"While I can understand how you're feeling, saying something like that at a time like this... I can only describe you as a pervert."
Kasumigaoka Shiwa snapped back to reality and glanced at the massive rat slowly approaching, seemingly probing for something. She took a deep breath and said:
"The wall isn't too high. If we stack ourselves up like a human pyramid, one person should be able to escape... So, should we make a run for it?"
Kasumigaoka Shiwa assumed a lunge stance, clasping her hands in front of her with palms facing up.
Seeing this, Luo Shu looked at her in surprise and then said:
"Are you crazy?"
"What else? At least one of us can get away—better than both of us dying, right?" As she spoke, Kasumigaoka Shiwa's hands trembled slightly. "Oh, right. My name is Kasumigaoka Shiwa, Class 1-B at Private Toyozaki Academy. If you make it out, could you let my parents know?"
"Kasumigaoka Shiwa?!" Luo Shu's eyes widened as he stared at the girl in front of him in disbelief.
"What? Do you know me?" Kasumigaoka Shiwa asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
At that moment, Luo Shu took a serious look at the girl before him. She was wearing what he recognized as her signature white hairband, a white women's business suit as an outer layer, and a black satin skirt underneath.
On any normal day, the outfit would only accentuate the girl's elegant and refined demeanor.
But right now, Kasumigaoka Shiwa's state could only be described as disheveled.
After all, she didn't even know where her shoes had been flung off to. Apart from her face still being as beautiful as ever, she looked like a damsel in distress. Though, considering they were running for their lives, it was understandable.
Even so, Luo Shu found the whole situation absurd.
Because in his memory, Kasumigaoka Shiwa was the high school girl author who wrote under the pen name Kasumi Shiko, and a key supporting female character in a slice-of-life romance anime.
An anime heroine right next to me?
"Whatever, it doesn't matter if you know me or not—or maybe it's better if you do. Hey!! Stop spacing out and get over here."
As she said this, Kasumigaoka Shiwa was still trembling, while muttering complaints:
"I can't guarantee I won't change my mind in the next second."
"And honestly, why did I end up running into one of these 'nuclear radiation mutant animals' that only show up on TV shows just by cutting through that alley by the police station? Didn't Asahi News say all these monsters had been dealt with?"
'Nuclear radiation animal?' Luo Shu paused at the term, then said seriously:
"I don't know what's going on, but I need to declare this: what I'm about to say isn't a joke."
"If you agree to let me implant a device inside you, I might gain the power to deal with this monster."
"Huh?" Kasumigaoka Shiwa stared at Luo Shu in stunned disbelief. But just then, her vision blurred as the rat blocking the alleyway advanced another step.
That movement sent the already emotionally unstable Kasumigaoka Shiwa into a panic.
"Fine, fine! I agree, I agree! Happy now?!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, a prompt sounded in Luo Shu's ear.
[Request received. Energy Collection Device activated. Granting Ceremony initiated.]
The next second, under the astonished gazes of Luo Shu and Kasumigaoka Shiwa, a silver-blue arc of light illuminated the ground beneath their feet.
Immediately after, a peculiar circular magic array formed, its center etched with intricate designs that vaguely resembled a sun.
"You..." Witnessing this utterly irrational scene, Kasumigaoka Shiwa's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Luo Shu.
And at that moment, a series of prompts flashed through Luo Shu's mind.
[Ability System activated. Life Hierarchy System 'Kabbalah' activated. Emergency Protection Protocol initiated.]
[Host abilities unlocking...]
[Ding! Acquired basic ability: Intuition.]
[Ding! Acquired basic ability: Combat Potential.]
[Ding! Mental strength conversion complete. Acquired advanced ability: Wind Element Manipulation.]
As the three prompts rang out, the calf-sized rat on the opposite side seemed impatient and charged straight at Luo Shu.
But in that instant, Luo Shu felt as if his eyes had undergone some kind of 'mutation.'
In that moment, he seemed to see illusory lines extending from the rat's body, with the ends of those lines pointing toward his own neck.
Instinctively, Luo Shu focused on one of the faint lines and swung his right hand.
Whoosh!
A sharp gust of wind howled.
Immediately, a translucent wind blade materialized out of thin air and sliced toward the giant rat at incredible speed.
This sudden change startled not only Luo Shu and Kasumigaoka Shiwa but even the rat itself, which instinctively leaped to the side.
Unfortunately, the direction it jumped was right into the path of the wind blade.
Sizzle!
Black-red blood splattered onto the walls on both sides of the alley.
Under Luo Shu and Kasumigaoka Shiwa's watchful eyes, the giant rat split in two, its corpse falling to the ground in halves.
Then, black-red flames abruptly ignited on the body, quickly reducing the remains to nothingness, leaving only a patch of bloodstains on the ground.
At the same time, a prompt echoed in Luo Shu's mind.
[Energy Collector recovery successful. Host crisis resolved.]
"What?" Luo Shu was momentarily stunned, but before he could say anything, his hand was grabbed by Kasumigaoka Shiwa beside him.
"What are you standing around for? You want to get caught by the police?"
Without waiting for Luo Shu to respond, Kasumigaoka Shiwa propped up the bicycle leaning against the wall and positioned herself on the back seat, shouting at him:
"Hurry up! I'll tell you how to ride."
Bewildered, Luo Shu could only grit his teeth, hop on the bike, pedal hard, and speed off under Kasumigaoka Shiwa's directions.
As Luo Shu carried Kasumigaoka Shiwa away, a series of prompts rang in his mind.
[Rat monster corpse cleanup complete. Emergency aid protocol disengaging. As host has escaped danger, Reincarnation System shutting down. Ding! Shutdown complete.]
[Congratulations, host! Successfully acquired your first clan member. Gained 6188 energy points.]
[Congratulations, host! Your clan member 'Kasumigaoka Shiwa' has awakened the basic ability 'Mind Reading.']
[Congratulations, host! You have taken a firm and solid first step on the path to becoming the 'Lord of the God Group.']
Hearing these prompts, even though he was riding a bike with a beautiful girl behind him, Luo Shu's mouth twitched repeatedly, his face twisting in frustration and irritation:
'So everything was your doing after all!!'