The Ryan Way [1]

Rika was outside her house, sitting under the faint light of the moon, watching Ryan approach with steady steps. His figure cast a long shadow, and his deep voice broke the silence of the night:

"Do you remember?" He stopped, standing in front of the small girl, his eyes fixed on her as if searching for hidden answers.

Rika remained silent for a few moments before placing her hand on her neck. Her voice came out hesitant, almost a whisper:

"I... I can still remember the taste of blood..."

Ryan knelt, keeping his gaze level with hers. He extended his hand and gently touched the spot where the bullet had passed through. His voice carried a cold yet firm weight:

"That's good. Now you know what it's like to feel death."

Rika's eyes trembled, filled with tears about to fall. Her voice faltered as she asked:

"And how is that a good thing?"

Ryan maintained his seriousness as he replied:

"It's a way to weigh my next choices."

Rika blinked, confused, as she tried to decipher the meaning of his words.

"Weigh your choices?"

Ryan stood up slowly, his gaze already drifting toward the horizon. He pulled a phone from his pocket and brought it to his ear.

"Good evening... Grandpa."

Hours later, Rika's house was steeped in tense silence. Ryan leaned against the window, observing the outside with a serious expression. Yuno remained in a corner of the room, silent, but her aura was suffocating, filled with barely disguised hatred.

Rika, sitting on her futon, hugged her knees, her hoarse voice breaking the oppressive atmosphere:

"I remember Arona mentioning changes in the syndrome... This changes everything."

Ryan, without taking his eyes off the horizon, replied in a tone that was indifferent, almost irritating:

"Yeah, it's going to be a pain dealing with that. Maybe it won't even be possible to avoid all the deaths. For a perfect round, with no losses, I'd have to keep going back in time all the time. And, frankly, that tires me."

He crossed his arms and turned his gaze to Rika, his voice now more direct:

"The group you mentioned... the one studying the syndrome. They have ties to the Japanese government."

Rika tilted her head, surprised, and replied hesitantly:

"To the government? How do you know that? Did your grandfather tell you?"

Ryan shook his head slightly, a faint smirk appearing before he responded:

"Howa Type 64."

Rika frowned, tilting her head further, even more confused.

"That's... what?"

Ryan sighed, his tone turning instructional but impatient:

"Japanese battle rifle. I recognized it by the sound of the shot and the damage it did to your neck, even after passing through my chest."

Rika raised an eyebrow, surprised and perhaps a bit skeptical:

"You can identify a weapon by its sound?!"

Ryan took a deep breath, shifting his gaze to Yuno. She seemed on the verge of exploding, her expression overflowing with controlled fury. He decided to address her, his voice calm but firm:

"I need your powers to resolve this once and for all."

Yuno remained silent, her eyes narrowed and fixed on him. Ryan blinked slowly, realizing he had to be more direct to persuade her.

"I need you to use your teleportation. Take everyone affected by the syndrome we've seen and bring them to the Sonozaki mansion. I want them in the location Shion mentioned."

Rika interrupted with a voice full of surprise:

"But...?"

Ryan raised a hand, cutting her off before she could continue:

"You said they've been studying the syndrome for a while. I want to know how far they've come with those studies."

He took a few steps toward Yuno, stopping at a calculated distance, as he continued:

"If they have equipment of that caliber, it's because there's money involved. And money means progress. I want to understand what the hell is going on here."

His gaze hardened as he spoke, then he turned back to Yuno, more incisive:

"Remember when you said the Masachika way of doing things wasn't working? Fine, then we'll do it the Ryan way. Efficient and direct."

Yuno continued to stare at him with deadly eyes, her thumb brushing against her lips as she tried to contain her anger. Her eyes almost sparkled with rage, but it was Rika's voice that broke the tension:

"The Ryan way?"

She stood up slowly, her hair swaying in the wind coming through the window.

Ryan turned to her, his expression laden with brutal sincerity:

"I've already died, Rika. But my fate was different. When I woke up, I had a normal life, with school, friends, and a calm routine. But Masachika Kuze... he's just a facade. Just a layer."

He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing:

"Beneath that, there's Ryan Gosting. A mafioso. A killer. Someone who survived in a world where you crush or get crushed."

He shrugged, a crooked smile forming:

"And if it's to save your village, your friends, or whatever it is, then you better understand that the Ryan way of doing things isn't pretty, but it works. Because, in the end, that's all that matters."

Rika frowned, her eyes fixed on the ground as she clenched her fists tightly. Her voice came out low but full of weight:

"I don't want people to die because of me..."

Ryan raised a hand, wagging his finger in negation as if scolding a stubborn child.

"Rika, remember one thing: unlike you, I don't jump to different worlds. I simply redo things so that it's as if they never happened."

Rika kept her gaze down, her breathing growing heavier. Ryan approached, kneeling before her and placing a firm yet comforting hand on her shoulder. His voice softened, though it still carried a serious tone:

"No one will remember the erased time. Only we will carry these memories."

For a moment, silence took over the room until Rika let out an almost reluctant whisper:

"Mii~..."

She raised her eyes to meet Ryan's, her tone now more mature and determined:

"Then I will trust you... Ryan."

A faint smile appeared on his face, an expression oscillating between teasing and approval.

"Oh, that's what you want to call me from now on?"

Rika nodded, creating a brief moment of lightness between them. But the calm was soon interrupted by Yuno's sharp, irritated voice:

"What exactly are you planning? Why take everyone to this Sonozaki mansion?"

Ryan turned to her, replying in a dry tone:

"For now, it would be good to leave the questions for later."

Yuno narrowed her eyes, her voice becoming heavy and threatening:

"You're not in a position to tell me to leave something for later, idiot."

Ryan let out a long sigh, speaking slowly as if tired of arguing.

"Arona... can I ask you something?"

At that moment, Arona appeared beside Yuno, with her usual aura of contagious cuteness.

"Anything you want, sensei!"

Ryan stood up, turning to her with a more serious expression.

"You said you're like a system, right?"

Arona nodded enthusiastically, a smug smile on her face.

"Yes, yes!"

"So, judging by the novels and fanfics I've read and the fact that you were created from my memories and Yuno's... I've concluded that you can analyze the syndrome for us. Am I right?"

Arona placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin as if showing off.

"Exactly! Finally, you're realizing how useful I am!"

Yuno, impatient, placed her hand on Arona's shoulder, squeezing it lightly as she spoke with a tone laden with frustration:

"Why don't you just say these things outright, brat?"

Arona's voice trembled slightly, but she tried to justify herself:

"Well... you guys didn't ask, geez..."

Ryan cut the conversation short, his tone turning serious and practical:

"We're not waiting for the festival. We're acting now."

Yuno glared at him, crossing her arms. Her expression was hard, almost defiant.

"I haven't even been to the mansion yet, idiot."

Ryan gestured dismissively with his hand, as if brushing off her excuse.

"Go now. Then, you'll teleport the people there. And don't start with the 'I'm tired' excuse... I'm sure you're fully charged after our kiss."

His words created a crushing silence in the room. Yuno froze, her expression caught between shock and fury, while Arona covered her mouth with her hand, holding back a laugh.

It was Rika who broke the tension, her curiosity manifesting in a hesitant tone:

"Kiss...?"

Before anyone could react, Yuno disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Rika stunned.

"She...?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow, the smug smile returning to his face as he crossed his arms.

"She's already starting to do what I asked."

Still confused, Rika tilted her head, questioning:

"How can you be so sure of that?"

Ryan cracked his neck and began walking toward the exit. His low, sarcastic laugh escaped as he stopped for a moment, his head turning slightly back. His half-closed eyes glinted with a teasing air, and a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he replied:

"Because she wants to kill me as quickly as possible."

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