The gavel faded from Takeru's hand.
Not gone—just dismissed.
No one spoke at first.
Then—
Yuji broke it.
"…Okay—who said that."
Silence.
Megumi immediately turned, scanning the entire space.
Doors.
Ceiling.
Shadows.
"…Someone's here."
Hana looked around quickly.
"…I didn't see anyone…"
Angel's voice followed, sharper than usual.
"…No visible presence. No detectable cursed energy signature."
Higuruma narrowed his eyes.
"…That wasn't normal."
Takeru stood still.
Listening.
"…Voice origin: unknown."
Yuji stepped forward, louder now.
"…HEY! If you're here, come out!"
Nothing.
No movement.
No response.
Megumi activated his shadows slightly—
testing.
Probing.
"…Nothing's reacting."
Hana turned in a slow circle.
"…It sounded… close."
Angel corrected immediately.
"…It did not originate from a physical location."
A pause.
Yuji frowned.
"…So what, it's like… in our heads?"
Takeru responded calmly.
"…Negative. External auditory perception confirmed."
Higuruma crossed his arms.
"…Then it was something else."
Silence again.
Heavier this time.
Megumi muttered:
"…Some kind of system voice?"
Angel considered it.
"…Possible. The Culling Game has rule enforcement mechanisms."
Hana shook her head slightly.
"…But that didn't feel like a rule announcement…"
Yuji rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Yeah… it felt like someone explaining him."
They all glanced at Takeru.
He didn't react.
"…Information was accurate."
Megumi gave him a look.
"…That's not the point."
Higuruma spoke quietly.
"…Whoever it was… knew everything."
A beat.
"…And chose to say it now."
No one had an answer.
The space stayed still.
Too still.
Like something had already left—
the moment it finished speaking.
Takeru looked forward again.
"…Conclusion: source untraceable."
Angel added:
"…Monitoring recommended."
Yuji exhaled.
"…Yeah… no kidding."
Hana glanced around one more time.
Slower this time.
"…I don't like it."
Megumi nodded.
"…Me neither."
Higuruma looked down briefly.
Then back up.
"…Whoever it is… they're watching."
No one argued that.
Because deep down—
they all felt it.
That voice hadn't been random.
It had been deliberate.
And now—
it was gone.