Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

Ryan returned to the room, his footsteps echoing lightly on the floor as he walked towards the desk. His wallet was there, tossed carelessly on the wood. He picked it up and slid it into his pocket, letting out a sigh.

"Amazing that, despite everything... money is still relevant." His voice carried a mix of irony and resignation.

And then, as if out of nowhere, Yuno appeared seated on the bed, her legs bent in a casual manner.

"Alright, idiot. Let's go already. I have an outing with Rika after this."

Her rose-colored hair was tied up in two long braids adorned with red ribbons, a detail that softened her usually sharp expression. Her eyes, tinged with the same soft tone, reflected the light of the room with a sparkle that oscillated between boredom and impatience.

Ryan watched her with the same meticulous gaze as always, mapping every little detail.

Her fair skin contrasted with the sporty uniform she had chosen—a white short-sleeved t-shirt with subtle pink details on the edges, molding softly to her slender body. The black skirt, with white stripes on the hem, complemented the look, while her pink socks brought an adorable touch.

It was a simple combination. Simple and unfairly cute.

Ryan's gaze lingered a little longer than it should have, and Yuno noticed.

A blush rose discreetly on her cheeks before she closed her expression in a mix of irritation and embarrassment.

"Can you stop looking at me like that?" Her voice came out in a dry tone, like a dagger being sharpened.

Ryan, however, didn't seem willing to give in. He leaned slightly on the back of the chair, crossing his arms while better analyzing the way she was sitting—in a sloppy and carefree way, one of her legs bent over the mattress, revealing, at a glance, a piece of her panties striped in black and white.

He opened a smug smile.

"You're giving me a lot of good views today. Have I done something recently to deserve this treat?"

Yuno closed her eyes for an instant, taking a deep breath before lowering her leg and covering the revealed fabric with her hand.

"Yes, you left me one step closer to killing you." Her voice was cold and sharp, but Ryan noticed a subtle detail—her tone of indifference was almost convincing, except for the tips of her ears, which were getting slightly red.

She really didn't know how to hide her reactions as well as she thought.

Ryan decided not to provoke her... for now.

He walked to the bed and held out his hand to her, his gaze full of playful malice.

"Well, I'll be polite and thank you for the ride."

Yuno narrowed her eyes, studying every line of his expression, hesitating for a brief moment before holding the tip of his hand, suspicious.

Ryan pulled her with a subtly chivalrous gesture, helping her to get up. But even after standing, Yuno didn't take her eyes off him, as if she were analyzing something.

He tilted his face slightly closer, smiling wryly.

"Yuno... Is staring like that your way of flirting?"

And then, without changing her expression, she fired, in a completely serious tone:

"Ryan... Did you fuck your sister?!"

The air became heavy for a second.

Ryan froze in place, but quickly recovered, letting out a drawn-out sigh before smiling wryly.

"I even came inside... I won't lie, since you just saw it in my memories..."

Yuno frowned, bringing a hand to her temple as if she were trying to erase the forced memory from her mind.

"AND WHY DID YOU REMEMBER THAT WHILE LOOKING AT ME IN BED, YOU IMBECILE?! AND WHY THE HELL DID YOU THINK SO INTENSELY ABOUT ME?!"

Ryan closed his eyes and let out a theatrical sigh.

"This thing about thinking intensely about you connecting our minds is screwing with my intrusive thoughts..."

Yuno gritted her teeth, pointing at him with an almost comical fury.

"Then stop thinking those absurdities with me! Idiot! Jerk! Disgusting!"

She let go of his hand suddenly, crossing her arms defensively.

"Never would something like that happen!"

Ryan just shrugged, completely unperturbed.

"Look, we already hooked up in Hinamizawa, so it's better not to raise a flag..."

Yuno's expression darkened.

"You know I only did that because..."

He narrowed his eyes with irony, tilting his head slightly.

"Because...?"

Yuno looked away, clicking her tongue in irritation.

"Tsk, let's go already."

Without giving room for more provocations, she raised her hand, pressing against Ryan's chest.

The reality around them distorted for a moment, and when the vision cleared, the two were in a seaside resort, the same one he had asked Gojo to send the location earlier.

The salty breeze of the beach was the first thing Ryan felt. The sun reflected on the turquoise blue sea, creating an intense glow on the surface of the water. The smell of hot sand and sunscreen mixed in the air.

He was still looking at Yuno, who was biting her lower lip and keeping her arms crossed, looking away in any direction other than his.

"Strange..." Ryan thought. "She never mentioned that guy she used to talk about all the time anymore..."

His thoughts were interrupted by the unmistakable and relaxed voice of Satoru Gojo, which came from somewhere nearby.

"Look at him there! I knew you were going to call that pink-haired girl to bring you!"

Ryan turned his head and saw Gojo approaching, holding a coconut in his hands and with a wide smile on his face.

"So, she can teleport using photos? What a convenient power!" Gojo commented, adjusting his glasses on his head and smiling with his typical relaxed expression. The beach wind lightly swayed his open blue shirt, which matched his loose shorts and the shine of the sun reflecting on his skin.

Ryan replied with the same carefree tone, but there was a light ironic touch in his voice. "Yeah... Sometimes I even envy the freedom she has..." His eyes moved sideways, watching Yuno out of the corner of his eye.

She was there, with her arms crossed, and her sulky posture only enhanced her involuntary charm. The small movements of her body, the way her arms pressed against her breasts and the slight pout she made when frowning her eyebrows, made the scene even more peculiar.

"Alright, I'm going now." She announced, already preparing to disappear.

Before she could vanish, Gojo raised a finger in the air, calling her attention. "Hey, hold on a sec! I want to ask you a simple little thing!"

Yuno stopped at that exact moment, but her expression closed in pure boredom, making it clear that patience was a scarce resource in her existence. The look she threw at Gojo was a "Speak quickly before I lose interest".

The sorcerer maintained his arrogant little smile and gestured lightly with his hand. "So... Ryan didn't want to tell me and said that I had to ask you directly. So, do you also have the same energy as him? You know, that extremely concentrated one?"

At this moment, Yuno arched an eyebrow, shifting her eyes to Ryan with a sharp look. "Energy?"

Gojo maintained his relaxed tone, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Yeah, the same one he has!"

Without wasting time, Yuno stretched out her leg and gave a light kick on Ryan's shin. The blow was not strong, but it served to convey her irritation.

"What was that, your disturbed girl!?" Ryan grumbled, frowning.

Yuno put her hands on her waist, tilting her body slightly forward. "You blabbermouth! Why do you go around telling these things!?"

Ryan rolled his eyes, letting out a bored "tsk". "I didn't say anything explicitly! The guy would have to have a peanut brain not to notice my energy."

Yuno huffed, crossing her arms again before casting an unfriendly look at Gojo. "Hmpf... Yes, I have it. So what?"

Gojo scratched his head, as if he were reflecting on the answer. "Nothing, I was just curious..." He then smiled wryly, maintaining his provocative tone. "By the way, what's your name again?"

Yuno's eyes narrowed, and her expression took on a mix of irritation and contempt. The tone of her voice when answering was almost identical to someone talking to a stray dog. "Your face irritates me."

The effect was immediate. Gojo was completely frozen for a whole second, feeling a shiver run down his spine. Inside his mind, a dramatic narrator resounded: "Gojo is drowning in an indescribable void."

Ryan's laughter exploded in the air, loaded with pure amusement. "Pffft! I'm sorry, man, but I think you're not her type!"

Gojo forced a smile, trying to maintain his composure. "Yeah... It seems not... Damn, what could her type be?" He joked, perhaps trying to disguise the accurate blow that his self-esteem had just taken.

Yuno, who kept her face impassive, averted her eyes for an instant, glancing quickly at Ryan before returning to stare at nothing.

Ryan blinked. One second of processing. Then another.

"Wait... ME? HOW DO YOU MEAN ME!?"

Gojo, always attentive to the dynamics around him, pointed at Ryan, his voice taking on an even more playful tone. "Aah! Now I get it! You prefer less flashy people like him, don't you?"

The impact of the phrase was visible. Yuno's eyes widened instantly. "Who do you think you are to be saying such nonsense?"

Gojo raised his hands in a nonchalant gesture. "Sorry, it was just a guess! And it doesn't hurt to tell me your name, does it?" He extended his hand in a friendly gesture.

Yuno, without hesitation, slapped his hand away in a gesture of refusal. "Yuno Gasai." Her voice was sharp, without any trace of interest.

Gojo blinked slowly before muttering in a drawn-out manner. "Damn, you too..."

Ryan crossed his arms, casting a curious look. "Did she also go through that barrier of yours?"

Gojo shook his hand from side to side. "Yeah... And her slap hurt more than I expected. Seriously, you guys blow my mind. How is it possible to pass through my Mugen so easily?"

Yuno shrugged, her voice filled with presumption. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about, but anything Ryan does, I can do better."

Ryan arched his eyebrow, letting a teasing smile appear at the corner of his lips. "Oh? Look who's getting cocky now..."

Just as the words left his mouth, Arona's familiar and sweet voice echoed in his mind.

"Ryan-Sensei! Call Yuno for a private chat!"

He blinked, surprised, raising his head slightly as if trying to see where the voice was coming from.

"Arona! My dear student! I missed you!" He replied mentally, with a lively and provocative tone.

"Hihihi, I'm also dying to materialize again... But for now, call Yuno-Sensei, I need to talk to you!"

Without wasting time, Ryan interrupted the almost friendly conversation between Yuno and Gojo, pulling the girl by the waist without ceremony.

"Gojo, I'll need Yuno for a few minutes."

"Eh?!", Yuno let out a muffled squeak as she was pulled by surprise.

Gojo raised an eyebrow, but soon smiled wryly, grabbing his coconut water. "Okay, see you later then!"

As they walked out of the resort, Yuno wriggled slightly in Ryan's arms, her face flushing slightly as she felt his fingers pressing against her slender waist, brushing lightly against her ribs.

"W-what are you doing?! Can you let me go?!"

She pushed him away with a grumble, shuddering.

"That tickles, idiot!"

Ryan let out a playful laugh, tilting his head. "Pfft, really? That was almost cute... Almost. But that's not why I called you."

Yuno crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes, the pout of irritation only accentuating the adorable air she exuded without realizing it.

"Arona wants to talk to us."

Her expression changed subtly. "Arona? And why doesn't she just show up, or talk to both of us at the same time?"

Ryan didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took her hand, feeling it stiffen for a brief moment before exhaling heavily.

"R-Ryan..."

Before she could protest, Arona's lively voice echoed.

"Hiiiiii, Senseeeeis!"

Yuno blinked, and a discreet but genuine smile appeared on her lips. "Hi, Arona. How are you? Haven't recovered completely yet?"

"Unfortunately not, Yuno-Sensei... You haven't done—"

"I got it." Yuno cut her off quickly, without patience to hear the rest.

Ryan smiled, closing his eyes as if appreciating the moment. "So, Arona-chan, what did you want to tell us?"

"Hihihi! So, Senseis... There might be some energy to absorb nearby! And it's one of the big ones, you need both of you to be able to consume it!"

Ryan kept his eyes closed, but a playful smile appeared on his face. "I bet Yuno's eyes sparkled at that moment..."

Yuno was staring out at the sea, her eyes fixed on the waves crashing against the sand, as if she were distant, lost in thought.

"Hihihi, that brings her closer to the goal... But there's a problem. Since my energy is still low, I can't determine the exact location..." Arona explained, her voice getting a little sad at the end.

Ryan clicked his tongue, keeping his tone casual. "Relax, Arona-chan, me and especially Yuno will be attentive. Right, Pinkie?"

He turned to face her, but his expression changed as he noticed the girl's distant look.

"Yuno?"

She took a moment to respond, still watching the waves. Her pink hair swayed gently with the ocean breeze, and when she finally spoke, her voice carried a different tone, almost... melancholic.

"You can search without me... If you find something, send me a picture and I'll come."

Ryan frowned, confused.

"Seriously? I swore you would be crazy to find this right away..."

Yuno let go of his hand slowly, hesitantly. When she finally raised her eyes to him, her eyes reflected something unusual — a mixture of confusion and uncertainty.

"I... need some time to think about some things."

Shock passed over Ryan's face before he could even control it.

"Seriously?" He repeated, almost automatically.

Yuno just nodded with a slight movement of her head.

"Yeah... See you later, Ryan."

And then, without further words, she disappeared, leaving only the sound of the waves and a thoughtful Ryan, staring into the void.

"What's wrong with Yuno...?"

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Special Challenge!!! ✨🎉

Dear readers, I bring you a challenge! If we manage to finish the week in the top 10 on Webnovel or reach 25 paid subscribers on Patreon, I will drop TEN CHAPTERS ALL AT ONCE here on Webnovel and Patreon! 😱💖

I've been putting so much love and effort into the story, and I've prepared sooo many exciting arcs with the characters! Ehehe~ 💕 This will also help me focus even more on the story, and I'm counting on you all!

Remember: Top 10 on Webnovel or 25 paid members on Patreon = TEN EXTRA CHAPTERS IN ONE GO! 🎁🎊 The challenge is on until we hit one of these goals! Let's do this together! 💪✨

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