Night settled differently in this world.
Not quieter.
Not calmer.
Just… less visible.
Kaito walked along the outer edge of the dojo grounds, the city lights faint in the distance below the hill. The air carried the same density as before, but without movement, it felt sharper.
Clearer.
"…Better for noticing things," he muttered.
His steps were slow.
Not cautious.
Measured.
The training from earlier still sat in his body, Daichi's words, the feeling of alignment, the gap in understanding.
But something else had started to surface.
Subtle.
Unclear.
Uncomfortable.
Kaito stopped.
Not abruptly.
Just...
Still.
His gaze lifted slightly.
Scanning.
Not with his eyes.
With everything else.
"…There."
It wasn't pressure.
Not like a fighter standing in front of him.
Not like Daichi.
Not like Sora.
This was...
Distant.
But precise.
Like something was focused on him.
And only him.
Kaito didn't move.
Didn't react.
Just stood there.
Breathing steady.
"…Feels familiar," he thought.
A memory surfaced.
Not clear.
Not visual.
Just...
A feeling.
From years ago.
Before the training world.
Before the rankings.
Before everything.
The man.
The one who found him.
The one who...
Marked him.
Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Haruki."
The name settled quietly.
The feeling wasn't identical.
But it was close enough.
Cold.
Controlled.
Intentional.
Kaito shifted his weight slightly.
Not breaking stillness.
Just...
Adjusting.
"…So you're here."
No answer.
Of course not.
Whatever it was...
Wasn't revealing itself.
Not yet.
Kaito exhaled slowly.
"…Or something like you is."
The presence didn't move.
Didn't press.
Didn't react.
It just...
Watched.
Kaito's expression didn't change.
No tension.
No fear.
Just...
Awareness.
"…You're not strong enough to step in," he muttered.
"…Or you would've already."
Silence.
The air remained still.
But the feeling...
Stayed.
That was enough.
Kaito turned slightly.
Not toward it.
Away.
Deliberately.
"…Good."
If it was watching...
Let it.
He took a step forward.
Then another.
No change in pace.
No hesitation.
But his awareness didn't drop.
If anything...
It sharpened.
"…You're not losing it," he confirmed.
"…It's real."
Each step carried forward.
But part of him remained behind.
Tracking.
Measuring.
Waiting.
The presence didn't follow.
Didn't close the distance.
Didn't disappear.
It stayed exactly where it was.
"…So you're testing."
Kaito smirked faintly.
"…That's fine."
He continued walking.
Back toward the dojo.
The hill rising slightly beneath his feet.
The building coming back into view.
Still calm.
Still grounded.
Still...
Safe.
But not hidden anymore.
Not like before.
Kaito stopped once more.
At the edge of the entrance.
He didn't turn around.
Didn't need to.
"…You already know I'm here."
A pause.
"…So I won't waste time hiding."
Silence.
The presence didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
Kaito stepped forward.
Crossing back into the dojo grounds.
The feeling...
Faded.
Not gone.
Just...
Out of reach.
He exhaled once.
"…Yeah."
"…It's starting."
No confusion.
No doubt.
No denial.
Just...
Clarity.
They hadn't forgotten him.
They hadn't stopped.
And now...
They were close enough to see him again.
Kaito's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Good."
A faint smirk appeared.
"…Makes things easier."
He walked inside.
The door sliding shut behind him.
The night remained still.
But somewhere beyond it...
Something continued watching.
Waiting.
Tracking.
And for the first time since arriving...
Kaito wasn't just training for himself anymore.
He was being observed.
Again.