"Another peaceful day."
Kawashima Toya reclined in his garden chair, basking in the warm sunlight. He let out a soft sigh. "If only I didn't have to burn Origin Points on cleanup duty, life would be perfect."
[System Notice: Isolating the conceptual influence of the Heretic God Cundi from the city of Kyoto as requested.]
[50,000 Origin Points have been deducted.]
Toya had expected this expense, so the deduction didn't sting too much. It was the necessary price for mitigating the disaster caused by Cundi's descent, which had nearly converted the entire population of Kyoto to Buddhism in a single night.
Just then, a stealthy figure approached from his blind spot.
"Jashin-chan Dropkick!"
"Kawashima Toya! How dare you show such an opening in front of me!"
"Today is the day you die!"
Jashin-chan's triumphant shout rang out as she launched her signature lethal attack.
"Too weak."
Toya glanced at her indifferently, not even bothering to dodge. Did she really think he hadn't noticed her creeping up on him? He had simply allowed her to approach to test his new baseline durability.
"Not even close."
He threw a casual, almost lazy punch. The resulting shockwave of compressed air blasted the airborne Jashin-chan off course, sending her spinning out of control.
Like a meteor, she crashed into the soft grass, sliding across the lawn and leaving a deep furrow in the earth before finally skidding to a halt.
Toya looked at the destruction caused by his casual strike with satisfaction.
Ascending to the status of a Campione is truly a leap to the peak. Even after all my rigorous training, this single upgrade provided a massive boost that pure effort couldn't match.
If only the Authority I gained wasn't so underwhelming.
His only regret was the lackluster power he had usurped. As the Savior who led the era, using Cundi's shameless "forced conversion" tactic felt beneath his dignity.
Jashin-chan stood up shakily, her eyes filled with confusion. "What just happened?"
"Why couldn't I even get close to him?"
Hearing this, Toya smiled. Unless Jashin-chan removed her restraints and returned to her full power as an Evil God, she wouldn't be able to break his defense even if he stood perfectly still.
"Save me..."
Just as Toya was about to tease Jashin-chan, a faint, desperate cry reached his ears.
"Who's calling for help?"
Toya frowned and scanned the area. He didn't see anyone in distress. In the courtyard, Nyaruko, Tohru, and Cthugha were minding their own business. Everyone was playing together, and there were no signs of danger.
"Jashin-chan, did you hear that?" Toya asked the serpent girl, who was currently charging at him for round two.
"Hear what?" Jashin-chan tilted her head, looking around blankly. "No? It's totally quiet here."
"Besides, even if there was danger, I'd crush it easily."
Then, a thought seemed to strike her, and she covered her mouth to stifle a mocking laugh.
"I get it now! Kawashima, you must be getting old!"
"Auditory hallucinations are the first sign of senility!"
Toya's face darkened. "I'm still young. How could I be old?"
"If anyone's old here, it's you."
"Heh, I am the great Jashin-chan who possesses eternal life."
"You're just a human. In another hundred years, you'll be dust."
Jashin-chan lifted her chin, looking as arrogant as a prize-winning rooster.
Toya didn't bother arguing with her. Instead, he focused on recalling the cry. With his current strength, hallucinations were impossible.
If he heard a cry for help, it had to be real.
"It stopped?"
He waited for a long time, but the voice didn't return.
Was it really just my imagination?
No. Impossible. It was definitely real.
Toya's doubts vanished instantly as a system prompt materialized before him.
[SystemNotice: World Mission Issued.]
[The host has perceived a strange cry for help. It appears no one else can hear it.]
[Objective: Investigate the source of the plea.]
[Reward: 10,000 Origin Points.]
[Hint: Please arrive at the manor's basement at 01:03 AM. You must be dressed formally in a black tuxedo. Face the full-length mirror and walk straight into it to uncover the truth.]
"..." Toya fell silent.
"Since when did World Missions come with a dress code?"
He had accepted many missions before, but this one sounded like the setup for a ghost story.
This feels like something involving spirits or the supernatural, Toya mused, rubbing his chin with interest. For a normal person, this scenario would be a nightmare.
But for me? Zero pressure.
It's basically 10,000 free Origin Points.
Smiling, Toya headed toward the manor's basement entrance. He wanted to check out this "full-length mirror" the system mentioned.
His departure quickly caught the attention of Kasugano Sora and the others. Curious, they followed him, turning a simple investigation into an impromptu exploration party.
"Why are all of you following me?" Toya asked helplessly.
Behind him, Sora was tugging on the hem of his shirt. Hanazono Yurine followed closely with Jashin-chan and Medusa in tow. Aside from Nyaruko and Cthugha, everyone in the manor was present.
"Onii-chan, you're going to the basement!"
Sora's large eyes sparkled with anticipation. "In anime, the basement of a mansion is always a forbidden zone full of mysteries!"
"It's definitely full of ancient treasures, deadly traps, and secret mechanisms!"
"See, this is why I tell you to watch less anime," Toya sighed. "This manor is brand new. How could it have a 'mysterious forbidden zone'?"
"And forget about traps or treasure."
When he spent Origin Points to purchase this estate, he had checked the system description thoroughly. It was a modern construction, not some centuries-old castle with a dark history.
As they spoke, Toya pushed open the heavy vermilion wooden doors leading underground.
Immediately, they were greeted by rows of exquisite treasure chests lined up neatly. Some were so overstuffed that countless gold coins had spilled onto the floor.
The massive basement, spacious enough to house a football field, was buried under a sea of gold. There was barely any room to stand. Under the glow of the eternal lamps, the gold and jewels sparkled blindingly.
Toya stared at the mountain of wealth for a long moment before speaking. "Whose gold is this?"
He remembered clearly that the system's houses only came with basic furnishings. While gold wasn't particularly valuable in the grand scheme of things compared to supernatural items, it still cost Origin Points to purchase.
Filling a space this size would cost at least 1,000 points.
"Onii-chan, you said there was no treasure!" Sora's eyes shone with excitement. "But why did you hide so much here? You're not a dragon!"
"Why would I hide this?" Toya gently flicked Sora's forehead. "These aren't mine."
"Yurine, Jashin-chan, is this yours?"
Yurine shook her head calmly. "I don't know anything about this."
"Mine!" Jashin-chan shouted, her face flushing with excitement as she threw her hands up. "I put all this treasure here! It's definitely mine!"