Ryusei and Todo flew through the air, their cursed energy crackling like lightning.
Todo spun mid-air, delivering a devastating hammer-fist right into Buryura's skull, cracking its exoskeleton with a loud CRACK. Ryusei followed instantly, flipping above the spider's head and driving Kasaka's Venom Fang straight between its eyes.
A burst of cursed energy exploded from the point of impact, and Buryura let out one final screech before its massive body collapsed with a thunderous thud, twitching once… then going still.
The entire room fell silent.
Kenta, wide-eyed and covered in minor cuts from the smaller spiders, stared at the scene in disbelief. "Y-You two… what are you?"
Ryusei landed smoothly, yanking her dagger free and casually wiping the ichor off on her jeans.
Todo dusted off his hands with a proud grin. "We're just built different."
Suddenly, a soft ding echoed in Ryusei's mind. A translucent blue screen appeared in front of her:
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Hidden Quest Completed: "Buryura's Den"
Rewards:
New Quest Unlocked (Available Soon)
[Six Eyes] Level 2→ Level 3
[Cursed Energy Manipulation] Level 6→ Level 7
New Title Acquired: [Besto Friendo]
————————————————————
Ryusei raised an eyebrow. "Besto Friendo?" She side-eyed Todo.
He grinned ear to ear, still riding the high of the fight. "Hell yeah! That means you're my ride-or-die now!"
"Huh?"
"I guess you're like me, huh?" Todo said, his tone quieter now as he looked over at Ryusei with a knowing smirk.
Ryusei glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. The unspoken truth hung in the air between them—they were both reincarnators.
Meanwhile, Kenta blinked, looking between the two of them with growing confusion. "...Um. What?"
Ryusei waved him off casually. "Don't worry about it."
Kenta opened his mouth like he wanted to ask more, but quickly thought better of it. "...Right. Not worrying about it."
Todo chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Man, this world's about to get a lot more interesting!"
The slow, mocking sound of hands clapping echoed from one of the darkened tunnels.
From the shadows emerged Hayato, standing tall with his full raid party behind him, each member looking down with smug, self-assured expressions.
"Well, well…" Hayato said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Looks like you three survived after all."
His sinister grin widened as he and his team descended the sloped tunnel, stopping a few feet from the three teenagers.
"Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Here's how this is gonna go." He pointed a gloved finger first at Todo, then at Kenta.
"You two. Kill the E-rank," he said coldly, nodding toward Ryusei. "Do that, and we'll let you live. Hell, we'll even let you join us."
Todo blinked slowly, expression unreadable. Kenta's eyes widened in shock, his face pale.
Ryusei stood silent, expression calm as she rolled her shoulders. "...Tch. Typical trash logic."
"H-huh!?" Kenta stammered, his face turning ghostly pale. "Kill her? But she's just a kid—!"
Hayato scoffed. "She's obviously a false Ranker. No E-rank could pull off what she just did. And you know what happens with false Rankers… they get stronger fast, and eventually they turn on everyone. So unless you wanna die down the line, better to take her out now."
Kenta froze, caught between fear and uncertainty, sweat beading down his temple.
Todo, on the other hand, crossed his arms confidently. "Yeah right! Me and Ryusei go way back!" he said proudly. "We've been best buds since junior high!"
Ryusei nearly tripped. "Now wait a damn minute!" she shouted, pointing at him. "We just met today! You've gotta be schizophrenic or something!"
Todo grinned like it was a compliment. "That's just how brotherhood works, Ryusei!"
Hayato's smirk twisted into a scowl. "Tch. Fine. Looks like you're all gonna die together, then."
Ryusei flipped her dagger in her hand and narrowed her eyes. "Guess we'll see who ends up in the dirt."
At Hayato's sharp command, one of his raiders a dagger wielder shot forward like a blur.
"Go!" Hayato barked.
The man closed the distance in an instant, his twin daggers gleaming with bloodlust. Ryusei's eyes narrowed, but before she could react, a sharp blow struck her in the side.
CRASH!
Ryusei was sent flying through the air, her body slamming into the jagged edge of a mana crystal. Shards cracked and scattered as she crumpled to the ground.
"Ryusei!!" Kenta shouted, eyes wide with panic.
She lay motionless at the base of the crystals, blood trickling down the side of her face and soaking into her dark hoodie. Her eyes were half-lidded, unfocused, the dagger still embedded in her side.
Kenta's breathing turned shaky, hands trembling. "Sh-she's not… she's not moving…"
Todo's grin had disappeared, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "...You're gonna regret that."
'What... just happened?'
Ryusei's vision swam, a hazy blur of red and light filling her sight. Her ears rang, muffling the sounds of shouting and movement around her. She tried to lift her arm, but it felt heavy—numb.
Suddenly, a faint ding echoed inside her mind. A translucent blue screen flickered to life in front of her eyes, barely in focus.
————————————————————
Hidden Quest Unlocked:
"Kill the Lizards"
Objective: Eliminate the Traitorous Party Members (6/6)
Progress: 0/6
Reward: ???
————————————————————
Her pupils dilated as a sharp clarity cut through the fog in her head.
'Lizards... huh?' she thought, blood dripping from her lips as her fingers twitched around the hilt of Kasaka's Venom Fang.
"Rika. Come."
The words left Ryusei's lips in a strained breath, but with a surge of dark, powerful cursed energy flooding her body, she suddenly rose from the ground, her bloodstained form standing tall once more.
A surge of darkness crackled around her as she channeled every ounce of her cursed energy into a single command.
In response, a deep, rumbling growl echoed from the ring on Ryusei's finger and the shadows, and then, from the darkness itself, Rika materialized.
A massive, shadowy figure, dripping with venomous energy and emanating a terrifying aura, appeared in front of Ryusei. With a bone-rattling roar, Rika's form solidified.
As Rika stood towering beside Ryusei, her massive form radiating menacing power, she suddenly lunged forward, her arms wrapping tightly around Ryusei's neck in an almost possessive manner. The cursed energy around her shifted, intensifying as Rika nuzzled her face into Ryusei's hair.
Her voice, a low, throaty growl, echoed through the air as she spoke, her tone filled with a mix of concern and pure territorial possessiveness.
"Who did this to my beloved?"
Ryusei, despite the immense pressure from Rika's grip, managed to keep her composure. Her lips curled into a smirk as she looked up at the startled faces of Hayato and his team.
Ryusei, despite her bloodied state, smirked faintly and placed a hand gently on Rika's massive arm. "Don't worry, Rika. They're just... a few pests who need to be dealt with."
The air crackled with tension as Rika's claws dug into the ground, her voice a soft growl, "No one hurts my Ryusei... NO ONE!!!!"
Rika's eye glowed with raw, unfiltered rage, her possessiveness reaching a terrifying peak. Her massive form shook with barely contained fury as she began to crash out.
"NO ONE... should ever hurt her! Not even a hair on her head!" she roared, her monstrous presence overwhelming the space around her.
Before anyone could react, Rika's eye locked onto the dagger-wielder, the man who had caused Ryusei's blood to spill—and with a terrifying screech, she lunged.
With an inhuman speed, Rika's claws raked through the air, grabbing the man by the arm. His terrified scream was cut short as she ripped him forward, sinking her teeth into his arm with brutal force. Her jaw snapped shut, and she began to devour the limb, tearing through flesh and bone like it was nothing.
The man howled in agony, but his cries were soon drowned out by the sickening sound of his body being pummeled into the ground. Rika's strength was monstrous as she lifted him off the ground, slamming him repeatedly into the stone floor, her claws digging into his chest.
With each impact, life drained from him. Ryusei's cold, indifferent gaze watched the brutal scene unfold, her earlier pain forgotten beneath the intense heat of Rika's rage.
Finally, the man's body went limp, his once defiant form now crushed and lifeless beneath Rika's wrath. The only sound that filled the air was Rika's deep, satisfied growl as she stepped back, her claws dripping with blood.
"That's what happens when you touch what's mine," Rika purred, her voice low and dangerous, as she turned to Ryusei, who hadn't flinched through the whole spectacle.
Ryusei stretched her arms out, her posture relaxed despite what had just happened.
She casually wiped some blood from the side of her face, her expression almost casual as she glanced back at the remaining members of Hayato's group.
"Rule number one," She said, her voice cutting through the air like a blade, "Do NOT touch me."