It's Monday everybody!
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P.S: I'll probably be asleep when this chapter uploaded, so if I'd get to any of this rank I'll add it early in the morning or noon at max.
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Meanwhile, Touko also left home for work.
As she passed the bank, Touko fingered the card Akuto had given her and finally decided to check it.
She slid the card into the ATM and entered the code on the back.
Seeing the 3 followed by seven full zeros, Touko's red lips parted in disbelief; her handbag slipped to the ground.
"Th... thirty million!?"
The card suddenly felt burning hot in her hand.
She'd assumed it was only a few tens of thousands—easy to accept, since it was Akuto's kind intention.
But thirty million... she didn't dare keep it!
It was far too much.
"I have to give it back to Akuto-kun. Did that child hand it over without even checking the balance...?"
Touko tucked the bank card away with great care and drifted off to work, the ground feeling soft beneath her feet.
It was like walking on cotton...
At that moment, in a Kyoto conference room.
"According to our investigation, the girl who appeared that day calling herself Akuto is originally Yotsuya Miko. Her father died in a traffic accident a year ago; she lives with her mother and younger brother."
"Her personal combat strength already surpasses missile-level threats, and her temperament is unpredictable—undeniably a Special Grade danger."
"During yesterday's operation against the Card Society we personally witnessed her pull something from a curse spirit and eat it; it looked very much like a finger."
Kishida Itsuki finished, opened a dash-cam video, and paused on the frame of Akuto eating the finger.
Though blurry, it was still faintly visible.
"That concludes my report."
At this point, the dozen people in the meeting room wore strange expressions.
"We understand. Kishida, you may leave."
"Yes, sir."
After Kishida Itsuki left, the others exchanged glances.
"It's that thing, isn't it?"
"Yeah, no doubt."
"After all these years, to think someone actually swallowed it."
"Leave that aside for now—what's everyone's view on this Yotsuya Miko?"
They looked at one another. A white-haired old man smiled thinly.
"Well, I don't involve myself in such matters, but it seems to me provoking someone like her is unwise."
If Miko had been present, she would have seen two eerie suit-wearing curses standing behind the man, both wearing twisted grins.
The others exchanged glances and nodded.
"Then we try to recruit her first."
"Dismissed."
... 3:30 p.m.
The bell rang for the end of class.
Miko walked out of the classroom deathly pale. Little Hana watched her worriedly.
"Miko, are you okay? You look awful."
"I... I'm fine, heh."
Miko's face said she'd given up on life.
If her guess was right, today meant another training session.
Training meant Akuto would bait a curse spirit and watch Miko fight for her life.
She now had Cursed Energy, but her combat skills were a disaster.
Every time she ended up with broken arms or hands.
Akuto would fix the injuries, yet the pain was real.
She felt she'd lose her mind if this continued.
Reaching the school gate, her feet felt as heavy as lead; she couldn't summon the courage to step outside.
Out there was hell.
"Hana!"
Miko suddenly grabbed Yurikawa Hana.
"Let's go learn martial arts! Then we can protect ourselves if something happens!"
"Eh? Well... okay."
Hana looked reluctant, but the two headed for the shopping street in search of a dojo while Miko spoke to Akuto.
"Lord Akuto, I believe I need systematic hand-to-hand training."
"Otherwise my combat level will never improve no matter how many fights I get into."
Akuto lifted his gaze slightly, then closed his eyes again.
He knew perfectly well Miko was being clever; combat skills are fastest learned in real combat.
Still, she was only an ordinary student, and throwing her against curses forever was pointless—too timid, too clumsy.
So he simply let her have her way.
Before, Miko wouldn't have dared visit a dojo—the fees were too high.
But now...
She figured she could take on some low-level exorcism jobs herself.
"Right, it's decided."
She pumped herself up with determination.
Not far from them, a little girl with yellow-pink twin-tails stared blankly at the shuttered "Holy Godmother Fortune-Telling Shop".
"C-closed?"
"Oh? Didn't you know?"
The owner of the opposite store sighed.
"Granny Takeda went back to the countryside a while ago."
The little girl was stunned.
"Why? How?"
The boss recalled and said regretfully:
"Before she left she said she felt her power had reached its limit."
"Reached its limit? But she was the strongest psychic I've ever seen."
The girl hung her head. Seeing her, the boss added.
"I remember her last customers were two schoolgirls."
He pointed toward the end of the street.
"There, those two."
The twin-tailed girl looked and spotted Miko and Hana just turning the corner.
"That's... the inseparable pair from the next class..."
She trotted after them at once.
"Thanks, mister, you've helped a lot."
Meanwhile, Hana scratched her head, comparing the map to the buildings.
"I'm sure it's right around here..."
"That one?"
Miko pointed to a second-floor sign reading "Big Bear Martial Arts".
"So it's upstairs—let's go."
Hana started to run, but Miko calmly caught her arm, pulled her close, and detoured in a wide arc around something.
The scene left the little girl behind them dumbstruck.
She saw it!
She was certain Miko had spotted the curse and detoured.
"She can see them too."
Unaware she'd been noticed, Miko led Hana upstairs.
The dojo was spacious, with equipment everywhere; a dozen people were pummeling heavy bags.
"Hyah!"
"Hah!"
"Good! More power—imagine the bag's as your enemy, give it everything!"
The master, instructing, noticed the two girls and walked over.
"Are you looking for someone?"
The voice drew everyone's attention; a dozen men looked toward Miko and Hana.
"High-school girls."
"Cute."
"Think they're here to train? Maybe I'll get a chance with one."
"In your dreams."
"Don't look down on me!"
"Must be lost—girls don't come for this stuff."
Hana grew nervous under so many shirtless stares.
"No, we're here to train."
"Yes!"
A cheer rang out nearby, quickly muffled by the others; they laughed awkwardly and dragged the guy away.
"To train, huh?"
The master studied them gravely.
"Martial arts is tough. Can you stick with it?"
"We can. Please train us."
"Huh? Did I agree? You're so serious, Miko..."
Hana turned pale, but Miko held her arm in an iron grip to keep her from fleeing.
"I see."
"Here you can study karate, sanda, boxing, or freestyle."
"Which do you want?"
"Which is strongest?"
Miko's eyes blazed at the master.
—
T/N: Yeah, she's going to destroy them. Having a CE is like having a real-life hack compared to ordinary people.
Chapter in advance.
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