After the monstrous display of power unleashed by the giant man,

the turn of the remaining hunters finally came.

Most of the Heart present were strong—

all of them capable of using Aura Armor at the very least—

yet the difference between their battles and that man’s was staggering.

As if their fights were nothing more than children’s games.

Trivial clashes unworthy of attention—

and that much was evident from the dull, uninterested reactions of the monsters.

Compared to the roaring cheers that had accompanied the giant’s performance,

silence and disappointment filled every other match.

The creatures only reacted when a hunter’s blood was spilled—

or when they were forced to fight one another.

The arena itself was a strange, unnatural place.

Especially the monsters—

who behaved like humans.

They wore clothing, filled the seats,

and cheered just like men.

One of them even stood atop a raised platform overlooking the arena,

acting like a commentator—

shouting incomprehensible words only his kind could understand.

"What exactly is going on in this city...?"

Ethan found himself surrounded by countless mysteries regarding Old Ashvarn.

It was far from the empty ruin he had once imagined.

Instead, it teemed with creatures of all kinds—

and even housed humans... like that monstrous giant.

There were too many questions—

and no answers.

But Ethan didn’t waste time chasing them.

His focus remained fixed on one thing alone—

escaping, and breaking the curse that bound them.

Soon, it was Chai Heart’s turn—

the youngest archer in the entire Hunters’ Organization.

The boy, small in stature, had lost his bow when he was captured.

But the monsters had placed a variety of weapons near the arena,

giving the hunters a chance to fight.

Chai quickly selected a bow that suited his size and weight.

As for arrows—

he took none.

The creature overseeing the weapons looked puzzled.

The moment Chai stepped into the arena,

the gate opposite him opened—

and one of the giants Ethan had encountered in the outskirts entered.

A massive figure—

pale, deathly white skin,

sunken crimson eyes,

dragging heavy chains behind him.

At first glance, it resembled the ones from the outskirts—

but Ethan knew better.

"It’s much stronger than those..."

He didn’t need Hawk Eyes to realize it.

Of course—

a weak monster would never appear in this arena,

deep within the city.

"Will your little friend be alright, I wonder?"

The mysterious man spoke beside Ethan.

"His opponent isn’t an easy one."

Ethan exhaled softly.

"Just watch," he replied calmly.

"You’ll have your answer soon enough."

He trusted Chai.

Despite appearances, the boy was among the most capable hunters here.

’Big brother... can you hear me?’

Chai’s voice suddenly echoed inside Ethan’s mind.

’I hear you. Looks like your blessing returned once you entered the arena—just as we expected.’

Through telepathy, the two could now communicate freely.

’Yeah... anyway, I’ve started searching for the ones who cursed us.’

’I’ve already found two.’

’That fast?’

Ethan was genuinely surprised by Chai’s precision.

Following his directions, Ethan turned his head—

and there they were.

The sack-bearing creatures sat hidden among the crowd.

Even with guidance, spotting them was extremely difficult.

’How the hell did you even see them...?’

Chai smiled faintly, tightening his grip on the bow.

’I’m a sniper, brother.’

’My eyes... are my greatest strength.’

The battle began.

The giant was freed from its chains and lunged forward,

its speed terrifying—

aiming to crush Chai instantly.

Yet before that monstrous figure,

Chai remained perfectly calm.

His focus never wavered.

’...I’ll keep searching for more. Stay ready.’

He relayed his thoughts smoothly,

dodging the giant’s punch—

a blow that shattered the ground where he had stood,

nearly turning him into paste.

He was fast—

agile—

his Dexterity clearly high.

With Aura Armor active,

his speed increased even further.

He danced around the giant, evading every strike.

The sight was almost surreal—

like a tiny mouse circling a towering man,

impossible to catch.

At first glance,

the giant seemed overwhelmingly superior—

as if Chai could do nothing but run.

But Ethan knew the truth.

This was deliberate.

Chai was prolonging the fight—

buying time to locate more of the cursed creatures.

With each passing minute,

he sent more directions to Ethan—

marking their positions one by one.

Ethan’s lips slowly curled into a wide smile.

"This is even better than I expected..."

That fourteen-year-old boy—

was exceptional.

"Telepathy... I never thought I’d live to witness such a rare blessing."

The mysterious man’s voice cut in again, surprising him.

Ethan turned sharply.

"...You. How?"

"How did I know?"

The man chuckled softly,

his snake-like eyes opening slightly.

"Do you think telepathy works out of thin air?"

"It doesn’t."

"Your friend is transmitting his thoughts through mana—nothing more."

"And to me..."

"...that mana is visible."

What the giant said drew a frown from Ethan.

He had never realized that telepathy carried such a flaw—

a vulnerability he had been completely unaware of.

Yet the giant reassured him.

"No need to worry. Your plan will succeed," he said calmly.

"Those creatures cannot perceive telepathy the way I do."

But his words brought Ethan no comfort.

Instead, they only deepened his confusion about this mysterious man—

a being who stood beside him with abilities that defied logic.

Where had such a monster come from...?

And why would someone like him remain willingly trapped

inside a trivial arena like this?

Ethan pondered the question for a while.

The more he thought about it,

the more certain he became of one thing.

"You... you can leave this place whenever you want, can’t you?"

The giant tilted his head slightly at the question.

"Who knows?" he replied with a faint smile.

"Perhaps I can."

"Then why stay here?"

Ethan pressed further—

but the giant simply raised his index finger,

wagging it side to side.

"No, no, dear hunter," he said.

"We have a wager, remember?"

"You may ask your questions when you win."

With that, he shut down the conversation entirely.

Ethan clicked his tongue and turned his attention back to the arena—

to Chai’s battle.

"Prepare yourself to talk," he muttered.

"Because you’re about to lose."

Meanwhile, the fight had reached a stalemate.

The crowd was growing restless.

All Chai had done so far

was circle the giant endlessly—

evading, running, never striking.

And such a performance quickly became dull.

Chai understood that.

For the first time,

he decided to change his approach.

He raised his left hand—

and his mana coalesced into two glowing arrows,

radiating a pale green light.

Setting them against the bow he had taken earlier,

he released his first attack.