Ezekiel lay flat on the stiff hotel bed, staring at the ceiling. His phone rested on his chest, the faint glow of the screen the only light in the room.
'So let me get this straight… he thought. I have [Radiance]. Radiance. A literal glowing moth goddess who can fry ghouls like mosquitoes at a barbecue.'
He rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket halfway over his head. 'If I nuke one ghoul, sure, I look like a hero… but then the CCG comes after me. And if I nuke the CCG? Every ghoul and investigator in Tokyo is gonna see me as a target. Great… just made myself the common enemy of everyone.'
'He sighed, shutting his eyes. So no, I can't just solo the verse. Not unless I want to speedrun my own funeral. Guess step one is… survive. Keep my head down. Use [Radiance] as my secret nuke.'
Ezekiel wanted to check his system again, and just like that, the blue screen flickered back into view.
But this time, something new caught his eye.
Alongside the familiar [GACHA] tab… there was another one: [Shop].
Curious, he tapped it. A new window slid open, showing neat rows of tickets in different colors and tiers Bronze, Silver, Gold… all the way up to Divine.
At the bottom, his current balance blinked at him: [Points: 0].
He clicked on the little "?" symbol beside it.
[Points are earned by interacting with the world and its characters. The deeper the impact, the greater the reward.]
"…Interact with the cast? Are you kidding me?" he muttered, dragging a hand down his face.
Ezekiel slumped back on the bed, staring at the glowing shop tab.
'So I have to interact with these psychos…' he muttered under his breath, glaring at the screen. 'On one side, ghouls most of them would just bite my ass the second I blink. On the other side? Even weirder people: the CCG, controlled by that cursed Washuu family.'
He rubbed his temples, thinking it through.
But then a cold thought struck him like a bucket of ice water.
'Wait… I don't even know when I am in the story.' His stomach tightened. 'But Mado's still alive… so it can't be that late.'
He exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Ye, fuck it. That's a problem for the me of tomorrow."
For now, surviving the night was enough.
His body sank into the mattress, and with his mind buzzing with too many thoughts to process, sleep pulled him under almost instantly.
When his eyes cracked open again, the first soft rays of sunlight were creeping through the window, bathing the room in a pale, golden glow. He rubbed at his face, groggy, then dragged himself into the bathroom.
The shower sputtered to life, lukewarm water pattering against his skin. It washed away the grime and tension that clung to him. By the time he stepped out, toweling his hair, he finally looked into the mirror.
The face staring back made him freeze. He was still the same 1m72 skinny guy he'd always been… but his hair and eyes had changed. What once was black was now pure white snow-white, like something out of a manga panel. He leaned closer, tilting his head from left to right.
"Did… I get more handsome?" he whispered, then shook his head. "No. Pretty. That's the word. Shit. Why couldn't it be manly instead?"
He sighed, running a hand through his pale hair. "Guess I'll have to start working out…"
His stomach growled loud enough to echo. "Yeah, yeah, I get it," he muttered to himself.
Pulling on the same clothes, he headed downstairs to the hotel's tiny dining area. It was nothing fancy just a couple of tables, a vending machine humming in the corner, and the faint smell of fried food. Ezekiel ordered something cheap.
While eating, Ezekiel couldn't stop thinking about all the ways things could go wrong. 'Anteiku… that's where most of the cast is. Maybe I can figure out if Rize is still alive… but what if she's hunting me?'
His stomach tightened. 'If she attacks me… I don't stand a chance. [RADIANCE] is strong, but I'm just a human. I could get crushed before I even blink.'
He chewed slowly 'And the CCG… if I mess up, they'll probably kill me too. Or arrest me. Or both.'
Ezekiel's fingers drummed on the table nervously. 'Maybe I can use [RADIANCE]… quietly. Not as a weapon, just in case someone attacks me. If I make them think I'm stronger than I am, maybe they'll hesitate.'
'For once… I actually feel a little bit free'
Ezekiel left the hotel, phone tucked in his pocket, eyes scanning every street and alley. The early morning sun painted Shibuya in gold, but he didn't feel safe. Every shadow, every passerby, made him flinch.
'Okay… Anteiku. Find Rize, figure out what's going on. Don't get eaten, don't get arrested. Simple.'
The closer he got to Anteiku, the more crowded the streets became. He dodged pedestrians, trying not to bump into anyone. His mind raced through worst-case scenarios.
When he finally spotted the familiar cafe sign of Anteiku, a pang of relief hit him. The warm smell of coffee and baked goods wafted out. He paused, taking a deep breath. 'Okay… here goes nothing.'
Ezekiel pushed the door open, keeping his posture relaxed and expression neutral. On the outside, he looked like any other customer walking into a café. On the inside, though… his thoughts were ticking over. Rize probably won't attack here. The others are too wary of the CCG and Kuzen. Just act normal… observe… don't give them a reason to notice me.
POV: Tōka Kirishima
Tōka looked up as the door creaked. A human. Not from around here, she figured immediately. Calm, confident, but… slightly stiff. Something about him seemed off, though she couldn't put her finger on it.
She went back to arranging the counter, glancing at him occasionally. He didn't smell like a ghoul, and he didn't behave like a normal visitor either. Just… cautious.
'Hmm… keep an eye on him', she thought. Nothing more for now.