My new Patreon link is patreon.com/forbiddenlust69 and also i will give extra chapters for every 150 power stone
Chapter 68: The Salaryman's Mercy and the Hidden Truth
Over the past two weeks, Renji Miyauchi had meticulously "fed" Yellow Temperance, watching its mass steadily increase. The Stand had evolved, developing the ability to split its form and suppress spiritual signatures.
Originally, these changes alone would have satisfied Renji. In the original records of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Yellow Temperance was a relatively simple Stand—a "whiteboard" tool for disguise, far too slow at consuming matter to be effective in a direct sneak attack.
However, in this world, Stands functioned as a manifestation of spiritual energy. After Renji had sealed more than 99.9% of his Pure Yang Body's overwhelming aura, he was finally able to perceive the vengeful spirits haunting the streets. To his surprise, Yellow Temperance found these spiritual entities delicious. After devouring the spirit in the library, it gained a new form: it could now disguise itself as a vengeful spirit, remaining invisible to ordinary people while lurking in the spiritual plane.
Tonight, after confirming Nanami Kento's location, Renji detached a small fragment of Yellow Temperance. He commanded it to disguise itself as a spirit and follow ten meters behind him before severing the mental link. Simultaneously, he applied a thin layer of the Stand's main body over his own face. He wanted to achieve two things: create more subtle facial expressions to enhance his acting and test whether a veteran like Nanami could perceive the Stand in its two different states.
The Strength of Renji Miyauchi
The results of the experiment were illuminating. When Yellow Temperance was disguised as a vengeful spirit following Renji, it remained invisible to the public but was immediately detected by a Grade 1 Sorcerer like Nanami. However, when the Stand acted as a material disguise directly covering Renji's skin, Nanami perceived nothing unusual.
From a distance, Renji watched as Nanami casually landed a blow on the "7:3 split point" of the fragment. The disguised fragment collapsed and disintegrated exactly like a real spirit. Renji recognized the move instantly: the Ratio Technique.
It was Nanami's Innate Technique. By dividing a target into ten lines, he could artificially create a weak point at the 7:3 ratio. Whether it was a limb, the torso, or even a non-living object, a strike on that point dealt massive critical damage.
It's structurally similar to the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception,' Renji mused. Both require hitting a specific coordinate. However, while the Eyes of Death bring absolute cessation, Nanami's technique is a critical hit—devastating, but not always a one-shot kill against top-tier threats.
Renji sighed inwardly. Even if Nanami mastered a Domain Expansion to ensure a guaranteed hit, he would still be limited by his physical output. Nanami was a reliable adult and a brilliant combatant, but a Grade 1 Sorcerer was likely his ceiling—unless he could evolve his technique to affect space or abstract concepts, similar to the legendary Ryougi Shiki.
With my Pure Yang Body and the enhancement of Ripple Qigong, my raw physical stats already surpass Nanami's, Renji calculated. If I coat myself in Yellow Temperance and channel the Ripple, his Ratio Technique would struggle to even break my skin.
The synergy between his natural constitution and the Ripple was far greater than a simple sum of parts. Even if the Perfect Being, Kars, appeared before him now, Renji was confident his Ripple wouldn't be outmatched. Between his masterful Qigong and his physical conditioning, he was easily at the level of a Grade 1 Sorcerer. If he unleashed the full "ghost-killing" properties of his Pure Yang Body, reaching the rank of Special Grade would be a triviality.
I wonder how I'd fare against those with 'Heavenly Restriction,' he wondered, thinking of Fushiguro Toji, the man who traded all cursed energy for the pinnacle of human physical power.
Regardless, the night had been a success. He had tested his Stand's stealth, gauged a top-tier sorcerer's power, and maintained his cover.
"The only pity is the paranormal videos," Renji muttered as he walked home. "I'll have to find a new project for Kaiji."
The "Official" Verdict
The next day after school, Renji informed Shiina Mashiro and his sister, Miyauchi Kouka, that he wouldn't be joining them for dinner at the Mayuzumi household.
Since coming clean to Mashiro, Renji's visits to the home of her guardian, Shiina Mayuzumi, had become more frequent. Unlike the two girls, who were content to lounge and wait for food, Renji often helped in the kitchen, preparing home-style dishes. Life was comfortable—mostly.
The only awkwardness came from Kasumigaoka Utaha. She often cast suspicious glances at him—not because she suspected his secret identity, but because she wondered if he was trying to charm both Shiina sisters. Whenever Utaha tried to discuss work with Mashiro, the girl would simply point her toward Renji. Even Kaguya Shinomiya had noted that Renji and Mayuzumi looked remarkably harmonious while grocery shopping.
However, Utaha was too preoccupied with finding the "Mysterious Person" to dwell on Renji. She assumed Mashiro, a girl who possessed a Death Note, wouldn't be easily swayed by a "supporting character" like him. Besides, after reading her own future in the Note, Utaha had lost interest in conventional romance. She was currently forcing herself into a "Yandere state" just to recapture the dark inspiration needed for her latest novels.
After school, Renji called his team—Sakakibara Kouichi and Ito Kaiji—to break the bad news about the videos.
Kaiji looked devastated. The channel had just crossed 100,000 followers. He had been calculating his share of the revenue, dreaming of moving out of his cramped apartment, eating gourmet food, and finding a girlfriend.
"Is a competitor trying to sabotage us?" Kaiji grumbled.
Kouichi was more pragmatic. "Is it because the content is too sensitive?"
Renji really was a genius behind the camera. Between Kouichi's scripts and Kaiji's genuine terror, the videos had an oppressive atmosphere reminiscent of The Shining. They felt too real.
Suddenly, Renji's phone rang. It was an unknown number. He signaled his team to be quiet. "It's the official side."
It was Nanami Kento. Renji expected a total ban, but the answer was unexpected. The videos could continue, but Renji had to file a report two days before every shoot, listing the location and the case details. Nanami would then give the green light.
"If you refuse, the series ends now," Nanami said flatly.
Renji's heart stirred. Through his name magic, he knew Nanami hadn't mentioned his name to any superiors today. This wasn't a "High-Level Decision"—it was Nanami's personal choice. A Grade 1 Sorcerer had enough authority to handle a "reckless teenager" without involving the Jujutsu higher-ups.
Nanami likely figured that if this "hot-blooded youth" insisted on courting death, he might as well vet the locations to ensure the boy didn't wander into a Special Grade's nest.
He's a good person, despite all his complaining, Renji thought. He continued his act, sounding grateful and relieved over the phone. As a silent thank-you, Renji decided that if the Shibuya Incident ever occurred in this timeline, he would ensure Nanami survived it.
"The team is back in business," Renji announced after hanging up. "But we're adding a disclaimer: 'The story is fictional, do not imitate.'"
The "farewell dinner" turned into a celebration. By the time Renji returned home around 9:00 PM, he was tired but satisfied. He spent an hour writing in the Death Note, sharing some of the "world-shocking wisdom" from the Oshi no Ko plot he had prepared. He imagined the looks on Kaguya Shinomiya and Hoshino Ai's faces when they read the upcoming twists.
As he closed the book, he didn't realize that tonight marked exactly one month since he had first acquired the Diary. But for the girls on the other side of those pages, the one-month anniversary was an event they had been tracking with bated breath.