Chapter 3: The Girl Who Sees
The distorted black figure vaguely resembled a woman.
Its body was hazy, like mist.
Blood dripped from its hollow eye sockets, and its grotesque claws dragged along the ground...
"...What the hell is that?!"
Looking at the monster clinging to the man, Natsuki felt his entire being recoil.
The snake had been scary but manageable—this thing was straight-up sanity-draining.
"Wait—"
As Natsuki stared, a line of text slowly appeared above the twisted creature's head.
[Low-Level Grudge Spirit]
[Status: Chaotic, Distorted]
[Warning: Do not let it know you can see it]
"It's happening again." Natsuki pressed a hand over one eye, deep in thought. "Back in that bizarre game, Shinomiya didn't seem to see the text prompts... Is this something only I can see?"
Natsuki was certain.
He'd never encountered anything like a grudge spirit before.
"So... is this what they meant by 'seeing the truth of the world'?"
These spirits actually exist, but ordinary people can't see them. Now that I've cleared the game, I've unlocked the ability to perceive them?
Damn it!
This isn't a reward at all—it's a punishment!
At the same time.
As if sensing Natsuki's gaze, the wraith clinging to the middle-aged salaryman detached itself and began twisting its way toward him.
"Should I turn and run now?"
A cold sweat trickled down Natsuki's forehead as he fought the urge to flee.
No.
Can't give myself away.
Running would definitely expose me. Something terrible would happen if I did...
Torn between his instinct to flee and that strange warning, Natsuki chose to trust the latter.
"Woof! Woof!"
The Akita dog tucked its tail and bolted, only daring to bark incessantly from a distance.
Traitor! So much for a dog's loyalty—abandoning its owner like that!
Before he knew it, the female wraith stood right in front of him.
"...Can you see me?"
A distorted, hollow voice that made his hair stand on end reached his ears.
Natsuki tensed his facial muscles, careful not to betray any reaction. He pretended not to see the Twisted Wraith before him and quickly crouched down to retie his shoelaces.
"My shoelaces came loose again."
The Twisted Wraith bent down as well, tilting its head to peer at Natsuki, its dark, empty eye sockets staring straight at him.
"Can you... see me?"
Natsuki kept his eyes fixed ahead, continuing to tie his shoelaces.
Not only could he see it—he could see it all too clearly.
But only an idiot would admit to seeing it now!
"Can you... see me?"
The Twisted Wraith pressed on.
Natsuki remained expressionless, still fiddling with his shoelaces.
"Damn, I accidentally tied a knot."
If it had the patience to keep asking, his shoelaces weren't getting tied today!
"Can't see... can't see..."
Convinced that Natsuki couldn't see it, the Twisted Wraith turned away in disappointment.
"Phew..."
Only after stealing a glance to confirm the wraith had left did Natsuki finally relax.
It's gone... What the hell was that thing?
A short while later.
As Natsuki walked his dog past a convenience store, he suddenly froze. Spotting no fewer than three Twisted Wraiths inside, he silently turned on his heel.
"That's enough walking. I'm going home."
The number of vengeful spirits in existence is far greater than one might imagine.
Yet, aside from myself, no one else seems to be able to see them...
Natsuki's thoughts stirred as he recalled his teammate, Kaguya Shinomiya, from earlier.
Did the young lady Shinomiya, who also received the "clearance reward," have the ability to see those twisted spirits?
Meanwhile.
Shinomiya Mansion.
A certain Kaguya was curled up under her blankets, trembling with tears in her eyes.
'Ah—! What in the world was that?! Why is there something so terrifying near Hayasaka?!'
...
Returning home.
The house was cold and empty, devoid of any presence.
After finishing his bath, Natsuki returned to his room and silently opened the in-game shop, letting out another long sigh.
This shop... was so barren it brought tears to one's eyes.
Back when he was tying his shoelaces, Natsuki had discovered the existence of the in-game shop and had been quite excited. But upon entering, he learned the true meaning of disappointment.
The shop was pathetically bare—no gacha system, no recharge system, and only a single item available—
[Name: Daily Mystery Box]
[Price: 10 Game Coins]
[Attribute: Upon opening the box, you will randomly receive one of the following—items, abilities, attributes, or vengeful spirits. Top-tier reward: Divine Authority.]
[Drop rates are left for you to discover. The box refreshes automatically at midnight. Alternatively, you may spend 10 coins to refresh it manually, with no limit on attempts.]
So why was "vengeful spirits" mixed in there?!
Was that really supposed to be a reward?!
If he accidentally pulled a vengeful spirit from the box, he wouldn't even have a place to cry about it!
"So... should I try pulling a box?"
Natsuki's fingers itched slightly.
No one could resist the allure of a mystery box, especially when the top-tier reward was divine authority.
Everyone knew the odds were astronomically low, but what if?
What if he got lucky on the first try and actually obtained divine authority?
There had to be lucky people in the world—why couldn't it be him?
Just as Natsuki was agonizing over whether to take the gamble, a line of text slowly appeared before his eyes.
[Hint: The box echoes with the screams of vengeful spirits...]
"..."
Silently, Natsuki dismissed the idea of pulling the box.
But... this ability to see hints could even peer into the contents of the in-game shop's mystery box?
A wave of exhaustion washed over him. Natsuki closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
Natsuki woke to the sound of his alarm.
It was Monday—time for school again.
He got up, dressed, and walked to the window, pushing it open. Outside, the sunlight was bright, and pale pink cherry blossoms bloomed brilliantly under the spring sky.
After washing up, Natsuki headed to the fridge and pulled open the door, intending to grab a carton of milk.
The next moment.
A vengeful spirit's head stared back at him, its mouth full of jagged fangs, drool-like mist dripping incessantly.
Bang!
Expressionless, Natsuki shut the door.
Never mind!
Taking a deep breath, he silently opened the in-game shop again and looked at the lone mystery box.
"The box should have refreshed by now. Let's see what's inside..."
As Natsuki stared intently, a line of text gradually appeared above the box.
[Hint: The box contains a power that makes evil spirits tremble.]
Natsuki's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he exchanged his coins for the box.
The next moment—
Natsuki felt a slight weight in his hand as a mystery box materialized in his palm.
Upon opening it, a soft chime echoed in his ears.
[You have opened the Daily Lucky Mystery Box]
[You have obtained the Primary Aura: Evil Spirit Dispelling]
[Description: Passive ability, no cost required. Within a five-meter radius, evil spirits are repelled.]
"A bit underwhelming..." Natsuki silently critiqued before turning to yank open the refrigerator door. "Hiding in the fridge to scare people? Go to hell!"
After breakfast, Natsuki picked up his school bag and headed out for school.
Just as he stepped outside, he spotted a black-haired, long-haired girl emerging from the neighboring house. She had faint dark circles under her eyes and was covering her mouth as she yawned tiredly.
"Good morning, Miko."