FI CH 27

Chapter 27: Dark Sentinel (II)

Bai Hua thought he was already in a terrible state today, but to his surprise, Kurosawa also seemed deep in thought and was much quieter than usual.

If it were any other time, Bai Hua might have asked out of concern. But after the kind of dream he had last night, he clearly felt guilty and lacked the confidence to bring it up.

Kurosawa was far too perceptive—after nearly pouncing on him that night, Bai Hua definitely didn’t want him to sense that he had dreamed something intimate involving him. That would make him look like some kind of pervert…

The two of them walked in silence all the way to the training site.

Bai Hua did his best to push aside all the unnecessary thoughts and focus on Lin Yuan. He was eager to uncover the truth but knew that it all depended on luck. The time and location they dropped into inside the battlefield memory weren’t things they could control. He just hoped they’d be lucky enough this time to land near the main battlefield.

Thinking of that, he recalled what Kurosawa had done the day before. He had no choice but to remind him: “If something like that happens again, no matter what the situation is, you have to tell me first.”

Kurosawa glanced at him and agreed, “Okay.”

This time, their luck wasn’t exactly good, but it wasn’t terrible either.

They returned to the spot where they had first encountered Feng Xu, except the timeline had moved forward. Feng Xu was already gone, and the surroundings were nothing but the desolation left behind after battle.

Bai Hua asked, “Do you still remember the way?”

Kurosawa replied, “I remember the general route. But since we’ve entered at a much later point this time, there’s no telling what other dangers we might run into.”

“That’s fine. As long as we can reach the main battlefield.”

The two of them followed the path Feng Xu had previously taken them on, heading toward the mountain peak. Along the way, they encountered two ambushes and one sniper attack by enemy forces.

These enemies were far weaker than Yin Qing and Lu Mingyue. After being on the battlefield for a long time, they had undoubtedly accumulated injuries and fatigue. Bai Hua and Kurosawa dealt with them swiftly and efficiently, but the encounters still cost them quite a bit of time.

They returned to the place where they were ambushed last time. The sniper was already stationed there, completely absorbed in observing the battlefield—so much so that he didn’t notice the two people standing behind him.

Only then did Bai Hua realize that the sniper was actually a Sentinel. He was genuinely surprised that Kurosawa had managed to take down a fellow Sentinel all on his own last time. Bai Hua gave him a quick hand signal—Let me handle this.

Kurosawa smiled helplessly and gestured politely, Go ahead.

Bai Hua didn’t plan to waste time. Given how tight their schedule was, he wanted to resolve it as quickly as possible. Silently, he approached the sniper from behind and, with a forceful kick, sent him flying off the cliff.

Though caught off guard, the sniper reacted quickly and managed to grab the cliff’s edge just before falling. But Bai Hua didn’t give him a chance. He followed up with another swift kick before the sniper could stabilize himself. The whole sequence was executed cleanly and decisively—severing any chance of escape. The sniper let out a scream as he plummeted to his death.

Bai Hua stood at the cliff’s edge, watching the sniper’s form grow smaller until it disappeared from view. Only then did he relax.

When Bai Hua turned around, he noticed Kurosawa staring at him in a daze. He quickly asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Kurosawa replied, stepping forward. “Let’s not waste time.”

Once again, history unfolded before their eyes.

This time, Kurosawa witnessed the entire scene Bai Hua had described. He saw Lin Yuan’s transformation—but strangely, he didn’t see the moment when Lin Yuan pulled Feng Xu off the cliff. That segment of the memory had simply vanished, like it had been erased. Even Bai Hua couldn’t confirm whether it had really happened…

In the next instant, the scene shifted—only Lin Yuan remained on the battlefield. What followed was almost beyond belief. Had they not seen it with their own eyes, no one would have believed it.

The entire battlefield… was massacred by a single Dark Sentinel.

Why did no one know Lin Yuan was a Dark Sentinel? Why was this battle said to be devastating? Because no one was left alive to tell the tale.

Bai Hua stared at the scene before him, feeling an increasing chill deep in his heart. Several times he felt the urge to rush forward, but Kurosawa held him back each time.

Kurosawa said, “We’re just observers of this piece of history. No matter how many times we come in, or how long we stay, we can’t change the outcome.”

After Kurosawa finished speaking, it seemed the memory had reached its limit. The two of them were forcibly ejected from the mental landscape.

The usefulness of a battlefield memory is limited—it can only store fragments of a single war campaign. Whether the battle had a follow-up or what happened afterward, no one but those who were there would know.

After a long silence, Bai Hua finally asked, “Is it possible… that what I saw was fake?”

“Battlefield memories can’t be fabricated,” Kurosawa replied, “but it’s very possible they can be hidden. What you saw might’ve been the part Lin Yuan most didn’t want to remember—so he subconsciously chose to block it from everyone else.”

“Then why could I see it?”

Kurosawa looked at him, and in the end, gave an honest answer:

“Because you synchronized mentally with Lin Yuan.”

At those words, Bai Hua abruptly looked up at Kurosawa. Something about this entire situation had been bothering him, and now he finally understood what it was. It had all felt to off—Kurosawa’s reactions had been far too calm, even when faced with shocking truths. Almost as if… he had known all along.

Bai Hua suddenly remembered: ever since they returned from the rainforest, Kurosawa never once asked him what had happened at the end. He never asked how they had escaped from Lin Yuan.

The only other person who knew was He He—and he definitely wouldn’t say a word.

Then there were the things Kurosawa had said before… and what Feng Xu had once told him:

“At that moment, I really thought I was attacking Lin Yuan… I could sense it—you have the same aura.”

Maybe Feng Xu had known Lin Yuan’s true identity from the start, which would explain why he was in such a rush to get to the battlefield. He was afraid Lin Yuan would lose control—because when a Dark Sentinel loses control, it’s terrifying.

Feng Xu had a strong sixth sense. Kurosawa, too, had always been extremely perceptive when it came to Bai Hua’s emotions.

There was only one possible explanation: Kurosawa had figured it out.

“What do you know?” Bai Hua wasn’t sure what expression was on his face. He suddenly stepped toward Kurosawa, grabbed him tightly, and demanded, “You guessed it, didn’t you?!”

Kurosawa looked at him—his light-colored eyes, backlit by the glow behind him, appeared darker and deeper than usual. He held Bai Hua’s trembling hands, and with great seriousness, answered:

“Yes. I figured it out. Lin Yuan is a Dark Sentinel—and so are you.”

When he heard those final words, Bai Hua felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. His mind went completely blank. He couldn’t even process a single thought.

Kurosawa looked at him steadily and said, “So, are you going to kill me to silence me?”

Bai Hua could only glare at him. He didn’t know what he actually wanted to do. Did he want Kurosawa to keep this secret hidden forever? Or did he really… want to kill him? Compared to the idea of “this secret being exposed,” what bothered him even more was “this secret being discovered by Kurosawa.” His thoughts were a mess, and he didn’t even know what he was so conflicted about. He stared at Kurosawa for a long time but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to respond. In the end, he let go of him, turned his face away, and looked like all the fight had drained out of him.

But Kurosawa didn’t let go. His eyes remained fixed on Bai Hua’s face, as if carefully studying his every expression. Yet his tone softened.

“You’re not going to kill me? I won’t resist.”

Bai Hua raised his eyes and looked at him for a moment before saying, “I can’t kill you.”

“You mean… you just can’t do it.”

Not wanting to argue further about it, Bai Hua replied, “If that’s what you think, then fine.”

In truth, how could he possibly lay a hand on someone who had protected him time and time again? Bai Hua then asked, “When did you start suspecting?”

“After we returned from the rainforest.”

“How did you know?”

“Your concern for Lin Yuan was unusually intense. Your guard against me was higher than when we first met. Your emotions have been unstable lately. Then there were those things Feng Xu said. Altogether, it added up,” Kurosawa explained, then added, “All the signs pointed to the fact that… you were afraid I’d find out. Am I right?”

Bai Hua didn’t answer, which in itself was confirmation.

“You rejected the Guide Association’s arrangements. You even used missions as an excuse to run away—not because you hated them, but mainly because… you were afraid of dragging anyone else down.”

“Since you already know, there’s no need to keep pretending. We only got involved in the first place because of our high compatibility…”

But Kurosawa suddenly cut him off and said, “I don’t care.”

Bai Hua was stunned at first, but quickly his surprise turned to anger.

“Do you even know what a Dark Sentinel is?! They’re genetically defective monsters—born cruel and cold-blooded, with a natural desire to destroy everything. And you want to get involved with someone like that?”

“I just want to get involved with you,” Kurosawa replied calmly. “Even if you call yourself that, I’ve never once felt a trace of malice in your emotions. Even when you’re facing enemies, you act from the standpoint of a Sentinel of the Guild—you always do what you believe is right. No matter what your identity is, you’ve never once doubted the things you stand for. Isn’t that right?”

Although Kurosawa phrased it as a question, his words clearly affirmed Bai Hua’s convictions.

Bai Hua couldn’t come up with a single argument to refute him, but he still stubbornly shook his head. “That’s only because of the pheromones. You’re being forced into this…”

“I won’t deny that,” Kurosawa said. “But like I said before, it was both of us who chose each other.”

“Our compatibility rate is as high as 94%. Depending on our emotions, thoughts, and the environment, it can fluctuate by about 5%. At its peak, we can reach a 99% match—almost complete compatibility. Do you know what that means? No matter how much you resist, you won’t be able to reject me.” He paused before adding, “Of course, the same goes for me.”

“And if you want to call that instinct, that’s fine,” Kurosawa said. “But right now, you can’t deny that there are other feelings involved too. Want to test it?”

“Test what?”

Kurosawa smiled without replying. In the next second, he suddenly reached out, pinched Bai Hua’s chin, and leaned in as if to kiss him.

Bai Hua hadn’t even recovered from his shock when Kurosawa’s face was already close—so close. He knew perfectly well that all he had to do was raise a hand to push the man away. But his mind had gone completely blank. All he could do was stare as that handsome face drew closer… until soft lips finally brushed against his own.

Only then did he feel something—the same softness he remembered from his dream, wrapped in Kurosawa’s warm and steady pheromones.

It was a gentle, fleeting kiss. Perhaps a test. Perhaps also a form of comfort.

The Sentinel was frozen stiff—maybe from nerves, maybe from unease. But Kurosawa sensed no resistance. That alone was enough…

“If you don’t like it, push me away,” Kurosawa said softly. His fingers under Bai Hua’s chin tilted upward again, and this time, he kissed him a second time.

There was no hesitation now. No ambiguity. This was a real kiss.

Bai Hua only fully realized what was happening several seconds after the kiss began. But by then, Kurosawa’s pheromones had already enveloped him completely. Every breath he took was filled with that intoxicating scent. Acting on instinct, he wrapped his arms around Kurosawa’s neck and kissed him back just as fiercely.

He pushed away Kurosawa’s hand that was cupping his chin and tilted his head to deepen the kiss, his tongue darting out to meet Kurosawa’s. The hand Kurosawa had withdrawn slid down to press against Bai Hua’s shoulder, then slowly trailed down to his lower back. Their movements grew more frantic, neither one willing to yield.

They seemed to have forgotten they were still in the training ground—caught in a wild, heated kiss with no regard for their surroundings.

Then suddenly, Bai Hua’s foot slipped. Kurosawa’s leg had accidentally tripped him, throwing him off balance. As he stumbled backward, Kurosawa quickly caught the back of his head and cushioned his fall. He ended up pinned beneath him on the floor.

The jolt of pain cleared Bai Hua’s head a little. He quickly pushed Kurosawa away and blurted out, “…Are you trying to trigger a heat right here and now?”

Kurosawa stared at Bai Hua for two seconds and immediately noticed an abnormal flush rising on his face. He quickly moved aside and pulled a small packet from his bag.

So he wasn’t lying when he said he always carried suppressant.

When Bai Hua saw Kurosawa hand him the small white tablets, he was a bit speechless. Still, he took them quickly, and after checking the dosage, grabbed the packet from Kurosawa’s hand and poured out more.

It was only then that Kurosawa realized just how much suppressant Bai Hua usually took—it was more than twice the typical dosage for an ordinary Sentinel.

Avoiding Kurosawa’s gaze, Bai Hua downed the pills.

The aftereffects of that kiss were a bit too strong. Their pheromones had started to blend, triggering a subtle but irresistible urge in Bai Hua to get closer to Kurosawa. He was terrified he might actually give in to that urge, so he didn’t even dare look Kurosawa in the eye.

But just then, Kurosawa suddenly seemed to notice something and chuckled.

 “…So it’s a little fox.”

That sentence completely froze Bai Hua. He followed Kurosawa’s gaze and saw a red-brown fox with beautiful fur, staring curiously at Kurosawa. It looked like it wanted to approach but was still being cautious.

Bai Hua was so stunned he couldn’t say a word.

Just a single kiss and his spirit animal got exposed?!

Kurosawa crouched down and extended a hand toward the fox. The little fox hesitated for a moment, but in the end, happily leapt into Kurosawa’s arms.

Bai Hua was utterly speechless.

Kurosawa tentatively stroked its fur, then finally let out a soft laugh as if confirming something: “Looks like your spirit beast really likes me.”

Spirit animals directly reflect their master’s truest feelings—they don’t lie.

When Bai Hua saw the fox enjoying Kurosawa’s touch, he couldn’t help but get goosebumps all over. Kurosawa might not have meant anything by those words, but they sounded so awkward that Bai Hua immediately changed the topic.

“…Why can’t I see yours?”

“Of course you can.” Kurosawa pointed upward. “Right there.”

Bai Hua looked up and saw a long feather floating down to land on his hair.

Kurosawa’s spirit animal… was a falcon.

It finally made sense to Bai Hua why Kurosawa was held in such high regard—he was like the eyes of the entire team. A combat-ready Guide like him was even more valuable than ten Sentinels.

Bai Hua curiously met the gaze of the falcon perched by the window.

Sure, Kurosawa’s spirit animal was cool—but why did it feel like that stare was sizing him up like prey?

(To be continued…)
T/L: They kissed!!?? They kissed!! ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ) Also their spirit animals are finally revealed (⟡ᗜ⟡) !!