"Raito, I just wanted to confirm—there was no huge crash, right? No injuries or complications?"

"Yes, I didn't," Raito replied. "I'm good."

"Well," Jiro said, his tone light but professional, "you actually did a good job. The bonus for the mission was five million dollars, plus our base agreement—five million per month. But for every job you take outside this range, I'll pay an extra five. That's why the transfer was ten million in total."

Raito smiled faintly. "Alright. But I already said thanks."

"No need," Jiro replied. "Just be ready for the next one soon."

The line clicked off.

Raito lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a long moment. "Ten million…" he said quietly.

Raito sat on the edge of his bed, scrolling through his phone. "I haven't even sent my dad the money yet," he thought. "He's working overseas, always busy… He earns around seven to nine hundred thousand yen per month, but still…"

He smiled faintly. "I'll send him five million yen. He deserves a break. Maybe he can finally take a vacation. I just want to do something for him."

He leaned back, exhaling softly. "Finally… things are starting to get good in life. Now I can focus on increasing my level and stats."

But then, his thoughts darkened.

"What happened today should never repeat itself. It doesn't matter if Hinata was an S-Rank or not—I almost lost to him when he stopped holding back."

He clenched his fist, the faint hum of energy running through him. "And not just that… my LP has dropped drastically. When I defeated the Death Knight, I earned about thirty thousand LP… but now, it's almost gone."

He stood and walked to the window, looking out at the night sky. "Tomorrow, I'll head into another dungeon. A special one—somewhere with stronger monsters. I need to grow stronger. Fast."

Just then, the door opened. Aiko stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands.

"Are you done bathing already?" she asked.

"Yeah," Raito replied.

Aiko nodded and returned to the kitchen. Moments later, she came back carrying a tray—steaming rice, a small bowl of sauce, a glass of water, and a pair of chopsticks. She set it down gently in front of him.

"Here," she said softly.

Raito looked up at her, a faint smile forming. "Thank you," he said, taking the tray.

He started eating quickly, the hunger hitting him all at once. "Ah… I haven't eaten since morning," he muttered.

Aiko sat nearby, watching him quietly. "Raito," she said after a moment, "thank you for all the money you gave me. I'll be leaving for vacation tomorrow. And about what happened that day—don't worry. My friends won't talk about it. Not a word."

She smiled faintly. "About how you defeated those goblins and monsters… even King ogres."

Raito looked up, nodded once, and went back to eating. "That's good to hear," he said simply.

"Don't depend on living in these small apartments forever," Aiko said, her tone half-serious. "You're already earning well enough to move out."

Raito raised an eyebrow. "So, what makes you think I'm earning well enough?"

"Well, you literally gave me five million yen," Aiko said with a small laugh. "Isn't that a bit too much?"

Raito smirked faintly. "You're right… but you're also a little too right. Have fun on your vacation."

"Sure, I will," Aiko replied.

The next morning

Raito woke up to the sound of movement. When he turned his head, he saw Aiko already packing her suitcase.

"Oh, you're packing this early already?" Raito said, his voice still rough with sleep.

Aiko turned, slightly startled. "Oh—you're awake? Yeah, I'm packing, but I'm not leaving just yet. Probably in the afternoon. I'll make something for you to eat before I go."

Raito stretched and stood up, rubbing his neck. "You don't have to. I won't be around today anyway."

"Oh?" Aiko asked knowingly. "The dungeon again, right?"

"Yeah," Raito said simply.

Aiko paused, her expression softening. "I hope you stay safe, Raito. It's not easy going into those places, even for strong hunters. You are strong, I know that—but still…"

She smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Honestly, I still can't believe it. It feels like a dream. I mean, your power manifested after all these years. You know that's unheard of, right? Most people manifest their abilities at fifteen. Sixteen is the latest recorded case. But seventeen?"

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "You're the first one. There's no record of anyone awakening that late. It gives people hope—those who thought they'd never manifest might actually have a chance. Or maybe…" She smiled. "Maybe you're just special."

Raito chuckled softly, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah… maybe."

But as she turned away to fold her clothes, Raito's expression grew more serious.

It wasn't just luck, he thought to himself. It was countless near-death fights, pushing my body and mind to the limit. Every time I leveled up, it felt like my heart was going to stop… like my bones were being crushed from the inside.

He looked down at his hands, faint traces of dark aura still flickering beneath the skin.

But I survived every single one of them. And that's something no one will ever understand.

Raito stood up and stretched, then walked toward the bathroom.

The sound of running water echoed softly as he took a long shower, steam filling the room. When he stepped out, he wiped his hair with a towel and looked over at one of the outfits he'd bought yesterday.

He picked it up and tried it on — a plain dark-blue jacket that fit snugly over his frame, paired with matching trousers and polished leather shoes. The outfit gave off a quiet confidence, simple but sharp.

"Not bad," he muttered to himself as he adjusted the jacket sleeve.

Moments later, he stepped out of his room. "I'll be taking my leave now," Raito said.

Aiko turned from the kitchen. "Wait, are you not going to stay until I'm done cooking? You could at least eat before leaving."

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