Twenty minutes later.
Everyone arrived at the entrance of a jewelry store.
As one of Tokyo's most bustling areas, Shibuya Street was lined with various shops, and jewelry stores were certainly not few.
At this moment.
The glass door of the jewelry store had been smashed open, with glass shards scattered everywhere, clearly showing signs of a violent robbery.
"Is it you?"
Natsuki turned to look at the small group whose companions had gone missing.
Several people showed guilty expressions, turning their heads to look elsewhere.
In a world destroyed by the Strange Tale disaster, gold and silver jewelry had lost all meaning; no one would even pick them up if they were left on the street. The culprits who would raid a shop were naturally passengers from the parallel world.
"Let's all go in together." Natsuki withdrew his gaze and waved, saying, "We must find useful clues."
"Leave it to us."
Having finally reached their destination, the enthusiasm of the passerby passengers, which had nearly been extinguished by the rain, reignited. They all perked up and began searching for clues.
Natsuki unhurriedly walked to a counter and curiously looked around.
Miko gently tugged at his sleeve and whispered:
"Aren't we supposed to be looking for clues? Why aren't we moving?"
Natsuki said leisurely:
"Do you know about lion prides on the African savanna?"
Miko glared at him:
"Of course I do."
Natsuki said:
"The male lions in a pride, though stronger than the lionesses, generally don't participate in hunting… My standing here is my biggest contribution, and with so many people looking for clues, two more won't make much difference."
Miko: "…"
Although it felt like sophistry, it did make some sense.
Natsuki pulled Miko closer and asked:
"Which ring inside do you think is the prettiest?"
Girls, like dragons, love shiny treasures, and Miko was no exception. Her gaze was quickly drawn to the various rings in the display case, and then she said:
"The pattern on that ring is very nice."
"This one, right?"
Natsuki clenched his fist and gently tapped it.
Crack.
The glass display case instantly shattered.
"Eh, eh, eh?"
Miko looked around in a panic.
"Don't look," Natsuki comforted her. "There are no police in an apocalyptic world. Besides, these diamond rings have become ownerless property; picking things up isn't stealing."
Miko: "…"
While that was true, she still felt incredibly guilty. Since she was little, she had never stolen anything, let alone a diamond ring from a jewelry store; she hadn't even taken someone else's eraser.
"Try it on, see if it fits."
As Natsuki spoke, he held Miko's right hand and placed the ring on her ring finger, saying with satisfaction:
"Nice, the size is just right."
"Wait a moment—"
Looking at the sparkling diamond ring on her finger, Miko finally reacted, her pretty face quickly reddening as she couldn't help but exclaim:
"W-why are you putting a ring on me?!"
Natsuki said solemnly:
"I wanted to give Miko a memorable gift from the parallel world."
A ring isn't just an ordinary gift, and he even put it on her himself… He must have done it on purpose!
Miko puffed out her cheeks, looking over with a blushing face:
"I don't…"
Natsuki interrupted her, saying:
"If Miko doesn't like it, she can just take it off and throw it away."
"…"
Miko immediately fell silent.
A super beautiful diamond ring, sparkling under the flashlight, just take it off and throw it away?
She couldn't take it off.
She absolutely couldn't take it off.
"Heh heh."
A disdainful chuckle suddenly sounded nearby.
Natsuki turned to look, his expression unchanged:
"Momo-senpai seems to have a strong prejudice against me."
Momo crossed her arms over her chest and snorted lightly:
"You know what you've done."
Building a harem in the campus Strange Tale domain, and now flirting with Miko, so skilled and not even blushing once—he must have practiced many times, right?
Scumbag!
This boy from a parallel world is 100% a scumbag!
"So Momo-senpai wants a gift too…"
Natsuki slapped his forehead, picked up a ring, and looked over:
"Should I put it on for you, or will Momo-senpai put it on herself?"
"Peh~"
Momo spat lightly, disdainfully huffing:
"I wouldn't wear your ring."
"Then there's none for Senpai," Natsuki put down the ring, picked out another one, and looked at Parallel World Miko, "Do you want me to help you put on a gift?"
Parallel World Miko hesitated for two seconds, then extended her right hand.
Natsuki held Miko's fingertip and helped her put on the ring.
"Tch."
Momo saw it out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but snort lightly. For some reason, she felt inexplicably unhappy.
Natsuki didn't bother gathering information; he just stood in the jewelry store lobby, chatting in low voices with the three girls.
A moment later.
The scattered, unlucky passengers gradually gathered.
"Natsuki-kun, we didn't find any clues."
"We didn't either."
"Miss Kobayashi and Mr. Hirata, it's as if they vanished into thin air."
Everyone was chattering, discussing animatedly, and after they finished, they all looked at Natsuki in unison:
"Natsuki-kun, what should we do now?"
"What to do?" Natsuki's expression turned serious, "Of course, we keep looking. They are companions who came from the parallel world with us. If they are alive, we must see them; if they are dead, we must see their bodies. You wouldn't want to abandon your companions and go back so soon, would you?"
Everyone: "..."
Indeed, some people felt cold and tired and wanted to return to the warm underground internet cafe.
But no one dared to speak out.
The moral iron fist of abandoning companions and being Unwinged Angel was too painful; no one could bear it.
Natsuki waved his hand and said:
"Let's go to the shop next door and continue searching. Maybe there will be clues."
"..."
Everyone silently moved to the shop next door.
After everyone had left, Natsuki summoned Yuuko, the Human-Faced Dog, and whispered:
"Yuuko, classmate, do me a favor."
The Human-Faced Dog said with great dissatisfaction:
"Bastard, you only call me out for help when you need something. When you don't, you never think of me."
"There's serious business now." Natsuki promised, "As long as you help find them, I can let you choose ten teething sticks."
"I don't want that kind of thing!!!"
"..."
Angry as she was, the Human-Faced Dog was not ambiguous when it came to serious matters. She knew very well that if she angered this man, she would definitely be subjected to various inhumane torments.
"Smell the scent on the clothes."
Natsuki handed over a pair of black pantyhose.
"Disgusting!" Yuuko, the Human-Faced Dog, immediately showed a look of disgust, "Why do you want me to smell this kind of thing!"
"Because the owner of the pantyhose is lost." Natsuki said calmly, "Now only you can find them. Please."
Before leaving the internet cafe, Natsuki knew that he probably couldn't rely on those unlucky passengers—a disorganized mob never accomplishes anything.
So, before setting off, Natsuki specifically asked Miko to find the clothes Miss Kobayashi had changed out of.
Since two people disappeared together, as long as one of them was found, the other would naturally appear.
"Damn it..."
The Human-Faced Dog reluctantly leaned closer, carefully sniffed the scent on the pantyhose, and then began searching in the jewelry store.
Natsuki led Miko and followed.
Momo lagged half a step behind, looking at the rings on the counter. Her heart stirred slightly, and as if possessed, she secretly grabbed a ring and quickly put it into her pocket.
"Hoo..."
Momo exhaled lightly, thinking it was seamless and no one had noticed. Who knew that as soon as she turned her head, she saw Parallel World Miko looking at her calmly, and her face instantly flushed.
"I'm not, I didn't... You listen to me explain!"
"No need to explain. Take it if you want." Parallel World Miko withdrew her gaze, "Anyway, we'll be separating soon."
"..."
Momo paused slightly, then bit her lip and silently followed.
A moment later.
"Found it!"
The Human-Faced Dog said excitedly:
"The scent is very close, right nearby!"
At the same time, a cry of surprise suddenly rang out from outside:
"Someone disappeared!"
As they walked, they suddenly realized that their companions beside them had silently vanished, and the unlucky passengers immediately panicked.
The nature of a disorganized mob was exposed at this moment; it was fine when there was no danger, but once danger appeared, they would immediately scatter like birds and beasts, each fending for themselves in times of great trouble.
At this moment, a low shout suddenly rang out:
"Hands on your head, squat down!"
Hearing Natsuki's shout, the unlucky passengers instinctively chose to comply, squatting down on the spot with their hands on their heads.
Whoosh—
A dark shadow suddenly swept out from the shadows, violently coiling around a woman, about to drag her back into the darkness.
"Ahhhhhh!!"
The woman's scream suddenly rang out, sounding particularly familiar. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Mrs. Ozawa.
Natsuki narrowed his eyes and decisively activated Time Stop.
The next moment, the entire world suddenly stood still.
Rushing to Mrs. Ozawa's side in one second, Natsuki's gaze fell on the object binding Mrs. Ozawa. It was a fleshy tentacle, with exposed flesh, looking as thick as an arm.
The second second.
Splat—!
Natsuki swung an axe, and instantly, filthy blood splattered.
The third second.
Natsuki held Mrs. Ozawa with one hand and grabbed the tentacle with the other, pulling hard, yanking the creature hiding in the shadows out.
Upon closer inspection, the thing was a human wearing ragged clothes, but its eyes were blood-red, its cheeks elongated, its fangs exposed, and its right arm had completely mutated into a fleshy tentacle.
Time resumed flowing.
Bang!
The monster yanked out by Natsuki fell to the ground, letting out a bewildered and painful groan.
"Be careful, it's a monster completely corrupted by the anomaly!"
Momo, sharp-eyed, quickly shouted a reminder.
So that's how it is.
Ordinary monsters couldn't detect people wearing raincoats, but monsters formed from fallen humans could.
The two unlucky people who went missing had obviously encountered monsters when they were alone, and their raincoats had no effect, leading to their misfortune.
"Madam, go to the back."
Natsuki dropped the tentacle in his hand and gently patted Mrs. Ozawa beside him.
Mrs. Ozawa finally came to her senses at this moment, her face pale, and she quickly hid behind Natsuki.
At the same time.
After a brief moment of bewilderment, the monster completely corrupted by the anomaly turned its gaze to Natsuki, its crimson eyes spinning wildly, and it directly pounced forward.
Natsuki was about to act when he suddenly saw a long spear falling from the sky. Upon closer inspection, the spear was clearly condensed from pure blue light.
Thud!
The blue spear, swift as lightning, descended from the sky, directly pinning the red-eyed monster to the ground.
"Eh eh eh, I'm actually this powerful?"
Miko's eyes widened as she looked at her parallel self in shock.
Although she had heard of the so-called "Strongest Esper" before, she didn't have much of a concrete concept.
At this moment, seeing her parallel self casually summon a lightning spear and effortlessly pin the monster to the ground, Miko finally had a tangible perception.
Her parallel self seemed to be truly super powerful.
Thinking of this, Miko couldn't help but feel her heart stir.
Since they were both Miko, could she also become this powerful?
The monster pinned to the ground by the Psychic Power spear was not dead and began to twist and struggle frantically on the ground.
Parallel World Miko frowned slightly, and with an empty grasp of her right hand, another Psychic Power spear descended from the sky.
Thud—!
The Psychic Power spear pierced through the monster's body, pinning it to the ground once again.
"Amazing, Miko."
Natsuki couldn't help but exclaim.
When he activated Psychic Power 100%, he could also use Psychic Power, but only in its most rudimentary form. He couldn't shape Psychic Power into a weapon at all.
Natsuki asked curiously:
"Can this guy still be communicated with?"
Parallel World Miko pursed her lips and said calmly:
"It has been completely corrupted by the anomaly and has no sanity left."
Momo's face turned slightly pale, and she whispered:
"This is the fate of all those who merge with monsters. As long as they use a monster's abilities, they will be continuously corrupted, eventually turning into monsters themselves."
"Don't worry, I'm here." Natsuki said gently, "I can alleviate your corruption."
"Hmph."
Momo snorted softly and turned her head to look elsewhere.
"Everyone can get up now."
Natsuki called out, signaling the unlucky passengers who were squatting nearby to stand up, and then said:
"You wait for me here; I'll go check the situation in the alley."
Walking into the alley alone, Natsuki quickly found the unlucky person who had just been dragged away. This guy was still alive, but he had several bloody wounds on his body.
Natsuki took out a hemostatic bandage produced by the game, simply bandaged the unlucky passenger's wounds, then walked out of the alley and waved, calling a few men over:
"He's fine, just injured. Come over and carry him out."
With free labor nearby, Natsuki certainly wouldn't do everything himself.
Leaving others to treat the injured, Natsuki, accompanied by Yuuko, the Human-Faced Dog, continued to track the two unlucky people who had gone missing during the day.
It now seemed highly probable that they had encountered a monster attack and might already be gone, but whether alive or dead, he needed to see the situation with his own eyes.
The red-eyed monster's hiding place was nearby. In a short while, Natsuki, led by the Human-Faced Dog, found the entrance, then took a deep breath and walked inside.
A moment later, Natsuki walked out in silence.
"Natsuki, how is it?"
Miko quickly asked.
Natsuki shook his head, his voice low:
"They're inside, but they've already been killed."
"..."
Hearing this news, everyone fell silent. At this moment, the parallel world finally revealed its cruel and bloody fangs to them.