THE HUNTER ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS WAS SILENT.
THE ABYSS BREACH HAD ENDED, BUT THE COUNCIL HAD CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING.
RYUJIN STOOD AT THE CENTER OF THE MASSIVE HALL, HIS HANDS STILL BANDAGED FROM THE BATTLE.
AROUND HIM, THE MOST POWERFUL HUNTERS AND OFFICIALS STARED DOWN FROM THEIR SEATS.
THE INTERROGATION
"RYUJIN," ONE OF THE COUNCIL ELDERS BEGAN, HIS VOICE HARSH.
"DURING THE BREACH, YOU DISPLAYED UNRECORDED ABILITIES. WE WANT TO KNOW… WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU?"
RYUJIN KEPT HIS FACE CALM.
"…A HUNTER. THAT'S ALL."
ANOTHER OFFICIAL SLAMMED HIS FIST ON THE TABLE.
"DON'T PLAY GAMES! THAT POWER… IT WASN'T NORMAL. YOU NEARLY KILLED OUR OWN HUNTERS!"
ARIANA, WHO STOOD BESIDE HIM, CUT IN.
"HE SAVED ALL OF US. WITHOUT HIM, NONE OF YOU WOULD EVEN BE SITTING HERE!"
THE ROOM FELL SILENT.
THE QUESTION OF CONTROL
A HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTION OF THE BREACH FOOTAGE APPEARED IN THE ROOM.
IT SHOWED RYUJIN COVERED IN BLACK SMOKE, HIS EYES VOID-LIKE, SLAUGHTERING CREATURES… AND ALMOST ATTACKING ARIANA.
"HE LOST CONTROL," AN ELDER SAID COLDLY.
"IF HE DOES THAT AGAIN, HOW LONG BEFORE HE SLAUGHTERS HIS OWN ALLIES?"
KAI STOOD UP IN THE BACK.
"HEY! YOU WEREN'T THERE! HE FOUGHT BACK AND REGAINED CONTROL! GIVE HIM SOME DAMN CREDIT!"
THE COUNCIL MURMURED AMONG THEMSELVES, SPLIT ON THE DECISION.
THE WARNING
FINALLY, THE COUNCIL LEADER SPOKE.
"RYUJIN… WE'RE PLACING YOU UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
IF THAT 'POWER' SURFACES AGAIN… YOU WILL BE ELIMINATED.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
RYUJIN LOOKED UP, HIS EYES CALM BUT COLD.
"…DO WHAT YOU WANT.
BUT IF THAT GATE OPENS AGAIN, YOU'LL NEED ME."
HE TURNED AND WALKED OUT, ARIANA AND KAI FOLLOWING.
IN THE SHADOWS
AS THE DOORS CLOSED, THE COUNCIL LEADER SPOKE QUIETLY TO HIS AIDES.
"IF HE LOSES CONTROL AGAIN, WE WON'T WAIT.
…KILL ORDER: RYUJIN."
IN THE DISTANCE, THE ABYSS GATE PULSED ONCE—UNSEEN BY ALL.