The Rise Of The No. 1 Hunter

They followed his every motion, but he toyed with them, letting them chase him as a form of exercise.

Finally, he landed silently on a tree. From his vantage, they didn't see him. Their eyes scanned the sky, searching.

"Maybe it's time I end this, but a little fun first," he murmured.

He closed his eyes and focused.

Blood Manipulation: ACTIVATED

Notification: User can now control blood.

Notification: User can weaponize blood. All control is mental.

Raito imagined every single hive, the massive, poisonous bee nests filling the area. Over a thousand in total.

With a single thought, he seized control of the veins and blood pumping through each creature. Instantly, the air around him erupted in a storm of crimson.

POP! CRACK! EXPLOSION!

The airborne swarm exploded mid-flight. Those perched on trees and structures fell lifeless to the ground. Every single creature was gone in an instant. The dungeon floor was silent.

Raito opened his eyes. Calmly, he surveyed the carnage.

Raito hovered in the air, surveying the aftermath of the blood manipulation. Over a thousand creatures had been obliterated in less than a second. Giant hives and monstrous bodies fell instantly. Anything with blood could be killed with this technique.

This is incredible, he thought, a small smile forming. It takes effort, but the scale is manageable. Absolutely lethal.

He continued forward, flying through the dungeon, eyes sharp for the next challenge. Ahead, a massive tree came into view, towering five times taller than a human. Its gaping mouth opened wide, a stinger glinting in the dim light as it lunged at him.

"What the!" Raito reacted instantly, gripping his focus.

Die.

The blood in the creature's heart obeyed his thoughts. Its veins bulged violently, then collapsed. The monstrous tree creature dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Raito glanced around. All the surrounding trees began to glow, particles of white light drifting upward like spirits released from the soil. This dungeon is extraordinary. Truly rare. Even S-rank hunters would struggle here. Fatigue alone could kill them long before reaching this point.

His attention returned to the massive tree. From it, tiny creatures began to emerge: fairies. Identification popped up automatically.

[Fairy – Creature Type: Magical Being]

[Blessing Granted – User has been blessed by the God of Fairies]

[Skill Acquired – Wind Magic: User can control air currents]

[Skill Acquired – Arbor Growth: User can manipulate plant and tree growth]

Raito's eyes widened. Fairies really exist. They are real, not myths. Unreal.

The fairies swirled around him, giving him a moment of acknowledgment, almost as if thanking him. Most of them returned to the tree, but one lingered, signaling him to follow. Without hesitation, Raito obeyed.

It led him to a door, the gateway to the next floor, the fifth floor. A shortcut, no doubt. He couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," Raito murmured. "This is a shortcut, isn't it?"

He followed the fairy through the door, entering a space that stretched endlessly. Everywhere he looked, there was only void. Nothingness.

What the hell? Why is it completely void?

He kept moving forward, senses alert, ready for whatever lay ahead.

As he moved, the darkness thickened around him, pressing in from all sides. Yet Raito's senses were razor-sharp. Every sound, every subtle shift in the air, every faint vibration on the ground, all registered.

He smiled. Perfect. This place is dark, but I'm more aware than the monsters here could ever be.

From this path alone, he could sense the sheer danger lurking in every corner. Predators, ambushes, traps. Everything in this dungeon screamed lethal.

Finally, this is going to be fun.

Ahead, he spotted it: a massive creature, radiating raw power. Its aura alone was enough to make weaker hunters flee in panic. But for Raito, it was the perfect target.

Strong enough to level me up, he thought, eyes narrowing.

Raito crouched slightly, feeling the anticipation coil in his chest. Let's see what you're made of.

The giant hidden deep in the darkness suddenly opened its eyes, two enormous, glowing orbs cutting straight through the void.

Raito instantly felt it. His Spatial Awareness skill hummed in the back of his mind, warning him of the massive presence ahead. Even in total darkness, he knew exactly where the monster stood.

The creature stepped forward.

DOOM.

DOOM.

Each step shook the entire void-like floor. When it finally reached the faint light, Raito's eyes widened, not from fear, but from sheer disbelief.

The monster was colossal. So huge that Raito's entire body only reached the height of its toe. Just its toe.

"Damn. This thing is gigantic," Raito whispered, a grin spreading across his face. "And it has blood. I can feel it. Good. That means I can kill you."

The creature looked down, and then, to Raito's surprise, spoke.

"Hey, you. Human."

Raito blinked. It can talk?

Its voice was like thunder rolling inside a mountain, deep, ancient, powerful.

A notification suddenly flashed.

[WARNING!]

Dungeon Guardian Detected — Rank: SSS

User must NOT engage in combat.

If user engages, death is 100% guaranteed.

Raito's expression changed instantly.

"What the hell? I'll be dead? Are you serious right now?" he muttered. "This stupid system calls me weak every time, but to say I'll die? I don't care."

Raito clenched his fist.

"Dungeon guardian or not, big or not, I'm going to kill it. I don't care what rank it is."

He raised his head, eyes burning.

"System, activate Flight."

[Flight Activated]

Raito blasted into the air with explosive speed.

Wind erupted from beneath him, ripping through the darkness as he shot straight toward the giant's face.

The creature's massive head filled his entire vision.

Raito raised his dagger and pointed it directly at the monster's forehead.

"I'm going to kill you," he said calmly. "If something like you dies, I'm level 25 right now. My level is going to shoot to 50. Maybe even 60."

His eyes sharpened with excitement.

"This is going to be fun."

[Blood Manipulation Activated]

A notification flashed:

Blood Manipulation Activated

It is advisable for user not to engage in battle during a dive.