The moment Ye Xing crossed the finish line, the PE teacher pressed the stopwatch.
When he saw the numbers on the timer, his jaw dropped in disbelief.
"N-nine... nine point six seconds!?"
At the PE teacher's exclamation, the students and teachers present were stunned.
"No way, is that for real?"
"Nine point six? You're kidding, right?"
"But... Ye Xing's sprint was visibly faster than the others. That's insane."
"The top student academically is this good at sports too? That's just unfair!!!"
...
The members of the Supernatural Society gathered together.
Internal members like Mai Sakurajima showed no surprise at all.
This was normal.
Ye Xing's formidable combat prowess stemmed from devouring thousands of evil spirits, granting him physical abilities far beyond human limits.
Other things, like evil spirit power weapons or combat techniques, were just icing on the cake.
A 100-meter dash in 9.6 seconds?
That was him holding back.
If he'd truly gone all out as Shizuka Hiratsuka suggested, he probably could've done it in two or three seconds.
"Ye Xing's so strong."
Hearing Marin Kitagawa's admiration for Ye Xing, Saki Kawasaki's cheeks flushed slightly as she replied in a bashful tone.
"W-well... It's not that impressive."
Mai Sakurajima, standing beside her, frowned slightly.
Wait, why are you getting embarrassed here?
Ye Xing isn't your boyfriend.
Why are you acting all shy?
Yukino Yukinoshita watched Ye Xing, who had just crossed the finish line and was now chatting cheerfully with the PE teacher, her eyes revealing a complex mix of emotions.
When it came to athletics...
The gap between them wasn't just a little—it was enormous.
After being thoroughly outclassed by Kazusa Touma that day, Yukino still felt deeply dissatisfied in her heart.
After all, she was someone with an intensely competitive nature.
But this was only the second time Yukino had encountered an opponent so overwhelmingly capable—so flawless—that it nearly extinguished her desire to compete altogether.
The first time she'd experienced this crushing sense of defeat had been because of her sister Haruno.
"Congratulations to Ye Xing from Class 1-A for breaking Sobu High School's record in the 100-meter dash!"
This was just the summer sports festival, not the Olympics, so naturally there were no preliminary rounds, semi-finals, or finals.
And of course, no medals either.
As the announcement came from the commentator's booth, Shizuka Hiratsuka—dressed in her long tracksuit—stood basking in the envious glances from surrounding teachers. She crossed her arms with evident self-satisfaction, muttering as if to herself:
"Tch, I told him to slow down and leave some face for students from other classes. Why won't that boy ever listen?"
Beside her, Mafuyu Kirisu wore an expression of utter exasperation.
She glanced at her friend, thinking, 'Weren't you the one who told him to go all out?'
Now you're putting on this act?
Well, having such an outstanding student would make anyone a little smug, she supposed.
"What a pain."
Ye Xing rejected the PE teacher's grand proposal—to join the track team, represent Sobu High in national competitions, and potentially become a professional athlete—and walked straight to the rest area by the track.
Why would he waste time running for no reason?
The tone didn't even fit—this wasn't some sports anime.
No thanks.
The "pain" Ye Xing referred to wasn't about breaking the school record.
It was the meticulous control required to achieve a record-breaking time that was impressive yet not too attention-grabbing—just right.
The result was passable, but still slightly off.
9.3 seconds for 100 meters—still too shocking.
As for the 0.3-second discrepancy?
Because they weren't using electronic timers, but manual stopwatches.
The PE teacher's reaction time in pressing the timer had been 0.3 seconds slow.
"Ye Xing, here's some water."
Mai Sakurajima made the first move, unscrewing a bottle of mineral water with the grace of a perfect housewife before offering it to Ye Xing.
The male students watching this scene nearly popped blood vessels in their eyes.
That was Mai Sakurajima—a nationally renowned actress and their senior!
This guy's luck was unbelievable.
Seeing Mai act so swiftly, Rio Futaba frowned slightly.
'How shameless,' she thought.
Such a quick strike!
She couldn't afford to fall behind either.
"Ye... Ye, Ye Xing, h-here... your... towel."
Rio produced the towel she'd prepared in advance, but performing such an intimate act as publicly wiping a boy's sweat under everyone's gaze filled her with unprecedented nervousness.
"Uh, uh..."
Eyes squeezed shut in tension, Rio began vigorously rubbing the towel all over Ye Xing's face.
The latter endured the rough treatment with a deadpan expression, muttering.
"No, are you scraping wall dust here? Stop wiping, you'll rub it to death."
Rio Futaba flushed with embarrassment and withdrew the towel in her hand.
She glanced at Miko Yotsuya, giving her a subtle look that carried an obvious suggestion.
Make your move!
Yet Miko simply stood there with her head bowed, looking too shy and embarrassed to act.
Rio rolled her eyes.
'How are we supposed to win with teammates like this?'
Her gaze shifted to Mai Sakurajima, who was squatting beside Ye Xing, casually resting her cheek on one hand as she stared openly at him without the slightest concern for onlookers. A sense of despair welled up in Rio's heart.
'What a formidable opponent.'
'To declare sovereignty like this during the sports festival...'
'So calculating, so mentally resilient, so decisive in her approach!'
'Truly terrifying for someone who used to be an idol actress!'
Finding herself in dire straits, Rio instinctively scanned her surroundings, hoping to find someone who could turn the tide of battle.
Yukino Yukinoshita, Kazusa Touma, Marin Kitagawa, Hina Amano, Saki Kawasaki, Yui Yuigahama...
Wait.
Yui Yuigahama?
Yui Yuigahama!
"Yui, come here."
Rio pulled the still-dazed Yui over, adjusted her glasses meaningfully and said:
"Ye Xing just broke the school record. Don't you want to say something to him?"
"Eh?"
Seeing Rio's expression and hearing her suggestive tone, Yui blinked in momentary confusion.
Then suddenly, she looked flustered, waving her hands repeatedly and even taking two steps back to distance herself from Ye Xing.
"N-no, I definitely have nothing to say! Don't overthink it, Rio! I don't want to tell him anything at all!"
This reaction completely threw Rio Futaba off balance.
'Did I misunderstand?' she wondered.
During their last group chat, it had been so late, yet Dango and Ye Xing were still together.
Could there really be nothing between them?
Why was Dango reacting with such panic now, when Rio was requesting backup against Mai Sakurajima?
This didn't make sense.
Only Ye Xing truly understood what was happening here.
Simply put.
These two were quite the pair.
On one hand, Rio Futaba wasn't particularly skilled at reading people's thoughts.
On the other hand, Yui Yuigahama was excessively gentle and timid.
Their versions weren't matching up.
From Rio's perspective, this was about teaming up against the big boss Mai Sakurajima - a classic case of ganging up on a raid boss.
While Yui thought they were still in solo PVP mode.
Just then, Hachishaku-sama suddenly floated behind Ye Xing, leaning down to whisper.
"Boss, someone... no, a spirit is looking for you."
Ye Xing didn't respond verbally, merely giving a slight nod. After all, talking to thin air in public would seem far too strange.
After following Hachishaku-sama away from the sports ground to a secluded corner of campus...
"Ye Xing-kun, you've finally come."
There stood Tamamo-no-Mae, holding an oil-paper umbrella and dressed in a plain kimono.
"Oh, it's you."
When Hachishaku-sama informed him, Ye Xing had already guessed it might be Tamamo-no-Mae seeking him out.
After all, among supernatural entities, she was practically the only ally the Supernatural Society had.
"Why have you come out of the Reverse World?"
Tamamo-no-Mae sighed deeply, her gaze as mournful as a jilted lover as she softly complained, "Ye Xing-kun, it's been so long since you last visited me..."
Any normal man would have melted at the sight of this peerless beauty speaking in such a sweet, plaintive tone with her soft, honeyed voice.
Ye Xing was indeed a man.
But he wasn't normal.
"Stop barking."
Those two blunt words left Tamamo-no-Mae utterly stunned.
"I'll come find you when I feel like eating you someday."
Forcing a smile, Tamamo-no-Mae subtly retreated two steps to increase the distance between them.
Though she hadn't witnessed it personally, she'd heard accounts from her underlings about the recent battle in the Reverse World.
A ten-meter-tall giant evil spirit infused with the power of a Gate.
Even without rational thought, its sheer power alone made it a regional overlord in the Reverse World.
While Tamamo-no-Mae had formed a contract with Ye Xing, it didn't include any obligation to assist him in danger.
As a centuries-old great spirit, she naturally held no particular goodwill toward humans nor any willingness to sacrifice herself for them, hence her absence from the battle.
What truly surprised Tamamo-no-Mae, however...
As a human, Ye Xing had actually won.
And according to reports from the yokai lurking in the shadows at the scene...
He had won quite effortlessly, and the scene was utterly brutal.
That giant evil spirit...
After being torn apart by Ye Xing's bare hands, it was then devoured alive by him.
Tamamo-no-Mae knew Ye Xing was strong.
But she truly hadn't expected him to be this strong.
Just where was the upper limit of his power?
Realising Ye Xing's unfathomable depth, Tamamo-no-Mae's attitude underwent a change.
Previously, she had thought their relationship was one of equal cooperation.
Now...
She was ready to start buttering him up.
That's right.
Tamamo-no-Mae was just that pragmatic.
"There's important news I thought to inform you of first," Tamamo-no-Mae said with utmost deference, her stunning features adorned with a vermilion mark, now wearing a solemn expression.
"Recently in the Reverse World, many powerful evil spirits have gone missing."
Hearing this, Ye Xing's brow furrowed slightly.
"So you're saying they've collectively crossed through a Gate into the real world?"
Tamamo-no-Mae pressed her lips together and smiled gently.
"How extraordinarily perceptive of you to reach that conclusion so qui—"
"Cut the bullshit flattery, will you?"
Before Tamamo-no-Mae could finish, Ye Xing interrupted bluntly.
"If they've disappeared from the Reverse World, of course, they've come to the real world. Where else would they go? You taking me for some kind of idiot?"
"Ah..."
Tamamo-no-Mae hadn't anticipated such a forceful response to her fawning, even from someone as breathtakingly beautiful as herself.
Tch.
This was no ordinary man.
Not daring to provoke him further, Tamamo-no-Mae forced a strained smile.
"Well... I merely wished to warn you. With so many powerful evil spirits appearing simultaneously in the real world, I believe there's a high probability they're targeting you... and those close to you."
At these words, Ye Xing considered the matter internally.
Only a handful of people had accompanied him to the Reverse World:
Miko Yotsuya, Rio Futaba, Yui Yuigahama, Mai Sakurajima, and Hina Amano, who'd been dragged into the last battle.
Five individuals in total.
"Since you've risked appearing here voluntarily..."
Ye Xing looked at Tamamo-no-Mae with a faint smile.
"I assume you've come to offer me a solution?"
"Precisely my intention."
Having decided to extend goodwill towards Ye Xing—hoping to secure his protection should danger arise in future—Tamamo-no-Mae held nothing back.
Her smile faded as she spoke deliberately.
"I believe... if you wish to protect those who've accompanied you to the Reverse World and become targets of evil spirits..."
"Why not form contracts with them? Grant them the right to summon you in moments of life-or-death crisis. What say you?"
Ye Xing's expression remained impassive as he countered:
"But I'm human. Contracts can't be formed between humans, correct?"
This was fundamental contract law.
Humans couldn't establish those binding agreements where violation carried severe consequences.
Only between humans and spirits, or spirits themselves, could such pacts be made.
Naturally, there was one prerequisite to this.
Ordinary humans cannot perceive spirits and can only form contracts with physical entities, such as the yokai of the Nura Clan.
To put it simply.
As a psychic, Ye Xing shouldn't be able to form contracts with those five members.
"Is that so?"
Tamamo-no-Mae revealed a meaningful smile and whispered.
"Compared to evil spirits, do you truly believe you lean more towards being human?"
"Oh, you noticed? Then it's fine."
Hearing Ye Xing's utterly indifferent reply, Tamamo-no-Mae was momentarily taken aback.
Observing his calm, expressionless eyes that showed no fluctuation, she couldn't help but emphasise again.
"Well, what I meant was that compared to humans, you're more inclined towards evil—"
"Need you say it? Don't I know myself? Hmm?"
Ye Xing had no patience to listen to Tamamo-no-Mae's explanation.
After all, he understood his own nature better than anyone.
There was one fundamental rule.
Only evil spirits could grow stronger by devouring other evil spirits.
Humans couldn't achieve this.
Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba were perfect examples.
As psychics, they could strengthen themselves by having their soul's true form devour evil spirits—a clever workaround.
Psychics, stripped to the basics, were simply humans capable of wielding spiritual abilities.
Ye Xing was different.
After all, he had died once.
Upon awakening his spiritual power, he became a being equally split between human and spirit.
In other words.
It wouldn't be wrong to consider him an evil spirit.
This was precisely why, when forming a contract with Tamamo-no-Mae, his human name held no power.
The name of his soul's true form, The End of Eight Million, could also be considered his other true name.
"However..."
After speaking, Tamamo-no-Mae meaningfully added.
"Forming contracts can be like weaving your own cocoon if it's not with someone absolutely trustworthy. Are you certain those girls around you won't harm you?"
"Come out."
To Tamamo-no-Mae's surprise, upon hearing her words laced with divisive implications, Ye Xing merely uttered two quiet words.
In an instant, the pale ghost hand suddenly appeared, pressing Tamamo-no-Mae firmly to the ground.
Its black, razor-sharp nails, gleaming even sharper under the sunlight, lightly grazed her forehead.
At that moment, Tamamo-no-Mae experienced the most intense fear of her life.
"Little Tamamo."
Ye Xing crouched on one knee in front of her, patting her head with a kind smile.
"I'm glad you came to warn me."
"But this habit of sowing discord—I don't like it."
"Try to change that in the future, alright?"
As a yokai, Tamamo-no-Mae's nature was to seduce and manipulate.
It wasn't intentional.
Just a professional habit.
Hachishaku-sama watched Tamamo-no-Mae pinned down by the pale ghost hand, her eyes filled with pity—yet also a hint of inexplicable schadenfreude.
Well, well, well.
Loving to stir trouble, are we?
Tamamo-no-Mae, look at you now!
"I-I'm sorry."
Tamamo-no-Mae was genuinely terrified.
Logically, she was valuable to Ye Xing—he wouldn't kill her here.
But from the very first moment she met him, she had realised one thing.
This human's mind wasn't normal.
A simple madman wasn't scary.
What was terrifying was a madman armed with power.
"That's more like it."
Ye Xing patted Tamamo-no-Mae's cheek, smiling.
"Remember this for next time, or I might just have to taste you."
Once the pale ghost hand released her, Tamamo-no-Mae instinctively curled her lips into a seductive smile.
"Rather than letting you taste me, I'd much prefer to taste you myself—"
"Starting again, are we?"
At Ye Xing's words, Tamamo-no-Mae's expression changed instantly. She hastily bowed her head, muttered an apology, and fled as if her life depended on it.
In her panic, she even let her white fox tail slip out.
After Tamamo-no-Mae left, Ye Xing leaned against the wall, murmuring to himself.
"Hmm... a collective movement of evil spirits... Seems like there's something powerful behind this, directing them..."
"Still, the priority now is to strengthen the society's members quickly."
"But if we push too hard, their bodies won't be able to handle it."
At this, he suddenly looked up at Hachishaku-sama standing nearby.
A sense of foreboding crept into her heart.
"Hachishaku."
"Do you... want power?"