"External stimuli… In our ordinary world, can someone still stimulate a soul to transform into a malevolent spirit?"
Sakuya found it hard to imagine what kind of external stimulus could do that.
"Hmm, something like that…"
Isumi also was not entirely sure what external circumstances could hasten a soul's transformation into a malevolent spirit.
Just as she could not answer, she suddenly turned and saw two people covered in resentment.
"Oh?"
Isumi's gaze shifted oddly. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not mistaken.
"Strange. Why is the resentment on those two so heavy, and why is the death aura on them so strong?"
"Who is it?"
Sakuya followed Isumi's gaze.
She saw two males, one older and one younger, seemingly just back from outside, wearing beach shorts and short-sleeved shirts suited to Izu's climate. There was still sand on their slippers, showing they had just returned from the beach.
Unlike Isumi, Sakuya immediately realized who they were.
"Aren't they those two detectives?"
"Oh!"
Reminded, Isumi finally recalled who they were.
"No wonder they are covered in so much resentment and death aura. People who frequently deal with the deceased and regularly enter crime scenes will be tainted by it."
"However, why is the amount of resentment and death aura on those two so high?"
Even frontline Police officers did not seem as tainted as they were.
Sakuya withdrew her gaze.
"Will those two have an impact?"
Isumi also looked away and nodded slightly.
"Because they are tainted with too much resentment and death aura, such people can stimulate souls full of resentment. If the obsession is strong enough, the resentment and death aura clinging to them will affect souls."
"It is just that those two have tough lives. Despite being so tainted, they do not seem to be significantly affected."
"Hmm, they must have tough lives."
Sakuya did not think it was a problem.
"As a protagonist and a supporting character in a story, and working as detectives, if they did not have tough lives, a long story would not be possible."
"Speaking of which, if someone is tainted with a lot of resentment and death aura, will there be any negative effects?"
"They will become unlucky, and quite unlucky."
A standard answer.
When talking about fate, resentment and death aura are basically bad luck.
Bad luck naturally makes people unlucky.
Sakuya now understood why those two were high school detectives.
"For ordinary people, occasionally encountering a murder case while going out is already very unlucky. But for two detectives who can solve problems, that cannot be considered overly unlucky."
"Moreover, the two of them are strong enough to solve every murder case they encounter. Their reputation grows, but the resentment and death aura on them also get heavier. Going out becomes unluckier, and they are more likely to encounter murders… It is a vicious cycle."
Sakuya now understood why murder cases always occurred where those two appeared. It definitely had something to do with resentment.
Isumi strongly agreed. It was the truth.
"Resentment and death aura make a person's luck very bad. At first it shows as minor physical symptoms. If one's constitution is poor, worsening luck can even cost a life."
Therefore, luck has a threshold.
Once it drops too low, it is not just a little unlucky; it easily endangers safety.
"Hmm, I can see that. Kudo Shinichi's death must have something to do with this."
"Then, Isumi, will this affect us?"
Sakuya meant luck.
"Of course not."
Isumi gave a definite answer.
"Resentment and such only affect the ordinary luck of ordinary people. As long as one does not frequently come into contact with it, or get targeted, it is just ordinary bad luck that recovers over time."
"Just like those two."
Isumi pointed at the two high school detectives.
"The resentment on them is heavy, but their lives are tough, so the bad luck does not affect them much."
"Furthermore, resentment also fades over time."
"If that is the case for ordinary people, it is even more so for us."
So that was how it was.
Sakuya nodded slightly, then withdrew her gaze.
"So, are we done here?"
"Yes."
The biggest gain today was eliminating the soul that was about to become a malevolent spirit.
Although no one asked them to, occasionally clearing out such troublesome souls was also part of Isumi's job.
"However, I probably will not be of much use during this period."
Sakuya sighed with a hint of helplessness.
All her abilities could be fully utilized only at night, and she was currently Sequence 9, so there were too few ways she could help Isumi.
"Do not worry."
Isumi felt Sakuya's help was significant.
"Sakuya's abilities might not add much right now, but she helped a lot with what just happened."
"If it were just me, facing that situation, I would have acted first. Then I would probably be facing Police questioning right now."
Her weakness was not being good at worldly matters and unexpected situations.
Isumi also knew she was not good with words. In that regard, she truly needed Sakuya's help.
"Evil spirits are more active at night, and Sakuya's abilities are more effective at night. I think this is just as Ren said, the reason Sakuya is very suitable to act with me."
"Additionally, Sakuya is only weak because her Sequence level is very low."
"As long as she works hard to raise her Sequence level, Sakuya's abilities will be very powerful."
"That is true."
Sakuya was very confident about the future of her Sequence.
Sequence 8 Midnight Poet and Sequence 7 Nightmare are both very strong. Only at Mid-Sequence can her true potential be displayed.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)