Chapter 84: Futaba Guards the Tower, Ideas for Developing Spiritual Abilities
"What's wrong?"
When Yoru arrived at the fitting room door and saw Rio's amazing scale that couldn't be hidden even by a loose tank top, he couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
"Oho... you really hid your light under a bushel." (Deeply hidden).
Yoru's exclamation came from the bottom of his heart.
He knew Rio was well-endowed.
But he didn't expect her to be this well-endowed!
Usually at school, wearing a uniform and a lab coat, one could only see she had quite a scale.
Unexpectedly, after changing into loose sportswear, it was so astonishing, no less than Yurikawa Hana.
Why didn't you tell me about such a big matter earlier?
Hearing this, Rio's pretty face blushed slightly. She gritted her silver teeth and said resentfully.
"I called you here to think of a solution, not to stare at me with those perverted eyes."
What Rio hated most in her life was her body being stared at by others.
But now Yoru was not only looking but looking openly, yet she didn't feel disgusted at all.
Was it because he was so righteous about it, looking openly instead of peeking, and didn't make any malicious comments?
Or was it...
That her standards for Yoru were different from other men?
Rio shook her head, throwing away the strange thoughts in her mind.
"What should we do? Do you... do you know how to bind... bind that?"
"Bind chest?"
Yoru looked unsavory.
"Miss Futaba, do I look like I have breasts?"
"You're a boy; of course you don't."
"Exactly. I don't have them, so where would I learn chest binding?"
Rio froze for a moment, then stomped her foot anxiously.
"Can't you devour the memories of evil spirits in their lifetimes? You even know lock picking; you can't bind a chest?"
"I say, you are being unreasonable."
Yoru rolled his eyes and shrugged.
"Few normal women know how to bind their chests. Moreover, with your amazing scale, I'm afraid ordinary means won't solve it."
Listening to him discuss her body so bluntly, Rio felt steam about to come out of her head.
But hearing Yoru's tone so matter-of-fact, like a pure academic discussion, Rio found it hard to say anything.
"However..."
Yoru recalled a blonde Gal student in Class 1-A whose hair tips were dyed bright pink and looked quite cute. He changed the subject.
"There should be someone in our class who knows. She likes to dress up as anime characters (Cosplay), so her knowledge in this area should be very professional." (Note: Marin Kitagawa reference).
Miko gave a precise complaint in a calm tone from the side.
"Trick her into the Super-Quant Club?"
Yoru smiled and waved his hand.
"That's not necessary. After spring break ends, I'll just go ask her for advice."
"Oh, is that so..."
Rio nodded subconsciously, then suddenly reacted. covering her chest with both hands, she said in shame and anger.
"You... if you go learn, doesn't that mean later when binding, it will be... you binding me?"
"Eh, don't worry."
Yoru stepped forward, patted Rio's shoulder, and said earnestly.
"It's all for protecting Kyoto. I won't mind you taking advantage of me."
Rio and Miko shook their heads at the same time, thinking Yoru was always this abstract.
"What about this time?"
Miko pondered for a moment, then tentatively suggested.
"How about... you go back and wait for us? Coincidentally, you can also protect Hachishaku so she won't be disturbed by other evil spirits while maintaining the 'Door'."
Rio sighed helplessly.
"Sigh, seems that's the only way."
Rio calculated everything but missed this point.
The first formal confrontation between the Super-Quant Club and the police, the shocking operation of stealing the famous sword Onimaru Kunitsuna that would cause a sensation in Sakura Prefecture.
The reason she couldn't participate was actually because her scale was too exaggerated!
Rio didn't know how to explain to Yui when she went back.
Painful, truly painful.
Awkward, truly awkward.
After sending Rio back upstairs and watching her cross the "Door" back to the real world, Miko took a deep breath. A hint of nervousness appeared in her golden pupils under the pure white mask.
"Let's go."
Hearing Yoru's words, Miko froze slightly. Looking at the black casual clothes he was wearing, she asked in confusion.
"Don't you need to change clothes?"
"I'll show you something cool later. You can learn it too."
"Oh, okay."
....
Twenty minutes later, in an alley in the Otherworld, nearly two kilometers away from the Kyoto City Museum.
"Arrived."
Looking at the door emitting black mist in front of him, Yoru said faintly, then looked at Miko beside him and smiled.
"Although you can't use evil spirit aura to form weapons, with Hyakume's current power, you should be able to..."
Speaking of this, Yoru took a step forward.
Whoosh.
Miko heard the faint sound of wind in her ears.
She saw Yoru's body surface wrapped in a layer of continuously burning and twisting flames revealing deep darkness.
Looking closely, one could find that the black thing wasn't so-called flames.
But a kind of power concentrated to the extreme, similar to the black mist permeating the Otherworld.
Within a few seconds, the mist like black flames formed a set of pure black clothes, replacing the casual outfit Yoru originally wore.
And a pure black mask with no patterns, revealing only his eyes, slowly covered his face.
"Understand?"
Yoru, who changed into this outfit and looked completely different from before, looked at Miko and asked faintly.
The latter shook her head honestly.
"Didn't understand."
"Your comprehension is low, Student Yotsuya."
Like a patient teacher, Yoru guided Miko's thinking with questions and spoke slowly.
"First, let's get one point straight. As a spirit medium's Soul Manifestation, it can freely choose whether to manifest in front of ordinary people, and after manifesting, it can cause harm to ordinary people. You understand this, right?"
"Mmhmm, I understand."
Although Miko hadn't driven her Hyakume to harm ordinary people, she knew the special nature of Soul Manifestation.
Similarly, Hachishaku could also manifest in front of ordinary people. This was also a special ability obtained by evil spirits after signing a contract with a spirit medium.
"Therefore."
Yoru pointed to Hyakume beside Miko.
"Although you yourself cannot drive evil spirit power, through the medium of your Soul Manifestation... perhaps you can't create weapons with enhanced damage effects against evil spirits out of thin air like me, but if it's just a set of clothes, there should be absolutely no problem."
"Really?"
Miko looked at her Hyakume, casting an inquiring gaze.
Thirteen eyes staring at two eyes.
The air was silent for a moment.
"No, why are you asking her?"
Yoru frowned.
"Hyakume is you, and you are Hyakume. If you have enough ability, she can naturally do it. If you can't do it, asking her is useless."
"I see. I'll try."
"Wait, don't try yet."
Yoru waved his hand to interrupt.
"Time is tight. Try slowly after completing the mission."
"You're right. First steal..."
Halfway through, Miko noticed Yoru's displeased look and quickly corrected herself.
"Oh, oh, first let Onimaru Kunitsuna return to its original owner."
"That's right. Let's go."
Yoru led Miko through the "Door" in front of them, arriving at the corresponding location in the real world.
It was around 5:30 AM.
In this season, at this time, a glimmer of dawn could already be vaguely seen on the horizon.
When light and darkness met was the time when the connection between the Inner and Outer Worlds was closest.
There were few pedestrians on the streets of Kyoto near dawn. This was also why the police issued an announcement calling on citizens to reduce going out at night.
Even if they noticed Yoru and Miko wearing masks and dressed strangely, their tired eyes didn't linger for long.
After all, this was Sakura Prefecture.
A bit of cosplay was all too normal.
The two arrived at the main gate of the Kyoto City Museum.
The Kyoto City Museum occupied a large area, built with dark yellow and red bricks, giving it a solemn historical aura.
At the entrance, there was a standing sign with a photo of a long katana and a line of big words below.
[Handed-down Famous Sword, Onimaru Kunitsuna, Now Exhibiting]
"Too disgusting."
Yoru looked at the sign in front of him with a heartbroken expression.
"Clearly stole my sword, yet exhibiting it so brazenly. Morals are declining, hearts are not what they used to be. I have to retrieve it myself."
Miko: "...."
You really know how to turn the tables.
"Then, let's begin."
Looking at the glass door of the museum locked from the inside, excitement and immersion appeared in Yoru's eyes. He lifted his foot and kicked.
Crash.
The crisp sound of glass shattering and falling to the ground and the ear-piercing sound of the alarm triggered rang out almost simultaneously.
As everyone knows.
Master Assassins use axes to kill everyone.
So for the Phantom Thieves aiming to steal Onimaru Kunitsuna, adopting a frontal assault method is also very reasonable, right?
"It's starting."
Miko nodded, took a deep breath to relieve the tension in her chest, and followed Yoru into the museum.
As soon as she stepped through the door, she immediately felt the extraordinary nature of this area.
In the air, wisps of pale golden light floated like threads.
This scene exuded a holy and inviolable aura.
But the color of the threads reminded Miko of the Goat-Headed God she saw in the shrine last time.
Recalling the other party's ugly and twisted true face, she felt this scene in front of her also exuded a disgusting hypocrisy.
"Saved time though."
Hearing Yoru's words, Miko looked towards the walls on both sides of the corridor and almost couldn't hold back her laughter.
On the wall, every few meters, hung a sign with an arrow and words below.
[To visit the Famous Sword Onimaru Kunitsuna, please go this way.]
Kyoto City Museum was indeed generous.
They marked where the item was for the two.
Yoru and Miko walked side by side in the direction guided by the signs.
The deeper they went, the more golden threads they could see in the air.
This was proof of the existence of many powerful spiritual items in the area.
"Five minutes and forty-two seconds left."
Miko nodded slightly. She knew this number was calculated by Rio as the time for the police to arrive here after the museum alarm was triggered.
Within the remaining five minutes and forty-two seconds, the two had to complete the process of finding Onimaru Kunitsuna, shattering the display case glass, and taking Onimaru Kunitsuna.
Of course, if there was enough time to leave the scene without confronting the police members head-on, that would be best.
"Stop!"
Just as they were about to enter the internal exhibition hall, a team of burly guards wearing work uniforms and holding rubber batons surrounded Yoru and Miko.
They pressed the buttons on their batons. Dazzling electric sparks flashed on the black rubber heads as they faced a formidable enemy.
"Stand right there! You are committing a crime!"
Looking at these guards, Yoru was almost amused.
Rubber batons?
Thinking he was a Water-type Pokemon with weakness to Electric-type damage?
On second thought.
These people were just guards of the Kyoto City Museum, not a formal law enforcement agency like the police.
Rio had investigated.
The weapons equipped by the guards, besides stun batons, were non-lethal guns loaded with rubber bullets.
After all, this was a museum storing many antiques whose value couldn't be measured by money.
Firing rashly and causing damage—who would be responsible?
Besides.
Rubber bullets might look harmless, but hitting a person could break bones.
Normal people couldn't withstand it at all; the effect was the same as live ammunition, just safer.
Unfortunately.
They weren't facing normal people this time.
Seeing Yoru turning a deaf ear to the warning and continuing to walk forward on his own, two guards looked at each other and rushed out simultaneously, hitting him hard with the batons flashing with electric light from left and right.
Thud.
No screams of electrocution, nor the tactile sensation of hitting a human body as they imagined.
Yoru looked down at the rubber batons insulated by his clothes, shook his head, and whispered.
"Laughable."
Immediately after, he bent slightly and threw two punches quickly at a speed invisible to the naked eye, hitting the abdomens of the two guards.
The two guards' soft abdomens were suddenly hit. They only felt their vision go black, their reaction to pain slowed by half a beat, and they fell straight to the ground.
Yoru using evil spirit power to form this set of clothes wasn't just to look cool.
Of course, looking cool was one of the factors.
On one hand, it was convenient and allowed changing outfits anytime.
On the other hand.
With the intensity condensed from devouring thousands of evil spirits, it was enough to withstand sharp daggers and even close-range pistol shots.
Seemingly clothes.
In reality, indestructible armor.
Thud, thud, thud...
Accompanied by continuous dull hitting sounds, five seconds later.
"Done."
Watching more than a dozen burly guards knocked to the ground by Yoru in such a short time, fainting and losing consciousness, Miko's eyes looked complicated.
Still the same sentence.
Luckily Yoru became an exorcist.
Otherwise, leaving aside Soul Manifestation means, just this unimaginable physical fitness and fighting skills, plus the method of acting without leaving any traces through the Otherworld and "Doors"...
If he had some evil thoughts in his heart, he would likely become the most troublesome criminal in world history.
Of course.
Stealing a famous sword of Onimaru Kunitsuna's level was probably a first in history too.
Going down in history, literally.
"Four minutes and fifty-five seconds."
With about four minutes and fifty-five seconds left until the police arrived, Yoru and Miko arrived at the largest exhibition hall of the Kyoto City Museum.
What entered their eyes was a long katana flashing with inexplicable light even in the dark, occupying the largest glass pavilion, and an ancient-style scabbard placed beside it.
The sign next to it had four bold characters written on it.
[Onimaru Kunitsuna]
Facing the long katana in the display case, Yoru and Miko looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously.
"Wrong."
The worst possibility appeared.
This katana in the display case wasn't Onimaru Kunitsuna but just a replica.
Although the appearance was very similar, in the eyes of spirit mediums like Yoru and Miko, they could judge instantly.
There was no spiritual aura on it at all.
For this, the Super-Quant Club had a plan long ago.
"Open your eyes, Hyakume!"
With Miko's soft shout, twelve of the thirteen eyes on Hyakume's body slowly closed.
Leaving only that one eyeball belonging to the Slaughtering Ghost.
All of Hyakume's power was concentrated on this one eye.
"Over here."
Hyakume's cool voice sounded, moving towards a certain direction behind the exhibition hall.
In legends, Hyakume was a monster that stole others' eyes and installed them on itself.
When it gathered one hundred eyeballs, no exorcist could stop its power.
This was the origin of Hyakume's name.
The Slaughtering Ghost's eyeball had extremely special functions, one of which was tracking the traces of "Spirits."
And the compatibility with Hyakume was perfect.
For a powerful spiritual item like Onimaru Kunitsuna, even if it wasn't in this place, through the Slaughtering Ghost's eyeball, they could track the residual spiritual power traces and find Onimaru Kunitsuna's location.
Led by Hyakume, Yoru and Miko found a place in a corner of the exhibition hall that looked like a wall but was actually a hidden door.
After passing through a corridor more than ten meters long, the two arrived in front of a metal door.
Hyakume pointed her finger and whispered.
"Onimaru Kunitsuna should be inside here."