Rebirth From Ordinary Person To The Strongest

Unlike the black sedan that my father usually drives, we got into a large vehicle more suited for camping, with Renji-san driving us toward the site where the monster had appeared.

"It seems like it's possessing a person and causing havoc. A monster that possesses people is at least a third-rank, and this one is visible even to those without spiritual awareness. I got a request to take care of it quickly, but since it's a rare type, I thought it might be a good learning experience for you, Itsuki-kun," Renji-san explained.

Spiritual awareness refers to the ability to see monsters, a power that is usually inherited. If you're a member of an exorcist family, you almost certainly have it, and even people like Hina, who spent a lot of time around monsters, can acquire it later in life.

But for most people, it's something they're born with. So, those people can "see ghosts," but since regular people can't, it usually doesn't cause much of a stir.

However, it seems this time is different. The mention of someone going on a rampage made a sharp memory from my previous life stab at me.

Renji-san hit a button, and an emergency vehicle light appeared, making the surrounding cars move aside as we sped up.

"Do monsters really possess people?" I asked.

"They do. You've heard of 'kitsune-tsuki' (fox possession), right?"

"I've heard the term."

"Well, monsters that possess people have existed for a long time. After all, if they possess a person, they can consume magical energy without being detected by exorcists, right? Even third-rank monsters aren't stupid. They try to consume magical energy without drawing attention."

"But... if that's the case, why are they rampaging?"

"They're probably about to undergo a transformation."

"A transformation?"

"Yeah, didn't I mention it? Monsters grow by consuming human magical energy. Even a first-rank monster, theoretically, could become a sixth-rank if left alone."

"What!?"

"Monsters, unlike humans, can increase their total magical energy. As their magical energy increases, so does their rank. And when a monster gains enough power, it usually does one of two things: it either succumbs to the omnipotence of its newfound power, or it hides away to gather even more power. This one probably falls into the first category."

As the surrounding cars pulled over to the shoulder, Renji-san increased our speed, the only vehicle now driving down the two-lane road. We were going 80 km/h, really pushing it.

"Itsuki-kun, just watch for now. Observe how to deal with a monster that possesses a person. Pay close attention."

"Y-Yes!"

"Well, no need to be too tense. It's almost like fishing."

"…Fishing?"

"Yeah, fishing."

In my previous life, I spent most of my time on the internet, so I wasn't sure which kind of "fishing" he meant. But it didn't seem crucial, so I stayed silent. I figured I'd understand by watching Renji-san's magic.

Before long, we arrived at a small shopping district. The police had already cordoned off the area, and a crowd had gathered around it.

"We'll go around the back. We want to avoid attracting attention."

"O-Okay!"

Renji-san parked the car next to a police cruiser and quickly got out. A young officer noticed and ran over to him.

"What's the situation?" Renji-san asked.

"The suspect was waving a knife around, so three of our officers tried to subdue him, but they were thrown back by some unknown force. Two officers were slightly injured, and one was stabbed and taken to the hospital."

"Got it. Where is he now?"

"He's holed up inside that music store, holding the store owner hostage."

The officer pointed to a map as he spoke.

Wow, this is a serious incident. This could easily be on the national news. But Renji-san didn't seem panicked at all, which made me realize that he must be used to situations like this. Being an exorcist really is an incredible job.

"We'll go around the back. Make sure the area is cleared," Renji-san instructed.

"Understood. I'll take care of the bystanders... And the child with you?" the officer asked.

"He's my apprentice," Renji-san replied.

With that, the young officer went back to his post.

Wait, that explanation was enough? Maybe that officer is one of the "cleanup" people that Renji-san mentioned before. People who wanted to be exorcists but didn't have the talent to exorcise monsters, yet still wanted to help others. Such people often join the police force to support exorcists.

"This way, Itsuki-kun," Renji-san said.

I quickly followed Renji-san as he led us around the crowd. I didn't want to be left behind, so I used lightning to enhance my body and keep up with his pace.

"Monsters that possess people often take hostages when cornered. It's the kind of sneaky tactic you'd expect from something trying to consume magical energy without being noticed, right?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess."

"That's why this is like fishing."

With that, Renji-san turned a corner and stopped. I followed his lead and halted as well.

Ahead of us was the music store, guarded by several police officers standing at the entrance. The young officer from earlier ran over to talk to one of them, and after their discussion, Renji-san extended his silveit toward the music store.

"Itsuki-kun, can you see the man inside the store?" Renji-san asked.

"…I can see him," I replied.

I used silveit to create a lens in front of my eyes and enhanced my vision, allowing me to see inside the store. There, I saw an elderly couple and a middle-aged man in his 40s holding a bloodied knife.

"Watch closely," Renji-san said.

He then extended his silveit, which passed through the glass door and into the store, where it pierced the man's neck. The moment it made contact, the man froze as if someone had unplugged a powered toy.

"He's taken the bait," Renji-san whispered.

In a flash, he pulled on the thread, and the man collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

As the police moved in to open the door, Renji-san reeled in the monster.

The moment it was pulled out, I saw it: a dark, misty form that rapidly took on the shape of the man it had possessed. The monster charged toward us faster than it had been pulled, its face now a twisted imitation of the man it had controlled.

A middle-aged man with a terrifying expression sprinting toward us should have been intimidating, but Renji-san remained completely calm.

"Monsters often mimic human faces to make it harder for exorcists to strike. It's a common trick," Renji-san explained with a smile.

Then, he added, "I'll leave the finishing blow to you, Itsuki-kun. You came all this way, after all."

He said it so casually, like he was offering me the last piece of a meal.

Despite my surprise, I focused and sent a thread to trip the monster, knocking it off its feet. It crashed to the ground but continued to crawl toward me with a terrifying resolve.

Not wanting to let it get any closer, I formed a spike with silveit and drove it into the monster's heart, creating a large hole in its chest. The creature let out a final gasp before disintegrating into a black mist.

"See? Just like fishing, right?" Renji-san said.

"Up until the end…" I muttered.

"Really? Even in regular fishing, don't you finish by dispatching the fish?" he replied with a grin.

I wasn't sure if that counted as "fishing," but maybe it does.

As I watched the black mist dissipate into the air, I couldn't help but think that exorcists really do live in a different world.

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