What a blunder. Shizuno hadn't expected the monster to deceive her senses.
In the surface world, with her powers sealed, she couldn't destroy it. Worse yet, she hadn't brought any emergency countermeasures. Fortunately, the monster was also affected by the surface world's rigid physical laws, limiting its abilities. Still, it could cause trouble.
The black mist, now resembling a headless fly, flitted around aimlessly. No one seemed to notice it, which was expected, ordinary people couldn't see it.
It was searching for a host. If it managed to attach itself to someone, that person would go berserk, behaving like a deranged lunatic.
Technically, it could possess any ordinary person, but it preferred individuals with aggressive tendencies, those quick to anger and prone to violence. Possessing such a person would make them more formidable than an average individual.
The mist began shrinking, a sign that the physical laws of the surface world were erasing it. If it didn't find a host soon, it would be completely erased. In most cases, when out of options, it would forcibly merge with the nearest person before vanishing.
"There!"
Shizuno noticed that the mist was no longer wandering aimlessly, it had locked onto a target and was flying toward them with clear intent.
She immediately gave chase. She had to subdue the host before they went berserk and call for backup to have them detained.
Chasing the mist, she ran through the clothing section and into the food section, where she saw it rushing toward a high school-aged boy, merging into his body.
Had this been in the inner world, Shizuno might have noticed something peculiar—right before the mist fused with the boy, it shuddered briefly, as if hesitating. But it was too late to stop, and the moment it entered him, it was instantly devoured, much like a spark vanishing into a raging fire.
The next second—
Shizuno dashed forward, wielding a rolling pin in place of her hand. She aimed to knock him out before he went berserk.
Sensing something behind him, the boy turned around—leaving her no time to stop herself.
Whack!
Their eyes met.
The boy, Yazuki, was completely unphased. Although she hadn't managed to restrain herself fully, she had reduced most of the force, making the impact feel no stronger than a light flick.
She prepared for another strike, aiming for a weak spot that would briefly paralyze him.
Meanwhile, the victim of the random assault—
"....."
Yazuki, who had been inexplicably whacked on the head, looked at the delicate yet doll-like beauty before him. She resembled an anime character, dressed in an unfamiliar school uniform.
She carried an air of elegance, like a rich family's young lady, but why the hell had she attacked him out of nowhere? Was she crazy?
Bang!
In response, he headbutted her.
Just because she was a cute girl didn't mean he'd let her off the hook.
He winced from the pain, realizing his forehead was still sore from a previous clash with another petite, flat-chested girl.
Taking advantage of her momentary daze, he swiftly countered, snatching the rolling pin and attempting to pin her to the ground.
"Help! Someone save me! I'm being assaulted!"
The girl's voice, as clear as a flowing stream and laced with panic, instantly drew the attention of the crowd. Her delicate face, once indifferent, now bore a pitiful and frightened expression, stirring sympathy from onlookers.
An angry glare spread across the crowd, directed at Yazuki.
She was pulling a classic case of the guilty accusing first.
Yazuki sneered coldly, his black eyes sweeping over the approaching bystanders. At that moment, an invisible pressure—his demonic presence—seemed to radiate from him, freezing them in place.
His gaze returned to the girl, who also appeared intimidated.
Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly pinned her down, pressing her soft limbs against the ground. With one free hand gripping the rolling pin, he swung it down hard.
Smack!
The girl let out a muffled whimper. He had struck her buttocks.
Brats like her needed a lesson.
Just as he raised the rolling pin for a second strike—
"Stop right there!!!"
Although it was an angry roar, the voice was also clear—it was a woman. From the crowd of onlookers, a figure rushed toward him and then raised her leg to kick him.
The speed was too fast, leaving Yazuki no time to react or block. The kick landed on his abdomen, causing him to stagger several steps backward. He couldn't even hold onto the rolling pin, his face contorting as he clutched his stomach in pain.
That swift, precise, and powerful kick proved that this person was no ordinary fragile woman. She was trained, and her force was applied just right—not enough to cause internal injuries, but enough to make him feel unbearable discomfort.
Raising his head with a vicious glare to see which bastard had done this, his eyes landed on—
A girl with dazzling crimson hair, clear yellow-green eyes, and delicate, beautiful features. Her well-proportioned figure was dressed in a floral short dress paired with tight jeans. From a distance, she might be mistaken for a mature and stunning woman, but up close, she appeared quite young, possibly even a high school student.
This furious girl glared at him with wide eyes.
"Disgusting! Unbelievable! That someone as vile as you would commit violence in a public place—unforgivable!"
Her cherry-red lips spat out her words through gritted teeth.
Was today just an unlucky day?
Why did he keep running into crazy women with a few screws loose?
Damn it, these creatures were completely irrational! He couldn't help but blurt out his frustration,
"Women are truly detestable creatures."
"Hah?! Someone like you, a piece of trash, has no right to hate women!"
The girl helped up the other girl he had attacked while shooting him a cold and disdainful glare. Her expression was as frigid as an arctic glacier, capable of freezing even the sun itself. Hmm? A single strand of hair on her head was standing up in irritation!
"You... what are you looking at?"
The girl became visibly embarrassed, her eyes turning even more vicious, practically radiating killing intent.
She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive manner.
That was because Yazuki's gaze had wandered to her less-than-impressive figure, his expression turning condescending, a smirk forming on his lips.
"I see now. You're flat as a washboard. No wonder your brain is just as lacking—you're nothing but a violent lunatic!"