The theoretical underpinning for Lin Luo claiming to be Marisa’s grand-master, while a stretch, wasn't entirely without basis. After all, he was Yukari Yakumo’s master, and Marisa was essentially Yukari’s alternate account. Following conventional human logic, if Marisa inherited Yukari’s legacy, then Lin Luo being her grand-master could, perhaps, be solidified.

However, whether his declaration stemmed from theoretical deduction or sheer mockery was known only to him... Naturally, regardless of the intent, the result was absolute enmity. As an MT, his power clearly eclipsed Yukari Yakumo's.

Marisa and Renko were women of action. The moment the words were out, they attacked Lin Luo... Killing him might have just been talk, but failing to beat him half to death until he begged for mercy would certainly not suffice to vent their anger.

The two moved with practiced synergy. The instant they charged, Renko pulled two iron spheres from her person and flicked them out. The spheres sliced through the dim corridor like twin silver-white streaks of light, exploding upon impact with muffled roars that instantly engulfed Lin Luo in a dense cloud of smoke.

These two iron spheres didn't possess the earth-shattering force one might expect from explosions; they were clearly just smoke bombs, not particularly lethal. But Renko’s objective was met, for right then, Marisa had darted to the front of the smoke. She shifted her body, unleashing several pale yellow beams that wove together like a net, then snapped inward, as if intending to wrap Lin Luo up like a zongzi.

Faced with such coordination, an ordinary person, or even someone slightly stronger than Marisa and Renko, would likely suffer a major setback. But unfortunately for them, Lin Luo was simply beyond the scope of their current capabilities.

“Your skill is so-so; definitely has a Type-Moon flavor to it.”

A calm voice sounded from behind them. The two instantly changed expression, snapping their heads around, only to find Lin Luo standing behind them, completely unharmed.

“How is that possible?!”

“When did...?”

Evidently, neither could quite believe that Lin Luo had evaded their attack so effortlessly, or how he had gotten behind them without them noticing.

“What, did you think your level of skill was enough to bind me? The reverse would be more fitting.” Seeing their ghost-stricken faces, Lin Luo chuckled, suddenly finding a little show of might rather enjoyable.

But he had serious matters to attend to. Lin Luo quickly dropped the frivolous mood. Before the two could react, he executed a displacement, and Marisa and Renko were instantly shoved against the wall in a corner, with him blocking the only exit.

“What exactly do you want?” Marisa demanded, realizing their precarious situation. Yet, her heart was filled with unease, as she couldn't gauge Lin Luo’s true depth, and from this single exchange, she already knew the two of them combined were no match for him.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, I just have a few questions for you girls,” Lin Luo said, instinctively softening his tone, aware of the pressure his actions were placing on them.

Though his tone lacked mockery, physically blocking the only escape route did not suggest benevolent intentions. Marisa and Renko were unsure of his goal, but being young women, they were perhaps more perceptive. They exchanged a look: Could this guy be planning on doing that kind of thing to us?

They weren't so narcissistic as to believe themselves world-class beauties who could turn heads with a glance, but they were certainly high-tier, vibrant young women, constantly pursued at school and often approached on the street. And this strange man before them?

While he was certainly handsome, there was an old saying: the more handsome the man, the more promiscuous he is. Although this was a generalization, seeing how this fellow was dressed impeccably, like a perfectly preserved, fancy rotten egg even in this desolate place, suggested he was likely a top-tier playboy. Intentional interception in this location could only mean he was overcome by lust and harbored wicked designs against them.

Perhaps even that previous large-headed figure was his doing, a deliberate setup to facilitate his lecherous conquest!

This damned pervert... Once they fixed on this thought, the possibility seemed overwhelmingly strong. At that moment, their fear of mortal danger vanished, replaced by profound anxiety over their chastity.

A crisis of chastity—that was far more serious than death!

Lin Luo was oblivious to the fact that in the span of a breath, he had morphed in the two girls’ minds into a villainous lecher plotting evil. He was currently contemplating how best to broach the subjects he needed to discuss. While his brief observations had given him a vague idea of why he was there, it remained only speculation. //Fastest text updates from Shūmí Lóu

Meanwhile, Marisa and Renko, seeing his silence stretch, grew increasingly frantic, assuming he was merely calculating how to translate his wicked thoughts into action. Being called a pervert wasn't something they fundamentally feared; they had dealt with murderers, rapists, and robbers before, and the fates of those they apprehended were invariably worse. But... this particular pervert seemed unusually high-caliber!

They continuously exchanged glances, trying to devise an escape strategy. Although they had several contingency plans brewing, the memory of the miraculous maneuver they had just witnessed left them utterly lacking in confidence. This unknown, deep-level pervert possessed unimaginable strength; if their escape attempt failed and enraged him, the consequences could be dire.

Thus, while planning, they inwardly cursed Lin Luo. Renko, in particular, cursed his entire lineage, imagining the possibilities of what might happen to her soon.

It was fortunate Lin Luo couldn’t hear their thoughts, or he might have wept tears of frustration.

“My name is Lin Luo. And yours?” After a moment of thought, Lin Luo decided to start with mutual introductions, as this was their first meeting.

“Marisa Kirisame...”

“Renko Usami...”

Seeing that he showed no immediate lecherous intent, Marisa and Renko felt a slight sense of relief and offered their introductions. Even if this guy is detestable and two-faced, simple conversation is better than being forced into something else, they both reassured themselves.

“How did you two end up in this place?”

“We got lost.”

“Huh? Lost?” Lin Luo was somewhat surprised by the answer. He knew Renko possessed an incredibly unique ability. Simply by looking at the stars, she could pinpoint the exact time, accurate to the second. Seeing the moon, even in a photograph, allowed her to know their precise location. With such skills, even a terrible sense of direction wouldn't prevent her from navigating the most complex labyrinth. For two explicit explorers to be lost was nothing short of miraculous.

Under Lin Luo’s suspicious gaze, the two girls flushed slightly—not from shyness, but from embarrassment. Although they hadn't revealed their abilities for self-preservation, they hadn't hidden their status as explorers. Being explorers who admitted to getting lost was a massive blow to their pride.

Then, without Lin Luo needing to ask, they recounted the events leading up to their predicament.

The story itself wasn't complex. They often ventured out on expeditions, sometimes deep into ancient forests. On this occasion, they had arrived at an extremely remote location and stumbled upon a mysterious cave, sensing an implicit mystical energy within. Driven by curiosity, they ventured inside.

Although the cave was undeniably strange, their trust in their own abilities kept them from feeling truly afraid; even if they encountered danger, Renko’s navigation skills would allow them to escape in the shortest time possible. However, soon after entering, a problem arose—a fatal one, in fact. The photograph of the moon, which Renko kept in her backpack, was devoured by the darkness!

“The photograph was swallowed by darkness?” Lin Luo found this claim highly unusual.

“See, it looks like this.” Despite their deep suspicions regarding Lin Luo’s character, they had reached a point where they couldn't hold back. Renko retrieved the photo from her bag without hesitation and handed it to Lin Luo.

Lin Luo took it and immediately understood. Aside from the back, the front of the photograph was nothing but pure darkness.

“Once the photo was like this, my ability was nullified. As for Marisa, she was also heavily affected within this cave, so we’ve been completely trapped here for three days now. If we hadn't carried sufficient food and water, we’d be finished. But even so, we can only last another two days at most,” Renko admitted, her tone laced with helplessness, temporarily forgetting her curses against Lin Luo.

“Oh, right, how did you get here?” Renko then asked Lin Luo curiously.

Lin Luo, however, didn't answer. He stared blankly at the pitch-black photograph, then reached out and wiped it. The darkness on the photo instantly vanished, revealing a brilliant white full moon.

“Ah, the moon!” The sight made the two girls gasp in awe and exclamation.

But their joy was short-lived. The full moon only remained visible for less than a second before quickly reverting to solid black.

“What? That was too short! I didn't have time!” Renko exclaimed in profound disappointment.

“Don’t rush, I’ll try again,” Lin Luo soothed, and wiped the photo once more. The moon reappeared, but just as swiftly vanished again. This repeated several times, leaving Marisa and Renko speechless, while Lin Luo’s brow gradually smoothed out.

“I see,” as the moon vanished for the final time, Lin Luo finally spoke.

“What do you see?” the two girls instantly pressed.

Lin Luo smiled faintly, looking at Renko. “I have solved the mystery.”

Yes, it was because of this photograph that he knew the reason for his presence here. Furthermore... he knew Renko’s true identity, and the key component linking back to Gensokyo!

With only the final step remaining, all the remaining questions ceased to be problems.