Chapter 4: Rumors and Rivals
Kairo didn't sleep much the night after his release.
The sterile walls of his assigned apartment closed in like the walls of a cell. No windows that opened, no communication devices, no digital network access. It was a containment unit disguised as a favor.
They feared him. Not because he'd done anything wrong—but because he was unknown.
That made him dangerous.
He sat cross-legged on the floor as dawn crept in through the blinds, casting soft golden bars across the concrete walls. The only warmth in the entire space came from the system floating silently beside him, pulsing with faint cyan light.
He opened the system menu.
[Echo Protocol: Adaptive Mode Engaged][Current Level: 3][Link Slots: 1/5][New Trait: Mana Assimilation (Minor)][System Notice: New Quest Available]
Quest: Prove Your EvolutionObjective: Defeat a registered C-rank Hunter in a sanctioned duel.Reward: +1 Link Slot | Bonus Trait if victory is flawless.Consequence: Ability Lock (24hr cooldown on all Echo skills if you lose)Accept? [Y/N]
He didn't hesitate this time.
"Y," he whispered.
A ring of light circled around his palm, imprinting a digital seal just above his wrist like a glowing tattoo. Confirmation of entry into the dueling network—unsanctioned, underground, and more than a little illegal.
If the Hunter Corps wouldn't let him fight above-board, then he'd just go through the shadows.
The undercity below Shinjuku Station was a skeleton of old rail tunnels turned into black market bazaars, fighter pits, and rogue testing grounds. It was also a known recruitment site for rising guilds who kept their eyes on the overlooked and the reckless.
Kairo moved through the narrow corridors with his hood up, avoiding eye contact. Old pipes dripped. Neon lights buzzed faintly overhead. Music echoed in the distance—something heavy, distorted.
Then the dueling chamber opened before him.
It looked like a small arena: circular, cracked concrete, surrounded by a chain-linked barrier. A flickering digital scoreboard floated above it, surrounded by betting panels. On the far end was a challenge board. Kairo walked toward it.
"Name?" asked the clerk behind a sheet of reinforced glass.
"Kairo Tanaka."
The clerk froze mid-chew on a protein bar. "Wait—you're that guy. The one from TK-421."
That name again.
"Yeah," Kairo said. "Still breathing."
People nearby turned their heads. Conversations dimmed. The crowd parted slightly as a tall girl in combat gear stepped into the ring, hands lit with fire.
"Oi! Is this the guy I'm fighting?" she asked, flames licking her palms.
Kairo recognized her from the registry: Asuka Reina. C-rank. Pyromancer. Fast, aggressive, hot-headed.
"Flame Queen," the announcer said into his mic. "Facing down the so-called 'Ghost of TK-421.'"
The crowd murmured. A few chuckled. Most just stared.
Kairo stepped into the ring.
Asuka smirked. "You ready to get cooked, rookie?"
He didn't reply.
The countdown began.
3… 2… 1—
The bell rang.
Asuka didn't waste a second. A fireball exploded toward him like a comet. Kairo blinked—and vanished.
Shadowstep.
He appeared behind her in a blur of movement, fist already descending.
She spun, cloaked in flame—but he'd anticipated it. Void Claws activated mid-swing, turning his fingers into shadow-wreathed talons. Her defense buckled, a burst of flame pushed back, but he ducked, driving his palm into her stomach.
She gasped and staggered, flame flickering around her face.
"Lucky shot," she growled, unleashing a flamethrower-wide arc across the arena.
Kairo dove to the side, but this time caught a burn along his shoulder. Pain exploded down his arm. He hissed, clutching it. She charged in, fire shaping around her like armor.
But she made a mistake.
She came too close.
Shadowstep activated again—his second use—and he appeared at her flank, low and fast. A spin-kick connected with her side. She stumbled—and that was all he needed.
Kairo brought his claws up in a cross-slash. The shadows struck like serrated wind.
Her barrier shattered. Sparks flared—and she collapsed.
The bell rang.
Silence.
Then applause.
Not for her.
For him.
[Quest Complete: Victory Achieved]Result: Flawless (No lethal injuries, target incapacitated without fatal damage)Rewards: Link Slot +1 | Trait Unlocked: Combat Instincts (Passive Boost: Reflex +12%)
Kairo stood in the ring as Asuka was helped to her feet, groaning.
"You… bastard," she muttered, coughing smoke.
"Good fight," he said, before turning and walking out.
The crowd parted.
His name wouldn't stay quiet now.
He didn't go straight home.
Instead, he ducked into an alley between a noodle bar and an old shuttered arcade. There, he opened the system screen again.
His skills glowed brighter.
[Echo Protocol Evolution Unlocked]New Trait: Combat Instincts (Passive)Link Slots: 2/5Skill Sync Efficiency: 11%Alert: You are being observed.
Again with that message.
"Show me observer profile," he whispered.
The screen buzzed, then:
[Observer: Unknown | Affiliation: Eclipse Guild | Status: Hidden]Trace Level: Low]
Eclipse.
One of Japan's Five Great Guilds. Mysterious. Ruthless. Known for recruiting only the elite—and eliminating anomalies.
So they were watching him.
Why?
He clenched his fists.
The fight wasn't over.
It had only just begun.