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Chapter 83: The Ripples of Selection and the Hidden Cage
The girls' chat group was buzzing with a new, underlying tension. Yukino Yukinoshita leaned back, her eyes reflecting the soft glow of her smartphone. She was meticulously analyzing the "Danger Warning" that had recently struck Rikka Takanashi.
"It's about the Ripple," Yukino murmured to herself, then typed her thoughts into the group.
Yukino: "Most of us have been practicing Ripple Qigong for nearly a month. Thanks to our Reading Value bonuses, our physical progress is roughly equivalent to a year of dedicated training. This makes us stand out. We aren't just high school girls anymore; we are becoming 'Extraordinary' entities."
Ruri Gokou (Black Cat) nodded in agreement from across the table at a quiet cafe. She remembered how she used to get winded walking to the convenience store; now, she could sprint ten kilometers without breaking a sweat.
Yukino: "Rikka triggered a warning because she lacks a 'shield.' Kaguya is a daughter of the Siomiya House—her social status provides a layer of protection that even the hidden world must respect. Miko has only just started her Ripple training, and her Yin-Yang Eyes are likely perceived as a natural talent rather than a 'cultivated' threat. But for the rest of us, entering the Jujutsu World together is like lighting a beacon in a dark forest. Those high officials won't see us as allies; they'll see us as research subjects."
Ruri felt a chill. She picked up her phone, quickly typing a response.
Black Cat: "In any case, everyone should remain cautious. Although that Kage, the Mysterious Person, has been hiding and refusing to show his face, his 'caution' is looking like the only reliable approach right now."
"Is Kaguya Shinomiya really trying to scout Yotsuya Miko for her own team?"
Renji Miyauchi stood in the shadow of a decaying, abandoned apartment complex on the outskirts of Tokyo. He was scrolling through the girls' chat logs on Mashiro Shiina's phone while she quietly stood beside him, nibbling on a piece of Baumkuchen.
He had sent Ito Kaiji and Kouichi Sakakibara ahead to scout the upper floors. This was the site of the A-Rank Exorcism request Mashiro had received. To keep his sisters out of danger, Renji had used a few ghost stories to scare Hikage into staying home with Mayuzumi, under the guise that he was taking Mashiro out for "artistic research."
Renji wasn't particularly worried about the request. An A-Rank task usually meant a Grade 2 or 3 Cursed Spirit. If things got out of hand, he could simply unleash his Pure Yang Body and vaporize the hauntings instantly.
"The New Shadow Style is a trap," Renji muttered, thinking of the messages he needed to send later. "They force disciples into binding vows that essentially harvest their life force for the family head. I'll have to drop a warning in the Diary so Kaguya doesn't accidentally sign her life away."
He watched the chat logs as Rikka Takanashi lamented her lost Reading Value. A little penalty is good for her, Renji thought. Being a chunibyo is fine in the classroom, but in the hidden world, you need the strength to back up the fantasy.
"Are we going back?" Mashiro asked softly, her voice pulling him back to the present. She tugged at his sleeve, clearly uncomfortable with the heavy atmosphere of the building.
"Soon. This place is a sinkhole for negative emotions," Renji reassured her. "Just cycle your Ripple as I taught you. It'll act as a barrier."
He focused his mind, summoning his Stand, Yellow Temperance. While the official "stats" for the Stand were mediocre, Renji knew its true potential. He extended the yellow slime-like substance into thin, thread-like filaments that slithered through the floorboards and walls like a web, sharing their vision with him.
"Yellow Temperance is sweeping the area," he told Mashiro. "It's devouring the weak Grade 4 spirits to unlock more transformation templates. For anything stronger, I'll handle it personally."
Renji was also waiting for Jerry. The mouse had messaged him that he would be home tonight.
I need Jerry to research if he can digitize 'Relic' technology, Renji thought. If he can, I'll turn some of these harmless wandering ghosts into 'Cyber-Ghosts'—digital laborers who can work for me on the internet. A ghost-powered server farm would be the ultimate untraceable network.
Soon, Kaiji and Kouichi returned, looking a bit pale but unharmed.
"Nothing but cobwebs and cold spots, Renji," Kaiji said, shivering. "Doesn't seem like much of a 'ghost hunting' video to me."
Renji nodded, handing Kaiji a red envelope containing a "bonus" to keep him happy. He knew Kaiji's acceptance of the supernatural was low, but Kouichi Sakakibara was different. Having come from the world of Another, Kouichi had a high tolerance for the macabre.
Renji was slowly "tempering" Kouichi, hoping that if the boy ever returned to his cursed hometown of Yomiyama, he'd be strong enough to survive the 'North Class' curse.
After treating the group to a hearty meal at a nearby diner, Renji walked Mashiro home. He ignored the envious glances from Kaiji, who was convinced Renji was living a harem protagonist's life.
Sorry, Kaiji, Renji thought. I'm just trying to stay alive in a world where the King of Curses is a real threat.
Once he returned to his own room and checked his Master Diary, he saw a notification that made him freeze. It wasn't a comment or a joke. It was a direct plea from Shiho Miyano.
The text was short, typed with a trembling hand: "I know you see this. My sister is in danger. If you ever cared about the 'story' you told, help me get her out of the Organization. I'll pay any price."
Renji stared at the screen. Helping a girl in his immediate circle like Mashiro or Kaguya was easy. But intervening directly against the Black Organization to save Akemi Miyano? That would mean stepping out of the shadows.
He looked at the progress bar for his "High-Level Gacha." It was almost full.
"Jerry," Renji whispered as the mouse scurried out from the shadows of his room. "We have a problem. The 'Story' is asking for an ending, and I don't know if I'm ready to write it yet."
The mouse squeaked, pointing toward the Diary. A new commission had appeared on Renji's own screen: [Special Event: The Raven's Shadow. Assist Shiho Miyano in the Akemi Escape. Reward: 100% Gacha Progress & 'Transparent World' Mastery.]
Renji gripped the Diary. The price of staying hidden was starting to get very high.