"I'm going to be hung up like a fish by Sakiko-sensei. No wonder Tomori and Hatsune are so captivated."
Rikuo chuckled and left the Wind Instrument Club.
On the other side.
'How embarrassing, I actually said it out loud!'
Actually, Sakiko-sensei was also extremely shy.
...
Evening.
"Sakiko-sensei still doesn't want to come. Did Soyo once again unleash her astounding wisdom?"
Rikuo lay on the sofa in the RiNG lobby, waiting for MyGO's rehearsal to end.
Sakiko ultimately didn't agree to go to Soyo's house together, saying she needed to practice the piano a bit longer. In reality, she was mainly afraid of the awkwardness of seeing Soyo's mother.
Rikuo was bored, scrolling through his phone. The internet's real-time nature was strong now. If there was an Anomaly, he could be the first to know. Although there would be a lot of false information, having some was better than none, and a wasted trip was better than a disaster expanding.
"Ah, work's here!"
Rikuo saw someone post on TikTok that an Anomaly phenomenon had appeared near Asukayama Park. The video clearly showed corroded ground and an Anomaly with eight legs running rapidly.
"First, I'll ask Nyamu to see if she has any specific information. Since it's near Asukayama Park and involves corrosive abilities, it's most likely that escaped Ushi-oni from last time, right?"
Rikuo dialed Nyamu's number.
"Hello, Nyamu! I just saw someone post Anomaly information on TikTok about Asukayama Park. Can you help me check if there are any related comments from your fans?"
"Kamiyama-kun also saw it? I was just about to call you. The person who posted the video also contacted me. Ever since the last Anomaly encountered by a fan was resolved and made the news, everyone with similar phenomena sends it to me immediately. I now have almost 2 million followers."
"Alright, Nyamu, send me the detailed information via Line. Oh, and with so many new followers, don't tell me you don't want to join the band anymore."
"Don't worry, I still know how all this traffic comes about. As long as Kamiyama-kun doesn't abandon…"
Rikuo hung up Nyamu's call.
"What nonsense are you saying! I am devoted to Sakiko-sensei!"
Rikuo quickly browsed the information on Line.
"Ushi-oni is moving towards Musashino City. It seems there are many secrets in that direction, and it's also the location of the second heart card. Speaking of which, the first heart card also seemed to be biased towards Musashino City."
Rikuo remembered when Kiyotsugu rode his bicycle to pick him up last time. At that time, he didn't pay attention to the location when he first sealed a heart-suit Anomaly.
"Anyway, let's head to the destination first. Oh, I need to get the 2 of Hearts and 9 of Clubs from Anon first. It will make movement much easier."
Rikuo walked to the training room door and knocked.
"Excuse me."
"Rikuo-kun? Is something wrong? Or have you been waiting too long? Our rehearsal is almost over."
Soyo opened the door.
"Soyo, going to your house will have to be postponed slightly. An Anomaly has appeared at Asukayama Park, and I need to go deal with it first."
"Hmm, if it's for such an important matter, my Mother and I will understand."
"Alright, Anon, I need the two Undead Cards you have. You and Soyo wait for me at RiNG for a bit. I'll be back as soon as I'm done."
"Okay, Riku's matter is important, go quickly!"
Anon handed over the 2 of Hearts and 9 of Clubs. Rikuo took them and immediately turned to leave, as a slight delay could lead to a bigger incident.
Of course, Taki also fully supported this matter. Because if Anon didn't have the 9 of Clubs, she would be the only one who could take Tomori home!
"Rikuo, don't rush too much, and be careful."
Taki said this with a smile on her face, which left Anon stunned.
'Could it be that Rikki likes Riku?'
Detective Anon once again came up with her unique deduction.
...
Near Asukayama Park.
Sato was leaning against his car, smoking, when he suddenly heard a loud metallic tearing sound from the direction of the textile factory.
"Here it comes again…"
He shook his head,
"So it was just this broken factory doing construction every night?"
He tossed the cigarette butt and stomped on it to extinguish the spark.
"I saw on TikTok that they said there were Anomalies inside, but I haven't seen any Anomalies."
A blue lightning bolt streaked across the night sky, illuminating the iron sheets that instantly blew off the factory roof. Sato's newly lit cigarette fell onto the road, startled.
"...What was that that just flew by? There really can't be an Anomaly, can there? Then I need to run quickly."
At this moment, in the alley behind the textile factory.
Misaki, who had just finished work, was taking a shortcut through the factory alley when a sticky liquid suddenly dripped onto her shoulder.
"Ew! Bird droppings?"
She looked up and saw half of a huge black ox horn protruding from a second-story window, with eight scythe-like shadows dancing wildly below.
Misaki's scream caught in her throat, because the next second, the entire wall was split open by a blue light blade, and a figure in silver-blue armor slowly rose from the dust.
"Good, I made it in time, though I don't know if this beast harmed anyone else before."
"Joker! You won't escape this time!"
Ushi-oni had already been to Musashino City, intending to seek refuge with its corresponding Category King, Shima Noboru. But when they met, it discovered that Shima Noboru was not on their side at all.
"You beast have harmed many people! Although I can't seal you, you just wait to be sealed by Rikuo-kun."
This was the last sentence Ushi-oni heard after Shima Noboru crippled it and it desperately fled.
While escaping, Ushi-oni encountered help from a fellow creature materialized by the 2 of Clubs, but it devoured the other. After all, its ability was poison, and it was an Anomaly, so it wouldn't care about weaker kin.
Now, it already possessed combat power comparable to an upper-level undead Anomaly.
Ushi-oni's body suddenly swelled, and its eight long, bayonet-like legs gleamed coldly. It darted across the ceiling, spraying a net of venom from its abdomen that covered the entire alley.
"Joker! Although I can't kill you! But I will slowly cut off all your limbs, and then slowly devour you in front of you!"
Rikuo saw that Ushi-oni seemed different, its combat power significantly stronger. He took out the Rouse Absorber and equipped it on his left hand.
"I have leveled up too! Here comes the goat head!"
Rikuo inserted the Queen of Spades into the Rouse Absorber and swiped the Jack of Spades.
'Using the King of Spades too early will accelerate the transformation into Joker. Once fully Joker, there will be no 8-year waiting period.'
A golden light in the shape of a vulture attached to the Blade armor. The armor was plated with a layer of golden outer armor, with a vulture relief in the center, and golden-brown wings spread from its back. This was the Blade Jack form.
Rikuo used his wings to shield Misaki, blocking the venom sprayed by Ushi-oni.
"This time, I'll take you out in 3 moves!"
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