The streets of Ikebukuro were as crowded as ever. The weather, still somewhat chilly, made people keep their light jackets or sweaters on, although some were already daring to wear lighter clothing, eager for the arrival of the warmer season.
The unmistakable sound of urban hustle filled the air.
People walked briskly, their faces glued to their phones, while loudspeakers in nearby stores played cheerful music or broadcasted commercial announcements.
The sidewalks were packed with a mix of people—office workers hurrying to their destinations, curious tourists exploring the area, and younger passersby, mostly high school students, enjoying the last days of their vacation before returning to classes.
Everyone seemed immersed in their own business, in their own lives.
"It seems people are lively and indifferent… as they say, ignorance is bliss."
Amid all these people, Yuuma strolled calmly, glancing at the bustling scene. He wore dark sunglasses that concealed his eyes.
However, he wasn't wearing them because the sunlight was too bright or because he was overly sensitive to light. He had an entirely different reason.
If someone were to take off his sunglasses, they would see his crimson-red eyes, glowing intensely.
[Aura Vision – Level 1: This ability allows the user to see the amount and type of energy that every living being possesses. Cost: 1 SE per hour.]
At that moment, Yuuma was scanning the city using a new ability he had recently acquired as a random reward for completing his daily training.
Just the day before, he had received this new active skill, which allowed him to see all specters and supernatural beings clearly.
Thanks to this ability, he confirmed that the presence and nature of these paranormal beings were… overwhelming.
They were everywhere!
Many were hiding in the shadows, while others seemed to enjoy accompanying various humans, trying in vain to get their attention.
Some behaved very oddly, forming a line in a dark place, which slowly disappeared one by one.
It was something that could easily drive anyone insane.
"Damn... to think these things are so grotesque… my stomach still isn't fully ready for this"
Yuuma muttered to himself as he observed the beings through his sunglasses.
Although he could see them without using the ability, he couldn't distinguish their natures. Previously, he had perceived them as part of a single spectral species, but now he knew otherwise.
Some ghosts were entirely composed of energy similar to what he used—spiritual energy—while other specters appeared more solid, with less ethereal bodies.
There were even others with a completely different nature.
In addition to identifying these supernatural beings, he could also see that some humans had a kind of energy flowing from their bodies.
Since yesterday, every person he had encountered, without exception, possessed an aura surrounding them. This aura was almost imperceptible, even when his ability was active, but if he stared intently, it was there.
Each person's aura had a unique color, and Yuuma quickly realized that these colors represented something specific.
Most people had a whitish aura, most common in children and babies. Yuuma deduced that this aura represented the purity or goodness characteristic of their age.
Adults, on the other hand, had slightly grayish auras, as if the pure aura they once had as children had been "tainted" over the years.
However, some people had auras of different colors.
For instance, visibly depressed individuals or those with deceptive appearances had very dark auras.
These people were surrounded by horrible specters with similar traits, and peculiarly, some of these specters seemed to feed on such auras.
Additionally, there were people with reddish-white auras. Like those with dark auras, they were surrounded by many specters that appeared to nourish themselves from them.
Yuuma deduced the idea that specters "fed" on people's auras from his various encounters with them.
Whenever he saw them, they began drooling and muttering "delicious" as they rapidly approached.
Moreover, he noticed that every time these specters drew near and "fed" on a person's aura, they seemed to weaken that individual, either physically or mentally.
That's why Yuuma decided to eliminate all of them. While it seemed their presence didn't immediately affect others, he had no idea what the long-term consequences could be.
He had already destroyed a couple of specters in the past four days, but now that he knew all this, he resolved to completely eradicate these entities.
However, he wasn't doing it because he was a good person or wanted to feel like a hero. He simply didn't want trouble near his future workplace or his current home.
Perhaps the multicolored spiritual energy that Yuuma possessed—due to being a transmigrator—was something the specters perceived as a delicacy. Every time Yuuma revealed it, it acted as a beacon for those creatures.
"Alright, I've got a general idea of what's going on in this world. Now I just need to start hunting and destroying all these specters… damn it, is this supposed to be a vacation?"
With an ironic smile, Yuuma entered an alley around the corner from Ikebukuro's Donki, arriving at an area devoid of human presence. However, the place was far from empty.
(NA:Donki (ドンキ) is the abbreviated name of the discount store chain Don Quijote (株式会社ドン・キホーテ, kabushiki gaisha Don Kihōte))
At the sight of him, five specters stopped moving aimlessly and fixed their attention on the newcomer, especially the largest of them. This one appeared to have a bag over its head and chains wrapped around its neck.
"Phew… alright, let's get this over with. I've got things to buy," he muttered.
[Skill 'Spiritual Energy Control' – Activated]
"Sniff… sniff… delicious."
"Eat… eat!"
"Give us… food!"
The moment Yuuma's energy manifested, the specters trembled in unison. Without hesitation, they all charged at him like ravenous wolves going after their prey.
Yuuma moved swiftly, deactivating his skill and dodging the first attack from the fastest specter.
In the next instant, a half-meter-long metal rod with a faint multicolored glow appeared in his left hand.
With a quick motion, he struck the ghost squarely on the head.
*Splash*
The ghost's head shattered into thousands of pieces!
The rest of the specters ignored the destruction of their alley companion, and pounced on Yuuma again, all except the largest of them, who had the bag on his head.
*Baam*
*Splash*
*Crack*
Without wasting any time, Yuuma moved quickly, and hit them all with all his strength, causing their bodies to bend and break into various grotesque shapes before falling into pieces and disappearing.
"Haaa…. It seems that you are smart huh… are you afraid of ending up like this?"
After finishing off the four smaller specters, Yuuma tried to catch his breath, adopting an attack stance.
In these four days that he had been killing specters, he realized that not all ghosts acted the same way.
While all of them were attracted by his energy, when he faced them some seemed to be aware of the danger they faced, like the first specter he killed, or the one in front of him right now.
That's why he only exposed a little of his spiritual energy to get their attention, he wanted to see how they behaved.
Also, another reason why he didn't leave the ability to manifest his spiritual energy active was that it was consumed too quickly. The loss of energy was approximately 1SP per minute if he kept it active and didn't execute any skills.
When his energy surrounded him, his body was protected against any kind of damage, he had already tested it these days. Fire, ice, knives, hammer blows, that energy protected him from everything.
It was like having a bulletproof vest covering his entire body.
Also, when his spiritual energy made contact with the specters, they suffered a lot of damage, having his body injured and almost destroyed instantly.
This ability was phenomenal!
So why wasn't he using it right now?
There was an explanation for this.
While that protective layer of energy prevented his skin from being damaged, the energy was transmitted to his body just like the energy of a bullet hitting a bulletproof vest.
That was why Yuuma wanted to hunt these specters without using this ability so much. He had to strengthen his body if he didn't want to suffer any damage.
He also discovered another way to finish off the specters.
"Come on, if you don't come, I'll have to do it myself."
Yuuma quickly ran and with a quick movement appeared in front of the remaining specter, which seemed to want to retreat.
However, he wouldn't let it escape. The arm holding the metal bar swung downwards, hitting the specter's side.
*Baaam*
"Hagh!"
The ghost let out a pitiful moan, as it felt horrible pain from the blow of the bar!
Without giving it a chance to escape, Yuuma swung the metal bar again, giving it two more hits, one on the neck and one on the head.
*Splash*
With this, the specter's head flew into dozens of pieces, before disappearing in a mist.
"Haaa… hahaha, I finally did it."
Yuuma sighed in relief, stretching his tired body.
*Crack*
Suddenly, the metal bar in his hand broke into several pieces, falling to the ground.
"Mmm… it seems that this one couldn't contain my energy well either… tch I must look for another type of metal"
Yuuma muttered as he gave a last sigh and walked towards the exit of the alley.
4 days ago when he received his ability to control his spiritual energy, he devised a contingency plan for various situations.
One of them was what to do if, in a certain situation, he used up his spiritual energy, how could he defend himself?
So he came up with a plan, which he didn't know if it would work. He tried to imbue different objects with his energy as if he were 'recharging' them.
He wanted to see if he could have an 'extra battery' from which he could draw energy in case his own ran out.
He tried several objects, and only the hardest ones like metal were strong enough to resist his spiritual energy, acquiring a special hue; the rest were destroyed almost instantly.
However, those things could only contain his energy for a few hours, maybe a day at most, after which they would also be destroyed.
However, after a few days, he realized something that surprised him quite a bit.
The objects he imbued with his energy not only served as an extra battery, but could also be used as weapons to kill specters!
This was a great discovery, as he could use these things imbued with his spiritual energy to kill specters before they stopped being useful.
However, while this was a positive thing, it required him to constantly recharge his energy every day in different objects, so he had to quickly look for something that could contain his energy permanently, without having to be destroyed.
*Ding, ding, ding*
[You've leveled up!]
The sound of the system cut off Yuuma's thoughts, bringing him back to reality.
"Phew… let's go look for what's new at the market, maybe that old lady has something new that could be useful. Although she seemed like a scammer, at least the things she sold me proved useful"
Without wasting any more time, Yuuma left the place, she had a lot to do today apart from killing ghosts.
..........
Yuuma gently pushed open the door to the bookstore, the bell above jingling softly to announce his arrival.
A fragrance of aged paper and ink enveloped him like a warm embrace as his eyes swept over the endless rows of shelves filled with books.
With slow, deliberate steps, Yuuma began wandering through each aisle, running his fingers lightly across the spines of the books.
Reaching a darker, less frequented section, his attention was drawn to a dusty sign that read
"Paranormal and Occultism."
The books here appeared older, with worn covers and titles written in elaborate fonts.
"Let's see… yes, this is it"
He murmured, as memories of his body's past life before his arrival in this world flashed through his mind.
As the old man had mentioned in his message, the body he now inhabited had led an almost automated life, surviving as an average citizen in this world.
It had gone through school and then university at a young age, studying language and literature. It hadn't formed many friendships, let alone romantic relationships, behaving like the typical background character no one paid attention to.
This was something Yuuma was entirely grateful for since his physical and personality changes wouldn't alarm too many people.
Even so, he couldn't disregard the achievements this body had made over time. It had excelled academically, particularly in literature, leaving him with countless memories of books, poems, and novels—not only local but also foreign.
Right now, he was leveraging that knowledge to learn more about Japanese myths and folklore.
That's why he had come to this bookstore, where he regularly visited to read or buy books.
He picked up a book titled "Living with the Spectral."
Opening it carefully, he heard the yellowed pages crackle as they shifted. The table of contents listed chapters such as "Identifying Entities" and "Modern Exorcism Methods."
"I never thought I'd end up researching this kind of stuff" - he thought, an ironic smile spreading across his face.
Of course, this was something that only existed in fiction back in his old world. But here, it could prove immensely useful.
Not knowing where to start, he grabbed a few more books and headed to the checkout counter.
Yuuma approached the counter, balancing his stack of books carefully, his expression calm and focused.
Across the counter, the clerk on duty—a young woman with chestnut-brown hair tied up in a bun—greeted him with a polite smile.
Her name tag bore the surname Ogawa. Her posture was professional, yet her figure was undeniably striking, particularly due to her prominent bust.
However, for Yuuma, this was nothing out of the ordinary. He had dealt with women like this in his past life, and his attention remained firmly fixed on the books.
"Hello, welcome to Midori Bookstore" - she said warmly.
*Ding, ding, ding*
Before Yuuma could respond, his system emitted an alarm.
[You have encountered Sumireko Ogawa, one of the protagonists of the anime Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi.]
'Huh? Protagonist?'
Yuuma slightly opened his eyes at the information provided by the system but quickly suppressed his surprise. Staying silent any longer would make him look like a fool.
"Hello, how's it going?" - Yuuma said with a friendly smile - "I'd like to take these books, please"
"Looks like you're interested in paranormal topics, huh?" - Ogawa said warmly as she scanned the books.
"Something like that. I need precise information about local folklore, ghosts, and that sort of thing"
Ogawa paused her scanning, momentarily surprised by his response. Then, she smiled again, this time with a hint of curiosity.
"Not many people take it so seriously. Are you writing a book or…?"
Yuuma shook his head - "Let's just say I need it for… something practical."
Ogawa studied him for a moment, leaning slightly toward him as she rested an elbow on the counter. Her eyes sparkled with interest.
"In that case, I think there's something else you might find interesting"
She turned and walked toward a shelf behind the counter. Her fitted uniform accentuated her figure, something Yuuma noticed immediately, whistling internally.
'Those boobs are huge!'
How could such a petite and pretty girl have such massive breasts? Was all her nutrition going to that part of her body?
'Anime world… no wonder all those horny kids dream about ending up in places like this… I get it'
He muttered internally.
As a sexually active man, at least mentally, he found the situation amusing and odd.
However, he wasn't about to act like a fool trying to take advantage of it and end up looking like a pervert.
Besides, she was a protagonist in an anime whose plot he knew nothing about, nor what role she played in that story.
Still, this girl had piqued Yuuma's interest, so he knew he'd have to be cautious in how he dealt with her moving forward. He had only planned to visit this bookstore once, but now he might need to revise that plan.
While Yuuma was lost in thought, Ogawa returned with a book wrapped in a black cover, no visible title on the spine. She carefully placed it in front of him.
"This isn't on the shelves. It's a limited edition that a customer left here a few months ago. It's called 'Bonds Between Worlds: Dealing with the Immaterial.' It's… more direct, and some of its methods are, let's say, questionable. But if you're looking for something practical, this book is just what you need"
Yuuma raised an eyebrow at her words but took the book, examining it closely. He opened it at random, his gaze falling on a chapter titled "Forming Temporary Bonds with Spiritual Entities."
"Questionable, huh?" - he said with a slight smile.
Ogawa nodded enthusiastically - "Mm-hmm, but effective, according to some rumors. Of course, I can't guarantee anything."
The way she spoke about such books suggested she had a certain fondness for the paranormal—something that was very convenient for him.
'I didn't think this trip to the bookstore would surprise me like this. System, can you provide information about this girl?'
*Ding, ding, ding*
[Certainly. Would you like to view it now?]
'Please'
[Sumireko Ogawa is a 28-year-old woman who was an exceptional writer of paranormal stories, earning the "New Literary Star" award at age 15. However, after turning 20, she was treated as an ordinary person, damaging her self-esteem as a writer and diminishing her confidence. She is deeply interested in the occult and all things supernatural, claiming that they allow her to enjoy fear and awe of things beyond human comprehension, which she finds stimulating in ways akin to hunger and sexual desire.]
'What the hell is with that last part? Is this woman a fetishist?'
Yuuma didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that moment. Still, he couldn't let himself be distracted by this information.
"Quite a way to sell books to your customers, but I like it" - Yuuma said with a slight smile, closing the book with a soft thump. He added it to his stack.
"Haha… it's just that… paranormal stuff is… nothing! It's nothing important"
Ogawa stammered as she tried to regain her composure. She seemed to want to say more, and finally, she did.
"If you need more books like this, I can check the special inventory"
"Sure, I'll keep that in mind, Miss Ogawa"
With the books in his arms and the recommendation fresh in his mind, Yuuma left the bookstore, knowing he had found more than just printed words.