Demon Capital Slayer

Chapter 9 Restaurant Night Talk
Having finally escaped Sayaka's grasp, Nogizaka stared in astonishment at the sword mark on the ground.

"Wow, what exaggerated marks! Is Yujian some kind of legendary swordsman? He can actually do this with a wooden stick!"

They were so busy screaming that they didn't see the absurd act of Yu Jian unleashing sword energy with a single strike.

To be honest, even the person involved was surprised by this. It was astonishing that swordsmanship in this world could do such a thing. He had only been practicing for a little over a month, and there was nothing in his swordsmanship that was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

But the footprints underfoot are undeniable, and the crescent-shaped sword energy from just now was equally real.

"I only learned swordsmanship, the basic kind."

He gave a hasty reply, feeling somewhat confused, his heart pounding so fast he could hardly calm himself.

After defeating the evil spirit, his physical strength wasn't significantly enhanced; instead, another sensation remained vivid in his memory. It was the wondrous feeling of extending his will outward through the medium of the sword.

It's like suddenly learning to ride a bicycle; words can hardly describe it, but the body remembers it.

Where can one obtain extraordinary power?
This is the only thing he cares about right now.

Suddenly, Mitsurugi heard Nogizaka Ruka and Naoda Sayaka speak at the same time:
"Sorry." X2
"I am the one who should apologize. If it weren't for Mitsurugi-san and Aizen-san, I, and everyone else, would have been so..." Nogizaka bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with tears, too guilty to speak.

“I was wrong too.” Saya took a step forward, habitually using her dialect in her haste.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper, and I shouldn't have acted recklessly when provoked."

After saying that, Sayaka placed her hands on her knees and bowed deeply in a very delinquent-girl manner before standing up and looking at Nogizaka.

"Please take the mention of payment as a joke."

"No, it's clearly my fault for not doing it properly." Nogizaka shook his head.

"Huh?" Sayaka glared at him, her delinquent-girl aura causing Nogizaka to immediately lean back.

Sayaka took two steps forward, and Nogizaka took two steps back.

Sayaka advances again, and Nogizaka retreats once more.

Advance, retreat, advance and retreat.

"Youthful arrogance is nothing to be astonished as the ability to admit and correct one's mistakes," Yu Jian suddenly said.
He had just solidified that realization when he saw two people dancing the tango in front of him, or perhaps performing a two-person comedy routine.

He'd seen plenty of people passing the buck in his past and present lives, but to suddenly see someone scrambling to take the blame was truly...

"Indeed, in the end, Nogizaka was deceived, while Sayaka was bewitched by an evil spirit."

“Since it has already happened, instead of wallowing in pointless self-blame, let’s turn this regret into motivation to move forward. Remember the lesson, learn from the experience, and... it’s okay to cry.” Yurika smiled at the two of them.

"Um, thank you, Aizen-kun." Nogizaka raised his arm to cover his face, letting out a sobbing sound. He had almost been overwhelmed by self-blame just now, but now he suddenly felt a sense of relief and couldn't help but shed tears.

“Ma… thank you so much!” Sayaka blushed and couldn’t speak, so she simply bowed deeply again.

Clap clap clap, Yu Jian didn't say anything, he just stood aside and clapped lightly, which made Yuri glare at him with a bit of embarrassment and annoyance.

A moment later, the group exchanged smiles, and something that had been weighing on their hearts suddenly vanished.

Yu Jian couldn't help but sigh, "Young people are so good, so innocent, so forgiving, and so straightforward."

Then, he began to worry about another problem.

Although he had been here for some time, Yu Jian did not possess much of the local currency, and had only a vague understanding of its value.

In general, he didn't lack pocket money, but he wasn't exactly well-off either. A sad fact was that his memories of this life were still fragmented, causing him to forget the PIN for the bank card his parents had left him.

Having been cheated by a cheat system that had no real benefits, Yu Jian couldn't deal with the problem before and could make ends meet by relying solely on cash in the short term.

but……

Looking at the crack in the floor that was more than three meters long, the young swordsman, who had not retreated an inch even when facing the evil spirit, was caught in a dilemma.

Running away might be unethical, but it certainly solves the problem.

I just can't get over that mental hurdle; I feel like I'll lose something very important, like my integrity. But isn't integrity something you can just pick up anywhere? After all, there are so many people who carelessly throw away their integrity.

"Ah, are you having trouble fixing the floor, Miles Edgeworth? Don't worry about it, I'll find someone to take care of it tomorrow." Nogizaka's voice at this moment was like heavenly music. Legend has it that angels use androgynous voices that are hard to distinguish between male and female, and now it seems that couldn't be more true.

"Nogizaka, thank you." Mitsurugi nodded vigorously, a rare smile appearing on his face.

Although it was just a very subtle change in expression, combined with the attributes of a white-haired pretty boy, it still produced an effect comparable to a flashbang.

"Oh ho." X2
Nogizaka Ruka made a strange sound, and at the same time, Sayaka's voice rang out beside her. The two exchanged a glance, both showing an awkward yet polite expression.

"What a clueless guy."

Aizen Yurika tapped her forehead lightly with her folding fan and shook her head helplessly.

"Excuse me for asking, Nogizaka-san, what are your plans next? Should you call the police?"

"If possible, I hope everyone will refrain from publicizing this for the time being." Nogizaka scratched his cheek, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Is there some deeper reason?" Yu Jian asked bluntly. The other party had just helped him solve a problem, and if there were any follow-up issues, he would naturally not sit idly by.

"My identity is somewhat sensitive, and I'm not sure if someone is deliberately targeting me, so I need to discuss it with my family." Nogizaka Ruka became serious.

Yujian and Yurika exchanged a glance, both understanding the other's expression.

“In that case, Cat's Paw Studio will respect the client’s opinion,” Yurika decided.

Mitsurugi nodded and said no more. He couldn't reveal for the time being that there was someone else behind the evil spirit. Fortunately, Nogizaka did not take this incident lightly.

Although the source of the information was not convenient to explain to everyone, Yujian decided to investigate it privately later. Aside from repaying a favor, he admitted that it also stemmed from curiosity and a desire for supernatural powers.

The world is not as peaceful as it seems on the surface...

Secretly aware of their own danger, Yu Jian and the others quickly left the old school building; none of them wanted to stay there any longer.

As we approached the school gate, a Toyota Century slowly drove up from the street corner. Its vertical chrome grille reflected a silver light under the streetlights, making the golden phoenix emblem on the front of the car even more eye-catching.

"Wow, a really expensive car drove by. I wonder if an average office worker could afford it even if they worked for ten years without eating or drinking," Sayaka joked playfully. Then Nogizaka Ruka casually remarked:
"My family is here to pick me up. Does anyone want a ride?"

This immediately put Sayaka in an awkward position, making her feel embarrassed as if a joke had been overheard by the person in question.

"I would be grateful for your kind offer. It's not too late yet, and I'm planning to take the subway home," Lily declined.

“I’m going the same way as the club president, so I won’t trouble Nogizaka-san,” Mitsurugi said in return.
“Me too…” Sayaka secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She actually wanted to hitch a ride, since she had never seen such an expensive car before. However, because of her awkward remarks earlier and her subtle thoughts, she didn’t really want to.

"If I remember correctly, Sayaka-san and Nogizaka-san are going the same way, both heading towards Shinjuku?" Yurika suddenly said.

"Oh? That's perfect." Nogizaka came over enthusiastically.

"Sayaka, let's walk together. We can chat along the way."

The tall driver didn't join the discussion; he simply got out of the car and opened the back door for Nogizaka Ruka.

Nogizaka nodded slightly in thanks, then naturally sat in the back seat, moved over a little, patted the seat he had given up, and gave Sayaka a very expectant look.

"Don't give me that puppy-dog look." Sayaka slumped her shoulders and muttered as she got into the car. Waving goodbye to the two, Mitsurugi looked at Yurika with surprise.

But before he could speak, Aizen Yurika took the initiative to speak.

"Is it strange? I'm just a little excited." The girl smiled and opened her folding fan.

"Nogizaka-san was kept at a distance in class because of her girlish appearance and family background, and she had no friends."

"Sayaka was ostracized by the other girls because of her Aomori accent. She could only squeeze into the Shibuya clique by dressing up as a gyaru, but those gyaru didn't like her either. This was because Sayaka rarely participated in group activities that required money, such as karaoke."

"If those two could become good friends, perhaps their high school life would leave them with less lonely memories."

"..." Yu Jian remained silent for a moment.

I was amazed by Himawari's neurotic social skills and also found Yuri's unexpected nagging to be expected. All these complex feelings eventually turned into a sigh.

"The class monitor is so kind."

"Oh, it's really embarrassing to be said that by Yujian-kun." Yurika opened her folding fan to cover the lower half of her face. This time, the Chinese characters displayed on the fan were no longer '天下' (tianxia, ​​meaning 'all under heaven') but '人心' (renxin, meaning 'people's hearts').

Class monitor Aizen truly knows how to win people over...

He glanced at the other person and couldn't help but mutter to himself about his honesty.

"Speaking of which, isn't it obvious that Mitsurugi-kun is the overly kind one, willing to take risks for someone he just met?" Yurika said, half teasing and half wistfully.
"It's just the responsibility of the Cat's Paw Society members." Yujian turned to the side, denying it coldly.

"Hmph, let's just say that's how it is for now." Lily, with her hands behind her back, walked around to face the sword again.

"Why would you, Yujian, be willing to join my humble little club?"

"Why? I'm also looking for the answer."

He sighed deeply, looking up at the bright moon that was slowly revealing its true form behind the clouds.

The answer, in fact, was already in his heart.

Because of loneliness.

Even with the buffer of memories from this life, it cannot change the intense abruptness of suddenly arriving in another world, and the unfamiliarity that follows.

Friends, family, everything has changed, but I'm still standing here, at a loss.

That emptiness, as if a piece of one's heart had been ripped out, was amplified by the continuous deaths in the Asura Dream.

Even now, Yujian doubts how much of his sanity remains intact.

Perhaps the reason he was excited about the appearance of supernatural power was simply because pursuing this great power could bring him enough peace of mind to fill the void in his own body.

Later, Yujian discovered that what might interrupt philosophical contemplation or a literary youth's outburst could be a beautiful girl's smile or simply hunger.

Glug glug glug...

The effects of the physical enhancement began to appear, and a deep rumble of thunder echoed from within the cave. It was the song of the Great Eating God, a manifestation of the five internal organs, and a warning from the body, reminding Yu Jian to quickly find some night grass to eat, or he would lose weight at such a young age.

Looking up at the sky, Yu Jian sighed helplessly.

"Pfft." Aizen Yurika suppressed a laugh and turned to look to the side.

"I know a really good family restaurant with generous portions and reasonable prices."

"Walk."

Enter, order, sit down, and command the salivary glands to begin preparations for battle.

The family restaurant had a warm atmosphere, mainly decorated in warm colors, and even the lighting was warm and yellowish, which made the two people who had just experienced the attack by the evil spirit feel at ease.

Well, these two guys have abnormal mental fortitude; they're more excited than scared.

"I never imagined ghosts actually existed in this world," Lily exclaimed.
“Indeed, but the unexpected is… delightful?” Yujian’s expression was subtle, because he sensed the same emotion in Yurika’s words.

"Yujian is indeed a strange person."

"Each each other."

Miken smirked, while Yurika's smile was undisguised, clearly showing her excitement at discovering a new world.

While chatting with his female classmate about paranormal topics, he pulled out a chopstick from the side and waved it around casually, using it to deepen his understanding of the sword strike he had just received.

The feeling of transforming a sword into an extension of one's own will, thereby interfering with the external world, is so mysterious that it is both intoxicating and truly difficult to replicate.

Intuition told him that this was the highest level of swordsmanship, capable of helping him defeat powerful opponents he was originally no match for, but he always felt that something was missing and he couldn't fully master it.

We still have to keep working hard. Once we defeat that monster and find a safe spot, I think I can finally get a good night's sleep.

Before long, the dishes the two ordered were served one after another. Lily had a surprisingly good appetite, and even though it was past dinner time, she ordered a large beef rice bowl, also known as beef donburi.

She doesn't eat very elegantly either; she always eats a lot of food in one go, so much so that her cheeks puff up like a hamster's. Admittedly, although she's not dignified, she does look appetizing.

"Lily Fragrance eats a bit like an old man," Yu Jian suddenly remarked.
"Oh, really?" Yurika didn't seem to care, but she was a little surprised that he called her by her first name.

Noticing the clear yet bewildered look in Yujian's eyes, she immediately realized that this guy probably lacked common sense, or rather, he didn't understand the social rules of the Japanese island.

The social custom here is that ordinary classmates and colleagues usually address each other by their surnames, and only relatively close friends or family members will call each other by their first names.

And that was indeed the case. Due to some confusion in his memories from this life, this particular transmigrator was like a stranger who had just arrived in this place, unfamiliar with local customs. Others might have thought he was being rude, but Lily was clearly not one of them.

"In that case, I'll call Mikasa 'Xiaoming' from now on," Yurika asked seemingly casually.

"...Why add a smaller one?" Yu Jian asked sternly, setting down the ninth empty plate.
“Because it suits me very well.” Lily said, laughing involuntarily.

"I really can't do anything with you." Yu Jian shook his head. Well, Xiao Ming it is then.

After finishing her meal, Lily stretched contentedly.

"Beef is indeed the best-tasting food in the world."

"Does Lily like beef that much?" Yu Jian asked curiously.

"Yes, that's my favorite." Yuriko nodded without hesitation.

"In ancient times, this would have been a disastrous hobby that brought ruin to the country and its people."

“That makes sense, after all, it’s an ox.” Yu Jian paused for a moment before realizing what Yu Jian meant.

In ancient Eastern countries, oxen were a precious means of production; they were used with utmost care, not just for food. But to describe them as 'disastrous to the country and its people, or 'a beauty that could topple a nation' seems a bit of an exaggeration, doesn't it?
"So, let's shout 'Long live modern civilization!'" Lily tilted her head and said playfully.

"Shouldn't we thank the ox?" Yujian said.

"We should be thanking modern civilization," Lily emphasized, holding up a finger.
Then, the girl's eyes flickered for a moment, as if recalling some distant memory.

"Modern civilization is awesome."

(End of this chapter)