Motono Was Waiting for Tetsu, and the Ascension Method for Two-Shaku-Sama! At the Nanjō Family Home, Come Forge the Myriad Spirit Cauldron!

Above the Sky City, the moonlight was sparse.

Under Okabe Motonobu's bated gaze, that familiar figure slowly emerged from the darkness, Kaga Kiyomitsu slung at her side.

One step, then another.

Tap, tap.

The exact same coat from the afternoon's Seed Battle, the exact same trousers, and the exact same shoes. Even the Red Brahma mask hanging from her waist was...

Okabe Motonobu's eyes, which had already opened and were trembling violently, suddenly went still.

Because of that evil-spirit mask.

It was utterly lifeless.

Not only did it fail to radiate the vivid supernatural aura that could be felt from afar and inspire disgust—it even had problems with the most basic craftsmanship.

It was nothing more than a cheap, shoddy knockoff.

Okabe Motonobu looked up again.

As it happened, the person had now walked out from the darkness and into the moonlight, revealing a face entirely different from Uesugi Tetsu's, with only the carefully made-up outline bearing a slight resemblance.

Okabe Motonobu did not yet know that the modern world had a culture called "cosplay."

The young man who had cosplayed the champion of the first Seed Battle and collected countless photos before finally managing to escape waved cheerfully at Okabe Motonobu.

"Excuse me, did you need something when you were looking at me just now?"

"No. I simply mistook you for someone else."

Okabe Motonobu's emotionless reply caused a cold sweat to break out across the young man's back.

What... was going on?

He swallowed with difficulty, did not dare say another word, and hurried past Okabe Motonobu.

In the silence, Okabe Motonobu watched wordlessly until the young man's back disappeared, then turned around and looked toward the still motionless, profound path behind her.

"Forget it. Let's go."

Okabe Motonobu silently walked toward the enormous teleportation formation.

It would