[Area Unlock Quest: Late Night Call] (Seeking Follow-ups!)

"Before asking others questions, it's better to introduce yourself first."

Kurosaki Akira scoffed, crossing his arms. If you only looked at his expression, he was the spitting image of a delinquent.

Uesugi Tetsu introduced himself, and then he saw the boy's expression gradually distort. His eyes widened dramatically.

"--You're the one Nanjo mentioned, the once-in-a-millennium genius?"

Huh?

Genius? Me?

Uesugi Tetsu was completely confused.

"Since you're that Uesugi Tetsu, there's no harm in telling you this piece of information."

Clearing his throat twice, Kurosaki Akira's expression shifted from a mixture of shock and disbelief. Just as he was about to speak, a "dong dong dong" echoed from the mirror beside him.

Uesugi Tetsu's pupils darted around vigilantly. He leaped off the hospital bed and shielded Kitano Runa behind him, his hand subtly reaching for a sword.

Could this Kitano classmate's constitution really be that strong?

The White Brahma just left, and now another one is coming out of the mirror? After the First Wave, will I have to worry about encountering ghosts every day...

"Oh, I forgot to mention."

Kurosaki Akira tapped the mirror with his finger, and a figure clad in white, with blurry features and disheveled hair, emerged. "Let me introduce you. This is my Shikigami, Migi-kyū."

Shikigami?

Migi-kyū also seemed to be a rather famous ghost story on the forums.

Uesugi Tetsu retracted his stance, looking at Migi-kyū, who faintly made his skin tingle, with two and a half stars floating above its head.

As expected of an Onmyo Junior Official, even a random Shikigami is two-star or above.

Then, he saw Migi-kyū bow and whisper something into Kurosaki Akira's ear, causing the boy to look at Kitano Runa. "Hey, you big idiot. Your mom's condition has stabilized. She'll be transferred to a regular room later. All she needs now is a few days of rest."

Uesugi Tetsu: "Her name is Kitano Runa."

"Huh?" Kurosaki Akira raised an eyebrow. "I couldn't be bothered to remember her name, Kitano Runa. A normal person dares to confront a supernatural entity with some Exorcism Tools. What else would you call her if not a big idiot?"

Didn't he remember it all? What kind of new-age tsundere is this?

Uesugi Tetsu thought about it again and realized he wasn't wrong at all, so he agreed, "That makes a lot of sense."

Kitano Runa let out an awkward chuckle. As a shut-in with social anxiety, she couldn't refute a stranger's words.

"Regarding what you mentioned about Nanjo earlier, Uesugi-kun, I can only tell you that they went to wipe out the Friendship Club's headquarters. By now, it's probably over."

Kurosaki Akira's face was filled with displeasure. "Speaking of which, I was supposed to be earning some merit, but with this idiot situation, I had to rush over."

The Friendship Club's headquarters?

Uesugi Tetsu blinked. "Seriously?"

That great shadow that had been troubling me and Ririko, was it actually destroyed so easily by the Special Affairs Division?

And with Ai Bielie seemingly pulling the strings behind the club, would she just stand by and watch something like this happen?

No.

Uesugi Tetsu narrowed his eyes. Kurosaki Akira in front of him didn't seem to have any news about Ai Bielie.

"What benefit would I get from lying to you?" Kurosaki Akira waved dismissively. "This was Nanjo's job alone. They were just being cautious in the final stage."

"There are plenty of similar things happening in Tokyo."

Judging by his demeanor, 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. "By that logic, killing the mice in your house is also easy, but are they that easy to find?"

The boy glanced at his watch. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Uesugi Tetsu pondered, then slowly nodded. "I understand. Thank you for clarifying."

I'll just have to wait until I see Sister Nanjo to ask her about the specific details.

"It's nothing, no need to thank me."

Kurosaki Akira put his hands in his pockets, grinned at him, and said expectantly, "I hope the next time we meet, you'll give me a surprise, Mr. Genius."

With that, he whistled a powerful Showa-era song and slammed the door shut as he left. Migi-kyū also slowly bowed to the right and re-entered the mirror, disappearing.

After Kurosaki Akira was gone, Kitano Runa asked, "Uesugi-kun, what were you guys talking about?"

Uesugi Tetsu pondered, then shook his head and said the exact same thing Nanjo Emi had said at the time:

"Normal people shouldn't get involved in these things."

Even though Kitano Runa had a special constitution, it was still better for her to have less contact with the other side of this world for now.

Kitano Runa clicked her tongue. "Tch, if you're not going to say it, then don't. I'll ask Mafuyu-nee later."

Uesugi Tetsu didn't pay her any more attention. If Shizuma Mafuyu was willing to tell her, then so be it. His warning was purely out of goodwill, considering she was Ririko's best friend.

Kitano Runa was different from Ririko; she was a truly ordinary person, completely defenseless. If he had been a step later today, Kitano Runa would likely be buried in the ground by now.

However, Uesugi Tetsu wouldn't concern himself with too many things; he wasn't Kitano Runa's father.

And because Kurosaki Akira had intervened, after much thought, Uesugi Tetsu finally made his final decision among the five rewards.

[You have chosen Reward 2 and Reward 5!]

That's right, in the end, Uesugi Tetsu decided to choose the item related to the Walker identity first.

As for lowering skill proficiency, that could wait for now.

After all, unlike the Walker identity, which couldn't be advanced through other means, skill levels could be grinded up.

Uesugi Tetsu, of all things, had plenty of grinding time!

[Distributing rewards...]

[You have obtained the Walker identity quest item--Broken Walker Token (Special Item)]

[Broken Walker Token (Special Item)]

[Quality: None]

[Effect: None]

[--Old people and old matters, not worth mentioning.]

[Your identity quest has been issued!]

[Walker Identity Advancement Quest: Deliver the "Broken Walker Token" to the "Nameless Swordsman" within Edo Castle. The quest is complete once the Nameless Swordsman accepts the token.]

[Detected that your Demon Incarnation, Laughing Brahma, has not reached "Rare" quality. Rewards will be temporarily stored.]

[Once your Demon Incarnation, Laughing Brahma, reaches "Rare" quality, the rewards will be issued as usual.]

A very user-friendly reward system. Uesugi Tetsu feared that promoting the Laughing Brahma's quality would cause a noticeable impact, so he hadn't used the White Brahma mask at the hospital for the time being.

"Classmate Kitano, how about we go together..."

A prompt that popped up again in front of him interrupted Uesugi Tetsu's words, making him abandon the thought of "seeing if he'd encounter any more Soul Ash if he traveled with Kitano Runa."

[As you have completed all quests in the current area, "Arakawa Ghost Village," a "Area Unlock Quest" has been issued!]

[Area Unlock Quest: Late Night Call]

[Unlock Conditions: Tonight at 22:20, take a train from any subway station within Tokyo to the terminal station, then transfer back to the starting station, and finally board the approaching last train to arrive at "Kisaragi Platform" to complete the area unlock quest.]

Kisaragi Station?

Uesugi Tetsu chuckled, "This is truly, famously, thunderously known..."

"What did you say, classmate Uesugi?" Kitano Runa asked.

"No, it's nothing," Uesugi Tetsu shook his head. "I'm leaving now, Classmate Kitano. Remember to go back with those Special Affairs Division staff outside, don't walk alone anymore."

Kitano Runa clenched her small fists, "I won't make the same mistake twice!"

"That's good."

Uesugi Tetsu smiled, realizing that as soon as he got a little more familiar with her, the initial social anxiety completely disappeared... Was this one of the characteristics of shut-ins?

He couldn't quite figure it out.

Uesugi Tetsu pushed the door open; he needed to find a quiet, secluded place to promote the Laughing Brahma's quality.

Then tonight, he would board that last train leading to Tokoyo and witness the legendary Kisaragi Station.