The pulsating crimson haze of the Gate smoothly changed to a pacifying, safe blue light.
When we tumbled out of the damp gloom of the dungeon into the cool embrace of evening Tokyo, a silent scene awaited us outside.
The Tank and the Healer girl, who climbed out after us, looked at the pale, swaying Takemichi as if the Sword God had descended before them in the flesh.
The Tank even tried to clumsily bow to him from the waist, muttering words of gratitude for saving their lives.
— "T-Takemichi-kun!!!"
A piercing girl's scream cut through the silence near the abandoned warehouse. Hina, barely holding back tears, swept past the stunned Hunters like a hurricane.
She crashed into the blond at a run, hanging on his neck. — "Idiot! I thought you were going to die in there!" — she sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder.
Takemichi, whose psyche was held together by a wing and a prayer, merely blinked senselessly, patting her back and trying to comprehend how he managed to dismember a C-rank Boss while being in a deep faint.
Marin and Ai, still in their disguises, stood by the brick wall.
Marin, as a person with a kind heart, exhaled in relief seeing that the blond was alive and whole, but her interest in the couple ended there.
Her true focus of attention, as well as Ai Hoshino's gaze, was directed at only one person. At me.
They synchronized their steps toward me.
— "Fri... I mean, Gojo-kun!" — Marin flew up first, and that same fanatical gleam of a perfectionist instantly ignited in her eyes.
She began to fussily inspect my olive jacket and tactical shorts, like a scanner. — "Oh my god... Not a single scratch!"
"And the fabric didn't even wrinkle!" — Kitagawa chirped admiringly, carefully brushing an invisible speck of dust off my shoulder.
— "I was so afraid you'd crawl under some acid again, but you look as if you just went out for bread!"
— "I prefer to learn from my mistakes," — I replied monotonously, looking at her fussing with an unblinking elven gaze.
— "This time I worked remotely. Dirty work is the Vanguard's lot."
Ai approached next, gracefully adjusting her thick-rimmed disguise glasses. The idol didn't rush in with hugs.
Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and curiously peeked under my bucket hat.
Mischievous, teasing sparks danced in her starry eyes.
— "So small and frightening on the outside, but so reliable on the inside~" — Ai sang in her soft, velvet voice, playfully poking my pale cheek with her index finger.
— "Sending grown men into the trash with a single snap? Gojo-kun, there is a special, alluring charm in this elven composure of yours."
"You look just incredibly cute."
My long ear under the bucket hat twitched in annoyance. The second rule of the Strongest (after "do not ruin your clothes") stated: do not let anyone pinch your cheeks with impunity.
When Ai tried to remove her hand with a smile, I, without even blinking or changing my rock-solid poker face, made a barely perceptible head movement.
Chomp.
I lightly but tangibly bit her thin index finger with my small elven teeth.
— "Ouch-ouch!" — Ai squeaked loudly, genuinely, and completely un-star-like, sharply pulling her hand back.
Her usually flawlessly pale face instantly flared with a thick, charming blush all the way to the tips of her ears.
She pressed the bitten finger to her chest, comically widening her starry eyes and breathing heavily from surprise.
This high, cute girlish shriek echoed down the entire street.
Hina and Takemichi instantly stopped sobbing and hugging, staring at us with uncomprehending looks.
The Tank and the Healer craned their necks, and a couple of police officers at the cordon in the distance narrowed their eyes suspiciously.
The picture was extremely eye-catching: a flushed, heavily breathing girl in disguise rubbing her finger, and an unperturbed loli-elf looking at her with a gaze of millennial exhaustion.
— "Hey-hey, what are you staring at?!" — Marin immediately came to her senses.
As a true friend and professional fan, she instantly switched into bodyguard mode.
Kitagawa spread her arms and shielded me and Ai with her back from the onlookers and the police. — "The kid is just hungry! Nothing interesting here!"
"Go about your business!"
I melancholically licked my lips and adjusted the bucket hat. — "I warned you. Stars should keep their hands to themselves," — I said monotonously.
Ai, still as red as a ripe tomato, pouted in embarrassment.
But in her gaze, directed at me, there was a clear, almost childish delight that someone dared to treat her not like a crystal vase.
At that moment, the air before my eyes rippled, and with a melodic chime, the long-awaited system window unfolded.
[ Received from Boss: 400 System Coins. ]
[ Debt (399 Coins) successfully repaid. ]
[ Host's Balance: 1 System Coin. ]
[ Restrictions lifted. Access to Inventory and Shop fully restored. ]
I chuckled mentally, examining this one lonely coin in the account.
The System's greed knew no bounds, but the main thing was — I could use my items again.
— "S-Satoru..." — a cracked voice sounded from behind.
I slowly turned around. Takemichi, leaning on Hina, looked at me with the gaze of a deeply traumatized person.
Next to him on the asphalt rested a giant, gold-embroidered bag that had dropped from the Goblin King.
— "Tell me honestly..." — the blond groaned with a plea in his voice. — "How much longer are you going to be... an elf?"
"My nerves can't take this anymore. I want to go home..."
I lazily shifted my gaze to the System interface, invisible to the others.
My mana channels were still in painful cooling mode, and the timer for the "Icarus Credit" penalty was ruthlessly counting down the days until the Gojo Template would be unblocked.
But now I had an open Inventory. And an unopened bag of loot from the Miser Boss, which was guaranteed to be stuffed with system coins.
«System, open the Shop» — I commanded mentally. The holographic display flickered before my eyes until I stumbled upon the section with premium medicine.
A vial flaunted there: «Elixir of Forced Mana-Channel Splicing».
I looked at the trembling Takemichi again. And suddenly, through Frieren's millennial melancholy, a slight, predatory, and painfully familiar smirk of the Strongest mage broke through on my face.
— "Not much longer, Prophet," — I answered calmly, but with distinct steel notes.
— "My bills are paid, and access to the premium catalog is open. As soon as we open this bag and I top up my balance... daddy's coming back."
I lazily raised my hand and carelessly snapped my fingers toward the giant bag of loot lying at the blond's feet.
The air trembled. The Goblin King's huge bag silently dissolved in a blue pixelated glow, instantly moving into my unblocked Inventory.
Takemichi froze. His tear-stained eyes slowly, very slowly widened, staring at the empty asphalt.
Then he shifted his gaze to my lowered fingers. The blond's face began to rapidly fill with color.
— "WAS THAT ALWAYS AN OPTION?!" — suddenly breaking into an ultrasonic squeal, Hanagaki yelled across the entire street, scaring away stray dogs.
— "WHY THE HELL DID I DRAG THE BAG LAST TIME?! I LOADED A HUNDRED KILOGRAMS OF CORES IN THERE!".
"MY SPINE ALMOST CRUMBLED!".
— "Because a Hunter must have muscle mass, Prophet," — I replied unperturbedly, turning around and pulling the bucket hat a little deeper over my eyes.
— "And now, to the car. Girls, let's go. I really want some normal food.".
The agency's secret penthouse met us with perfect silence, the warm light of floor lamps, and the smell of expensive air freshener.
As soon as the heavy front door slammed shut behind us, Takemichi, still pale and trembling, muttered something about a «hot bath and eternal sleep».
Hina, like a caring mother hen, immediately dragged him toward the guest bathroom, scolding him on the go for fighting monsters without insurance.
The three of us remained in the living room. I pulled off the black bucket hat, threw it on an armchair, and climbed onto the huge white sofa, pulling my legs up.
My elven body demanded sugar and rest, but first, I needed to deal with pressing matters.
— "Well then, Frieren-chan, are you going to show us what we brought?" — Ai leaned over the glass coffee table with curiosity.
She had already managed to take off her disguise glasses and was now smiling in anticipation.
Marin also moved closer, her eyes shining like a child's on Christmas morning.
— "In games, bosses always drop something epic! A sword? Armor? Gold?".
I unperturbedly snapped my fingers. The space above the table distorted, and the gold-embroidered bag of the Goblin King tumbled out of the blue pixelated glow with a dull thud.
It was the size of a good hiking backpack and noticeably smelled of dampness.
I untied the neck and shook the contents right onto the glass.
A clinking sound rang out. Fortunately, there were no severed heads or stinking guts there — the System kindly converted everything into in-game items.
A pile formed on the table from shimmering crystals (monster cores), a couple of rusty but magical daggers, and one large, pulsating green stone the size of an apple.
[ Core of the Miser Goblin King (Rank C). Estimated value in the Shop: 3500 Coins. ].
«Bingo,» — I smirked mentally. — "System. Sell the core and the daggers.".
The green stone and the rusty weapons dissolved into thin air.
[ Sale successful. Your balance: 3501 System Coins. ].
Finally, I was in the money again. I immediately opened the premium shop interface, found the «Elixir of Forced Mana-Channel Splicing» with my eyes (price: 3000 coins), and pressed "Buy" without hesitation.
Right into my palm, an elegant crystal vial with a thick, iridescent pink liquid fell from thin air.
Without thinking twice, I pulled out the stopper and drank the contents in one gulp. It tasted like strawberry milk with a massive dose of energy drink.
Gojo Satoru inside me grunted approvingly.
[ Elixir applied. The process of accelerated vessel regeneration has begun ]
[ Until complete restoration of the "Gojo Satoru" Template: 48 hours ]
— "Two days," — I stated out loud, licking my lips. — "In two days I will be able to look down on you again, instead of looking up from below.".
Ai laughed quietly, covering her mouth with her palm, and Marin joyfully clapped her hands.
But a couple of items from the bag still remained on the table, which the System did not take. I looked closer.
Among the empty vials lay my old sewing kit, saved from the Inventory. I scooped it up and held it out to Kitagawa. — "Your tools.".
"As promised, not a single needle is missing.".
— "My little kit!" — Marin pressed the box to her chest in relief.
But her gaze immediately fell on what lay beneath it.
It was a bundle of fabric. But not ordinary. The fabric flowed and shimmered in the lamplight, as if woven from moonlight and stardust.
It was translucent, but at the same time looked stronger than Kevlar.
[ Lunar Silk Thread (Rank C). Rare crafting material. Does not tear, does not get dirty, takes the specified shape. ].
I took the bundle and carelessly threw it onto the lap of the dumbfounded cosplayer. — "A bonus for waiting. Sew something grand out of this.".
"And yes, it doesn't wrinkle.".
Marin reverently touched the shining fabric with trembling fingers. Her eyes filled with tears of absolute, pure happiness.
To her, this piece of silk was more valuable than diamonds. — "Gojo-kun..." — she whispered, sniffing.
— "I... I will sew you such a costume that all the gods in this world will be envious!".
"I will pray to you every day!".
— "Just not pinching my cheeks is enough," — I noted philosophically.
I shifted my gaze to the last item. It was a small, elegant hairpin made in the shape of a silver crescent, encrusted with tiny sapphires.
[ Amulet of Serenity (Rank C). Passive effect: wards off weak spirits, dispels others' negative aura, and calms the wearer's mind. ].
A perfect trinket for an idol who has to face thousands of people, envy, stress, and inadequate fans every day.
I took the hairpin and turned to Ai Hoshino. The star was watching me with a slight, interested half-smile, waiting for what I would do.
I didn't explain anything. I just moved closer, reached out, and, putting my elven dexterity to use, carefully fastened the silver crescent in her long, dark hair, right above her temple.
The cool metal contrasted with the warmth of her skin.
Ai blinked in surprise. Her famous starry eyes widened. — "You attract too much attention, Little Star," — I said monotonously, but with barely noticeable care, taking my hand away.
— "The amulet will ward off all sorts of trash and negativity from you. Consider it payment for renting your sofa and pink hoodie.".
Ai slowly raised her hand and touched the hairpin. The artifact immediately reacted, and I saw how a light wave of calm mana enveloped the girl, relieving the tension accumulated over the day.
For a moment, the mask of the flawless, playful idol cracked. Ai Hoshino looked at me not as an amusing child or a powerful Hunter, but as a person who, for the first time in a long while, cared about her, and not about her stage persona.
A light blush touched her cheeks — this time not from a bitten finger, but from sincere embarrassment.
She smiled warmly, genuinely softly.
— "Thank you, Satoru-kun," — she said quietly, calling me by my real name, and this phrase sounded much more intimate than any pickup lines.
I just lazily yawned, covering my mouth with my palm. — "I'm going to sleep.".
"If someone from the Hunter Association breaks down the door — tell them I'm not here.".
(Hunter Association Headquarters. Tokyo. Late evening.)
Aki Hayakawa looked at the cold coffee in his mug, covered with a murky gasoline-like film, with such a look as if he was seriously considering drowning himself in it.
The past twenty-four hours had become a living nightmare for the Association. Five cleared dungeons, broken mana scanners, destroyed squares, and one elusive white-haired chunibyo terrorist with a blindfold who literally evaporated into thin air, taking a crying blond with an unliftable bag with him.
The office door flew open without a knock. On the threshold stood Denji, carelessly chewing some bun from a 24-hour convenience store.
In his free hand, he clutched a yellow folder marked "Urgent".
— "Hey, Aki! There's a new report from the patrolmen in Sumida!" — Denji slapped the folder right on top of a stack of unsorted reports.
— "Another piece of wild crap. An E-rank Gate spontaneously mutated into C-rank. The Goblin King was sitting inside.".
Aki sighed heavily, forcefully rubbing his inflamed eyes. — "C-rank on the outskirts of a residential district? How many casualties among the rookies?".
"Send out a cleanup team...".
— "Hold on!" — Denji interrupted him, waving the half-eaten bun. — "They were already cleared! And in fifteen minutes at that!".
"The witnesses, some Level Two Tank and Healer, swear to God that the Boss was decapitated with one strike by a dude in a yellow haori!".
"And he did it... in his sleep! Can you imagine? An absolute fanatic, cosplayed Zenitsu!".
Hayakawa's hand, reaching for the coffee, froze in mid-air. — "A cosplayer? A crying blond?" — he asked slowly.
In his sleep-deprived brain, the gears began to turn with a creak. That same blond they missed in Roppongi?.
— "Yep!" — Denji nodded happily. — "And there was another one with him.".
"A small white-haired girl in a black bucket hat, a medical mask, and a huge pink hoodie. The patrolmen questioned the onlookers outside.".
"They say this shorty sent two hulking Hunters into a trash can with one lazy snap of her fingers, without even touching them!".
"Pure kinetic strike without casting any spells!".
A dead, ringing silence hung in the office.
Aki slowly, very slowly opened his desk drawer and took out a printout of Ai Hoshino's morning Twitter post.
That very post which he considered a banal PR stunt by cosplayers and safely ignored.
In the photo, the greatest idol in Japan was stroking the white hair of a small, gloomy elf girl wearing... exactly the same oversized yellow (which looked pink in the bad photo) hoodie.
«A small white-haired girl with incredible strength without casting.» «A crying blond porter.».
«Connection to Ai Hoshino, whom this same white-haired mage saved on the Budokan stage.».
The picture in Hayakawa's head came together with a deafening, maddening logical crunch.
— "This bastard with the blindfold..." — Aki whispered, and his right eye began to twitch rhythmically, nervously.
— "He didn't disappear. He... he turned himself into a loli-elf?!".
"Or... or is this his illegitimate daughter whom he hired to protect the idol?! WHAT THE HELL IS EVEN GOING ON IN THIS CITY?!".
Denji just shrugged his shoulders, finishing his dinner. — "Like I said, total crap. So are we going to arrest them or what?".
— "We're going drinking, Denji. We're going drinking" — Aki Hayakawa groaned in doom, dropping his head onto the polished table with a dull thud.
— "Because if I put this official report on the desk of the Head of the Public Safety Bureau and the Deputy Director of the Association... If I tell Makima-san that the main uncontrollable threat to Japan's national security is now walking around in a bucket hat, throwing Hunters into trash cans with the power of thought, and hiring cosplayers to kill Bosses in their sleep... she won't just lock me up in an asylum. She'll feed me to her dogs."