The ITEM Quartet

After loosening up his somewhat stiff body, Rod turned to the two diligent Judgment girls and asked, "By the way, do you know where the mall is? Running around in a hospital gown is kind of troublesome, no matter how you look at it."

"So you do know that outfit looks strange~" Shirai Kuroko rolled her eyes speechlessly and snarked at Rod.

"Um, we were just about to patrol around Seventh Mist. We can take you there, sir." Uiharu Kazari replied with a smile, offering to show Rod the way.

"I see. Then, thanks." Rod nodded in thanks, while giving Shirai Kuroko a look filled with some indescribable meaning.

"Hey! What kind of look is that!?" Noticing Rod's meaningful gaze, veins bulged on Shirai Kuroko's forehead as she glared viciously at him.

"Then I'll be relying on you, little miss." Ignoring Shirai Kuroko's bristling anger, Rod spoke to Uiharu Kazari.

"I'm Uiharu Kazari, and this is Shirai Kuroko. You can call me Uiharu, sir." Holding back the bristling Shirai Kuroko beside her, Uiharu Kazari forced a smile as she introduced them.

"Rod." Rod introduced himself casually.

Seventh Mist, Watching Rod's retreating back, Shirai Kuroko pursed her lips in dissatisfaction.

"Tch, there was no need to bother with someone with such a nasty personality."

"You can't say that, Shirai. Helping others is one of our duties as Judgment members, after all."

Uiharu Kazari comforted her.

"Alright, enough about him. Let's patrol separately. Oh, and report to me immediately if anything happens. Don't go off on your own, got it!?"

As she spoke, Shirai Kuroko's pretty face nearly pressed against Uiharu Kazari's cheek. Feeling that oppressive presence, Uiharu Kazari hurriedly bobbed her little head, promising not to act on her own. Only then did the two split up and begin their patrols.

Half an hour later, Rod, now changed into a set of casual clothes, began wandering around the enormous mall. It had only been a day since he had arrived in this world.

The system had not issued any clear missions either. When Rod asked about it, all he got was the response: "Please explore on your own, Host. The system will not impose restrictions upon the Host."

Wasn't this system's freedom level a little too high?

Fortunately, the system actually provided currency for free. In other words, if Rod wanted to, he could become the richest man in the world.

The thought made Rod feel rather embarrassed. If he had looked into it earlier, he would not have needed to rob those thugs. He truly felt sorry for that bunch of little punks who had been robbed.

He picked a dessert shop and sat by the window. Under the waiter's stunned gaze, Rod chose to fry up the whole menu—no, order the whole menu. It could not be helped. Having suddenly become a nouveau riche who no longer needed to worry about money, Rod's behavior at that moment perfectly embodied the role.

You think having money makes you great? Sorry, having money really does make you great.

That classic Cantonese line surfaced in his mind as Rod reclined sideways on the sofa seat in a completely limp pose.

"That uncle totally looks like a nouveau riche." At a table diagonally opposite him, four girls sat together. One of them, a petite high school girl with fluffy long golden curls, blue eyes, snowy skin, and a slender figure, gestured toward Rod with her lips and complained.

"Why do you care about him?" A girl with short brown hair that hung like shoulder-length hair without quite reaching her shoulders looked to be around twelve. She appeared very well-behaved, dressed in an orange hoodie and hot pants, with her fair, long legs exposed, radiating youthful beauty.

"Whatever." A busty girl with black shoulder-length hair replied listlessly. Dressed in a pink tracksuit, she looked sleep-deprived and uninterested in anything.

"Tch, Frenda, if you have time to worry about that, why not hand over the action report from before?" A tall woman with smooth long brown hair set down her coffee heavily and shouted at Frenda in dissatisfaction.

"Eek, I really did write it! I just don't know where I threw it. Give me a few more days, and I'll definitely hand it in." After being yelled at by the brown-haired woman, Frenda hurriedly tried to explain herself.

The commotion over there also caught Rod's attention. When he turned to look, he saw the four girls.

"ITEM, huh? Even the dark side holds gatherings in dessert shops?"

"..." The sounds around them instantly vanished, and the silence was terrifying. All four girls stared at Rod, utterly bewildered as to why their identities had been exposed.

Could this lazy-looking uncle also be a member of the dark side?

"Don't mind me. Keep chatting." Ignoring the stares of the four members of ITEM, Rod casually waved a hand, signaling for them not to mind him.

"Hey, Uncle, which ultra-secret organization are you from?" Kinuhata Saiai asked after suddenly coming over and sitting in front of him.

"Uncle again? Whatever. I can accept it if it's coming from an elementary schooler." Rod rubbed his beard speechlessly and complained.

"Elementary schooler? I'm an ultra-middle schooler!?" Kinuhata Saiai retorted indignantly.

"Yeah, yeah, got it. A middle schooler, right? Why are all the dark side members a bunch of students? Academy City really is dark. Are you sure this isn't DC?" Rod casually snarked.

"Huh? What are you talking about? That makes ultra-no sense." Kinuhata Saiai unhappily pounded the table.

"Well, I'm not a member of the dark side. If I had to say, I'm probably a terrorist. I just attacked the building where District 7's chairman was last night."

Rod took the coffee delivered by the waiter, took a light sip, and then answered.

"..." After a long silence, Kinuhata Saiai and Frenda looked at each other before bursting into laughter together.

"Hahahaha, that's ultra-hilarious! He actually declared himself a terrorist so openly. Uncle, you're ultra-interesting." Kinuhata Saiai clutched her stomach and laughed.

"Hahahaha, is he an idiot?" Frenda covered her mouth as she laughed nonstop, leaving the other two utterly helpless.

Ignoring the two who had inexplicably started laughing, Rod silently sampled his desserts. After taking in some sugar, his mood was unexpectedly good, and he decided not to bother with the four members of ITEM anymore.

"Hey, don't ignore me, Uncle. Let me remind you: don't go around telling people that we're from the dark side. Otherwise, Mugino will take you out." Though dissatisfied at being ignored, Kinuhata Saiai still kindly warned him.

Rod suddenly raised a hand and waved toward the window, making Kinuhata Saiai furious. Her well-intentioned warning had been met with nothing but disregard. She looked out the window unhappily and saw a girl wearing a flower wreath, with a Judgment armband tied around her arm.

Seeing this, Kinuhata Saiai shot Rod an irritated glare before retreating back to the other three.