Sosuke Kitahara, ever alert, instantly sensed the ambush.

He couldn't hold back anymore.

A sinister grin spread across his face as he tightened his grip on the folding knife.

Come on, then.

The concealed corners around them offered the perfect hiding spots.

Gray shadows, their dwarf-like bodies mottled with corpse spots, remained nearly invisible in the dim light.

Their eyes flared wide open, putrid saliva dripping from torn lips, sharp claws spreading wide like blades.

Having lost their previous target, they locked their killing intent on this human who radiated a dangerous aura. Their minds couldn't comprehend why, but instinct screamed at them.

Maybe someone in the shadows had sent a signal, or maybe their bloodthirsty instincts had simply taken over. Their stronger-than-life bodies responded only to the call of slaughter.

They attacked with eerie silence, like predators in hiding.

Their target was attempting to escape. That wasn't new to them.

The gap closed quickly, crimson eyes glowing like molten iron. Their expressions twisted into madness, teeth whistling through the air.

Escape was meaningless, and resistance even more foolish. The desire to kill burned like fire inside them, pushing them into a frenzy.

Even though Sosuke had expected this, the sheer speed of the gray shadows still caught him off guard.

Fast. Too fast.

If he were still only at Tier 1, his eyes wouldn't have kept up. Worse yet, their attacks came with barely a whisper only faint hissing, like a snake's tongue flicking.

But now, Sosuke was Tier 2. He was eerily calm, just like in those moments when he had no other choices before. His mind cleared of all distractions.

He gripped the folding knife.

It was small and light nothing like a katana. No chance to strike early.

His breathing slowed and deepened. As he focused on the enemy, his mind settled like still water.

He even wondered: once he reached higher tiers, would his body transform so thoroughly that it wouldn't matter whether he had a weapon? That every part of him would become a weapon?

Strange thoughts to have at a time like this.

Yet he wasn't nervous. Or afraid.

Even as their claws neared, he stood steady, as if all danger had already been neutralized.

He could feel the knife's handle against his palm. His drifting thoughts began to converge at the tip of the blade.

His knees bent slightly, and he slowly lowered his stance. His movements were fluid and casual, without the slightest tension.

His short black hair clung tightly to his scalp, a strange aura emanating from him. His eyes remained utterly still like a calm lake.

His world was deathly silent.

Even the panicked voices of Hiratsuka and Keiichiro behind him had faded. The folding knife in his hand felt like an anchor, unmoving. He sensed the foul wind rushing past the blade, the slow air current being split as if water flowed against it.

This was a new sensation. Different from any fight before.

His entire world seemed to shrink everything narrowed down to the tip of his folding knife.

It was strange. And thrilling.

To those around him, Sosuke Kitahara's presence had transformed.

Keiichiro was especially shocked. He had seen Sosuke fight before his sharpshooting skills rivaled his own. He even remembered when Sosuke suddenly appeared to rescue him from a pile of zombies. That's when he acknowledged the youth.

But only as a promising youngster.

After all, they were both human. Two arms. Two legs. Nothing special.

But now? Now Sosuke felt like something else.

No boasting. No glowing aura. He stood like a statue quiet and steady.

Keiichiro had sharp eyes, trained during his time as a prison guard. He understood one thing: the quieter the surface, the more terrifying the storm underneath.

He didn't dare look too long. That calm, statue-like Sosuke carried an almost suffocating intensity. Staring too long made his heart race.

Sosuke didn't move, but Keiichiro knew he wasn't frozen by fear.

Without hesitation, Keiichiro raised his gun, ready to shoot.

But he couldn't match the shadows' speed.

Too fast.

Keiichiro's eyes widened, barely able to catch a blur. Hiratsuka bit through his lip, unaware of the blood. Sweat soaked his forehead.

Neither could follow the gray shadows.

Just as the creature lunged at Sosuke

He moved.

A single slash.

Slow. So slow it felt almost lazy. As if he was merely extending his hand.

The contrast was surreal: two lightning-fast shadows against one unhurried strike.

Keiichiro felt something unnatural about the scene. Yet his gaze couldn't help but follow the path of that blade.

As the tip reached its end, the gray shadows arrived.

Extreme speed met extreme stillness.

Claws and blade seemed to freeze in the air.

Something felt deeply wrong. Keiichiro felt nauseous, dizzy as if his senses had been scrambled. Hiratsuka stumbled back and fell onto his rear.

Squelch!

The clear sound of tearing flesh cut through the silence.

A silver arc exploded in the air. The heads of both gray shadows shattered into pulp. Their headless bodies lost all color and shriveled.

Sosuke kicked the corpses aside, then looked up sharply toward the retreating shadow on the ceiling. He frowned and said to the others, "Let's move."

The two stunned men blinked, still reeling from the shock. They nodded slowly. "Right…"

Keiichiro glanced at the corpses and shuddered.

Was he even human?

To strike faster than those monsters… it was unbelievable.

Thank God I didn't try to fight him before.

...

"It's already almost 1 p.m. Why isn't Sosuke back yet? It's driving me crazy!"

A voluptuous girl paced anxiously inside the bookstore, eyes glued to the door.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Yuigahama remained seated. Though still pale, she looked far better than when Sosuke had left. Beside her, Yukino Yukinoshita gently held her hand, speaking softly to her.