When Raito returned to his villa, the silence was almost suffocating. The only sound was the soft thud of his footsteps as he locked the door behind him.
What a day.
He had managed to avoid trouble with the police, but the whole situation with the thieves still nagged at him. He had given them a simple choice which was to stay quiet and turn themselves in. But deep down, he knew they wouldn't listen.
With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and reached out to Kurai in his thoughts. Nothing to say?
But the demon remained quiet, lurking in the back of his mind. Just watching. Waiting.
Raito exhaled, deciding not to push for a response. His body ached, exhaustion creeping in now that he was finally alone. Without another thought, he stripped off his ruined clothes and collapsed onto the bed. Sleep took him instantly.
At exactly 5:00 AM, his eyes snapped open.
No grogginess. No sluggishness. Just immediate awareness.
This had been happening ever since he formed the pact with Kurai. His body felt different—lighter, stronger. Like it was humming with energy he didn't fully understand yet.
He rubbed a hand over his face and grabbed his phone.
Saturday. No work. No obligations.
For once, he had the time.
The perfect day to figure out exactly what he was capable of.
Keeping it simple, he threw on a black T-shirt and joggers—something comfortable, something that wouldn't attract attention. Grabbing his keys, he stepped outside, letting the crisp morning air wake him up fully.
Then, he drove.
The city slowly faded in his rearview mirror, buildings giving way to stretches of open road. The further he went, the more deserted the streets became. The towering skyline was soon replaced by dense forests, their shadows stretching long beneath the rising sun.
Finally, he pulled into a familiar clearing—secluded, abandoned, far from prying eyes.
He had trained here before, but today wasn't about practice.
Today, he was going to push himself. Really test the limits of whatever this was.
Stepping out of the car, he stretched, feeling the way his muscles coiled—ready, eager.
As he looked at the rising sun a slow smirk tugged at his lips.
"Let's find out what's new."