Hunter Of The Six Realms

The officer's boots scraped against the frost-covered floor as he was lifted off his feet. The frost user's expression didn't change, it remained blank and hollow, like he wasn't even aware of what he was doing.

Two hunters rushed in to stop him, but before they could land a hit, a violent wave of mana burst from him. They were slammed into the wall hard enough that it crack the stone, groaning in pain as they slid to the ground.

The cold in the room thickened. Frost crept faster across the floor and up the walls, and Kaizen could feel it prickling at his skin even from meters away.

"What the hell's wrong with him?" Isabella muttered, her eyes tensed as she watched, but Kaizen didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the man's vacant stare. There was no anger or emotions, it felt like he was being controlled by someone.

The officer's struggling grew weaker. In one swift motion, the frost user threw him to the ground and turned toward the nearest hunter. Ice shards formed around his fist as he prepared to attack. But right then, a blur cut through the crowd.

The black-and-white-haired man Kaizen had seen before appeared in front of the frost user. He'd moved so fast Kaizen almost missed it. His hand clamped around the man's wrist mid-strike, the impact ringing through the air like steel clashing. The floor groaned under their feet as mana smashed against mana, a crushing pressure forcing the nearest hunters backwards.

Everyone watched with wide eyes, no one daring to interfere.

The frost user's head jerked toward him. His free hand swung, ice crystals spraying from his knuckles, but it was caught just as fast. The S-rank twisted both arms behind his back in a motion so sharp it drew a muffled grunt from the frost user.

Ice began to surge again in the man's palms, but the S-rank's grip crushed it instantly. The shards scattered across the floor, tinkling against the frozen ground before melting in the rising heat of their mana clash.

Then, with one heavy shove, the frost user was forced onto one knee, then fully pinned to the floor. The sound of ice cracking echoed as the S-rank's boot pressed between his shoulders, holding him down until the guards finally rushed in.

But surprisingly, this time around, he didn't fight as they dragged him away. His eyes stayed blank as he was carried like a puppet who'd lost every reason to act.

The hall slowly began to warm, the frost receding into thin streams of water across the floor.

"You saved that officer's life," one hunter said to the S-rank hunter who'd just held down the ice user.

"I wonder why he'd suddenly go berserk for no reason. It started as a usual spar until he tried to kill his opponent. He is a nice guy from what I know."

The S-rank didn't respond. His gaze stayed on the man until the guards pulled him out of sight, then he turned away without a word.

Kaizen's jaw tightened. The blank expression he'd seen on that man's face reminded him on the same one he'd seen on the examiners face when he took control with his shadow thread.

Could there be another shadow user like him? Maybe a stronger one who didn't need threads? Because he'd looked intensely for any sign of a thread and found none.

Kaizen's thoughts were cut off when felt Isabella nudging him violently like she was trying to call his attention to something urgent.

He turned to face her but then his eyes fell on the black and white haired hunter approaching him.

Their eyes locked but their expression remained blank. The black and white haired hunter reached where Kaizen stood then he stretched his hand out for a handshake.

"Flynn." He said flatly.

Kaizen looked down at his hand for a moment before finally accepting the handshake.

"Kaizen." He replied.

Flynn's hand tightened around kaizen's as he squeezed with intentional force. Kaizen's expression didn't waver, he squeezed back, accepting the challenge.

Isabella noticed they weren't having a simple handshake. Her brows raised as she watched their hand then looked back up at their faces.

"Why didn't you stop that man? You have the power to stop him but you decided to ignore." Flynn asked, his tone slightly cold, but his face held a forced smile.

Kaizen forced a smile too, "you're wrong, I'm only B-rank and that hunter was a rank higher than mine, I would have only embarrassed myself." Kaizen replied with gritted teeth, squeezing harder.

Kaizen could feel the overwhelming aura from Flynn, he was strong, he could tell that he was definitely stronger than any normal S-rank hunter.

Flynn smiled, "You're higher than B-rank, you're nothing like all the hunters I've met. Why don't you drop the act and show your true strength? I'm very competitive by nature, and I don't want anyone standing in my way."

Ohh I see. He thinks I'll be an obstruction to him climbing up the ranks.

"I can assure you that I'm a nobody you should worry about. I don't plan on standing in your way, just try to stay out of mine."

Finally, like they had come to an agreement, they both let go of each other's hand. Isabella almost screamed when she saw that both of them had crushed eachothers fingers.

Their fingers were bent in unnatural angles, yet they both acted like it was nothing.

Her brows furrowed in a deep frown as she turned to Flynn, enraged. To her, he'd hurt Kaizen, she didn't think about the fact that Kaizen had also hurt Flynn in the same way which was supposed to make them even.

Flynn's eyes shifted to her, his faint smile still there but his tone dropping lower as he placed his hands into his pockets.

"Relax, I was only greeting him."

"That's not how normal people greet," Isabella shot back, her voice sharp. She was going to teach him a lesson for what he just dared try with Kaizen.

Flynn didn't respond. He just gave her one last glance before looking at Kaizen again, as if silently measuring him, then turned and started walking toward the exit. The girl with red hair rushed to meet him and they both walked out of the hall.

Kaizen exhaled slowly. Isabella turned to him, her expression demanding an explanation.