On a Sunday afternoon, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Kyogumichi stood at the entrance of the mountain forest, looking at the system notification that popped up on his panel: [Main Quest: Discover the secret of the mountain forest guardian, and establish a bond with Natsume Takashi].
Ever since he met that fat cat who called himself "Nyanko-sensei" last time, this quest had been hovering on his panel, and today he finally had time to complete it.
He changed into light running shoes and followed the previous route deeper into the mountain forest. The mountain forest was exceptionally quiet in the afternoon, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional bird song. He slowed his pace, carefully listening to the surrounding movements; the keen perception brought by the Six Styles allowed him to catch subtle sounds.
After walking for about half an hour, a "rustling" sound came from the bushes ahead, accompanied by the sound of chewing. His lips curved slightly—it seemed he wouldn't have to search hard.
He pushed aside the bushes and, sure enough, saw the orange-and-white fat cat squatting on a large rock, gnawing happily on a plastic bag. The bag had a convenience store logo printed on it, and it seemed to contain taiyaki.
Hearing footsteps, the fat cat vigilantly raised its head. When it saw it was him, its whiskers twitched, and its mouth was still stuffed with half a taiyaki.
"It's you again, human brat," Nyanko-sensei said indistinctly, pulling the remaining taiyaki closer to its chest. "What are you doing here? Trying to steal my snacks?"
"Just out for a walk," he sat down beside it, his gaze falling on the broken bell around its neck. "Are you really the guardian of this mountain forest?"
"Is there any doubt?" The cat puffed out its round belly, a proud look on its face. "I am a great youkai who has lived for a very long time! All the youkai in this mountain forest listen to me!"
"Then do you know Natsume Takashi?" he cut straight to the chase.
The cat's taiyaki-eating paused, and it looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you looking for that Natsume kid?"
"I heard he comes here often and wanted to meet him," he didn't hide anything. "And I think your relationship with him should be unusual, right?"
"Hmph, he's just a troublesome human kid," the cat said stubbornly, but its tone softened unconsciously. "He's always attracting strange youkai. If I weren't following him, he would have been eaten long ago."
Just then, faint footsteps came from a distance, accompanied by a gentle call: "Sensei? Are you here?"
The cat's ears immediately perked up. It hastily stuffed the remaining taiyaki into its mouth and mumbled to him, "Don't say I snuck out to eat snacks!"
Before he could respond, a young man in a beige trench coat emerged from the woods.
He had clear amber eyes and a gentle smile on his face. When he saw the cat, he shook his head helplessly: "Here you are, just as I thought. Tanuma said he saw you sneak out to buy taiyaki."
The young man was Natsume Takashi. He paused when he noticed him beside him, then showed a friendly smile: "Hello, I'm Natsume Takashi. May I ask who you are?"
"Okabara Kyogumichi," he stood up, returning the smile. "I'm a Sobu University student. I met... Sensei here yesterday."
"I see," Natsume realized, bending down to pick up the fat cat that was still licking its paws. "I'm sorry, did he cause you any trouble?"
"No, he's very interesting," he looked at the cat in Natsume's arms, who was glaring at him with a displeased look. "I heard you're very familiar with this mountain forest, so I wanted to ask about the legends here."
Natsume's eyes lit up, seemingly very interested in the topic: "I've been coming here since I was little, and I do know some stories. What kind are you interested in?"
"Legends about the mountain forest guardian," he deliberately emphasized the word "guardian," and his peripheral vision caught the cat's ears twitching.
The three walked slowly along the forest path, Natsume gently recounting the legends of the mountain forest, from the fox youkai that guided lost travelers to the tree spirits that guarded ancient trees. Each story was full of gentle imagination.
He listened quietly, occasionally asking questions, and their conversation flowed exceptionally smoothly.
The cat yawned in Natsume's arms, occasionally interjecting a few words. Although he always said, "I, the great one, back in the day...", he unexpectedly supplemented many story details.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto Natsume's soft profile, making him appear as if enveloped in a halo, exceptionally warm.
"You seem to know a lot about youkai?" he asked curiously.
Natsume paused, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile: "Yes, I've been able to see things others can't since I was little. At first, I was very scared, but then I gradually realized that they aren't all terrifying beings."
"Like Sensei?" he teased.
"Hey! What do you mean, human brat!" the cat bristled.
Natsume smiled, comforting the fat cat in his arms: "Although Sensei is greedy and willful, he's actually very gentle."
He watched them interact, smiling with satisfaction. Natsume had a special gentleness about him that made people unconsciously lower their guard. Even when discussing strange topics like youkai, he made it feel warm and credible.
When they reached the forest exit, Natsume took out his phone: "If you don't mind, could we exchange contact information? If you want to come to the mountain forest again, I can be your guide."
"Sure," he took out his phone and added him as a friend.
"Then, see you next time," Natsume, holding the cat, waved goodbye. "Be careful on your way."
"Goodbye."
Watching Natsume's retreating figure, his phone screen lit up, showing a mission complete notification:
[Quest Complete: Mountain Forest Whispers] [Reward:800 points, Skill Unlocked: "Youkai Sense (Lv.1)"] [Character:Natsume Takashi] [Bond Progress:0% → 12% (Triggered Event: Resonance of Legends)] [Event Evaluation:Your tolerance and understanding of youkai made him feel a warmth akin to his own kind, quickly establishing trust]
He put away his phone and turned to walk home. The setting sun stretched his shadow long, and the faint, fresh scent of grass and trees from Natsume seemed to linger in the air.
He touched his pocket, recalling Natsume's last words: "Although Sensei is sharp-tongued, he's actually very afraid of loneliness."
Perhaps every seemingly strong existence hides a soft corner within. He looked at the distant sky, where the sunset glow was as brilliant as molten gold.
This weekend, he not only completed a system quest but also made a new friend, which was an unexpected bonus.
Passing by a convenience store, he specifically went in and bought a box of taiyaki, thinking he could use it as "hush money" the next time he saw the cat. Stepping out of the store, the evening breeze brushed his cheeks, bringing a hint of coolness, yet he felt a warmth in his heart.
The bonds of this world seemed to be slowly weaving into a net in an unexpected way. And he stood at the center of the net, feeling the warmth and kindness from different corners.
Tomorrow was a new week again, and he wondered what new encounters awaited him.