In a crossover anime, the only way to become stronger is by marrying a wife.

"Eh? I was hoping to see how Yuihama and her sweetheart would show off their affection." Fujiwara Chika said with great regret.

"What's so interesting about couples showing off their love? Are they eating dog food like it's their main meal?"

"Hehe...it's not that I don't believe it~"

"Stop being such a mouthful."

As Hiratsuka Shizuka dragged the other two away, their voices gradually faded from view.

After confirming, Yui Yuigahama sat down on a rock.

"Is there anything you want to say?" Tsukikawa Shuu sat down next to her.

The two sat together, shoulder to shoulder, looking every bit like a couple.

Yui Yuigahama did not answer immediately, but instead leaned against Tsukikawa Shuu and rested her face on his shoulder.

At this point, Tsukikawa Hiiragi could actually guess what to say.

"Actually... I thought you were pretty good from the beginning." Yui Yuigahama hugged Tsukikawa Shu's arm and smiled slightly.

"Mm." Tsukikawa Shu looked at her and responded softly.

"The answer has actually been there for a while, but it still needs some time to process."

Yui Yuigahama laughed.

Then, after a pause, he took a deep breath and finally said what was on his mind, "So, let's be together."

"To be together for life."

Her smile was as bright as a flower.

Chapter 135 Despair

Tsukikawa Shu held her small hand.

"Really?" Tsukikawa Shuu asked.

"Yes!" Yui Yuigahama nodded very seriously.

"Okay," Tsukikawa Shuu said with a smile. "From now on, I will always love you and protect you forever."

"Mm." Yui Yuigahama smiled as well.

Even a night with just the two of you can be wonderful.

……

……

When the time limit for the area expired, Tsukikawa Shuu and the others were still teleported back to the Secret Realm Plaza.

Today, Tsukikawa Shuu discovered that only two of Tamano's group remained: Tamano and Orimoto Kaori. The previous member, Nakamachi Chika, was nowhere to be found.

Moreover, the situation of these two people seems to be getting worse.

Compared to their previous arrogance and confidence, these two people are now dejected and completely lack any spirit.

However, none of this has anything to do with Tsukikawa Shu.

……

Looking at the familiar surroundings after being teleported back, Yu Sheng's eyelids drooped, and she only opened them a crack. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, she dropped the branch in her hand and slumped down on the spot.

His wounds worsened, with multiple festering sores all over his body. He received no treatment whatsoever and emitted a putrid stench.

There is also a wound on my forehead. The wound is relatively shallow, and I didn't pay attention to it at first, but now it is getting worse and worse. The wound has not been able to heal and has started to grow maggots.

However, there are no extra strips of cloth to wrap it up now, or rather, the explosion has no effect whatsoever, and it cannot stop the decay at all.

Yu Sheng was starving, had a fever, and felt dizzy. Although she was still conscious, she really wanted to sleep. At the same time, she could feel her heart pounding strongly, and she could feel the pulse throughout her chest.

Feeling the wriggling motion on his forehead, Yu Sheng reached out and grabbed a plump, white worm.

Maggots struggled and twisted between my fingers.

Yu Sheng looked at it, but instead of throwing it away, she put it in her mouth and chewed it.

This is a rare source of protein. Even though it's fed with its own flesh and blood, it can't be wasted.

Kaori Orimoto sat on the ground and rested for a while before finally managing to stand up with difficulty.

"I...I'd better go ask someone else for some more food."

She said.

However, when she tried to find other teams, they all avoided her like the plague.

"I'm sorry, we don't even have enough food for ourselves."

"No, you should find someone else... What? You're saying I'm keeping this whole bag of food for myself? What's it to you! Don't think I'm going to give it to you out of charity!"

"I do have food, but I also need to consider Tsukikawa Shu's mood."

"You've all made enemies with Tsukikawa Shu, I wouldn't dare help you. I don't want to be targeted by that big devil, Tsukikawa Shu."

……

After going around in circles, Orimoto Kaori still hadn't found anything.

By this time, her stomach was already growling with hunger, and she had even gotten used to this painful torment.

Even though her body was getting weaker day by day, she still realized that she needed to replenish her body with food.

The only one who could still provide her with food was still Tsukikawa Shu, whom she had previously looked down upon and was confident that she could challenge and surpass.

It was humiliating, but there was nothing we could do.

She thought for a moment, paused, and finally headed towards the camp where Tsukikawa Shu and the others were.

However, she couldn't get the food she asked for; she still had to put in the corresponding labor.

As for the energy expended during labor, it may not differ much from the reward received, but Kaori had no choice but to accept the loss.

Food can only be obtained from Tsukikawa Shuu. Other groups either don't have enough food themselves, or they are afraid of Tsukikawa Shuu's strength and don't want to stand against him, so they don't dare to give Orimoto Kaori any food.

When she got to Tsukikawa Shu, she saw Yuigahama Yui and Tsukikawa Shu hugging each other, chatting and laughing, and feeding each other.

The relationship between the two seems to have progressed further, transcending the ordinary romantic relationship.

Kaori Orimoto was surprisingly envious of Yui Yuigahama.

There's no other reason why Yui Yuigahama is able to win Tsukikawa Shu's affection, while she herself is still groveling and struggling to survive.

They are the same age and both are girls, but Tsukikawa Shuu's attitude towards the two is completely different.

"I...I'll give you a massage," Kaori Orimoto stammered.

"Oh." Tsukikawa Shuu glanced at Orimoto Kaori. "Where's the other one?"

“She…is dead,” Kaori Orimoto said.

“If there’s only one person, then the reward will naturally be halved,” Tsukikawa Shuu said. “The old rule still applies: the reward you receive depends on your efforts and service.”

"..."

Kaori Orimoto remained silent, forced to acquiesce to Hiiragi Tsukikawa's request; she had no other choice whatsoever.

That evening, Kaori Orimoto gritted her teeth and endured the humiliation of massaging Hiiragi Tsukikawa to get a little food. She tried her best to serve him well, but because she was even weaker, she only managed to get four fruits despite her best efforts.

Afterwards, most of these foods were taken away by Tamaki under the pretext of storing reserve rations, leaving only a small amount for Orimoto Kaori, which was not enough to sustain her for even a day.

The two of them were too exhausted to climb the tall stone steps any further. For the next four or five days, they stayed in the square, conserving their energy and avoiding any exploration.

As for food, they only received it from Orimoto Kaori's nightly massages to Tsukikawa Hiiragi. The food was pitifully scarce, and as Orimoto Kaori grew weaker, the food was constantly reduced due to the poor service, so they barely received any.

When they got to Tamaki's side, he took most of the food under the guise of reserve rations, saying it would only be used in emergencies. Orimoto Kaori didn't seem to think much of it, after all, she trusted Tamaki a lot, being the president of her student council.

As for Tamaki, his situation is actually worse than Orimoto Kaori's. He has only survived this long because he took most of the food that Orimoto Kaori brought with him.

He would take at least two-thirds of the food that Orimoto Kaori brought back every night.

At first, he felt a little guilty towards Kaori Orimoto, after all, she was the girl he secretly liked. But when he thought about it, he realized that it was more important to survive, so he let it go. Every night, he would just take out a small amount of food to send her away, and then secretly eat it all by himself.

As for the wounds on his body, every single one of them had long been infested with maggots.

Chapter 136 Suicide

Yu Sheng paid less and less attention to these maggots, instead using them as an energy source to alleviate her hunger.

From the perspective of nutrient transfer, simply eating these insects is not enough for Yu Sheng; she will continue to become weaker and weaker, and she will also be susceptible to infection.

But Yu Sheng didn't care at all anymore. As long as he could fill his stomach, he would accept anything that provided some nutrition and stuff it all into his mouth.

This included the trash left behind by everyone after they left to explore the secret realm each day, which he treated as delicacies.

……

Starting from the third night, Tamaki and Orimoto Kaori ceased their exploration.

Their strength was waning, and both of them were practically in despair, clinging to life only to the meager food provided by Tsukikawa Shu.

What's the point of continuing like this?