"Tamamo-no-Mae!?"
Not just Miko Yotsuya, who'd studied numerous supernatural texts extensively.
Even Yui Yuigahama understood the significance of that name.
This was the great yokai known throughout Japan - a household name!
Legends said Tamamo-no-Mae was a nine-tailed fox spirit possessing extraordinary intellect and beauty.
The stories varied across different versions.
But one crucial point remained consistent:
Tamamo-no-Mae's power was utterly terrifying.
Ancient armies were mere playthings before her.
Only through the combined efforts of multiple Great Onmyoji - so-called psychics - was her defeat possible.
And they'd just encountered this legendary great yokai?
This was completely different from ordinary evil spirits and spectres!
While Miko and Yuigahama reeled from the revelation, the observant Rio Futaba recalled Tamamo-no-Mae's peculiar reaction after Ye Xing wrote that name.
A yokai of Tamamo-no-Mae's stature should have seen everything.
How could a mere name frighten her so profoundly?
Was Tamamo-no-Mae's power exaggerated in legends, mere tall tales? Or perhaps...
Was Ye Xing's alternative "name" truly that terrifying?
Rio Futaba couldn't deduce the answer - there simply weren't enough clues.
Moreover, she wasn't particularly curious either.
Everyone had their own secrets.
Just as during her first week at Sobu High School, when she'd felt utterly lost under her classmates' gazes, and the classroom during breaks and lunchtime had become an unbearable torment, that was when Ye Xing had extended his invitation to join the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society.
It sounded rather pitiful when put that way.
That day at the club recruitment fair, the few minutes of conversation between Rio Futaba and Ye Xing had already exceeded all the words exchanged between her and her entire class combined.
Deep down, Rio Futaba harboured considerable self-doubt.
She believed she wasn't attractive enough, her personality wasn't particularly likeable, and she possessed a body that even she found repulsive.
If she hadn't been drawn in by the words "quantum mechanics" that day, gathering all her courage to inquire about the club...
If she hadn't met Miko and Ye Xing, what kind of life would she be living now?
Rio Futaba couldn't care less about things like "another name".
She only trusted her own judgement of Ye Xing.
Yui Yuigahama and Miko Yotsuya felt the same way.
"Ah, we're back a bit early this time," Ye Xing said, standing up, stretching with a long yawn before smiling. "In that case, why don't we go shopping!"
"Shopping?" Rio Futaba and Yui Yuigahama looked bewildered.
"Exactly," Ye Xing nodded solemnly. "Team bonding activities to strengthen connections between members are very important!"
"Really?" Rio Futaba wore a sceptical expression and was about to say something when Yui Yuigahama exclaimed excitedly:
"Sounds great! Going out with friends is exactly the high school life I wanted!"
Though not as enthusiastic, Miko Yotsuya nodded in agreement. "Mm... I should probably buy some new sportswear. My old ones are worn out."
Miko Yotsuya wasn't exactly the sporty, energetic type and didn't own many sets of sportswear.
But she couldn't very well go exorcising in her school uniform and skirt, could she?
Leaving aside the risk of wardrobe malfunctions, it simply wasn't practical for physical activity. When it came to exorcism, there was no room for carelessness.
After ruining her clothes, Miko couldn't bring herself to ask her mother for new ones either.
How would she explain why her sportswear had worn out so quickly?
Fortunately, Miko had savings.
The 60,000 yen Ye Xing had given them last time was entrusted to her care by Yui Yuigahama.
So now...
Time to splurge! Go all out!
After exorcising demons daily to protect Kyoto, wasn't she entitled to some enjoyment?
Seeing both Miko Yotsuya and Yui Yuigahama agree, Rio Futaba found herself warming to the idea too.
"Alright then, let's go together."
It wasn't as if anyone would be waiting for her at home anyway.
After absorbing so much information in such a short time, even someone as intellectually gifted as Rio Futaba felt somewhat exhausted.
It was time for some proper relaxation.
"Alrighty then, let's go."
...
Meanwhile, within the Reverse World.
Tamamo-no-Mae sat inside a white-draped carriage, dressed in traditional Japanese attire, before a flickering green candle.
She took out the scroll from her bosom and slowly unrolled it. Her slender, jade-white fingers traced over the black brush-written name beside the characters for 'Ye Xing'.
"This person's true name..."
What met Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes was a name that made her heart tremble with fear.
The End of Eight Million.
If Yui Yuigahama or Rio Futaba saw these words, they might not react much, merely finding them baffling.
But if Miko Yotsuya saw them, her reaction would mirror Tamamo-no-Mae's.
Eight million wasn't just a simple number.
Legend had it that Japan was home to eight million gods - whether this was exaggeration or fact remained unclear.
Regardless, in modern times, 'eight million' has become synonymous with Japan's deities.
Japan's definition of so-called 'gods' differed from China's native understanding, including beings like Tamamo-no-Mae among them.
The meaning of 'The End of Eight Million' was simple.
Translated, it meant 'the one who ends all gods and spirits'.
Just looking at these characters made Tamamo-no-Mae shiver uncontrollably.
Names on contracts had to be genuine, or the pact wouldn't take effect.
What kind of person was he?
No... was Ye Xing even human?
How could a mere human possess such a true name?
Tamamo-no-Mae felt profoundly grateful she'd chosen to negotiate with him, adopting a gentle approach rather than an imperious one.
Otherwise...
Perhaps today, Ye Xing would have become her end.
"But..."
Tamamo-no-Mae rested her chin on one hand, looking intrigued.
"That tune he played was rather pleasant."
...
Half an hour later, in a women's clothing boutique along Kyoto's bustling shopping district.
"This outfit looks really nice."
"R-really? I don't usually wear this style..."
"Little Rio, why don't you try it on?"
"Ah, but..."
"Come on, go try it!"
Before Rio Futaba could refuse, Yui Yuigahama pushed her into the changing room.
After their Reverse World adventure, the most noticeable change was Yuigahama's address for Futaba.
She'd skipped straight from 'Futaba-san' past the given-name stage, evolving directly to the ultimate form: 'Little Rio'.
Watching this heartwarming scene, Ye Xing reflected that when it came to fashion, Yui Yuigahama was undoubtedly the most qualified among the Society's three female members.
Rio Futaba went without saying.
Always wearing a lab coat over her school uniform - if not for her striking looks, she'd resemble some mad scientist.
Miko Yotsuya's clothing style was similarly unadorned.
School uniform with a skirt, topped by a bright yellow sweater.
Only someone as attractive as her could pull off such middle-aged housewife simplicity.
As for Yuigahama, her slightly gyaru-inspired fashion sense made her stand out.
Of course.
This was a women's clothing store.
And in this particular arena, when it came to attracting attention, Ye Xing completely outshone Yuigahama.
"That boy... looks like a high schooler?"
"No, no, probably a university student?"
"He's so handsome, should we go talk to him?"
"He's probably here with his girlfriend - why else would he be in this kind of shop?"
"Hey, I just saw him come in with three girls. Even if he's accompanying his girlfriend, it's impossible for so many to come together, right?"
"So you're saying there's a chance?"
For a normal high school boy, being stuck in a women's clothing store filled with female customers and even having dedicated lingerie display racks would be unbearably awkward - they wouldn't know where to look.
Yet Ye Xing remained completely unfazed, appearing utterly at ease.
What a joke.
A professional exorcist afraid of such minor embarrassment?
Ye Xing was famously known at Sobu High School as the social fear...
The social fear monger.
"Hey, handsome."
A woman dressed flamboyantly in a miniskirt and spaghetti-strap top, with large areas of pale skin exposed and wearing meticulous makeup, approached Ye Xing arm-in-arm with her friend, smiling coquettishly.
"Here alone? Want to grab something to eat with us later?"
Ye Xing scratched his head, putting on a bashful high school boy smile.
"Sorry, I'm here with my girlfriends."
"Huh?"
The woman looked disappointed, then asked curiously.
"Which of those three earlier was your girlfriend? The peach-haired girl?"
"You've misunderstood."
Ye Xing smiled shyly before slowly saying:
"All three of them are my girlfriends."
Silence spoke louder than words.
Every customer in the women's clothing store fell completely silent in that instant.
A mixture of astonishment, surprise and disbelief converged in the gazes fixed upon Ye Xing.
Wait... three girlfriends at once?
And you brought them all out shopping together?
And you can just openly admit it?
It was beyond words, beyond description.
The woman who'd approached him and her two friends all wore complicated expressions, eventually forcing awkward smiles as they said:
"Oh... oh, I see. Sorry to bother you."
After they awkwardly left the women's clothing shop, Miko Yotsuya approached Ye Xing and sighed softly.
"What nonsense are you spouting now?"
Miko had noticed recently that her immunity to Ye Xing's antics was growing stronger.
This wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Could it be that all exorcists were doomed to walk this path of madness?
That would be rather hard to accept.
Just then, the door of the fitting room opened.
"Quick, quick, let me see!"
Hearing Yui Yuigahama's words, Ye Xing couldn't help but feel emotional.
How could the same phrase sound so lively and cute coming from her, yet so deranged and creepy when he said it?
Truly mysterious.
"I-it's a bit embarrassing..."
Rio Futaba emerged from the fitting room with slightly flushed cheeks.
Though she still wore her glasses, her outfit was completely different now - a grey cropped jacket over a spaghetti-strap top. Considering Rio's personality, Yuigahama had chosen hot pants rather than a skirt.
Ye Xing's first thought: White. So white.
Ye Xing's second thought: Big. So big.
Yet remembering how Rio had faced so much gossip in middle school for developing faster than her peers, Ye Xing felt a pang of discomfort.
"So cute!"
Yuigahama cheered, dragging Rio by the hand towards Miko and Ye Xing.
"Don't you think Rio-chan looks adorable like this?"
Miko smiled and nodded sincerely.
"Yes, she looks even prettier than usual."
Blushing, Rio glanced nervously at Ye Xing.
"Y-Ye Xing... what do you think?"
"It suits you very well."
Faced with such a question, Ye Xing naturally wouldn't give any other answer.
Hearing this, Rio seemed to relax, her face breaking into a rare smile.
"If you all say it looks good, then I'll buy it."
"Oh, I almost forgot."
Miko suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
"We've earned 100,000 yuan from exorcism jobs recently. After keeping 10,000 for club funds and giving Ye Xing 30,000 as the main contributor, the remaining 60,000 can be split equally between us three - 20,000 each."
"No need."
Rio waved her hand.
"I hadn't officially joined the Society yet. Let's discuss this next time."
Seeing Miko about to insist, Ye Xing shrugged calmly.
"Let's do as Futaba says."
While Miko and Yuigahama didn't know, Ye Xing, the transmigrator, understood perfectly.
Rio Futaba was no ordinary girl from an average family.
Her luxury penthouse in the city centre alone was worth tens of millions.
This enormous residence basically served as accommodation for just Rio herself.
This science prodigy was undoubtedly a hidden rich girl - perhaps even wealthier than Yukinoshita's family.
Twenty thousand yuan meant nothing to someone like Rio Futaba.
Under Yui Yuigahama's persuasion, Miko Yotsuya picked out two sets of sportswear along with a casual skirt.
At that moment, a shop assistant gave the three girls a meaningful glance before approaching them with a practised, polite smile.
"We're running a promotion today. Why don't you ladies buy a few more items?"
"Ah, no need..."
"Would you like to see this set? It's perfect for high school girls like yourselves. And this one, and this - all the most popular styles right now."
Listening to the assistant's relentless sales pitch and watching her arbitrarily take clothes off the racks to hold against Yuigahama and the others for comparison, Ye Xing understood perfectly.
This woman was up to no good.
Rio Futaba, with her socially anxious disposition, was one thing, but even Miko clearly struggled with such situations.
Yuigahama was socially adept, sure.
The problem was...
Her nature was too gentle. Even with a shop assistant she'd just met, she couldn't bring herself to refuse firmly.
Ye Xing felt somewhat exasperated.
In his view, these three members' psychological issues were far more severe than his own.
For such a shameless salesperson who exploited their inability to refuse, the only solution was a direct confrontation.
"Hey, you there."
Enter the hero.
Ye Xing stepped in front of the assistant. At over 180cm tall, his presence created an inexplicable pressure that made her force a strained smile.
"This... this gentleman..."
"Stop right there."
Ye Xing launched straight into his verbal assault.
"Do we need you to teach us how to buy clothes? They've already clearly refused you, yet you keep shamelessly pushing? Just because you think high school girls are easy targets to squeeze more money from, right? This seems like a decent shop - how did they end up with staff like you?"
He didn't bother lowering his voice, ensuring every customer in the store could hear.
The assistant's smile froze as she seemed about to protest, but Ye Xing couldn't be bothered entertaining her. He led Yuigahama and the other two straight to the counter, paid, and left.
This brief incident didn't dampen their spirits.
"How about tonight..."
Rio checked her phone and saw it was nearly 8 pm. Reluctant to part ways, she said softly to Yuigahama and Miko,
"Since you've already told your families, why don't you stay at my place tonight?"
Rio had thoroughly enjoyed herself.
After all, this was the first time since starting secondary school that she'd gone out with friends.
"No problem."
Miko nodded absentmindedly.
"I was actually thinking we could all stay at Ye Xing's place. But if your home has space, that's obviously more convenient."
The moment these words left her mouth, Miko noticed the atmosphere shift subtly.
Both Yuigahama and Rio were looking at her with intensely complicated expressions.
"You... have been to Ye Xing's home?"
In that instant, the air seemed to still.
Miko's lips parted slightly. Realising her slip, she didn't know how to explain.
Being with the Society members was so relaxing - she didn't have to worry about evil spirits suddenly appearing.
Without thinking, she'd voiced what was on her mind.
Feeling the sudden silence, Ye Xing took a sharp breath.
Could this be...
The legendary, most terrifying scenario in Japan - even more troublesome than evil spirits – is the Shura Field.
Wait, but he hadn't made a move on any of them yet.
Brother Makoto, is this the curse you mentioned when you were just talking big?
"Hmm..."
Faced with this inexplicably awkward silence, what was Ye Xing's choice?
"I'm a bit hungry, so maybe..."
"Shall we eat first?"