Chapter 241: Played Right Into Their Hands
Now, if two weirdos suddenly showed up in the middle of the night, spouting nonsense and trying to sell you something, what would you think?
A product pitch? …Well, technically, yeah.
But for Arataki Itto, there was only one thought in his head right now:
These two are nuts.
"W-What Miss Hina? I want Shinobu! Not Hina!"
If he weren't an oni, he would've already thrown a handful of beans at them just in case.
Did ghosts even fear beans? He wasn't sure.
But he definitely feared them.
And since they were all "yokai," surely they shared the same weaknesses, right?
"That's only because you don't know Miss Hina yet. Once you truly understand her, you'll see just how charming she is."
With a flourish, Yae Miko produced a freshly-printed poster of Miss Hina, holding it up before his eyes.
When it came to allure, Yae Miko was clearly the expert.
Bai Luo had already coached Gorou into some poses designed to catch a man's attention. But once Yae Miko added her finishing touches—oh, it was irresistible.
Her changes weren't even drastic.
The lips just a little softer, the smile a little more playful.
A few heart-shaped sparkles here, some tasteful stylized text there.
And suddenly, Miss Hina wasn't just alluring—she was teasingly cute.
Sexy enough without being overbearing.
Adorable without veering into childishness.
She had the traits of a loyal pup, yet radiated the sly energy of a mischievous kitten—her soft little paws clawing at your heart, hitting just where you couldn't scratch.
The sensation was like someone finally scratching that maddening itch on your back that you could never reach.
In a word: bliss.
"Exactly! And the very first person to write to Miss Hina will have a chance to win a limited-edition Onikabuto—the Crimson Cyclone!"
If Yae Miko's words lit a spark, Bai Luo's poured gasoline over it.
This wasn't just catching fire. This was a full-on explosion.
"L-limited-edition Onikabuto? Crimson Cyclone?!"
"That's right. You just might win it."
Bai Luo emphasized the word might.
But of course, in Itto's overheated brain, that detail never registered.
Miss Hina, plus a rare Onikabuto, pressed all his buttons at once.
And then—
"That's not all! One lucky winner will also be selected to receive a gorgeous Genius Invokation TCG exclusive gift set!"
"Oh! Yes! That's it! It's like this whole thing was made for me! Where's this place? Take me there right now!"
Bai Luo and Yae Miko exchanged a glance.
Their lips curved into a sinisterly satisfied smile.
"Bai-Style Deep Hypnosis!"
THUNK—
. . .
The first rays of morning sunlight touched Shinobu's face.
After a whole night of blissful, dreamless sleep, her lashes fluttered open.
It was the best rest she'd had since joining the Arataki Gang.
A few sparrows pecking at leftover lavender melons noticed her stir, chirped noisily, then flitted up into the trees—though clearly reluctant to abandon the feast.
"…Where am I?"
As she sat up, the face-guard she always wore slipped loose and fell into her lap.
Catching her face-guard in one hand, Shinobu tried to piece together what had happened.
Hmm… she remembered roasting lavender melons, spotting her elder sister, and then—
Right, she'd tried to avoid her sister. But what exactly had she done after that?
Why couldn't she recall a single detail?
And another thing—she had strapped her mask on properly. So why had it slipped off the moment she sat up?
…Someone had touched it.
"Boss!"
Instinctively, Shinobu turned toward Arataki Itto—only to find her boss drooling, hugging Akira tight like a pillow, mumbling about "Miss Hina," "Onikabuto," and "Crimson Cyclone."
As for Akira… his expression was twisted with pain, his complexion pale.
Yet no matter how he struggled, he couldn't wake up.
It was as though something had bewitched him.
Shinobu frowned.
Crackling violet lightning surged across her hand.
"Narikabura Ring—Exorcise!"
The Narikabura Ring was a shrine maiden's spell.
There was an old saying at shrines: weave a loop of Narikabura grass and wear it around your body, and it would dispel misfortune and invite blessings.
Perhaps it's just a simple superstition, but the numbing effect really could ease suffering.
Though she had left her miko training behind, Shinobu hadn't forgotten the techniques.
If she for some reason returned to the shrine tomorrow, she could still take up the duties flawlessly.
The lightning raced across Akira's body, even making Itto himself jolt and twitch a few times from where he clung to him.
But even so, both remained deeply asleep.
"…What in the world?"
Her gaze shifted to Genta and the others.
Compared to Akira, their sleep looked… peaceful.
Yet despite the noise she'd just made, they didn't stir at all.
It's not normal.
Normally, a single cough from her and they'd be up on their feet in an instant.
So then… what had really happened last night?
Though only a trainee shrine maiden, she'd seen similar cases before.
Such unnaturally deep sleep could mean only two things:
Either they'd been drugged, or possessed by yokai.
But really—what yokai would dare possess her boss?
In a sense, wasn't he a yokai himself?
And their condition didn't look like poisoning either.
Should she… go to Narukami Shrine and seek the guuji's help?
She hesitated, glancing toward the distant peak of Mt. Yougou.
Truthfully, unless absolutely necessary, she never wanted to return to that place.
And just as she wrestled with the thought—three of them suddenly opened their eyes in unison.
"Boss?!"
Akira blinked in confusion, only then noticing the suffocating grip around him.
But once he realized it was Itto who had him trapped, his composure instantly shattered.
No matter how he struggled, it was useless.
Oni strength, even without a Vision, was still far beyond anything Akira could hope to match.
"Calm down, Akira. If I'm not wrong, the boss should be waking up very soon."
Shinobu, the brains of the Arataki Gang, seemed to have pieced together the pattern.
Whatever had dragged them into that unnatural slumber—at the very least, it bore no malice.
Otherwise, they never would have woken up at all.
But that only deepened her puzzlement.
What was their goal?
Just… to sneak a peek beneath her mask?
<+>
Note:
In Global, the [Narikabura Ring—Exorcise!] spell has been localized into [Our bond is strong!]. I don't know why.
It's on Shinobu Elemental Skill voice-over by the way, the very first one.
The CN Raw for the word is this: 鸣草结环
Shinobu Voice-Over:
https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Kuki_Shinobu/Voice-Overs
. . . . .
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/174425?view=condensed
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[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/genshin-impact-139694063
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