Chapter 78: Duel in the Rainy Night19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9Xez7CETL
"Excuse me... Kouya, are you actually a magician?" Raphiel’s reply came almost instantly, accompanied by a trembling cat emoji clutching a fish as if for dear life.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL8Hp3W4Ue
Kouya blinked, staring at the screen. "What magician?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0MmTBoGij
"You know, the ones from the internet legends — those mysterious beings who, after being single for thirty years, awaken unparalleled power in their right hand? Their bodies filled with forbidden energy!" Raphiel’s message sparkled with mock curiosity.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMieqjDLL4F
You’ve got to be kidding me.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgpN4yyNVv
Of course, nothing decent ever comes out of your mouth!19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS76npNeBrx
"I’m warning you, one more word and you’ll regret it," Kouya replied flatly.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDCUdHVdHo
"If it’s by you, Kouya, I don’t mind..." came her reply, with a blushing face emoji. "After all, I must monitor you for the sake of world peace until I’m sure you’re not a danger."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhQAJtBspt
"You’re not some kind of divine envoy!" Kouya snapped, typing furiously. "You angels are supposed to be higher beings — even if humanity vanished tomorrow, you wouldn’t care!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVpjHsHIHN
"Oh my, Kouya, you really do understand me so well."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSEvMfbwUG
Kouya: "..."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fak79uI85
He tossed his phone onto the table and sighed.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlSmw8ftdb
...19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzH7R0IIdj7
When he finally got back to his apartment, the rhythmic sound of keyboard typing echoed faintly from Gabriel’s room next door. That lazy angel was clearly still glued to her computer, ‘cultivating’ her so-called online enlightenment.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJ62naZvx8
Kouya showered, changed into casual clothes, and made a quick dinner — instant curry, his usual. The room smelled faintly of spices. After finishing, he leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through his phone, browsing bizarre articles about UFO sightings and doomsday prophecies. By the time he realized it, night had fallen completely.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyVUpZWX1t
Then, out of nowhere, his phone rang.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXMm2iGk49
He frowned. The caller ID flashed: Takanashi Rikka.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTjcoajSVo
The ahoge girl from today?19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3BrU5lZez
He hesitated for a few seconds before answering.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVpHKPoVmA
"Hero! Hero, you have to come save me!" came Rikka’s voice, breathless and full of panic. "I was exploring the park to locate the Invisible Boundary Line, but I was ambushed by the Bureau’s Chief Regulator!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNtAKMq9Xu
Kouya froze, staring into space. He waited until she finished her entire delusional declaration before replying in a deadpan voice:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVy1O44H5h2
"Speak. Human. Language."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevitC5QQGy
"You’re so cruel, Kouya!" she pouted through the phone, sounding both hurt and dramatic. "Anyway, hurry and come save me, or you’ll lose me forever!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHVALNvJOC
Lose you? I never had you to begin with.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GLCl2MaNi
"Th-The Final Regulator is coming closer!" Rikka’s voice grew urgent, mixed with the sound of hurried footsteps and rain. "If she catches me, I’ll break apart!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShvwslRYup
What the hell?! That sounds like a crime scene, not a fantasy battle!19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBHCyXn1Mt
Then, a sharp scream echoed through the phone — and silence.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdtmTVcy5u
Kouya frowned. "...Did that idiot really get herself into trouble?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI5PkexCLL
It was probably just another one of her dramatics. Still, he had promised Vigne he’d look out for her.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTawORh3pMB
He groaned, grabbed his jacket, and stepped outside.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMsSOoEj8g
The cool night air hit him immediately. Raindrops pattered gently on the street.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJKZR2FYLK
Spring was ending, and the rainy season was beginning. The sky hung low and gray, and the faint drizzle made the asphalt glisten under the dim streetlights.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10svv7aaND
"She mentioned the park..." Kouya muttered. The rain wasn’t heavy enough for an umbrella, so he stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2tVXHQSsF
The streets were quiet. The sound of the rain against rooftops and puddles echoed softly in the distance. His shoes splashed lightly as he crossed the empty intersection and entered the small park.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsGtRuLx06
It was the same one where he had met Raphiel the week before — an old park, almost forgotten by time. The playground equipment was rusted and creaked in the wind. The lamps buzzed faintly, casting uneven yellow halos through the drizzle. Thin sheets of rain shimmered like silk threads beneath the dim light.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxdM3gRHTO
The air was cold, sharp with the scent of wet earth. The wind whispered through the trees. It was the kind of place that felt like a ghost story waiting to happen.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPW6N3p3tO
He followed the faint sound of movement deeper into the park — and soon spotted two figures in the gazebo.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoYGBhzeCe
...19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgDNE5MJnZ
Rikka stood on one side, clutching a black umbrella like a knight gripping her sword. Her stance was absurdly serious; her eyes burned with misplaced determination.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwIBzZwLbj
Facing her was a woman with long, glossy black hair and wine-red eyes that glowed faintly under the streetlight. She looked to be in her twenties — mature, beautiful, and undeniably intimidating. Her denim shorts revealed long, smooth legs, and her fitted black shirt clung to her body, highlighting curves that could make a model jealous.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oHoaCTod0
"Come home," the woman said quietly. Her voice was calm, but the chill in it made the temperature drop a few degrees.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJJToVYAoP
"No!" Rikka shouted back, her grip tightening on the umbrella. "I still have to find the Invisible Boundary Line with my Hero! We were so close tonight!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKqFcMAyRI
The woman exhaled softly — not quite a sigh, not quite a laugh. "In that case... I’ll have to teach you a lesson."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsleGCidlrT
Kouya leaned against a tree, watching in disbelief as the woman reached into her bag and drew her weapon.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgculyIS0eW
A spoon.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSDtm8UEhj
A simple, stainless steel cooking spoon.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dRulP3iBx
You’ve got to be kidding me.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaZP6HxaVD
This was supposed to be a showdown, and she’s pulling out kitchenware? Where’s the drama? The atmosphere just died on impact!19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApMKRxDCsX
"Y-You dare bring out the Judgment Spear of the Breaking Dawn again?!" Rikka cried, stepping back, eyes wide in horror.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLNt3WbztB
What? The Judgment Spear of what now? That thing isn’t even sharp!19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhqy7QEMtT
Rikka’s imagination was clearly working overtime.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ57zaxhpPT
The woman tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvW549qSHk
Rikka braced herself, her voice dropping to a deep tone as if narrating her own epic battle. "If that’s how it must be... then I’ll fight with all my might!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmyeYZbc3a
With a dramatic flick, she snapped open her umbrella. The sound echoed through the rain like thunder. "Defend, Dark Shield! Summon, Night Barrier!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJfEBqxT6A
The wind picked up as she charged, the rain swirling violently around her. For a second, Kouya had to admit — if you ignored reality, it actually looked kind of cool.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE4Txn2Ovm
"Eternal Spear — Avalon Break!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEXSqmzPc7
Her shout rang through the night — right before a metallic thwack! silenced it.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScD3bxsmAI
The spoon connected squarely with the top of her head.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdcpV8LvZT
So much for her ‘battle of destiny.’ One second of glory, instant defeat.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20PhRqLk5x
Rikka crouched, clutching her head. "Oww! That hurts! Sis, why are you hitting me again?!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYfx10AgrD
Wait, sis?19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfEKbq4iEm
Kouya squinted through the rain. Now that he looked closer, the resemblance was obvious — same eyes, same stubborn expression. Definitely siblings.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Lqf25vNpk
The woman sighed, tapping the spoon against her palm. "You’re out here in the rain again, aren’t you? Did you even finish your homework? How about your review assignments?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8KLiXiNTB
Rikka sniffled. "I was waiting for my Hero! We were going to find the Boundary Line together!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMpaSkNd5q
The woman’s brow twitched. "Your ‘Hero’? You mean that boy you just met? A male classmate? In the middle of the night? In a park? In the rain?" She exhaled deeply. "You’re coming home. Now."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1E07alrnGL
Rikka pouted fiercely. "I object!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTESRl1YGQY
"Objection denied," her sister said coldly. "What kind of girl meets a strange boy in a park at night? Absolutely not."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KagFbd69C
She pointed at the rain dripping off the gazebo roof. "And besides, he’s probably not coming. Smart boys stay home."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZED3SdF5D9
"He’ll come!" Rikka shouted, eyes bright with conviction. "We’re bound by destiny! We’ve already formed a contract!"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzg1aJp20k3
Kouya exhaled, rubbing his temple. That was his cue to leave.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGfCi7z8y9
He turned away, stepping back into the drizzle.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECTWdAmssM
Contracts, heroes, destinies — all just words to fill the void.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60qIV3o54W
He had taken only two steps when his phone buzzed again in his pocket, its ringtone echoing eerily through the quiet, rain-soaked park.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgum0a2n6wv
Kouya: "..."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyO6eq4S85
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9SfKq07Bp
1234 copyright protection15ＰＥＮＡＮＡvh1VaI1NWl 尼

216.73.216.33