"I thought I was actually getting stronger… I thought I was finally on par with an S Rank monster." Raito clenched his fists, the memory of the ogre's roar still echoing in his ears. "That was what made me cocky, made me proud. But now I get it. My power only manifested because I was on the brink of death. It let me use the one trial skill, and I already burned through it."
He bit his lip, frustration building. "I have one more one trial skill, but I won't use it, not until I'm truly desperate. I can't rely on luck. I have to get stronger on my own."
His body was bare except for a pair of trousers, his chest still slick with sweat from the dungeon. When his surroundings blurred, the void twisted once again and suddenly he was back outside the hospital.
"Hey, mister! Mister Raito!"
He turned. A nurse hurried toward him, her eyes wide. "We were looking everywhere for you. What are you doing outside? You're supposed to be resting!"
"I'm fine. I don't need rest," Raito muttered, brushing past her. His tone was sharp, but his legs trembled with exhaustion.
"Wait!" she called after him. But he didn't look back.
Barefoot, shirtless, he walked the streets until he reached the shabby one room apartment he called home. Fishing a small, rusted key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The bed creaked as he collapsed onto it, staring at the ceiling. "So this is it… I can really become a hunter now. But I need strength. More strength." His voice was low, determined.
His mind drifted back. "That was my first dungeon. When I accepted the mission, I didn't expect it to be real. One moment I was standing on the street, then I fell. Into the void. And when I landed, I was inside a dungeon."
Knock. Knock.
Raito sat up, startled. "Who…?" He got up, dragging himself toward the door.
When he opened it, two men stood outside. One was dressed in a sharp black suit, his expression unreadable. The other wore a strange, ancient-looking mask—an Eternal Mapiko mask—its carved eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.
Raito's eyes narrowed. "Wait… who are you? And what do you want from me? Where are you from?"
The man in the suit gave a polite bow. "Apologies. I should have introduced myself sooner. My name is Seizo." He gestured to the figure beside him, wearing the Eternal Mapiko mask. "And this is my companion, Keito."
Seizo's tone sharpened slightly as his gaze fixed on Raito. "We're from the Hunter Guild. We've come to ask you a few questions."
Raito's chest tightened. Hunter Guild… Why are they here for me?
"Wait… I know, I understand. But how am I supposed to believe that? Who are you, and how do you even know where I live?" Raito said cautiously, eyes narrowed.
Seizo sighed, then reached into his coat. "Oh, sorry. This is my Hunter ID." He held it out for Raito to see.
Raito leaned forward. His eyes widened. Rank A… Seizo. Recognition struck him. "Wait—you're an A-Rank Hunter… I know you. I've seen you on TV before. No wonder you looked familiar."
Shock pinned his words in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to say more.
Seizo nodded, almost amused by Raito's reaction. "And this here is my companion, Keito." He gestured to the figure in the Eternal Mapiko mask, who stood silently, arms folded. "He doesn't speak much. But I'll tell you so you don't find him strange."
Seizo's voice lowered slightly, as if explaining something sacred. "That mask isn't ordinary—it's ancestral. Passed down through generations. It's not just for hiding his face… it's a vessel. Through it, he can summon ancestral spirits to fight alongside him. But only for five minutes. After that… it starts draining the warrior's life force. Dangerous. Costly. Yet powerful."
Just what the hell is going on? Raito's mind raced. What is a Rank A Hunter doing in my apartment? And his companion… someone who can summon spirits? Did I do something wrong?
Seizo's sharp eyes narrowed on him. "Why do you look so tense? Don't worry—we're not here to harm you. We just want to talk."
Raito didn't relax. His hands curled into fists at his side.
Seizo's expression shifted. His voice dropped, heavier, sharper. "Now… you're going to tell me what happened at the closed train station. The dungeon that appeared there. We know a powerful monster was inside. Could it be the same one that escaped? I want to hear it from you, since you were the one injured."