Spiritrun Arena

Tokyo's early summer arrived in a rush. Grandma Chizuru stood in the courtyard, gazing at the wisteria-cloaked hydrangea trellis—where Yuekui had placed the first firefly lantern in her palm on a summer night three hundred years ago. Now hydrangeas bloomed vividly, their blue-purple petals like crushed stars, scattering over bamboo lanterns under the eaves and into the twelve carp lanterns hanging from the roof.

"The fireflies came early this year." She turned smiling, holding a wicker basket. "Yuekui said in a dream we'd 'light up the night' together."

Dozens of fireflies crawled out of the basket, each glowing pale gold—brighter and warmer than ordinary ones, as if dusted with sugar frost. Little Peach leaned in, her murder of crows tilting their heads from her shoulders. The flower-winged crow suddenly flew up, fetching a hydrangea petal: "It's Sister Yuekui's shadow!"

A bamboo mat was spread under the Spirit Pattern Tree. Sakura propped her tablet on a branch, projecting scenes from three hundred years ago: Yuekui and Chizuru crouching by the creek, one teaching firefly lantern weaving, the other chasing fireflies; young Su Qinghuan running over with sweet wine rice balls, cherry-blossom hairpin shining; sixteen-year-old Lin Ye carrying injured Yuekui through rain, murmuring "Little Peach, don't be afraid"…

"Our summers have long been strung through time." Asagao smiled, holding a tea cup. Her spirit pattern core resonated with fireflies, light patterns weaving tiny starlight on the cup's edge. "Like these hydrangeas—each holds past winds, yet all bloom together into this present summer."

Little Peach tied a firefly garland around Coalball's neck, the crows helping from her shoulders. Suddenly, the flower-winged crow flew up, fetching a special lantern—its frame made of hydrangea petals, enclosing a star that glowed softly with Grandma Chizuru's movements.

"It's Yuekui!" Sakura pointed at the screen. In the spatial spirit pattern projection, Yuekui emerged from the hydrangeas. She wore a pale blue kimono, cherry-blossom hairpin in her hair, armor replaced by sheer gauze, stardust meteorite bracelet glowing warm gold. To everyone's delight, a double-pigtailed girl shadowed her—Little Peach.

"Yuekui!" Little Peach shrieked, dashing forward, but Sakura held her back.

"Wait." Grandma Chizuru took out a sugar painting. "Yuekui said you must 'see' for yourself."

Yuekui's figure sharpened. She knelt by the bamboo mat, fingertips brushing Little Peach's hair: "Three hundred years ago, I always said 'when the war ends', but in the summer after, I couldn't even see a whole hydrangea." Her gaze swept over them. "Until you came, I realized—reunion isn't 'waited' for; it's held in the present."

Lin Ye's Reverse Scale Core warmed. He took the stardust meteorite fragment (given by Grandma Chizuru that morning), which resonated with Yuekui's bracelet to form a complete star map. Each star in the map corresponded to a "Reunion Knot": Su Qinghuan's rice balls, Asagao's scarves, Jiu's crows, Grandma Chizuru's sugar paintings… At the center, Lin Ye and Little Peach stood hand-in-hand.

"I've been part of your 'now' all along." Yuekui smiled at Little Peach. "Your firefly lanterns, your sweet soup, Coalball's collar… Each mends the 'reunion' I couldn't finish three hundred years ago."

Little Peach's tears fell on hydrangea petals. She recalled Yuekui's dream words: "The brightest star belongs to the most precious 'now'." Now she understood—Yuekui had never left, only become every warmth, every heartbeat, every love-wrapped "now".

At dusk, they sat under the Spirit Pattern Tree watching sunset. As Yuekui's figure faded, she tossed the twelve firefly lanterns into the air. Stars from the lanterns fell, melting into everyone's cores—this time, Lin Ye's core gained Little Peach's laughter, Su Qinghuan's heard Coalball's purrs, Asagao's felt scarf-knitting clumsiness, Grandma Chizuru's saw sugar painting gold dust…

"This is…" Su Li touched her warm core. "Our 'Reunion Knots' stored in eternity by General Yuekui."

Late at night, Lin Ye sat alone on Tokyo Tower's deck. The Reverse Scale Core hovered over his knees, starlight flowing with today's scenes: Spirit Pattern Tree dancing with hydrangeas and fireflies, Yuekui's phantom smile, Little Peach raising a firefly lantern shouting "Sister Yuekui".

"Captain." Little Peach's voice came from the stairs. Wrapped in his new scarf, holding Coalball, hydrangea petals in her hair, she said: "Grandma Chizuru says Yuekui's firefly lanterns shine extra bright tonight."

Lin Ye looked at her sunset-lit face, recalling that stormy night three hundred years ago when he'd carried injured Yuekui, murmuring "Little Peach, don't be afraid". Now he held Little Peach, standing on summer night wind, thinking: Yuekui, look—we're all safe.

Wind swept the tower, lifting a hydrangea petal that floated afar, landing on a healed soul's shoulder—it was Yuekui, and every "Reunion Knot" once wrapped in love.

In a warmer corner, Coalball pawed at Grandma Chizuru's new hydrangea cakes, Sakura and Jiu organized today's spirit pattern core memories, Su Qinghuan cooked sweet wine rice balls in the kitchen, Asagao knitted new scarves for the crows…

Summer continued, now stained with eternal warmth.