Before leaving, Kawashima Toya found the address he was looking for.
Just as he had anticipated, the Sawanaga residence was already holding a wake.
The person in the center of the funeral was Sawanaga Taisuke.
Having been fed upon by several Shiki, he had finally succumbed to the blood loss.
Rest in peace, Toya thought, standing at a distance.
He picked up a small pebble and flicked it with a sharp snap.
Whish!
The stone accelerated instantly, creating a faint sonic boom as it streaked through the air.
Without a sound, it pierced through the wood of the casket and cored Taisuke's brain.
Taisuke, who might have risen as a Shiki later that night, was now truly dead.
Toya had extinguished even the slightest possibility of a resurrection.
He turned away, strolling down the street with his hands in his pockets.
No one would ever suspect that a pebble had been used to punch through the wood.
Even if the family discovered the hole, they would never be able to explain it.
After all, no one had been near the coffin, let alone capable of such a feat.
Toya hauled his luggage and hailed a taxi toward Tokyo to return to his agency.
Unbeknownst to him, several transfer notices were filed at Sakano Academy shortly after.
Katsura Kotonoha, citing an inability to cope with bullying, moved to Toyogasaki Academy.
Saionji Sekai followed suit, claiming better educational opportunities in the capital.
Both girls were moving to Tokyo, though Toya remained blissfully unaware of their plans.
A week later, he stepped back into his office, feeling as though he had never left.
...
Trash Fox Detective Agency
"A business trip on the company dime, and I barely got to see the sights," Toya muttered.
He carried his suitcase and the Star-Holy Sword back into the building.
The moment he stepped through the door, a sudden, excited shriek rang out.
"I've got you now!"
"Jashin-chan Dropkick!"
Jashin-chan, who had been lying in wait all morning, launched herself toward him.
"Move over."
Toya didn't even look up as he casually swatted her away with the sheathed holy sword.
Thwack!
With a dull, solid impact, Jashin-chan was sent flying backward out of the agency.
She landed headfirst in a nearby trash can with a loud metallic clang.
"Curse you! I'll get my revenge for this!" she screamed from the bin.
Ignoring her, Toya carried his bags further into the main hall.
Kasugano Sora was playing with building blocks alongside Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Sora's eyes lit up the moment she saw him.
"Onii-chan!"
Toya gently patted Sora's head and spoke in a warm, patient tone.
"Sora, don't call me that. Just call me 'Brother'."
"But, Onii-chan—"
"Please, just 'Brother'. When you say 'Onii-chan', I feel like we're entering a taboo drama."
It gives off way too much of a forbidden vibe.
"Okay, Brother," Sora replied, leaning into his touch with a dependent smile.
"You were gone for so long. I missed you every day. How long are you staying?"
"I want to play with you."
Toya sighed softly and shook his head with a small smile.
"I'm not sure yet, Sora. I'll try to stay as long as I can."
System requests could manifest at any moment, and he might even be sent away again.
"I'll talk to you more in a bit. I need to put my things away first."
He pointed toward his suitcase and the Star-Holy Sword.
"Brother, I'll help you with the luggage!" Sora offered, reaching for the handle.
"But I won't touch the sword. It feels like it doesn't like anyone but you."
Sora pulled the suitcase toward the stairs with a dutiful attitude.
"It's not that it's dangerous," Toya chuckled, "it's just a slightly special blade."
In truth, Sora's intuition was spot on.
The Star-Holy Sword could only be wielded by a chosen one—or an exception like himself.
Because it held the weight of the planet's hope, its burden was too much for an ordinary person.
Toya placed the sword on a rack near his bed to keep it safe from prying hands.
As he walked back out, he gave Tohru a firm instruction.
"Tohru, don't let anyone into my room. Especially, don't let anyone touch that sword."
"You have my word, Master," Tohru replied with a bright, sweet smile.
"I'll guard it personally. No one is getting past me."
She narrowed her eyes slightly toward Nyaruko, who was tinkering with gadgets.
"Especially that one over there with the 'Evil God' stench. Don't even think about it."
"That works for me," Toya nodded, feeling much more at ease.
His primary concern was indeed Nyaruko, the avatar of a chaotic deity.
"Darling, that's so mean!"
Nyaruko's ahoge twitched in indignation, her face puffed out in a pout.
"Why are you being so guarded with me? I'm your one and only!"
Toya gave her a flat look.
"You know exactly why. If your power reacts with that blade, it'll be a nightmare."
With that, Toya turned and walked away.
Nyaruko watched his back, her lips thinning into a frustrated line.
Hmph. Stupid Darling. Always treating me like some kind of walking biohazard.
If you're so proud of that sword, I'll just make my own!
A mere Star-Holy Sword? It won't be able to hold a candle to what I can make.
Darling will definitely like mine better once it's done.
Beyond the borders of reality, the Outer God Nyarlathotep began to weave a new artifact.
It was a blade forged from concepts of pure disorder and sanity-warping madness.
The Evil God Holy Sword was beginning to take shape.
In the living room, Toya patted Sora's head again.
"Sora, how has school been? Anyone giving you a hard time?"
"If someone is bothering you, tell Tohru immediately. She'll handle it."
He had grown quite fond of his newfound younger sister.
Sora leaned into his side, hugging his arm tightly.
"No one is bullying me, Brother. My classmates are all very nice."
"It's been very easy to get along with everyone."
"That's good to hear. If anything changes, come to me or Tohru."
The trouble at Sakano Academy had made Toya acutely aware of school dynamics.
If anyone tried to bully Sora, they would regret it for a long time.