Villainous Me: Help! The heroines are yanderes!
Chapter 72 - 71: I know you[GTG]

Chapter 72: Chapter 71: I know you[GTG]

Ryan’s POV:

My mind reeled, overloaded by the absurd information displayed on the translucent menu hovering in front of me. It wasn’t just the dramatic increase in stamina that left me flabbergasted - that stat had skyrocketed to a level that seemed impossible. Even more unbelievable was the newfound strength coursing through my veins. It felt like I could cleave a man in two with a single swing of my bare arm.

But the most mystifying addition was the ’affinity’ section. Apparently, the universe had a peculiar sense of humor. A dark chuckle escaped my lips, a hint of manic glee mixed with disbelief. Finally, after being the weakest ass for as long as I could remember, the tables had turned.

However, a nagging suspicion gnawed at me. What triggered this metamorphosis? Was it somehow linked to that bizarre dream, the one filled with fragmented memories that sent shivers down my spine? And this... this profound sadness clinging to me like a shroud. It felt like a vital piece of me was missing, a gaping hole waiting to be filled.

A sudden groan ripped through the silence, snapping me out of my introspective fog. I whipped my head around to see the pink-haired girl stirring on the floor, her eyelids fluttering open. "What the actual..." I blurted out, dumbfounded by her rapid recovery from my sneak attack. How was this possible?

Panic surged through me. I scrambled to my feet, frantically searching for anything that could be used as a weapon. My trusty katana was probably lost in the chaos, and the rest of the room offered nothing substantial. The pale moonlight streamed through the shattered windowpanes, casting an eerie glow on the scene of devastation. The ceiling looked like it might cave in at any moment, and the scorched carpet and shattered furniture screamed of a past battle. What kind of messed-up place did she choose to hide out in, anyway?

Knocking her unconscious again was a tempting option, but the memory of her previous resilience gave me pause. Besides, I had no clue how to harness this newfound affinity, let alone the shadow affinity that seemed to simmer beneath the surface. With a grimace, I carefully maneuvered her limp form off my lap. Things might have been different if she wasn’t such a tempting combination of control freak and raving lunatic.

Relief washed over me as I managed to extricate myself from her embrace. I retreated towards the door, hoping for a silent escape. But as I reached for the knob, a wave of frustration hit me. It was locked. "Damn it!" I cursed under my breath. So much for a clean getaway.

With no weapons at my disposal, escape seemed like the most logical course of action. But a locked door threw a wrench in my plans. I scanned the room one last time, searching for anything that could aid my escape. The windows, though shattered, were fortified with metal bars on the outside - the same went for every other window in the room.

My gaze fell on the staircase leading upwards. Maybe there was a way out on the top floor, a hidden terrace or fire escape. But just as I considered heading up, I dismissed the idea. The chances of finding an escape route there seemed slim.

With a sigh of resignation, I tiptoed towards the stairs. A noise from behind sent a jolt of adrenaline through me. I glanced back to see her sitting up, one hand rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the other resting on her thigh. A flicker of recognition crossed her features, and her expression hardened in an instant.

"Screw this!" I yelled, bolting up the stairs, ignoring the throbbing pain in my leg. The rickety floorboards seemed determined to betray me. As I stepped on the second stair, it gave way beneath my weight, sending me crashing through.

"Ow!" I yelped, scrambling to my feet and pulling my leg free from the broken wood. I whipped around to find her staring at me in confusion, one eyebrow raised. But then, a spark of recognition ignited in her eyes, and her demeanor shifted dramatically.

"This is pointless!" I roared, launching myself up the remaining stairs with renewed vigor. But she was hot on my heels. "Stop running! I need to talk to you!" she screamed behind me. As if I’d fall for such a cheap trick.

I reached the top floor, only to be greeted by a gaping hole. The entire top floor had been obliterated, leaving behind a vast empty space that spoke volumes about the destructive forces at play. Relief flooded me - the height wasn’t too significant, I could jump down and make a break for it.

But just as I prepared to leap, a powerful grip clamped onto my arm. I spun around to find the pink-haired girl, her chest heaving.

Her grip was surprisingly strong, tinged with a desperate plea. "Please," she rasped, her voice laced with exhaustion, "just listen to me, I know who you are!"

I wrestled against her hold, a surge of primal fear coursing through me. But to my surprise, the wind tendrils binding me dissipated with a flicker of my wrist, it seems i was right about my strength hypothesis after all.

"Fine," I conceded, panting slightly. I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence, but I was curious. Besides, jumping down now seemed less than appealing considering the precariousness of my footing.

I materialized a ball of swirling darkness in my palm, just im case. It pulsed with an ominous energy, a stark contrast to the gentle moonlight filtering through the broken roof. But I knew this much was useless, considering shadow probably had no effect on humans... Or at least not that I know of.

"Talk," I ordered, my voice hoarse. I took a cautious step back, keeping a wary eye on the edge of the broken floor. Escape was still very much an option, but for now, her words held a strange power over me.