Eternal Saṃsāra: The Wanderer of Worlds

[102] You Can't Go...!

Chapter 102: You Can't Go...!

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His eyelids slid open, casting an eerie, blood-red glow in the dimly lit room. He rose from the bed, his movements eerily smooth, as if a marionette string guided him upright. A moment of disorientation washed over him as he absorbed the familiar yet distant surroundings.

His gaze drifted downward, lingering on remnants of a healing energy on the bed, that resonated faintly with his senses. "Huh."

His mind almost spiraled down to an abyss of thoughts, but he brushed them aside, choosing not to dwell on them in his current state. Instead, he levitated from the bed, his feet hovering inches above the floor. The door swung open silently from a gentle manipulation of wind aura guiding its movement, as he floated through the threshold.

Gliding through the hallway, his feet never touching the ground, Aqua passed the sleeping figures of three women and four tiger cubs. 'They hadn't bothered to sleep in their own room,' he thought but spared them no more than a fleeting glance, his focus elsewhere.

He was thirsty.

Descending the stairs like a specter, he emerged in the living room, a soft hum accompanying his movement. As he passed the sound box, music filled the room by his presence, creating a surreal atmosphere. He approached the fridge, which opened of its own accord to the tune of the song playing in the background.

- Tell me, do you see her? She's livin' her life, Even if she acts like she don't want the limelight...

"Where is the alcohol?" he scowled while [Popular] grew louder in the room. How could there not be a single beverage inside? Not even light alcohol?

- But if you knew her, yeah, she lives a lie, She calls the paparazzi, then she acts surprised, oh~

The absence of any beverage, not even a light one, irked him. He recalled that the woman had stopped buying alcohol after the incident where he pretended to get drunk and kissed her. He scoffed, 'How is that reason enough to keep the fridge empty?'

He grabbed the gallon of milk instead. The cap was flung aside as he began to drink, milk trailing down his lips, meandering over his shirtless chest. Clad only in pants, the fabric darkened where the milk made contact.

The moment was interrupted by a hesitant voice. "Aqua...?" He turned to find Ai Hoshino at the door, her purple-pink hair framing a face marked with concern. She eyed his altered appearance – the red eyes, the longer hair. "Aqua, is that you?"

'She has the sense to notice?' The Venerable Immortal Over Heavens studied her for a moment, a yawn escaping him as he ran a hand through his hair. The room felt suspended in time before he looked at the wall clock and broke the silence. "It's well past morning, the market nearby should be open by now. Go fetch me some alcohol."

"...."

Only the song broke the silence of the room, as the two stared at one another.

- Beggin' on her knees to be popular, That's her dream, to be popular (huh), Kill anyone to be popular, Sell her soul to be popular (popular), Just to be popular (uh-huh), Everybody scream 'cause she popular (huh), She mainstream 'cause she popular, Never be free 'cause she popular

Ai Hoshino gazed at the man before her, recalling their previous confrontations filled with harsh words. After a short silence, with a snap of her fingers, she transformed into a typical ninja, complete with hand signs that conjured a puff of smoke. Out of it emerged a clone, identical to her, to whom she handed a card before it departed the house. The clone should return with the required alcohol.