Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

… …

After ending the communication, Rio Futaba made coffee, carrying two cups into the living room. She looked at Yōko Yukinoshita, who was sitting on the sofa, supporting her chin with one hand, lost in thought. Rio sighed softly, placed the coffee on the coffee table in front of her, and said in a stiff tone.

“Here, coffee. Just made it. Drink it or don’t.”

“Thank you.”

Yōko Yukinoshita didn't stand on ceremony with Rio Futaba. She picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, nodded, and praised with a smile.

“Futaba-san, your coffee is indeed very good.”

“Hmph, just this once.”

Rio Futaba also picked up her coffee cup and took a gulp. The rich, fragrant bitterness cleared her mind.

“Why don’t you go rest? You should be very tired.”

Rio Futaba naturally knew the toll that the initial awakening and use of soul materialization took on physical and mental strength.

“Rest…”

A bitter smile appeared on Yōko's face, and she shook her head.

“I can’t sleep at all.”

Rio Futaba frowned slightly upon hearing this and put down her cup.

“Didn't you say yourself that it’s like a tiger entering a forest full of rabbits, so there’s no need to worry about Yozora's safety?”

“Haha.”

Yōko Yukinoshita covered her mouth and chuckled, then sighed deeply, a complex look appearing in her eyes.

“What I said was for my sister and those in your club to hear, just to ease their tension. Now that I've also become a spirit power user, I’m all too aware of the risks of exorcism.”

Rio Futaba didn't know how to respond.

In her mind, Yōko Yukinoshita had always been someone who didn't consider others' feelings, always said inappropriate things, took pleasure in offending others, and although she was very beautiful, had a terrible personality.

She never thought that the other party would have such a side.

As expected…

Although I can’t trust Yōko… I can trust the harem god’s eye for picking harem members.

Just as Rio Futaba was about to say something, she suddenly sensed something. She abruptly stood up from the sofa, a cold light flashing in her eyes, and looked towards the door of Tōma and Saya’s apartment, softly saying.

“Something is approaching… This feeling… It’s a very powerful evil spirit.”

Chapter 231: Members Approaching Their Limit, The Powerful Evil Spirit of the Oni Mask

Hearing this, Yōko Yukinoshita also immediately stood up, deliberately lowering her voice, speaking in a voice as thin as a mosquito's hum.

“Shall I notify Hachishaku and Yōko?”

“Mm.”

Rio Futaba nodded, watching Yōko Yukinoshita, who was moving stealthily, nimble as a cat, without making the slightest sound, heading towards the bedroom. Even though she didn't like Yōko, she had to admit that the other party could maintain such a calm demeanor in this situation, which made her very suitable to be a professional exorcist.

“Tear away the disguise, Hone-Onna.”

After not resting for a night, and having experienced a battle before, using the ability to merge with the Soul's True Form, Rio Futaba, although her spiritual power was still sufficient, was, after all, only a human, and her mind was already reaching its limit.

As a spirit power user, Rio Futaba's mental exhaustion was also reflected in Hone-Onna.

This time, when Hone-Onna appeared, her delicate face also had a look of exhaustion, and even the pale bones under the kimono had lost their usual shimmering cold light, becoming much dimmer.

There was no way around it.

This was the longest exorcism operation that the Transcendence Club had ever encountered since its creation.

Even the time in Tokyo, even including returning the Mikazuki Munechika to its original owner, the operation lasted only about three hours.

And this time, from a little after 5 pm yesterday to almost 6 am today, it had been more than twelve hours, and twelve hours of being on edge, as if facing a formidable enemy.

From the initial surprise attack, to the power plant's counterattack, to the rescue operation of gathering the members together, and Rio Futaba's protective action, and the clearing action carried out by Yui Yuigahama, Mai Sakurajima, and Miko Yotsuya.

This had become a complete war of attrition.

Do evil spirits… feel tired?

Rio Futaba didn't know. She only knew that the other party possessed a very high level of intelligence, and could even come up with a tactic like drawing firewood from under the cauldron, avoiding Miko Yotsuya, Mai Sakurajima, and Yui Yuigahama, the three spirit power users in the best condition with the strongest frontal combat power, and instead come to the door of Tōma and Saya's apartment.

In her gaze, the chilling feeling outside the door was slowly approaching.

What Rio Futaba was considering at this time was not how to hold out until Miko and the others returned, because that wasn't difficult.

You should know that the plan to stay here with Hachishaku-sama was proposed by herself.

In terms of defense, Rio Futaba had absolute confidence.

Those evil spirits fused with humans were very strong, but according to Rio Futaba's estimation, if she didn't try to attack, but only focused on defense, even if two high-level evil spirits attacked at the same time, with her spiritual power intensity, she could at least hold out for more than half an hour.

The most important question now is…

How to ensure that the other party cannot escape?

Rio Futaba had already considered the most important point that determined the victory or defeat of this battle.

Physical strength.

Humans, even spirit power users, will feel tired.

But evil spirits don't.

If the other party kept hiding, and waited until the Transcendence Club members couldn't hold on and had to rest before launching an attack, then the chances of success would be much higher.

But why… was it launching an attack so impatiently now?

A guess formed in Rio Futaba's mind.

They were getting anxious.

The other side was getting desperate.

Why the desperation?

Because the earthquake, the blackout, the severed mobile communications—all the panic and fear generated by the people of Kyoto, had formed that evil spirit in the Reverse World…

It had been destroyed.

Who destroyed it? There was no need to even ask.

Moreover, Yozora had definitely not suffered any serious injuries; at the very least, his life was not in danger.

Only under such circumstances would the mastermind behind this incident decide to go all-in.

Because the Sword of Damocles of the strongest exorcist was already hanging over their heads.

The countdown to death had begun.

Now the pressure was on the evil spirit's side.

“How to leave a mark… so you can't escape…”

Rio Futaba mobilized the spiritual power within her, focusing her gaze on the metal door, her brain working at full speed.

Just then.

Strands of red thread suddenly appeared in front of Rio Futaba.

Her expression changed at first, and she was about to launch an attack when she saw the shape of the red thread clearly, recalling what Miko Yotsuya had told her the night before—that when closing the white door, such threads would appear, providing her with spiritual power assistance.

“Futaba, this is an ally.”

Awakened by Haruno, Amano Hina, with a tired expression on her face, quickly reminded her when she saw the red thread in front of Rio Futaba.

“An ally?”

Just as Rio Futaba was half-believing, half-doubting, the red threads suddenly formed a sentence in mid-air.

“Hello, Futaba-san, I am the guardian deity of Itomori Town; you can call me Little Red. The situation is urgent, so I'll keep it brief.”

“I can mark spiritual bodies by connecting them with red threads.”

“I wonder, do you need my help?”

Rio Futaba frowned slightly, lowering her voice, “Are you saying that you can help us, so that even if this approaching evil spirit escapes, we can still find its trail through your red thread?”

“Exactly.”

“Then… what price do we have to pay?”

Hearing this, the deity of Itomori Town immediately formed a slightly ingratiating sentence.

“You don't have to worry about that; Yozora-sama has already paid.”

Rio Futaba frowned even more when she saw this.

“Do you know that he is trapped in the Reverse World?”

“I know.”

“Can you see what's happening in the Reverse World?”

“I can't.”

“Then aren't you worried that all your efforts will be in vain if Yozora ends up dying in the Reverse World, and you end up with nothing?”

The red threads first formed a smiling face, then formed an abstract sentence next to it, leaving both Amano Hina and Rio Futaba speechless.

“I have complete faith in Yozora-sama!”

“The invincible, uniquely talented, extraordinary, great and strongest exorcist, Yozora-sama, will surely return safely from the Reverse World…”

Seeing that the deity of Itomori Town was endlessly flattering, Rio Futaba quickly raised her hand to stop it, rolling her eyes and retorting.

“No, he's not even here; what's the point of your excessive flattery?”

“Hehe, just tell him when you see him, and he'll know.”

Rio Futaba sighed, unable to help but think.

Could it be that Yozora has a constitution that attracts the abstract?

Is there even such a deity?

“Alright.”

Since Amano Hina knew this deity of Itomori Town, and the other party had helped Miko Yotsuya in a critical situation, that was indeed enough to prove their status as an ally.

Rio Futaba nodded slightly, looked at the metal door in front of her, took off her glasses, tied her hair into a high ponytail with a hair tie, and then walked forward slowly without hesitation.

And as she approached the door, the malicious spiritual power outside the door was also constantly approaching.

Until finally…

The two were separated by only a security door.

“Go, Hone-Onna.”

The moment Rio Futaba gave the order, Hone-Onna passed straight through the security door in front of her, several bone spikes extending from her wide kimono, directly stabbing forward.

The number of bone spikes also showed.

The current Hone-Onna, due to Rio Futaba's mental and physical exhaustion, was far from recovering to her peak state; not only the number of bone spikes, but even her attack power had decreased.

“Oh? This is the so-called psychic?”

Standing outside the door was a woman wearing jeans and a white shirt, around thirty years old, with a face that was neither beautiful nor ugly—the kind that would never attract a second glance in a crowd, the most ordinary kind.

And she… or rather, it, facing the attack launched by Hone-Onna, her ordinary face instantly transformed into a hideous demon mask, her hands quickly reaching out, directly grabbing the first two bone spikes that extended over.

“Crack.”

Accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking, the hard bone spikes extended by Hone-Onna, composed of high-intensity spiritual power, were directly snapped off by the demon-masked woman!

Not only did Hone-Onna's expression change.

The true body of the soul was injured, and Rio Futaba, as the user, also felt the soul-deep pain, enduring it without shouting, only clenching her teeth and saying.

“Continue, Hone-Onna!”

Hone-Onna endured the pain of a part of her body being broken and continued to attack the demon-masked woman.