บท 27: Chapter 26: Gone
Under Ryuji's gaze, Megumi subconsciously lowered her head, clearly recalling what had transpired on the rooftop. Her face momentarily flushed with embarrassment, but she quickly shook off the feeling and lifted her head again.
What's done is done, so what's there to be afraid of!
"Let's go."
Eriri and Utaha, unaware of what had happened between them, noticed Ryuji's arrival and began walking ahead, leading the way without hesitation. Their cheerful chatter filled the air, a stark contrast to the growing unease Megumi felt.
Soon, the group reached Tomoya's house.
Compared to the clear sky and warm sunlight in the surrounding area, the sky above Tomoya's house seemed noticeably darker. The entire place gave off an unwelcoming and foreboding atmosphere. The inside appeared pitch black from the outside, casting an aura that warned strangers to stay away.
Noticing that both Eriri and Utaha were hesitating at the doorstep, clearly scared to go in, Ryuji didn't pay it much attention.
"Let's go!" he said again, this time with a bit more urgency in his voice.
Without waiting for them to react, he stepped forward, pushing open the creaky door. A rush of cold air greeted them, starkly contrasting the warmth outside. Though it was broad daylight, the inside of the house felt gloomy and ominous, with a heavy chill that seemed unnatural. Both Eriri and Utaha instinctively shivered, their bodies tensing as the cold settled into their bones.
Seeing their discomfort, Ryuji raised his hand and placed it gently on Megumi's shoulder. Over time, he had grown adept at using his abilities, and dispelling the cold in the air was no difficult task for him.
Feeling the warmth seep into her body, Megumi couldn't help but glance up at him, her lips parting slightly in surprise.
"You're welcome," Ryuji said with a grin, catching her gaze before she could thank him.
"…"
Though she didn't say anything in response, Megumi felt a strange warmth bubbling up inside her, not just from his powers, but from something far more elusive.
Eriri, oblivious as always, didn't notice anything unusual about the interaction, but Utaha certainly did. However, after a brief glance in their direction, she chose not to comment, though her mind couldn't help but wander.
"Why does it feel even colder here than last time?" Utaha muttered quietly under her breath. She wrapped her arms around herself as they ventured deeper into the house, which seemed to grow darker and colder with each step they took. The eerie feeling was so palpable that it sent a shiver down her spine, though she tried her best to mask her fear.
Occasionally, she stole glances at Ryuji, who walked beside her, his expression unreadable. Though she didn't say it out loud, she knew that the only person who could explain what was happening was him.
But there was something else that caught Utaha's attention. As she watched Ryuji survey their surroundings, his eyes seemed to flicker with a hint of something something she couldn't quite place.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice soft but laced with curiosity.
"Nothing," Ryuji replied, shaking his head lightly. "I just didn't expect the aura of this place to be so much weaker than I anticipated."
Indeed, that was his biggest takeaway. With his Yin-Yang Eyes, he could sense the concentration of Yin energy in the surroundings, allowing him to gauge the presence of anything supernatural. To him, the Yin energy in Tomoya's house felt surprisingly weak, almost negligible.
"Weak?" Utaha was momentarily speechless. She vividly remembered the last time she was here how utterly terrified she had been, so much so that she couldn't sleep for an entire night. And yet here was Ryuji, calling it weak?
"I didn't expect my junior to be someone like this. Are you secretly an Onmyoji?" she asked, half-joking, though a part of her wondered if there was some truth behind her words.
Ryuji gave her a strange look before clarifying, "I'm not."
"…"
"Hahaha! Kasumi Fatty, you finally had your turn to embarrass yourself!" Eriri suddenly burst out laughing, finding the tense atmosphere the perfect opportunity to poke fun at Utaha. It was common for the two of them to be at each other's throats, and Eriri simply couldn't resist mocking her rival when the chance arose.
Utaha shot Eriri a sharp glare, her voice dripping with venom as she retorted, "Blond loser!"
"What did you say?!"
And just like that, the two of them were at it again, bickering as they always did. Ryuji didn't interfere. After all, it was somewhat amusing to see the two women argue in such a childish manner.
But before the argument could escalate any further…
"Creak…"
The door to the dark bedroom slowly creaked open, revealing a shadowy figure standing in the doorway.
It was Tomoya.
The two girls, who had been in the middle of their quarrel, immediately froze in place. Their faces went pale, and without thinking, they instinctively moved closer to Ryuji, hiding behind him in fear.
Before Ryuji could even register what was happening, both Eriri and Utaha were clinging tightly to his sides.
"You were so bold just a moment ago, and now look at you," Ryuji teased, though he couldn't deny how distracting it was to have them pressed so closely to him. Something soft rested against his shoulder, making it hard to concentrate.
"Shut up! Who said I was scared?!" Eriri shot back, though her trembling voice betrayed her bravado.
"…"
Suddenly, a hoarse voice cut through the tension.
"Ellie… Ellie is mine! No one can disturb the life Ellie and I share!"
Tomoya staggered out of the dark room, his eyes wide and unblinking as he mumbled incoherently to himself.
"He… he's coming!" Eriri's voice quivered in fear, her grip on Ryuji tightening even further.
Tomoya's gaze sharpened, and without warning, he gripped a knife tightly in his hand, glaring at them with an expression twisted by anger and madness. It was as if the very sight of them ignited an uncontrollable rage inside him.
"Go to hell! Anyone who interferes with Ellie and me, go to hell!"
With a guttural shout, Tomoya lunged at Ryuji, the knife aimed directly at him.
"Ah!" The girls screamed, their voices filled with terror.
Just as Tomoya reached them, Ryuji moved swiftly and calmly, raising his hand.
"Slap!"
The sound of the slap echoed through the room as Ryuji's hand connected with Tomoya's face. The force of the blow sent Tomoya spinning through the air like a top, his body crashing to the ground with a dull thud.
"!!"
Utaha and Eriri were left speechless, completely stunned by how effortlessly Ryuji had handled the situation.
"Don't worry, I held back. He won't die," Ryuji said casually, noticing their wide-eyed expressions and assuming they were concerned for Tomoya's well-being.
"…"
Neither of them knew how to respond.
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