Ryan watched Gensei with an intrigued, almost alarmed look. The old man seemed to have been possessed by a frenetic joy, something Ryan never imagined seeing in him. He crossed his arms, tilted his head, and let out a question laden with confusion:
"Okay, but... how the hell can someone have... six eyes?"
He approached, trying to see Gensei's face more closely, but the old man was lost in another world, completely oblivious. His eyes were fixed on the dagger.
"So pure... so refined..." Gensei murmured, almost in a trance. Then, his voice gained strength, exploding in euphoria. "This... this is the future!"
He held the dagger as if it were a divine relic.
"This blade is the destiny of the Jujutsu world! The answer to everything!"
Ryan rolled his eyes and, with a casual movement, flicked the old man's forehead.
"Come back to Earth, Gensei. Honestly, you just destroyed the image I had of you." His tone was full of disdain, almost mocking.
Gensei blinked, returning to reality. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure as he adjusted his clothes.
"Ahem, ahem... Masachika, what you just did... is that something that normally happens to you?"
Ryan tilted his head, narrowing his eyes with suspicion.
"And why is that important?"
Gensei just nodded, making it clear that he wanted an answer. Ryan then smiled with a smug air.
"Well... let's just say it's like my 'cursed energy', only I prefer to call it... divine energy."
The old man stroked his chin, seeming to ponder the statement.
"I see... So you're a god."
Ryan snapped his fingers, responding with sarcastic confidence.
"That's right! I'm a god." His voice was laden with irony, almost theatrical, as if he were acting in a play.
Ryan always liked to play with the truth, revealing something absurd without elaborating. It generated diverse reactions in people, especially when he spoke without concern about being the leader of the city's biggest mafia. Everyone would burst into laughter, after all, he was just a kid...
Gensei couldn't help but chuckle, sitting down as he shook his head.
"With abilities like these, I'd even believe it. But your attitude... well, it ruins everything." Gensei believed Ryan was being arrogant upon seeing his reaction.
Ryan closed his eyes, thoughtful and with a sly smile.
"He didn't even take it seriously... Heheh. I'm not planning on explaining everything to him either. But it would be funny if he had believed me, but then, I could just turn back time and nothing would have happened."
Gensei then adopted a more serious tone, straightening up in his chair.
"Well, now let's get to what really matters. There's a reason I brought you here. I have an important mission for you. Consider this the beginning of the payment for the debt you incurred by asking for my help in Hinamizawa."
Ryan sighed deeply, leaning against the wall with an expression of boredom.
"Here we go... You can start with the bullshit."
Gensei ignored the comment and continued, his voice laden with expectation.
"Soon, the Jujutsu world will mobilize for an important occasion: the assimilation of the Star Plasma Vessel."
Ryan raised his hand, interrupting him with the same tired tone as before.
"Gensei, can you please cut the frills? I don't know anyone here. Speak in a language I understand."
The old man took a deep breath, clearly irritated, but crossed his arms and simplified.
"Tengen. He's an immortal sorcerer who transcended humanity and became an essential entity for the balance of the Jujutsu world."
He looked away, as if explaining something painfully obvious.
"He's not a direct combatant, but his existence maintains the functioning of the barriers that protect society and contain curses. Without him, everything would crumble."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, interested, but still suspicious.
"And how did he become this key player?"
Gensei adjusted his glasses and continued, now in a graver tone.
"Tengen was a sorcerer who, centuries ago, achieved immortality through a unique cursed technique. However, his body and mind continue to evolve without stopping. To prevent him from becoming something inhuman and uncontrollable, it is necessary that he periodically merges with a Star Plasma Vessel, a compatible human receptacle."
Ryan closed his eyes, letting out a dry laugh before murmuring sarcastically:
"Oh, how lovely. Quite macabre for something they call 'maintaining balance'."
Gensei ignored him, resuming his explanation seriously.
"This merger not only preserves Tengen as he is, but also prevents him from losing his rationality and becoming a threat to the very world he protects."
Ryan opened his eyes and smiled sarcastically, taking a step forward.
"So basically, you have to 'reset' him from time to time to prevent him from turning into the final boss of an RPG?"
Gensei sighed, clearly exasperated.
"I didn't quite understand... But I believe your reasoning is correct."
Ryan waved his hand in the air impatiently.
"Cool. And what exactly do you want me to do with this information, huh?"
Gensei, with the calmness of someone who knew he was in control, filled his wine glass and replied in an almost casual tone:
"Initially? I wanted you to participate in the mission protecting the Star Plasma Vessel, along with the blessed son of the Gojo family. That would give us some renown among the sorcerer families..."
He took a sip of wine, smiling enigmatically before continuing.
"But... with this new discovery, the plans have changed. Your mission now is to prevent Tengen's assimilation."
Ryan let out a long sigh, already feeling the weight of the job before it even began.
"Is it my impression, or does this sound like something absurdly difficult to do?"
The old man smiled as he stood up, swirling the glass in his hand.
"With your energy, it shouldn't be a big problem. Besides, you'll have high-level weapons at your disposal. When purified with your energy, they will become invincible."
Ryan narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
"Hmm... And why exactly do you want to do all this?"
Gensei's answer was laden with mystery.
"You will find out when the time is right..."
Ryan felt his eyebrow twitch and snorted, exasperated.
"This screams 'trap' to me..."
The old man gave a smug smile, adjusting his posture.
"I fulfilled your requests in Hinamizawa, and I don't remember asking many questions at the time."
Ryan clicked his tongue in disgust, looking away.
"Okay, you have a point..."
Gensei wasted no time, changing his tone to something more calculated.
"You're going to need a new identity. I don't want them to know, at least for now, that you are a Suou."
With that, he picked up a small radio, pressed the button and spoke with authority.
"Come."
The footsteps that echoed down the stairs were slow and steady, each one seeming to bring something more unexpected. Ryan turned without thinking much about what it could be, but when he saw who was there, he froze.
Gasping for words, he stammered in shock.
"A-Ayano!?"
His voice was laden with surprise as his eyes registered the figure in the doorway.
The young woman stood motionless, dressed in a maid uniform that seemed to have come straight out of a painting. Her long black hair fell impeccably, framing a delicate, almost ethereal face. Her violet eyes, deep and enigmatic, carried a neutral, almost unshakeable expression.
A shiny clip held a rebellious strand on the right side, while a vibrant pink bow on her collar created a striking contrast with the black of the apron, adorned with crosses embroidered in fine detail. The white ruffled skirt and elegant cut of the dress perfectly balanced grace and modesty, but one detail broke the illusion: a strap attached to her thigh, containing small gleaming daggers, ready for use.
The impeccably fitted white stockings highlighted the elegance of her legs, while she held the hem of her dress subtly, as if awaiting his reaction. There was a combination of innocence and mystery in her posture that made it impossible to look away.
"Good evening, Master."
Her voice was polite, polished, and she accompanied the greeting with a slight bow, maintaining the same enigmatic aura that filled the environment.
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Hellooo, Readrs! 💕 I'm absolutely loving your comments! What do you think about Ryan's relationship with the girls? Hehe~ You won't believe what's coming next! 😏✨
I have a little challenge for you! For every 100 POWER STONES, I'll release ONE EXTRA CHAPTER! 📖🎉
Let's work together to reach the top 50 this week! I love you all with aaall my heart! 💖
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