The cavern trembled.
Not from the beast.
From him.
Yuzuki stood amidst fractured stone, his chest rising and falling slowly, his breath steady, but his eyes… his eyes burned with something far heavier than rage.
It wasn't anger anymore.
It was resolve sharpened into something lethal.
Behind him, Menchi could feel it.
That shift.
That transformation.
The boy who had walked into this cavern with a casual confidence… was gone.
What stood in his place now—
…was someone who had decided something.
The Cathedral Warden roared.
A sound so deep it shook the cavern walls, sending loose stone raining down from above. Its massive form loomed, wounded but far from finished. The hole Yuzuki had torn into it earlier had already begun to knit itself together, flesh writhing unnaturally.
It charged.
The ground cracked beneath its weight.
Fast.
Far faster than something that size should move.
But Yuzuki didn't flinch.
He stepped forward.
'Not strong enough…'
The thought echoed quietly in his mind.
'I couldn't save him.'
A step.
'I haven't saved her.'
Another.
The beast's claw came down and Yuzuki vanished.
A blur.
A shift.
He appeared at its flank.
His fist already drawn back.
Blue surged.
A precise distortion of space coiled around his arm.
The punch landed.
Not with a boom, but with a collapse.
The air folded inward.
The beast's entire side caved in as if reality itself had been compressed.
The Warden howled.
Its massive body skidding across the cavern floor, tearing through stone like paper.
Yuzuki didn't chase.
He stood there, arm lowering slowly.
His fingers trembled.
Not from fear.
From strain.
He could feel it.
The cost.
The backlash building in his muscles, creeping up his bones.
But his expression didn't change.
'Then I'll get stronger.'
The beast surged back up.
Enraged.
Broken.
Desperate.
It opened its jaws—
A pulse of distorted sound erupted outward, the cavern warping with it.
Echo Beasts.
Gravity zones.
Hallucinations.
Everything this place had thrown at them—
This creature embodied all of it.
Menchi shouted from behind.
"Yuzuki—!"
But he was already moving.
He stepped forward.
One step.
And the world bent.
This time—
He didn't use Blue to pull.
He used it to anchor.
To stabilize.
To claim the space around him.
The distortion formed, not chaotic, but deliberate.
His stance lowered.
His right hand rose slowly.
Fingers curling.
Red.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Even the beast hesitated.
As if the world itself held its breath.
Then—
A point formed.
Small.
Unassuming.
Right at Yuzuki's finger tips.
And then—
It screamed.
The energy inverted.
Exploded outward in a violent surge of repulsive force.
A crimson distortion ripped through the cavern—
Straight into the Cathedral Warden.
There was no resistance.
No struggle.
The beast didn't get pushed back.
A hole.
Perfect.
Clean.
Through its chest.
For a second—
The massive creature remained standing.
Frozen.
As if it hadn't understood what had just happened.
Then—
It collapsed.
The impact shook the entire cavern.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Silence followed.
Yuzuki stood there.
Arm still extended.
Breathing shallow.
Then the recoil hit.
His arm buckled slightly.
Muscles screaming.
Bones aching.
A sharp pain shot through his shoulder and down his spine.
"...tch."
He clicked his tongue.
Lowering his hand slowly.
'Still not enough.'
Even after that.
Even after this—
That was his only thought.
Behind him, Menchi stared.
Speechless.
The beast…
That thing…
A creature that had likely killed Hunters stronger than her—
…was gone.
Just like that.
She looked at Yuzuki.
At his back.
At the way he stood there—
Not celebrating.
Not relieved.
Just… dissatisfied.
"…You're insane."
She muttered quietly.
Not as an insult.
As a fact.
Yuzuki exhaled slowly.
Rolling his shoulder slightly despite the pain.
Then—
He turned.
"The fruit."
His voice was calm.
Flat.
Menchi blinked.
Right.
The mission.
She looked toward the center of the cavern.
Where it stood.
The Abyssal Glass Fruit.
Glowing.
Pulsing softly.
As if nothing had happened.
As if the battle—
the destruction—
meant nothing at all.
The cavern had gone quiet.
Too quiet.
Only the faint hum of bioluminescent plants remained, casting a soft glow over the aftermath of destruction. The corpse of the Cathedral Warden lay motionless behind them, already beginning to sink into the darkness it once ruled.
And yet—
The Abyssal Glass Fruit shone as if untouched by any of it.
Menchi handled it with care.
Care that bordered on reverence.
Her movements were precise, controlled, just as the old record had instructed.
"One cut…" she whispered.
The blade flashed.
Clean.
Perfect.
The fruit separated without resistance, releasing a fragrance so rich it almost felt alive.
For a moment—
Even Yuzuki paused.
It wasn't just a smell.
It was memory.
Warm meals.
Distant laughter.
Things he couldn't quite place… but felt.
Menchi inhaled deeply, her eyes lighting up.
"…This is it."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…This is really it."
Yuzuki watched her.
Silently.
Then he turned.
And started walking.
Menchi blinked.
"…Oi."
No response.
"Oi!"
Still nothing.
Her expression tightened.
She carefully secured the fruit before marching after him, boots echoing sharply against the cavern floor.
"Hey!"
Yuzuki stopped.
Just barely.
He didn't turn.
Menchi's brows furrowed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Silence.
"We just found it."
Her voice rose slightly.
"A legendary ingredient. Something Hunters have died trying to reach."
She stepped closer.
"And you're acting like we just picked up groceries."
Yuzuki said nothing.
Menchi clicked her tongue, irritation flaring.
"I don't know what you saw in those hallucinations."
Her tone softened, but only slightly.
"And I'm not asking you to tell me."
A pause.
Then—
"But don't bring the mood down like this."
Yuzuki's shoulders shifted.
Menchi crossed her arms.
"Seriously. You look like someone just told you the world's ending."
She huffed.
"We won, idiot."
That word lingered.
Won.
For a moment—
Yuzuki said nothing.
Then slowly—
He turned.
Menchi froze.
Not because of his expression.
But because of how empty it had been…
…until now.
"…Yeah."
His voice was quieter.
Grounded.
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"…Sorry."
Menchi blinked.
That wasn't what she expected.
Yuzuki exhaled.
"I just…"
He paused.
Searching.
"…had some things on my mind."
Menchi studied him.
Then sighed.
"…Obviously."
A beat.
Yuzuki looked at the fruit in her hands.
At the glow.
At the way her eyes still shone with excitement.
"…It's impressive."
Menchi raised a brow.
"That's it?"
Yuzuki chuckled lightly.
A real one this time.
"…No."
He stepped closer.
Looking at it properly.
"…It's amazing."
Menchi's expression shifted.
Just slightly.
"The way it looks… the smell…"
Yuzuki tilted his head.
"…Feels like something you shouldn't even be allowed to touch."
Menchi smirked.
"Now you're getting it."
Yuzuki nodded.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
Then—
"…Congrats."
Simple.
But genuine.
Menchi stared at him for a second longer.
Then scoffed lightly, turning away.
"Took you long enough."
But the small smile on her face didn't fade.
Together—
They walked toward the exit.
This time—
Not in silence.
---
One Week Later — Hunter Association Headquarters
The hall was grand.
Polished floors.
High ceilings.
The kind of place that made achievements feel heavier than they already were.
At the center—
She stood.
Menchi.
Dressed sharply, posture straight, eyes focused, but barely hiding her excitement.
In front of her stood the Chairman.
Isaac Netero chuckled softly, holding a small badge between his fingers.
"Well, well~"
His eyes gleamed with amusement.
"A Gourmet Hunter who actually went and found something worth the title."
Menchi tried to remain composed.
Tried.
"…Thank you, Chairman."
Netero grinned wider.
"Don't thank me."
He flicked the badge lightly.
"Thank your stubbornness."
He placed it in her hand.
"One-Star Gourmet Hunter."
For a moment—
Everything stilled.
Menchi stared at it.
At the symbol.
At what it meant.
"…I did it."
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just—
Real.
A few claps echoed in the room.
Staff.
Observers.
Hunters.
At the very back—
Someone watched.
Yuzuki.
Arms loosely at his sides.
Leaning slightly against the wall.
He smiled.
Just—
Satisfied.
'Good for you.'
Menchi looked up.
Instinctively.
Scanning the room.
Her eyes moved quickly.
Left.
Right.
Back—
"…Huh?"
Her brows furrowed.
She looked again.
More carefully this time.
But—
He was gone.
The doors at the far end of the hall closed softly.
Almost silently.
Menchi stared at that spot for a second longer.
Then—
Her lips pursed.
"…Idiot."
A small pout formed.
"He didn't even say goodbye."
But despite that—
Her fingers tightened slightly around the badge.
And she smiled.
Just a little.
##
Next Chapter begins the Heaven's Arena Arc
---
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