"Anyway, since you two both agreed, that's great."
Kotoko's face lit up with joy, her hands gently clasped as she beamed.
"Just today, when I returned from the dungeon, a few yokai came to ask for my help. They said a particularly powerful and uncommunicative evil spirit recently intruded into their dwelling, and they want me to eliminate it so they can return to a peaceful and stable life."
Asuna nodded noncommittally. "An evil spirit, huh... Where is it? Tomorrow is Sunday, so there's no school. If it's within Tokyo, we should be able to resolve it on the same day, right? It'll be a good opportunity to familiarize ourselves with new skills."
"It's within Tokyo!" Kotoko chirped, naming the location. "That place is... the high school in Tokyo, Toyogasaki Academy."
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The next day, Sunday morning, outside Toyogasaki Academy.
"Why..."
Asuna stared at Kotoko, who was exquisitely dressed in a half-face masquerade mask, a Western-style dress, and a top hat, looking both elaborate and gorgeous. Then she glanced at Asagiri, sporting a black casual outfit and the Diplomat's exclusive "Ever-changing Mask." Asuna couldn't help but sigh.
"Why... why are you two dressed so gorgeously, while I'm wearing a mask, sunglasses, and this baseball cap? I look like a perverted stalker!"
"Indeed."
Asagiri nodded, scrutinizing Asuna, who was clad in a tracksuit with a black mask, sunglasses, and a baseball cap. Her bright, flaxen, long hair was the only real hint of her gender. He smirked teasingly,
"You're completely different from me and Necro in terms of style. For example... we look like a mysterious villainous organization from a shonen manga, while you... Well, you look like you ran out of Rapelay 3."
"Although I don't know what Rapelay 3 is, from your tone, it doesn't sound like anything decent..." Asuna murmured.
"Impudent!" Asagiri frowned slightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "That is a pioneering masterpiece that opened a new era in both graphics and gameplay! How can you make such a hasty judgment!?"
"The more you say that, the more I think it's not decent,"
Asuna sighed softly, turning her attention to the nearly four-meter-high wall in front of them. She took a few steps back, activated her Wind Blessing skill, and with a burst of acceleration, lightly pushed off the wall, effortlessly landing atop it.
Asagiri, on the other hand, didn't even need a running start. He simply jumped vertically, grasped the edge of the wall with one hand, and pulled himself up in an exceptionally cool and stylish maneuver.
"Hey, wait..." Kotoko, still on the ground, looked up at the two standing on the wall, a speechless expression on her face. "You two... You don't think I can jump up there too, do you?"
"Don't worry, I'll pull you up." Asagiri squatted down, extending a hand to Kotoko. "Hand me your leg."
"Leg?" Asuna was bewildered. At a time like this, shouldn't he be saying 'hand me your hand'? Who pulls someone by handing over a leg? What kind of posture is that, an invincible handstand?
"Okay." But Kotoko's next move left Asuna utterly dumbfounded. Kotoko bent down, calmly detached her prosthetic left leg, and held it up, handing the other end to Asagiri. This ingeniously bridged the height difference. Once pulled up by Asagiri, she simply sat down and began reattaching her prosthetic limb.
"No, you guys..." Asuna was at a loss, profoundly shocked. There's this way to do it? So, when you said 'hand over the leg,' this is how you hand over the leg? Asuna wasn't surprised that Asagiri would have such a bizarre idea. What truly shocked her was Kotoko's instant comprehension of his meaning. These two... really have good chemistry.
After jumping to the ground on the other side and finally infiltrating Toyogasaki Academy, Asagiri scanned their surroundings. They had entered via the sports field. According to the yokai, the terrifying Banshee mostly roamed within the Toyogasaki Academy library.
With their location confirmed, Asagiri led Kotoko and Asuna forward. Since it was Sunday, the academy was devoid of teachers and students. While some high schools open their facilities to the public on holidays, that's limited to public institutions. Toyogasaki Academy, being private, naturally wouldn't. Otherwise, they could have simply registered at the entrance. Why go to the trouble of climbing over the wall, let alone involving Kotoko's prosthetic leg?
"Speaking of which, with our current strength... are we sure we can eliminate that Banshee?" Asuna asked, a touch of worry in her voice.
"No problem."
Kotoko nodded slightly, her tone calm.
"In the real world... no, I should say in our world, it's basically impossible for a Banshee as powerful as the Floating Corpse Evil Spirit in the instance dungeon to appear. After all, if a hotel had consecutive drowning incidents among guests, it would definitely be shut down for investigation, and no guests would continue to stay. During the search, the body submerged in the water tank would quickly be discovered, and after the body is dealt with, the Banshee would also dissipate."
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They reached the building housing the Toyogasaki Academy library. Kotoko was about to speak when a beast-like shriek suddenly erupted from the top of the stairs.
*Roar!!!*
The next second, a black figure rapidly darted out from the top of the stairs, pouncing directly towards Kotoko, who was walking in front and had already stepped onto the stairs.
"Necro, be careful..." Before Asuna could finish speaking, Kotoko bent slightly and, with a remarkably graceful, almost gymnastic backflip, vaulted down from the top of the stairs, landing steadily on the ground and effortlessly dodging the black figure's attack.
*Snap!*
As she leaped, a crisp cracking sound came from the prosthetic limb's connection, and it fell to the ground with a clatter.
"It broke again..." Asagiri walked over, picked up the prosthetic limb, and handed it to Kotoko. "Here, your leg."
"Okay, thank you, Leader." Kotoko took the prosthetic limb, adjusted her beret, and stood there on one leg. She raised her head, looking towards the top of the stairs at the terrifying monster. For the first time, a deeply serious expression settled on her face. Her deep purple eyes held no emotion as she looked at her opponent indifferently, her voice calm and soft.
"Both the human world and the Yokai world must maintain basic order. I am the Goddess who protects this order, and you..."
"...Have crossed the line."
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