Chapter 159

The reward for winning the Shinken Shiai.

That is, a rough version of the ninja cultivation manual.

Generally speaking, depending on individual aptitude, one can cultivate to roughly One-Star Half to Two-Star Half.

Uesugi Toru had actually been keeping this matter in mind, but he felt that Nanjo Ai probably had a lot on her plate these past two days, so waiting until they got back to talk about it wouldn't be late.

He didn't expect Nanjo Ai to have already coordinated everything; it could be said her efficiency was maxed out.

"The illustrated version you want is comparatively rare, so it will take five days to deliver."

Illustrated version... Speaking of which, Uesugi Toru also remembered there was a "Complete Version" in the back; that one should be the ninja cultivation manual that corresponds to the Corona Breathing Technique.

So he asked: "When will the Tokyo Seed War after that roughly begin? I want to prepare early."

"Seed War?"

Nanjo Ai narrowed her eyes and thought for a good while, but ultimately couldn't recall, so she took out her phone, opened the "Calendar" function, and tapped through the densely packed to-do items.

After ten-odd seconds, she let out an "Oh,"

"Because it's still quite far from now the time hasn't been confirmed yet; at the earliest it would be early next month, or perhaps it might not be until the end of the month or even July."

Nanjo Ai spread her hands: "Because there are still several districts that haven't even confirmed their seeds yet... this is everyone's average efficiency, Uesugi-kun, you have to understand."

Uesugi Toru stared at the calendar on her screen for a while.

It was only when he saw the time point for the "First Wave" that he reacted — it turned out only a little over half a month had passed since that day.

What can half a month do? What can be cultivated?

I'm afraid some places haven't even discovered their own geniuses yet.

So scheduling the Seed War for half a month or even a month later is actually a fairly reasonable arrangement.

Seeing Uesugi Toru lean in, Nanjo Ai flipped through the calendar, then tapped to September 1st and said,

"But no matter what, the selection will definitely be finished and candidates chosen before the Imperial Precedent Grand Tournament."

Having said that, Nanjo Ai seemed afraid of further questions, so she continued: "As for more detailed details, don't ask me first; I don't remember too well."

"Recently there have really been too many trivial little things; after going back I'll probably have to work overtime again."

Nanjo Ai put her hands behind her back, stuck out her chest, and exhaled: "Speaking of which, I still have to thank you, Uesugi-kun; during this Shinken Shiai you let me rest properly for two days, slept two sound sleeps."

Uesugi Toru: "Thanks for your hard work, Nanjo Sister."

"Doesn't count; this is just what I should do."

Nanjo Ai shook her head,

"Whether it's overtime or other work, it's all my own choice, so it doesn't connect with the word 'hardship'; at most it's just a bit tiring."

Uesugi Toru clicked his tongue inwardly.

Hard to imagine that Nanjo Ai, who previously seized every chance to slack off hard, went to izakayas or fast-food joints to drink heavily almost every day, would actually say this kind of thing.

Uesugi Toru sighed for a moment, then asked: "Nanjo Sister, are those Shikigami I wanted before still there?"

"When we return to the Special Affairs Division today I can take you for a trip." Nanjo Ai recalled those more or less stumbling Demon Monsters, "However, I can't guarantee there will definitely be a Shikigami you're satisfied with among them."

"I anticipated this long ago; it's already good that the Special Affairs Division can help me find them."

The two walked toward the previous backstage resting room.

Shizuma Manatsu, on the other hand, lowered her head and followed behind the two of them, tap-tap-tapping non-stop on her phone screen, continuously replying to work matters for her superior.

As for the Two-Shaku Adult and Nure-Onna and the others, they hung far behind, stuck together, whispering who knows what.

Soon, three people and three Shikigami returned to the backstage resting room doorway.

Uesugi Toru looked at the already overcrowded resting room, his footsteps pausing slightly, but suddenly felt a pushing force come from behind, shoving him inside.

He looked back; it was Nanjo Ai lifting her chin at him: "Go on, everyone's waiting for you."

Uesugi Toru didn't stand on ceremony, strode in, and then as a matter of course heard cheers from the crowd.

"Uesugi-kun! You really won the entire Shinken Shiai!"

The first to speak was Hattori Ayako; she cheered first, then patted her chest and exhaled: "Before I almost thought you would on the stage..."

She didn't continue, just smiled and pointed outside,

"Right now outside they're still discussing your three battles; probably later a lot of people will want to come interview you."

Shigemitsu Yusuke stood to the side, bowing slightly to him: "Uesugi-senpai, I benefited greatly from this Shinken Shiai! Thank you!"

Those three bulky Special Affairs Division uniformed operators didn't speak, but one after another unanimously raised their white-gloved thumbs at him.

The three from Oboro Moon Hall Dojo whom he had defeated earlier sat together on the bench at the edge.

But only Crow Takes Time Rain lowered her head, clenching her fists, showing a dejected expression.

The other two acted as if it had nothing to do with them at all.

Akatsuki Ran, already changed into a loose hoodie, wearing a mask with hands in pockets, stared at Uesugi Toru with those cold dead-fish eyes, looking indifferent.

Kuzuha Chihaya was boredly scrolling her phone, and one could even hear the sound of a famous beauty blogger recommending affordable cosmetics coming from it.

Buzz, buzz-buzz, buzz-buzz-buzz.

Uesugi Toru hadn't even said two sentences to the people around him when the phone he'd just put in his pocket started vibrating again, like a switch had been flipped.

He took it out and saw it was indeed Kitano Runa spamming messages again.

Unlock, open Line, look — immediately see a full screen of "Congratulations," "Amazing" anime expression packs spamming.

Scrolling up further, there was a whole bunch of "Go for it," "Don't give up" type expression packs that should have been cheering for his match just now.

But Uesugi Toru figured he was in the arena fighting halfway through and couldn't possibly take out his phone to look; this Kitano classmate is truly an ultimate social-anxiety god.

Uesugi Toru thought for a bit, then sent her a "Thank you" expression pack back.

He looked up again and saw Kitano Runa hiding at the very back of the crowd, nonchalantly, sneakily raising both hands, flicking out thumbs at him.

She seemed afraid Uesugi Toru wouldn't see, so she deliberately shook them twice more.

Uesugi Toru smiled at her, then replied with a few different "Thank you" expression packs in Line.

But Uesugi Toru looked around a few more times, yet did not see Shizuku's figure.

He was just about to speak and ask when Kitano Runa's reply popped up on his mobile phone.

【Never Be a Loser!: Shizuku went back to the van alone first, seems to be researching something.】

Oh, I see.

But Kitano Runa's ability to read the room is truly strong, could this be the legendary "socially anxious person who can read the air"?

Uesugi Toru chatted idly with everyone in the resting room for a few more minutes.

Then waited until Rituna Minami called them all out, saying it was about time to leave.

"Then when we go out later, won't we get blocked by those audience members wanting interviews?" Hattori Ayako asked curiously.

"No need to worry."

At some unknown time, Akatsuki Ran had already mixed into their team.

Precisely speaking, it should be at Uesugi Toru's side.

She spoke blandly: "Teacher will slightly open an eye, letting them all not see you all, this bit of host's duty will still be fulfilled."

"Then we must thank Kujo Dojo Master..."

Uesugi Toru was just speaking when he suddenly turned his head and saw Akatsuki Ran staring straight at him: "You... Miss Akatsuki, why are you following us?"

He looked back, but did not see the other two people.

"Because I'm the least important in the dojo, not as strong as Senior Sister, nor able to communicate with the crow flock like Junior Disciple, so Teacher dispatched me to be the liaison between both sides."

Akatsuki Ran said indifferently: "Anyway Senior Brother will be back after a while, if I keep staying in Yokohama City I won't even be able to cut down yokai after meals."

"Since that's the case." Her tone shifted slightly, carrying two threads of tactful meaning, "Then might as well follow you, Uesugi-kun."

Kitano Runa followed behind them not far off, silently slapping a big "M" label on Akatsuki Ran's head, and telling herself to play less with such strange weird people in the future.

Mhm, also have to warn Uesugi-kun to be careful of her too.

Afterwards Akatsuki Ran led everyone away from Oboro Moon Hall's underground, and then indeed not a single person was seen as they arrived in front of the bread van.

But before getting in the van, Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes at the three already sitting inside the van, then turned back and pointed at the number of people clearly already exceeding the bread van's normal load capacity.

He couldn't help asking: "Wait, can this many people fit in the van?"

Shizuma Manatsu, already sitting in the driver's seat, rolled down the van window and said: "The bread van has long been nourished by shikigami, even if you stuff people in like in India it's fine."

Since it was put like that, Uesugi Toru couldn't very well refuse, waited for everyone to get on and find positions first, then picked up Major Officer and asked,

"Where do you want to sit?"

Major Officer said without thinking: "Sit together with Nure-chan."

Uesugi Toru froze upon hearing this, just how much time has passed, and she's already become "Nure-chan" with the very gloomy-looking Nure woman?

Major Officer's social skills combined with the affinity halo seem to have effects somewhat beyond imagination.

"Then you go."

Major Officer pattered to the back of the bread van, burrowed into the trunk.

Uesugi Toru had just squeezed into the van interior when he heard excited low whispers from the back—

"Little Nure, wanna play a round?"

"Ranked, promotion match, 60 people!"

"Play!"

"Nure, incoming!"

He saw Nure woman hurriedly take the mobile phone from Major Officer's hand, then use black hair to block the light, and he sat in the middle of the aisle thoughtfully.

This just happened to block Rituna Minami's line of sight looking toward the back.

Thus Uesugi Toru immediately felt his heartstrings plucked, sensing Major Officer's angry praise emotions.

He rolled his eyes backward.

—Whatever you guys are thinking in your hearts, how could I not know!

Accompanied by the bread van's slightly hoarse roar, Shizuma Manatsu ignited, stepped on the accelerator.

"Ms. Akatsuki."

Rituna Minami's voice came from the front: "Since you've come to the Special Affairs Division, naturally you must shoulder some corresponding light-intensity work, can you accept this?"

Akatsuki Ran: "As long as Nanjo Major Officer you don't use me like a superhuman, it's fine."

Hearing this answer, Shizuma Manatsu driving the van kept her complexion unchanged, but in her heart her mouth was almost splitting with laughter — how many days has it been, finally someone who can share her workload!

The bread van slowly departed Yokohama City, heading toward Arakawa Ward, carrying a full load of cheers and laughter.

"Congratulations."

Hearing the familiar voice, Uesugi Toru, just preparing to open the panel prompt, only then discovered Shizuku was actually sitting right beside him.

Actually, she had been curling her legs up, shrunk in the corner behind the bread van's seat back.

Shizuku placed a notebook with an ancient cover on her knees, and only just now discovered Uesugi Toru sitting in front of her, so she spoke directly.

Uesugi Toru blinked, looking at the girl with tightly knit brows who had not the slightest awareness: "Shizuku, if you're researching, I won't keep disturbing you."

"Mhm."

Shizuku responded: "It's a very important and also very complex matter, although I can learn by following along, I still haven't understood much."

Uesugi Toru then didn't speak.

The two's exchange was as efficient and brief as ever.

Seeing Shizuku lower her gaze again, Uesugi Toru moved his gaze to the Hundred-Eyed Demon's trade prompt which he had not responded to for a long time.

【"Hundred-Eyed Demon" has sent you a trade request.】

Uesugi Toru used his mind to open this prompt.

The next moment, the Edo Castle Gacha Pool suddenly opened.

The black-haired Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli, who had long been waiting impatiently and had even started squatting on the ground sorting small trash, abruptly raised her head, revealing a vicious expression towards him.

The prompt popped up again.

【Hundred-Eyed Demon's Demand: Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball ×2, Soul Ash ×1000】

Two eyeballs, one thousand points of Soul Ash.

Uesugi Toru thought she had probably finished digesting the three big eyeballs from last time, so she came asking him again... one thousand points of Soul Ash, then, was not that much.

Better to first see what she can give him!

【You can obtain: Strange Metal the Hundred-Eyed Demon Has Never Seen.】

What kind of weird item name is this?

Inside the gacha pool, the Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli fished out her long-prepared trade goods from the darkness beneath her skirt.

She spread her hand, displaying the golden small ball in her palm flowing with a faint glow towards Uesugi Toru.

Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes, looking at this golden small ball——

【Strange Metal the Hundred-Eyed Demon Has Never Seen (Pending Appraisal)】

【Quality: Epic】

【Effect: Forge it together with a weapon equipment; based on the weapon equipment's current attributes, it will produce several unknown beneficial effects.】

【——A weird, weird metal; even the Hundred-Eyed Demon who has survived vast ages has never seen it, but its quality seems extremely high.】

Epic-level forging material!

Uesugi Toru instantly perked up.

He carefully scanned the metal ball's prompt panel several times, then without hesitation moved the eyeballs and Soul Ash from his Storage Backpack onto the trade slots.

——One look and this is clearly a high-grade material that can continue giving Kaga Kiyomitsu buffs, so there is absolutely no need to hesitate.

One thousand points of Soul Ash for a piece of Epic-level material — this is a total steal.

Normally, even spending one thousand five hundred points of Soul Ash on a ten-pull would almost never yield an Epic item, let alone an Epic item useful to himself.

The Hundred-Eyed Demon Loli seemed not to have expected Uesugi Toru to be this decisive, so she froze for a moment before placing the small ball into the trade slot.

Then she revealed a satisfied smile, stuffed the two big eyeballs directly into her mouth, closed her eyes, and fell asleep on the spot.

【You obtained: Strange Metal the Hundred-Eyed Demon Has Never Seen (Pending Appraisal)!】

Hiss——

Uesugi Toru stared at the three words "Pending Appraisal" at the back, suddenly falling into thought.

Leaving aside that this material hasn't been appraised yet, even if he cast a non-existent Great Appraisal Art right now, he couldn't fuse it with Kaga Kiyomitsu.

Because Uesugi Toru simply doesn't know forging!

The Ashigaru Spirit Soul earlier also went unused for this reason.

And by now the old blacksmith has long since run off who knows where, and the Zashiki-warashi has also long since set off on her journey alone.

If he wants to find Katsumi, the Soul Ash in his pocket doesn't seem enough right now.

So——

"Nanjo Sister, are there any craftsmen who know forging in the Special Affairs Division?" Uesugi Toru asked, "I want to attach some spirit souls to my sword, and have a few items repaired."

He was naturally referring to the Palace Chief Robe and Bloodstained Chick Crown damaged by lightning.

Uesugi Toru heard Rituna Minami sigh.

"This kind of question, Uesugi-kun, if you had just looked at the staff list posted on the first floor when you entered the Special Affairs Division, you wouldn't need to ask."

Staff list?

Uesugi Toru scratched his head; he didn't seem to have lingered on the first floor before, so he never paid attention to this kind of thing.

Rituna Minami: "If you have a need, I'll just help you book an appointment now."

"Trouble you, Nanjo Sister."

Uesugi Toru hesitated a moment, then took out his mobile phone and messaged Rituna Minami.

【Tsukisuna-chan: Nanjo Sister, is there a craftsman called "Master Craftsman" in the Special Affairs Division?】

Seeing the message pop up on the phone, Rituna Minami's finger paused; after helping Uesugi Toru finish the booking, she was silent a moment, then replied.

【Rituna Minami: Master Craftsman is an extremely rare existence; sometimes an entire era may not produce a single one. The Special Affairs Division currently naturally has none.】

【Rituna Minami: It's said the Onmyoryo still has one, but who knows if they're still alive.】

【Rituna Minami: However, ordinary spirit soul inlaying and weapon repair are completely fine; even that sword in your hand is no problem.】

【Tsukisuna-chan: Understood.】

Uesugi Toru put down his phone, finally understanding why the old blacksmith could casually list a pile of Epic weapons for sale, and why the Zashiki-warashi was decked out in golden-light-shining equipment.

Master Craftsman turns out to be such a rare profession.

Such a tiny probability, yet he actually encountered one in the newbie village.

Several hours later.

The bread van stopped first at Uesugi Toru's doorway — because Shizuku said she wanted to go home and continue researching quietly.

When getting off, Shizuku, whose brows and eyes showed obvious fatigue, said to him,

"Uesugi-kun, when I come back later I'll talk to you about Breathing Technique cultivation."

She thought a moment, emphasizing very rarely,

"Very important."

Uesugi Toru nodded seriously.

Looks like this is related to the notebook she examined carefully before.

Anything that makes Ririko say "very important" about cultivation is absolutely not as light as these three words.

He firmly committed this matter to memory.

Seeing Ririko off as she opened the door and went home, a faint voice suddenly came from behind Uesugi Toru — Akatsuki Ran's voice,

"So Uesugi-kun lives here, I'll remember that..."

Goosebumps instantly rose on Uesugi Toru's back — damn it, now he's been targeted by a female pervert.

He originally wanted to say, if you dare come looking, I'll beat you until you can't crawl off the ground.

But Uesugi Toru thought a moment — maybe that's exactly what Akatsuki Ran wants?

Then wouldn't he be falling into a trap and satisfying her?

Judging by Akatsuki Ran's insidious assassination methods, layer upon layer of traps in the Shinken Shiai, such a thought carries considerable credibility.

Therefore Uesugi Toru acted as if he hadn't heard, turned his head, and ignored Akatsuki Ran right in front of him.

Next, the overloaded bread van swayed its way to the Special Affairs Division entrance, and the stunned security guards let it into the parking lot.

Upon arriving at the Special Affairs Division, the group summoned by Minami Aimi to watch the Shinken Shiai immediately dispersed.

— They had their own work and unfinished cultivation to begin with.

Maki Hitomi and Hattori Ayako went together to study Yin-Yang Technique; Shigemitsu Yusuke said he'd go gain practical combat experience after bowing to Uesugi Toru again; the three burly operatives had to report to their direct superiors; Shizuma Manatsu had to help Minami Aimi submit the accumulated reports as usual.

So in just a moment, the area beside the bread van became deserted.

The two-shaku Adult immediately poked the Nure-onna still standing in single file, took the mobile phone from her violently trembling hand, saving her from the fate of kneeling on a washboard again.

The Nure-onna let out a deep breath, tears welling as she hugged the two-shaku Adult, pulling her intimately into her broad embrace.

"Let's go."

Minami Aimi, with Kohinata Bozu atop her head, waved at them.

Hearing the footsteps following close behind, Uesugi Toru couldn't help but ask: "Miss Akatsuki, what are you doing following along?"

Akatsuki Ran replied in a rare normal tone: "Isn't this getting familiar with the daily work environment together with my future superior?"

Uesugi Toru considered this briefly and found she really had no problem this time.

Then doesn't that mean he was overthinking?

Tch, forget it.

Can't be bothered with her.

If Akatsuki Ran really wants to mess around later, he'll just beat her up first then have the two-shaku Adult produce anesthetic to knock her out.

Anyway, whether Akatsuki Ran feels pain or pleasure from being beaten has nothing to do with him...

With this mindset, Uesugi Toru followed behind Minami Aimi all the way, passing through layer upon layer of strict verification to reach the room where the yokai prepared for him were confined.

At the doorway sat a somewhat unexpected person.

Kujo Tsubaki.

Kujo Tsubaki had already regrown her arm by now, sitting on a cheap plastic recliner, her white cane leaning within reach of her right hand.

She was currently holding a thick book, fingertips slowly moving as she "read" it.

Minami Aimi crouched slightly, touching her own ID card and the special access card to the back of Kujo Tsubaki's hand.

"Ms. Kujo, please open the door."

"Okay."

Kujo Tsubaki smiled faintly and stood, carefully placing the book on the seat, then swiped both cards and fished out her own ID card from the lining before the access unlocked.

The three small Shikigami were left outside, to prevent unknown reasons from stimulating the yokai confined inside.

"Alright, please enter."

No sooner had Kujo Tsubaki spoken than she seemed to sense Uesugi Toru's doubtful gaze.

She pointed at the book and explained: "Nothing better to do, so I help watch the door and incidentally read the archive brought from next door."

Archive?

He subconsciously asked: "What archives could the Special Affairs Division have, about modern yokai kaidan?"

"— Modern, recent, ancient, primeval, history since time immemorial is all stored in the Special Affairs Division's Archive Room in archive form, merely most are fragmentary or incomplete."

Minami Aimi ahead casually replied: "Like the previous Eight Sufferings·Aibetsuri information is also recorded."

Ancient.

Then doesn't that mean even matters as far back as the Sengoku Period should have many records stored in the Archive Room?

Especially regarding "Mikawa Region Uprising caused by a Great Demon" such obvious supernatural events.

This is far more reliable than Wikipedia!

Uesugi Toru's eyes brightened, and he immediately asked: "Nanjo Sister, I have some data I want to find, can I go in and look later?"

"I'll submit an application upward and you can go immediately, but only to the 【First Floor】 storing ordinary archives."

"That's enough."

Minami Aimi led him into a somewhat narrow aisle, pointing at the several rooms ahead wrapped in special alloy and thick one-way glass,

"These are the yokai the Special Affairs Division searched up these past days, take a look."

The possibility of contracting a new Shikigami...

Uesugi Toru clenched his fist and looked toward the first room.

He suddenly fell silent.

Because, standing in that room was a burly yokai with its head bound by thick iron chains, four limbs shackled, twin horns on its head, wearing a ferocious blood-colored mask, letting out low growls from time to time.

— 【Aka Hannya (Three-Star)】.

Skip this one.

Uesugi Toru doesn't want a Shikigami with the exact same transform positioning as himself, yet completely weaker in every aspect.

This makes no sense at all.

He then walked toward the next room.

Inside the room, a sturdy giant dog covered head to toe in piercing white fur lay prone.

It seemed to sense the gaze from somewhere, so it revealed blood-colored, vicious eyes.

The dog god first pretended to be asleep, nimbly glancing around twice, and only after seeing no one did it bare its teeth at a nonexistent enemy.

——【Dog God (Two-Star)】

This dog god seems to have decent spiritual wisdom, but its strength is a bit weak.

Uesugi Toru thought that with this two-star strength, he probably couldn't even beat the Komainu Group Leader summoned by his Shaking Bell.

Moreover, the dog god is a yokai leaning toward a meat-shield melee type, not good at support.

Uesugi Toru still wanted to find a shikigami that could provide crowd control and support for him and Adult Haku.

——Perhaps the later yokai avatar Hundred-Eyed Demon could do this, but he couldn't maintain this avatar all the time.

"Two more rooms."

Uesugi Toru walked to the center of the last two rooms, first looking to the left.

Thus, a bizarre yokai with a fish head staring with large eyeballs, drooling "aba aba," and human legs on its lower body came into view.

——【Mermaid (Three-Star)】.

This appearance is just too damn weird.

And it looks not too smart at first glance.

Although it has three-star strength, Uesugi Toru suspected Akatsuki Ran behind him could deal with the opponent within ten moves.

At this time, Rituna Minami said: "This mermaid probably meets your requirements, with three-star level strength, its talent is also related to water and can slow others' movement speed, its IQ is probably about the same as a five-year-old child."

"But there are drawbacks, one is this appearance, two... is that the mermaid's potential upper limit seems to be three-star, we've almost never seen a three-star half mermaid."

Rituna Minami said this, and Uesugi Toru was somewhat moved.

Although this mermaid's appearance isn't great, he's an iron-blooded strength faction, being ugly is no problem!

"Too bad it's only three-star."

Uesugi Toru shook his head regretfully—if he had multiple possession vessels, he could naturally contract this mermaid to tide over for a while.

But he currently only has one "Universal Possession Vessel" obtained with great difficulty from a task in Arakawa Ghost Village, so naturally he couldn't use it on this ordinary, featureless mermaid.

He rubbed his temples, turned left to look at the last room.

Then, his eyes lit up!

Because, in that last room, stood a heron nearly one meter tall, with a sharp long beak, and feathers shining brilliantly all over its body.

And, its whole body surged with blue-green flames, slowly twisting the surrounding air.

——【Azure Heron Fire (Three-Star Half)】.

Uesugi Toru asked somewhat startled: "Nanjo Sister, this Azure Heron Fire..."

"This Azure Heron Fire indeed meets your requirements in every way." Rituna Minami also sighed, "But it went mad as early as when it was imprisoned."

"If you can endure it attacking friend and foe indiscriminately in battle, then contracting this Azure Heron Fire is not impossible."

Uesugi Toru's forehead twitched after hearing this.

Good grief, the one that best meets the conditions actually has a problem with its brain.

It seems this Universal Possession Vessel will have to keep lying in the Storage Backpack for a while.

"Now the number of Onmyoji is exploding like a wellspring, shikigami are actually a rather scarce resource."

Rituna Minami was equally helpless,

"Basically, yokai with potential are captured and contracted on the spot, or else killed or they escape."

She said: "The yokai sent to the Special Affairs Division after layers of screening are definitely more or less not so agreeable existences."

Uesugi Toru: "I understand this."

He said somewhat helplessly toward Rituna Minami: "So, next, please Nanjo Sister take me to find that Craftsman."

"Small matter, follow me."

Rituna Minami turned around, stepping with her shoes clack clack clack as she walked out.

Not long after, the three of them arrived before a sealed room constantly emitting clanging blacksmithing sounds.

Rituna Minami swiped her ID Card.

Then the embedded room door opened to both sides, a shocking wave of heat hit Uesugi Toru's face.

End of Chapter