Anime Crossover: Tokyo Reincarnation Game — Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The First Formation of the Four-Person TeamYou're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Hearing the choice Kato Megumi made in her previous dungeon, Iwanaga Kotoko offered a slow, approving nod.

“Ignoring the special hint you received… Although it feels like a bit of a waste, it was without a doubt a wise move.”

Both Kotoko and Yuuki Asuna found their assessment of the flat-mannered girl rising significantly. Megumi had deliberately abandoned a guaranteed equipment drop mentioned in a special hint, choosing instead to play it safe and secure her survival.

It was the right call.

After surviving the novice dungeon, Megumi had earned nothing but her presence-erasing talent. She lacked the overwhelming physical advantages Asagiri possessed. As an ordinary high school girl, she had handled an old mansion infested with evil spirits while simultaneously dodging hostile players. To suppress human greed and walk away from hidden basement loot required a level of restraint most players simply did not possess.

At the very least, it proved she was nothing like the Suit Man or the Woman with Heavy Makeup—fools who let a single high rating inflate their egos until it got them killed.

“Um, I am curious about something. May I ask?” Megumi looked directly at Asagiri, her dark eyes entirely placid.

“What question?”

“When I was in the dungeon, as long as I kept my body perfectly still, even that terrifying evil spirit wandering the halls could not detect me. Why were you able to notice me just now?”

Asagiri maintained absolute deadpan eye contact. “Because a beautiful girl as cute as you is someone that I, as the God of Harems, could absolutely never overlook.”

Asuna let out a quiet scoff, raising her hand to deliver a light, entirely unamused punch to his shoulder. “We only just met this girl, and you are already starting with this?”

Megumi did not blush. She did not flinch. She simply raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her tone remaining exceptionally flat.

“Although I am quite happy that you called me cute, I find it hard to believe that you could break through my exclusive talent just because of that.”

“Actually, it is nothing special,” Asagiri said, dropping the joke with a casual smile. “I am immune to all mental-type effects. Your talent for lowering your own presence operates as a kind of cognitive interference, a mental aura. Therefore, it has absolutely no effect on me.”

“I see.” Megumi nodded slowly, processing the information. “Then… did I pass the interview?”

“Yeah, I suppose you passed,” Asagiri replied. “When it is time to sign up for the next dungeon, which is five days from now, we will contact you.”

“Eh? Five days?” A rare sound of confusion slipped past Megumi’s lips. “The dungeon cooldown is seven days, right? I just cleared a dungeon once, and I have to wait a full seven days before I can sign up for the next one. Did you two already clear a dungeon two days ago? If so, having you wait an extra two days because of me makes me feel bad… Why don’t you just sign up for the dungeon when your time comes? I will hold off on participating for now. I can wait until our cooldowns align, and then join you.”and support the real translator.Read at elysianreads.com This is a stolen translation. You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Asagiri waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, that was a slip of the tongue. It doesn’t matter. Let’s all four of us enter the dungeon together. We will be going now.”

Megumi gave an obedient nod. “Okay. See you in a week.”

The trio turned and walked away. Only after they had put sufficient distance between themselves and the alleyway, confirming the streets were clear of any lingering eyes, did Asagiri, Asuna, and Kotoko strip away their disguises. The afternoon sun washed over their true features.

Kotoko glanced up at Asagiri, a knowing glint in her eye. “That thing you said about five days from now… that wasn’t a slip of the tongue at all. It was a test for Kato Megumi, wasn’t it?”

Asagiri kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead, his tone perfectly measured. “Yes. She claimed she had just returned to the real world after clearing her dungeon, which is why she met us at Toyogasaki Private Academy on a Sunday. We couldn’t rule out the possibility that she was lying to align her timeline with ours. But she subconsciously contradicted my statement about the five-day window. While it isn’t absolute proof, it certainly increases her credibility.”

“She shouldn’t have any reason to lie, right?” Asuna wasn’t blindly defending the new girl. She was simply applying the independent critical thinking Asagiri had drilled into her. “The player profile displayed in the mobile app cannot be forged. She really only has that single talent for lowering her presence. Aside from that, she has no items, no equipment, no skills. Nothing. The fact that she is essentially a blank slate is a bit suspicious, but it could easily be a coincidence. I cannot think of any motive she would have to intentionally approach us this way, especially since everyone who knew we were players is already dead.”

Kotoko pouted, crossing her arms. “Look at the phrasing you are using. Why does it sound like we are walking jinxes?”

Dropping the complaint, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “However, I agree with Yuuki-san’s assessment. From our brief contact, Kato Megumi’s mental fortitude, calm analytical skills, and level of caution are all excellent. Although her clearance rating for the second dungeon was very low, she is a player with immense potential and a highly practical exclusive talent. If she becomes a permanent teammate, she will definitely be an asset for future dungeon runs.”

“But seven days from now…” Asuna frowned, her brow furrowing as she ran the mental calculations. “Seven days from now is still Sunday. If we sign up on that day, the time to actually enter the dungeon will be Wednesday, which is a school day. But if we want to enter on a Saturday like last time, the dungeon won’t have finished cooling down by next Wednesday, so we would have to wait until the Wednesday after that to sign up. That creates a massive gap, which is a terrible waste of time in the early stages of this game. How about…”

Asuna looked at Asagiri, her voice dropping into a tentative register. “Shall we just take a day off next Wednesday?”

Asagiri considered the logistics for a brief moment before a faint smile touched his lips. “Taking a day off is fine, but we have to ensure your homeroom teacher won’t call your parents to confirm your absence. After all, the faculty at Shuchiin Academy take their responsibilities very seriously.”

Hearing this, Kotoko tilted her head, genuine curiosity flashing across her face. “Is it only Yuuki-san who needs to worry about that? What about you, Asagiri?”

Asagiri waved his hand, his expression entirely unbothered. “It doesn’t matter for me. My homeroom teacher and I reached an understanding a long time ago. Besides, if the school wanted to contact my parents, they wouldn’t need a phone call. They would need to summon a spirit.”

“Summon a spirit…” Kotoko muttered the phrase under her breath, her eyes widening slightly as the implication clicked into place. “Wait, so you are…”

Asagiri cut her off instantly, his voice flat and devoid of any tragic weight. “Don’t say it. Hearing it out loud from someone else’s mouth just makes me feel like I am being roasted.”You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.