Ryuu stood at the edge, quietly watching the members of AST turn their weapons on each other. A faint smirk played on his lips.
Ratatoskr must have seen this scene by now. He wondered how they would choose to handle it.
Part of the reason he had used the Geass was to send a message—a warning to the hidden forces at play, such as the DEM Corporation and Ratatoskr.
If anyone wanted to move against him, they had to consider the risk of falling under his control first.
Now, it seemed his point had been made. His anger was beginning to subside.
His golden eyes shifted upward. In the air, Ryouko Kusakabe was weaving between attacks, refusing to retaliate against her own subordinates. She cared too much for them to strike back, leaving her with no choice but to evade.
The remaining AST members were in complete disarray. If not for their Territory defenses, they would have been shredded by their own gunfire by now.
Just as Ryuu was about to end the farce, a figure moved toward him at high speed.
Tobiichi Origami.
"Enough," she said. "Please stop this."
Ryuu raised an eyebrow. "You're the ones who provoked me first—interrupting my contract ceremony—and now you want me to stop?"
"I'm sorry," Origami admitted. "We didn't know you were here. We were simply following orders."
"If that's how you want to negotiate, then I suppose we can talk."
Ryuu raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Instantly, the AST members under his control froze, their weapons lowering.
Ryouko Kusakabe let out a slow breath, momentarily relieved. But her eyes still burned with fury.
Yet she knew she had no choice but to suppress it. She holstered her weapon, inhaled deeply, and flew toward him.
"Let's negotiate," she said. "What do you want in exchange for letting my subordinates go?"
"Oh?" Ryuu mused. "And what exactly do you have to offer that would interest me?"
"We received a new model of CR-Unit from headquarters," Ryouko stated. "If you want, we can—"
"Hah!"
A sharp laugh cut her off.
Ryouko stiffened, about to snap at him, but Origami subtly grabbed her wrist, whispering something in her ear.
Her expression shifted—from anger to shock, then to something close to fear.
The idea that someone could possess such immense power without any CR-Unit assistance was beyond comprehension.
"In my eyes," Ryuu said, his voice casual yet firm, "even the best equipment is nothing more than scrap metal. And you think I'd be interested in that? Captain, you overestimate your worth."
Ryouko clenched her fists. She wanted to lash out. But she didn't. She couldn't.
A long silence stretched between them before she exhaled sharply, the fight draining from her shoulders.
"Fine," she said bitterly. "Just state your terms."
Ryuu's smirk returned.
"From this point on," he said, "AST will cease all pursuit of Spirits."
"That's impossible," Ryouko replied instantly. "You're asking for the dissolution of AST. We can't agree to that."
Ryuu had expected that answer. It was just a negotiation tactic—his real demand was still coming.
"Then," he continued, "from now on, AST will not target any Spirits under my protection."
"Are you talking about that Spirit from before?"
"Yes. Tohka is just the first. There will be more."
Ryouko's fingers twitched. She knew she wasn't authorized to make this decision. But if she refused outright, she might not get another chance.
Besides, the wording of his demand was vague. What defined 'under his protection'? How many Spirits did he plan to take in? There was room for maneuvering.
And more importantly, she couldn't afford to gamble with her team's lives.
"...Fine," she said at last. "I promise we won't touch that Spirit."
"Good," Ryuu said, turning on his heel. "Then we're done here."
He began walking away when Ryouko suddenly called out.
"Wait—what about my subordinates? They're still under your control!"
Ryuu didn't bother looking back. "Turn around and see for yourself."
Ryouko hesitated, then glanced behind her. The AST members had regained their senses, their weapons lowered in confusion. The Geass had worn off on its own.
"One more thing," Ryuu added. His gaze fell on Origami. "Origami—my offer to you still stands. Come find me when you're ready."
Origami silently nodded, gripping Ryouko's arm as she helped steady her. Together, they watched as Ryuu disappeared from sight.
The remaining AST members rushed to Ryouko's side, their faces pale with shock.
"Captain, are you okay?!"
She let out a shaky breath. "I'm fine..."
But the moment the adrenaline wore off, dizziness struck, and she collapsed.
---
Ryuu didn't look back. The display of power he had given today was sure to send ripples through the hidden forces watching from the shadows. Whether they chose to challenge him or stay out of his way—that was their decision.
Right now, his priority was Tohka.
He had seen Shiori take her away and had allowed it. It was better to leave her with a good impression before completing the contract.
Finally, he found them in a classroom.
Tohka immediately rushed to his side, her hands running over his arms, checking for injuries.
"Ryuu! They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"I'm fine," Ryuu assured her. "Now, about our contract—"
Before he could finish, Tohka suddenly looked up at him, her expression filled with curiosity.
"Hey, Ryuu... what's a 'date'?"
Ryuu blinked. Then, slowly, his gaze shifted to Shiori.
Shiori, realizing she was caught, straightened awkwardly before turning away as if she had nothing to do with it.
It was obvious. She had put this idea into Tohka's head. Probably as part of Ratatoskr's plan to have Shiori seal her.
Ignoring Shiori's failed attempt to be invisible, Ryuu sighed and answered,
"A date is something humans do as part of a courtship ritual. It's a way for two people to get to know each other."
Tohka's eyes lit up.
"Then let's go on a date, Ryuu!"
Ryuu sighed again, rubbing his temple.
He had seen this coming. And now, thanks to Shiori, Tohka was more interested in dating than signing a contract.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
"Fine," he relented. "But after the date, you have to sign the contract with me."
"Yes! A date, a date!" Tohka cheered. "I get to go on a date with Ryuu!"
As Tohka beamed with excitement, Ryuu turned his gaze back to Shiori. His expression darkened.
He cracked his knuckles and stepped toward her.
"Shiori-san," he said in a dangerously calm tone, "mind explaining what you told Tohka?"
"Ahaha... w-wait a second," Shiori stammered, backing up. "L-let's not get violent—"
"Don't worry," Ryuu said, raising a fist. "I'll make sure to avoid your face."
"Wait—WAIT!"
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