[Location: Unknown Ocean, Inside Ship — Hallway]
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Hikaru's footsteps echoed through the narrow hallway, disrupting the eerie silence that hung over the ship. The dim ceiling lights flickered faintly, casting long shadows across the metallic floor. The air felt heavy and tense, the temperature unusually high, making the confined corridor feel suffocating.
"Ya got a final boss candidate. Level ten. HP Max, strength unknown. Feats are pretty good."
The sudden voice broke through the silence.
At the same moment, Hikaru felt a surge of bloodlust flood the hallway.
It pressed against his body like an invisible anvil, filling the space with an oppressive weight.
His eyes shifted toward the source.
Standing a short distance away was a man dressed in a formal black suit. His curly black hair reflected the dim light overhead, while a VR headset completely covered his eyes. His hands moved constantly, making strange gestures in the air as though he were playing a video game only he could see.
It was Arahita.
One of the hunters.
Before Hikaru could react—
BAAM!
Arahita's fist slammed directly into Hikaru's stomach.
The distance between them had vanished in less than a blink.
The impact compressed the air around them.
CRAAASH!
Hikaru was launched upward, smashing through multiple floors of the ship. Metal twisted and shattered as his body tore through deck after deck before finally crashing onto the open deck above.
The salty ocean wind struck his face.
"Cough... Cough..."
Drops of blood spilled from his mouth onto the steel floor.
"Damn... Arahita, don't you remember me?"
Still kneeling, Hikaru looked toward the man standing nearby on the deck.
Arahita continued making awkward gaming motions with his hands, completely absorbed in whatever was happening inside his headset.
"Ten HP minus from total, boss candidate. Hehe~"
His voice sounded genuinely pleased.
"Fine." irritation clearly visible on Hikaru's face.
Swoop!
Hikaru vanished.
The next instant—
He reappeared beside Arahita.
BAAM!
A powerful punch connected with Arahita's face.
The hunter shot across the ocean like a cannonball before crashing into the second ship.
BOOOOM!
A large hole exploded through the metallic wall.
"Arahita, it's me. Don't you remember? Please take that VR headset off."Hikarushouted from the other ship.
The ocean wind howled between the two ships.
There was no response.
Nothing.
Then—
"Boss candidate is pretty tough. Using special weapon... slap."
The voice suddenly came from behind.
Hikaru's eyes narrowed.
Too late.
He hadn't even fully turned around.
SMACK!
Arahita's palm struck him across the face.
The force sent Hikaru skipping the endless ocean surface like a stone skimming over water.
Splash!
Splash!
Splash!
Before his momentum could carry him any farther—
Swoop!
Hikaru vanished again.
He appeared directly in front of Arahita.
BAAM!
He landed hook into the hunter's face.
Arahita flew backward once more and crashed through the damaged wall of the second ship.
Metal screeched violently.
Inside the ruined corridor, Arahita lay on the floor.
Blood dripped from his nose.
Yet his expression remained completely casual.
"Okay..."
He slowly sat up.
"He is really tough."
Arahita adjusted the position of his headset.
"Gotta max my strength."
Even now, he sounded more like a gamer preparing for the next stage of a boss fight than someone engaged in a life-or-death battle.