Chapter 26

【You have obtained the key item for Side Quest One — the Complete Jizo Statue!】

【Side Quest One: The Jizo Statue's Damage — When did the Jizo statue enshrined to the south of the village become damaged?】

Previously it was Side Quest Two, now Side Quest One has arrived as well.

Uesugi Toru carefully examined the Jizo statue in his hand.

Now he only needs to ascertain Shizuku's activity location to complete the full construction of the Guicun Map.

However, the content described in this Side Quest One... even Uesugi Toru, who doesn't browse forums much, has heard of it like thunder piercing his ears.

A countryside village, and a damaged Jizo statue.

If there's no deviation, the Mononoke referred to in this Side Quest One should be the "Eight Shaku Figure".

— Legend has it that the Eight Shaku Figure will eerily appear around the target without any warning, making a "popopo" sound, and anyone who lays eyes on it even once will absolutely be haunted.

Next, the Eight Shaku Figure will use various methods to approach the target, causing them to be afflicted with a curse...

Even among all sorts of Urban Legends, the Eight Shaku Figure belongs to the tier with the highest popularity, and there are even people who have specifically drawn related manga and produced similar anime, spreading widely.

There's even a saying that the Eight Shaku Figure prefers to appear before cute young boys.

However, after pondering, Uesugi Toru found that aside from "curse", the Eight Shaku Figure doesn't seem to have any powerful killing methods, and doesn't appear very difficult to deal with.

Uesugi Toru, who hadn't seen the Jizo Statue's Attribute Panel, muttered to himself: "So, what use is this Jizo statue?"

"Teacher said..."

The little guy was about to speak, but upon seeing Uesugi Toru's gaze shift over, he froze completely as if hit by a paralysis technique.

"Take your time speaking."

Uesugi Toru tried to make his tone gentle — damn it, just how many things did that blacksmith instruct his child laborer with, sentence after sentence, would it kill him to say it all at once.

The little guy cleared his throat, seemingly imitating the blacksmith's tone:

"— Walker-sama, if you have the intention to subjugate a Shikigami, you may use this Jizo statue on that Mononoke to the south of Arakawa Village."

Uesugi Toru stared quietly at the little guy, understanding why he couldn't see the Jizo Statue's attributes.

Because this is a Hidden Item that can only be triggered by the "Walker" Identity.

With a different Identity, even if one obtained it they wouldn't know the usage, resulting in still killing the Eight Shaku Figure — there wouldn't be much difference whether they got this Jizo statue or not.

Thinking along these lines, the blacksmith probably recognized him as a Walker from the very first time he stepped into the Blacksmith Shop.

It's just a pity the blacksmith passed away too early, didn't get a chance to ask him about matters related to Walkers.

Uesugi Toru put away the Jizo Statue, having decided to try and see if he could seal the Eight Shaku Figure into the Jizo Statue before capturing Shizuku — if successful, it would count as a combat asset.

"Next, I will eliminate the Mononoke in Arakawa Guicun one by one." Uesugi Toru suddenly turned back when he reached the doorway, startling the little guy who was just about to close the door, "Is there anything else you want to say?"

The little guy hurriedly put back the hood that had inadvertently slipped off, stood in place for a moment, then placed his hands before him and chose to bow deeply to Uesugi Toru:

"I wish you, Martial Luck."

Uesugi Toru nodded at her cheerfully, stepping over the Blacksmith Shop's threshold.

Looks like this first gacha pull's effect was quite significant after all, finally got a clear look at the face under the hood of this little guy who likes to speak in halves.

Small round face, quite cute.

— Though, what's with the two golden bells tied at the ends of her hair?

"Your bath, you took a bit long."

Amidst the noisy passing crowd, Shizuku's voice was exceptionally clear, even making Uesugi Toru subconsciously want to swing the non-existent sword in his hand.

Shizuku hastily tilted her head, raising both hands above her head to block: "Repaying kindness with enmity, is it!"

"Subconscious, subconscious... look, you've even given me a knee-jerk reflex."

Pressing his right hand down with his left, Uesugi Toru looked left and right: "Where's your friend?"

"Standing under the small woods brushing her phone."

The two interacted as if no one else existed, leaving the passing students around them staring with dropped jaws.

— When did that taciturn Swordsmanship Club Captain become so lively?

But the two parties involved didn't intend to care about onlookers' thoughts; Uesugi Toru's mind was full of the upcoming plan, while Shizuku chatted single-mindedly while cultivating the sword in her heart.

That's right! After achieving Sword Heart Penetration, Shizuku discovered she could actually construct a cultivation ground and enemies in her heart, thereby cultivating every moment, without stopping for a single second.

Although the results of mental cultivation cannot directly affect the physical body, it's a pretty good method for tempering will and polishing sword technique details.

The downside is it places an enormous burden on the spirit.

Naturally, Shizuku doesn't mind.

"Last night, a gas explosion occurred in a certain building in Arakawa Ward..."

Under the woods, Shizuma Manatsu muttered: "Why does it feel like sewer pipe explosions and gas explosions have been so frequent lately, and so many people lack basic safety awareness."

Beside her, Kitano Runa's face was already twitching, fingers trembling as she swiped this report into the 【Desire to Cover Up】 bookmark folder.

Her complexion was ugly: "It's going to go bad... in a couple days there won't be some Arakawa Incident, right? If people have to die, can't the capitalists and rich people die first."

After greeting the Shizuma pair, Uesugi Toru led them to the doorway.

He looked around for a good while but didn't see Hasegawa Ken's figure.

"Strange, could Nanjo Sister have stood me up? By reason that shouldn't be possible..."

Just as Uesugi Toru was preparing to make a call, he heard Shizuma Manatsu exclaim beside him: "Big Sis! Why are you here?!"

Uesugi Toru followed the sound's direction and saw a woman with a neat short bob, wearing OL attire, with a meticulous expression.

On her jacket was a name badge engraved with her name: 【Shizuka Mami】.

She looks a bit like a chibi version of Rituna Minami.

Shizuka Mami obviously also saw Uesugi Toru, wanted to say something, but with her own younger sister right before her eyes, she could only look at the other party first,

"Koharu, I'm the one who wants to ask you, why are you..."

Shizuka Mami paused, then looked at Uesugi Toru once more and said, "You came out together with this Mr. Uesugi?"

Although Manatsu had a carefree personality, she was completely incompatible with the word 'idiot,' so she immediately realized: "Older Sister, you're Uesugi-kun's acquaintance?"

"The person Minor Officer Kakka had me receive... is my Younger Sister?"

Shizuka Mami thought in a daze, then hurriedly gripped her Younger Sister's shoulders and asked solemnly and anxiously: "Koharu! How did you come into contact with those things?!"

Shizuka Manatsu was flustered by her Older Sister's attitude, she stammered: "Eh? Ah! I..."

Seeing the two sisters about to argue at the school gate, Uesugi Toru reached out and lightly gripped Shizuka Mami's arm: "Ms. Shizuma, may I ask where Mr. Hasegawa is?"

The outsider's intervention caused Shizuka Mami's words to stagnate instantly, and only then did she realize her loss of composure.

"Sorry..."

Shizuka Mami apologetically rubbed her sun temple and said softly to Uesugi Toru: "Lord Hasegawa sacrificed himself last night; now I replace him as Nanjo Shao Shu's Shugyosei."

Uesugi Toru was slightly stunned.

(End of Chapter)