Claire stepped to the side, gesturing toward her assembled squad. "Julian," she said smoothly, using the gentleman's first name with a familiarity that immediately put the rest of the team on edge. "This is my core team for the World Exterminator Ranking Tournament. You already know Rol. This is Gideon, Sora, and..."
Her hand gestured toward the silver-haired teenager standing with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
Before Claire could even finish the introduction, Julian's calm, measured gaze shifted. He eyed Hide curiously, his bottomless mana seemingly rippling for a fraction of a second. With smooth, elegant strides, Julian walked forward, closing the distance between them. He offered his hand.
Hide looked at the extended hand for a moment before slowly pulling his own from his pocket and accepting the handshake. The grip was firm, perfectly calibrated, but beneath the skin, Hide could feel the weight of a devastating physical force holding back.
