Chapter 344: Penacony Arc 『 Part Thirty-nine』, The Eternal Limbo of the Penacony
「 Seeing Hotaru safe and sound, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Stelle's mouth. Her pace quickened, fueled by an irrepressible sense of joy, until she was practically breaking into a light jog.
However.
The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end—Stelle dove forward instinctively. The sheer pressure of a gust generated by razor-sharp claws grazed her nape, sending a shiver down her spine. Stumbling as she looked up, she bore witness to the cruelest of sights—
Hotaru had been hoisted into mid-air by the Meme.
The expression on her face was one of pure shock, caught completely off guard… There wasn't even time for terror to set in before the Meme's jagged tail-blade precisely impaled her through the chest.
Pshhh—
Time seemed to grind to a halt in that singular moment. It slowed until she could trace the path of the crystalline fluid sliding down the blade; it slowed until she could hear the girl's fading, breathless apology, steeped in infinite guilt.
"I'm… sorry…"
Stelle's legs felt as though they had taken root in the earth. She could only watch helplessly as that cold, shimmering blade plunged another half-inch forward.
Squelch—
The sound of metal tearing through flesh was agonizingly clear. Hotaru's body jerked feebly with the motion, like a paper kite buffeted by the wind. Two trails of tears traced paths down her pale cheeks, reflecting the ethereal luminescence of the Dreamscape.
The blade was suddenly wrenched free, hurling Hotaru violently toward the ground. Stelle stumbled forward, reaching out with both hands to catch her, but they passed fruitlessly through her form, grasping nothing but a spray of shimmering fragments. 」
「 ..... 」
〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜
"Kazuma! Kazuma, what's wrong with you?!"
Aqua's screech echoed throughout the tavern. Kazuma had toppled over backward like a felled log, hitting the floorboards with a dull thud, his eyes still wide and staring as if he'd died with deep regrets.
"No way! Did he actually pass out because he couldn't handle the tragic death of Hotaru-chan—the one he sacrificed ten years of being single to pull?"
Aqua knelt beside him in a panic, poking Kazuma's cheek with her finger.
"There's no other choice…"
Aqua took a deep breath and pressed her folded hands against Kazuma's chest.
"SACRED HIGHNESS HEAL—!"
A flash of blinding light erupted—Kazuma's body vaulted half a meter into the air before slamming back down onto the floor.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Kazuma sat up, clutching the back of his head.
"I think I had a dream… I dreamed that Hotaru-chan was run through the chest… Hahaha… Aqua, that was just a dream, right?"
"Hotaru-chan?"
Megumin pointed toward the puddle of shimmering water in Stelle's hands.
"That's Hotaru-chan right there."
"…"
The color drained from Kazuma's face, turning from a deathly pallor to a sickly green in an instant. His lips trembled, but all that escaped was a strangled "Guh—"
Thump—!
He tipped over again, straight as a flagpole, losing consciousness once more.
—
〜Chainsaw Man World〜
Watching the screen as Hotaru was cut down, Denji slumped onto the old sofa, his back sinking deep into the worn, misshapen cushions.
(Why did my Hotaru have to die? Isn't Miss Acheron supposed to be super strong?)
(Come to think of it, that Meme was way too sneaky…)
(Should I be crying right now? But I can't squeeze out any tears at all.)
"My heart has been taken by Hotaru; perhaps I'll never feel joy or sorrow again in this life."
Denji felt a wave of nausea so intense he nearly threw up the buttered toast and ice cream he'd had for breakfast. He clamped his hand over his mouth as an indescribable sense of grief flooded his heart.
"Will I never see Hotaru again…?"
His fingers curled slightly, as if trying to grasp something, but they only brushed uselessly against the rough fabric of the sofa.
Beside him, the Fiend frowned.
"Hey, Denji, what's with that face? You look gross…"
Power sat nearby, munching on snacks with a bored expression.
"Don't you like Sparkle the most? Hotaru is dead, but can't Stelle just ask Sparkle to turn into Hotaru later so you can see her again? Besides, Sparkle can change into whatever she wants. Maybe she can even make some adjustments and turn into a Hotaru with bigger boobs?"
"…"
Denji fell silent for a moment, tilting his head as he began to give the matter some very serious thought.
(Eh?)
(Wait, she actually has a point…)
That indescribable grief was instantly overwritten by a surge of lewd fantasies, causing Denji to perk up immediately.
(A Hotaru-chan with bigger boobs?)
"Hell yeah!"
—
〜Gintama World〜
Gintoki's world went dark as he collapsed onto the sofa. His arm hung limp, and a carton of strawberry milk slipped from his fingers, splashing a pink stain across the floor.
"AAAAAGH—!"
He let out a soul-rending wail, writhing on the sofa like a dehydrated eel.
"Why?! Why do the good women always go first?! A beauty of this caliber should have lasted at least three volumes in JUMP! I… I'm going to create a world where Rin… wait, no! A world where Hotaru exists, damn it!"
Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and offered a flat retort.
"Is it really appropriate for you to be saying that? Even if someone's going to awaken a Mangekyo, it would be Stelle, not you…"
Gintoki suddenly sprang up with a kip-up and grabbed his own silver perm.
"Dammit! Also, did Acheron and Black Swan just have zero reaction?! I thought Acheron was supposed to be some legendary Galaxy Ranger!"
"Maybe she just didn't have the frames to dodge—Aru?"
Kagura suggested while chewing on a pickled seaweed strip.
"Is that the point here?!"
Gintoki grabbed a rolled-up JUMP magazine and whacked Kagura over the head.
"The point is that because of their blunder, we've lost another top-tier waifu! And Stelle has lost her chance to escape the single life!"
—
「 "Stelle, are you… Alright?"
"Is this… a dream…?" Stelle stared at the scene before her, still unable to process the reality of it.
"Stelle, look at me... Calm down, deep breaths, all right?" Acheron looked at her with an expression of deep concern.
After Black Swan used her powers as a Memokeeper to help steady Stelle's mind, the trailblazer managed to pull herself slightly out of the abyss of grief. It had all happened far too suddenly.
"I am truly sorry, but I must depart for a short while… Death still roams these halls. I must personally confirm the safety of Lady Himeko and Miss March 7th and warn them…"
Having entrusted Stelle's safety to Acheron, Black Swan vanished.
Acheron felt a heavy weight of regret as well; she had been too focused on Hotaru herself, failing to anticipate the Meme's flanking maneuver.
"This is not your fault. Our priority now is to understand what has transpired."
Acheron nodded slowly. "Indeed. We must keep our eyes sharp and discern where the true enemy hides, and how we might strike back… Do not let the pain dictate your thoughts, Stelle. Only by maintaining your resolve can you walk the correct path." 」
「 ..... 」
( Translator-kun: And here it is... )