With incredible speed, Yuji leaped onto the roof of a building to meet up with Atsuko. In that moment, he had a flashback of when she asked to meet up outside the tower.
Examining the rewards for achieving MVP and securing the first place, Yuji took note of his rewards.
| 1st Place Area Placement Rewards! |
| 5,000 Gold |
| x2 Rare Packs |
| +1.5 Stat Point |
| 1st Place World Placement Rewards! |
| 15,000 Gold |
| x5 Rare Packs |
| +4 Stat Point |
| +1 Level |
| Contract Rewards! |
| 100,000 Gold for achieving first place! |
| Congratulations, you have leveled up! |
| +1 Stat Point |
Pleased with his rewards, Yuji felt a tap on his shoulder from behind. Atsuko suggested, "Meet me at the abandoned building near that famous hotel. I'll be waiting."
Yuji intended to say something, but she left before he had the chance.
'What was that about?' Yuji wondered.
He was curious to who Atsuko was outside the tower. When Atsuko killed him in one of his regression, he began killing Atsuko during everyone of his new regressions.
Despite learning her name in one of the regressions, that was the extent of his knowledge about Atsuko. The mystery of her identity remained, and all he knew was that she was crazy.
While it presented an opportunity to discover Atsuko's identity, Yuji recognized the substantial risk involved. Revealing his own identity prematurely was not an option, as he still needed to take necessary precautions for the safety of his family.
Despite the risks, Yuji had a deep understanding of Atsuko's nature. Her focus on killing and the thrill of battle was so powerful, that she didn't care about anything else.
Yuji came to a stop on top of a tall rooftop, gazing down at an abandoned building. With his mind set, he leaped from the roof to the ground below.
Entering through the side doors, Yuji navigated his way to the central area of the building. Within a minute, he found himself in the empty center of the structure.
At the center stood Atsuko, different from her tower character with brown hair and eyes.
She possessed beautiful long white hair, deep red eyes adorned with red lipstick, and distinctive piercings - a nose piercing and two red ruby ear piercings. Her facial features seemed meticulously crafted, resembling a work of art.
Adorning a white shirt beneath a stylish black jacket, she paired it with black jeans, presenting a striking and well-coordinated appearance.
Atsuko caught sight of Yuji but was taken aback to see him wearing a white mask in addition to his blue hoodie.
She sighed, "You know, I couldn't care less about your identity. I've been around some of the most important individuals in the world."
Yuji gazed at her and a sense of familiarity struck him. He vaguely recalled seeing her on TV once, although the specific context eluded his memory.
"You look familiar." Yuji said.
"I'm Sasaki Shigeo's daughter. That's probably how you know me. You likely saw me on TV or in magazines," she revealed.
Yuji now comprehended her identity, remarking, "To think someone of your class is a psychopath."
"You've got to understand, I was normal before the tower. But once I got my first kill, the thrill I got from it was so different from anything I've felt," she explained.
Approaching her, Yuji inquired, "Why did you want to meet?"
She smiled, revealing her straight and white teeth, "I want to learn how to fight, and you're the best person to ask."
Yuji wasn't opposed to training her; it was part of his plan, but it occurred sooner than he had anticipated.
"I was planning on it. I already have a sense of how you fight, but to better understand your capabilities, I'll stand right here, and you'll attack me. I won't move a step from this spot," Yuji proposed.
She nodded, and without waiting for Yuji to react, she dashed at him, attempting to land multiple punches on his face. Yuji skillfully maneuvered through her punches and countered with a swift punch to her stomach.
The punch, despite Yuji holding back significantly, was powerful. She coughed up some blood, and a wicked smile spread across her face as she readied herself to launch another attack on Yuji.
"Wait," Yuji said.
She halted abruptly, looking at Yuji with a puzzled expression.
"From that brief exchange, I noticed you didn't take advantage of my handicap. You focused on attacking my face and chest, neglecting my most vulnerable spot—my legs," he pointed out.
Acknowledging her mistake, she readied herself to attack again, this time with a new pattern of strikes.
She sent a barrages of punches towards Yuji and as he was focused on blocking and dodging, she swiftly swung her feet towards his legs.
Anticipating Yuji's jump, she tried an unconventional approach by attempting to throw herself onto him. However, Yuji, with a fluid motion reminiscent of controlling water, redirected her body towards a nearby wall, causing it to shatter upon impact.
"That wasn't the brightest move. If I had a weapon, I could've attacked you the moment you lunged your entire body at me without any care," Yuji remarked, advising her of the stupidity in her strategy.
Atsuko rose from the ground, brushing off the dust and dirt from her clothes. "I knew you weren't going to kill me, so I decided to go for the win and make you move from your spot," she explained.
"You're taking this training too lightly. From now on, I'll break some bones in your body if you slip up. Fight me as if you're trying to kill me. Use the weapons in your inventory and also the environment around you to your advantage," Yuji asserted, elevating the intensity of the training.
Yuji dedicated hours to helping her train, persisting until dusk began to settle.
"We're done for today." Yuji said.
"It's still early," Atsuko remarked, surprised by the sudden announcement.
"I have a few things to do, which could take hours. We can do this again next week," Yuji explained, signaling a pause in their training.
Despite not being fully satisfied with the amount of training, she nodded in acknowledgment, and both of them went their separate ways. Yuji handed her a health potion before leaving.
Yuji was on his way to see Tomoko and Hitoshi.