「Because the system's energy is being consumed very rapidly, it is recommended that the Host immediately begin the Final Exam. If this choice is missed, the Fifth Mission will become more difficult than the Host imagines.」
"Oh?"
Hearing something else that surprised him, Yuu asked the system in his mind while calling Masuzu:
(Why are you suddenly in a state of very rapid consumption? Are you preparing to stab me in the back again?)
The system replied this time: 「The recovery of the target's memories will continue to affect the current Worldline. If the system does not actively control and rectify it, subjects relatively close to Yukinoshita Haruno will gradually recall all events from the previous four Worldlines, making the current Worldline extremely unstable, and simultaneously posing a danger.」
"Subjects relatively close... besides Yukino, that means Yukinoshita's Mother?"
Thinking about this, Yuu felt as if he had been doused with cold water; not a hint of joy appeared.
How could it not, if Yukinoshita Saori remembered that at their first meeting, he immediately snatched her eldest daughter; and at their second meeting, he said in front of her that he would give happiness to her youngest daughter and another girl, openly two-timing...
Yuu wouldn't be surprised if one day Haruno and Yukino were secretly taken away by Saori to America for an arranged marriage.
It wasn't that Saori shouldn't recover her memories, but at least, she should wait until Yuu was ready to face her and help her accept the reality that her two beloved white cabbages had been taken by the same pig.
"Alright, it seems I should thank you for your hard work cleaning up my mess." Yuu sighed, "Then, the second question... oh, wait a moment."
The phone rang busy for over ten seconds before being picked up. Then, the girl's voice, made calm but sounding nervous, came from the handset.
"Hello? What is it?"
Yuu asked in a normal tone: "Natsukawa, are you home now?"
"Yes."
"There's something I want to talk to you about. I'm in front of your apartment, can you come down for a bit?"
"Okay."
Even without asking what the matter was, Masuzu's answer was very direct, even seeming a little impatient.
From this alone, Yuu could already confirm that Masuzu also retained memories from the previous mission.
Of course, the exact details would have to be confirmed after meeting her directly.
The call ended, Yuu put down his phone, walked to the intercom of the luxury apartment, and pressed the eleventh-floor bell.
The bell chimed melodiously. While waiting for Yukino to answer the bell, he continued his question to the system:
"If I miss this choice, wouldn't you, who is running out of energy, just disappear? Why is there still a Fifth Mission with an increased difficulty level?"
「When energy is depleted, the system will retract all skills and statuses from the Host, convert them into energy to begin the Fifth Mission, and then enter a long-term sleep mode.」
"??? You really have your ways of playing!"
Yuu's eyes were full of contempt: "Even if I only return to the starting point, and my physical condition shouldn't weaken, I believe I can still complete your bad mission well... But can you be this despicable? Retracting rewards that have already been given, even using them to trouble the person who received the reward. Who do you think created a shameless trash system like you?"
The system continued its sentence in its own way: 「The system will awaken after the Host completes the mission and obtains energy, and will return all retracted rewards.」
"Understood, understood. This is again the usual scenario where I'm forced to act out of line." Yuu rolled his eyes, saying irritably, "Good grief, this is the last time, can't you just let me complete the mission smoothly according to the rules? Why do you have to suddenly create this surprise, it feels like forcing me to choose the worst option."
After all, the so-called Final Exam Mission had appeared in a previous mission, also used to threaten him to quickly make a choice he didn't want—if not for Yukino's willingness to sacrifice for him, this Final Exam Mission might have already been forced upon him by the system.
Yuu still remembered how the system warned him:
「Hint: The Final Exam Mission will cause irreversible impact on this world, and all beings within it. The Host is requested to choose carefully!」
But now, the system didn't mention the dangers of the Final Exam Mission at all, like a salesman betting that the person who came to the door was a housewife who didn't know how to refuse and also didn't know the product's side effects, hoping she would nod foolishly until she only realized something was wrong later.
How could Yuu be that foolish?
Although he didn't know exactly what was happening, from the system's strange attitude and sudden policy change, he roughly understood that the losses for agreeing would definitely outweigh the benefits.
"I'd rather complete the Fifth Mission without any equipment."
Yuu sneered with disdain, while looking at the unanswered doorbell with puzzled eyes.
"What's the loss if the difficulty level increases? That's better than a Final Exam with no information at all. I'm most afraid of dangerous things like that."
System: 「...」
"But, considering that if I don't give you energy, you'll force me to fight my mother-in-law earlier, while I have to deal with memory and emotional issues, having no extra energy to flirt with my mother-in-law..."
As if teasing the system, Yuu extended his sentence slowly.
The doorbell remained unanswered, he took out his phone again, ready to call Yukino—the reason he hadn't called from the start was because he was afraid Yukino would reject the call; it was better to come directly to show sincerity, and also to prevent Yukino from cutting off contact to avoid him.
But it turned out, he was overthinking things. Yukino had no intention of avoiding him at all.
"Tenkuji-kun?"
The phone was picked up immediately. Although her tone was somewhat complicated, her emotions were calmer than he expected.
Yuu smiled, with a very familiar demeanor: "Long time no see, I've come to see you again."
"..."
Yukino was silent for a while, and finally, thousands of words turned into a resigned sigh.
"I'm at the supermarket, I'll be back soon."
"I also called Natsukawa, we—"
The sound of soft breathing suddenly stopped. Yukino immediately hung up the phone.
"At least listen to me finish..."
Putting down his phone resignedly, Yuu couldn't help but let out a bitter smile, and then vented all his annoyance on the system.
"Stupid system, if you want me to agree to that Final Exam Mission, you'd better tell me all the pros and cons, specific details, and things that will be affected. Otherwise, I'd rather add a BIG! BURDEN! MYSELF!"
System: 「... Only by choosing to accept, can the Host obtain Final Exam information.」
"Then go to sleep, I'll fight." Yuu replied without hesitation.
Some systems think that the Host will be its tool, obeying it.
But for Yuu, even though he was sometimes stabbed in the back and targeted by this system, he never had, and never would, forcefully do something he didn't want to do just because the system asked him to.
System settings, system missions, system rewards, and system punishments—all of these had no right or power for him to interfere with.
After all, after receiving benefits from the system, he couldn't ask it to eliminate its drawbacks—there was no such good thing in this world, and he also didn't dare to accept gifts that fell from the sky.
However, in return, Yuu's will would also not be bent by the system. If he didn't want to do it, he wouldn't do it, even if it added unnecessary trouble.
Like when he voluntarily asked for his memories to be taken, like when he refused to make Yuigahama a mission target—
In Yuu's view, from beginning to now, this system was his tool, a super ATM that gave him various rewards.
So this time, he flatly and casually rejected the system's request, not at all worried if the system would make things difficult for him.
Difficulty level increased, well, let it increase. As if the previous four missions felt easy... In fact, Yuu was even a little looking forward to it. He wanted to know what other tricks the system would pull in the Fifth Mission to prevent him from regaining everyone's memories and feelings, and together create a happy future that no one would regret.
After a few seconds of silence, the system emitted a surprisingly flat voice:
「Do you confirm rejection of the Final Exam Mission?」
"Confirm, just go to sleep." Yuu replied with a confident smile. His gaze met the silver-haired girl who was jogging out of the elevator. He smiled and waved at her.
"Anyway, whether it's a girlfriend or a mother-in-law, after you wake up, I'll conquer them all and show them to you!"
「Host's rejection of Final Exam Mission confirmed.」
Hearing this sentence, Yuu's last faint worry finally subsided. He turned with a surprised feeling, and saw Yukino staring at him around the corner of the street, her expression subtle, her steps somewhat hesitant, as if she really didn't want to face him.
Before approaching the two girls, he casually asked: "When does the Fifth Mission start? What are the details? You can tell me this, right?"
The system replied:
「Host confirmed acceptance of mission, mission content has been updated.」
「Fifth Mission begins.」
「Its name, The Final Exam Mission.」
Yuu: "Exam... Hmm???"