White Brahma Invading Tokoyo

This situation is quite rare.

Previously, returning from Tokoyo, he mostly saw messages from fellow netizens who were basically salarymen, or from Nanjō-san.

With a profile picture of a vast blue sea, which would likely be called "Calm and Peaceful" in China, Uesugi Tetsu saw Ririko's unusually simple message while she was offline.

[Riri: I'm learning breathing techniques at the Special Affairs Division. I'll secretly teach you in a few days once I get the hang of it.]

Is that something you can teach secretly?!

Uesugi Tetsu stared at the message, speechless.

Ririko, best friends forever!

Ririko had joined the Special Affairs Division specifically for this breathing technique that could transform ordinary people, and her first reaction after learning it was to teach it to him.

This further solidified Uesugi Tetsu's idea of giving the Calming Charm to Ririko.

Before, he would even call his dorm mates "godfather" just to have them bring back food for him, yet Ririko kept throwing any good things she found his way.

--Where else could he find such a selfless and generous friend?

Casually clearing all the red notification dots on LINE, Uesugi Tetsu, who wasn't sleepy after his physique and willpower simultaneously increased, sat on his bed.

He wondered if he should try to figure out the Imperial Spirit Technique.

Taking out the Nanjō doll he always carried, Uesugi Tetsu looked at it as if it were an inanimate object, thinking that if he could develop a regular use for it with the Imperial Spirit Technique, perhaps there would be new surprises.

After all, it was the highest-ranked item he possessed.

However, after a session of strenuous effort that left him sweating, Uesugi Tetsu looked at the mere "1" point in his Spirit Technique attribute on the status panel and silently stuffed the doll, which looked displeased and had a downturned face, back into his bag.

He looked at his significantly changed personal status panel and sighed--

[Uesugi Tetsu]

[Physique: 8→12]

[Willpower: 8→9]

[Charm: 9]

[Spirit Technique: 1]

Although his physique had officially surpassed that of an ordinary person and entered the realm of the extraordinary, he decided to wait until he drew a new avatar before researching the Imperial Spirit Technique.

However, there was still a problem.

Uesugi Tetsu, who had been unconsciously circulating the Ki-ai Technique since returning from Tokoyo, looked at the time on his phone--in two hours, it would be time for class.

Should he go to school?

If it were before yesterday, Uesugi Tetsu would likely have answered yes.

Because he believed that demons and supernatural tales were unlikely to appear in crowded places like school, and besides, the school had a dojo and Ririko. How else would he practice swordsmanship to increase his proficiency!

But yesterday, the Ai Bielie had almost killed him and Ririko even at noon, completely disregarding the other ordinary people in the school.

Going to school now would only endanger his innocent classmates.

Pushing open his room door, Uesugi Tetsu intended to greet Ghost Dad good morning as usual, but was stunned to find that the figure who had been sitting on the sofa was gone!?

Turning his head, Uesugi Tetsu realized his dad was squatting on the balcony.

His face had sprouted a mouth with sharp, pointed teeth, and he was happily gnawing on a weak, wailing demon in his hand.

Uesugi Tetsu pretended not to see, rummaging through the refrigerator for ingredients while glancing sideways.

Soon after, a star popped out from the top of the sparse-haired, duck-billed, green-skinned demon's head.

[Kappa (One Star)]

Uesugi Tetsu squinted. One-star demons weren't exactly common, yet now one was wandering to the entrance of his ordinary apartment without any warning.

Did this prove that the omens of the First Wave had arrived?

Uesugi Tetsu took a deep breath and sent what he saw and heard to Nanjō Emi.

Perhaps, some relatively weaker demons had already come ashore and were gradually beginning to roam the real world.

However, this also proved that Ghost Dad didn't just watch soccer games and steal his electricity, but was indeed good at guarding the house!

His wish for his father to achieve greatness had truly come true.

Clang.

Just as Uesugi Tetsu was about to heat up a bento to fill his stomach, the sound of a bowl smashing on the tiles suddenly came from the balcony.

He pretended not to hear.

Uesugi Tetsu honestly finished his bento first, and only after Ghost Dad sat down again to watch the soccer game did he say, "The clothes on the balcony should be collected too," as he subtly picked up the ceramic bowl from the ground.

[Kappa Bowl]

[Quality: Common]

[Effect: When worn, slightly increases affinity with water.]

[--The ceramic bowl that each Kappa wears on its head.]

Uesugi Tetsu blinked in surprise, not expecting it to be a tool, and one that would complement his weaker underwater combat capabilities.

His old man really knew how to surprise him with unexpected gifts from time to time.

Putting the Kappa Bowl into his storage backpack, Uesugi Tetsu already envisioned a beautiful scenario where his father, who was guarding their home, would bring him a few extra items every month.

He could just consider it rent and utility fees his father voluntarily paid, which was perfectly reasonable.

Just as Uesugi Tetsu was about to go out and find an open space to practice his sword, his phone suddenly rang.

Who would be calling me at this time?

He took out his phone and saw it was an unfamiliar number.

After a moment's thought, Uesugi Tetsu decided to answer: "Hello, who is this...?"

"Uesugi-kun! Save me!"

A trembling yet still clear female voice came from the other end of the line.

Uesugi Tetsu froze for a second, then quickly recalled whose voice it was.

--Kitano Runa!

--She was that quiet girl, the one with glasses and braided pigtails, Ririko's best friend.

But hadn't she gone to the Special Affairs Division headquarters with Shizuma Manatsu? Could it be that the Special Affairs Division was in serious trouble?

No, that was unlikely... because there hadn't been any news from Nanjō Emi or Ririko.

So, was it a personal matter?

She still managed to get into trouble even after being warned.

He could somewhat understand how Nanjō Emi felt about him now.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't overthink it and simply asked, "Location?"

"Sent it to you..." After a few gasps mixed with fear, Kitano Runa's faint voice came through, "It's the White Brahma."

Uesugi Tetsu's pupils constricted--the White Brahma from Arakawa Ghost Village had actually appeared in reality?!

It was completely without warning.

In an instant, Uesugi Tetsu's mindset shifted dramatically.

Now, he actually had to thank Kitano Runa. If she hadn't risked her life to lure the snake out of its hole, his main quest might have been impossible to complete, leading to a roadblock.

"Uesugi-kun, you have to hurry, I can't hold on much longer..."

After saying that, the call was disconnected.

"Dad! My friend wants me to go out and play!"

With that said, Uesugi Tetsu immediately pushed open the door and rushed out. As he went downstairs, he found the location information Kitano Runa had sent in his text messages.

--It was less than a mere three kilometers away from his home in a straight line.

--At the speed of the Laughing Brahma, it wouldn't even take three minutes to cover that distance.

Uesugi Tetsu casually found an alley without surveillance, transformed into the Laughing Brahma, and pulled his oversized school uniform jacket over his head.

This way, unless someone looked at him up close, ordinary people wouldn't be able to recognize that it was a Laughing Brahma.

And at his current running speed, ordinary people would at most see a blur flash by, and that would be it.

Along the way, Uesugi Tetsu also tried calling Nanjō Emi and Ririko, but both calls resulted in a busy signal with no one answering.

"So that's why you found me."

The Laughing Brahma's eyes were cold as it sped through streets and alleys.

"Classmate Kitano, don't panic... I'm coming to help!"