67

Chapter 67: Truth About Genjutsu

Ryoma Kanzaki and Rize Kamishiro were already seated in the living room.

"So, what's the situation? Didn't you go after that 'Gecko'?" Rize asked casually, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"It's done. Killed... under the CCG's name." Ryoma's tone was calm, as if it had been routine work.

"Yeah?" Rize responded indifferently, then suddenly reached out and tugged Ryoma's shirt off without warning.

"Looks like you're not injured," she remarked, scanning his body with a teasing grin. "But then again, you'd probably heal quickly from small wounds anyway."

Before Ryoma could react, her hand moved to his waistband as if she planned to strip him further.

Ryoma grabbed her wrist before she could go any further.

"Cough... Even if you're joking, don't take it too far," Ryoma warned.

"I'm not joking," Rize smirked. "I'm just concerned about your physical condition."

Her playful smile lingered, but there was a hint of genuine curiosity beneath it.

"Anyway," Ryoma said, shifting the conversation back to the real issue, "with Gecko gone, you need to stay sharp. The 'Aogiri Tree' won't take this lightly."

Rize's expression turned serious.

Gecko had only been a pawn — a warm-up act for the real threats lurking in the shadows. The Aogiri Tree, the Washuu family, and even Furuta from V were all dangerous forces that could strike at any time.

Even the One-Eyed Owl, Yoshimura Eto, might start focusing her attention on the 20th Ward.

Gecko's defeat was just the beginning — things were bound to escalate.

...

The next day at Anteiku...

Ryoma and Rize were seated in their usual corner, quietly reading.

Nearby, Ryoko Fueguchi and Hinami were also at the café.

[Ding! The host has completed Option 2 and earned 50 fusion points!]

This system reward was for successfully protecting Ryoko and Hinami — a mission Ryoma had completed without much difficulty.

However, as Ryoma flipped a page in his book, he could feel a constant gaze burning into him.

He didn't even need to look to know — Hinami's eyes hadn't left him since they arrived.

Even Ryoko and Touka seemed to be sneaking glances his way.

Looks like they've figured it out, Ryoma thought.

It wasn't surprising. After all, he'd only worn a mask during the fight — the rest of his appearance, including his clothes, remained unchanged. Anyone observant enough would connect the dots.

Still, Ryoma pretended not to notice and quietly opened his system panel.

[Fusion Progress: Lv2 (470/500)]

[Fusion Points: 101 (681 total)]

With his fusion progress nearly maxed out, Ryoma decided to invest his points right away.

[Ding! The host used 30 fusion points. Fusion progress +30. Current fusion progress: Lv3 (0/2500)]

[New Abilities Unlocked: Mangekyō Sharingan, Hashirama Cells Lv3, Taijutsu Lv3, Susanoo, Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique (A-rank), Transcription Seal, Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence.]

Ryoma's gaze sharpened.

So my Sharingan evolved... just like I thought.

The system upgrades had followed the usual pattern — new skills were unlocked, but no genjutsu techniques were listed.

Ryoma frowned. Although his original three-tomoe Sharingan was capable of illusions, he had never been able to use them properly.

Must be the system's doing, Ryoma reasoned.

It made sense — in this world, neither humans nor ghouls possessed chakra. Since illusions relied heavily on chakra flow, most genjutsu techniques simply wouldn't work here.

[Ding! With the exception of 'Infinite Tsukuyomi,' all genjutsu abilities are unavailable in this world.]

"Great," Ryoma muttered sarcastically.

He doubted Infinite Tsukuyomi would be much use either. Without a chakra-infused moon to reflect the technique, the original version of the jutsu seemed pointless.

[Ding! The host has obtained a modified version of 'Infinite Tsukuyomi.' Details are currently locked. Information will be revealed as the host progresses.]

Ryoma's interest piqued. If the system had adapted the jutsu to this world, there was a chance it could prove useful after all.

Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

While Ryoma was focused on the system, Hinami anxiously fidgeted across the room.

She had spent all morning gathering her courage, determined to confront Ryoma directly. But now that the opportunity had arrived, her nerves were getting the better of her.

Sensing Hinami's hesitation, Touka decided to step in.

"Hey, you," Touka said, walking directly up to Ryoma's table.

"This guest... Can you come upstairs for a moment? Someone wants to speak with you."

Ryoma turned from his book, raising an eyebrow.

"...Sure."

Rize gave Touka a passing glance, smirking faintly before returning to her book.

Touka led Ryoma to the second floor. Seeing this, Hinami quickly grabbed her mother's hand and hurried after them.

In the lounge upstairs, Ryoma sat on the couch while Touka poured him a cup of coffee.

"So... who wanted to talk to me?" Ryoma asked, feigning ignorance.

"They'll be here in a second," Touka replied. "But before that..."

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T/N: For those that were questioning why he wasn't using genjutsu, here's your answer.