In Tokyo, building the Holy Light Girls team

However, an unexpected car accident shattered her perfect life, and everything vanished. Unable to bear the shock, she committed suicide at home with scissors.

When "she" awoke again, she had become a terrifying slit-mouthed woman, indiscriminately attacking passersby...

"Eh, this is... Sayuri? And Mai-sensei? What are they doing here..."

Through the memories of the Slit-Mouthed Woman, he finally understood why it had appeared in such a strange state earlier; it turned out it had encountered a "troublemaker"!

After reviewing the memories, Natsuki couldn't help but sigh again. Sayuri's luck was truly indescribable, as she encountered ghosts time and time again!

If it weren't for me, that guy would probably already be...

"Hey, another new ability has appeared!"

Xia Mu said with surprise.

After absorbing the Slit-Mouthed Woman's soul crystal, following the previous [Holy Light Forging], he gained a new ability: by using the power of holy light, he can heal his body to a certain extent, and the effect is even better on injuries caused by demons!

"Excellent, excellent! This is exactly the kind of holy light power I envision!"

Xia Mu was quite satisfied.

Although he hasn't encountered any life-threatening dangers with his current strength, who would complain about the ability to save their life?

Furthermore, Xia Mu also noticed that the liquid in the cross necklace was about to completely fill the bead.

Before that, I had already acquired several special abilities. I wonder what changes will occur to the necklace after the beads are completely filled with liquid?

He is quite looking forward to it.

"However, these incidents all happened recently, and she hasn't mentioned anything about her past. So, what could be the reason for this..."

Muttering to himself, Xia Mu continued walking towards home.

The flickering streetlights gradually returned to normal, casting his long, long shadow...

……

Another night passed.

When Xia Mu returned to his office, he immediately looked towards Mai's work area, but did not see her.

"...After something like that happened, it would be stupid not to rest properly—"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt an arm pat his back. He instinctively turned around and was startled: "Ms. Mai, what brings you here?"

In Natsuki's eyes, Mai was still wearing a teacher's uniform, a stark contrast to the disheveled image he remembered from yesterday.

However, she was using a cane on one side, and white bandages were visible under her loose trousers, indicating that she had not fully recovered.

Good morning, Teacher Xia Mu.

Mai greeted him with a smile, then limped toward her desk, while Peter, who also had a class nearby, looked surprised.

"Ms. Mai, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh, I guess I've been too tired lately. I accidentally fell and hurt myself on the way back, and this is how I ended up, hahaha..."

Mai laughed loudly, but the next second she seemed to touch her wound, and she immediately grimaced in pain, her face even turning deathly pale.

Upon catching a glimpse of this, Natsuki frowned immediately: "Is it that serious? If that's the case, Mai-sensei should be resting at home, why is she still..."

Upon hearing this, she immediately raised her fist, and her solemn words rang out:

"No problem. As a teacher at Tokyo Academy, I won't be defeated by such a small difficulty. Even if I die and am buried in a coffin, I will get up and teach my students!"

Peter waved his hand: "That would be a bit scary, Mai-sensei..."

"Is it scary? I thought the students should be very moved..."

Just then, Mai suddenly looked at Natsuki and said, "Natsuki-sensei, this must be the first time you've met me, right? You seemed quite surprised just now."

For a moment, Xia Mu's fingers, which were arranging the books, paused, but he quickly resumed and smiled at Mai.

"Ms. Mai, you must have seen wrong just now, right? I never expected you to be so dedicated to your work. Even though your body is already exhausted, you still..."

As he spoke, he blew his nose forcefully, tears of emotion seemingly about to fall at any moment: "Ms. Mai's spirit is truly something we should all learn from! Don't you agree, Mr. Peter?"

Peter nodded emphatically, and then the two of them looked at Mai and gave her a thumbs up, which made Mai's forehead crease with annoyance.

"..."

This guy...

Realizing that Natsuki had cleverly defused her problem, Mai narrowed her eyes. The next moment, as if she had thought of something, she casually mentioned something else:

"Speaking of which, Tokyo has been quite unsettled lately. Have you heard about it, Natsuki-sensei? There's been a lot of urban legend about the 'Slit-Mouthed Woman' lately..."

……

Chapter 16 Growing Up

As school was about to end, Xia Mu felt extremely uneasy.

Although he had dodged Mai's previous probing about the "Slit-Mouthed Woman," sitting in the office area, he could still see someone's watchful gaze if he glanced to the side.

That undisguised gaze made him want to escape immediately.

At this moment, Xia Mu couldn't help but complain, wondering why the slit-mouthed woman's memories didn't have a "recording and playback" function. That way, he could know the specific situation that happened and wouldn't be in such a passive position now.

Sayuri must have done something I don't know about...

As she was thinking, Xia Mu subconsciously looked towards the door and saw someone walk in so bright and cheerful, raising their hand to greet her.

"summer……"

Before Sayuri could speak, Natsuki stood up, walked up to her, and said with a smile, "Sayuri-san, I happen to have something to discuss with you. Please come with me!"

After saying that, he walked straight ahead.

Looking at Natsuki's retreating figure, Sayuri was initially puzzled, but when she remembered what had happened last night, her face turned deathly pale.

Could it be that the teacher already knows?

She swayed as she looked at Mai, only to see a scrutinizing gaze, which filled her with even greater despair.

Yamete!

……

Not long after, the two appeared on the rooftop.

Natsuki didn't say anything, but simply crossed his arms and looked down at Sayuri.

The gaze behind those gold-rimmed glasses made her feel an increasing pressure, and she finally couldn't help but surrender.

"I was wrong, Ms. Natsuki. I shouldn't have told Ms. Mai about that..."

"really……"

Listening to Sayuri's story, Natsuki sighed. He had been trying his best to hide his abilities, but it seemed that some unintentional actions were still causing him trouble!

Shaking his head, Xia Mu didn't pursue the matter further. Instead, he held out his palm and calmly said, "Give me the clip."

Sayuri panicked and instinctively put her hand on her head, her voice trembling.

"Ms. Natsuki, are you angry? Sayuri promises you, I really won't do it again next time. Please don't take this back, okay..."

Her big, watery eyes stared at Xia Mu as she pleaded, leaving Xia Mu speechless.

"I just wanted to replenish the power in the clamp, what are you thinking?"

"what……"

Sayuri was stunned.

The next second, a smile bloomed on her face again, and she playfully took the clip off and placed it in Xia Mu's hand: "Then thank you, Teacher Xia Mu!"

hum-

Holy light appeared in Xia Mu's hand, accompanied by wisps of light containing a sacred aura, gradually enveloping the bear clip, making Sayuri feel even more amazed.

Looking at the man's earnest face, Sayuri was momentarily captivated, as if she had returned to the scene when she received the "token of love" from him, her heart filled with sweetness and warmth.

When she realized what was happening, her cheeks flushed slightly, and as if remembering something, she couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Xia Mu, are you really not angry?"

"What's the use of getting angry? There's no point in dwelling on what's already happened, but..."

Xia Mu paused for a moment, looked up and glanced at her, then looked back at the clip in front of him.

"What I'm curious about is, before that incident in the restroom, have you ever had a similar experience?"

"Before?"

Sayuri tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then shook her head: "No, Natsuki-sensei, that was the first time I encountered that..."

As she spoke, she suddenly recalled that it seemed she had exposed something very private in front of the other person in the restroom—

boom!

In an instant, a wisp of white smoke rose from inside the gauze. She couldn't help but put her hands on her face, as if only in this way could she hide her shy appearance.

Sayuri is too ashamed to face anyone!

"is that so……"

Xia Mu didn't notice the other person's unusual behavior, and just kept talking to himself, a thoughtful glint flashing behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

"By the way, Ms. Natsuki, we saw the terrifying [Slit-Mouthed Woman] last night, if it weren't for—"

"Oh, you can rest assured when you go home from now on. You shouldn't run into that guy, because I've already taken care of him."

"solve???"

"Yes, you heard me right."

"As expected of Teacher Xia Mu, she's amazing..."

Sayuri did not doubt Natsuki's words.

In her eyes, the other party was practically omnipotent, but was just an ugly-looking ghost, no match for Teacher Xia Mu!

"By the way, Professor Natsuki, about the super-sensory detective I suggested before, you..."

"Don't even think about it, I won't agree."

"Ms. Natsuki, are you really not going to reconsider? Waaaaah..."