Kaizuki ran back, breathing hard.
"I already called the Hunter Guild. They’re on their way. But I heard a lot of screaming," he said as he hurried forward.
Sera stood not far from him, tears streaming down her face.
Kaizuki’s eyes shifted past her and froze. Raito was standing in front of the monster.
As the creature moved closer, Kaizuki noticed Ayane far away, kneeling on the ground.
What is going on? Why is Ayane there? And why is he just standing there? Kaizuki’s chest tightened. Panic crawled in.
Sera stepped closer to him.
"I don’t know what’s happening, but I think Raito has this under control," she said, trying to steady her voice.
"What are you talking about? We’re all dead!" Kaizuki shot back. "The hunters I called, the ones the Guild is sending, they aren’t strong enough to take down an S-rank monster! The inferno-speedster demon, this monster, we’d need two of the strongest hunters in the country just to fight it without getting scratched!"
Before Sera could reply, the monster moved.
It opened its jaws wide and unleashed a torrent of fire straight at Raito.
But Raito didn’t move.
The flames swallowed him and passed right through, leaving not a single mark. He heard the roar of the fire, but it didn’t matter. It felt like nothing more than a cool breeze against his skin.
"Now it’s time to strike."
Raito dashed forward with his fists ready.
The monster charged to meet him, swinging its massive claw to crush him. Raito slipped past the attack, leapt high, and slammed a punch into its face.
The impact hurled the monster backward, smashing it through the station wall and into the railway station beyond.
The monster staggered to its feet, glaring at Raito in disbelief.
It’s happening. Finally, my hunter ability has awakened," Raito thought..
It felt like a dream, facing one of the strongest monsters in the world. And he was certain he was going to win.
He grinned as he charged forward, fist cocked back, and slammed it into the beast’s face again.
This time it only staggered back a little, not fleeing like before.
With a deep roar, it lunged straight at him, its massive claw raised high.
Raito lifted his arm to block.
Pain exploded through him.
Its claw tore into his arm, ripping skin and muscle. Blood gushed down, hot and fast. The force of the blow sent him skidding back.
He hadn’t expected this. He thought it would retreat. Instead, it pressed forward.
And strangely, even in pain, he felt a rush of happiness.
Then he heard a voice in his head, faint but urgent.
"Avoid any direct hits. Impacts like before. Your body won’t handle them. The box..."
A glowing status window appeared before his eyes.
His LP was dropping fast. The wound had started to close, but the healing was draining him.
"Why?" he muttered. The numbers kept falling.
The monster roared again and charged. He met its rush, running straight for it.
But this time it came at him with everything. Its claw, massive and gleaming, crashed into him with brutal force.
He hit the ground hard, rolling across the dirt.
How is this happening?
Just moments ago, he had the upper hand. Now he was the one on the ground.
It wasn’t just the injury. His body felt heavy, like it couldn’t keep up with the power he was forcing out. Even running at full speed took a toll.
"I need to get stronger," he growled through clenched teeth, pushing himself upright. "I need more stamina."
Blood still dripping from his arm, he lifted his head and fixed his gaze on the monster, a deep frown cutting across his face.
"I can’t believe what’s happening. What I’m seeing is real. How is he doing this?"
Kaizuki’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Anyone would be dead if that monster struck him. If it attacked me, I wouldn’t survive a single hit. How is he?"
Sera shook her head, worry etched into her face.
"We have to do something, but there’s nothing we can do."
"Even one touch from that monster would kill us. All we can do is watch and hope the hunters I called can help him. Because they won’t be able to take it down themselves."
Kaizuki swallowed hard, watching Raito fight alone. "He’s doing well for someone who’s facing this alone."
The monster slammed its claws down repeatedly, slashing at Raito. The ground cracked beneath the blows, each strike shaking the station.
Raito gritted his teeth, pain and frustration mixing. His body couldn’t take this. How was he losing? He had always wanted to be strong, but he wasn’t. He wanted to be the best, and now he had the power, but he couldn’t win?
The monster hit him again. Blood and sweat dripped from his body.
"Raito!" Ayane’s voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. "I know you can do this! Don’t die on me! You promised we’d become hunters when we were young. Keep that promise!" She was kneeling on the ground, hands clasped together, tears in her eyes.
He looked up at her, determination sparking in his eyes. She was right.
As the monster raised its claws to strike again, Raito jumped. Its strike hit the ground, sending sparks flying. The monster froze, momentarily shocked that it missed.
"Hey! I’m up here!" Raito called, perched on its forehead.
The monster swung again, trying to hit him. Raito leaped down just in time, rolling to regain balance. He felt the surge of his own power pulsing through him. This ends now.
For a moment, he had feared death, even with this power, but now he knew. He wouldn’t forget her. She was the reason his power had manifested. Without her, he would still be alone in this world.
The status box appeared in front of him. Raito scanned it quickly. His skills had grown with his strength. One new skill caught his eye: Sparrow Punch.
He tapped it, feeling a rush of energy flow through his body. Blue light flared across his arms, radiating outward.
Sera, Ayane, and Kaizuki watched in awe as Raito raised both hands, feeling the immense power coursing through him.
"I feel so much stronger than before," he muttered. Blue energy crackled along his arms, wrapping him in a faint glow. "It’s time to end this."
Then, as he ran toward the monster, it opened its jaws and blasted fire straight at Raito.
Raito clenched his fist and shouted, "Sparrow Punch!"
He leapt into the air, his fist engulfing the flames, and struck the monster square in the face. The force sent it flying, but Raito didn’t give it a moment to recover.
As it crashed to the ground, Raito leapt again, raining down punch after punch. The Sparrow Punch skill surged from his hand, striking relentlessly. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the Sparrow Punch skill vanished from his status.
He landed, stepping back slightly to reassess.
The monster rose, eyes blazing, ready to attack again.
"No, it’s about to strike. My body won’t move. I’m too weak," Raito muttered. Googlᴇ search 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁
The creature swiped its massive claw at him, but suddenly, it faltered. Its movement stuttered, and it collapsed to the ground, exhausted and uninjured.
Raito’s strength finally gave out. Instantly, he fell unconscious.
Ayane screamed and ran toward him, with Sera and Kaizuki close behind.
Through half-closed eyes, Raito saw Ayane rushing toward him. He managed a faint smile at the sight of her, and then darkness claimed him completely.