That Time My Anime Life Got Cursed by Outer Gods-Chapter 24 - 23: Ambush in the Dark

Given the large number of items Shiro Sakamaki had purchased, the store offered free home delivery to accommodate the volume. After providing his address, he left the store with Megumi Kato.

As they passed by a boutique selling women's clothing, Shiro, without warning, grabbed a handbag from the clerk. Megumi's gaze shifted between the bag and the store's interior, and her expression grew curious, then puzzled. Eventually, her eyes settled on Shiro, clearly unsure of what to make of it.

Unable to withstand her scrutinizing look any longer, Shiro sighed in exasperation.

"Little Kato, if you've got something on your mind, just say it. That look is making me uncomfortable."

Megumi blinked, her tone casual.

"No, it's nothing. I didn't expect Shiro Sakamaki-kun to have... such unique tastes. But don't worry, I won't laugh at you."

That was when Shiro realized—he had just grabbed the handbag in a women's clothing store. Megumi probably thought he was shopping for himself. He couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. He handed the bag to her with a gentle smile.

"This is for you. I noticed you liked that dress earlier, so I decided to get it for you."

Megumi opened the bag and found the exact dress she had eyed, the price tag sending a jolt through her system. Two million yen. Her eyes widened, and she quickly pushed the bag back into Shiro's hands.

"This is too expensive. I can't accept it. Shiro Sakamaki, you need to return it. Don't waste your money."

But Shiro wouldn't relent. He took the bag and placed it firmly back in her hands.

"The tag's already cut, so I can't return it. Besides, it's nothing for me. Just accept it."

Megumi hesitated for a long moment. It was a gesture she wasn't used to—being treated so generously. Eventually, she gave in with a soft sigh, still unsure.

"Thank you... I'll accept it, but it still feels like too much."

A sense of warmth spread through Shiro as he smiled in return.

"That's what I wanted to hear."

Despite her reluctance, Megumi insisted on helping him organize his apartment. She argued that since she had chosen the items, she knew exactly where everything should go. Shiro had initially intended to turn down her offer, but seeing the determination in her eyes, he gave in without saying a word.

The possibility of being caught by the Nakano sisters didn't faze him. After all, he wasn't doing anything inappropriate. If they saw, so be it.

By the time they arrived at the apartment, the delivery staff had already left, and the items were neatly stacked outside the door. Shiro unlocked the door and gestured for Megumi to enter and begin bringing things inside.

Megumi took a moment to call home and let her mother know she'd be late. Her mother, hearing her voice, chuckled lightly. She was clearly amused that her daughter had spent the day with a boy, though Megumi could sense the pride in her mother's tone.

The apartment had quite a bit of space, and with the large number of items they had to carry in, it took a while to finish. During this time, the Nakano sisters came by and offered help, but Shiro declined. The work was heavy, and he assured them he could manage alone.

Kato Megumi met the Nakano sisters and was surprised to learn about the quintuplets. Meanwhile, Nakano Nino couldn't resist teasing Shiro, probably in retaliation for Itsuki's earlier grievances. However, Itsuki herself stayed quiet, her feelings about Shiro still undefined. For now, they were just friends—nothing more, nothing less.

By the time they finished, it was already close to 10 p.m., and the Nakano sisters had headed back to their own apartment.

Shiro glanced at the clock, feeling a little guilty.

"Little Kato, I've taken up your time. Let me treat you to something to eat before I send you home."

Megumi opened her mouth to decline, but Shiro stepped in before she could protest.

"Don't refuse. It's already late, and I won't feel right sending you back alone."

After a moment of thought, Megumi finally relented. Being out this late as a girl did make her uneasy, and though she didn't fully believe in urban legends, the eerie stories about ghosts and creatures lurking at night still unsettled her.

They found a small, cozy restaurant nearby. Originally, Shiro had planned to visit a foggy hall, but when he contacted Hinata Inui, she told him it was too late, so he abandoned the idea. The two opted for a simple, quiet meal instead.

The food was decent, but nothing too remarkable—Shiro's standards had been raised after eating in some of the best places. After the meal, they prepared to head back to Megumi's place.

---

As they passed through a quieter part of the city, Shiro suddenly froze. A dark, foreboding feeling washed over him, and he stopped the motorcycle, signaling for Megumi to move closer.

"Little Kato, get down. Something's coming."

Before she could ask what he meant, a shadow darted down from the roof of a building, landing in front of them with a violent crash. The ground trembled under the impact, and debris shot into the air like bullets, barely missing them.

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Shiro's shadow twisted, rapidly forming a dark barrier around them, protecting them from the incoming debris. The stones pelted the barrier, but it held firm—seemingly unbreakable.

Megumi instinctively shut her eyes as the chaos unfolded, only opening them again when the sounds of destruction stopped. She blinked, her gaze locking on the figure in front of them.

It was Tomoya Aki, the classmate she had seen earlier in the hospital.

Behind him, a grotesque, blood-red kagune—a centipede-like appendage—wriggled, its sinister tendrils twitching and thrashing.

Before Megumi could say anything, Shiro's voice was cold and sharp.

"Just as I thought... You're not human anymore."

Megumi's mind raced. Did Shiro know Tomoya was hiding something? Had he already suspected this?

Tomoya's bloodshot eyes locked onto them, a savage growl escaping his throat. Without warning, the kagune lashed out toward Shiro with a terrifying speed, causing the air to rip apart with the force.

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