Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

With laughter and excitement, the group began exploring the festival stalls, all beautifully decorated and enticing. In a sudden moment, Mion raised her hand with enough energy to startle Ryan.

"IT'S TIME FOR THE CLUB ACTIVITY!" she exclaimed, jumping slightly and raising her fist as if leading an army.

Before Ryan could react, Rika, Keiichi, Satoko, and Rena mimicked Mion's gesture, shouting in unison with enthusiasm.

Ryan took a step back, frowning. "What the hell is this? When did you guys turn into a cult?"

Satoko, with a theatrical expression and an anime-villain-worthy laugh, covered her face with one hand. "Ooohohoho! As expected of a mere outsider… Listen well, Masachika and Yuno! You shall be our challengers from the big city!"

Keiichi, now fully caught up in the excitement, clenched his fists. "That's perfect, Satoko! Let's form teams and compete in the stall games!"

Ryan crossed his arms, letting out a deep sigh. "Hold up. I never said I was joining."

While he continued to protest, Rika approached with an innocent look and an adorable smile. "I'll be on Masachika-kun's team. Mii~."

Ryan hung his head, defeated. "Fine, I'm in."

Yuno, standing beside him, watched the scene with pure disdain. "Disgusting."

Ryan immediately snapped back, his voice as sharp as ever. "Shut up, Pinkie."

Mion clapped her hands, energized. "Alright! The first challenge will be… GOLD-FISH!" She pointed toward a stall as if presenting the festival's grand prize.

Ryan tilted his head, confusion written all over his face, and asked in a slightly timid yet incredulous tone:

"What the hell is goldfish?"

Mion saw her chance to shine. With a mischievous grin, she raised her hand and dramatically drew in a breath, ready to launch into an enthusiastic explanation. But before she could even begin, Rika stepped in, speaking in a calm and informative tone:

"The Goldfish game is a traditional Japanese activity called kingyo sukui, or 'goldfish rescue.' Participants use a small paper net, called a poi, to try and catch the goldfish from a basin before the net tears. The goal is to catch as many fish as possible without breaking the net. It's a fun and challenging game that requires skill and patience."

Rika finished her explanation with a small, satisfied smile, while Mion crossed her arms, frustrated at losing her moment to shine.

Ryan, looking surprised, stared at Rika. "Damn, Rika, since when did you turn into ChatGPT?"

Before anyone could question further, Mion grabbed Yuno's and Rena's hands, dragging them toward the stall. "And the first round will be Yuno Gasai, the city outsider, versus Ryuuguu Rena, the mighty cuteness hunter of Hinamizawa!"

Rena placed her hands on her cheeks, almost melting with joy. "Aaahh, these goldfish are so cute! I'm taking all of them home!"

Yuno rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue. "I'm not participating in this nonsense…"

Ryan, noticing that the lively atmosphere might be ruined, decided to use humanity's oldest and most effective technique. With a sarcastic tone, he placed a hand on Yuno's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Yuno? Can't even catch a simple goldfish?"

His taunt sliced through the air like a sharp blade. Even the sound of cicadas seemed to pause.

Yuno turned to him, her gaze filled with murderous fury. "Give me that damn thing." She snatched the small paper net from the attendant's hand and prepared to scoop a fish.

But… she failed. Miserably.

"THIS THING IS RIGGED!" she shouted, throwing the net to the ground like a tantrum-throwing child.

Ryan stifled a laugh, murmuring, "Rigged or just a lack of skill?"

Fuming, Yuno grabbed him by the arm and dragged him forward. "Mion, this round doesn't count! I want to see Mr. Big Shot here catch the fish."

The group couldn't hold back their laughter as Ryan was practically shoved toward the tank.

"Alright, alright! No need to dunk me in the aquarium!" he grumbled, picking up a net and trying, with all the patience in the world, to catch a fish.

Of course, he failed too. "Damn… rigged." He averted his gaze, clearly frustrated.

Yuno crossed her arms, smirking smugly. "Oh? Really? Thought it was just a lack of skill."

Ryan shrugged, unfazed. "That's why I play gacha games. There's always a guarantee. Here, not even a loot box shows up."

Yuno glared at him with pure disgust, as if he'd confessed to a heinous crime.

"Shit, looking at me like that, it almost feels like I'm a criminal. Well... never mind, that's not the case." Ryan murmured, looking away as the group laughed at the scene.

After Rena's crushing victory—or rather, "the mighty cuteness hunter of Hinamizawa's triumph"—they moved on to the next challenge: Shateki, a shooting game where participants use toy rifles (usually spring or air-powered) to knock down prizes.

"This time, the contestants will be Masachika, 'The Great L0l! Hunter,' and me, Mion, the 'Club Games Master.' Be warned, Masachika-kun, I won't go easy on you! Hehe." She pointed at him with a smug smile, clearly building anticipation.

Ryan stood still for a moment, furrowing his brows indignantly before speaking. "Hey! Who the hell is L0l! Hunter?"

Wasting no time, Mion grabbed the air rifle from the counter. "I'll go first."

Mion demonstrated excellent aim. Despite the rifle's intentionally weak power, designed to make it harder for players to gauge the trajectory accurately, she still managed to hit 5 out of 10 shots.

"Haha! Let's see you do better!" Mion boasted, resting the rifle on her shoulder and scratching her nose with pride.

Ryan sighed, walking up to the counter. He glanced at the prizes and, with a mocking expression, pointed to two stuffed bunnies. "Hey, sir, how many shots do I need to win these two?"

The man smiled, gesturing with his hand and replying in a mocking tone, "Hold on, kid. Those two plushies are the grand prize."

Ryan placed his hand on his hip, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh? Sir, I asked how many shots I need, not what kind of prize they are."

The vendor couldn't hold back a chuckle and, with a smug expression, handed Ryan a rifle while replying, "Since you seem so confident, let's make this a special challenge for you."

He walked to the shelf and placed a sticker on each bunny's ear. "You'll have 20 shots, but you can only miss once. If you hit all the other shots precisely on the stickers, the two bunny will be your."

The man grinned mischievously. "But for every shot you miss—beyond the first, of course—you'll owe me the cost of two tokens."

Ryan took the air rifle with a sly grin and fired without saying a word. The shot came close but missed.

Yuno, like a snake, leaned in close to his ear, her warm breath audible. Her voice dripped with sarcasm and disdain as she taunted him, trying to break his focus. "Wow, I expected so much more from a Sniper. Can't even win a bunny for a lovely lady?"

Ryan controlled his breathing and, in a provocative gesture, spun the rifle in his hand, holding it with just one. "Thanks for the test shot, old man," he said, his voice laced with pride.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ryan began firing consecutively at the target, hitting the exact same point with each shot. His precision was so flawless that by the 16th shot, one of the bunnies fell off the shelf. Undeterred, he hit it mid-air with the remaining three shots.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" everyone shouted in unison as Ryan spun the rifle in his hand again, pretending to be a sheriff who had just taken down his target.

After Ryan Ghosting's—also known as Masachika to the uninitiated—impressive display, his ego was soaring. He handed one of the plush bunnies to Rena, who squealed excitedly about taking it home, and the other to Satoko, hoping to cheer her up.

However, the seemingly innocent gesture visibly irked Yuno. Not that it was jealousy—at least, not as one might imagine—but rather the growing impression that Ryan was living up to the less-than-honorable title of "L0l!-hunter."

Keiichi, noticing Yuno's serious expression, misinterpreted everything. With his chest puffed up in determination, he declared, "Hey, mister! I want a token too!"

Everyone turned to him as Satoko laughed provocatively. "Oohohoho! Keiichi-kun is going to try and copy Masachika, but he'll just embarrass himself. Ohohoho!"

Keiichi's eyebrows twitched as he retorted irritably, "Brat! Of course, I'm not trying to copy…" He averted his gaze, muttering under his breath, "I just need to do the basics…"

Determined to prove himself, Keiichi started firing. He hit enough targets to win a rag doll, and to him, the accomplishment was as monumental as surpassing Ryan.

"Ahhh, Keiichi, this doll is so cute too!" Rena exclaimed, already pinching the doll's cheeks.

"Really?" Keiichi responded, admiring the prize with pride, as Mion approached with an amused smile.

"I think you're a great shooter too," Mion commented, though her smile faded when she saw Keiichi, cheeks slightly flushed, handing the doll to Yuno.

"Here, Yuno. You can have it," he said.

Yuno, initially serious, sighed. Her voice came out deliberately gentle, almost rehearsed, as she accepted the doll. "Thank you, Keiichi. That's very thoughtful of you."

From a distance, Ryan, observing the scene beside Rika, muttered sarcastically under his breath, "Fake as hell…"

But, as if she heard the jab, Yuno shot him a side-eye glare that made Ryan swallow hard.

Keiichi, still trying to maintain a conversation with Yuno, stumbled over his words. Meanwhile, Mion watched the scene, her confusion slowly giving way to a melancholic expression.

"I'll be right back, Keiichi." Yuno cut the conversation short with a curt remark and began walking toward Ryan.

Keiichi stood frozen in place, dumbfounded, as Yuno reached Ryan. She attempted to slap him, but he dodged reflexively. Undeterred, she grabbed his hand firmly and started dragging him away from the group.

Keiichi, witnessing the scene, murmured with barely concealed disappointment, "Ryan… she's not just your friend, is she?"

Mion tried to grab Keiichi's attention, her voice cheerful but forced. "Hey, Keiichi-kun, what do you think about heading to the next club activity?"

Keiichi responded evasively, waving quickly as he began to walk away.

"I'll be back soon, Mion! I just need to buy something!"

Mion watched as he dashed off, the enthusiasm on her face fading into a look of sadness.

"Oh… okay..."

Rena and Satoko, noticing their friend's discomfort, called her to continue exploring the stalls. After a brief pause, Mion forced a smile and joined them, trying to hide her disappointment.

On the other side of the festival, Yuno was dragging Ryan and Rika into a more secluded spot, clearly irritated.

"All I'm seeing is a regular little festival here, Rika! Where's the danger you mentioned? Your friends seem perfectly normal to me."

Ryan, his voice dripping with sarcasm, couldn't resist taking a jab.

"Except for Keiichi. That guy's crazy enough to hit on you with those eyes of yours—like you'd rip his balls off at the last second."

Yuno clenched her teeth in fury. Without hesitation, she attempted to hit him, simultaneously pulling a small knife she had hidden in her sock. But Ryan's sharp reflexes kicked in—he grabbed her wrist, spun her around with practiced ease, and pinned her in a restraining hold from behind.

"This again? Seriously?" he muttered with a mocking grin.

Before their classic bickering could escalate further, Rika's voice broke through with an unusual seriousness that silenced them both.

"Not until after my dance…"

They turned toward her. Rika's gaze was lowered, her expression unusually somber.

"Not until after my dance. Today is a happy day…"

Her melancholy tone left both Ryan and Yuno visibly unsettled. They exchanged glances, silently agreeing:

"Truce for now."

The tension dissipated, and the trio remained in uneasy silence as they awaited the evening's main event.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and purple, Rika excused herself to prepare. She returned a short while later, dressed in the traditional attire for the Watanagashi ritual: a white yukata with red accents. Her hair was elegantly tied up, adorned with delicate ornaments that glimmered under the flickering torchlight.

The festival-goers began gathering around the central stage, their chatter subsiding as the sacred moment approached. Rika stepped onto the stage with measured, graceful steps, the deep thrum of drums signaling the beginning of the ritual.

She began to dance with fluid, serene movements, every gesture a blend of tranquility and solemnity. Her arms swayed as though mimicking the wind, holding a golden sickle that she used to open a cotton-filled cushion with careful precision. Her movements were light, like a butterfly gliding on air.

To Ryan, however, it looked less like she was opening a cushion and more like she was disemboweling someone with that thing.

The drumbeats were accompanied by the soft whisper of the wind, and the crowd watched in absolute silence, as though time itself had paused. Rika's dance was hypnotic, her motions weaving an almost otherworldly spell over the gathering. She spun gracefully, ending the performance with a deep, reverent bow. The torches around the stage flickered faintly, as if acknowledging her energy.

There was an ethereal quality to the performance, a combination of serenity and an ineffable melancholy that seemed to touch everyone differently. Ryan stood with his arms crossed, observing in contemplative silence. Yuno, for all her usual composure, seemed unusually absorbed in the scene, her piercing eyes fixed on every detail.

When the dance concluded, the crowd erupted into applause. Yet, Rika stood motionless for a moment, her gaze distant, as if fixated on something unseen. Finally, she descended from the stage, a small but enigmatic smile gracing her lips as the murmurs of celebration swirled around her.

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