Once they left Inazuma City, Charlotte took out her Kamera and transformed as well.
Not long after, they spotted an abandoned camp.
Because it had rained yesterday, the ground was still damp, and there were footprints around the camp.
Charlotte glanced at them. "These should belong to Arataki Itto."
Mona nodded. "According to the divination, he's hiding inside."
Fischl was eager. "Then let's go in."
Hanachirusato thought for a moment. "Wait. Oni are born with great strength, and he has a Geo Vision. If he goes berserk and resists, it could be troublesome. Since he's an oni, we might be able to deal with him using beans."
Charlotte considered it. "Beans? The detective agency's information did mention that Arataki Itto seems to be allergic to beans. Supposedly, even touching them is bad. If we trigger an allergic reaction and weaken him, subduing him should be easy."
Fischl was skeptical. "Do people really get allergic to something like beans?"
Hanachirusato corrected her. "Not people. Oni."
Fischl turned to look at Qiqi. "But Qiqi…"
Qiqi's expression did not change. "I am a zombie, not an oni."
Fischl smiled. "Then let's try it. If it doesn't work, we'll just suppress him by force. A little trouble doesn't matter. We have two light-element magical girls here. As long as we don't beat him to death, we can heal him back up."
Charlotte glanced at Fischl. "Why do I feel like you're getting more violent lately?"
Fischl tilted her head. "Am I?"
Oz, standing on her shoulder, remained silent.
Compared to before, when she would talk big from time to time, Miss Fischl really had become ruthless and sparing with words.
Noticing the others' gazes turning strange, Fischl slipped straight into the shadows and entered the abandoned camp.
Arataki Itto was sitting inside, resting, his face full of worry.
Fischl appeared silently behind him and scattered a handful of beans toward him.
Sensing the sudden attack from behind, Arataki Itto jumped to his feet. "Who's there, sneaking around… gah! Ugh, ugh…"
Fischl stood in place, watching him curiously. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, don't worry… it's just an allergy… this level, all I need to do is grit my teeth and I'll be fine… ugh… forget it, I can't keep pretending! I'm about to suffocate! We can talk later, let me catch my breath first!"
Arataki Itto collapsed onto the ground.
Even seeing him in such a weakened state, Fischl did not approach. She kept a safe distance, a hint of caution in her eyes.
She was no longer the reckless girl she used to be.
At that moment, the others walked in from outside.
Charlotte looked at Arataki Itto on the ground. "Fischl, is it done?"
Fischl pointed at the beans scattered on the ground. "See? I just tossed a handful of beans, and he ended up like this."
Mona observed him. "He looks like he's in a lot of pain."
Hanachirusato looked a little nostalgic. "That's a very typical allergic reaction. He probably can't even speak properly right now."
Qiqi raised her hand, and a white light fell over Arataki Itto.
The discomfort wracking his body eased almost instantly.
"Hah… finally feeling better. I still don't have much strength, though…"
Arataki Itto climbed to his feet and looked at the girls who had suddenly appeared.
"You're despicable, sneaking up on me like that!"
Fischl pouted. "You don't seriously think we can only beat you with sneak attacks, do you? If it weren't such a hassle… anyway, stop resisting and come back with us."
Arataki Itto frowned. "Go back?"
Fischl said, "Of course. Back to the Tenryou Commission."
He took a step back. "So you really are here to arrest me for the Tenryou Commission! I ran so far, and you still found me."
Charlotte nodded. "We have our methods. As for the Tenryou Commission, you could say that. We accepted their commission, so we're taking you back."
Arataki Itto suddenly understood. "Oh, so you're adventurers."
Fischl nodded. "Yeah. There's a reward of one million Mora, after all."
Arataki Itto's eyes went wide. "How much?"
Fischl repeated it. "One million Mora."
He fell into self-doubt. "Since when am I worth that much?"
Charlotte coughed lightly. "Don't think about escaping again. You don't want us to throw another handful of beans at you, right?"
Arataki Itto stiffened. A moment later, he put on a resolute, almost heroic expression. "I'm not going with you anyway! Look at you skinny arms and legs. Even if I can't move, you probably can't carry me!"
The girls exchanged looks, their expressions a bit strange.
They did not have Shenhe's Innate Super Strength or the oni's natural monstrous power, but after eating so much extraordinary food and receiving massages with Essence of Sun and Moon essential oil, they were far stronger than ordinary adult men.
On top of that, with light-element buffs, a single Strength Blessing would be enough. Even if it were ten Arataki Ittos together, they could drag them away with ease.
Fischl looked speechless. "You're overthinking it…"
Just then, a child's voice rang out from outside. "Brother Itto!"
Then came an elderly woman's voice. "Don't walk so fast. Be careful not to fall."
Everyone turned toward the entrance of the abandoned camp and saw a little boy supporting an old woman as they walked in.
The boy spotted Arataki Itto and beamed. "Brother Itto! Why haven't you come back for so long? Didn't we agree to battle bugs together?"
Arataki Itto scratched his head. "Y-yeah. Haha, look at me. I searched for ages and still didn't find a good one. Daisuke, give me a bit more time."
Daisuke looked at the girls. "Huh? Who are they? Are they also Brother Itto's friends?"
Arataki Itto froze, then nodded. "Yeah, that's right. I even told them not to come, but they were worried anyway. Haha. This is, uh… how do I put it… popularity, yeah. My popularity."
As he spoke, he desperately shot the girls meaningful looks.
Hanachirusato smiled and played along, saying a few words to reassure them.
Daisuke nodded. "That's good. Then Grandma and I will go back and wait for you. You have to come back soon."
Arataki Itto hurriedly replied, "Okay, just wait. I'll definitely win today."
The boy and the old woman left.
Charlotte asked curiously, "Who are they?"
Arataki Itto said, "That elder is Granny Oni. She took me in before. The kid is Daisuke. I picked him up recently. They're both very important family to me."
Fischl said, "Didn't expect you to be so sentimental. Too bad they'll only be able to visit you in jail from now on."
Arataki Itto's face twisted in conflict. "…"
Hanachirusato looked at him. "You don't need to hide it anymore. We already know that the robberies and abductions the Tenryou Commission is investigating weren't done by you. It should be another oni."
Arataki Itto was shocked. "Huh? How do you know that?!"
Hanachirusato smiled. "We have our ways. Arataki Itto, how about we make a deal?"
"A deal?"
"We help you find the real culprit behind these incidents. In exchange, you come back with us and help us complete the Adventurers' Guild commission."
Arataki Itto hesitated.
He was carefree, not stupid. He was not about to trust a group of strangers he had just met.
Especially when they were adventurers.
Everyone knew adventurers were obsessed with money.
The girls in front of him were pretty, sure, but who knew if they were just lying to trick him into prison.
If he fell for it, the Arataki Gang and that fellow oni would be finished.
Arataki Itto shook his head seriously. "No. I'm not going with you. If you're willing to believe me, give me some time. Once I find those bandits, I'll bring them to turn themselves in."
Fischl frowned. "Those bandits are vicious. Can you handle them on your own?"
Arataki Itto answered immediately. "I'm the leader of the Arataki Gang!"
Hanachirusato shook her head. "If there's an oni in their group, even without a Vision, they can match you with brute strength alone. Add in their accomplices, and if you go alone, you'll probably lose. You might even get captured."
Arataki Itto's expression stiffened again.
Charlotte said, "Either way, let's rescue the people who were abducted first. We can talk about the rest later."
Mona took out her crystal ball. "Let me see… found them."
Then Arataki Itto watched as everyone ignored him and turned to leave.
"Hey, hey! Where are you going?"
"To rescue people, obviously."
"Was that the legendary astrologer just now?"
"That's right."
"Please take me with you!"
"You?"
Hanachirusato knew he wanted to meet the other oni.
Kitsune Saiguu had deep ties with the oni in the past. When it came to matters involving their juniors, lending a hand was only right.
"If you want to come, then follow us."
At first, Arataki Itto thought this would be easy. Once they started running, he realized just how absurdly fast the girls were.
A few minutes later, he could not even see their backs.
"Huff… I can't run anymore… I ran out of the city earlier and didn't even have time to eat dinner. I'm starving…"
Gritting his teeth, Arataki Itto kept running forward.
About half an hour later, he finally reached the destination.
In front of him was a stretch of ruins. A group of people lay unconscious on the ground, and among them was one figure with blue oni horns.
Arataki Itto stood in the ruins, completely dumbfounded.
"What happened here?"
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