A Calculated Confrontation

Rui awoke once more in front of Kaori, his heart pounding as the familiar scene played out before him. This time, however, he wasted no time on conversation. With a reassuring smile, he said, "Kaori, trust me. There's something important we need to do." He took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure despite the urgency he felt. Kaori looked at him, concerned, but nodded in agreement.

Hand in hand, they walked over to Investigator Kotogawa. Rui quickly explained the situation, his words tumbling out in a hurried torrent. Kotogawa's eyes widened with disbelief, but he could see the desperation in Rui's eyes. He decided to trust Rui, despite how unbelievable his story sounded.

Rui urged Kotogawa to call Kazuya and instruct him to gather everyone at Rui's house for a surprise after-party. "Tell him it's a special celebration, and everyone must come," Rui added, trying to sound enthusiastic. Kotogawa hesitated for a moment, but did as Rui asked.

As Kazuya began making the arrangements, Rui turned to Kaori, who looked at him with a mix of confusion and concern. "Rui, what's going on? I don't understand," she said, her voice shaking.

Rui gave her a gentle smile, trying to reassure her. "I promise, everything will be okay. Just trust me, alright?" He squeezed her hand, and she hesitantly nodded.

With the house vacant, Rui and Kotogawa set traps throughout the dimly lit interior, creating an eerie, tension-filled atmosphere. The once lively party house now seemed like a haunted mansion, the shadows casting ominous patterns on the walls. As they prepared, Kotogawa couldn't help but ask, "How did you figure all this out, Rui?"

Rui hesitated before answering. "I... I've been through this before. Many times, actually. I know it's hard to believe, but I've seen how this night ends. We have to stop it."

Kotogawa nodded solemnly, trusting Rui's judgment. They hid in the shadows, listening to the creaking floorboards as the oni mask man and his accomplices entered. The traps were sprung, and two men screamed in pain. Kotogawa believed they had succeeded, but Rui shook his head.

"He's still here," Rui whispered. "We haven't gotten the oni mask man yet."

As the two men continued to hide, Rui noticed a faint sound of footsteps approaching their hiding spot. The oni mask man was closing in. Rui took a deep breath and made a decision. He stepped out of the shadows, much to Kotogawa's surprise. Rui's heart raced, and his palms grew clammy as he stared down the man who had haunted his every waking moment.

The oni mask man, sensing Rui's presence, stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face him. The cold, emotionless eyes behind the mask sent a shiver down Rui's spine, but he refused to back down. The man drew his katana, the sharp blade glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Rui faced the oni mask man, his voice unwavering despite his fear. "You won't kill me."

The oni mask man paused, intrigued by Rui's bold statement. His voice, cold and calculating, responded, "What makes you so sure?"

Rui swallowed hard, gathering his courage. "I've analyzed the pattern in your actions. You've never actually killed me directly. You only caused me mental pain by hurting the people I care about. But you, yourself, haven't laid a finger on me."

The oni mask man studied Rui carefully, the intensity of his gaze boring into Rui's soul. "You think you're clever, don't you? Do you believe you've figured out some strategy in my actions?"

Rui clenched his fists, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "I've observed your actions, and I believe I understand how you operate. You won't kill me tonight."

The oni mask man hesitated for a moment, his confidence shaken. He snarled, "You think you can outsmart me? You have no idea what you're dealing with."

Rui met his gaze, his confidence unwavering. "You won't act again tonight. I've noticed that all the incidents, including the ones on TV, happened within a specific time window, and nothing occurred after that. You also can't physically kill me yourself."

The air between them grew thick with tension, the silence only punctuated by their heavy breathing. The oni mask man's eyes narrowed, trying to decipher Rui's motives.

Suddenly, Rui made a signal to Kotogawa, who had been hiding nearby. With practiced precision, Kotogawa emerged from the shadows and opened fire on the oni mask man. The sound of gunshots echoed through the empty house as the oni mask man's accomplices rushed in to shield him, taking the bullets meant for their leader.

Amidst the chaos, the oni mask man managed to escape, his footsteps echoing through the house. Kotogawa tried to give chase, but Rui grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Don't. It's over for now. He won't act again tonight."

Kotogawa stared at Rui, his expression a mix of frustration and admiration. "How can you be so sure?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Rui explained his observations about the oni mask man's pattern and his inability to directly kill Rui. Kotogawa listened intently, his brow furrowing as he processed the information. "You've come a long way, Rui. You've used your observations to learn his weaknesses. But we still don't know his identity."

Rui nodded, his determination renewed. "We'll find out who he is, and we'll put an end to his reign of terror."

Rui fell down on his behind letting out a huge sigh of relief. He looked down thinking about his accomplishment, almost crying. He survived, there was so much more to do, but he survived this time. Kotogawa helped him up and patted him on the back with a smile. He didn't understand the full extent of the situation in Rui's view, but even to him it had importance.

As Rui and Kotogawa left the scene, they knew their fight was far from over. They had managed to outmaneuver the oni mask man for now, but they still had a long journey ahead to uncover his true identity and bring him to justice. The night air was heavy with the promise of future confrontations, but Rui knew that, with Kotogawa by his side, they would ultimately prevail.