"I don't know if he's handsome, but he sure is narcissistic!"
However, when Miku raised her head and saw the person in front of her clearly, she couldn't help but be taken aback. He was pretty handsome.
"No, I'm sorry!"
Noticing that she had been staring a bit too intently, Miku quickly lowered her head, her face flushing with embarrassment.
The shy, introverted look on her face made Ryuji raise his eyebrow slightly. With her striking appearance, pink hair, and the headphones hanging around her neck it was definitely Nakano Miku.
He hadn't expected to run into one of the quintuplets here. But then again, this was an anime world, so encountering the Nakano family wasn't too surprising.
"My name is Ryuji. What about you?" he asked, even though he already knew who she was.
"I'm Miku Nakano," she said timidly, barely meeting his eyes.
"Hm," Ryuji nodded, acknowledging her.
Though he was a little surprised to see Miku, it didn't matter much to him. Sure, she was cute, but honestly, all the girls around him had outstanding appearances. After giving her a quick once-over, he turned and continued walking deeper into the construction site.
He could sense that he was getting closer to the special-grade curse spirit.
"Hey, wait!"
Miku, who had expected Ryuji to say or do something else, was left confused when he just walked away. She had been worried, thinking that since they were alone, he might try something. After all, if he did, she wouldn't be able to stop him. But seeing him leave so nonchalantly, she found herself a bit stunned.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
"Wait! Hold on!" Miku quickly caught up with him. The place was eerily quiet, and she wasn't brave enough to continue on her own. Now that she had someone with her, she wasn't about to let him out of her sight.
"What? Weren't you worried I might try something with you?" Ryuji teased, glancing at her sideways.
"Uh..."
Miku stopped in her tracks, flustered. She had been seen right through. Her concerns had been written all over her face, and Ryuji had picked up on them immediately.
"No, I'm sorry…" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt bad for assuming the worst about him, especially when he had done nothing wrong.
Ryuji couldn't help but think that Miku's timid apology made her seem even more vulnerable—almost the kind of person you wanted to tease.
"So, why are you here anyway?" Ryuji asked, curious. "Don't you know there have been a lot of accidents here recently? People have died. This place is practically off-limits, and you still came?"
"Huh? No way!" Miku looked shocked. She truly had no idea.
That would explain why the moment she walked in, she felt this overwhelming chill. She had thought it was just the eerie atmosphere making her uneasy.
"I heard from a friend that this was the site of a general's tomb from the Warring States period, so I came to check it out."
Ryuji blinked, understanding immediately.
In the anime, Miku may have seemed shy, but whenever the topic turned to historical figures from the Warring States period, she became a lot more enthusiastic.
Everyone had their interests, so he didn't judge her for it. But still…
"Are you sure this 'friend' of yours is really a friend?"
Miku fell silent.
The realization hit her. That person probably tricked her. Knowing how much she was into historical stuff, they had played a cruel joke on her, leading her to this dangerous place.
Even if it was meant as a prank, this was no laughing matter. It felt more like she was someone to be toyed with.
"I guess you're not exactly popular with your classmates," Ryuji remarked, seeing her downcast expression.
Miku didn't respond, her head lowering even more. She followed him as he walked further into the site.
After a moment of silence, she spoke up again. "They were probably just messing with me. I mean, there's no way ghosts exist, right?"
"Tsk." Ryuji stopped walking and turned to look at her.
His sudden pause and the seriousness in his eyes made Miku nervous.
"W-what is it?" she asked, her heart starting to race.
"What if I told you that the kind of 'ghosts' you think of do exist?"
"No way…" Miku wanted to deny it, but the look in Ryuji's eyes wasn't joking. Her heartbeat quickened, and she could only stare at him, unsure of what to think.
"Alright, it's time for you to leave. Don't come to places like this again," Ryuji said, his tone firm.
"But…"
Miku was about to ask, Then why are you still here?
But before she could get the words out, the air around them changed. Even though Miku couldn't feel cursed energy, she could see that the sky, which had been relatively clear, was suddenly growing darker. The oppressive atmosphere felt suffocating.
"What's happening?" Miku whispered, her eyes widening.
She couldn't believe it. Could there really be something… supernatural here?
"Let's get out of here!"
She wasn't stupid whatever was going on, it wasn't normal. She grabbed Ryuji's sleeve, trying to pull him with her, but he didn't budge.
"You're surprisingly kind," Ryuji said, a little amused.
Most people would have just run off in a situation like this, leaving their companions behind. It was rare to see someone who would try to help.
"Forget it," Ryuji said, glancing around. "The domain is already active. You can't escape."
"Domain?"
Miku had no idea what he was talking about. She didn't even know what a sorcerer was, much less something like a domain.
Just as she was about to ask, she felt a shadow looming above her. Looking up, she saw a massive, twisted, one-eyed creature towering over her, at least ten meters tall.
The sight of the monster made Miku scream in terror, stumbling backward and nearly falling.
"A fusion of urban legends, huh?" Ryuji said, more to himself.
It all made sense now. If it wasn't a fusion of urban legends, there was no way an ordinary person like Miku would be able to see the curse spirit. More and more cursed spirits like this had been appearing recently.
It wouldn't be long before the whole world would have to acknowledge the existence of curse spirits. For now, sorcerers could cover up these incidents as gas explosions or other accidents, but that wouldn't last once regular people started seeing the spirits for themselves.
Noticing the unfinished staircase behind Miku, Ryuji realized she was about to fall off. He quickly reached out and pulled her into his arms, stopping her just in time.
There was no romantic tension, though Miku was too terrified for that. Her face was pale, and she looked like she was about to faint from fear.
"Next time, when someone tells you there's something cool somewhere, think twice before running off like an idiot," Ryuji said lightly.
"Eh?"
Miku looked up at him, confused. To be honest, seeing that monstrous creature, she had already accepted the idea that she might not survive. She had even started saying her goodbyes in her head.
Goodbye, Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, Itsuki. Goodbye, everyone. I'm really going to die.
"Shadow Manipulation!"
Before Miku could fully process her thoughts, Ryuji made his move.
The shadow beneath his feet sprang to life, as if injected with energy, turning into sharp spikes that shot toward the one-eyed curse spirit.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Several spikes pierced right through the curse spirit's body.
"This gloomy weather is perfect for shadow manipulation," Ryuji said with a satisfied smile.
"...???"
Miku stood there, stunned. She had been mentally preparing for her last moments, but now… Ryuji had suddenly turned into some kind of superhero.
She blinked, staring up at him, utterly speechless.
"Alright, go hide somewhere safe. I'll deal with this quickly," Ryuji said, letting go of her.
It wasn't until now that Miku realized she had been held in his arms. From childhood until now, she had never been so close to a boy. But rather than feeling embarrassed, she was more overwhelmed by a sense of loss like she should have stayed in his arms a bit longer.
No, what am I even thinking?!
Quickly shaking her head, Miku rushed behind a wall, peeking out as she nervously watched Ryuji, too afraid to disturb him.
"Come on!" she whispered to herself, quietly cheering him on from her hiding spot.
Ryuji couldn't help but chuckle.
Honestly, she was kind of cute.
"Well, for a monster like this, I don't really need to hear a 'come on,'" he said with a grin.
This special-grade curse spirit wasn't much of a challenge for him.
"Shadow Manipulation: Bind!"
Under Ryuji's control, the shadow spikes transformed into thick ropes, wrapping around the one-eyed curse spirit and restraining it tightly.
"Die! Die!"
The curse spirit roared in fury The curse spirit roared in fury, thrashing wildly against its bindings, but it couldn't break free.
"If you don't behave, you're just asking to get beaten," Ryuji said with a smirk.
Then, in an instant—"Third Dimension".
Ryuji activated the space-distorting power of Third Dimension to its fullest. The air around the curse spirit rippled as space itself began to twist and warp.
"Buzzz..."
The curse spirit's entire body was enveloped by the twisting force. Slowly but surely, its form began collapsing in on itself, unable to withstand the overwhelming spatial distortion.
There was no escape.
Ryuji watched as the creature's body crumbled under the pressure, piece by piece. He didn't bother with any further attacks he knew it was done for.
"Looks like you had barely formed a domain, huh?" Ryuji muttered to himself as he studied the remains of the curse spirit. It had started to develop a domain, but it wasn't complete. It was all form and no substance just a hollow shell of what a true domain should be. That explained why it had been relatively easy to overpower.
It must have been born only recently.
"Well then, time to turn you into something useful," Ryuji said casually, holding out his hand.
"Soul Devouring!"
Chains shot out from Ryuji's shadows, coiling around the crumbling remains of the curse spirit. Normally, when using the Devour Soul technique, the curse spirits would resist being consumed, but this time there was no struggle. With each spirit Ryuji devoured, his own power grew, making it easier to subdue the next one.
The chains tightened, dragging the curse spirit's energy into Ryuji's body.
"Too bad I can't absorb the curse techniques along with their strength…" Ryuji sighed, shaking his head. It would have been nice if he could acquire the unique techniques of the spirits he devoured, but so far, that wasn't part of his ability.
Still, it wasn't a bad outcome. He was getting stronger by the day.
"Hmm?"
Just as he was about to leave, something caught Ryuji's attention. He looked up at the sky and saw a small black dot descending toward him.
He raised his hand, catching the object with ease.
His eyes narrowed as he inspected it closely.
"Another one?"
What Ryuji held in his hand was unmistakable a finger of Ryomen Sukuna.
This was the same type of cursed object he had encountered not long ago after exorcising the cursed spirit that Tomoya had turned into. No wonder the curse spirit he just fought had reached special-grade it had merged with the power of urban legends and, more importantly, one of Sukuna's fingers.
It was no small feat for a cursed spirit to attain special-grade status, especially one that had only recently been born.
"Well, guess I'll just add this to my collection," Ryuji muttered, not too surprised.
There was no point in destroying it. Sukuna's fingers were indestructible, and leaving it lying around would only cause more trouble down the road.
"Third Dimension"
With a quick flick of his hand, Ryuji used Third Dimension to open up his personal space distortion dimension and tucked the finger safely inside.
He wasn't worried about Sukuna sensing it. In this space, the cursed object would be completely sealed away from the outside world.
With that, Ryuji gave the area one last glance before turning his attention to Miku, who was still nervously peeking out from behind a wall.
"All done. You can stop hiding now," he called out with a smirk.
"Is it over?"
At this time, Miku timidly poked her head out to look around. The one-eyed cursed spirit had been exorcised, and the sky, which had grown unnaturally dark, had returned to normal. The oppressive atmosphere had lifted significantly.
"Let's go," Ryuji said, glancing at her briefly before stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking away.
"Wait for me!"
Miku, realizing he was leaving, hurried to catch up with him. Even though the monster was gone, she wasn't brave enough to stay alone in such a place. In her haste, she nearly tripped, but Ryuji caught her just in time.
"Successfully contacted target: Miku Nakano! A purple entry has been triggered, do you want to load it?"
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the entry to trigger now he thought if it didn't happen the first time, it wouldn't later. But it seemed like a pleasant surprise.
"That…"
Miku's shy voice broke the silence. She hadn't thought much earlier, but now, as she looked at Ryuji up close, she seemed a little flustered. Her mind was racing.
Ryuji, without any ulterior motives, simply let go of her.
"Be careful next time."
"Hmm… hmm," she muttered, lowering her head, falling into step behind him. She followed silently, unsure of what to say. Ryuji didn't know how to respond either, so he left it at that.
Whatever, Ryuji thought, focusing his attention elsewhere. Let's check that entry.
The notification about the entry had come up, and now he wanted to see what it was.
"Purple Entry: Acting!"
That wasn't from Miku he remembered that one triggered earlier, with Mai Sakurajima.
Thinking back on it, if not for this opportunity, Ryuji would have almost forgotten about it.
"Eh, let's just decompose it."
It didn't seem particularly useful, so Ryuji decided to break it down.
Next, he checked the new entry that had just triggered from Miku.
"Purple Entry: Acting!"
"...???"
Acting again? Ryuji furrowed his brows. What kind of ability was this? After a closer look, he realized it was just related to cosplay.
Now that he thought about it, Miku did have a hobby of dressing up as her sisters. Did this mean if you married Miku, you'd technically be marrying all five? (T/N: Fuutaro fumbled the bag big time)
"Hiss!"
Shaking his head, Ryuji pushed the thought away. He couldn't help laughing to himself, though. It was a strange idea, but not completely off the mark.
"Alright, let's break this down too," he said, choosing decomposition again.
Honestly, he didn't see why something like cosplay would rank as a purple-level entry. Maybe it was just the "heroine effect," elevating otherwise mundane abilities.
For most people, something like this wouldn't even register as an ability.
"[Talent entry system]
Host: Ryuji Hoshino
Bloodline: Human
Loaded entries: Soul Devouring [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes [Gold], Presence Concealment [Gold],Tranquility [Gold], Reverse Cursed Technique [Gold], Monster Attracting Physique [Gold], Third Dimension, Dreamwalker [Gold], Physical Strengthening [Gold], Cursed Speech [Gold], Shadow Manipulation [Gold], Iron Fist [Purple].
Points: 76,120!"
Not bad another 2,000 points added.
When the purple entry is triggered ten times, he'd get a free purple draw.
All in all, Ryuji was pretty satisfied with the current progress.
"That…" Miku's voice brought Ryuji back to reality as they walked out of the construction site together. She hesitated for a moment, then gathered her courage.
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Hm?"
Ryuji paused and glanced back at her.
"Could you take me home?"
Miku knew it was probably too much to ask, but after everything that had just happened, she didn't have the courage to walk home alone even if it was broad daylight.
"Take you home?"
"I…"
She lowered her head quickly, her face turning beet red.
Whoever said the "hero saving the damsel" trope was outdated was wrong.
"Hahaha!"
Ryuji couldn't help but laugh at her flustered response. It was just too cute.
"Alright, alright! I'll take you home," he said, still chuckling. He didn't have anything better to do anyway. At most, he'd just send a message to Haruno later to let her know the problem at the site was resolved.
"Thank you!"
Miku's face lit up as she quickly followed him.
As they walked, curiosity got the better of her. "Um, what was that monster back there?"
"Well," Ryuji began, glancing at her. "Sooner or later, everyone's going to know, so I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you in advance."
The existence of cursed spirits wasn't going to stay hidden forever. Ordinary people would learn about them eventually, and considering what Miku had just been through, it was probably better to explain.
So, as they walked, Ryuji gave her a quick rundown of the world of curses.
***
Meanwhile, in the domain of Ryomen Sukuna, on a throne of bones, Sukuna slowly opened his eyes.
"Another one gone…"
He had just sensed the loss of another finger. Just like before, it hadn't been destroyed merely vanished. He could no longer feel its presence.
"So, there's a capable sorcerer in this era, after all," Sukuna mused, a wicked smile curling his lips.
The first time, he hadn't been too concerned, but now, with a second finger lost, it was different. Each of his fingers contained a part of his power, and losing one meant losing one-twentieth of his strength.
If it were just one, it wouldn't be an issue. He could compensate. But with two already gone, and the possibility of losing more, even when he fully resurrected, he wouldn't return at full strength.
"Tsk."
Sukuna's grin widened, though it didn't reach his eyes.
But he wasn't one to rage blindly. There was no point. He'd reclaim what was his in time.
"My time is coming soon," Sukuna whispered to himself. The moment was approaching. He knew his finger hadn't been destroyed it had simply been placed somewhere beyond his reach.
Once he found out who was responsible, he'd retrieve what was his.
"Wait for me," Sukuna chuckled. "What belongs to me will always come back to me."
***
At the same time, Ryuji had no idea that he was already on Sukuna's radar.
But even if he had known, he wouldn't have been worried. He had anticipated this when he put Sukuna's fingers into his space, sealing them off from the world.
The worst-case scenario? A fight.
He still had time before Sukuna's full resurrection, and Ryuji didn't doubt that he would grow strong enough to face even the curse king by then.
By that time, even if Sukuna were at his peak, Ryuji was confident he could knock him down.
***
"Is this the place?"
Before long, they arrived at Miku's house. It was a large, luxurious home a fitting residence for a family supporting quintuplets.
"Well, thank you!"
Miku hadn't expected the walk home to feel so short. She was a little disappointed, actually. As they stood by the entrance, she realized she didn't want the time with Ryuji to end just yet.
Suddenly, she blurted, "Why not come inside for some tea?"
"..."
Ryuji chuckled. He knew she probably meant it innocently, but still, he couldn't help but find the situation amusing.
If it had been an older, more experienced woman, the offer might have had a different meaning. But Miku was still just a girl.
"No, I've got other things to do. I'll take a raincheck," he said with a smile. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there was no need to rush.
Miku's face fell for a moment, but she quickly nodded. She assumed he had to go deal with more curses elsewhere after all, he was some kind of hero.
"Can I get your contact info, at least?"
"Sure."
Ryuji didn't refuse. After exchanging numbers with Miku, he turned to leave.
But before he walked away, he glanced up at the second-floor window of Miku's house.
There, peeking curiously from behind the curtains, were four other heads all watching what was happening with great interest.
"Huh. Looks like I caught some attention," Ryuji muttered with a smirk.
Inside, the rest of the Nakano sisters were watching the scene below, each with their own thoughts.
Could it be that Miku's in love?" Ichika, the eldest sister, teased with a sly grin.
"Ah, this is interesting," Nino chimed in, raising an eyebrow. "What a shame though…"
"What do you mean, 'what a shame'?" Yotsuba asked, tilting her head curiously.
"That boy is so handsome!" Nino added, her tone a mix of envy and playful annoyance.
Miku, meanwhile, stood at the front door, watching Ryuji's figure slowly disappear down the street. She glanced down at the contact information saved in her phone, her heart beating a little faster.
She hadn't expected such an intense day, nor did she expect to meet someone like Ryuji. Now that he was gone, she felt oddly empty but a part of her was hopeful, knowing they'd likely see each other again. After all, they attended the same school, and their paths were bound to cross.
Thinking about this made her feel a bit more relaxed, but just as she turned to go inside, she was ambushed by her sisters.
"Miku! Spill the details!" Ichika grinned, stepping in front of her. "Who was that guy?"
"Yeah, who was he? You're not hiding something from us, are you?" Nino pressed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"I—It's not what you think!" Miku stammered, her face immediately turning red. "He's just a friend. He helped me out today."
The four sisters exchanged glances, clearly not buying her explanation. Miku rarely had interactions with guys, and the fact that this boy had personally walked her home had them all on edge.
"Come on, Miku," Ichika coaxed, wrapping an arm around her. "You can tell your big sister the truth."
"I-It's nothing like that!" Miku insisted, her embarrassment growing. "He just… He just saved me from a monster!"
"A monster?" Yotsuba's eyes widened. "What kind of monster?"
None of the Nakano sisters were naive. They could all sense the fear in Miku's eyes.
At that moment, Ichika and Nino exchanged serious looks. Could it be that their sister was bullied?
Even the usually cheerful Yotsuba and Itsuki were looking at Miku with concern.
"Miku, can you tell us what happened?" Ichika asked gently.
"I…"
Miku hesitated, unsure if she should say anything. But then she remembered what Ryuji had told her that these kinds of monsters would soon become known to the public. If her sisters knew about it earlier, maybe they could be more careful and avoid potential danger.
"Actually… here's what happened."
Miku began recounting the entire event, starting from when she was tricked by her friend into visiting the construction site alone.
"Those jerks!" Nino fumed as she clenched her fists. She was already the most hot-headed of the sisters, and hearing that someone had led Miku into danger made her furious.
"When I see them on Monday, I'm going to beat them up!" she declared.
Ichika, always the calm one, placed a hand on Nino's shoulder. "Let's hear what Miku has to say first."
It was clear this situation was far from resolved.
"Tsk…"
Though clearly upset, Nino kept quiet, waiting for Miku to continue.
At first, they assumed Miku had simply been scared by the eerie atmosphere of the construction site. After all, Miku was not known for being particularly brave.
But what Miku described next left all four of her sisters stunned.
Curse spirits? Sorcerers?
Things that seemed to belong in novels and anime were apparently real.
Could something like this truly exist?
"Uh…"
For a moment, all of them, including Nino, Yotsuba, and Itsuki, turned to look at Ichika, their eldest sister.
Even Ichika was at a loss. This was beyond what she could reasonably believe.
After struggling with her thoughts for a while, she carefully asked, "Um, Miku… are you sure you didn't eat something strange and start hallucinating?"
It was hard to blame her. For someone who hadn't seen it firsthand, it was difficult to accept that monsters could exist in their world.
"I knew you wouldn't believe me…"
Miku wasn't surprised by their skepticism. She had expected as much.
"I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true! I saw it with my own eyes. Ryuji-kun said that soon enough, these monsters will be seen by everyone. And when that happens, you'll know I wasn't imagining things!"
"Isn't that terrifying!" Yotsuba gasped, her usual upbeat tone now full of fear. "If that's the case, shouldn't we run away or something?"
"..."
Wait, you believe this? Itsuki thought, shaking her head. "Come on, Yotsuba. This doesn't sound realistic at all."
Ichika nodded in agreement, still finding it hard to accept. She was just about to say something when she noticed Nino wasn't refuting Miku's words. Instead, she stood there with a grim expression, as if she was remembering something troubling.
"Nino? What's wrong?" Ichika asked, sensing her sister's unease.
After a long pause, Nino finally spoke. "Maybe… there really are some things in this world that aren't human."
"Right, right!" Miku exclaimed, excited that someone believed her.
But her happiness was cut short when she realized the weight of Nino's words.
"Wait… Nino, did something happen to you?" Ichika asked, her voice filled with concern.
The other sisters also stared at Nino, waiting for her response.
Nino hesitated before she spoke again. "A few days ago, I started to feel like someone was following me. It didn't matter if I was at school or on my way home I always had this feeling that someone was watching me."
"Are you sure it wasn't just a pervert?" Itsuki suggested. "There are a lot of creeps like that, especially around here."
Nino shook her head. "I thought it was a pervert at first too, so I tried looking into it. But I couldn't find anyone."
She hadn't told her sisters about this before because she didn't want them to worry. She had assumed it was nothing more than a pervert stalking her. But after hearing what Miku had experienced, Nino started to wonder if it was something more sinister perhaps something supernatural.
"Wait, you mean this might not be a human at all?" Ichika asked, now genuinely worried.
Nino nodded grimly. "I didn't want to think it, but… yeah."
The room fell silent. None of the sisters doubted Nino's judgment she wasn't the type to make up stories or jump to conclusions.
"That's terrifying…" Yotsuba muttered, her eyes wide with fear.
Miku, realizing the severity of the situation, quickly pulled out her phone. "I'll call Ryuji-kun!"
Earlier, she had been thinking about how she could find an excuse to contact him again. Now, with Nino possibly being targeted by a curse spirit, she didn't need to think of one.
"Uh…" Ichika hesitated. She was about to suggest that they handle things themselves, but seeing how serious the situation was, she stayed quiet. Maybe getting help wasn't such a bad idea.
"Ryuji-kun!" Miku's voice brightened as soon as the call connected.
The other sisters exchanged glances. It was clear from her tone that Miku had developed a bit of a crush on this mysterious boy.
"Well, I guess we'll have to meet him now," Ichika muttered to herself. If Ryuji really was the person Miku was describing, it might not be such a bad idea for them to meet him.
"Uh-huh! …Being followed by a cursed spirit?" Ryuji was surprised when Miku explained the situation. She mentioned that Nino had been targeted by something strange and asked if he could help.
It wasn't what he had expected, but it wasn't a big deal.
Instead of heading directly to their house, Ryuji suggested that the five sisters meet him at the service club at Sobu High on Monday, when school resumed. After all, the situation didn't seem urgent at the moment.
He wasn't going to make it that easy to get his help. Besides, he already had plenty of beautiful girls around him. A little effort wasn't too much to ask.
After hanging up, Miku smiled and reassured Nino. "Don't worry. Ryuji-kun said we can meet him at school on Monday. He'll help us then."
"Wait, he's not coming over now?" Ichika asked, surprised. She had expected him to rush over right away, especially if he was trying to impress Miku.
"Ryuji-kun is very busy!" Miku said seriously. "He's probably like the heroes in those novels silently protecting the human world from the shadows. He must have a lot on his plate!"
Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she spoke.
"..."
Her sisters watched her in silence. It was clear Miku had fallen head over heels for this guy.
"Alright then, we'll wait until Monday," Ichika said with a sigh. There wasn't much else they could do.
But she couldn't help worrying. "Are you sure you'll be okay, Nino?"
"I'll manage," Nino replied, though her smile was a little forced. She had always prided herself on her strength, but the thought of being targeted by something supernatural had shaken her.
Even the strongest person could feel scared when faced with the unknown.
Ichika could sense Nino's discomfort, but she didn't know what else to say. There was no helping it. They just had to wait.
---
Soon enough, the weekend was over, and Monday arrived.
During lunch break in the service club, Ryuji glanced over at Yukino, who was reading quietly beside him.
"The exam results are coming out this afternoon. Are you ready for them?" Ryuji asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
"You know I might have a request that's a bit… excessive, right?"
"..."
Yukino's face flushed slightly at his words. She had been lost in thought, but now she couldn't concentrate on her book anymore.
"Don't forget, I was at the top of our grade before!" she shot back, her voice filled with determination. "Do you really think I'll lose?"
Yukino had already thought about what she would ask Ryuji to do if she won. After all, he teased her every day. It was her chance to turn the tables.
But for some reason, a small part of her almost hoped she wouldn't win.
If she lost… and Ryuji asked her to do something embarrassing, what would she do?
No! There was no way she could lose! Absolutely not!
"Hahaha, let's wait and see," Ryuji laughed, noticing how her expression shifted from determined to flustered.
"That, um, Ryuji…"
At that moment, Saki, who had been quiet on the side, suddenly raised her head and called out to him.
"Hm?"
He looked over, having noticed earlier that Saki seemed deep in thought. He hadn't disturbed her, curious to see what was on her mind.
"I… I think I figured out a way to make some money."
"Oh? Tell me about it."
"How to make money?" Ryuji raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Saki looked a little hesitant but then took a deep breath and continued, "I've been thinking… With all the weird stuff going on lately like the cursed spirits and all there are probably more and more people encountering strange things. So… why don't we start taking requests? You know, help people solve their problems with these things… and charge them for it."
Ryuji leaned back, arms crossed, looking at her thoughtfully. "So, you're saying we should run a business dealing with supernatural problems?"
Saki nodded eagerly. "Yeah, exactly! I mean, you're already strong enough to handle those cursed spirits, and with people starting to realize these things exist, there's bound to be a demand. We could charge for your help and make some good money."
At the end, she looked at Ryuji with hopeful eyes, waiting for his response.
"You're short on cash, aren't you?" Ryuji asked, raising an eyebrow.
Saki laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. "Heh… yeah, you could say that."
"I knew it," Ryuji said, sighing. "You're not the type to come up with something like this unless you needed money."
Saki's face turned a little red, but she nodded. "Yeah, I'm kind of broke right now. I used to have part-time jobs, but after everything I've learned about these cursed spirits, I'm too scared to walk around at night anymore. I had to quit. Now I don't have any income, and… I'm struggling to even afford lunch."
Ryuji studied her for a moment, realizing how tough her situation must have been. He knew Saki was the type to shoulder burdens quietly, never asking for help unless she absolutely needed it.
"Well, it's not a bad idea," Ryuji finally said after a brief pause. "I need to absorb cursed spirits to get stronger anyway. Instead of chasing them down, it wouldn't be a bad idea to let people come to us with their problems. If it helps you out financially, all the better."
Saki's eyes lit up. "Really? You're okay with it?"
"Yeah," Ryuji nodded. "But here's the deal every time you bring in someone who needs help, I'll give you a cut of whatever they pay. That way, you don't even have to do the hard work. Just find the people, and I'll handle the rest."
Saki's face brightened, and she couldn't hide her excitement. "Deal! That sounds perfect!"
Ryuji smirked. "You're quite the businesswoman, Saki."
"Hey, a girl's gotta survive," Saki replied with a grin, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.
"Alright then, it's settled," Ryuji said, leaning forward. "Just make sure to vet these people first. No point in wasting time on cases that don't involve actual cursed spirits."
Saki nodded vigorously. "Of course! I'll make sure."
"Good," Ryuji replied, smiling to himself. "Looks like we're in business."