Chapter 58: Watch where you put that hand, idiot!
Ryan took a deep breath, kissing the gun before placing it on the table. He walked to a chair, his heavy steps echoing through the room as he watched Irie lying lifeless on the floor. With a sarcastic smile, he remarked,
"Did anyone notice that no one cared about this guy being dead?" He gestured toward Irie's lifeless body, feigning empathy with a smirk.
Yuno impatiently flipped her hair to the side. "Nobody cares. He'll come back when you reset time. So just get on with it already."
Ryan smiled, though weariness shadowed his face. Arona, noticing his growing paleness, jumped down from the table she had been sitting on and walked over to him, her voice tinged with light mockery.
"I told you transferring energy to Takano wouldn't be easy, Sensei Ryan. But you had to play the hero. Look where that got you."
Yuno raised an eyebrow, already irritated. "Can you stop stalling and just explain what's going on?"
Arona sighed, wrapping her arms around Ryan's head protectively as she explained,
"Now that he's finally relaxed, his body is realizing how much energy he spent. Using the power to rewind time against that army and resetting on a whim? That drains energy like crazy! Especially with this whole 'sharing energy with Takano's body' thing... Honestly, Sensei."
Yuno clicked her tongue, crossing her arms. "That idiot could've just listened to me and let me help. And now? He can't rewind time anymore?"
Arona rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "It's not impossible... But in his current state, with his energy almost depleted? Pretty unlikely."
Rika, calmer than the others, asked, "Mii~... How long will it take for him to recover?"
Arona looked up, calculating. "Hmm... At this rate? Maybe thirty days. That's if he rests properly."
Yuno slammed the table, her eyes blazing with anger. "A month?! You've got to be kidding me! This guy's useless!"
Rika, visibly concerned, lightly tugged on Yuno's sleeve. "But... What if he loses the save point? Wouldn't that be dangerous?"
"Oh, it would be. Very." Arona nodded, a mischievous grin forming on her face. "Luckily, there's a way to fix this."
Yuno turned her head slowly, frowning. "What are you scheming now, Arona?"
Arona stepped forward, one hand on her hip, declaring theatrically,
"To solve this... Sensei Yuno, you're going to need to kiss Ryan and transfer energy to him. After all, you two share a special connection!"
The sound of wood splintering filled the room as Yuno broke a nearby table. "You've got to be kidding me, Arona!"
"No, Sensei Yuno. I'm serious this time. Either that, or everything we've done here will be for nothing." Arona's calm demeanor was unshakable.
Yuno began pacing back and forth like a caged animal before asking,
"What if I just transfer energy the way he did with Takano?"
"Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way between you two." Arona shook her head, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Yuno stopped abruptly, raising her head. "In that case, everything was for nothing."
Rika's heart tightened instantly. She tugged on Yuno's dress, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Yuno... Please... This is the best chance I've ever had for a good ending... Mii~..."
Yuno felt a lump in her throat. Though she wanted to explode, she couldn't ignore Rika's pleading gaze. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to Ryan, who was nearly unconscious in the chair.
"When we're back, you'll let me punch you as many times as I want, without dodging or complaining." Her voice was full of restrained anger.
Ryan, despite his exhaustion, managed a crooked smile.
"Don't worry... Pinkie... You'll get your chance..." he murmured weakly.
Closing her eyes, Yuno lifted his head, took a deep breath, and reluctantly brought her lips to his. In a matter of seconds, Ryan's color began to return, and the sparkle returned to his eyes. But Yuno, perhaps swept up in the intensity of the moment, deepened the kiss unexpectedly, her tongue intertwining with his in fluid, passionate movements.
Feeling revitalized, Ryan placed a hand on Yuno's slim, defined waist, but her annoyed voice echoed in his mind through their connection:
"Watch where you put that hand, idiot!"
"Relax, Pinkie... It's just that your kiss was so... recharging... I got carried away," he responded teasingly, tightening his grip slightly, his hand almost slipping down to her butt.
Furious, Yuno pushed him away forcefully, wiping her lips with her thumb. "There. I bet you're good to go now, right?" She turned away, avoiding direct eye contact.
Ryan stood up, now fully recovered. "Yeah... That should do, Pinkie." He replied, his gaze shamelessly appraising her as she walked away.
Rika, still a little flushed from the scene, shuffled her feet before timidly asking,
"And now...?"
Ryan gave a confident smile, snapping his fingers. "Now, let's make the good ending happen."
Rika beamed, tilting her head as she exclaimed with boundless hope:
"Nipaaaa~! >⩊< ♡"
In an instant, time began unraveling before their eyes, moving faster and faster. Ryan's battles, their journey, and even the people Yuno had captured were undone, like a video playing in reverse.
Only they—and now Takano—would remember what had transpired in this world that was being rewritten.
Feeling his strength nearly spent, Ryan stopped the flow of time at the moment he, Yuno, and Rika were together in Rika's house.
Ryan smiled at Rika, seeing Hanyuu standing beside her, and spoke with a cheerful tone,
"Now... It's almost done... Have you decided if you're coming to Tokyo with us?"
Rika, unable to hold back her tears, smiled. "Yes... I'd love to see a world I never could... with you all..."
Ryan walked over to her, taking her hand as he said, "Alright, then. Let's check if Takano had the sense to meet us at our rendezvous point."
Rika smiled, responding with her signature, "Mii!~"
Minutes later, they arrived at the shrine, spotting Takano in the distance, gazing at the horizon.
"Well, you're punctual..." Ryan remarked with a playful tone.
Takano turned to face him, startled to see him approaching, holding Rika's hand. She placed a hand on her chest, her voice trembling slightly. "You... shot me..."
With a smug grin, Ryan replied, "Yeah, to avoid actually killing you. Funny, right?"
Takano's heart raced, but before she could respond, Ryan's tone shifted to one of seriousness.
"Let's start... discussing our future plans."
_____________________
If you wish to see the advanced chapters, you can check the link below:
patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph