Congratulations, You Have Successfully Unlocked Phase Two

Kitano Runa was an atheist.

Ever since she could remember, she had often seen or heard "movements that didn't belong to this world" in deserted, eerie, or strange places.

But no matter what she saw or heard, it always turned out to be a false alarm, as if her childish self was scaring herself.

After coming to Tokyo alone for school, Kitano Runa often explored popular supernatural and ghost story locations, horror rankings, and even slept soundly in a legendary mass grave.

However, Kitano Runa was always alone.

She acted on the thought, "Even if ghosts exist, only I will die, and it won't involve my friends or family." Yet, nothing ever happened.

So Kitano Runa didn't believe, didn't believe in the existence of gods or ghosts in this world.

When a "popular ghost story trend" inexplicably swept through Twitter a few days ago, she, as usual, wrote down all the summoning methods she saw and tried them one by one at home alone.

"If it's real, then come out and show me!"

Kitano Runa said this after completing fourteen summoning rituals in one night.

That night, she heard countless eerie sounds and saw many abnormal shadows, yet she was still disappointed that nothing concrete was discovered.

Just like before, it felt like someone was toying with her, treating her like a clown.

"It's just another fake advertisement, using ghost stories to get traffic," she thought after completing the last summoning ritual for the White Brahma.

Then, one noon, she saw her good friend Shizuma Manatsu actually take out her phone and show a selfie with the White Brahma.

"It's Photoshopped," Kitano Runa thought.

But then, she saw Ririko and that Uesugi-kun become serious simultaneously, and in the afternoon, they brought people who looked like police officers.

Her years of watching anime taught her that at times like these, anyone who acted on their own and disagreed with the group would be the first to die.

In the car, Manatsu-san, wearing her uniform, told them a lot—basically that gods and ghosts do exist in this world, and they are very dangerous.

Although Kitano Runa was an atheist, she wasn't stupid.

So she chose to believe it might be true—

After hanging up the phone, which might or might not be useful, cold sweat trickled down the temple of the girl leaning against the wall.

But her years of "seeing" things and daring herself allowed Kitano Runa to remain calm even in this extreme situation.

She held the Stealth Talisman, which was more than half burned, thinking that in about thirty more seconds, she would have to face that damned White Brahma again.

"No matter what, I have to get my mom out of here first."

Kitano Runa trembled as she pulled her gaze away from the middle-aged woman lying unconscious on the floor. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out the last string of glowing Prayer Beads from her sleeve.

—She had taken these Exorcism Tools from Shizuma Mafuyu's drawer before coming here.

—Her mother had come from the countryside to visit her in Tokyo, only to encounter the White Brahma that had taken up residence here at their home. The cause of events was that simple.

Kitano Runa couldn't find anyone to help at the Special Affairs Division, nor did she want to burden Shizuma Manatsu, so she had to come alone with a bunch of miscellaneous items.

She held her breath tightly, meeting the gaze of the pale white Evil Ghost mask that had been searching for her, yet she didn't make a sound.

Don't rush, Kitano Runa.

She told herself in her heart.

She crept towards her mother's position, but just as she was about to pick her mother up, Kitano Runa hesitated for a moment.

The eighteen-year-old girl stared at the Prayer Beads in her hand, counting down the remaining time on the Stealth Talisman, understanding that this was her last chance to escape alone.

—If she abandoned her mother, she would definitely survive; but if she wanted to save her mother, both of them might die here.

How to decide...

"Do I really need to think about such a simple question—This is my damn mom!"

Kitano Runa yanked the Prayer Beads off her wrist and hurled them with all her might towards the empty balcony.

The White Brahma, which was roaming around, was instantly drawn to the glowing Prayer Beads and lunged towards them!

Taking advantage of this opportunity, she quickly hoisted her mother onto her back and, with great effort, sprinted towards the open door.

Feeling her lungs begin to burn within moments, the super otaku Kitano Runa roared in her heart:

—If I survive this, I'm definitely going to start exercising!

"Hiss—!"

A faint burning sound and the enraged roar of the White Brahma came from the balcony.

The moment Kitano Runa stepped out of the house, she heard the sounds behind her almost disappear.

It's over.

The girl's heart turned cold. She hadn't even reached the stairwell yet; the monster could pounce on her from ten meters away in an instant.

Quickly placing her mother behind the door, Kitano Runa ran in the opposite direction, raising her hands high and shouting at the White Brahma, "You wanted to eat me, right? Come on!"

After saying that, she turned and ran downstairs, crossing ten steps in two strides thanks to adrenaline, moving at the fastest speed she had ever achieved in her life.

At this moment, Kitano Runa felt like a lone hero in an anime, turning her back on everyone, looking incredibly cool!

Then, she was slammed against the wall by the White Brahma, which was infinitely faster than her.

"Pfft—"

Kitano Runa felt her whole body go numb from the impact, as if she were falling apart.

Looking at the White Brahma towering over her, Kitano Runa's eyes glazed over as she stared at the sky, thinking that someone as unathletic as her could only be cool for three seconds.

I'm going to die.

Kitano Runa thought.

Just as she was about to close her eyes and wait for death, she suddenly saw a cold glint in the air.

Huh? Wait, what is that?

Kitano Runa was mesmerized, not even noticing that the White Brahma had already broken her shoulder.

—A sword flying in the sky?

The next moment, the cold glint and a hoarse, deep roar reached her simultaneously, illuminating Kitano Runa's vacant pupils.

"—Fang Thrust!"

The vibrating sword tip pierced through the White Brahma's illusory chest, forcefully stopping the Evil Ghost's movement. Kitano Runa dazedly turned her head and saw Uesugi Tetsu's expressionless face.

The girl saw him lower his head slightly and let out a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, I wasn't too late."

After he spoke, a gust of wind behind Uesugi Tetsu roared, lifting Kitano Runa's hair.

The girl was bewildered— This is the fourth floor, how did he get up here?

"A guest has arrived, aren't you going to welcome them?"

Uesugi Tetsu parried with a袈裟斩 (kesa-giri,袈裟斬), pulling Kaga Kiyomitsu out of the White Brahma. At this moment, he saw a prompt pop up above the White Brahma's head.

[Slightly Injured White Brahma Projection (One Star)]

So this wasn't the main body of the White Brahma, no wonder he felt that even without transforming, it wasn't impossibly strong.

Uesugi Tetsu, who had just deactivated his Laughing Brahma Incarnation, thought.

Because Kitano Runa was present, Uesugi Tetsu tried not to reveal himself, so that sword strike, the Fang Thrust, was the last attack from his Laughing Brahma Incarnation.

However, judging by its condition, his attack didn't seem very effective, only causing minor injuries at best.

Vvvvmm.

Amidst a strange hum, the White Brahma slowly turned, revealing its eerie and terrifying mask to Uesugi Tetsu.

"Don't you want to eat fresh, delicious souls?" Uesugi Tetsu provocatively beckoned it, "Come on."

As expected, the White Brahma, described as foolish by the Blacksmith, became enraged at the provocation. It let out a shrill cry and lunged at Uesugi Tetsu with its pale hands.

So fast!

Uesugi Tetsu's pupils constricted, and he quickly retreated into the open corridor. Even so, a tiny cut had already appeared on his forearm.

The wound itched, and Uesugi Tetsu glanced at his arm from the corner of his eye, noticing that the blood flowing out was white.

Poison?

It seemed that without transforming into the Laughing Brahma, facing a One Star Demon was still a bit of a struggle.

"Troublesome."

Temporarily sealing the small patch of flesh with his Internal Energy to slow the poison's spread, Uesugi Tetsu shouted to Kitano Runa, "Can you move? You go first!"

Kitano Runa coughed up a mouthful of blood, "I... I can't stand up."

Uesugi Tetsu clicked his tongue, blocking the White Brahma's sharp claws, and thought that these otaku otaku were all fragile, the original body was, and Kitano Runa was too.

If this continued, the situation would likely develop in a direction unfavorable to him.

Without further hesitation, Uesugi Tetsu poured a drop of Spirit Awakening Mist into his mouth, then took a deep breath and fully activated his Ki-ai Technique.

A faint white Qi Aura attached itself to Uesugi Tetsu's body. As if he had foreseen it, he tilted his head, dodging the White Brahma's swipe by a hair's breadth, and then roared as he slashed down.

Bamboo Strike!

"Roar—!"

The White Brahma let out a miserable shriek.

But the next moment, the half-shattered face suddenly contorted into a sorrowful, weeping expression.

"Waa... waa..."

A piercing cry echoed, and Uesugi Tetsu felt his vision spin and nausea surge through his body, almost making him drop his sword.

Screech!

Several searing pains shot through his arm again.

However, the crying only lasted for a moment. When Uesugi Tetsu recovered his senses, he found that Kitano Runa, lying in the hallway, had fainted because of it.

The situation would instantly reverse because of this insignificant condition.

Retracting his gaze, Uesugi Tetsu slowly grinned at the fiercely menacing White Brahma, "Congratulations, you have successfully unlocked BOSS Phase Two."