Chapter 37

How did the conversation suddenly jump to a completely unrelated topic?

Weren't we just asking ourselves how to resolve Aibetsuri?

Seeing Shizuku not react, Kondo Tomoya immediately upped the ante: "Miss Tokugawa, I can teach you the Breathing Technique to step into the supernatural; you only need to be listed on the Special Affairs Division's roster."

At this, Shizuku began to seriously consider Kondo Tomoya's words — being able to completely shed the identity of an ordinary person powerless to truss a chicken was what she dreamed of.

Thinking for a moment, she looked toward Uesugi Toru.

Because if she agreed, then Uesugi Toru would have no sparring partner for this period of time.

Being the other party's teacher was something she had agreed to with her own mouth, and to Shizuku there was nothing heavier than a promise; some damn Breathing Technique naturally couldn't shake her heart in the slightest.

To this, Uesugi Toru merely sighed: "Don't treat me like a kid."

"——Then I agree."

Shizuku answered decisively, making Kondo Tomoya's complexion brighten with joy.

He hadn't expected to so easily net a swordsmanship genius who left even him dumbfounded; coming along with Minami Rituna this time was truly the right call.

Shizuku: "I still have one doubt — why could you, Major Officer Kondo, tell at a glance that neither I nor Uesugi Toru are her clones, yet I cannot?"

"Is it because my cultivation is insufficient?" That was Shizuku's first reaction.

"Not at all."

Kondo Tomoya's tone changed completely; he explained in detail: "Even among those with Sword Heart Penetration, each person's condensed Sword Heart is different, thereby giving rise to all manner of bizarre Sword Heart Traits — for instance, my Trait 'Insight' excels at observation."

Next, Shizuku questioned Kondo Tomoya about swordsmanship-related matters with ravenous thirst.

Watching the two of them, Minami Rituna clicked her tongue, pushed open the conference room's heavy door, and beckoned Uesugi Toru with a crook of her finger.

"Let's go, let's go."

She walked out of the Special Affairs Division building in her Dr. Martens boots, *tap tap tap*.

Walking along, Uesugi Toru discovered that although the Special Affairs Division looked no different from an ordinary company on the surface, in reality he only had to turn his head slightly to catch a string of stars in his field of vision.

Although One-Star Half and above were few enough to count on one's fingers, One-Star Half stars were truly as common as dogs... or why else call this the Special Affairs Division, he'd have thought it was some Demon Nest.

He didn't look further, following Minami Rituna to the doorway, where he saw her impatiently clamp a cigarette in her mouth, light it, then inhale deeply:

"I was suffocating..."

After slowly exhaling the smoke, Minami Rituna said: "You brat really have a huge life, you know Aibetsuri hasn't had a peep of news transmitted out in over a hundred years."

As for why no news transmitted out, that was naturally because everyone who had seen Aibetsuri died.

This also indirectly led to the Special Affairs Division's grasp of intelligence related to Aibetsuri being extremely scarce; they only knew she could play with emotions and manipulate spirits, and knew nothing whatsoever about anything else.

Uesugi Toru savored the flavor of these words, replying: "Nanjo Sister, if you want me to come work under you, you can just say so directly; what's our relationship."

"Speaking so bluntly, the leadership won't be happy." Minami Rituna said.

Uesugi Toru spread his hands: "Nanjo Sister is Nanjo Sister, leadership is leadership, two separate matters can't be lumped together."

Minami Rituna narrowed her eyes, pinching out the cigarette butt with her fingertips.

This time, she spoke words completely opposite to those at their first meeting,

"Not joining the Special Affairs Division, you'll die."

"Although Aibetsuri's exact combat power is still unknown, what can be affirmed is that her rank is between Three-Star and Four-Star... in the entire Arakawa Ward, those who can face her head-on are few and far between."

Minami Rituna said word by word: "Uesugi Toru, you must be clear, you have already been targeted."

However, Uesugi Toru was focused on another question: "Why can you be certain Aibetsuri's rank does not exceed Three-Star?"

Minami Rituna stared at him expressionlessly.

Uesugi Toru also stared back with wide eyes, bright and spirited.

A long time.

Minami Rituna sighed heavily, as if giving up: "Because of the existence of the 【Sea Level】."

"——Before the arrival of the First Wave, Three-Star... that is, what we commonly call Evil Ghost Level was the highest Sea Level; if one broke through further upward, not only would it be extraordinarily difficult, but it would also be impossibly conspicuous."

"If Aibetsuri surpassed Three-Star, then all Onmyoji in Tokyo would be able to sense her existence; this obviously does not match her current purpose of hiding."

Aibetsuri temporarily won't surpass Three-Star; this may be the only good news in the recent period.

Next, Uesugi Toru began estimating his own side's combat power:

Ghost Old Man has Three-Star, the Puppet can make him wary so it has at least Two-Star Half, and I myself am about to break through to One-Star Rank, so I can barely count as One-Star Half or above combat power.

Calculating like this, not to mention resolving Aibetsuri, holding out for a few minutes under her hands waiting for Minami Rituna's reinforcements to arrive should be no big problem.

So Uesugi Toru's refusal wasn't a casual refusal, but had his own considerations within it.

"Then Nanjo Sister, if I come under you, can you stay by my side every moment?"

"I'm not your mom..."

You see, Minami Rituna cannot become a personal bodyguard, so whether or not he joins the Special Affairs Division makes no fundamental change to Uesugi Toru's situation.

Moreover, if there were teammates by his side, Uesugi Toru would be unable to transform into the Laughing Prajna.

Not transforming, easily instant-killed by Aibetsuri in one strike; transforming, if seen by teammates he couldn't clear his name even jumping into the Yellow River.

In summary, joining the Special Affairs Division not only has not half a benefit, but is instead a major hindrance to Uesugi Toru.

After waiting for Minami Rituna to quietly finish another cigarette, Uesugi Toru smiled and asked: "Anything else to say, Nanjo Sister?"

——This brat is hiding things, that is beyond doubt.

But Minami Rituna actually doesn't care what Uesugi Toru is hiding, or how much he's hiding.

She only worries that Uesugi Toru has too few hidden trump cards, yet his confidence is excessive, leading him to misjudge his own strength and brew a tragedy.

"Don't let it turn out that what he's hiding is an urn for the graveyard..."

Uesugi Toru blinked: "Nanjo Sister, what did you say?"

"I mean." Minami Rituna tossed him a cigarette, "When the time comes, come keep me company for one."

Uesugi Toru grinned, carefully tucking it into his pocket: "Small matter. Then Nanjo Sister, I'm off first."

"Go, go, go, do you need me to chase you out?"

Rituna Minami waved her hand irritably, then took out another cigarette and bit it.

Too many troublesome things, awkward and troublesome; if Rituna Minami didn't smoke to relieve her stress, she feared she might destroy the world one day.

Pushing open the house door, upon seeing the faceless face of the ghost old man, Uesugi Toru instead felt especially close.

Fortunately, you're still here!

If it weren't for the three-star old man sitting in the house, Uesugi Toru would have been troubled.

However, before the First Wave arrives, the house is undoubtedly still considered half a Safe House.

After greeting the old man familiarly, Uesugi Toru rushed into the bedroom, closed his eyes, and lay down on the bed.

Time waits for no one!

Before Rituna Minami completes her Star Upgrade, Uesugi Toru must try his best to ensure he knows the specific location of the Eight Shaku Figure, and complete the task of exploring Arakawa Guicun.

In this way, the time to obtain rewards and improve strength after the upgrade can be reduced to the shortest.

It's just opening his vision in Arakawa Guicun, a map he has half cleared; it's nothing difficult.

So in less than eight hours, Uesugi Toru completed the above miscellaneous tasks.

Then, he spent a full four hours patiently waiting.

Finally,

——Rituna Minami's first Star Upgrade is complete!

End of Chapter