She appeared like a puppet doll randomly put together, and even her messy hair was a mix of blood-red and silver.

Seiji observed her for quite a while.

"When I wake her up, will she attack me on sight?"

"I doubt it. And even if she does, you should be able to easily defend against her."

"Because she's a 'child?'"

"Indeed," Yomi explained. "I recommend that you take her down from there. Otherwise, it'll be inconvenient to talk to her."

Seiji nodded as he cast [Evolved Telekinesis].

A large golden hand appeared and broke the silver threads she was attached to, then caught the little girl before she hit the ground.

Numerous puppet and human body parts landed on the ground and scattered everywhere.

Seiji controlled the golden hand to take the little girl to a relatively clear area and gently placed her down.

"s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki, wake up." He kneeled next to and called out to her as he observed her half-puppet, half-human face.

The girl didn't react.

"It's time to wake up!" Seiji increased his volume.

There was still no reaction.

"Try injecting some Mana into her." The female spirit gave him a recommendation.

Seiji placed his hand on the little girl's chest and began injecting Mana into her.

Iciness, bloodiness, darkness…

Right as she was born, she already experienced all these concepts without even having a clear understanding of them.

"Answer me. Who are you?"

That was the first sentence she'd heard after she was born.

"Do you know what you are?"

That was the second sentence.

But after that, everything was hazy… she felt as if she learned some things, and did some things, but her consciousness remained unclear.

'Who am I?

'What am I?'

There were only two clear things in her mind—these two questions. She felt as if she should answer them, but she was unable to come up with the answers.

'If I can't answer them… will I always remain like this?'

She kept thinking, and did her very best to think. But not only was she unable to come up with the answers, her thoughts gradually became hazy as well, as if something was devouring them.

'No… I don't want to… die…'

Death.

This was a concept that she still didn't quite understand yet, but she could feel it.

If she died, she would no longer be able to think of anything. She wouldn't be herself anymore.

And, she still hadn't even figured out who or what she was yet.

'No…'

She kept shouting and resisting. However, that something that kept gradually devouring her didn't slow down at all.

Despair.

This was yet another concept that she wasn't familiar with yet. However, this feeling had already enveloped her fully…

Suddenly, a different feeling appeared within her.

It felt gentle, soft, and bright…

Her consciousness became much clearer.

She was no longer being devoured. Something was being given to her that helped her to maintain her own sense of self.

She wanted this.

She could sense that this was something beneficial to her, and instinctively desired more.

As if in response to her desire, whatever it was that was giving her this feeling continued giving it to her…

The little girl slowly opened her eyes.

"Ah, you're awake." Seiji stopped injecting Mana into her and retracted his hand.

The little girl looked at him.

He exchanged glances with her and saw that her expression was rather blank… just like a newly-born child who didn't understand the world.

"s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki, can you understand my words?"

The girl looked at him.

"s.h.i.+n.o.bu… Miaki?"

"That's right, that's your name."

"My… name," the girl spoke in a light voice. "I am… s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki."

"Yes. You are a human puppet created by Akatsuki Mitarai. That was the name he gave to you."

"Akatsuki Mitarai… human puppet…"

Seiji realized all the more clearly that she truly was a "child" upon seeing the way that she spoke with only a vague understanding!

"Who… are you?" the girl… s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki asked him.

"I am Seiji Haruta. I'm Akatsuki Mitarai's enemy."

"Seisi… Haruta?"

"No, not Seisi. It's Seiji, Seiji Haruta."

"Seiji… Haruta…" She looked directly at him. "Did you… give… me?"

"I just gave you some Mana earlier."

"Mana… very good…" The little girl's expression slowly changed as her mouth gradually arced upwards to reveal a faint smile. "Thank you."

Her smile wasn't particularly beautiful. However, it was incomparably pure.

Seiji widened his eyes at the sight.

Then, he smiled faintly as well.

"No need to be polite."

After talking to s.h.i.+n.o.bu for a while, Seiji came to a conclusion: he couldn't just leave this child alone!

As a human puppet, s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki had only the most basic knowledge and understanding of the world. She was as pure as a blank piece of paper, and as long as she was properly taught and raised, she could definitely become a very good person… er, demon.

However, she was currently being influenced by all the negative things in her soul realm... or perhaps a more accurate word would be "invaded." She was currently losing her sense of self.

When she completely lost her sense of self and ability to think, that would be the moment when she transformed into an evil demon.

"It seems that you have already made a decision."

"Yep. I'm going to teach her properly to prevent her from becoming an evil demon with no sense of self."

"Even if this means that you'll be helping your enemy?"

"While it's rather unpleasant to think that I'd be helping him, when compared to simply allowing this child to fall into depravity, that's nothing." Seiji folded his arms. "Not only am I going to teach her, I'm even going to steal her away from Akatsuki so that she can be raised properly."

"Heehee…" Yomi chuckled. "You actually care about a puppet that your enemy created. You're so interesting."

"You're the one who led me to this!"

"You were the one who made the decision on your own~"

"Er…" Seiji found it difficult to counter her statement. "So what if I care! s.h.i.+n.o.bu-chan is a good girl." He decided to frankly admit it.

"You're even calling her directly by name now."

"That's just the type of man I am! Do you have any objections?"

"Heehee…" The female spirit laughed in delight.

"I should be able to obtain s.h.i.+n.o.bu-chan through the official Yin-Yang Master duel next week if I win. But that means waiting an entire week, and she's also going to partic.i.p.ate in battle as well. Akatsuki is highly likely to do more modifications to her… is there any way I can protect her?"

"There isn't. However, you can simply just take this child back with you right now."

"Right now? Here in the soul realm?" Seiji was quite astonished. "This is possible!?"

"Yes. However, you're only taking her soul, not her physical body. Also, it will cause some damage to her for her soul to be separated from her body."

"Damage… to what extent?"

"She'll be incredibly weakened, and she'll basically become the weakest cla.s.s of demon," Yomi explained. "However, if you properly raise her, she'll be able to become much stronger. And if you can take her physical body away from Akatsuki as well, you'll be able to return her soul to her body."

Seiji fell silent at this.

He looked at s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki. She was currently silently looking at the sky as if she wanted to see through to the heavens.

Should he take this child with him or leave her here?

Seiji was leaning towards taking her with him. Although taking her with him would damage her and weaken her greatly, he would take responsibility by properly taking care of her. He would definitely take her physical body away from Akatsuki as well, and help her soul return to her body.

And if she stayed here, who knew what she would experience in her own soul realm that was filled with all these terrifying things, which were likely the circ.u.mstances surrounding her birth? Who knew what Akatsuki might end up doing to her soul!

"s.h.i.+n.o.bu Miaki… Can I call you s.h.i.+n.o.bu-chan?" he asked after some consideration.

She looked at him and nodded.

Seiji smiled and asked, "s.h.i.+n.o.bu-chan, would you like to come with me?" 

She blinked upon hearing this.

"Go… with you?"

"Yes, I feel that this is a bad place. It's not suitable for you to stay in. I'd like to take you somewhere else."

"Somewhere else… where?"

"My territory." Seiji pointed at himself. "I promise to take good care of you. Will you come with me?"

s.h.i.+n.o.bu looked directly at Seiji.

She recalled what he had given her, and compared it to what she felt staying here…

"I want to… go with you."

She made the first decision of her life since being born.

She didn't know that this decision of hers would ma.s.sively change her fate.