Raito stepped forward and opened the door.

The office was dark. Shadows stretched across the massive room, but a single figure sat waiting at the far end.

"Hello," Raito said cautiously.

"Ah… hello," the man replied. Jinta sat in a large chair, exuding authority and calm, the entire office around him feeling more like a luxurious house than a workplace. Stairs wound upward in the back, and the space was impossibly large.

"We've brought him here," Daichi said respectfully.

"Thank you… but I'd like to speak with him alone. Please step out. I'll talk to you later," Jinta said.

Raito glanced at Daichi and Haruya.

"It's fine. You both can step out," Raito said.

Daichi and Haruya bowed and left quietly, leaving Raito alone with Jinta.

"So… why did you want to meet me?" Raito asked, his tone calm but sharp.

Jinta leaned back, a faint smile on his face. "Isn't it obvious? You were capable of clearing a dungeon which surpass S-rank that even a full team of S-rank hunters would have perished in. Alone. That's… remarkable."

"They didn't do anything," Raito said, his gaze steady.

"They did," Jinta replied knowingly.

Raito shrugged. "Okay, whatever. So tell me—what did you encounter in that dungeon? I'm curious. It couldn't have been normal."

"Barely… Can we skip that question?" Raito said. "There's no way I'm telling you."

Jinta chuckled softly. "As I expected. I admire that. But even so… I want to invite you to join our association. The Hunter Association. It could change your life."

"You're assuming a lot," Raito replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Don't be modest," Jinta continued. "You're a low-profile hunter, but your power… you could be one of the most famous hunters if you wanted. So tell me—how strong are you?"

Raito's lip quirked slightly. "What kind of question is that?"

Well… it was just a question," Jinta said calmly.

Raito remained silent.

Jinta smiled faintly. "Since you won't tell me yourself, I'll just check."

He raised two fingers toward his eyes.

"You know my ability. Everyone does," Jinta said casually. "Let's see what kind of monster you really are."

The air shifted.

A faint pressure spread through the room.

Then—

[SYSTEM WARNING]

Unauthorized attempt to analyze user detected.

Action denied.

Jinta's expression froze.

"What…?" he muttered.

He focused harder, pushing his ability further.

Nothing.

No aura.

No mana.

No reaction.

It was as if Raito didn't exist at all.

"…That's impossible," Jinta whispered. "I can't see anything. Not even a trace."

Raito stared back at him calmly.

"You're not allowed to look at me without my permission," he said coldly. "And don't ever try that again."

Jinta swallowed.

"I… I wasn't trying to provoke you," he said quickly. "I was only curious."

Raito's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Be careful with curiosity," he replied. "It gets people killed."

Jinta laughed nervously. "You don't need to be so serious. There are hundreds of hunters in this building. Do you really think you could fight them all?"

Raito didn't raise his voice.

"If they attack me," he said calmly, "then yes. I'll kill every single one of them."

The room fell silent.

Jinta took a step back, his expression finally changing—no longer confident, no longer curious.

He was uneasy.

"I… I was joking," Jinta said quickly. "There's no need to get worked up."

Raito's gaze remained cold.

"I don't like jokes," he said. "Especially when they cross the line."

Then, a subtle sound echoed from the side of the room—a measured, almost ceremonial step.

Raito looked toward the source.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, light spilled in, casting long shadows across the office. And then… he saw the figure clearly.

"What the…?" Raito murmured under his breath, blinking.

Standing before him was someone he had only ever admired from afar—someone who had shaped his dreams.

Masen Nibori.

His mentor. One of the strongest hunters alive. The man who had once saved the world from the greatest calamity. The figure Raito had always wanted to emulate.

Masen Nibori stepped forward, each movement precise and commanding. He wore a tailored suit, a hat shadowing his face slightly. White hair peeked out from beneath the hat, and a neatly trimmed white beard framed his stoic features.

"Mind if I join the conversation?" Masen Nibori's voice was calm, yet every word carried weight.

Raito's heart skipped a beat, awe and tension warring within him.

This… this is Masen Nibori. He's really here.

"Well… it's truly a pleasure to meet you," Masen Nibori said, his voice calm but carrying undeniable authority. "You're the hunter who cleared one of the most dangerous dungeons… alone. Terrifyingly capable, my son."

Raito's chest tightened. His words caught in his throat. His heart pounded like a drum. Standing here, face to face with his mentor—the man he had always idolized, the standard he had always strived to surpass—he felt both small and electrified.

"Oh… this is my friend," Jinta added casually, gesturing toward Raito. "Yeah… my friend masen nibori. I'm sure you've heard of him. Every hunter knows his name. He wanted to meet you as well."

Raito swallowed, trying to steady himself. This is really happening…

"I hope there's no problem with me being here," Raito managed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Masen Nibori gave a faint, approving nod. "No, there isn't. It's good to see the next generation standing strong."

Raito's hands trembled slightly, though he tried to hide it. Every fiber of his being screamed both excitement and nervousness. Jinta, meanwhile, calmly lifted his cup and took a sip, unbothered by the weight of the moment.

Raito's mind raced. I… I can't believe I'm actually here, standing in the same room as Masen Nibori. This is the real thing…

"I just want to see you clearly," Masen Nibori said, his deep voice echoing slightly. "Someone as strong as you… in this age, it's rare. Most young hunters today… they don't come close. But you—" He paused, sweeping his sharp eyes over Raito. "You're different. Far beyond anything I imagined."

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