Five Choose Two, A Difficult Choice

Uesugi Tetsu found it strange.

Because there had been a surge in ghost stories on Twitter before, and the number of people in all of Tokyo who had summoned a White Brahma was estimated to be no less than several hundred to a thousand.

So why did it end up finding Kitano Runa, who had never summoned it?

"Uh, I think..." Kitano Runa stammered, giving an embarrassed smile, "Maybe I tried over a dozen summoning rituals in one night? And putting White Brahma last made it unhappy?"

"Huh?"

Uesugi Tetsu froze, suspecting his ears had been damaged by White Brahma's roar: "Say that again?"

Kitano Runa repeated it clearly.

Instantly, an unspeakable silence fell upon the hospital room.

Uesugi Tetsu looked at Kitano Runa, who was glancing around and scratching her head, with a complex expression. "Kitano-san, you're... all boldness and no skill. It's a miracle you're still alive."

Kitano Runa lowered her head, her glasses reflecting the light. "That's why I went with Manatsu to that, ah yes, the Special Affairs Division before!"

Sister, you almost took out the entire headquarters of the Special Affairs Division.

Uesugi Tetsu felt a bead of sweat on his brow. Dropping over a dozen high-star demons at once might actually be enough to capture the Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Division when its numbers were low.

However, that was likely impossible.

Uesugi Tetsu recalled the "sea level theory" that Nanjō Emi had mentioned earlier.

--The meaning was that only low-star demons could break through Tokoyo's barrier and enter the real world following the prelude to the First Wave.

This was probably why the Kappa and the White Brahma projection he encountered were only one-star. Otherwise, White Brahma could have descended in its true form without taking such a roundabout route.

"But, I wasn't summoning with the mindset of just following the trend," Kitano Runa said. "Because I've been able to sense unusual occurrences since I was little, but I'd never witnessed them firsthand, so I thought they were all fake."

Uesugi Tetsu: "Since you were little?"

Seeing Uesugi Tetsu's confused look, Kitano Runa began to count on her fingers, listing the "fake paranormal phenomena" she had encountered as if reciting a familiar story.

Uesugi Tetsu was numb from listening and didn't know what to say.

He remembered the Kukuri game they played, the five of them. Strictly speaking, that was their first real paranormal game, and then tragedy struck.

But Kitano Runa in front of him... she had done all sorts of audacious things.

Some of the subtle, eerie details she mentioned even gave Uesugi Tetsu goosebumps, things that even he now might not be able to survive.

Yet, Kitano Runa stood before him, completely unharmed, as if she were ordering from a menu.

She was practically a "survivor king."

Without a doubt, Kitano Runa possessed a special physique that was out of the ordinary.

She just hadn't realized it herself yet.

"Kitano-san, please let me digest this information."

Uesugi Tetsu raised his hand, stopping Kitano Runa from listing her fiftieth "dish." He sighed, then looked at the still-unread notifications.

Might as well check the rewards and relax.

[You can choose two from the following five rewards!]

[1. Soul Ash: 800 points.]
[2. Obtain a quest item related to the "Walker" identity. After completing the quest, you can increase the rarity of the "Walker" identity.]
[3. Select a Demon Incarnation and grant it a random talent.]
[4. Skill Adaptation: Select a skill for modification, reducing the proficiency required for its upgrade.]
[5. Laughing Brahma Exclusive: Upgrade the quality of Demon Incarnation · Laughing Brahma from "Rare" to "Epic!"]

[Note: To upgrade your Demon Incarnation · Laughing Brahma's quality to "Epic," you originally needed to obtain the special item "Mask of the Red Brahma."]

"Hiss--"

Uesugi Tetsu gasped. The rewards for clearing this dungeon were truly generous, both in quantity and quality.

With five options laid out, he was in a dilemma.

However, the first option could be ruled out immediately.

800 Soul Ash sounded like a lot, more than Uesugi Tetsu had earned so far, but in reality, it wasn't much—not even enough for two ten-pulls.

Moreover, who could guarantee that two ten-pulls would yield a Three-tailed Fox from the gacha pool?

Therefore, the Soul Ash reward, which only short-sighted people or gamblers would choose, was immediately eliminated.

Next was option two, increasing the rarity of the Walker identity.

To be honest, the Walker identity, which could trigger special events, had brought him a lot of benefits.

Whether it was the Blacksmith agreeing to forge weapons for him, the salaryman netizen providing him with fragments of the Great Onmyō Art, or the Five-tailed Fox he encountered in Edo Castle...

These were all conveniences brought about by the Walker identity.

However, in contrast, Uesugi Tetsu also suspected that the reason Ai Bielie had targeted him and Ririko also had something to do with the Walker identity.

Otherwise, how could Ai Bielie have ignored so many important figures and focused on two insignificant nobodies like them?

However, overall, the benefits of the Walker far outweighed the drawbacks.

This time, however, it was a choice of two out of five, so Uesugi Tetsu decided to put it on the back burner for now and see what the subsequent rewards were before making a decision.

Option three, randomly grants a skill...

Another gamble option. Uesugi Tetsu, who knew his luck was abysmal, immediately passed on it. Then, upon seeing option four, his eyes lit up.

--Lowering skill proficiency? The benefits of this applied to Tennen Rishin-ryū would be immense.

So, how much exactly?

The panel provided the answer: [One-third].

Uesugi Tetsu swallowed. If he chose this option now, Tennen Rishin-ryū would immediately advance to the Proficient level.

Similarly, the proficiency required for the next upgrade would drop from a potential 1000 points to 666 points.

The greater the benefit, the further into the future it would be!

Uesugi Tetsu was almost set on choosing it, but the word "Epic" in the fifth option unceremoniously caught his eye.

Uesugi Tetsu had no choice but to shift his affections.

--First, use the "White Brahma Mask," then choose option five, directly elevating the quality of Laughing Brahma from the common "Super Excellent" to the noble "Epic"!

Laughing Brahma was currently his foundation for growth. It could be said that the stronger Laughing Brahma became, the faster Uesugi Tetsu himself would grow!

Therefore, there was no need to hesitate on this path. The first choice was locked onto option five!

So, what would be the second reward?

In his left hand was a special item that could increase the rarity of his Walker identity, and in his right was the incredibly high long-term benefit of reducing upgrade requirements.

Both had an undeniable role in his long-term development.

Uesugi Tetsu felt deeply conflicted—why couldn't he choose both?

Just then, the hospital room door was pushed open heavily, and a sullen black-haired, black-eyed youth walked in.

"It seems you two have recovered well."

The youth pouted, spreading his hands. "Looks like you don't need my redundant presence."

Uesugi Tetsu stared at him and exclaimed, "An Onmyo Junior Official from Arakawa District, Kurosaki Akira?"

The youth froze for a moment, looking up at Uesugi Tetsu.

"Who are you, to know me?"

How could Uesugi Tetsu not know Nanjō Emi's colleague? Rather, he had specifically asked her for a list beforehand and memorized all the Onmyo Junior Officials in Arakawa District and their subordinates.

To Nanjō Emi's question at the time, Uesugi Tetsu's answer was "being prepared."

See, it came in handy now.

Uesugi Tetsu earnestly asked the question he had long wanted to ask:

"--Junior Official Kurosaki, do you know Sister Nanjō's current location?"