In Hakurei Reimu’s heart, her father had to meet several criteria: first, possess immense power; second, be devastatingly handsome; third, be unique; and fourth, have charisma.

Every child naturally wishes for a father figure who is strong and capable, someone who can be their rock and constant protector, making the first requirement perfectly understandable. As for the second, everyone yearns for beauty; surely, no one would wish for parents who are utterly hideous… Of course, Reimu’s pursuit in this area had been slightly extreme, influenced by a certain fanfiction author.

Then there was the third point: from a child’s perspective, one’s parents must be absolutely one-of-a-kind, incomparable. Moreover, Reimu was a full-blown chuunibyou enthusiast. Finally, just as men hope their girlfriends are stunning beauties and women hope their boyfriends are handsome dreamboats, Reimu desired a father who would be beloved and welcomed by everyone. If her father were met with rotten eggs every time he stepped outside, even the most cheerful child wouldn’t be happy.

In summation, Reimu’s demands aligned with the general standards of a normal child’s thinking, but Lin Luo felt immense pressure, because while the above points were broad generalizations, Reimu placed far greater emphasis on the minute details of being “unique.”

The mere thought of those details sent goosebumps prickling all over Lin Luo.

“Father dear, look! The lights in the shrine are still on; we can begin now,” Reimu said, perched on Lin Luo’s shoulder as they arrived at the Hakurei Shrine. The faintness of her tone barely concealed her excitement as she pointed to the flickering lights within. With that, she hopped down to the ground, urging Lin Luo to enter quickly.

“Um… Do we really have to do this?” Lin Luo instantly felt the pressure mount. All the way over, Reimu had laid out numerous instructions—like what expression to wear when meeting Mama, what exact words to say—completely imposing the nauseatingly cool image she held in her mind onto Lin Luo.

Hearing this, Reimu immediately pouted, dissatisfied. “Too ordinary! Father dear, your way of speaking is too plain! I absolutely do not like such an ordinary Father dear!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll do exactly as you say.”

Lin Luo immediately surrendered; he was utterly helpless against this little brat. If he didn't know she genuinely adored the nauseatingly cool chuunibyou aesthetic, he might suspect this was her punishment for abandoning her mother and her for two years.

“That’s more like it… Wait, your way of speaking is too plain! Father dear must be unique because Father dear is special!” Reimu declared solemnly, staring with wide eyes.

Is this psychological manipulation?

For some unknown reason, Lin Luo suddenly felt manipulated, just like when he played games and turned young girls into married women; Reimu was attempting to convert him from a normal person into her ideal nauseatingly cool figure… Tsk, indeed, she is my daughter; this is truly something else!

A thought sparked in Lin Luo’s mind, and his brain began to churn rapidly. Power, after all, arrives at the same destination through different paths. Even if they manifest as two completely different modes in the initial stages, they ultimately point toward the same state of “Being.” For instance, although Lin Luo lacked time-manipulation abilities earlier, he could still shatter the laws of time and reverse spilled water. Similarly now, while he couldn't effortlessly switch personalities like Misaka Mikoto’s esper counterpart, he could slightly alter his own demeanor through self-suggestion and hypnosis.

To avoid feeling physically ill from the self-disgust, Lin Luo reluctantly settled on hypnotizing himself into a genuine, nauseatingly cool chuunibyou character.

In less than a second, Lin Luo completed his personality shift. He crouched down, hooking a finger under Reimu’s chin, and grinned wickedly. “My dear daughter, have you fallen for your own father?”

“Father dear is so handsome!” Reimu clasped her hands, her face filled with adoration.

“Hahahaha!” Lin Luo burst into unrestrained, booming laughter. Since he had specially modulated his voice, it didn't carry into the Hakurei Shrine.

“Watch closely, my little girl. See how your father conquers your mother!” After his laugh faded, he stood up, and as he turned, he casually flung off his trench coat, exposing his bare upper body, and strode toward the shrine entrance while speaking.

Indeed, after self-hypnosis, it wasn’t as sickening.

Reimu remained rooted to the spot, but the fervent excitement shining in her eyes made it clear how thrilled she was. Clearly, no one anticipated the following scene more than she did.

Bang!

Arriving at the shrine gate, Lin Luo neither knocked nor announced himself, instead forcefully pushing the door open with an imposing gesture.

“Reimu, it’s so late!” On the other side of the door, Hakurei Reimu was changing. Her red-and-white shrine maiden outfit was halfway off, revealing the white wrap she wore beneath. Hearing the door, she initially assumed her daughter was back and was about to scold her, but when she saw who stood there, the expression on her face froze.

Lin Luo watched her stunned silence, the corner of his mouth curving into a slight smile. He leaned back against the doorframe with his arms crossed, then flicked his left hand. A single red rose instantly materialized and, following the gesture of his hand, shot toward Reimu, finally embedding itself precisely on her chest wrap.

If Reimu were a busty woman, that rose would have become scenery nestled in her cleavage.

“Yo, PS Darling, have you fallen in love with me yet?” Lin Luo flipped his fringe out of his eyes and blew an exaggerated, flirtatious kiss, dripping with insincerity.

Ugh! Though Lin Luo made it look effortless and natural, inside, he was retching violently. Despite the hypnotic suggestion, it was still hideously nauseating!

In stark contrast to Lin Luo, Reimu, standing behind him, had eyes blazing with excitement, her elation clearly visible. “So cool, so stylish! Father dear is amazing!”

The flying kiss Lin Luo sent out had solidified from red mist and accurately struck Reimu’s cheek, leaving a distinct mark.

Feeling the unusual sensation on her face, Reimu instinctively reached up to touch it, then looked down at her fingers, which bore a faint red residue. She then looked back up at Lin Luo, and when her gaze met his “charming” smile, faint pink crept across her delicate features.

… Blushing, you have got to be kidding me!

Reimu just stared at Lin Luo, as if completely captivated by him. After a dozen seconds, the blush gradually faded from her face. She gently plucked the rose from her chest wrap and placed it on a nearby table, then calmly resumed dressing in her shrine maiden attire. She walked slowly toward Lin Luo, showing neither anger nor bashfulness, acting as if nothing had happened. But then!

Bang!

With no warning whatsoever, just as she reached within thirty centimeters of Lin Luo, Reimu struck out like lightning. A terrifying sonic boom accompanied her move as her fist slammed squarely into Lin Luo’s face, sending him flying backward instantly.

“Disgusting pervert! How dare you cause trouble at my Hakurei Shrine! You must really want to die multiple times, don’t you?!” Reimu stood with her hands on her hips at the shrine entrance, looking down at Lin Luo, who lay ten meters away, radiating dominance like a deity upon a throne.

“Oh no! How could this happen?” Before Lin Luo could even get up, Reimu cried out in shock. “Why would Mama hit Father dear? He looked so dashing, so cool!”

In her eyes, Lin Luo’s posture and tone were the height of cool. Normally, her mother should have rushed forward to embrace him tightly. Why the punch?

No, you are mistaken. Only you would find that stylish. To everyone else, that was asking for a beating… Listening to Reimu’s words, Lin Luo inwardly grumbled, simultaneously feeling a deep sorrow for himself, having to go through with actions he knew would provoke violence, all because of a child’s desire.

“Reimu, what are you doing there? Father dear?!” After sending Lin Luo flying, Reimu noticed her daughter standing nearby. She had initially thought the pervert had tricked Reimu and was about to give the brute a few more hours of beating, but hearing Reimu’s words made her jaw drop.

The pervert lying on the ground was her daughter’s father? That meant… “Yes, Mama, this is Father dear! The nauseatingly cool, handsome Father dear!” Reimu announced loudly.

“Sigh,” Lin Luo sighed helplessly. He had hoped that seeing him make a fool of himself would convince Reimu that being chuunibyou wasn't actually cool, but it seemed her perception was hard to change. Moreover, he would likely have to continue playing the nauseatingly cool persona.

Slowly rising from the ground, Lin Luo brushed the dust off himself. He delicately wiped the blood Reimu had inflicted from his mouth with his thumb, then beckoned Reimu with a casual gesture, speaking in a calm, airy voice. “Two years, and your strength hasn’t improved much, has it? What was that light tap? It didn’t even qualify as a defense for me. Since we’re reuniting, show me what you’ve got… Come on, baby!”

“So Father dear let Mama hit him on purpose! How noble, how incredibly handsome!” Seeing Lin Luo’s dashing and imposing stance again, Reimu looked at him with renewed admiration.

Daughter, please stop praising me!

Lin Luo desperately wanted to cry, but facing the little girl’s innocent expression, he couldn't bring himself to crush her spirit. He forced a smile. “Heh heh, of course. Reimu, you must understand that adults often speak the opposite of what they mean. Your mother is a tsundere; the harder she hits me, the deeper her love for me. If I fought back or defended myself, wouldn't that be rejecting her love? That’s something I absolutely cannot do, right? And judging by the force of that last attack, she is completely captivated by this version of me!”

“Captivated, captivated!” The little girl immediately cheered.

Reimu’s gaze flickered between the father and daughter pair. After a moment, she curved her lips into a smile. “Heh heh heh, so that’s how it is. I had wondered what state you’d be in when you reappeared, but honestly, I was startled. I never expected to see such a disgusting side of you.”

Please, don't say that… Lin Luo was on the verge of tears.

“Reimu, stand to the side.” Reimu turned her head to look at her daughter.

“Why?” Reimu asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Heh heh, didn’t your Father dear just say he wanted to truly see my power? I can’t disappoint him, can I? Furthermore, I felt that last attack was far too light; it was insufficient to express the depth of my affection. So, next, I will use my full strength to show your Father dear just how much I love him!” Reimu stated with a smile, a radiance as bright as the sun shining from her expression.

Simply put, you’re just going to beat me up with everything you have, aren’t you? Lin Luo immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Reimu might not see it, but he saw clearly: beneath Reimu’s sun-drenched smile was an aura blacker than pitch… She’s gone dark—completely gone dark!

“Okay, okay!” Reimu clapped her hands happily and obediently stepped aside.

At the same time, Reimu turned her gaze back to Lin Luo, displaying a dangerous smile. “You just said you would accept my love, without defending yourself, right?”

Can I take that statement back?

Lin Luo desperately wanted to say so, but with Reimu watching him like a hawk from the side, making such a cowardly statement was impossible. He had to puff out his chest and pretend. “Of course. I am a man of my word. Show me all your love, my darling!”

“Then… as you wish!” Reimu sneered coldly. She slowly extended her right foot forward. The moment it touched the ground, with a whoosh, an invisible black curtain spread outward from her, enveloping everything around them.

As the black curtain swept toward him, Lin Luo instinctively closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was stunned. The surrounding environment had completely changed; it was no longer the Hakurei Shrine but a strange, anomalous space. The gentle lapping sound near his feet alerted him that he was standing in a water-filled area.

But that wasn't the main point—the main point was Reimu herself!

Her red-and-white shrine maiden outfit had transformed into pure crimson. She stood sideways, holding a traditional red umbrella, her feet submerged up to her calves in the water. Strange markings were etched onto her two pale arms, patterns that extended from her neck onto her face, making her appear somewhat menacing and terrifying.

Furthermore, her originally black hair had turned entirely white, and her dark pupils had shifted to a startling, demonic red, emitting a fearsome glow.

This is… Yukari Reimu?!

Lin Luo was instantly shocked. Although he knew Reimu sometimes underwent strange transformations, like turning into a Ghost Maiden, he never imagined she would become Yukari Reimu!

“You look quite surprised. Do you need an explanation?” Reimu glanced at Lin Luo, a shade of crimson coloring her eyes.

Then, without waiting for a response, she continued on her own. “For you to shamelessly adopt such a disgusting persona, you must have undergone a personality shift as well. Hmph. While I cannot reach your level of disgusting, I can certainly manage a slight alteration of my state.”

Can you please not critique my method right now? Lin Luo felt dejected.

“In summary, I now possess three forms. The first is, of course, my normal state, followed by the Ghost Maiden state. However, in my previous Ghost Maiden mode, my consciousness was extremely vague, or perhaps entirely absent. Even upon returning to normal, I would forget the Ghost Maiden form. But…”

Here, Reimu’s tone shifted, her face imbued with malice. “Now, I have completely mastered the Ghost Maiden state. That means even when I become the Ghost Maiden, I retain a clear consciousness. Not only is the power level undiminished, but I have also gained a new dimensional ability. This is my third form… Yukari Reimu!”

“I see. Just like the Ghost Maiden transformation, shifting into Yukari Reimu changes your personality as well,” Lin Luo realized instantly. “No wonder your tone felt strange earlier; you were already entering the ‘dark’ state then, weren’t you?”

“Hmph hmph,” Reimu sneered coldly. “That was just standing on the edge of the bridge. The one standing here now, who has crossed over, is the true ‘dark’ self, and also the true Demon God!”

Boom!

As the words fell, the red umbrella was tossed away, and Reimu vanished from her spot, rushing toward Lin Luo with speed that surpassed instantaneous movement. In less time than it takes to blink, accompanied by a world-shaking impact, her bare foot slammed into Lin Luo’s chest and abdomen.

In that instant, Lin Luo was rocketed away like a cannonball—thwack!

After being sent flying dozens of meters, Lin Luo finally managed to dissipate the force and stood firmly in the waterlogged ground.

Reimu steadied her footing and smiled at Lin Luo across the space. “I used dimensional power in that kick, yet you were completely unharmed. It seems Demon God level power might not be enough. So… How about this?!”

“Hee… Hahaha!”

A horrifying laugh suddenly erupted. Reimu instantly dissolved into a shadow of blood, as if she were entirely enveloped in crimson liquid. As the laughter faded, five claws formed of blood lashed out violently across Lin Luo’s body… Lin Luo was sent flying again, and when he managed to stand, blood streamed down him.

However, owing to his power, the injured body quickly returned to normal.

“This is Blood Demon, right? If it can wound me in my current state, I suppose I can’t just stand here and take it anymore.”

“Oh, is that so? I recall you just said you wouldn’t fight back, didn’t you?” Reimu looked at him teasingly. “I really hate being rejected. You must accept my love!”

“Ugh!” Lin Luo was instantly speechless. Although he had said that earlier, his eyes instinctively darted around and spotted Reimu standing on a stone platform nearby, watching the spectacle with enthusiastic curiosity. He was utterly defeated.

“Let me ask you beforehand: besides Demon God and Blood Demon, how many other realms do you have?” Reimu held up three fingers, smiling. “The Tenth Realm, Divine Taboo; the Eleventh Realm, Imperial Calamity; and finally, the Twelfth Realm, Final Fallen Heaven. I haven't completely mastered the twelfth yet, but unleashing one hundred percent of Imperial Calamity is no problem. You must let me enjoy this thoroughly.”

“……………”

Oh, for heaven’s sake!

Lin Luo wanted to find a tofu block and smash his head against it. The Ninth Realm, Blood Demon, had already hurt him badly. If she unleashed the Eleventh Realm, Imperial Calamity, and he still didn't fight back, he would genuinely die!