Chapter 43: The Subordinate Shiina

“I, Eri Shiina, pledge my allegiance and loyalty to you, Yoru.”

Shiina’s unexpected actions and words left both Yoru and Bai Ji momentarily frozen, unable to register anything else she said afterward. They hadn’t interacted with Shiina much before—why was she pledging loyalty out of the blue, with no apparent reason or cause? Should they refuse? Bai Ji, after a moment’s deliberation, spoke up, “Is it just loyalty? That should be permissible, right?”

“Yes, it seems to be pure allegiance with no ulterior motives, and her loyalty level seems quite high. If you agree, Yoru, I can help you unlock the Subordinate Star System—you definitely won’t regret it~” Ruochen, floating in midair, circled Shiina as if she could read Shiina’s mind in the same way Yoru’s Geass could, and easily discerned her sincerity as she offered her advice.

“Shiina, we’re friends, aren’t we? This is a bit sudden, so I’m having trouble accepting it…” Ignoring Ruochen’s tempting proposal, which sounded quite advantageous, Yoru was still baffled by Shiina’s behavior and decided to get a clear answer.

“I understand!” Shiina nodded gravely, her voice tinged with sorrow and weight. Yoru was startled—he hadn’t even explained what she was supposed to understand.

“For a ninja, if their pledge of loyalty is rejected, it means they’re unworthy to become a subordinate—or even to live!” Shiina, automatically interpreting Yoru’s intentions, drew two short blades and drove them toward herself, aiming precisely at vital points that would cause certain death, had the blows landed.

Shiina’s movements were so fast that, in the very next second after she spoke, she was already attacking herself. Yoru rushed forward to stop her, but someone else was even quicker. Shiina’s two short blades seemed to freeze in midair, utterly unmoving no matter how hard she pressed. With a crisp sound, the weapons slipped from her hands and were caught by a small, jade-like hand.

“What he means is, he wants you to explain why you’re suddenly pledging your allegiance to him. And besides, this is the afterlife—no matter how many times you try to kill yourself, you won’t die!” The one who had intervened was none other than Xiao Bai. She spun the two short blades in her hands and spoke to Shiina.

“How superficial…” Realization dawned on Shiina’s face as she spoke.

“Uh, so what now? You still haven’t given your reason!” Originally, Yoru had thought she would continue after uttering her usual catchphrase, but instead, Shiina just knelt quietly on the ground, offering no explanation.

After a long pause, Shiina finally lifted her head, as if organizing her thoughts. Her blood-red eyes stared blankly at Yoru, and she answered in a daze, “I don’t know…”

Lines of exasperation seemed to drop across the foreheads of Yoru, Bai Ji, and even Ruochen, who was watching from the sidelines. They were rendered speechless by Shiina’s response—she had pledged such fierce loyalty, even to the point of being willing to die for it, yet she couldn’t articulate why. Was she an idiot?

That thought flashed through all three minds simultaneously, and immediately afterward, they drew the same conclusion: “She is an idiot by nature.”

Looking at Shiina again, they saw her gaze was still unwavering. Not knowing the reason didn’t shake her resolve in the slightest. If not for Xiao Bai and Ruochen confirming there was nothing wrong with Shiina, Yoru would have suspected she’d been brainwashed. Regardless, Shiina was a prodigy in combat, and her voluntary pledge of loyalty left Yoru with no reason to refuse. He nodded and said, “I accept.”

“Host has recruited their first subordinate. Gained 100 Good Deeds Points. System assistant will open the Subordinate Star System for the host. Eri Shiina’s exclusive star has been born: Darkfall Star. Gained abilities: Concealment and Execution.”

“Concealment: Enables the user to hide themselves in any environment, undetectable to any being up to twenty levels higher. Level LV1.”

“Execution: When wielding a dagger or short blade, inflicts forced damage equal to fifty percent of the target’s current state on a single opponent. If the attack already exceeds fifty percent, forced damage is canceled. One percent chance of instant kill. Consumes significant stamina. Level LV1. Usable once per day.”

Eri Shiina

Status: Normal (Blood Eyes: Temporarily doubles combat power)
Level: 3 (Can level up through training or defeating opponents)
Combat Strength: 102
Skills: Mastery of throwing weapons, dual-blade mastery, keen perception, shadow concealment
Weapons: Kunai, short blades
Talents: Assassination, bodyguard
Luck: B (A+ with Darkfall Star active)
Darkfall Star LV1: Revives the character; when active, triples combat strength in current state

Before Yoru, all of Shiina’s attributes, including those granted by the Darkfall Star, appeared openly. Yoru understood now what the Subordinate Star System could do: essentially, any subordinate he recruited would gain new abilities here—and this place also served as a resurrection point, a place to help his subordinates grow stronger.

What intrigued Yoru most was that, when the Subordinate Star System opened, he caught a glimpse of another, grander and more wondrous star system in his vision, though it quickly faded from sight.

A faint starlight now linked Shiina and Yoru, forging a deep and intimate connection between them—an absolute trust. Shiina, cloaked in the radiance, closed her eyes as she underwent the star’s transformation.

“See, Yoru, I didn’t lie to you. The Subordinate Star System is truly a useful ability. Her soul is still a bit weak, but after the starlight’s transformation, her comprehension and learning abilities will improve, and she’ll progress much faster.” Ruochen’s face beamed with a sweet smile as she spoke.

“Thank you, Ruochen. How soon will Shiina wake up?” In a world where the average combat strength was around ten, Shiina’s power—over one hundred—was a rare asset, and Yoru was well aware of it. He patted Ruochen’s small head as he asked.

“She should wake up very soon. When she does, both her strength and speed will be noticeably better. It might be a little troublesome at first, but she’ll adjust with time. If you ever have the chance, come in and I’ll teach you music—I can play almost any instrument!” Ruochen giggled, floating onto the Twin Swords of Fantasy, then slowly sank into them, addressing Yoru as she disappeared.

“All right, I understand. If I study at night, it shouldn’t affect my mind, right?” Yoru suddenly thought of a lazy solution—studying inside while asleep would give him much more time.

“Of course not. It won’t affect your spirit at all. Studying inside can fully replace sleep, with even better results—it’s like learning in a dream. The Twin Swords of Fantasy are truly extraordinary.” Only her tiny head remained outside the sword as Ruochen explained, before vanishing entirely.

“Is it that sword spirit you mentioned before?” Seeing Yoru speaking to empty air, Xiao Bai surmised he was talking to Ruochen and Ruoxing, whom he’d mentioned previously. Since they resided within the swords, Xiao Bai simply referred to them as sword spirits.

“They’re not sword spirits—they’re friends!” Yoru felt that Xiao Bai’s term was inappropriate, so he patted her head in correction.

“How superficial! From today on, I am your subordinate!”

Shiina, newly awakened from the embrace of starlight, calmly wrapped her arms around Yoru’s neck and stated this with serene composure…