"Let's go!! Oraaa!!"
As Takeru swiftly dodged the charging punch from Shima, he seamlessly moved into Shima's range and delivered a sharp elbow strike to his abdomen.
"—Gah!?"
With the force of the impact knocking the wind out of him, Shima was flung away as if struck by a truck. Meanwhile, Yashio, his partner, remained unfazed by Shima's defeat. Instead, he grinned sadistically.
“I’ll carve you up—just enough so you won’t die!”
Yashio’s snake-blade sword wriggled unpredictably, like a serpent, as it slithered toward Takeru.
–– Poison, huh?
Takeru’s keen eyes caught the faint purple liquid oozing from the gaps of the blade. Without missing a beat, he moved with blinding speed, delivering a kick that sent the snake-like blade flying.
Yashio grinned as he activated his technique. “Activate! Serpent Sword Technique: Saw Blade!”
The sword’s flexibility made it difficult to predict, moving like a saw with jagged, flesh-tearing motions. Yet even such erratic movements were effortlessly dodged by Takeru.
Yashio, shocked by Takeru’s swift, nearly invisible movements, gasped.
“—What incredible reflexes…!”
–– I need to stop his movements first!
Just as Yashio resolved to act, Shima’s furious roar echoed through the room.
“Uwooooah!”
Having recovered, Shima rushed toward Takeru like a wild beast, his face twisted with rage.
“Damn brat! Die already!”
“…”
Shima unleashed a flurry of punches, none of which landed on Takeru, who continued to evade them effortlessly. Frustrated, Yashio barked an order.
“Shima! Hold him down with everything you’ve got!”
“Don’t boss me around!” Shima snapped back, but even so, he spread his arms wide, trying to grab Takeru.
This opened up his sides, leaving his abdomen exposed. Takeru, capitalizing on the opportunity, delivered another powerful punch to Shima’s gut.
“Guh…! Oooh…!”
Though Takeru’s blow should have sent Shima flying, Shima had concentrated his magical energy into his abdomen, allowing him to endure the attack. Blood dripped from his mouth as he smiled maniacally, clamping his hands on Takeru’s shoulders with all his might.
“Tch.”
“Heh, heh, heh! I withstood it, you bastard!”
Shima raised his arm high, his muscles bulging grotesquely.
“Muscle Destroy Break! Super Recovery! Muscle Destroy Break! Super Recovery!”
–– Body Enhancement: Bump Up.
“I’m gonna crush you nowwwww!”
Shima’s muscles tore and healed repeatedly, his strength escalating with each cycle. His fists, now powered by the destructive technique, were strong enough to shatter the ground itself. His bloodshot eyes and twisted grin made it clear that he was being driven by an overwhelming urge, almost as if possessed.
At the same time, Yashio’s snake-blade sword drew a large arc, swinging around to strike at Takeru from behind.
“There’s poison on this sword, potent enough to paralyze even monsters with just a scratch! This is the end for you—Serpent Blade Venom Fang!”
–– Protect Guard.
The moment Takeru whispered the spell, both Shima’s powerful punch and Yashio’s venomous blade landed on him—only to bounce off harmlessly and clatter to the ground.
“W-What the hell!? You’re not even breaking a sweat!” Shima shouted.
“No way—there’s no way your skin’s this tough!” Yashio’s voice echoed through the empty restaurant, both men in disbelief.
Before they could react, Takeru grabbed Shima’s arm.
“Gwaaahhhh!”
Shima screamed in agony as Takeru began crushing his arm, enhanced strength and all, with terrifying ease.
"My arm! You bastard! Let go!"
As Shima shouted in pain, Takeru released his grip. Without hesitation, Takeru delivered another punch to Shima's abdomen, this time with such force that it bypassed the magical defense Shima had focused there.
"Gwaaaah!"
"What the—?! Ngh—!"
Shima’s massive frame hurtled toward Yashio, who, caught off guard, failed to dodge. The two men collapsed together, and as Takeru closed the distance, he ignored the now incapacitated Shima and looked down at Yashio.
"Is that all you've got?"
With the fight activating something within him, Takeru's intent shifted. What had been a quiet, controlled aura now became something far more lethal—a clear intent to kill.
—W-What is this guy...?
Yashio, who had carried himself with confidence moments ago, now found himself overwhelmed by the abyssal darkness in Takeru’s eyes—eyes that had seen hell and survived.
"I see... As the leader said, you're not someone who can be taken down by brute force alone."
"..."
"Well, I suppose we’ll have to move forward with our other plan—hostages."
"Hostages...?"
Yashio’s smugness returned as he seemed to think he had regained the upper hand.
"Your friend—"
—Could they have captured Sawamura!?
Yashio grinned confidently as he showed Takeru a photo on his phone. Tied to a chair, beaten and bruised, was Araki.
"Would you mind if something happens to Araki-kun?"
"Why him?!"
"Bwuh—!"
Anger flashed in Takeru’s eyes, and without a second thought, he punched Yashio squarely in the face, knocking him to the ground. Yashio, holding his cheek in pain, looked confused as to why Takeru had struck him.
Just then, Yashio’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and, despite the situation, answered the call in a fluster.
"Yes! Yes! But..."
Fearfully, Yashio handed the phone to Takeru.
"It’s the leader... Hebikawa wants to speak with you."
—The leader of Ouroboros...
Takeru hesitated for a moment, but knowing that revealing his true identity was at stake, he took the phone, realizing that negotiations might be necessary. On the other end, Hebikawa’s voice came through.
"You... irregular. I've been watching, and... haha, you really gave me a good laugh," said Serpentine through the phone.
"..."
Takeru glanced around, noticing snakes appearing from the ceiling, walls, and every corner. The sight of slithering snakes surrounding him would terrify most people, but Takeru simply observed them without a trace of fear.
"What does a major guild leader want with just an ordinary person?"
"You heard it from Yashio, didn’t you? It’s a recruitment offer."
"I already declined."
"Then maybe I’ll report you to the Hunter Association."
Takeru glared at the snakes. He knew that Serpentine was watching him through their eyes.
"Calm down, it was a joke. I’m not gonna tell anyone about you."
"And I’m supposed to trust that?"
"Yeah. I’ve got no reason to spill the beans about my future secret weapon."
Just then, Takeru's phone chimed with a notification. A message appeared from an unknown sender with a pitch-black icon.
"And to thank you for all the entertainment, I sent you a little gift."
"What...?"
"Hope you like it!"
"What did you do to them?"
Takeru opened the message, and his eyes widened as he saw a photo of his parents in the hospital, their faces pale and pained, clearly suffering.
"Just a little dose of poison! Not the ones this world’s medicine can cure, of course!"
The moment Serpentine's words registered, a surge of immense killing intent erupted from Takeru, distorting the air around him. The snakes began dropping one by one, unconscious, falling from the walls and ceiling, leaving Takeru standing alone in the midst of the aftermath.
Even Yashio, an A-rank hunter, felt his pride crumble as fear took hold of him.
—This is impossible. What kind of monster is he...?
Yashio wished he could pass out like Shima. At least it would spare him from the overwhelming terror. As Yashio trembled, Serpentine's voice continued with sinister glee.
"Haha! That face! I like that look way better than your smug one from earlier!"
"Give me the antidote."
"You want it? Come and get it, alone!"
Takeru's phone chimed again, and a URL appeared in the message.
"You know what to do. Don’t even think about asking anyone for help," Serpentine's voice warned through the phone.
"Yeah," Takeru replied before ending the call. He then tossed the phone back to Yashio, who barely caught it.
When Yashio looked up, fear overtook him as he stumbled backward.
"Wh-What...?"
Takeru's face was now void of emotion, but it carried a deadly aura that made Yashio retreat in terror. Without sparing Yashio another glance, Takeru spoke to himself, as if the man in front of him didn’t exist.
"Why would I ask for help? Doing that would only—"
He turned and began walking away, his words trailing off ominously. Yashio, frozen in place, watched as Takeru walked off, his presence exuding an aura of pure dread.
—getting in the way...
Yashio caught the last words, and a chill ran down his spine.
"...Hebikawa-san... we... we’ve made a mistake..."
—We’ve messed with someone we never should’ve crossed...
