Chapter 55

Extra Case File 55 No One Is Looking at Me

Tick, tock.

Amidst the teardrops soaring in the air, one side showed Wild Flower’s heart-wrenching smile while on the other Ash was left speechless in astonishment. The unloved tears fell drop by drop onto the girl’s tattered dress hem, shattering as they hit the ground.

In the unknown parking lot no one was aware of, the hearts that had once been so aligned were now cracked, inevitably leading to a separation, one gazing at false light in the sky while the other looked down at the heavy ashes on earth.

At the same moment, within the highly anticipated movie premiere event, an incident quietly headed towards an unknown path.

“Teacher Yakushiji has arrived!”

With an exclamation whose source was unknown, all the reporters who surrounded the interview of the movie’s female lead, Saya, suddenly turned their focus away. They rushed towards a spot with even more potential for conversation.

After all, that was “Lira Yakushiji,” a national-level artist. Moreover, considering she had been mostly in seclusion lately, not many had such an opportunity to interview her!

But what none of them realized was that Saya remained motionless, still in her original pose. Her right hand slowly tightened on her skirt, shaking with each clench.

Again… Is it like this every time?

Mom, does it always have to be this way?

In a world unseen by human eyes, the pitch-black “rampant energy” gradually coalesced inside her into writhing forms. These shapes twisted into extremely humanlike faces, showing increasing envy and rage. Ferocious energy burst from Saya’s body, threatening to dye the entire room black.

This was the “rampant ability,” the opposite of the “tomorrow energy” used by Pretty Cure, symbolizing future and dreams. This was why Wild Flower, using the identity of Cure Yell, fought alone for eight years and almost collapsed before defeating her enemy.

After all, how can anyone neutralize the darkness that may surge from the depths of human hearts anytime? Only a god could do such a thing, right?

“Teacher Yakushiji, can you answer my question?”

“Teacher Yakushiji, what’s your opinion on the latest work—”

“Teacher Yakushiji, what do you think about Miss Saya —”

The reporters, surrounding the celebrity wearing sunglasses, had crowded her in. If not for her bodyguards holding back the crowd, she would have been overwhelmed by these overly enthusiastic fans.

Looking past the clamoring crowd, “Lira Yakushiji” displayed clearly impatient eyes. She’d never aimed to steal the spotlight; after all, she had already achieved all there was in the film industry, so what else was there?

The reason behind her recent cold war with her daughter, she could somewhat understand. In a way as a senior, she had asked some old friends to secure Saya this leading role in the popular new movie, hoping it might make her eager to become a more dazzling star feel better.

“Saya!”

Pushing through the noisy crowd, Lira reached her still sitting daughter but found her seemingly unmoved by the arrival, her sullen face hidden beneath invisible darkness.

“Saya?” Lira asked uncertainly. “What’s wrong? I’ve heard about your excellent performance this time. Mom…”

“Is it enough now, Miss Lira?”

“What… What did you just call me?”

Yakushiji Lira’s expression froze when her daughter addressed her so unfamiliarly.

Saya lifted her head, a smile seemingly on her face but devoid of any joy for both passers-by and those below, including Yu, who involuntarily covered their mouths.

One could see only despair.

“I said… Is it enough? Even though you say you’re proud of me, didn’t I get the lead role because of your help?”

“But, Saya… Isn’t that exactly what you want—to be a star as great as me?”

You’ve done well enough; you’re already famous. Why do more?

“No—it’s not! The tears of sorrow instantly streaming down, but they were real and not part of some act. It’s all genuine distress for Saya. “What I really want is to stand on stage and perform alongside you, to be a co-star with you!”

As a child, I looked up to you, so I strived toward becoming someone like you…

“Click, click—”

Camera flashes illuminated her increasingly miserable form, except for those reporters who scored breaking news.

“But… no matter who it is, not even you ever believed so, did you?”

Everyone thinks what I’ve accomplished is natural, since I am the daughter of a world-class actress!

Everybody praises me because praising me is praising you, isn’t it?

Then, has anyone seen the continuous effort made by that little girl chasing the shadow of her admired person?

“Mom, haven’t you noticed…?” Without knowing when, enveloped in dark aura, Saya even floated slightly off the ground; her eyes were covered by crimson darkness.

I cannot be like you. Now, I can’t even be myself anymore!

“If the future will always be painful—”

People panicked, yelling “Final Monster!” and “Precure, save me!” as they frantically escaped. The movie release hall was in chaos; only a few fearless reporters continued filming.

“Saya?!”

The glasses fell to the floor. Facing her increasingly darkening daughter turning into a massive final monster, desperation and shock gradually replacing Lira’s expression.

“I’d rather not have a future filled with desires!”

Facing away from Wild Flower, Ash stood amidst the growing panic in the parking lot, feeling restless. Finally, he called out her name.

“Hana, I—”

Clang—

From the immense structure before them, an exceedingly colossal fierce final monster emerged, roaring mournfully and recklessly destroying surrounding buildings. The tragic energy emanating from its body seemed almost to blacken everything around.

“Damn, it’s too coincidental! Too damn coincidental!”

“Hana, come with me—Hana?!”

Swearing fiercely, Ash turned to grab her but found himself empty-handed.

It was now Ash’s turn to look around bewilderedly, unable to find Hana’s presence anywhere.