Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

Ryan raised his eyes to the sky, looking thoughtful. "Well... I have to meet Alya later this afternoon... But I don't think it will take that long."

He then looked back at her with a sly smile. "If it's later at night, I'm definitely free."

Riko's eyes sparkled with excitement. She clenched her fists, gathering all her determination before asking, her voice coming out in a thread of courage. "W-well... What do you think of... You know... We..."

Ryan completed, in a carefree voice. "Going out to spend some time together?"

She blushed, but took a deep breath and nodded quickly. "Y-yes! Let's go out for dinner or something!"

Ryan grinned, moving closer until his warm breath grazed her skin. "Sure... Why not, right?" His eyes were fixed on hers, intense. "After all, Amanai Riko... I'm all yours these days, aren't I?"

Riko's heart raced, pounding so hard that she swore she had inadvertently invented a new cursed technique: "Unavoidable Flash Passion!"

Their mouths were almost touching. Riko's hands were sweaty. And her mind... A complete chaos.

Meanwhile, Gojo subdued the opponent with ease, a smile playing on his lips as he called Ryan with exaggerated enthusiasm:

"Hey, Ryan! Take a look at this!"

With a theatrical movement, he raised his hand towards a nearby building. The windows exploded in sync, the glass scattering through the air like small broken stars. Floating with an almost insulting confidence, Gojo kept his amused gaze on his adversary, like a cat playing with a mouse.

"Next is the unlimited divergence..." he murmured, his voice loaded with anticipation.

With a precise gesture, his fingers took the form of an invisible weapon, pointing directly at the man, who instinctively raised his arms to protect himself.

"My reversal spell..." Gojo's tone became more serious for a moment, the atmosphere acquiring an oppressive crimson glow. The tension in the air almost vibrated. "RED!"

The man held his breath. The space around seemed to hesitate, as if reality itself awaited the inevitable explosion.

But...

Nothing happened.

The silence was deafening for a second.

"IT FAILED!" Gojo exclaimed suddenly, breaking the tension by punching the opponent in the face with a dry, direct blow.

Ryan almost fell backward, holding Riko tighter to avoid dropping her. His gaze wavered between disbelief and amusement as he finally let out a mocking laugh:

"Damn, and I was expecting a fucking explosion!"

Gojo scratched the back of his neck, his expression slightly flushed as he pouted comically. "Aw... I was sure I was gonna get it this time..."

Meanwhile, Riko felt a vibration in her pocket. With an automatic reflex, she took out her cell phone and unlocked the screen. Her eyes scanned the message for just a second before her breathing became irregular. The world around her seemed to shrink as her face paled.

"A-A-A... Kuroi...!" Her voice trembled, her eyes wide with pure panic as she turned the cell phone for the others to see. "KUROI WAS...!"

The image on the screen showed Kuroi lying on the floor, gagged, with her hands tied tightly.

Later, after meeting up with Geto again...

The group discussed the situation, the atmosphere heavier than ever. Geto kept his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the floor, his voice low but firm:

"Sorry... The mistake was mine."

The tension in his face was palpable, a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows as he clenched his fists.

"Oh, really? I don't even think that counts as a mistake," Gojo replied casually, his hands shoved into his pockets, showing no great concern.

"I underestimated how much the enemies would value Kuroi-san..." Geto admitted, a noticeable weight in his voice.

Gojo let out a sigh, his tone taking on a rare seriousness. "She's probably already dead..."

Riko shuddered at the thought, but before fear could overcome her, she felt something warm around her. Ryan held her firmly, wrapping her in a comfortable embrace as his fingers moved gently through her hair, in a comforting cafuné.

"She's alive," he said, his voice sounding so certain that it was almost impossible to doubt.

Geto and Gojo looked at him attentively.

Ryan remained calm as he continued, his tone meticulously calculated:

"If I were these guys, I'd use Kuroi as a bargaining chip... After all, it makes more sense to keep her alive and negotiate for something more valuable."

He lowered his hand, gently placing it on Riko's head before concluding:

"It would be the maid for Riko. And as you know, a bargaining chip is only valuable if it's still breathing."

Gojo tilted his head slightly, thoughtful. After a moment, he gestured casually. "Hm, you've got a point... In the end, we're at an advantage. Amanai, who is their ultimate target, is still with us."

Ryan sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as he thought. "There's a possibility of going back in time and saving Kuroi, but..." His voice became slightly lower as he looked at Riko out of the corner of his eye, noticing her eyes tearing up. "...I want to keep the events so far. And besides, rescuing Kuroi won't be difficult."

His eyes turned to Geto, taking on a firm and determined tone:

"Like Satoru said, we're at an advantage. Let's use it to our advantage."

Ryan wiped away a lone tear that rolled down Riko's face before smiling at her, trying to bring some lightness to the situation. "We're going to save Kuroi... After all..." His smile grew a little wider as he looked into her eyes. "You still have a lot to say to her, don't you?"

Riko was silent for a few moments, absorbing his words. Her gaze sparkled slightly before a small smile began to form. She nodded, determined.

"Yes!"

With a new wave of energy and resolution, the two raised their fists together.

"Let's save Kuroi!"

Gojo watched them for a second before raising his fist as well, a carefree smile on his face.

"That's it!"

Geto, on the other hand, let out a deep sigh, looking at the scene before him.

"Wow... They seem to share the same neuron..."

Meanwhile, Riko cast a discreet glance at Ryan, her smile taking on a softer, almost secret tone.

"Ryan..." she thought, feeling an unexpected warmth in her chest. "He managed to give me hope even now... He's really... cool..."

In the end... It was easier than they expected.

The invasion of the place where Kuroi was imprisoned was almost anticlimactic. Gojo, always eager to show off his abilities - especially in front of Ryan -, decided to turn the mission into a private spectacle. The enemies didn't even have time to react before being crushed like insects under his overwhelming force.

The sound of dry blows and muffled screams echoed through the corridors. In the next instant, the last barrier was effortlessly shattered. The door swung open violently, revealing Kuroi tied up inside the dark room.

"KUROI!"

Riko ran to her without hesitation, her tears already welling up before she even reached her. As soon as she untied her, she threw herself into her arms, hugging her tightly as if trying to make up for the absence of seconds ago.

Ryan, standing at the entrance, watched the scene with his hands in his pockets, averting his gaze from the destruction around him. "See? It was easier than—"

"It was easier than hitting a roadside dummy!" Gojo casually interrupted, scratching his ear with feigned boredom.

Kuroi, now free, stood up slowly, her muscles tense from the long immobilization. She lowered her head, her voice coming out restrained and embarrassed.

"I'm sorry... I let myself—"

Before she could finish, Ryan raised his hand, cutting her off in the middle of the sentence.

"It was nothing," he said, his tone casual but with an undeniable weight of certainty. "The important thing is that you're okay."

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and began to walk away, his footsteps echoing across the cold floor.

"Okay, this is my cue to take a little trip. I have some things to take care of..."

But, just as he was about to step through the door, he stopped abruptly. With a calculated step back, he turned his face, a playful smile appearing on his lips.

"Ah, and Riko..." His voice carried a suggestive, almost provocative tone. "Our promise still stands." He finished with a wink.

Gojo, who had until then been distracted analyzing the wreckage of the fight, frowned. His gaze shifted between Ryan and Riko, trying to grasp the connection between those words.

"What promise?" Kuroi stepped forward, her voice stumbling slightly, still affected by the recent events.

Riko, however, just smiled slightly, holding Kuroi in a more comforting embrace.

"Right! It's still up!" She replied, returning the wink.

Ryan needed nothing more. He nodded slightly and left, disappearing into the dark corridor as his mind was already processing the next steps.

"Okay... Tonight is going to be interesting. Next task: find the my Russian Girl. Then, a date with a girl who has a 30 million bounty on her head... What could go wrong, right?"

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