Keito’s fists came down in a relentless storm.
Each blow cracked the air like thunder, the shockwaves rippling across the arena.
Raito crossed his arms in front of him, taking the full brunt of every hit. The sound of impact echoed, flesh meeting raw force.
"Shit..." he muttered through clenched teeth. "Even with this strength, I’m still at a disadvantage."
Every punch felt like being hit by a charging beast. His arms ached, his muscles screamed. Even blocking hurts.
Keito didn’t stop. His eyes burned crimson, primal fury leaking from every pore. The air itself seemed to shiver under his killing intent.
Raito’s mind raced. I need to do something. Find an opening. Anything.
He twisted his body sharply, knee shooting upward toward Keito’s head.
The beast tilted back slightly, the blow grazing him. Raito followed immediately with a sweeping kick aimed at his neck,
but Keito caught it effortlessly.
His fist crashed into Raito’s chest.
[Critical Hit Received]
"Gah—!" Raito gasped, staggering back, clutching his chest. Heat spread through him like fire. His strength... it’s inhuman.
He could barely move his arms. His LP bar flickered dangerously.
[Warning: LP Below 30%]
"System," he coughed, "heal damage. Cost 100 LP."
[Status: Minor Wounds Restored]
A faint green light wrapped around him, sealing fractures and bruises. His breath steadied just long enough to see Keito charging again.
The next instant, Keito vanished from sight.
His fist connected squarely with Raito’s neck.
Raito’s body slammed into the wall, cracks splintering out behind him. He coughed violently, holding his throat as pain surged like a thousand knives.
"My throat... ngh... the pain..."
Keito walked forward slowly, his aura a swirling storm of red and black energy. The beast’s instincts had fully taken over. Each step he took made the ground quake.
Raito looked up, his vision blurred, but his eyes were calm. Calculated.
He raised a trembling hand, palm open.
[Passive Skill: Venom Mastery Triggered]
[Effect: Neurotoxin Circulation Completed]
Keito froze mid-step. His eyes widened. His body trembled violently, then collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Dust floated through the air as Raito stood over him, his breathing ragged.
[Status: Paralyzed / Unconscious]
"Finally..." Raito exhaled, wiping the blood from his mouth. "The venom kicked in."
He stared at Keito’s body, motionless on the floor. "Took long enough. His immune system must’ve resisted for a while."
Gasps erupted around the arena.
"Hey—what just happened?"
"Did Keito just... fall?"
Seizo leaned forward, disbelief written all over his face. "He’s down... Raito actually took him down."
"He actually... defeated Keito," Ichika whispered, her voice trembling. "A Rank A taken down by a Rank C. This is unbelievable."
Ayane shook her head slowly, eyes still locked on the arena floor. "It shouldn’t even be possible. After his rank assessment, he was confirmed as Rank C just like me. Sure, he fought that monster on his first day, but still... he shouldn’t have this kind of power. To go head to head with a Rank A?"
Takura leaned forward, his expression calm yet impressed. "No, he’s not just strong. He’s special. I told you before, Raito isn’t normal. He’s far more outstanding than anyone realizes. That kind of growth, that raw potential... it’s terrifying."
Seizo clenched his fists. "I still can’t believe what I just saw. Keito was the one attacking, Raito was completely on the defensive. But then, out of nowhere, Keito just dropped. Like something hit him from the inside."
Takura nodded slowly. "Don’t be fooled by your eyes." His voice carried the weight of experience. "When it comes to pure fighting power, yes, Keito had the upper hand. But strength alone doesn’t decide a battle. What wins a fight is strategy."
He looked down at the arena, eyes narrowing. "Raito secured his victory long before that final hit."
Ayane turned toward him, confusion written across her face. "What do you mean?"
Takura exhaled softly. "That dagger he used earlier, it wasn’t ordinary. Even from up here, I could feel it. The blade was alive... like it was breathing."
Ichika’s eyes widened. "Breathing?"
"Yes," Takura replied, his gaze steady. "The dagger didn’t just contain venom, it produced it. When Raito struck Keito, even for a split second, the weapon didn’t cut deep, it injected. The venom spread the moment the blade touched him. That’s why Keito fell."
He crossed his arms. "It wasn’t raw power that won this fight. It was calculation. Raito planned it from the start."
Raito stood at the center of the vast training ground, the glass floor beneath his boots cracked and glittering under the light. His breath came heavy, each exhale clouding faintly in the chilled air. Across from him, Keito lay unconscious, motionless.
"Finally... I did it," Raito muttered.
[User has leveled up: 7 → 8]
Blue holographic panels shimmered before his eyes, one after another.
[LP Fully Recovered and Increased]
[Dagger Mastery: +50]
[Physical Strength: +30]
[Title Unlocked: Venomous Hunter]
[Effect: All Poison-Type Attacks Increased by 40%]
Raito stared at the glowing text, his chest still heaving. "Wow... this is amazing." A faint smile crept onto his face. "I actually leveled up by fighting a human. I thought the system only rewarded experience from monsters... but it applies to humans too. That’s insane."
He turned his gaze back toward Keito. "Still... the venom’s inside his body. If he doesn’t get an anti-scorpion antidote soon, he might die."
Raito raised both hands slowly, summoning his dagger from his inventory in a burst of light. The black blade materialized in his grip, its surface pulsing with a faint violet hue, alive with lingering venom.
He spread his stance, eyes sharp and daring. "So... who’s next?" he said, his voice echoing through the hall. "One man down. Come at me."
From above, Takura watched silently, arms crossed. Ichika and Seizo exchanged glances before stepping away from the balcony. Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽