The Villain Is Too Popular

"Congratulations to both of you! As the first lucky customers to personally touch a white dolphin at our theme restaurant today, we are specially gifting you two tickets to the Jellyfish Amusement Park. Please accept them."

Just after Tendo and Caroline finished lunch, a staff member, pre-arranged by Tendo, arrived precisely on cue and handed them two tickets to the Jellyfish Amusement Park.

Seeing this, Caroline not only broke into a radiant smile, but before Tendo could even speak his line, she spoke with a girlishly cute voice he'd never heard from her before: "Oh, really? Then we truly are too lucky, aren't we?"

"..."

Heaven and earth, Tendo had to admit Caroline's passive-aggressive act was played too perfectly. She seemed to say nothing, yet in reality, she said everything! Because if she hadn't already seen through everything, with Caroline's perpetually icy personality, how could she possibly display such an exaggerated smile and speak in such a cutesy, naive voice? This was 100% her calling him out!

"What's wrong, Tendo? Aren't you going yet? These tickets are only valid for today, you know."

Caroline held up the two Jellyfish Amusement Park tickets, playfully fanning herself with them in front of Tendo. Seeing this, Tendo paused for a moment, then decisively stood up.

"Of course I'm going! Why would I pass up a freebie..."

"You scoundrel."

Caroline laughed, finishing Tendo's sentence, and left the Sunken Ship Grand Restaurant with him. What Caroline herself didn't notice was that she was much livelier today than usual, and her smile was far more frequent. Sometimes, when a mask is worn for too long, one unconsciously forgets their true self. Perhaps it wasn't that Caroline was exceptionally different today, but rather that this was how she was truly meant to be.

Real World, Station 13.

As Tendo and Caroline left the Sunken Ship Grand Restaurant and arrived at the Jellyfish Amusement Park, the anime's playback style began to shift into small, 'fragmented' segments.

The Jellyfish Ferris Wheel, the Sea Serpent Roller Coaster, the Octopus Drop Tower...

With Tendo accompanying her, Caroline completely shed her usual burdens today. She no longer cared about missions or collecting intelligence, wholeheartedly immersing herself in a freedom that was incredibly ordinary for others but exceptionally rare for her.

At the same time, cheerful background music began to play in the anime. And each time Tendo and Caroline finished an amusement park ride, the screen would 'click' and momentarily freeze, then briefly display something like a 'photo album,' embedding that precious 'picture' within it for permanent preservation.

Slowly, as these photos, symbolizing 'memories,' filled it, the formerly thin album visibly grew thicker and richer. Observing this album, some observant dimensional viewers quickly noticed an interesting detail. That was, in these photos that seemingly only featured Tendo and Caroline, Chen Xing's presence was always included.

In the corner of the Jellyfish Ferris Wheel, in the back row of the Sea Serpent Roller Coaster, at the edge of the Octopus Drop Tower... it was supposed to be a memory of two people, yet there was always a third person present. This made the viewers both laugh at Chen Xing's comically secretive, spy-like attire in each photo and be infected by the genuine joy evident in Tendo and Caroline's smiles. So much so that even though they knew this saccharine, happy plotline was the 'last meal' the production team was giving Tendo, they couldn't help but immerse themselves in it, wishing desperately that this scene could last forever.

'Waaah, why do I know this is a trap set by the production team, yet I willingly jump right into it?'

'Illusion, this is all an illusion! Reality... isn't like this!'

'Hahaha! I did it, little ol' me did it! I saw it, I really saw it, it's a perfect, happy ending with everyone together!'

'Delicious, delicious! Even if it's a last meal, please let me have two more bites. Once I'm full, I'll send myself off. (sobbing)'

'Seriously, Starts production team, are you devils?! Otherwise, how do you manipulate hearts so completely?!'

What is true 'cutting' (painful storytelling)? It's when you clearly know the oasis of hope in the sky ahead is just a mirage in the desert, yet you still unhesitatingly choose to advance, greedily clinging to that non-existent hope. Because while you harbor hope, you also know you're stepping into deeper despair. Yet, you have no hesitation about it.

What is true 'abuse' (torturous storytelling)? It's when you, like a moth, rush towards that dazzling light, only to watch helplessly as you can never reach the deepest part of that 'light.' Because you both crave the fleeting, captivating scene within the fire, yet your excessive closeness to the flames will only hasten your descent into boundless darkness. Yet, you still have no complaints about it.

Did the dimensional viewers not know why the Starts production team arranged a happy and joyous Caroline's birthday plot here? Of course they knew! But even knowing, they still indulged in this fleeting beauty. The future might be cruel, but the best way to reverse time and change the future has never been to escape the future, but to cherish the present. Therefore, what the future pain and torment hold is no longer important; they just want to cherish the present and these rare, beautiful moments!

And just when the dimensional viewers thought this amusement park plot was overflowing with sweetness, they didn't expect the Starts production team to release an even heavier sugar bomb!

Night fell. Tendo, carrying a half-meter-tall dolphin plushie in each arm, squeezed through the crowd and arrived at the resting area where Caroline was eating jellyfish ice cream, waiting for the park's fireworks show.

"Caroline, here."

Tendo held out the pink dolphin plushie. Caroline, with her free left hand, reached out and hugged the plump, adorable pink dolphin plushie to her chest. However, seeing another blue dolphin plushie still in Tendo's hand, Caroline curiously asked, "Tendo, I remember the air gun stall owner said there was only one grand prize? Why do you have another grand prize?"

"Oh, you mean this?"

Tendo sat down in the empty seat next to Caroline and smiled as he explained. "Because I threatened the owner, telling him that if he didn't give me another grand prize, I'd win all the prizes on his shelf."

"See? He compromised."

Tendo held up the blue dolphin plushie, like a triumphant general, proudly showing off his spoils of war. Although Caroline wasn't there at the time because she went to buy jellyfish ice cream, upon hearing Tendo's explanation, the image of the air gun owner's speechless expression and Tendo's arrogant attitude immediately surfaced in her mind.

Actually, it wasn't the air gun owner's lack of backbone, compromising after just a few threats from Tendo. It was simply that Tendo, with his 'Star Eclipse Eye' and 'Vector Control,' was basically playing a shooting game with aimbot, lock-on, and magic bullets. He could, even if the air gun bullet was completely off target, use Vector Control in advance to change its trajectory, hitting every target he wanted with an incredibly unscientific curve. Facing such a blatant cheater, if the air gun owner didn't want to suffer a huge loss, then he really had no choice but to do as Tendo said. There was no other way; the opponent was hacking. Rather than being severely messed with by Tendo, the cheater, he might as well surrender quickly and welcome other 'green' (fair) customers. Surrendering and losing half is better than not surrendering and losing everything.

Facing Tendo's domineering behavior, Caroline laughed and said, "Tendo, using a Star Envoy's ability to bully an ordinary air gun owner, aren't you too naughty?"

Tendo adjusted his sunglasses and said nonchalantly, "What bullying? I clearly won this with my own skill! You can't tell me not to use my abilities, can you?"

You don't care if I was cheating or not, just tell me if I won. In terms of being unconventional, Tendo had always excelled, because he never truly conformed.

Watching Tendo, who was so righteously arrogant even when bullying others, Caroline couldn't help but laugh. Actually, she didn't care if Tendo was bullying; she just wanted to tease him a bit. Besides, let alone just bullying an ordinary person, even if Tendo stood against the entire world one day, she would unhesitatingly stand by his side. Because in Caroline's eyes, Tendo... was her entire world.

"Happy Birthday, Caroline."

"Originally, I thought of giving you something as a gift, but then I realized you don't seem to lack anything, so I just thought I'd find a way to let you have a good day of fun."

"But a birthday still needs some sense of ceremony, so this dolphin plushie will be my birthday gift to you!"

Hearing this, Caroline, hugging the pink dolphin plushie, was about to say something when nearby tourists suddenly exclaimed. It turned out the Jellyfish Amusement Park's 8 PM fireworks festival had begun. At the same time, the lights in the Jellyfish Amusement Park briefly dimmed.

Such a grand display naturally attracted Tendo's attention, making him instinctively look up at the fireworks in the sky. As streaks of fireworks ascended, colorful flashes illuminated Tendo's profile before the sound of the explosions.

Boom!

Amidst the massive fireworks explosion, Caroline softly spoke something she wanted to say but didn't want Tendo to hear.

"Thank you, Tendo, and I don't need anything else, because you are my best birthday gift."

At the same time, Tendo, covering one ear, suddenly turned to look at her and loudly asked, "Caroline, were you just calling me?"

Caroline's face instantly flushed. Then, for the first time in her life, she lied to Tendo.

"No!"

Click!

With a shutter sound, the anime's scene completely froze on the bewildered boy under the fireworks, the blushing girl, and the 'female agent' in the corner eating ice cream. This scene, undoubtedly, also transformed into a precious 'memory photo,' appearing on the last page of the already full photo album.

Immediately after, the album began to flip: the grinning duo on the Sea Serpent Roller Coaster, Caroline screaming unrestrainedly on the Octopus Drop Tower, Tendo making a victory sign at the shooting stall, and finally, their silhouettes standing shoulder to shoulder under the park fireworks... At this point, the photo album named 'Memories' was finally filled with beautiful recollections. And as this last photo settled into place, the memory album, holding countless beautiful memories, slowly closed its pages under the reluctant gaze of the dimensional viewers, gradually disappearing from the screen.

Real World, Station 13.

'Aaaah, locked! Locked in! TenKa is absolutely locked in!'

'Nine-tenths pure sweetness, a rare find!'

'If this is what I get to eat before my execution, I'll die without regrets!'

'At this point, it has become art!'

Just as the viewers were still immersed in the recent sugar bomb, the scene switched to Chen Kong, alone guarding the villa. He looked at the meal he had painstakingly prepared on the table, then at the two empty seats, and said with a puzzled expression, "Strange, didn't Brother Tendo say they'd be back tonight? Why aren't they back yet?"

Looking at Chen Kong, who seemed like a lonely old man guarding the house at the moment, the dimensional viewers, though sympathetic, couldn't help to laugh.

'Busy, busy is good.'

'Chen Kong: So much for a "tactical plan," turns out I'm the only one outside the plan, huh?'

'Families, who understands? My teammates are out having fun, and I'm here alone on the high ground defending against super minions.'

'Boo hoo, patting poor little Kong. But next time this happens, please continue guarding the house!'

Fortunately, Chen Kong's solitude didn't last long. Just as he was about to turn off the living room lights, pack up the cooked food, and wait for Tendo and the others to return to eat again, the villa door opened.

"Yo, Kong, our operation this time was a truly unprecedented success!"

Tendo, carrying a blue dolphin plushie, pushed open the villa door with his shoulder. He placed the dolphin plushie on the sofa and handed Chen Kong a box of special takoyaki.

"Here, this is quite tasty, so I specifically saved some for you."

Before Chen Kong could even open the takoyaki box, Tendo put an arm around his shoulder and walked towards the living room. "Let's go, let's go! I've been busy all afternoon, and I haven't really eaten yet!"

At the same time, Caroline and Chen Xing, carrying large and small bags, also walked in from outside. As everyone returned, the previously quiet villa quickly became lively again.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Deep Blue Metropolis, in Bohard's CEO office.

"What? You want us to hold that guy Tendo back for a minute? Aren't you sending us to our deaths?!"

Fushan stood up in shock, flames uncontrollably flickering from his body due to his intense emotional fluctuations. Fortunately, Claude, who was beside him, quickly pressed his shoulder, helping him calm down. This prevented Bohard's CEO office from turning into a sea of fire.

Looking at the agitated Fushan, Bohard calmly reassured him, "Don't worry, Fushan. Through the video recorded by Claude's electronic eye earlier, we've found a way to restrain that child Tendo."

"Besides, the task of holding Tendo back isn't just for you and Claude; it's for all of you to go together."

"So, relax, Fushan, you won't die."

Fushan's mouth twitched slightly. Relax? You want me to relax in front of a monster like Tendo Simei? Bohard, are you overestimating me, Old Man Fushan, and... underestimating that little monster, Tendo Simei?!