Dark fury burned relentlessly within Shimomura Izumi.
If that's the case, then let's just go to hell together!
A black phantom silently appeared behind her, a companion who had been with her since childhood for some unknown reason.
She was her only confidante, her only friend!
"Kill...."
Just as she was about to speak, Tanaka Youko's peripheral vision caught sight of the area behind the handsome man, and she suddenly froze.
So she remained silent, seemingly agreeing to the outcome of being sold.
Her stepfather, reeking of alcohol, noticed his useless stepdaughter was about to resist and was about to curse loudly with a flushed face, but then he saw her suddenly become unresponsive. A surge of anger was stuck in his chest, unreleased, making him extremely annoyed.
But thinking of the money promised by the sugar daddy next to him, he forced an ugly smile.
"You see, she also agreed, so this money...."
Rhode gently raised his right hand, and Suzuki Jun placed a box of money on the table and opened it.
The man's eyes lit up, and he was about to pounce, but Rhode pressed down on the box.
"The money is yours. I'm taking her tonight."
The man hesitated a bit. He still wanted to instruct his stepdaughter to find out this guy's identity and see if they could extort more money.
Rhode looked at him with cold eyes, and the man shivered violently as if a sharp knife was at his throat, nodding frantically.
"Alright, alright, as you wish!"
Her mother wanted to speak but hesitated, but under the man's threatening gaze, she finally closed her eyes in pain.
Rhode stood up, satisfied, and walked over to Tanaka Youko, smiling gently.
"If you need to take anything, let Suzuki Jun help you pack. After all, you won't be coming back."
Suzuki Jun squirmed a bit at the nickname "Little Jun" but eventually walked over reluctantly.
Damn master, I'm clearly older! When we're in bed, I'll definitely make you surrender!
Tanaka Youko subconsciously looked at Suzuki Jun's side, her pupils constricted slightly again, then she lowered her head and said softly.
"I understand."
Suzuki Jun, aware of her future companion's complicated family, no longer felt hostility towards her, only pity and compassion. So, she proactively took her hand and gently comforted her as they walked to her room.
Tanaka Youko felt the kindness from her palm, and her unease lessened slightly.
She couldn't help but look back at Rhode's side, and after reconfirming that the black phantom wasn't an illusion, a small spark of hope ignited within her.
Unlike Suzuki Jun, Tanaka Youko's personal belongings were pitifully few; everything fit into one backpack.
As they were leaving, her stepfather was laughing and counting money in the living room; only her mother came out to see them off.
She lowered her head, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry, Mom is incompetent."
"I just feel that instead of being buried with me in this desperate, futureless home, it's better to go with them."
"You're still young, you still have a long life ahead. Don't follow your mother's path.... and don't come back."
Tanaka Youko held her backpack and didn't look back, but tears fell in large drops.
[A-rank wish completed.]
[Mission completion: Normal, Wish-granter satisfaction: ..... Ultimate.]
[Congratulations! You have received an A-rank reward.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Tanaka Youko's ability: Ajin.]
[Congratulations! You have received 1800 Wish Points. Current balance: 47700 points.]
The group returned to the temporary residence.
Suzuki Jun quietly closed the guest room door, returned to the master bedroom, climbed onto the bed, and cuddled Rhode's arm, acting spoiled.
Rhode was looking through his phone at the Neon government's reaction to the Ajin gathering day.
"Is she asleep?"
"Yes... Do you think her mother's last words were sincere?"
"Is there any point in asking that now?"
....Indeed.
Tanaka Youko, no, she had now changed her name to Shimoizumi.
Shimoizumi was her biological father's surname, and Izumi was her mother's maiden name.
Shimoizumi, after returning with them and hearing Suzuki Jun's introduction, surprisingly quickly accepted reality.
Suzuki Jun had originally been eager to show off her well-honed persuasive skills to Rhode.
However, she didn't expect Shimoizumi to agree to the slave contract without hesitation, becoming Rhode's second servant.
The speed of her acceptance was even faster than hers!
This made Suzuki Jun somewhat dejected.
Shimoizumi, on the other hand, was more interested in the black phantom behind the two of them. After Suzuki Jun's explanation, she realized her identity as an Ajin.
Facing Rhode, who had rescued her from that family and protected her Ajin identity, Shimoizumi easily generated an A-rank wish, which was completed in an instant.
After that, she sat on the sofa without saying a word, only occasionally sneaking glances at Rhode.
Suzuki Jun finally couldn't hold it in and proactively told him about the methods used to deal with her original family.
Rhode naturally wouldn't be so kind as to let that drunkard get a large sum of money for nothing.
Tomorrow morning, that guy would go out, stumble, and die in an accident.
As for Shimoizumi's mother, she would inherit that money and receive insurance compensation, enough to live out the rest of her life comfortably.
After hearing the subsequent arrangements, Shimoizumi just silently stood up and began to take off her clothes.
When Suzuki Jun stopped her in astonishment, Shimoizumi simply said as if it were the most natural thing, "Since I'm the Master's slave now, isn't offering my body the proper thing to do?" which completely silenced Suzuki Jun.
Only then did she realize that this seemingly gentle and weak girl might actually be a formidable rival!
Thinking of these things, Suzuki Jun felt an unprovoked sense of urgency. She rolled over, pinning Rhode beneath her, and said with full force.
"At least, until today, you're still mine alone!"
In the guest room next door, Shimoizumi lay with her eyes open, quietly staring at the ceiling, the seductive sounds from next door constantly ringing in her ears, making her imagination run wild.
.....
The next morning.
Suzuki Jun rubbed her dark circles, her legs trembling as she leaned against the wall to stand up.
"I overslept. I need to buy breakfast for the Master."
Pushing open the master bedroom door, she heard the clanging of pots and pans from the kitchen.
"Hmm, no way...."
Suzuki Jun picked up her jacket from the sofa, draped it over her bare shoulders, and walked to the kitchen, where she saw a lovable JK cooking.
Her limbs were slender, and her movements were practiced.
"Sister Suzuki, is Master awake?"
Shimoizumi turned around, revealing a gentle smile. Her beautiful face was flushed in the morning sun, and her freshly washed hair gleamed.
Suzuki Jun was momentarily dazed, as if the lovely girl before her wasn't the pitiful person abandoned by her family last night.
"Uh, he should be getting up soon."
Speaking of which, although Rhode had given her many entries and maid-type skills, she was mostly responsible for handling his external affairs.
On weekdays, when the two of them ate, they either went to a restaurant or ordered takeout.
Suzuki Jun crossed her arms, leaned against the doorframe, and quietly watched Shimoizumi busy herself.
This long-lost sense of domesticity gradually fostered a feeling she recognized as family.
Suzuki Jun's smile was serene.
"Having a younger sister doesn't seem so bad...."
Rhode yawned widely as he got up. By the time he reached the dining room, the two girls were already sitting obediently at their places, waiting for him.
On his plate were grilled sausages, fried bacon, and a soft-boiled egg, along with a slice of toasted bread and milk—a typical Western breakfast.
This was likely due to the sparse ingredients in the refrigerator.
During his time in the Court of the Stars, he had, out of curiosity, tasted the dishes Ryu personally cooked.
Since then, any even slightly normal meal seemed incredibly delicious to him....
"Izumi's cooking is quite good, isn't it?"
Rhode took a bite of sausage, gave a thumbs-up, and praised her without reservation.
Shimoizumi shyly lowered her head, a little reserved.
"As long as you like it."
Suzuki Jun glared, unconvinced.
"Why doesn't Master think I made it?!"
Rhode gave her a disdainful glance; he didn't say a word, but everything was understood.
Suzuki Jun huffily chugged a large gulp of milk.
Shimoizumi watched their interaction from the side, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
After breakfast, Suzuki Jun silently went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
When Rhode came over to make coffee, she immediately looked at him with starry eyes, feigning a delicate and charming demeanor to flirt, attempting to entice Rhode to do housework with her.
"There are quite a lot of dishes, haven't you finished washing them yet?"
Rhode asked casually while frothing milk.
"Are you tired?"
Suzuki Jun nodded like a pecking chick, casting him a tender, watery gaze.
"If you're tired, wash faster, or we won't wait for you." Rhode laughed heartily.
"Master!!!" Suzuki Jun was so angry she pretended to chase Rhode to hit him.
After teasing his little servant, Rhode scurried into the living room, where Shimomura Izumi was communicating with her IBM (female).
Her IBM had a triangular head and was skilled in combat.
It was said to have appeared by her side very early on, silently accompanying her ever since.
"Master, I've thought about it. Since Sister Suzuki is a clerical type, I hope to share some of your burden in the combat type."
Shimomura Izumi clenched her small fists, a serious expression on her face.
Both girls knew they would only remain in this world for at most another week before heading to a new one, and they were both excited and nervous about it.
"Alright, just like Jun, I'll first awaken your Grace."
Rhode bit his finger until blood seeped out, then touched it to Shimomura Izumi's forehead.
As long as his blood touched the other person's skin, he could activate his authority, so there was no need for the troublesome process of taking off clothes every time.
Accompanying the cold sensation, a Fluorescence glow lit up on Shimomura Izumi's hand, revealing an extremely complex concentric triple-ring pattern.
Rhode narrowed his eyes, thoughtfully observing the emblem again.
The innermost layer was a swirling vortex of light in the shape of an infinity symbol, with an all-seeing eye at the center of a dazzling, multicolored stellar core.
The 'twelve-pointed star' radiance encircling the central stellar core had points interwoven with different divine element symbols.
Cross, sun wheel, feather, longsword, bow...
The outermost ring consisted of multiple intersecting circles, with different styles of symbols embedded in each orbit.
Mechanical gears, divine tree branches and leaves, talisman banners.....
The outermost part extended into several outwardly blooming wings and tentacles.
"My divine emblem...."
As data composed of sacred text floated, Shimomura Izumi's ability values appeared on her hand for the first time.
Lv.1
Strength: i0
Durability: i0
Dexterity: i0
Agility: i0
Magic: i0
Development Abilities: (None)
Magic: (None)
Skills:
[Demi-human: Immortal Body]
[Combat-type IBM]
Shimomura Izumi did not check her changes immediately. Instead, she held Rhode's finger, gently sucking on it, her pure and innocent eyes slightly narrowed, her expression like that of a well-behaved cat.
"....Master~"
Rhode helplessly pinched her earlobe.
"Alright, I know what you're thinking, but we have important matters to attend to soon. Tomorrow, I'll embark on a pioneering journey with you."
Like Suzuki Jun at first, this was also a manifestation of her lack of security.
Shimomura Izumi lowered her head and giggled, reluctantly releasing Rhode's finger before curiously examining her hand.
Rhode then briefly explained the ability value settings to her.
"Ability values" are numerical values generated by systematically parameterizing the God's Grace system.
They include basic abilities, development abilities, magic, and skills, with the level indicating the overall degree of strength.
Basic abilities are Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, and Magic, and the numerical range for each dimension of basic abilities is 0~999, represented by letters from I~S, totaling 10 levels.
Experience gained through training or actual combat increases proficiency. The more frequently a corresponding item is trained, the more prominent the proficiency and evaluation naturally become.
Generally, the upper limit of basic abilities is 999, which is S.
Development abilities have a chance to be acquired when leveling up, and currently include categories such as Hunter, Forging, Poison Resistance, Magic Mastery, Healing, Mystery, and so on.
.... .... 0
The development abilities that appear are related to the situations the Grace recipient encountered before leveling up. For example, if many poisonous plants or monsters that emit toxic substances were encountered before leveling up, a Poison Resistance skill might appear when leveling up.
"You, like Jun, have not awakened magic due to living in modern society, but both of you possess a skill called Demi-human."
"I will merge the IBM specialties of both of you, allowing you to fly, and Jun will also possess a certain level of combat ability."
"Afterward, according to your wishes, I will add combat-related abilities to you."
Shimomura Izumi memorized all the information, quietly repeated it several times, then suddenly her eyes lit up.
"As long as I keep training, my ability values will increase, and then... Ow, that hurts...."
Shimomura Izumi clutched her red and swollen forehead, looking up at Rhode with a pained expression.
Rhode stood with his arms crossed, a serious expression on his face.
"I know what you're thinking; Jun had the same idea at the time."
"I must warn you, immortality does not mean no pain, nor does it mean invincibility. In other worlds, there are countless ways to make Demi-humans wish they were dead!"
"The Demi-human ability can only be your last resort, a save point. It must never be treated as a conventional weapon that can be exploited. Do you understand?"
Shimomura Izumi nodded vigorously, took Rhode's hand, and pitifully admitted her mistake.
"I-I understand!"
Rhode sighed helplessly.
"If you even get used to pain and death, that state is probably not far from becoming a monster."
"Moreover, currently, if you die even once, your accumulated experience will also reset to the state it was in when I last updated your ability values."
"So, the Demi-human ability can be used for rapid growth in the beginning, but to become truly strong, the further you go, the more you must break free from relying on it, understand?"
After repeatedly confirming that Shimomura Izumi understood the gravity of the situation, Rhode did not pursue it further.
Ultimately, she was still just a young JK.
As noon approached, Rhode directly transferred the entire detached house into Kamui Space, then stretched.
"It's finally time to put an end to this world~"
In front of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.
Police cars and armored vehicles were lined up end to end, and fully armed police, along with the Special Security Guard, tightly surrounded the area.
The entrance was designated a restricted area by layers of iron fences and caution tape; even if a bird flew by, someone would immediately keep an eye on it.
Everyone was on edge, solely to deal with the Demi-humans rumored to gather here today, and the legendary, elusive Demi-human savior!
There were even several helicopters in the sky, continuously patrolling and monitoring the entire area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Demi-human Management Association was also dispatched to assist in this operation.
However, as the appointed time slowly approached, the sky over Tokyo remained calm, and the restricted area was empty.
Only the sunlight cast long shadows of the police officers present, and occasionally the wind blew, carrying dust-laden documents.
Time passed minute by minute, until the noon bells drew near, and still no one appeared.
A staff member of the Demi-human Management Association couldn't help but speak.
"It's already 11:50, and there's not a single movement. Could it be that he's afraid of us? Haha."
"Idiot, he can run rampant across the entire United States, even entering and exiting military bases freely. Would he be afraid of these guys who have never even been to a battlefield?"
"Tosaki, are you mocking me?!" Small.