Toya let out a dry laugh as he caught the sword Mery tossed to him—the Sword of Promised Victory, Excalibur.
While its True Name release functioned similarly to the Star-Holy Sword, it lacked the specialized power required to hunt the ultimate evils of the planet.
Toya tested the weight of the ornate, elegant blade and gave an approving nod.
"Not bad at all."
"If you like it, then let the training begin," Mery said, her smile sweet yet somehow mischievous.
"To prepare a proper curriculum, I've specially selected heroes from across history."
"They're only shadows, but their combat techniques are the real deal."
Tap.
The tip of Mery's staff struck the ground, and a barrier instantly enveloped Toya.
The world shifted, and the two found themselves in the center of an ancient coliseum, where a dark silhouette holding a long spear stood waiting in the distance.
Toya studied the shadow's stance and spoke quietly.
"Mery, is my opponent Cú Chulainn?"
Though the shadow's face was obscured, Toya had been trained by the Queen of the Land of Shadows, Scáthach.
He recognized the spear techniques of his ancient senior immediately.
"Exactly," Mery replied. "Good luck, my King."
"Cú Chulainn is just a warm-up. The true monsters come later."
As time passed, the battles grew increasingly perilous.
Just as the combat was about to enter its next phase, Toya's figure flickered and vanished from the space.
Mery didn't look surprised; she merely let out a soft laugh.
"It isn't time for me to head out yet. I'll wait a little longer."
Toya was gone, but the magic didn't dissipate.
A spearman covered in jagged spikes and wreathed in a terrifying black aura let out a guttering roar and charged at her.
"Begone."
Mery's expression went flat as she drew a sword and swung it downward.
The heavy, terrifying strike obliterated the spearman instantly, leaving him no chance to defend himself.
If Toya had seen this, he would have been stunned.
This was a side of the "playful" Mery he had never witnessed during their sparring sessions.
.....
Trash Fox Detective Agency
Toya opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of his room.
I'm back.
As he moved to sit up, his hand brushed against a cold hilt.
"Excalibur?"
Toya stared at the sword with a look of disbelief.
She actually let me keep it? Mery is just handing out Noble Phantasms now?
[Item: Excalibur (Sword of Promised Victory)]
[Rank: A++]
[Description: A Divine Construct forged by the planet itself. A holy sword standing at the pinnacle of all sacred blades.]
"Well, I won't say no to a gift."
Toya took the sword into the main hall and placed it inside the display case.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, currently busy with her manuscript, looked up and saw him with yet another legendary blade.
"Toya-kun, we're running out of room. You're going to need a bigger display soon."
"True," Toya said, rubbing his chin. "I should probably go buy a few more."
He had collected quite the haul recently.
The agency's hall was starting to look more like a museum than an office.
"Brother's collection is amazing," Sora added, looking up from her game with admiration.
"These are all genuine supernatural artifacts, aren't they?"
Toya let out a weary sigh.
I didn't exactly ask for them. They just keep piling up.
Maybe I should consider acquiring the King's Treasure skill later.
That would certainly solve his storage problems, but he decided to put the thought aside for now.
He had more pressing matters, specifically the arrival of the Heretic God, Cundi.
Toya glanced at the timer in his system menu.
According to the world commission, there were only three days left.
Despite the gravity of facing a deity, he felt a strange sense of anticipation.
When a god abandons their myth and descends into the mortal realm, they become a Heretic God.
If a mortal can slay such a being, they ascend to the rank of Campione—a God-Slayer.
A God-Slayer gains eternal life and terrifying Authorities.
For them, leveling a city is as simple as breathing.
I wonder if anyone else in this world is capable of such a feat, Toya mused.
He was ready to do the deed himself, but he was curious if any other "protagonists" would step up.
Just then, a young man, pale with terror, rushed into the agency.
"Excuse me! Is this the place that handles supernatural cases?!"
Toya stood up.
"Yes. What's the problem?"
"A coffin from a foreign country washed up on the beach nearby! It's leaking this horrible black gas!"
The youth, seemingly in his early twenties, trembled as he spoke.
"Not only is it spraying that gas everywhere, but the whole thing is shaking. Whatever is inside is trying to get out!"
"We used some dog's blood and sticky rice we saw in old movies to try and suppress it, but it isn't going to hold. Please, you have to do something!"
A Kyonshi, huh? I guess there won't be a fee for this one if the local kids are the ones asking.
Toya sighed but nodded. "Fine. I'll handle it."
Toya grabbed Excalibur and headed out toward the coast.
The young man who had asked for help didn't stick around; he was already fleeing the area.
By the time Toya stepped outside, the sun was already beginning to set.
He had slept through most of the day, leaving only about thirty minutes of twilight before night truly fell.
As he made his way toward the beach, he saw a constant stream of cars driving in the opposite direction.
The locals have quite the survival instinct, Toya noted with some surprise.
Even before the threat was confirmed, they were already packed up and moving out.
It seemed the people of Japan weren't taking any chances with the supernatural.
The further he walked toward the shore, the more panicked the crowds became.
People were sprinting as if they were afraid the "zombie" would catch them if they slowed down.
"I'd better hurry."
Toya picked up the pace, wanting to finish this before the situation spiraled out of control.
When he finally reached the shoreline, he was met with a sight that made him stop in his tracks.
A literal mountain of white sticky rice sat on the sand, burying a large, ornate coffin beneath it.
It looked like a massive mound of snow had been dumped on top of a grave.
"The world really has changed. Back in the old movies, no one would have used this much rice."
Toya shook his head and laughed.
With this much rice pinning it down, do they even need a professional?
At this rate, the weight alone would keep the creature buried for months.
Toya walked closer, inspecting the perimeter.
"Ink lines, dog's blood, peach wood swords..."
He whistled in appreciation. The setup was surprisingly thorough.
Every classic anti-undead tool from where the kyonshi come from was present and accounted for.
The poor creature inside didn't even have a chance to break out before it was bombarded with every trope in the book.