The all-powerful middle schooler

morisummer: Is that all? I thought you were going to show your witch nature.

Thunder Hammer User: Is this a lie?

Witch of Greed: What kind of image do you have of a 'witch'? Would I do something so tasteless?

What follows is the usual bickering.

After reading it, Izumi Hasegawa prepared to put her phone back in her pocket.

Just then, he received another message.

It was the fallen saint black cat who had met him once.

Ruri Gokou: Can we meet? I have something important to discuss in person.

"Is it important?"

Hasegawa Izumi pondered for a moment before giving a reply.

"Can"

……

Chiba.

Ruri Gokou lay on the bed, gripping her phone tightly in one hand, staring at the ceiling, her gaze becoming increasingly resolute as if she had made some important decision.

68. Ruri Gokou's yearning for mystery

I have a bad personality, and I've always been like that since I was a child, so much so that I've never had any friends with whom I share common interests.

At first, I had some regrets, until I came into contact with otaku culture.

I'm sure everyone has fantasized about having special powers, right?

From childhood to adulthood, we are bombarded with all kinds of online information, such as animation, games, novels, or TV series, and we can't help but immerse ourselves in them.

I, Gokou Ruri, am the same!

However, there is no such thing as supernatural power in this world, and I firmly believe this even though I call myself 'Fallen Saint Black Cat' online.

After all, I'm not stupid; I won't blindly believe things I haven't seen before.

However, I still harbor a sliver of hope, wishing that one day I might unexpectedly encounter a supernatural event.

Fortunately... I actually got to see it!

On that day, a ray of hope shone into my heart.

……

On another ordinary day, after school, Gokou Ruri went straight home.

Because her family was poor, both her parents worked overtime, so she was responsible for all the housework, taking care of her younger siblings, and preparing dinner.

It's impossible not to feel bored, especially after experiencing such a mysterious event that day.

For a girl suffering from chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), the impact was beyond imagination, so much so that her 'symptoms' have become increasingly severe recently. She talks to herself and imagines that it will take longer and longer for her to awaken her powers.

"This can't go on like this."

Ruri Gokou lay on the bed, stretching out her right hand as if grasping the light emanating from the ceiling light.

She couldn't stand it anymore.

"I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the sun."

The girl inexplicably remembered this phrase.

Previously, she was somewhat reserved, wanting to inquire about the method to gain power by cultivating goodwill.

But now that I think about it, what does a little face matter in the face of gaining power?

Let alone being a slave or servant, even if you were to be raped, there would be a line of people waiting for you, right?

The greatest truth in the world is strength, especially in today's dangerous world. For ordinary people, a little bad luck can lead to despair.

"Should we just ask him directly? Hopefully, he has a way to grant people supernatural powers."

As Gokou Ruri thought to herself, she took out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and then stopped.

"Shouldn't we pay a visit in person for something this important?"

Otherwise, it would seem insincere.

She changed her mind, cleared the sentence she had just typed, and retyped it.

"Can"

She quickly received a response, and her eyes lit up with joy. She couldn't wait to make arrangements for the meeting.

The time is set for the weekend.

Before that, she needed to carefully plan what she would say.

……

Hidechiin.

Afternoon break.

"Izumi-chan, Rikka, do you know about the 'Seven Mysteries of Our Office'?"

After finishing her bento, Fujiwara Chika jogged over and stood between the two of them, speaking with a serious expression.

"Does that mean you're in danger, Fujiwara? Don't worry, we'll handle it."

Rikka's ears perked up, then she patted her chest, expressing her confidence.

"No, it's just that everyone's been talking about it a lot lately, so I'm quite interested."

Fujiwara Chika immediately gave an awkward smile, and the terrifying atmosphere she had originally intended to create vanished instantly.

"Chika, there are still grains of rice on your lips."

Hasegawa Izumi looked up, noticed this, and gestured.

"Is that so?"

The innocent girl looked flustered, took out a mirror and glanced at herself, then picked up a grain of rice with her finger and licked it with her tongue.

"Good children shouldn't waste food."

Fujiwara Chika smiled and explained the reasoning to them.

"Chika is indeed a good child."

Hasegawa Izumi made a compliment.

"Hey hey hey..."

Chika was very happy to be praised, and her face turned as red as a child's.

"So, Fujiwara, what are these Seven Mysteries of Honjo that you mentioned?"

Rikka is more concerned about this.

"That one seems to be an urban legend that has been circulating since the Edo period, like Oki-gyobori, Send-off Lantern, Send-off Pace Wood, Lantern-less Soba, Ashizawa Residence, One-leaf Reed, Tanuki-ko, Fallen Leaf Bald Hammer, and Tsugaru Taiko."

Fujiwara Chika, of course, couldn't remember all that information, so she took out her phone and searched for it.

"Huh? Aren't there seven? Why are there more than seven? The creators of this fictional work are so careless!"

The girl pouted and made a complaint.

"Fujiwara, you really don't understand. There are five Heavenly Kings. That's common knowledge."

Rokka Kotori immediately expressed her agreement seriously.

"is that so!?"

Fujiwara Chika tilted her head.

"and then."

Hanesegawa Izumi looked at her and continued.

"And then? And then there's nothing more... Izumi-chan, don't you have any other questions?"

Fujiwara Chika sensed his attitude, pouted, and was very dissatisfied with the result.

A friend told her that someone like Izumi-chan should be very interested in this kind of topic.

She really put in a lot of effort for this!

"Well, if you want to explain it to me, I'm willing to listen."

Izumi Hasegawa made a slight concession.

"You're so rude! Izumi-chan, you big idiot... Rikka, let's go out and play!"

Fujiwara Chika stomped her foot, turned around, and pulled Rikka along, walking out of the classroom.

"Ah."

Hasegawa Izumi smiled, rested her chin on her hand, and looked out the window at the scenery.

Wednesday arrived.

As agreed, he went to teach Shinomiya after school in the afternoon.

Shinomiya does indeed possess a unique talent in archery. After a week apart, he has improved considerably. It feels like if he continues like this, he might very well become a professional archer in some time.

"Shinomiya, you did a great job, you've saved me a lot of trouble."

So he offered a few words of praise.

"Ah."

After he turned and left, Kaguya, holding her longbow, secretly smiled.

Friday.

A-Ten-Bō-Meng continued to share the gossip they had gathered over the past few days, in exchange for which they asked the Far East Magic Society to send someone to do them a small favor.

Atianfang Meng is going to play a game of Ouija board and try to summon the spirit. For safety reasons, a professional needs to be present to handle the situation.

Finally, they decided the winner by playing rock-paper-scissors, and Dansheng went to make the trip.

Nothing happened, which greatly disappointed the senior student.

Obviously, even if it is a fixed event, it may not necessarily be triggered.

Saturday.

It was a sunny day with perfect weather.

With overwhelming excitement, Gokou Ruri stepped out of the train station.

Soon, her gaze settled on a spot next to the flower bed, where the man shone like the sun.

"Hasegawa, hello, it's been a long time."

She waved and said somewhat awkwardly.

Wow! So stiff!

It felt even stiffer than my own body, which isn't good at exercising.

The girl was not used to this.

"This isn't the place to talk, let's go somewhere else."

Hasegawa Izumi didn't seem to care at all, and instead waved her hand in acknowledgment.

"Our next topic is going to be a bit private, so... can I come to your place?"

As they walked down a street, Gokou Ruri suddenly spoke, her ears turning red with embarrassment as she spoke, her voice gradually softening.

Such words are utterly shameless!

Telling a boy she wants to go to his house is easily misunderstood!

The girl was suffering greatly.

"also."