Mahiru's face was flushedpartly from exhaustion, but mostly from embarrassment.
There There was no other choice.
She hadn't brought any of Shizuka's natural potions, soThis was her only option.
After all, she couldn't afford to waste this opportunity to gain experience.
"Haaah"
She let out a deep breath, her voice barely a whisper.
"P-please take care of me, Lynn-san"
And just like that
Shiina Mahiru had her first "magic replenishment."
Her gaze turned hazy.
"So this is what Lynn-san tastes like"
"Wha A-all three of them?!" Yuuko fell into stunned silence.
Even as a spirit who had been around for sixty years, she had never seen anything like this before.
"Ah So it really is a harem club, huh"
Yukinoshita Yukino stared blankly, feeling like her entire worldview had crumbled.
Noher entire outlook on life and values were shaking at their foundation.
No wonder, back when she first called the Supernatural Research Club a Harem Club, no one had argued against it.
Because there was simply no need to argue.
"Y-Yuki did that curse spirit just use an illusion attack on me?"
Her friend, Yui, was trembling. "Why why am I seeing them all making out with the same guy?!"
"No, you're not hallucinating. That was real." Yukino couldn't help but say it.
"EHHHHHHHH?!"
Some time later
Utaha, Miko, and Mahiru were once again running low on stamina.
Seeing this, Lynn casually raised his hand
A bolt of black lightning shot through the air.
BOOM!!
The already weakened curse spirit took a direct hit!
The devastating energy of the lightning completely shattered it, reducing it to its purest formraw cursed energy.
"Spirit AbsorptionActivate."
A high-grade cursed spirit condensed into a single experience crystal, which Lynn casually stored away.
"Okay, mission complete."
Lynn pulled out his phone and snapped a picture, sending it to Minamiya Natsuki.
[Natsuki-chan: "I told you to exorcise the spirit, not demolish the damn building!!"]
Lynn glanced around.
From the outside, the old school building looked fine.
But inside? It looked like a fire had broken out.
[Lynn: "That's your problem to deal with. Just make sure my payment is ready."]
[Natsuki-chan: "" ]
Yukino stood there, dazed.
They had been fighting with everything they had, yet in the end, all it took was one move from Lynn, and the cursed spirit was gone.
What a terrifying man.
Her gaze toward Lynn was now filled with awe and fear.
Never. Never mess with this guy.
At the same time, her mind was flooded with countless questions.
Like How can they have these powers? What the hell is "magic replenishment"?!
Based on her observations, after kissing Lynn, Utaha and the others seemed to regain all their energy.
SoWas kissing him actually some kind of combat sustain method?!
She had so many questions about Lynn and his group.
But after this mission, she probably wouldn't have any further involvement with the Supernatural Research Club, right?
After all, she and Lynn belonged to completely different worlds.
—
"Ahhh"
"So tired!"
Utaha groaned, rubbing her sore shoulders.
"This felt more exhausting than fighting zombies."
Even after three rounds of replenishment, they still hadn't been able to defeat the cursed spirit.
"Well, it was a high-grade spirit. You guys aren't quite there yet."
Lynn shrugged before adding
"That said, after this fight, I bet your stats will see a solid increase."
Utaha, Miko, and Mahiru's eyes lit up.
They had fought against a high-grade cursed spirit for so longjust how much would their abilities improve?!
"Sigh Are you guys leaving already?"
Kanoe Yuuko floated over, her expression a little lonely.
Alone in the old school building she felt really, really lonely.
Seeing this, Lynn extended his hand.
"Wanna consider joining my Familia?"
.
.
.
The Clueless Yurikawa Hana
Familia?
Yukinoshita Yukino's heart tightened. She had a bad feeling about this.
Hurriedly, she spoke up, "Well, since the request has been completed, Yui and I will be leaving now."
She lowered her head slightly, avoiding eye contact with Lynn. Then, grabbing a slightly dazed Yuigahama Yui, she quickly left the old school building.
She had the strong feeling that if she stayed any longer, she'd get caught up in something absolutely ridiculous.
Today had already been overwhelming. Not only had her worldview been shattered, but she had also begun questioning her own beliefs about life itself.
She needed time to process everything.
Inside the old school building
"Ah... they left."
Kasumigaoka Utaha raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Master, do they not qualify?"
Aren't they beautiful girls?
Hmm.
That was the pattern Utaha had noticed.
Generally speaking, as long as someone was a beautiful girl, they had the potential to become Lynn's familia.
And Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui were obviously beautiful girls, weren't they?
Lynn shrugged. "Obviously, they qualify."
'As expected.'
A knowing glint flashed through Utaha's eyes before she tilted her head in confusion. "Then why?"
"Why let them leave?"
Lynn suddenly smiled. "Utaha, you're misunderstanding something."
"They need me. I don't need them."
His gaze was deep, and though his tone was calm, it carried weight.
Utaha was briefly taken aback before breaking into a smile. "That's true."
They had no idea what kind of opportunity they had just walked away from.
Nor did they realize what they had lost.
Lynn didn't care about their departure. Instead, his attention shifted to Kanoe Yuuko.
He was quite interested in the idea of a ghost reincarnating as a devil.
"So?"
"Want to come with me?"
Yuuko's eyes lit up, but the spark quickly dimmed.
She had finally met someone who could see her, and of course, she wanted to leave the old school building with him.
But
"I can't," she said bitterly. "I'm a bound spiritI can't leave this place."
Lynn smirked. "That's easy. Just become my familia."
"Familia? This word again?"
Kanoe Yuuko blinked in confusion.
Lynn had mentioned 'familia' earlier, but before she could ask about it, the conversation had been interrupted by that girl.
Now she was curious.
Noticing her reaction, Lynn's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Of course, I mean becoming a reincarnated devil."
As he spoke, he spread his devil wings.
Kanoe Yuuko's eyes widened. "Wait you're serious about this whole 'devil' thing?"
Lynn shrugged. "One hundred percent real."
Kanoe Yuuko turned to look at Utaha and the others. "What about them?"
"They're all my familia."
"Which means... They're devils, too."
Utaha and the others exchanged glances, then, as if on cue, they spread their own devil wings.
"Whoa! Miko, you suddenly look so cool!"
Yurikawa Hana's eyes sparkled with excitement as she stared at Yotsuya Miko, looking as if she wanted to reach out and touch the wings.
Yotsuya Miko twitched at the corner of her eye.
Sometimes, she really admired how utterly oblivious Hana could be.
Meanwhile, Yuuko was still in a state of mental shock.
As an old ghost, she had truly seen some crazy things today.
"So devils actually exist?"
Her expression was complicated.
She might be old, but she was terribly inexperienced.
Being bounded to the old school building meant she knew next to nothing about the world.
Lynn shrugged. "If ghosts can exist, why not devils?"
"Uh..."
"You know what? That actually makes sense."
Kanoe Yuuko thought about it.
Before she died, she never would've imagined she'd become a ghost. And now, she had been one for fifty or sixty years!
"Becoming a devil... actually sounds kinda fun."
Her eyes flickered with an indescribable emotion.
Then, just as suddenly, that light dimmed.
"Is this really possible?"
"Can you really take me away from here?"
Kanoe Yuuko was doubtful.
After all, in the past fifty to sixty years, she had tried countless times, but each attempt ended in failure.
"If you don't try, how will you ever know?" Lynn's tone was lighthearted.
As if the restrictions of a mere bound spirit could possibly surpass his [Devil's Piece].
"You're right!"
Kanoe Yuuko froze for a moment, then her gaze became firm.
She decidedshe would become a devil!
Maybe then, she could finally leave this place?
And even if she still couldn't, at least she'd have a new identity. That didn't sound too bad, either.
Besides
A sly smile appeared in her narrow eyes.
"If I still can't leave the old school building after becoming your familia, you better come visit me, okay?"
She pouted pitifully. "You wouldn't want your familia to be all lonely, would you?"
Ah...
As expected of a Japanese ghost. This level of emotional manipulation was spot-on.
Lynn's voice was firm. "Don't worry. I won't leave you behind."
Yuuko flinched.
For some reason, those words touched her.
At first, she had only thought of this as an amusing experience, but now her reasons for becoming a devil were starting to change.
Following this guy didn't seem like a bad idea at all.
"Then, this humble lady shall entrust everything to you"
She flashed a teasing smile.
"My dear Devil-Sama."
Her gaze was full of conviction.
Lynn smiled. "You won't regret it."
Then, as if she had just realized something, Yuuko's face stiffened.
"Waitcan a ghost even reincarnate as a devil?"
She was, after all, already dead.
Lynn paused, glancing at the glowing Devil's Piece on his system panel.
Then, with absolute certainty, he declared, "If I say it's possible, then it's possible."
Yep.
If the Devil's Piece said it could be done, then it could be done.
"Alright! Let's do it!"
"Uh what do I need to do?"
Kanoe Yuuko looked a little confused.
Lynn summoned a Devil's Piece, then hesitated slightly before shifting his gaze toward the airheaded Yurikawa Hana.
There was still an outsider here.
He had considered recruiting her into his familia eventually
But clearly, she wasn't one of them yet.
Normally, letting an outsider witness a devil reincarnation ritual wasn't a big deal.
But his ritual was uniqueit also involved engraving a divine blessing (Falna).
Someone who wasn't part of his familia couldn't be trusted with that.
Kasumigaoka Utaha and the others quickly realized this.
Yotsuya Miko's expression also turned serious.
She trusted Hana, but when it came to her Master and their familia, she had to be cautious.
"Huh?"
Yurikawa Hana blinked, confused by everyone staring at her.
Feeling the pressure, she looked around, clueless.
Yotsuya Miko sighed and gave her a gentle nudge. "Hana, maybe you should step outside for a bit?"
Yurikawa Hana immediately pouted. "Miko, are you abandoning me again?"
Yotsuya Miko: "....."
'Why did she make it sound like I was some kind of heartless playboy?'
Seeing that Hana still wasn't getting it, Yotsuya Miko's expression became serious.
"Hana, this is an internal familia matter, you"
"Then I'll just join you guys!"
Yotsuya Miko: ".....?"
.
.
.
Ghost Devil
"Yep! I'll just join you guys!"
Inside the old school building, Yurikawa Hana's voice echoed loudly.
Yotsuya Miko blinked.
Wait that actually makes sense?
But
Did Hana even have what it takes to be accepted as one of the Master's familia?
Yotsuya Miko looked up at Lynn.
Lynn smiled at her before saying, "Then let's do it together."
"You and Yuuko will both reincarnate as Devils and join my familia."
Yotsuya Miko let out a breath of relief.
"Yay!"
Yurikawa Hana cheered and hugged Miko tightly.
Miko sighed helplessly but couldn't help feeling happy.
Becoming one of the familia was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for ordinary people like them.
Knowing the truth of the world but having no power to act That would be a miserable existence.
Just like how she had been before.
Hana had already stepped into this world.
Becoming the Lynn's familia that was her fortune.
Meanwhile
A little distance away from the old school building, Yukinoshita Yukino finally let out a sigh of relief.
But her mind kept circling back to one word.
"Familia?"
Even though she had chosen not to stay and listen further Her sharp mind had already pieced together the bigger picture.
Maybe
The girls in the Supernatural Research Club were all Lynn's familia?
Maybe
They had supernatural abilities because they became Lynn's familia?
"Haaah"
She exhaled deeply and gave up thinking about it.
When she had faced that cursed spirit in the old school building, one thing had been made painfully clear to her.
She was just an ordinary person.
Against creatures like that, she could do nothing!
She had no desire to be caught up in supernatural affairs any longer.
"Y-Yukino"
Suddenly, Yuigahama Yui tugged at her sleeve, her voice trembling.
"L-Look!"
Yukino frowned and raised her head, only for her pupils to shrink in shock.
"Can you see? Can you see?"
Yukino's face stiffened.
On the streets of Shuchiin AcademyThere were spirits everywhere!
NoIt wasn't just Shuchiin!
She looked further beyond the school gates.
Even outsideThe entire city was swarming with spirits!!
"Y-Yukino"
Yuigahama Yui forced a smile, her lips trembling as she stammered, "A-Are those?"
"Don't say it!"
Yukino sharply cut her off.
Yui instantly fell silent.
"Just act like we can't see them" Yukino muttered under her breath.
On the surface, she looked composed.
But if one listened closely, they would hear the slight tremor in her voice.
"Can you see me?"
If these spirits realized they could be seenSomething terrifying would happen, wouldn't it?
Her lips turned pale.
Why
Why had the world become like this?
Was this the real truth of the world?
Suddenly, she recalled what Lynn had said back in the old school building.
"Once you see the real world, there's no turning back."
So this was what he meant by "no turning back"?
She clenched her fists tightly, her heart pounding rapidly.
What should she do? What could she do?
Just then, a cursed spirit appeared before themhooded, its face twisted in a hideous snarl, its breath carrying a rotten stink.
