Chapter 46

After walking for a while, the trio of Oreki, Ryo, and Yoruchi got a bit far away from the Restaurant.

Oreki, Ryo, and Yourici paused their strides, Oreki directing his attention towards Ryo. "Ryo, could we maybe hold off on purchasing the instrument?" He asked nicely to Ryo as he know how obsess this girl to buying stuff that she wasted all of her allowance just to buy a bunch of Base guitar.

"It's your choice but can I ask why?" Ryo curious at Oreki's reason to postpone their shopping spree. this is already considering wasting a lot of Oreki's money.

"Well, I'd like to get a second opinion" Oreki continued, observing Ryo's brow furrowing slightly before elaborating further. "It's not that I don't trust your judgment, but I think it would be beneficial to have the input of the other vocalist from my band." he add more to her reasoning but that's not really the reason, he just want the day to end already. 'Meeting Hoshino-san and doing something to Hikaru already made my day." Recalling Hoshino's pleasant demeanor, he couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. and what he did to Hikaru bring even more satisfying end to the day. He grafted mental fatigue with a bit of depressing thoughts from the nearby people to Hikaru as an experiment if Hikaru will commit seppuku on his own. If Hikaru did commit seppuku then that's good cause that will prevent him from dirtying his hands but he wish to be able to kill Hikaru by his own hands as he want to see the reaction of Hikaru's protector from above.

"I see, I understand" Ryo nodded in response to Oreki's explanation. However, a hint of skepticism lingered in her expression as she questioned further, "Is this vocalist at least knowledgeable?" Her inquiry hinted at both her doubt in the vocalist's expertise or perhaps she is just disappointment at the prospect of her spending more money unnecessarily being curbed by another opinion.

"Of course she is, why else would I choose her as the second vocalist if she wasn't knowledgeable or a good singer?" Oreki explained with a smile, though behind it, thoughts of the woman's fate in that universe clouded his expression. Reflecting on the unfortunate circumstances of many in that world, he couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration at the waste of life. However, his resolve remained unchanged; he had no intention of intervening to save them. Like Shirou in the Heaven's Feel route, he was focused on saving only those he deemed worthy to be saved, echoing sentiments akin to "Forget the world, I'm saving Sakura" from the story.

Ryo nodded as she understand her own mistake then she stared at Oreki "My bad for questioning your friend"

Don't mind "Oreki wave his hands, dismissing Ryo's previous comment. He stare at Ryo "Could we exchange LINE IDs? So I can contact you again if we'll go shopping" Oreki inquired and explained, retrieving his phone from his pocket with a swift motion.

"Sure, why not?" Ryo replied, accepting his request with a brief moment of contemplation. Unlike Hikaru, whom she found to exude a rather unsettling aura, Ryo felt a sense of trust towards Oreki, making her decision all the more effortless.

With a smooth exchange of LINE IDs between Oreki and Ryo, Ryo turned her attention towards Yoruichi, extending her phone towards her companion. "What about you?" she inquired, prompting Yoruichi to participate in the exchange.

However, Yoruichi responded with a simple directive, holding her phone in check. "If you need anything, just reach out to this guy" she remarked, gesturing towards Oreki, who had already stowed his phone away in his pocket.

"Then I'll see you when you contact me" Ryo stated, already turning away and walking off without waiting for Oreki's response. Despite her abrupt departure, there was a sense of finality in her tone, indicating their interaction had reached its conclusion.

"Bye bye" Oreki called out, a genuine smile gracing his lips as he waved at Ryo's retreating figure amidst the bustling crowd. Though Ryo didn't wait for his farewell, Oreki's gesture of goodwill remained unaffected, expressing his appreciation for their encounter.

In response to Oreki's farewell, Ryo raised her arm in acknowledgment, a silent gesture of farewell before disappearing into the sea of people.

Yoruichi couldn't help but smile at Ryo's antics, her amusement evident in the arch of her eyebrows. Before she could voice her observation, Oreki beat her to it, confirming what they both had just witnessed.

"Yup, she did the classic cool walk-off goodbye" Oreki remarked, a wide grin adorning his face as he shook his head at Ryo's predictable behavior. Despite the predictability, he couldn't help but admire her confidence and style.

"What a cool girl" Oreki mused, imagining Ryo's expression at that moment.

Yoruichi's confusion deepened, her brow furrowing as she directed a puzzled gaze at Oreki. "Now what the hell was that all about?" she inquired, seeking clarification on Oreki's behavior around the guy named Hikaru early on.

With a smirk playing on his lips, Oreki feigned innocence, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "What did I do?" he asked innocently, fully aware of the answer but enjoying the playful exchange nonetheless.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at Oreki's behavior before remarking, "You know, being all over that guy's dick like a thirsty fangirl." She couldn't help but voice her skepticism, knowing there had to be a reason behind Oreki's unusual behavior. and she knew one of the reason

Ignoring Yoruichi's comment, Oreki continued walking towards a stall selling takoyaki. As he moved, he explained to Yoruichi, "I kind of overdid my praise to him, to the point where it's starting to make me cringe." His expression held a hint of regret as he gave a self-conscious smile.

Approaching the stall, Oreki addressed the owner and inquired about the price of an order. "How much for an order, boss?" he asked, glancing at the stall owner. However, instead of receiving a direct response, the boss simply pointed to a poster displaying the prices, wearing a frown on his face. Oreki, sensing the disapproval, quickly made an apologetic gesture in response.

Oreki and Yoruichi discussed the encounter with Hikaru, Oreki also couldn't help but comment on the prices of the takoyaki. "You already noticed what that guy tried to do with Ryo, right?" he asked Yoruichi, his gaze shifting between the menu and the stall owner. "Your takoyaki is pretty cheap, Boss. Are you even making a profit?" he inquired, his concern evident in his tone. Surprisingly, the previously frowning stall owner smiled at Oreki's genuine question, nodding in acknowledgment.

Yoruichi, too, reflected on the encounter with Hikaru as she scanned the menu. "Yeah, I noticed that too" she replied to Oreki, her eyes flitting between the options. "I was this close to jumping in and punching his smug face, but I held back because I knew you would do something" she admitted, her expression thoughtful as she debated whether to opt for takoyaki with cheese or the regular ones.

The boss's frown deepened slightly at Yoruichi's mention of violence, prompting him to wonder if they were troublemakers. However, he pushed aside his concerns, recognizing them as customers for now.

Meanwhile, Oreki chuckled lightly at Yoruichi's remark, his grin widening mischievously. "Don't worry, he'll get worse than a beating from me" he assured her, his tone confident. However, his words only served to deepen the boss's unease, as he couldn't shake the feeling that he had overheard something he shouldn't have. Glancing at Oreki's seemingly innocent face, he couldn't help but wonder if he was the son of a Yakuza Oyabun as they are openly talking about beating someone, his mind racing with all sorts of possibilities.

Hearing this, Yoruichi's curiosity was piqued by Oreki's remark, prompting her to inquire further. "Do you guys have a history or something?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly as she waited for his response. As she pondered her choice of takoyaki with cheese inside, 

"We'll get to that later after we order" Oreki replied, skillfully dodging Yoruichi's question as he focused on placing their order. Turning to the Boss, he specified their selections. "I want 2 regular takoyaki, 2 cheese takoyaki, and a regular takoyaki with jalapeno mayo."

As Oreki placed their order, the Boss became upright and respectful while smiling at Oreki, a demeanor that struck him as somewhat off-putting as he was frowning earlier a lot, prompting a faint frown. Nonetheless, he brushed off the feeling and continued with the order.

"What's your order?" Oreki inquired of Yoruichi, who promptly responded, "I want cheese takoyaki" licking her lips as she spoke.

"Then 3 cheese takoyaki, 2 regular takoyaki, and a regular takoyaki with jalapeno mayo. Did you get that, Boss?" Oreki confirmed their order with the Boss, who nodded in acknowledgment.

They stood around, chatting while they waited for the Boss to cook their freshly ordered takoyaki. "Do you know where he got that?" Oreki inquired. Meanwhile, the stall owner continued to eavesdrop on their conversation as he expertly cooked their takoyaki. His ears perked up at Oreki's question, though he maintained his focus on the task at hand, ensuring that their order was cooked to perfection.

Yoruichi frowned slightly at Oreki's question, uncertain of where Hikaru might have obtained his power. "I would assume he got it from someone powerful" she replied, offering a simple answer despite her uncertainty.

Oreki nodded sagely, acknowledging the strength of the source of Hikaru's ability however "You're right about him being powerful, if we look at it like from the perspective of a frog inside a Well" he mused, his tone carrying a hint of profundity. Then, with a proud calmness, he added, "But for me? I'm his Mount Tai."

However, Yoruichi, being relatively unfamiliar with certain aspects of pop culture, didn't fully grasp Oreki's reference. Sensing her confusion, Oreki signed for her to broaden her knowledge of different cultural references. "You need to read and study different pop culture, okay?" he suggested, to which Yoruichi nodded in agreement. Oreki then elaborated, "What I meant is, compared to me, he is weak" waving his hand casually to emphasize his point.

Curiosity sparked within Yoruichi as she sought to understand the identity of the individual who had granted Hikaru the ability to hypnotize people with his eyes. "So who was this weak guy that you are talking about?" she inquired, eager to unravel the mystery behind Hikaru's source of power.

Yoruichi's realization dawned upon her as she processed Oreki's words. "You mean the God of the Moon, Tsukoyomi?" she asked, turning to Oreki for confirmation, her eyes seeking validation of her understanding.

Oreki nodded in affirmation, confirming Yoruichi's suspicion with a casual demeanor. "Yep, that's the one" he confirmed, his expression nonchalant as he acknowledged Tsukoyomi's association with the non so potent ability granted to Hikaru.

"Now let me tell you why I want to kill Hikaru" Oreki said in a casual tone, his smirk directed at Yoruichi. Internally, he pondered, "Does Hikaru already contemplate committing seppuku after burdening himself with a slew of depressing thoughts and mental fatigue?"

Oreki was about to delve into his explanation, a sudden loud noise interrupted their conversation. Both Oreki and Yoruichi turned their heads toward the source of the disturbance, only to find the container of batter spilled all over the floor. Their attention shifted upwards to see the Boss staring at them with wide eyes and an open mouth. "What did I just hear?" the Boss thought to himself, a surge of fear gripping him as he contemplated the implications of what he had just overheard.

Concerned for the stall owner, Oreki quickly inquired, "You okay, Boss?" The Boss snapped back to reality, brought out of his momentary daze by Oreki's expression of concern for his well-being. "I'm okay, thank you for your concern" the Boss replied swiftly as to not make Oreki upset and target him.

"That's good then" Oreki nodded in relief before offering a friendly smile. "Do be careful next time though; you don't want to accidentally hurt yourself" he added, his tone laced with genuine concern. With that, Oreki and Yoruichi turned their heads back to each other, resuming their conversation where they had left off.

Meanwhile, the Boss couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling that lingered after Oreki's words. "Is he threatening me that he'll kill me and make it look like an accident?" the thought raced through his mind, sending shivers down his spine. Fear for his own safety gripped him as he contemplated the implications of the cryptic warning. Despite Oreki's seemingly innocent demeanor, the Boss couldn't shake off the sense of dread that had settled within him, casting a shadow over his thoughts and actions.

"The reason I want to kill the guy is quite simple and personal" Oreki said with a smile, his mind drifting to a future where Hoshino Ai was alive and thriving in her idol career. "I want to prevent him from killing the girl I like." His words held a mix of determination and affection for Hoshino Ai, the thought of her safety driving his resolve.

Turning to Yoruichi, Oreki posed a question, his expression thoughtful. "And do you think Ryo just stumbled upon him by accident?" His inquiry hinted at a deeper complexity to the situation.

"Do you mean he planned to kill Ryo in the future too?" Yoruichi asked, her voice tinged with concern as she began to piece together Hikaru's intentions regarding her new friend. The realization dawned on her that Ryo might be in danger, caught in the crosshairs of Hikaru's sinister plans.

"Don't worry, I've got this all under control" Oreki reassured Yoruichi, his tone surprisingly casual despite the gravity of his words. With a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, he continued, "I'm just waiting to see if he's going to kill himself in the next three days or maybe a week. And if he doesn't, I'll kill him myself." His words hung in the air.

Internally, Oreki mulled over the possible scenarios, contemplating the role Tsukoyomi might play in preventing Hikaru from taking his own life. He speculated that Tsukoyomi could employ a potent form of hypnosis or illusion to thwart Hikaru's self-destructive tendencies.

"What if Tsukoyomi prevents you from killing him?" Yoruichi's question cut through the air, her words laden with insight as she seemed to grasp the complexity of the situation. It was as if she could read Oreki like an open book, probing the potential obstacles he might face in carrying out his plan.

"Then he should rejoice that he will be my first god kill" Oreki remarked, his smirk reflecting a mix of determination and defiance. With a subtle movement, he mimicked the gesture of a certain priest from another anime world, adding a touch of playful bravado to his words. Despite the gravity of his statement, there was a hint of confidence in Oreki's demeanor, as if he were already anticipating the challenge that lay ahead.

They both turned to look at the Boss, who was visibly shaken after overhearing their conversation, but his apprehension didn't deter him from finishing the takoyaki order. Oreki, sensing the tension, decided to ease the atmosphere by taking out his wallet and paying for their meal. With a warm smile, he handed the money to the Boss, saying, "Keep up the good work, Boss." Oreki's sunny expression radiated genuine appreciation, but the Boss, with his wild imagination, interpreted the words differently, hearing them as a veiled threat rather than a simple compliment.

Despite the misunderstanding, Oreki and Yoruichi exchanged a knowing glance, silently acknowledging the Boss's overactive imagination. With a reassuring smile, they bid the Boss farewell and exited the stall, leaving him to ponder the cryptic words he had heard. As they walked away, Oreki couldn't help but chuckle at the Boss's interpretation, amused by the unintended consequences of their conversation.

but the Boss is correct on one thing, Oreki will be killing man and a god at same time,