Tatsuya closed his eyes for a brief moment before exhaling lightly. When he reopened them, his sharp gaze softened, if only slightly.
"Well, everyone has their secrets," he said in a calm, almost indifferent tone. "I won't pry."
Rito blinked. (Wait… that's it?)
He had expected more—a follow-up question, a deeper inquiry, maybe even a subtle investigation.
But instead, Tatsuya had chosen to drop it.
His instincts told him it wasn't out of disinterest. No, Tatsuya was merely choosing to wait and observe rather than force an answer now.
Miyuki, however, looked at her brother with mild surprise.
"Onii-sama, are you really not going to ask more?"
Tatsuya shook his head slightly. "If he doesn't want to talk about it, then pressing him won't accomplish anything."
His eyes flickered toward Rito for the briefest second.
(He's not pushing now, but he'll definitely remember this.)
Rito forced a wry smile. "I appreciate it."
Fujibayashi chuckled, watching the exchange with interest. "Well, isn't this refreshing? Onii-sama's intuition is scary, isn't it, Rito-kun?"
"Yeah, no kidding…" Rito muttered under his breath.
Mikan, who had remained silent for a while, finally sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, Rito, you keep surprising me."
She looked at him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
"You better not be secretly training behind my back, or I'm going to start checking on you every night."
Rito chuckled awkwardly. "Trust me, I'm just as surprised as you are."
That wasn't a lie.
Even he didn't understand what was happening to him.
His skills were growing at an unnatural pace. His body was recovering faster than normal. His mind was processing combat like an experienced fighter.
And now—Mana?
He needed answers.
Shifting Focus
As the discussion ended, the event proceeded toward its next segment—a formal analysis of the match by some of the top experts in swordsmanship and magic combat.
The lights dimmed slightly, and the attention of the audience shifted back to the center stage.
Meanwhile, Rito leaned back in his seat, his thoughts still running wild.
(Alright… I need to test something.)
His hand subtly clenched into a fist. He could still feel that strange sensation—the minor loosening of a shackle deep within him.
It was subtle, yet undeniable.
(Mana… huh?)
He never felt it before today.
And yet, now that it had stirred, it was like his body recognized it.
(If I really have mana… then does that mean I can use magic, too?)
A wild thought entered his mind.
But he shook it off. It was too soon to jump to conclusions.
For now, he needed to stay low-key.
Because even though Tatsuya let the matter drop today…
There was no telling when he would pick it back up again.
In the dimly lit lounge of the luxury hotel, a quiet tension filled the air. The city skyline shimmered outside the vast glass windows, casting soft reflections over the polished floor. The hour was late, yet three figures remained seated around a table, their conversation hushed but deliberate.
Fujibayashi Kyouko elegantly crossed her legs, holding a glass of wine between her fingers. Despite the relaxed gesture, her sharp eyes carried a subtle amusement as she glanced toward Ringo Yuuki—the famed fashion designer and mother of Rito and Mikan.
Ringo leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. Unlike her usual vibrant, confident demeanor in public, she looked… troubled.
"So," Fujibayashi started, swirling her glass. "What do you think of him?"
Tatsuya, who sat across from them, remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"He's hiding something."
Ringo exhaled softly. "You think so too, huh?"
Fujibayashi chuckled. "That kid, Rito... He's not trained, yet he read that match like a seasoned warrior. And the way his body reacted?" She took a sip of her drink. "Even though he says he's just a little 'interested' in martial arts, I'd bet good money there's more to it than that."
Tatsuya, leaning forward, rested his elbows on the table. His gaze, cold and calculating, held no unnecessary emotion—only analysis.
"His movements, his prediction speed—it wasn't something an ordinary observer should be capable of. Even if he had a strong observational skillset, that level of accuracy…"
He paused.
"It resembled combat intuition."
Ringo frowned slightly. "But Rito was never interested in fighting. He never even liked physical training when he was younger. He wasn't some battle junkie or martial arts prodigy. If anything, he was a bit of a bookworm before."
Tatsuya tilted his head slightly. "People change."
"Not that fast," Fujibayashi interjected.
A brief silence followed.
Tatsuya's mind replayed Rito's expressions, his breathing, his micro-movements during the event. He had observed everything—and none of it made complete sense.
"Still…" Fujibayashi smirked slightly. "You let it go pretty quickly, Tatsuya."
Miyuki, who had been present during their conversation with Rito, had been shocked by Tatsuya's decision to not press further. It wasn't like him to just… let things be.
But Tatsuya simply gave a small nod.
"Pressuring him would've been pointless. If he's hiding something, he won't reveal it just because we ask. Instead, I'll watch."
He met Ringo's gaze.
"And you?"
Ringo closed her eyes for a brief moment before sighing. "...I don't know."
Her fingers tapped against the table lightly. "I raised that boy. I know when he's lying, when he's keeping secrets—but this time, even I can't tell."
She looked up.
"But one thing's for sure. Something is changing in him."
Tatsuya didn't reply, but his silence was answer enough.
Fujibayashi smirked. "Well, isn't this interesting?"
She placed her glass down, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Let's see just how deep this mystery goes."
Rito was deep in his dreams—his body exhausted from the day's events, his mind still processing the strange changes happening within him.
But then—
Ding!
A sharp, unnatural chime echoed directly into his mind.
[ Emergency Quest Issued! ]
Rito's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as an intrusive screen filled his vision.
[ Emergency Quest: Incoming Threat Detected! ]
[ A combatant of unknown affiliation is approaching your location with hostile intent! ]
[ Objective: Defend or neutralize the threat before harm comes to you or those nearby. ]
[ Reward: ??? ]
[ Failure Penalty: ??? ]
Rito sat up instantly, a chill running down his spine. His exhaustion evaporated in an instant as he stared at the notification.
(What… the hell?)
Unlike his previous system notifications, this one felt different. The weight behind it was heavier—more urgent.
(Hostile intent? Combatant? What is this, a war zone?)
He quickly turned toward the clock. It was past midnight. The hotel room was dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the curtains. The world outside seemed normal.
But his instincts screamed otherwise.
(Shit… This isn't a joke.)
Rito's breath steadied, but his mind raced.
"I've never been in a real fight before, let alone a life-or-death one," he muttered, gripping his blanket tightly.
Sure, his combat-related skills had jumped to a new level earlier, but he wasn't a fighter. He had only seen fights in anime, movies, and tournaments—not experienced them firsthand.
His hands trembled slightly.
He didn't want to kill.
But…
The quest description made it clear. Someone dangerous was coming.
Would they attack randomly? Would they hurt innocent people? Mikan? Their mother?
His grip tightened.
(Damn it…! I can't just sit here and do nothing.)
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself out of bed. He didn't have time to hesitate. His system had never issued an emergency quest before—this had to be serious.
Rito took a deep breath and opened his system menu, trying to assess his options.
[Status]
Combat Instincts → Lv. 5 Ken-jutsu → Lv. 5 Mixed Martial Arts → Lv. 4 Basic Martial Arts → Lv. 4 Dodging → Lv. 3 Physical Endurance → Lv. 3 Observation → Lv. 4
His stats were decent—but against an actual enemy?
He had no clue how strong they were.
"Alright… Let's see what I can do."
A sudden sound—a distant explosion.
Rito's eyes widened.
(What the hell was that!?)
Before he could process it, his body moved on its own. His Level 5 Combat Instincts kicked in, forcing him toward the door before he could even think.
Outside—danger was coming.
And whether he liked it or not—
This was his fight now.