Gravity Girl Shining

"Lena, our great adventure has begun!"

"Oh, dare! Yay!"

Kaname Rakuna also became excited and chased Uehara Hibiki's back along the stairs. Although Kaname Rakuna was said by everyone to not understand what true love was, but... when she was with Uehara Hibiki, she was always happy. The cat girl knew that this was enough.

Lenai is a happy cat. Her thoughts are very simple. As long as she can play guitar every day, eat matcha and soba, have fun with everyone, and do interesting things together, she will live like this for the rest of her life.

This is a very common, yet very greedy wish.

After all, few things can last a lifetime. So, Kaname Rakunai found her destiny, in the band MyGo, alongside Uehara Hibiki and Takamatsu Touma, pursuing her own "lifetime."

They continued walking up the dusty stairs until the passage was blocked by a large part of a sofa. They stopped temporarily. When the stairwell returned to silence, the cat's meow began to appear and disappear, and was within the range that Lenai could hear.

only……

"What are you guys hunting? Fish?"

The cat's meowing hinted at something, leaving both of them looking at each other in bewilderment. Where did the fish come from in such an abandoned building? Even if there were some leftovers from the previous occupants, how could the fish in the tank have survived this long without anyone taking care of it? Could it be that someone had a lot of free time and had been raising fish here?

Uehara Hibiki looked at Kaname Rakuna, and she just shook her head.

But the real question is, how to get up there?

If Hibiki Uehara had to manually demolish the structure, it would have wasted a lot of time. For safety reasons, Hibiki Uehara still hoped to finish the expedition before sunset. After all, even if there were no ghosts, the dim light would make it more likely that someone would fall down the stairs.

Soon, however, Yao Lenai found a way out. On one side of the hallway, a door had fallen from its frame and onto the ground. The two of them stepped into this former residence, which seemed more than just a residence, but rather some kind of activity facility. There were many colorful lights hanging from the ceiling, and broken speakers and bottles on the tables, a bit like a bar... but the crayons scattered around the corners contradicted this idea. Did children seem to have played here?

So it’s a restaurant or some kind of parent-child facility?

Hibiki Uehara is no detective, and even with these remaining traces of life, he can't quite trace back to the place's former glory. He simply savors a peculiar sense of loneliness, savoured by the sunlight streaming in through the windows. But that's largely because he and Lenai are both adventurous types, and they're simply curious about these things rather than afraid. In fact, these traces of life give this place excellent potential as a haunted house. Hibiki Uehara is already imagining bringing the rest of the band here, a Test of Courage 2.0. It would be quite interesting, in a way, but safety is always a concern.

After a long walk, Kaname still couldn't find the wild cats she was looking for. Judging from the sounds, the cats were still higher up. So, just like real wild cats, the cat girl meowed and echoed with the cats.

Soon, a familiar little cat appeared on the terrace. Uehara Hibiki still remembered that the last time he and Deng went to SPACE to look for Kaname Rakuna, it was this cat that pointed the way.

Compared to Uehara Hibiki who had to go through a lot of trouble to coax the cat, Kaname Lenai's reputation level among the cat group has been maxed out. He doesn't need any extra actions, just a glance and the little cat will start to lead the way obediently.

Starting from the terrace, they reached the fire escape. The sunlight after the rain shone through, illuminating the water stains on the stairs. Accompanied by an unsettling creaking sound, Uehara Hibiki and Kaname Rakuna finally reached the rooftop.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the rooftop wasn't just empty concrete, but rather flower beds. Though the cultivated flowers had long since withered, wild blossoms still bloomed brilliantly amid the weeds, adding a touch of life to the area. The sky after the rain was thick with clouds, still brewing for the next plum rain, but that couldn't stop the sun's brilliance. Through the cracks in the clouds, sunlight streamed down, illuminating the entirety of Tokyo.

And in the warm sunshine, cats are gathering here.

Seeing Kaname, a familiar human, arrive, the cats couldn't help but let out a burst of joyful cries. Even with the presence of a stranger, Hibiki Uehara, the restlessness of the cats subsided as soon as he spoke cat language. Some of the braver cats even approached and rubbed against Hibiki's trouser legs.

Lenai squatted on the ground, meowing and chatting with the cats while she began to pull out biscuits from her pocket. She had always fed these cats, and years of spending time with them had made her an extra member of the cat group. However, apart from the biscuits Lenai fed them, there was really nothing on this rooftop that could satisfy the cats.

It was clear that before, the cats were calling out to catch “fish”.

Fish that shouldn't be here.

Just like the torii gate in the center of the rooftop that shouldn't be there.

Chapter 140: Music in Rain or Sun.

Torii refers to a Japanese shrine's ancillary building similar to a torii archway. It represents the entrance to the divine realm and is used to distinguish between the divine realm where gods reside and the secular world where humans live.

Honestly, these things are everywhere in Japan. Not to mention those rural areas that have preserved more traditional customs, even in modern metropolises like Tokyo, there are dozens or even hundreds of shrines of all sizes in a single city. Correspondingly, Torii are really not uncommon.

But one of the essences of horror lies in the errors and distortions of everyday scenes. Uehara Hibiki had to admit that when he saw a torii gate standing in the middle of the rooftop of the building, this inappropriate and awkward feeling did give off a weird and strange atmosphere.

I was right. There are so many monsters in this two-dimensional world. You can encounter this kind of metaphysical stuff in any corner.

Although the intuition skill didn't sound the alarm, this thing should be harmless, but...

It's better to be careful in everything.

Taking out the black card from his pocket, Uehara Hibiki immersed his mind in it. The sounds of the financial street came from the folded virtual space, and soon accompanied by a respectful voice, the noise of the transactions was transferred to another space.

"Welcome, Master Uehara Hibiki. How may I assist you?"

"Tell me about the torii gate in front of me. Cash transaction."

"Sorry, [Financial Street] only provides credit lending and asset trading services..."

It sounds good, but after dealing with them several times, Uehara Hibiki is very clear that after the bankruptcy reorganization and asset liquidation, "Financial Street" no longer has the omnipotence they claimed. Otherwise, Masakaki would not find new ways to promote loan business to Uehara Hibiki every day.

"Masakaki, I'm initiating a transaction as a Black Card holder to purchase the abandoned building below. Before the transaction, I'm going to invite [Financial Street] to conduct an impartial assessment of the suspicious assets. The transaction will be in cash."

"I see, I see. Of course, no problem. The 'name' will cost 2 yen, the detailed information will be 150 million yen, and if we need to 'process' it, the entire process is estimated to cost 460 billion yen."

(“So expensive!”)

Just a name alone required so much, and the price asked by the Financial Street was as outrageous as ever. Then, as if sensing Uehara Hibiki's thoughts, Masakaki began his sales plan again.

"In that case, why not use the black card for transactions? Your credit limit is always unlimited..."

"Shut up, cash transaction."

Along with the sound of a card swipe, a message came from Uehara Hibiki's phone, indicating that a large transaction had been completed in his bank account. Meanwhile, Masakaki also sent a line of text into Uehara Hibiki's mind.

[The gateway to the dragon (whale) in the clouds, the gate of the weather shrine maiden's ritual.]

Now I understand. Although I don't know much about these supernatural things, as long as I look up at the sky...

Even after the weather cleared, the rainy season clouds still circled the sun, rolling in the sky like a giant dragon in the sky, or like whales in the sky, brewing the next rainy season. And then there was that strange weather witch.

All in all, the gods here are probably related to the rain. Although they may not be kind, their factions are at least orderly and will not suddenly cause trouble.

"Masakaki, the transaction of the pre-purchased property is cancelled. Goodbye, don't bother me."

"Understood. I look forward to serving you next time."

Although it circumvented the rules and took advantage of Masakaki, it had no complaints. After all, it always claimed to have plenty of patience.

After roughly understanding the concept of this torii, Uehara Hibiki decisively suppressed his curiosity. Now that he knew it was harmless, the rest had nothing to do with him.

On the other side, at some point, Kaname Lenai had already fed all the biscuits and came to Uehara Hibiki.

"Strange, I felt like you were talking to someone just now, but... I couldn't find it."

"Actually, I just made a phone call and asked for the address here."

Uehara Hibiki joked as he led Kaname Rakuna towards the torii gate.

"Can Lena notice anything when she sees this torii?"

Although Kaname Rakuna's perception range is not as good as Uehara Hibiki's, she has a deeper understanding of these metaphysical existences and can discover many things that Uehara Hibiki cannot see or hear.

Seeing Uehara Hibiki preparing to approach the torii, Kaname Rakuna decisively reached out and grabbed Uehara Hibiki.

"Be careful, there's something watching from the sky."

Kaname's heterochromatic eyes stared at the rain clouds in the sky, but they were still too high up to perceive the real situation.

"It's okay, Lenai, this is a reasonable god."

Uehara Hibiki couldn't help but laugh, but he still stopped. Adventure games weren't real adventures, so he wouldn't rashly touch the torii gate. However, looking at the rolling sea of ​​clouds in the azure sky and the sun about to set, inspiration suddenly came to him.

"Lena, do you want to play with me?"

Uehara Hibiki placed the cart in his hand on the dry open space next to the torii gate and extended an invitation to Kaname Rakuna.

"Interesting! Yes!"

As expected, Kaname couldn't refuse the opportunity to join in the performance. The cat girl quickly evolved into a rock girl, expertly untying the straps on her suitcase. The lack of electricity didn't matter; she was used to the simple sounds of music anyway. This time, they simply moved the performance venue from the parking lot to the rooftop.

But more importantly, this time she had someone by her side.

She was no longer alone.

Kaname sat cross-legged on the cement floor, holding her guitar, not caring at all about the dust staining her skirt. Seeing this familiar posture, the cats quickly began to gather around her, and a tabby cat even jumped directly onto her lap.

"Are you going to scream?"

Cats have problems one after another. They cannot understand the musical instruments made by humans. They just regard them as another kind of "roar", a sound that can transcend species and make cats intoxicated.

Kaname didn't answer, simply plucking the strings gently with the pick. As the first note vibrated in the dusk air, it seemed as if some kind of magic had been triggered. The cats' ears all turned to the source of the sound, pausing their meows as if they were spectators, anticipating the next performance.

"It's about to start, and I'm here today."

Uehara Hibiki announced his presence to the wild cats in cat language, adjusted the keyboard tone, and sat down next to Lenai. He didn't tell Lenai what song he would play today. Just like in the breaks between practice sessions, there was no sheet music, no plan, and everything was just improvisation.

Just like a free and casual cat.

On the rooftop of an abandoned building, in front of the torii gate leading to the sky, the boy and the girl were intoxicated by the clear sky and began their own music.

Freedom of personality, it belongs to Kaname Lenai's freedom. The girl longs to escape from this world bound by rules.

The song of joy comes from Gao Songdeng's mood. Just by singing, he can convey the cry from his heart.

Joy in oneself comes from Chihaya Aine's self-love. Cherish yourself, love yourself, and you will be the master of this world.

Anger and helplessness are the unwillingness of Shiina Riki. The girl does not want to be ordinary, she wants to fly into the sky.

Sad rain is a precious memory of Nagasaki. It is because the rain is so sad that people long for the sky to clear up after the rain and long for hope for tomorrow.

Each of these props, drawn from the hearts of these girls, holds a secret emotion. As Uehara Hibiki improvises, those emotions flow through his heart, molded by the system and transformed into a torrent of creative inspiration.

Uehara Hibiki's fingers glided across the keyboard, and a fragmented yet beautiful melody flowed out. It wasn't any known tune, yet it strangely matched the rhythm of the evening breeze, like the very breath of the city itself. Kaname Lenai quickly followed suit, the sound of her guitar adding a warm undertone to the melody.

The stray cats were completely immersed in this unexpected concert. A tabby cat curled up on Lenai's lap, purring contentedly. Several calico cats rubbed their heads against Lenai's shoes, as if urging her to continue. And even more stray cats quietly took a few steps closer to Uehara Hibiki, their eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

not enough!

Uehara Hibiki could feel something burning deep in his heart. He was going further and further in the pursuit of victory. Now he had a temporarily comfortable life and a gentle and beautiful girlfriend, but it was not enough!

Uehara Hibiki craves for more. He is a greedy hungry beast that devours all victories.

Next month there will be MyGo’s exclusive LIVE and the Summer Music Festival. There are many more victories belonging to MyGo and Uehara Hibiki, waiting for him to win!

The setting sun seemed to ignite two golden flames in Uehara Hibiki's eyes, burning with pure concentration and passion.

Chihaya Aine is a confident person. She is so convinced that she is a genius, and Uehara Hibiki also has the same belief.

Personality pursues love. Yutenji Wakamu is laughing wildly. She is chasing the happiness called "love", and Uehara Hibiki does the same, wanting to seize love in her hands.

The sad rain resonates with Nagasaki Suyo, and Toyokawa Shoko is also sad because of the rain.

Angry at separation, like Shiina Tatsuki, Hachiman Kailing is also looking for her own home. She is angry and unwilling to separate, and refuses to separate because of her anger.

Sad hot topic, Sanjiao Chuhua is always sad, even when she became an idol and an angel in the hearts of fans, she was just imprisoned on the earth by love.

Joyful debut, unlike Mikado Hatsuka, Junda Mana is happy about becoming an idol because she has flown into the sky and transcended the constraints of the earth.

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the purple item, Creation Series: Leaving the Surface (Demo_V1 version).]

The system prompt sound disappeared in the music.

Uehara Hibiki took a deep breath, his fingers dancing across the keyboard, and began a new melody, more complex and freer than before. Kaname Rakuna followed him, composing her own notes on the new movement.

Their music intertwined on the rooftop of the abandoned building, spiraling upwards and merging into the setting sun. Unbeknownst to them, more stray cats gathered from all directions. They sat quietly around the two, their ears pricked up and their tails gently wagging as the only audience reaction. The familiar little cat even boldly jumped onto the ringing keyboard and, under his astonished gaze, nonchalantly stepped across a few keys, adding a few unexpected notes to the improvisation.

("Lenai, what is music to you?")

Even without asking, the music says it all.

When the song ended, the audience beneath the makeshift stage—those stray cats—seemed to know the show was over, but they didn't immediately disperse. Instead, they continued to gather around the two, as if anticipating an encore. Kaname simply plucking the strings of her guitar and smiling blissfully. It was the loveliest smile Hibiki Uehara had ever seen her, the pure smile of a girl immersed in music and the company of cats.

This smile was Lenai's answer.

And Uehara Hibiki, who witnessed this answer, was the person she chose, the person she entrusted, the person she... loved.

[Kailenai's strategy progress +15, now 45/100.]

Uehara Hibiki didn't say much, because some things require no words, like the music they'd just played, like the stray cats that had gathered around them, like the rare peace in Kaname Lenai's eyes. He simply pressed the keys, a new invitation. Kaname Lenai nodded happily, and the rooftop was once again enveloped by music.

The water drops also fell quietly.

Even though the sun has already set in the sky, the rolling rain clouds are still not a big deal, and only sporadic drops of water are gently falling.

However, when the raindrops fall to the ground, the water changes in the seven-color miniature iridescence.

Like little fish "swimming" in the air.

The stray cats suddenly jumped up and flew into the air, trying to catch the water.

So that’s how the word “fish” came about.

Uehara Hibiki couldn't help but look up at the sky. It seemed that his music had a new heavyweight listener.

It feels...not bad.

By the time the second improvisation ended, the sun was almost below the horizon in the west, and it was time to leave. On the way back, Lenai walked ahead, surrounded by stray cats. The constant meowing of cats kindly guided her, so she didn't have to worry about restricted vision. By the time they returned to the street, the streetlights had already come on automatically. Lenai's short silver hair shimmered in the light, and she took her cart from Uehara Hibiki again.