Sirin bought everything she could from Kiana's list, leaving the remaining funds temporarily in Kiana's care.
Meanwhile, Kiana watched Sirin store the items within the Imaginary Space and couldn't help but wonder if she could use her Phase Shuttle's built-in dimensional pocket as a warehouse.
She'd try that next time.
"Are you heading back today?"
After receiving Kiana's gift, Sirin immediately sensed a strange change in herself. It made her a bit uneasy.
"Back? Back where?"
"Aren't you supposed to be busy?"
"Who said that?"
Sirin could only vaguely feel the change within her body, uncertain of what exactly had altered. "If I want to take a vacation, I can do it anytime I want," she said casually.
She decided she'd test the change later, somewhere more open.
But Kiana was staring at her in shock. "You… have vacation days?"
Sirin frowned immediately, visibly offended.
"Is it that strange for me to have time off? The Sovereign of Revelation died, and it took over a thousand years before Eternal Zenith appeared. Then, after the Eternal Zenith died, it was more than ten years before the Almighty Thunder was born. Only Kami of that caliber require my presence. Think about it—that's decades between appearances. If I went around slaying Kami every single day, I'd have lost my mind by now! We Sentinels are human too, not actual blades. Even a sword dulls if it's swung endlessly, right? So why is it strange that we have vacations? When we're not slaying Kami, we're just ordinary people."
She seemed genuinely passionate about this point, speaking in a long, unbroken rush.
"Yeah… that makes sense."
Kiana couldn't get a word in edgewise and could only give an awkward laugh. What a dumb question to ask.
"Why don't you stay in Nagazora for a while?" she offered, trying to make up for it.
"…I'm afraid not."
Sirin's tone weakened as she sighed. "I have to head to Sapphire City immediately. The command division detected a top-tier Kami energy signature there."
Kiana: "…"
So basically, even if not today, she still had to leave tomorrow. Busy as ever.
Sirin carried a heavy responsibility—there was no such thing as taking a break whenever she pleased.
Considering her reaction, Kiana decided not to push further. Instead, her interest piqued at the mention of a top-tier Kami and Sapphire City.
Now that she was One Punch Woman, she'd been itching to test her strength against something tough—and a top-tier Kami sounded like the perfect test subject.
"Can you take me with you?" she asked eagerly. "I've never seen a top-tier Kami before!"
"But you've already met the Almighty Thunder."
Sirin couldn't help but tease her.
"That's different!" Kiana protested. "The Almighty Thunder is the Almighty Thunder—it doesn't count!"
Sirin considered for a moment. Bringing Kiana along didn't seem problematic—she wasn't an ordinary person, after all.
"You want to come with me?"
"And Mei too!" Kiana added quickly. "I'll go ask her in a bit."
"Alright," Sirin said, suddenly more relaxed. "If Raiden Mei wants to come, I'll let her take the lead on this one. The Kami in Sapphire can be her trial by blade."
A top-tier Kami ranked just below the Twelve Kami—perfect for testing an Edict Edge wielder's strength.
"Let Mei handle it?"
"Don't worry," Sirin said confidently, patting her chest. "I'll be watching over you two. I won't let you get hurt."
With Sirin around, it would indeed be safe enough to attempt something bold.
"I'll go ask Mei what she thinks," Kiana said. She was already intrigued but didn't want to make the decision for her friend.
Outside, Yae Sakura and Mei had just finished their conversation. From her, Mei learned a few things she hadn't known before—about Kiana, and about her own father.
For example, after being injured on the battlefield, her father stepped down and transferred to the research division upon hearing from Sirin that Mei had become the Sentinel of the Howl.
How should she put it…
As his daughter, Mei hadn't known her father possessed such a side to him. But perhaps something similar had happened before, because she found herself strangely unsurprised.
"Where are you two now?"
"We've just about finished talking."
Seeing that it was Kiana, Mei smiled. "You and Miss Sirin are done with your business?"
"More or less wrapped up," Kiana replied. She bounded over in two quick steps, her eyes gleaming. "Sirin's heading to Sapphire City to slay an Kami—why don't we go with her and see the action for ourselves?"
"Sapphire City?"
Mei blinked. As a native of Izumo, the name was familiar. The city was far more developed than Nagazora—a famous hub of technology, with several times its population.
It was also a coastal city, bustling with trade and life.
"Right," Kiana nodded. "Sirin said there's a top-tier Kami there. If we go, she'll let us have a go at it first."
"According to the latest report," Kiana continued, "they're calling that Kami Whale of Transfiguration. It's a spectral skeletal fish, even larger than a whale. It emerged from the shadows of the sea floor at dusk yesterday—and it seems to be tainted by Honkai energy. So far, it hasn't made any other moves."
Honkai again.
And one among the strongest Kami below the level of the Almighty Thunder.
Kiana fell silent—not out of fear of the enemy's strength, but because a coastal city disaster tied to Honkai inevitably reminded her of something similar.
"Whale of Transfiguration, huh?"
Any Kami requiring Sirin's personal involvement was certainly no ordinary foe. It would be one worth drawing a blade against in earnest.
And Kiana wanted to go.
"As long as we won't get in their way, let's go together," Mei said. "Sapphire City is well-known in Izumo. It's worth visiting."
"It's no bother," Sirin replied with a small laugh. "This mission should've fallen to you anyway."
Mei was momentarily speechless.
Yae Sakura had just told her the real reason behind that statement—Sirin's words had been meant to accommodate Kiana's concerns about the Honkai. The command division wanted to observe and study the phenomenon first, then meet with Kiana later, hoping she could provide assistance.
So, to others, Sirin claimed she was furious with the organization for taking the Narukami and refused to follow the command division's orders.
In a way, Sirin hadn't been wrong. It was a good thing.
But it also meant Mei couldn't access the usual information available to the Sentinels—like basic Kami intel.
"Don't worry," Sirin said reassuringly. "I'll teach you how to handle your duties on the way. Just remember what I tell you, and you'll be fine."
"…Handle my duties?"
Sirin raised her Edict Edge and sighed helplessly. "Aside from not being able to retire and the terrifying danger level, how's this any different from a normal job?"