"Hahaha!"
Nanako and Mimiko's words made Geto Suguru laugh heartily. Seeing him laugh, the two sisters beamed with pride, clearly pleased with themselves.
Looking off into the distance, Geto's gaze turned contemplative, a subtle seriousness settling in.
No matter what, his original plan would not change. It seemed he couldn't master Domain Expansion before the plan kicked off. But that didn't matter there were always other ways.
"Gojo… just wait. I'll definitely create a new world," he muttered to himself, his mind already calculating the next steps.
---
Back in the business car, during a brief moment of rest, Ryuji took a look at the golden entry he'd triggered from the special-grade cursed spirit.
"Golden Entry: Shadow Manipulation!"
Not bad it was the power to control shadows.
Ryuji gave it a try and found he could not only manipulate his own shadow but also the shadows of others. This technique definitely had a high ceiling for growth and mastery.
"Load it," he decided. For abilities like this, keeping them was a no-brainer.
Only abilities that were truly useless would get discarded.
"Talent Entry System:
[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: 74,120!"
Ryuji smiled at the progress. His stats were really starting to stack up.
Compared to the nearly empty panel he'd started with, his abilities now were pretty stacked.
After returning home, it would be a good time to practice more with his shadow manipulation. Since it was a newly acquired ability, it needed testing and refinement. After glancing at his panel for a moment, Ryuji closed it with a satisfied grin.
Turning his attention to Haruno, who was kneeling in front of him, Ryuji reached out and playfully patted her cheek, grinning.
"Well done," he said with a satisfied tone.
Thank goodness this business car had enough space in the backseat. Otherwise, things would have been a little too cramped for comfort.
"..."
Haruno shot him an icy glare, unable to say much, though her expression was one of frustration and exhaustion.
Just then, the car stopped.
"Mr. Ryuji, we've arrived," Fumino's voice came from the passenger seat.
She had even instructed the driver to take a few extra loops around the block, giving them plenty of time.
"Alright," Ryuji replied casually, watching as Haruno hurriedly tidied herself up. He smirked, stepped out of the car, and stretched his arms.
"Thank you, Mrs. Yukinoshita, for the ride home," he said politely.
"It's nothing at all," Fumino responded with a calm smile, maintaining her composed demeanor. "If you ever have the time, Mr. Ryuji, feel free to visit our house."
"There'll be a chance for sure," Ryuji grinned, giving a short wave as he walked off.
Once he was out of sight, Fumino instructed the driver to start the car again. As the vehicle began to move, she turned her attention to her daughter, who sat in the back with messy hair and a flustered look.
"Haruno, care to explain how you and Mr. Ryuji became acquainted?" she asked with a knowing look.
"You didn't know him at all and yet, you were fine leaving me alone with him?" Haruno shot back, rolling her eyes. Despite her irritation, there was a strange sense of security she felt from Ryuji. He was now someone she trusted deeply.
"Well, what could I have done? If you didn't want to, I couldn't have forced you," Fumino replied indifferently.
She understood her daughter well. Despite Haruno's outwardly obedient nature, when it came to matters of principle, she wouldn't back down easily. Fumino had encountered her daughter's stubborn resistance many times especially when she had suggested taking Yukino to high-class social gatherings, only to be firmly opposed by Haruno.
Haruno had always insisted that her younger sister deserved to enjoy a normal, carefree school life, and as the eldest, she would bear the burden of their family's responsibilities.
"..."
Seeing her mother's piercing gaze, Haruno had no rebuttal. Deep down, she knew her attraction to Ryuji was real, even though she had initially resisted it.
She sighed in resignation. "Fine, whatever. Think what you want."
Fumino shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She didn't need to pry any further. As long as her daughter understood the stakes, that was enough.
"I'm tired. Let's just go home," Haruno said, waving her hand dismissively.
"Of course," Fumino replied, turning back around, satisfied with how things had gone.
---
Meanwhile, after arriving home, Ryuji noticed that Miko still hadn't returned. He made a quick call and learned that she had been busy accompanying her mother.
Ryuji didn't mind. In fact, Miko had even suggested that he could visit her at her mother's house if he wanted. The upstairs rooms were soundproof, after all.
Ryuji's immediate reply was, "Sounds good!"
Yeah, just checking on the soundproofing nothing more.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. Curious, Ryuji walked over to answer it.
When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Izumi Sae standing awkwardly at the entrance. She looked a little flustered.
"So, what's wrong this time? Another broken water pipe?" Ryuji asked with a playful smirk.
"The kitchen…," Sae muttered guiltily, avoiding eye contact. She was clearly embarrassed.
Ryuji just stood there, looking at her for a long moment before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Alright, I'll take care of it."
---
Inside the kitchen, Ryuji quickly spotted the issue. As expected, the floor was flooded. The pipes were clearly busted, but upon closer inspection, it didn't seem like normal wear and tear. This pipe had been tampered with.
"You know, I just realized this wasn't caused by old pipes wearing out," Ryuji said, looking over at Sae with a raised eyebrow.
Sae froze, guilt flashing across her face. She had definitely been caught.
"..."
She couldn't meet his gaze. Her eyes darted to the side, avoiding him entirely.
"You broke it on purpose, didn't you?" Ryuji's grin widened as he leaned back.
Sae's face flushed with embarrassment, and she stammered, "I—well… maybe?"
"Uh-huh. Well, I think some punishment is in order for that, don't you?" Ryuji teased, his voice carrying a playful edge.
"W-Wait! You—" Sae tried to protest, but Ryuji wasn't about to let her off that easily.