Note: In previous chapters I used "Monstrous" to refer to supernatural creatures, but since a character from the Monogatari series appears in this chapter, I'm switching to that series' term: "Oddity". Actually, the character from Monogatari appeared a long time ago (Kiss-Shot), but it's only now that I've thoroughly researched the Wikia.
.....
Chapter 98: Oddity Slayer
"Hey, have you heard? The recent rumors about vampires."
"What? Vampires?"
"Yeah, they say at night there's a handsome vampire attacking girls who walk alone."
"Handsome vampire? Well then that's perfect! I'd die happy."
In front of the train station, Sakurai Saki ignored the conversation of the girls beside him. He glanced at his phone and saw a new message from Hayasaka Ai.
[Ai-chan: Sorry~ I saw Sakurai-chan's message earlier in the notification bar, but didn't open LINE. So sorry~]
That… totally sounds like something a girl would say to her spare tire, doesn't it?
Sakurai Saki had never been a "spare tire," had never even been in love, so how would he know—if a girl sees you as a backup, she wouldn't even bother explaining.
He typed a reply: no problem.
Sakurai Saki looked up—the light had turned green.
Across the street, there were quite a few girls in uniforms handing out flyers. Among them, one girl stood out in particular—wearing a tilted baseball cap, long hair covering one eye, a mysterious smile on her face.
"Hello there, are you interested in learning about [Yorozuya Omniscience]? As long as the price is right, we can solve anything."
(Note: Yorozuya literally means "house of 10,000 business".)
Sakurai Saki faintly caught her promotional pitch.
As he crossed the street, he gave her another glance.
Unexpectedly—that person started walking toward him.
Trouble was coming again.
This morning, he'd already gotten a headache from being suddenly summoned by Shirogane for training.
To sing better in karaoke, so they were practicing karaoke in the daytime?
What kind of logic is that?
While Sakurai Saki could understand Shirogane's desire not to lose face in front of the student council, honestly… that guy had already lost all his dignity. Both Chika and he knew everything. Besides the two of them, weren't there only Shinomiya Kaguya and Ishigami Yuu left?
That's basically half the student council already!
"Hey, little bro, this big sister is Gaen Izuko, people call me Gaen-senpai," the woman introduced herself.
"My Yorozuya covers quite a wide range of things too. You're welcome to drop by anytime, and if you're tired, feel free to stay the night."
"Flirting with me?" Sakurai Saki smiled and asked.
Then, he prepared to say a line he'd always wanted to use when being hit on.
That's right, a line he hadn't been able to use until just yesterday.
Which was—"Sorry, miss, I already have a girlfriend."
"Not flirting." Gaen Izuko, with her mature and composed face, looked at him as if she were seeing some kind of bizarre creature. She pulled out her phone, "This… have you seen it before?"
Sakurai Saki turned his head, intending to leave.
Looks like that line didn't work. This time, he'd run into the clingy type.
"There really is a vampire appearing around here lately. It's true." Gaen Izuko casually tossed her phone. The rectangular object spun through the air and smack—landed right in Sakurai Saki's hand.
[Vampire rumor — a handsome vampire is said to be wandering near the Tokyo area. Just walk down any deserted road, and you might encounter him…]
"This has nothing to do with me." Sakurai Saki looked back, only to see the other person had pulled out… four more phones.
This number—even Hayasaka Ai, a gadget maniac, would have to bow down. Sakurai Saki was completely dumbfounded.
"No, it is related to you, S01." Gaen Izuko adjusted the headset on her ear.
"...You." Sakurai Saki's expression changed.
"I know everything~" Gaen Izuko pulled a business card from the wide pocket of her pants.
"Care to have a little chat?"
Sakurai Saki turned his head, "Kotowaru, I – Sakurai Saki – like to say 'no' to people who talk in a roundabout way the most.!"
Gaen Izuko understood. He was trying to emphasize his identity as a human.
"Sakurai-kun, tonight, you'll meet a vampire." she declared.
"And I advise you to go save her."
Going to save a vampire he have never even met?
Oddities can never coexist with humans. They devour people. Even if they don't, they still harm them.
This wasn't just a theoretical belief—he had seen it with his own eyes.
"Mysterious beings are drawn to one another." Gaen Izuko walked beside him, like a persistent salesperson chasing a customer.
She hadn't expected the person before her to go against all her anticipated scenarios.
"I can erase everything—Oddity or whatever else." Sakurai Saki still replied.
"What do you want from me? Just say it. Since you've already investigated me this deeply, you must've put in considerable effort. In that case, instead of playing 'the riddle speaker' to pique my interest, why not just be direct?"
Gaen Izuko paused for a few seconds, then chuckled, "Did you just use your superpower?"
This change in attitude… was far too stiff.
"Who knows?"
Sakurai Saki continued walking toward [Karaoke Paradise].
[Gaen Izuko]
[Threat Level: Green (Friendly)]
[Kill Count: 159]
[Title: Oddity Specialist]
Today's superpower for Sakurai Saki was "Danger Sensor."
Its side effect made him more emotional when judging situations.
Being able to stay rational when analyzing things is a skill—but today, Sakurai Saki wasn't as rational as usual, and that could turn into his weakness.
'No lies. Friendly target.' Sakurai Saki silently concluded.
The two entered the KTV shop.
Climbing the stairs one by one, they reached the second floor.
"There's a chase going on in this city," Gaen Izuko casually said. "On one side, a vampire; on the other, a vampire hunter."
"A game between prey and predator… what happens to ordinary people who get caught in between?"
Sakurai Saki stopped.
He recalled the tired-looking girl he saw last week at the KTV.
So then, that red mark on the neck of that university girl named Rika… it wasn't a hickey from the beginning… but rather…
A vampire's mark?
No wonder it had such a symmetrical shape. Back then, Sakurai Saki had thought her boyfriend must've had some amazing kissing technique to leave a hickey that perfectly mirrored itself like that.
"Now that you've heard this little background setting, are you interested in the story?" Gaen Izuko asked.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Location: Kyoto. Time: Autumn…" Gaen Izuko pressed down her baseball cap, giving off an air of mystery. "Help me with something. Only you can do it. It's really not hard, just say a few words and it's done. If things go well, you won't even need to lift a finger."
"And if I refuse?"
"This country will be destroyed. Ehe, just kidding." Her tone just now sounded absolutely nothing like a joke.
"You're not good at handling Oddities, or more accurately… you can't deal with situations that require subtlety. Oddities aren't only born from urban legends or grudges—they also come from here…" Gaen Izuko pointed to her chest. "The human heart is the scariest monster of all."
"The mysterious will gradually surround you. Wouldn't it be nice to have an assistant who specializes in dealing with Oddities?"
Sakurai Saki understood her meaning.
If the Oddities were like those from before, that would still be manageable—but if they were born from people, then violence wouldn't solve anything.
If one day, Hayasaka Ai loved him too much and became an Oddity…
That would be incredibly difficult to deal with.
Of course, he was just giving an example.
But… Ai-chan really does love him a lot!
"That vampire… is she the kind who can deal with other Oddities?"
Upon hearing this, Gaen Izuko chuckled softly and answered seriously:
"Rather than 'deal with,' she prefers a more direct approach."
"After all, she's an Oddity among Oddities—the one known as the 'Oddity Slayer.'"
...
Note: Have the short chapters returned?