In Tokyo, building the Holy Light Girls team

"Are you alright, Ms. Natsuki?!"

……

After finally managing to put on the swimsuit that Nanako handed her, Sayuri only kept most of her body submerged in the water, staring speechlessly at Nanako opposite her, making Nanako scratch her head somewhat embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Sayuri-neechan. I really didn't mean to take off my swimsuit. Besides, we're both girls, so even if someone saw it, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Seeing the apologetic look on Nanako's face, Sayuri could only sigh. She stood up, pulled over a surfboard, and prepared to continue instructing the girl as before.

"I'll let this go for now. My future husband hasn't even seen it yet, and now such a young child is going to see it. Luckily, he doesn't know about this. Okay, let's continue. If all goes well, maybe we can finish the initial teaching today..."

Seemingly sensing something, she turned her head and suddenly saw the girl bowing deeply to her: "Nanako, what are you doing..."

The girl looked up, her face filled with genuine emotion: "Thank you, Sayuri-neechan. Besides my mother, you're the second woman who's been so kind to me. Really, thank you..."

Sayuri tilted her head: "Huh?"

……

Chapter 135 Tentacle Monster

"Ah?"

Sayuri looked at Nanako with a puzzled expression, wondering why the other girl would suddenly thank her. It wasn't until she learned the reason from the girl that her expression changed slightly.

"Actually, since my father died, Nanako had not experienced this kind of happiness for a long time."

"My old friends, classmates, and everyone in the village, although they tried their best to hide it, I could still feel their hateful gazes..."

"Nanako doesn't know why everyone has become like this, she just doesn't know when it started, and now only her mother is left by her side..."

As she spoke, Nanako's face showed obvious pain. Sayuri seemed to empathize with her and subconsciously raised her arm, placing her palm on the top of the girl's head and gently stroking it.

If Natsuki and the others were here, they would probably be surprised by Sayuri's gentle demeanor, as even they rarely saw her in such a state.

Nanako wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Under Sayuri's caress, she almost lost control of her emotions, but she forced herself to continue:

"Just now, Nanako was just tentatively inviting her, but she didn't expect Sayuri-neechan to actually agree and even seriously want to teach her how to surf. Just now was the second time, besides her mother, that Nanako felt warm!"

"So, Nanako is really grateful to Sayuri-neechan..."

She wanted to bow again, but Sayuri's arm stopped her. Just as she was wondering what was going on, she heard the girl in front of her smile like sunshine.

"This is not something to cry about. A girl's tears are the most priceless treasure in the world!"

"If Nanako needs it, Sayuri can always be your confidante and older sister. What happened just now is just an insignificant fragment in the future, so please don't cry so easily anymore, okay?"

Looking at Sayuri's smile, Nanako felt as if she was shocked by something, including an item on her wrist that faintly glowed in the sunlight, but the light was so weak that neither of them noticed it.

"I understand, Sayuri-neechan!"

Nanako wiped away her tears and tried to suck her snot back in, but she couldn't control her strength and started coughing violently, even pulling a long, almost transparent liquid out of her nose.

"Pfft, hahaha, Nanako, what are you doing? If you're going to thank me for something like this, there's no need. Sayuri might not be able to sleep tonight!"

"Nanako...Nanako isn't like that! Sayuri-neechan, please stop laughing. If you keep laughing...Nanako will get angry!"

"Hahaha, I'm sorry, I really couldn't control myself. Nanako like this is just too... hahaha..."

"Damn it, watch this move I just learned from TV, the invincible Dragon Claw Hand, heh!"

"Ah! Nanako, you shameless thing, touching that place like that! See if Sayuri-neechan doesn't drag you back!"

"Hahahaha, Sayuri-neechan, don't touch that area, I can't take it... I can't take it anymore... Hahahaha..."

"Giggle giggle giggle, hehehe, go ahead and scream, even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you, giggle giggle..."

"Ya Mie Die...please let me go..."

"..."

The two people's bell-like voices, like a spring breeze, drifted from the sea to the beach and reached the ears of a beautiful young woman who had just arrived.

Holding two glasses of orange soda, she stared blankly at the two figures playing on the sea, especially when her gaze fell on the young girl's face, she felt a little dazed.

"How long has it been...? It feels like it's been so long since I've seen... that child's face... with such a happy smile..."

So surprised was she that the drinks were slipping slightly to one side. Only when she felt the imbalance of gravity did she quickly steady the square plate in her hands. The liquid in the two cups swayed gently but did not spill. Kato Yuri then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully it didn't spill. This is Nanako's favorite drink, but..."

Kato Yuri turned her gaze back to the two girls, a smile appearing on her lips.

"Nanako seemed really happy today... I think I should find some time to properly thank Mikiko. If she hadn't invited you all, perhaps..."

As she spoke, she walked towards the coast, calling out loudly, "Nanako, Sayuri, I've brought you drinks! Come and have some water to quench your thirst!"

"It's Mom... and that... it's Nanako's favorite drink, Sayuri-neechan, let's go upstairs quickly!"

"Uh-huh……"

Sayuri nodded, preparing to follow the girl back to the beach, when she suddenly sensed something and a strange expression appeared on her face.

"Hiss...wait...why have I had this strange feeling ever since...what is it..."

She subconsciously glanced around and saw a "sand wave" approaching rapidly behind Kato Yuri on the beach. The surface of the beach was covered with a faint black color, and the surrounding seawater had also turned a dark color without her noticing!

"Oh no, could it be..."

Seemingly realizing something, Sayuri's face immediately turned serious, and she grabbed Nanako's arm: "Wait a minute, is something wrong—"

As soon as she finished speaking, the "sand waves" around Kato Yuri on the shore rose several meters high, and a huge figure resembling a deep-sea squid emerged from the "sand waves," with more than a dozen tentacles thrashing wildly in the sunlight. Combined with its mountain-like size, it created a strong visual impact.

At the same time, a layer of black mist filled the surrounding air, almost completely obscuring the sunlight in a very short time, just like the darkness after the sun sets.

"What's this……"

While the young woman was still in a daze, one of the tentacles had already wrapped around her feet. With just a little force, Kato Yuri's body was already suspended in mid-air. The tentacles extended from her feet up her body, wrapping around her legs. In just a short while, the young woman's entire body was bound up.

"Let...let me go..."

Nanako, far away at sea, finally noticed Kato Yuri's condition and immediately cried out, "Mom!!!"

……

Chapter 136 Death Coil

"Uh...uh...uh..."

Kato Yuri tried to make a sound, but could only whimper. In just a short while, the young woman's eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness.

"Mother……"

Nanako cried out and tried to rush to the beach, but Sayuri held her tightly. Before she knew it, her face was covered with tears, which fell one after another onto the sea.

The sea, which had been just rippling with a few waves, seemed to become turbulent because of the girl's tears.

"Sayuri-neechan, let me go... Mom... I need to save Mom..."

"Do not move!"

Sayuri's sudden stern rebuke brought the girl back to her senses slightly. She turned around, but the other girl did not show the fear she had imagined.

"That creature's tentacles dare not touch seawater, so liquid must be its weakness. Don't make any rash moves!"

When the giant squid appeared, it kept swinging its tentacles, trying to capture the two people in the sea. However, as soon as the tentacles touched the waves, they quickly retracted and displayed an even more ferocious posture than before.

Sayuri immediately realized that this creature, which looked like a giant squid, was actually afraid of seawater?!

In other words, if they don't go ashore, they might be quite safe for a short time, but—

Sayuri's gaze fell on Kato Yuri. Under the influence of the Holy Light, she was able to sense the life force of living beings within a certain range.

From the encounter just now, Kato Yuri's vitality gradually weakened, and her increasingly dry skin symbolized the loss of her life force. If this giant squid were allowed to continue its rampage, Kato Yuri's life would likely be in danger...

Thinking of this, she subconsciously opened her lips and, as usual, softly uttered, "Holy Light—"

???

What puzzled Sayuri was that the warm holy light that she usually felt was not there. She subconsciously touched the top of her head, but the little bear clip that used to be there had disappeared. She could only touch a patch of hair that was wet with seawater!

"when--"

She gasped in shock, never expecting that at this crucial moment, the [Sacred Artifact] that carried the source of power would simply vanish!

Where did it land?

Changing room?

Just now...

Several thoughts flashed through Sayuri's mind. She glanced again at Kato Yuri, whose life force was gradually drying up, and Nanako, who was constantly shedding tears. Natsuki and the others were not present, and she could not stand by and watch them die. In addition, given the increasingly dangerous situation, she immediately pulled the girl behind her.

"Nanako, stay here and don't make any rash moves. Aunt Yuri sent me to rescue her. Sayuri promises you, she will definitely bring your mother back!"

Before the girl could respond, Sayuri rushed forward. Because of her swimsuit, the heavy object swayed as she ran, but the girl seemed oblivious, her eyes fixed on the giant squid on the beach.

"Let go of Aunt Lily right now!"

"Sayuri-neechan—"

Nanako hesitated for a moment, but remembering the girl's words, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her gaze falling on Sayuri's smooth back, and called out, "Sayuri-neechan, please be careful!"

"understood!"

Sayuri turned her head and replied with a smile. The moment she turned back again, she was already in front of the giant squid and immediately leaped up!

"Giant squid monster, take this!"

Whoosh!

The tentacles lashed out, but Sayuri merely tilted her head back slightly. The tentacles brushed against the exposed skin of her chest, bringing a strange, slippery sensation.

Sayuri gritted her teeth, suppressing her discomfort, and stepped onto the tentacles. Although they were somewhat slippery, she used the force to leap into the air, reaching the same height as Kato Yuri.

"Aunt Lily—"

She stretched out her palm and, with all her might, placed it on the tentacle that was wrapped around Kato Yuri. With a "snap," Sayuri forcefully pulled the tentacle away, trying to remove it.

"Let me go... Aunt Lily..."

Sayuri used all her strength to finally pull out the tentacle, but it was clear that Kato Yuri had not yet woken up from her coma, and her skin was still limp.

"Not yet..."