"Before asking someone a question, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
Kurosaki Akira clicked his tongue and folded his arms. Judging solely by his expression, he looked exactly like a delinquent teenager.
Uesugi Tetsu stated his name, then watched the boy's expression gradually twist. His eyes widened dramatically.
"—You're the once-in-a-millennium genius Nanjō mentioned?"
Huh?
A genius? Me?
Uesugi Tetsu was utterly confused.
"Since you're that Uesugi Tetsu, there's no harm in telling you this bit of information."
After coughing twice, Kurosaki Akira withdrew his expression of shock and disbelief. But just as he was about to speak, an echoing "knock, knock, knock" came from the mirror beside them.
Uesugi Tetsu warily shifted his gaze, leaped off the hospital bed, and pulled Kitano Runa behind him, his posture suggesting he was about to draw his sword.
Was Kitano-san's constitution really that extraordinary?
White Brahma had only just left, and now another one had come crawling out of the mirror? Wouldn't that mean they'd have to worry about running into ghosts every day after the First Wave...
"Oh, I forgot to mention it."
Kurosaki Akira tapped the mirror with his finger. A figure dressed in white, with indistinct features and disheveled hair, crawled out. "Let me introduce you. This is my Shikigami, Right Bow."
A Shikigami?
Right Bow seemed to be another fairly famous Supernatural Phenomenon on the forums.
Uesugi Tetsu lowered his guard and looked at Right Bow, whose presence faintly made his skin prickle. Two and a half stars appeared above its head.
As expected of an Onmyo Junior Official—even a random Shikigami was above two stars.
Then he saw Right Bow bow toward Kurosaki Akira and whisper something into his ear. The boy looked toward Kitano Runa. "Hey, dumbass. Your mother's condition has stabilized. She'll be transferred to a regular ward later. She just needs to rest for a few days now."
Uesugi Tetsu: "Her name is Kitano Runa."
"Huh?" Kurosaki Akira raised an eyebrow. "I can't be bothered to remember whether she's Kitano this or Runa that. What else would you call an ordinary person who takes a few Exorcism Tools and dares to face a Supernatural Phenomenon except a dumbass?"
Haven't you remembered everything already? What kind of alternative tsundere was this?
Uesugi Tetsu thought it over again and realized that the boy wasn't wrong, so he agreed. "That actually makes a lot of sense."
Kitano Runa gave an awkward laugh. As a shut-in with social anxiety, she had no way to refute a stranger's words.
"As for the matter concerning Nanjō that you asked about just now, Uesugi-kun, I can only tell you that they went to exterminate the Friendship Club's headquarters. Judging by the time, it should already be over."
Kurosaki Akira looked displeased. "Speaking of which, I was originally going to earn some merit too, but I had to rush over because of this dumbass situation."
The Friendship Club's headquarters?
Uesugi Tetsu froze. "Seriously?"
That immense shadow hanging over him and Ririko had actually been destroyed by the Special Affairs Division so easily?
It seemed Ai Bielie was also behind the club, pulling the strings. Would she really just stand by and watch this happen?
No.
Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes. Kurosaki Akira didn't look like he knew anything about Ai Bielie.
"What benefit would I get from lying to you?" Kurosaki Akira waved his hand disdainfully. "This was originally Sister Nanjō's job alone. She was just being cautious during the final stage."
"There are plenty of similar incidents in Tokyo."
From the way he looked, he didn't take the Friendship Club seriously at all.
"If it was that easy, why didn't you destroy it sooner?"
Uesugi Tetsu frowned.
Kurosaki Akira sneered lightly. "By that logic, the rats in your house should be easy to kill too. But are they really that easy to find?"
The boy glanced at the clock. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Uesugi Tetsu pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I understand. Thanks for clearing that up."
I'll ask Sister Nanjō about the specific circumstances when I see her.
"Don't mention it."
Kurosaki Akira shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned at him expectantly. "I hope you can give me a surprise the next time we meet, Mr. Genius."
With that, he hummed a fierce song from the Showa era and slammed the door shut. Right Bow slowly bowed to the right before entering the mirror and disappearing.
Only after Kurosaki Akira had vanished did Kitano Runa ask, "Uesugi-san, what were you talking about just now?"
Uesugi Tetsu pondered, then shook his head and gave the exact same answer Nanjō Emi had given back then.
"Ordinary people shouldn't get involved with this."
Even though Kitano Runa had a special constitution, it was still better for her to have as little contact with the other side of the world as possible for now.
Kitano Runa smacked her lips. "Tch, if you won't tell me, then I'll ask Mafuyu."
Uesugi Tetsu paid her no further attention. If Shizuma Mafuyu was willing to tell her about these things, then it didn't matter. His warning had merely come from goodwill toward Ririko's best friend.
Kitano Runa is different from me and Ririko. She's a genuinely ordinary person, completely unable to defend herself. If I'd arrived even a moment later today, she'd probably be buried in the ground by now.
But Uesugi Tetsu wouldn't involve himself in anything beyond that. He wasn't Kitano Runa's father.
And because Kurosaki Akira had intervened, after a long period of thought, Uesugi Tetsu finally made his decision among the five rewards.
[You have selected Rewards Two and Five!]
That was right. In the end, Uesugi Tetsu had decided to prioritize the item related to his Walker identity.
As for lowering his skill proficiency, that could be put off for later.
After all, unlike the Walker identity, which couldn't be advanced through any other means, skill levels could be raised through sheer grinding.
The thing Uesugi Tetsu had the most of was stamina!
[Rewards being issued...] [You have obtained the "Walker" identity quest item—Broken Walker Token (Special Item)] [Broken Walker Token (Special Item)] [Quality: None] [Effect: None] [—Old people, old affairs. Not worth mentioning.] [Your identity quest has been issued!] ["Walker" Identity Advancement Quest: Deliver the "Broken Walker Token" to the "Nameless Swordsman" in Edo Castle. The quest will be completed once the Nameless Swordsman accepts the token.] [Your Demon Incarnation—Laughing Brahma has not reached the "Rare" quality. Rewards have been temporarily stored.] [Once your Demon Incarnation—Laughing Brahma reaches the "Rare" quality, the rewards will be issued as usual.]
The reward system was remarkably considerate. Uesugi Tetsu was worried that advancing Laughing Brahma's quality would cause visibly obvious changes, so he had refrained from using White Brahma's Mask in the hospital for the time being.
"Kitano-san, why don't we go together..."
A prompt that appeared before him once again interrupted Uesugi Tetsu, making him abandon the idea of traveling with Kitano Runa to see whether they might encounter Moving Soul Ash again.
[As you have completed all missions in the current area, "Arakawa Ghost Village," the "Area Unlock Quest" has been issued!] [Area Unlock Quest: Midnight Call] [Unlock Conditions: At 10:20 p.m. tonight, board a train at any subway station within Tokyo and ride it to the terminal station. Then transfer and ride back to the starting station. Finally, board the last train that arrives and reach "Kisaragi Platform" to complete the Area Unlock Quest.]
Kisaragi Station?
Uesugi Tetsu smiled. "Now that's a name famous enough to strike one's ears like thunder..."
"What did you say, Uesugi-san?" Kitano Runa asked.
"No, it's nothing." Uesugi Tetsu shook his head. "I'm leaving first. Kitano-san, remember to go back with the Special Affairs Division staff members outside. Don't walk around alone again."
Kitano Runa clenched her small fists. "I won't make the same mistake twice!"
"That's good."
Uesugi Tetsu smiled. He noticed that once he became even slightly familiar with her, the atmosphere of social anxiety she had initially given off disappeared completely... Was that one of the traits of a shut-in?
He couldn't quite figure it out.
Uesugi Tetsu pushed open the door. He needed to find a quiet, deserted place to advance Laughing Brahma's quality.
Then, tonight, he would board the last train bound for Everworld and go see the legendary Kisaragi Station for himself.
Before you continue