A date with Kuroka {2}

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"That sounds like you're saying I'm attractive but you're not actually into me."

"I'd be fine with just getting your genes nya♪"

"I'm gonna make you fall for me out of pure spite."

"Well, I'll look forward to it nya♪ But if you can't hold back anymore, just let me know anytime nya♪"

Seriously, I wish she'd stop saying stuff like that. It's wearing down my self-control...

We finished our planned sightseeing route around 4 o'clock, which was a bit early, but considering I still had to track down those three idiots who were probably hitting on girls somewhere and drag them back to the hotel, the timing worked out perfectly.

Just as I was thinking that, the world suddenly got cut off.

"A barrier?!"

"No way! I didn't sense anything!"

Two senjutsu users—one of them high-class devil level—and neither of us felt even a hint of it coming. While we were freaking out and getting ready for a fight, a voice drifted over from somewhere.

"You seem a bit stronger than before, but as a Nekomata, you're still not quite there yet."

Kuroka actually looked shaken, which was rare for her.

"No way! Don't tell me it's Sanke-baasan?!"

A seven-tailed calico cat landed right in front of us.

"Still calling me Sanke-baasan, are we? Really, I'd like to see you show some growth in that area too."

Kuroka made a face like she'd bitten into something bitter. "Why the hell is Sanke-baasan here?"

"I don't mind answering, but first, why don't you introduce me to this young man? You two smell like you've been living together for quite a while."

Damn, she can tell all that just from scent? These beast-type demons are terrifying.

"Fine, whatever. Ikki, this is Magari-sama. She's an elder among cat demons."

"Though badly behaved cats like this black one call me Sanke-baasan."

This was clearly a bigger deal than I'd thought.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Arima Ikki. Through various circumstances, I've been receiving senjutsu instruction from Kuroka... san. Please treat me kindly."

Man, formal speech doesn't come naturally to me. Calling her "Kuroka-san" on the spot felt weird as hell.

"Likewise. Your etiquette could use work, but I appreciate that you're trying to be respectful. A certain black cat could learn from your example."

Ouch. She was definitely docking points for all the little details in my mannerisms. Kuroka was pointedly looking away.

"So, why I'm here—finding you was pure coincidence. I'm in Kyoto on business."

"Business? You came here personally, Sanke-baasan?"

"That's right. There's something pretty troublesome that's gotten into Kyoto... Ever heard of a tsuchigumo?"

"I've heard they're crazy strong and pick fights with anyone and everyone. But I thought one was sealed away in some mountain somewhere."

Sounds like an evil dragon type—strong and battle-crazy.

"Seems like that seal got broken somehow. It's been attacking demon settlements in the Kanto region while moving this way, and now it's right here in the capital."

Magari shook her head like she was fed up with the whole situation.

"Luckily, the tsuchigumo only goes after strong opponents, so surface Kyoto is peaceful. But underground Kyoto is on edge. Since we let it slip away in Kanto, I've got several skilled operatives deployed here besides myself. We're working with the princess Yasaka to deal with it."

I see. So this tsuchigumo was just rampaging on its own—it wasn't like the Kanto demons had done anything wrong. But basically, it was a pride issue that got elite forces dispatched.

"The fact that you're here talking to us means you don't know where this tsuchigumo is right now?"

Otherwise, she wouldn't be here chatting with us.

"Exactly right. Tsuchigumo have this ability called tsuchigomori—kind of like our nekomata kasha ability, but they can hide in spiritual ley lines. It already went on one rampage since getting to Kyoto, so it's probably sleeping in some ley line somewhere."

So basically a demon that sleeps when it wants, wakes up when it wants, and rampages when it wants (and happens to be super strong). What a pain in the ass.

"So? You found me by chance and decided to mess with me?"

"It's a warning too. The way you are now, I'd avoid going one-on-one with the tsuchigumo. You'd need to be able to maintain three tails constantly to have a shot."

"Don't compare me to you, Sanke-baasan. You can naturally maintain seven tails."

"Well anyway, I've given you fair warning. Sorry for interrupting your date. Make sure you bag that male properly~"

With that parting shot, she vanished—I couldn't even tell the moment she disappeared, even though she'd been right in front of us.

"She was incredible..."

"There's no way I could beat her right now, not even if I tried everything."

If Kuroka—who was high-class devil level—was throwing in the towel, this lady might be stronger than some demon kings.

"What do you want to do after hearing all that?"

"Nothing special. I don't owe them any favors worth risking my neck against something that dangerous. If they're handling it, I'll leave it to them."

"Fair enough."

After that, I split up with Kuroka temporarily and managed to collect the three idiots by 5 o'clock—they had red handprints on their cheeks from getting slapped while hitting on girls. Got them back to the hotel in one piece.

Apparently Kuroka had checked into the same hotel as a regular guest, but being around her would've made the three idiots completely uncontrollable, so I had her go in separately. In exchange for paying for dinner at the restaurant...

Back at the hotel, there was the predictable barrage of questions about Kuroka, which I deflected with vague answers (and eventually shut down with physical force). I stopped them from peeping at the girls' bath (with physical force), silenced their late-night perverted discussions (with physical force), and called it a day on our first day of the school trip.