Chapter 44: Congratulations, You’ve Unlocked Phase Two
Kitano Runa was an atheist.
Because ever since she could remember, she would often see or hear “movements that didn’t belong to this world” in quiet, eerie, or strange places.
But no matter what she saw or heard, the final result was always just a false alarm, as if her childish self was scaring herself.
After moving to Tokyo alone to study, Kitano Runa often explored various popular supernatural and ghost story locations, horror rankings, and even slept in a legendary mass grave.
However, Kitano Runa was always alone.
She put into practice the thought, “Even if there are ghosts, only I will die, and it won’t involve friends or family,” but ultimately, nothing happened.
So Kitano Runa didn’t believe, didn’t believe in the existence of ghosts and gods in this world.
When a “popular ghost story trend” inexplicably swept through Twitter a few days ago, she, as usual, wrote down all the summoning methods she saw and tried them one by one at home alone.
“If it’s real, then come out and show me!”
Kitano Runa said this after completing fourteen summoning rituals in one night.
That night, she heard countless eerie noises and saw many abnormal shadows, yet she was still disappointed to find nothing out of the ordinary.
Just like before, it was as if someone was making a fool of her.
“It’s just another false advertisement, using ghost stories to get traffic,” she thought after completing the summoning ritual for the White Hannya, the last one.
Then, one noon, she saw her good friend Shizuma Manatsu actually take out her phone and pull up a selfie with the White Hannya.
“Must be photoshopped,” Kitano Runa thought.
But immediately after, she saw Lili Zi and that Shangshan Jun become serious one after another, and in the afternoon, they brought people who looked like police officers.
Years of watching anime made her understand that at times like this, if someone acted on their own and disagreed with the crowd, they would be the first to get a bento.
In the car, her sister Manatsu, who was wearing a uniform, told them a lot—roughly meaning that ghosts and gods do exist in this world, and they are very dangerous.
Although Kitano Runa was an atheist, she was not stupid.
So she chose to err on the side of caution—
Hanging up this possibly useless phone call, cold sweat trickled down the temples of the girl leaning against the corner of the wall.
But her years of “seeing” and ghost-hunting experiences allowed Kitano Runa to remain calm even in such an extreme situation.
Gripping the stealth talisman, which had burned down more than halfway, she thought that in over thirty seconds, she would have to face that damned White Hannya again.
“No matter what, I have to get Mom out of here first.”
Kitano Runa trembled as she withdrew her gaze from the middle-aged woman lying on the ground, unconscious. She gritted her teeth and took out a string of glowing prayer beads from her sleeve.
—These exorcism items were all taken from Shizuma Mafuyu’s drawer before she came.
—Her mother came from the countryside to visit her in Tokyo, but encountered the White Hannya occupying this place at home. The cause of the incident was that simple.
Kitano Runa couldn’t find anyone to help her at the Special Affairs Office, and she didn’t want to burden Shizuma Manatsu, so she had to come alone with a bunch of miscellaneous items.
She held her breath tightly, meeting the gaze of the pale white evil spirit mask that was searching for her, yet she didn’t make a sound.
Don’t rush, Kitano Runa.
She told herself in her heart.
She crept towards her mother’s position, and just as she was about to pick her mother up, Kitano Runa hesitated for a moment.
The eighteen-year-old girl stared at the prayer beads in her hand, counting down the remaining time on the stealth talisman, realizing this was her last chance to escape alone.
—If she abandoned her mother, she would definitely survive; but if she wanted to save her mother, both of them might die here.
How to decide…
“Does such a simple question really need thinking about— this is my damn mother!”
Kitano Runa yanked the prayer beads off her wrist and hurled them with all her might towards the empty balcony.
The White Hannya, which was wandering around, was instantly attracted by the glowing prayer beads and lunged towards it!
Seizing this opportunity, she quickly picked up her mother and, with great effort, sprinted towards the open room door.
Feeling her lungs start to burn within seconds, the super shut-in Kitano Runa roared in her heart:
—If I survive this, I will definitely start exercising!
“Hiss—!”
A faint burning sound and the angry roar of the White Hannya came from the balcony.
The moment Kitano Runa stepped out of the house, she heard the sounds behind her almost disappear.
It’s over.
The girl’s heart turned cold. She hadn’t even reached the stairwell yet. That monster could probably pounce over that ten-meter distance in an instant.
Quickly placing her mother behind the door, Kitano Runa, running in the opposite direction, raised her hands high and shouted at the White Hannya, “You want to eat me, right? Come on!”
After saying that, she turned and ran downstairs. Fueled by adrenaline, she cleared ten stairs in two steps, achieving the fastest speed of her life.
At this moment, Kitano Runa felt like a lone hero in an anime, turning their back on the masses, incredibly cool!
Then, she was pinned against the wall by the White Hannya, which was so much faster than her.
“Pfft—”
Kitano Runa felt her entire body go numb from the impact, as if it were falling apart.
Looking at the White Hannya towering over her, Kitano Runa stared blankly at the sky, thinking that a sports cripple like her really couldn’t be cool for more than three seconds.
I’m going to die.
Kitano Runa thought.
Just as she was about to close her eyes and wait for death, she suddenly saw a cold, sharp glint in the air.
Huh, wait, what is that?
Kitano Runa was mesmerized, not even noticing that the White Hannya had already broken her shoulder.
—A sword flying in the sky?
In the next moment, that cold glint and a hoarse, low growl arrived before her simultaneously, illuminating Kitano Runa’s vacant pupils.
“—Tusk Thrust!”
The vibrating sword tip pierced through the White Hannya’s illusory chest, abruptly stopping the evil spirit’s movement. Kitano Runa dazedly turned her head and saw Shangshan Che’s expressionless face.
The girl saw him lower his head slightly and sigh in relief: “Fortunately, I wasn’t too late.”
After his words, a gust of wind from behind Shangshan Che roared, stirring Kitano Runa’s hair.
The girl was bewildered—this was the fourth floor, how did he get up here?
“A guest has arrived, aren’t you going to welcome them?”
Shangshan Che parried with a Kesa-giri, then smoothly pulled Kaga Kiyomitsu out of the White Hannya’s body. At this moment, he noticed a prompt pop up above the White Hannya’s head.
【 Slightly Injured White Hannya Projection （ One-Star ）】
So this wasn’t the White Hannya’s true form. No wonder he felt it wasn’t strong enough to be impossible to fight even without transforming.
Shangshan Che thought, having just dispelled his Laughing Hannya Incarnation state.
Because Kitano Runa was present, Shangshan Che tried to avoid exposing himself, so the Tusk Thrust sneak attack was the last sword strike from his Laughing Hannya Incarnation.
However, looking at its state, his sword didn’t seem very effective, at most causing it minor injuries.
Buzz buzz buzz.
Amidst the eerie noises, the White Hannya slowly turned, revealing its sinister and terrifying mask to Shangshan Che.
“Don’t you want to eat a fresh and delicious soul?” Shangshan Che provocatively beckoned to it. “Come on.”
The foolish White Hannya, as described by the Blacksmith, indeed became enraged when provoked. It let out a sharp cry, raised its pale hands, and lunged at Shangshan Che.
So fast!
Shangshan Che’s pupils contracted, and he quickly retreated into the open corridor. Even so, a fine cut had already appeared on his forearm.
The wound itched. Shangshan Che glanced at his arm out of the corner of his eye and found that the blood flowing out was white.
Poison?
It seems that without transforming into the Laughing Hannya, it’s still a bit difficult to face a one-star demon.
“Troublesome.”
Temporarily sealing that small piece of flesh with internal qi to slow down the poison’s spread, Shangshan Che shouted to Kitano Runa, “Can you move? You go first!”
Kitano Runa coughed up a mouthful of blood: “I… I can’t get up.”
Shangshan Che clicked his tongue, blocking the White Hannya’s sharp claws, and thought that shut-in otaku otaku were indeed all fragile, both their original bodies and Kitano Runa.
If this continues, the situation will likely develop in a direction unfavorable to him.
Without further hesitation, Shangshan Che poured a drop of Awakening Spirit Mist into his mouth, then took a deep breath and fully activated his Ki-Gong Technique.
A faint white Qi Barrier attached itself to Shangshan Che’s body. As if with foresight, he dodged the White Hannya’s swipe by a hair’s breadth, then let out a roar and slashed downwards.
Tang Bamboo Stance!
“Roar—!”
The White Hannya let out a tragic scream.
But in the next instant, its half-shattered face suddenly contorted into a mournful, crying expression.
“Waa… waa…”
A piercing cry echoed, and Shangshan Che felt his vision spin and nausea overwhelm him, almost causing him to drop his sword.
Scccrrreeech!
Several burning pains were felt on his arm again.
However, the crying only lasted for a moment. When Shangshan Che recovered, he found that Kitano Runa, lying in the corridor, had actually fainted because of this.
The situation will instantly reverse due to this insignificant condition.
Shifting his gaze, Shangshan Che slowly grinned at the ferocious White Hannya,
“Congratulations, you’ve successfully unlocked the BOSS’s second phase.”
