His gaze darkened as he walked deeper into the alley, his shadow blending with the night.

"As for the others who saw what I can really do, Jiro will handle it. No one will remember."

Raito's eyes gleamed faintly, that same cold confidence returning to his expression.

When Raito finally reached his apartment, the city had grown quiet. The faint hum of mana lamps lit the streets, their glow washing the walls in soft blue light.

He climbed the narrow stairs to his floor, each step echoing faintly through the stillness.

At last, he stood before his door. He knocked once.

A moment later, it opened.

Aiko stood there, wearing a loose sweater, her hair slightly messy from staying up late. She blinked at him in surprise.

"Where did you even go?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Raito scratched the back of his head, forcing a smile. "Ah… I went out to get some clothes. But something… happened along the way."

Aiko frowned. "Something happened? You should've called. Anyway, some old man came earlier. Looked rich. He said he was delivering your order."

She stepped aside, pointing into the room. Several neatly folded sets of clothes were stacked on the small table, far more expensive than anything Raito usually wore.

"Who was that man, Raito? And where did you actually go?"

"Well…" he said, pausing. His eyes drifted to the pile of clothes, then back to her. "All I can say is I went to work. Unexpectedly."

"Work?" Aiko raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean dungeon work again, do you?"

Raito gave a tired grin. "You could say that."

"Whatever," Aiko sighed, shaking her head. "Just come in before you freeze out there."

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The warmth of the room hit him immediately, and so did the faint metallic scent of blood.

Aiko's expression shifted. "Raito… why is there blood on your clothes?"

He looked down. His shirt and coat were splattered with dark stains, half dried and flaking.

"Oh, this?" He gave a small laugh, trying to sound casual. "It's not mine. Monster blood. I… had to take care of a few things in the dungeon."

Aiko kept staring at him for a long moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. Then she sighed again.

"Fine. Just… don't bring any of that weird stuff back here, okay?"

Raito nodded. "Yeah. Got it."

He moved past her, his steps slow, heavy. The moment he entered his room, he exhaled deeply and leaned against the wall.

Monster blood, huh? he thought. If only that were all it was.

Raito stepped inside his room and began to undress, peeling off his shirt that was still sticky with dried monster blood. Only his trousers remained.

Aiko, who had followed him halfway in, froze. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at him.

"What? When did you become so muscular?" she asked, her tone half curious, half surprised. "It looks like your body's getting longer too."

"Really?" Raito tilted his head, glancing down at himself. "I didn't actually notice."

"Yeah, well…" Aiko said quickly, brushing off her own reaction. "I'll be in the kitchen. Go take a shower and get dressed. I'll be washing the dishes until you're done."

"Alright," Raito replied simply.

As Aiko left, the sound of running water filled the quiet apartment. Raito turned toward the mirror beside his dresser. The reflection staring back at him made him pause.

Now that she mentioned it… she was right. His body had changed.

His shoulders looked broader. His arms denser, stronger. Even his posture felt sharper, more balanced.

"It's like I've grown taller too," he muttered, flexing his hand slowly. "What's going on with me?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "Whatever. I'll figure it out later. For now, I just need a shower. Today was too damn long."

He turned on the tap, hot steam filling the small bathroom. As the water ran down his skin, Raito leaned against the tiled wall, closing his eyes.

Hinata…

The memory replayed sharply in his mind, the flash of those blade like hands, the piercing speed, the raw power behind each strike.

"Hinata was actually strong," Raito muttered under his breath. "Stronger than I expected."

He clenched his fists as water dripped from his chin. "He almost pushed me to my limit. If I had used Shadow Phase to go invisible… or even Flight… I could've finished him sooner."

His expression hardened.

"But I didn't want to reveal that skill. Not yet. No one can know what I'm capable of."

Steam swirled around him, the light reflecting faintly off his scarred skin.

"It annoys me," he whispered. "If I hadn't used the cursed blade, things could've ended badly."

The room went quiet again, only the sound of the shower echoing softly through the small space.

"This room is actually really crap," Raito muttered, looking around. The walls were cracked, the ceiling low, and even with just him inside, it felt suffocating. "This place is too small… even for me alone to stay in."

He sighed deeply. "I think it's time I move out, get a better place. Maybe a penthouse… or at least a proper house."

After finishing his shower, Raito dried himself off and put on his pajamas right there in the small shower room. Steam still clung to the air as he stepped out into the bedroom, a towel draped around his head.

He rubbed the towel against his hair as he walked to the bed. His phone lay on top of it, screen dimly lit from a notification.

He picked it up and froze.

"Transaction… ten million dollars?" he muttered. "Ten million?"

He stared for a moment, stunned. "Looks like Jiro just paid me… ten million. But the agreement was five."

His voice lowered into a thoughtful murmur. "What's going on?"

Just then, his phone buzzed violently in his hand. The caller ID flashed: Jiro.

Raito sighed and answered. "Hello. Any problem?"

On the other end, Jiro's calm, confident voice spoke through the line

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