"Rabbit Talisman?"
When the system notification chimed, Hayashi froze for a moment, not quite processing it.It really gave him the Rabbit Talisman?
At first, it had only been a vague gut feeling — an intuition that the Rabbit Talisman might be next. After all, he already had the Rooster Talisman, and the classic chicken-and-rabbit-in-the-same-cage pairing had existed throughout history.
And combining Rooster with Rabbit would give him exactly what he needed: high-speed flight.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a familiar golden light poured into his body.
Feeling that long-lost sensation, Hayashi's lips curved upward slightly.
As the power fused deeper and deeper, he felt his entire body become lighter—light as a feather.If he relaxed even a little, it felt like a breeze might lift him right off the ground.
Realizing this, excitement flashed in his eyes.
He could feel it—The Rabbit Talisman's power had fully merged with him.
No way. He had to test it.
The moment he thought about the ability to fly at extreme speed, Hayashi couldn't sit still.
"Stop the car. I'll get out here."
He leaned toward the front seat and spoke to the CCG staffer driving.
"Hayashi, are you sure you want to get out here?"
The man turned his head, surprise flickering in his expression. Instinctively, he glanced out the window—this was Kabukicho in Tokyo.
Everyone knew what most men coming here at night were looking for…
"That's right. Go on ahead. I've got something important to take care of."
Clearly, Hayashi had no idea where they were. All he wanted at this moment was to get out and experience what it felt like to fly.
"Well… alright…"
The staffer opened his mouth, wanting to say something, seeing the impatient look on the young man's face.But in the end, he stayed silent, nodded, and stopped the car.
Hayashi was young, a man, handsome, and completely single. Most likely he rarely interacted with women. Boys his age naturally had pent-up energy… and this was the kind of place to vent it.
The staffer sighed internally.Even prodigies had their troubles.
"Thanks."
Hayashi, oblivious to every misunderstanding, simply thanked him and stepped out.
Once outside, he passed through the lively crowds and slipped into a dark, empty alley.
"This should be good."
After scanning the area, excitement sparkled in his eyes.He took a deep breath, letting the talisman power spread through every corner of his body.
The next second—a sharp gust ripped past him.
In the blink of an eye, Hayashi vanished.
By the time he blinked again, he was already a kilometer away.
"One kilometer in an instant… how is this any different from teleportation?"
His eyes grew brighter as he looked behind him.
With the Rabbit Talisman, he would never need to take a train again.And in battle? Even better.
A grin slowly crept across his face.
He'd already experienced the peak of ground speed—Now it was time to try flight.
The next moment, he shot into the sky like a streak of white lightning.
Thunder roared across the heavens, and people on the streets looked up in shock.
Above the city, in the night sky — A freezing wind blasted into Hayashi's nose and mouth, making him feel more exhilarated than ever.
The skyscrapers, the neon lights, the entire cityscape spread beneath him in a breathtaking panorama.
And throughout the entire ascent, he felt no resistance at all—As if he had merged completely with the sky itself.
Hovering a thousand meters above ground, Hayashi smiled softly.
This was the power of the Rooster and Rabbit Talismans combined.
This kind of flight wasn't something you could fake. Up here, at this altitude—no resistance, no drag—this was the real deal.
Before this, even with the Ox Talisman enhancing his body, and the Horse and Dog Talismans granting him regeneration and immortality,he could move boldly through buildings—But nothing compared to true flight.
After all… flying was just cool as hell.
Before now, humans could only fly using planes — or through pretentious theatrics.But now?All he needed was a single thought, and he could rise straight into the heavens.
And most importantly, with the Horse and Dog Talismans, he didn't have to worry about dying. No fear of accidents.No fear of sudden mishaps mid-air.
So why not try something a little more thrilling?
With that thought, Hayashi lifted his gaze toward the vast blue sky above.
A sharp crack split the air.His figure vanished again, carving a brilliant arc of white lightning across the night.
As he climbed higher, exhilaration washed through him.Any discomfort or pain was instantly neutralized by the talisman powers.
His excitement only pushed him faster—faster—faster.
Until finally, all the lights around him vanished.
Darkness — deep, chaotic, endless — engulfed him completely.
Hayashi stopped, turning around. Brilliant light flashed in his eyes.
And in an instant — A grand, majestic view unfolded before him.
Before him lay the planet humans had always called home — The blue sphere that held everything humanity was.
And now, it was all beneath his feet.
Hands behind his back, Hayashi gazed down at the Earth, a faint smile playing at his lips.
"As long as I gather the remaining seven talismans, I can return to my complete form."
"Maybe… I'll become that noble dragon."