"Tushan Honghong."
With those words, Tatsuki descended from the sky.
"I'm Tushan Honghong."
She looked up at the strange, foreignly-dressed young man standing before her.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Tatsuki, the administrator from the chat group."
While speaking, Tatsuki tapped his fingertips.
Boom—Crack!
In an instant, the two cages shattered.
"Big Sis!"
Once free, Rongrong sprang into Honghong's arms. Honghong held her frightened younger sister tight, deeply shaken by Tatsuki's sudden appearance.
"So that chat group was real after all!"
At first, she'd thought it was some ploy by the Taoist priests and had ignored it. As time went on, she realized they didn't seem to notice it at all. Out of sheer desperation, she'd attempted that plea for help—and someone had genuinely come to save them!
Once again, Tatsuki gave a slight wave of his hand, letting a gust of air whisk away the talisman papers clinging to the sisters.
The old Taoist, glaring with fury and dread, sensed at once that this stranger possessed terrifying powers.
"Run!"
Deciding that "he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day," the old Taoist fled, not even stopping to grab his robes.
Tatsuki let him go for a good three kilometers, then crooked his finger. A rock soared into his hand. He flicked it with casual force.
Swoosh!
The stone streaked forth at lightning speed.
Thunk!
It pierced the old Taoist's forehead with pinpoint accuracy.
Bang!
He collapsed mid-sprint, tumbling several times before going completely still.
Only then did Tatsuki turn his attention to the young Taoist. Shocked by Tatsuki's methods, the disciple stood silent, an odd look of calm acceptance on his face, as though ready to be punished.
"You can go," Tatsuki said softly.
"!"
The young Taoist froze in disbelief.
"But…"
Honghong grew anxious. These were the villains who had captured them.
"I know you're not a bad person at heart. Off you go."
That Taoist, at least, was not truly evil.
"…Thank you."
The disciple let out a small sigh, cast one last look at Honghong and Rongrong, then turned and left.
"Do you know why I let him go?"
Tatsuki ruffled Tushan Honghong's hair.
"…"
She didn't resist. Whether out of gratitude for being rescued or an awareness of his overwhelming strength, she simply blinked her bright eyes in confusion.
"That young Taoist isn't wicked. He was planning on secretly releasing you two."
"What?"
Honghong and Rongrong exchanged looks of disbelief.
"Which is why it's never good to judge by appearances alone."
Tatsuki smiled—these two little fox girls were still so young.
"Eep!"
Before they could react, Tatsuki scooped each of them up in one arm, seating them on either side of his shoulders. Then he soared into the sky.
"Which way to Tushan? I still have time, so I'll take you back home."
Rongrong, not knowing who this strange man was, shrank back timidly without speaking. Honghong's cheeks reddened, but she was braver than her sister. After glancing around, she pointed in one direction.
"That way!"
"All right."
Tatsuki flew at top speed, using controlled gusts of air to form a barrier so the two little ones wouldn't be buffeted by the strong wind. Quickly and without hindrance, they arrived at Tushan.
He landed at the mountain entrance. The moment he set the two sisters down, a burst of icy energy shot toward him.
Tatsuki made no move to dodge; he let it come.
"Yaya! Stop!"
Honghong tried to call out, but it was too late.
Crack!
An icy blade shattered the instant it neared Tatsuki's body.
"So you're the one who kidnapped my big sister and little sister?!"
A short purple-haired fox girl stood at the entrance, arms akimbo, ready to fight.
"Yaya, cut it out! This is our rescuer!"
"Huh? He didn't capture you guys?"
Tushan Yaya's fierce stance faltered. She scratched her head.
"No, it was… bad Taoists who took us. Tatsuki-oniisan saved us."
A little loli calling him "oniisan"?
'I like the sound of that.' Tatsuki thought.
"Hehe…"
Tushan Yaya let out an awkward chuckle, bowing deeply. "I'm so sorry! I completely misunderstood you!"
Honghong and Rongrong also bowed.
"Tatsuki-oniisan, please forgive Yaya!"
"I'm not unreasonable. Apology accepted," Tatsuki replied with a wry smile. "Anyway, I've brought you both home safe. It's time for me to go."
"You're leaving already, Tatsuki-oniisan? We haven't even properly thanked you!" Honghong tried to persuade him to stay.
"It's fine. I doubt humans are allowed to just wander Tushan. No need for me to make trouble for anyone. I'm off. If anything comes up, let me know in the group."
Waving them goodbye, Tatsuki promptly chose to return. His figure vanished in a flash.
"He vanished!"
Tushan Yaya's eyes widened. She scurried to where he'd just been standing, circling around, finding no hidden mechanisms.
"Big Sis… what's this 'chat group' thing?" Rongrong asked Honghong with big curious eyes.
"…"
After a moment, Honghong gave a strained smile. She discovered she couldn't speak about the chat group. So she simply replied, "It's… a mysterious organization." Then she grabbed her two sisters' hands and led them home.
But inside, she made a firm decision.
'I must become stronger!'
No more allowing something like this to happen again. She had to protect her two little sisters and repay Tatsuki's kindness!