Chapter 65: Just Student Kitano’s Mission
【Koma-inu Bell】
【Quality: Rare】
【Effect: Each time the bell is shaken, it summons 1-3 Straw Koma-inu with weak taunt effects. The higher the Charm and Spiritual Arts Attribute, the stronger the summoned Koma-inu. The bell can only be shaken once per natural day.】
【—A bell that has been offered at the shrine for a long time, once a common item for mikos.】
Shangshan Che’s eyes lit up.
Without a doubt, this was an item that could be used immediately upon acquisition, and its effect was incredibly powerful.
—You must first attack that taunting minion!
If three Koma-inu were summoned at once, the enemy would absolutely be disgusted to no end, and even if only one Koma-inu was summoned due to bad luck, it would still create a precious attack opportunity.
Although he still hadn’t drawn the Three-tailed Fox incarnation, preventing him from fully realizing this item’s potential.
But his own 9 points of Charm weren’t low, plus the normal 1 point of Spiritual Arts value, and it was no different from the sum when incarnated as Hannya.
In other words, this was a precious item that enhanced his combat power in non-incarnation state, and he didn’t need to support Future right after drawing it.
“However, it’s not convenient to test it now.”
The number of entries into the Eternal World was still on cooldown, and Old Man Ghost was waiting outside the house.
Shangshan Che put away the bell, glanced at Line, and closed his eyes after confirming no red dots.
Sleep!
His recent deaths had been bizarre and strange, and Awakening Spirit Mist was needed to reduce cooldown time, so he still needed to sleep more to recover his spirit tormented by the madness.
……
Shangshan Che was woken up by the phone ring.
He took a deep breath, instantly powering on with Ki-Gong Technique, completely dispelling his morning grumpiness.
Shangshan Che picked up his mobile phone, which showed a call from Kitano Runa.
After tapping to answer, the girl’s voice and the game console’s sound came through together,
“Hello, hello? Can you hear me?”
“Speak.”
“Uh… ahem, about that thing I asked Shangshan Jun for help with before, is it okay if I send you the hospital address and details on Line?”
Kitano Runa’s voice paused: “I’ve already told Mom, saying you’re my classmate and friend. She doesn’t have much of a problem actually, I’m just a bit worried.”
The girl’s voice dropped a bit: “After all, she encountered a demon…”
“That’s understandable.” Shangshan Che responded, “Student Kitano, I’ll complete your task, so rest assured.”
As soon as he said this, it clearly hit Kitano Runa’s funny bone, making her chuckle, then frantically apologize over the phone.
Shangshan Che didn’t mind at all; it was good for young people to laugh more,
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up first, Student Kitano.”
The apologies stopped abruptly, and Kitano Runa’s serious voice came: “Safe travels, Shangshan Jun.”
“I will.”
After hanging up, Shangshan Che immediately saw the location and some notes and reminders typed by Kitano Runa on Line.
It was clear that Kitano Runa cared deeply about her mom, and she was probably feeling quite guilty now that her condition prevented her from visiting Mother Kitano.
“This location isn’t far.”
After greeting Old Man Ghost, the soccer fanatic who was watching the game nonstop, Shangshan Che took the cloth doll and pushed the door out.
Even though the destination was the hospital he’d been to a couple days ago, under the torment of Tokyo’s extremely complex rail system, a Google Maps location was essential.
This could avoid most accidents.
After exiting the train, Shangshan Che, who had been badly ripped off at the fruit shop next to the hospital, walked into the hospital with heartache.
When visiting a friend’s elder, you had to bring some comfort items, right?
Although these meager fruits weren’t much, Shangshan Che felt the sentiment had to be delivered—didn’t most anime portray it that way?
Following the floor and room number given by Kitano Runa, Shangshan Che entered an unremarkable hospital room.
Then he saw the mother Kitano Runa had mentioned, who had just turned forty not long ago.
Shangshan Che was slightly stunned.
Somewhat… unexpectedly aged.
“Are you Little Runa’s classmate? Come, come, sit…”
The woman, already changed out of her hospital gown, smiled warmly and pulled over a chair she’d prepared earlier. Her face had so many wrinkles it didn’t look like forty, more like over fifty.
Though her facial contours still vaguely showed the beauty she’d had when young, it was clear she’d overworked herself for years.
Shangshan Che had heard before that Kitano Runa came to Tokyo alone from the countryside for high school, so she probably wasn’t relaxed much either, bearing the expectations of the whole family.
However, Kitano Runa consistently ranked at the top of her grade in exams, far surpassing Lili Zi, Manatsu, and the like.
She could almost reach the threshold for the University of Tokyo.
Thinking of this, Shangshan Che’s smile became even gentler: “Aunt, hello, just call me Shangshan Che…”
In the half hour talking with Mother Kitano, aside from some pleasantries, most of it was inquiries about Kitano Runa’s well-being, like if she’d been sick recently, what clubs she’d joined, how her relationships with friends were, and so on…
But remarkably, not a single question about grades.
Shangshan Che answered truthfully, straightforward as always, which made Mother Kitano sigh that “Little Runa really hasn’t changed at all.”
“By the way, Shangshan Jun, what do you think of Little Runa’s character?”
In the end, Mother Kitano looked at Shangshan Che with utmost appreciation.
Shangshan Che’s eyelid twitched: “Aunt, Student Kitano is of course a great person, but I’m pretty bad at studies…”
He unhesitatingly gave Kitano Runa a nice guy card.
With the conversation at this point, Mother Kitano naturally understood Shangshan Che’s meaning.
She sighed softly, but soon smiled again: “Little Runa is really lucky to have friends like you.”
……
After seeing Mother Kitano safely leave the hospital and confirming she carried no demon qi, Shangshan Che sent Kitano Runa a “task completed” on Line.
【Never Be a Loser!: Congratulations, you have obtained Kitano Runa’s Any Usage Rights（Healthy Version）×1】
What a system-style female elf reply.
Putting down his mobile phone and about to leave the hospital, Shangshan Che looked up and saw an unexpected face.
—It was that Chinese youth he and Lili Zi had saved.
The other also clearly hadn’t expected to see him here, full of surprise: “Holy crap, Shangshan bro, long time no see!”
The familiar accent brought Shangshan Che a heartfelt warmth; he walked up and punched the youth’s chest: “Bro, didn’t you say you were leaving? Why are you back at the hospital?”
Shangshan Che added: “Tokyo hasn’t been safe lately; I suggest leaving sooner rather than later.”
The youth’s expression was complex; he coughed and extended his hand: “This is our second meeting, must be fate. I’m Zhou Zhenyu; if you don’t mind, let’s add V?”
Faced with such a request, Shangshan Che had no reason to refuse.
After adding Line, he saw Zhou Zhenyu heave a heavy sigh and instinctively light a Liqun,
“It’s a long story. If you have time, walk with me; we can chat while strolling…”
