40 The Sound of the World

Since Sora and the others saved the boy and the Sekirei girl not far from Izumo Inn, and their clothes were quite tattered from the battle, Sora decided to take them back to Izumo Inn to rest.

The boy's name was Shigi Haruka, nineteen years old, and he was a high school student who had failed the entrance exam for the New Eastern Imperial University twice, making him a rather unfortunate guy.

His Sekirei, the timid and shy girl, was named Kuno, with the designation No. 95.

Unlike other Sekireis, Kuno did not possess great physical strength or extraordinary mental power. Her only ability was her loud crying, which could stun a few ordinary people, but it was ineffective against powerful Sekireis, hence she was known as "the weakest Sekirei."

Not only that, but this poor Sekirei girl was lacking in ability and looks!

Among Sekireis, there were hardly any ugly ones; their excellent genes ensured that even if they weren't stunningly beautiful, they were still exceptional beauties. Even the extremely rare male Sekireis were all handsome and cool.

However, Kuno was somewhat of a tragedy.

Looks? While not ugly, she could only be considered average, ranking at the bottom among Sekireis.

Figure? Still lacking; she was as flat as a board, with no curves or grace to speak of, also placing her at the bottom.

Personality? Well, being timid was her trademark, shyness was her daily routine, and being bashful was her photo shoot theme; it was hard to say more.

In short, she was a Sekirei that epitomized the name "weakest." Even her Shigi Haruka was at a loss for words and simply changed her name from "Kuno" to "Uncapable," which was quite fitting.

The people at Izumo Inn expressed sympathy for this tragic Kuno, lamenting her misfortune.

Looking at her flat chest, Musubi didn't think her own ample bosom affected her combat abilities. Looking at Kuno's short hair, Tsukiumi didn't mind her own golden hair being messy. Looking at Kuno's small stature, Kusa felt her own future was bright.

As for the bespectacled one? He had already rushed over to study her body. How could a Sekirei with such excellent genes end up like this?!!!

The only ones who looked at this poor little Sekirei differently were Sora and Miya. They exchanged glances, both with a strange light in their eyes.

Through their understanding, Sora and the others learned about the story of the unfortunate boy and the pitiful Sekirei.

It turned out that they were well aware that their participation in the Sekirei Project was purely to serve as fodder for others, so they had no intention of fighting against other Sekireis from the very beginning.

Since they were already caught up in the Sekirei Project, and the entire Shintō Teito was a battlefield, how could they avoid fighting with other Sekireis?

The answer was naturally to escape the Shintō Teito!

However, just as they reached the checkpoint, they were discovered by the inspecting soldiers, and then they encountered a certain bandaged woman from the Punishment Corps. If she hadn't found them amusing, they might have been done for right then and there.

Unfortunately, their luck was terrible; just after escaping the pursuit of the Punishment Corps, they ran into other Sekireis. It was unclear whether these Sekireis had been waiting for them or simply thought they were easy targets, but they relentlessly pursued them.

In the end, if Sora hadn't saved them, they would have been in serious trouble.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the people at Izumo Inn listened to their experiences with a mix of sympathy and disbelief. They had seen bad luck before, but nothing quite like this!

"Lord Ashikabi, let's help them escape the Shintō Teito!" The pure-hearted Musubi was moved to tears after hearing their story, tugging at Sora's sleeve with a pleading expression.

Sora looked at Musubi in surprise; he understood this little girl well. Usually, when she called him "Lord Ashikabi," she was very serious, and it seemed she genuinely wanted to help the unfortunate Sekireis and Ashikabi.

The others didn't say much about Musubi's suggestion, but Tsukiumi was somewhat reluctant. With her strong sense of battle, she was very opposed to such avoidance of conflict.

After a moment of contemplation, seeing Musubi's excited expression, Sora finally nodded.

"Alright, we'll help them escape the Shintō Teito."

Upon hearing Sora's response, the most delighted was, of course, the unfortunate boy Haruka.

He had witnessed that every Sekirei under Sora possessed immense power. In every aspect, they were worlds apart from his "Incapable" Sekirei.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious, but there was nothing he could do; comparing himself to others was a recipe for despair, and he didn't want to die just yet. Although his "Incapable" Sekirei was lacking, perhaps with some nurturing, she could become a treasure. Don't think about it, don't think about it…

Moreover, after everything that had happened, he realized that it was impossible for the two of them to escape the Shintō Teito on their own. But Sora was different; he had so many powerful Sekireis, and if he was willing to help…

However, even though Sora agreed to help, he wouldn't act recklessly. His strength hadn't fully recovered, and there were many preparations to be made, so the escape operation was ultimately set for three days later.

With immense excitement and anticipation, Haruka and Kuno left Izumo Inn and returned to their residence, waiting to meet up with Sora and the others to escape the Shintō Teito in three days.

That night, in Miya's room.

"Sora, what is your true intention?" At this moment, only Miya and Sora were in the room, and Miya asked Sora with a serious expression.

Showing a hint of surprise, Sora smiled and said, "As expected of Miya, you figured it out."

"As the Queen of Sekireis and one of the ancient Eight Pillars, you must know the true identity of that Sekirei girl named 'Kuno,' right?"

Shaking her head, Miya let out a helpless sigh. "The Sound of the World, huh…"

Nodding, Sora continued, "Yes, it's the Sound of the World. Her power is too important for us. Although she has no offensive capabilities, she can enhance the strength of her allies and weaken the enemies' power, and it's exponential!"

"If we had discovered her earlier in that battle, we wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat without any means to fight back. So this time, no matter what, I must obtain her!"

By the end, Sora spoke with an undeniable tone.

"But those two kids…" Miya knew the importance of the Sound of the World, but her kind heart made her reluctant to separate the young couple.

"If they weren't avoiding battle, I wouldn't resort to such measures and let things develop as they may. Whether it's Sekireis or Ashikabi, they cannot escape the fate of battle."

"However, they are still too naive, thinking that escaping the Shintō Teito and the Sekirei Project would ensure their safety, not realizing that the outside world is the most dangerous place for them!"

"Although it hasn't spread among the public, the existence of Sekireis is no secret to the higher-ups of the world. They are constantly plotting to obtain those powerful and mysterious abilities. The reason I and the others are sealing off the Shintō Teito is not only to prevent the Sekireis and Ashikabi from escaping but also to protect them…"

"It can be said that as soon as they leave the Shintō Teito, they will likely be kidnapped by foreign agents and sent to the experimental lab."

Even Miya's face turned pale upon hearing Sora's words.

"Then why do you still want to help them escape the Shintō Teito?" Although she had her suspicions, Miya still wanted to know Sora's true thoughts.

"The Sekirei Project serves two purposes: one is to select the final king, and the other is to help the Sekireis unlock their own powers. Both Musubi and Tsukiumi are still far from the level I expect, so I need to create more opportunities for them to fight and improve themselves."

"As for those two kids, don't worry; I will take a gentler approach and ensure they won't be harmed."

Sora didn't hide anything from Miya and directly shared his entire plan.

With a complex expression, Miya gently placed her jade hand on Sora's cheek.

"I'm sorry, Sora. You have to bear everything while I, as the Queen of Sekireis, can do nothing. No matter what happens in the future, I will always stand by your side…"

With a smile, Sora gently embraced Miya.

"Actually, I'm doing this for myself too. I want to gather all these beautiful Sekireis into my harem, so I've been working hard."

"Ah! Ouch, ouch, ouch, Miya, take it easy!"

Feeling a sharp pain in his waist, Sora wished he could slap himself for letting his true feelings slip out!

"Sora, is this your true intention?"

A seductive smile appeared on Miya's face, and in that moment, she resembled an enchanting beauty, her purple eyes sparkling with a glint of cunning.

Cold sweat broke out on Sora's forehead as he felt a surge of frustration.

"Haha, um, Miya, it's getting late; I should head back now. Haha, see you later!"

Although holding Miya was quite comfortable, Sora was no longer brave enough to stay there. He chuckled and quickly made his escape.

"Oh, by the way, Sora, your body hasn't fully recovered yet, so you can't go disturb Musubi and the others tonight."

Hearing Miya's voice behind him, Sora stumbled.

Tonight would be another sleepless night…