Chapter 80: For Real?

"Um, could you wait just a little longer?"

Haruno lowered her phone, glancing nervously at the tense faces of the Shinomiya family and Geto. She couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated after all, her family, the Yukinoshitas, were small players compared to the massive influence of the Shinomiya group.

"Of course, I'm quite curious about this sorcerer you've called," Geto replied with a smile, showing no signs of impatience.

"Tsk!" came the irritated sound from the twin sisters, Mimiko and Nanako. They clearly weren't happy. How dare someone doubt their father figure, Geto? In their eyes, this outsider was courting death by suggesting that Geto wasn't enough to solve the problem.

The Shinomiya estate fell silent, with Gan'an Shinomiya, the patriarch, keeping quiet. None of the Shinomiya heirs dared to voice any objections while their father remained still.

"Are you sure about this?" Fumino whispered to her daughter as they sat to the side. She wasn't sure how her daughter had connections with a sorcerer, but if they could resolve the Shinomiya family's curse, it might be their Yukinoshita family's chance to rise.

Haruno chuckled softly, gripping her phone tightly. She had full confidence in Ryuji the man who had saved her once before. "If it's him, everything will be fine," she reassured, her mind flashing back to that night.

And soon enough…

"Yo!"

Ryuji appeared at the entrance, casually walking into the tense room, as if this was just another routine day for him. He wore his usual laid-back grin.

Haruno breathed a sigh of relief. "You're finally here," she said, the tension leaving her shoulders.

"What, were you about to cry?" Ryuji teased with a smirk, his tone playful as ever. Haruno's face flushed in embarrassment.

"You… You're impossible," she muttered, half-annoyed but also oddly comforted by his presence. As usual, Ryuji didn't take things too seriously, and in this moment, that casual confidence was exactly what she needed.

The entire room's focus shifted to Ryuji, especially Shinomiya Kaguya, whose curiosity piqued. She studied Ryuji intently, surprised that someone her age had been summoned to deal with such a serious issue.

"Hello, I'm Geto Suguru," Geto stepped forward, extending a hand, clearly sizing up the newcomer. He had that trademark calm, easygoing smile, but there was an air of underlying intensity to him. This was someone used to dealing with danger.

"Hey there, I'm Ryuji," Ryuji replied, grasping Geto's hand firmly, his grin unfazed.

But in his mind, Ryuji felt a tinge of disappointment. No new skill or ability had been triggered from this handshake. He'd been hoping for something special, considering Geto's abilities.

"Tsk!" Mimiko and Nanako scowled, sensing the lack of reverence in Ryuji's tone. How dare he act so casually around Geto? It felt like a blatant insult.

Ryuji, however, remained nonchalant. "Calm down, you're reading too much into things," he said dismissively, glancing at the twin sisters. He could understand their loyalty to Geto, but he wasn't here to stroke egos.

The twin sisters grumbled but didn't say anything more, clearly displeased but held back by Geto's calm demeanor.

"Shall we get to it then? The curse spirit?" Gan'an Shinomiya, who had been silently watching the exchange, finally spoke up, his voice steady but filled with worry. After all, one of his sons had already died, and he feared for the safety of the others.

"Sure, lead the way," Ryuji said with a shrug.

Gan'an gestured for Ryuji to approach the body of Seiryu Shinomiya, which lay twisted and lifeless on the floor. The sight was gruesome, with his body unnaturally contorted and his face frozen in terror.

"Tsk, this is one twisted mess," Ryuji remarked as he observed the corpse.

The Shinomiya family members exchanged uneasy glances. His casual tone was a bit unnerving, but none of them dared to speak out, especially with their father, Gan'an, staying silent.

Geto, who had followed Ryuji to the body, asked, "So, what do you make of it, Ryuji?"

"I mean, the guy was obviously strangled, right? But not in the way you're thinking," Ryuji replied, standing up straight and stretching slightly. His casual demeanor made it seem like this was all part of some mundane day job.

Nanako, one of the twin sisters, frowned in frustration. "Strangled? Anyone can see that. That's not some great insight!" she snapped, clearly still annoyed at Ryuji's lack of respect.

Ryuji just grinned. "Yeah, but can you figure out what did the strangling?"

Nanako hesitated, unable to answer. Of course, she knew it was a curse spirit, but as for the specifics, she couldn't say.

Ryuji's smirk deepened. "Didn't think so."

Nanako's frustration boiled over, but before she could respond, Geto intervened again, his voice calm and measured. "Nanako, calm down."

With Geto's order, the twin sisters quieted, though they still shot glares in Ryuji's direction.

Geto turned back to Ryuji, curiosity evident in his eyes. "So, what do you see that I don't?"

Ryuji raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you missed it, honestly. You felt the curse, right? But you didn't recognize the type?"

Geto frowned, clearly intrigued now. "I sensed a special-grade curse spirit, but there was something unfamiliar mixed in. What is it?"

"Urban legends," Ryuji said, glancing down at Seiryu's body again. "Recently, some curse spirits have started mimicking urban legends. This one… seems tied to shadows."

"Shadows?" Geto repeated, following Ryuji's gaze. Only now did he notice how Seiryu's shadow looked distorted, like it was still clinging to him, even in death.

"So, this thing could be lurking in any shadow in this manor?" Geto muttered, his voice filled with realization.

As the implications hit, the others in the room instinctively shifted away from the shadows, their fear visibly growing.

"Relax," Ryuji said with a smile. "I've got this."

Geto leaned back, his interest piqued. "Alright, I'll let you handle it. Show me what you've got."

With a cocky grin, Ryuji stepped forward and rolled his shoulders, loosening up as if preparing for a light workout. "Watch closely."

And then, with a simple motion, Ryuji pulled down his collar slightly, revealing the cursed marks along his neck.

Geto's eyes widened in shock. "That's… the curse from the Inumaki clan?"

Before Geto could finish processing, Ryuji activated the curse technique.

A deep, reverberating hum filled the air, as the entire space around them seemed to resonate with energy. Shadows around the room began to warp and tremble, as if pulled by an unseen force.

The Shinomiya family members watched in horror as the walls and floors of their lavish estate cracked under the immense pressure of Ryuji's curse technique. The oppressive atmosphere grew heavier as a guttural roar echoed through the manor.

Gan'an and the Shinomiya heirs could barely maintain their composure. Fumino, for the first time, truly grasped the sheer power of what they were dealing with. "This is… terrifying," she whispered, her face pale.

"Mom, it's fine," Haruno reassured her mother, gripping her hand. Despite the fear in the air, she had full confidence in Ryuji. She had seen him pull off miracles before, and this time would be no different.

The curse spirit revealed itself, its grotesque form emerging from the shadows above. Its body was a writhing mass of darkness, constantly shifting and twisting.

Ryuji didn't give it time to react.

"Third Dimension!" he shouted.

In an instant, the air around the curse spirit distorted violently, the space warping and compressing with immense force. The curse spirit let out a shriek of terror as it was pulled into the vortex, unable to escape the gravitational pull of Ryuji's technique.

"Bang!" The twisting force caused the floor beneath it to crack, splintering into pieces. The curse spirit struggled, but it was already too late.

"Soul Devouring!" Ryuji's voice rang out as the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place. The spirit's howls grew weaker and weaker, until finally, it was consumed, disappearing completely.

Silence fell over the room. The air, which had been thick with fear and tension, began to clear.

As the dust settled, a familiar voice echoed in Ryuji's mind.

"Successfully contacted target: Special Grade Curse Spirit. Golden entry triggered. Would you like to load it?"