Chapter 279 Akihabara

Cloudy weather loomed over Akihabara.

Despite the overcast sky, sunlight filtered through layers of drifting clouds, ranging from dense to wispy, casting a warm glow over the bustling streets. Amid the lively chatter of pedestrians, a tour bus pulled into the famous electronics district.

"Wow, look at that massive banner! As expected of the LoveLive! cult… it's draped across the entire building..."

"What does that Japanese text over there mean? There's a red prohibition sign. Could it be..." David exclaimed, pressing his face against the bus window.

Sitting beside him, Logan felt a bit embarrassed. Ever since learning that the afternoon itinerary included a visit to Akihabara, David had been positively giddy, buzzing with excitement all morning.

And now, with the tour guide's announcement that they were approaching the famed district, David hadn't stopped staring out the window.

"Hey, David, calm down…" Diane, who is sitting in the row ahead, finally spoke up, "We'll have plenty of time to explore once we get off the bus. I already asked, and we're not on a rushed tour schedule. Aren't you getting tired from leaning like that?"

Though she also found the foreign scenery fascinating and kept glancing out both sides of the bus, David's exaggerated enthusiasm was starting to look a bit over the top to her.

It didn't help that Chen Wenwen, a well-behaved and studious type, couldn't quite grasp the allure of Akihabara as a Holy Land of Anime and Otaku culture. But David's unabashed enthusiasm was equally hard for her to process.

"Yeah, Fatty, take a break." Logan chimed in, trying to sound calm, "You've been rattling off all these random terms non-stop, and the other students are starting to look at us weirdly..."

David seemed completely unfazed by the comment. Instead, his voice suddenly rose in pitch, "Oh! Is that… a maid cafe?"

Hearing this, Logan immediately leaned closer to the window, "Where?"

The smile on Diane's face faltered ever so slightly.

"Tch." Olivia, who was sitting coolly by herself, turned her head in the opposite direction. With a disdainful glance, she muttered, "Men."

Diane turned back and awkwardly smiled at her.

It was a weekend, and the streets were bustling. Olivia quickly resumed her usual aloof expression, with her gaze fixed ahead. Yet, as the vibrant scenery outside slid by, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Logan, who was now leaning against the window alongside David.

'Could he really just be here for sightseeing?'

Her mind replayed scenes from the past few days: Logan eating meals, Logan sipping water, Logan taking pictures, Logan discreetly eyeing the schoolgirls' short skirts during their campus visit... Nothing stood out as suspicious.

Logan had stuck with the group the entire time, behaving like an ordinary boy. Now, he was just another eager tourist.

But her sharp intuition nagged at her, leaving her increasingly frustrated.

The bus finally arrived at its designated parking spot. The maid cafe vanished from view, leaving David sighing regretfully, "Well, at least I got to see the real thing. Between that and the schoolgirls the other day, this trip was totally worth it."

Logan nodded thoughtfully.

"Still…" David added with surprising seriousness, "I've noticed something. Japanese schoolgirls have thick legs."

Reality often collides with idealized fantasy.

"Really? I didn't notice." Logan replied nonchalantly.

Unfortunately, Olivia overheard them, and she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

As the bus came to a halt, everyone stood to gather their belongings and prepare to disembark. Logan and David, both carrying their backpacks, passed by Olivia. Logan noticed her expression and cautiously asked, "Uh… something wrong, Senior?"

"Nothing." Olivia replied icily.

"Oh, okay…"

Once everyone had filed out, Olivia muttered under her breath again, "Men."

Diane clutched her small handbag and hurriedly followed the others off the bus.

Olivia nodded to herself, a subtle yet resolute motion, 'Yes, that's it… men are all liars. I'll need to keep observing him carefully.'

…

Compared to Logan's shadow clone working diligently in Chiyoda District and en route to it, Logan and his group had a much more relaxed time.

After a night at the hotel, they embarked on their so-called 'meaningful' international exchange mission.

The process went smoothly, thanks perhaps to the Japanese schools' hospitality toward foreign visitors or the universal lubricant of money.

The group received a warm welcome from two different schools. While the exchanges weren't particularly formal or rigorous, more of a perfunctory introduction, the students did gain insights from touring the facilities, sitting in on classes, and experiencing the Japanese educational atmosphere.

Even the most mundane and curated aspects broadened their horizons and left an imprint on their young lives.

When David saw the girls' school uniforms and gym clothes, he was visibly moved. Grabbing Logan's arm, he muttered that anime and light novels hadn't entirely lied to him.

Perhaps it reminded him of their previous hot spring trip… an event he'd rather forget.

In this way, over two days, the group of teachers and students experienced the education style of a foreign country.

Their bus swept past Setagaya and Nerima wards, ticking off another box on the itinerary.

With most of the 'meaningful' mission objectives fulfilled, news of impending snowfall reached the group. Concerned about potential traffic disruptions, the tour guide and driver decided to bring the group to Tokyo ahead of schedule.

"Snow?"

As they disembarked, the tour guide briefed them on a few precautions and reminded everyone to reconvene by 5 PM. Now free to explore, Logan glanced at the not-so-gloomy sky.

"Yes, the weather forecast says it's going to snow, and it's going to be quite heavy." David replied as he took a deep breath of air, thick with the essence of otaku culture, as if he could embrace it all.

Glancing at Logan, he added, "It's late December. Today's Christmas Eve. Snow feels just right."

"Christmas Eve?" Logan paused, and David held up his phone, the screen displaying the date: December 24.

'It made sense. We had departed on the 21st, and the journey had consumed several days. However, Logan wasn't particularly concerned about this, "So, tomorrow's Christmas, huh…"

David said, "At least the snow works in our favor. We got to Tokyo earlier, which means Akihabara wasn't pushed to the back of the list."

'Akihabara...'

Logan's mind wandered again. His gaze shifted, trying to see past the bustling crowds, the traffic, and the giant posters of moe characters.

He wasn't here just for the famous Otaku Holy Land, nor for its stories of idols and AKB legends… dreams he once harbored. What truly caught his attention was Akihabara's location: in central Tokyo, near Taito Ward's southwest area and Chiyoda Ward's northeast.

In other words, he was now close to his shadow clone.

This wasn't part of the plan. An inexplicable connection between him and his clone pulled at him. Logan fought the urge to dispel the clone and locate his clone.

He had no idea how the clone's mission was progressing. Using shadow clone was something he rarely done in the modern world, where the unknowns were vast, and he lacked complete confidence.

But confidence or not, it had to be done. He had always faced challenges head-on, just as he did when he joined the ANBU.

On his first day, with Aida's solemn expression etched in his mind, he had stood atop the Hokage Tower, questioning his future but moving forward into the light.

"Let's go." David's voice snapped Logan out of his thoughts.

The electric town drew his focus back.

The group had split up to explore with familiar companions. Diane ran up to them, slightly out of breath, "Why are you two walking so fast..."

Surprisingly, Olivia had also joined them. Her calm demeanor didn't give away any particular motive, but she indicated she wanted to tag along.

"Senior, are you coming with us?" David nudged Logan, who could only clear his throat and ask.

"Why not?" She replied coolly.

"Of course! You're more than welcome!" David immediately agreed, earning a glare from Logan.

'This fatty only cares about looks.'

Logan, however, didn't know that Olivia had regained her composure. Over the past few days, she had been just as impressive as she was back at school.

The tour guide and others treated her with visible respect, and it was clear she wouldn't lack for companions. Still, since everyone was reasonably familiar with each other and she got along well with Diane, the atmosphere remained amicable. Logan decided not to overthink it.

Thus, the four of them, two boys and two girls, stepped into the heart of Akihabara.

At the same time, Logan's shadow clone entered a studio cluttered with manuscripts and art supplies.