Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

Yuno remained silent, observing the girl with suspicion. Ryan, on the other hand, let out a mocking laugh as he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, pardon me, twin sister from the city," he said with a smug grin.

Before he could continue, Rika, still in his arms, responded in a serious tone:

"But that's exactly right, Masachika."

Ryan sighed, surprised. He carefully placed Rika on the ground and turned his gaze to the supposed twin of Mion, who quickly began to explain:

"I'm Sonozaki Shion. As you said, I'm Mion's twin sister."

Meanwhile, Satoko, standing beside her, wiped her eyes, trying to catch her breath between sobs.

Rika approached the small girl, her sweet and comforting voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere:

"Satoko, you don't need to cry anymore. You're safe now." She finished with a gentle smile, adding her signature, "Nipaaa~! >⩊< ♡"

The gesture temporarily lightened the tense mood, but Satoko's sobs continued to choke her voice as she stammered:

"I... I don't understand what happened, Rika. Suddenly, everyone started going… going..."

She seemed on the verge of breaking down again, but Rika gently held her hand, trying to console her.

From a distance, Ryan watched the scene with a satisfied smile, but the moment was interrupted by Yuno's cold voice:

"Shion, right? What were you running from?"

Shion fixed her gaze on Yuno, thoughtful, before glancing at the ground. Her voice sounded melancholic as she replied:

"It all happened so fast... As Satoko said, people started going crazy one after another."

She pulled a taser from her pocket, showing it to the group.

"Even my bodyguard lost control. I only managed to escape because of this."

Ryan smirked, asking, "Bodyguard? Your family doesn't seem like just anyone, huh..."

Shion clenched her fists, her voice tinged with sadness as her eyes welled up.

"Kasai Tatsuyoshi… He was always by my side, but even so, he snapped all of a sudden..."

Ryan narrowed his eyes, surprised.

"Wait a minute… Are you saying more people from the village are losing it?"

Shion nodded.

"My plan was to take Satoko to the Sonozaki mansion and shelter there. I thought we'd be safe."

Ryan exchanged a glance with Yuno, clearly searching for an idea. She noticed and responded with disdain:

"No, Ryan, I still can't teleport."

Before his usual sarcasm could emerge, Arona touched Yuno's back, her aura glowing peculiarly. Shion and Satoko recoiled slightly, startled by the sudden illumination.

"Ah! So that's it, Yuno-sensei!" Arona said, her voice filled with sweetness.

Yuno tilted her head, suspicious.

"What are you talking about now?"

"You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" Arona responded with a mischievous smile.

Ryan immediately adopted a sarcastic grin and teased:

"Was I the one keeping you up at night?"

Yuno rolled her eyes, flipping her hair with her hand as she replied disdainfully:

"Yes, you were. I had to take several showers just to decontaminate my skin from your disgusting touch."

Shion, Satoko, and Rika watched the interaction, clearly confused by the lighthearted tone amidst such a grave situation.

Trying to refocus, Shion clasped her hands together, her tone slightly apprehensive.

"It's still a long way to the mansion… But since you're with Rika, I—"

Before she could finish, Ryan and Yuno answered simultaneously, in completely opposite tones:

"We'll go with you," said Ryan calmly.

"Go alone," said Yuno indifferently.

The two stared at each other for a moment, tension lingering in the air, until Ryan spoke again, this time with seriousness:

"We're going with them, Yuno." He stared at her, hoping she would understand the importance of mapping the town and checking on the other residents of Hinamizawa.

Yuno sighed, rolling her eyes once more, before gesturing dismissively as if to say, "Whatever."

Ryan looked at Rika and asked gently:

"Is that okay with you?"

"Mii~," she responded briefly, nodding.

He extended his hand for her to climb onto his back. Then, he turned to Yuno with a teasing smile.

"So, Pinkie, how about doing the same for Satoko?"

Yuno glanced at him with a bored expression, but Shion intervened before she could reply:

"Don't worry, I'll take Satoko with me!"

Ryan gestured as if trying to argue.

"Look, despite Pinkie being a little devilish… well, she is, but that's precisely why she's reliable."

Shion shook her head firmly.

"I've taken care of Satoko so far. I'll keep protecting her."

As they discussed, Arona smiled awkwardly, placing her hands behind her back.

"Well… I really don't need a ride," she said, winking at the group before disappearing, leaving a faint glow in the air.

Shion stepped back, startled by the sudden disappearance, but Ryan simply laughed.

"Save the surprises for later. Now, let's move."

They followed the path led by Shion, heading toward the houses of Hinamizawa. As they approached, however, the sight became terrifying. Burning houses illuminated the darkness while residents fought and killed each other in the streets. The sound of gunfire echoed in the distance.

Ryan took a deep breath, frustrated.

"Damn it... Hey, Mion Remix, don't tell me the path goes through that mess?"

Shion swallowed hard.

"We can take a detour… but it'll take much longer."

Yuno stepped forward, confident.

"I'll clear the path." She drew her knife, walking calmly toward the crowd.

Ryan called out to her, sarcastic:

"Hold on, Pinkie. Remember what Arona said…"

She interrupted him, curtly:

"You talk as if you wouldn't redo all this."

Ryan sighed, resigned, and signaled to the others.

"Let's keep moving."

As Yuno advanced, the infected began to surround her. Their necks were red and wounded, scratched to the raw flesh. Ryan decided to continue the path with Shion, though she seemed worried for Yuno's safety as she stayed behind.

Finally, they arrived at the gate of the Sonozaki mansion. Ryan inspected it while Shion tried to open it, to no avail.

"No one's here?" Ryan asked, irritated.

"I was sure someone would be!" Shion responded, her voice filled with despair.

Ryan, however, noticed movement among the bushes.

"Hold tight, Rika," he said, preparing to leap.

With a "Mii~" in response, Rika tightened her arms around his neck as he jumped over the wall. After leaving her safely inside, Ryan returned to retrieve Shion and Satoko, repeating the process.

"How do you jump so high… while carrying someone?"

Ryan opened a smile, but his eyes focused on something beyond her.

"I never skip leg day at the gym," he said in a mocking tone, though there was a hidden tension in his expression.

He knew there was something in the bushes. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke seriously:

"So, Shion, what's the safest place in this mansion?"

Shion hesitated for a moment, weighing her options. Her response came firmly, though tinged with uncertainty.

"There's a place... it's in the basement, but—"

Before she could finish, Ryan interrupted her urgently, gently pushing her and the girls along.

"Alright. Let's go! Now!"

Satoko stumbled, complaining, "Hey, take it easy! You don't need to push!"

As they ran, Rika looked at him with curious and worried eyes.

"Ryan... something's happening, isn't it?"

He gave her a quick glance, filled with concern.

"Yes, but first, I need to get you out of here."

At that moment, a gunshot rang out, and everything seemed to slow down for a moment. Ryan reacted instinctively, pulling Rika close and shielding her with his body while scanning the surroundings.

Shion's scream echoed, followed by Satoko, who reached out toward them.

"Rika!"

Without wasting time, Shion grabbed Satoko's arm, trying to pull her away from the line of fire.

Ryan, meanwhile, locked his gaze on the direction of the shot. At the top of a hill, shadows moved quickly, armed with rifles.

"Damn... are these the people Rika mentioned? Why... why would they do this to her!?" he murmured, his voice filled with rage and disbelief.

When he tried to move, something else caught his attention. He looked down, feeling the warm wetness of blood running over his hands and arms.

His heart pounded.

"No... no..."

The shot had passed through his body and struck Rika in the throat. She trembled in his arms, her eyes rapidly losing their light.

"DAMN IT!!" Ryan's scream echoed through the empty mansion.

For a moment, he was torn between chasing the fleeing attackers and staying. But as he looked at Rika, fading away in his arms, he knew his choice. He pressed hard against her neck, his mind screaming in desperation as her life drained away. Her eyes grew dim, leaving her with only seconds, her lungs already filled with blood and devoid of air.

"You're not losing to fate, Rika! YOU WON'T!"

Gripping her small hand tightly, his ability activated.

Time began to rewind. Everything around him dissolved and reformed before his eyes: moments, actions, every detail unraveling with terrifying speed.

The further back time went, the harder it became to keep up. He struggled to stop before going too far, but when everything finally settled, he realized where he was: back at the house Mion had arranged for him.

Reality hit him like a punch when his eyes met Yuno's. She stared at him with her characteristic smirk, dripping with disdain.

"Oh, Ryan... looks like you messed up."

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