novelraw Chapter 156 156: WHEN S-RANKS HESITATE
Chapter 156 156: WHEN S-RANKS HESITATE
Raito's eyes sharpened.
His voice dropped.
"Don't start what you can't finish."
Raiden's teeth clenched.
His sword trembled with power.
"I'll cut off one of your hands…"
He leaned forward.
"In fact—both of them."
His aura exploded.
"I'll make you learn who you're messing with!"
And then—
Raiden moved.
BOOM!
He vanished from his spot, moving with insane speed.
A blur of green energy shot straight toward Raito.
A killing slash.
Fast enough to tear the air apart.
But—
Raito moved too.
No sound.
No aura burst.
No explosion.
Just—
gone.
For everyone watching…
it looked like Raito never even moved.
Like he was still standing there.
Still calm.
Still breathing normally.
Still staring forward.
Then—
THUD.
Raiden's body dropped.
He slammed to the ground like a dead weight.
His sword clattered away.
His aura vanished instantly.
The wind stopped.
The room went silent.
Raiden's eyes widened.
He looked down at his arms.
Both hands were gone.
Cleanly severed.
Blood sprayed across the floor.
Raiden screamed.
"AAAAHHHH!! WHAT THE HELL?!"
His voice echoed through the room.
Shin's body stiffened.
Santo's smile disappeared.
Even Hayata's eyes widened slightly.
Raito was still standing in the exact same position.
Not a scratch.
Not a breath heavier.
Like Raiden never existed.
Kazuki stepped back unconsciously.
His voice came out shaky.
"…What?"
His eyes darted around.
"How… how did he do that?"
His fists clenched.
"…Who the hell is this dude?"
Nobody answered.
Because nobody could.
Because deep down…
they all realized the truth.
They weren't facing a man.
They were facing a monster.
"Everyone… stay on your guard."
Julie's voice rang out, cold and commanding.
"Pass… him."
The moment she spoke—
BOOM.
Every single hunter in the room released their aura at once.
The pressure exploded like a wave.
Some of the armed soldiers stepped forward instinctively, raising their weapons, their hands shaking as they pointed them at Raito.
The air became heavy.
Breathing became harder.
The room itself felt like it was shrinking.
Chichiro immediately stepped forward, panicking.
"Please—stop!"
Her voice trembled.
"This isn't why we're here!"
She turned toward the hunters, almost begging.
"Just release her! Give her to him!"
Her eyes watered.
"What you've been doing to her… torturing her… it's wrong!"
Chichiro clenched her fists.
"It's evil!"
But before she could say more—
Hayata's eyes sharpened.
"Move."
His voice was low.
Deadly.
"Get out of our way."
He stepped forward, aura rising.
"After what you did just now… I don't care what trick you used."
His gaze turned cold as ice.
"It can't be spared anymore."
Santo smirked.
"Yeah."
He pointed at Raito.
"This bastard is dying here."
Chichiro stepped back in fear.
"N-No—please!"
But then—
WHOOSH!
Santo moved.
He grabbed Chichiro by the wrist—
and tossed her aside like she weighed nothing.
"AHH!"
Chichiro slammed into the floor and rolled.
Pain shot through her body.
She groaned, forcing herself up slowly.
She didn't even look at Raiden, who was still screaming in agony, blood spilling from his severed wrists.
She only stared at the hunters…
her face filled with fear.
Raito's eyes darkened.
His voice became colder.
"…Why did you do that?"
Everyone froze.
Raito took a slow step forward.
His aura didn't explode.
It didn't flare.
It didn't roar.
But the room suddenly felt…
heavier.
Like the world itself was leaning toward him.
Raito's gaze locked onto Santo.
"One thing I hate…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…is seeing women cry."
He pointed toward Chichiro without even looking away from them.
"Why did you drag her?"
"Why did you throw her?"
Santo scoffed.
"It's none of your business, you bastard."
His aura rose again.
"We're killing you."
Raito didn't blink.
"Oh really?"
His lips curled slightly.
"Then I'd love to see you try."
A pause.
Then his voice dropped even deeper.
"But I won't wait for you to strike first."
The hunters stiffened.
Raito's eyes gleamed like a predator's.
"The moment any one of you thinks about killing me…"
He slowly lifted his hand.
"…the moment your intent reaches my head…"
His aura rippled through the air like invisible lightning.
"I'll cut you down."
A chill ran through the room.
Raito's voice became almost whisper-like.
Yet it carried power.
"You're already thinking about it."
His eyes moved across them one by one.
"I can feel it."
His gaze landed on Raiden, writhing on the ground.
"The one I cut…"
He spoke calmly.
"He intended to cut off both of my hands."
His eyes sharpened.
"So I did it first."
Then—
Raito smiled.
But it wasn't friendly.
It was terrifying.
"And now…"
He raised his finger slightly, as if pointing at their souls.
"I'm reading every single one of your minds."
The soldiers swallowed hard.
Even Hayata's expression twitched.
Raito continued.
"I'm not telling you not to attack."
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"I'm advising you."
He stepped forward again.
Slow.
Controlled.
"But if you try…"
He paused.
The room went dead silent.
"…anywhere you plan to strike…"
His eyes glowed with quiet menace.
"…will be cut off…"
He tilted his head slightly.
"…before you even realize you had the thought."
Santo clenched his jaw.
Sweat rolled down his face.
"This bastard…"
His voice was shaky, filled with rage and fear.
"…he's something else."
His fists tightened.
"What the hell is he?"
No one answered.
Because no one wanted to admit it.
Because deep down…
every single one of them understood.
If they moved—
they would die.
And the worst part?
They weren't even sure they'd see it coming.
So for the first time…
The strongest hunters in the room…
hesitated.
None of them wanted to make a move.
"Hey…"
Raito's voice was calm.
Too calm.
He looked around the room with a bored expression.
"Why is none of you moving?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Don't tell me…"
He chuckled.
"…are you all scared?"
Silence.
The strongest hunters in the nation—
the ones the media worshipped.
The ones civilians prayed to see in battle.
Were standing still.
Frozen.
Raito tilted his head.
"You're so-called S-rank hunters."