Chapter 45 – Amakasu Touma Stepped Into a Pit
Amakasu Touma used to run business in Tokyo, but ever since a godslayer appeared in Japan, he had been making frequent trips to Chiba.
Though thanks to a certain someone's reckless antics, Chiba had once been designated by Hikigaya Hachiman as a no-go zone for sorcerers, a cheerful meeting in Kyoto had since gotten that ban lifted. Committee members were once again able to return to the city.
Now back in Chiba, Amakasu Touma felt the tremors from underfoot and let a gloomy mood settle inside him.
These were aftershocks from the Nikko incident, which had gone on for more than a week already. As for what Nikko looked like now… he didn't even dare to imagine.
"Your plan was completely useless, Ojou-sama…" muttered the middle-aged ninja uncle, whose professional skills were otherwise MAX level.
The whole nonsense about "the demon king is young, so a harem will definitely work" was pure, unadulterated crap!
So far, the ridiculous plan had accomplished exactly nothing.
Other than Seishuin Ena, no one else had even managed to get close to Hikigaya before being intercepted by Yomi. The lucky ones just got knocked out and tossed into some dark alley. The unlucky ones were stuffed in a sack and dumped several kilometers away.
And with Seishuin Ena being the only Committee member near Hikigaya, her influence was obviously limited. Not even enough to meet her own family's expectations. What happened in Nikko was proof enough.
If Amakasu Touma didn't want to someday drown in the Pacific while sleeping, he had better roll up his sleeves and put in real work—because if Hikigaya Hachiman kept going like this, he just might sink the whole of Japan.
The key lay with Hikigaya's family.
At first, Touma had planned to approach them as an easygoing, friendly older uncle. But after consulting female colleagues and investigating Komachi's impression of older men, he realized that approach might shoot the difficulty level straight to "hell mode."
That's why he was now working as a teacher at Komachi's school.
The school had long been under the Yukinoshita family's ownership, and since Komachi studied there, many of Yomi's usual methods were restricted. That left the Committee with plenty of room to maneuver.
Most importantly, Hikigaya himself wasn't around at the moment, so Touma felt things were still manageable.
Of course, he exercised good control, careful not to touch Hikigaya's "bottom line."
The Committee believed Hikigaya Hachiman had a natural resistance toward anyone trying to get close to his family, seeing it as a sign of his unstable mentality after suddenly becoming the world's strongest being.
But Amakasu Touma disagreed. He thought Hikigaya didn't really mind people approaching his family. Otherwise, Yomi or the Nine Gods Group would've already stormed his home.
If even those lunatics in Yomi could be tolerated, while the Committee alone was treated differently, then the problem lay with themselves.
Thinking back to his first meeting with Hikigaya, Touma concluded the flaw was in the Committee's attitude.
To those in the know, it looked like service. To outsiders, it looked like human trafficking.
Japan's magic world had gone too long without a godslayer's rule.
As long as he kept the right mindset, Touma believed Hikigaya would absolutely accept him. He might even be able to restart the "harem plan" with a few adjustments.
And that plan wasn't about something boring like throwing girls at him to boost reputation—it aimed to have their own people bear Hikigaya's children, making the "Four Great Houses" into the "Five Great Houses." That was one of its main goals.
This wasn't without precedent, and history had proven it always brought more benefit than harm.
With this understanding, Amakasu Touma continued diligently fulfilling his duties that day.
Walking through the high school building's hallway during break time, he saw students gathering in small groups near the windows.
He quickly spotted his target—a pretty girl with long black hair and fair skin. After observing her, he was sure she was one of Komachi's close friends.
Going straight for Komachi too often would seem deliberate and raise her guard. For now, his goal wasn't to bond with her directly, but to win over her friends first. Komachi's circle of close friends numbered in the dozens.
This black-haired girl was her latest new friend.
"Ruri-chan," Touma greeted warmly as he approached. "Is your injury feeling better today?"
At the moment, the most popular class at the school was martial arts—apparently something started by Hikigaya Hachiman.
Because of that, incidents like twisted wrists or strained backs had skyrocketed. That gave Touma an opening—he had entered the school as the health teacher.
For him, a ninja, treating minor injuries caused by improper training was child's play.
Thinking this, Touma was stunned when he received a glare that screamed, you're garbage.
"Please don't call me that so intimately. I'll call the police."
The adorable straight-haired black-haired girl didn't even try to hide her displeasure, then held out her soft white hand.
"The medicine from last time. Please give me another dose."
"Oh?" Touma's eyes lit up. "Are you hurt again?"
Perfect. Another chance to show his mature charm and earn the achievement of being "the reliable teacher." Their first encounter hadn't gone well, but he believed perseverance would change things.
Unfortunately, his expression seemed to be misunderstood. The girl instantly pulled out her phone, glaring at him like he was a zombie in an apocalypse movie.
"I knew you were a beast, but I didn't think you'd reveal it this quickly."
Her fingers pressed down on a suspicious speed-dial, her stance one step away from calling the cops. She stepped back with obvious alarm.
"Sensei, I advise you to calm down. Don't think about challenging the law."
What the hell is this development?!
Touma's smile froze.
Honestly, he only wanted to make a cross-generational female friend. Even if she wasn't into it, did she really need to prepare to report him to the police?
Then a passionate voice rang out from nearby:
"Kuroneko-chan! Kuroneko-chan!"
The instant he heard that voice, Touma's heart skipped a beat—it was Komachi, Hikigaya's little sister!
This was not the time to meet her. He had been carefully avoiding her until he could build up his reputation through her friends. His plan was for them to spread word of him as a reliable, righteous uncle, before finally approaching her directly.
At that thought, Touma felt more like a ninja than ever. He quickly pulled from his pocket a mini smoke bomb he always carried, though rarely used. He was about to smash it to the ground—at least, that was the plan.
But the smoke bomb stayed clenched in his hand. He couldn't throw it.
From all directions, he felt a storm of killing intent closing in, sharp and undisguised. It froze him in place.
He had attracted the attention of the Yomi Martial Artists!
In the distance, he saw the figure from the photo he had studied countless times—Komachi running across the schoolyard, calling out.
Having memorized "Three Hundred Essays on Komachi," the ninja uncle knew: if he didn't leave immediately, Komachi would forever remember him as a creepy old stalker.
And if he didn't run now, he probably wouldn't get the chance at all. He could already see her—one of the Nine Fists of Darkness!
That evil woman, disguised as the school's dean of discipline, was right by Komachi's side!
Looking from that dangerous presence, to the wary girl before him, Touma let out a silent sigh.
Without hesitation, he spun on his heel and sprinted into the woods.
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