Not yet!!

  Just before hitting the ground, Sakari forces her right leg to step forward, catching her fall with such force that the ground beneath her cracks.

  “AHHHH!” Sakari screams, summoning power from the deepest reserves of her being.

  Assuming a solid karate horse stance, she thrusts both arms forward, palms open. Her right arm begins to rise in a circular motion, while her left arm moves downward in a complementary arc. The technique draws her youki into a concentrated vortex, spinning at the center of the circle she forms.

  Gin freezes momentarily, his instincts flaring with alarm.

  She’s aiming to end this in one blow.

  For a split second, Gin contemplates retreating, staying out of range to let her expend her energy and leave herself open. It’s the smarter move.

  But…

  Pride flickers in his eyes. If this girl, who has been giving her all for days to match him, is practically demanding a final showdown, there’s only one acceptable response: to meet her challenge head-on.

  It would be immensely rude for a man to reject such an earnest woman.

  Infusing his legs with youki, Gin adopts a stance, preparing to launch himself like a missile. He reinforces his entire body, layering basic youki enhancement with advanced reinforcement. The strain on his reserves is immense, but for this moment, Gin’s body becomes not only a weapon of immense power but also an impenetrable fortress.

  Sakari’s eyes gleamed with determination as she noticed that Gin understood her intentions. After a few more seconds of charging her power, she snapped her palms together at the center of the circle, as if physically seizing the condensed youki. And seize it she did. The concentrated energy surged into her hands, shrouding them in an immensely powerful aura that radiated like flames.

  Locking eyes with Gin, Sakari stood firm.

  I’m ready, Gin.

  Sensing her resolve and the build-up of her power, Gin leaned forward, planting his left claw against the ground. His muscles coiled, ready to launch him forward like a bullet.

  The room fell into a thick silence as the dozens of karate club members held their breath, transfixed by the intensity of the duel. Every eye darted between the two combatants, waiting for the moment when their clash would reach its climax.

  One member, returning from an errand outside, paused in the doorway. His frown deepened as he took in the shattered walls, cracked floors, and ruined ceiling. His gaze settled on the standoff, and he muttered under his breath, “What the hell happened here?”

  Hermann had one flash step left in reserve—two, if he was willing to push himself and risk exhaustion. However, with Rainee’s distraction proving successful, he decided to conserve his energy for now.

  “We’re close!” Rainee whispered urgently, her voice barely audible but brimming with determination. She pointed at a nearby sign as they entered the designated area.

  “Section 72!” she gestured, her finger steady despite the tension in the air. This was where Moka and Tsukune’s files were stored.

  Hermann skidded to a stop and gently let Rainee down. His eyes darted around as he tried to sense Keito’s presence. Rainee’s distraction had disrupted her momentum, allowing him and Rainee to reach the section far ahead of her—but he knew that advantage wouldn’t last long.

  And so did Rainee. Turning to Hermann, she said, “We need to split up. You’re faster than I am, so head to section 73 and grab Tsukune’s files. I’ll stay here and get Moka’s files.”

  Hermann frowned, his concern evident. “What about the spider lady?”

  “If we stick together, she’ll catch up, and it’ll be impossible to grab both sets of files. But if we split up and work simultaneously, we’ll have a better chance of securing them before she finds us. Trust me, this is the only way,” she said, her confidence unwavering.

  Hermann sighed, reluctant but understanding her logic. “Alright, but stay safe. If she shows up, find a way to call me.”

  Rainee smirked, pointing a thumb at herself. “Don’t worry about me. I’m amazing. I’ll grab those files, and she won’t even know I was here!”

  Cute, the thought crossed Hermann’s mind, making him smirk. “Alright, I’ll be back as fast as I can,” he said before turning and sprinting toward section 73. He skidded to a stop mid-sprint and called out, “If I don’t make it back, we should regroup later with the files on our own!” Without waiting for a reply, he pivoted sharply and resumed his sprint toward section 73.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

  Rainee raised an eyebrow at his smirk but decided to ignore it. Once Hermann was out of sight, she shifted her focus to the cabinets and shelves. “Shelf 27, 13th layer, cabinet 84” she muttered, repeating the instructions to herself.

  While Hermann and Rainee searched for the files, Keito charged toward section 72, her fury driving her forward.

  I’ll kill them! she internally screamed, ignoring the bruises and pain from her earlier tumble. Infusing her body with youki, she accelerated to a breakneck pace, determined to reclaim her lost momentum as quickly as possible.

  As Keito sprinted, her sharp eyes scanned the section markers overhead.

  68...

  Her legs moved with relentless purpose, each step fueled by rage.

  70...

  Finally, her gaze locked onto her destination.

  72!

  Her arachnid mouth twisted into a grotesque mockery of a smile as her human and monstrous features briefly mingled in her unbridled wrath. Without hesitation, Keito extended her senses, releasing an invisible web of youki that spread throughout the area.

  Caught you! she thought triumphantly as the web pinged back, detecting someone nearby.

  Using one of the many ladders in the archive, Rainee climbed up to Moka’s designated cabinet. As expected, unlike the others, this one wasn’t locked. She quickly opened it and found a few folders containing Moka’s documents.

  Carefully, Rainee pulled them out and shut the cabinet, her movements swift and deliberate. She started to climb down, but an ominous sensation crawled over her, prickling her skin. She froze momentarily, glancing toward the hallway, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, an unsettling image formed in her mind—a monstrous spider looming over her, ready to devour her flesh.

  Shaking off the thought, she slid down the ladder with the files clutched tightly in her hand. Her heart raced as the eerie feeling lingered, its intensity growing. She turned her head slightly, as if expecting the spider lady to appear out of the shadows.

  Without wasting another moment, Rainee bolted down the hallway, Moka’s files pressed against her chest. But the oppressive sensation of being stalked wouldn’t relent, gnawing at her confidence with every step.

  Her imagination spiraled, vividly conjuring Keito’s twisted, spider-like form lunging at her. Fear coiled in her stomach, threatening to take over. But Rainee’s thoughts flickered to Cottus’ teachings, a lifeline amidst her panic.

  Monsters have a variety of talents and powers, she recalled him saying, his voice steady and firm in her memory.

  The spider lady—she’s hunting us.

  The realization struck her with chilling clarity.

  She’s tracking me somehow, Rainee thought, her mind racing. But how? How is she doing it?

  Think, Rainee, think! she urged herself, forcing her panic to the background. What’s giving me away?

  Rainee scanned her surroundings, desperate to uncover how she was being tracked. Her thoughts honed in on the nature of her predator.

  Webs… Webs… Spiders hunt using webs…

  She pushed her legs harder, running faster, but the sensation of her pursuer drawing closer sent chills down her spine. Then, the realization struck her like a lightning bolt.

  Is she sensing my youki?

  Closing her eyes for a moment, Rainee channeled youki into her right arm, expanding it outward in a controlled pulse. Almost instantly, she felt it—a faint network of thread-like youki in the air. The revelation sent a cold dread washing over her. This was how Keito was tracking her. And worse, her pulse of energy had likely revealed her exact position.

  No time to dwell.

  Rainee immediately turned her focus inward, performing a skill she’d been forced to refine due to her recent injury. Concentrating, she began to suppress her youki, diminishing it to near nonexistence.

  It’s not as perfect as Tsukune’s control… but it’ll have to do, she thought, her heart pounding.

  Within moments, her presence faded from easy detection. With her energy cloaked, she darted down the corridor, veering sharply around a corner. Not even seconds later, the unsettling sound of spider legs tapping against the ground echoed nearby.

  Peeking cautiously from her hiding spot, Rainee caught sight of Keito’s hulking form. The spider-woman stood in the corridor, her many legs twitching as she scanned the area. Rainee's earth-gnome luck seemed to intervene at the perfect moment. Keito stood facing the wrong direction, her back turned toward her would-be prey.

  “Hehehe… clever girl,” Keito’s voice slithered through the air, dripping with malice. “You figured it out, didn’t you? My little threads… But don’t worry,” she added with a sinister chuckle, “I’m not here for you. Just hand over those files, and I might even let you live…”

  As if, Rainee thought, already aware of the committee’s reputation for deceit and cruelty.

  Keeping low, she crouched further into the shadows, carefully sneaking away. Every step was deliberate, her attention fixed on Keito’s movements.

  I need to meet up with Hermann, she thought anxiously, her mind racing. Keito might realize soon that her prey had slipped away, and Rainee dreaded the idea of the spider switching her focus to him.

  Rainee quietly began making her way toward section 73.

  Hermann sprinted toward section 73, determined to retrieve Tsukune’s files and regroup with Rainee before Keito could close in on her. It didn’t take him long to reach his destination.

  With Rainee’s safety weighing on his mind, he wasted no time locating Tsukune’s cabinet. Without her presence slowing his pace, Hermann quickly navigated to shelf 8, 5th layer, cabinet 28. Grabbing one of the many ladders stationed in the area, he ascended swiftly and opened the cabinet. His eyes immediately fell on a folder bearing a large red mark that read:

  Warning: Classified

  Classified? Hermann's thoughts raced, trying to understand why Tsukune’s documents warranted such a severe warning. Despite his fear, he quickly took the file and closed the cabinet. Sliding down the ladder with practiced ease, he landed lightly on the ground—only to freeze as a prickling sensation crept up the back of his neck.

  Turning toward the hallway, Hermann’s instincts flared. He sensed an ominous presence approaching, and a dark thought crossed his mind: Did she get Rainee?

  But as the presence drew nearer, the sound of footsteps, not the sharp taps of arachnid legs, echoed down the corridor.

  Someone else.

  Without hesitation, Hermann tightened his grip on the file and bolted, heading deeper into the archive to evade the unknown intruder.

  Reaching the end of section 73, Hermann quickly turned right, looping around a different hallway in hopes of crossing paths with Rainee. Yet, something gnawed at him—an unsettling sensation that clung to his every step.

  The ominous presence didn’t fade. It lingered, oppressive and constant, as though an invisible predator stalked him from the shadows. Hermann’s sharp eyes scanned the area, searching for its source, but the feeling refused to show itself or disappear. It stayed just out of sight, teasing his nerves.

  A chill ran down his spine.

  No one can be this fast... right?

  The thought gripped him. Speed was Hermann’s greatest asset. While he lacked raw power or unique abilities, he prided himself on his unmatched agility. In short bursts, he believed he could even outpace Moka or Gin. Yet, this entity, whatever it was, seemed to keep up effortlessly—an unseen menace closing in on him.

  His jaw tightened.

  Refusing to let fear consume him, Hermann sprinted at full speed toward section 72, desperate to find Rainee. His focus sharpened as he extended his senses, straining to catch even a whisper of her presence.

  Still, the oppressive aura clung to him like a shadow, its constant proximity a maddening reminder that something—or someone—was always there.