Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V5 Chapter 19: “Did I Just Get a Visitor?” ①

Chapter 19: “Did I Just Get a Visitor?” ①

“Uggghhh… Why do I feel so drained? It’s my day off! Honestly, rampaging through Kyoto might’ve been less tiring…”

Having left the Minazuki house behind, Natsuki was now at the beach, all by himself.

He sat on the sandy shore near Mukaijima Port, sipping a fizzy drink while watching the local fishermen.

“Otherworld sucked, but at least I didn’t have to hold back. I could kill whoever I wanted, smash whatever I wanted—But here on Earth? Can’t really go around doing that.”

If Natsuki ever went all out in his prime, he could cause destruction on par with, or even beyond, military-grade weapons.

Forget superheroes movies—he was in a whole different league.

“And about Kyoto… Feels like Shinonon’s already making moves before I can even step in.”

Shinonome Abe had warned them not to come to Kyoto.

And Natsuki got it.

The guy genuinely cared about them.

But he also had his own goals—his own game plan.

Shinonome always kept his cool, but Natsuki could tell—deep down, the guy was dead serious.

Unshakable.

“I really don’t wanna get in Shinonon’s way… But I should probably talk things out with Madoka-kun at least… Ugh, what do I do!? Like, if an oni just showed up outta nowhere, yelling, ‘You’re working with the Abe family, huh? You’re in my way—so I’ll just kill you!’ Then I’d be like, ‘Welp, guess I’m heading to Kyoto after all~!’ Problem solved! —Hello? Anyone there!?”

Natsuki’s phone buzzed in his hand, vibrating with an incoming call.

Still feeling grumpy, he answered without even checking the screen.

Turned out—it was Shinonome, the same guy he’d just parted ways with.

“Yo, long time no see—like, ten minutes ago. What’s up? Forget something?”

“Didn’t forget nothin’. But I roughed up a few of those hardliner punks and got some juicy intel. Where you at right now, Natsuki-kun?”

“Huh? Just zoning out by the ocean.”

“Yeah, that’s no good. I know you’re strong and all, but you should be with the others right now.”

“Why?”

“Turns out there’s a mole inside the hardliners. And guess what—they’ve leaked your info. Also… Kin Doji just vanished from Kyoto.”

“So basically, the weakest of Shuten Doji’s Four Heavenly Kings is heading my way.”

“Exactly. Might already be there, actually. And look, I know you know this, but gods—real gods—don’t usually get involved with humans. They only act when the world’s gonna totally fall apart. And even then, their idea of ‘falling apart’ is… different from ours.”

“Sounds about right.”

Natsuki had already heard from none other than the god Tsukuyomi himself—that gods generally don’t get involved with humans unless absolutely necessary.

“Which means—”

“Too late, probably.”

Natsuki’s lips curled into a sharp, dangerous grin.

“…Don’t tell me.”

“I get it. I really do. Appreciate the warning and all. But let’s be real— I’m not scared of some random oni.”

“Wait, Natsuki—”

“In fact… It’s the oni who should be scared of me. Because I’m a Hero.”

Natsuki hung up mid-sentence, completely ignoring whatever Shinonome was still rambling about.

Then, he slowly turned around.

Standing there was a massive, red-skinned oni—easily over two meters tall.

“…Okay, hold up. No tiger-print loincloth? No comedy afro? Total scam, man! Aren’t oni supposed to rock tiger-striped undies, swing around big spiked clubs, and go all ‘GWHAHAHAHAHA!’ like it’s Oni 101? Instead, this guy’s out here strutting in a disturbingly tight bikini cut at a cursed angle!? Don’t go making fashion statements when all you do is ruin lives!”

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Next time: “The Hero Who Returned from Another World VS Kin Doji — and onward to susa-susa!”

Look forward to it!

Oh, and just so you know—

This oni snuck in through an unofficial route.

Yes, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are close to certain humans,

But from a god’s perspective?

They’re actually kinda chill.

They don’t really micromanage.

Which sucks for the humans, sure—

But hey, oni eating people?

That’s just how it is sometimes.

Gods ≠ guaranteed allies of mankind.