The city was quiet, but the silence was deceptive. Shadows clung to the alleys, stretching unnaturally in the flickering torchlight. The occasional creak of wood or distant shout barely disturbed the oppressive stillness.
Rayon walked casually, hands in the pockets of his dark, tailored coat. The faint glow from the black markings on Vorthalaxis wrapped around his arm pulsed lightly with each step, an almost imperceptible rhythm that seemed alive. Erethon lingered in his mindscape, observing silently, his presence both comforting and sardonic.
"You know," Erethon murmured, "this city thinks it's safe at night. It's… adorable."
Rayon's lips curled faintly, a smirk shadowed across his pale face. "Adorable doesn't kill anyone."
"You do."
Rayon glanced at him, unimpressed. "Yes. I do."
The faint sound of footsteps echoed behind him—too deliberate to be coincidence. Rayon's eyes, pale and calculating, flicked backward. In the darkness, a tall figure cloaked in black followed at a distance, careful not to reveal itself.
Rayon slowed his pace and then stopped entirely. The quiet of the night seemed to stretch as he waited, one hand brushing subtly against the edge of his coat where his strings lurked, ready. The figure froze, sensing it had been noticed.
"Enjoying the walk, stranger?" Rayon's voice cut the night like a knife, calm, emotionless, but carrying an undeniable threat.
The figure stepped into the faint torchlight, revealing sharp eyes and a dangerous aura. "Rayon… so you're the one who tore through the forest. Vorynth… the Third Seal… You've made enemies you don't even realize yet."
Rayon tilted his head, casually observing the figure as though inspecting an insect. "I don't make friends in forests. Or cities. Or anywhere. I do what I want. I take what I want. And if someone gets in my way? Well…" His fingers flexed slightly. Black threads of Hollow Strings twitched faintly in the dim light. "…I remove them."
The figure's eyes narrowed. "You can't be allowed to roam freely. Not after what you've done. I'll stop you."
Rayon chuckled, low and dark. "You think you can? Cute."
Without warning, Rayon moved. Not fast, not with any flourish—just a simple step to the side and a flick of his wrist. A strand of Hollow String shot out silently, wrapping around the figure's ankle like liquid shadow. The person stumbled but caught themselves, eyes wide with surprise.
"I said… I do what I want," Rayon said, voice calm, almost bored. He walked slowly toward the figure, hand still brushing casually against his coat. "And I never apologize for it."
The figure lunged, aura igniting with power. Hollow energy crackled faintly in the air, a wave of pressure that could crush bones. Rayon met it with nothing more than a shift in stance and a subtle adjustment of his strings. Within moments, the first strike was dodged, the second anticipated. Rayon's calm, emotionless demeanor never wavered.
Erethon's voice: He's… insane. Perfectly insane. And completely deadly.
Rayon grinned faintly, almost absent-mindedly. "You're strong. I'll give you that. But you're also predictable. Human nature tends to be."
The figure's strikes became desperate, aggressive. Every attack faster than the last, every movement designed to overwhelm. Yet Rayon remained unshaken, moving with the lethal efficiency of someone who could kill a dozen men before breakfast and not even break a sweat.
Finally, Rayon acted. Hollow Strings lashed out like silent shadows, wrapping around the figure's limbs, binding them in precise, suffocating constriction. Erethon observed in silent amusement as Rayon tightened the threads with a simple flex of his fingers.
"You were… warned," Rayon murmured, calm and emotionless, "but I don't do mercy. It's not in my nature. It's not my choice."
The figure struggled, energy crackling violently, but the Hollow Strings were faster, stronger, and more precise than anything the person could muster. Rayon's expression never changed; hands remained in his pockets until the last moment. With a casual flick of his wrist, he snapped the string binding the figure's neck, leaving the body to collapse silently into the shadows.
Erethon's shadow snorted. "Brutal. Efficient. And absolutely unapologetic. Typical you."
Rayon glanced down at the body, then back to the empty streets. "I didn't enjoy it. I didn't need to. That's all that matters."
Vorthalaxis coiled around his arm, muscles tensing slightly. The black markings along its scales flickered faintly. "More are coming," it hissed softly.
Rayon didn't flinch. "Let them. I like company. Just make sure they're ready… I don't give second chances."
Erethon chuckled, voice dark and sardonic. "You do realize you just made this city's most powerful players aware of you? They'll be sniffing around, testing, probing… all because you were bored and decided to walk at night."
Rayon smirked faintly, pale eyes glinting. "Good. Let them come. I'll decide who lives. Who dies. And who gets to regret ever seeing me."
The city slept unaware, shadows shifting as if watching, feeling the presence of a predator that moved without remorse, without hesitation, and without fear.
Vorthalaxis shifted, sensing the latent power radiating from every corner. Erethon whispered quietly, almost teasing:
"You're insane, you know that?"
Rayon's grin widened. "Yes. And perfectly aware."
From the rooftops, distant eyes glimmered. Observers from the Awakened Circle had taken notice. Whispers of the "Forest Ghost" reached ears that had not yet forgotten the devastation Rayon had caused. Someone prepared, someone patient, someone dangerous.
"He's here. And he's… not like anyone we've dealt with before," one voice said, low and dangerous.
Rayon didn't know it yet, but the next hunter was already moving, stalking him through the night. And for once, he would have to make the choice: entertain them, or erase them entirely.
Rayon's smile remained calm, emotionless, and deadly. "Perfect. I like a challenge."
The hunt has begun. And in this city, the predator… is ready.