Waving his hand, Ryuji chose to decompose the two entries.
"Talent entry system!
Host: Ryuji!
Bloodline: Human!
Loaded entries: Soul Devouring [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes [Gold], Presence Concealment [Gold], Tranquility [Gold], Reverse Cursed Technique [Gold], Monster Attracting Physique [Gold], Iron Fist [Purple].
Points: 41,120!
Not bad an additional 20,000 points.
Ryuji felt light on his feet, his good mood reflected in his steps.
---
"Why are you here?"
In the classroom, Yumiko was puzzled, looking at Hayato who had taken her usual seat.
Ooka and Yamato, who usually stuck close to Hayato, were nowhere to be seen.
"What's going on?"
"Hayato, you don't look so good," Yui and Hina remarked, noticing the dark circles under his eyes.
"I..."
Hayato started but quickly stopped himself, his face twisting into a bitter smile.
"You'll find out soon enough."
"...???"
What does that even mean? Enough with the cryptic Gotham talk! Yumiko wanted to ask more, but before she could, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline walked into the classroom. He was the homeroom teacher of the next class.
The students, recognizing him, fell silent, curious as to why he was here.
"Ahem!"
Clearing his throat, the teacher began, "Hiratsuka-sensei is unwell and has taken a day off, so I'll be covering her classes today."
No one was particularly surprised. It wasn't uncommon for teachers to take sick leave.
"As for some of your classmates, such as Tobe, Ooka, and Yamato, they are currently on leave and will not be attending school for a while."
"On leave?"
Hayato smiled bitterly to himself. They're dead there's no way they're coming back.
The "leave of absence" was probably a cover to prevent panic from spreading.
Even now, thinking back to what he saw yesterday, Hayato couldn't shake off the fear.
"Why did they drop out of school so suddenly?"
As someone who once ran in the same group, Yumiko, despite her recent frustrations with Tobe, felt confused and uneasy about their sudden absence.
"Alright, take a short break and prepare for class," the substitute teacher said before leaving the room.
The moment he was gone, Yumiko turned to Hayato.
"Hayato, what happened?"
She knew that Hayato had gone with Ooka and Yamato to visit Tobe the day before. Now, the very next day, all three had taken "leave." Something was definitely off.
"Don't ask, Yumiko. I can't tell you."
Hayato shook his head helplessly. He had been terrified by what he witnessed and had been warned to keep his mouth shut. He couldn't explain anything, no matter how much he wanted to.
If not for the events of the previous day, Hayato would never have believed that supernatural horrors actually existed. But now, he knew better there were forces in the world that specialized in dealing with such things.
"You're so frustrating!"
Yumiko was furious. His refusal to say anything only made her more determined to find out the truth.
In the end, no matter how much Yumiko pried, Hayato stayed quiet, his lips sealed by both fear and obligation. Yumiko had no choice but to stop asking, though she hadn't given up.
She might have acted as if she let it go, but in reality, Yumiko had made a decision. You won't tell me? Fine, I'll find out myself.
---
"They're definitely dead."
Ryuji, who had been silently observing from the back of the room, pieced everything together.
It seemed that the incident with the Skeleton Woman had escalated. Ooka and Yamato likely provoked her when they went to check on Tobe and were killed as a result.
As for why Hayato was still alive, the answer was simple.
Cursed Energy. Looks like a sorcerer intervened.
Ryuji could sense the faint traces of cursed energy around Hayato similar to what he'd felt from Yuta before. Clearly, another sorcerer had stepped in to handle the situation.
Jujutsu High must have gotten involved, as they were typically responsible for dealing with these kinds of incidents. Unfortunately for Ooka and Yamato, they were probably beyond saving by the time the sorcerers arrived.
Even though Ryuji had sensed something was off before, he had no intention of intervening.
Resting his chin in his hand, a look of boredom settled on Ryuji's face. He had never wanted to play the role of a great hero. It seemed exhausting.
---
At lunch, Ryuji had hoped to spend more time with Miko, perhaps even enjoy a peaceful meal together.
But as usual, things didn't go as planned.
"I've been reading a lot of books on urban legends," Yukino said, suddenly standing in front of Ryuji. In her hands was a thick book filled with stories about various mysterious phenomena. Her expression was one of intense curiosity. "A lot of these legends mention gods or supernatural entities. Are any of them real?"
"..."
Ryuji stared at her in silence, his appetite disappearing. He had been looking forward to his meal, but now it was interrupted. Again.
He was sitting side by side with Miko on a bench in the schoolyard, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to open his lunchbox yet.
"So why are you here with me instead of staying in your Service Club?" Ryuji asked, a little exasperated.
"Because now that I know these things are real, I want to understand them better!" Yukino responded without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Before, I had no idea what was really out there. But now that I do, I need to be prepared. Who knows when I might get mixed up in something again?"
"...Or is it because you don't have any commissions right now?"
"..."
Ryuji's blunt question left Yukino speechless for a moment. She glared at him in frustration, her cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment.
"That's not....!" she began but stopped herself, realizing that he had probably hit the nail on the head.
She looked away, muttering under her breath.
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