章 21: Tsukino Will Get Kissed, Again!

It was just a few minutes after dawn, and most mortals in Kurenai Village were fast asleep, exhausted from the intense training. Some hadn't even bothered eating before drifting off. However, two individuals, Sora and Lucy, found time to relax in the hot spring a few meters away from the training camp.

The atmosphere was lively, despite the two being of opposite genders.

Sora closed the bamboo book she'd been reciting to Lucy and gazed at the glowing pink moon, sighing. "Lucy-san, shouldn't we be receiving training from that samurai, just like Tsukino-chan, Shinji-kun, and the others? Why did she ignore us completely?"

Lucy continued to stare into the water, his reflection revealing a matured face, scarlet hair now at chest level, and an athletic build. His bully was no longer a problem, and he'd added the guy to his kill list.

Sora sighed again. "At this rate, we'll be under Tsukino or Shinji's leadership for the rest of our lives."

Lucy remained unfazed, asking, "Is there a problem with that?"

Sora's face twitched as she imagined life under their leadership. Her fist clenched unintentionally. "Tsukino will get us killed with her pride and need to do everything right. In a world like this, sacrifices are necessary."

Her expression twisted further at the thought of Shinji. "And that idiot, Great Scholar-kun, will make things difficult for us. He'll send us into battle with songs, poems, and lies, getting us killed."

Lucy chuckled, his gaze locked on the lush forest bathed in the moon's glow.

"You really think so?"

Sora nodded firmly. "Yes!"

Lucy's response surprised her: "That's stupid of you."

Sora's eyes widened in shock. Lucy was heartless by nature, but he never badmouthed anyone or lied. His mother had raised him well. When someone spoke nonsense, he'd rather agree than cause a scene.

Yet, he'd just bluntly called her 'stupid'.

Sora leaned back against the edge of the hot spring, intrigued. She knew Lucy would explain himself, a rare occurrence.

Lucy fixed his gaze on the summit of X-You Mountain, which towered above all others on the island.

His eyes sharpened like a blade. "In this world, have you ever wondered why someone like Tsukino would want to prove how strong women are, despite living in a society ruled by women?"

Sora fell silent, intrigued by the question. She had never thought about Tsukino's motivations, assuming it was just her desire to prove a point to society.

Lucy's gaze remained fixed on the mountain. "Do you know why she's like that?"

Sora looked at him curiously, wondering if he had an answer. Lucy stayed silent for a few seconds, collecting his thoughts.

"Her parents died when she was between 10 and 13 years old. They left behind another child, a boy who's a cripple. Tsukino received help from social organizations for girl orphans, but they couldn't assist her brother because he's a boy."

Sora's eyes widened in surprise. She had heard Tsukino mention her brother before, but she hadn't shared that information with Lucy. She marveled at how observant he was.

Lucy continued, oblivious to her gaze. "Despite the challenges, Tsukino and her brother managed to live relatively healthy and happy lives. She joined three social organizations for orphaned girls and received 25 Kojin a month – an amount my mother and I could live on for a whole year."

Lucy paused, washing away the tears that welled up in his eyes as he thought of his mother. He preferred not to talk about his past, as everything reminded him of her; the stars would make him think of the nights they gazed at them with empty stomachs, the clouds would be somehow shaped like her, even his own reflection brought back memories of his mother.

Lucy shrugged his feelings off, it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

He continued his observations, "However, due to her upbringing, Tsukino developed a mentality that men are inferior to women. That's why she chose to come here instead of her brother, to prove that point. She wants to protect everyone because she views us as her crippled little brother. When an elder sibling looks out for a younger one, you know what happens."

Sora's perception of Tsukino crumbled as she finally understood why Tsukino was reserved around the other girls. A curse almost escaped her lips, but Lucy spoke first.

"Tsukino's view of the world is distorted. She sees cripples as subhuman, objects she can control and manipulate. But I've seen people with disabilities achieve incredible things – writing, playing music with their mouths and legs."

Lucy sighed, "In truth, we're all cripples. I was born with a condition that makes reading and writing difficult for me. Everyone has something that makes them vulnerable. If they don't, then their minds are crippled, and they need a reality check."

Sora nodded, gazing into the water. She knew her own flaws, born with a condition that made her consider every living being equal.

She pondered, 'If God exists, wouldn't a man who kills thousands and one who kills an ant be equal in His eyes? To be perfect, one must not sin, and to achieve that, one must be like the Buddha – selfless and compassionate.'

Lucy's teasing voice pulled her out of her reverie, "Want to know something interesting?"

Sora smiled, eager to hear what Lucy had to say. "Don't keep me waiting, tell me already!"

Lucy smiled mischievously. "Tsukino has discovered the sweetness of what she considers a younger brother's lips. Tomorrow, she'll be kissed by him again, and she'll return the favor. And she's one of the reasons we're going to lose."