The streets were dimly lit as Rito walked back home after helping his father. His thoughts wandered, mostly about how strange his day had been. Meeting a supposed god, gaining an ability that showed fated connections, and now discovering his hidden talent for drawing…
"At this rate, what else am I going to find out about myself?"
As he turned a corner near a local shopping district, a sudden voice called out to him.
"Hey! You!"
Rito blinked as a girl with chestnut-brown hair, styled in two loose pigtails, rushed toward him with an urgent expression. She wore the uniform of Sainan High, but Rito didn't immediately recognize her.
"Uh… do I know you?" he asked, confused.
The girl placed a hand on her hip, smirking. "I know you. You're Yuuki Rito, right?"
Before he could respond, she grabbed his arm and started pulling him along.
"Come on, you're helping me out."
"W-Wait, what?! Helping with what? Who even are you?!" Rito protested, stumbling along.
The girl gave him a playful look. "Risa Momioka. You know, Haruna's friend?"
Hearing Haruna's friend, Rito's brain finally clicked. He had seen her before—always teasing people, especially Haruna.
"Okay, but why are you dragging me?!"
"No time to explain! Just act like my boyfriend for a few minutes, okay?"
"Hah?!"
Before Rito could even begin to argue, he noticed a group of rough-looking guys coming from the opposite street. Their outfits screamed delinquent—loose jackets, chain accessories, and an overall bad attitude.
Risa's grip on his arm tightened as she leaned in closer. "Okay, listen. Those guys are from some Tokyo gang or whatever. They've been bothering me since earlier, and I figured if I had a boyfriend, they'd back off."
"And you chose me?!" Rito's voice cracked.
"You were the first decent-looking guy I saw!"
Rito wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or concerned. Before he could think of an escape, the gang noticed them.
"Oi, there she is!" One of them, a muscular guy with a scar on his cheek, pointed at Risa. "Thought you could just run off, huh?"
Risa clicked her tongue. "Tch. Guess we gotta do this the hard way."
"What do you mean 'we'?!" Rito exclaimed, but it was too late. The gang was already surrounding them.
"Hey, pretty boy," another thug sneered. "Walk away, and we'll let you go. This doesn't concern you."
Rito gulped. He could tell these guys weren't just school punks—they moved like they had real experience in street fights.
"Crap… what do I do?"
Then, almost instinctively, his body tensed. His muscles felt lighter, his reflexes sharper. He suddenly remembered his earlier fight against those delinquents who had chased Mio.
Something had changed in him.
And just as the first thug threw a punch—
Rito moved.
The punch came fast, but Rito's body reacted even faster. He twisted slightly, avoiding the blow by mere inches.
The thug's eyes widened. "What the—"
Before he could finish, Rito's fist shot forward, striking his gut. The impact sent the thug stumbling back, gasping for air.
The others wasted no time. Two rushed at Rito from different angles.
"Left feint, right swing!"
Rito instinctively read their movements, ducking under the first thug's punch and using the momentum to spin into a counterattack. His elbow struck the second thug's ribs, sending him reeling.
A third guy came at him with a kick. Rito barely had time to react—he raised his arms to block, feeling the force vibrate through his bones. But instead of faltering, he pushed forward, catching the guy off guard.
Grabbing his attacker's leg, Rito twisted it, throwing the thug off balance.
"What the hell?! This guy can fight!" one of the gang members shouted in shock.
Risa, who had been watching from the side, blinked in surprise. "Damn, Rito, you're actually kinda cool!"
Rito had no time to process her words as another thug swung a metal pipe at him.
With no other choice, he dodged—barely—but the pipe still grazed his shoulder. The pain was sharp, but it wasn't enough to stop him.
"I can keep up… I can actually fight!"
Something about this battle felt natural, like his body was adapting to every move. It wasn't just instinct—he was learning as he fought.
One of the remaining thugs, clearly panicking, pulled out a knife. "Screw this! I'll end him quick!"
Rito's eyes narrowed.
"Crap. A weapon…!"
The thug lunged, but before the blade could reach him, Rito sidestepped and grabbed his wrist. With a quick twist, he disarmed the thug and followed up with a powerful knee to the stomach.
The gang member crumpled instantly.
Seeing their comrades defeated so easily, the remaining thugs scrambled to flee.
One of them, still dazed, muttered, "T-This guy isn't normal…!" before running off.
Rito let out a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline slowly fade. His body ached, but he was still standing.
Risa whistled. "Whew. I knew you were Haruna's crush, but I didn't expect that."
Rito, still catching his breath, turned to her. "Wait, what?!"
She grinned. "Nothing~ Just talking to myself. Anyway, thanks for the help, 'boyfriend'!"
"I am NOT your boyfriend!" Rito shot back, but Risa just laughed.
As they walked away from the scene, Rito checked his system screen, which had popped up mid-fight.
🔹 New Skill Acquired!
🔹[Combat Instincts (Lv. 2)]: Enhances reaction time and movement efficiency in battle. Allows the user to adapt and counter enemies based on fighting experience.
🔹 Hidden Trait Activated: Bloodline Awakening (Incomplete) 🔹
Rito frowned.
"Bloodline Awakening…?"
Something inside him felt different. His body, his movements—everything was changing. And it all started after his encounter with that god at the shrine.
"Just what the hell is happening to me..."
As the two walked away from the scene, Risa's playful grin hadn't faded. She kept sneaking glances at Rito, who was still deep in thought, staring at the system message floating before him.
🔹 New Skill Acquired! 🔹[Combat Instincts (Lv. 2)] – Enhances reaction time and movement efficiency in battle. Allows the user to adapt and counter enemies based on fighting experience.
🔹 Hidden Trait Activated: Bloodline Awakening (Incomplete) 🔹
"Bloodline Awakening…?" Rito thought. His body still tingled from the fight, and the way he had moved—so naturally, so fluidly—felt surreal.
Risa, noticing his distracted expression, leaned in slightly. "Heyyy, Earth to Rito~"
Rito blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Huh? What?"
She smirked. "You're really something, you know? Didn't think you had it in you to take on a whole gang like that."
Rito sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… honestly, I didn't think I could either."
Risa hummed in amusement before suddenly stepping in front of him, causing him to stop. Before he could ask what she was doing, she tilted her head, her grin widening.
"Well… consider this a reward for your heroics, Rito-kun~"
Without warning, she leaned forward, her soft lips pressing lightly against his cheek.
—!!
Rito's entire brain short-circuited. His body stiffened as warmth spread from where she kissed him.
Risa giggled at his stunned expression. "Aww, look at you, all frozen up. So cute~"
"W-Wha—?!" Rito stumbled over his words, his face burning. "Why did you—?!"
Risa just shrugged, placing her hands behind her back as she started walking again. "I dunno~ Maybe I just felt like it?" She turned her head slightly, giving him a teasing wink. "Or maybe it's because you're actually kinda cool."
Rito opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. His mind was still trying to catch up.
"You… You're seriously messing with me right now…" he muttered.
Risa giggled again. "Maybe~ But hey, I had fun. Maybe we should hang out again sometime, 'boyfriend'."
Rito groaned. "I am NOT your boyfriend!"
She laughed, clearly enjoying his reaction, before waving at him. "Later, Rito-kun~"
Rito could only sigh as she walked off into the night. His heart was still pounding from the sudden kiss.
"What the hell just happened…?"
As he continued his walk home, his mind replayed everything—his newfound combat skills, the system notifications, and now, Risa Momioka randomly kissing him like it was nothing.
"Why do weird things keep happening to me…?"
He checked the system screen again, his eyes narrowing at the Bloodline Awakening (Incomplete) part.
"What even is this? Why does it feel like something inside me is changing?"
No answers came.
For now, all he could do was move forward.