[Notification: Doujin Artist has ended the livestream.]
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Well, Eriri-chan?
How was that?
Pretty damn cool, right?
I didn’t embarrass you, did I?
[Doujin Artist]: You didn’t embarrass me, but don’t you think you went a little TOO far with the cool factor?
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Huh?
[Doujin Artist]: First of all, the outfit.
Why a leather coat?
And why did it have to be black?!
Look at my build and tell me with a straight face that the mature femme-fatale look suits me!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: What are you talking about?
You looked awesome!
[Doujin Artist]: I will never understand the fashion sense of a straight man like you.
You could’ve at least given me a gothic dress!
And then there was the way you fought…
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: There was something wrong with that too?
[Doujin Artist]: YES!
A very big problem!
Do you even realize that Calamity Beast you killed might have been S-rank?!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: So?
[Doujin Artist]: In our world, that’s one of the absolute highest levels of combat power!
Even the Sacred Guard, armed with heavy weapons, can usually do no more than drive something like that away!
[I’m Not a Hair-Gel Guy]: Something that weak is considered one of your world’s strongest creatures?
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Seriously.
I barely even used any strength.
[Doujin Artist]: I’ve only reached the sixth stage of the Nine Yin Manual, and my official combat rating is C.
Yet in front of everyone, I just pulled off the impossible and killed an S-rank Calamity Beast with ONE sword strike!
So tell me, Mr.
Group Owner, how exactly am I supposed to convince my teammates that I’m not the Goddess reincarnated?!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Pfft!
They seriously think you’re the reincarnation of the Goddess?
Riku knew enough about the Goddess from Eriri’s world to understand why the others had reached that conclusion.
Twenty years ago, a catastrophic event had struck Japan.
A terrifying Evil God had used its overwhelming power to tear the entire country away from Earth and drag it into an endless abyss.
Disasters and supernatural mutations followed one after another.
In barely two months, nearly three-quarters of Japan’s population had been wiped out.
Only the Radiant Goddess had managed to turn the situation around.
At the cost of her own life, she banished the Evil God and saved what remained of the country.
After her death, fragments of her divine power scattered throughout Japan and crystallized into deposits of varying sizes.
Humans with the proper affinity could absorb the power within those crystals, awakening as ability users, magical girls, and other supernatural combatants.
Without the Goddess, Japan would have become nothing more than a hunting ground for monsters long ago.
[Doujin Artist]: YES!
I don’t even understand how they came up with something that ridiculous!
The reincarnation of the Goddess?
Seriously?!
[I’m Not a Hair-Gel Guy]: When humans encounter something beyond their understanding, they instinctively turn to religion and divinity as an explanation.
There is nothing particularly strange about their conclusion.
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: See?
This is why Aizen-bro is different.
Sophisticated, cultured, intellectual.
People like us would just look at them and go, “Holy shit, are these idiots serious?”
[Doujin Artist]: That’s YOU.
Don’t drag me down with you!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Oh, right!
How could I forget?
The esteemed Kashiwagi Eri is a distinguished contributor to the arts herself.
Sharp storytelling, beautiful illustrations…
only one tiny flaw: most of the people she draws somehow forget to put clothes on.
[Doujin Artist]: UCHIHA RIKU, GO FUCKING DIE!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Hahahahaha!
Riku could already picture Eriri’s furious little face, and the thought put him in an excellent mood.
“Look!
Her hair is purple!
That’s so gross!”
The shrill shout wiped the smile from Riku’s face.
In a secluded corner of the Academy grounds, Uzuki Yūgao stood clutching a wooden sword against her chest, her teeth clenched as she glared at the group of boys surrounding her.
“What?
You wanna fight us?”
“That’s hilarious.
A scrawny little girl like you?”
“Oh, right!
Aren’t you usually hanging around with that little boyfriend of yours?
Where is he today?”
“Maybe he finally died!
Hahahaha!”
Their taunts were vicious enough to go far beyond ordinary teasing.
The boy leading them had short hair and a stocky build, with a long scar running down his right cheek.
Whenever he grinned, the scar twisted his face into an especially ugly expression.
“Shut up!
Hayate is just sick!” Yūgao shot back.
“And he isn’t my boyfriend, so stop saying things like that!”
“Oh, now you’re talking back?”
The scarred boy raised a fist in front of her face.
“You dare disrespect me?
Maybe you’re tired of—”
Thwack!
A pebble struck him squarely in the back of the head.
He stumbled forward, then spun around with his face flushed red, one hand clutching his skull.
“Who the hell—?!
You…
y-you’re…!”
Riku stood a short distance away, casually tossing another pebble in his right hand.
His face was completely expressionless.
Gulp.
The scarred boy’s anger disappeared instantly.
“I-It’s the Uchiha man-eating demon!”
“We’re screwed!”
Several of them had already started trembling.
“Kneel and apologize.”
Riku’s voice was quiet, without the slightest hint of anger.
“We’re sorry!
We were wrong!”
Every boy, including the scarred one, dropped to his knees without hesitation and shouted the apology with impressive sincerity.
“Remember this.
Starting tomorrow, the four of you will clean every restroom used by your grade.
You’ll keep doing it for two months.
Any objections?”
“No, sir!”
“Get lost.”
The scarred boy looked as though he had just been granted a second life.
He scrambled to his feet and fled, the others racing after him.
Once they were gone, Riku turned toward Yūgao, who was still clutching her wooden sword.
“Are you all right?
Did they hurt you?”
“N-No.”
Standing this close to him, Yūgao found herself staring at his handsome face while his warm voice seemed to make her cheeks heat up all at once.
She quickly bowed.
“Thank you, Riku-sensei.”
“Then head home before it gets too late.
Be careful on the way.”
Riku gently patted her head before turning to leave.
The sun was already sinking toward the horizon.
Yūgao remained where she was, staring after his figure as it disappeared beneath the glow of the evening sky.
A small, happy smile slowly appeared on her face.
“Oh dear.
I think that little girl has already fallen under your spell,” Kushina’s amused voice remarked from inside Riku.
“You’re exaggerating, Big Sis.” Riku sighed helplessly.
“She’s a child.
You don’t need to get jealous over something like that.”
“Hmph.
I wouldn’t be so sure,” Kushina replied teasingly.
“I already told you, I’m not that kind of person.
Little girls don’t interest me.”
Riku shook his head and opened the group chat again.
[Doujin Artist]: Hey!
You’d better come up with a solution for me!
@Riku-sama
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: A solution for what?
[Doujin Artist]: You’re the reason everyone thinks I’m the Goddess reincarnated!
Don’t you owe me compensation?!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: ?
What are you even talking about?
Your dear father just saved your life, and I didn’t even demand a thank-you from my ungrateful daughter!
[Doujin Artist]: That’s completely separate!
I’m going to Kyoto Amusement Park, and you have to come with me!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Ohhh.
So after all that, you’re asking me out on a date?