Chapter 69: Monkey

Seeing Eriri's expression change like that, Ryuji couldn't help but laugh.

She was always amusing to him, especially when she tried so hard to hide her true feelings.

However, it was probably a good idea to reassure her.

With a smile, Ryuji said, "Alright, let's do as Eriri says. We can explore the shopping street next time!"

Eriri, who had been a bit annoyed at first, brightened up when she heard his words.

"Okay!" she agreed cheerfully.

Sayuri, who had been observing them, sighed with mild exasperation.

"Well, in that case, let's plan for the next trip," she conceded.

Eriri, hearing this, shot an annoyed glance at her mother.

Next time? I'll make sure you don't tag along next time, she thought. There's no way I'll let you spoil things again!

"Let's go," Eriri said hastily, grabbing Ryuji's hand and dragging him toward the couple's mall, eager to escape from her mother.

Watching her daughter rush away like that, Sayuri couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

Ah, I see how it is.

She wasn't naïve Sayuri could tell Eriri was trying to run away with Ryuji.

But what she'd been really looking for was Ryuji's response, to see if he would side with her daughter. It seemed he did.

That's very good, Sayuri thought. She didn't know all the details about Ryuji's background, but if he was considerate and cared for her daughter, that was more than enough for her.

"Hmph~" Sayuri hummed contentedly to herself as she followed after them, still in a good mood.

The afternoon passed quickly.

By the time they finished dinner, the sky outside had darkened, casting long shadows over the street.

"Is it this late already?" Eriri said with disappointment as she glanced at the time.

Damn it! If Mom hadn't tagged along, maybe I could've asked Ryuji to see a movie with me… Maybe even go to a hotel afterward… but no, she just had to come along and ruin everything!

"Eriri, were you planning to spend the night?" Sayuri teased her daughter, much to Eriri's horror.

Oh my god, what are you saying?! she thought, mortified. I'm so glad I was here to stop this, Sayuri continued silently, though a little conflicted. She liked Ryuji, but the thought of her daughter rushing things still made her uncomfortable as a mother.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Eriri stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment.

She threw a glare at her mother, trying to save face. If Ryuji thought she was that easy, it would be disastrous!

Ryuji, however, just chuckled softly. He reached out and tapped Eriri's forehead gently.

"Alright, alright," he said. "There's always another time."

His words seemed to calm Eriri down. She looked up at him, her mood visibly lifting as she smiled shyly.

"Okay," she said, nodding seriously, her earlier frustration forgotten.

Sayuri watched the exchange, speechless. Her daughter's mood changed so quickly, and the way she looked at Ryuji… Yep, her little girl had grown up.

"Well then! Let's—"

Before Sayuri could finish her sentence, a group of men in suits and sunglasses suddenly approached them. There were three or four of them, and they immediately moved to block Ryuji's path, their attention fixed on him.

"Are you Ryuji?" one of them asked, his voice cold and commanding.

"???"

The sudden confrontation caught both Eriri and Sayuri by surprise. They exchanged confused looks.

Why were these men looking for Ryuji? Could he have gotten into some kind of trouble? Sayuri wondered. But after spending the afternoon with him, she found it hard to believe. She decided to hold her judgment and see what was going on.

"What do you want with me?" Ryuji asked, his voice calm, but his sharp gaze didn't miss a thing.

He could sense it immediately these weren't ordinary people. There was cursed energy radiating from them.

These men were sorcerers.

Considering his interactions with Gojo Satoru, Zenin Maki, and Inumaki Toge, Ryuji figured that his identity had probably spread within the sorcerer world by now.

But were these people from the higher-ups, or rogue curse users?

"You don't need to ask so many questions," one of the men said arrogantly, his voice dripping with disdain.

It became clear from their posture and attitude they believed themselves superior. It wasn't something that could be easily faked.

Ah, I see now. Rotten officials from the sorcerer world, Ryuji thought to himself, the pieces falling into place. Their arrogance was unmistakable. These weren't rogue curse users; they were from the upper echelons, the ones who had been corrupted by power, much like Gojo had warned him about.

"You're coming with us," one of the men said, stepping forward. "Someone wants to see you."

As they moved in closer, it was clear that if Ryuji refused, they were prepared to use force.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Eriri stepped in front of Ryuji, her voice filled with anger. She wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but she knew these men weren't friendly.

"A monkey?"

One of the men sneered as he looked at Eriri, his eyes cold and dismissive.

To them, Eriri, a normal person, was nothing more than a primitive being worthless in their eyes.

Their words made Ryuji's eyes narrow. It was an attitude he had seen among some sorcerers a belief that ordinary humans were beneath them. Some sorcerers considered non-sorcerers to be little more than animals.

"Wait…"

Sayuri, seeing her daughter getting involved, quickly stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation.

"I'm Sayuri Sawamura of the Sawamura family. That's my daughter, and Ryuji is her friend. Please, show some respect."

She had hoped that invoking the Sawamura name would make these men hesitate. After all, the Sawamura family was well-known, if not as influential as the Shinomiya family.

But instead, they just laughed.

"The Sawamura family?"

"A family of monkeys?"

Their laughter was filled with derision. The Sawamura family meant nothing to them unless it was one of the great sorcerer families like Gojo or Zenin, they couldn't care less.

Sayuri was taken aback by their contempt. How dare they talk like that?

"You should step aside, or we'll destroy your little monkey family too," one of the men said coldly.

Then he turned to Ryuji. "You know who we are. You know the consequences if you refuse us."

The arrogance in their voices was almost unbearable.

Ryuji gently placed a hand on both Sayuri and Eriri's shoulders, signaling them to stay calm.

He looked at the sorcerers, a dangerous smile forming on his lips.

"So… you're the lapdogs of those rotten higher-ups, huh?"

"You!" One of the men, infuriated by Ryuji's audacity, stepped forward.

But Ryuji cut him off with a dark, quiet voice.

"If the Sawamura family is harmed because of this, I'll wipe out every last one of you."

In fact, Ryuji knew that Gojo shared the same sentiments, but Gojo had yet to act on them. Ryuji, however, had no such qualms.

If they touched anyone close to him, he wouldn't hesitate to slaughter them all.

"You've got some nerve," one of the men growled, the atmosphere growing tense.

Ryuji just smiled wider.

"Do you know who you're dealing with?" one of the sorcerers barked.

Ryuji's eyes gleamed dangerously. "I don't care who you are."

The sorcerers, who were used to being treated with respect and fear, were clearly not prepared for this level of defiance.

Sayuri, watching this exchange, was stunned. It didn't seem like these men were part of any trouble Ryuji had gotten into they seemed to be underestimating him.

"You should know the cost of attacking us," another sorcerer said, trying to regain the upper hand.

But Ryuji had had enough.

He tugged at his collar, revealing the cursed marks along his mouth, a sign of the powerful spell he now controlled.

"What the…?!" The sorcerers' eyes widened in shock.

"Kneel," Ryuji commanded.

Instantly, the invisible force of the spell slammed into the sorcerers, forcing them to their knees.

Veins bulged on their foreheads as they struggled to stand, but it was futile. They were completely powerless against the spell.

"This… this is the Inumaki family's cursed technique!"

"How… how can you use it?!"

The curse technique from the Inumaki family was infamous, and seeing it in action left the sorcerers dumbstruck.

"I don't care what you say," one of the men gasped. "But if you kill us, your friends will die too!"

Ryuji's smile disappeared, his expression growing dark.

"That was your last mistake."

With one final command, he activated the spell fully.

"Commit suicide."

As Ryuji turned away, leading Sayuri and Eriri past the kneeling sorcerers, the spell took full effect.

"Ahh!"

A bloodcurdling scream erupted from one of the men. His hands, as if controlled by an unseen force, reached for the dagger at his waist. Despite the horror in his eyes, his body moved against his will.

"No, no, please, no!" the sorcerer pleaded, his face pale with terror. But it was too late. His own hand slashed the blade across his throat, the gurgling sound of his final breath echoing in the now-horrified crowd that had gathered nearby.

The other sorcerers watched in frozen disbelief as their comrade collapsed in a pool of his own blood. Some bystanders shrieked, others ran away in fear, but none dared approach.

Ryuji didn't even glance back at the scene, though his senses were fully aware of everything happening behind him. He could hear the remaining sorcerers, struggling to break free from the spell's grip, their gasps filled with the terror of knowing they couldn't stop what was coming next.

One by one, they would follow.

The tension in the air was suffocating, but Ryuji's stride remained calm and unhurried as he guided Eriri and Sayuri out of the chaos.

"This… is real?" Sayuri whispered, her voice shaky with disbelief.

She had never witnessed something so horrific before. To watch men die like that, controlled by nothing more than a word from Ryuji… it was beyond comprehension.

Eriri, though no stranger to Ryuji's power, still shuddered at the scene. She held onto Ryuji's arm more tightly but didn't say anything. She trusted him completely.

"Everything's fine now," Ryuji reassured them softly, his voice calm. "They won't bother us again."

Sayuri, still in shock, could only nod, but her mind was racing. Just what kind of world had her daughter gotten involved in? And Ryuji… what was he?

Before Sayuri could process any further, Ryuji suddenly came to a stop.

Directly in front of them stood a figure, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, his tie neat, and a pair of distinct, circular glasses resting on his nose. His expression was stoic, almost bored, as if nothing around him could phase him.

It was Nanami Kento.