"My lord Shirakawa, if you're not yet satisfied… I can endure a little more…"
Mary's voice trembled as she spoke, trying her best to remain unnoticed under Shirakawa's intense gaze.
Compared to the earlier exorcism, the aura he now exuded felt far more terrifying.
Although Shirakawa himself hadn't undergone a major outward change, the crimson holy sword in his grip radiated a primal fear.
If he had used that sword during the exorcism… she might have already been wiped out entirely.
Better to bend than break.
As shameful as the earlier exorcism had been, compared to being completely destroyed, Mary found it... surprisingly acceptable.
Even if her stomach still felt strangely bloated…
"This Holy Sword," Shirakawa murmured, "seems extremely lethal against ghosts and urban legends?"
He had clearly noticed the change in Mary's demeanor. Initially filled with fear, she now seemed more… submissive.
That, in itself, proved one thing:
Since unlocking the Holy Sword User class, his lethality toward spirits and urban phantoms had skyrocketed.
But one question remained—
Would killing ghosts wandering the city actually yield experience points?
Without hiding anything, Mary nodded and confessed, "Even just being near the Holy Sword… it feels like I'm melting."
"I see."
Shirakawa didn't dwell on it. With confirmation that he had unparalleled killing power against urban phantoms, things were about to get easier.
Tokyo's streets were crawling with ghosts.
Most ordinary people lacked spiritual awareness and couldn't even detect them. Only exceptions like Miko Yotsuya, who constantly attracted the supernatural, stood a chance.
"I'm heading out. You are not to leave this place."
He hadn't fully purified Mary yet, nor had he maxed out all his exorcist skills. To put it plainly—
Urban legends, you'll be my training fodder.
Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, the white-haired girl nodded like a garlic-mashing machine. With so many ways an exorcist could track down spirits—even without a seal—it was hopeless to run.
If she tried to flee…
If Shirakawa caught her again, she didn't even want to imagine the consequences.
"…Understood."
---
Leaving the apartment, it was nearly 8 PM. The night had fully draped over Tokyo, and only a few scattered streetlights provided light along the roads.
And under that cover of darkness, the number of ghosts had clearly risen.
Yet despite their increased presence, none dared approach.
Because of the overwhelming pressure Shirakawa radiated—especially now that he had dual-classed as both Exorcist and Holy Sword User.
Gone was the mild indifference he once held toward ghosts.
With more efficient tools now in hand, there was no need for grotesque methods.
"With the deterrent effect from DiamondBody, cleansing evil spirits should be straightforward."
He stepped into a dim alley where even streetlights were rare, relying solely on the glow from windows on either side.
Visibility was poor.
But thanks to his Exorcist class and its heightened sensitivity to malevolent energy, Shirakawa could clearly detect the nearby spiritual presence.
"Manifest—All Things of Creation."
Though ghosts posed no real threat, he was still eager to test the Holy Sword's power. As the glow shimmered, the crimson blade materialized in his hand.
Coupled with the passive ability Diamond Body, it created an intense aura of domination with nothing held back.
The ghosts froze in place, too terrified to move.
"All of you… are walking experience points."
Shirakawa showed no pity. He strode toward them, the foul stench of decay thick in the air.
With one clean swing, the Holy Sword sliced through.
The glow wasn't too bright in the darkness, but the results were absolute—trembling ghosts were cleaved in half, their forms evaporating into black mist.
"Exorcising ghosts… is this easy now?"
He honestly hadn't expected it. After unlocking the new class through his encounter with Miko Yotsuya, he'd grown used to the supernatural.
And at last, the long-dormant skill panel reappeared before him.
[You have successfully slain a Lesser
Ghost.]
[Experience gained: +10.]
Realizing that ghost kills truly awarded EXP, he eagerly opened his Holy Sword User class panel.
And when he saw the numbers, his excitement surged.
Holy Sword User Lv1 (10/100)
He'd been worried that leveling this transcendent class in a modern-day world would be absurdly difficult.
But the solution had been right here—
Just slay the abundant ghosts cluttering the streets.
Shirakawa's eyes gleamed as he glanced around the shadowy alley. No cameras, no bystanders.
Now was his time to shine.
"So many ghosts… maybe I can grind EXP like crazy tonight?"
Roaming ghosts, haunting the city's alleys and forgotten corners—
Putting them down was a mercy.
According to local lore, such spirits only lingered due to powerful regrets or grudges.
In a way, Shirakawa was helping them pass on.
He thought this as he pulled the sword from a mid-level wraith's dissipating form.
[You have successfully slain a Mid-tier Ghost.]
[Experience gained: +50.]
---
After a long night of ghost hunting, the steady influx of experience points had significantly boosted his Holy Sword User level.
Compared to Student or Exorcist classes, this transcendent class required vastly more EXP to level up—something he'd already expected.
After all, the class scale was entirely different.
[Level Up: Lv2 → Lv3]
[Holy Sword User Lv3 (10/10,000)]
"Core Skill: All Things of Creation Lv2 (4450/5000)"
"Basic Skills: Mana Infusion Lv1, Mana Release Lv1"
"Skill Points: 2"
"Evolution Points: 2"
"Tonight's harvest wasn't bad. The monsters on this street are almost all cleared out. Still... maxing out the Holy Sword User class will take more time."
Shirakawa's stamina was holding up well.
If he pushed through the whole night, reaching Level 4 was certainly within reach. But these things are better done steadily—especially in a mundane, everyday world like this.
After all, there wasn't anything here that could truly threaten him.
Just as he was preparing to head back home, a mechanical chime suddenly echoed in his mind—a notification from the Dimensional Chat Group.
That caught Shirakawa slightly off guard.
[Group Notification: A danger signal has been detected from group member "Gold-Rank Adventurer." A rescue mission is now being initiated. Participants limited to 2.]
[Mission Reward: 100 points.]
[Would you like to accept the group member rescue mission?]