The sky gradually darkened.
At this time, most of the customers in LeBlanc were elderly people, gathered around the same table, looking at the TV in the shop, discussing current affairs news.
The frequent uncontrolled incidents seemed to have disappeared overnight; there hadn't been any related reports on TV for many days.
The shop door opened and closed; after the evening rush hour, young white-collar workers on their way home would always pass by, stepping through the fading afterglow before the coldness set in, buying two cups of hot coffee, and then rushing home to share them with their wives.
Hot water poured into the cup, quickly taking on a reddish-brown luster, and the air was filled with the scent of sugar and coffee. The weather was gradually warming up. An electric fan whirred on the ceiling, combining with the soft discussions nearby to create a cozy and pleasant atmosphere.
Kurusu Akira rubbed his aching eyes and took a sip of iced milk from a porcelain cup.
A chill rolled down his throat and into his stomach, slightly dispelling the dazedness caused by the massive consumption of mental energy.
Tutoring this girl also required him to specifically summon his Persona, Dioscuri, to access his memories from the first two semesters of his first year—he considered it a review for himself.
Flipping through a dozen pages of an exercise book, Kurusu Akira recalled his entire first year of high school.
If it had been right after he transmigrated, he would have definitely fainted on the desk by now.
However, with continuous use of "Memory Archive" and "Memory Recall," the consumption of these two abilities seemed to be decreasing…
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the mental energy consumed by each use of Dioscuri had not changed; rather, his proficiency in controlling this memory ability was increasing.
Perhaps soon, Kurusu Akira would only need a thought to clearly recall his entire life in the blink of an eye.
He always felt that this illogical ability to manipulate memories could be developed into deeper domains.
...
Iseri Nina, sitting beside him, stretched, moving her soft waist like a sleepy Siamese cat, creating a subtle curve. As she leaned close to Kurusu Akira, their skin brushed, outlining the lazy, faint warmth of early summer.
She yawned, then lazily sprawled on the table. "Amamiya, are you done?"
"You can go home. Also, you have a day off tomorrow."
"Hmm?"
"The first preliminary round of the math league is on Saturday, and I'll be busy all day."
After guiding Iseri Nina through her homework for the day, Kurusu Akira stood up and cleared the cups from the table. It was 8 PM, and he still had one last part-time job to do.
Sakura Sojiro, who was behind the counter reviewing ledgers, looked up upon hearing footsteps nearby. "More work?"
"I need to tutor a classmate."
"Then, be careful on your way."
Kurusu Akira opened the shop door, and with the jingle of the wind chimes, disappeared from Sakura Sojiro's sight.
Faintly, he seemed to hear a soft cat meow accompanying the boy as he walked away.
----------------
As Kurusu Akira passed through the Setagaya Ward business district, his eyes were glued to a promotional poster on the wall.
In the poster, a heavy-duty motorcycle with a red and black color scheme and sharp, flamboyant lines instantly crashed into his vision.
It was like Lü Bu encountering Red Hare, or Alexander the Great seeing Bucephalus; a fated encounter, as if even across time and space, one could feel the exhilarating and uninhibited joy of the heart racing like the wind with the roar of the engine.
His heart pounded faster.
Even with beautiful girls gathered in abundance, they could not capture Kurusu Akira's attention at this moment.
A man's life has three hobbies: good cars, good watches, and super robots.
Kurusu Akira couldn't afford a good watch, nor could he drive a Gundam, but he had now encountered a good car, discounted by 30% for a limited time due to a flagship store's anniversary. He had to consider if this was his only chance in life.
"Fast as lightning, strong as steel, a perfect blend of high-end technology and ultimate design, 400CC displacement, four-cylinder engine with unique weight reduction design suitable for adventurous youths, anti-slip control with multi-gear transmission system, assisting you in the race..."
Kurusu Akira gazed at the heavy-duty motorcycle in the promotional image, which happened to fall within the range Japanese minors could operate. His left hand desperately clutched his right hand, which was reaching for his wallet, and the remaining rationality in his body urged him to flee this place as quickly as possible.
But when this thought translated into physical action, his feet simply wouldn't move.
He looked at the "one million yen" crossed out on the poster, dropping from seven digits to six, and countless demons seemed to whisper in his heart.
"Look, the days of walking all over Tokyo are about to end."
"When buying ingredients for Sakura, I have to walk for nearly half an hour from Yongen-Jaya to the supermarket. If I rode a motorcycle, it would be so convenient. I wouldn't even have to carry a heavy guitar case around when going to band activities in Shimokitazawa on weekends..."
"Think again, even if it's not for part-time work, don't you like that feeling of speeding like the wind?"
"Kurusu Akira, what are you still hesitating for? Its original price of one million yen is now only seven hundred thousand!...Seven hundred thousand!"
Kurusu Akira clutched his wallet, which was bulging like a ball, his face contorted in agony.
What a joke?!
'I've been humble and diligent like a page serving a daimyo, doing everything I can to increase the customer flow of STARRY, which was closed for a week. I even sold my charm and dignity to make some elderly "sisters" laugh heartily, selling out all the expensive champagne stored in the wine cabinet every day—'
'I certainly wasn't trying to please those women whose flesh would ripple when they laughed, just to buy a means of transportation!'
'Think about the debt you're carrying right now, Kurusu Akira!'
Kurusu Akira desperately gripped his right hand, which felt like it could lose control at any moment.
His eyes uncontrollably kept falling on the muscular steel beast in the promotional poster.
It's just a mere means of transportation...
No matter how cool, how fully functional and excellent, how heavily discounted...
You're just a means of transportation! Don't be so arrogant, ahhh!
The Phantom Thief's eyes were bloodshot, as if abandoning the passion and aspirations of youth, he turned away with determination.
Just as he was about to turn his back and walk away, a mournful whinny seemed to sound behind him.
When a heart breaks, it's like wood splitting, completely cracking along the grain from top to bottom.
Tap.
A crisp sound.
The Phantom Thief's steps halted.
He looked up at the sky, which was gradually deepening into night, counting his savings. His hazy eyes showed an unprecedented wavering.
Suddenly, a man's voice sounded behind him.
"Young man, you seem very troubled... Are you short on money?"
The strange man he had met once at the train station, who claimed to be a "professional agent for Atlus Idol Agency," happened to walk from one side of the street, accompanied by a somewhat corpulent middle-aged man.
What keen insight? Kurusu Akira's movements stiffened for a moment, but ultimately, he could not betray the hopes and desires continuously surging in his heart.
He turned around with difficulty and looked at the professional agent named Iwai Munehisa: "We meet again, Iwai-san."
Iwai Munehisa said with some surprise, "You actually remember me."
Kurusu Akira's tone was stiff. "Iwai-san's first impression isn't exactly good."
Iwai Munehisa said as if unconcerned, "You look like you're in dire need of money. I've seen many young people like you... longing for some treasure within reach, but lacking the strength to grasp it, so they make a desperate plea to a demon, falling into an abyss from which they can never return to a normal life... However, I happen to have a very well-paying part-time job to recommend to you."
Kurusu Akira took two steps back in alarm. "I don't sell myself."
Iwai Munehisa followed his gaze to the promotional advertisement beside him, then took a step closer to him. "It's that 'Hermes'! You have good taste! But its price is probably not something an ordinary high school student can afford... Is your pocket money enough?"
Kurusu Akira retreated again, staring intently at the man before him with wary eyes. "What exactly do you want to say?!"
Iwai Munehisa pressed closer, holding up fingers to indicate a number. "Join Atlus Idol Agency, and you'll get a hefty signing bonus right now. Forget one motorcycle, you could buy four and ride a different one each month, no problem!"
According to Atlus Idol Agency's recruitment regulations, different tiers were set for new recruits favored by agents.
The highest tier of treatment included a "three million yen signing bonus" benefit.
As far as he knew, in the past five years, the only person in the company who had received this top-tier new talent contract was Suzumiya Haruhi, the singer he had previously discovered.
Saying this, Iwai Munehisa looked at the middle-aged man with slightly graying hair beside him, showing an expression of seeking approval.
The middle-aged man, in turn, carefully scrutinized Kurusu Akira from head to toe, then nodded in satisfaction.
Iwai Munehisa breathed a sigh of relief and approached Kurusu Akira again, every word sounding like a demon's temptation. "I promise, the agency's part-time work will never interfere with your studies..."
The Phantom Thief instantly thought of many things.
For example, the notorious Johnny's Entertainment, or Ultraman and Kamen Rider who got their backsides opened... But as a Phantom Thief, he didn't mind adding a few more names to his list of people to change.
Kurusu Akira looked up once again at the "Houshou Tsukige" on the distant promotional poster, and a realization gradually dawned on him.
'At this point, for you, I can only fall into the demonic path.'
The Yongen-Jaya shopping street had sparse pedestrians.
Iwai Munehisa felt the unsettling silence in the air, and the slight impatience and dissatisfaction emanating from the "important person" beside him. Thinking of his future salary, he gradually grew uneasy.
Finally, Kurusu Akira looked up, and the very first syllable he uttered made one pray it wouldn't be a refusal.
"Where do I sign?"
The Phantom Thief ultimately succumbed to the temptation of his fated mount, bowing and kneeling, falling to money.
It proved that a penny couldn't stump a young hero, but three million yen could.
----------------
[May 7, 2022, Saturday.]
[Remaining time until the band's first performance: One day.]
[Remaining time until the monthly test begins: Three days.]
[Current matter: Youth Math League - Preliminary Round.]
At the gate of Shujin High School, Ito Misui paced anxiously like a headless chicken.
The contradictions of human nature were vividly displayed in this math teacher.
On one hand, he worried that Kurusu Akira might suffer an unprecedented blow in future competitions, thus falling into depravity and losing interest in his studies. On the other hand, he hoped that the other party could represent Shujin and achieve certain results for the school in this well-known and highly prestigious competition...
It was already early summer, and the wind blowing from the street carried some heat, causing sweat to unknowingly trickle down Ito Misui's temples.
The capable members of the Number Crunchers gathered at the school gate, feeling a burning impatience as if experiencing it themselves.
The "Number Crunchers reserves" who were also participating in the preliminary round had already lined up, looking with frustrated yet expectant eyes towards Aoyama-Itchome, awaiting the arrival of that legendary transfer student.
"Come quickly, come quickly, you must come..." Ito Misui muttered. At this moment, the great leader of the Number Crunchers had no mind to maintain his usual dignified image.
He almost sighed and paced repeatedly, constantly punching the air with both hands, much like a daimyo trapped in an isolated city, awaiting his bravest samurai to ride in and rescue him.
As he was fantasizing thus, he suddenly saw a bright red silhouette appear at the end of the road, accompanied by a rumbling thunder.
The samurai, expected to arrive bearing a katana, did not appear.
Instead, it was Uesugi Kenshin, clad in armor, riding his loyal Houshou Tsukige, charging majestically towards the city gate. Suddenly, he reined in, his mighty body trembling, his gaze sharp as a sword sweeping around, fully displaying the demeanor of a great general.
Excellent, it's Uesugi Kenshin, Shujin is saved!
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