I Really Don't Want a Girlfriend Anymore

Chapter 622 622: The System’s Origin and Developer

The final trial of the Life Achievement System was actually very simple.

Namely, to make a vow to a loved one, establish a promise to face the future together, and achieve the final achievement—Life Winner.

Although she couldn't fully interfere, due to Kanade's active intervention, the completion conditions for the trial became very loose: it didn't matter if there was more than one loved one, or if it wasn't an actual marriage proposal.

As long as Yuu could confess his love to a girl with mutual feelings, the trial would be considered complete. The system would detach after giving the final reward and wouldn't bother him again.

And his fate of not being able to live past graduation might change.

After Yuu went through five cycles, spending five years without any achievement, Kanade decisively reversed time.

"Why is it like this..."

She truly couldn't understand why Yuu, who was a lady-killer, could adapt to both pure love and harem genres, and never lacked girlfriends, could be trapped by mere love for five years, unable to even find a close woman besides his little sister?

In the river of time, Kanade held her head and pondered for a long time, and finally found the problem.

Because of her settings on the system, Yuu in this world line became an emotionless task machine.

Although many women showed interest in him during the process, and there was even a group of high school girls who tried to force him collectively, Yuu, immersed in the happiness of completing tasks as quickly as possible and collecting the achievement gallery, refused them mercilessly. In his eyes, there was only the list of achievements that hadn't lit up yet.

In the end, he even habitually removed all the flags of women interested in him. Causing before the final trial began, the only opposite sex he most frequently interacted with was Sora, who was excluded by the system from love interests.

Even Iroha, the junior Kanade most hoped would succeed, distanced herself from Yuu after failing in her indirect confession.

Liking games too much would become like this, truly numb to love—Yuu's situation was even worse.

Because he wouldn't force himself to date, even if it was a charade for the task's sake, as long as he had to give sincerity to pass, it wouldn't enter his consideration; but if he didn't date, he couldn't escape the trial cycle and had to repeat that third year of high school until his consciousness collapsed.

To wait for him to naturally meet someone who caught his attention, Kanade didn't know how many more cycles would be needed...

Kanade didn't want to wait anymore, she had to find the next hope.

However, the problem before her eyes hadn't been solved.

If Yuu approached love, he couldn't complete the task. If he didn't approach love, he couldn't pass the trial.

In the end, whether ending in death or endless cycles. Kanade hit a dead end but didn't know the way out.

"Is it because I'm alone that I still can't do it?"

She suddenly felt a bit tired. That feeling of helplessness kept deepening, eroding the will she thought would never waver.

She didn't want to give up, but began to think that she was only making things worse.

"This isn't Yuu's problem, nor Sora's problem... it's my problem."

"If I didn't exist..."

Right, if Kanade didn't exist.

Would everything become better, like her family without herself?

In the river of time, she slowly stood upright. Eyes that had been anxious and confused regained their firm resolve.

Finding the mistake, then fix it.

So, Kanade decided to commit suicide, letting herself who was in the way leave Yuu's side.

In the next world line, she let the Life Achievement System continue the same trajectory as before. After a long time, she sought out Sora, told her everything as before, and also received the answer that she was willing to help.

But this time, Kanade hid one thing from her.

When Sora realized something was wrong, the ghost named Tachibana Kanade had already disappeared from this world.

In her place, an ordinary high school girl with delicate appearance, shy personality, and slightly sickly, returned to Sobu High knowing nothing, living an ordinary life no different from usual.

Perhaps she herself didn't expect that after relinquishing the Light Orb's authority, her existence would return to this world.

Sora only learned what Kanade was thinking at that time after reading the message she saved in the system.

"When you read this message, I should have already disappeared."

"Sorry, Sora. I'm truly sorry."

"From now on, I'm entrusting the great responsibility of saving Yuu entirely to you."

"Besides you, I don't know who else to ask for help. Only you have always been willing to be my partner... And I've always believed that you have abilities and determination greater than mine."

"When I was still alive, I couldn't do anything... My body was weak, my personality cowardly. If not for everyone being so gentle, I might have become gloomy and unmotivated to do anything, like the others I met at the hospital."

"Even so, I didn't feel that I was happy at that time."

"Until I met Yuu, was helped by him, comforted, loved by him... Only then did I know that this world is so beautiful, that my life was filled with so much warm sunshine."

"Perhaps, I only started living after meeting him."

"Hmm... Is this expression too exaggerated? But I really think so. Not just Yuu, Sora is also very important to me. You always kept me company playing games even when I had no friends, and also proactively asked for permission when I was sick. You always helped me who couldn't do anything."

"Even in the journey after death, you gave me much inspiration and experience, which allowed me to get closer to my goal."

"Both then and now, your existence to me is a kind of savior... Being able to know you both is truly the greatest happiness of my life!"

"—That's why I must disappear."

"Continuing to struggle arrogantly is just whining for this kind of happiness to continue."

"Hundreds of failures prove that I don't have the ability to save Yuu. I should have realized this long ago, it's just that I didn't want to admit it."

"I still want to keep being at Yuu's side. I still want to modify the system with Sora all night. I still want to see him successfully reverse fate, go to college, marry and have children with someone, live a life happier than anyone else..."

"But I know, I who can only cause trouble, no longer have that right."

"Sora, I leave the rest to you. You said you would be his hero. I believe you can do it, and only you can."

"I'm truly sorry for saying such irresponsible words. However, this has become the best choice I can think of."

"If we can meet again, you may curse me thoroughly... Although at that time, I might be afraid to face you."

"Is the message too long? But there are several things I haven't said yet, I hope you won't feel bored."

"There's only one way for me to disappear, which is to relinquish my existence and the Light Orb's authority."

"I'm not a true Light Orb, just an imitation forcibly promoted through system rewards... The true Light Orb is still hidden within the system. I've left all related information. As long as you spare a little time, you should be able to find a way to use it."

"But even though it's just an imitation, my Light Orb still has permission to control the system. I've already transferred this permission to you. From now on, you can reverse time and change system settings as you please, like me, and change the fate of the person you love alone."

"The Light Orb also has the power to trigger miracles. Although it can't affect Yuu, it should help you a lot... I've left ninety percent, and the rest, as an apology, I'm giving to a girl I once deeply regretted about. May she fulfill her wishes."

"And then, I who am no longer a Light Orb, will completely disappear from this world."

"But strangely, I don't feel afraid."

"Because there's still Sora. Because my hero still has a hero who wants to save him."

"The journey of my helpless self ends here. And the happy future belonging to you both is surely waiting not far away."

"Even though I disappear, I can feel at peace because of it."

"Sora, thank you. And, sorry... for making you shoulder such a heavy responsibility, and walk alone."

"If I could, I really want to invite you to eat my homemade Mapo Tofu again!"

"...Well then, the message ends here. My consciousness is also about to disappear."

"Lastly, although Yuu can't hear it, in the end, I still want to speak to him."

"I want to tell him—I saved you, not because you once saved me, but because I love you."

"I've always loved you, Yuu."

"Goodbye."

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

This recording was played in full in the Science classroom.

When the girl's gentle and regretful sigh fell to the floor, Yuu's hand supporting his cheek slowly lowered. His face was expressionless, as if hiding his emotions.

"After that, it was my turn to start managing the system, continuously reversing time alone, doing all the things Kanade did before."

Sora looked at his reaction, sighed with slightly downcast eyes, and said in a rather low tone, "She blamed all this on herself, and selfishly sacrificed herself like that, not listening to others' advice at all... Tsk, leaving me alone like that is clearly more excessive..."

So, when the trial just began, Kanade who came to visit was afraid of being thoroughly scolded, which is why she didn't dare go upstairs to greet him. She just said a few words to the person she missed so much, then left.

Conversely, Sora very much wanted to grab her collar and force her to answer those questions.

Like why she could restore her memories in this trial space, like to whom she gave that ten percent of the Light Orb's power, and so on...

Unfortunately, the first opportunity was Yuu's. She couldn't ask even if she wanted to; after that, because she couldn't leave home—the central management area, as long as Kanade didn't surrender herself, there was no opportunity to contact her.

Until now, Sora hasn't even had a chance to say a single word to Kanade. Her existence has completely vanished in this trial, like a teammate whose connection was cut in a doubles game, who after realizing she harmed the team, fearfully unplugged the cable and deleted the game. From that moment on, she didn't care about the outside world, not even intending to answer phone calls from friends.

Although annoyed, Sora also understood her feelings, and how heavy this responsibility was.

So, shaking her head, temporarily setting aside Kanade's issue, Sora continued:

"Relying on the Light Orb's power Kanade left behind, I took care of you who was trapped in the trial and became a vegetative state, while focusing on researching the system."

"About ten years passed. Your consciousness in the trial collapsed, and your body also rapidly deteriorated until you finally died. After burying myself with you, I took medicine and committed suicide, became a ghost similar to Kanade, and fully entered this system, continuing the time reversal and system modification."

"Know why this final trial gives you memories of the Life Achievement System world line? Because that's the scene I'm most familiar with, the starting point and home that belongs only to me."

"..."

Yuu listened in silence, his lips slightly pursed, seemingly not intending to ask.

Had he still not recovered from the earlier message?

Although wondering in her heart, because time kept moving, Sora's explanation didn't stop.

"I learned from Kanade. After trying dozens of times, I finally understood one thing—to make you pass the final trial, you must fall in love."

"But it also can't be too easy. I must create some accidents, add some factors that torment you, gradually make you mature in matters of feelings, until you can skillfully handle various women. That way, the possibility of you dying midway due to relationship problems can be reduced."

"Lastly, I arranged a surprise-filled reward—Miracle Transaction. This thing was made by consuming more than half of the Light Orb's power. Even I don't know what can be exchanged with it, but what I need most is this kind of unpredictable variable, so I had to find an opportunity to give you one."

"Thus, the system you're using now appeared."

Facing Sora's frank appearance, Yuu finally looked at her straight. After being stunned for several moments, only then did he slowly ask in a confirming tone:

"Meaning, the Boyfriend System was developed by you?"

"Yes!"

Sora nodded seriously, then spread her hands, striking a carefree pose like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, "If you recall memories from the real world, you might find it even harder to believe. The system you swore you'd beat up turns out to be made by your own little sister, it's like the plot where the big BOSS removes their helmet and says actually you are my child..."

She sighed again and glanced at Yuu.

"But what can be done, if not for this, you couldn't pass the fourth task. Even this final trial, you advanced early due to various accidents that appeared, I don't know if this is good or bad..."

"Well, anyway, it's not my business. Just blame yourself for exchanging that Jinx Charm! I'm also helpless with things outside the plan."

Although she was the manager, Sora wasn't the system itself. After basic settings were complete, she let the system AI run automatically. She could only interfere a little in the process. How it turned out would depend on Yuu's choices.

So, she could only shoulder half of this fault. It wasn't that she deliberately wanted her brother to experience so much suffering...

However, if it must be said, the results this time were also quite unexpected and good.

The administrator obtained much data, Yuu was one step away from completing the system tasks, and the system AI also showed significant evolution.

Even if it failed again this time, it could improve the success rate of the next world line. Compared to the experience of dozens of times before, it could even be said that Sora had taken the most important step, with only the final distance remaining to success.

The one hurt in the end was only herself, but that was better than dying young.

"..."

After listening to all this, Yuu took a deep breath, gently pressed his temples, trying to calm the emotions surging in his chest.

Although his memories hadn't recovered, he felt an extraordinary sense of shock, exactly as she said.

The information was too much, he needed time to digest it.

A moment later, Yuu lowered his hands. His eyes that had regained composure gazed at the woman in the white lab coat at the podium.

He slowly began to speak.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

At Sobu High's main building, there was a large antique clock.

It seemed to be built resembling Big Ben in England, but due to budget issues, the clock looked a bit small and not grand.

The heavy clock hands pointed to 4:55 PM. Dusk enveloped the entire campus. The noisy sound of crows seemed to have driven away the once lively crowd. The school grounds were empty, desolate and cold.

In just five more minutes, the sunset that hadn't fully set would rise again.

The world would return to April 1st a year ago, like the summer the girl had seen countless times—

And this time, she too should not exist.