Tokyo bombing incident Nth time

Minmei doesn't know everything about strange creatures, but Yuri knows even less and can't be of much help.

"..." After Yuri fell silent, Akemi seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

"Is there a problem?" Yuri nervously surveyed his surroundings but found nothing unusual.

"Could you leave for a bit? I need to tidy up a bit." The high school girl didn't hesitate for long.

Yuri obediently got up and floated away.

After a while, Mingmei came out, still wearing that suspicious trench coat and holding a hat in her hand. She wasn't wearing a mask, but there was one thing about her that was particularly noteworthy.

"What's wrong?" The suspicious man felt uncomfortable being stared at by Yuri.

Yuri took two steps closer, moving to a distance where he would normally be safe from being attacked, and observed carefully.

"Don't get so close, just say what you have to say." — About fifteen seconds later, Akemi, unable to bear it any longer, pushed him away.

"How did the wound on your chin heal so quickly?" Yuri had been looking for a long time before he finally noticed a patch of pinkish-white skin that was lighter than the surrounding skin, and the wound had completely disappeared.

"Well... I've always had fast wound healing since I was little. My grandpa said it's good material for being a hunter—isn't that a good thing? And I think among so many people, there must be some whose bodies regenerate quickly..." The abnormal human tried to justify his situation.

"You don't need to say anything, I'm almost used to it." I'm used to the fact that your physical abilities are so good that they seem inhuman, yet you're completely unaware of it. Remember to tell me when you realize that you're not human.

Yuri began to feel ashamed that he had previously worried about the physical condition of this abnormal human—this physical ability was truly remarkable, and he suggested sending him for research.

Did your grandfather say that you should try not to let everyone know about your superhuman physical abilities?

“Really? He also suggested that I not join sports clubs so I wouldn’t make any friends—although I think he’s just misunderstanding me because he’s been living in the countryside all this time. I haven’t been in Tokyo for very long, only about a month, but I think there are always people with excellent physical fitness in a big city like Tokyo. I’ve heard of several myself.”

If you had actually studied your biology textbook, you wouldn't be considered normal. Do you even deserve to be called a high school student? You should be ashamed!

"Oh, right, I'm going out to get something to eat to replenish my energy. You should come too. I think it's best if we don't separate right now."

“No problem,” Yuri replied. Although the shadowy figure’s movements would be significantly restricted during the day, being ambushed would still be extremely dangerous.

After leaving the stairwell, Yuri tossed the now faintly translucent dagger into the air.

Nothing fell.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the road, Akemi rode her motorcycle with Yuri in tow, moving in increasingly remote directions.

Incidentally, the spiritual essence used to secure Yuri was generously donated by the repeaters. Thanks to their help, Yuri is no longer so hungry and has something in his stomach.

On the way, Yuri told Akemi his deductions, including his own feelings about the "blessing" that he thought was unreliable.

For the vast majority of these, Minmei and Yuri shared the same opinion, with one exception and one addition.

The exception was that Mingmei believed she might know how the shadowy figure was tracking her—it probably wasn't using sight, but rather sensory perception. Before leaving, she checked the plastic bag containing the shadowy fragments she had collected the day before. While the bag itself showed no signs of being opened or torn, all the fragments inside had vanished. The shadowy figure likely maintained contact with these shapeless body parts—at least knowing their approximate location.

The addition is that the shadowy figures may indeed possess certain characteristics—some spiritual energy acts upon the holder, enabling them to accomplish a task more effectively. Judging from the shadowy figures' intense hostility towards Akemi (and Yuri), they might be particularly adept at actions like "injuring/killing."

Although the shadowy figure is not a spirit, since spirits may possess such abilities, other strange entities may also possess them.

Yuri, who was waving his arms, was already overwhelmed by the ever-increasing power of the other spirits.

"Is there any way to identify what abilities a spirit has? I really want to know what abilities the shadow and I have," Yuri said, half asking and half complaining, toward Akemi.

“It can only be done through knowledge, experience, and supernatural powers.” Akemi really thought for a moment. “But your abilities are quite remarkable to me.”

What does that mean? Yuri himself doesn't even know the specifics of his abilities.

“In short, it’s either imitation, omnipotence, or a wish-granting machine.” Mingmei gave three judgments. “No matter which one, the conclusion is that it is a very flexible ability. In fact, spirits with such abilities often become famous—so they often have some problems in terms of strength.”

"Why would there be a problem with the strength instead?"

“Because this ability has a very wide range of influence and is extremely convenient, it is usually assumed to be one level higher.” Mingmei answered without turning her head. “That is to say, if I am not mistaken, as a level two spirit, as long as you flexibly master your abilities, you will be directly treated as a level three spirit, but you will lack the corresponding basic qualities.”

This means that although I am definitely not that strong, my rating is directly raised because I am too agile. If I really go head-to-head with someone of the same rating, I will definitely be beaten badly.

Yuri's confirmation was confirmed by Akemi.

"Look on the bright side. If you happen to be able to perfectly control shadows now, next time you see a shadow monster, you can just turn the dagger in its hand into a mess, right? Besides, in reality, where is there a setting where you are guaranteed to encounter an enemy of the same level? Just treat being weaker than a spirit of the same level as being stronger than a spirit of the same real level, right?"

That makes a lot of sense. So the problem isn't about what level you are, but about what level you are perceived to be, which determines how others will treat you.

However, since I'm just an unknown person, no one will be particularly prepared to treat me that way.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Akemi stopped the car in a rather remote place. Although strictly speaking, there is no place in Tokyo that is as remote as the wilderness, this place is definitely one of the few places that people come here.

I got out of the car, locked it, and then turned two more corners in the corner, where a small shop appeared in front of me.

Behind the shop appears to be a fish market, but Akemi's target is this little shop called "Okumura-ya".

"Uncle Okumura? Are you there?" The man who led the way went inside familiarly, with Yuri following behind.

The shop wasn't particularly tidy; the tables were fairly clean, but the oil stains and empty bottles on the floor hadn't been completely cleaned up. It wasn't a major problem, though, and it was clear this shop didn't primarily cater to high-end customers.

"Here!" a loud voice responded. "Is that Xiaomingmei? Why are you here during the day?"

Being able to recognize people by their voices, it seems that Mingmei and the boss are really close.

“I ran into some trouble recently and had to take leave from school. I’m starving right now, so I can’t worry about anything else.”

"The same as always?" No one came out, but the voice was clearly audible.

“That’s right!” Akemi responded loudly.

As Akemi found a place to sit, Yuri floated to the opposite side of her, remaining in his ethereal state, hovering on the chair. The table here was quite large, but there weren't many chairs; perhaps this was to leave ample personal space for each guest?

"Is this the place you always come to for extra food?"

Minmei nodded.

"You've only been here a short time and you're already 'as usual'?" This was the part that Yuri found most strange—Ami should have been in Tokyo for a little over a month, eating here twice a week, which means she'd eaten here about ten times a week. How could she be already 'as usual'?

"Because the person who introduced me to this restaurant always eats the same things, her usual routine is my usual routine."

When that person was mentioned, Akemi's expression changed slightly, but Yuri had no idea what that expression meant; he could only say that it felt a bit complicated.

After a while, a tall, stout man came out of the kitchen, carrying two large plates and placing them in front of Mingmei. Judging from the condition of his apron and the grease stains on his clothes, he was the chef himself.

He then looked at Yuri's location and frowned. "Mingmei, are you being haunted by something unclean?"

“No, that’s not it,” Mingmei shook her head decisively. “It is indeed a bit troublesome, but this is the spirit friend I mentioned before.”

Yuri simultaneously uttered, "I'm not something unclean," but the burly man seemed not to hear him.

“It’s good that you’re confident, but if you suffer a loss, you should tell others in time. Of course, since I can’t see it, it shouldn’t be a spirit, and it shouldn’t have anything to do with us.” The burly man nodded and turned to go back to the kitchen.

After Yuri waited until his figure had completely disappeared, he lowered his voice and said, "What he said made me think of something... Could it be that..."

"Yes, he has some connection with the Soul Hunter group I mentioned. I found this place through one of their introductions."

“Um, they are all…” Yuri looked at the two plates in front of him, each nearly half a meter in diameter, and they were almost entirely filled with meat and stew.

"Hmm... what are all these?" Akemi asked after swallowing what was in her mouth.

"Are they all big-bellied men?" Yuri pointed to the amount on the plate.

"Most of them are, right? After all, their jobs require a lot of physical strength."

Then Akemi resumed her feasting.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Anti-Shadow Plan

An hour later, when Akemi left, she left behind six empty plates and almost left a dumbfounded Yuri in the shop as well.

"...I know I ate a bit too much, but you didn't have to look at me like that, did you?" The big eater walked to the motorcycle with restraint, but still couldn't hold back.

A little? What are you talking about, Akemi?

“I’m telling you, Akemi… shouldn’t your stomach be bulging from all this stuff?” Yuri continued, looking you up and down. “I think this scenario is highly unrealistic. Where did all the food you ate go?”

It's true that the later plates are a bit smaller, but not by much—besides, even just eating the first two plates is impressive enough. Yuri thinks that calling it "bulging" is a very mild way of putting it—normally it should be "bursting through."

“Oh,” Mingmei blushed, “It does bulge a little, but my trench coat covers it well so you can’t see it. And I digest it well too.”

If you can digest so much food so quickly, your stomach must be filled with aqua regia, not hydrochloric acid.

Yuri tried to take another look at where the bulge was, but Akemi threatened that if he brought it up again, she would leave him there and ride her bike back alone.

"Is everyone like this?" After a while, once the car had accelerated and was moving smoothly forward, Yuri, who was trailing behind, tried to inquire indirectly.

"Of course not, why do you think that?" Is this the first time Akemi has admitted that she is different from ordinary people?

"No, I just realized this is the first time I've seen people here eat. If everyone can eat like this, I'll just record it as common sense in human physiology."

It could actually be common sense in physics, and Yuri is looking forward to a reasonable explanation.

“Well… most people don’t actually eat that much. For example, my grandfather only eats about one-eighth of the amount before he has to rest. As for Chinami, she probably eats even less,” Akemi thought for a moment. “Actually, the people who can eat so much are mainly these spirit hunters and people like me who are close to them. And I don’t eat that much every meal—if I doubled my usual meals, I wouldn’t have to come here regularly to eat and drink like this.”

"Then why not?" Wouldn't doubling the usual meals be more stable and healthier?

"..."

Just when Yuri almost thought Akemi hadn't heard or understood his question, Akemi answered, her voice quite dejected, "Of course it's because of money—it's ridiculously expensive to eat the same thing anywhere else..."

I see. This leads to another question Yuri wanted to ask.

"I didn't see you pay just now?" Even if it's cheap, it can't be free, right? Giving away so much stuff for free, even if the later plates aren't as big and the meat ratio is lower, he'll still lose a fortune.

"Ah, the person who introduced me to this shop will pay." Akemi's voice sounded a little impatient. "By the way, the discount is also because of this—otherwise, the prices here are normal, so you wouldn't have to ask."

Yuri wisely remained silent, and the two did not speak for the rest of the journey.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Neither of them sensed the presence of the shadowy figure on their way home or away.

It seems the shadowy figure really won't be making any big moves during the day.

Having reached the previous conclusion that the shadowy figure was related to the spiritual energy within Akemi, there seemed to be nothing left to hesitate about.

Immediately shift the investigation focus to finding the shadowy figure and eliminating it—or find out its connection to the spiritual force and break free from it.

There are two problems.

First, I don't know where to find the shadowy figure.

Secondly, after the encounter, I didn't know how to stop the shadowy figure from escaping.

Unable to figure out how to solve the first problem, the two began discussing the second problem directly.

The first method rejected was the most effective one: directly shining a moving light source on the shadow. It wasn't bad, but it has been proven to be very susceptible to interference and easily shaken off by the shadow.

It's regrettable, but this method would likely require more people—if more people surrounded the shadowy figure and shone lights inside, the problem would certainly be solved. However, neither Yuri nor Akemi could easily summon a large group of people. Hmm… perhaps Akemi could, but she clearly wasn't willing.

Then the idea of ​​using non-focused light sources such as torches was rejected—in which the idea was simply to illuminate the entire area.

Unfortunately, the plan was wonderful—but where could they find such a large light source?

Furthermore, if you were to put up a gigantic light source in the middle of the night on campus, making it as bright as day... well, that would be too much.

“Then, the next method is to prepare a place full of light sources in advance, lure the shadowy figure in and ambush him. If we prepare well, we should be able to block the shadowy figure from escaping.” Mingmei leaned back on the sofa and proposed another idea.

Yuri couldn't find anything wrong with this time, but the shadowy figure had already escaped once in the hallway last time—the plan was good, but in practice it might require multiple attempts.

It only works if the shadowy figure cooperates; if the shadowy figure sees through the trap, then things will be troublesome.

"Hmm, there's another way—but I'm not sure if it will work." This time, unlike before, Mingmei's voice wasn't very confident.

"In short, let's first talk about where the uncertainty lies?" Yuri believes that any possible solution needs to be studied.

"When you were fighting the shadowy figure before, was the shadowy figure passively following your power, or did you need to actively transform and escape?"

...Good question," Yuri recalled for a moment, "Both possibilities exist. I think larger changes might require active transformation, while smaller ones can be passively transformed."

In reality, contact with a shadow is completely different from contact with a normal object; what Yuri was referring to was mainly a personal feeling.

“Then let’s just throw the fuel onto the shadow and set it on fire. Do you think it can shake off quickly?” Mingmei stated her idea in its entirety.

...That's hard to say for sure. Yuri first shook his head, then nodded, and then, worried that he hadn't expressed his meaning, he chose to speak first.

In other words, he wasn't sure if the shadowy figure could quickly escape from the physical fuel, but he thought it was worth a try.

The two decided to carry out both plans simultaneously: find a well-lit place to lure the shadowy figure over, turn on the light, and at the same time throw incendiary materials at the shadowy figure and set it on fire.

—So where is this place? This is the first question we can't avoid.

So far, they have only seen the shadowy figure in two places—a school classroom and a residential building corridor.

Yuri thought they should go to the school to look for him—the encounter in the dormitory hallway was obviously because the shadowy figure had followed them, while the attack at the school was the one where the shadowy figure had taken the initiative.

...A premeditated attack?