Japanese Terrorist: What? I'll fight Hellstar!

Amamiya Rin, of course, had no idea of ​​the lingering unease in Fujino Terumi's heart.

After all, even Terumi Fujino herself couldn't figure out whether it was anxiety caused by pressure or something else.

Amamiya Rin was too busy—how long had it been since he had studied at Onikiri Temple? He couldn't remember, but it couldn't have been more than half a month.

In just about ten days, they encountered a series of events involving vampires, the Grudge, the Apologetic Demon, the Slit-Mouthed Woman, and other living beings.

The only thing that can truly be considered resolved seems to be the vampire case involving Miyuki Kawahara.

The rest are either unresolved hidden dangers or troubles that are still brewing.

Faced with such immense pressure, how could Amamiya Rin have the leisure to chat with Fujino Terumi and understand her feelings?

"hiss……"

Another wave of sharp, spasmodic pain shot through my stomach.

Thinking of the mountain of troubles and the many unknown threats lurking in the shadows, the heavy pressure almost materialized, squeezing Amamiya Rin's stomach.

In a fleeting moment, a highly tempting idea flashed through my mind.

Abandon everything in the real world and completely escape into the dream world to live.

But the thought only flashed for a moment before being extinguished by stronger reason.

He simply took a deep breath, as if to displace all the pent-up emotions in his chest, and then slowly exhaled, dispelling the weak thought from his mind.

Then, he picked up his phone, found Yuka Mamiya's number, and dialed it.

"Amamiya-kun?"

The phone was answered almost before the first ring had even finished, and Mamiya Yuka's clear and energetic voice immediately came through the receiver.

The background noise was somewhat chaotic, with the faint sounds of cars passing by and indistinct human voices, suggesting that she was on the street or in some noisy place.

"You finally called back."

She spoke quickly, with a hint of complaint, but more of a sense of relief.

"I've called you several times these past two days. I thought you'd gotten involved in some serious incident again."

"I just woke up. I sleep for a long time, as you should know."

Amamiya Rin was concise and to the point, cutting straight to the chase without any pleasantries.

"What's up?"

"Something's wrong! Have you heard anything new about the aftermath of that melting incident? Feng Hai is being very tight-lipped. I've tried to get information out of them several times, but I can't get a single thing out of them. Interviews with eyewitnesses are also restricted. It's driving me crazy!"

"It's so urgent," said Yuka Mamiya.

"I don't know. I haven't been involved in that matter since I left the hospital. It's better to leave that level of incident entirely to the police."

Amamiya Rin's answer was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

But in reality, he did have some contact with them.

Through [Tomie Network], he was able to confirm Tomie Azawa's situation.

A few days ago, Tomie Azawa and Yuuma Azawa were arrested by the police for the hospital dissolution incident and are still being held in a secret prison.

There is just one rather subtle point.

In the past few days, Aze Tomie's appearance has been slowly and irreversibly transforming into the standard template of Tomie.

The process was not instantaneous; her physique in her childhood could still be distinguished from that of Tomie in her adulthood.

However, if the police conduct a thorough investigation and compare the data in the database, they will soon discover the striking similarities between Tomie Azawa and the individuals recorded as Tomie.

What will happen then? Amamiya Rin could not predict accurately.

However, judging from the Japanese government's extreme aversion to Tomie's existence and its consistent handling style, the most likely scenario is that they will simply drive her away, just like Kayako did to Tomie, treating her as a dirty thing like a cockroach.

"I see. I thought you had more in-depth information here."

Yuka Mamiya's voice noticeably lowered, filled with deep disappointment.

"You'd better try not to get involved in this kind of thing."

Amamiya Rin sighed softly. He knew that Mamiya Yuka's curiosity and drive were as strong as wildfire, and that his simple persuasion would have little effect. But he still had to say what needed to be said.

"...Besides this, is there anything else?"

Yes, yes!

Mamiya Yuka's tone rose again, full of energy.

"Actually, there's another thing, a very strange thing: our newspaper's editor-in-chief, Sayama, has suddenly disappeared!"

"Missing? Shouldn't we call the police?"

Amamiya Rin raised an eyebrow and spoke frankly.

"There's no way to call the police. Editor-in-Chief Sayama is a healthy adult. The police won't classify him as missing just because he's been out of contact for more than ten hours."

Yuka Mamiya explained.

"So how did you come to the conclusion that he's missing? Perhaps he just temporarily turned off his communication devices, wanting to find a quiet place to be alone, and doesn't want to contact the outside world for the time being. It's not uncommon for modern people to temporarily go out of contact due to excessive stress."

Amamiya Rin raised reasonable questions.

"Impossible! This month's special edition is about to go to print, and Editor-in-Chief Sayama is the main person in charge. He was still working overtime in the editorial department until late the night before last. He's known for his serious and responsible work ethic, and I haven't heard of any emergencies happening at home or personally. To suddenly disappear at this crucial moment and abandon all his work? That's completely out of character for him!"

Yuka Mamiya immediately retorted.

"Okay, even if the situation is suspicious, it's still within the scope of the police's work. Telling me won't help much."

Amamiya Rin continued along her logic.

"Of course it's not that simple, you know? The magazine I work for specializes in reporting on urban legends and paranormal phenomena. I've secretly looked at it. All the materials that Editor-in-Chief Sayama prepared for the feature are real cases involving paranormal events, and most of them are cases of disappearances. I suspect that Editor-in-Chief Sayama accidentally came into contact with paranormal events and disappeared, or rather, vanished into thin air."

In folk legends, the term "divine disappearance" refers to a person being quietly taken away by gods, demons, or spirits and vanishing from the world.

Yuka Mamiya clearly believes that the disappearance of Editor-in-Chief Sayama is not an ordinary incident, but is closely related to paranormal phenomena.

"So, Amamiya-kun, would you like to come and investigate together? I think there's definitely something seriously wrong here, with your abilities and my wisdom—"

"I'm not going!"

Amamiya Rin interrupted her, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear and decisive, leaving no room for maneuver.

He walked to the window and drew back the curtains.

The morning sunlight streamed in, and countless tiny dust particles danced in chaotic patterns under the light.

Amamiya Rin narrowed his eyes and let out a long breath while looking out the window.

Honestly, regarding Yuka Mamiya's speculation, Rin Amamiya felt that even if it were true, it wouldn't be surprising.

Or rather, it's fucking normal!

In today's world, this kind of thing is sadly normal.

Folklorists, archaeologists, mystics, and paranormal journalists all belong to high-risk professions with a mortality rate as high as 99.9%. The editor-in-chief mentioned by Yuka Mamiya can be classified as a paranormal journalist.

Such people, who are exposed to irrational events for a long time and delve into bizarre tales that ordinary people avoid, will eventually be cursed and suffer the consequences.

Such an ending seems almost inevitable.

"By the way, Mamiya, what's your newspaper's mortality rate, or rather, missing persons rate?"

Amamiya Rin couldn't help but ask.

"Huh?"

Yuka Mamiya was stunned.

Amamiya Rin's question seemed absurd to her. A newspaper wasn't a police station or a school, so how could it have a mortality rate and a missing person rate?

If Amamiya Rin could hear Mamiya Yuuka's thoughts, he would definitely retort that even the death and missing person rates of police stations and schools could not compare to their profession.

This worldview is just that absurd.

However, Rin Amamiya understood Yuka Mamiya's surprise.

I also know that she can't understand why I would ask such a seemingly abrupt question.

He didn't dwell on the topic, but instead changed the subject.

Amamiya Rin rubbed her temples and firmly stated, "I have urgent business to attend to recently and I can't get away."

"Urgent? Huh? Have you encountered some kind of paranormal event? Do you need my help?"

Yuka Mamiya's attention was quickly diverted, and she hurriedly pressed for more information.

"Have you ever heard of the Slit-Mouthed Woman?"

After thinking for a moment, Amamiya Rin did not hide anything and revealed to Mamiya Yuka the strange tale he was investigating.

"The Slit-Mouthed Woman? You definitely won't get an answer if you ask others, but I know the answer."

Yuka Mamiya pondered for a moment, then spoke with great interest.

"That urban legend that was all the rage a decade or so ago, right? The one where someone would cover their face with a scarf and ask people if they were pretty, and if they answered badly, they'd be attacked with scissors… But didn't they later say it was just a prank, and the person who caused it was dealt with by the police? Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Soon, her tone shifted from reminiscence to inquiry.

Seemingly realizing that Amamiya Rin must have been involved in the incident, she suddenly asked the question.

Amamiya Rin calmly said, "I encountered it last night, near Shimokitazawa."

"...Huh?!"

Yuka Mamiya gasped, her voice trembling with excitement. "Really? You encountered her? A living Kuchisake-onna? No! The legendary Kuchisake-onna? She really exists? So, the police report from back then was fake?"

"I used that legendary method, the hair wax spell, and recited it three times. She left."

Amamiya Rin omitted the bloody struggle in between, only stating the result.

"But I'm not sure if the spell really worked, and I'm even less certain if she really is the Slit-Mouthed Woman. Although it's similar to the rumors, there are many differences. I need more detailed information about her back then. Do you have any way to get it?"

Without hesitation, Yuka Mamiya immediately gave an affirmative answer, her voice full of enthusiasm: "I understand. I'll go back to the publishing house to check the records later. Our magazine definitely has relevant reports and data compilations from back then. Wait for my message, I'll send them to you as soon as I've compiled them."

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

"That's what Amamiya Rin said."

"Not troublesome at all! On the contrary, being able to come across clues to two suspected major paranormal events at the same time is simply..."

As Mamiya Yuka spoke, her tone suddenly became somewhat complicated, a mixture of excitement and distress.

"...A happy problem! How awful!"

She wished she could split herself in two, leaving one half at the newspaper office to work with her seniors to investigate the possible supernatural truth behind the editor-in-chief's disappearance.

The other half immediately rushed to Amamiya Rin's side to personally participate in the tracking and investigation of the resurrected Slit-Mouthed Woman.

Unfortunately, she didn't have the ability to be in two places at once.

Even with the ability to create clones, Amamiya Rin refused to add any more pressure to herself at this time.

After hanging up the phone, Yu Gonglin felt the cramping in his stomach become more pronounced, and he couldn't help but press his palm down hard.

"This is what happens when you meddle in other people's business."

The vampire Tomie curled her lip upon seeing this.

"Don't make it sound so easy. If you don't want to live in a fantasy world forever, escaping everything, you will eventually encounter a great terror that you must face. The only difference is when and how."

Amamiya Rin said rationally.

The vampire Tomie shrugged, climbed off the bed, and got dressed.

"I'm going back now; some equipment still needs to be assembled."

Gunfire Tomie didn't continue arguing with Meat-Changing Tomie. After getting dressed, she glanced coldly at everyone in the room, left those words, and went alone.

"Lin, are you really not going to exercise together?"

After the arms dealer Tomie left, the meat-modified Tomie also planned to leave, but before leaving, she asked Amamiya Rin expectantly.

Amamiya Rin naturally refused.

Her gaze shifted to the vampire Tomie.

"And you? What are your plans?"

The vampire Tomie stretched, her fair skin seemingly glowing in the morning light.

"I should go back now."

She twirled her hair with her fingers, a sly glint in her light golden eyes.

"I still have my ranch to manage back in the town."

She licked the corner of her mouth.

"While you're at it, check if there are any dishonest counterfeiters that need to be dealt with."

Amamiya Rin understood the unspoken meaning in her words.

"Be mindful of boundaries."

He gave a word of advice.

If the vampire Tomie were to find any excuse to eat the other Tomies, it would be a complete mess.

To face an even more powerful enemy, what he needs most now is for Tomie and her allies to unite.

Of course, the same applies to competition, but competition should not be turned into a bloodbath.

"Okay~"

The vampire Tomie drew out her words, leaned down and quickly pecked Amamiya Rin's cheek, leaving a slightly cool touch.

"I'm leaving now. Contact me if you need anything."

In the blink of an eye, only Amamiya Rin remained in the room.

He quickly washed up, changed into some casual clothes that were easy to move in, grabbed his phone and wallet, and went out.

There was a fairly large internet cafe near the apartment. Amamiya Rin asked for a private room, turned on the computer, and directly entered the website address sent by Professor Matsuura.

The page loads, and the design style is surprisingly simple, even rudimentary.

A pure white background, standard black font, without any pictures, logos, or decorative elements.

At the top is the words "Youji Psychological Counseling Center". Below, the services are listed in dots: stress relief, fear overcoming, habit correction, memory adjustment, potential development... The wording is very ordinary, even somewhat general.

However, combined with Professor Matsuura's vague yet weighty description, these ordinary words now seem to carry an indescribable subtlety.

The contact information below is limited to one email address.

After thinking for a moment, Amamiya Rin made up an excuse and made an appointment.

Sending, waiting time for reply is unknown.