Chapter 9: Uesugi-kun, Your Body Is Quite Solid, Isn't It

"This, I've already had someone investigating."

Tokugawa Ririko interrupted him: "No need to thank me, this is what I should do."

"I want you not to investigate." Uesugi Toru, seeing there were many people around and ears everywhere, pulled her to a deserted corridor corner and frowned, "Officer Nanjo said it herself, ordinary people shouldn't get involved with these things."

Pinned against the wall corner by Uesugi Toru, Ririko's complexion didn't change: "You believing yesterday that cop's words, you might as well believe I'm a gender-swapped Guan Yu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, who can kill yokai in two or three slashes."

She pondered for two seconds and said: "Uesugi-kun, after you went home last night, you definitely also encountered a new spiritual event, right?"

Also?

Uesugi Toru's gaze sharpened.

What does she mean also?

Wasn't Ririko staying overnight at the police station last night?

Seeing Uesugi Toru's expression like this, Ririko sighed: "Looks like my guess was correct."

"Although I don't know what method you used to avoid the new spiritual event, there's one thing that's certain."

Ririko paused, then said: "We've probably already entered the Friendship Club's line of sight."

Didn't expect Ririko had actually thought this much.

But Nanjo Ai shouldn't have been fooling me either, otherwise she wouldn't have needed to give away that precious puppet.

So the problem is...

That spirit board that's obviously not right?

Watching Uesugi Toru's contemplative look, Ririko also had no intention of being a riddler at all:

"As for why I could think of these things, that's also very simple — just put yourself in that black hand's perspective and it's clear at a glance."

"—A situation that should have been a total wipe, yet two people unexpectedly survived. What should I do?"

The girl answered calmly: "Cut the grass and pull the roots. At worst, send someone to find out the situation."

"Maybe we haven't been taken seriously yet, but I think we can't just sit and wait for death, praying for onmyoji to quickly exterminate that club, then praying no spiritual event happens to us during that period, the probability of success..."

Ririko paused, then said lightly: "Let me ask, Uesugi-kun, when you normally play gacha games, have you ever done a ten-pull and gotten four limiteds?"

Uesugi Toru shook his head, he's eaten pity pulls plenty of times.

"—The probability of prayer success is much smaller than a ten-pull four limiteds."

Ririko: "So, your choice?"

Uesugi Toru stared for a while at the kendo pendant on Ririko's chest, thinking this thing's effect really isn't ordinary good.

Who could've imagined last night's whimpering monster could transform into the incomparably calm Ririko before his eyes.

He nodded: "You're right."

Hearing this, Tokugawa Ririko exhaled heavily: "Thank you."

Uesugi Toru could clearly feel that after Ririko said this sentence, the trembling in her palm disappeared. He thought for a moment, then raised a finger:

"Since you've said so much, Ririko, then let me also tell you a piece of news."

Ririko raised her head, hearing Uesugi Toru say: "If you encounter a spiritual event that can't be solved, call my phone, I'll rush over as fast as possible."

Ririko:?

Uesugi Toru could clearly read the confusion and doubt in the girl's pupils, but he didn't explain much.

"Right, investigation is fine, but don't go too deep, otherwise causing a counterproductive effect wouldn't be good."

Before parting, Uesugi Toru specifically instructed.

"This 'degree', I'll grasp it." Ririko nodded: "The investigators are three-layer outsourced, experienced private detectives. I didn't tell him too much, and even if he gets caught, he won't be able to trace it back to me at once."

But what if the other side uses supernatural means?

On this point, Uesugi Toru didn't speak up, he believed Ririko couldn't possibly not have thought of this.

And just as she said, even if there's risk of being discovered, they have to go do it rather than sit and wait for death.

—This is already the best response method.

Having run into a god teammate, Uesugi Toru said "awesome" in his heart.

He really found it hard to imagine Ririko was actually a high school sophomore just like the otaku original body who went crazy over his second dimension wife every day.

But... where did Ririko get so much money to do these things?

Didn't dwell on this point, everyone has their own little secrets.

Ririko is like this, and so is he himself.

【46】 Instead of dwelling on this, better to brush up more Kiai Technique proficiency in class.

Instead of agonizing over this, it's better to grind Kiai Technique Proficiency in Classroom.

During class, Uesugi Toru secretly trying discovered —

Even without gathering Qi into a ball and shouting it out, as long as he lets Qi circulate around and around in his body, he can gradually strengthen the Qi inside, thereby raising proficiency.

In this process, not only can it increase Qi, but also make his own control over Qi more accurate.

Uesugi Toru would call this Zazen Breathing.

Although it's a bit slower than normal cultivation methods, the benefit is he can do breathing exercises anytime, anywhere.

Maybe right now he still needs a relatively quiet environment, but Uesugi Toru estimates once proficiency is high, even sitting on a bus, even walking, he can continuously raise Kiai Technique proficiency.

【Your Skill, Kiai Technique Fragment Proficiency +25!】

Uesugi Toru, who focused on practicing Kiai Technique all morning, looking at the prompt 【Kiai Technique Fragment (Entry Level 26/100)】, thought this efficiency is pretty fast.

He estimates in about a day, he'll be able to max out the Kiai Technique's 100 proficiency points.

Wonder what rewards there'll be after skill upgrade... at least raise Physique by 1 point, right.

While drawing himself big cakes about post-upgrade skills, Uesugi Toru headed toward the Kendo Club.

Drawing cakes is unavoidable, because breathing and circulating Kiai Technique requires total concentration, even a tiny bit of distraction leads to all previous effort wasted, this attempt directly wasted.

Therefore even though he only did breathing exercises for a mere morning, Uesugi Toru felt mentally exhausted beyond measure.

Perhaps it was because his willpower was only a paltry 4 points.

Doorway of the Kendo Club.

Tokugawa Ririko, changed into a white kendo uniform, stood like a gate guardian at the dojo doorway, head bowed, arms crossed, leaning against it.

Before Uesugi Toru could walk closer, he heard Tokugawa Ririko's voice: "Come on in."

He scratched his head, somewhat puzzled: "You didn't even raise your head, how did you know I was coming?"

"By listening to footsteps. Everyone's footsteps are different."

Tokugawa Ririko pointed to her own ear: "For a qualified swordsman, listening to footsteps to determine position is the most basic skill."

She closed her eyes, and a few seconds later said: "For example, right now you can turn around and see twenty-seven people besides you and me."

Uesugi Toru counted, and was surprised to find it was indeed so.

Then he fell into thought.

——Just how did that cowardly Fox Dog Raccoon corner Tokugawa Ririko and make her shiver?

Are women naturally afraid of ugly-looking animals?

But Uesugi Toru forgot that a Green-Faced Fanged Hannya is far more terrifying than a mere Fox Dog Raccoon.

"Hurry and change your clothes over there; there's not much time left in the lunch break."

Tokugawa Ririko walked into the dojo and tossed a set of already-prepared kendo uniforms to Uesugi Toru: "Do you know how to wear it?"

Uesugi Toru looked at the pile of items in his hand and honestly shook his head: "No."

Tokugawa Ririko rubbed her forehead: "My fault, I'll help you change."

But just as she grabbed Uesugi Toru's forearm, her eyes, originally as calm as water, instantly brightened.

Tokugawa Ririko licked her lips, her tone curious:

"Uesugi-kun, how come I never noticed before that your body is actually quite solid."

End of Chapter