In this anime crossover, who stole my module?

Natsume Ryo smiled and said in a gentle voice.

Then his thoughts moved slightly.

A semi-transparent virtual interface, visible only to Natsume Ryo, immediately unfolded—the inventory in creative mode.

Countless icons are neatly arranged.

Ryo Natsume's fingers swiped rapidly across the screen.

Ultimately, it settled on a simple icon – [steak].

Boo!

Boo!

Boo!

Three soft sounds followed.

Ryo Natsume made no attempt to hide it.

In an instant, three square steaks, sizzling with oil and emitting an enticing aroma, appeared in his hands.

"?"

The golden retriever instantly looked up at the steak in Natsume Ryo's hand without blinking.

"Here, I'll trade you this, how about it?"

Natsume Ryo waved the steak in front of the golden retriever.

"Wow..."

The golden retriever's eyes lit up instantly at the smell of meat, its tail wagged even more enthusiastically, and it rubbed against Natsume Ryo's legs in a fawning manner, its mouth practically watering.

The obsequious attitude was self-evident.

"Eat..."

Natsume Ryo threw the steak on the ground.

Without hesitation, the golden retriever picked up a piece of steak, stepped aside, and began to eat heartily. It even obediently lay down on the ground, completely losing interest in the black cat.

"..."

"It's him?!"

As the golden retriever wagged its tail obsequiously, enjoying the sizzling, oily steak that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere in Natsume Ryo's hand.

Curled up in the corner, Yukino Yukinoshita, whose black cat fur was almost standing on end, widened her rare ice-blue cat eyes instantly when she saw Ryo Natsume's face. Her small cat mouth unconsciously opened slightly, and a barely audible "meow" sound came out of her throat.

Yukino Yukinoshita naturally recognized Natsume Ryo.

However, this is not due to Natsume Ryo's recently acquired, somewhat teasing yet widely known title among the girls at Soubu High School: "Commander of the Homecoming Club."

It actually originated from something much earlier.

—A few months ago, on the first day of school for new students, there was that sudden car accident.

At that time, in order to save a boy she didn't know and a dog, Natsume Ryo rushed towards the out-of-control car—her family's car—without hesitation.

About the situation at that time.

I still vividly remember the snow under the snow.

Unlike normal people.

After being hit, the boy who was rescued immediately lost consciousness.

As a result, Natsume Ryo was hit by the car.

Instead, she stood up as if nothing had happened, without even a scratch on her body. Her superhuman physical abilities secretly shocked her and her sister, Yukinoshita Haruno.

later.

Yukinoshita was worried that he and that boy might suffer some internal injuries.

So they insisted that they be hospitalized for a full check-up and that all medical expenses be covered.

During that period, she, her sister Yukinoshita, and her mother all contacted their families multiple times.

He personally visited the hospital several times.

Besides.

Yukino Yukinoshita still remembers.

Yang even used some connections to thoroughly investigate Natsume Ryo's background.

The investigation revealed that Natsume Ryo was an orphan.

She was adopted by an elderly couple when she was young.

After the old man passed away, in order not to cause any more trouble for his family, he began to live alone.

He usually keeps to himself and his grades were only average, neither good nor bad, whether in elementary school or junior high school.

In terms of personality, there's nothing particularly outstanding about them.

The only special thing about him is his exceptionally good physical condition.

He was hit by a car but didn't have a single scratch on his body.

While at the hospital, Yukinoshita Haruno jokingly remarked to Yukino, with her characteristic wicked sense of humor, that she suspected Natsume might be one of those male protagonists in a manga who hides superpowers.

At the beginning.

Yukino Yukinoshita didn't think much of it.

after all.

At that time, Natsume Ryo's physical abilities far exceeded those of ordinary people.

However, it is still within the scope of human capabilities.

As a result, now——

"..."

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at her furry paws.

Suddenly, I felt that my original worldview had completely collapsed.

……

Just as Yukino Yukino was stunned by this.

suddenly!

A pair of hands reached out and effortlessly lifted her petite cat-like body.

"Mi! Ha—!"

When Natsume Ryo reached out and easily picked up her petite cat-like body, Yukino Yukinoshita instinctively hissed in a menacing manner, waving her four paws wildly in the air.

This was the first time in her life that she had been so intimately touched by a boy her own age!

Even though she was a cat at that moment, the sense of modesty and shame that came from humans still made her feel uncomfortable all over, and her cat hairs almost stood on end.

Yukino Yukinoshita's cat fur instantly bristled.

If she were in human form now, she would probably have retaliated long ago.

but now.

She was just a weak and helpless kitten, only able to breathe on Natsume Ryo!

……

"Okay, stop yelling."

Above Yukino's head, Natsume Ryo's voice rang out.

I saw.

Natsume Ryo skillfully pinched the soft flesh of Yukino Yukinoshita's nape.

An unprecedented feeling of powerlessness instantly spread throughout my body.

Yukino's struggles were in vain.

She could only let Natsume Ryo lift her up, then adjust her position and hold her in his arms.

After turning into a kitten, Yukino Yukinoshita's body is very small.

It's also very light, feels slightly cool to the touch, and has soft, smooth fur with a faint scent of grass after the rain.

Natsume Ryo held her in his arms.

Yukino was forced to press against Natsume Ryo's warm chest, and could feel his steady and strong heartbeat.

This intimate yet irresistible gesture filled Yukino Yukinoshita with an unprecedented sense of shyness.

Before Yukino Yukinoshita could even think about how to escape,

……

At this time.

Several uniformed staff members, who looked like employees from an animal shelter, rushed over with their tools.

I'm so sorry!

"This is a golden retriever that accidentally escaped from our shelter. We're sorry to have caused you trouble!"

"It has just been adopted by a family."

"As a result, when our staff were registering its information, it accidentally escaped from the shelter."

"I'm so sorry!"

"If it hurts you, we will cover all your medical expenses."

A staff member repeatedly bowed and apologized to Natsume Ryo.

The others immediately put a collar back on the golden retriever's neck after it finished eating its steak.

"of course not."

"This little guy is quite affectionate..."

Natsume Ryo smiled slightly and waved his hand, indicating that it was alright.

"That's great."

Upon hearing this, the staff at the shelter breathed a sigh of relief, then their gazes fell on Yukino Yukinoshita in Natsume Ryo's arms.

"!!!"

Noticing the gazes cast by the shelter staff, Yukino Yukinoshita's heart tightened suddenly!

Chapter 72 Azusa Konno, the Purification Ritual in the Bathroom

The name "shelter" itself carries an ominous connotation for stray animals.

Yukino Yukinoshita vaguely remembers that every year in Japan, a large number of cats and dogs are "disposed of" in such places.

Most of the animals sent there, unless they have a clear intention to be adopted within a specified timeframe, will inevitably be euthanized there.

Therefore, the thought of the fate that awaited his cat body was unbearable.

Even though Yukino Yukinoshita is usually calm and composed, she couldn't help but feel a chill creeping up from the soles of her feet, permeating her entire body, and even causing her cat-like body covered in soft, black fur to tense up slightly.

This subtle change naturally did not escape the notice of Natsume Ryo, who was gently holding her in his arms.

"..."

Natsume Ryo lowered his head, his gaze lingering for a moment on Yukinoshita, who had suddenly stiffened in his arms.

……

"Is this your cat?"

"They look so beautiful! Those ice-blue eyes are a rare breed among pure black cats. But... they seem a little frightened, their fur is all dirty and messy."