"Just ask for directions, isn't asking directions how you find a place in a city? Basically, no one can't find it within half an hour."
Enough, let me calm down, why did I walk for so long?
"A normal person's after-dinner walk is perfectly normal." Kusuko made an excuse for him.
Thanks for the comfort, but it's summer now, and anyone who walks during the daytime in summer is crazy.
The sky gradually darkened, and the street lights turned on at the same time. A wandering person passed by Saiki Kusuo.
The person with long black hair, wearing old-style Japanese robes, also seemed to have a white pet. Perhaps because of the Japanese-style clothes, Saiki Kusuo reached out to stop them.
"...Hello, can I ask you for directions?" Saiki Kusuo said.
The long-haired man with his hands in his sleeves turned his head: "Oh, me? Sure, there's no business going on right now."
Business? Is this a merchant NPC or something?
Following behind was a white penguin creature at first glance, but it was actually more like someone wearing a white penguin suit with a frame inside. If you look closely, you'll find that the penguin legs are actually human uncle legs with leg hair!
It held up a sign: [Welcome to the Mobile Shop]
So I'm welcomed already, even though I don't have a penny... Wait, most importantly, it felt familiar from the start, it's not just the clothes! These two are Katsura and Elizabeth, aren't they? Why did Gintama characters wander into this scene? I was already surprised that an ant appeared in this game as an NPC, how are there others?!
Saiki Kusuo immediately looked at Kusuko.
This is the main story, crossovers are impossible, it can only be...
Kusuko lowered its head and tapped its head to act cute: "I couldn't help but find some familiar faces when designing the NPC images!"
Don't really recreate familiar anime characters!
"Everyone who likes joke-style anime will like it, right?"
No, that series has over three hundred episodes, how can anyone watch it all! Most people only know me, right?
"It won't have much impact just as an NPC! It's okay, there are also many people here who don't know Saiki Kusuo and haven't watched Hunter x Hunter!"
What made the people who haven't seen either of those decide to come here? They don't know anyone, right?
Katsura·NPC: "You two... have been saying things I don't understand since just now. This pink-haired boy, you said you wanted to ask for directions, right? What path in life are you lost on?"
Saiki Kusuo: I should ask another NPC for directions.
Saiki Kusuo wanted to stand up and leave from the other side, but found that the white creature had already blocked his retreat on the other side.
The two of them surrounded him. I knew I shouldn't have sat down on the chair.
Elizabeth·NPC held up a sign: [No Money is Okay] [Besides Selling] [We Also Buy]
Just like a merchant in a game, you can throw miscellaneous things from your backpack to the shop owner in exchange for money, right? Hmm, a very convenient setting.
But I don't have anything to exchange right now.
"Heh heh, not only that, can you see the exclamation mark on my head?"
Who can see it, there's no such thing!
"Oh, I forgot to wear it." Katsura·NPC took out a large red exclamation mark from his sleeve. The structure of the exclamation mark was maintained by a metal wire, and a circle extended from the bottom of the sphere, just enough to place on his head.
He even brought his own props?!
"Actually, we also offer quests! Boy, if you accept a quest, I'll take you to your home!"
This person completely knows what I want to ask, why did this become a prerequisite? I didn't want to do a quest.
"The rewards are rich, as long as you complete it once, you can buy all the desserts in the store, and you can also hire Odd Jobs to do things for you, as long as you find that thing..."
The desserts in the store...
All...
"Oh dear, then let me ask you, what's the quest with the rich rewards?" I regretted saying it as soon as the words came out of my mouth. If the rewards are rich, the difficulty must be high, and he might not be able to complete it now. There's no point in asking Kusuko, so why did I ask? The most important thing now should be finding my way home, it's already dark.
"There are two quests with the richest rewards, both are wanted healing ingredients, let me see... oh, the first is the corpse of a cockroach."
Where am I going to find a cockroach?
"The second is the corpse of a chameleon cat."
Where am I going to find a chameleon cat?
...
Wait, chameleon cat? Why is that guy wanted as an ingredient? Isn't he supposed to be hunted!
"Oh, are you interested in which one? Have you heard of chameleon cats? Can you tell us some information..."
"When did the bounty appear?" Saiki Kusuo asked.
"Heh heh, are you curious about when the bounty appeared to judge the opponent's stock and the possibility of victory? Sure, I'll make an exception and tell you... the cockroach corpse quest was just released three days ago."
Who cares about that cockroach! I'm asking about the chameleon cat!
"As for the chameleon cat, the quest was just released two hours ago. Oh, are you afraid that someone will snatch the quest from you? Don't worry, most of the people who know about this are NPCs. This ingredient quest can only be known by actively asking at some stores, and all the players here... are basically grinding in the school."
The school = grinding, so realistic.
"The whole day today, in order to meet players and release quests, I squatted at the school gate, carrying a speaker and singing rap..."
Don't just start talking about unrelated things, I don't want to chat with people, it's getting darker and darker, if I don't find my way home, I'm going to become a Madao sleeping in the park.
"As students came and went to and from school, not a single person stopped to dance with me."
Of course no one would join, he looks like a weirdo, doesn't he? If it were me, I would definitely not approach, especially with that weird penguin with him.
"A person who looked like a freshman stood in front of me for a long time. After I gestured to him, he actually put a decoration on the ground and left."
He was mistaken for a street performer!
"This decoration must have a special meaning..." Katsura·NPC took out the decoration from his arms.
The decoration was lizard-shaped. Although he doesn't usually pay much attention to decorations, this one felt strangely familiar.
Unknown: "This is a Kurta Clan decoration."
?!
Saiki Kusuo and Katsura·NPC turned their heads sharply.
Besides the two of them, there was only that white penguin creature next to them.
They were under the light of the street lamp next to the park bench, and Elizabeth had been standing two steps away on the other side.
The range that the light could reach was not large. Only half of Elizabeth's body was in the light, and most of the other half was in the shadows.
That's right, like a ghost. Elizabeth was originally an unknown human uncle creature wearing a white penguin suit!
But he shouldn't be able to talk, so is the one talking now a ghost? No, it's the uncle actor inside him...
"I thought the pink hair looked familiar, why are you still chatting outside so late? Who are these two? I didn't expect you to be so talkative, Saiki."
A real uncle appeared, a 28-year-old is definitely old enough to be called an uncle, and this person should be even more talkative, with so many questions right away.
Chrollo walked out from behind Elizabeth·NPC, and the ghost hypothesis was shattered. A new human being appeared, and Katsura and Elizabeth also made way for Saiki Kusuo in front.
Although Saiki Kusuo recognized the person from the voice later, he didn't expect the other party's outfit.
A gray suit with a white shirt underneath, a very scholarly outfit, and he was even carrying a briefcase in his hand. Most importantly, he was actually wearing glasses.
99% of the scumbag aura was transformed into gentleness under these glasses, only discerning people could tell that he was still a scumbag.
"Aren't you sleepy?" Chrollo asked.
Well, it's not time to yawn yet, but I was just about to say goodbye, it's definitely not because I can't find the right time to interrupt. Saiki Kusuo stood up. Let me ask one last time, if Katsura·NPC still doesn't give me directions, I'll change to another NPC.
Chrollo tilted his head and looked at Elizabeth, who was holding up a welcome sign: "If you can't get directions from an NPC, you should change to another one in time. The existence of NPCs is to serve people. There's no need to be so considerate of them chatting."
Annoying, of course I know, I just thought of it and was about to do it! And I'm just resting here, he's the one who started talking on his own.
"The settings in this area are much more ordinary than other places. The NPC dialogue is also ordinary, and you can guess the content in advance. It's just an ordinary city outside. I feel like something's not right. Have you found anything?"
No, ordinary is great, you really don't know how precious ordinary is.
A light touch came from his leg, Saiki Kusuo looked down, Kusuko was gently nudging him forward with its head.
Okay, let's go, there's nothing to talk about with a PhD student.
Just as he was about to leave, Saiki Kusuo remembered something: "Chrollo."
"Hmm? Do you want me to take you back? I'm busy, I have to prepare for class."
"They're offering a bounty for chameleon cats."
"..."
In the dark night, Saiki Kusuo glanced back and saw Chrollo and Katsura·NPC sitting side by side under the street lamp.
Aren't they chatting very happily? Oh dear, I still have to change to another NPC to ask for directions.
Fortunately, Saiki Kusuo has very good night vision. The city also has street lights. Half an hour later, Saiki Kusuo was successfully sent to his doorstep by a high school girl.
Don't ask him why it's a high school girl, he doesn't want to either, he doesn't want to let a high school girl go home alone at night.
"Um... are you a freshman at Heitaha Hitaha One-Stop Service University's high school?"
The full name of the school is a bit long, doesn't it have an abbreviation? How can you tell I'm a freshman?
"Actually, I'm your senior. I didn't expect it to be so late. I'm a little scared to go back alone. Do you want to... invite me in for the night? A senior can sleep on a tatami mat."
Sorry, I'm not interested, Saiki Kusuo closed the door.
He was still standing in the entrance, and a voice immediately came from outside the door.
"Tch, what an uncute junior! Just you wait!"
If you ask why Saiki Kusuo would be so cold to this kind senior, well, don't forget that this is the Dark Continent, would that kind of makeup appear on a high school student? A high school girl walking in the dark at midnight with obvious makeup? If you're a normal person, you'd go home early.
After looking at people's faces for so many days after losing his powers, he can slightly distinguish the difference between people's skin with and without makeup.
Plus the abnormal behavior, that person must have been transformed by a dark creature. He saw through it solely by observing!
I feel a little sense of accomplishment when I think about it. Is this the life of an ordinary person?
Kusuko's tail curled up, carefully poked Saiki Kusuo's leg twice to get his attention.
Oh dear, what's wrong?
Kusuko turned on the light with its long tail. Saiki Kusuo looked at everything in the room and was stunned for a moment.
Ah...
A one-bedroom, one-living room, one-bathroom, one-kitchen, and a corridor showed the whole room on the left and right sides. It's very simple, so it's easy to see everything.
You can clearly see the tables and chairs on the ground, all the cabinets have been opened and rummaged through, and even the window in front is half open. I should say I'm lucky it's a Japanese-style room where I sleep on a tatami mat, otherwise the bed would probably be destroyed.
It's obvious.
A thief broke into this room.
And it's hard not to subconsciously suspect some...
No, if you think about it carefully, the bad guys in the world aren't just the Phantom Troupe. They don't seem like people who would do petty theft. It's possible that it's just a small accident set up in the game.
Kusuko: There's no such setting.
But in order not to discourage the main body's confidence, it chose to remain silent.
Saiki Kusuo walked around the room and observed. Is this room still safe now? First of all, thieves usually don't commit crimes nearby. The stolen things shouldn't be wandering around nearby either. If you ask why, it's because this is just a collection point for thieves. It's different from murderers who care about not being able to sleep or eat afterwards and looking back to observe the crime scene!
In other words, the thief won't come back!
Kusuko Listening Intently: Just to deduce this?!
I'm very weak now, safety is really important. As for how to catch that thief, oh dear, it doesn't matter if I don't catch him. Although the house is a mess, the thief should have only stolen valuable things.
Kusuko: What a pity, if I was allowed, I would have liked to beat the thief up.
Saiki Kusuo made such a deduction. He has seen more than 1000 episodes of Nanko anime and has 30 years of experience in telepathy. Only a theft has happened in the room. He doesn't have to worry about any sneaky thief hiding somewhere and attacking him.
Kusuko: Why would there be a ninja who has fallen into being a thief?
Saiki Kusuo started to tidy up the things in the room, closing all the cabinets. As he expected, the prop cards, money, and maps were all taken away, but daily necessities such as clothes and bedding were still left.
Since I'm here, might as well settle in. Saiki Kusuo changed into his pajamas, closed the doors and windows, and pulled the curtains tight. After tidying up the room with drowsiness and exhaustion, Saiki Kusuo gained a great sense of satisfaction as a reward when he lay down on the soft bedding.
This is a feeling that ordinary people rarely have, because of the hard work, they gain a corresponding sense of satisfaction during rest.
Happiness!
I'm about to sleep, but I feel a little excited because of this, really.
Enough! Peace, peace, imagine yourself as a plankton in the water. As a very sleepy ordinary person, it's right to have a peaceful sleep.
(¯﹃¯) zzZ
Next to the bedding, Kusuko's eyes were staring gloomily at the left wall.