Did I say I would help with this?

Ryan continued carrying Alya like a beautiful princess while curious onlookers on the street stared at them. Alya, with a face so red it could warm an entire city, murmured with a trembling voice:

"M-Masachika… I think that's enough. Can you put me down, please?" The embarrassment in her voice was almost tangible, lighting up the surroundings more than any street lamp.

But Ryan, always playful, responded with a teasing smile:

"No way. I'm taking you to your house like this."

Alya tried to argue, stumbling over her words:

"If that's the case, at least… at least carry me on your back! Not in your arms! Everyone's looking!"

Ryan raised an eyebrow, the corner of his smile becoming even more mischievous:

"Alright… but you're wearing a skirt. I think people will stare even more if I do that."

Alya froze for a moment, her brain processing the response, before letting out a defeated sigh. With no other choice, she murmured dryly:

"Pick up the pace…"

Ryan continued carrying Alya until they reached her house. She stayed silent, still blushing furiously, until they got to the front door. When they finally stopped, Alya, with a shy and quiet voice, asked:

"Masachika… am I heavy?"

Ryan looked at her with a light smile and replied:

"Not at all. Carrying you here didn't even count as cardio exercise."

Alya blushed even more upon hearing that, and Ryan made her open the door to her house, still holding her in his arms.

"Alright, you can put me down now…" she said, trying to hide her shyness and sound more tough, but failing.

Ryan, with an arrogant tone, continued:

"May I come in, Miss Alisa?"

Alya froze for a moment, surprised by the question, but soon recovered and gave in:

"W-well, sure…"

He entered without hesitation, still holding her in his arms as he casually said:

"Since today wasn't your lucky day, there's nothing better than letting you rest in your bed."

Alya turned even redder at that, and with complete naturalness, he began stepping into her house.

As they entered, Ryan noticed an extra pair of shoes at the entrance, but didn't give it much thought. He continued, carrying her to Alya's room, until he opened the door and was met with a surprise.

"Eh?"

To both their surprise, there was Kujo-Senpai, or Masha, Alya's sister.

Alya, in a rush, waved her hands desperately, shouting:

"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!" She was so red she looked like she could explode.

Masachika, not missing the chance, responded playfully:

"Actually, it's exactly what you're thinking." This made Alya pull his cheeks with a punishing look.

Masha, with a mischievous smile, had fun with the situation and joked:

"Wow, Alya, so that's why you were late today?"

Alya, still in Masachika's arms, quickly tried to explain:

"No! I hurt my foot and lost my shoes, so Masachika-kun brought me home! THAT'S IT!"

Masha, with a silly smile on her face, watched Alya's explanation and enjoyed the embarrassment her sister was going through.

After all the confusion, Masachika realized it was time to leave. He said goodbye to the Kujou sisters and, before leaving, looked at Masha with a carefree smile and said:

"Goodnight, Senpai. Make sure to take care of my beautiful Russian, I don't want her foot getting worse." He said this as if it was something completely normal.

Alya turned completely red, almost freezing in her thoughts, unsure of what to say.

Masha, on the other hand, turned to Alya with a smug smile and asked:

"Your beautiful Russian, huh?"

Alya, utterly embarrassed, almost fainted from shame.

Ryan walked carelessly down the streets, his hands clasped behind his head as he looked at the sky, dimly lit by the distant glow of stars. The silence of the night seemed to echo his own thoughts. As he approached his street, a slightly sarcastic expression took over his face.

"Wonder if that little bunny will show up today? Oh, right… she asked me to forget." He chuckled quietly to himself, already anticipating the familiar emptiness waiting for him.

When he opened the door to his house, he was greeted by what he had expected: the lights off and an almost absolute silence filling the space. He stood at the entrance for a few seconds, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness as he took a deep breath.

"Yeah… this feels more familiar."

That sentence echoed in his mind like a bitter declaration, but it was so natural to him that he no longer felt the weight of it. Closing the door behind him, Ryan walked inside, as if that emptiness were an old friend waiting to accompany him once again.

The next morning, Ryan woke up early, but the tired look was already marked on his face. Sitting on the bed, he sighed deeply, thinking ironically:

"Today's the day…"

Without much enthusiasm, Ryan got up and began preparing for school. As he got ready, his thoughts kept circling:

"School routine is such a drag… but compared to my old life, it's practically a vacation."

When he left the house, Ryan headed toward school, arriving earlier than usual. The courtyard was almost empty, with only a few scattered students. Walking slowly, he observed the entrance until his gaze landed on the reason for his early exhaustion.

"Ah, hello, Yuno…" — he murmured, his voice thick with sarcasm and a hint of bitterness.

She responded with the same energy:

"Hello, Ryan. I'm glad you're early. I was actually considering waking you up personally." Her eyes gleamed with a subtle threat, as if it were more of a challenge than a greeting.

Ryan raised an eyebrow and smirked, always provocative:

"Always so passive-aggressive, little pink one?"

The air around them seemed to grow heavier, the tension building with each exchange of glances. However, before the verbal confrontation could escalate, a childish, melodramatic voice cut through the mood:

"Why do you two always have to be so intense?"

Both turned their heads, only to find Arona, arms crossed, with an exaggeratedly irritated expression. Her puffed-up cheeks completed the theatrical display of discontent.

Yuno, already on the brink of exploding, leaned against the school wall, exhaling her impatience:

"I've waited as long as you asked. Now tell me, how do I kill this piece of trash and bring my Yuuki back?"

Ryan stayed silent, his eyes alert, observing every move.

Arona, on the other hand, gracefully adjusted her skirt, walking toward them with a disturbingly carefree expression. With a dramatic snap of her fingers, she declared:

"Eeee… Bum!"

In an instant, the scene around them vanished. They were transported to a dark space, lit only by a central circle of light.

Arona's gaze shifted: her eyes sparkled intensely, and a golden halo appeared behind her.

Ryan, as an automatic reflex, let out a short whistle. Arona turned to him with an expression of mixed innocence and curiosity:

"Master, there's no need to use your powers on me. I've already told you, I'm a creation of your powers. No need for such formalities."

He waved his hand dismissively, tilting his head slightly:

"No, no, it's not that. I just have this habit of—"

"Cut the crap, brat!" — Yuno interrupted, her voice laden with impatience as she took a step forward.

Both Ryan and Arona turned their gaze toward her, now with expressions so intense that even the silence in the place felt oppressive.

Arona closed her eyes, floating slightly above them, while the dark, center-lit environment grew even more surreal. For Ryan, the oddity of the scene no longer had much impact — he was numb to bizarre things. Yuno, on the other hand, was focused on a single goal: to kill Ryan and retrieve her beloved Yuuki.

Arona spread her arms theatrically, her voice resonating loud and clear, while the light around her formed a sort of screen projecting images into the air:

"Ryan Gosting and Yuno Gasai, you were the last competitors in the Survival Game. The only two to make it to the end."

The images began to unfold before their eyes, bringing flashes from the game. Scenes of violence, strategies, and betrayals until the fateful final confrontation appeared with clarity.

The screen showed Ryan in a tall building, holding a rifle with precision, his clothes completely different from his current ones, resembling those of a special agent or veteran soldier.

He let out a half-smile at the sight of the scene:

"McMillan CS5… I loved that rifle."

Arona ignored his comment and continued:

"Ryan, you stood out for staying in the shadows, eliminating your targets quickly and silently. You were meticulous, calculating… until only Yuno Gasai remained."

The images distorted, showing the exact moment Ryan had Yuno in his sights. She appeared vulnerable, completely unaware of the danger.

The shot was sharp and precise. Yuno's body fell to the ground, but Arona continued, her voice cold as steel:

"Ryan believed his victory was assured. He went to personally confirm Yuno's death… but his arrogance cost him more than he could have imagined."

The images twisted again, revealing Yuno stumbling, bloodied, but still alive. With a sudden movement, she struck Ryan with a knife, hitting his head.

"However," Arona continued, "Ryan's quick reaction also cost him dearly. Even wounded, he pulled the trigger, shooting at Yuno. The result was the most improbable: both died at the exact same moment."

The air in the space seemed to weigh heavily as the two rivals stared at each other from the corner of their eyes, the hatred between them almost palpable.

Yuno, her voice filled with fury, broke the silence:

"We already know this part." She took a step forward, pointing at Arona with a sharp gesture.

"What matters is: how do we resolve this tie? And how do I bring my Yuuki back?"

She shouted, the intensity of her words nearly echoing through the emptiness.

Arona closed her eyes once again, and the images on the screen began to distort, becoming chaotic. Her voice sounded calmer but heavy with weight:

"Since you both died at the exact same time, the divine power that was supposed to be granted to the winner could not choose a single bearer. It was divided between the two of you, transforming you into a single divine entity. Something that was never planned."

The images on the screen became more abstract, twisted, and hard to understand, almost as if reality itself were fragmenting.

"This division," Arona continued, "disrupted the power, which spiraled out of control and completely destroyed that world."

The environment around them seemed to react to her words, with the space vibrating slightly, as though weighed down by the consequences of that event.

Yuno's eyes widened, her heavy breathing revealing a whirlwind of emotions. "So you're saying that..."

Arona interrupted with a stern, emotionless tone:

"Your power was fragmented across multiple worlds, breaking and destabilizing the balance of existence..."

Yuno's anger exploded in a scream. "AND HOW DO WE FIX THIS?"

Ryan, silent until then, merely observed the interaction, his eyes analyzing every detail. The environment around them darkened once again, and Arona's voice echoed through the emptiness:

"...You will need to act as the single deity you are. Recover the fragments of power scattered across these worlds until you're strong enough to unite them into a single existence."

Yuno's fist clenched, his knuckles turning white as his fury turned entirely toward Ryan. "You're not serious, are you?" The hatred in his voice was unmistakable.

Arona nodded, her serene expression contrasting with the growing tension:

"I am. And you don't have time to waste on pointless arguments."

She paused dramatically, letting her words linger in the air before continuing:

"The longer you take... the more soul fragments will crystallize, creating unique existences. If that happens, the balance will be irreversibly lost, and one will no longer be able to overwrite the other."

The silence that followed seemed suffocating, as if even the environment was waiting for their reaction.

Yuno wore a predatory expression, making it clear he wanted to end Ryan right then and there, but Arona intervened with surgical precision:

"There are fragments in this world, and you can locate them."

Yuno turned abruptly, stomping with irritation:

"AND WHERE ARE THEY?"

Ryan laughed provocatively, tilting his head slightly as he stared at Yuno. "Calm down, pinky..."

Yuno's eyes blazed with pure fury, but he continued:

"Did I say I'd help with this? Because, so far, I don't remember agreeing to anything."

That declaration was the tipping point. Yuno lunged at him like a beast, but with both still bound by their human strength, Ryan easily caught her fist. He smirked arrogantly:

"I have my own terms, pinky."

Before the situation escalated, Arona intervened once again, her voice calm but firm:

"You're smart, Ryan-sensei. You've realized that none of you can handle this alone."

Ryan flashed a confident smile:

"Exactly. I just need to set a few rules in this game."

Yuno yanked her fist back, huffing, and crossed her arms in irritation.

"And what kind of rules are we talking about? You know I'm going to outdo you and erase your existence, right? Just accept that you'll be my assistant in finding my Yuuki."

Ryan wagged his finger in a reproachful gesture:

"I agree to search for the fragments... with two conditions: you can't try to kill me – it's impossible, so it will just waste your time – and you can't touch anyone I choose to protect."

Yuno smirked sarcastically, her voice dripping with irony:

"Such an annoying little game. Playing the good guy now, Ryan?"

She chuckled briefly before continuing:

"Fine, I accept your deal. If it helps me get the power I need, it's all worth it."

At that moment, Arona took out a kind of glass plate and began writing something. Ryan raised an eyebrow and asked with irony:

"So, what's this, Arona-chan? Writing my résumé as a good Samaritan?"

Arona replied seriously:

"No, sensei. I'm formalizing your contract."

Yuno narrowed her eyes:

"Contract?"

Ryan shrugged with a provocative smile:

"Be careful what you agree to, pinky. Words have weight, you know?"

Before Yuno could retort, Arona cut the conversation off with an urgent tone:

"Listen. The first fragment is nearby and needs to be recovered urgently. It's a fragment of Ryan's power... and it can manipulate time."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, intrigued:

"Manipulate time? Seriously, Arona-chan? Is there anyone else who can do that? And here I thought I wasn't a generic protagonist."

Arona ignored the provocation and made the glass plate float toward them, displaying information. As they read, she revealed:

"This fragment is in a small town called..."

Yuno and Ryan's eyes fixed on the screen, reading together:

"Hinamizawa."

Arona explained, stepping closer:

"This fragment is a divine fortune. It cannot be absorbed by either of you alone. Both of you will need to consume it at the same time."

Yuno crossed her arms, suspicious:

"So there are fragments that can be absorbed individually?"

Arona glanced away, hesitant:

"No... not exactly."

Ryan noticed her hesitation and narrowed his eyes:

"What do you mean, Arona? What's the trick here?"

She continued to avoid their gaze:

"I'll explain later. For now, you need to study Hinamizawa and locate the divine fortunio."

Yuno, with her dry and mechanical voice, asked:

"And how are we supposed to find it and absorb it?"

Arona looked away again, clearly uncomfortable:

"Call me when you think you've found it. I'll explain the rest when the time comes."

Ryan tilted his head, skeptical, and provoked:

"Doesn't that sound a little weird?"

Before Arona could respond, Yuno cut in:

"It doesn't matter. Let's go now."

Ryan immediately interrupted her, his tone firm:

"Hey, hold on there, pinky. I need to take care of a few things first."

Yuno clenched her fists, her hatred bubbling over:

"Take care of what?"

Arona intervened to calm things down:

"You can only go tomorrow. That's when the events leading to the fortunio begin."

Yuno bit her lip hard, shooting a deadly look at Ryan, who simply smiled calmly, as if the tension was nothing more than a slight nuisance.

_____________________

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