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"Ominous? I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'ominous'?" Chen Yu looked at the earnest priest speaking about the ominous nature of Audis in his backpack, and felt a sudden urge to laugh.
Indeed, he didn't need to lift a finger! Just a moment ago, he was pondering how to draw out the person with supernatural power in the shrine, and the negative energy on Audis lured him out, saving Chen Yu a good deal of trouble.
Suppressing the impulse to laugh, Chen Yu controlled the muscles of his face to squeeze out a worried expression, took Audis out of his backpack, and asked the priest with "concern", "This black cat is a stray cat that I picked up. When I found it, the little guy was badly injured from a fight with other wild cats and was nearly gone. I saved it because I'm a surgeon. Mr.
Priest, what exactly is ominous about it?"
While asking, Chen Yu also lifted the curled-up ball that was Audis to the priest, but as he did so, his own body also emitted fluctuations of negative energy. He deliberately stirred the barrier of the Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine, letting the priest know he hadn't encountered something unclean, but rather that he himself was transcendent.
The priest obviously noticed what Chen Yu was trying to convey, his expression suddenly stalled, then realizing and stating, "What's a cute little cat, it must have been contaminated by some unclean miasma. You know, cats are very clairvoyant animals, and sometimes they easily attract unclean things. A cleansing will purify it and remove the miasma."
"Ah, that's great. May I ask for your help, Mr. Priest?" Chen Yu feigned excitement and relief as he asked the priest, while whispering in a way Jounouchi Hiromi couldn't hear, "Could we possibly talk in private? I mean no harm."
Perhaps it was the good intentions shown by Chen Yu, and the confidence granted by the millennium-old Jingu behind him, that the priest quickly got the point and smilingly replied, "Of course, it's just a small matter. However, the miasma may be a hindrance for women, so we might ask this lady to excuse herself for a moment, if that's alright...?"
"Eh?" Jounouchi Hiromi, a bit dizzy from the exchange between Chen Yu and the priest, finally caught on and looked at Chen Yu with uncertainty, asking him, "Mr. Chen Yu, what on earth is going on? Do you believe in this stuff?"
"What brings you to our shrine today, sir?" The host and guest were seated, and the priest dispensed with excessive formality, immediately inquiring Chen Yu's purpose.
"As you've observed, I'm not an ordinary person. In fact, due to a serendipitous opportunity, I acquired some powers from Western witchcraft," Chen Yu started as he had prepared, introducing himself to the priest while a clump of negative energy formed between his fingers to reinforce his persuasion, "However, I've been exploring alone and haven't met any other...
kindred spirits, so when I came to the Hachiman Daijingu Shrine and felt the extraordinary aura of the Jingu, coupled with your sudden appearance, Mr. Priest, I was eager to understand the truth about this world."
"I see, what would you like to know then?" The priest nodded, acknowledging the negative energy in Chen Yu's fingers.
It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. There are people in the world who, due to chance, come to wield supernatural powers and glimpse the true face of the world. Seeking out places like the Hachiman Daijingu Shrine for insight is not strange at all.
Indeed, the priest had seen such individuals before, so he wasn't suspicious of Chen Yu's explanation. After all, we are in the 21st century, and the days of greeting with hostilities are long gone.
As for those who, after obtaining power, forget their place and cause trouble, the nation's military and machinery are not for show.
In nations with sufficient foundations and strength, departments and special forces composed of transcendents are not unheard of.
"Mr. Priest, could you give me a systematic introduction? I am indeed ignorant about the mystical forces of this world. I only acquired my current witchcraft abilities from a medieval European journal by sheer luck. I've been stumbling along alone, and I earnestly wish to understand it systematically," Chen Yu looked at the priest sincerely, conveying his desire to learn.
Finally, Chen Yu voiced the question he most wanted answered, "Also, are there really gods in this world?"
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