Chapter 342: The Pitiful Heart of Parents

As Matsukawa Chirii spoke of Hanakami Yuchiko's death five days ago, Kamikawa Chiie's eyes filled with tears.

She understood the feelings Hanakami Yuchiko had at her final moment, for it reminded her of her own parents' last words to her and her brother—the deep reluctance to part, and the profound guilt.

For parents, what matters most is not power or wealth; their eyes see only their children.

As long as their children are well, healthy, that is the greatest wish, the happiest and most cherished thing a parent can hope for.

Matsukawa Chirii was equally sorrowful; though Hanakami Yuchiko had been dead five days, every memory or mention of her brought back her final moments vividly.

That day.

Hanakami Yuchiko lay on her hospital bed, her face pale as if no longer human—withered white, lips devoid of any color, breath weak beyond strength, barely sustained by the respirator.

She struggled desperately to breathe, to live just a little longer, her eyes brimming with reluctance and worry.

But she was too weak; even speaking cost her all her strength, leaving no energy left for breathing, forcing her to cling to consciousness just to finish her final words.

Her voice was tiny, tiny.

Matsukawa Chirii had to press her ear close to Hanakami Yuchiko's lips to barely hear the faint, threadlike whisper.

"Matsu…Matsukawa…thank you…for everything you've done for me. If…if…one day you…you meet…Juniko…please…please don't tell her I died of illness. I don't want…Juniko to be heartbroken."

"And…also…tell…tell Juniko…for me…that Mother didn't…"

Hanakami Yuchiko died.

She never saw her daughter one last time, never knew where her daughter was now or whether she was well, and even her final words remained unfinished—dying with overwhelming regret.

If one must find a single glimmer of comfort in this heart-wrenching tragedy,

perhaps only one exists.

At least, Hanakami Yuchiko was not alone in her final moments—Matsukawa Chirii was with her.

Matsukawa Chirii wiped away tears she hadn't realized had fallen, her voice trembling:

"Hanakami-san is dead, but I have no intention of giving up on finding Juniko. I don't want the daughter Hanakami-san cherished so deeply to never even learn of her mother's death. I want to deliver Hanakami-san's last words to Juniko—even if they were unfinished."

"So that's why you've been taking days off lately—to find Hanakami Juniko and let Hanakami-san rest in peace?"

Kamikawa Zun sighed softly, watching Matsukawa Chirii, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion, yet still hurrying about for a mother she'd only known for a few days.

He wanted to tell Matsukawa Chirii to take care of her own health when helping others.

Though Japan was smaller than China, it still held a hundred million people; no matter how compact the land, to a single human being, it was vast—finding one person was like searching for a needle in an ocean.

But he couldn't say it. He wasn't heartless; from Matsukawa Chirii's perspective, he couldn't bring himself to persuade her otherwise.

Matsukawa Chirii nodded, even as Kamikawa Zun handed her tissues to wipe her tears—still, the tears wouldn't stop.

"Hanakami-san was a good mother, just like my own mother once was to me. I don't want a mother like her to die with regret."

"Sister Matsukawa, you could have asked me for help."

Kamikawa Zun looked at Matsukawa Chirii—she knew he was transcendent, and could have requested his aid.

Anyone should know that a transcendent being would find a person far more easily than an ordinary person.

As soon as he said this,

Matsukawa Chirii shook her head.

"I know you're transcendent, but I don't want to burden you. You're transcendent—you must face the Frontline. Helping me would interfere with your cultivation."

"Sister Matsukawa, finding one person won't take me much time."

"Even a little time matters. Every extra moment of cultivation is valuable. I don't want my problems to trouble you."

Kamikawa Zun pulled out a tissue and handed it to Matsukawa Chirii.

Then he said:

"Sister Matsukawa, if you keep searching like this, you'll collapse. Then I won't get to eat your sweet milk crumbles anymore. Compared to milk crumbles, a little extra time spent searching is nothing to me."

This wasn't Kamikawa Zun being tsundere.

He simply didn't want Matsukawa Chirii to feel burdened by owing him a favor.

He only wanted her to know he was helping her because he wanted her milk crumbles.

"Then I'll go make you milk crumbles right now." Matsukawa Chirii was moved, understanding Kamikawa Zun's heart.

Kamikawa Zun immediately stood and pressed his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Sister Matsukawa, you're already exhausted—how can you make milk crumbles now? Rest first. Rest well, then make them. I'll be back in a moment."

…

Kamikawa Zun stepped out of the apartment.

Instantly,

a powerful, invisible divine force—so immense it made gods and demons tremble—erupted from within him like a coiled dragon rising from the abyss, surging skyward and spreading at lightning speed, covering all of Japan in less than a blink.

From towering mountains to tiny ants,

everything beneath this invisible divine force was exposed—every movement, every action of every person in Japan lay bare before Kamikawa Zun's gaze.

But Kamikawa Zun had no habit of peeping.

He ignored all other Japanese citizens, focusing solely on searching for Hanakami Juniko. Since he didn't know Hanakami Juniko's aura, he could only search by appearance.

The divine force swept across every Japanese citizen at blinding speed.

"Found her." Kamikawa Zun's eyes flickered open and closed, a flash of light passing through: "So she's not in Arakawa Ward—that's why Sister Matsukawa couldn't find her after days of searching."

The next instant,

Kamikawa Zun took a step forward.

It was a simple step—ordinary, like any common person lifting and placing their foot—yet when his foot landed, it seemed to span the sun and moon, and the vastness of countless starry skies paled beside that single stride.

His foot touched ground.

Kamikawa Zun had already appeared on Okinawa Island.

At the same time, he spoke: "System, consume script points—show me the story of Hanakami Juniko and Hanakami Yuchiko."

He agreed to help Matsuoka Chirii, but he had no intention of helping blindly; he planned to investigate why Hanakami Junko and Hanakami Juniko had argued, and whether it was truly as Hanakami Junko had told Matsuoka Chirii.

Matsuoka Chirii was too kind; he feared she might be deceived.

After spending two Script Points, Kamikawa Mitsu's mind surfaced the events surrounding Hanakami Juniko and Hanakami Junko, and he saw the sacrifices Hanakami Junko had made for her daughter.

"How pitiful, the heart of a parent."

Watching Hanakami Junko, for half a year, battle leukemia while searching for her daughter, and hearing her final words to Matsuoka Chirii, Kamikawa Mitsu sighed.

Since he had promised to help, he would help to the end.

Such a good mother should not be left with regrets; Hanakami Juniko must learn of her mother's sacrifices for her.

……