Chapter 288: Suppressing the Two
"You may call me Franklin, or you may call me a god. I'm here to resolve the troubles between you."
Hearing Franklin's audacious tone, Yamai Kaguya's expression instantly darkened.
Although Yamai Yuzuru still wore her usual deadpan face, her eyes were filled with wariness and vigilance.
"A god? Resolve our troubles? Even if you really were a god, you couldn't resolve our troubles.
False god, leave this place. Our duel must continue—otherwise, we'll prioritize shooting you down."
"Agreement: Irrelevant individual, leave. The duel carried out in the name of Yamai is sacred and inviolable."
Seeing the sisters instantly form a united front, Franklin smiled and shook his head.
"You wager in the name of Yamai, engaging in different battles again and again, yet never reaching a final outcome.
Both of you want the other to live, yet you keep risking your own lives.
Since that's the case, why not listen to a few words from me, a passerby—a false god?
What if I really do have the ability to resolve your troubles?
For example, letting the two of you merge into one.
Or letting both of you live together.
Or helping one of you completely defeat the other, thus fulfilling your wish."
The moment Franklin finished speaking, Kaguya's cheeks instantly flushed red, though she quickly concealed it and returned to a serious expression.
"Bastard, what kind of joke are you making? Yuzuru wants me to live…
We're fighting like this because we each bear the name of Yamai…"
Yuzuru also slightly furrowed her brows, then fixed Franklin with a sharp gaze.
"Confirmation: Do you understand what you're saying? Ignorant remarks."
Seeing how both of them were saying one thing while thinking another, Franklin didn't waste words. He snapped his fingers lightly, and the Heart-to-Heart Technique instantly connected the two of them.
"Damn it—my true thoughts were completely exposed. Even though I want to live too, Yuzuru is the most important…"
"Kaguya is the true inheritor of Yamai. Even though Yuzuru also wants to live, Kaguya is the most important…"
"Why do I hear Yuzuru's voice in my heart…"
"Why do I hear Kaguya's voice in my heart…"
The two subconsciously looked at each other, and their inner voices were transmitted once more.
"Why is she looking at me… Could it be she can hear my thoughts too…"
In an instant, the two of them understood everything.
Kaguya's eyes filled with happiness.
"So Yuzuru… you feel the same way…"
Yuzuru's gaze softened as well.
"Agreement: Kaguya is the one who should live…"
After meeting each other's eyes, their gazes once again turned sharp.
"Then we'll see whose strength is greater. The one who loses—"
"Agreement: The one who loses will become the Yamai who lives on."
"Storm Knight: Piercer!"
"Resonance! Storm Knight: Binder!"
Ferocious gales instantly formed, to the point where even Franklin's domain showed signs of being unable to suppress them.
This made Franklin sigh inwardly—no matter how powerful an ability was, if it hadn't reached the level of rules, it truly fell short in the face of rule-level powers.
Even pseudo–rule-level abilities were not something his current domain could easily suppress.
"False god, you still have time to leave. Today, the two of us will decide a victor. After today, only one person will inherit the name of Yamai."
"Agreement: After today, Kaguya will live on."
In an instant, the two of them charged toward each other. The raging winds forced open a blank space within Franklin's invisible domain.
And as their attacks collided, that blank space grew larger and larger.
Sensing their determination to settle things once and for all, Franklin helplessly raised a hand to his forehead and sighed.
"I clearly gave you three options, yet you completely ignored what I said and just started fighting on your own.
Then what was the point of letting you see through each other's hearts?"
"Thanks for your help, false god, but we no longer need it. Yuzuru and I will decide the outcome ourselves."
"Seconded: We will determine the next Yamai through victory and defeat."
Franklin was at a loss. Given how stubborn the two of them were, there was no way they'd stop just because of a few words.
So Franklin stopped holding back.
"Since you both have your own ideas, then let me join in as well.
As long as I defeat both of you, I'll decide the future of Yamai on your behalf.
Are you prepared to face the attack of a false god?"
Having declared his attack, Franklin activated both Illusory World Genesis and his domain at the same time. A miniature black hole instantly formed.
In the blink of an eye, the pseudo–rule-level storm attacks created by the two of them twisted and were completely drawn into that pitch-black point.
Seizing the opportunity, Franklin's domain enveloped the two of them once more, suppressing and sealing them in one seamless motion.
In an instant, both of them were reduced to ordinary girls and fell straight toward the sea.
With a light snap of his fingers, Franklin dressed the completely naked pair in ordinary high school girls' clothing, then instantly teleported them to his side, allowing them to stand in midair.
"Your powers are temporarily sealed. You should be able to calm down now.
The choice I've made for you is this: seal your powers and live together as ordinary people."
Hearing Franklin's words, Kaguya clenched her fist in disbelief, a profound sense of powerlessness welling up from her heart.
Although Yuzuru still wore her usual deadpan expression, her eyes were filled with disbelief as well.
"False god, you really turned us into ordinary people?! How is that possible!"
"Question: Passerby… no, Franklin—you turned us into ordinary people. This is simply unbelievable!"
After snapping his fingers to completely annihilate the miniature black hole, Franklin finally looked at the two of them.
"This somewhat goes against your original intent. For now, no one will inherit the name of Yamai.
But this allows you to calm down and rethink what it is you truly want.
Is it to have someone inherit the name of Yamai?
Or is it for the other person to live?
If it's the former, I have a way to resolve it for you.
If it's the latter, then it's already been perfectly resolved."
Looking at the silent pair, Franklin continued.
"Of course, you can be a bit greedy and want both. Even if that's the case, I still have a way."
Hearing Franklin's confident words, both Kaguya and Yuzuru stared at him in shock.
"False god, you really have a way to achieve both? How would you do it?"
"Question: Franklin, how would you accomplish this? For the name of Yamai to be inherited, one of us must disappear."
Franklin smiled, conjuring a phantom of Yamai Kaguya and a phantom of Yamai Yuzuru in midair. Then he brought his hands together, and the two phantoms instantly fused.
"…False god… if you do this, wouldn't both Yuzuru and I cease to exist, and a completely new individual be born?"
"Curiosity: If you do this, how would you allow both Yuzuru and me to live?"
Franklin smiled and casually dispersed the fused phantom with a wave of his hand.
"That part is a secret. If you want to know, then you'll need to think about what kind of compensation you can offer."