"I've already asked someone to investigate this."
Tokugawa Ririko interrupted him. "No need to thank me. It's what I should do."
"I wanted to ask you not to investigate." Seeing that the area was crowded and noisy, Uesugi Tetsu pulled her into an empty corner of the corridor and frowned. "Didn't Police Officer Nanjō say that ordinary people shouldn't get involved with this?"
Pinned against the wall by Uesugi Tetsu, Ririko's expression remained unchanged. "Rather than believing that cop from yesterday, you might as well believe I'm a gender-swapped Guan Yu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms who can kill demons in just two or three strokes."
She pondered for two seconds before saying, "Uesugi-kun, after you went home last night, you must have encountered a new Supernatural Incident too, right?"
Too?
Uesugi Tetsu's gaze sharpened.
What did she mean by "too"?
Hadn't Ririko stayed overnight at the police station last night?
Seeing Uesugi Tetsu's expression, Ririko sighed. "It seems my guess was right."
"Although I don't know what method you used to evade the new Supernatural Incident, there's one thing we can be certain of."
Ririko paused before saying, "We've probably already entered the range of the Friendship Club's attention."
He hadn't expected Ririko to have thought so far ahead.
But Nanjō Emi probably hadn't been deceiving him either. Otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to give him that precious doll.
So the problem was...
That obviously suspicious Ouija Board?
Seeing Uesugi Tetsu deep in thought, Ririko had no intention of making him guess. "As for why I was able to think of this, it's simple. You only need to put yourself in the mastermind's shoes, and everything becomes obvious."
"An outcome that should have resulted in everyone being wiped out, yet two people unexpectedly survived. What should I do?"
The girl answered calmly, "Pull up the roots and eliminate the weeds. At the very least, send someone to find out what happened."
"Perhaps we haven't been taken seriously yet, but I don't think we can just sit around and wait for death. We could pray for the Onmyoji to wipe out the club quickly, then pray that no Supernatural Incident happens to us during that time. The odds of those prayers succeeding..."
Ririko paused before saying flatly, "Uesugi-kun, have you ever played a mobile game and gotten four limited characters in a single ten-pull?"
Uesugi Tetsu shook his head. He was very familiar with hitting pity.
"—The odds of those prayers succeeding are far lower than getting four limited characters in a ten-pull."
Ririko asked, "So, what's your choice?"
Uesugi Tetsu stared for a while at the sword-shaped kendo pendant hanging before Ririko's chest, thinking that the thing's effect was truly extraordinary.
Who could have imagined that the sobbing girl from last night could transform into the incomparably calm Ririko standing before him?
He nodded. "You're right."
Upon hearing that, Tokugawa Ririko let out a long breath. "Thank you."
Uesugi Tetsu clearly sensed the slight trembling in Ririko's palm disappear after she said those words. He thought for a moment, then raised a finger.
"Since you've told me so much, Ririko, let me tell you something too."
Ririko looked up and heard Uesugi Tetsu say, "If you encounter a Supernatural Incident you can't resolve, call me. I'll come as quickly as I can."
Ririko: ?
Uesugi Tetsu could clearly read the confusion and skepticism in the girl's eyes, but he did not elaborate.
"Oh, right. Investigating is fine, but don't go too deep. It wouldn't be good if it backfired."
Before they parted, Uesugi Tetsu emphasized this warning.
"I'll know where to draw the line." Ririko nodded. "The investigator is a private detective who's three layers removed from me, with plenty of experience. I haven't told him much, and even if he gets caught, they won't be able to trace it back to me right away."
But what if the other side used supernatural means?
Uesugi Tetsu said nothing about that. He believed Ririko couldn't possibly have overlooked it.
And just as she had said, even if there was a risk of discovery, they had to act rather than sit around and wait for death.
—This was already the best way to deal with it.
Having encountered an incredibly reliable teammate, Uesugi Tetsu silently exclaimed in admiration.
He found it difficult to imagine that Ririko and the otaku who had spent every day raving over his anime wives were both high school sophomores.
But... where had Ririko gotten so much money to do all this?
He didn't dwell on it. Everyone had their own little secrets.
Ririko did, and so did he.
Rather than obsess over that, he might as well raise his Ki-ai Technique proficiency during class.
During class, Uesugi Tetsu secretly experimented and discovered—
Even if he didn't gather his ki into a single mass and shout, as long as he circulated it through his body again and again, the ki within him would gradually grow stronger, thereby increasing his proficiency.
Throughout the process, not only did his ki increase, but his control over it also became more precise.
Uesugi Tetsu decided to call it seated meditation and breath regulation.
Although it was somewhat slower than a normal cultivation method, the advantage was that he could regulate his breathing anytime and anywhere.
Perhaps he still needed a relatively quiet environment for now, but Uesugi Tetsu estimated that once his proficiency became higher, he might be able to continuously increase his Ki-ai Technique proficiency even while riding the bus—or perhaps even while walking.
[Your skill, Incomplete Ki-ai Technique, proficiency +25!]
After spending the entire morning focusing on practicing the Ki-ai Technique, Uesugi Tetsu looked at the notification, [Incomplete Ki-ai Technique (Beginner 26/100)], and thought that the efficiency was actually pretty good.
He estimated that he could max out the Ki-ai Technique's 100 proficiency points in about a day.
He wondered what rewards he would receive after upgrading the skill... At the very least, it should raise his Physique by one point.
While drawing himself a rosy picture of what would happen after the skill upgrade, Uesugi Tetsu headed toward the kendo club.
There was no helping the daydreaming. Circulating his breath and practicing the Ki-ai Technique required absolute concentration. Even the slightest distraction would cause all his previous work to be wasted, leaving him with nothing.
Thus, even though he had only regulated his breathing for one morning, Uesugi Tetsu already felt mentally exhausted.
Perhaps it was because his Willpower was only four points.
At the entrance of the kendo club.
Tokugawa Ririko had changed into a white kendo uniform. Like a gate guardian, she stood at the entrance of the dojo with her head lowered, arms crossed, and back against the door.
Before Uesugi Tetsu even approached, he heard Ririko's voice. "Come in."
He scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. "You didn't even look up. How did you know I was here?"
"By the sound of your footsteps. Everyone's footsteps are different."
Ririko pointed at her ears. "For a qualified swordswoman, identifying someone's location by sound is the most basic skill."
She closed her eyes, then said a few seconds later, "For example, if you turn around now, you'll be able to see that there are twenty-seven people here besides you and me."
Uesugi Tetsu counted and was surprised to discover that she was right.
Then he fell into deep thought.
—Just how had that pathetic Kukuri managed to corner Ririko and make her tremble in fear?
Could women simply be born afraid of ugly animals?
Uesugi Tetsu had forgotten that a Brahma with a blue face and fangs was far more frightening than a mere Kukuri.
"Go change over there. Lunch break won't last much longer."
Ririko entered the dojo and tossed Uesugi Tetsu a set of clothes she had prepared long ago. "Do you know how to put them on?"
Looking at the pile of items in his hands, Uesugi Tetsu honestly shook his head. "No."
Ririko pressed a hand to her forehead. "My mistake. I'll help you change."
Just as she grabbed Uesugi Tetsu's forearm, her eyes, which had been as calm as still water, suddenly lit up.
Ririko licked her lips, her tone curious.
"Uesugi-kun, how come I never noticed before? Your body is surprisingly well-built."
Before you continue