"Mmm... huh... why did I fall asleep?"
Chitanda Eru stood up and stretched, turning to look at Uchiha Ryo, who was reading a book.
"Maybe you were too relaxed. How was it? Did you remember anything about your uncle?"
Chitanda Eru nodded, then shook her head again.
"I seem to have dreamed about my uncle, but I still have no impression of what he said at the time."
A dream... perhaps because I was searching her memories, she subconsciously thought of what happened back then.
However, besides this, Uchiha Ryo had also obtained a very interesting piece of information.
The banquet hosted by the Shinomiya family this weekend, on the surface, was to celebrate the Shinomiya family's only daughter, Shinomiya Kaguya, entering high school.
But those qualified to attend the banquet were no fools. Celebrating Shinomiya Kaguya's entry into high school was just an excuse. The real reason was likely a meeting of the major powers in the entire Tokyo area.
How could he, Uchiha Ryo, not participate in such an interesting banquet?
But what identity should he use to attend... As far as Uchiha Ryo could remember, the Ogino family seemed to have received an invitation, as had the Yashajin family.
I should probably go with the Yashajin family.
.....
Today at Shuchiin's middle school division, everyone, from second-years like Shirogane Kei to third-years like Ishigami Yu, was discussing one thing.
That was Ogi Mitsuru's sudden, unilateral announcement that he and Otomo Kyoko had peacefully broken up.
However, this matter was only a topic of idle gossip among the students. But for those three individuals, it brought about different emotions.
Otomo Kyoko was very shocked. She didn't understand why Ogi Mitsuru, who had always been good to her, wanted to break up with her. Had she done something wrong?
But when she took the initiative to find him, she was met with the reply, "You're annoying."
On the other side, Ishigami Yu saw everything. Although Otomo Kyoko was very sad, it was for the best. It could be considered her escape from that abyss-like vortex.
As for Ogi Mitsuru, he currently didn't care at all about why he had said he was breaking up with Otomo Kyoko. Instead, his body... seemed to have undergone some sort of change.
Whenever he had to make a choice, a pair of crimson eyes would always be watching him from behind, forcing him to make a decision.
Ogi Mitsuru felt an inexplicable fear about this. He felt as if he was no longer himself. And when he wanted to do something about it, he suddenly found himself unable to control his own body.
Uchiha Ryo found this all very pitiful, but who told him to be one of the bodies found by the Evil Soul.
After school, Ishigami Yu saw Ogi Mitsuru leave the academy without a word and finally let out a long sigh of relief. He then looked at the recording on his phone and chose to delete it.
He wasn't worried that Ogi Mitsuru was only temporarily deceiving him and would revert to his old self in a few days. After all, wasn't he, an otaku, familiar with things like cloud storage?
"Uchiha, are you not going home today?"
Shirogane Miyuki noticed that after walking out of Shuchiin, Uchiha Ryo didn't seem to be planning on leaving, but was waiting for someone.
"A friend just invited me over. You go on ahead."
Shirogane Miyuki nodded, got on his bicycle, and left. Uchiha Ryo then saw the Ogino family's car pull up.
He opened the door and got in, only to hear the driver say with a wicked smile.
"Young Master Ogino, are you taking a friend out to play today? The hotel has already been booked."
Ogi Mitsuru's expression was unwavering. He calmly said to the driver, "Go straight home. I need to see my father."
"Uh... yes, Young Master."
Uchiha Ryo closed his eyes in contemplation. Next, he would bypass Ogi Mitsuru and directly control the head of the Ogino family with his Sharingan.
Once the head of the Ogino family was under his control, it wouldn't matter whether this Ogi Mitsuru lived or died.
But the head of the Ogino family wasn't at Shuchiin. To achieve long-term control, he would need to replenish the ocular power before it faded.
I should probably get a Ka's worth of chakra first. That way, I can split off a shadow clone to stay at the Ogino residence.
[Exchange for one Ka's worth of chakra -300 G-Points]
At the same time, in the Shinomiya residence, Hayasaka Ai was reporting to her young lady the information she had gathered about Uchiha Ryo that day.
"Lady Kaguya, this person's counter-surveillance ability is very strong. I was discovered as soon as I tried to observe him, so I could only play along and choose to make contact with him."
"Mhm...."
Shinomiya Kaguya just replied quietly, then suddenly seemed to think of something and said.
"You can put the investigation of this person on hold for now. We need to prepare for the weekend banquet."
"Yes, Lady Kaguya."
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ryo, who had just walked out of the Ogino residence, sat casually in a nearby park.
Although the Ogino family was not a huge, established family with landlord-level status in Tokyo like the Chitanda family, nor did it have the political power of the Yukinoshita family, what the Ogino family controlled was one of the most complex circles in the world: the entertainment industry.
It was said that a well-known school in the Tokyo area, Yoto High School, was an asset of the Ogino family. However, to allow Ogi Mitsuru to access better circles, they did not send him to their own Yoto High School, but chose Shuchiin instead.
Uchiha Ryo took out his phone and typed in the name Yoto High School. According to the description, it was one of the four major high schools in the Tokyo area, and one of the few special schools in the country with an "Arts Department" that covered both middle and high school.
Because of its special nature, it was said that many famous domestic artists and child stars studied there. But Uchiha Ryo was not interested in them, so he didn't pay much attention.
By the way, besides the prestigious aristocrat school Shuchiin Academy and Yoto High School, the four major high schools in the Tokyo area also included the commoner-level prestigious school Toyogasaki Academy, and the even more special Hyakkaou Private Academy.
The sudden ringing of his phone interrupted Uchiha Ryo's thoughts. It was an unknown number, but Uchiha Ryo chose to answer it anyway.
"Is this the disciple of Mr. Akatsuki? I am Yashajin Kouten."
A call from the Yashajin family? It just so happens that I have business with them too, but I'll hear what they have to say first.
"This is Akatsuki-sensei's disciple, Uchiha Ryo. May I ask what business the head of the Yashajin family has?"
"Young friend Uchiha, you sound very young. But could you let us contact your master?"
Uchiha Ryo pursed his lips. "Master had to leave Tokyo on urgent business. I don't know when he will be back. If it's about youkai, I can lend a hand."
The appearance of the alias "Akatsuki" was originally to prevent the Yashajin family from investigating Uchiha Ryo, a commoner, and thus contacting Aunt Touko and Takashi.
But now, Uchiha had another reason for revealing his true identity: the Shinomiya family!
If he could use this banquet to get close to and control one of the powerful figures in the Shinomiya family, wouldn't Shinomiya Kaguya be easy to capture? Moreover, he needed to use the Shinomiya family to make contact with the supernatural side of this world.
Onmyoji? Youkai? He had to be on guard against these unfathomable beings.
Uchiha Ryo hated it when things got out of his control. In order to live a peaceful, comfortable, and blissful life in this world! He would take the initiative to become stronger, and then eliminate any enemies that would prevent him from living that peaceful life.