chapter 47: Echoes of the Hunt

Chapter 47: Echoes of the Hunt

The underground coliseum still trembled from the echoes of battle. The air was thick with sweat, blood, and the lingering energy of the fight. Rin stood in the center, his breath steadying, his body aching but victorious. Edmund Verrain—the Phantom Fang—had vanished, but Rin knew this wasn't their last encounter.

A presence loomed behind him.

"Well, well," Valdo's familiar voice rumbled, thick with amusement. "You sure know how to put on a damn good show, Ryukai."

Rin turned, rolling his sore shoulder. Valdo leaned against a wooden railing above the arena, a glass in his hand, his grin sharp. Behind him, high-rollers whispered among themselves, some impressed, others clearly annoyed at their lost bets.

"You're bleeding," Valdo noted, nodding at Rin's arm.

Rin glanced at the deep cuts from the whips. Blood dripped onto the sand, mixing with the countless stains from battles before his. He clenched his fist. "Nothing I can't handle."

Valdo chuckled. "Cocky. I like it." He tilted his glass in a mock toast. "But you pissed off the wrong kind of people tonight, kid. Phantom Fang doesn't just walk away unless he has something planned. You might've won the fight, but the hunt isn't over."

Rin wiped his arm on his torn sleeve. "I'd be disappointed if it was."

Valdo's eyes gleamed. "You really are something else."

The coliseum's guards started clearing the arena, dragging away unconscious fighters, collecting coins, and preparing for the next match. But Rin wasn't concerned about them. His mind was already moving ahead.

Edmund had tested him. Now, he had to prepare for the next time they met.

Before he could leave, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Rin."

He turned.

Elsa Balotelli stood at the edge of the arena, dressed in a crimson dress that hugged her figure, her golden rifle strapped to her back like a casual afterthought. Her expression was unreadable. The gamblers, the audience—everyone turned to glance at her.

Elsa didn't come down here often.

"Walk with me," she said. It wasn't a request.

Shadows in the Hall

Rin followed Elsa through the narrow hallways of the underground arena. The walls were damp, torches flickering against the stone. The deeper they walked, the quieter it became, until the echoes of the crowd faded completely.

"Do you know why Edmund Verrain was here?" Elsa asked, her heels clicking against the floor.

Rin exhaled, still feeling the phantom sting of the whips. "To test me."

Elsa stopped, turning her sharp eyes on him. "Wrong. He was sent here to kill someone."

Rin's fingers twitched. "Me?"

A smirk ghosted across her lips. "If that were the case, you'd be dead already."

Rin stayed silent.

Elsa leaned in slightly, her voice lower. "Edmund was hired to eliminate a Voz family informant hiding here in the coliseum. But instead, he got... distracted." She tilted her head at Rin. "By you."

That made sense.

Edmund wasn't the type to waste time on unnecessary fights. But Rin had caught his interest—enough to shift his focus, if only briefly.

"And now," Elsa continued, "the Voz family is not happy."

Rin frowned. "That's not my problem."

Elsa laughed softly. "Oh, but it is. Because the moment you interfered, you became part of the game." She traced a finger along the wall, her expression thoughtful. "I wonder… will you survive it?"

Rin met her gaze. "I don't lose."

She studied him for a moment before stepping closer, invading his space. "Good," she murmured. "Because I hate losing, too."

Before Rin could respond, a heavy knock echoed down the hallway.

Elsa straightened, her expression darkening. "We should go. There's someone you need to meet."

A Meeting in the Dark

Rin followed Elsa into a dimly lit chamber, where a single round table sat at the center. A bottle of aged whiskey rested on it, along with several glasses—three of them already filled.

Two men waited inside.

One was Chad, Elsa's enforcer. His muscular frame leaned casually against the wall, his sharp eyes tracking Rin's every movement.

The other—

Rin tensed.

Mikhael Voz.

The eldest son of the Voz family.

Unlike the ruthless crime lords that made up his bloodline, Mikhael was deceptively refined. He dressed in an elegant black suit, his silver cufflinks glinting under the low light. His hair was slicked back, and a slow, knowing smile tugged at his lips.

"Ah," Mikhael said, his voice smooth as silk. "The man of the hour."

Rin didn't sit. "If you're here to talk about Edmund, I have nothing to say."

Mikhael chuckled. "No, no. You misunderstand." He gestured toward the empty chair. "Please, sit. Drink."

Rin didn't move.

Elsa took a seat first, crossing her legs and taking one of the glasses. Chad remained by the wall, silent.

Mikhael sighed. "I see Valdo has taught you well. Always assume a meeting is a trap."

Rin smirked. "Isn't it?"

Mikhael chuckled again. "Perhaps." He swirled the whiskey in his glass. "But I didn't come here to kill you, Rin. I came here to make you an offer."

Rin raised an eyebrow.

Mikhael leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping. "You disrupted Edmund's mission. That alone tells me you are either incredibly foolish or incredibly capable. I prefer to believe the latter." He smiled. "And that kind of talent… interests me."

Rin didn't blink. "Get to the point."

Mikhael's smile widened. "Join me."

The air in the room shifted.

Elsa's grip tightened around her glass.

Rin let out a slow breath. "Not interested."

Mikhael didn't seem surprised. "A shame." He took a sip of his drink before setting it down. "But then again… I like a challenge."

He stood.

"Edmund will come for you again," he said casually. "Only next time, it won't be a game."

Rin held his gaze. "Then I'll kill him."

Mikhael chuckled. "Oh, I do hope you try."

With that, he turned, his footsteps echoing as he left the chamber.

Elsa exhaled, setting her drink down. "That went better than expected."

Chad smirked. "Or worse."

Rin ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. This wasn't just about Edmund anymore.

The Voz family had taken notice of him.

And that meant things were about to get a whole lot more dangerous.

The Hunt Resumes

Later that night, Rin stood alone on the balcony of the coliseum, overlooking the city lights of the Down World. His body still ached, but his mind was sharper than ever.

Edmund wasn't done with him.

And neither was Mikhael Voz.

The game had changed.

But Rin had never been one to back down.

He smirked.

Let the hunt continue.