Shadow Plastic Surgery
The moment the white candy touched my tongue, I began to see the things clinging to my shadow. They were about the size of kindergarteners. Their bodies were shriveled like mummies, with blood-red, vertically slit pupils. Their hair stuck out in all directions like they'd been struck by lightning, and they cackled madly with delight, stretching my shadow like it was a toy.
My shadow had been oozing and elongating because these little ghosts were latched on like parasites, pulling it around at will.
The instant I saw these ghost parasites on my own shadow, I grasped the final secret—the very essence—of Shadow Plastic Surgery.
Shadow Plastic Surgery was a ritual to summon ghosts into one's shadow.
Come to think of it, before my regression, when I first tried Shadow Plastic Surgery, I'd idly thought it felt just like a "summoning ritual." Looking back now, that hunch was spot on.
A special perspective, a special place, and a special action. These were textbook elements of any summoning ritual.
No wonder Rone never returned, even after regression. The Shadow Plastic Surgery ghosts were already bound to her. When Rone regressed, the ghosts regressed with her.
Damn it. Too late...! The realization hits way too late...!
That's when my eyes met one of the ghosts clinging to my shadow. The moment our gazes locked, it grinned, ripping its mouth open in a spine-chilling smile.
Kikikikik!!
"Don't... laugh!!"
Thwack!
Repulsed by that grotesque cackle, I instinctively swung my arm to swat the ghosts away. The one that took a whip-like lash from my elongated arm staggered, head lolling.
"...Huh?"
...Kee-gik?
For a split second, the ghost and I stared at each other in mutual bewilderment. An awkward silence stretched between us.
And then.
Sneer.
"You can get beat now?"
We fear them because they're invisible. But if we can see them... you're done.
I let out a triumphant yell and swung my whip-like arm wildly, pummeling the ghosts. My stretchy limb proved a surprisingly potent weapon, sending the little fiends tumbling down the hallway, heads whipping back as they rolled.
Their gleeful cackles turned to choking coughs.
One thing I'd learned from dealing with ghost stories countless times: most that take human form die when you beat the crap out of them physically.
Elaine and Aurora watched blankly from the side, having no clue what I was doing. To them, I must've looked insane—flailing at empty air while howling weird cheers.
I ignored them and kept whipping the little ghosts' backs.
"Die! Die!!"
Kieek! Keeeek!
Man, that felt good.
But the ghosts snapped out of it and counterattacked. The mood flipped in an instant.
I'd started out dominating the pint-sized pests due to the size difference, but numbers overwhelmed me eventually. Sure, they were only kindergarten-sized, but their ferocity rivaled wild beasts.
They tore at my skin, jabbed at my eyes—aiming for vitals.
"Ow! Stop! Cut it out! I said stop!!"
The offense-defense switch happened in seconds. I curled up, shielding my weak spots, and wailed.
"Guys! Help! Get these ghosts off me!!"
At my desperate cry, Elaine and Aurora rushed over, flustered. But they swung at empty air over my infested body—they couldn't see a thing.
"Like this!? Nothing's grabbing!!"
"Teacher, what the hell are you even seeing!?"
Elaine shouted in panic, while Aurora's voice trembled with anxiety.
Damn, if they can't see them, they can't touch them either.
I realized inwardly: seeing means interacting. Maybe visibility itself links you spiritually to the ghost.
I had no occult knowledge to explain it properly.
In the end, I shoved Elaine and Aurora back and desperately peeled off the ghosts lunging at me. My whip-arms were intimidating, but the elongated limbs made my body clumsy, wearing me down.
I managed to smash a few into bloody pulps, but in the process, I was torn, scratched, and stabbed all over, bleeding heavily.
As my vision reddened with blood, I gritted my teeth.
Damn! If only Rone were here...!
That's when it happened.
"Teacher!!"
A familiar voice. Rone's.
"...Rone?"
I stretched my arm three meters to wipe the blood from under my eyelids and saw her.
"...How?"
Not just me—Elaine and Aurora gasped in shock at Rone's appearance too.
"Miss Rone!"
Elaine cried out, joy and surprise mixing in her voice.
"You're back!?"
Aurora's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yes! Teacher peeled off the ghosts stuck to me!"
Looking at the bloody little ghost corpses strewn on the floor, I pieced it together. By smashing a few, I'd unwittingly broken the curse on Rone!
Not intentional, but lucky.
"Rone! No time to explain the situation—"
"Don't worry! I've been watching from the side the whole time!"
...She's been right there all along?
Imagining her invisible beside us, unseen by all, stirred something warm in me. But business first.
If she'd been here, this would've been easier. I quickly spat the candy from my mouth and shoved it at her.
"Rone!! Bite this candy!!"
The moment I removed it, the little ghosts vanished from sight. But their physical attacks didn't stop— invisible claws raked my body.
Gah! It hurts! You sneaky bastards! I can't see you anymore!
"Wha—huh!? What's—"
Rone panicked as I thrust the candy at her.
"Your Gift can take these down! Bite the candy, see and touch them, and smash them all!!"
"B-but..."
Even as I spoke, invisible little ghosts yanked my hair and clawed my face. Without seeing the attacks, it was even deadlier!
"Uwaaa!! Rone!! I'm dying!!"
"I-it's indirect—"
"I'm dying! Hurryyy!!"
"Kyaaah!! Fine, I don't know anymore!!"
She hesitated, then bit the half-melted, sticky white candy from my hand. Her soft, moist lips brushed my fingers, and the candy vanished into her mouth.
Rone's Gift Confidence Explosion has activated.
For a set duration, her personality shifts, and Stage Constitution activates at maximum output.
Rone's aura changed.
"...Rone?"
She exuded an oddly relaxed confidence. Not just me—Elaine and Aurora looked stunned too.
The attacks from the little ghosts assaulting me seemed to pause, or maybe it was my imagination.
But Rone, with her Gift active, ignored our reactions and stretched casually.
Crack, crackle.
"Ahh... Freed from one ghost story, straight into cleanup. Guess Teacher can't do without me, huh."
She winked at me lightly.
"Rone... right?"
"Of course. This body's your precious Rone."
She flashed a seductive smile, cracked her knuckles, and approached—slowly at first, then faster.
Not me, exactly—my shadow was her target.
Brushing past, she whispered just for me:
"Tasty. The candy from Teacher. Hehe."
"...Kyaa!"
I jolted in surprise as she dove at my shadow.
"Enter the star! Come at me, you scrubs!"
Rone stepped up boldly.
...This is Confidence Explosion?
Well, her confidence did explode, but...
I stared blankly as she threw punches and kicks at invisible foes with gusto.
Normally, flailing at air looks ridiculous, but...
Her sheer confidence made it badass. No comedy here.
Instead...
"Whoa. She's got insane charisma."
Working with Rone on Paranormal Investigation Club cases taught me her Stage Constitution hits peak with about 30 observers.
Our club activities? Just 4 members max, 3 if one handles rewinds in the club room. Barely 10% activation.
Even then, her physical prowess topped the group.
Now, fully unleashed? It was like switching genres entirely.
I couldn't see the little ghosts anymore without the candy, but Rone—unscratched—made her dominance obvious.
"Hahaha!! Bring it, newbies! I'm climax from start to finish!"
She unleashed uppercuts, roundhouse kicks, one-handed tosses. Finally, the hallway fell silent.
"...."
"...."
Everyone but Rone—we students and I—stood speechless, jaws clenched.
Rone's Gift Confidence Explosion duration has ended.
For a set time, Gifts Stage Constitution and Confidence Explosion are deactivated.
Shadow Plastic Surgery has been resolved.
The Paranormal Investigation Club has resolved the ghost story, purified the grotesque, and absorbed the resentment.
Rone's Gift deactivated. Her aura faded, returning her to normal.
"Uh, u-uhh... Th-that was..."
Back to herself, she looked around in confusion. Recalling her Confidence Explosion antics, her face flushed beet red...
And she fainted on the spot.
This counts as the dead Shadow Plastic Surgery knocking out the living Rone.