"Alright, if you're ready to celebrate, hold off a bit longer!"
Ryuji's voice cut through the joy-filled atmosphere, waving his hand as if to halt everyone.
"It's not over yet."
"...What?"
His words froze everyone in place.
Not over?
What did he an by that?
Even Arisu turned to look at him in confusion, her composed deanor showing a crack of uncertainty.
"Wait, isn't Shouko's problem already solved?"
Yaeko and Yuzuru, who had just begun to relax, imdiately tensed up again.
Their hearts, which had finally settled, now felt like they were lodged in their throats.
"What do you an?" Yaeko asked anxiously, her voice trembling.
Could it be that Shouko was still in danger?
"What I pulled out earlier was only a trace of Sadako's resentnt," Ryuji explained calmly. "The real Sadako hasn't appeared yet."
"...What?"
Shouko blinked, stunned.
Ryuji's tone remained casual, but his words carried a weight that made everyone uneasy.
"This is how the curse works. When you watch the videotape, Sadako leaves a mark on you, and after seven days, she cos to claim you," Ryuji explained, his voice even. "The phantom I pulled out earlier was just that, a projection, not Sadako herself."
"So… what do we do now?"
Yuzuru's voice was filled with worry, her usual brave front slipping.
Did this an Shouko was still marked by the curse?
"Relax," Ryuji said, waving a hand dismissively. "I did this on purpose. Clearing the mark ensures Sadako senses it and cos sooner."
"You wanted her to co sooner?" Arisu asked, narrowing her eyes as she began to understand.
"Exactly," Ryuji replied, smirking slightly. "I don't have the ti to sit around waiting seven days for her to show up. Better to lure her out now."
He glanced at Shouko and the others, his voice steady and confident.
"Sadako's marks carry her aura. When I removed them, it created a ripple she couldn't ignore. Now, all we have to do is wait. She'll co, and I'll take care of her."
His tone was so nonchalant that it almost sounded like he was discussing the weather.
But to everyone else, the idea of a curse as infamous as Sadako being a re inconvenience was hard to wrap their heads around.
"...Okay," Yaeko said hesitantly, trying to trust him.
"Zzz… zzz…"
The faint sound of static suddenly echoed in the room, cutting through the tense silence.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the source, the lightbulb in the living room began flickering ominously.
"What's going on?" Yaeko asked, looking at the ceiling nervously.
She was sure she'd paid the electricity bill.
"She's here," Ryuji said, his voice calm but sharp. His gaze narrowed as he glanced toward the flickering light.
"Bang!"
Without warning, the lightbulb shattered, plunging the living room into darkness.
"Ahhhhh!"
The sudden darkness caused Masumi to let out a startled scream.
The sound was loud, almost comical, but no one had ti to react.
Realizing she was the only one screaming, Masumi cleared her throat awkwardly.
"...Ahem."
In the dark, her embarrassnt was hidden, but she still felt the heat of it crawling up her neck.
"You need to work on your courage," Arisu said dryly, her calm voice cutting through the tension.
"...I'm sorry we're not all as fearless as you," Masumi muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes in the darkness.
This was a normal reaction for any girl, right? Was she really the only one afraid?
"Zzz… zzz… zzz…"
The static noise grew louder, and suddenly, the TV in the living room flickered on by itself.
The screen was filled with snow-like static, the faint glow casting eerie shadows across the room.
"What is that?" Yuzuru whispered, clutching Shouko's hand tightly.
The once-muted TV now emitted an unsettling sound, and everyone stared as the static began to clear.
On the screen, an image slowly ca into focus—a forest with an old, deserted well.
"That's it!" Shouko gasped, her voice trembling. "That's what I saw on the videotape!"
The image was burned into her mory. She recognized it instantly.
"Don't worry," Ryuji said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
His touch, combined with his calm voice, was enough to steady her nerves.
"I'm here."
Three simple words, but they carried a weight of certainty that cald Shouko's pounding heart.
She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with hope and trust.
"Okay," she said softly, nodding.
Ryuji's unwavering confidence seed to wash away her fear.
"It's definitely special grade," Ryuji murmured, his tone more analytical now.
Most people wouldn't notice anything unusual.
But as a sorcerer, Ryuji could feel it, the cursed energy emanating from the screen was oppressive, suffocating even.
The air in the room grew heavier, and the aura made it clear: Sadako wasn't just a legend. She was a special-grade cursed spirit.
On the TV, the image of the well began to shift.
A pale hand erged, clawing its way up the side of the well.
Everyone held their breath as the figure slowly ca into view, a woman in a white dress, her hair disheveled and hanging over her face.
Sadako.
The oppressive energy in the room intensified as Sadako crawled out of the well.
Her movents were jerky and unnatural, like a broken marionette.
As she moved closer to the screen, the tension in the room skyrocketed.
"Is she… coming out of the TV?" Yuzuru whispered, her voice shaking.
Sadako's pale hand reached forward, and in an instant, it passed through the screen.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"
Masumi scread again, fully giving in to her fear this ti.
She didn't care if anyone judged her, this was terrifying.
How was no one else reacting like this? Were they even human?
But as she glanced around the room, she saw that Ryuji's expression hadn't changed.
Arisu and even Shouko were surprisingly calm as well.
This realization made Masumi's scream trail off into a frustrated sigh.
"Seriously, how are you all not afraid?" she muttered, clutching her chest.
****
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