Rei didn't need to be at the hospital or the tunnel to know that all hell had broken loose. From the rooftop of a nearby apartment building, a vantage point that had become a frequent haunt, he could feel the violent shifts in the city's spiritual fabric. One moment, there was a sterile, buzzing energy spike from the direction of Nagi Hospital—the Serpo aliens, he presumed, their presence feeling like a discordant, static-filled hum. The next, a wave of malicious, ancient power erupted from the tunnel. It felt like cold grease and gasoline, a predatory glee that made the Hollow fragment on his neck tingle with a strange mix of recognition and aggression. Turbo Granny.
He remained still, a gargoyle in a school uniform, watching the invisible energies clash and churn. The Hollow inside him was restless. It was a predator, and it recognized other predators. It wanted to join the hunt, to assert its dominance, to tear apart these lesser creatures making a mess of its territory. Rei suppressed the urge with practiced ease, a mental hand on the beast's collar. His own curiosity was a far greater threat. He wanted to see it up close, to witness the impossible with his own eyes. But he held back. Intervention was a line he couldn't cross. Once he revealed himself, there was no going back to the quiet, lonely peace he had curated.
The night was a symphony of chaos. He felt Okarun's life force become tainted by the Turbo Granny's curse, his energy signature twisting into a grotesque hybrid of terrified teenager and vengeful yokai. Then came a new flare of power from the hospital: raw, untamed, and blindingly bright. Momo Ayase had awakened. Her psychic energy was like a newborn star, brilliant but uncontrolled, lashing out in waves of pure force. Rei watched as her light battled the alien static and then turned to suppress the creeping darkness of the curse. It was impressive. Frighteningly so.
For the next few days, Rei became a dedicated, if distant, stalker. He kept a careful watch on the Ayase residence, a place now perpetually buzzing with a chaotic mix of spiritual energies. He felt the arrival of the Flatwoods Monster, its presence a heavy, oppressive weight, like the air before a thunderstorm. He witnessed, through his heightened senses, the desperate battle in the Ayase's yard. He could feel Momo struggling to control her powers while simultaneously reining in Okarun's curse, a delicate and exhausting balancing act. He saw Okarun tap into the Turbo Granny's speed, a dangerous dance with the devil that shredded his human body even as it saved him. The Hollow in Rei's soul watched with a detached, professional interest, analyzing their fighting styles, their weaknesses. It was a poor hunt, sloppy and desperate. But effective.
The arrival of Seiko, Momo's grandmother, brought a new level of energy to the mix. Her power was refined, sharp, and ancient, like a well-honed blade. She was a true professional, and Rei felt a grudging respect for the spirit medium. When she temporarily sealed the Turbo Granny, the spiritual noise in the city quieted to a low hum, and Rei allowed himself to relax for the first time in days.
His plan was simple: observe, learn, and stay hidden. The world of Dandadan was a minefield, and he was determined to navigate it without setting off a single one. He knew the plot, knew what was coming. The real battle with Turbo Granny, the Earthbound Spirit Crab, the exorcism on the train tracks. He watched it all unfold from the periphery, a ghost haunting the edges of their story. He saw the monstrous crab spirit rise, felt the sheer terror and desperation as the duo fled across the city. He was perched atop a department store when the train carrying Momo and the cursed yokai sped past. He could feel the immense power of the trap Seiko had laid on the tracks, a web of spiritual energy designed to shred any yokai that passed through it. The resulting exorcism was a blinding flash of light, a cleansing fire that momentarily wiped the slate clean.
With the Turbo Granny finally dealt with—or so he thought—a sense of normalcy returned. The spiritual static faded. The predatory hunger receded. The city felt quiet again. Rei let his guard down. He convinced himself the worst was over for now. He could go back to his routine, back to the silence. It was a foolish, naive thought.
He was cutting through a park on his way home from the convenience store, a plastic bag with a sad-looking bento box swinging from his wrist, when he saw them. Momo and Okarun were walking on the same path, heading in his direction. They were bickering about something, their voices carrying in the evening air. It was too late to turn back without looking suspicious. He braced himself, pulling his spiritual pressure in tight, making himself as small and unnoticeable as a pebble on the path.
He kept his head down, his eyes fixed on the ground as they approached. He could feel their energy signatures: Okarun's was a chaotic mess, still humming with the dregs of Turbo Granny's power, while Momo's was a steady, powerful glow, her control growing more refined by the day. He was almost past them. Ten more feet. Five. Three.
"Hey."
The voice cut through his concentration like a knife. He stopped, looking up slowly. Momo Ayase was staring right at him, her brow furrowed in concentration. Okarun stood beside her, looking confused.
"You," she said, taking a step closer. Her eyes, he noticed, were a startling shade of blue. They seemed to see more than they should. "I feel something from you. A really strong spiritual energy."
Rei's blood ran cold. He had been so careful. He had suppressed his power to a mere whisper, but to her newly awakened senses, it was still a shout.
Before he could formulate a denial, Okarun, ever the tactless enthusiast, bounced on the balls of his feet and pointed a trembling finger at him. "Whoa! No way! Is that what it is? Did Turbo Granny steal your balls too?!"
The sheer, unadulterated absurdity of the question was so stunning that it momentarily broke through Rei's carefully constructed walls of apathy. He just stared at Okarun, his mind blank. Of all the possible first conversations he could have had, this was not on the list.
He found his voice, the tone coming out flatter and colder than he intended. "No," he said, his gaze unwavering. "I can confirm I am in full possession of my... family jewels."
Momo's face flushed a brilliant shade of crimson, and she spun around, smacking Okarun hard on the back of the head. "You idiot! Don't just ask people that!" She turned back to Rei, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and intense curiosity. "Sorry about him. But still," she pressed, ignoring Okarun's whining, "what's with your energy? It's... weird." She tilted her head, her psychic senses probing his aura. "It feels powerful, but also really... sad."
That hit him harder than a Cero. Sad. She didn't just feel his power; she felt the loneliness that fueled it, the gaping void in his soul that had called out to the Hollow. It was an intimacy he hadn't experienced since his parents were alive, and it came from a complete stranger. It was terrifying.
He pulled his defenses back up, his expression becoming an unreadable mask. He gave a slight shrug, a gesture of dismissal. "I've always been told I have a strong presence." It wasn't a lie, but it was a profound understatement.
He gave them a curt nod and turned to walk away, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He could feel Momo's eyes on his back, her senses still trying to unravel the puzzle he presented. He didn't look back. He walked faster, the bento box forgotten in his hand. The silence of his house was waiting, but for the first time, he wasn't sure it would be enough to drown out the noise. His plan to remain a ghost had just gone up in smoke. He had been seen.