But Raito didn't stop. He tore the seal away and ran toward the portal.
"Hey, step back! What are you doing? Step back!" one of the hunters shouted.
"Sorry," Raito muttered, his voice low, almost broken.
"Hey, I said go back!" the other yelled, pushing Raito back.
Raito didn't listen. His body moved on its own as he rushed forward, throwing a wild punch at the hunters.
One of them, a tall man with sharp eyes, stepped in. His name was Jiro, an A rank hunter. With a single motion, Jiro blocked Raito's strike and countered with a brutal punch to the stomach.
The blow landed cleanly.
"Gah!" Raito gasped, his body flying back before crashing onto the ground. Blood seeped from his hand, and he struggled to breathe. He tried to stand, groaning in pain, his knees shaking.
"Please…" he muttered hoarsely, "…just get out of my way. I have my reasons."
But his plea went unheard. His body trembled, and then it happened—his eyes turned crimson.
