Uesugi Ryu casually slipped the collection tape into his pocket, the corners of his mouth curling into a cryptic smile.
He hadn't expected that even after transmigrating to another world, he'd still get the chance to admire her works.
He then took out the Soul of the Broken Dragon. A pale gray, transparent orb of light appeared in his hand.
However, the moment the orb materialized, a wave of unprecedented, crushing pressure surged forth like a tide.
The force nearly suffocated him. A few beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Uesugi Ryu drew in a deep breath and instantly stored the thing back into the system's spatial inventory.
"Soul of the Broken Dragon... Looks like I really am turning into a Little Dragon Man."
He had a feeling the system was doing this on purpose. This item paired too perfectly with his Soul Devourer skill, like a match made in heaven.
After integrating the three newly acquired E-rank skills, Uesugi Ryu's Intelligence stat had risen significantly compared to before.
Still, accepting three skills at once made his head feel swollen and overstuffed.
Especially Hand-to-Hand Combat Mastery—the sheer volume of combat techniques and experience surged into his mind like a tidal wave and seared itself into his memory.
It was so vivid that it almost gave him the illusion that he had trained in martial arts for over a decade.
As for Hand of God, well, the usage was simple: just mentally chant the word "steal."
Then there was Flash Technique, his first proper mage-type skill. Uesugi Ryu found himself itching to play with it.
Until now, he had always been a melee-focused spellcaster, never quite getting the full mage experience.
Unable to suppress his curiosity and excitement, Uesugi Ryu was just about to cast the spell. The incantation was already on the tip of his tongue when he suddenly remembered, the room still had a crow in it.
He quickly spoke up.
"Mephisto, close your eyes. Or better yet, go wait in the next room."
Mephisto had a bad feeling. With a flap of its wings, it flew into another room.
Once he was sure Mephisto had left, Uesugi Ryu began to focus, channeling the surge of mana within him.
As it was his first time using the spell, his movements were a bit clumsy. Following the incantation stored in his memory, he began to chant.
With a sound like a low whisper or soft singing, a dazzling burst of light suddenly exploded in the room, illuminating the space as brightly as day.
After satisfying his curiosity for a moment, Uesugi Ryu ended the spell.
As he grew more proficient, he'd eventually be able to cast it without chanting.
This skill was basically a high-grade flashbang. It didn't deal much extra damage to evil-aligned creatures, but its idealism-based targeting mechanic was amusing.
Suddenly reminded of something, Uesugi Ryu muttered to himself.
"Wait... doesn't Arima have glaucoma in his right eye by now?"
"Glaucoma... that's light-sensitive, isn't it?"
The moment the thought hit him, a glint flashed in his eyes, and his lips unconsciously curled into a grin.
...
"Hinami-chan, this is my friend, Uesugi Ryu," Kaneki Ken said with a gentle smile as he introduced the man to Fueguchi Hinami.
Hinami nervously inched behind Kaneki, her tiny figure nearly hidden behind his back. Her small hands clutched tightly at the hem of his coat, as if clinging to a sense of security.
In truth, Hinami's parents were both alive now, and she lived a happy life. Logically, she shouldn't be this timid around strangers.
But her senses were sharp, and Uesugi Ryu's aura of blood was overwhelmingly thick.
He also gave off a strange and terrifying presence, like a higher-order predator.
Seeing how timid she was, Uesugi Ryu could only shrug helplessly. Was he really that scary-looking?
"So," he asked, "what are you doing bringing this little one out with you?"
Kaneki scratched the back of his head and replied with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry about that, Ryu."
"Hinami-chan really loves Takatsuki-sensei's books. She's always hoped for a chance to meet her in person."
"Takatsuki-sensei's health hasn't been great lately, and several of her scheduled signing events were canceled. We finally got this rare opportunity today."
After speaking, Kaneki lightly patted Hinami's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile.
"I just hope Takatsuki-sensei is okay... who knows what's really going on," he murmured, his voice tinged with concern.
Standing nearby, Uesugi Ryu couldn't help but smirk at those words.
There's no way she was "okay." He was the one who had injured her—he knew exactly how bad it was. With the way he carved into her, she'd be lucky to be walking, let alone healthy.
Still, he kept a straight face and nodded calmly.
"I see. Then yes, I suppose it's worth going to meet her while the chance still exists. It might be the last."
Kaneki blinked, momentarily stunned by the weight of those words. He couldn't help but ponder their hidden meaning.
Just then, Hinami, as if finally mustering all her courage, poked her head out from behind Kaneki's back.
She shyly waved her hand toward Uesugi Ryu and whispered, "H-hello..."
Though her voice was faint as a mosquito's hum, Uesugi Ryu picked it up immediately.
Smiling gently, he crouched down and leaned forward slightly, lowering himself to her eye level.
Smiling back, he greeted her warmly.
"Hello, Hinami-chan~"
Hinami nodded, then asked curiously, "Onii-san, do you also like Takatsuki-sensei's books? Which one's your favorite?"
Standing nearby, Kaneki watched the two get along and felt a quiet sense of relief.
From the way Uesugi Ryu had treated Yoshimura, Kaneki could tell, Ryu wasn't someone who blindly hated ghouls.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the bookstore, a large crowd of fans had already gathered, forming a long line.
But the highly anticipated Takatsuki Sen-sensei had yet to make an appearance.
Uesugi Ryu raised a hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully, then put on a serious expression.
"Actually, I'm not particularly fond of any one of Takatsuki-sensei's works."
"What I like... is Takatsuki-sensei herself."
"As for her books, I haven't really read many."
He wasn't lying. Uesugi Ryu's true interest lay in her kakuhou and her life.
Wasn't that also a form of "liking"? (～￣▽￣)～
Hearing this, Hinami's eyes went wide in astonishment. She instinctively raised her small hand to cover her mouth.
"Eh?"
Kaneki turned to Uesugi Ryu with a baffled expression, somewhere between shock and exasperation.
"Ryu, don't you already have a girlfriend? Isn't this a little... inappropriate?"
Uesugi Ryu simply spread his arms and shrugged with a nonchalant look.
"So what?"
There were plenty of fans around, and Uesugi Ryu made no effort to lower his voice. Immediately, he drew scornful glances from people nearby.
Those who got a good look at his face couldn't help but silently curse in their hearts.
"He looks so decent, but he's a complete scumbag."