NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 2: Encounter with the Mysterious Golden-Haired Girl
At the top of the shrine, a figure sat quietly on the roof, the image of Kasugano Haru reflected in her eyes as she muttered to herself.
"A peculiar soul indeed..."
"Huh? How did I end up at Akira's shrine?" Haru jolted awake, looking around in confusion at the familiar yet strange surroundings. His face was full of bewilderment.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
"The people here have all been sent away by me," a clear and melodious voice suddenly came from above.
"Who's there?!" The sudden voice startled Haru, causing him to take a few steps back in panic.
It was then that Haru noticed a figure watching him from the shrine's roof. Instinctively, he looked up.
A beautiful young girl with golden hair sat alone on the shrine's roof. She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, with short, shoulder-length golden hair and ruby-red eyes that sparkled like precious gems. Her skin was flawless, more perfect than the finest gold or silver, and her figure was the epitome of perfection. She was dressed in a pristine white kimono, the kind typically worn in traditional Japanese weddings, her smooth legs swinging gently as she sat on the roof.
"Why does your soul seem so unusual?" the golden-haired girl asked, her expression puzzled.
"..." Haru gazed up at the stunning figure on the roof, utterly captivated. Even though he had lived two lifetimes, this golden-haired girl was, without a doubt, the most beautiful person he had ever seen.
"No, wait!" Haru's eyes narrowed. No matter how beautiful someone might be, they shouldn't have the power to enthrall him like this. 'Is this some sort of charm ability? Is she some kind of fox spirit? I've heard that Japan is full of such monsters.'
"Mortal, answer my question!" The girl's lips curved into a faint smile as she looked down at Kasugano Haru.
"What?" Haru furrowed his brow, perplexed by her archaic way of speaking. In the modern world, no one talked like this anymore. He tried to decipher her words while subtly shifting his right foot, ready to make a quick escape if necessary.
"Why is your soul so unusual?" The golden-haired girl repeated her question, her expression growing impatient as she emphasized each word in the ancient tongue.
"Um, could you maybe not speak in such old-fashioned language? Especially the Japanese version of it. Modern Japanese would work just fine." Haru suggested, struggling to understand her archaic speech.
The girl remained silent for a moment, her fingers twitching slightly. A faint silver light emanated from her body, and when she spoke again, her words came out in flawless Mandarin, the language Haru was most familiar with.
"Why is your soul so peculiar?" The girl's ruby eyes locked onto Haru's, staring deep into his own as she asked the question again.
Haru shivered, alarm bells ringing in his mind. 'My soul is different because I'm a reincarnator. Did she figure that out?'
Damn it, I remember hearing that Japanese monsters love devouring souls!
The girl, who had been staring intently at Haru, noticed his unease.
"It seems you know exactly what makes you so special." Her lips curved into a confident smile as she spoke.
"Yeah, I've always been pretty sharp. I guess that's what you mean by my soul being unique. It's actually pretty common nowadays. But, by the way, miss, what are you doing on the roof of the shrine at night? Are you here to enjoy the moonlight?" Haru responded, trying to keep his composure, but his hands were trembling slightly.
Looking at the figure on the roof, who seemed like a mix of an angel, a demon, a spirit, and a goddess, with the moon shining behind her, Haru felt a sense of dread rising in his chest. He needed to find a way to slip away—this girl was clearly no ordinary person.
"Enjoy the moonlight?" The girl's face darkened, as if Haru had touched a nerve. As her expression grew more severe, Haru suddenly felt a crushing pressure, as though the very air around him had turned to concrete. His teeth clenched as he struggled to stay upright.
Is this… spiritual pressure? Mental coercion? Aura? A flood of terms describing the oppressive force flashed through Haru's mind.
"No, the moon is my enemy." The girl's voice was cold, but it carried an overwhelming willpower, like the synchronized chant of thousands of people. It was like a national anthem being sung by an entire nation.
"Ugh!" Suddenly, the girl let out a low groan, her pristine hand clutching her abdomen.
"Huh?" Haru looked at her in surprise, his gaze shifting to where her hand was pressed against her stomach. The pure white kimono was slowly being stained with a brilliant gold, the color spreading from where her hand rested.
"Golden blood!" Haru gasped, his pupils narrowing. This was no ordinary girl, her very existence defied reason.
"Has it really gotten this bad?" Although it was phrased as a question, it was spoken with a tone of resignation. The atmosphere around them shifted, as if the world itself was losing color, with trees, grass, stones, and buildings all trembling in response to the palpable aura.
At that moment, Haru felt as though he was no longer facing a young girl but a prehistoric beast—or rather, a pack of beasts—standing at the top of the food chain and roaring at him, a lowly prey. He was frozen in place, his eyes wide with fear and uncertainty as he stared up at the girl on the roof.
The young girl stood in silence, her eyes fixated on her hand, which was smeared with golden blood. Haru, sensing the tension, quickly assessed the situation. His gaze locked onto the girl, who remained eerily still. Haru began to slowly back away, his mind racing as he recalled survival tactics from wilderness shows he had watched. This was one of those moments where the best chance for survival was to avoid sudden movements, just like when facing a large predator.
"Thanks, Bear Grylls," Haru thought to himself. "Your survival tips might just save my life. Maybe I'll send you some roasted bugs as a thank you."
As Haru's heel touched the stone steps in front of the shrine, a wave of relief washed over his face. But just as he thought he was safe, the golden-haired girl suddenly appeared before him, as if she had teleported.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, her voice calm but filled with an undeniable authority.
Startled, Haru stumbled backward, nearly falling down the steps.
"Uh, I just remembered I have something to do at home, so I'll be on my way. Haha!" Haru stammered, rubbing the back of his head, trying to laugh off the awkwardness.
"Before you leave, why don't you hand over the divine artifact you're carrying?" the girl demanded, tilting her head slightly as she looked down at him.
"Divine artifact? What are you talking about? What even is a divine artifact?" Haru was completely taken aback by the unfamiliar term. The certainty in the girl's expression only added to his confusion. Sure, he had encountered some strange things, but a divine artifact? That was something out of his league.
"Oh? So, you're not lying. You really don't know about the divine artifact in your possession," the girl mused, her expression briefly showing surprise before quickly reverting to a serene calmness.
"What the hell?! Is she reading my mind? Or can she read my body language? How is she so good at this?" Haru's eyes widened as he stared at the girl, who seemed to be operating on a whole different level.
"No, it's just intuition," the girl said with a playful smile, putting a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.
For a moment, Haru found himself captivated by her radiant smile, as bright as the rising sun. But just as quickly, he snapped out of it.
"Yeah, right. Just intuition. How could anyone be that perceptive? You're probably as overpowered as someone like Hao Asakura!" Haru mentally grumbled, his thoughts racing with disbelief.
"So, from your reaction, it seems you're aware of your uniqueness but not of the divine artifact's existence. In that case, what exactly is inside your soul?" The girl's tone was light, almost teasing, but her curiosity was unmistakable.
"There's something in my soul?! Could it be… a cheat ability from transmigrating?!" Haru's shock was palpable as he suddenly remembered something important.
"Cheat ability? What's that?" the girl asked, her head tilted in confusion.
"You know, like a hack or a system!" Haru blurted out before he could stop himself. He had intended to stay silent, but his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.
Haru froze, his body trembling with fear as he realized what had just happened. He looked at the golden-haired girl in front of him with a growing sense of dread.
"That's right, you can't lie to me," the girl said, twirling around with a satisfied grin, as if she had just accomplished something remarkable.
Without warning, the full moon in the sky began to grow larger. No, it wasn't just growing—it was descending toward the earth. As it drew closer, its light intensified, causing the shadows of Haru and the girl to fade away. The golden-haired girl shuddered as she sensed the change.
"It's already here! There's no other choice. Boy, I'm going to need to borrow your body for a moment!"
With those words, the girl leaned in and pressed her lips against Haru's.