Chapter 34 : 5t5 - Quickly become a monster!
"......" Jiang Lai didn't know what Geto Suguru and Yuikawa Kurisu were discussing, but for safety's sake, it was better not to let them continue talking.
He always felt the strange doggy Yuikawa wouldn't have any positive guiding effects. Jiang Lai thought.
However, before he could speak, Yuikawa Kurisu had already stepped back, politely bowing: "Thank you for answering my questions, Geto-senpai. I won't continue bothering you then. Goodbye, senior."
"It's fine, no need to be so polite." Geto Suguru maintained his usual squinting smile, replying: "Talking with you was also very enlightening."
Hearing this, Jiang Lai's heart paused: Enlightening? What kind of enlightening?
Thoughts surged, but Jiang Lai maintained his usual expression on the surface, nodding to Yuikawa Kurisu who was also greeting and saying goodbye to him—not ignoring him, but not being enthusiastic either.
After Yuikawa Kurisu left, Jiang Lai didn't hurry to greet Geto Suguru who was about to enter the dormitory, but instead walked to his side in a few steps.
Geto Suguru was somewhat surprised, asking politely: "What's wrong, Lai? I thought you were leaving the dormitory... did you encounter some problem?"
Jiang Lai had indeed planned to leave the dormitory, walk around campus to organize his thoughts while strolling, chat if he met Geto Suguru, forget it if he didn't.
However, after meeting Geto Suguru and Yuikawa Kurisu together outside the dormitory area, he changed his mind—better chat now.
But Jiang Lai didn't directly state his real purpose, just saying: "I wanted to walk around, but I'm not very familiar with this area and worry about getting lost or accidentally entering places I shouldn't." He said somewhat embarrassedly, "So, if it's convenient..."
"Oh, I'll help guide you." Geto Suguru warmly picked up the conversation, "I don't have anything to do anyway, I'll walk around with you."
"Then thank you very much." Jiang Lai smiled.
The two walked side by side on the campus path, maintaining an appropriate social distance between them. After all, they weren't very familiar, currently just acquaintances who'd met a few times.
Jiang Lai maintained rationality in his heart, calmly organizing his thoughts.
Gojo Satoru had a closer relationship with him, partly because Gojo Satoru's personality was naturally carefree without much sense of distance, getting familiar quickly with people he found interesting.
On the other hand, probably because he gave Gojo Satoru a feeling of kinship—[existence] similar to deities and the naturally born Six Eyes divine child both belonged to those who lived in the human world but seemed separate from it due to their strength or identity.
Additionally, he had briefly but memorably interacted with young Five and teenage Five, so in a sense, they were longtime friends who'd been together for ages.
His thoughts shifted slightly.
Geto Suguru was different. His inner personality was more sensitive, not the type to quickly become familiar with others upon meeting.
In terms of making friends, he was a bit like Hagiwara—appearing warm and polite to everyone, but actually very few friends he truly recognized and kept in his heart.
Their first meeting was at the abandoned building during the recent mission, and they'd known each other for too short a time so far.
So currently, Geto Suguru's attitude toward him could be said to mostly stem from his good friend Gojo Satoru's attitude toward him. Because Gojo Satoru had a good relationship with him, Geto Suguru was relatively close to him.
Jiang Lai saw this very clearly. He knew he and Geto Suguru were still at the surface-level friends stage.
Therefore, he currently wasn't suitable for deeply digging into the other's inner secrets or making certain probes in sensitive areas, which would instead arouse the other's wariness or disgust.
Thus, showing appropriate care at the right distance, letting Geto Suguru want to communicate with his classmate friends, would be sufficient.
Jiang Lai settled on his plan internally. His gaze fell ahead, tone gentle, chatting with Geto Suguru about daily life, planning to guide the topic toward what he really wanted to say after the atmosphere became harmonious.
After casual daily chat ended, Jiang Lai first mentioned the mission tomorrow that Gojo Satoru had told him about.
"When returning to the dormitory today, Satoru came to find me, saying he wanted me to go to the Zenin family with you tomorrow." Jiang Lai said, "Is this okay? Is there anything I need to pay attention to?"
"If you want to go, of course you can. Satoru already told me." Geto Suguru smiled with squinting fox features, "Although they check quite strictly there and nominally don't allow people outside the mission to enter, don't worry, there are many operational methods—after all, they're the ones asking for our help."
Essentially, he wasn't a rigid, inflexible rule-following good student either, which was why he could get along with Gojo Satoru and be jointly called problem children of the high school.
"Then I'm relieved." Hearing Geto Suguru's reply, Jiang Lai smiled, "I haven't been to the Zenin family before, so I'm somewhat curious about it."
"Mm, then come with us." Geto Suguru nodded, "Satoru definitely wants to bring more people to play too."
"Speaking of which, was Yuikawa asking you about this afternoon's training questions just now?" Jiang Lai blinked lightly, "Did I teach something wrong? Maybe [existence] understands certain problems differently from the general public..."
"You didn't teach wrong. Yuikawa even told me on the way that you taught very well." Geto Suguru smiled, "He said if there's a chance, he'd like to ask for your advice again next time."
Jiang Lai: "......" Really persistent, this guy. But if there were more contact opportunities, maybe he could further see doggy Yuikawa's true face.
"If there's a chance." Jiang Lai naturally didn't show anything on his face, answering naturally.
"Speaking of this," Geto Suguru's gaze fell on him, smiling humbly, "I should thank you for helping ease the atmosphere then."
"It's nothing. I just coordinated simply. Essentially, it's because you, Satoru, and Ieiri have a good relationship. Even with small conflicts, they dissipate quickly." Jiang Lai's warm brown eyes were gentle and calm, "You can confide anything to each other."
"......" Geto Suguru's gaze fell on the green floor tiles ahead.
"Suguru-kun seems to have some concerns—of course, I don't mean to actively become a spiritual guide to explore and sort things out for you." Jiang Lai's voice floated in the air with the wind, "You don't need to tell me your thoughts."
The black-haired, brown-eyed youth held a book in his hand, turning his face with a light smile: "It's just—if there's something you can't figure out alone, you can chat with good friends. Like Satoru, like Shoko."
"Maybe they can't give you definite answers." Jiang Lai said, "But they'll accompany you to find suitable answers."
"......" Geto Suguru didn't immediately reply.
The late spring sun-warmed forest breeze carried a unique fragrance. When it passed by the topknot teenager's ear, it swayed strands of hair not tied up, lifting the ends of the white bandage lines.
After brief quiet, the topknot teenager lifted his face, brows relaxed: "......Thank you."
Geto Suguru was a smart person. At this moment, he already understood what this walk was really about.
The [existence] before him had seen he had concerns, but didn't dig or explore, just conveyed care through daily reasons and plain narration.
And this indeed smoothed some wrinkles in his heart.
Geto Suguru's eyes reflected the distant scenery as he thought: Maybe he could chat with Satoru and Shoko... on some future day.
Unlike the Gojo family's old residence in Kyoto and new residence in Tokyo, the Zenin family only had one estate in Kyoto, a massive building complex occupying land that had lasted through long years.
After taking a car to Kyoto, they didn't rush to the Zenin family. Gojo Satoru enthusiastically dragged Geto Suguru and Jiang Lai around to play.
Gojo Satoru: "Although I'm already quite familiar with Kyoto, it's still more fun than the Zenin family." He ate taro daifuku one after another, mumbling: "Anyway, let's dawdle a bit before going. We didn't agree on a specific time anyway."
"Even so, we shouldn't be too late." Geto Suguru reminded.
"No problem, no problem! Just get there before dark." Gojo Satoru waved his hand, "After touring the food street, let's go buy some clothes. There's a nice shop here, I have membership, you two can pick whatever you want."
Jiang Lai: Behold, "My Rich Friend"!
Geto Suguru shook his head: "I don't need any, I wear the high school uniform most of the time anyway."
Jiang Lai also wanted to politely decline, then suddenly a question flashed through his mind—did [existence] need to buy clothes?
Currently, his navy blue kimono was very magical. Not only did it never get dirty when worn, but it was always perfectly fitting and comfortable regardless of the situation.
If reasoning about settings, [existence] probably didn't have a concrete physical form. Currently, he was a humanized image due to walking in the human world. Clothing was probably also manifested.
If so, clothing probably didn't need to be purchased, but could be self-constructed? Like spirit form Fushiguro Toji?
Thoughts flowed through his mind as Jiang Lai replied: "I don't need it either. Because—if I want to change clothes, I can transform them myself."
This setting should be reasonable, world consciousness would probably recognize it. He planned in his heart.
Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru were slightly stunned upon hearing this, then showed enlightened expressions after a few seconds, probably connecting it to those supernatural folklore stories.
Gojo Satoru knocked his palm: "Oh—right! That makes sense." His words were full of curiosity and interest as he circled around Jiang Lai several times, "Can you change into those recently popular stupid big goose outfits? Or pink bee full-body costumes with wings?"
Jiang Lai's forehead slid down three black lines: "......What's that, no way."
Geto Suguru also twitched his mouth corner, couldn't help saying: "Be serious, Satoru, how could you have Lai dress like that to go to the Zenin family."
"Why not?" Gojo Satoru quite arrogantly lifted his sunglasses, sky-blue pupils looking down on all beings, "Whoever objects, I'll deal with them."
Geto Suguru held his forehead: "Still be a bit serious, don't cause trouble for now... I've recently noticed Principal Yaga is getting a bit bald, I feel some sympathy for him."
"Principal Yaga would be very moved knowing you said this." Gojo Satoru pulled his sunglasses back down, humming: "Next time you can say it to his face."
"Better not, etiquette tells me not to call someone bald to their face, even if it's the truth." Geto Suguru showed his squinting fox expression, smiling: "Alright, bringing this up, what excuse should we use to bring Lai in too?"
"Mm..." Gojo Satoru rested one hand on his chin, thinking for a few seconds before his lips curved up: "I know! How about this—Lai is my shikigami!"
Geto Suguru seriously pondered: "Shikigami, that identity won't work. The cursed energy flow should be different. Plus you can't summon shikigami at all."
Gojo Satoru: "Then how about saying Lai is your special grade cursed spirit? Then you release one or two more, let Lai blend in among them."
"That's even more ridiculous!" Geto Suguru's small eyes widened somewhat upon hearing this, pausing for a second: "Plus releasing special grade cursed spirits might cause the Zenin family to have stress reactions."
"What's the big deal, just one or two special grades." Gojo Satoru put his hands behind his head, tongue lightly flicking out words: "What stress reaction?"
"......Not everyone is you, Satoru. Special grades are disasters for most people."
"Fine." Gojo Satoru lowered his hands, his glass-bead blue eyes curving slightly: "Then let's go with shikigami."
Geto Suguru crossed his arms: "Alright, so we're back to the original problem. How would you know how to summon shikigami?"
"Why wouldn't I? I'm omnipotent," Gojo Satoru lifted his chin and spoke, putting his hands in his pockets, walking with a swagger: "Who's questioning? If they won't let us in, forget it, let's just go back to the high school."
Geto Suguru: "This is about technique issues." He pushed his bangs aside, saying with half-moon eyes: "At this rate, you might as well make up something else, skip the shikigami summoning technique explanation, and explain it as [signing contracts with monsters or spirit objects] or something."
"The Zenin family should believe in this stuff, right?" The topknot teenager smiled with squinted eyes: "The more isolated a place is, the more they believe in such things."
Jiang Lai jokingly joined in from the side: "That's good—make a contract with me and become a magical girl, Satoru."
"What magical girl, I want to be a rotten orange slaying warrior." Gojo Satoru snorted, lips curving up, speaking unrestrained.
The white-haired teenager's gaze wandered, continuing the previous topic, casually saying: "If that's the case, then monster it is—wait wait! This time you're not allowed to bonk my head, you agreed to it yourself just now."
His form was like an alert cat on tiptoes, beautiful blue eyes staring intently through his sunglasses.
"How could that be, you're overthinking." Jiang Lai's eyebrows curved like a new moon, showing a gentle, harmless expression: "When have I ever been so unreasonable?"
Gojo Satoru rolled his eyes and stuffed another taro daifuku in his mouth.
"So we've decided?" Geto Suguru brought the topic back on track, slowly narrating with slightly raised eyebrows: "Using [mysterious monster who signed a contract with Satoru, accompanying him persistently like mist] as our explanation?"
Gojo Satoru grinned happily, expression bright and cheerful: "It should be [the great invincible Six Eyes personally tamed an unreasonable monster, specially brought out for everyone to see]—hey, why are you doing this? I haven't finished eating!"
The white-haired teenager glared at Jiang Lai who suddenly snatched away his snack box.
Jiang Lai calmly stuffed the snack box to Geto Suguru: "If eating this doesn't make your mouth as sweet as honey, then don't eat it."
The topknot teenager maintained his squinting fox smile, naturally taking it and finishing the remaining daifuku in the snack box, then returned the empty box to Gojo Satoru.
Gojo Satoru: "......"
Before the white-haired teenager could make any moves, Jiang Lai jumped the topic back, warm brown eyes blinking: "Speaking of which, I should change to an outfit similar to monsters in storybooks."
"How will you change?" Gojo Satoru's attention immediately shifted to this, words full of interest. His slender fingers gestured on his head: "Grow a pair of ears or horns?" Then gestured at his waist: "Or wings? Or add a big tail?"
Jiang Lai: "......Not that exaggerated."
He wasn't clear whether he could construct such things—ears, wings, tails—these should count as changing body structure, right?
Even if he could, Jiang Lai didn't want to change these things. After all, he was already used to a normal human body and wasn't accustomed to extra parts, which might cause various troubles.
Like horns getting stuck in door frames, wings hitting furniture, heels stepping on tails, etc.
That wouldn't look like a mysterious and powerful existence, but like some comedic manga's stupid monster character instead ( ).
Geto Suguru tilted his head slightly, asking: "Are you going to change your clothing? Do you need to reference some styles from supernatural folklore illustration books?"
"No need. Just a simple upgrade based on this foundation." Jiang Lai nodded in reply.
While the conversation continued, Jiang Lai also tried following his instincts to construct clothing—a silver fox mask gradually condensed and appeared in his palm, outlined with intricate golden patterns, with vermillion red dotted at the brow and eye corners.
The moment the mask appeared, both Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru's gazes fell on this object that manifested from nothing.
Jiang Lai placed that exquisite fox mask on his face.
Through this silver mask with golden patterns and vermillion accents, only those calm brown eyes could be seen.
The mask fit perfectly with his face, completely natural, as if it were a part of his body.
At the same time, ink-colored talisman patterns slowly appeared around the sleeves, waist decorations, and haori hakama of his navy blue kimono, like writing some kind of continuous mysterious text, attracting attention while having a certain bewitching quality.
The black-haired, brown-eyed youth shook his sleeves, the ink talismans moving as if alive, slowly turning on the navy blue kimono.
Jiang Lai chuckled softly behind the fox mask, voice low and slow: "......How's this? Does this outfit give off a monster feeling?"