-519- Do you know me?

After leaving the director's office, Rozen didn't return to the classroom but left the Onmyou Academy, arriving outside the school building.

Natsume had already gone back ahead of him.

So, this time, Rozen was truly alone.

Looking at the bustling streets and the approaching dusk, Rozen scratched his head.

"A powerful malice, huh..."

Recalling Kurahashi Miyo's prediction, Rozen smirked.

"If she's been reading my stars all along, why didn't she mention anything when I encountered the followers of Yakou before?"

Though Rozen complained out loud, he deduced several things from Kurahashi Miyo's words.

For example...

"She didn't mention any powerful malice before, but now suddenly says this. Does it mean I'll face even more troublesome situations than before?"

Situations more troublesome than Yakou's followers attack.

Situations more dangerous than Dairenji Suzuka's obsession.

If not for that, Kurahashi Miyo wouldn't have used the notice of exempting him from the exam to remind him about this.

In other words...

"I might encounter an opponent more fearsome than Dairenji Suzuka in the near future."

Rozen muttered to himself.

Of course, the so-called powerful malice might not just refer to formidable enemies approaching—it could also signify someone plotting a startling conspiracy from the shadows.

"Which is it?"

Rozen let his brain, long unused to such activity, run at full speed, considering various possibilities in an instant.

Ever since he was freed from SAO, Rozen hadn't exerted his brainpower so thoroughly.

Back then, it was this brainpower that had led Rozen to achieve miracles, ensuring no casualties among the top players in the Clearing Group over two years.

Now, arriving in this world, Rozen had been living too comfortably for too long. It was time to engage his mind.

However...

"I wonder how Asuna, Yui, and the others are doing..."

Whenever he thought of SAO, Rozen couldn't help but recall such matters and sighed softly.

Over the years, Rozen had tried his best not to dwell on this.

After all, Rozen had left the world of Sword Art Online in such a way that he had no idea what happened afterward.

Naturally, Rozen didn't know how Asuna, Yui, Kirito, and the others were faring.

Even though, to protect them, Rozen had left some safeguards, ensuring nothing would go wrong, concerns remained.

Rozen had also considered simply going back.

However, because of the physical age regression, going back wouldn't solve anything. It could even lead to more trouble.

Moreover, when he arrived in this world, Rozen's body had regressed to infancy. This indicated that time in the Sword Art Online world likely passed slowly. Just like when Rozen traveled from Chaldea to the Automaton World, even though years had passed, it was equivalent to only a few months. Rozen endured, studying jujutsu and allowing himself to grow up again.

"Now, it should be okay to go back, right?"

Rozen had considered this as well.

However, reason restrained Rozen.

"If I were to return now, the time flow in Sword Art Online and this world would gradually synchronize due to the connection made once, making it impossible for me to utilize the time difference."

Just like when Rozen returned from the Automaton World to Chaldea, from that point onward, the time flow in the two worlds began to slowly align. Even if Rozen were to return to the Automaton World, not much time would have passed in that world.

If Rozen rashly returned to the Sword Art Online world this time, the time flow in Sword Art Online and this world would also align, leaving Rozen unable to use the time difference to his advantage.

Instead of that, it was better to grow fully here and then explore if there was a jujutsu-based way to rescue Asuna and the others trapped in the SAO world.

"Otherwise, even if I go back to that world, I won't be able to rescue Asuna and the others from SAO unless I scour the entire world looking for Kayaba Akihiko and force him to liberate SAO."

//// Rozen probably didn't know that the game is cleared ////

Unfortunately, even for Rozen, finding one person in the whole world was not an easy task.

Since that was the case, he might as well endure it and carefully find effective and useful strategies.

Though Rozen wasn't a very patient person, he could be more patient than anyone when he needed to be.

This was the benefit of being intelligent—he could persuade himself with reason even when emotional.

"That being said, if it weren't for the safeguards I left and the factor of time flow being mitigated, I would have impulsively rushed back immediately, right?"

Rozen smiled wryly.

"Alright, stop thinking about it."

Rozen slapped his own face.

"Right now, I'm not Kirigaya Aoka, but Tsuchimikado Akikan. Let's focus on the matters of this world."

This was one of Rozen's strengths—being able to quickly change his mindset, grasp reality, and then fully utilize his intellect to plan everything.

At that moment, while Rozen was contemplating, he bumped into someone at the next corner.

"Oh?"

"Hmm?"

In surprised voices, Rozen and a man who had come up from the corner nearly collided. Upon realizing, they both hurriedly moved out of each other's way.

In that moment, Rozen saw the man's appearance.

He was a somewhat untidy-looking man.

The man had disheveled long hair tied up with a rubber band, and a messy beard around his mouth. However, he had a sturdy build, well-defined features, and a pair of eyes brimming with strong determination, giving off a sense of profound intellect.

Such a man was dressed in a greenish-gray coat, paired with jeans and woven boots. He carried a worn-out leather bag on his shoulder. Combined with the determination and intellect exuded from his eyes and expression, he was like a scholar at a construction site.

"I'm sorry..."

The man seemed ready to take the blame upon himself, but as they moved away from each other, he was about to apologize to Rozen.

However...

"You...!?"

When the man saw Rozen's face clearly, it was as if he had been struck unexpectedly, and his eyes widened.

In that moment, Rozen could see many emotions in the man's wide eyes.

There was surprise.

There was suspicion.

And then, there was uncontrollable excitement.

"You...?"

Seeing this, Rozen furrowed his brow.

"Do you know me?"

Rozen directly asked this question.

This question made the man even more excited, but he managed to calm down a bit.

"Yes..."

The man said in a bitter, sad yet expansive tone.

"I've had the honor of knowing your distinguished appearance, even if only through photographs."

That respectful, humble, and deferential tone told Rozen that this person held an uncommon admiration and respect towards him.

So, Rozen understood.

"You're a follower of Yakou?"

Rozen squinted his eyes.