"What a heavy slash!"
Okita's arms trembled violently, as if her very marrow had been shaken numb.
Had she not instinctively tightened her grip on the sword hilt, she might have had her blade knocked clean from her hands.
"My body was enhanced by my Master, yet this guy can overpower me physically. What's with his physical abilities?"
Using the momentum from another clash of blades, Okita took the initiative to retreat first, no longer daring to match strength against strength with him.
Though she had no memory of it, ever since awakening, Okita had noticed something unusual about her body.
Not only was she far stronger than her past self, but she was also unimaginably healthy. Even the tuberculosis that had plagued her like a curse had vanished without a trace, leaving her in peak condition.
Okita quickly understood.
It seemed that during her unconscious state, her Master had completed her incarnation—not only curing her bloody cough but also greatly enhancing her physique. Her strength, speed, and sensory abilities had all reached divine levels.
However, Okita's strength still fell short of Roy's.
This wasn't because Roy was unwilling or lacked time, but because the limits of his body modifications weren't determined by strength alone—they were defined by body density.
He had modified his own body density to its limits, achieving a physique capable of overwhelming all Genestellars in Asterisk City.
Similarly, he had modified Okita's body density to its limits as well. But given her petite frame—standing under 160 cm—it was inevitable that she would be slightly inferior to Roy in raw strength.
Finding herself at a disadvantage in power, Okita swiftly changed tactics.
With a pivot of her foot, her figure vanished from sight in an instant.
For a moment, he thought she had used some technique to escape, but then his ears twitched, and he swung his blade to the left side of his body—just in time to block Okita's slash aimed at his abdomen from the shadows.
Okita's lips twitched slightly.
Her Shukuchi footwork had been countered again!
Since her manifestation this time, every use of Shukuchi had been neutralized.
Was this technique cursed or something?
"Don't waste time engaging him. Find a chance to disengage."
At last, her Master's command finally came through.
He was fixated on Kenjaku—there was no need to help Kenjaku deal with this nuisance.
Wouldn't it be better to let him live and keep harassing Kenjaku?
Okita nodded subtly to herself.
Without hesitation, she turned and dashed into the depths of the alleyway, keeping an eye out for any pursuit while melting into the shadows, quickly putting distance between herself and the scene.
The moment he saw her turn to flee, he instinctively moved to give chase.
"Her speed is incredible—easily on par with mine. Does she have some kind of acceleration technique? In this city, at night, catching her would be tough."
Such thoughts flashed through his mind.
And in that split second of hesitation, the girl had already vanished without a trace—her presence completely undetectable, as if she had never been there at all.
"Moreover, her ability to conceal her presence is formidable. There's no way I can catch her."
Toji let out a sigh and abandoned his pursuit.
What a shame. He'd spent the better part of the day tracking Kenjaku down, only to fail to kill even a single person.
Gripping his blade, Toji walked deeper into the darkness, his thoughts in turmoil.
His face remained as indifferent as when he first appeared—as if nothing in the world mattered to him.
Yet his mind was anything but calm.
"Still, this way, I've at least confirmed who issued that mission. If I just keep an eye on that guy, things should be fine..."
But.
Wasn't Megumi's teacher that brat from the Gojo clan?
He had once considered selling his son to the Zenin family.
He was a failure of a father.
Even he was acutely aware of that.
But Megumi had remarkable potential as a sorcerer. Though his cursed energy was limited, he was bound to awaken a powerful technique.
The Zenin clan despised those like him—those who couldn't awaken an innate technique—and treated them as less than human. But a child like Megumi, in a family that prized innate techniques above all else, could actually live well.
Not to mention, he could fetch a hefty price, enough to keep Toji comfortable for years.
With these complicated thoughts in mind, Toji sold Megumi to the Zenin clan.
But just before his death, he changed his mind.
He believed Satoru Gojo was a better guardian than the Zenin clan. Though he had indeed died by Gojo's hand, Toji bore no hatred toward him. He had long since lost all expectations—even the will to live.
So, he entrusted Megumi to Gojo instead.
But whether Gojo would accept the son of the man who had nearly killed him—Toji had no idea. He didn't hold out much hope, so with his dying breath, he muttered, "Do whatever you want with the kid."
From the looks of it, had Gojo not taken Megumi in?
Or had something unexpected happened in the meantime?
"Well, it's been ten years now."
Toji lifted his head, gazing at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky.
A decade had passed since his death. In all that time, only the moon remained unchanged, its pale glow eternal.
But to Toji, the world had transformed beyond recognition.
"...First, I need to adjust to this era."
Muttering to himself, Toji ventured deeper into the city.
"Japan's an awfully stagnant country—thank god for that. It'll make adapting easier."
...
After leaving the bar, Okita immediately masked her presence like an assassin.
Only when she was certain Toji wasn't pursuing her did she finally exhale in relief, allowing herself to relax.
"What the hell was that guy? His physique was monstrous!"
Her face remained expressionless, but shock still lingered in her heart.
Even among Servants, that man would likely rank among the very best.
Though, only in terms of physical prowess.
Without overpowered skills or Noble Phantasms, he wouldn't last long at the top.
Okita knew that, in her current state, she was only halfway into the top tier herself.
Suddenly, Okita's expression shifted.
The rhythmic sound of disturbed air currents echoed from above.
She looked up at the sky and saw a massive bird-like cursed spirit descending from above.
"Magnificent, truly magnificent! I never imagined that you, Miss Okita, could rival Toji Fushiguro in such a short time. Ah, this far exceeds my expectations!"
Kenjaku jumped down from the cursed spirit, his gaze toward Okita now completely different—filled with admiration and astonishment.
By his side, Uraume appeared with the same cold expression as always, as if deigning no one worthy of their attention.
"You've got some nerve saying that, Suguru Geto. Who was it that turned tail and ran just now?" Miss Okita's expression darkened as she sneered at Kenjaku, clearly furious about his cowardly retreat.
She nodded inwardly.
Her Master had begun direct intervention. She could now retreat to the background.
"Haha, well, I'm no match for that guy. I had to leave him to someone more capable," Kenjaku laughed heartily, his tone dripping with respect while subtly flattering Okita. His refined demeanor was quite deceptive.
But he showed not an ounce of remorse for abandoning Okita, which only deepened her disdain for him.
When he fled, he'd said things like, "We'll regroup later," and "Assuming you survive." It was obvious he never expected her to live, never intended to see her again—she was just a decoy to distract Toji so he could escape.
Now, he suddenly reappeared, likely because he'd witnessed her brief clash with Toji and recognized her strength, shamelessly returning to exploit her further.
What a disgrace!
Okita silently scorned his character.
But her Master still seemed to have use for him, showing no signs of cutting ties.
Under her Master's guidance, Okita's expression softened slightly, feigning satisfaction at his flattery.
Outwardly, Okita appeared no older than fifteen—a highly deceptive facade. Most wouldn't suspect her of deep cunning, assuming she'd be easy to manipulate.
Seeing her anger subside, Kenjaku sighed in relief.
Just as Okita had guessed.
Their earlier confrontation had shocked him with her strength, prompting him to drastically elevate her importance in his plans.
Toji Fushiguro's power was peerless.
Even without cursed energy or techniques, his body—the strongest in the world—could withstand any attack.
A supersonic punch landing squarely on Toji would at most send him flying with minor scrapes, not even breaking a bone.
Facing such terrifying physical prowess, Kenjaku doubted his own chances against Toji.
Only a monster like Satoru Gojo, with his space-time techniques, could disregard Toji's physical might and kill him. Against anyone else—even special-grade sorcerers—Toji was never a guaranteed victory.
In Kenjaku's mind, Okita, who could briefly hold her own against Toji, held an unparalleled status, surpassing even Jogo and Hanami, enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Mahito.
"Actually, I have a question, though it might be a bit presumptuous. I wonder if Miss Okita could enlighten me?"
Kenjaku looked at Okita with a smile on his face, not appearing the least bit hesitant about being presumptuous.
"What question?"
Okita kept a cold expression, appearing ready to listen attentively.
Kenjaku stroked his chin, a suggestive smile appearing on his face.
"Miss Okita and that Mr. Roy—you two wouldn't happen to have a love-hate relationship, would you?"
"Huh?!"
Okita suddenly jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
A flush rapidly spread across her face, visible to the naked eye, and her eyes widened in shock.
"What are you suddenly talking about? How could I... What kind of love-hate nonsense is this? I don't understand this kind of Japanese!"
"Ah, don't they often air dramas like this on TV these days?"
Kenjaku raised a finger, rattling off the titles of such shows as if listing treasures.
"...Wait, wait, actually, I don't watch much of them, but many foreign TV stations love broadcasting these kinds of dramas. Their ratings and streaming numbers always inexplicably end up higher than other shows."
"You and that Roy seem about the same age, and it's just the right time to be curious about the opposite sex, isn't it? So I wondered if you two had that kind of history. Well? Is it true or not?"
Kenjaku put on the expression of a gossip enthusiast, eagerly pressing Okita for an answer.
He looked like a fangirl obsessed with shipping couples.
Under his amused gaze, Okita's face flushed slightly, and she was about to loudly refute him when—
"Calm down. He's testing you."
Suddenly, a voice appeared in her mind.
"He suspects you might have tipped me off. Don't lose your composure. Keep your expression steady—put on your usual executioner's face..."
Okita's expression froze for an instant.
It was her Master's voice.
And not just an instruction.
This was the telepathic communication between a Master and their familiar.
"Your train of thought is truly... unique."
Okita's heart sank, and her expression quickly smoothed over.
"I do have some history with him, but not the kind you're imagining. With such an abstract way of thinking, why don't you become a YouTuber? You'd go viral in no time!"
Seeing Okita appear genuinely irritated by his words, Kenjaku smiled and raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, signaling he would drop the topic.
'Her reaction is a bit strange... It could be anger, but it also resembles embarrassment...'
Kenjaku's smile remained unchanged, but his suspicions didn't lessen in the slightest.
Roy's timely return to the juvenile detention center to save the students, leaving Granny Ogami empty-handed, was a little too coincidental.
Kenjaku was inherently paranoid. Having lived for countless years, he was accustomed to factoring all kinds of possibilities into his plans, and naturally, he considered the chance of a mole in his ranks.
But whether it was Jiro Awasaka, Haruta Shigemo, or Granny Ogami and her grandson, he had known them all for a long time.
The likelihood of them being traitors was slim.
Only this self-proclaimed Okita Souji, who came from overseas, had never been heard of before and was connected to Roy, inevitably became the object of his suspicion.
'However, given her strength, it's not wise to antagonize her at this stage. Otherwise, not only would we lose a powerful ally, but we might also gain an unnecessary enemy. For now, I'll just pretend to be gossiping. I'll make the next steps of the plan more discreet and ensure she doesn't find out...'
With this thought, the smile on Kenjaku's face deepened slightly.
Okita, too, acted as if she had noticed nothing.
Both sides tacitly chose to forget the matter, pretending as though it had never happened.
Not long after, once they had set the time for their next meeting, Kenjaku and Uraume boarded their flying cursed spirit and vanished into the night.
"Phew..."
Okita secretly let out a sigh of relief.
That was close!
She had almost ruined her Master's plans!
She had even prepared herself to "act decisively the moment Suguru Geto showed any signs of suspicion," but fortunately, he hadn't noticed anything.
Or perhaps he had already grown suspicious but chose not to act immediately.
"If you're a curse user, then act like one! What's with watching TV dramas?!"
Okita grumbled inwardly, feeling indignant.
At that moment, the space in front of her suddenly parted like a curtain, pulled open from behind.
A figure emerged from behind the spatial curtain and landed before Okita.
The person had strikingly distinctive features—white hair and crimson eyes—none other than her Master, Roy himself.
Once the commotion had completely subsided and Kenjaku had left, Roy used teleportation to arrive by Okita's side, where he had long since placed a marker.
The moment he appeared, his eyes locked onto Okita.
As if she were a magnet, his gaze remained fixed on her, as though trying to see right through her.
It was filled with an intensity that made Okita uneasy.
Okita kept her eyes downcast, adopting the serene expression of a meditating monk, not even blinking—pretending to be a wooden doll.
"Strange... I could've sworn she had awakened just now... Did her consciousness slip back into slumber?"
Okita didn't dare move her eyes even slightly.
All she could hear was her Master muttering such words under his breath.
She was definitely under suspicion!
Hahaha, well, of course she was...
Her lightning-fast reaction against Toji could still be brushed off as her body's instinct, allowing her to muddle through.
But her sudden, bristling reaction earlier was completely different from her usual puppet-like demeanor—it was far too abnormal!
Damn it, she should've just played dead earlier! If she had completely relinquished control of her body to her Master, she wouldn't have given herself away like that!
"Maybe she really did fall back asleep... Whatever, I'll take her back for now. Sigh... Souji is my right-hand woman. If she were still awake, she'd be a huge help."