“What is the news?”

Seeing Hiratsuka Shizuka’s unusually solemn expression, Hikigaya Hachiman’s relaxed mood couldn’t help but tighten with anxiety. After all, jokes aside, Shizuka never made light of things like this.

“Tch, it’s not exactly good news, but I suppose it’s not entirely bad news either?”

Thinking about what her mother had told her over the phone, Shizuka furrowed her brows.

“The gist of the intel is that those Five Lords are planning to leave Japan for a period of time soon. As for what they are going to do or when they will return—no one has a clue.”

“All of them are leaving?”

Hearing this, Hachiman’s face displayed a look of total shock. The “Five Lords” Shizuka spoke of were undoubtedly the Exorcists who stood guard over the various regions of Japan. The fact that Japan maintained such a peaceful surface nowadays was entirely thanks to those five people.

But now, those five were actually going to leave Japan collectively for a while…

“Is it something incredibly important?”

Instinctively, Hachiman pressed for the reason behind their departure. The responsibility resting on the shoulders of those five Exorcists was immense. Even if they never actually fought and just stayed quietly somewhere on the island, their presence alone served as a powerful deterrent to evil spirits.

And yet, now…

Though Shizuka’s family possessed vast influence, the fact that even they knew about the Exorcists’ impending departure meant the evil spirits likely knew as well.

“In that case, Japan is finished, isn’t it?”

Thinking of the chaotic world overrun by demons that would follow the Exorcists’ departure, Hachiman’s expression grew grave. Just as he was spiraling into thoughts of the future, Shizuka suddenly reached out and pinched his cheek.

“Didn’t I just say? I don’t have the answers to what they’re doing or when they’re coming back!”

Shizuka grumbled, giving Hachiman’s cheek a sharp tug.

“Sorry…”

The slight sting snapped Hachiman out of his self-induced panic.

“It’s fine. To be honest, I wouldn’t know what to do if something like that happened either…”

Shizuka, who was equally troubled but had been restraining herself, bit down and crushed the candy in her mouth. As the sudden burst of sweetness hit her tongue, her expression improved slightly.

“So, what do you plan to do? If those Lords really do leave.”

“I’ll probably gather Yukinoshita and the others together,” Hachiman said uncertainly.

If the departure of the Exorcists truly caused spirits across Japan to riot, his current strength—even being able to kill a Ghost Emperor—was still too weak. Moreover, in such a situation, his priority would naturally be ensuring the safety of his friends and family.

As for strangers? If he encountered them near his home, he might lend a hand if he had energy to spare. Beyond that, he could only say “sorry.”

“Gathering them for protection? That’s not a bad plan.”

Shizuka nodded at his answer. He wasn’t playing the “bleeding-heart hero” trying to save the entire world as she had feared; it seemed his recent changes were indeed for the better.

“I’ve told you everything. From here on, prepare as quickly as possible.”

With another worry off her chest, Shizuka waved her hand, preparing to head back to camp.

“What about you, Hiratsuka-sensei?” Hachiman suddenly called out.

“Me?” Shizuka paused.

“Your home shouldn’t have any protective measures, right?”

Although the Hiratsuka family was powerful, that power was limited to the scope of ordinary people. Money and connections—things that were invincible against humans—held no interest for evil spirits. While her family likely had ties to some spiritualist clan for protection, Hachiman felt it was safer to ask.

“My mother is already urging me to come home. I imagine they’ve already found a way to handle things.”

Shizuka felt genuinely heartened that Hachiman thought of her. However…

“Instead of worrying about me, why don’t you put a bit more effort into Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, hmm?”

Shizuka smirked, teasing him to mask the complexity of her own emotions.

“Don’t keep using them to make fun of me!”

Hearing this, Hachiman—who had been moping over the intel—immediately became flustered.

“Haha, sorry. I forgot you’re a guy with zero experience.”

She slapped Hachiman hard on the shoulder before leaving him with a cool silhouette as she vanished from his sight.

“It’s not like you have any experience either, do you?”

Having learned his lesson, Hachiman only dared to mutter the retort once she was well out of earshot. Still, hearing that Shizuka had arrangements made him feel relieved.

“So, next I need to prepare for a possible spirit riot?” Hachiman thought as he walked back toward the camp. “If I knew this would happen, I should have asked that Senior for her contact information…”

He blamed his past self a little. It was a rare chance to meet an Exorcist, yet he had only asked about relationship problems. He was truly the biggest of idiots.

–

–

–

“Is it my imagination?”

Yurikawa Hana glanced toward a lamp post by the side of the road. She wasn’t sure if it was just her mind playing tricks, but as she passed by just now, she thought she saw a strange, black flickering shadow.

But the shadow lasted for less than half a second before vanishing. It didn’t reappear.

This made Hana wonder if she was just hallucinating because she had been listening to Yotsuya Miko talk about the spirits she had seen lately. After all, according to Miko, people who can see spirits are extremely rare. Since she couldn’t see them before, how could she suddenly start seeing them now?

“Well, time to head home.”

Having found a convincing reason, the weight in Hana’s heart lifted. Thinking about her plans to hang out with Miko tomorrow, she smiled and skipped toward her house.

However, shortly after she left, a skeletal, emaciated shadow gradually manifested in front of the streetlamp.

“Damned Exorcists…”

A venomous tone echoed in the air. The shadow lingered for a moment before its body suddenly froze, as if it had caught onto something. Then, it began to pursue the direction Hana had taken.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep