Tatsumi left the Onizawa Residence after ensuring that Ketsuki was in stable condition, not forgetting to berate Tenshiko for her lie.

  As she stepped out into the night, she couldn't shake off the strange sensation in her chest. Why did she feel this burning discomfort? Why did the thought of Ketsuki being alone with the fox girl bother her so much? She had no answers, and the mere contemplation of it made her head throb, further fueling her never-ending cycle of anger.

  The city was eerily quiet at this late hour—around 2 AM. The streetlights bathed the empty roads in a blend of orange, velvet, and white hues, casting long, distorted shadows. The silence was suffocating.

  As she walked, Tatsumi suddenly found herself standing before a towering figure, over eight feet tall, broad-shouldered, his face obscured by the shadow of a fedora. The only visible detail was a wide, unsettling grin.

  He was clad in a long beige trench coat, buttoned up tightly as if concealing something beneath. His voice, low, chilling, and brimming with amusement, slithered through the silence. "Look what we have here… A cute little girl, wandering all alone."

  A deep unease crept up Tatsumi's spine, her instincts screaming at her. Her pride, however, refused to let her back down. Narrowing her crimson eyes, she took a step back and scoffed. "Who the hell are you, freak? What do you want? Get out of my way!"

  The man let out a breathy chuckle, shaking his head. "Calm down, sweetie. I’m not here to hurt you… yet."

  Before she could react, he swiftly pulled a gun from beneath his coat and fired.

  Tatsumi barely dodged in time, her reflexes kicking in as she lunged to the side. Her aura flared in response to the danger, an angry crimson glow surrounding her. The man, noticing this, simply grinned wider. "Ah… so you’re one of us, huh? But still so raw, so unrefined. I suppose I’ll let you live—until you ripen."

  He turned away, his movements slow and deliberate, exuding eerie confidence.

  Tatsumi’s rage flared. She lunged at him, leaping into the air and delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to his head.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  His head snapped to the side… and then right back into place. Unfazed. Amused.

  Then, he cackled. A deep, menacing, unhinged laugh that sent a chill down Tatsumi’s spine. "THAT WAS A GREAT HIT, YOUNG ONE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

  As his laughter died down, he fixed his gaze on her, his grin somehow stretching even wider. "Don’t mistake my patience for mercy. I’m leaving you to grow stronger. When the time comes… give me a battle worth savoring."

  With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness, leaving behind a shaken, breathless Tatsumi. Her body trembled—not from anger, but from fear.

  She didn’t know who he was, or what he wanted. But one thing was certain.

  He was dangerous. Extremely dangerous.

  Meanwhile, back at the Onizawa Residence…

  Ketsuki stared blankly at an extremely embarrassed Tenshiko, his expression a silent, unimpressed berating.

  Letting out a tired sigh, his hazel eyes locked onto her bright orange ones. "Goddess? Really now? You of all people, pretending to be a goddess?"

  Tenshiko's face burned. She had lived with Ketsuki for over two years now, constantly being a nuisance. She stammered, her voice shaky. "W-well… I couldn’t resist…"

  Ketsuki deadpanned even harder. He was used to her idiocy, but watching her get caught in her own lie was amusing nonetheless.

  A loud grumble suddenly echoed through the room.

  From Tenshiko’s stomach.

  Her face turned an even deeper shade of red. "That… wasn’t me."

  Ketsuki exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was too exhausted to argue. Using the wall for support, he slowly made his way to the kitchen.

  A short while later, he placed a plate of Katsu Curry in front of her—no, "Ketsu Curry," as he liked to call it. He had added a few of his own ingredients, using duck fat instead of oil for the meat. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.

  Tenshiko devoured it like she hadn’t eaten in days, stuffing her face without a shred of grace.

  Ketsuki watched in silence, his own appetite nonexistent after his injuries. Letting out another sigh, he finally spoke. "Alright. You ate. You know what to do."

  Tenshiko paused, her face suddenly growing red again. She hesitated, then, with shy yet sultry movements, she stepped closer, fingers teasing the edges of her kimono as she began to slip it off.

  Ketsuki’s expression didn’t change.

  Pinching the bridge of his nose again, he exhaled long and slow. "I meant use your damn healing ability, you dimwit. Why the hell would I want to do that with you of all people?"

  Tenshiko’s brain short-circuited.

  Realizing how badly she had misread the situation, she let out a loud, mortified squawk and bolted out of the room, vanishing in a blur of embarrassed hysteria.

  Ketsuki, now even more exhausted, stumbled back to his room, collapsed onto his futon, and shut his eyes.

  Sleep came instantly.