This is... annoying," Raito muttered, eyes narrowing. "I’m invisible, but he can still see me. Like... he’s reading me."
Raito observed Keito, who crawled forward with one hand brushing the ground, primal and deadly.
In an instant, Keito surged. Hand shot forward, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Punch aimed straight at Raito.
Raito leapt back, dagger raised. "How is he this fast? I can barely sense him—just enough to know where he is. This is... insane."
Even Minotaur Strength, even my full equipment boost—it wouldn’t matter. That punch just now... it wasn’t human. It was on another level.
"What do I do?!" Raito thought, teeth gritted. "Even Shadow Phase isn’t enough. Somehow... I’m the one in danger here."
[System Notification] Shadow Phase – Deactivated
Raito’s form shimmered and became visible. The invisibility faded. Now everyone in the arena could see him.
It didn’t matter. Keito’s senses didn’t rely on sight. He followed Raito’s scent, moving with predatory precision, unerring and unstoppable.
Raito exhaled slowly, eyes locked on Keito. "I guess it’s time to face this head-on. No more hiding."
"Even if I stab him with this dagger, it won’t matter," Raito muttered, eyes fixed on Keito. "His speed... I can’t match it at my level. The only thing that could help is flight, but I won’t show that. If I reveal I can fly, everyone will know too much. Not yet."
He forced himself calm. No flashy moves. No surprises other than what he could afford to show.
Status box — open, he thought. The holographic panel snapped into view before him, cold blue letters floating in the air.
He scanned numbers, options, costs.
Minotaur Strength — equipped (manually deactivated earlier).
Base Strength x3 (toggle levels available).
Side effects: severe muscle fatigue; LP consumption.
Raito tapped through the boosts, feeling the familiar tradeoff roll through his head. He needed power to match raw force. He needed to pay.
He set the multiplier higher.
Increase Physical Strength: x5
LP Cost: 500 — Confirm?
He didn’t hesitate. He hit Accept.
A hot, painful pressure spread through his muscles. Golden light braided up his limbs like molten iron. His body tightened, tendons hardening, every fiber screaming with forced power.
Skill Activated: Minotaur Strength (Level x5)
Duration: 7:00 minutes
Raito checked the readout mid-flash. LP dropped — 2400, then 1900. The numbers burned in his vision and his breath hitched.
He felt monstrous strength fill him. It was obscene, artificial, a torque that ripped through bone. Yet even with the surge, his gut told him Keito still had the edge. That punch earlier had been beyond normal force.
He slid the Scorpion Stinger Dagger back into his inventory with a quiet click. The venom would stay as a threat; his hands needed muscle, not poison.
Raito opened his mouth and called out, voice steady and low so everyone could hear. Google seaʀᴄh 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⁂𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⁂𝕟𝕖𝕥
"Hey, you caveman — come at me."
He planted his feet and let the new strength settle. Muscles burning, lungs tight, aura coiled like a spring. Seven minutes ticked on the Status Box, and the fight tightened into a single, brutal question: could raw power and will beat Keito’s feral precision?
Raito’s voice barely carried. Low. Sharp. Anger coiled behind it. Calling him a "caveman" had clearly struck a nerve.
Keito’s eyes narrowed. In an instant, he launched forward, fists moving like lightning. His body twisted midair, fist aimed at Raito.
Raito reacted instantly, bringing his own fist forward. The air screamed as their punches collided. A shockwave erupted, scattering debris, bending the metal of the surrounding arena. Even Ichika and Ayane, watching from above, felt the gust like a storm tearing across the stands. Part of the building shuddered from just that single impact.
They didn’t stop. Punch after punch, strike after strike, the air itself cracking and roaring. Raito feinted a jab toward Keito’s jaw. Keito twisted on the ground, one hand planted, leg high, kicking Raito squarely in the jaw.
Raito’s body absorbed it, muscles coiling instantly, stamina snapping back as he countered with a punch of his own. Keito blocked and pivoted, grabbing Raito’s wrist mid-swing and hurling him like a ragdoll.
Raito’s mind raced. Flight... he could activate it, but his Shadow Phase was already down. If he revealed it now, they’d know his full capability. He couldn’t risk it.
Instead, he rolled midair, twisting his body, and landed smoothly on the ground, feet firm.
"What’s going on?" he muttered under his breath. "Even after sacrificing 500 LP for this... even with my strength boosted this drastically... he still has the upper hand. His punch stronger than mine."
"Wow... Keito is truly outstanding," Seizo muttered, eyes wide. "He’s got him backed into a corner. And that’s if Keito has the upper hand."
"Maybe," Takura said, leaning forward. "But even if you yourself faced Keito while he used that attack, you wouldn’t win. Not just that... this guy over there, Raito, is incredible. He’s fighting like an elite. He’s visible now, but it doesn’t matter. Even if he were invincible, Keito would still know his position, anticipate his moves. His senses are just that sharp. Smell, speed, everything."
Seizo nodded slowly. "It’s insane. Even invisible, Raito couldn’t hide from him. Keito’s tracking him perfectly. And yet, look at Raito, he’s still throwing punch after punch, dodging, countering. The man’s a storm all on his own."
Takura’s expression softened with respect. "I take my hat off to him. Seriously. Even from here, I can see it. Their blows are faster than the eye can follow, but neither of them is losing. It’s almost impossible to tell who has the upper hand."
"Yes, Chairman," Ichika added, still stunned. "I’m still in shock. The way Raito is trading blows with Keito, it’s flawless. The match looks like it should be over, but it isn’t. Not yet. We can’t say Keito has the upper hand, not yet. And yet..." His voice trailed off as he kept watching, captivated.