Maki Zen'in furrowed her brow, sensing something strange in Ren's physique. She reached out again, pressing her palm lightly against his chest. "Your body's ridiculous... It's even stronger than my Heavenly Restriction."
On the other side of the restaurant, Hiratsuka Shizuka kept shooting glances their way.
At first, she was simply curious. Then she saw it—Maki Zen'in's hand lingering on Akiyama Ren's chest.
Her eyes widened.
Is that kid... in a relationship?!
And that girl—dark green hair, toned figure, confidence radiating from every pore—was stunning. Is she his girlfriend?
As his life guidance counselor, Hiratsuka felt the sting of complicated emotions. She had seen Ren as a quiet, somewhat mysterious student—not the type to fall into a public romance so easily. Yet here he was, being fawned over by a girl who looked like she walked out of an action anime.
She covered her mouth with her teacup, trying to look casual, but couldn't stop staring.
Back at the booth, Ren glanced down at Maki's soft, pale hand against his chest—then gently caught it in his own.
"H-Hey, what are you doing?" Maki tried to pull her hand away, startled, but his grip was firm—unshakable.
"Should I take this as you making a move on me?" Ren leaned in, his voice low and teasing. Their faces were barely inches apart.
"N-No! I was just... analyzing your body," she stammered, her cheeks lighting up crimson as she averted her gaze.
Ren stared at her flushed face, amused by how easily she flustered despite her usual cool demeanor. For a second, he was tempted to kiss her. Right then. Right there.
But this wasn't the place.
Instead, he laced his fingers with hers and tugged her over to one of the empty booths.
"Sit," he said.
Maki tried to look unbothered. "Let go of my hand."
Ren ignored her, casually playing with her fingers. "Your hands are gorgeous," he murmured.
They really were. Fair and slender, with calligraphy-worthy fingers. Smooth skin, not a single callus in sight—unexpected for someone who trained in combat day in and day out.
"You train with weapons all the time, right? Why aren't your hands rough?" he asked as he examined them closely.
"I've wondered that too," Maki replied, a little embarrassed. "I guess it's part of my Heavenly Restriction. No matter how intense the training, I never get calluses. I also eat a ton but never gain weight."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "That definitely sounds like a cheat."
She chuckled faintly.
Ren's expression softened, but he couldn't help sighing. "Still... it's a shame your Heavenly Restriction isn't complete. If it were, you could probably reach Special Grade by now."
The moment he said it, he regretted it.
He remembered what had happened in the manga—how Maki's full power had only awakened after the death of her twin sister, Mai. It was only then that her restriction was lifted completely, and she became a force equal to Toji Fushiguro.
Maki's gaze dropped, her voice quiet. "I know."
She didn't need reminding. To gain her full potential at the cost of her sister's life? She could never accept that. Even if it meant being mediocre forever.
Ren quickly shifted gears. "Alright, let's not dwell on that. Let's order some food."
"Yeah," Maki said, forcing a smile.
Both of them had massive appetites and didn't hold back. Sukiyaki, karaage, sashimi platters, and multiple rice bowls were quickly placed on their ticket.
As they waited, Ren turned to her with a thoughtful look. "Hey, Maki... can you tell me more about the Jujutsu Society? And what other organizations exist in this world?"
"Sure," she said, leaning forward slightly. "Actually, Jujutsu Sorcerers are just one part of the hidden world. Normal people don't realize it, but there are three major realms of supernatural combat in Japan: the Jujutsu World, the Spirit World, and the Onmyo World."
"Wait... three?" Ren blinked.
"Yup. And each has its own organization: the Jujutsu Alliance, the Onmyo Agency, and the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Office."
Ren's brows shot up.
He had assumed this world was a chaotic blend of anime logic—some slice-of-life school setting with Jujutsu Kaisen slapped on top. But this? This was far more complex.
In addition to Curse Spirits and Jujutsu Sorcerers, there were vengeful spirits, lingering souls, eldritch creatures, mythical beasts, Onmyoji, exorcists, spiritual disasters... It was like every paranormal genre had collided into one tangled mythos.
According to Maki, the Jujutsu Alliance handled Curse Spirits and Jujutsu-related phenomena. All its members were Jujutsu Sorcerers like her.
Then there was the Onmyo Agency, which specialized in dealing with wandering spirits and magical creatures—more traditional Japanese folklore-style threats. Its elite members were trained Onmyoji, masters of talismans, barrier arts, and spirit contracts.
"And the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Office?" Ren asked.
"That one's more recent. It's a government-backed group of exorcists and spiritual responders. Think... the JSDF, but for yokai and supernatural disasters." They handled large-scale spirit incidents and vengeful apparitions, with combat-ready exorcists and licensed demon hunters acting like spiritual first responders.
(The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are Japan's military organizations established after World War II. Following Japan's defeat in the war, the 1947 Constitution—particularly Article 9—renounced war and prohibited the maintenance of traditional armed forces. As a result, Japan was not allowed to maintain a standing army for offensive warfare, leading to the creation of the JSDF in 1954, which is structured strictly for self-defense purposes. )
Ren sat back, eyes wide.
As Ren listened, a nostalgic smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Wait a minute... The Onmyo Agency? That's basically Tokyo Ravens.
And the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Office? Straight out of Ga-Rei: Zero!
This wasn't coincidence.
Everything was starting to click. His adoptive family bore the surname Andagaki. His younger sister was named Adagaki Aki—the same Aki from Masamune-kun's Revenge, if he wasn't mistaken. He was currently attending Chiba City's Soubu High, the exact school from My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected.
So far, he had identified five distinct anime-origin layers in this world—three of them steeped in supernatural power systems.
Ren leaned back in his seat, resting his chin on his hand. "How many other anime worlds are baked into this reality...?"
Maki paused mid-bite, watching him. "What's with that look? You seem like you're enjoying this."
Ren gave a half-smile. "It's not that. I'm just realizing how absurdly layered this world is."
"It is absurd," she agreed, bitterness creeping into her voice. "The whole thing is disgusting. It's a miracle normal people survive day to day."
Ren looked at her for a long moment. "Yeah. For the average person... it's hell."
But what he didn't say aloud was the truth dancing at the edge of his thoughts:
For a being like me—a Godslayer? This world is paradise.
A domain overflowing with supernatural chaos, where only the strong dictate the rules. Where justice, order, and morality bowed before power. In a world like this, as long as he stood at the top, everything—authority, respect, luxury—would be his for the taking.
They spent the next two hours finishing their meal and talking about the world. Afterward, they headed to a late-night movie, choosing an action flick where yokai battled futuristic mecha—a surprisingly decent metaphor for the life they lived.
By the time they exited the mall, the neon lights had dimmed and the streets were mostly deserted. It was past 11 PM, but neither of them seemed ready to part ways.
They lingered outside for a bit before exchanging contact info.
Then, reluctantly, they each headed home.
-----------
Ren didn't take a taxi. Not that he didn't want to—but at this hour, taxis were rare, and the few he saw were already occupied.
He sighed. So much for being a "developed country." Japan's still behind on ride-hailing apps.
He remembered something from his previous life. Japan had only launched a pilot online ride-share system back in April 2024—and that was limited to central Tokyo. It hadn't expanded much since.
Not that it mattered. If Ren really wanted, he could just fly home.
But for now, he just wanted to walk—breathe the night air, clear his head, and let his thoughts swirl under the moonlight.
Until a sleek sports car pulled up beside him and purred to a stop.
The tinted window rolled down.
"Get in," said Hiratsuka Shizuka, his teacher, without preamble.
Ren blinked. "You're out this late, burning rubber on empty highways... and you're still worried about me?"
She didn't answer.
Just gave him that stern, unreadable look she was famous for at school.
He sighed and got in.
"Seatbelt," she ordered.
He clicked it into place. The moment he did, she slammed her foot on the accelerator.
The car roared forward like a beast unleashed.
The streets were nearly empty. Hiratsuka pushed the engine past 100 kilometers per hour, weaving effortlessly between the occasional delivery truck or drunk salaryman on a scooter.
Minutes later, they reached the edge of a wide bridge spanning Chiba Bay.
She pulled over, parked, and turned to him.
"Out of the car," she said.
Ren stared at her, confused. "Wait, what? You brought me to a bridge at midnight just to talk?"
She opened her door and stepped out.
Ren followed, brow furrowed, a question mark practically hanging over his head.
**************
Attached is Adagaki Aki from Masamune-Kun's revenge.