The birthday party atmosphere remained tense inside the villa. The music was low, and the guests stood frozen in place after Sato stepped back.
'Is this person a C-Rank hunter?'
Riko stood firmly beside Hana, with Kane and Hana's mother, Laura, next to him. His gaze was steady, his posture straight, and the short distance between him and Sato felt heavily charged.
"Why are you standing there?"
"Do you think I'll let you get away?"
Sato looked at him with eyes filled with anger and confusion.
"Why are all of you like this?"
"You all didn't want me to attend the birthday party, right?"
Kane stepped forward, his body tense and his voice decisive.
"Yes, we don't want you at my daughter's birthday."
"You insulted her and attacked her honor."
"My daughter is more honorable than you."
Sato clenched his fist tightly, the aura around him trembling.
"So you're under this person's protection?"
"A high-rank hunter, right?"
'Has this guy lost his mind? I'm only a D-Rank hunter.'
Suddenly, Sato rushed forward at visible speed, his fist aimed directly at Riko's face.
Riko shifted half a step aside, dodged the punch, and grabbed Sato's wrist with one hand. The momentum broke, stopping the attack midair.
"Sato."
"You just tried to throw a punch."
In the next instant, Riko moved forward. His other fist shot straight toward Sato's face. The strike was direct and powerful. Sato's body flew backward, slammed into the wall, and collapsed onto the ground as blood flowed from his head.
"Did I overdo it?"
Silence filled the room for several seconds.
Suddenly, Hana rushed forward, grabbed Riko tightly, and pressed him against her chest as tears streamed down her face.
"Welcome back, Riko."
Riko placed his hand steadily on her back.
"Don't cry."
"As long as I'm here, no one will touch you."
At that moment, Sato's father hurried inside, bowed slightly, and lifted his injured son onto his shoulder. Rage filled his face, yet he stopped at the villa's entrance.
He looked at Riko.
Riko raised his eyes and returned a cold, sharp gaze.
Sato's father unconsciously stepped back, then turned and left the villa carrying his son.
After one day, in the morning, Riko was running through the streets of his neighborhood. His steps were steady, his breathing heavy, and his body moved with clear rhythm.
A window appeared before him.
[Daily quests completed]
Riko stopped, placing his hands on his knees as he breathed rapidly.
"I've been completing daily missions since morning."
Another window appeared.
[Automatic recovery will begin]
He felt his body regain energy as fatigue gradually disappeared.
"This really feels comfortable."
A new window appeared.
[Qualification requirements met for entering a C-Rank Gate]
His eyes widened.
"A C-Rank Gate?"
Another window appeared immediately.
[Death rate: 60%]
He froze in place.
"Sixty percent?"
Another notification appeared.
[You will be notified tonight of the gate's location]
Riko clenched his fist.
"I need to prepare."
At the same time, inside the hospital, Sato lay on an operating bed, his head wrapped in bandages while monitoring devices emitted steady sounds. His father sat beside him, fists tightened, eyes burning with rage.
"I will kill that boy, Riko."
"I'll kill you no matter the cost."
"I'll avenge you, Sato."
Silence filled the room.
At night, Riko stood in the forest holding a green key marked with a skull. He raised it, and a massive green gate appeared before him.
The system appeared in red:
[Your death rate inside the gate is 60%]
[Are you sure you want to enter?]
Riko hesitated for a moment. He remembered his family.
''I really am hesitating.''
''Strangely, I don't feel fear even before a C-Rank Gate.''
''Since I was born, I've never felt fear or sadness.''
''This is only hesitation.''
He lifted his head and looked at the gate.
''I will enter. I must grow stronger.''
He stepped inside.
The surroundings changed. Ice covered the ground, and the air became cold and heavy.
Reina Kagami walked through a corridor wearing a black suit, with Tsuma Tsukura beside her.
"Why are you following me, Reina?"
"I'm heading to the director's office."
"Why?"
"They said a new talent appeared and must be evaluated."
"Who is this talent?"
"A seventeen-year-old teenager."
''Are you afraid he might become stronger than you?'' she said with a smile.
He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned close to her ear.
"I hope he's as strong as you say. No one can defeat me."
He walked away. Reina stood still, her face flushed.
''Did the strongest man almost kiss me?''
Tsuma sighed.
"As usual, she misunderstood."
Inside the hospital room, a masked man entered.
"Who do you want killed?"
The father raised his head.
"I want Riko's corpse in front of me."
"We investigated. He isn't even registered as a hunter."
"Then how does he have that strength? Could he be an assassin?"
"We searched the entire city. No trace of him."
"How?"
"We'll find him and kill him."
"Please, hurry."
"We will find him."
Inside the gate, Riko walked across icy ground, each step producing a sharp sound.
He stopped briefly.
"Will I survive?"
The gate behind him closed. There was no return. Everything ahead was unknown.
Darkness surrounded him completely. No visible ground or sky — only endless black. He moved forward without hesitation.
''What is this place?''
''Everything here is darkness.''
''I remember entering a gate.''
''System, grant access.''
''Is this a dream?''
He kept walking.
Suddenly, an open door appeared, bright light pouring out. His body moved on its own, running uncontrollably.
''What? I can't control my body.''
''Why am I running?''
''I can't stop.''
As he approached, control suddenly returned.
''Finally.''
He moved slowly and entered the door.
The environment changed entirely — green land, countless trees, bright sunlight. A wooden table stood in the center. A man wearing black knight armor sat there, red hair and crimson eyes, holding a cup of tea.
Riko sat across from him.
"What is this place?"
"You will know later. Don't rush."
"Is this the gate I entered?"
"No. You will understand later."
"Why am I here?"
The man placed the tea cup down and looked directly at Riko.
"Your level is not sufficient to know who I am or what this place is."
"It exceeds your current comprehension."
"But there is one thing."
"You are in danger. Be careful."
Riko's vision suddenly opened.
He was back inside the gate — an icy forest. Rapid movement sounds approached as ice wolves charged toward him.
He barely dodged the first attack, slipped, then regained balance.
"Was I about to die?"
He stood firmly and extended his hand.
"Storage."
A sword appeared in his hand.
"A normal sword."
The wolves attacked together. One leaped from the right — he dodged. Another attacked from behind — he lowered his body and swung horizontally, splitting the wolf in half as it turned to dust.
Riko moved forward.
One step.
He vanished and appeared behind two wolves. A single swift strike separated their heads from their bodies.
His breathing grew heavy.
''This technique is exhausting.''
The final wolf rushed wildly. Riko gripped the sword with both hands and delivered a vertical strike, splitting it completely.
System windows appeared:
[Ice Wolves defeated]
Another window appeared:
[Automatic recovery activated]
Energy refreshed his body.
"I'll continue the gate."
Riko moved deeper into the forest as the snow grew denser and distant sounds moved between the trees.
At Riko's home, Selena stood by the window, her hands trembling.
''I'm worried about Riko.''
''He changed after the school incident.''
''He isn't the same anymore.''
''Since my husband died, I've carried everything alone.''
Tears fell from her eyes.
Reina Kagami stood before the director's office while the director looked outside.
"What do you want to report?"
"A talent appeared at a wealthy family's villa."
"And what makes you consider it talent?"
"The age is young."
"The power equals C-Rank."
The director turned quickly.
"Is he a university student?"
"No. A high school student."
Interest appeared on the director's face.
"Bring this person immediately."
"Understood."
Inside the gate, wolves attacked again — this time in greater numbers. Riko charged forward, his sword moving continuously. Slashes, dodges, bursts of speed, direct strikes. Some wolves fell to the blade, others shattered from direct punches to the head.
The battle ended. He stood still, breathing rapidly.
"This is exhausting."
A window appeared:
[Automatic recovery activated]
Vitality returned.
"I like this feeling."
A new window appeared:
[You will face a C-Rank Boss]
A red window followed:
[Death rate: 60%]
Riko smiled.
"Finally."
"I'll face the boss."
Riko walked between the trees as ice covered the ground and silence surrounded the area.
''I've been searching for the boss for an hour.''
''I want to return home as soon as possible.''
''I'm late for my mother.''
He suddenly stopped. Movement sounded nearby.
''Is that the boss?''
A red system window appeared:
[Severe danger detected nearby]
Before he could turn, a massive wolf attacked from behind, striking him with overwhelming force. Riko crashed into a tree trunk and fell to the ground as blood left his mouth.
''This wolf is dangerous.''
''I would have died without training.''
The wolf charged again. Riko barely dodged and began running between the trees.
''It already tried to kill me twice.''
''The system keeps giving me chances.''
''I feel something strange.''
''Is this fear?''
The wolf leaped with incredible speed. Its claws tore across Riko's back. He slammed into another tree as blood poured from his back and mouth.
''Is this my end?''
He collapsed and began crawling forward with difficulty.
''This is the end.''
The wolf stood behind him, watching. It approached slowly and struck his left leg. Pain exploded through his body.
"This hurts."
He looked at the wolf.
''Does this wolf have intelligence?''
Another strike tore his right leg apart. His scream filled the forest.
''Everything is over.''
System windows appeared:
[Your technique will be awakened]
[Class: Mage]
[Skill obtained: Soul Devour]
The wolf raised its claws for the final blow.
[Skill Information: You can devour the soul of the dead and absorb their techniques as your own]
[Reward: Full body regeneration and doubled power]
The wolf lunged.
Riko disappeared.
The wolf stopped, looking around.
Riko appeared behind it. His sword struck toward its neck, but the wolf barely dodged and turned to face him.
Riko stood firmly, sword in hand, anger clear in his eyes.
"I have never felt this much anger before."
"You are an intelligent wolf."
"I will not show mercy."
He vanished again.
The wolf turned violently.
Riko appeared directly behind it. One decisive strike separated the head from the body. It fell as blood burst outward.
System windows appeared:
[Ice King defeated — C Rank]
Another window appeared:
[You may devour the target's soul]
Riko approached the corpse and placed his hand on it.
[Technique acquired: Ice King]
Another window appeared:
[Technique Information: Summon ice soldiers and create ice weapons]
''Why didn't it use this technique against me?''
''It was mocking me.''
He raised his head.
"My information."
A window appeared:
[Name: Riko Kisaragi]
[Rank: D]
[Title: Unknown]
[Level: 20]
''Why did the system remove some information?''
"It doesn't matter."
"I gained ten levels."
"Rank doesn't rise easily."
He looked around.
"I need to leave."
"The gate will close soon."
He started running.
End of Chapter Five.