I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Coopation is now unblocked!

【Mizuha Mimori (Faith)★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

Amamiya: ...

Unexpectedly, by striking while the iron was hot, he was able to unlock three brand new COOP relationships at the same time.

It was a pleasant surprise.

Having received support from the three girls in the training club, Amamiya then looked at Shizuko.

Since Amamiya had been in charge of the conversation, Shizuko had been observing silently the whole time and hadn't had much of a chance to speak.

Now, under Amamiya's gaze, the girl immediately realized that she should say something.

"Well... then, I'll leave it to everyone in the Training Club. Our Festival Operations Committee will also do its utmost to ensure the smooth running of this Cherry Blossom Festival!"

After making her promise, Shizuko bowed deeply to thank the three members of the training club who were willing to help.

"I won't say thank you because it's too vague... Anyway, if anyone in the training department wants to patronize Baiye Hall in the future, Baiye Hall will offer a discount."

Amamiya, standing to the side: "..."

That's a really solid and practical thank you.

After a moment of silence, Amamiya immediately felt Shizuko's gaze fall on him again.

"Now that we've achieved our goal, Sensei... shouldn't we start thinking about a 'counter-offensive'?"

Amamiya didn't answer yes or no, but calmly said, "Well, let's go back and discuss the battle plan."

【~???~】(from Jingzi, Kaede, Sansen)

【~???~】(from Tsubaki)

I sensed the emotions emanating from Shizuko.

【Coopation↑UP!】

【Kawa and Shizuko (love)★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

After finishing his discussion with the girls from the training club, Amamiya led them back to the shopping street where the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) was located—the same street where Hyakki Yagyō was situated.

Perhaps due to the closure of Baiyetang for some reason, the number of customers on the commercial street has decreased significantly.

After entering the courtyard of Hyakuyado through the back door, Amamiya immediately spotted Fina instructing the robot employees to carefully unload the goods.

The once spacious and peaceful courtyard is now filled with cardboard boxes, wooden boxes, and plastic boxes of all sizes.

Some contained exquisite Japanese-style tea sets, while others contained kitchen utensils...

In short, these were all various tools and equipment that the Hundred Nights Hall urgently purchased after the destruction by members of the Demon Sect.

Upon noticing Amamiya and her group entering the courtyard through the back door, Fina was momentarily surprised. She then gently put down the small cardboard box she was carrying and cheerfully tiptoed to wave to Amamiya and Shizuko.

“Sensei, and Chairman… welcome back!”

After glancing at the situation in the courtyard, Shizuko understood that Fina had done a good job of "repurchasing the necessities lost in the attack" during her absence.

"Fina, we can deal with the goods later. There are more important things to discuss right now..."

Fina nodded knowingly: "Understood, Chairman!"

"Let's prepare some refreshments for our guests!"

Fina rushed into the kitchen, which had probably been rearranged.

Shizuko, as the 'hostess', led Amamiya and the three girls from the training club, and pushed open the back door of the courtyard leading to the Hyakuyado reception area.

Currently closed, the reception area of ​​Baiyetang is spotless.

After everyone was seated, the tea and snacks that Fina had prepared were served at just the right time.

"Due to the haste, the hospitality was inadequate."

Shizuko seemed to have recovered somewhat, and her tone gradually became 'familiar' to Amamiya.

"Alright~ now it's time to discuss the battle plan☆~"

"Ahem..."

After clearing her throat, Shizuko immediately became serious again: "Information about the shopping district chairman..."

At that moment, she roughly told the three members of the training club that the 'shopping street president - Metenmaru' was the mastermind behind hiring the demon to destroy the cherry blossom festival, as well as related information.

Feng was quite surprised by Shizuko's explanation: "Eh~ So, the chairman of that shopping street is actually a two-faced villain?"

It feels like... one of those infamous villains in TV dramas?!

Mimori then said softly, "It's hard to believe... but upon reflection, it seems to make sense."

Mimori had certainly heard of the 'shopping street chairman'.

She just never expected that the president, who always seemed so glamorous, was actually so ugly inside.

Feng didn't speak, maintaining that drowsy expression.

The observant Amamiya could tell that she also clearly disliked the 'two-faced shopping district president'.

Shizuko then began to explain her plans: "We'll launch a counterattack at dusk when the shopping street's chairman is inspecting the daily activities of the Demon Tower..."

At this point, Shizuko appropriately shifted the topic to Amamiya.

"Sensei, what do you think we should do?"

Amamiya instantly sensed that all the girls present were simultaneously focusing their attention on her.

"Shizuko's suggestion coincided with my own. Dusk is indeed a suitable time for a counterattack..."

At this point, Amamiya smiled.

After all… the “Phantom Thief” operation also takes place around this time.

Chapter Twenty-Two: The "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"

As is well known, the "phantom thief's" heart-stealing activities usually take place "after school in the afternoon".

That is, at dusk in the daytime.

The reason for choosing this time period is not only because the members of the Phantom Thieves are composed of students.

Furthermore, "twilight" inherently carries a special sense of mystery.

According to the ancient legend of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, it is said that it is easier to 'come into another world' at dusk, the so-called "time of twilight".

After waiting for a short while atop a building in the style of a castle tower, Amamiya, with a slightly chilly spring evening breeze blowing, finally met the ninja girl he was waiting for.

With a puffing sound of smoke and a slight crackling of electric arcs, the fox-eared girl, still in her hand seals, "reappeared" behind Amamiya out of thin air.

"My lord! Izuna has fulfilled his mission and delivered the 'Heart-Stealing Complaint' to his mastermind!"

After reporting like a ninja, the girl swayed her big fox tail and chuckled innocently with a slightly silly and cute grin as she moved closer to Amamiya.

"Next... will our lord begin using the techniques of a 'phantom thief' to steal away twisted desires... and punish that villain who arbitrarily distorts everyone's dreams?!"

Amamiya did not answer immediately, but silently watched the last rays of sunset disappear below the horizon.

The air seemed to have grown slightly colder. Amamiya withdrew her gaze, looking at Izuna and nodding slightly. "Yes. Now, we'll infiltrate the 'dark side of the world'... and act during this twilight hour, stealing the target's desires in one fell swoop, forcing the target to genuinely repent."

Amamiya originally intended to find an excuse to send Izuna away.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he said that, the fox-eared girl in front of him stared at him with her bright golden eyes.

With a faint flame burning in his golden eyes against the night sky, Izuna earnestly requested, "For the sake of the myriad lights of the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), and also to become a ninja who can always stay by my lord's side..."

"Please allow Izuna to accompany you, my lord!"

Amamiya: "..."

After a brief silence, Amamiya finally let out a soft sigh.

Alright then... Let Izuna see the "dark side of the world" (another world), since it's a rare opportunity.

It's just a matter of handling a request in the Impression Space; there won't be any uncontrollable dangers.

"Then let's take Izuna with us..."

As Amamiya spoke, she took out the "Another World App" and selected the bookmark function.

After arriving in Kivotos and visiting the Impression Spaces of Abydos, Millennium, Trinity, and Arianus, Amamiya learned about a special 'setting'.

The style of Impression Space varies significantly depending on the region.

The impression space of Abydos is a city of sin in the desert;

The space of impressions spanning a thousand years is Eridu, a fantastical world;

The Holy Trinity Impression Space is a cluster of castles planted with the World Tree;

Arius's impression space is a misty courtyard overgrown with roses and thorns;

So……

What will the Impression Space of the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) region be like?

"Impression Space, begin navigation."

The [Otherworld App] received the navigation command, and black and red ripples began to spread from the phone screen into the real world.

"Waaaaah... W-what happened...?"

"My lord, my lord... Izuna suddenly feels... so dizzy..."

The fox-eared girl beside him immediately let out a broken, pitiful 'wailing'.

"Is it... an enemy trap? I'm sorry, my lord, Izuna, no..."

There's quite a bit of drama involved.

Amamiya chuckled and pinched the tips of the girl's trembling fox ears: "Izuna, this isn't some enemy ambush... Take a closer look."

As the dizziness and vertigo caused by the otherworld app's activation gradually subsided, Izuna subconsciously held her breath, her golden pupils widening slightly as she surveyed the 'world' before her with a look of surprise and wonder.

The vermilion torii gate gleamed with a dark luster under the moonlight, the will-o'-the-wisps in the paper lanterns flickered, and the eerie shadows of a hundred ghosts floated on the bluestone path.

Like a Ukiyo-e scroll slowly unfolding before your eyes, the rich colors gradually converge to reveal a scene of the Edo period, a time of sparse stars and a "night parade of a hundred demons."

Well... it's not the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" in the sense of the name, but the literal meaning of the phrase.

The cold, silent moonlight shone down on me, and the buildings from the Edo period, varying in height, were covered with a layer of light, flowing moonlight.

Looking around, Izuna could immediately spot all sorts of 'yokai' that probably only appeared in ancient myths and supernatural tales, like the Kojiki or Hyakki Yagyō.

There was a "ghost" carrying a long, thorny stick, with red skin, a tall, muscular build, and a blue face with fangs;

There is a "Spirit of the Umbrella" with eyes on its surface, floating around in mid-air;

There is a "Wannyūdō" that burns with flames and crashes straight through the streets, leaving behind a long trail of fire each time.

Near the ground, flying at low altitudes are "tengu" with long noses, wearing strange masks, and with wings on their backs;

And many more strange creatures whose shapes were even more bizarre, which Izuna couldn't describe or name for a moment...

It wasn't that there wasn't a trace of "humans"... but compared to the countless monsters, the samurai wearing Warring States period armor and wielding samurai swords seemed particularly inconspicuous in this environment that resembled a Hundred Demons Register.

"My lord, my lord..."

The little fox's voice trembled slightly, but not from fear. Rather, it was from the novelty and excitement of being captivated by the completely different "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in the Edo Period."

“This, this is…”

Amamiya nodded slightly: "That's right... this is the dark side of the world."

I never expected... The impression space corresponding to the "Hundred Ghosts Parade" area of ​​the Hundred VI Wonders (Part 1) is indeed "Hundred Ghosts Parade".

Looking around, all I see are various kinds of 'monsters' that only exist in folk tales or strange stories...

Of course, not all of these yokai were bizarre. Amamiya also saw quite a few beautiful 'yokai girls'.

The sense of déjà vu reminded Amamiya of a game called "Onmyoji" that he had learned about before coming to Giwatos.

—It's roughly the difference between shikigami before SR and shikigami after SR.

If SR shikigami are 'beginning to take human form', then higher-level shikigami are all handsome men and beautiful women, while lower-level shikigami are all demons and monsters...

It's true that ability determines appearance.