The way Akashi had caught herself earlier lingered in Hitomi's mind.
There was something about it—a fleeting sensation, almost like an electric shock.
It was unnervingly familiar.
'Just like that guy.'
Her brows furrowed deeply as she pondered.
"This kid… he's so strange," she murmured, shaking her head.
'No, it must just be a coincidence,' she reassured herself. 'After all, he's just a child.'
Despite her rationalizations, unease lingered as she stood frozen in thought.
---
Meanwhile, in the back of the taxi, Akashi finally had a moment to assess the rewards from his latest check-in.
『Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Pear God Drop lv2, Steal lv1, Quick Draw lv1, and God's Right Hand lv1!』
『Ding! Congratulations to the host, Pear God Drop has been upgraded to level 3!』
『Ding! Congratulations to the host, Steal has been upgraded to level 2!』
Akashi's heart swelled with excitement as he reviewed the rewards.
Checking in at the Cat's Eye Café had proven fruitful.
Sure enough, checking in at important locations yielded better rewards!
Unable to contain his curiosity, Akashi quickly began inspecting the newly acquired skills.
---
『Quick Draw』: Instantly draw your firearm and attack. Attack speed is doubled.
PS: No need for attack speed equipment; the speed stacks naturally, letting you experience the thrill of lightning-fast combat!
Akashi's expression darkened.
『God's Right Hand』: Using your right hand to touch someone of the opposite s'x can induce euphoria, with a small chance of sending them into a divine state of bliss.
『PS: Special positions can increase the probability of critical success!』
(╯‵□)╯︵┻━┻
"What is 'wrong' with this system?!" Akashi muttered in frustration.
Four new skills, and none of them seemed remotely useful!
Sighing, he turned his attention to the upgraded abilities.
---
『Steal lv2』: Within a ten-meter radius, using this skill on someone of the same gender gives a small chance of stealing your desired item.
『PS: When used on someone of the opposite s'x, you are guaranteed to steal their undergarments, with a small chance of obtaining what you truly desire.』
Akashi's face twitched.
『Pear God Drop lv3』: Your probability of falling has increased yet again. Congratulations, host!』
For a moment, Akashi stared blankly at the system interface.
None of these skills seemed remotely practical in combat—or life saving in general.
"This system is completely useless!" he groaned, rubbing his temples.
Still, Akashi knew better than to expect conventional abilities from this peculiar system.
'If it's all I've got, I might as well try to make it work somehow,' he reasoned.
His thoughts turned to the Quick Draw skill. Doubling attack speed sounded promising, but he wasn't sure how it would function with a real pistol.
'Does it make the bullets fire faster? Increase kinetic energy?'
The possibilities intrigued him. If he could pair it with other skills, perhaps even the bizarre ones, it might pave the way for unique combat strategies.
As he contemplated the potential, a twinge of melancholy crept in.
Despite the growing list of skills, their eccentric nature left him feeling adrift.
With a resigned sigh, the boy gazed out the window, lost in his musings as the taxi sped onward.
---
By the time the taxi arrived back at Eri's apartment, the evening sky was already darkening.
Akashi took the elevator to the twelfth floor, pulled out the key, and unlocked the door.
As soon as he stepped into the entrance, hurried footsteps echoed from inside.
Eri and Ran dashed out, their faces filled with concern.
"Akashi, where have you been? You nearly scared me to death!" Eri exclaimed, her voice tinged with both relief and frustration.
"Didn't we agree you'd wait for me at school? I went there and couldn't find you—I almost called the police!"
Before he could respond, Eri wrapped him tightly in a hug, her worry melting into maternal affection.
The embrace was warm, comforting—and entirely overwhelming for the young boy.
Akashi raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly spoke up.
"There's no need to call the police. I know my way back and got home just fine." he said nonchalantly.
"I'm here, aren't I? All the other kids went home on their own, so I thought I could too."
Eri let go of him, her expression softening, though her finger tapped his nose lightly in admonishment.
"You might think you're grown-up enough, but this is a new school, Akashi! You don't even know the area well—it's too easy to get lost."
She turned toward Ran with a decisive nod.
"Ran, from now on, go to Teitan Elementary after school and pick up Akashi to bring him home."
"Got it, no problem at all!" Ran replied cheerfully, saluting playfully.
Her excitement was evident—any opportunity to spend more time with Akashi was a welcome one.
Besides, Teitan Elementary and Teitan High School were only a short distance apart, separated by a single road. Picking him up would be quick and convenient.
---
As things settled, Akashi tilted his head and asked curiously, "Sister Ran, why are you here?"
Ran didn't answer right away. Instead, she placed her hands under his arms and hoisted him into the air with ease.
Carrying him like a toddler, she walked over to the living room sofa and plopped him down gently.
"This is my home too, silly. Of course, I'm here!" she teased, a playful smile on her face.
"Unless… are you saying you don't want me around, Akashi?"
"No, no! That's not it at all!" he replied quickly, waving his hands.
Ran's teasing grin widened.
"Mom called me earlier, saying you were missing, so I rushed over in a panic," she explained. "But I didn't expect you to brush it off like it's no big deal!"
She feigned a dramatic pout.
"Your big sister is 'so' sad!"
Her theatrical performance was almost too much. She even shot him furtive glances, clearly fishing for his reaction.
Akashi sighed inwardly.
'This girl's a total drama queen. But fine, I'll play along.'
Adopting an exaggeratedly innocent tone, he said, "Don't be sad, don't be sad!"
Ran perked up immediately.
"Well, if you don't want me to be sad, then give me a kiss!" she declared, tapping her cheek with a mischievous smile.
Caught off guard, Akashi hesitated for a moment but ultimately relented.
He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
Her skin was soft and warm, with a faint floral fragrance.
Ran squealed with delight, her laughter ringing through the room.
She pressed her cheek against his and rubbed affectionately, giggling.
"Ahh, I'm so happy! I'm not sad at all anymore!"
Her cooing tone was entirely meant to humor a child, but the joy in her voice was genuine.
---
Standing nearby, Eri watched the scene unfold with a peculiar expression.
"Ran," she interrupted, her voice carrying a subtle edge. "Didn't you say you'd make dinner?"
"It's getting late. When are you planning to cook?"
Ran glanced toward the clock and let out an exaggerated sigh of defeat.
"Fine, fine, I'm going! You two wait right here—I'll whip up something amazing!"
With that, she twirled dramatically and skipped into the kitchen.
"Akashi, get ready for a feast!" she called out, her voice lighthearted as she busied herself with pots and pans.
---
Eri turned her attention back to Akashi, her sharp phoenix eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him.
Her thoughts were anything but maternal.
'Akashi kissed Ran but hasn't even kissed me yet!'
'Damn it, she beat me to it!'
Her expression wavered between frustration and determination as she plotted silently.
'This is unacceptable. I'll have to find a way to—'
But before her thoughts could solidify into action, Akashi abruptly stood and bolted toward his bedroom.
Eri blinked in surprise.
Inside the safety of his room, Akashi locked the door and exhaled in relief.
His schoolbag, heavy with concealed weapons, sat on the floor.
'That was close,' he thought. 'If they found the guns, it'd be a disaster.'
Quickly and methodically, he set about hiding the weapons, ensuring they'd remain undetected.