'This feels like a family of three!'
'囍'
'They confessed, hahaha.'
'Only shipping everything will be your downfall.'
'She has me in her heart!!'
'Emma definitely has feelings for the Wolf, but not necessarily romantic ones.'
'That's definitely not it. In Souls-like games, pretty female NPCs have bonds with the protagonist, but it's strictly limited to the relationship between a Fire Keeper and an Ashen One. Romantic feelings are impossible, after all, it's not a dating simulator.'
'I finally know why Sekiro has the "romance simulation" tag.'
'I really like Miss Emma, I can't get enough of her.'
'Agreed. It's because Emma is a physician that she doesn't want unnecessary casualties. She might have good feelings for the Wolf, but not love. The old man's games are all about diverse information, making it hard to determine if Emma likes anyone.'
...
"No matter which path, it's a dead end..."
Emma's admonition did not sway Chun Hei's resolve. He continued to press: "Then what are you hiding...?"
He disliked being kept in the dark.
"...I see."
Emma sighed helplessly, "You heard that too, didn't you?"
"Speak plainly."
"......"
"I must complete what I must do. I must forge a path for the Divine Child."
Perhaps Chun Hei's attitude struck a chord with Emma's softest spot. After a moment of silence, she handed an item to Chun Hei.
【Guardian Owl's Bell
A guardian bell obtained from the remains of the Father’s Owl.
The Father’s Owl always carried this bell with him.
If this bell is offered before the Buddha in the Abandoned Temple,
One might glimpse memories from a time long past.
The reason for possessing the guardian bell cannot be verified.
It is unknown if it was an item the Father’s Owl possessed, or if it was meant to be delivered to someone...】
Isn't this thing just a special edition bell to go back three years?
After reading the description of the Guardian Owl's Bell, Chun Hei instantly understood.
Clearly, some mysterious power (the designer) had activated, causing a missing catalyst to appear in Emma's hands.
With this catalyst, players could return to three years ago and fight the Father's Owl from three years ago again, to take the fresh Divine Dragon Blossom from the Father's Owl.
"It must have fallen from Lord Owl,"
Seeing Chun Hei holding the bell in silence for a long time, Emma explained proactively, "Lord Owl and you share an extraordinary connection... If you offer this item, perhaps you might see different memories."
"Mm."
Chun Hei nodded, as if having made up his mind, "I will go and offer it."
"I can't say what kind of memories they will be, but this is an item from Lord Owl, so please be careful..."
"I will."
Chun Hei naturally understood that Emma's attitude towards the player stemmed from the playful nature of her role as a physician. As for romantic love between men and women, that was never something Souls-like games considered.
If people had the leisure to consider such things, it meant that Father's Owl and Sword Saint Isshin weren't formidable enough, and some people still had the time to ponder nonsensical matters.
Glancing at the bell in his hand, Chun Hei decided to go immediately.
【Use Guardian Owl's Bell】
Whoosh!
His vision plunged into brief darkness. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in the year three years prior.
【Hirata Estate, Dragonspring Riverbank】
Fires raged incessantly, but Chun Hei's steps were unwavering.
"...Oh, this is not what I heard."
Facing the sudden appearance of the Wolf, Great Shinobi Owl’s armament bearer, O'Rin of the Water, appeared somewhat surprised. "You... are still alive."
"Never mind. As long as I eliminate you, everything will proceed according to plan."
This fellow was undoubtedly one of the Father's Owl's subordinates. He was surprised that the Wolf had survived to this point, but overly confident in his own abilities, he merely treated it as a minor hiccup.
If the Wolf were eliminated, the hiccup would naturally cease to exist.
However, after experiencing numerous trials over the past three years, even having slain the Father's Owl, Chun Hei was no longer the novice who had entered this three-year period in his beginner days.
In a mere three exchanges, he perfectly parried every attack and easily executed the Great Shinobi Owl’s armament bearer.
"Easy prey."
Coming to the map from three years ago now brought about an entirely different mindset compared to the first visit. During the first visit, he had no idea who was attacking Hirata Estate or for what purpose.
Among them was the Father's Owl, performing an award-winning performance of loyalty and protection, which was incredibly misleading. The player fought purely on instinct.
This time, revisiting with an entirely different mindset.
He killed anyone he saw; every single one deserved to die.
The mooks were quickly cleared, and then he proceeded once more to the deepest part of the Hirata Estate underground, the Buddha Hall.
Since the Phantom Butterfly had already been killed by the Wolf the first time, only the Father's Owl, who was lamenting alone after ambushing the Wolf, remained in the Buddha Hall.
"That day..."
"The ravenous wolf I found on the battlefield..."
The Father's Owl turned, drawing his sword, a flash of shock in his eyes. "I never imagined you could grow to such a degree."
"Father's Owl..."
"It is truly a pity... however, I will show no mercy!"
Despite his inner doubts, facing the reappearing Wolf, the Father's Owl showed no restraint, his body transforming into a streak of light and charging violently towards Chun Hei.
So fast!
Chun Hei's heart tightened, and he instantly drew his sword to parry.
Clang clang clang!!
After successfully parrying, Chun Hei seized the opening as the Father's Owl retracted his sword and landed two blows.
Thwack!
Suffering a disadvantage in their initial encounter, the Father's Owl said nothing, but his gaze grew colder.
The Father's Owl from three years ago was physically stronger, his attacks more ferocious, but Chun Hei, with over seven days of real-time combat experience, knew every stance and move of the Father's Owl like the back of his hand.
When to deflect, when to sneak in a hit, had become almost instinctual.
As long as he held the Ziying Sword, Chun Hei's demeanor instantly became sharp and dazzling.
Perhaps the Father's Owl from three years ago was very strong, with extremely low room for error.
But through constant exploration and extensive practical experience, Chun Hei quickly figured out that even if a dodge wasn't enough to hit the Father's Owl, a slight sidestep could close that gap.
Thwack!!
Purple sword energy pierced the sky, reducing the Father's Owl's health to below half.
The Father's Owl before him was much harder to fight than the one from three years later. Even Chun Hei, who was already considered unparalleled, lost over ten lives to him before grasping the fundamentals.
"Wolf, it's commendable that you've trained to this extent."
"Truly praiseworthy!"
After the first phase, the young Father's Owl in the second phase vanished from Chun Hei's sight, transforming into the Owl.
"Let me show you why they call me the Owl."
Azure streaks of light, like lightning, struck, and Chun Hei immediately drew his sword to parry.
Clang!
Before the sound of collision even faded, several faster, more ferocious streaks of light tore through the night sky, heading directly for Chun Hei's face.
*Thwack, thwack!!*
Several wounds appeared on Chun Hei's body, and his brow furrowed, a barely perceptible panic rising on his face.
The previous Father's Owl had not used this move.
Very strong!
Extremely fast, and their trajectories were unpredictable.
Chun Hei felt as if he were a chick trapped in the targeting reticle of a goshawk, with some ability to resist, but not much.
...