The burst of spiritual pressure lasted only an instant, like a jagged bolt of lightning tearing across the sky before fading.
When the towering golden lotus of light finally dissipated, the harbor remained the same harbor, a dark jungle of steel—but slightly emptier. Fewer yokai, fewer humans scurrying at their bidding.
"Phew… all done."
Hanakaiin Tomitaka landed gracefully, stretching lightly, and made his way toward the crumpled roof of the Tiger-head sedan. From the hood, he lifted two intact suitcases.
One, he remembered, contained cash. The other… though he hadn't opened it yet, from the conversation between the wolf-eyed demon and the bodyguards, it seemed to be their transaction goods.
Curiosity pricked him, but first he needed to inform Rias.
ChipiChipiChapaChapa~
A playful, irresistible rhythm blared from his phone, making him raise an eyebrow. This time, it was Rias calling.
Perfect timing.
He answered.
"Rias, hey! I was just about to—"
Before he could finish, an anxious female voice cut in from the other end.
"Tomitaka! Are you okay over there? Juno and I just sensed a huge magical fluctuation—did you run into the target?"
"Sort of… but it's taken care of."
The first words were meant to calm her. He glanced at the two suitcases at his feet.
"I originally wanted to bring them in alive, but some folks just weren't cooperative, so I had to… get a bit rough. Anyway, it's done. I also secured the transaction goods."
"Transaction goods? What are they?"
"Don't know yet, haven't opened them. But…"
He pressed the phone between his cheek and shoulder, then lifted the suitcase containing the goods, tapping lightly on its surface with his knuckles.
"There seems to be a faint magical signature inside. Not strong, but… it's definitely there. And it feels… unnatural, like it's sealed. Want to open it?"
"Sealed… huh?"
Rias hesitated, then made a quick decision.
"Better not. Leave it as is for now. We'll check it tomorrow at school. We don't know what kind of demon stuff it could be—opening it recklessly could be dangerous."
"Fair enough. I'll bring it to the clubroom tomorrow afternoon, and we can inspect it together."
As he was about to hang up, he added, "Oh, one more thing… the payment—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. The commission for this job will go straight into your account."
Rias responded like she'd expected his question even before he finished. Then, her curiosity surfaced:
"But… we've worked together a few times already. Why the rush this time? Are you short on money, Tomitaka?"
"Uh… yeah."
He massaged his forehead.
"Actually, things were fine, but… home has a cat debt issue. A few days ago, it smashed my bedroom TV—console and all—so…"
"…Oh… that's unfortunate. Anyway, the commission will be transferred shortly."
"Okay. That's settled. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Ten minutes later, in a central Tokyo apartment building…
Ding-dong~
The elevator pinged, doors sliding open to reveal Tomitaka stepping out, each hand carrying a suitcase.
Central Tokyo is among the most expensive real estate in the city. Even a modest forty-to-fifty-square-meter apartment can cost a fortune. Usually, one floor houses four to eight units sharing a single elevator.
Tomitaka's building, however, had only two apartments per floor. Spacious, quiet, and luxurious—comparable to the upscale apartments of famous anime heroines.
He turned right at the hallway and reached his door. With both hands full, he had to set the suitcases down to retrieve his key.
Just as he reached into his pocket, the previously closed door suddenly burst open.
A lithe figure—slender yet curvy—launched forward, colliding with him along with a small bouncing object.
"Welcome back~"
"Thanks for opening the door, but Kuroka, can you let me go in first? Out here, if a neighbor sees…"
Tomitaka lightly patted the back of the kimono-clad girl pressing against him. No surprise here.
Well… "girl" might be misleading. By every measure, she looked like a teenage girl—youthful, vibrant—but her chest… far beyond what a normal "girl" should have.
Plus, those twitching cat ears atop her head and the swishing tail under the kimono screamed nekomata.
"Neighbors? We have neighbors? Never noticed…"
Like a devoted little wife greeting her returning husband, Kuroka sniffed him thoroughly, ensuring no other woman's scent lingered, then released him, satisfied, landing lightly on bare feet.
"Alright, since you're back… eat first, shower first, or—"
"Already ate. I'll shower first."
No hesitation. Tomitaka carried the suitcases inside, changed shoes, and set them on the dining table, ignoring the expectant cat-eared girl as he went straight to the bathroom.
Ah… actually going to shower…
Kuroka blinked but wasn't discouraged. Her attention shifted to the suitcases on the table.
She pointed a curious finger, leaning forward to examine them.
"Hanakaiin~ what's in these?"
"Tonight's haul. One has cash, the other… seems like a sealed object. Don't open it yet."
Tomitaka's voice drifted from the bathroom, accompanied by the sound of running water.
"Oh…"
Kuroka's eyes sparkled.
"By the way, that new TV you mentioned in the text? I put it in your bedroom."
"Thanks. I'll move it out later."
"Eh? Weren't the TVs always in the bedroom?"
"Yeah… until you shorted the last one."
The bathroom door open, voices echoing clearly.
Kuroka pouted, "Not entirely my fault! You insisted on playing horror games at close range—suddenly a ghost pops out, scares me, then you jump too… it's normal I lost it for a second."
Tomitaka adjusted the water, stepping into the bathtub. Warm water covered his chest, the heat relaxing him.
"I'm not blaming you. Just realized the distance between bed and TV stand was too close. Moved it to the living room—safe distance now."
"Is that so?"
Kuroka hummed softly. Despite being forgiven, she felt a new challenge brewing.
Then her eyes drifted back to the two suitcases.
One supposedly contained a sealed object. Although she was told not to touch it… she is a nekomata. Curiosity was irresistible.
After careful thought and repeated checks, she cautiously unlocked the case.
Inside, nestled in a red velvet lining, lay a shriveled purple-black finger, completely wrapped in talismans.
…What on earth had he brought back?