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Meanwhile, about a kilometer south, on the bustling ground floor of the shopping mall in the center of Itogami Island, two junior-high school girls, having finished their shopping spree, walked cheerfully toward the mall's exit, each holding several plastic bags.
It seemed they were done shopping and ready to head back.
But just at that moment, catchy, upbeat music suddenly played from nearby, drawing their attention.
Turning their heads, the girls saw a row of glass cabinets lining the wall. Each cabinet was filled with plush toys, decorated with vibrant, neon lights flashing in sync with the music. At the top inside each cabinet dangled a metallic claw.
"What's this? Is it some sort of trap?"
Yukina Himeragi stopped, her eyes locked curiously on what she saw as just a "glass cabinet."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Nagisa Akatsuki paused as well, following Yukina's gaze before nodding knowingly.
"Ah, that's a claw crane machine. Basically, you put in a coin and you get a chance to try grabbing one of those plush toys with the claw. But whether you actually manage to get one depends on skill and luck. So… I guess calling it a 'trap' isn't exactly wrong."
It was indeed a devious contraption, capable of silently emptying anyone's pockets before they even realized it.
"Fifty yen per try, huh… maybe I'll give it a quick go…"
Ignoring the second half of Nagisa's explanation entirely, Yukina stepped forward, her eyes enchanted by the cute cat plush in the machine. Without further hesitation, she pulled out a coin from her pocket and inserted it into the slot.
Beep.
As the coin dropped in, the mechanical claw above sprang to life.
Naturally intuitive, Yukina took hold of the joystick, carefully moving the claw into position above her desired target. Once aligned, she pressed the red button decisively.
Whirr.
The claw descended and perfectly landed on the plush cat.
She got it!
But just as Yukina's face lit up with triumph, the claw that appeared perfectly positioned abruptly lost all strength. It merely grazed the plush, barely giving it a gentle stroke before retracting empty-handed.
"Eh?"
The harsh reality struck Yukina's innocent heart speechless.
It shouldn't have been this way—she had clearly aimed and aligned perfectly, and even saw it gripping the plush tightly, yet it still slipped away…
Nagisa lightly placed a hand on Yukina's shoulder, giving her friend a sympathetic smile.
"See, this is exactly why I called it a 'trap.' The machines are usually rigged, like guaranteeing a win every fifty or a hundred attempts. Any tries before hitting that quota are intentionally weak, exactly like what just happened. If you really insist on winning one through persistence, you end up spending way more money than the toy is actually worth."
"Oh… is that how it works?"
Yukina's mouth fell slightly open, genuinely learning something new.
Nagisa shrugged helplessly. "There are special tricks to it too, but unfortunately, I don't know any of them either."
"Hmm… Then maybe we should just—"
Just as Yukina was about to give up, two unfamiliar male voices called out suddenly from behind them:
"If you don't know how, why not let big bros here show you girls~?"
"Yeah, we just got paid today, got plenty of coins to teach you till you master it. C'mon, it'll be fun~"
Their frivolous, teasing tones instantly caused the two junior high girls' expressions to shift dramatically.
Nagisa visibly trembled like a small rabbit confronting its natural predator. Her usually cheerful and gentle face immediately showed unease and fear.
Yukina, on the other hand, instantly narrowed her eyes, shifting to high alert. Setting her shopping bags down, she turned decisively, her voice cold and filled with warning.
"No thanks. We were only trying it briefly; there's no need for us to learn it fully. Please stay away—we have other things to do."
"Hey now~ No need to be so harsh, little lady. Let's just have some fun together—it's summer break, after all…"
The taller man had long, dyed-blond hair, attempting to play up a "prince charming" persona. Yet, every gesture and expression betrayed his true nature—a street thug.
He reached out arrogantly, trying to forcibly grab Yukina's wrist, only to grasp empty air.
In the next instant, a delicate palm imbued with potent spiritual energy gently pressed against his stomach. Brilliant arcs of lightning exploded at point-blank range.
"Waka Ikazuchi (Young Lightning)!"
Yukina's crisp shout mixed with the deafening boom. One second the cocky blonde man was grinning confidently; the next, he was hurled backward, flying like a rag doll shot from a cannonball, crashing out of the shopping mall and onto the street outside.
"Wha—!?"
His companion, a muscular guy resembling a gym coach, stood stunned momentarily. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
"Waka Ikazuchi (Young Lightning)!"
Two rapid shouts, crisp and decisive like an executioner's judgment, sent another body hurtling out of the mall, crashing violently onto the street amid a cloud of dust.
Oh no…
Only after assuming a fighting stance did Yukina regain her clarity. Those techniques she'd used were intended to fight against supernatural beings. She'd defaulted to them instinctively since Itogami Island was a Demon District—but what if those two had been ordinary humans…?
Damn it!
"Nagisa, quickly call an ambulance! I'll check on them outside!"
Hastily throwing down this instruction, Yukina sprinted toward the exit. But upon stepping outside, her eyes widened in shock.
Those two troublemakers who'd harassed them moments ago were nowhere to be found. Instead, lying in the large crater formed by their crash, were a werewolf… and a vampire.
Their injuries forced them to reveal their true forms, abandoning human disguises—fierce black fur and vicious red eyes on one, and sharp, beastly fangs on the other.
"You damn brat, how dare you…"
"You're gonna regret this…"
Their pain and humiliation ignited primal rage, and they slowly climbed out of the crater, murderous intent glowing red in their gazes locked onto the young sword-shaman.
Just then, Nagisa rushed out, phone still in hand, having just completed the emergency call.
"Y-Yukina-chan, I called an ambulance—maybe we should run away now… Ehh?! Demons?!"
Nagisa's voice abruptly choked off as if her heart had stopped. Staring at the two monsters slowly rising from the rubble, she covered her mouth, pupils dilating rapidly in primal terror. Tears instantly overflowed, trembling uncontrollably.
"N-No… stay away—DON'T COME NEAR ME!!!"
Her violent emotional shift far exceeded any normal fear toward demons. Nagisa's piercing screams sounded as if she'd triggered a traumatic episode, even momentarily stunning Yukina.
It was just a werewolf and a vampire—was her reaction really necessary?
But Yukina quickly realized she'd greatly underestimated the situation.
A colossal magical pressure surged out violently from Nagisa, the girl's entire right arm turning pitch-black in an instant, crimson magical circuits spiraling up her skin.
In the next heartbeat, a blinding lightning bolt exploded skyward from Nagisa, forming an enormous golden lion in mid-air. With terrifying lightning strikes cascading down, it devastated the street, instantly reducing the werewolf and vampire into charred remains.
That was… a Familiar of the Fourth Primogenitor!?
Yukina's heart pounded in sheer disbelief.
Only now did she fully comprehend why her mentor had entrusted her with the Schneewalzer lance. Her earlier lightning spell seemed utterly insignificant before the catastrophic might of the Fourth Primogenitor's familiar.
No, even with Schneewalzer… what should she do? Could she even—
As the sword-shaman girl stood frozen in panic, the immense golden lion in the sky slowly turned its gaze downward.
Not submission—rather, it had found its next prey.
Boom!
Charging with speed surpassing thunder itself, the lion's massive claws, crackling with devastating electricity, came smashing toward Yukina before she could react.
She should've been shredded instantly—but instead, someone casually blocked the attack for her.
A single young man's palm nonchalantly pressed against the gigantic lion's paw pad, dispersing the strike with absurd ease, like playing a childish hand-clapping game.
And through the chaotic aftermath came a muffled voice of complaint—from a certain carefree young man holding a bowl of noodles.
"Seriously, I'm just trying to have breakfast. How did things escalate this quickly?"
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