Tokyo girls have a big problem

Chapter 227 Twelve Months of Eating Dirt

After taking a bath, Aoyama Ryo went to the kendo room.

The kendo room was spotless, and his heart followed suit, becoming cleansed as well. Love, studies, and the Jade Dragon Banner all vanished like smoke.

Aoyama Risa tossed the snacks in her hand; they were provided in the guest room.

Suddenly, he threw it with all his might.

The dessert shot straight up to the ceiling, but just before it touched it, it fell back down.

——link start!

Everything around slowed down.

I misspoke, it should be 'clock up', but that's okay, the password doesn't matter, as long as it works.

Aoyama tried to move his arm.

Even though he had given the order, his arm didn't respond, leading him to subconsciously suspect that he had lost control of his body.

——1, 2, 3
After three counts, the arm began to move.

To Aoyama Rin, it was somewhat unbelievable, as if the arm itself had a consciousness.

His gaze flickered back to his phone; the 3-second countdown was frozen, as if the start button hadn't been pressed at all.

Three seconds later.

"Snap!" The pastry landed in the palm that was already in place.

No accidents.

The position in the palm is as precise as the finish line of a race, ensuring that the contestant, Snack, will always fall into the palm of your hand.

--powerful!

"No, I feel a little dizzy," said Aoyama Risa as she slowly sat down.

During the time he sat down, his vision was black, and he experienced tinnitus.

About a second later, my vision returned and the tinnitus gradually faded away.

—I'm so tired. I haven't had dinner yet. I'll go grab something to eat before I practice.

As energy is depleted, willpower also decreases.

—Don't focus too much, what if Sister Meihua or Meiyue contact you?

They'll even make excuses for being lazy and not using the system.

—But this is something that does need to be considered.

Three minutes later, Aoyama Osamu regained her energy, her mind became positive again, and she was no longer too worried about the Ono sisters possibly encountering danger while shopping.

The explosion consumes all energy, requires three minutes to recover, and grants three seconds of bullet time.

Aoyama Osamu continued to try.

The explosion depletes two-thirds of your energy, but you only need one minute to recover, granting you two seconds of bullet time.

The most practical item is one-third of your stamina, which only takes ten seconds to recover, granting you one second of bullet time.

One second of bullet time is roughly equivalent to one minute of thinking time.

It is important to note again that the [Talent: Slow Motion] enhances neural abilities, specifically abilities in the "mental" domain, not those related to "time".

His own movements will also slow down, just with more time to think.

But it's strong enough already.

Especially in a sport like Kendo where victory is decided in a single strike, one's strength can increase dramatically.

Sword Demon? That would truly be a nightmare for their opponents!

—System, practice [Talent: Slow Motion]

A dark shadow appeared, then vanished in a flash.

Aoyama touched his neck. The feel told him that his head was still there, but the pain in his body told him that he had been killed once.

The shadowy figure reappeared.

—Explosive energy!
Aoyama Ryo saw the shadowy figure's movements clearly; there was nothing special about it, it was just walking step by step.

The shadowy figure could move, but Aoyama Riki couldn't even lift a finger.

We can only predict where the shadowy figure will strike!

The shadowy figure drew his sword as he took a step.

Where will it be cut?
While considering the landing point, Aoyama also had to control his body to land in the corresponding position and avoid the attack.

It's a bit like playing tennis, but the price of losing is 'getting slashed'.

"Here?" Aoyama Risa struggled to get into position.

No, it's too late!

—Explosive energy!
Aoyama Ryo once again unleashed a third of his energy, gaining another minute to observe, think, and fine-tune.

After finally readjusting his position to dodge, the shadowy figure raised his hand and changed angle once again.

The speed wasn't fast; it was about the same as an ordinary person picking up a pen from the table.

Aoyama Risa's speed is equivalent to an ordinary person sneaking up on a mosquito.

—So cunning!
This is equivalent to the shadowy figure unleashing three strikes in an instant: defending against the first strike, then the second, and within the second strike, a third.

Will the explosions continue?

No.

"Pfft!" Aoyama Risa's left arm went limp, hanging there like a rope.

It was as if it had truly been severed.

It takes time for energy to recover, but the system doesn't give him a chance. The second shadow disappeared, and the third shadow immediately appeared.

They rushed over at a speed barely visible to the naked eye.

Aoyama Ryou refrained from using his [Talent: Slow Motion].

He still has a third of his energy left, and even if he uses it, it won't stop the attack. On the contrary, once he uses it, he won't have any energy left, and his recovery speed will be greatly slowed down, and he will be stabbed even more.

"puff!"

"laugh!"

The sound of a knife cutting into a body was not a hallucination; it really reached my ears.

Even the sounds are so realistic, not to mention the pain; in terms of sensation, it's indistinguishable from reality.

Aoyama Rin had gotten used to it, but he had lost two-thirds of his energy and his ability to cope had decreased.

Fortunately, the system didn't actually cause him to have a mental breakdown; it just repeatedly pushed him underwater, waited for him to float to the surface, and then pushed him back in.

The frequency is a bit high, but once you get used to it, you can actually find the time to breathe.

My energy has finally returned.

"explode!"

Everything around me slowed down.

Despite his best efforts to observe, even after one second of real time and one minute of thought time, it was still too late.

He didn't explode a second time; he endured the blow.

In ten seconds, he was stabbed five times, but his energy was fully restored.

"Explosion!" Aoyama Riki immediately exclaimed.

The dark figure slowed down immediately, like a car traveling at 144 km/h suddenly hearing the navigation say, "School ahead, speed camera 30 km/h."

Aoyama Ryō is like a snail on the road in front of the school gate.

Will snails get crushed?
Aoyama Ryo spent two hours answering this question.

—After the Jade Dragon Flag competition ended, I will never participate in any sports again!

Compared to physical hardship, Aoyama Rika would rather endure mental hardship, such as studying for two consecutive hours.

—I've become weak again. I must overcome this habit of wanting to slack off when I'm not energetic.

After two hours of training, the duration of the [Talent: Slow Motion] skill did not increase; it remained at 3 seconds. However, it was already proficient in applying it in actual combat.

Whether it's the timing of use, the method of use, or the tolerance for a significant decrease in energy in a short period of time after use, all are significantly improved!
—What is Ai doing? I can entertain myself in the kendo room, but what about her? She was 'summoned' to Fukuoka by herself, but she can only stay in the hotel all day.

Aoyama couldn't figure out if his last thought was a sign of weakness.

Once he regained his energy, he stood up.

My phone is full of messages.

There was a travelogue by Shiki Kobayashi, a celebration banquet by Jun Aizawa, and congratulations from Sawa Amakusa.

The main news is about the Ono sisters.

It's both a sharing and a report that we're safe.

The last message was that they were preparing to queue for food, which would take about three hours, and they probably wouldn't be able to eat until eight o'clock.

Three hours?

—Luckily I didn't go.

Even if it were dragon liver and phoenix gall, Aoyama Risa wouldn't queue for three hours. He sincerely thanked the Sunny Day Band.

—After the start of the school year, let's guide them using the system.

What would it be like to mentor a band? Would it hurt?

After replying to each message, Aoyama Riya prepared to go have dinner.

[Aoyama Ryou: Lunch?]

[See Shang Ai: Come pick me up.]

[Aoyama Rika: Yes, Miss.]

The same question remains: to go for it or not?

Let's make a move, whether it's to meet with Ai or have a meal. If we don't, Aoyama will keep bothering us.

Five minutes later, Aoyama Risa walked out of the room.

Don't envy him for being able to shower so quickly. Anyone can become skilled with practice and reduce shower time.

Jian Shang Ai lives downstairs. The suite is smaller than the three of them (Qingshan Xiaoye, Aoyama, and Ai), but it is more luxurious.

As Aoyama walked toward her room, he suddenly turned his head slightly and gazed into the distance.

It was the room where I met Shang Ai. A waitress pushed a food cart out and respectfully closed the door.

How could it be called dinner when Shang Ai promised to have dinner with me?
Assassination?

As a phenomenal bestselling detective novelist, Aoyama Osamu suddenly had many thoughts.

He walked over slowly.

--explode

A third of my energy vanished instantly.

Aoyama carefully examined the waitress in front of him.

She was dressed more like a jewelry saleswoman. While there are certain requirements for female sales staff, her figure and features were too good for a sales job. Her hairstyle was exquisite, clearly from a professional stylist.

Even people who hate makeup would think that this kind of makeup is actually quite good, unlike many makeup looks that are more like disguises nowadays.

She wore an expensive silk scarf around her neck;

The suit jacket is fitted at the waist, the visible part of the white shirt is without a single wrinkle, and the pencil skirt accentuates the curves;
The stockings are lighter than those worn by Yaeko Miyase, probably around 15D or 10D.

—Perhaps I'm being too cautious, but no matter what, I can't let her just leave like this.

As Aoyama Ryo walked over, he sent a message to Mikami Ai.

[Aoyama Rika: I'm at the door.]

"Hello," said Aoyama Ryo.

"Hello!" the waitress smiled, revealing her neat, white teeth.

"Is this for the guests in this room?" Aoyama Risa asked, pointing to Mikami Ai's room.

"Yes," the waitress nodded.

She didn't say much. Was it to protect the guest's privacy, or to avoid saying too much and making a mistake?
"She asked for dinner herself?" Aoyama confirmed.

The waitress seemed conflicted.

Aoyama wouldn't make things difficult for others, but he wouldn't step aside until he saw Ai reply to his message.

“Mr. Aoyama.” The waitress seemed to recognize him. “You are a distinguished guest of our hotel, but the guest staying in this room is equally distinguished. Everything in the room was brand new for this guest, and I really cannot disclose any information about her.”

“Excuse me, she’s my friend, and we were supposed to have dinner together, but she’s ordered delivery service. I’m curious about that.” Aoyama Risa still didn’t move aside.

"You can ask her yourself later." The waitress still didn't reveal anything, only giving a 'congratulatory' ambiguous expression.

"I'll ask her."

The waitress looked at Aoyama Ryo and, seeing that he still wouldn't move aside, suddenly understood.

“If you need anything—anything at all—please contact me.” She handed over her business card.

Her private phone number is on it.

"Hmm." Aoyama Ryo took the business card, not paying much attention to it.

What assassin would write their real information on a fake business card?
[See Shangai: Here I am.]

She had just finished reading the message and walked out of the room as soon as she saw Shang Ai. She never kept anyone waiting, unlike those who said they would be right there but took more than ten minutes to arrive.

"What are you doing?" Ai asked, looking at the scene before her.

Aoyama Ryo stopped the beautiful female managing director, holding her personal business card in his hand, and casually looked her over, especially her chest, waist, and inner thighs.

"Didn't we agree to have dinner together? Why did you order food delivery?" Aoyama asked.

"It was shouted before you asked."

"After I asked, you withdrew?" he asked again.

Aoyama Rika just wanted to confirm Ai's safety, but for some reason, Ai's eyes darted away.

"Yes, that's right," she replied, clearing her throat.

Although he found it a little strange, Aoyama Ryo let the waiter go.

"What are you doing?" Seeing that Shang Ai frowned and was a little angry, Aoyama Ryo was still staring at the other person's waist and hips.

“I suspect she’s hiding a gun or a syringe or something similar,” Aoyama said.

At first, she was puzzled when she saw Shang Ai, but then she suddenly understood.

She laughed and said, "Are you worried about me?"

Aoyama Risa realized what was happening.

"Isn't this what a bodyguard is supposed to do?" Aoyama flicked the postcard in his hand and said as nonchalantly as possible.

"Would a competent bodyguard invite me out to dinner?"

"The person who invited you out to dinner is a friend."

Seeing that Shang Ai no longer said anything, she just looked at him and smiled.

Feeling embarrassed and annoyed by her gaze, Aoyama Rin didn't even know what she was going to say before blurting out, "You've already ordered food delivery, so why did you accept my invitation?"

He was looking at her too!
Finally, the two looked away from each other.

“It’s me,” Aoyama Risa said. “I was worried that you were feeling cooped up in your room, so I asked you to come out and change your mood.”

“That’s what I thought too, which is why I canceled the delivery service,” said Ai Kanami.

They stopped talking and silently walked into the elevator.

The elevator descended and, upon reaching the restaurant floor, the doors slowly opened.

"How about we go out to eat?" Aoyama suddenly suggested.

"What to eat?" See above for iAsk.

"Anything that doesn't require queuing is fine."

She smiled when she saw him.

"Shall we go?" Aoyama asked.

"it is good."

Aoyama Risa pressed the '|' key again.

The elevator doors close.

“Oh, right,” he turned to look at Jian Shang’ai, “you’re treating.”

“AA,” said Ai.

"No, no, you're treating. I'm your bodyguard."

"I won't accept the bodyguard's invitation; I only eat with friends."

After a moment's thought, Aoyama Ryo said, "Would you like to watch a movie?"

"AA?"

"Okay, we won't eat dinner, just watch a movie and have some popcorn. You don't have to eat if you don't want to."

Seeing that Shang Ai looked at him, she asked, "Do you really consider yourself a gentleman?"

“Everyone has a different definition of a gentleman,” Aoyama replied, using the elevator door as a mirror while adjusting his slightly damp bangs.

How do you define it?

"Frugality, independence, composure in the face of success and failure, and perseverance in adversity!" Aoyama Ryo straightened his shirt collar.

“I’ll treat you to a meal,” said Jian Shang Ai.

"Really?" Aoyama Risa asked immediately.

"Frugality seems to apply only to oneself?" Ai said with a smile. "People generally have another way of saying this kind of frugality: stinginess."

"It's not very ladylike of you to be so sarcastic!"

"Everyone has a different definition of a lady."

"Then, Miss Aoi, what is your definition of a lady?" Aoyama asked.

Seeing that Shang Ai slightly raised her chin, she said, "I am a lady."

Aoyama Ryo nodded thoughtfully, "I see, I've learned something."

Seeing that Ai smiled at him, she said, "As tuition, you're treating me."

"Ugh."

There's a movie theater near the hotel.

“It seems like this is the most popular one lately,” said Osamu Aoyama, pointing to Kingdom 2.

As she curiously looked around, Ai looked over and glanced at it, saying, "I want to see this."

She pointed to "The Twelve Months of Eating Dirt," which seemed to be about food.

“I want to watch this.” Aoyama Osamu pointed to “New Ultraman” again. “What should we do? The employer and the bodyguard can’t be separated. Otherwise, you can watch that one, and I’ll watch this one.”

Seeing that Ai was puzzled, she asked, "Generally speaking, do people who come to the movies together watch different movies separately?"

“That’s how it is in our industry,” Aoyama Osamu replied. “By ‘our industry,’ I mean…”

"I'll listen to you when I have time. Let's buy tickets first," Jian Shang interrupted.

It's clear that Ai Mikami has absolutely no interest in Aoyama Osamu's industry, just like she has no interest in Ultraman.

Aoyama bought two tickets to the movie "Twelve Months of Dirt", only one serving of popcorn, and two cups of cola.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Jian Ai asked, puzzled.

"I don't like it." Aoyama Ryo planned to go back and call for food delivery.

The two walked side by side in the movie theater. When they saw Ai holding popcorn, Aoyama Risa followed beside her, his body slightly protecting her.

This scene is straight out of a movie.

In the movie, when the female lead is eating taro, she sees Shang Ai starting to eat popcorn.

She took a bite, and Aoyama Riki glanced at her.

The caramel-colored popcorn looks delicious.

Seeing that her beloved was handing him popcorn, she didn't take her eyes off the screen.

After straightening his posture, Aoyama Ryo reached out and grabbed a kernel of popcorn.

Next, he watched Jian Shang'ai very carefully, and as soon as she took her hand out of the popcorn bucket, he immediately reached out and took a kernel.

“Lots of natural scenery, quite nice.” Seeing that Ai turned slightly closer to him.

"Hmm." Aoyama Ryo glanced at the popcorn bucket.

Her hand remained in the popcorn bucket, never taking it out, seemingly lost in the moment.

Only after the natural scenery had faded did I finally pick up a kernel of popcorn.

Aoyama Risa quickly raised his hand.

Seeing that Shang Ai seemed tired of eating, he put the popcorn on the armrest next to her and picked up his cola to drink.

Aoyama Riki raised his hand in the air, rubbing his fingers together as if he were telling fortunes.

"Cough cough~" Jian Shang Ai suddenly choked.

Aoyama looked at her.

Seeing that Shang Ai turned her back very ladylike, there was no one on her side. With Ultraman's schedule, who would come to watch "Twelve Months of Eating Dirt"?

"Are you alright?" Aoyama asked.

Her shoulders were trembling slightly, as if it were quite serious.

Seeing that Shang Ai didn't turn around, she simply handed him the popcorn bucket.

"Are you laughing?" Aoyama Risa asked tentatively.

He saw that Shang Ai still had her back to him, but she nodded three times.

(End of this chapter)