"…Inside the mirror?!"
Hearing Hana's words, the girls all turned their heads and looked at the mirror on the desk.
Soyo, who was closest to the mirror, was startled, and in her nervousness, instinctively retreated and hugged Kitahara Makoto's arm.
"Stare—"
The girls, who had been somewhat nervous, all turned their faces and looked over with subtle expressions.
"Cough, cough." Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed slightly, and she quickly explained, "I just saw myself in the mirror looking a bit strange, so I was startled."
Takamatsu Tomori said softly:
"Soyo is so skilled."
"Eh?"
"The action of hugging Makoto-kun's arm feels super natural."
Nagasaki Soyo: "…"
They had already had the most intimate contact, it would be strange if hugging his arm wasn't natural!
Mutsumi tilted her head slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes:
"A bit strange."
Shiina Taki crossed her arms, and hearing this, looked over: "What does Mutsumi say?"
Mutsumi was expressionless:
"I'm clearly standing next to Soyo, why did Soyo have to bypass me to hug Makoto-kun?"
Nagasaki Soyo: "…"
Sorry.
Hugging Mutsumi gives no sense of security at all.
Kitahara Makoto stepped forward with a composed expression:
"I'm coming clean, no more pretending, Soyo and I have already…"
Before he could finish speaking, Kitahara Makoto's waist was pinched.
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face was crimson, and her bright eyes warned him with a glare:
"Kitahara-kun, don't talk nonsense!"
As she spoke, Soyo also nervously glanced at Togawa Sakiko out of the corner of her eye.
Togawa's gaze lowered, and she bit her lower lip lightly, saying:
"Don't say anything… Let's get down to business first."
Togawa Sakiko finished speaking, turned her head, looked at Hana, and asked softly:
"Hana, can you enter inside the mirror?"
"No."
Hana answered quite directly.
Upon closer inquiry, it was learned that strange tales do not coexist peacefully, but rather operate on a 'one mountain, two tigers' principle.
Behind the mirror was the domain of the divine disappearance strange tale, and Hana had no way to directly invade it.
"I see." Togawa Sakiko nodded gently, then asked, "Hana, do you know how to enter the mirror world?"
Hana shook her head:
"I don't know."
Well, it seems the dream of relying on Hana for a one-click clear was shattered.
Kitahara Makoto took off the backpack from his shoulder:
"Let's ask the answer book."
Taking out the answer book, Kitahara Makoto handed it to Mutsumi, who was closest to him.
"Mutsumi, you ask."
"Okay." Mutsumi looked up, "What question should I ask?"
Shiina Taki suggested softly:
"How about we first ask if Takagi's daughter is currently in life-threatening danger?"
"Taki-san makes sense." Kitahara Makoto cast an appreciative glance, "Let's first ask about the status of the elementary school student and maid. If they are in imminent danger, then we must act quickly. If they have already met with misfortune, then we will have to plan for the long term."
"Hmph~"
Shiina Taki let out an almost imperceptible snort, her small face full of vigilance.
Don't even think about gaining my favor!
She had never forgotten the name 'Kitahara Rīki' since she saw it on the answer book that day!
She would never join this guy's harem like Tomori!
"Leave it to me."
Mutsumi extended her right hand, placed it on the answer book, and then asked softly.
Rustle, rustle.
The answer book flipped pages rapidly.
Before long, a line of text quietly appeared on the blank page:
[Survival countdown: six hours and thirty-five minutes]
Seeing the answer in the book, the girls all breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.
"It seems Takagi's daughter is not yet in danger." Nagasaki Soyo gently patted her chest, "This news couldn't be better."
"It is indeed good news." Togawa Sakiko nodded slightly, "Six hours on the countdown isn't much. We need to hurry and rescue Takagi's daughter as soon as possible."
Kitahara Makoto's gaze shifted as he said:
"Taki-san, the second question is yours."
"Okay."
Shiina Taki naturally didn't refuse, silently stepped forward, and took the answer book from Kitahara Makoto's hand.
Kitahara Makoto looked down at her, his gaze subtle.
This Taki was only one meter fifty tall. If one didn't look at the firm curve of her chest, some would even believe she was an elementary school student.
Her personality was stubborn and serious, and she would explode at a touch, feeling just like a potato mine...
"Are you thinking something very rude?"
Shiina Taki looked up, her delicate brows furrowed in dissatisfaction.
"Not at all." Kitahara Makoto's expression was calm, not even blinking when he lied, "I was thinking Taki-san is super cute."
"You…"
Shiina Taki's small face quickly flushed red. She quickly took half a step back, then nervously looked at Takamatsu Tomori.
Seeing Takamatsu Tomori's face was as usual, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, bit her teeth lightly, and warned in a low voice:
"You shouldn't talk nonsense!"
"Where did I talk nonsense? Taki-san is clearly very cute, alright." Kitahara Makoto's expression was innocent as he turned his head and said, "Tomori, wouldn't you agree?"
Takamatsu Tomori nodded lightly and said:
"Taki is indeed very cute."
Nagasaki Soyo clasped her hands in front of her chest and smiled gently:
"Kitahara-kun is not wrong, Taki is indeed very cute."
This Soyo seemed gentle, but was actually a bit mischievous. Now that she had an opportunity, she naturally couldn't resist a little teasing.
Shiina Taki's small face was crimson. She glared at Kitahara Makoto in embarrassment and anger, knowing that continuing would only lead to endless entanglement. She let out a soft snort and quickly began to ask:
"How can one enter the Otherworld?"
Rustle, rustle.
The answer book flipped pages rapidly.
A line of text quickly emerged:
[In a sunless room, sit alone in front of a mirror, and do not look at the mirror for thirty seconds.]
Nagasaki Soyo pursed her lips: "It feels surprisingly simple."
"It's actually not that simple." Kitahara Makoto said casually, "Most people look in a mirror to tidy their appearance, and usually won't go more than thirty seconds without looking at it, after all, humans more or less have a certain degree of mirror phobia."
Togawa Sakiko's gaze shifted downwards, looking at the comic book on the desk:
"Leaving aside why maid was dragged into the mirror, Takagi's daughter most likely got absorbed in reading comics and accidentally triggered the rules of the strange phenomenon, so she was dragged into it."
"Now that we know how to get in, we can act now." Kitahara Makoto said quickly, "Everyone, pull the curtains first."
The girls all began to move.
Before long, all the curtains were drawn, blocking out the sunlight from outside, and the entire room immediately plunged into darkness.
Kitahara Makoto turned his head, looked at Mutsumi and Shiina Taki, and said softly:
"Mutsumi, Tomori, and Taki-san, you all stay outside. Don't go into the space behind the mirror."
"No." Takamatsu Tomori spoke first, "I want to act with Makoto-kun."
Mutsumi's expression was serious:
"I want to continue helping."
Mutsumi and Tomori both wanted to act together, only Shiina Taki was noncommittal, holding her hands across her chest without speaking.
Kitahara Makoto still wanted the three girls to stay, but unfortunately, Mutsumi and Tomori both refused.
Finally, Togawa Sakiko spoke softly:
"Let Mutsumi and Tomori act together."
"Hmm?"
Kitahara Makoto looked over at the sound.
"The strange phenomena escaping from the Otherworld to the real world will only increase. Although Kitahara-kun wants to protect everyone, there will always be times when he is powerless." Togawa Sakiko said softly, "So, it's better to let everyone accumulate some experience, so that if they encounter strange phenomena in the future, they won't be at a loss."
If ordinary people unluckily encounter strange phenomena, that bit of experience actually won't be of much use!
However, what Togawa said also had some truth to it.
Although the use might not be great, if there was even a one percent chance, it shouldn't be given up.
Kitahara Makoto pondered for two seconds, then nodded in agreement:
"Then let's act together… I'll go in first, and you all wait for me outside."
Leading the charge, of course, couldn't be left to others.
Even if Sakiko and the others agreed, Kitahara Makoto wouldn't feel at ease.
"Kitahara-kun, be careful, pay attention to safety, and don't be impulsive."
Nagasaki Soyo's eyes were filled with worry as she softly cautioned him.
If everyone else hadn't been nearby, she would definitely have hugged Kitahara Makoto by now.
Kitahara Makoto extended his right hand, stroked Soyo's head, and whispered:
"After eliminating the strange phenomenon behind the mirror, shall we unlock a new theme?"
"Pfft~"
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed slightly, and she couldn't help but let out a soft huff, then turned and walked away:
"…We'll talk after the request is over."
As the girls left one by one, the room immediately fell silent.
Kitahara Makoto moved a chair, sat in front of the mirror, then closed his eyes and began to count silently.
Time quietly slipped away.
As the silent counting exceeded thirty seconds, Kitahara Makoto keenly felt the temperature in the air rapidly drop. A chilling aura quietly permeated the space, and then his shoulder was suddenly grabbed by someone with great force, as if trying to drag Kitahara Makoto away.
"This feeling… is it a hand?"
Kitahara Makoto pondered in his heart.
"It's just that the fingernails are a bit sharp…"
"Wait––"
A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Kitahara Makoto's mind.
The space behind the mirror was clearly the home ground of the Divine Concealment Phenomenon. Entering someone else's home ground was actually a very unwise choice.
The way the Divine Concealment Phenomenon dragged people into the mirror could now be confirmed as the most primitive form of physical contact.
Since this strange phenomenon could touch him, he could also touch the other party, right?
If that's the case...
Crack!
Kitahara Makoto suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed the arm of the mirror phenomenon. He then saw that inside the mirror was a Female Ghost completely wrapped in white cloth, with only a pair of eyes exposed. The eyes had only whites, filled with red blood vessels, looking quite eerie.
Physical contact.
Without the obstruction of clothes, a chilling aura rapidly invaded through Kitahara Makoto's palm, seemingly wanting to freeze him stiff.
However, Kitahara Makoto had the Exorcist Constitution. As the cold aura surged in, a ball of flame seemed to burst within his body, suddenly launching an automatic counterattack.
"Tsk, quite strong." Kitahara Makoto was not flustered at all, and even had the presence of mind to offer a comment, "Even an adult male, if unprepared, would probably be pulled into the mirror."
Unfortunately, this much strength was completely insufficient for Kitahara Makoto.
Leaving aside other tasks, Kitahara Makoto had never slackened on his daily fitness tasks. His current physical fitness had long surpassed human limits.
So…
"Come out, you!"
Kitahara Makoto suddenly stood up and exerted force, grabbing the Female Ghost's arms with both hands. With a standard over-the-shoulder throw, he directly pulled the Female Ghost out of the mirror.
Boom!
A muffled thud suddenly echoed in the room, and the wooden floor directly cracked.
"…Meow?"
The Female Ghost lay on the ground, looking at the ceiling above her, her pure white eyes filled with bewilderment.
Who am I?
Where am I?
I was actually pulled out of the mirror by a human?
After coming to her senses, the Female Ghost's body surged with cold energy, and she prepared to dematerialize and escape back into the mirror.
If it were an ordinary human, they would definitely be helpless against it, but Kitahara Makoto's Exorcist Constitution happened to be a bane for strange phenomena.
Seeing the Female Ghost trying to dematerialize and escape, Kitahara Makoto didn't say a word and simply punched down.
The sensation was like some kind of soft silicone. As Kitahara Makoto's punch landed, the Female Ghost's entire head caved in.
However, a strange phenomenon was a strange phenomenon after all, with exceptionally powerful recovery abilities. Its caved-in head quickly began to restore itself.
At the same time.
The girls in the hallway outside the room all heard the commotion inside.
"Eh, what was that sound?"
"It sounds so strange."
"Should we go in and take a look?"
"More than thirty seconds have passed." Togawa Sakiko made the final decision, "Let's go in and see what happened."
Pushing open the door, what greeted their eyes was Kitahara Makoto, one hand gripping the neck of an unfamiliar Female Ghost, pressing her to the ground and rubbing her repeatedly.
"Close the door first." Kitahara Makoto looked up, "Come in and then we'll talk."
"Ah… alright."
The girls snapped back to reality, quickly entered the room, and then closed the door.
After getting a chance to breathe, the Female Ghost tried to struggle again, her ten skeletal fingers reaching for Kitahara Makoto.
Unfortunately, Kitahara Makoto countered with a punch. Under the Dutiful Exorcist's physique, neither the negative aura that could freeze ordinary humans nor the ability to dematerialize worked.
"Hana, can you swallow this guy now?"
Kitahara Makoto looked up at Hana.
While flailing earlier, Kitahara Makoto had considered using the Undead Knight's ability to transform the opponent into a new mount, but then he quickly dismissed the idea.
Since he couldn't actually ride it, there was no need for the more the merrier. Focusing on training Hana and letting her quickly grow stronger, taking the elite path, was a better choice.
"Yes."
Hana squatted down, placing her hands on the ground, and one by one, flowers that seemed truly real quietly grew out, swaying in the room without any wind.
The Flower Sea spread silently, and within a few breaths, it covered the entire room.
Immediately after, countless flower branches swayed, directly engulfing the Female Ghost, then slowly submerging her within the Flower Sea.
"Kitahara-kun, what just happened?"
Togawa Sakiko asked curiously.
Kitahara Makoto stretched his shoulders and explained, "Just now, I used an over-the-shoulder throw to pull the ghost out of the mirror…"
"Kitahara-kun, are you hurt?"
Nagasaki Soyo looked over, concerned.
"I'm not hurt, but the aura inside my body is unbalanced again." Kitahara Makoto said seriously, "I urgently need everyone's hugs to replenish energy."
"Pfft~"
"…"
A few minutes later.
The Flower Sea that covered the entire room quietly disappeared.
As Hana stood up, the Female Ghost's figure was no longer to be seen.
"Hana, have you unlocked any new abilities?"
Kitahara Makoto asked.
Hana nodded: "Yes."
Togawa Sakiko looked over expectantly: "Can you bring out the two missing people?"
Hana shook her head: "No."
Upon closer inquiry, they learned that Hana had just fused with a new ability and hadn't yet mastered it, so she couldn't directly pull the two missing people into the mirror space.
However, she could open the entrance and exit to the mirror space, allowing everyone to enter and bring the people out themselves.