Chapter 32: Ability Brought by Perception
Establishing a club within Sobu High to gather intelligence from students.
And on Oda Noto's side, obtaining another crucial source of intelligence.
Since the price for exorcism was very expensive, the commissions that reached Oda Noto were definitely from people whose real lives had been seriously affected and who were willing to spend money to eliminate the disaster.
For example, the unfinished building Yoru and Miko had just visited was one such commission handed over to Oda Noto by the construction company, who were grasping at straws.
Near these commission locations, one could either find powerful evil spirits capable of disrupting normal human life...
For Yoru, who possessed the "Devour" ability, these evil spirits were equivalent to Rare Candies in Pokémon—just eat and level up.
Or, there was a "Door" existing within the commission area.
With the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Investigation and Research Club and the commissions transferred from Oda Noto, Yoru had two sources of intelligence. He didn't need to spend much effort investigating to obtain information on almost all suspected paranormal events within Kyoto.
"So that's how it is."
Miko nodded as if she had suddenly realized something.
She had thought Yoru went to Mr. Oda purely for blackmail.
It turned out there was this layer of planning involved.
"You just said there's a reward for the commission? How is it split? Fifty-fifty?"
"Fifty-fifty?"
Yoru smiled and waved his hand.
"Ten-zero split. I get ten, he gets zero."
"Zero!?"
Hearing this number, Miko was dumbfounded.
Mr. Oda didn't want a single cent and gave all the reward money to Yoru?
That was a bit too...
Noticing the astonishment in Miko's eyes, Yoru explained nonchalantly.
"You still don't understand. For a renowned exorcist like him, the reward from one or two commissions is nothing."
"The key is his golden reputation."
"Commissions that others can't solve, he can. Over time, he will become the most famous exorcist in Kyoto."
"The potential income brought by this fame is what's most valuable to him."
"Oda Noto actively offered to give me all the commission rewards and said I could take anything from his shop, proving he understands this point clearly."
"He is an Old Geezer well-versed in the ways of the world."
Miko nodded, half-understanding.
To be honest, asking a high school girl to understand the cooperative relationship between Oda Noto and Yoru was indeed a bit taxing.
"By the way, why did you take me to that unfinished building today?"
"Didn't I say? Training."
Hearing the word "training," Miko's PTSD almost flared up again.
She recalled that nauseating black-green tongue licking the bento thoroughly, and Yoru actually eating it without changing his expression.
That is simply not human!
Respect. Mad respect.
"Do you know what the biggest advantage we spirit mediums have when facing evil spirits is?"
Miko shook her head obediently, looking eager to learn.
"What is it?"
Yoru stopped smiling, stood up, walked to the window, looked at the ceaseless rain outside, and spoke softly.
"The condition for us to touch evil spirits and the condition for evil spirits to harm us is the same: It is when they know that we can see them."
Then, he changed the subject.
"In other words, if the evil spirits cannot confirm that we can see them, they can't do anything to us. They can only watch helplessly."
"So, when the battle begins is not up to the evil spirits, but decided by us. Do you understand?"
Hearing this, no matter how slow Miko was, she finally understood what the so-called training was for.
"So you mean, as long as we can show no flaws under any circumstances, we will always hold the initiative?"
"Precisely."
Regarding the relationship between humans and evil spirits, Yoru's view was exactly the opposite of Miko's.
In Miko's eyes, evil spirits were the dominant party.
Spirit mediums with the "Sight" like her could only get a chance to survive by constantly hiding, disguising, and running away.
But in Yoru's view, evil spirits and ghosts were actually quite stupid creatures.
As long as the "Seeing" condition wasn't triggered, one would absolutely not be attacked.
Isn't that just feeding?
"Even you couldn't defeat that evil spirit... this is troublesome."
Miko pursed her lips, looking at the black 'S' mark on the map, worry showing on her brow.
"It couldn't be helped."
Yoru looked nonchalant and simply shrugged.
"When I summon that ghost hand, I cannot use the Devour ability. If it were just the initial evil spirits, even if there were thousands or tens of thousands, I could just slowly eliminate them while replenishing my strength by devouring. But that turtle... ah no, snake-shaped spirit, I had to use the ghost hand to deal with it."
"I see."
Miko nodded. Suddenly, a few traces of warmth appeared in her gaze toward Yoru, as if she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"To be honest, the fact that there are evil spirits you can't eliminate surprises me. But it also makes me feel for the first time that you, like me, are a normal human being."
"Yeah."
Yoru nodded slightly and smiled.
"Human beings have limits."
"You mean...?"
"Miko, I reject my humanity!" (Note: Jojo reference).
"Stop acting crazy."
.....
In the blink of an eye, the peaceful weekend passed.
Miko's daily life was incredibly fulfilling.
Training, training, and more training.
Now, she could pick up a fish ball with chopsticks and eat it calmly without changing her expression, even while surrounded by evil spirits and facing occasional jump scares.
As a certain pink-haired Kunoichi once said:
Tsunade-sama, I've finally caught up to them! (Note: Sakura Haruno reference).
Lol.
During lunch break, inside the clubroom of the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Investigation and Research Club (abbreviated as "Super-Quant").
Wearing a lab coat like a scientist, Futaba Rio was stirring freshly brewed coffee in a beaker with a stirring rod.
"Can I come in?"
Hearing the voice suddenly at the door, Rio didn't even look up and replied faintly.
"This is your clubroom too. Come in if you want; you don't need to ask me specifically."
"Hey, a deal is a deal. It must be respected."
Yoru replied casually, stepped into the clubroom, sat directly opposite Rio, and got straight to the point without any nonsense.
"There is something I need you to help analyze."
"Mmhmm, go ahead."
"It's like this..."
Yoru told Rio everything about manifesting his own soul to fight evil spirits.
Of course, using Chunibyo-style terms.
"Is that so..."
Rio nodded slightly and pushed up her glasses.
"In other words, one protagonist has awakened an ability, and now the other protagonist also wants to awaken, so you want to find the method, correct?"
"Exactly."
Rio took a sip of coffee from the beaker and spoke thoughtfully.
"After listening to your description, I think the condition for awakening that ability might not be an objective cause."
"Is there a possibility..."
"That the difference between one awakening and the other not awakening lies in the difference in perception when the two 'Protagonists' face the 'Enemy'?"