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Max and Miko Yotsuya went up to the second floor.
The two of them sat close together, chatting quietly.
Miko started telling him about what had happened over the past few days—like how she'd gone out to exorcise some evil spirits.
Just yesterday, Hana Yurikawa had been targeted by another one.
Because using her spiritual energy causes a visible "heat haze" effect, Miko didn't dare act recklessly. Instead, she made sure to send Hana safely home first.
Thankfully, evil spirits can't enter homes that are inhabited, so the thing had to stop at the door.
When Miko saw it pacing outside, she drew it away and found an open place to finish it off.
Basically, she ambushed it.
While the spirit was drawn toward her life energy, she gathered all her spiritual power into her body—especially her fists.
Then, with everything she had, she threw one punch.
The spirit exploded instantly.
After chatting, the two got a bit playful and started a clapping game, laughing and teasing each other.
An hour later, they finally stopped to rest.
"Hey, Miko," Max said, turning to look at her. "Are you going home tonight?"
"Huh?"
Miko, still dazed from losing the game, blinked, not catching what he said.
Seeing her blank look, Max chuckled and repeated, "I asked if you're going home tonight."
Her eyes slowly refocused, and in a slightly hoarse voice, she replied, "I told my mom I'd be staying over at Hana's place."
"I see."
Max raised a brow slightly.
If he remembered right, that was the same excuse she used last time.
Poor Hana Yurikawa had unknowingly "hosted" Miko twice already—both times for sleepovers that never happened.
"Well then," Max said, smiling faintly, "why don't we go again?"
He rolled over and pinned her down.
"N-no, not now—let's take a break first," Miko said quickly, her expression changing.
Even though a part of her wanted to, she still shook her head. She was completely exhausted.
Max wasn't human—at least not in that department.
If they went again, she felt she might actually break.
"It's fine. Watch this."
Max grinned, and a faint light shimmered around his hand as he cast his Sky Magic.
A warm, healing force spread through Miko's body in an instant, washing away her fatigue.
Her strength returned, and the soreness faded.
Just as she gasped in surprise, Max cut the spell and moved again—
And soon, the melody of their "duet" filled the room once more.
When it was all over, the clock had passed 3 a.m.
Max looked at Miko's flushed face, the way her brows had softened in sleep, and smiled tenderly.
He cast Sky Magic again—gently this time, so he wouldn't wake her.
The soothing power seeped quietly into her body.
Her frown relaxed completely, and a small, happy smile appeared on her lips, like she was dreaming something sweet.
Max got up quietly, grabbed some clean clothes, and went into the bathroom.
He was halfway through his shower when—
"Hm?"
A strange sensation rippled through him.
Something… powerful was approaching fast.
His sixth sense—sharpened by countless abilities—flared in warning.
It was rare for his instincts to sound the alarm, which meant whatever it was… wasn't ordinary.
Maybe something on his level—or even stronger.
That thought flashed through his mind as he strode to the window and peered out.
Up in the night sky, a massive shadow streaked past, cutting across the stars.
Its whole body shimmered with a mysterious energy that seemed to cloak it from sight.
In just a blink, it had flown more than a kilometer away.
"That direction… Saitama."
Narrowing his eyes, Max summoned the Encyclopedia of All Things.
A new entry appeared inside—still unlit, showing only a dark silhouette.
The shape was unmistakable.
A dragon.
A full-blown Western dragon.
"A dragon…" Max murmured, his expression growing thoughtful.
A Western dragon suddenly appearing in a modern, crossover world like this… only one anime came to mind—
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.
And if he wasn't mistaken, the one he'd just seen was Tohru.
He thought he'd even glimpsed a sword stuck in her back.
If he wanted to confirm it, he just had to follow.
Without hesitation, he shut off the shower.
With a pulse of power, the lingering water on his skin evaporated instantly.
He went back to the bedroom, grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe—a white T-shirt under a black hoodie, khaki pants—and slipped them on.
Phone and keys in hand, he stepped out into the courtyard and rose silently into the air.
A concealment barrier wrapped around him as he accelerated, flying toward Saitama at half the speed of sound.
Thanks to the barrier and the Sanctuary's power, there wasn't a single sound as he moved.
Before long, he reached his destination—an old, familiar place.
A city next to Tokyo, in Saitama Prefecture: Oborozuka City.
The last time he'd been here, he'd lured a horde of evil spirits into this area as part of his "fishing operation."
"Oborozuka City…" he murmured, eyes flickering with recognition.
Then it hit him.
That was the same city name from Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.
He hadn't realized it before. If not for seeing Tohru just now—and coming back here—he might never have remembered.
A short while later, on the city's outskirts—
Max found her.
In the same forest where he'd once purged spirits, a huge figure lay sprawled on the ground.
A massive emerald-green dragon, her scales gleaming like carved gemstones, perfectly fitted together.
Even lying down, she stood nearly three meters tall.
On her back were two dark, leathery wings like a bat's, and from her head sprouted a pair of deer-like brown horns branching in two.
A few sharp, white teeth glinted faintly at the edge of her mouth.
And on her back—
A long sword was buried deep, the wound still faintly pulsing as blood dissolved into the night air.
"So it is Tohru," Max thought.
As he stepped closer, the dragon's golden eyes suddenly opened, the slit pupils glowing crimson.
An invisible pressure filled the air.
If it had been anyone else, they'd probably have collapsed from fear.
"Human," a cold, regal voice rumbled. "Leave this place—"
"Or die."
Her massive jaws opened slightly, flashing her fangs.
But there was no killing intent in her tone.
Max only smiled, lips curving faintly.
Their eyes met—man and dragon, face-to-face.
The evening breeze stirred his hair as they stared at each other.
Then Tohru blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.
This human… wasn't afraid of her at all.
In fact, she sensed no hostility from him—only something gentle, maybe even a hint of… fondness?
What a strange human.
"....."