Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

Early the next morning.

"Beep beep beep—"

At eight o'clock in the morning, the alarm clock rang on time!

Kuroba Shido forced the phone to power on, abruptly opened his eyes, which were bloodshot, and placed his finger precisely on the alarm clock's off position. Then, he comfortably closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

The expression on his face became peaceful...

Thirty seconds later.

"Beep beep beep—"

I suddenly opened my eyes, then skillfully closed them again, and fell asleep... peacefully.

Thirty seconds later.

"Beep beep beep—"

Suddenly open your eyes, close them, and fall asleep... peacefully.

Thirty seconds later.

"Beep beep beep—"

Fierce, shut, sleep, detailed... understand?

Thirty seconds later...

"squeak--"

Amidst the repeated torment of getting up, doing sit-ups, and getting up, Dahei was the first to give in. He woke up from the soft cushion beside him, remembered Kuroba Shido's instructions from the previous night, and decisively climbed into bed.

Big Black moved along the soft blankets, first observing Kuroba Shido's head for a while, confirming that this human had completely entered an autopilot state where even turning off the alarm clock didn't require conscious participation, and then decisively adjusted its direction, turning the back half of its body around.

Aim.

Gathering strength.

It suddenly whipped its tail.

"Slap slap—"

Two thick rat tails struck Kuroba Shido's face with perfect precision, the sound crisp and the force even, one on each cheek, ensuring a fair and even distribution.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "???"

"Big Black, I think you are... "

Kuroba Shido suddenly stood up straight, his hair disheveled as if struck by lightning, and his expression quickly turned ugly. One hand reached out to grab the big black dog, seemingly preparing to let this arrogant rat in front of him experience what a terrifying upright ape is like.

Big Black didn't run away.

It crouched on the pillow, first pointing at the phone with its paw, then pointing out the window, and finally spreading its two paws out, its black bean eyes filled with a kind of numbness that only humans experience after working overtime.

Shido Kuroba stopped moving.

"Oh, right, I told you yesterday to wake me up if you couldn't get up in the morning..."

Big Black: "..."

It's good to remember.

If it hadn't remembered, it would most likely have paid the ultimate price for its loyalty today.

Kuroba Shido glanced at his phone—8:02—then looked at the expressionless Kuroba squatting on the pillow. The ugly expression on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by a strange innocence.

So innocent that just one look at them makes your lungs itch.

"Big Black, I misunderstood you. Well done!"

Kuroba Shido gave a thumbs-up, highly praising the big black thing that had saved him from dire straits. Then he reached into the bedside table next to him, rummaged around, and took out a few cordyceps that he had taken from the Jingu family yesterday, and handed them over neatly.

Big Black took the cordyceps.

Chew, chew, chew...

Big Black's satiety level +1 +1 +1...

Highly nourishing!

That's right, eat like that, and you'll get stronger and stronger!

Blow up the beauty!

Kuroba Shido sat cross-legged on the bed, watching the way Daikoku chewed the cordyceps. His gaze gradually moved upwards, finally landing on Daikoku's increasingly pointed head, and a hint of relief appeared on his face.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but Dahei's head seems to be getting more and more pointed lately.

What does this tell us?

This shows that Dahei has amazing martial arts talent and has evolved from an ordinary mouse to a certain level of a combat mouse. The point on its head is just a normal external manifestation of its body being unable to fully withstand the energy generated after the breakthrough in power.

That's how strong people are.

In the end, your body will always undergo some changes that are different from ordinary people, such as muscles becoming larger, hair changing color, light emanating from behind, and your head becoming more and more pointed.

That makes perfect sense.

"If this continues, and I give you some more time to recover, you might be able to develop some kind of rodent martial arts true form. At that time, Da Mei won't even need to pretend to be dead when she sees you; she can just send you to the afterlife on the spot."

Big Black: "..."

"However, just eating cordyceps will slow down your progress a bit. I'll get you some muscle dragon or something later and inject it into your veins, to work in conjunction with the nuclear wastewater from the sewers, a two-pronged approach."

The big black caterpillar fungus paused for a moment.

Black-eyed man gradually became alert.

"What kind of look is that? Would I ever harm you?"

Big Black: "..."

Can't it?

Kuroba Shido understood its gaze, and a pained expression appeared on his face. He reached out and patted the big black dog's shoulder.

"Big Black, we've known each other for so many years, how can you not believe me? Have you forgotten who brought you back from next to the trash can, who fed you rice balls every day, and who arranged separate housing for your family after your wife got pregnant?"

Big Black looked down at the cordyceps.

Then I remembered nuclear wastewater in the sewers, starving for two days, having a rope tied around my head, and a certain human's plan to throw Little Black into it for an evolutionary baptism.

Big Black kept chewing.

Let's eat first.

You need to be well-fed to have the energy to run.

Shido Kuroba muttered about the future enhancement plan for Daikoku for a while until the time on his phone jumped to 8:10, when he remembered that he was supposed to go to Ueno Zoo at 10:00 today.

"Senior!"

Kuroba Shido launched himself forward, grabbed his cane, and rushed to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and tidied his hair in a smooth and efficient manner, at least three times faster than he usually went to school.

Of course, the main reason is not that dating is important.

It's because if a max-level human like Onodera Zanne arrives at the agreed location early, and Kuroba Shido makes her wait there for too long, it's hard to say what hidden side quests might be triggered later.

She might just smile gently and say it's okay.

It's also possible to meticulously record every minute of lateness and, according to a special exchange rate, convert it into body parts that will need to be repaid later.

The outside world is dangerous.

You must be punctual.

Kuroba Shido, toothbrush in hand, took out half a carton of milk he'd swiped from the refrigerator yesterday, tilted his head back and took a sip, then tore open a piece of discounted bread on the table and finished his breakfast in a few bites. During this time, he also casually stuffed Daikoku into his coat pocket, his movements so fast that Daikoku hadn't even finished swallowing the cordyceps in its mouth.

"squeak?"

"Today I'm taking you to the zoo to broaden your horizons and show you how our relatives outside live."

Big Black: "..."

Are the rats in the zoo considered relatives?

"While you're at it, learn some martial arts techniques for generating power from large animals, like tiger pounces, black bear strikes, and giraffe head shakes. You can then integrate these techniques to create your own rodent-based martial arts."

Kuroba Shido spoke with great seriousness, then returned to his bedroom to change his clothes. As soon as he picked up his phone, he found several new messages on the screen.

Onodera Zan'e

[Good morning, Shido.]

Sending time: 7:00 AM.

It might be a bit windy today, but the temperature won't be low, so you don't need to wear too many layers.

7:05.

I prepared some breakfast. I didn't know what Shido liked to eat, so I bought a little of everything.

7:20.

Can I come pick you up?

Sending time: 8:00 AM.

As Kuroba Shido looked at the last message, his scalp tingled.

Pick him up?

Are we here to pick him up?

No.

Absolutely not.

From the ownership of this apartment to its decoration and even the ownership of every speck of dust in the air, everything is completely unrelated to Miyazaki Kiyoshi. If Onodera Zanne appears at the door, regardless of whether the two meet or not, he feels that it will trigger some unimaginable high-level challenge.

Moreover, there might be Miyazaki family staff at the apartment entrance.

The senior student has arrived.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki found out.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi knew that her senior knew.

The senior student also knows that Miyazaki Kiyoshi knows.

By then, everyone will know, but Kuroba Shido won't know where to run.

"There's no need, there's really no need!"

Kuroba Shido hurriedly typed.

Good morning, senior! I've already left. Let's meet at the zoo entrance!

Click send.

He glanced at his lower body, still wearing his pajamas, quickly tossed his phone onto the bed, changed his clothes at a speed unbecoming of a disabled person, and then casually ruffled his hair a couple of times in front of the mirror.

Being handsome has its advantages.

If you replace it with a rice ball, and the hair is a little messy, it's called "leftover rice scattered".

For him, it would be a lazy, natural morning hairstyle.

Good looks can change your destiny.

I can't accept it.

Before leaving the bedroom, Kuroba Shido took another rice ball from the kitchen table, stuffed it into his coat pocket, and saved it specifically for Daikoku Jiro to eat.

"One cough, and Big Black!"

With his phone in one hand and his cane in the other, Kuroba Shido rushed out of the apartment, closed and locked the door, checked the doorknob, and completed a complete set of anti-theft procedures for the poor before hopping towards the elevator.

The door was closed.

The apartment fell silent again.

The phone charging cable was still hanging there beside the bed.

On the table, next to the half-finished carton of milk, was a bread bag.

The inconspicuous black dot in the corner of the bedroom wall slowly rotates. The camera moves from the closed door to the messy bed, and then to the spot where Kuroba Shido had just checked the message.

A faint red light flickered.

Everything that just happened, along with the message from Onodera Zannen offering to come and pick them up, was recorded in its entirety and transmitted as data to a place several kilometers away.

……

The Miyazaki family.

Breakfast time.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki sat at one side of the dining table, with a carefully prepared breakfast laid out in front of him: a small amount of rice, fried fish, vegetables, eggs, and a glass of warm water. The portion was small, just enough to keep him about 70% full.

She usually eats very quietly.

I'm bad at chatting.

I don't watch TV.

They certainly won't waste time on their phones.

According to Kiyoshi Miyazaki's own theory, eating should be done at a steady pace, with the number of chews and nutrient intake kept within a reasonable range. Using a mobile phone can distract attention, affect eating efficiency, and may even lead to unknowingly overeating.

But today is different.

The phone was placed upright next to the plate.

On the screen, live footage from a luxury apartment is being played.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi picked up a small piece of fried fish, but his gaze fell on the scene of Kuroba Shido hurriedly changing his clothes, stuffing rice balls into Daikoku's bowl, and then rushing out the door.

There was no obvious reaction on her face.

I just ate a little slower than usual.

Footsteps came from the direction of the stairs.

Ritsuko Miyazaki had just woken up, her long hair was a little messy, and she was wearing loose pajamas. She was yawning as she slowly walked downstairs.

"morning……"

The sound suddenly stopped.

Ritsuko Miyazaki stood on the last step, her eyes gradually widening.

Xiaoqing is eating.

normal.

Xiaoqing was eating while looking at her phone.

unusual.

This is extremely abnormal!

Ritsuko Miyazaki was instantly wide awake. She held onto the stair railing and observed for a while, making sure she wasn't hallucinating from just waking up. Then, she tiptoed toward the dining table.

step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

She even deliberately controlled her breathing and moved on tiptoe, as if she were carrying out some kind of secret reconnaissance mission.

Get a little closer.

Just a little bit.

As long as she can see what's on the screen, she can tell what it is that could cause her daughter to break her eating habits that she has maintained for many years.

Is it important news?

International situation?

An internal report from the Miyazaki family?

Or is it that extraordinary boy?

Ritsuko Miyazaki grew increasingly curious, and slowly peeked her head out from behind Kiyoshi Miyazaki.

On the screen, a figure leaning on a cane has just stepped out of the apartment.

I haven't seen her face clearly yet.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi lightly touched the screen with his finger, and the image instantly turned off.

Ritsuko Miyazaki froze.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi put down his chopsticks, turned his head, and looked calmly at Miyazaki Ritsuko, who was less than half a meter away from him.

"Sneaking into other people's private information is a sign of a lack of boundaries."

Ritsuko Miyazaki: "..."

"I don't like this."

Ritsuko Miyazaki slowly pulled her head back, her face showing the embarrassment of being caught red-handed by her daughter.

"I'm just browsing..."

Even peeking is still peeking.

"You never used to look at your phone while eating, but today suddenly..."

These two things are unrelated.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi took a sip of warm water, placed his phone face down on the table, and continued eating the rest of his breakfast.

Ritsuko Miyazaki stood to the side, opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't ask the question.

She knows Xiaoqing too well.

There's no point in continuing to ask questions at this point.

Not only will you not get any answers, but Xiaoqing will also give you a lecture that is logically complete, well-organized, and completely irrefutable, covering topics such as behavioral boundaries, privacy rights, and the reasonable distance that family members should maintain.

Ritsuko Miyazaki didn't want her daughter to teach her class first thing in the morning.

A few minutes later.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki finished breakfast on time.

She left no food on her plate and didn't eat much, maintaining a standard of being 70% full. She put her phone in her pocket, went back to her room to change into a set of clothes that were easier to move in, and then sat in the entryway to put on her sneakers.

Ritsuko Miyazaki followed her into the living room: "Are you going out?"

"sports."

"Isn't today a day off?"

Miyazaki Kiyoshi tied his shoelaces and stood up.

"Rest days do not mean that bodily functions need to stop. Regular exercise can maintain cardiopulmonary function and reduce the risks associated with prolonged sitting."

Ritsuko Miyazaki: "..."

it is good.

It's very clean and simple.

At least this part is still normal.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi opened the door, and the morning light streamed into the entryway. Without offering any explanation, she quickly left the Miyazaki house.

The door closed.

Ritsuko Miyazaki stood there, her mind still replaying the fleeting image of her phone screen.

one room.

A person using a cane.

Xiaoqing kept watching while she was eating.

She wasn't even allowed to peek.

Something's not right.

That's very wrong.

Ritsuko Miyazaki quickly took out her phone, found Shimotsuki Takari's chat box, and typed a message at lightning speed.

[Xiao Gao, something's happened!]

Shuangyue Gaoli replied almost instantly.

【Sister Ritsuko, what's wrong? Did a thief break into the house, or did Qing hit someone again?】

[No, Xiaoqing was looking at her phone while eating today.]

The chat window was silent for a few seconds.

Shuangyue Gaoli sent a question mark.

【? 】

Ritsuko Miyazaki quickly added.

She's never done this before, and when I went to look, she immediately put her phone away, saying I had no sense of boundaries and was snooping on her private information.

"Xiao Gao, I think I just saw a boy on the screen."

A few more seconds passed.

On Shimotsuki Takari's end, it showed that she was typing.

Cancel.

Typing again.

It was canceled again.

In the end, only one sentence was sent.

【Ritsuko-neechan, please don't upset her. I'll analyze it right away.】

As Miyazaki Ritsuko looked at the words "Don't upset her," her initially curious expression gradually turned serious.

The situation was indeed very serious.

We already need to avoid any stimulation!

……

Near the main entrance of Ueno Zoo.

Ueno Park was much busier than usual on the weekend. Families with children, young couples, and students walking in groups came from the direction of the station. The trees along the roadside were lush and green in the morning sunlight, and the wind blew through the wide road, swirling up a few fallen leaves.

Kuroba Shido limped over from a distance.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey.

The sound of the cane hitting the ground was rhythmic, occasionally speeding up to become a series of "da da da" sounds as they rushed through.

Even though they were still some distance from the zoo's main entrance, Shido Kuroba spotted Reincarnation Onodera at a glance.

It's too conspicuous.

She stood under the shade of a tree next to the entrance, her long black hair flowing smoothly down her back. She wore a plain-colored long dress with a thin, light-colored coat over it, and carried a paper bag containing breakfast. She was so quiet that she seemed like a scene cut out from the noisy surroundings.

Pretty.

gentle.

calm.

Almost everyone who passes by will instinctively look over.

Young men slowed down and even turned back after passing by. Some girls whispered that she might be a celebrity being filmed. Others hesitated for a long time while holding their phones, seemingly wanting to go up and ask for her contact information.

Onodera Zannen didn't pay attention.

Her gaze remained quietly fixed on the passing crowd, her face maintaining a polite yet aloof expression, as if all the gazes, discussions, and probing from those around her were irrelevant to her.

A boy who had mustered up his courage had just taken two steps forward.

Da da da—

The sound of a cane came from afar.

Onodera Zannen suddenly raised his eyes.

Without even needing to search through the crowd, her gaze landed precisely on the boy who was limping toward her. Her eyes, which had been calm and almost undisturbed, suddenly lit up, and the corners of her lips curved into a smile.

That was a smile that everyone around had waited for a long time but never received.

gentle.

natural.

There was not a trace of polite distance.

The young man who was about to strike up a conversation stopped in his tracks.

Several passersby who had been peeking around followed her gaze and finally saw Kuroba Shido, who was leaning on a cane and had a large black rat hidden in his coat pocket.

Everyone: "..."

Onodera Zannen had already taken a few steps forward.

"Good morning, Shido-kun."

Kuroba Shido stopped, took a breath, looked at the breakfast paper bag in his senior's hand, and then looked at the stares that were all fixed on him.

Good morning, senior.

Onodera Zanne's eyes curved slightly as she handed him the paper bag.

"I didn't know which one you liked, so I bought a little of everything."

Kuroba Shido glanced down.

The paper bag was very large.

It's so big it doesn't look like "a little bit" at all.

Onodera Zanne's gaze fell on his slightly bulging coat pocket again, where Daikoku poked his head out, half a rice ball still in his mouth.

The smile on her face remained unchanged.

"So Big Black came too."

Big Black: "Squeak?"

Onodera Zanne opens another, smaller paper bag.

"Perfect timing, I've also prepared breakfast for it."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

How thoughtful! They even prepared a portion for Big Black...

Wait... when did senior find out about Big Black?