Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

“Yae Star.”

Just then, Tōka Takanashi, wearing casual clothes and high-heeled sandals, with a black choker around her neck, walked slowly towards Yae Star, even without deliberately dressing up, she could attract the attention of countless men on the street, and sighed softly.

“I’m really sorry… to bother you during summer vacation… But Rikka’s situation… I really have no choice.”

“It’s okay, let’s go.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Carrying a plastic bag, obviously having just returned from shopping, Tōka Takanashi led Yae Star into the apartment elevator, pressed the button corresponding to the floor, and sighed helplessly while holding her forehead.

“Ah… you should also know about what happened the past two days… No, it’s impossible for anyone not to know, the battle of those two… two beings that appeared in the clouds.”

Yae Star nodded.

“Yes, I know a little, what’s wrong?”

“It’s because of that incident that Rikka’s chuunibyou has become serious again… and…”

In Tōka Takanashi's beautiful red eyes, there was a look of helplessness and worry.

“Chuunibyou is one thing, but the key is that she stays at home all day long. If she stays cooped up until the end of the summer vacation, I’m afraid she’ll get sick from it, so I want you to…”

“Huh?”

Before Tōka Takanashi could finish speaking, Yae Star interrupted with a slight frown.

“Wait… you wouldn’t… want me to take Rikka out to play, would you? A date? Aren’t you afraid I’ll make a move on her?”

“What date? What are you thinking about?”

Tōka Takanashi glared at Yae Star and said in a flat tone.

“I was thinking that she’s quite familiar with the members of your club. If any of the girls in your club are still in Kyoto during the summer vacation, could you ask them to hang out with her? Of course, I also know that hanging out with Rikka is a very tiring thing, so I will make corresponding compensation…”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

Yae Star waved his hand and said righteously.

“Putting aside whether I can agree on behalf of the girls in the club, even if I take Rikka out to play, there’s no need to make it like a transaction. This is different from the tutoring last time. Paying a friend fee… sounds too sad, it’s not necessary.”

Before Tōka Takanashi could respond, Yae Star immediately changed the subject.

“Miss Tōka, you don’t want your sister to become an autistic person who can’t communicate with others normally, do you?”

Tōka Takanashi sighed: “…Where did you learn these words… Why does it feel like… there’s a bit of a perverted meaning…”

“It’s not just feels like.”

Yae Star solemnly emphasized again.

“This sentence itself expresses a perverted meaning.”

“Be normal, Yae Star.”

Tōka Takanashi replied with a blank and emotionless expression.

“You’re a high school student, would you have ideas about an old woman like me? Don’t be silly, find someone your own age.”

“Heh heh.”

Yae Star slowly opened his mouth with a meaningful look.

“Old woman? Tōka, you underestimate my value too much. You have to know that among my romantic interests, there are at least several hundred, or even thousands of years old.”

“You’re just talking nonsense.”

Tōka Takanashi obviously didn’t believe such a claim. After all, how could anyone live for hundreds or thousands of years?

But what she didn’t know was…

Yae Star was telling the truth.

If you count from the moment she was born as the guardian deity of Itomori Town…

The Matchmaking God really has lived for at least several hundred years, without any exaggeration.

Chapter 554: Tōka Learns the Truth, Kira's Declaration

After entering the house, Tōka Takanashi looked at the Rikka curled up on the sofa, with a look of helplessness on her face, put the shopping bag on the table, and said lightly.

“Rikka, your classmate has come to see you.”

“Classmate?”

Rikka Takanashi turned her head. When she saw Yae Star, she was slightly stunned at first, and then, bright and sparkling light burst out in her eyes. She jumped up from the sofa and ran to Yae Star in three steps, her face full of excitement.

“Yae Star, you’ve finally come!”

Seeing this scene, Tōka Takanashi couldn’t help but secretly slander.

Wait, is this right?

This was the first time Tōka Takanashi had seen her sister, who suffered from severe chuunibyou, show the same excitement as she did now, except for those strange chuuni things.

Wait…

These two… Could it be that Yae Star wants to become her brother-in-law?

Tōka Takanashi looked at Yae Star and gave an evaluation in her heart that she had confirmed countless times before.

This kid… his appearance is indeed impeccable.

As for his personality…

Forget it, her sister Rikka already suffers from such severe chuunibyou. Compared to Rikka, Yae Star at least still has the ability to communicate normally with people, and even formed a club in school and served as the president. Apart from speaking a bit abstractly and occasionally liking to do some tricks, there are no other problems.

The problem is…

Rikka, who shouts about what Evil King's True Eye, what Dark Marx, what Type II all day long, has she really matured to the point where she will have romantic feelings for boys of her age?

However, the next second, Tōka knew that she had completely misunderstood.

“Yae Star, Yae Star! Did you see the news? Everyone says ‘Masked’ is a bad guy… the fan club has disbanded, and even the support websites have been cancelled…”

As a loyal fan of “Masked”, Rikka Takanashi was so emotionally excited at this moment that she even subconsciously stretched out her soft and tender little hand and grabbed Yae Star's sleeve.

“How could ‘Masked’ be a bad guy… it’s impossible… it shouldn’t be like this…”

“‘Masked’ is of course not a bad guy.”

Ye Xing reached out and patted Yūta Takanashi's head. Logically speaking, seeing a boy making such intimate gestures towards her sister should have made Tōka very displeased, prompting her to use her secret technique as head chef: banging with a stainless steel rice scoop.

But looking at the scene before her, she didn't feel that Ye Xing's actions were taking advantage of Rikka in any way, but rather a kind of… how should she describe it? Like an elder comforting a wronged little girl… affection?

And the tone of his voice was just like…

At that moment, an image flashed in Tōka Takanashi's mind – the scene in the Western restaurant where Ye Xing shielded her from a speeding truck with his own body.

"Could it be…?"

Her beautiful red eyes widened slightly as she looked at Ye Xing, who was smiling and comforting Rikka Takanashi, and a thought emerged in her mind.

"Mask," although she didn't know if he was from Kyoto, was clearly based in Kyoto.

Ye Xing lived in Kyoto.

"Mask" had many assistants, and Ye Xing also had many club members around him.

Most importantly…

"Mask" and Ye Xing both possessed unimaginable power, and Tōka Takanashi had never seen another person like that.

Could it be… could it really be…

Meanwhile, Rikka Takanashi, although comforted by Ye Xing's words, was still on the verge of tears.

"But… 'Mask' is already dead…"

"Huh?"

Ye Xing looked surprised.

"Is that so? How come I didn't know?"

"Eh? Haven't you seen the analysis online recently?"

Rikka Takanashi tried her best to compose herself, her eyes still glistening with tears.

"That giant metal creature said that using such power would inevitably come at a price, and then 'Mask' summoned… no, rather, he transformed into that six-winged demon, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, restoring the world to its original, normal state. That shot… was at the cost of 'Mask' himself… He sacrificed himself to save the world…"

"Hoh, so that's what happened."

Ye Xing nodded in agreement, thinking, "So 'Mask' is dead? How come 'Mask' himself doesn't know about this?"

But to be fair, in that kind of atmosphere, if it were a normal RPG protagonist, it would probably be the moment to sacrifice his own life to gain the power to defeat the final BOSS, and finally, surrounded by his companions, he would slowly close his eyes on the rooftop, accompanied by some tragic background music.

Plus, what Yaldabaoth said at the time could easily lead to misunderstandings, and given that "Mask" hadn't been heard from in the two days after the battle, it was understandable that such analyses would appear online.

"That's not the case."

Looking at Rikka Takanashi, who was saddened by the "death" of Mask, Ye Xing simply waved his hand and said seriously.

"Jade can be broken, but its whiteness cannot be altered; bamboo can be burned, but its joints cannot be destroyed. Though the body may die, the name can be passed down through history."

Rikka Takanashi's eyes flickered upon hearing this. After a few seconds of silence, she tentatively asked.

"I… I don't understand…"

"You uncultured swine."

Ye Xing's attempt to play the lute to a cow failed, so he had to switch to plain language and bluntly said.

"The meaning is that although Mask may be dead, his spirit will live on forever. Mask's demise doesn't need anyone's sympathy, that's an insult to him. Only by continuing to work hard and live in this world that Mask saved and that has a future, can you show him the greatest respect, understand?"

Rikka Takanashi silently repeated Ye Xing's words in her heart and nodded very seriously.

"Yes, I understand, Ye Xing-san. You are indeed a loyal fan of 'Mask'. If it were 'Mask' himself, he would definitely say the same thing to you."

"Of course."

"Then…"

Rikka Takanashi seemed to have finally regained her energy. She glanced at Tōka Takanashi standing aside, first tiptoed towards the door, then moved a little further, and then quietly put on her shoes at the entrance, also grabbing that black umbrella.

Tōka looked at her and said grumpily.

"Stop right there, where are you going? Who are you going with?"

"Tch… Damn Holy Adjudicator… Have I been discovered after all…"

Rikka Takanashi muttered in a low voice. When she saw Tōka take out the stainless steel rice scoop, her body couldn't help but tremble, and she honestly replied.

"My Evil Eye Tyrant is going out to explore with my partner, Yui Yuigahama!"

"Yui Yuigahama?"

Tōka Takanashi heard the familiar name, thought about it carefully, and then looked at Ye Xing.

"Is she a member of your club?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I see."

Tōka Takanashi waved her hand and said to Rikka.

"Go ahead, is the allowance you have enough? Do you want me to give you some more?"

When it came to this kind of very realistic, but inevitable question, Rikka Takanashi, who suffered from severe chuunibyou, seemed to have a bug in her program, her face flushed and somewhat flustered.

"Enough… enough…"

"Alright, go."

After Rikka Takanashi went out, Ye Xing reached out to Tōka Takanashi.

"Here."

Tōka Takanashi frowned slightly: "Here what??"

"Payment."

"Didn't you say yourself that friendship fees are too sad, so you don't want payment?"

"I'm not asking for a friendship fee, isn't psychological counseling for your sister free? Let me tell you, it's only me who can achieve such good results. You can't find a more professional psychologist who can achieve such good results as me. Hurry up."