Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

The door closed behind Ryan with a muffled click, and he let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of the evening spread across his shoulders. The house was silent, bathed only in the dim light of the lamp in the corner of the room. Without haste, he took off his overcoat and hung it on the coat rack, his fingers sliding over the fabric as his mind still processed the unexpected events of the night.

"Going to Ai's show out of the blue... definitely wasn't in my plans." He murmured to himself as he walked down the hallway. "But Masachika's memories make me really like her... Except, to be honest, I, Ryan, am still more of a Hatsune Miku guy."

He let out a light laugh, a breath of nostalgia hitting him as he began to unbutton his vest. The feeling of the lights, the energy of the crowd, the music vibrating in his chest were still fresh in his memory. But, in the end, his heart leaned the other way.

"Still feeling more inclined towards Miku..." he said with a wry smile, letting his vest slip down his arms.

As his fingers worked mechanically to remove the layers of his clothing, an unexpected memory struck him. The sweet scent of Rika's skin, the soft warmth of her body against his, the sensation of his hands exploring her almost unconsciously... He exhaled slowly, a playful glint appearing in his eyes.

"Speaking of Rika... I just realized the similarity between the names Riko and Rika..." He brought his hand to his chin, his thoughts scrambling into possibilities. A mischievous smile drew across his face, and his eyes sparkled as if he had just unraveled a great secret.

"I think I've had a magnificent idea... Rika dressed as Hatsune Miku? Ah, that's going to be a spectacle... Well, at least for me."

Leaving aside the reveries, he finished undressing and headed to the shower, feeling the warmth of the water descend down his back and relieve the accumulated tension. But his mind didn't slow down. He kept talking to himself, as if he needed to organize his thoughts out loud.

"And about Riko... I think it was a new experience for her today." He narrowed his eyes as he felt the water run down his face. "I'm treating her well. She's a good girl, full of energy... but Gensei wants me to prevent her assimilation with this Tengen."

His eyes lifted to the ceiling, and his voice gained a more serious, graver tone.

"Dirty old man... I'm not going to kill that girl."

Steam filled the bathroom, enveloping him in a warm mist as he leaned against the wall, analyzing his own words. It was a stalemate. A game where the pieces were not fully visible to him.

"Can't say I'm in love with Riko, of course not. After all, I've known her for what? Two days? But I like her personality..."

A nasal laugh escaped his lips as he shrugged. "And, honestly, I think she's getting pretty excited about this relationship of ours. Even if it's just theater."

The foam ran down his body as he continued to reflect, his thoughts now focused on old Gensei.

"Preventing assimilation doesn't necessarily mean killing her, right? But I'm definitely going to pressure that old man to tell me the plan... He's keeping me in the dark and it's starting to irritate me."

Closing his eyes for a moment, he let the hot water wash away his worries, but his brain gave him no rest. "What the hell was that old man plotting?"

"I bet he wants me to have connections with some families... But why exactly?" He laughed sarcastically, rubbing his face. "Lucky for that old man that I'm playing a peaceful route in this life... Otherwise, I would have already taken that family by force and thrown this agreement in the trash."

He raised his head, letting the water run down his hair as an old thought crossed his mind.

"I wonder how Hinamizawa is doing? Heh... My relationships after that little village became a mess."

Ryan sighed, counting on his fingers as he listed his current situation. "I'm practically in a relationship with Yuki... And my initial plan was to just stay with her, but... that damned woman planted the seed of evil and made me consider a harem. Now I'm involved with Rika, I want to get Alya, and I ended up putting Riko in my sights too..."

He chuckled softly, turning off the shower and grabbing a towel. "Really, this new life has made me more receptive to relationships..."

For a moment, a flash of the past invaded his mind. Fragmented images of something he preferred not to revisit. He shook his head, pushing away the uncomfortable memories.

"Better to keep things from the past in the past."

As he dried himself, the familiar sound of his cell phone vibrating on the sink caught his attention. He raised an eyebrow and picked up the device, an immediate smile forming as he saw the name on the screen.

"Yuki!"

Answering the call playfully, he brought the cell phone to his ear, already knowing he would be greeted with some teasing.

"Let me guess... Couldn't stand missing your dear brother?"

On the other end of the line, Yuki's presumptuous voice echoed with amusement.

"Haaa!? My Onii-chan is sooo full of himself! Ke-he-he... I wonder if these are the effects of being with the most beautiful of all! Ke-he-he!"

Ryan burst into laughter. "Pftt! You're hilarious, Yuki."

She laughed back, her voice full of provocation. "You can't deny I'm right, Onii-chan~"

He leaned against the wall, feeling more relaxed. "It's good you called. I was thinking about you a little while ago."

"Heh. I imagined. That's why I called you."

Even without seeing her, Ryan could practically visualize the smug little smile on her face. But then, her tone shifted to something more curious.

"By the way, why haven't you been going to school, Onii-chan? People are starting to notice."

Ryan tilted his head, pondering. "It's a bit complicated to explain..."

"Is it something supernatural?" She asked, excited.

He sighed. "Yeah... And it kind of involves old man Gensei."

Yuki was silent for a second before exclaiming in surprise. "What!? Grandpa!?"

Ryan shrugged. "Yeah, the old man Gensei."

On the other end of the line, Yuki seemed genuinely surprised. "Wow! Grandpa has connections to supernatural things!? I wasn't expecting that!"

Ryan chuckled softly. "Yeah... Discovering more things every day."

But then, Yuki became thoughtful. "Could that be why he's been acting strange lately?"

Ryan frowned. "Strange?"

He began to theorize various possibilities in his mind, but Yuki's answer was something he didn't expect.

"Yes... He... he's been smiling."

Silence hung for a moment.

Ryan widened his eyes slightly before letting out a dry laugh.

"Damn... That's weird... and worrying."

Yuki let out a fun laugh on the other end of the line, and as Ryan listened to the sweet intonation of her voice, the cell phone screen flashed with a new call. He rolled his eyes, already imagining who it was.

"Speaking of the devil..." he murmured, letting out an exasperated sigh.

Yuki, with her mischievous voice, giggled softly. "You can answer it, I'll be with you soon, soon, Onii-chan!"

Ryan smirked, adopting a more provocative tone. "Ah... I hope it's soon... I want to do certain little things with you, you know..."

Yuki giggled maliciously. "Onii, you pervert... Ki-hi-hi..." She paused briefly, then softened her voice, loading it with a sweeter, more comforting tone. "Good night, Onii-chan. I love you."

Before Ryan could respond, the call was ended, leaving him with a half-smile. "That girl..."

He sighed, letting the smile slowly disappear. His gaze turned to the cell phone screen, still indicating the insistent call.

"Okay... Now let's deal with the old idiot..."

He answered, activating the speakerphone as he walked to the bedroom. "Speak, Gensei." His voice came out dry, devoid of any trace of patience.

On the other end, the man's firm and polite voice resonated. "Hmm... You used to be more polite in the old days."

Ryan rolled his eyes, throwing himself onto the bed as he looked for pajamas. "It's just that I'm not in the mood for all that usual cordiality. Get on with it, tell me why you called."

"Are you doing well in your mission?" Gensei asked, his voice loaded with an analytical tone.

Ryan paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes at the cell phone screen. "What? Tsk... How the hell am I supposed to know? You didn't tell me what the plan is."

Gensei sighed before responding in a serious voice. "Your plan is to prevent Tengen-"

"I already know that part, old man..." Ryan cut him off, his voice sharp and provocative.

He was silent for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh, his patience already wearing thin. "You know what? I'm already fed up with waiting for your goodwill. Tell me right away, why the hell does this assimilation need to be prevented?"

Gensei remained calm, but his voice gained a more rigid tone. "As I said, it's part of the plan to have you involved in this-"

"Answer the damn question, Gensei." Ryan interrupted again, his voice now loaded with threat. "Don't try to play the powerful old man... If you want me to help you, this shit needs to be a two-way street."

The silence on the other end was brief, but dense. Then, Gensei broke the tension, his voice carrying a veiled weight. "You forget your debt."

Ryan let out a smug laugh, tilting his head back as he looked at the ceiling. "Ah, Gensei... You really don't get it, do you? You know what? I'm going to open up a little with you, so, who knows, maybe you'll decide to talk a little too."

He paused, letting his voice gain a darker tone. "You know that energy that impressed you so much? That was just a demonstration, old, of what I can do."

On the other end of the line, Gensei maintained his composure. "What makes you think you're in a position to threaten me?"

Ryan smiled, his expression gaining an almost predatory gleam. "You know me, grandpa... You know I wouldn't say these things if I wasn't sure I could say them."

Another pause. This time, it was Gensei who sighed, his drawn-out tone carrying a trace of exasperation. "You are a surprising person... I won't deny it."

Ryan scoffed, running a hand over his face. "Was that it? Did you just want to test if I have the guts to face a superior?" His voice carried genuine frustration.

Gensei then spoke with a presumptuous air. "A future leader needs to have a strong fist for what he wants."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "stupid..." he thought.

Gensei continued, his voice carrying a professorial tone, almost as if he were explaining a fundamental piece of an ancient chess game.

"Preventing Tengen-sama's assimilation... It will be the key to making our family the pillar of the Jujutsu world."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, distrust stamped on his face. "Really? And how exactly are we going to do that?"

Gensei remained calm, each word carefully articulated. "I'll be brief with you... Tengen is one of the pillars of the Jujutsu world. His existence is fundamental to maintaining the barriers that keep the current society safe."

He paused slightly, as if giving Ryan time to absorb the weight of his words, before continuing. "Tengen has been alive for countless centuries... And that's due to his innate technique. From time to time, he needs a new receptacle to maintain his sanity and prevent himself from evolving into something that cannot be controlled... a curse."

Ryan remained lying down, listening in silence, his eyes half-closed as he assimilated the information. Gensei continued, the cadence of his voice firm and immutable.

"If Tengen's assimilation is completed, the world may enjoy a period of stability that will last for a few hundred years..."

Ryan let out a smile, his voice loaded with irony. "I see... So you want to burn the world, is that it?"

Gensei did not waver. "It is in chaos that opportunities arise... And that's where you come in."

Ryan's gaze narrowed, assessing the old man's words cautiously.

"The Jujutsu world is a mess. Humans who are not sorcerers release cursed energy uncontrollably, feeding this rot that spreads everywhere. Thus, the existence of sorcerers becomes necessary. Tengen-sama is the one who keeps the balance leaning in our favor..."

He paused again, letting out a contained sigh before continuing. "There are those who seek an escape valve for all this madness... And those who find beauty in chaos."

Ryan finally broke his silence with a direct question, his voice cold and emotionless. "And you, Gensei? Which of these do you fit into?"

The old man took a deep breath before answering, his voice carrying an almost prophetic weight. "Your power is a beacon in the midst of this storm. There will be those who see hope in a new human evolution... and there will be those who resist, refusing to accept the course of destiny."

This time, his voice took on a calmer, almost paternal tone. "Preventing assimilation is the first step towards a new era. You will be breaking a cycle that has lasted for centuries, showing a light that no one has ever seen."

Ryan blinked, surprised by the direction the conversation had taken. "Wait a minute... You want me to guide the world into a new era!?"

Gensei was enigmatic in his response. "Who knows... It all depends on you, Masachika Kuze... Or do you prefer to be called Ryan Gosting?"

Ryan let out a tired sigh, throwing himself back onto the bed. "I'm not going to kill the girl."

The answer came immediately, firm and unwavering. "I never asked you to do that. Remember, your mission is just to prevent the assimilation."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Really? So how I do it... is up to me?"

Gensei just kept silent, implying that the decision was, in fact, Ryan's.

A sarcastic smile appeared on the young man's lips. "Great! Then get ready to gain a new daughter-in-law!"

For an instant, there was a sepulchral silence on the other end of the line. And then, finally, Gensei broke the muteness with a surprised and incredulous: "What?"

Ryan laughed internally at the old man's reaction, satisfied with the break in the mood. The conversation continued for some time, addressing other matters, until finally the night came to an end.

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Special Challenge!!! ✨🎉

Dear readers, I bring you a challenge! If we manage to finish the week in the top 10 on Webnovel or reach 25 paid subscribers on Patreon, I will drop TEN CHAPTERS ALL AT ONCE here on Webnovel and Patreon! 😱💖

I've been putting so much love and effort into the story, and I've prepared sooo many exciting arcs with the characters! Ehehe~ 💕 This will also help me focus even more on the story, and I'm counting on you all!

Remember: Top 10 on Webnovel or 25 paid members on Patreon = TEN EXTRA CHAPTERS IN ONE GO! 🎁🎊 The challenge is on until we hit one of these goals! Let's do this together! 💪✨

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