Chapter 48 [Area Unlock Quest: Midnight Phone Call]

"Before asking someone else a question, it's better to state your own name first."

Kurosaki Akira let out a scoff, crossing his arms. Judging solely by his expression, he looked completely like a delinquent youth.

Uesugi Toru stated his name, and then he watched as the boy's expression slowly twisted into one of exaggeration, his eyes widening dramatically.

"—You're the once-in-a-millennium genius that Nanjo mentioned?"

Huh?
A genius? Me?
Uesugi Toru was utterly bewildered.

"Since you really are that Uesugi Toru, it doesn't do any harm to tell you a bit of news."

Coughing twice, Kurosaki Akira withdrew his expression of mixed shock and disbelief, but just as he was about to speak, a "thump, thump, thump" echo resounded from the mirror nearby.

Uesugi Toru's pupils shifted with vigilance. He leaped off the hospital bed to block Kitano Runa behind him, instinctively making a posture as if drawing a blade.

Could Kitano-san's constitution really be this volatile?
The White Hannya had just left, and another one popped out of the mirror right on its heels? If this kept up, after the first tidal wave, he'd have to worry about running into ghosts every single day...

"Oh, I forgot to mention."

Kurosaki Akira tapped the mirror with his finger, prompting a figure draped in white, with indistinct facial features and disheveled hair, to crawl out. "Let me introduce you. This is my Shikigami, Right Bow."

A Shikigami?
Right Bow seemed to be a rather famous urban legend on the forums as well.

Uesugi Toru relaxed his stance, watching the "Right Bow," which emitted a faint prickling sensation against his skin, sprout two and a half stars above its head.

As expected of an Onmyoji Apprentice, even a casual Shikigami was above two stars.

Then, he watched as Right Bow bowed closely to Kurosaki Akira's ear and whispered something, causing the boy to look toward Kitano Runa. "Hey, you massive idiot, your mom's condition has stabilized. She'll be transferred to a regular ward shortly, and she just needs to rest quietly for a few days."

Uesugi Toru: "Her name is Kitano Runa."

"Huh?" Kurosaki Akira raised an eyebrow. "I couldn't care less if her name is Kitano-something or Runa-something. A normal person who dares to face urban legends head-on armed with a few exorcism tools—what is she if not a massive idiot?"

Didn't he remember the whole name perfectly? What kind of new-age, alternative tsundere was this?

Uesugi Toru thought about it for a moment and realized that not a single word of what he said was wrong, so he agreed, "That actually sounds quite reasonable."

Kitano Runa let out an awkward, nervous laugh, entirely unable to refute a stranger's words due to her shut-in social anxiety.

"As for that matter regarding Nanjo that Uesugi-kun just brought up, all I can tell you is that they went to wipe out the headquarters of the Philanthropy Club. Counting the time, it should be over by now."

Kurosaki Akira looked thoroughly displeased. "Speaking of which, I was originally supposed to rake in some merit, but because of this idiot's mess, I had no choice but to rush over here."

The headquarters of the Philanthropy Club?
Uesugi Toru was stunned. "For real?"

That massive dark cloud that had been hanging over him and Ririko for so long—was it really eradicated by the Special Affairs Division just like that?

There seemed to be Love's Departure pulling strings behind that club as well; would she just sit by and watch something like this happen?

No.
Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes—Kurosaki Akira in front of him didn't look like he knew anything about Love's Departure.

"What good would it do me to lie to you?" Kurosaki Akira waved a hand in disdain. "This was originally Nanjo's job alone; it's just that they were playing it safe in the final stage."

"Things like this happen all the time in Tokyo."

Judging by his attitude, he didn't take the Philanthropy Club seriously at all.

"If it was that easy, why wasn't it wiped out sooner?"
Uesugi Toru frowned.

Kurosaki Akira let out a light snort. "By that logic, the mice in your house are easy to kill too, but are they that easy to find?"

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

Uesugi Toru pondered, then nodded slowly. "I understand. Thank you for clearing that up."

——As for the specific details, I'll just ask Nanjo-neesan when I see her.

"Small matter, don't mention it."

Kurosaki Akira shoved his hands into his pockets, flashed a grin, and said expectantly, "I hope that the next time we meet, you can give me a surprise, Mr. Genius."

With that, he hummed a fierce, militant Shōwa-era song and slammed the door as he walked out. Right Bow slowly bowed to the right once more and vanished back into the mirror's surface.

Once Kurosaki Akira was gone, Kitano Runa asked, "Uesugi-kun, what were you two talking about just now?"

Uesugi Toru mused, then shook his head, repeating the exact same words Nanjo Aimi had used back then:

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

Even though Kitano Runa possessed a special constitution, it was still better for her to stay away from the other side of the world for the time being.

Kitano Runa clicked her tongue. "Tch, if you won't tell me, fine. I'll just go ask Shimamasa-neesan later."

Uesugi Toru didn't bother with her anymore. If Shizuma Miku was willing to tell her about these things, it didn't matter to him; his warning had simply stemmed from a kind-hearted impulse since she was Ririko's best friend.

——Kitano Runa wasn't like him or Ririko; she was a genuine, defenseless ordinary person. If he had arrived even a step slower today, Kitano Runa would probably be buried in the dirt right now.

Still, Uesugi Toru wasn't going to manage every little detail. He wasn't Kitano Runa's father.

Because of Kurosaki Akira's interruption, after a long period of thought, Uesugi Toru finally made his final decision among the five rewards.

[You have chosen Reward Two and Reward Five!]

That's right, Uesugi Toru ultimately decided to go with the items related to the Walker identity first.

As for lowering skill proficiency, that could be put aside for later.

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

And Uesugi Toru's greatest asset was his willingness to grind!

[Rewards are being distributed...]

[You have obtained the "Walker" identity advancement item—Fractured Walker Token (Special Item)]

[Fractured Walker Token (Special Item)]
[Quality: None]
[Effect: None]
[——Old faces, old matters, not worth mentioning.]

[Your identity quest has been issued!]
[“Walker” Identity Advancement Quest: Deliver the “Fractured Walker Token” to the “Nameless Swordsman” inside Edo Castle. The quest will be completed once the Nameless Swordsman accepts the token.]

[Detected that your Yokai Avatar: Smiling Hannya has not reached "Rare" quality. The reward is temporarily stored.]
[Once your Yokai Avatar: Smiling Hannya reaches "Rare" quality, the reward will be distributed as usual.]

A very considerate reward—Uesugi Toru was worried that the quality upgrade of the Smiling Hannya would cause visible, drastic changes, so he temporarily refrained from using the White Hannya mask inside the hospital.

"Kitano-san, why don't we go together—"

The prompt that popped up before his eyes interrupted Uesugi Toru's words, causing him to dismiss the thought of "walking alongside Kitano Runa to see if they'd run into any more mobile soul ash."

[Since you have completed all quests in the current region "Arakawa Strange Village," the "Region Unlock Quest" has been issued!]

[Region Unlock Quest: Late-Night Phone Call]
[Unlock Condition: Tonight at 22:20, board a train at any subway station within Tokyo, ride it to the final stop, transfer to the starting line, and finally board the incoming last train to arrive at "Kisaragi Station." This will be considered completion of the Region Unlock Quest.]

Kisaragi Station?
Uesugi Toru smiled. "Well now, that's a truly illustrious and thunderous name..."

"What did you say, Uesugi-kun?" Kitano Runa asked.
"No, nothing," Uesugi Toru shook his head. "I'll be leaving first. Kitano-san, make sure to head back that way with the Special Affairs Division personnel outside. Don't wander off alone again."

Kitano Runa clenched her small fists. "I won't fall into the same trap twice!"
"Glad to hear it."

Uesugi Toru smiled, realizing that once they grew slightly more familiar, the awkward, social-anxious atmosphere completely vanished... Was this one of the traits of being a shut-in?
He didn't quite understand.

Uesugi Toru pushed open the door and left. He needed to find a secluded, deserted place to upgrade the quality of the Smiling Hannya.

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