Buzz.
The long lance tore through the air, creating a tremor.
The Light Lance, imbued with divine power, pierced through the brow of a spirit, which instantly disintegrated into black ash.
"Phew... This must be the thirty-third one today."
Yotsuya Miko wiped the sweat from her forehead, her small face flushed, and she was slightly panting.
"It's the thirty-fourth one, but compared to yesterday, today feels more tiring because the spirits are more dispersed."
Sakurajima Mai said as she took a sip of an energy drink.
She usually didn't drink such things, but to replenish water and stamina, she had to change her habits.
However, compared to before, her physical condition was clearly much better now.
After all, running nearly ten kilometers in less than half a day was unthinkable in the past.
"Ugh... It's really troublesome. Although there are many spirits, most of them are concentrated in crowded areas, so if we want to practice, we have to find a specific place."
Besides hospitals, office buildings in the city center were the places where spirits were most likely to gather.
After all, those places were filled with people who worked 996 (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week) overtime year-round, so the number of sudden deaths or suicides in Japan each year ranked among the highest in the world.
However, because there were too many passersby, it was impossible to run out and exorcise during the day.
Passersby couldn't see the spirits, but they could see them.
If unrelated people saw them poking around with Light Lances on the street, performing various non-human movements and speeds, they would be on the front page of the news the next day.
"But the hardest part is still for Rosen, after all, he has to keep running around with us."
Looking at Rosen, who was sitting not far away, Yotsuya Miko felt very apologetic.
"We are the dependents, yet we have to make the God worry about us, it's really inexcusable."
"If you feel indebted, just find an opportunity to repay Rosen," Sakurajima Mai said.
"Then how should I repay him? I have no idea what Rosen likes."
Looking at the bewildered Yotsuya Miko, Sakurajima Mai recalled the meaningful smile Rosen had given her when he saw her Bunny Girl outfit with black stockings when they first met.
Thinking of this, Sakurajima Mai couldn't help but shiver, and her legs involuntarily fidgeted.
But strangely, even thinking about such things, she didn't feel any resistance.
On the contrary, she even had a faint longing and expectation.
Sakurajima Mai could only attribute it to not being her true feelings.
"Oh, right, I see Rosen always lives alone, so eating must not be very convenient, right? Then I'll bring him pre-made bento boxes every morning!"
Because her mother was often busy with work, Yotsuya Miko had mastered essential independent living skills.
While she couldn't say her cooking was delicious, she was at least a small expert in home cooking.
"That could work, but bringing bento to Rosen could easily lead to misunderstandings about your relationship with him among your other classmates."
"Mis… Misunderstand then! Anyway, I really admire Rosen!"
Yotsuya Miko was a little shy, but in her heart, she was actually somewhat looking forward to being misunderstood.
Although Rosen was sitting a bit far away, he actually heard the conversation between the two girls clearly.
However, he didn't expose them, walking over and saying, "Ordinary spirits shouldn't be a threat to you two now. I'll take you for the next stage of training."
Rosen led them to a park.
Because it was the weekend, there were many parents bringing their children to play nearby.
The children's laughter made people feel peaceful, but the two girls clearly noticed that there were quite a few spirits lingering among the lively crowd.
Not only that, both girls also discovered that some spirits deliberately disguised themselves as ordinary people.
Some were dressed as circus clowns, while others disguised themselves as ordinary children playing, asking people robotically, "Can you see me?"
Once someone answered, they would instantly transform into vengeful ghosts seeking lives.
Rosen remembered a plot in the original work where Yotsuya Miko was perfectly deceived by this type of spirit.
If she hadn't had the contract with the false mountain god and the little fox demon protecting her at that time, Yotsuya Miko would have already died.
"Rosen, why are we here... what are we going to do?"
Yotsuya Miko temporarily avoided eye contact with those spirits.
Even though those spirits had noticed her, with her strength, she was confident and didn't act too unnaturally.
"To train you to kill spirits in a crowd without being noticed, because there will be many unexpected situations in daily life, and you can't always only act in deserted places."