Teo immediately asked,
Teo: "Who are you, and why did you come here?"
The stranger replied calmly,
Stranger: "Listen to me. You must come with me right now."
Teo: "Why? Are you here to laugh at me too?"
The man shook his head.
Stranger: "I'll make it short, young man. I know about your father."
Teo's eyes widened in shock.
Teo: "Don't lie! He… he's dead!"
Stranger: "If we don't move to a safe place right now, we'll both get sick standing in this rain. Please, follow me."
The man led Teo to his home. Sitting him down, he spoke with a faint smile.
Stranger: "My name is Isaki Netero. You may simply call me Mr. Isaki."
Teo: "Alright then… get to the point."
Isaki: "Your father is alive. I know this for certain, because I too am a captain of the Hunters' Association — Division 9, to be exact. Though I may be the last and the slowest captain, I know the truth."
Teo: "And why should that matter to me?"
Isaki: "Our Association's main mission is to find an ancient artifact called Shoden. That relic can turn an ordinary hunter into an invincible warrior. Your father was supposed to lead the operation to enter a new dimension and retrieve it. But… just one day before the mission began, he vanished. That's why we declared him 'dead.'"
Teo: "So someone kidnapped my father?! Why? Damn them!"
Isaki: "Calm yourself. He was one of the special division captains — kidnapping him would be nearly impossible. We don't yet know who is behind this."
Teo: "Then answer me! Is my father alive?"
Isaki: "There is a high possibility, yes. But we still don't know who is responsible."
Teo: "Mr. Isaki… tell me everything about the Hunters. Right now!"
Isaki: "Forgive me, but I can only explain tomorrow. Today has been heavy for you… just as it once was for me."
Teo frowned.
Teo: "Then at least stop pouring tea over and over again. Give it to me, I'll do it myself."
Isaki: "Ah… forgive me, and thank you. Here, have this tea."
Teo: "It's fine, don't worry. Hehe."
Isaki (thinking): How curious… to forget the pain of such a tragedy in just a moment. What an interesting boy.
---
Two hours later, Teo lay awake in bed.
Teo (thinking): I must grow stronger… as fast as possible. But humans are never truly forgiving. They believe that one mistake means you will repeat it forever. Why… why did my own family abandon me?
A single tear slipped from his eyes as sleep slowly took him.
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