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Inside a private KTV room—
Max and the others hadn't started singing yet.
After ordering food and drinks, Max picked up the song remote, grinning as he looked at Kaguya Shinomiya, Kaguya Fujiwara, and Manabe.
"So, who's going first?"
"You guys go ahead." Manabe smiled, handing over the chance.
"You all can sing."
Kaguya's tone was flat. She clearly had no intention of singing.
She only came because it was a group activity.
Max's gaze swept past her and landed on Fujiwara Chika. He raised the remote slightly.
"Secretary Fujiwara?"
"Huh? Me?"
Fujiwara pointed at herself, then laughed. "I don't mind starting, but since it's the president treating us, shouldn't the host sing first?"
"Me, huh?" Max arched an eyebrow with a small smile. "Sure, I could—but I'm afraid if I sing first, you'll all feel too much pressure afterward."
He wasn't exaggerating.
His singing used to be average—but that was before.
Now he had Vocal Mastery.
His skill was easily on par with professional singers—maybe even better than most.
"Oh, really?" Fujiwara blinked, looking at him half in disbelief.
Kaguya and Manabe both glanced over too.
Max chuckled, pretending to be humble. "Just a little experience."
"Alright then, I'll go first," Fujiwara said, glancing at the others before deciding to take the lead herself.
She wasn't shy about her singing—actually, she was quite confident.
She stood up, took the remote, and picked a song: Together Every Day.
The cheerful, upbeat melody filled the room.
Fujiwara lifted the mic and began to sing:
"Resting my chin in my hand,Gazing absentmindedly into the distance,The clouds floating across the skyLook a little like vanilla ice cream…"
Three minutes later, the song ended.
Clap, clap, clap!
Max, Manabe, and even Kaguya applauded—though Kaguya was a beat slower.
When the applause faded, Fujiwara let out a tiny breath, wiped nonexistent sweat from her forehead, and smiled brightly.
"So? How was it?"
Max nodded, smiling. "Really good. Fujiwara, you could totally debut as a singer."
"You sing beautifully," Manabe added with a polite smile.
"Thanks! " Fujiwara beamed, genuinely happy with the compliments. Then she turned toward Kaguya.
"Kaguya, what do you think?"
Kaguya met her expectant gaze and calmly replied, "Not bad."
Just two words, but Fujiwara looked delighted anyway.
"Your turn, Manabe," she said, passing over the remote and mic.
Kaguya wasn't going to sing, and Max was saving himself for last—so it was Manabe's time to shine.
She picked a song called Prologue.
It was her first time at karaoke, and she was clearly nervous.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted the mic.
"The wind brushes the back of my neck,Each second growing colder,The sound of dragonflies' wings,The faint scent of osmanthus flowers…"
Four minutes later, her voice faded.
Clap, clap, clap!
The others applauded again.
"Thank you," she said, slightly breathless, her cheeks flushed pink—whether from nerves or something else, no one could tell.
She handed Max the mic and remote.
Max took them and started browsing the list.
His first pick: Love.
"As night falls, the usual streets come alive,The evening breeze carries the cries of crowsAnd the hum of people passing by…"
The moment he opened his mouth, Fujiwara and Manabe both widened their eyes, clearly stunned.
Even Kaguya's expression shifted slightly—she hadn't expected that.
So this was what people meant by "you had me at the first note."
Max's voice was magnetic, rich, and effortlessly clear.
It drew them in instantly.
Turns out, he hadn't been bragging after all.
He really could sing.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Half an hour later, somewhere else in Shinjuku—
Yotsuya Miko and Hana Yurikawa were walking near a food street.
"Miko, you want some?" Hana asked, offering a snack from her bag.
"I'll pass."
Miko shook her head lightly, pretending to glance around casually.
But in her peripheral vision, she could see it.
A terrifying spirit looming right behind Hana.
It was massive—at least two and a half meters tall.
Its whole body was wreathed in black mist, and it wore a crumpled gray robe. Its long, clawed fingers and bluish-black skin made it look like something straight out of a nightmare.
Its head was shaped like a melon seed, and where eyes and brows should've been… there was only a gaping, fanged mouth.
Below that mouth were three irregular, blood-red eyes, glowing with pure malice.
Just looking at it made Miko's whole body go cold, goosebumps prickling down her arms.
The spirit drifted away briefly, then returned—dragging along two smaller ghosts in its claws.
They looked like tiny old men.
It dropped them beside Hana.
And right before Miko's horrified eyes, those "little old men" began to burn, their bodies crackling as if roasted over invisible fire.
"Hm?"
Hana frowned slightly, seemingly sensing something strange, and started eating faster.
When the tiny ghosts were charred to a crisp, the big spirit grabbed one, stuffed it into its mouth, and bit down.
It melted instantly.
As it ate, a dark red tentacle pierced through its face, twitching like strands of hair.
Oh my god, this is terrifying!
Outwardly calm, Miko was panicking inside.
She'd tried to get away earlier while the thing was gone—but it had caught up to her almost immediately.
Clearly, she was being followed.
And this ghost wasn't like the regular ones she'd seen before.
It felt… like the one Max had lured away last time.
Definitely not something to mess with.
As the two walked deeper into the food street, Miko waited for another chance—then quietly pulled out her phone.
She opened LINE and typed a message to her friend Daydreamer—Max.
Back at the KTV entrance—
Max had just finished paying when his phone buzzed.
He checked the LINE message, read Miko's description, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
A ghost that barbecues souls using Hana's life energy.
Yeah, he remembered that one.
It wasn't as powerful as the "Mountain God," but it wasn't weak either.
If it kept feeding, it might actually surpass that thing someday.
But that's not gonna happen.
After replying to Miko, Max turned to the girls.
"Sorry, something urgent came up. I've got to head out."
"No worries, President," Fujiwara said with a cheerful smile. "We can head back on our own. Go handle your stuff."
"Yeah, she's right," Manabe added.
Kaguya didn't say anything—just gave a quiet nod.
"Alright then. Take care on your way home."
After saying goodbye, Max turned and left, heading straight toward Yotsuya Miko's location.
"....."