Overall, Leo got quite a bit of information from Mizukawa and even arranged a meeting place for Saturday.
The three worldviews she mentioned likely correspond to the three major organizations that deal with such extraordinary groups.
However, Leo felt that he was closer to being a "psychic" rather than fitting into the category of exorcising spirits and demons.
There were also those he saw with titles like [Vampire] and [Subhuman (In Disguise)] who seemed to exist outside these three worldviews.
On his way home from school, Leo was still pondering these issues until he reached the street where his house was located and snapped back to reality.
He didn't go home but went to his neighbor's door, expertly retrieving the key from under the doormat.
No one was on the first floor, so he climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor, to a door adorned with a poster of a popular game, and knocked.
"My friend, you have broken our pact, and can no longer cross the barriers of the heart. The barrier of Ahhabet's abode shall forever be closed to you."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming in."
He destroyed the barrier of Ahhabet's abode merely by turning the doorknob.
Upon entering, he was immediately greeted by a white pillow thrown at him with great force.
Had it been the Leo of the past, he would have been hit in the face, but now he easily caught the projectile with one hand.
"Feeling lively, huh? Are you complaining that your leg healed too quickly?"
"This is the punishment for Leo, who betrayed our pact."
The attacker, half-lying on the bed, proclaimed so.
She had a delicate and fair face with a touch of boyishness, messy short hair with a few strands defiantly standing up.
Combined, she presented the image of a tomboyish girl.
"I didn't come yesterday because of a special situation. After school, I got caught up in a scene where a magical girl was beating up monsters, and I was chased by a demon."
"What? Was the source of Leo's power awakened prematurely? Darn, if this continues, the society will notice."
She became anxious.
"What society... Have you come up with a new setting again?"
Leo half-heartedly humored her while trying to find a place to sit in the cluttered room.
This was no easy task, as the floor was littered with weapon models.
Weapons from the East like Emei Piercers and Yoroido, Western crossbows and rondel daggers, and even Katar daggers and fist blades from the land of Poja.
Looking around, he saw action figures of fictional characters on the desk, alongside suspiciously titled books like "Solomon's Lesser Key" and "Yūjirō's Guide to Generating Power."
The walls were plastered with fantasy-themed posters.
Hori Rinko, the first peer he met upon moving to Sakura Island. Considering they were just eight or nine years old at the time, they could be considered childhood friends.
Deeply engrossed in fantasy works, she was a severe case of chuunibyou.
"We'll have to activate the Anachronous System ahead of schedule, using phase shifting to avoid the society's interference..."
Her symptoms were as described above.
However, there was one thing that couldn't be explained by chuunibyou.
Leo looked at the tag above the still mumbling Rinko's head.
[Childhood Friend (Hero)]
Childhood friend was normal, but the content in the brackets was not.
He was well aware of the hero concept, quite popular in Sakura Island, but you're telling me the girl who grew up with me is a hero?
There's no way a hero would be laid up at home with injuries from a car accident just before school starts!
You could say she's brave, that might be plausible.
But having experienced supernatural powers firsthand, he couldn't be sure if this chuunibyou girl's right hand truly sealed any dark forces or the like.
"Rinko."
"Hmm, what's up, Leo?"
"You're not actually a hero from another dimension, are you?"
Upon hearing this, the girl showed a serious expression.
"Hmm... Has the awakened Leo already glimpsed into my soul? It's probably because crossing the boundary between the virtual and the real has consumed too much energy. So, make your choice. Will you forsake our friendship for the peace of the outer world, or will you join me in challenging the order forged by the society?"
Leo: "…"
Damn, no matter how you look at it, this person is just being delusional.
Is this part of your plan, Hori Rinko?! Planning for years, just to use a chuunibyou persona to cover the truth, it's terrifying to think about.
"Before we challenge the order, how are your injuries? Can you go to school next week?"
"The regeneration plan is progressing smoothly; I expect to be back in combat condition in two days."
"So, you can go to school, right? Then hurry up and catch up on the lessons you missed."
He took out a textbook from his backpack.
"Ah, it's the tainted forbidden knowledge, the unspeakable words of the ancient gods. I cannot witness its entirety; only Leo can reveal the truth."
"No deserting, diligently study math."
"Okay... Leo?"
Leo paused for a moment; just as Rinko agreed to study, familiar text appeared before his eyes:
[Story Element Extraction: You tutored Rinko in some skills]
The last time a similar situation occurred, the text of Exorcist appeared above his head, but this time there was no follow-up.
Was some condition not met?
He then took out a thick stack of exercise books from his backpack.
"Rinko, let's intensify our study efforts today."
"Eh? Why? Nooo—"
Scaring the child is normal.
The two studied until dinner time, and then the sound of the door opening came from downstairs.
"I sense the return of the caretaker."
"If you keep calling Aunt Yūko that, you're definitely going to get hit, you know?"
Aunt Yūko, mentioned by him, is Rinko's mother, a professional editor, currently raising her daughter alone.
Footsteps soon reached the room door, and Hori Rinko Yūko opened the door.
"Is Leo-kun also here? This kid threw quite the tantrum yesterday, even though you're both high school students now."
"Not at all."
Contrary to the softness suggested by her name, the real Yūko is tall and spirited, often quite bold—sometimes even to the point of being tough.
"Why don't you stay for dinner?"
"I have something on with classmates tonight, but thank you, Auntie."
After a brief conversation, footsteps headed down the stairs.
Rinko lay back, covering her face with the book in her hands.
"Let's call it a day."
Feeling she was burned out, Leo suggested.
"Leo, I'm pondering a very serious problem."
"Does it have to do with how to overthrow the society?"
"That's under consideration too, but this problem is also important."
She turned her head to look at him: "Due to the impact of the Axis collision, my entry into the Lukalia Academy has been delayed, which may not be recognized by the Mage Council."
"You're worried about not being able to integrate into the class community because you missed the start of school due to the accident."
He had long become adept at translating Hori Rinko's cryptic statements.
The two were in the same class during the last three years of elementary school and junior high but were assigned to different classes upon entering Inaba High School.
"Actually, if you just change the way you speak... never mind, forget I said anything. If you get bullied, just come to me for help."
"Planning for being bullied?! I get it, let's show them like Billy and Jimmy (note)!"
"Just don't cause a bloody incident like in junior high."
Leo stood up to leave: "I've got stuff to do, I'm heading out."
"I'll repair and strengthen the barrier later—"
He said goodbye to Yūko on the first floor, pushed the door open, and headed towards the school.
Billy and Jimmy: Protagonists of the arcade game series "Double Dragon"