He was suspended in midair above him, cloaked in invisibility. His aura was gone, completely erased. Even the strongest observers couldn’t sense a thing. Ayane stood among the watching crowd, frozen in disbelief. Her lips trembled. "What’s going on...? Why is this happening?" Her voice cracked, thin and brittle. "We were friends... weren’t we?" Memories flashed through her mind—his shy smile, his quiet laugh, the way he used to walk beside her after school. Back then, his power hadn’t even manifested. He was ordinary. Powerless. "I just wanted to be his friend," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I never planned to be with him. I was just a kid. As I got older, the things I wanted changed. The kind of guys I liked changed. I didn’t want someone... uncool." Her throat tightened. "Even though I knew he always liked me." She clenched her fists, her voice shaking. "But now... now his power has awakened. And he’s nothing like before." Her eyes rose to the invisible air above the arena. "His face, his voice, his body... everything about him is different now. He’s taller. Stronger. His gaze—it’s colder than before." She brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. "I thought he’d never move on without me. I thought I was the one leaving him behind. I didn’t know he already knew about the person I was seeing... or that he’d already let go." Ayane exhaled shakily. "I was the one pretending he still cared." Her gaze turned back to the fight. "And now, look at him. He’s surpassed me completely. Not just in power, but in everything." Her words trembled. "We’re both Rank C, but what he’s doing now... even the top hunters in this guild can’t move like that." The air rippled faintly as Raito shifted position above them—like a silent ghost cutting through the wind. "I thought he’d regret everything," Ayane whispered. "That he’d hate himself after the incident... after I reported him even when he begged us not to." Her hands trembled. "I only wanted him to talk to me again. To undo what I said that day." Her voice broke. "When I told him I didn’t want to be friends anymore." Tears fell freely now, splashing against the cold arena floor. "Why..." she breathed, her voice barely audible. "Why is this happening?" Her gaze fell on Keito again. He stood at the center of the stage, his blade raised, eyes darting across the empty air. Sweat ran down his temple, his breath harsh and uneven. But still, he couldn’t see anything. Raito hovered high above, invisible to everyone’s eyes—silent, calm, and unreadable. "I’m sure you all can hear me," Raito’s voice echoed through the arena. "I’ve said it before, and I won’t repeat myself. Let me leave this place. Unless... I don’t care how many of you there are, or how powerful—A-rank or S-rank—I won’t lose." His body remained invisible mid-air. No one could see him; they could only hear his voice. Keito’s eyes scanned the empty space desperately, trying to pinpoint him. Above, Takuya, Seizo, Ayane, and Ichika all watched silently. They could hear, but they could not see. "So, this is your reply? A no? You don’t want me to leave?" Raito continued, voice calm but sharp. "Fine. I’ll take that as a no." He raised both hands. A dagger materialized with a faint gleam—the Scorpion Stinger Dagger. Not just sharp, it carried venom capable of paralyzing or killing within minutes. [System Notification] Passive Buff: Venom Mastery – Active Content orıginally comes from 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩 • All attacks now imbued with potent neurotoxic venom • Victim’s mobility and reaction reduced upon contact The dagger landed lightly on the arena floor. Keito’s ears picked up the sound and he charged in that direction. He swung his blade where he thought Raito might be—but it passed through air. Raito was already moving. Footsteps echoed in every direction—front, back, left, right—but there was no visible source. The wind shifted, carrying a whisper of danger as Raito closed in. Keito read the subtle air pressure, trying to sense Raito’s location, but it was almost impossible. Every strike, every dodge, Raito’s movements were too fast, too precise. He lunged forward, dagger aimed at Keito’s neck. Keito reacted just in time, dodging. A shallow cut grazed his hand—unnoticed by him—and venom seeped silently into his veins. Raito stepped back slightly, observing, calculating. Keito brought both thumbs together, pressing them to his forehead. His swords vanished instantly. He centered himself, preparing for something massive. Keito activated one of his most powerful skills—the Beast Mode of his Mapiko. He slammed his fist to the ground, walking forward like a primal force, muscles coiled, aura radiating. "Wow... that’s Gairaito," Seizo whispered, eyes wide. "He’s forcing Keito to use full power. Even I’m on the same level, but Keito’s slightly stronger." "Let’s see how this turns out," Senzu muttered. "What’s going on?" Raito said. "Why is he moving like a caveman?" Raito’s eyes narrowed, dagger in hand. "Doesn’t matter. I’ll just take him out with this attack." He lunged. Keito, still crouched low, vanished in an instant. Raito spun, trying to follow—but the strike passed through empty air. Footsteps echoed from all directions, wind slicing around him. Keito struck from behind, a devastating punch hitting Raito squarely in the back. The impact threw him against the wall. "What... his strength... has increased this much? Even with Shadow Phase active?" Raito gritted his teeth, scanning frantically. [System Notification] LP -80 Raito’s body flared red as the pain hit—his ribs felt like they’d cracked. [System Notification] Active Damage Received Raito staggered slightly, letting the system register the damage. His body burned with pain, but his Shadow Phase remained active. Keito could still sense his movements, but he was relentless, closing the gap with every heartbeat. He tightened his grip on the Scorpion Stinger Dagger, veins of mana crawling along his arms. Every muscle screamed in response to the assault, every instinct sharpened. Keito moved like a living weapon, a predator unleashed.