense of pity within his gelatinous heart.
Even if he only loved Hime, poor Tang was simply too pitiable.
Himiko’s expression remained as stagnant as a frozen lake. She offered no response to the Hero’s narcissistic delusions.
*“Meow~ The Male Lead has triggered Romance Mode toward the Female Supporting Character; current Romance Level: 10. The Male Lead’s Favorability toward the Host has increased by 20; current Favorability: 50.”*
*What on earth... did I even do to make the Male Lead’s favorability go up?* Que Tang wondered, her throat burning with a sharp, dry pain.
*“Because this is a Hero’s Harem novel, meow~”* the system cat replied, succinctly exposing the Male Lead’s internal logic.
Que Tang wanted to retort, but the dizzying waves of nausea and heat made it impossible to concentrate. She lacked the strength to even speak. She couldn't help but grumble internally: *Why didn't you wake me up when I fell asleep in the hot spring last night?*
Because of that mishap, she had caught a wretched cold. When she woke up this morning, she found herself lying by the edge of the spring, with no memory of how she had climbed out or managed to put her clothes back on.
*“A system cannot be a third wheel, meow!”*
A sudden, sharp throb in her temples made her miss the implications of the "third wheel" comment. Que Tang’s vision blurred, and her body swayed until she slumped against a nearby tree trunk for support.
She suddenly recalled that when she left the Ninja Village, the doctor had given her a satchel full of medicine jars, one of which was for fevers and chills. Sitting down with great effort, she fumbled through her backpack. Just as she pulled out the jar and prepared to twist off the cap, a pale, slender hand reached out and snatched it away.
Que Tang knit her brows in displeasure, looking up to see who was being so inconsiderate. However, the first thing that met her eyes was the vibrant red *hibakama*—the symbol of a shrine maiden’s purity and sanctity.
"Himiko, what are you doing?" she questioned, her voice raspy and strained.
"I am here to serve the Ninja Master." Himiko’s expression was unreadable as she knelt, bringing herself level with Que Tang. She opened the jar, shook out a single white pill, and—dodging Que Tang’s attempt to reclaim it—popped the medicine into her own mouth.
Que Tang froze. But before she could process the strange behavior, she was hit by a second wave of shock.
Himiko reached out and pulled down Que Tang’s mask. She cradled the ninja’s face with agonizing care, stroking her skin just as she had in the hot spring the night before. Then, closing her eyes, she leaned in and pressed her lips against Que Tang’s. Before the stunned ninja could react, Himiko used the tip of her tongue to pry open her lips, passing the crushed, bitter medicine into her mouth. She didn't pull away until the last trace of bitterness had vanished between them. Only then did she release the ninja and retreat slightly.
Que Tang was utterly speechless.
Himiko did not forget to pull the mask back up, once again veiling that face which was as beautiful as a deity's. The Ninja Master’s true visage was something only she was permitted to see.
*“Meow~ The Female Supporting Character’s Favorability toward the Host has increased by 20. Favorability is at maximum; Romance Mode initiated. The Female Supporting Character’s Blackening Value has increased by 10; current value: 20.”*
*“...She takes advantage of me and her Blackening Value goes UP?”* Que Tang felt the veins on her forehead throbbing.
*“That is the essence of a yandere, meow~”*
*“Meow your sister!”*
*“Meow!”*
Que Tang finally regained her senses and shoved Himiko away. "What do you think you're doing?" She used her iron staff to haul herself up, radiating an aura that screamed "do not approach" as she glared at the priestess.
However, Himiko was the quintessential "Three-No" girl—no expression, no feelings, no words. She seemed entirely oblivious to the ninja’s fury. Seeing Que Tang stumble from the exertion, she immediately stepped forward to support her. "Ninja Master, please take care of yourself."
"Stay away from me," Que Tang hissed, still trying to distance herself.
"Master Tang, watch out!" Himiko’s eyes suddenly snapped wide. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around the fever-weakened Que Tang and rolling them away from the tree they had been standing under.
Already feeling miserable, the repeated rolling was the final straw for Que Tang. Her consciousness flickered and died, and she spiraled into a faint.
This, however, incensed Himiko.
Her ink-black pupils bled into a haunting, eerie deep purple fueled by rage. Her long black hair, usually tied neatly back, burst free and billowed in the air as if possessed. A pillar of violet light erupted from beneath her feet, enveloping her entire form.
"This Sanctuary has tolerated your kind for far too long. You have shown no gratitude, yet you dare to encroach again and again." As the violet light faded, a figure remained hovering in mid-air.
The sacred white and red miko outfit had transformed into a pitch-black variant. Her hair remained that supernatural shade of deep violet. In her left hand, Himiko held a long iron spike; in her right, a wooden mallet. A small straw doll floated before her.
Himiko’s eyes, usually vacant, were now burning with intensity as she stared down the great tree. "You are a mere Wood Spirit. If not for the stray wisps of my power nourishing you, how could you have ever gained sentience? I intended for you to guard this forest, yet you chose to act for yourselves, carving out territories and preying upon the weak. Had you committed no crime, this Sanctuary would have turned a blind eye. But today, you have failed to distinguish between kindness and enmity. I shall tolerate you no longer."
She pressed the spike against the straw doll and brought the mallet down with a heavy *thud*.
The great tree let out a harrowing shriek. It tried to retaliate, lashing out with its branches, but every attack was deflected by an invisible barrier before it could reach Himiko.
Seeing its stubborn resistance, Himiko narrowed her eyes. Her right hand rose and fell again, harder this time.
The tree screamed even more piteously. A burst of white light erupted from the trunk, and a scarred, battered wolf spirit lunged out, eyeing Himiko with a mixture of reverence and terror. After a long, tense standoff, the wolf lowered its head in total submission.
With a flick of her wrist, Himiko vanished the mallet, spike, and doll into her sleeves. She turned her hand over, and a transparent orb appeared in her palm.
"Today, this Sanctuary shall act on behalf of the moon..." The expressionless Himiko didn't even blush as she crossed her arms in the air, tracing a quarter-circle gesture before pointing at the wolf soul. "...and punish you."
She hurled the orb. A magnificent white light swallowed the wolf spirit whole. The orb, now glowing green, returned to her hand.
Himiko’s vision went dark, and she collapsed, exhausted, beside the ninja.
***
"Hime? Hime!"
Himiko opened her eyes dizzily to see a pink, translucent blob wobbling in front of her.
"Hime, you're awake! Thank goodness!" The Hero hopped around excitedly.
"You..." Himiko realized her voice was hoarse.
"We were walking, and then a thick fog suddenly rolled in. You and Tang both disappeared!" the Hero recounted his version of the story. "I was so worried! I searched for you non-stop in the mist, but strangely, I couldn't see any of the trees that were supposed to be there. Then a green light appeared, and I rushed over and found this!" The Hero balanced a green magic orb on his head. "And then you two reappeared."
"I'm so glad I didn't give up. Now we're all safely reunited!" The Hero flashed a "moe" smile.
"Aotian... where is Master Tang?" Himiko took the magic orb but ignored everything else the Hero said. She sat up and saw Que Tang still lying unconscious beside her. Himiko reached out to touch the ninja’s forehead; the heat radiating from her skin made Himiko’s usually steady heart skip a violent beat.
"Tang seems very sick," the Hero said anxiously. "Even though the Demon King’s resurrection is imminent, we can't abandon a comrade."
The Hero bounced around frantically. "No, saving the world is important, but so are our friends! Tang is an irreplaceable partner, right, Hime? We have to find her a doctor." Receiving no response, the Hero turned around, only to find the area empty.
Himiko had already carried the ninja to a nearby hot spring. After removing the heavy ninja robes, she supported her into the water.
Although the Great Deity had warned her never to use her divine essence to heal ordinary humans, the Ninja Master was so ill that she could not simply stand by.
Himiko tossed out three magic orbs to form a restrictive seal. Then, she shed her own garments and entered the spring. She pulled Que Tang into her arms—forehead to forehead, nose to nose, lips to lips, and every other part of their bodies pressed together in a way that would surely be censored.
Whispering a string of prayers, she kissed the ninja once more.
***
A long time later, Que Tang regained consciousness. She felt as though her entire body was being cradled by a warm, gentle current. She slowly opened her eyes, only to have them nearly pop out of her head.
The expressionless priestess was stark naked, holding her close while sitting in her lap, eyes closed as she kissed her. Que Tang’s mind raced, but she had zero memory of how she had ended up here. *Did I do something unspeakable while I was out? No, I was unconscious with a fever! I wouldn't have the strength for anything that requires 'harmonization.' Wait... looking at this situation, I’ve been 'corpse-picked' by this girl who’s been eyeing me all along!*
Que Tang was overcome with shame and indignation.
"Tang," Himiko said, opening her eyes.
Que Tang, who had been frantically trying to think of how to distance herself, froze when she saw Himiko’s eyes. *Why are they purple?*
"Tang, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Que Tang said instinctively. Then, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson, she stammered, "You... I... why are we here like this!?"
"Because you fainted. I brought you here to heal you with divine power." Himiko looked at the blush on the ninja’s face with a trace of confusion. "When divine power is transferred, there can be no barriers between us. It must be skin-to-skin."
"...Do you... do you heal people like this often?" *This is just the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra from the Tomb Sect! To hell with this 'divine power'!* Que Tang thought fuming.
"No. The Great Deity said that except for someone very important, I must never do this." Himiko looked at the ninja with absolute sincerity.
No matter how thick-skinned Que Tang was, she couldn't withstand such an earnest gaze, especially after such a blatant confession. Flustered and annoyed, she pushed Himiko away and scrambled to the edge of the pool to find her clothes. "Just... don't do it again! Don't take my clothes off without my permission!" As she ran off, she realized her phrasing was a bit off, but she didn't dare turn back to correct it.
Himiko watched Que Tang’s retreating figure, a strange light flickering in her eyes.
*“Meow~ The Female Supporting Character’s Romance Level toward the Host has risen by 20; current level: 20. Blackening Value has risen by 10; current value: 30.”*
After everything she had just endured, Que Tang was officially numb to the system’s notifications.
| Chinese | English | Notes |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 三无少女 | Three-No Girl | A character who lacks expression, feelings, and words (Kuudere). |
| 绯袴 | Hibakama | The red trousers/skirt worn by Japanese shrine maidens. |
| 木灵 | Wood Spirit | Kodama; a spirit living in a tree. |
| 捡尸 | Corpse-picking | Slang for taking advantage of an unconscious person, usually sexually. |
| 玉女心经 | Jade Maiden Heart Sutra | A famous martial arts technique from Jin Yong's novels requiring practitioners to train naked together. |
| 惩罚你 | Punish you | Reference to Sailor Moon's catchphrase. |
