"Anon, I'm sorry..."
Tomori apologized in a low voice.
"Huh? What is it?"
Anon looked over in surprise:
"Why did Tomori suddenly apologize?"
Tomori didn't hold back; she chose to lay it all out:
"I had a dream last night..."
"I see. So, Tomori wants to gather everyone and perform together, just like in the dream." Anon listened intently to Tomori's story with her chin resting on her right hand. Far from feeling left out, her voice remained bright and cheerful. "There's no need to apologize. I was the lead actress in that short film, after all—you guys worked so hard to play the music, yet didn't even get a shot where your faces were visible. So, you really don't need to feel guilty; Kitahara-kun and I are happy just sitting in the audience and watching you perform."
At this point, Anon raised a hand to cover her mouth and whispered conspiratorially:
"And since you'll be busy performing, I can have Kitahara-kun all to myself."
Kitahara looked over, speechless: "I heard that, you know."
Whispering is one thing, but her voice was way too loud!
And with her measly stamina, thinking she could have him all to herself? She'd probably break down before half the day was even over!
Tomori tilted her face up slightly; seeing that Anon was being sincere, she let out a quiet sigh of relief:
"Thank you, Anon."
"Tomori-chan, you shouldn't always shoulder all the blame yourself; it's exhausting," Anon said, waving her hand dismissively. "There's only half a month left until the school festival. The performance schedule must be set by now—is it still possible to add something extra?"
"No need to worry about that," Kitahara interjected softly. "I've got the 'Influence Fruit' on my side."
"Oh, I forgot."
Anon lightly tapped her forehead and smiled at him:
"That's right—Kitahara-kun saved Matsusaka-senpai and Reiko-san from the student council... With a debt of gratitude that huge, they'd probably agree to whatever he asked, even if the request was totally unreasonable, right?"
"Don't say things like that, Anon." Kitahara looked the picture of righteousness. "My relationship with Matsusaka-senpai and Reiko-san is completely innocent; I have a clear conscience."
"Sorry, but I can't trust a word Kitahara-kun says anymore."
"..."
After chatting for a while, Kita slipped over to join them. The four of them played board games together in the activity room for a while; realizing it was getting late, they each headed to their respective classrooms.
Upon reaching the classroom entrance, Kitahara instinctively activated his "HP Warrior" ability.
Having spent the last three days hunting down "Impostors," the "HP Warrior" ability was the one he used most frequently—so much so that he now automatically triggered it whenever entering an enclosed space.
"Good morning, Kitahara-san."
"Hey Kitahara, want to play basketball after school?"
"Kitahara-kun, did you watch that new anime episode yesterday?"
"..."
As he walked into the classroom, curious classmates quickly greeted him.
Kitahara smiled and responded to each of them. His gaze swept across the room, taking in the pitifully short HP bars; a mere ten points of health was the standard for an ordinary human.
"Sakiko's HP bar is a bit longer..."
His eyes landed on the blue-haired girl in the back row; she had a full fifteen points of health, indicating that her physical constitution far exceeded that of an average person.
The reason was simple.
Beyond its beautifying effects, the Fruit of Eden also promoted biological evolution.
"Huh?"
Kitahara was about to deactivate "HP Warrior" when his expression suddenly turned serious as his gaze swept past the classroom's back door.
"An HP bar showing over a hundred points?"
He glanced at the others, but their HP bars all appeared normal.
"Since there's nothing wrong with the ability..."
"Then what's the deal with that health count of over a hundred?"
Kitahara narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the girl walking in through the back door.
Shimizu Rin.
She was a transfer student who had arrived a while back—quiet, withdrawn, and a loner. She always wore an eyepatch over her right eye, had no friends in the class, and possessed virtually no presence; she was the definition of invisible.
Yet, at this very moment, the HP count hovering above Shimizu Rin's head was well over a hundred—far exceeding the limits of a human being.
"Could she be an Impostor?"
The thought instinctively crossed Kitahara's mind. "That's not right."
"The Book of Answers made it very clear yesterday: aside from Aoi, all the 'imposter' parasites had been eliminated..."
"So, is it an anomaly?"
"...Probably not."
During the recent purge of Tokyo, Kitahara had encountered a host of bizarre anomalies and monsters alongside the imposters.
These anomalies possessed varying abilities and vitality levels, but they all shared one trait: an inherent malice toward humanity.
Yet, at this very moment, Kitahara could clearly sense that there was absolutely no malice in Shimizu Rin. Even her other emotions were faint—she seemed just like a doll come to life.
By comparison, even Mutsumi's emotions were far more intense than hers.
Stare.
Shimizu Rin lifted her gaze, her expression blank; she had clearly noticed Kitahara watching her.
After a brief moment of eye contact, Kitahara gave a polite, slight nod:
"Good morning, Shimizu-san."
Shimizu Rin remained silent for two seconds before replying in a low, expressionless voice:
"...Good morning."
"Huh?"
Sakiko, seated at her desk, looked up in surprise, casting a curious glance his way.
Kitahara got along well with the boys at school but deliberately kept his distance from the girls; he had never once initiated a greeting with a female classmate before.
What was going on today?
Why greet a girl he had never spoken to?
Kitahara sat down at his desk and discreetly took out his phone to send Sakiko a message:
"Sakiko, come outside with me for a moment."
Seeing the notification pop up, Sakiko looked up in surprise at the back of Kitahara, who was sitting in the seat in front of her. She sensed, however vaguely, that something was up.
Something was off.
Very off.
If he had something to say, he could easily communicate via text or pass a note; why go out of his way to step outside?
Could it have something to do with Shimizu-san?
"Probably not..."
Sakiko shook her head, putting the thought aside.
"I'll just ask Kitahara-kun later."
Sakiko pursed her soft, lips and replied:
"Okay."
"..."
Kitahara packed up his schoolbag and stood up, walking toward the door. Sakiko hesitated for a moment; only after watching Kitahara exit the classroom through the back door did she quietly rise and follow him.
"Kitahara-kun, what is it?"
The two of them walked one after the other to a secluded corner, where Sakiko asked curiously.
"There's something off about Shimizu-san."
As he spoke, Kitahara took out his phone and sent messages to Tomori, Anon, Kita, Hitori, and the others.
Someone possessing over a hundred HP was undoubtedly no ordinary person; even among the special recruits of the Bureau, she would rank at the very top.
Why would a girl with such extraordinary traits suddenly transfer here?
Was it a coincidence, or was there an ulterior motive?
"So, it really does have to do with Shimizu-san?" Sakiko blinked, surprised that her hunch had been correct. "What's wrong with her?"
"Let's wait until everyone gets here."
Kitahara put his phone away without immediately revealing what he had discovered.
For one thing, waiting for everyone to gather meant he could explain it all at once, saving the trouble of repeating himself.
For another... that girl with the eyepatch might possess some special eavesdropping ability; if she found out her identity had been exposed, it could lead to unnecessary complications.
The girls were all in the same hallway, just in different classrooms; upon receiving Kitahara's message, they quickly stepped out and gathered at the meeting spot.
Kita's twin-tails swayed gently, her red hair dazzling in the sunlight as she spoke in a clear, bright voice:
"What's up, Kitahara-kun?"
Tomori spoke calmly: "Class is about to start. If Makoto-kun called us out so suddenly, it must be something really important."
Anon placed her left hand on her hip: "Kitahara-kun looks so serious... Don't tell me you found another 'Imposter'?"
Hitori: "Aba-aba-aba..."
Snap.
Kitahara lightly snapped his fingers, activating a silence field.
"He even activated a field?" Kita's eyes widened in surprise. "It must be something huge, then."
"I called you all here because there is something I'd like to ask for your help with..."
Kitahara didn't hold back; he quickly explained the anomalies he had noticed regarding Shimizu-san. "Huh? She actually has over a hundred HP?"
"Is Shimizu-san even human?"
"She transferred here so suddenly—could she have some ulterior motive?"
"..."
The girls chattered away, each voicing their own opinions.
Of course, idle speculation was pointless, so Kitahara simply took out the Book of Answers:
"I'll save one question for emergencies; that gives us four chances in total. We need to use them to uncover the secret behind Shimizu-san."
As the saying goes, one cannot sleep soundly while another snores right beside one's bed; whether it was a coincidence or a scheme with hidden intent, he had to get to the bottom of it to put his mind at ease.
Sakiko took the book with a serious expression:
"We only have four questions, so we need to consider the content carefully... Let's discuss it as a group before asking."
"Class is starting soon," Anon suggested, raising her hand. "Let's head to the onsen area first so we don't end up late."
"That makes sense."
Kitahara nodded slightly and led the girls toward the onsen area.
After a brief discussion, the group quickly agreed on the questions to ask, and Sakiko stepped up to pose the first one.
"Question: Is Shimizu-san, who sits at the desk next to mine, a human or a non-human entity?"
Rustle, rustle.
The Book of Answers began flipping its pages rapidly, moving on its own despite the lack of wind.
Moments later, words quietly emerged on the blank page:
[Human].
"Huh? A human?" Kita exclaimed in surprise. "How could a human have such a massive health bar?"
"It's not impossible," Kitahara said, his gaze narrowing and his voice dropping to a low, serious tone. "We aren't the only ones who've stumbled into Otherworld. Even if the odds are one in ten thousand, the sheer number of people entering it is huge—Nijika's cousin is a prime example."
"If you're lucky, you can gain special abilities there; most of the 'special individuals' recruited by the authorities are people who have been to Otherworld."
Anon rested her chin on her right hand. "So, Kitahara-kun, are you saying that transfer student has been to Otherworld too?"
Kitahara nodded. "That's highly likely."
"Let's save that topic for tomorrow," Sakiko said, handing the Book of Answers to Tomori beside her. "Let's finish asking our questions first."
Tomori took the book and began to ask softly:
"Why did Shimizu-san transfer here?"
[For Kitahara].
"Wait, seriously? It was for Kitahara-kun?"
"Something's up! There's definitely something fishy going on!"
"That girl really is suspicious!"
"..."
The girls immediately grew tense.
Kitahara, however, remained composed; he showed no sign of surprise, even when his own name appeared in the book.
As expected—there are no such things as mere coincidences in this world.
Someone who had gained immense power from Otherworld certainly wouldn't transfer here without a reason. Sakiko furrowed her brows slightly:
"Could she be planning to harm Kitahara-kun?"
"I'm not worried about myself," Kitahara said in a low voice, "but if she targeted you all, you'd certainly be in danger... That said, I didn't sense any malice from her at all just now."
"Oh, I've seen a scenario like this in manga," Anon said, hands on her hips. "An assassin is sent by a villainous boss to infiltrate the male lead's life, but after going through various events, she falls in love with him..."
Kitahara was speechless: "Real life isn't a manga; that kind of thing doesn't happen."
"Let me finish," Anon said, lifting her lovely chin. "The male lead in the manga also had an ability to sense malice, yet he didn't feel any danger from the female assassin. The reason was that she harbored no malice herself; everything she did was just a mission from her master—she was merely a machine executing orders."
"Anon makes a good point," Kita said with a serious expression. "We have two questions left... Let's start by asking who the mastermind is."
"The mastermind, huh..." Kitahara exhaled softly. "I've already guessed who it is."
Rustle, rustle.
As Anon asked the question, the pages of the Book of Answers began to flip rapidly. Before long, a line of text quietly appeared.
"Huh? Why is it garbled text?"
"It's the first time I've seen garbled text."
"I remember Kitahara-kun saying... that this happens when the mastermind is incredibly powerful—so powerful that the Book of Answers doesn't dare write their real name?"
"..."
The girls all looked up, gazing nervously at Kitahara.
Kitahara remained calm, showing not a trace of panic:
"That exact same garbled text... It's obvious. The mastermind is the entity that sells those cursed fruits."
Kitahara's world revolved mostly around school and home. Although he frequently undertook "One Evil Deed a Day" missions—chasing cats and dogs, teasing the neighborhood cat Hana, helping grandmas cross the street back and forth, and so on—he had never made any actual enemies. The only point of conflict arose when the "Return to Youth" shop opened for business; it caught the attention of the mastermind behind the spread of the "Cursed Fruit," leading to the incident in the shopping district.
Now, seeing the familiar garbled text appear in the book, Kitahara was one hundred percent certain that the transfer student, Shimizu Rin, was a pawn sent by that mastermind.
"There's only one question left—what should I ask?"
Kita took the "Book of Answers," looked up, and softly asked for his opinion.
Kitahara pondered for a moment before quickly saying:
"Ask when Shimizu-san is going to make her move."
"Huh?" Kita tilted her face up, clearly puzzled. "Are we really asking that?"
Kitahara spoke in a low, serious tone:
"There are so many things we could ask, but we only have one question left. Right now, everyone's safety is the most important thing."