Chapter 57: The Eldest Daughter of the Yukinoshita Family, Pale Ghost Hand Fusion
Yui Yuigahama finished this meal with a complicated mood.
She knew what Yoru said was correct.
Miko's experience was not something an ordinary person could endure.
After awakening the ability of the "Sight," being surrounded and watched by evil spirits every day without showing the slightest change in expression—otherwise facing certain death.
Thinking from another perspective.
Yui asked herself honestly: if she were in Miko's shoes, she would either lose control of her emotions and reveal flaws to the evil spirits, or she would go insane under the day-to-day high pressure.
Leaving aside Yoru and Miko, the spirit mediums fighting on the front lines against the supernatural.
Futaba Rio, the other member of the club who was unaware (of the full truth but knew about Quantum Mechanics), wasn't an ordinary person either.
Studying Quantum Mechanics in her first year of high school and speaking about it logically—although Yui couldn't understand a single word, she felt it was impressive regardless.
She was too normal, which made her seem somewhat out of place in the Super-Quant Club, a club filled with weirdos.
The condition for Miko to awaken her Soul Manifestation was to overcome her fear of evil spirits.
Yui didn't know how Yoru awakened his, but she assumed it must have been very difficult too.
Do I...
Really have that resolve?
After the meal, Yui took the intelligence collected during this period and went to the shopping district to find Oda Noto.
As the Diplomacy Ambassador, her main responsibility was cross-referencing information.
By comparing the supernatural commissions from students in school with the exorcism requests at Oda Noto's place, she could identify areas where supernatural events occurred most frequently, and then Miko and Yoru would select which ones to handle.
Miko and Yoru, on the other hand, boarded the train and headed to that familiar unfinished building again.
Traffic in Kyoto on a Saturday afternoon was much better.
Sakura Prefecture was strange like that.
During rush hours for commuting, carriages were packed like sardines.
But during other times, seats weren't even fully occupied, and it could even feel a bit empty.
"Let me confirm one more time."
Miko pursed her lips, a hint of nervousness showing in her golden eyes.
"There won't be any accidents today, right?"
"That depends on your definition of an accident."
Yoru replied casually and shrugged.
"Anyway, those guys lurking in the unfinished building have definitely become stronger than the last time we went. That is beyond doubt."
After sorting through information recently, combined with the existence of the Otherworld Kyoto and the analysis of the strategist Futaba Rio, the truth about the "Door" had gradually surfaced.
The other end of the "Door" connected to a different world—the Otherworld dominated by evil spirits.
The aura emanating from the "Door" was gradually assimilating the surrounding area with the structure of the Otherworld.
The evil spirits' power and aggression becoming stronger was the impact brought by this environmental change.
Evil spirits influenced by the "Door" would adopt various methods, even planned ones, to cause human casualties. They used human lives and souls as the price to accelerate the full opening of the "Door."
As for what would happen after a certain number of "Doors" fully opened?
Yoru could roughly guess without needing Futaba Rio's analysis.
The Otherworld Kyoto would merge with the Physical World Kyoto.
Evil spirits would no longer need to follow the rule of "Seeing."
The scale maintaining the delicate balance between humans and evil spirits would tip completely to the other side.
Kyoto would become a ghost domain without humans, where entering meant certain death.
END.
"Don't be nervous."
Seeing Miko's expression, Yoru smiled.
"Just do your best."
Miko froze for a moment and said unexpectedly.
"You actually initiate comforting people?"
"Of course."
Yoru looked righteous and confident.
"I have no intention of letting a mere unfinished building be my finale."
Immediately after, he changed the subject.
"If I were to choose the way I die, I must at least live to be 120 years old. Then, resting my head on a beautiful girl's plump thighs covered in black silk, stroking white silk with my left hand and fishnet with my right—only then would it be barely acceptable."
Miko looked speechless: "Pervert..."
Yoru smiled nonchalantly, then suddenly stopped smiling. He looked straight into Miko's golden eyes and said word by word.
"Anyway, I am unwilling, and I will not let you die."
"You, you, you..."
Miko didn't expect Yoru to be joking one second and then say such straightforward words with a straight face the next.
This sudden direct attack almost tied her tongue in a knot.
After stammering for a while, Miko slightly clenched her hands on her lap, lowered her head, blushed red, and said in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's.
"Th-Thank you."
"You're welcome."
....
Meanwhile, on the empty ground outside the unfinished building.
"Is this the place?"
Wearing a suit jacket, black pencil pants, and black flats, with smooth black hair slightly past her shoulders, giving off a shrewd and capable vibe—Yukinoshita Haruno, exuding the aura of a strong career woman, crossed her arms and frowned, staring intently at the building in front of her.
Standing behind her were several persons in charge of this project.
Facing Haruno's questioning, they looked at each other with timid expressions, none daring to speak first.
"Hmph, can't anyone give a reasonable explanation!?"
Haruno turned around and swept a cold glance over the group of people in front of her.
The project of this office building wasn't just a business deal for the Yukinoshita family's construction company.
More importantly, this was the first project the Yukinoshita Construction Company had undertaken outside of Chiba Prefecture.
Doing business locally in Chiba and doing business across Sakura Prefecture were completely different concepts.
Haruno's mother originally planned to name the building after Yukinoshita upon completion and rent it out to major companies needing office space in Kyoto.
Making money was secondary.
The key was to expand the Yukinoshita family's influence beyond Chiba.
But now they were saying that this business, in which tens of millions had already been invested including greasing palms, was going to fail because of ghosts!?
Haruno absolutely could not accept this result.
"Miss Yukinoshita..."
The person in charge of the construction team was a man with an honest face and a stout build.
He scratched his head and explained with a troubled look.
"It's not that we don't want to continue, but the people below refuse to work no matter what. They threatened to quit otherwise. I can't force them."
Haruno's pretty eyebrows furrowed. The oppressive aura she emitted made the person in charge sweat cold bullets.
Although Haruno often appeared with a somewhat frivolous or even troll-like image in the original story...
Don't forget, in terms of ability alone, she was stronger than her sister Yukino. She was a genius student admitted to the Science Department of a National University and often represented the Yukinoshita family in social situations.
Yukinoshita Haruno was a veritable genius and a wealthy young lady.
Facing her gaze now and thinking of the astronomical penalty for breach of contract, the persons in charge of the construction team were already sweating buckets.
"I understand."
Seeing the silence of the people in front of her, Haruno snorted coldly and said unkindly.
"You want to use this method to demand a fee increase, right? Fine, name a figure."
"No, no, no, Miss Yukinoshita, that's not what we mean."
The lead person in charge hurriedly waved his hands, looking terrified.
"The contract is already set. Now that we cannot fulfill the requirements of the Yukinoshita Company, we dare not ask to waive the penalty. We only hope you can be lenient and let us pay a little less."
Hearing this, Haruno frowned slightly.
This situation was quite special.
If it were within Chiba Prefecture, the Yukinoshita Company had its own construction team and didn't need to outsource.
But after communicating with officials in Kyoto, one of the conditions for the other party to agree to let the Yukinoshita family extend their reach into Kyoto was that they must hire a local construction team.
Haruno believed the conditions offered to the construction team this time were much more generous than typical projects.
Now it seemed the other party didn't intend to hike the price but genuinely didn't want to continue for some reason.
Could there really be something strange in this building?
Haruno shook her head. How is that possible?
I am a science student, a firm materialist.
Someone must be deliberately causing trouble.
Thinking of her mother's instructions before leaving, Haruno's eyes flickered. Looking at the unfinished building emitting a decaying aura in front of her, she spoke slowly.
"In that case, let's make a bet."
"A bet?"
Haruno pointed at the unfinished building and said word by word.
"I will go in alone and go up to the top floor. If nothing happens and I walk out in one piece, you will resume construction tomorrow... no, immediately. Any problem?"
"This..."
"This is my bottom line."
Haruno didn't back down at all; her attitude was extremely tough.
"Either accept this condition or pay the breach of contract penalty. Although this isn't Chiba, my father has a few friends in Kyoto who hold some sway."
The persons in charge of the construction team looked at each other. Finally, they bowed their heads under the pressure of the high penalty.
"Then, Miss Yukinoshita, please be careful."
In fact, there was a glimmer of hope in their hearts too.
What if the consecutive accidents recently were really just coincidences?
The conditions offered by the Yukinoshita family were so generous; who didn't want to earn money?
"Then it's settled."
After saying this, Haruno didn't hesitate and strode into the unfinished building.
As soon as she entered, she felt an inexplicably strange cold wind blow past her.
"Hmph."
Haruno snorted lightly and stepped into the stairwell with a calm expression, showing no fear at all.
If there was one thing she learned from being born into the Yukinoshita family, it was this:
Responsibility must be borne by someone.
Running away was useless.
No one could help her; she could only rely on herself.
Haruno had understood this principle very early on.
Even if she was nervous, scared, and reluctant inside.
Even if her legs felt weak and her heart was clenched tight.
All she could do, all she should do as the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, was to keep moving forward.
There was no other option.
Shoulders trembling slightly under her black suit jacket, Haruno climbed step by step from the stairwell to the upper floors of the building.
"Is this... the 23rd or 24th floor?"
Haruno whispered to herself. All she could hear were her own breathing and footsteps.
Here...
Wasn't it a bit too quiet?
Just as Haruno thought this, she suddenly heard the sound of objects colliding and an indescribable noise like something being squeezed coming from outside the stairwell.
"Someone is there?"
Haruno's pupils shrank in shock, but then she let out a long sigh of relief.
Compared to that oppressive atmosphere of eerie silence combined with the recent accidents, hearing a noise was actually better. Walking alone in a dim stairwell was indeed a great test of one's mental fortitude.
As for people with bad intentions, Haruno wasn't too worried.
Back in the day, she had practiced Aikido with her sister Yukino.
Three or five ordinary men couldn't get close to her.
Moreover...
Haruno pulled a dark rubber baton from her pocket.
With this stun baton in hand, why fear any ill-intentioned ruffians?
Haruno slowed her steps and walked out of the stairwell, arriving at a floor.
Just then.
Squelch.
Hearing the sound under her feet and feeling the stickiness on her soles, Haruno frowned slightly and looked down involuntarily.
Through the faint reddish moonlight from the window, when she saw the ground clearly, her pupils dilated in shock.
"Wh-What is this!?"
The concrete floor was covered in dark red blood.
Blood coagulated with dust to form an extremely viscous substance emitting a nauseating smell.
When Haruno looked up again, she saw a python-shaped monster of unbelievable size appearing not far in front of her under the moonlight.
Inside the monster's vertical eye were two rows of chilling teeth.
And one by one, terrifying monsters of various shapes were silently queuing up, actively sending themselves into the monster's vertical eye.
The squeezing sound she heard just now was the sound of the vertical-eyed monster crushing other monsters and merging their flesh with that eyeball.
Watching this eerie and terrifying scene, Haruno felt the blood in her body stop flowing at this moment.
"Haa..."
The snake monster's giant eyeball rotated slightly.
That emotionless eye locked straight onto Haruno.
The evil spirits originally queuing in a long line all turned their heads.
Without saying a word, they slowly closed in on Haruno.
"Don't... Don't come over."
Haruno pressed the button on the stun baton. Blinding electric sparks flashed at the tip of the rubber stick.
But for the evil spirits, this had absolutely no deterrent effect.
If it were Palm Thunder (Taoist magic), they might fear it a bit.
But a rubber stun baton?
Don't make me laugh.
Even facing such a terrifying scene, Haruno just leaned back against the wall, her body trembling slightly, without completely losing her composure.
She could even still grip the baton in her hand.
"Am I... going to die here?"
Watching the numerous evil spirits surrounding her, a bitter smile appeared on Haruno's lips.
This meaningless life of constant pretense...
Is it ending so hastily today?
"No, no..."
Haruno slumped to the ground, deep despair showing in her beautiful eyes.
Just then, footsteps came from the stairwell.
"Seems like there are more evil spirits."
After this calm girl's voice, followed another voice carrying a hint of a smile, as if enjoying a vacation, even revealing an inexplicable anticipation.
"Yeah, should wrap this up quickly."
Following this conversation, under Haruno's shocked gaze, Yoru and Miko, holding a long katana, walked in slowly.
How did they bring the katana onto the train?
Simple.
Yoru had Hachishaku swallow the katana into her stomach and only spit it out after getting off the train.
Anyway, Hachishaku was tall enough; she could double as an invisible suitcase.
This was called exploiting every bit of value.
"Who... Who are you?"
Miko glanced at Yukinoshita Haruno leaning against the wall. Examining that beautiful face, she frowned slightly, a sense of familiarity rising in her heart.
Of course, she knew now wasn't the time to ask about her identity.
"An unexpected participant got involved. The plan needs to change a bit. I'll protect her."
"Mmhmm, okay."
Yoru agreed casually. He took two steps forward, looking straight at the group of evil spirits in front of him and the snake-shaped evil spirit lurking at the very back observing him with its vertical eye. He waved his hand with a smile.
"Yahallo, long time no see." (Note: Yui's greeting).
Then, he glanced at the surrounding floor and the dark red moon outside the window, murmuring.
"Has this floor already merged with the floor in the Otherworld? The progress is really fast."
Yoru shrugged. The smile on his face gradually disappeared, and inexplicable excitement appeared in his eyes.
"Truly interesting."
"Come!"
As Yoru uttered this single word "Come," something happened that neither Miko nor Haruno expected at all.
The Pale Ghost Hand appeared again. But this time, it wasn't floating in the air.
Instead, Yoru's left arm below the shoulder transformed directly into the appearance of the Pale Ghost Hand!
"This is!?"
What shocked Haruno was the bizarre appearance and suffocating pressure of the Pale Ghost Hand.
What surprised Miko was that Yoru could actually do such a thing!
Soul Manifestation was the ability to manifest one's soul and inner self to fight against evil spirits.
But what Yoru was doing now was merging the Ghost Hand formed by Soul Manifestation back with his own body!
"Can you... actually do something like this?"