Under Mizuhashi Yuzuki’s lead, the group arrived at a corner of a small alley. Ahead, a wire mesh fence had been set up, blocking the path but allowing them to see the scene on the other side.
The members of the Urban Legend Club poked their heads out to look past the wire mesh, and immediately understood the situation.
“What’s going on? Tell me, I’m curious!” Izumi Shirayuki sent in the chat room, along with an anxious emoji.
“It’s yankees fighting. Probably two groups of yankees, but…” Inoue Keiko’s message trailed off, her expression turning odd.
“But what? Tell me!” Shirayuki was extremely curious.
“But their fight is a bit strange. It’s not what I imagined a yankee brawl would be like. Both sides are holding water guns, shooting at each other while saying vicious things,” Keiko replied.
Izumi Shirayuki: “…”
What kind of scene was that? Just imagining it hurt her eyes.
Tsukiyomi Ruri was speechless as she watched the scene ahead. Both groups of yankees were talking tough, one more ruthless than the other, as if they were ready to kill each other. Yet with no obstacles between them, they didn’t charge forward to fight hand-to-hand. They just stood at a distance, shooting water guns at each other.
Were yankee “brawls” this gentle these days?
“Asou, you were the ones who crossed the line first, and now you don’t want to admit it?” A burly man questioned angrily.
“Is ‘Asou’ something you can call me? Call me Ane-go.” The Ane-go snorted coldly. “And you were the ones who started it. Every night, my little brothers and sisters feel a chill on their necks. Sure enough, it’s you shooting us with water guns.”
“Nonsense! Clearly you’re the ones shooting at my underlings with water guns, making them think there’s a ghost,” the burly man retorted.
One of the Ane-go’s female lackeys tugged at her and whispered, “Ane-go, it shouldn’t be water guns, right? We never felt any wetness on the back of our necks.”
The Ane-go waved her hand. “It must be some similar trick, anyway. It’s definitely these bastards’ doing. So, don’t hold back—shoot them dead!”
“Yes, Ane-go!”
A group of yankees shouted, raising their water guns and firing arcs of water.
The opposing yankees immediately roared and retaliated.
After hearing that brief exchange, the Urban Legend Club members looked at each other.
Had their investigation’s truth come to light?
‘What a great opportunity! I can’t let them keep investigating this. If they actually find out about Leona later, it’ll be troublesome. Now I can use this excuse to make them think the truth has been revealed.’
Tsukiyomi Ruri thought to herself.
With that in mind, Ruri sent a message in the chat room, bringing up the yankees’ conversation.
“Senpai, look. This seems like the truth behind the Ghost Legend,” Ruri said.
“So that’s it? I have to say, this is a bit of a surprise. I thought there’d be a more mysterious reason. It was just a prank with water guns?” Izumi Shirayuki didn’t seem satisfied with this answer.
“Should we continue investigating?” Mizuhashi Yuzuki asked. She also felt the matter had been resolved too simply, and hadn’t had a chance to use her energy.
“No need. The truth is out. Any more investigation would be a waste of time. Let’s go home.” Ruri said indifferently, then turned and left.
Seeing this, Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko could only follow.
As they left, from the alley behind them, vicious shouts still rang out. Anyone hearing only the voices would think the two groups of yankees were engaged in an extremely bloody fight.
…
Back home, Tsukiyomi Ruri looked at her smartphone.
The Urban Legend Club members were still discussing what urban legend to investigate next. Izumi Shirayuki had recorded a lot of information on urban legends, and they could pick one from the list.
“Senpai, I think we should wait until you’re back to investigate urban legends together. Otherwise, it just feels like something’s missing.” Ruri sent her message.
This sentiment was seconded by both Mizuhashi Yuzuki and Inoue Keiko.
However, upon seeing that message, Izumi Shirayuki’s feelings were complicated. She did want to return to school and investigate urban legends with everyone, but she couldn’t.
She didn’t know how long this would last, or if it would last… forever?
Izumi Shirayuki could only pretend to be cheerful as she chatted with them.
After reading Shirayuki’s messages, Ruri put down her smartphone and started preparing dinner.
The sky hadn’t gone completely dark yet, but it was already dusk. The yellowish light unique to this time of day streamed into the room.
Leona floated over to the living room window, drew the curtains to block the twilight, then turned on the light and the TV.
“Ruri, once you’re done eating, let’s get on the game.” Leona said to Ruri.
“Mm.” Ruri nodded.
Her meal was simple, just a bento. Thanks to Yamaguchi Saki paying her a fee for the commercial shoot, the bento she picked today was just slightly more expensive than usual.
She took the bento to the living room, sat down, and ate while watching TV.
“There’s nothing good on at this hour. Everywhere it’s just news. There are gas leaks happening all over the country so often. Is this ‘gas’ thing in your world really that unsafe?” Leona muttered, then casually asked Ruri.
Tsukiyomi Ruri: “…”
“Oh, here’s a news report about a bank robbery. The suspect was cornered by the police on a cliff, but then mysteriously vanished. Could he have gone invisible or something?” Leona asked, surprised.
Tsukiyomi Ruri: “…”
Why did everything Leona mentioned from the news give her such a strong sense of déjà vu?
She remembered that long ago, when she had just become a Reincarnator, she often saw Reincarnators causing trouble because they had gained extraordinary power and become arrogant. Bank robberies were common. But those people never met a good end.
This situation now was probably the work of Reincarnators as well. But the number of Reincarnators seemed to be increasing. Would it become harder to deal with them?
‘Although the reckless Reincarnators have multiplied as the base number has grown, there’s also an official organization managing them, right? The Reincarnator Forum seems to be such an organization.’
Ruri briefly thought about these matters.
But such things were none of her business anyway.
“The next piece of news is about idol Yamaguchi Saki. Just today, Yamaguchi Saki revealed something shocking through the internet,” the news anchor said.
