At Sobu High School, they established a club to gather information among students.
Oda Noto's side served as another crucial intelligence source.
Since exorcism services are expensive, only those severely affected in their daily lives would commission him, willing to pay to resolve their misfortunes.
Like that abandoned building Miko and Ye Xing had just visited, the construction company had desperately handed that case to Oda Noto as a last resort.
Near these commission sites, one could either find powerful evil spirits disruptive enough to affect human lives.
For Ye Xing with his devouring ability, these spirits were like Rare Candies in Pokémon - just consume them to level up.
Alternatively, a Gate may be present in the commissioned location.
Between the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society and the commissions transferred from Oda Noto, these two intelligence sources meant Ye Xing could obtain information about nearly all suspected supernatural incidents across Kyoto without extensive investigation.
"So that's how it is."
Miko nodded as if suddenly enlightened.
She'd assumed Ye Xing visited the old man Oda to extort him.
Turns out there was this additional layer of planning?
"You mentioned commissions have payments? How's the split - fifty-fifty?"
"Fifty-fifty?"
Ye Xing chuckled, waving his hand.
"Ten-zero split. I get ten, he gets zero."
"Zero?!"
Hearing this number left Miko stunned.
That Mr Oda would take nothing, giving all payment to Ye Xing?
This was too...
Noticing the astonishment in Miko Yotsuya's eyes, Ye Xing casually explained.
"You still don't understand. For an exorcist of his reputation, the reward from one or two commissions means nothing."
"What matters is his golden reputation."
"When others can't solve a commission, he can. Over time, he'll become Kyoto's most renowned exorcist."
"The potential income from this reputation is what's truly valuable to him."
"Oda Noto voluntarily offered me the entire commission reward and said I could take anything from his shop. That proves he understands this, too."
"He's an old fox who's well-versed in human affairs."
Miko nodded hesitantly, only half-understanding.
Truth be told, it was rather challenging for a high school girl like her to grasp the nature of the partnership between Oda Noto and Ye Xing.
"By the way, why did you take me to that unfinished building today?"
"Didn't I say? Training."
Hearing the word "training," Miko nearly had a PTSD episode.
She recalled that disgusting black-green tongue thoroughly licking the bento box, yet Ye Xing had eaten it without batting an eye.
That was simply inhuman!
Respect... absolute respect.
"Do you know what our greatest advantage is as psychics when facing evil spirits?"
Miko obediently shook her head, her expression eager to learn.
"What is it?"
Ye Xing's smile faded as he stood and walked to the window. Gazing at the relentless downpour outside, he spoke softly.
"The condition for us to touch evil spirits, and for them to harm us, is the same - when they know we can see them."
Then his tone shifted.
"In other words, if evil spirits can't confirm we can see them, they can't do anything to us. They can only watch helplessly."
"So the initiative to start a confrontation doesn't lie with the spirits, but with us. Do you understand?"
Even someone as slow as Miko finally grasped the purpose of this so-called training.
"So as long as we never reveal any weakness, no matter the situation, we'll always hold the initiative?"
"Exactly."
Ye Xing's perspective on the relationship between humans and evil spirits was completely opposite to Miko's.
In Miko's eyes, evil spirits held the upper hand.
Psychics like her with Mystic Eyes could only survive by constantly hiding, pretending, and fleeing.
But to Ye Xing, evil spirits and spectres were rather stupid creatures.
As long as you didn't trigger the "being seen" condition, they could never attack you.
Weren't they basically delivering themselves on a silver platter?
"If even you can't handle this evil spirit... that's really troubling."
Miko pressed her lips together, looking at the black "S" mark on the map with visible concern.
"Can't be helped."
Ye Xing shrugged, appearing completely unfazed.
"When summoning that ghost hand, I can't use the devouring ability. If it were just the initial evil spirits, even if there were thousands or tens of thousands of them, I could slowly eliminate them while replenishing my strength through devouring. But that peni... no, that serpentine evil spirit required the ghost hand to deal with."
"I see."
Miko Yotsuya nodded, her gaze suddenly carrying an inexplicable warmth towards Ye Xing, as if she'd finally relaxed.
"To be honest, I'm surprised there are evil spirits even you can't eliminate. But it also makes me feel for the first time that you're just a normal human like me."
"Indeed."
Ye Xing nodded slightly with a smile.
"Humans have limits."
"What do you mean...?"
"Miko, I'm going to stop being human!"
"Stop being ridiculous."
...
In the blink of an eye, the peaceful weekend passed.
Miko Yotsuya's daily life could be described as extremely fulfilling.
Training, training, and more training.
Now she could calmly pick up fish balls with chopsticks amidst swarms of evil spirits and sudden jump scares, placing them steadily in her mouth without batting an eye.
Just like a certain pink-haired kunoichi's famous quote.
Lady Tsunade, I've finally caught up to them!
Hah.
During lunch break, inside the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society's club room.
Rio Futaba, wearing a white lab coat like a scientist, was stirring freshly brewed coffee in a beaker with a stirring rod.
"May I come in?"
Hearing the sudden voice at the door, Rio didn't even look up, replying indifferently.
"This is your club room too. Come in if you want, no need to ask."
"Tch, a deal's a deal. Rules must be followed."
Ye Xing replied casually as he entered, sitting directly across from Rio without preamble, getting straight to the point.
"There's something I need your help analysing."
"Hmm, go ahead."
"It's like this..."
Ye Xing explained in detail about his Soul Materialisation used against evil spirits.
Of course, using chuunibyou-style terminology.
"I see..."
Rio nodded slightly, pushing up her glasses.
"So one protagonist awakened an ability, and now the other protagonist wants to awaken too, hence seeking the method. Correct?"
"Exactly."
Rio took a sip of coffee from the beaker, speaking thoughtfully.
"From your description, I think the awakening condition might not be objective."
"Consider this possibility."
"Could the difference in awakening be due to the two 'protagonists' having different perceptions when facing 'enemies'?"