Ch6

Lucky? Yeah, right.

Because the universe didn't hand out luck. It handed out problems. And Ren had just been assigned another one.

||Lucky? You?||

Jorogumo cackled like Ren had just told the funniest joke in existence.

Plan C: Attempt 2:

Ren sighed, still sprawled across the station bench, arms spread out like a man who had officially given up. The sky above him darkened ominously.

Somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed—probably Karasujin laughing at his misery.

Jorogumo's snappy question brought him back to earth:

||Alright, enough being dramatic. You got a plan, genius?||

Ren inhaled. Exhaled. Thought real hard about how his life went from "average student" to "hunted by yokai, broke, and possibly about to be struck by lightning."

"I'm gonna get on another train."

Jorogumo raised an eyebrow.

||And how, exactly?||

Ren sat up, grinning like an idiot.

"Easy. I'll just... walk in like I belong there."

Nurarihyon, the king of scams himself, clapped.

||That's the spirit! Confidence is key, my guy!||

~~~

He remembered the steps he'd followed from his previous attempt:

Step One: Blend in.

Ren straightened his wrinkled hoodie, wiped the sleep deprivation off his face (it didn't work), and walked onto the platform like he was a completely normal passenger.

Yeah, you know where this is going...

Step Two: Pick a train.

Any train. Any direction. Just move before fate personally came down to kick his ass.

He spotted one pulling in, doors hissing open. He moved with the crowd, head down, pretending he had somewhere important to be.

Step Three: Pray nobody notices he's a broke fraud.

It was working. Holy crap, it was actually working.

Until it wasn't.

|| Oi, freeloading bastard. ||

A voice slithered into his ear. The air shifted. Ren froze mid-step.

Slowly—very slowly—he turned his head.

And there, sitting casually on one of the train seats, was a yokai.

But not just any yokai.

This one had the energy of a guy who knew he was about to ruin your entire week for fun.

White hair. Sharp, amused eyes. A vibe so chaotic it made Nurarihyon look responsible.

Ren's stomach dropped.

|| You didn't really think you were gonna sneak on my train for free, did you? ||

The yokai leaned forward, grin widening.

|| 'Cause that's hilarious. ||

Ren swallowed.

"Uh. No? This is... totally my train. I have a ticket."

The yokai's grin stretched wider.

|| Yeah? Show me. ||

Ren patted his pockets, stalling for time.

"Uh. Yeah, it's right.... uh... here?"

|| Oh? Go on. ||

Sweat dripped down Ren's spine.

Nurarihyon, the useless bastard, was wheezing in the background.

|| Oof. Should've planned better, my dude. ||

Jorogumo whispered,

|| Want me to web this guy's mouth shut? ||

Karasujin, ever the scholar, deadpanned:

|| Perhaps we should reconsider this approach. ||

Ren, having absolutely zero good options, did what he did best.

He ran.

~~~

Cue absolute chaos.

Passengers screamed.

A grandmother clutched her purse like Ren was about to rob her.

A salaryman spilled his coffee in pure horror.

The yokai lunged.

|| YOU LITTLE SH— ||

Ren dodged, vaulted over a seat, and made a break for the next carriage.

|| HEY, GET BACK HERE! ||

The train rumbled forward. Ren skidded, barely keeping balance, heart pounding.

The yokai was right on his tail, laughing like a madman.

|| You think you can outrun ME?! ||

Ren did not think. He just ran.

~~~

Ten minutes later.

He'd reached the engine room. The driver had been yeeted out of the window.

And yet...

Ren was cornered.

The yokai cracked his knuckles, towering over him like a final boss.

|| Alright, punk. Last stop. ||

Ren squeezed his eyes shut.

"Wait, wait, wait! We can talk about this!"

The yokai froze:

|| Oh? ||

It tilted his head, amused.

|| I'm listening. ||

Ren sucked in a breath.

Then blurted:

"What if—I dunno—you help me instead?"

Silence.

The yokai blinked. Once. Twice.

Then burst out laughing.

|| Oh, you got guts, kid. Alright. I'll bite. What's in it for me? ||

Ren scrambled for an answer. Any answer.

"Uh— friendship?"

The yokai's grin went sharp.

|| Bold of you to assume I want friends. ||

Ren groaned, slumping against the wall.

"Fine. What do you want?"

The yokai leaned in, eyes gleaming.

|| A deal. ||

Ren's stomach twisted.

He already had one damn contract ruining his life, did he really want another?

But then again.

This might be his only chance to make it to Iwate.

He hesitated.

"...What kind of deal?"

The yokai chuckled.

|| Oh, don't worry. Nothing too crazy. Just a little... favor. ||

Ren had a very bad feeling about this.

"....Define 'favor.'"

The yokai's smile widened.

|| You'll find out soon enough. ||

The train jolted violently. Lights flickered. The air crackled with something wrong.

Ren's pulse pounded.

"Oh, hell no— what did you do?!"

The yokai only grinned.

|| What, me? Nothing. Yet. ||

The train doors slammed shut. The temperature dropped. A low, guttural laugh echoed through the carriage.

Then the speakers crackled—except it wasn't the conductor's voice.

|| Next stop: Nowhere. ||

Ren barely had time to scream before the train lurched forward— straight off the tracks and into the abyss.