The man with the kusarigama stood still in the center of the plaza, his aura devouring warmth, color, and hope alike. He had not yet attacked. He had not yet spoken beyond his declaration. And yet, everyone present knew—they were standing in the presence of something far beyond the realm of "Hunter."
His unreadable face tilted toward the sky, the crimson glow painting his sharp features in hues of ruin. That gaze was not of a man searching for beauty. It was the gaze of someone disappointed with the very fabric of existence.
His voice finally broke the silence, calm, heavy, and carrying the weight of judgment:
> "The time has come… to reshape this world.
The time has come to turn this frozen hell into heaven.
Soldiers—cleanse this filth. Purge every trace of false order. Let the new dawn begin."
The two monstrous beasts that had stepped from the gate with him growled, awaiting command. Their molten eyes burned like miniature suns.
And yet, before they could move—
A laugh cut through the suffocating tension.
A foolish, sharp, obnoxious laugh.
> "HAHAHAHAHA!"
The clown of the Association, the self-proclaimed "future Chairman," the man who never seemed to take anything seriously. He stepped forward, lips curled in a wide, ridiculous grin, shoulders shaking with his own amusement.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" he said, his voice ringing across the plaza. "A human? A demon? A failed circus clown with a toy chain? Doesn't matter! Whoever you are… I, Ryuu, will kill you—then I'll be Chairman of the Hunter Association!"
His words were insane. His laugh, even more so.
But his eyes told another story.
Damn it…
What the hell IS this pressure? My lungs feel like they're collapsing… My bones are screaming just standing here.
The truth was simple: Ryuu could barely breathe in the man's presence. His instincts screamed at him to run. His muscles twitched with primal fear, telling him to bow, to kneel, to vanish. Every rational fiber of his being knew—this was not a battle he could win.
No… this isn't just S-rank… This isn't even Rank 1… This is beyond…
His body trembled. And yet, his grin only widened.
But so what? I am Ryuu! Future Chairman of the Association! If I can't even stand here, what right do I have to dream? Nothing is impossible for me. Nothing!
He threw his head back and laughed again, a defiant, foolish laugh that masked the storm within.
The kusarigama wielder finally turned his hollow, crimson gaze toward him. No anger. No amusement. Only disappointment, the kind a god might give to a worm that dared raise its head.
> "One more slave of this rotten world. One more insect bound by greed and empty pride.
…I will free you."
His voice was calm. Almost merciful.
Ryuu spat to the side, sparks crackling at his fingertips. "Free me? What a joke! You talk too much, chains-for-brains. I'll be the one freeing YOU—from this world!"
Lightning erupted around him, arcs of blinding blue crawling over his arms, dancing across his chest, sparking into the cracked stone beneath his feet. The air vibrated with his power, thunder humming at his command.
"Eat this!"
He sprinted forward, electricity trailing his every step. With a roar, he leapt high into the air, fist coated in lightning so bright it painted the night sky.
He came crashing down—straight for the man's face.
The blow connected.
Perfect form. Perfect speed. Perfect impact.
BOOM.
The ground shook. Sparks exploded outward. The festival's shattered lanterns scattered in the shockwave.
But—
The man hadn't moved.
Not an inch.
Ryuu blinked, eyes wide, heart hammering. He had hit him. He was sure of it. His knuckles burned from the force. But there wasn't even a scratch. Not a mark.
"You… didn't even flinch?" Ryuu hissed through his teeth.
The kusarigama wielder didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Ryuu snarled, electricity flaring hotter, sharper, deadlier. "Fine. Then take THIS!"
He attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Each strike came with the force of thunder, the crackle of storms, the weight of a man desperate to prove himself. His fists blurred with speed, his kicks tore through the air, his lightning screamed in waves that lit the entire plaza in blinding flashes.
BOOM.
CRACK.
BOOM.
The earth split under his fury.
But the man never moved. Not a single step. His cloak fluttered only from the wind of Ryuu's desperation. His chains rattled only in answer to Ryuu's madness.
And no matter how many times Ryuu struck—
He never hit him.
Not once.
Minutes passed. Ryuu's lungs burned, his body screamed, his aura frayed under its own overuse. Sweat dripped down his forehead, mixing with the sparks that still stubbornly crawled across his exhausted frame.
He staggered back, chest heaving, arms trembling. "Ha… ha… ha… What the hell…? I hit you! I swear I hit you!"
The man tilted his head slightly, eyes still calm, almost bored.
Ryuu's mind raced. His heart thundered. And then—realization struck him like a blade.
No… I didn't hit him.
Not once.
His breaths grew shallow, his grin faltering at the edges.
He… dodged. Every single time.
The truth chilled him more than the red moon above.
And he was so fast… I couldn't even see it.
His lips trembled. For the first time, the grin of Ryuu—the fool, the clown, the wannabe Chairman—began to break.
Because he understood now.
This wasn't just overwhelming strength.
This was speed beyond sight.
A predator so far above him, his attacks might as well have been thrown at air.
Ryuu's knees weakened. His fists shook. The lightning around him flickered, unstable.
And the kusarigama wielder finally spoke again, voice low, heavy, and absolute:
> "Now you understand."