TV

Monday, November 4th 2024. Early morning, around seven A.M.

John rolled over on the sofa in his apartment and flipped on the television, tuning into the news station. And as expected...

"Around yesterday at midnight, a strange publicity stunt appeared in Akihabara at the same time as a major power outage."

Click.

"-Titor was a time traveler that first showed up in 2000/2001. While it's unlikely that this John Titor is the same-"

Click.

"-Not uncommon for major events like this to occur. When the final Lostbelt in Fake Grand Order was completed, MoonType and Alienable collaborated to-"

"...At least it went well..."

Despite it being hours later, John was still recovering from the aftermath of the cringe performance that he put on.

"Man. Even talking to the Eternal Emperor about how his daughter ended up in my bed wasn't as embarrassing... How the heck did that guy do it?"

It seemed that the power of being Chuunibyou and delusional truly was almighty...

Hm. That was a thought. If someone like that fell into the Three Realms, would they be able to establish that perspective as their own unique Dao?

Something to think about-

A phone call. John's phone started vibrating on the table. He blinked and picked it up without looking at the screen. "Morning, Rin. Did you manage to see it?"

"...I did. But Rin, eh?"

A gruff male voice answered back.

John blinked and then sat up, narrowing his eyes. "Kai."

"That's right."

"What happened to not interfering?"

"I'm not. I just wanted to say I was impressed by your marketing campaign."

"Uh huh." John frowned. "And that's all?"

"How unfriendly. I can be considered a partial player in this venture, can't I?"

"If you return half of the payment I gave you, I'll consider it."

The man on the other line laughed. "No, no. I'm fine. I can't afford to break my promise on staying out of the industry after all."

John's frown deepened. "Just what did you do anyway? Did the leaders of the clans around here get upset when you didn't supply them with new girls or something?"

Silence.

John froze. "Wait-"

"Anyway." Kai changed the subject and said, "That was some impressive animation work. But is it wise? It's a good principle to get off on the good foot in business, but spending so much-"

"Don't worry about me. And stop calling unless you have something important to talk about. It'd be less trouble for me and you."

"I-"

John hung up the phone. After that, he went out of his way to block the number.

"Honestly..." John stared at the id and said, "That guy's bad news."

While Kai didn't seem to be a completely bad person, he seemed to be wrapped up in all sorts of troubles.

That was something that John definitely didn't want to get involved in. He already had enough of that back when he was going through all his tribulations and being hunted down for stealing all the ancient inheritances.

John stretched and then jumped off the sofa.

It was Monday morning, the start of the work week. If he wanted to do things properly, it was about time to set things up to begin Rin's starward trajectory.

So first-

An alarm. Not a physical one, but a mental one.

"Hm?"

John frowned.

It wasn't the restrictive formations on his office building. In fact, it was further away... At Rin's home?

John narrowed his eyes. "Dammit. This was exactly what I didn't want to happen."

He didn't know who it was, but the fact that the formations went off meant it was an unexpected and unwanted visitor.

John frowned and flicked his wrist, instantly moving to Rin's house.

And when he was there, the intruder sneaking around his adorable idol's home was a man in a black suit and sunglasses.

A professional. Despite it being broad daylight, he moved quickly and expertly, avoiding proper vantage points and ducking in plants and bushes while heading towards Rin's bedroom window.

A quick scan of the man showed that he was unarmed. However, he did have his phone in hand, open to a recording app.

John narrowed his eyes and then walked over, expanding his domain.

At once, time stopped. The sunlight distorted, turning hazy and the colors of the plants sharpening.

"Hm?" The man seemed confused and stood up, looking around. After that, he glanced down at his phone and said, "That's strange... No service?"

"Indeed." John stepped forward, flicking his wrist. "And soon to be no life as well."

The man froze and then slowly turned around.

John smiled. "Tell me. What family are you from? Who is your boss?" For good measure, John reached to the side and pulled out the Demonic Beheading Sword he took from a cultivator of the Yellow Springs sect.

A blade dyed a dirty brown from countless bloodshed. Smoke, twirling around it that was actually accumulated resentment from billions of innocents slain.

It was a sword capable of corrupting even a cultivator of the Righteous Sect with generations of good karma...

Of course, that was a non-issue for John whose Dao was 'accumulation', allowing him to obtain everything in existence.

Even so, while holding the blade, his image distorted. The kind and magnanimous young man shifted into a terrifying reaper, wreathed in black smoke and dark robes.

"Heee!" The man screamed and scrambled back. "M-Monster!"

"That's right." John stepped forward again and said, "Now. Where are you from? Who do you work for? And why are you bothering my precious employee?"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't kill me!" The man hopped to his feet and instantly jumped into a kowtow, banging his head against the ground and holding out a business card. "I'm just a contractor for NHK! They hired me to check if the girl living here has a TV since she's turned agents away every time in the last month!"

"...What?"

John blinked and picked up the card.

[Yuuki Arimasen]

NHK Employee

Junior Representative

John shifted his gaze back to the man kneeling on the ground with his head lowered.

The guy, Yuuki, trembled, sweat pouring down his neck.

John sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.