The forest had gone silent.
Not the natural kind of silence.
Not the peaceful quiet of snow settling over branches.
This was—
Wrong.
Haruki felt it first.
That same pull from before—
Now sharper.
Focused.
"It's close," he said quietly.
Karin didn't respond with her usual confidence.
Instead, her hand tightened slightly around her weapon.
"…Yeah," she muttered.
"…I can feel it too."
Raizen stopped.
Not abruptly—
But deliberately.
"…From here on," he said, his voice low,
"…you observe before you act."
Haruki nodded.
That alone told him everything.
This wasn't going to be like the others.
They stepped into a clearing.
And immediately—
The air changed.
Heavier.
Like something unseen was pressing down on them.
The snow here was untouched.
No footprints.
No signs of struggle.
But that only made it worse.
"…Where is it?" Karin whispered.
Haruki didn't answer.
Because—
He saw it.
Not physically.
But through his Eyes.
Multiple positions.
Behind a tree.
Above them.
To the left.
All at once.
"…It's moving," he said.
Raizen's gaze sharpened.
"…Pattern?"
Haruki focused.
The visions flickered.
Fast.
"…No pattern," he said.
"…It's changing."
A sound broke the silence.
A faint crunch.
Behind them.
Karin spun instantly—
But nothing was there.
"…Great," she muttered.
"…I hate this already."
Another sound.
To the right.
Then—
Above.
Haruki's eyes widened.
"It's testing us," he said.
Raizen didn't look surprised.
"…Good."
Karin shot him a look.
"…Good?!"
"…An enemy that thinks…"
Raizen continued calmly,
"…is an enemy you can understand."
Haruki wasn't so sure.
Because what he was seeing—
Wasn't just intelligence.
It was adaptation.
A shadow moved.
This time—
They all saw it.
For a split second—
Something darted between the trees.
Too fast to fully process.
But enough.
"…There!" Karin shouted.
She lunged forward—
"Wait—!"
Haruki's voice came too late.
The moment she moved—
Everything shifted.
The visions changed.
Paths collapsed.
New ones formed.
"…It's reacting to you!" Haruki yelled.
Karin skidded to a stop.
"…What do you mean?!"
"…It's not just moving randomly—"
Another flicker.
"…it's watching what we do and adjusting!"
Raizen stepped forward slightly.
"…Then we test it."
Before Haruki could respond—
Raizen moved.
Fast.
Deliberate.
He stepped into the center of the clearing.
Open.
Exposed.
"…Come," he said calmly.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The air distorted.
Like heat bending light.
And from that distortion—
It emerged.
The Rift-Beast.
It was humanoid—
But wrong.
Its limbs were too long.
Its movements too fluid.
Its body flickered—
As if it wasn't fully present.
And its eyes—
Locked directly onto Haruki.
Haruki froze.
Not out of fear—
But recognition.
This was the figure.
The one from his vision.
"…So it's you," he whispered.
The creature tilted its head.
Slowly.
Curiously.
As if—
It understood.
Karin stepped beside him.
"…That thing… feels different."
Haruki nodded.
"…It's aware."
The creature moved.
Not attacking.
Just circling.
Observing.
Raizen didn't move.
Didn't react.
He simply watched.
"…It's studying us," Haruki said.
"…Then let it," Raizen replied.
The creature stopped.
Then—
It disappeared.
Karin's eyes widened.
"…Where did it—"
"Behind you!"
She turned—
Just in time to block.
The impact sent her sliding back across the snow.
"…Tch—!"
Haruki's vision exploded.
Multiple outcomes.
Karin falling.
Karin dodging.
Karin counterattacking.
He focused—
"…Left!"
She moved instantly.
Dodging the follow-up strike.
"…Got it!"
The creature paused.
Just for a moment.
As if—
Surprised.
Then it changed again.
Its movements became sharper.
Faster.
More precise.
"…It's adapting," Haruki said.
"…Faster than before."
Raizen finally moved.
He stepped in—
Intercepting the creature mid-motion.
Their clash was brief—
But powerful.
Raizen forced it back—
But didn't pursue.
"…Your fight," he said calmly.
"…Learn."
Haruki's chest tightened.
"…Right."
The creature shifted its attention again.
Back to Haruki.
Always back to him.
"…It's targeting you," Karin said.
"…I know."
Another flicker.
This time—
Clearer.
The creature attacking.
Him dodging—
Too late.
"…Move earlier," he muttered.
"…What?"
"…I need to act before I see it fully."
Karin smirked slightly.
"…Now you're getting it."
The creature lunged.
Haruki moved.
Before the vision completed.
Before the attack fully formed.
And this time—
He dodged cleanly.
The creature stopped.
Again—
That pause.
That awareness.
"…It noticed," Karin said.
"…Yeah."
The creature's posture shifted.
Lower.
More cautious.
"…It's learning from you too," Karin added.
Haruki's expression hardened.
"…Then I'll learn faster."
The next exchange came quickly.
Attack.
Dodge.
Counter.
Each movement—
Tighter.
Sharper.
Haruki's visions no longer overwhelmed him.
They guided him.
Not perfectly—
But enough.
Karin joined in.
Her attacks forced the creature to split its focus.
Creating openings.
Haruki saw them—
And acted.
The rhythm began to form.
Not prediction—
Adaptation.
The creature faltered.
Just slightly.
"…Now!" Karin shouted.
Haruki moved.
His strike landed—
Not clean—
But enough to disrupt it.
The creature staggered back.
Its form flickering more violently now.
But it didn't retreat.
Instead—
It smiled.
A twisted—
Unnatural expression.
Haruki's blood ran cold.
"…It's enjoying this…"
Raizen watched silently.
But his eyes—
Were sharper now.
"…End it," he said.
Haruki nodded.
Another vision.
Clear.
A path to victory.
But—
Not easy.
He exhaled.
"…Karin."
"…Yeah?"
"…Trust me."
She grinned.
"…Always."
They moved together.
This time—
Not reacting.
Not predicting.
Acting.
And for the first time—
The creature couldn't keep up.