Fang Wuwei led the girl into the house, sat her down on the sofa, picked up an unopened can of cola, and tossed it in front of her, while he himself leaned back on the opposite sofa, exuding an air of arrogance.
"Speak, what's your name, why were you following me, and how much did you see?"
The girl was slightly stunned; she realized that now was the perfect time to ask him to be her master!
But… she was actually quite scared. What if her sudden impulse led to… being silenced?
Mom and Dad!! Your child is unfilial, boo hoo hoo hoo~~
"Why are you crying?"
Wuwei was speechless. He hadn't done anything, yet she was acting as if he were some great villain.
He took a sip of his drink. He had originally planned to teach her a lesson and then send her away, but the World Consciousness's unusual action had piqued his interest.
He decided to give her a chance, to hear what she wanted. If she asked him for a favor, it might even open a side quest.
However, the girl's next action quickly left him utterly bewildered.
The girl placed the can of cola on the table, quickly left her seat, performed a dogeza, prostrating herself completely, her head hitting the floor with a thud.
From the sound, it was similar to Rikka; there wasn't much in her head.
"Master above! Please accept your disciple's bow!!"
Wuwei:?
Wuwei spat out a mouthful of soda, momentarily unable to comprehend what had happened.
Before Wuwei could fully process it, the girl began to speak to herself, talking about herself.
"Master! My name is Ikenouchi Maki, my title is Brilliant Gale, and I am a low-level Guardian responsible for dealing with immortal despair and protecting this world!
Not long ago, I witnessed Master, below my stronghold, use the great power of the Gale to slay an enemy!
Since then, my heart has been filled with longing! To deal with immortal despair, I need this power!
Please, Master, impart to me the true power of Gale!!"
Ikenouchi Maki raised her head, her face no longer showing any fear, only eyes filled with excitement.
But her words startled Wuwei, because her inability to be detected by mental power was somewhat unusual, making Wuwei believe her words for a moment.
Protecting this world? He was doing the same thing. Could it be that what this Ikenouchi Maki said was true, that there was really an enemy called immortal despair lurking, and that was why the World Consciousness had made this girl appear before him?
"I ask you, what is immortal despair?"
"It comes from the other shore of this world, to destroy…"
"I don't understand! Speak properly!"
"It's… it's…"
Wuwei had no patience for riddles and immediately interrupted her lengthy discourse; he only listened for the outcome.
But after being interrupted, Ikenouchi Maki instantly deflated, stammering and unable to speak for a long time.
This made Wuwei a little strange; his eyebrows twitched, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.
"Say it again, who are you?"
"I am Brilliant Gale! To resist immortal despair…"
"Speak! Human! Language!"
"…I am Ikenouchi Maki, a first-year student at Iyen High School…"
"immortal despair?"
"…My imaginary enemy…"
"Brilliant Gale?"
"…My self-proclaimed title…"
"Protecting the world?"
"…It's cool…"
He, mother, of, chuunibyou?!
Wuwei's face darkened. He had been followed by such a person for so long, and had almost been fooled by her just now?!
"…Then how much did you see."
"Master, I saw everything that happened downstairs at my house that day…"
With a loud bang, Wuwei slammed his hand on the table in front of him. The solid wood coffee table instantly shattered into pieces, and splinters and sawdust scattered everywhere, startling Ikenouchi Maki, who almost peed herself.
His face extremely grim, he abruptly stood up from the sofa. Under Ikenouchi Maki's astonished gaze, he grabbed her by the collar, lifted her above his head, and carried her all the way to the wall, pressing her against it, making Ikenouchi Maki scream repeatedly in terror.
Looking at Ikenouchi Maki, who was held against the wall with one hand, Wuwei's right eye's three tomoe began to spin and condense…
Don't misunderstand, he didn't intend to silence her. He wouldn't lay a hand on ordinary people. He was just preparing to give this person a Tsukuyomi.
Although he didn't mind his extraordinary powers being known, it was limited to the protagonist group. Someone like her, with whom he had no connection, no value, and who had even followed him, didn't have the right to know.
He couldn't trust her character. If this matter were to leak out, whether anyone believed it or not, if Reincarnators were to attack this world again in the future, and they somehow learned that there was an extraordinary person like him in this world, then trying to gain an information advantage for a sneak attack would be difficult.
Secondly, if his ability were exposed, what would Rikka and Yuta think?
Previously, during the Bocchi the Rock! arc, Hoshika had personally witnessed him use his extraordinary powers. Even though he saved her, she still feared him. He didn't want this situation to occur in what he considered his main world, where Yuta and others would fear him.
But just as the three tomoe condensed into the shape of a Mangekyo, there was a flapping sound from outside the window.
Wuwei glanced out of the corner of his eye; it was just a bird that had hit the window. He was unconcerned and was about to continue, but then another bird hit.
At this point, if Wuwei still didn't realize something, then he would be too foolish.
Does the World Consciousness favor her so much, or are there still matters that need to be resolved?
Sighing deeply, Wuwei retracted his hand, and Ikenouchi Maki, who had been held against the wall, immediately slid down the wall. She was completely bewildered, utterly unaware that she had just hovered between being killed and being turned into an idiot.
Returning to his seat, Wuwei clasped his hands together, staring at the dazed and foolish Ikenouchi Maki sprawled on the ground, and spoke in a low voice.
"Tell me, what exactly do you want?"
"I… I… I want to become your disciple! To learn…"
"Alright, I agree."
"To control the Gale… Huh?"
Ikenouchi Maki was rudely interrupted by Wuwei before she could finish speaking. She raised her head in astonishment, only to see a broom and dustpan thrown her way, which she had to hurriedly catch.
"If you want to be my disciple, you must be able to endure hardship. Clean up the debris from this table; don't leave a single speck of sawdust on my floor."
Wuwei, who had casually tossed the cleaning tools over, finished speaking without even looking back and went upstairs, no longer paying attention.
Since the World Consciousness wanted to protect her and bring her to him, let him see how capable this Ikenouchi Maki was!
Before he figured out Ikenouchi Maki's background, he would just make her do chores.
Watching Wuwei go upstairs, Ikenouchi Maki remained Dizzy in place. Soon after, she felt a surge of excitement throughout her body.
I! Succeeded!!!!
In her excitement, Ikenouchi Maki, who had just stood up, knelt down again, threw the cleaning tools aside, performed a dogeza towards the stairs, and shouted aloud.
"Master!! I will do my utmost! Learn any skill you teach, and finally, control the Gale!! I will not disgrace Master!! Please, Master, bestow upon me divine power!!"
"Yakamashi!!! You're so noisy, woman!! Get to work!!"
"Yes!!!"