Jobless Rising! ~I’ve Become a NEET. I Acquired Lewd Skills and Lived a Life of Sex in the Other World and in Japan. Before I Knew it, I Was Impregnating A Harem of Ladies?!~ - Chapter 82: The Unease of Ryūseikai and Kuukiha-chan’s Story

Chapter 82: The Unease of Ryūseikai and Kuukiha-chan’s Story

Minato walked over to where I was sitting on the bed and settled down beside me.

Her skirt revealed pale thighs, and the fresh scent of soap wafted from her hair.

“Where should I start…?”

I almost reached out to her, but her words stopped me.

Right, I need to hear Minato’s explanation first…!

“You said her name was Kuukiha-chan, right? I could tell she’s pretty dangerous despite how she looks…”

“Right. Well, someone like you probably saw through her appearance and sensed her true power.”

Nah… I only just heard it from Cui-san! I felt something off, sure, but I didn’t peg her as a Great Demon King-class Oni girl…!

“Her name is Kuukiha. Normally, she’s a legendary Oni no one would encounter in a lifetime.”

“Legendary… Oni…?”

“Yes. She’s said to be the oldest living Oni. Her rank is Shinki, the highest tier. Though, historically and even now, Kuukiha is the only Shinki.”

So it’s basically a rank made just for her.

“How did you know she was Kuukiha, Minato?”

“An Oni with such intense Oni energy, appearing as a young girl? There’s no one else it could be but Kuukiha.”

“…Huh.”

Come to think of it, I’ve never actually sensed Oni energy… or magic, for that matter.

Minato must’ve picked up on Kuukiha’s energy, stronger than even Harakara’s.

“There are a few tales about Kuukiha. She usually resides in another realm… Yūsei, they call it, and occasionally comes to our world for fun. There’s even a story about her luring men with her girlish charm, only to rip off their testicles and eat them…”

“Ugh!?”

That’s terrifying…!

Wait, Kuukiha-chan said something about meeting again if fate allows. N-No way she’s after my balls… right!?

No way! They haven’t even fulfilled their purpose yet!

“There are sparse records about Kuukiha kept by Tényōshū. According to them, she’s the only Oni who can use multiple Oni Eye techniques.”

“Total cheat.”

“She opened that black gate-like thing and vanished, right? That’s probably one of her Oni Eye techniques…”

As expected of a Great Demon King girl. Her specs are on another level from regular Oni…!

“Where do you think Oni energy comes from?”

“Huh?”

That’s a sudden shift. Is it tied to Kuukiha somehow?

“Oni energy… it’s like something that preys on negative emotions and corrupts human minds, right? So it comes from Oni, doesn’t it? Like the name suggests.”

“Exactly. As long as Oni exist, Oni energy will always linger in this world. But normally, an Oni can’t keep emitting it endlessly unless something extreme happens. Spreading enough Oni energy to blanket Japan? That’s impossible.”

So one Oni’s influence isn’t that big a deal.

My eyes drifted from Minato’s thighs up to the swell of her chest beneath her clothes.

“Hm? But there are people being corrupted by Oni energy right now, aren’t there?”

“Yes. There are regional differences, but it’s true. This is just a theory, but… the reason Oni energy never fully vanishes from Japan might be because Kuukiha is spreading it.”

I pictured the shape of Minato’s breasts under her clothes.

Her nipples are probably around there…! I’m already stoked to find out what they look like…!

“…Are you listening?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m listening. So… because Kuukiha’s around, Oni and corrupted humans keep popping up. That’s the deal, right?”

“…You don’t seem to grasp how abnormal that is.”

Well, Oni still feel like fantasy to me, so it’s hard to take it personally. I’ll probably get there while working as Minato’s attendant.

“So, she’s a legendary Oni who might still be spreading Oni energy… Got it. But compared to the guy I beat up, she didn’t seem that bad, you know? We could talk to her and everything.”

“You managed to look her in the eye and talk… Honestly, I didn’t have the nerve for that.”

Minato’s probably a top-tier Tényōshū member, which is why she could sense Kuukiha’s energy so strongly.

Me? I felt a chill, but I didn’t realize it was that kind of Oni energy. Guess that’s the difference between a pro and a rookie.

“Well, I’m just a civilian. I can’t sense Oni energy like you. Oh, and Kuukiha called that guy Ryūga Kutsu…”

“That’s probably his Oni name. Harakara’s the same—Oni tend to have names like that.”

What kind of names are those? I don’t get it.

“Is Kuukiha a bad Oni?”

“If she’s really spreading Oni energy, then yes, she’s a bad Oni. Plus, according to past records, she’s killed quite a few Tényōshū swordsmen.”

“Ugh…”

“And,” Minato continued.

“Ryūga Kutsu was likely using Shooting Star as a front for all sorts of schemes. There were multiple people corrupted by Oni energy there, right? He was organizing them. But that raises some strange points.”

“Strange points?”

“Yes. Normally, those corrupted by Oni energy don’t form groups. But Ryūga Kutsu managed it…”

“Maybe he just rounded up a bunch of corrupted people? And for a real Oni, making them obey should be easy.”

Minato turned to face me. I’d been staring at her chest, so I quickly met her eyes to play it off.

“There have been cases in the past of corrupted people forming groups, led by a true Oni.”

“See? There’s precedent.”

But Minato slowly shook her head.

“Oni can’t intentionally corrupt human minds. Oni energy latches onto individual negative emotions, seeping in gradually.”

“So… gathering a ton of corrupted people by chance and forming a group… It’s possible, but getting that many together should be tough.”

“Exactly. And the idea that they just happened to come together to run Shooting Star so organized? That feels off.”

Now that she mentions it, I thought back to the guys in that room. They were all around the same age… Yeah, I’m starting to get what Minato’s driving at.

Basically, gathering corrupted people intentionally would explain the setup, but it still feels weird.

But what if it wasn’t random? What if someone was deliberately choosing people to corrupt with Oni energy…?

“So, Ryūga Kutsu was somehow targeting specific people and corrupting them with Oni energy…?”

“About that past case of corrupted people forming a group… There’s a report that Kuukiha appeared then too.”

“What…!?”

The pieces started connecting.

It’s just a guess, no proof. But… what if Kuukiha can freely corrupt human minds with Oni energy…?

“Looks like you’re finally grasping how dangerous Kuukiha is.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Don’t let your guard down just because you could talk to her. We got out unscathed by pure luck… Don’t forget that.”

She’s right. If it came to a fight, Cui said my odds were slim at best.

…Man, I’ve stumbled into a way more dangerous world than I thought…

“But because you were there, I… and that other girl, we made it out okay. Plus, you thoroughly crushed Ryūga Kutsu and drew out Kuukiha, the legendary Oni, into the open. That’ll remind Tényōshū of her threat and make us tighten up our operations moving forward.”

A recorded Oni no one’s seen in person, now confirmed to still exist. That’ll definitely put everyone on edge.

Pretty optimistic, Minato-san.

“…You deserve a reward, don’t you?”

“…! M-Minato…!”

No way…! Minato’s bringing up the reward…!

We’re in a love hotel right now! And she let me drag her here without resisting…!

S-So, that means it’s okay… right!?

“Minato…!”

I reached for her shoulder, ready to pull her close. I’d decide whether to use Forced Arousal based on her reaction.

But Minato slid her fingers under my chin, leaned in close, and caught me off guard with a kiss.