Just at the circuit's entrance, ahead of the intoxicated wanderers who couldn't distinguish up from down, a young man about Raiden's age had claimed a weathered chest as his seat.
He projected controlled gray aura, his keen eyes fixed and unblinking beneath a shadowy, ornate hood and mask that shrouded his mouth and nose.
His gloves caught the eye immediately—complex metallic designs inlaid with glowing blue and red gems that looked suspiciously like recorder stones.
With the others flanking them from behind, Raiden and Noelle faced the young man directly, their eyes locking with his.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"Is this the Apex Circuit?" Noelle inquired, folding her arms across her chest.
"What's it to you?" he demanded, his tone parched and eerie.
Raiden let out a quiet laugh and moved closer to Noelle. "Let me do the negotiations while you handle the combat?" he murmured.
