Chapter 170: The Wishes of the Metas
Hearing that, Kato Megumi froze for a moment. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Asagiri's logic… was annoyingly sound.
"If you don't feel awkward, then stay with me."
Kato Megumi didn't truly mind. Still, with Asagiri glued to her side, the curious stares from customers and clerks kept drifting over. Whether it was his standout looks or the rare sight of a high school boy and girl calmly picking underwear together, the attention made her feel… unaccustomed.
"Mm… this set is cute, but it doesn't look very comfortable."
Meanwhile, watching Kato Megumi in her Toyogasaki uniform browse so naturally with a handsome boy beside her, a few female customers and staff could not help smiling with that gentle, motherly warmth.
High school sweethearts… so innocent.
Even if both of them were shy inside, they still pretended to be calm and refused to separate for even a second.
Youth really was something.
…
After they paid and left the store, Kato Megumi glanced at Asagiri, who was carrying her bags. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke softly.
"Utsunomiya, thank you for coming with me today. I'm done buying everything. Now we…"
"Now it's your turn to help me."
"Hm? Help you?"
Kato Megumi felt both confused and… quietly happy.
Confused because she had no idea what he needed help with.
Happy because, even though she did not want to drag him around all day, a part of her still wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.
"Come on. Let's go."
Asagiri did not explain. He just started walking.
It was rush hour, and the street had grown crowded.
"Don't get lost," he said.
"Okay."
Kato Megumi answered obediently, then reached out and lightly held his sleeve. A gentle smile appeared on her lips as she looked at his profile.
"But if it's you, Utsunomiya… you could find me even in a crowd, right?"
"Of course."
Asagiri nodded, voice low.
"Because to me…"
"Kato Megumi is special."
…
Half an hour later, inside a Tokyo amusement park.
"So this is the legendary Geta amusement park…"
Cute Mita, wearing a dress with a red bow, stared at the rides with sparkling eyes and an expression full of pure excitement.
Asagiri held her right hand and asked with a smile, "So, which one do you want first?"
"That one!"
Cute Mita raised her arm and pointed toward the Ferris wheel nearby. Then she looked up at Kato Megumi, who was holding her left hand, and asked cautiously.
"Megumi nee san… is that okay?"
"Of course it is."
Kato Megumi smiled gently and pinched her cheek.
"Let's go. We'll buy tickets together."
Cute Mita nodded hard.
"Okay!"
After they boarded the Ferris wheel, Cute Mita pressed both hands to the glass and stared at the scenery outside with an excited, breathless expression.
Kato Megumi tidied her hair, then rested both hands on her lap and looked at Asagiri sitting across from her.
"Utsunomiya… so what you wanted my help with was accompanying Mita and fulfilling her wish."
"Yes."
Asagiri nodded with a smile.
"I promised them back then that if I ever had the chance, I'd bring them to the real world to play."
"I see."
Kato Megumi nodded as if she understood, even though she still felt a little lost. Then she said softly.
"Then please let me help fulfill the wishes of the other Mitas too. As your teammate and friend, it's the least I can do."
Asagiri's expression turned a little… meaningful.
"Are you sure?"
"Uh…"
Kato Megumi had been certain, but his look made her hesitate. A memory surfaced and she asked carefully, testing the waters.
"Um… Hat Mita's wish… it isn't playing Purple Mood, is it? I can't help with that."
"How would that be?"
Asagiri shook his head, amused.
"Hat Mita just wants to play small games at home with me, like dance machines and hammer smash. You don't need to help with that."
Then he changed the subject, smiling.
"But you can still help with Crazy Mita's wish."
…
A little later, inside a dojo in the Tokyo suburbs.
"You called me over again…"
Ashikaga Miwa changed into a dojo uniform, took off her gold rim glasses, and placed them neatly on the side table. She sighed.
"It's not like I'm unwilling to train you, but at least give me some notice. I'm in charge of several companies. I'm busy."
Before she could finish, Asagiri waved a hand, smiling.
"Ashikaga sensei, today I didn't call you here to help me."
"Then what, you're going to help me?"
Ashikaga Miwa glanced at Kato Megumi beside him and shook her head, helpless.
"Go on, then. How exactly are you going to help me?"
"You've been needing information about the game and Players, haven't you?"
"Oh?"
Ashikaga Miwa lifted her brows slightly.
"As expected, you figured it out."
Her tone remained steady.
"That's true, but that wasn't part of our original deal. All I needed was for you to play the role of 'Shuchiin Academy's Strongest.' You don't have to specifically…"
"Here."
Asagiri tossed a file bag to her and chuckled.
"This is what I summarized last night. The Dungeons we've been through, and what we currently understand about this game's rules."
Ashikaga Miwa caught it, but did not open it. She set it aside, then looked at Asagiri directly.
"So what do you want in exchange for information this valuable?"
"Nothing."
Asagiri shook his head, smiling.
"At first, we were purely cooperative. But you've gone beyond that. You helped with special training, kept our identities secret, and shared your own information."
His tone stayed casual, like this was obvious.
"So since you helped me, I'll help you. That's normal."
"Is that so…"
Ashikaga Miwa responded noncommittally. After a moment, she finally nodded.
"Fine."
"However, there is one thing I need your help with."
"I knew it."
Ashikaga Miwa gave a wry smile, like she had expected this from the beginning.
"Say it. What is it? Don't tell me you want me to pretend to be your aunt again and meet your girlfriend's parents."
"Not this time."
Asagiri walked to the center of the dojo, voice flat.
"What I gave you still doesn't properly explain the current strength ceiling for Players. That kind of thing isn't easy to put into words."
He lifted his gaze.
"And since you're a martial artist, the best way to understand it is to feel it for yourself."
Asagiri looked at her steadily, his tone calm, almost casual. "I'm the strongest."
"The strongest…?"
A flicker of surprise appeared in Ashikaga Miwa's eyes.
She understood Utsunomiya's temperament. He said arrogant things often, but it was not blind pride. It was confidence backed by absolute ability, like the unshakable number one at Shuchiin.
If he claimed to be the strongest Player at this stage, it was not bragging.
It meant overwhelming dominance.
"Interesting."
Ashikaga Miwa's interest rose immediately.
"Not special training, but a direct confrontation between you and me… I'm looking forward to it."
"You misunderstood."
Asagiri smiled and shook his head. Then he crushed the translucent Tarot card that drifted down from above.
"Persona, Mita."
In the next instant, Crazy Mita appeared.
Watching him summon a person out of thin air like some kind of impossible magic, Ashikaga Miwa could not hide her shock.
Before she could speak, Asagiri looked at Kato Megumi and smiled.
"Kato, this is Crazy Mita's wish."
He glanced at the pouting girl.
"She thinks she lost too easily because we planned for her in advance, and because she was forced into a four on one. She's still not convinced."
"Hmph."
Crazy Mita snorted, cheeks puffed with stubbornness. Somehow it looked… cute.
"If we do it again, I might not lose."
"Really?"
Asagiri chuckled, then shook his head.
"Fulfill her wish. Make her lose convincingly."
He continued calmly.
"Let Ashikaga sensei experience what 'the strongest Player' actually means."
His gaze settled on Kato Megumi.
"And most importantly, help you sharpen your frontal combat skills."
He paused.
"So…"
"The three of you come at me together."
.....
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