Miyauchi Hikari, Courted by Many

Two clever people who are good at scheming sometimes speak in roundabout ways, making the other person understand the hidden meaning in their words, while at other times they are straightforward and direct.

Miyauchi Hiyage neither wanted nor needed to beat around the bush with Shinomiya Kaguya, while Shinomiya Kaguya felt that if she wanted to gain the trust of someone like Miyauchi Hiyage, it was better to be direct.

So after saying Shiina Mashiro's name, the two seemed to get much closer.

"I had heard that Mashiro had met a lot of people online and talked about you guys, but I really didn't expect that the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Family would actually make friends with other people online."

As Miyauchi Hiyage said this, Shinomiya Kaguya gently covered her mouth and said, "The girls I met online aren't entirely ordinary girls either."

Shinomiya Kaguya subtly used the power of Ripple Breathing. Although she couldn't match Shiina Mashiro, she did seem to have much more talent than Honma Meiko.

After sensing it for a while, Miyauchi Hiyage frowned slightly and asked Shinomiya Kaguya, "So, the Breathing Technique that Mashiro practiced was spread by you, Shinomiya- san?"

"No, I also received this power through the grace of others. To be precise, the reason why Mashiro and I met online is because we both mastered this wonderful Breathing Technique. We got together to find out who gave us this Breathing Technique."

"With your sharp eyes, you can see that although the progress of the Ripple within Menma, Mashiro, and me is not exactly the same, we all started training around the same time, right?" Shinomiya Kaguya mentioned Menma's name again, indicating that Honma Meiko was also someone she knew.

"Menma... you know me too?"

"I've known her longer than I've known Mashiro, but you should know best about her health issues. Besides, Menma herself doesn't like talking to us, so she probably hasn't mentioned these things to you yet," Shinomiya Kaguya observed the Diary's reaction.

It is very safe.

There was no warning of any danger.

It's easy to communicate with people who are so discreet and grateful, just like Fujiwara Chika. As long as you can gain their trust, you don't have to worry about them doing anything to harm you.

After obtaining the Diary, she used this method to test many people, including her own brother, her own father, Hayasaka Ai who grew up with her, and other girls who possessed the Diary. They all gave warnings when she mentioned sensitive matters, but Hayasaka Ai gave the fewest warnings, and those warnings only appeared when it came to punishments related to You Know Who and the Diary. There were hardly any warnings when it came to things related to herself.

Aside from Miyauchi Hiyage, whom I met today, it's probably only Fujiwara Chika, a friend she's known since childhood, who has never shown any signs of danger.

"Actually, I came here because I couldn't contact Menma after the earthquake in Chichibu last night. After finding out from my sources that she was with you and had been missing for two hours last night, I came here to meet you and find out what happened to Menma and her current physical condition."

Shinomiya Kaguya's performance was excellent; she seemed completely unaware of Honma Meiko's current situation, and a hint of worry could be heard in her tone.

This acting is almost as good as his.

Miyauchi Hiyage looked at Shinomiya Kaguya for a while before nodding. "Since you know Menma, Ripple within you does indeed seem to be at the level that one could reach after about a year of training, I'll believe what you say for now. I'll go and confirm with Menma later."

Then, Miyauchi Hiyage briefly explained Honma Meiko's health issues and the situation at the shrine.

Naturally, the otherworldly events were omitted, and even the connection Honma Meiko and the Ley Line was missing. It only mentioned that Honma Meiko was discovered to have excellent talent and was now being sought after by a top-ranking shrine maiden of Chichibu Shrine, who wanted to take her as a disciple and first resolve her physical issues at Chichibu Shrine.

Shinomiya Kaguya was not surprised by the omission and concealment of the Miyauchi Hiyage.

Meiko explained the possible consequences of revealing the truth, and Miyauchi Hiyage wouldn't expose such a thing just because she was someone she had just met.

She was simply observing Miyauchi Hiyage closely, trying to determine if Miyauchi Hiyage would exhibit any habitual micro-movements when lying.

"So Menma had such an extraordinary encounter... No wonder I couldn't find out the truth no matter how I used the Shinomiya Conglomerate's channels. It turns out it was related to a special-grade superhuman."

The two people who know the truth are putting on an acting show, but in the end, Shinomiya Kaguya is still more naive.

When faced with Miyauchi Hiyage, who knew the whole truth and how much of it she knew, Shinomiya Kaguya, following Miyauchi Hiyage's expectations, carefully noted down the subtle flaws that Miyauchi Hikage deliberately revealed, intending to test them repeatedly in the future.

In short, after confirming Honma Meiko's current safety, the topic naturally returned to the Breathing Technique, with Shinomiya Kaguya, who seemed to have the upper hand.

"I didn't know anything about what happened a hundred years ago until Mashiro sent me the picture you sent her. That's when I learned about the Demon Slayer Corps found its current descendants through some documents from that time." Shinomiya Kaguya said this, then took out the records of the Demon Slayer Corps that she had prepared and handed them to Miyauchi Hiyage.

Miyauchi Hiyage solemnly accepted the documents and began to examine them.

He flipped through the documents very quickly, and Shinomiya Kaguya waited patiently beside him.

"That's right. A hundred years ago, an elder of the Miyauchi Family was saved by a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. The Miyauchi Family originally wanted to repay this kindness, but after that, that elder never heard of anything related to the Demon Slayer Corps again."

"So, not long after that, the Demon Slayer Corps had already completely disbanded?" Miyauchi Hiyage sighed. "When I saw Mashiro use her Breathing Technique, I thought I could finally find the swordsman who saved the Miyauchi Family and the entire Asahigaoka back then through her. Now that the Demon Slayer Corps has disbanded, I wonder if there will still be a chance."

Hearing the regret in Miyauchi Hiyage's tone, Shinomiya Kaguya raised an eyebrow, sensing that her opportunity had arrived.

So she whispered to Miyauchi Hiyage, "Although the Demon Slayer Corps disbanded after killing 'Muzan' and all the Evil Spirits born from him died, the Breathing Technique also gradually disappeared into history due to the decline of mystery. Perhaps only a few families still pass down the Breathing Technique within their families. However, if you want to know, I can use my channels to help you find the identity of the swordsman who came to Asahigaoka back then. Perhaps we can still find some of these mission records."

Upon hearing this, Miyauchi Hiyage also showed a timely hint of surprise, and then expressed his gratitude to Shinomiya Kaguya for the first time.

"No need to thank me. I also want to borrow your ability to help me investigate the You Know Who is spreading the Breathing Technique in the dark."

When mentioning the You Know Who, although she used Japanese instead of the English "you know who," Shinomiya Kaguya emphasized the words slightly more.

She looked at Miyauchi Hiyage: "You've already been in contact with people from the Reverse Side World, so you should know about the Mystery Revival, right?"

The Miyauchi Hiyage nodded.

"I think it's probably because of the Mystery Revival that the You Know Who discovered something, which is why they secretly spread these Breathing Technique again," Shinomiya Kaguya offered this explanation for the origin of the Breathing Technique.

"Whatever that person's purpose was, I am grateful for his gift. He allowed me to enter this world and see its full picture. Therefore, I want to find him and express my gratitude to him." As Shinomiya Kaguya said this, her eyes remained fixed on Miyauchi Hiyage.

Her final purpose in coming here was to personally confirm whether Miyauchi Hiyage might be that "You Know Who".

Shiina Mashiro can prove it, Kasumigaoka Utaha can prove it, and even Honma Meiko last night could prove that there is no connection between Miyauchi Hiyage and the You Know Who.

However, Miyauchi Hiyage is indeed a suspect.

The background information revealed that the other party was proficient in five languages, including Japanese, English, and Chinese at a native-level, and also had a deep understanding of the neighboring country, China. Their usual dining preferences were also a mix of Chinese and Japanese.

These are actually not a big deal; they can't be used as evidence that the other party is You Know Who.

After all, the You Know Who did not mention in the diary which country he was from before he traveled through time. In fact, given that he had watched so many anime and Japanese films and television shows before he traveled through time, it is more likely that he was from Japan. There is even a possibility that the You Know Who deliberately disguised himself as a foreigner.

What truly matters is that Miyauchi Hiyage is exceptionally talented and has achieved remarkable success.

Before the age of 13, he was a well-known child prodigy in Asahigaoka. If he hadn't refused to leave the Asahigaoka Branch School, he could have easily gone to a better middle school with his grades.

He started making online videos at the age of 13, seizing the opportunities presented by the times, and his career skyrocketed after that.

He even managed to buy a luxury villa worth billions of yen in the heart of Tokyo at the age of 16 through various stock funds.

Under his leadership, the small village of Asahigaoka has undergone a complete transformation in just a few years.

Even Shinomiya Kaguya has to admit that even with her elite education from a young age, it seems difficult for her to achieve what Miyauchi Hiyage has accomplished.

According to the You Know Who, this is the other party's "persona"—a super genius who has never appeared in comics, but whose imagination and creativity are second to none.

But thinking about Umaru's older brother, who is also a supporting character and a genius, the gap between the two seems quite large.

Not to mention that after Miyauchi Hiyage came to Tokyo to study, he, through his older sister, strangely developed connections with the heroines of several works.

Then, after obtaining the Breathing Technique from Shiina Mashiro, she awakened extraordinary abilities in such a short time, and now she and Honma Meiko have saved a giant dragon from another world.

Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, Shinomiya Kaguya thinks that maybe this dragon is the heroine of another isekai (another world) story?

Regardless, this setting is still a bit too outrageous. Even the protagonist couldn't possibly accomplish so much in such a short time.

Even though several girls who had contact with Miyauchi Hiyage had confirmed through various means that Miyauchi Hiyage was indeed an "innocent person" and had no connection with the You Know Who, Shinomiya Kaguya would not dispel her doubts until she personally confirmed it, even if there was still less than a 5% chance.

She came in person not only to become friends with Miyauchi Hiyage, but also to see for herself.

After revealing a sliver of information about the You Know Who and her attitude towards You Know Who, she carefully observed every change in Miyauchi Hiyage's expression.

However, if she could see the problem, then Yellow Temperance wouldn't be the best disguise stand-in.

The flawless Miyauchi Hiyage revealed a thoughtful expression.

"Could it be that a new demon king has appeared in the world, or has the Mystery Revival brought some other crisis, which is why it is necessary to spread the Breathing Technique again?" Miyauchi Hiyage analyzed.

"Who knows? That's why I chose to enter the Reverse Side World and, with the help of the Shinomiya Family, gain a foothold there, figure out the whole truth, and see if I can find out more about that person in the Reverse Side World," Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze never left Miyauchi Hiyage, and a hint of envy appeared in her eyes.

"I never expected that you, who learned the Breathing Technique from Mashiro, would successfully awaken to transcendence and enter that world in such a short time."

"My current teacher is Satoru Gojo, a top-level Sorcerers from Tokyo Sorcery High. You should have met him a few days ago, and I heard about your situation from him."

Miyauchi Hiyage nodded in agreement.

"A few days ago, while I was filming a video from the past, I was attacked by Vengeful Spirit. Although I had the help of the Shinto priestess Hiiragi Inori, it almost caused a major loss. In the end, Mr. Satoru Gojo arrived at the scene in time and saved everyone."

"And it was on that night that I achieved my extraordinary awakening."

Chapter 216: The Admired Miyauchi Hiyage

Miyauchi Hiyage once again displayed his signature move—his sparkling eyes.

With this thing, many things can be easily explained.

Because when he uses this ability, those who observe him by staring into his pupils can see a hint of mystery in his radiant eyes.

Even Shinomiya Kaguya, who had already entered the Reverse Side World, couldn't help but feel as if she had been seen through by those eyes.

However, Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't help but admire how beautiful Miyauchi Hiyage's eyes were.

After seeing Hoshino Ai's eyes, which sparkled like stars, she thought that no one's eyes could be more beautiful than Hoshino Ai's.

Unexpectedly, after Miyauchi Hiyage activated his ability, his deep and crystalline eyes gave people the illusion that they were about to be drawn into them.

I wonder what Satoru Gojo looks like under that eyepatch he always wears to look cool. I heard from a second-year student that Satoru Gojo inherited the Gojo family's Six Eyes, and that his eyes change when he activates his techniques.

Composing herself, Shinomiya Kaguya looked into Miyauchi Hiyage's eyes with admiration and let out a heartfelt exclamation.

She resisted the urge to ask the other person about their abilities.

Since the goal is to build rapport, one should naturally be reserved and not show that one is eager to know the other person's abilities. It's best to let the other person take the initiative to tell you about their abilities.

Then, Miyauchi Hiyage revealed what he had seen in Shinomiya Kaguya.

"You're curious about the abilities of my eyes."

He didn't use a rhetorical question tone, but rather a normal narrative tone.

This startled Shinomiya Kaguya.

Did Miyauchi Hiyage see through her inner thoughts?

Miyauchi Hiyage smiled, and the light in his eyes slowly faded.

"This is my ability."

Shinomiya Kaguya at the Miyauchi Hiyage. What did the other person mean by those words?

Was that just one sentence a demonstration of the other party's ability?

She did want to know what the ability of Miyauchi Hiyage's eyes was, but she restrained herself from asking.

Is it possible for the other person's eyes to see through one's true inner thoughts?

Thinking of this, Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

Under the tutelage of the Shinomiya Family, Shinomiya Kaguya mastered the "mind-reading" technique, which allows her to read other people's thoughts through their facial expressions and gestures.

But this can only be considered an application of psychology.

Faced with true mind-reading ability, her skill became completely useless.

However, she also had some doubts.

Mind reading is indeed powerful, and it can play a huge role in both combat and daily life.

In that other world, it seems plausible that Miyauchi Hiyage used this ability to see through Tohru's inner thoughts and thus successfully saved him.

But she always felt that mind reading was too simple, and the fact that the eyes would glow when the ability was used seemed too conspicuous.

If Miyauchi Hiyage's awakened ability was simply mind reading, would Satoru Gojo praise Miyauchi Hiyage's potential so highly?

Having just entered the Reverse Side World Shinomiya Kaguya was unsure of the significance of mind-reading within Reverse Side World, so she didn't delve any further into the matter.

All she knew was that she had no intention of hurting Miyauchi Hiyage, and even if he could read her mind, he wouldn't be able to read anything related to the Diary due to Diary shielding effect.

After Miyauchi Hiyage saw through her thoughts, Shinomiya Kaguya Miyauchi Hiyage nodded frankly to him, indicating that she had indeed had such thoughts, but she also knew that these extraordinary abilities were everyone's most important privacy and could not be spoken of casually.

She also reminded Miyauchi Hiyage not to reveal this information to outsiders in the future, lest it be exploited by other people with ill intentions.

If we're talking about malicious intentions, who can compare to you these days?

Previously, I wanted to win myself over, both physically and mentally, so that I could work for the other person for the rest of my life.

Now, they want to use the fact that the person is a disciple of the Breathing Technique and a classmate to build a good relationship with me, so that I can help them when I grow up.

She might still be secretly trying to find out if she is indeed the You Know Who.

These are things that Shinomiya Kaguya Miyauchi Hiyage could clearly hear when she was muttering to herself, all thanks to the power of her Name Curse.

In any case, among all the people that Miyauchi Hiyage has known and interacted with, this person is indeed one of the most cunning.

Of course, Miyauchi Hiyage doesn't dislike Shinomiya Kaguya like this.

After all, her upbringing and the attitudes of those around her indicate that Shinomiya Kaguya could not possibly be a person without guile.

To be precise, the way the other person initially acted—automatically turning into a love-obsessed person and dropping to zero IQ whenever something related to romance—was actually more formulaic to him.

After all, stories of wealthy heiresses throwing themselves at their husbands are all too common, and Miyauchi Hiyage had already witnessed far too many of them before his transmigration.