Shirou and Celty / Shirou, the Yokai Boy

"Ah, it's Shirou-kun, good evening." At this moment, Celty seemed to have burned out, and even the black on his body faded a bit, moving closer to gray.

Celty, who had survived the ordeal, stopped his motorcycle, wanting to rest for a bit by the roadside, but unexpectedly ran into Izaya Orihara and Shirou were pulling two large suitcases.

Izaya Orihara walked briskly, occasionally skipping along, completely unconcerned about the suitcase bumping and knocking along the way, while the honest Shirou pushed the suitcase very gently, seemingly protecting the valuable and fragile items inside.

When she saw Orihara there, she knew he wasn't doing anything legitimate. But in that respect, she felt the same way about accepting Orihara's request.

"Isn't this Celty? You've come at the perfect time. Come help me move these two boxes of goods into the park," Izaya Orihara said with a sly smile.

Chapter 936 Shirou and Celty

Celty was Shirou's benefactor who provided him with lodging. He walked along mountain paths, crossing more than a dozen peaks, and finally descended from the 3,000-meter-high Mount Fuji to arrive in Tokyo. However, when he went to the school to register with his admission notice, he only received a school uniform. The person who helped him with the admission had paid the tuition, but it did not include accommodation and food expenses.

With only two days left before school starts, he couldn't find a way to get away from the city. In a metropolis like Tokyo, even sleeping in a park overnight would result in being chased away by patrolling police for affecting the city's appearance.

To be honest, Shirou didn't particularly like human society, which he was experiencing for the first time. Luckily, he met Celty.

Celty sensed that he possessed an aura different from that of a human, approached him, and said that she couldn't just leave him alone, so she took him home.

Shinra was quite upset about this at the time. Although he was pulled into the room by Celty a few minutes later, he never mentioned kicking him out again.

Although Shinra's attitude towards him was still not very good, he not only gave him a mattress and a quilt so that he could sleep warmly, but also provided him with instant noodles for three meals a day. Shirou thought that Shinra was a good person.

Celty tells Shinra that he might be a dream-eating monster called a "Baku," Shirou also thinks he is probably a "Baku." In any case, he is different from humans and is a genuine monster. When he is hungry, he can be satisfied by sleeping. He can also put others to sleep and manipulate their dreams. His physique and perception abilities are also beyond the scope of humans.

Naïve and ignorant, he came to the big city as a 'mountain man' and had no choice but to sleep on the streets.

Although Celty cannot speak, miraculously, through the black aura emanating from her body that comes into contact with Shirou's skin, the two can communicate in unison, as if by bone conduction.

Late at night, in a corner of South Ikebukuro Park, three figures stood there. One of them was Izaya Orihara, another was a woman in black wearing a cat-ear helmet pushing a motorcycle carrying two suitcases, and the third Shirou following behind.

[So? You brought your suitcase all this way just to put them on a park bench, and that's it?]

Celty typed characters on an iPDA with a keyboard and held it up in front of Izaya. After all, he didn't have the ability to communicate telepathically with Celty like Shirou did.

With a satisfied smile, as if he had successfully pulled off a prank, Izaya replied, "Yes!"

Izaya grinned as he counted the banknotes from inside his clothes, then handed them to Celty, saying, "Actually, I was supposed to take them to borrow money from loan sharks or sell some parts, but to be honest, I'm already tired of these two women."

How dare you say that!

Even after she joined them and helped move the people into the park, she still didn't understand what had happened. Then, when Izaya Orihara opened the box and took two people out, she was truly terrified. She was so shocked she almost dropped her head, if she still had it.

[W-why!? There's a person inside? A corpse?! Izaya, you finally did it!]

"Hey, what do you really think of me?" Izaya asked, spreading his hands in a sarcastic tone.

"No, she's just asleep," Shirou explained.

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand!" Celty complained, turning to Shirou.

"Because Izaya said you're an old hand at this, Celty, that kidnapping one or two women is nothing to you." Shirou looked at the Headless Knight with suspicion. So this wasn't Celty's job?

"I never did anything like that! Although I might have done some similar work when I still had my head, back then I was transporting dead people," Celty retorted.

"Ugh, I've had enough fun today, and it's not like it's really that easy to make money. If I keep going, the police and gangs will start investigating. Anyway, this is just a hobby of mine, not something I do for a living."

Ah, thank you so much! It's so wonderful to have Shirou-kun help out today. He's completely inconspicuous and even kept watch, which is why everything went so smoothly. It's truly great! Celty, you've found a very useful talent!"

[I won't let Shirou do anything, and please don't Shirou him in these matters again in the future.]

"Because all the helpers I usually hire are busy, I usually ask them to take my girlfriend back to her home. Now I only have a motorcycle, so getting her to the park seems to be the limit," Izaya Orihara said with a smile and a shrug.

[I hope this doesn't end up with the police? Don't drag us into this, this kid's only just started high school!] Celty typed unhappily on the touchscreen. Despite being a headless monster, Celty was surprisingly well-behaved.

"As for Shirou-kun, he didn't show up. He'll disappear completely by morning, so you don't need to worry. Besides, this isn't a civil case; we just moved two drunk women to a park bench."

Do I need suitcases to move people?!

Ignoring Celty's sarcastic remarks, Izaya suddenly asked meaningfully after a moment, "Do you believe in an afterlife?"

Then he continued answering on his own:

"When you're dead, you're dead. Everything about your life becomes completely irrelevant and you can no longer connect with it. That's all."

[You'll know those things when you're dead. What do you think?] Celty typed quickly on the PDA, looking impatient.

"In principle, I don't believe there's an afterlife, so I'm actually quite afraid of dying and want to live as long as possible. Because once I die, I disappear. Wouldn't it be a waste not to do as many things I enjoy as possible while I'm alive?"

[Disgusting!]

Both Celty and Shirou felt this way; they weren't the kind of creatures who habitually lied, but since the Headless Knight's head wasn't with him, only Baku uttered those words.

"That's so hurtful, Shirou-kun. Is that how you see me too?" Izaya exaggeratedly covered his face, then smiled and asked Shirou.

"I don't quite understand the standard of disgust," Shirou said honestly. Although he had somewhat realized that what Izaya was doing was not the right thing to do in human society, Izaya said that humans should not be distinguished by good and evil.

"Listen up, you're going to make friends at school, hang out with boys and girls your own age, and basically, don't associate with scum like that anymore." Celty stepped forward, grabbed Shirou's shoulder, and said seriously.

"Um?"

"Did you hear that?!"

"Hmm!" Shirou paused for a moment, then nodded blankly.

Chapter 937 Monster Boy Shirou

Although Izaya Orihara obviously couldn't hear their radio communication, he could basically guess what it was about. He just clicked his tongue and, as always, showed an ambiguous smile. Observing monsters was quite interesting, although not as fun as observing humans.

However, being with a headless motorcyclist and an amnesiac boy who could manipulate dreams at this moment was stimulating his senses and making him feel less bored.

If Izaya Orihara were to describe himself...

That's what he thought. Undoubtedly, he was just an ordinary human being, neither a monster nor a sinister urban legend. He didn't possess any particularly outstanding violence, nor was he inhumanly cold-blooded, much less the kind of being who would kill without blinking an eye.

However, he possessed all the desires that ordinary humans had, and he also broke some of the taboos that ordinary humans would violate on impulse. That's all.

He was simply very greedy for things that interested him. As his interest grew stronger, he also obtained a lot of intelligence in the process of pursuing it, which eventually turned him into someone who made a living by selling this intelligence to underground organizations and the police.

However, Izaya Orihara's name was already renowned in various fields, and he himself was aware of this. Generally speaking, the name 'Izaya' is not pronounced as 'IZAYA'. It is a name that combines the meanings of the biblical prophet 'Isaiah' and 'the Foreigner,' signifying an existence beyond ordinary people, observing humanity from the perspective of a god.

Izaya's lifestyle is far removed from the savior described in Buddhist scriptures and the Bible, but perhaps it is under this reaction that his attitude and ability to deal with various situations are twice as strong as others.

As a result, he has developed his current eccentric lifestyle. He faces everyone with a smile, whether they are bad or good, treating them all equally and discovering their interesting aspects.

At the same time, he cherishes life like an ordinary human being, recognizes his own limits, and practices self-preservation, even in his collaborations with thugs and gangsters. That's why he can continue to immerse himself in his interests without offending people in the underworld and disappearing from the face of the earth.

"Now that work is over, I'm going back!" Izaya spread his arms, took a deep breath, savoring the familiar scent of Ikebukuro after several weeks, and decided to leave. After all, it would be troublesome if Shizuka-chan, who smelled his scent, came looking for him.

"Shirou-kun ~! Do you like or hate humans?" Izaya Orihara suddenly turned around and called out to the boy with a smile.

"I don't know yet." Shirou honestly shook his head. He had only recently arrived in the big city and didn't understand many things.

Human actions and thoughts are far too complex. Although their bodies are relatively fragile, their minds and intellects are exceptionally developed. It's as if they're telling Shirou that humans are food, but also terrifying.

The human world has its own rules, and if you accidentally break them, you might be ostracized or even come to the police's door. But humans are not exactly law-abiding beings; everyone expects others to follow the rules, yet they themselves are always plagued by unsettling thoughts.

It is full of contradictions, has its shining moments, and also has a tendency to collapse and tilt, which is why it can create all sorts of wonderful dreams.

Just like an insect in the mountains with its head severed, even after dozens of hours, you can still see its head still moving its teeth, and its long, hairy legs still rising and falling. Humans also have their own tenacious side.

If he is a monster, then he doesn't need to know much about humans, has no interest in them, and has no need to understand them; it's simply the law of the jungle that he naturally follows in the mountains.

But upon seeing that letter, Shirou decides to come here to search for his past.

Therefore, he will inevitably have to get involved with humans in the future. He will meet Shinra at his residence and help Orihara transport girls. At school, he will also have to get along with many classmates.

The survival-of-the-fittest rules in this steel jungle metropolis, while in some ways not unlike the rules of nature in the forest, are completely different in the details. It is common for the strong to exploit the weak in secret, but openly seizing by force is not feasible, and physical combat is not something that monsters like the Baku are good at.

Shirou must learn how to survive in this world full of contradictions.

He will need to live as a human being, although human laws don't apply to him, but laws don't apply to all of humanity either, so it doesn't matter. He just needs to obtain resources through his own labor; it's very simple.

Ultimately, the person who understands a person best is themselves.

"Really? Then think about it some more! Tell me when you've figured it out~!" Izaya waved his arms as if no one else was around, then skipped and ran towards the station, disappearing into the crowd.

"So... do you want me to give you a ride back?" Celty asked Shirou, putting her hands behind her back and pointing with her thumb to the back seat of the motorcycle.

"Um, thank you." Shirou looked around at the unfamiliar scenery and the crowds coming and going like waves. He was a little curious, but he instinctively felt that the other party might not be so willing to accept his approach.

This is yet another proof that Shirou is not human. Unlike others, he doesn't need to use an iPad. All he needs is a thin line from Celty's shadow connecting to Shirou's skin, which allows for a kind of telepathic connection, enabling unimpeded communication between them.

In this state, although the two cannot be said to be completely in sync, they can at least sense each other's subtle emotions. Compared to humans communicating through words and expressions, this method of communication is more convenient and sophisticated.

Shirou sensed pure kindness from the shadows; Celty was genuinely thinking of him.

"If you want to go anywhere, I can go with you," Celty said.

Of course, Celty wasn't worried about Shirou's safety. Although he usually seemed like a harmless student, it was as easy as instinct for him to put anyone who got close to him to sleep.

Of course, she wasn't trying to restrict Shirou's freedom. Celty saw herself as a gentle and cool older sister, not some kind of nagging mother.

Chapter 938 Shirou Meets a Girl Upon Entering School

On Shirou's first day in Tokyo.

He arrived at the school in a disheveled state. If it weren't for the admission notice, he would have been kicked out before even entering the school and then led out by a teacher.

When Celty first saw Shirou, she realized that the boy was not human and had the aura of a yokai. Moreover, he seemed familiar; he was not a yokai native to Japan, but rather came from Europe, a country with a similar background to hers.

Just like the black aura within Celty's body, he also faintly exuded some kind of quality. (Monthly fee group 694936135) Like... a scent? Although a human nose probably couldn't detect it, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it was an aura.

Although the dream-eating monster, the Baku, is completely different from the Headless Knight, the soul-reaping grim reaper, and they are not even similar species, encountering the same kind of oddity in a bustling metropolis always evokes a strange feeling.

Yes, it's probably like a student who has just left their homeland to study abroad. The people and things around them are all different and very unfamiliar. So they desperately search for familiar faces, and whenever they see someone with black hair and black eyes, they gravitate towards the person they know.

Hearing your hometown dialect makes you happy, even if you don't go up to talk to them. Finding a restaurant with local specialties run by someone from your hometown gives you a sense of comfort and homecoming.

For Celty, Shirou is of the same kind. Although they are of different breeds, they communicated with each other upon first meeting, so they are companions.

As a fellow anomaly lost in the steel jungle, she has a high degree of empathy for Shirou. She crossed the ocean from Northern Europe to Japan in the Far East, where she lost her important head and her memories.

She is the shadow, the body. Even her current thoughts and reactions come from the body, not the brain. In fact, one could say that her consciousness is a product of losing her head. Her mission is to find the head, and when she finds it back, she may no longer be herself, as the head will once again take control of the body.

Therefore, she could understand Shirou's current confusion. He had come to the big city with a letter, but had not found anyone who knew him.

Celty wanted to talk to Shirou about being a yokai, but having lived in human society for many years, Celty was Shirou's senior and would continue to guide the boy to gradually understand human affairs.

Shirou looked at the woman earnestly and said, "Celty, thank you. But no need. I've seen many things in my dreams."

"Is that so? Then we're off." Celty used his Black Shadow to create a helmet in front of Shirou, skipping the process of putting it on, and simply put it on Shirou's head.

"Um!"

The motorcycle roared like a galloping horse and sped away.

"Sweet dreams." Shirou, sitting in the back seat, glanced back at the two women lying on the park bench, offering his blessings. He then looked up at the starry sky, as if longing for a place far, far away where he could no longer remember, but where certain people and things had once existed.

"Look! It's a black motorcycle!!"

"Where? Wait, there's someone else behind us?"

Who is that?!

"A black motorcycle carrying a boy!"

"Hahaha!! That uniform! It's from the same school!"

"Really? That's amazing!"

On the railing of Shibuya shopping street facing the road, two boys, one in black and one in yellow, watched the Urban Legend whizzing by and shouted excitedly.

"Hahaha! I didn't expect anyone else besides you to wear a uniform during the holidays! How interesting! Teito! I wish we were in the same class." said the blond-haired Kida Masaomi.

Shirou was actually just short of clothes to change into.

Having come from the countryside to the big city, Ryuugamine Mikado once again felt the impact of the metropolis. This was Tokyo, one of the world's top four most prosperous metropolitan areas, a place where demons and monsters roamed freely, and not only humans but also yokai flocked to this grand stage.

"Tomorrow is the opening ceremony, Shirou, enjoy your youth," Celty said to Shirou.

"Yes! I'll try my best!" Shirou said, clenching his fist in encouragement.

"It's okay if you don't work so hard. Just enjoy yourself and meet new friends," Celty said with a smile.

"Hmm?" Shirou looked at the woman in Black Shadow with a puzzled expression.

"Well, just let things take their course," Celty said, patting Shirou's head.

The next morning, as the cherry blossoms began to fall, the school welcomed its new students.

Shirou's Raira Academy, is a relatively new school, established only a few years ago, and ranked somewhere in the middle to upper tier. Its most famous feature is its facilities, which are among the best in Tokyo.

"Oh? Three students are absent. Oh well, let's start by having you introduce yourselves in seating order," the homeroom teacher said.

Everyone introduced themselves in turn, methodically and without incident, until...

"My name is... Ryugamine Mikado."