[FATE] OP Demon King Across Multiverse!

Ryuu didn't believe Tokisaki Kurumi's words for a second.

Her tone, her expression—it was all an act.

She was just testing his reaction.

Still, he wasn't about to underestimate her. Among all the Spirits, Kurumi was the one he wanted to contract the most.

But if he let his guard down now, she would devour him alive.

He could feel it. The sheer authority over time she held… It was nothing short of broken.

Kurumi tilted her head, watching him with her eerie, mismatched eyes. "So? What do you say, Ryuu-kun?"

Ryuu exhaled, keeping his expression neutral.

"It must be exhausting," he said, his voice laced with an odd gentleness.

Kurumi's smile froze.

For the first time, her golden eye twitched with something resembling shock.

A second later, she stood up, her smile darkening.

A sharp, unhinged glint flashed in her eye, and she leaned in dangerously close.

"What do you know?" she whispered, voice dripping with venom.

Her hand tightened around the flintlock pistol aimed at his chest. "You don't know anything, do you, Ryuu-kun?"

Ryuu smirked despite the barrel pressed against him.

"I know your 'wish.'"

Kurumi's entire body froze.

The tension between them was suffocating.

Her fingers trembled slightly around the trigger.

For a split second, she looked almost… vulnerable.

Then, just as quickly, she laughed.

"Ufufu~" Her voice returned to its usual playful lilt. "You truly are interesting."

Before Ryuu could react, she plunged a dagger straight into his abdomen.

The cold steel sank deep, twisting slightly as she leaned into him, pressing their bodies together.

A normal person would've collapsed instantly from the pain.

But Ryuu merely gritted his teeth, feeling blood seep into his clothes.

"You…" he growled.

Kurumi sighed theatrically, resting her chin on his shoulder. "It's such a shame~ You'd make a perfect little pawn."

Ryuu didn't respond. He was waiting.

He wasn't alone anymore.

A faint presence had entered the area—watching, waiting for the right moment.

Kurumi must have sensed it too, because she suddenly stepped back.

She locked eyes with Ryuu for several long seconds, as if memorizing his face.

Then, without another word, she sank into the shadows.

The moment the effect of her Seventh Bullet faded, Ryuu's body collapsed onto the pavement.

His vision blurred slightly as he looked up at the night sky.

"Shit… That actually hurt."

A voice suddenly called out.

"Ryuu! What the hell happened?!"

He turned his head slightly and saw Shiori Itsuka rushing toward him, eyes wide with concern.

---

Later

"I told you, I'm fine."

Shiori pouted. "You were literally stabbed."

"And now I'm not. See?" Ryuu spread his arms, showing that his wound had already healed.

Shiori still looked unconvinced.

But before she could argue, she paused, pressing a finger to her earpiece.

Ryuu caught the movement instantly.

His Clairvoyance activated on instinct, catching a faint electronic signal linking her to Ratatoskr.

'Ah… so they're listening in.'

Ryuu decided to pretend he didn't notice.

Instead, he turned away and began walking.

But before he could leave, Shiori grabbed his sleeve.

"U-Um, actually…" she hesitated for a second. "Since you saved me, I want to thank you! Would you like to… come over to my place?"

Ryuu smiled internally. 'So this is their move.'

Up on Fraxinus, Itsuka Kotori let out an exhausted sigh.

"Good grief, this girl sucks at deception," she muttered, rubbing her temples.

Her crew members exchanged awkward glances.

"Commander," Reine spoke up. "Are you sure about this? We don't have any real data on him."

"Yeah," Kannazuki added. "What if he's some kind of threat?"

Kotori kicked him in the face, sending him flying across the command room.

"Shut it, pervert. This is an opportunity," she said, adjusting the white ribbon in her hair.

"At the very least, we can figure out what the hell this guy is actually after."

---

Inside the Itsuka Residence

The door creaked open as Shiori led Ryuu inside.

"Welcome back!"

A familiar voice greeted them.

Standing in the living room, dressed in casual clothes, was Itsuka Kotori.

The moment Ryuu saw her, he immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Well, well," he mused. "If it isn't the girl who was just talking in shiori's ear."

Kotori stiffened slightly, but recovered instantly.

"Did you just figure that out now?" she asked, her tone casual yet calculating.

Ryuu smirked.

'So she's going to play it like this, huh?'

Shiori, oblivious to the underlying tension, quickly spoke up. "Kotori, could you grab the first-aid kit?"

Kotori hesitated, her eyes flicking toward Ryuu's perfectly intact body.

"…Do you actually need it?"

"Not at all," Ryuu said, stretching lazily. "But if you want to patch me up, I won't say no."

Kotori clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Instead, she sat down across from Ryuu, her entire demeanor shifting.

She slowly removed her white ribbon and replaced it with a black one.

In an instant, her posture straightened, and her expression became sharp and commanding.

The aura around her shifted from playful little sister to ruthless commander.

Ryuu's smirk widened.

'Oh? Now this is getting interesting.'

Kotori folded her arms. "Enough messing around. Let's cut to the chase—who the hell are you?"

Shiori flinched. "Kotori?!"

Ryuu simply leaned back.

"Before I answer that," he said smoothly, "why don't you introduce yourself first?"

Kotori huffed, but complied.

"I'm Itsuka Kotori, commander of Ratatoskr—an organization dedicated to preventing Spacequake disasters by negotiating with Spirits."

She narrowed her eyes.

"And according to our records, you don't exist."

Ryuu chuckled. "Then your records must be broken."

Kotori's lips twitched in irritation.

Shiori looked between the two, growing more and more confused.

"Wait, what's going on?"

Kotori sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "To put it simply… this guy is dangerous."

Ryuu gave a small mock bow. "Flattered."

Kotori ignored him and continued, "But we don't know why he's here. And that's the problem."

Ryuu finally decided to stop playing around.

His expression turned serious as he met Kotori's gaze head-on.

"My name is Ryuu," he said. "I'm not from this world. I came here for one reason—"

He paused for dramatic effect.

"—To find my family."

Silence.

Kotori stared at him for several seconds, her fingers tapping against the armrest of her chair.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.

"…What exactly do you mean by 'family'?"

Ryuu grinned.

"Spirits, of course."

Kotori's eyes widened slightly.

This was bad.

If what he was saying was true… then this man was even more dangerous than an ordinary Spirit.

He wasn't just an outsider.

He was claiming them as his own.

And that was something Ratatoskr couldn't ignore.

====

Support and read advance chapters on Patreon.com/Zexxxxy