A squad of four… shouldn’t there be five?

Exiting the small eatery steeped in greed and distress, the cool night air was a welcome change. Sekibanki, Kagerou Imaizumi, and Wakasagihime followed Reg and Chimata in silence, the atmosphere heavy with the daze of their close call and the shock of those three gold coins.

After walking some distance, away from the restaurant’s clamor and the lurking eyes, Reg’s mood became especially heavy. He felt his future was bleak; how was he supposed to fight against these accumulated Evil Gods? Aside from Saitama, who might barely be of some use, it was unlikely he could protect Reg.

Sekibanki was the first to break the silence. She stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to Reg and Chimata, bowing deeply with unprecedented solemnity.

“That… little brother! And this esteemed Goddess!” Her voice was loud and straightforward. “We truly owe you today! Otherwise, the three of us… would have been truly ruined by that black-hearted boss! I, Sekibanki, remember this kindness! If you ever need me for anything, just ask! My head can roll, but I won’t refuse!”

Kagerou silently stepped forward as well. Although still taciturn, her eyes were filled with sincere gratitude toward Reg and Chimata. She gently nudged Wakasagihime’s tub, which she had been guarding, forward, expressing their shared sentiment.

Wakasagihime peered out from the tub, clutching the rim with her small hands. Her face was flushed with excitement and shyness. Her voice was still faint, but she spoke clearly with effort. “Th-thank you… really… thank you very much! I… I will repay you too!”

Reg, who was rubbing his still-grumbling stomach, stopped. He looked at the three Youkai before him—down-on-their-luck but sincere—then glanced at Chimata, who hadn’t quite recovered. A calculated glint, inappropriate for a child, flashed in his eyes. It’s finally time.

“Repay?” Reg repeated, his tone flat. “Coincidentally, I need your help right now.”

The three Youkai immediately straightened their backs, their eyes focused on Reg, ready to go through fire and water.

“I’m hungry.” Reg pointed to his empty stomach, stating it as a matter of course. “That gruel and biscuit weren’t nearly enough. There’s a river nearby, right? Go catch me some fish, big ones, fresh ones.” His request was direct and simple, perfectly matching his current state of hunger and craving for food.

Catch fish? The three Youkai were stunned. They had expected something difficult, not this.

Sekibanki was the first to react, a hearty smile blossoming on her face. “Ha! I thought it was some big deal! Catching fish? Leave it to me! Kagerou is good around water, and Wakasagihime grew up in it! Little brother, you just wait, we’ll get you some fat ones!”

Kagerou nodded too, a hint of relief in her eyes. Wakasagihime softly hummed in agreement, a slight smile appearing on her face. She wasn’t afraid of anything water-related.

“Alright then.” Reg nodded, seemingly satisfied with their reaction.

But his next words made the smiles on the three Youkai’s faces freeze slightly.

“However, catching fish once isn’t enough. I see that you three aren’t exactly doing well either—can’t even scrape together money for a meal, and housing is probably a problem, right? Want to get stronger? Want to stop being looked down upon?”

Sekibanki’s smile became strained, Kagerou’s eyes darkened, and Wakasagihime shrank back into the water again. These were precisely their biggest current struggles. As grassroots Youkai, being looked down upon—in their eyes, this was truly a loss of face. They also wanted to become powerful, respected individuals.

Reg crossed his arms, his small figure speaking with an undeniable authority. “Here’s the deal: from now on, you follow me and become my companions. You work for me, and I’ll take care of your food, try to find you a safe place to settle, and teach you how to get stronger. How about it?”

He didn’t mention any grand ambitions, only offering the commitments they needed most right now.

Sekibanki, Kagerou, and Wakasagihime looked at each other, their eyes communicating rapidly. Sekibanki’s look was one of inquiry and confirmation: Should we do it? Kagerou’s eyes carried scrutiny and a hint of calculation. Reg is a child. She finally looked at Reg’s calm yet powerfully confident face and nodded slightly. Wakasagihime looked entirely dependent on Kagerou, and seeing her nod, she timidly nodded her small head as well.

“Deal!” Sekibanki abruptly slapped her thigh, her voice booming with the boldness of determination. “Little brother, you’re straightforward! The three of us received your great kindness today and have nowhere else to go. We’ll follow you from now on! If you say east, we absolutely won’t go west!”

Kagerou let out a low “Mhm,” formally expressing her stance.

Wakasagihime also said faintly, “I… I’m willing too.”

Reg’s expression didn’t change much; he simply nodded. “Fine, it’s settled. Now, the first priority: catch fish! I’m starving!” He pointed to his stomach, his tone regaining its earlier urgency.

Sekibanki immediately perked up. “Got it, Boss! Kagerou, Wakasagihime, let’s go! Let the boss taste our skills!” She rallied her companions. Kagerou immediately pushed Wakasagihime’s tub, and the three, knowing the area well, quickly walked towards the nearby river, full of energy.

Watching their busy figures retreat, Reg rubbed his stomach and muttered, “Finally some progress… but if I start forging bonds again… how much despair will that lead to?”

Sekibanki, Kagerou, and Wakasagihime were indeed efficient. Before long, the smell of roasted fish wafted from the riverside. Several plump river fish were cleaned and skewered over the bonfire, sizzling with oil, their skin crispy and golden-brown.

Reg, ignoring the heat, took the largest fish eagerly handed to him by Sekibanki and devoured it. The sweet, fresh fish meat sliding down his throat finally offered some comfort to his famished stomach. Chimata also received a fish, eating it slowly while silently recovering her divine power. Kagerou and Wakasagihime each held a fish, quietly enjoying this hard-earned full meal. The atmosphere was rare and peaceful.

Soon, only the skeletons of the three large fish remained. Reg let out a satisfied burp, casually tossing the fish bones into the fire, sending up a few sparks. He leaned back against the rough trunk of an old tree, his gaze sweeping over the three new subordinates gathered around the bonfire.

The firelight illuminated their faces. Sekibanki’s face showed the satisfaction of a full stomach and a touch of carelessness. Kagerou remained silent, but her tense body was much more relaxed. She was carefully helping Wakasagihime wipe off a bit of charred skin from the corner of her mouth. Wakasagihime gently sipped the clear water Kagerou scooped from the river. Though still timid, her eyes held a bit more security.

A Rokurokubi cornered by a Tanuki boss, a Wolfwoman bullied by Youkai and whose fur got wet, a timid Mermaid who couldn’t even keep her small hiding spot for shells. These people were too unlucky, weren’t they? And he, having entered this world, was also unlucky!

The feeling of weakness, frustration, and irritability in Reg’s heart suddenly flared up like dry grass touched by a spark.

Nima, are these Evil Gods ganging up to torment me?

Why? Why am I inexplicably being bullied by Youkai?

Why? Why are all sorts of Rule-of-Weirdness phenomena inexplicably popping up here?

Why do these people, who aren’t bad-hearted and just want to live peacefully, have to be looked down upon and bullied to the point where they can’t even afford a meal, just because they are weak?

Why the hell do all the random troubles in Gensokyo get to step all over me?

He had had enough! Enough of being weak! Enough of being passively beaten! Enough of not even being able to protect himself, let alone guard anything!

Get stronger first, then make a move. If I don’t do anything, it’s despair.

Why haven’t I started working hard yet?

“Hey?” Reg’s voice wasn’t loud, but it encompassed all other sounds.

Sekibanki, Kagerou, and Wakasagihime all looked up at him simultaneously. Chimata also stopped absorbing faith to recover her divine power, keenly sensing that the aura emanating from the little boy had changed. His previously lazy expression instantly became incredibly serious, and his Presence changed repeatedly. He was like a Swordsman standing at the peak, and also a fearless Hero.

Reg’s gaze swept over the three faces, finally settling on the leaping flames. His voice was still not loud, but it carried a decisive, undeniable force, clearly hitting everyone’s ears.

“Listen. From today on, following me means you can no longer be this timid. Looked down upon? Robbed? Cornered and harassed in an eatery? Casually threatened? I don’t want to see these pathetic things happen again. I want to become stronger, and I want to change this future predicament. More misfortune awaits me in the future. I need your help…”

He paused, his small body leaning slightly forward. His child’s eyes, reflected in the firelight, were astonishingly bright, as if containing invisible sword edges.

“My goal is simple.” Reg extended his finger, not pointing toward the vague distance, but forcefully, virtually touching the mud ground before them, where their reflections lay, speaking clearly, word by word. “To continually develop you Youkai towards strength, making you individuals who can stand alone and dominate a region. This time will be long, but please believe me…”

A sudden dead silence descended upon the bonfire.

Sekibanki’s mouth hung open. The last bit of fish bone she was chewing dropped onto the ground. She even forgot to pick it up, just staring blankly at Reg’s youthful yet extremely serious face.

“You can make us into powerful beings in Gensokyo?” She repeated unconsciously, thinking it was even more unbelievable than her head flying off.

Kagerou’s hand, which was guarding the water tub, suddenly tightened. Her wild eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. Powerful beings in Gensokyo? Like the Four Devas of the Oni? Like the Youkai Sages? Like the Flower Tyrant? Them? How could that be! The goal was so grand it made her dizzy.

Wakasagihime gasped in fright, almost shrinking back to the bottom of the tub, only showing half her small face, her eyes filled with the confusion of a small animal and an instinctive fear of the word ‘powerful.’ To her, it was as distant as a star in the sky.

Even Chimata sharply inhaled. She knew Reg’s background was extraordinary, knew he had secrets, and knew that wisp of sword Ki was terrifying. A constantly reincarnating fellow, possessing the memories and abilities of different lives. But which era’s power is it? Tenkyuu Chimata wasn’t entirely sure. But the sheer audacity and preposterousness of the goal—turning three grassroots Youkai into Gensokyo powerhouses—made even her, the God of Transaction, feel dizzy. This was countless levels harder than restoring her own market divine authority! This wasn’t a transaction; it was a fairy tale!

However, Reg’s face held no hint of a joke. There was only an almost fanatical determination, a desperate resolve forged by countless deaths, humiliations, and bad luck. He withdrew his finger as if he had merely said, “Let’s find some firewood tomorrow,” so bland and natural.

“I know you think it’s crazy, but can you trust me?” Reg’s voice returned to that slightly impatient tone. He stood up, dusted the dirt off his backside, his small figure casting a long shadow in front of the bonfire. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me; you just need to remember my words.” He scanned the three people still in shock, his tone decisive.

“From now on, you are no longer the grassroots anyone can trample on. You are my people, Reg’s people. I will teach you how to climb out of the mud, how to clench your fists, and how to smash the faces of those who dare to look down on you. Get stronger, live like a person—oh, no, like a Youkai!” He kicked the dirt under his feet, his gaze sweeping over the water tub Kagerou was protecting and Sekibanki’s empty pocket.

“So that in this cursed place, no one dares to steal your shells or touch your metal scraps again.”

“This is my goal. This is the path you must take. As for whether we can achieve it…” Reg forced a smile. “Please believe in me, the one called the Hero.”

After speaking, he didn’t wait for their reactions. He turned and walked to Chimata, found a comfortable patch of grass, and lay down, his back to the bonfire, only tossing back one final sentence.

“Sleep once you’ve eaten. We’ll rest and reorganize tomorrow. The day after, we’ll try to register in Hell and become adventurers!”

The bonfire still crackled, the lingering aroma of roasted fish not yet dispersed, but the entire camp fell into a deep silence. Only Reg’s utterly arrogant yet magically compelling declaration lingered.

“I will try to make you stronger, strong enough that no one can easily bully you.”

This was imprinted like an invisible brand onto Sekibanki, Kagerou, and Wakasagihime. The first step, surprisingly, was announced amidst the river’s mud and the burnt aroma of roasted fish, declared by a small brat who was afraid of hunger, afraid of pain, and even more afraid of being trampled by fate again.

Reg thought to himself how cool he looked at this moment. He had temporarily alleviated some stress; at least he shouldn’t dwell on other things, or he would be driven insane by the mental pressure. Reg had already realized that this world was not ordinary. If he treated it merely as Gensokyo, he would surely die. He couldn’t afford to die again.

So that’s how it is… I can only try to invite death?

《Removed Protection: Temporary Memory Sorting》

《Acquired Top Title: “Companion”》

《Acquired Protection: Four-Person Squad Bond》

《For every companion that falls in battle, comprehensive stats increase fourfold. When the situation is hopeless, shouting something about “bonds” can rapidly restore one’s physical strength and enhance one’s overall power to a certain extent.》

Ah, why is it a four-person squad? Shouldn’t it be a five-person squad?