The gathered warriors stood in silence, their piercing gazes fixed on Ash as he stepped forward. The wind howled through the courtyard of the Manor of the Stormclad, carrying the distant roar of thunder. Raiken Toru''s expression did not change, but there was a flicker of interest in his crimson eyes.


    "You have chosen the Path of the Hunt," Toru rumbled, his voice resonating through the storm-charged air. "This path is not for those who merely wish to fight. It is for those who seek to become predator and prey alike. If you survive, you will be one step closer to understanding the ways of Raijū."


    He raised a hand, and a warrior with a jagged spear stepped forward. This was Jiro Korrin, a seasoned hunter and one of the Stormclad''s elite trackers.


    "You will be released into the Stormlands—the untamed wilds beyond the city, where only the strongest endure. Your task is to hunt and slay a Thunderbeast, a predator born of the storm itself. You must return within three days, bearing its fangs as proof."


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    Jiro smirked. "Simple enough, for those who think themselves capable."


    Toru''s gaze hardened. "But there is more. To claim the Hunt is to be hunted in turn." He gestured toward the warriors lining the courtyard. "The Stormland Hunters will be released to track you down. They are Raijū''s finest—trained to pursue and eliminate those who do not belong. If they catch you before you return, you will not live to see the gates of the manor again."


    The gathered warriors murmured in approval. There was no greater thrill to the Raijū than the hunt, and no surer test of one''s worth than survival against their best.


    Rin''s voice echoed softly in Ash''s earpiece. "Your odds of success have significantly decreased."


    Ash suppressed a smirk. "Wouldn''t be fun otherwise."


    Toru''s eyes narrowed as he studied Ash. Then, with a sharp nod, he turned toward Jiro. "Take him to the Stormland Gate."


    Jiro motioned for Ash to follow. "Time to see if you can run as well as you talk, offworlder."


    The storm raged overhead as Ash strode toward his trial, ready to embrace the hunt—or die beneath the thunder.