When Jay stepped through the front door, still holding onto the faint high of officially becoming a Hunter, it vanished the moment he saw who was waiting for him.
His sister, Jenn Orlen, stood in the narrow hallway with her arms folded tight across her chest. Her dark hair was tied back in a sharp ponytail, and her piercing eyes pinned Jay like a nail against the wall.
"Where were you?" Jenn asked. Her voice was low, calm—almost too calm. That alone made the hairs on the back of Jay's neck stand on end.
Jay's mind raced. He tried to smile, shoving his hands into his pockets like he could hide the tension there. "Hey, Jenn. You're home early. How's work? You doing okay?"
But Jenn didn't move. Her stare didn't soften. If anything, it sharpened, eyes narrowing a fraction. "I asked you a question, Jay."
He swallowed, throat suddenly dry. "I, uh… I was out. With Nathan. You know, hanging out."
Jenn's silence was deafening. It stretched on so long Jay felt sweat start to bead at his temple.
Finally, she took a small step forward. "Where. Were. You."
The words crashed over him like ice water. Jay's shoulders slumped. He knew he wouldn't be able to dodge it forever.
"I… I awakened," he said in a rush, blurting it out before he could stop himself. "I'm an Awakened now. Officially registered. I went to the Hunter Association today. Got my license and everything."
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Jay felt relief start to creep in—maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad.
Then the temperature seemed to plummet.
An immense pressure slammed down on him from above. It was as if a mountain had suddenly dropped onto his shoulders. Jay's knees buckled instantly. His face hit the cold floorboards with a dull thud, breath knocked from his lungs.
The air itself seemed to shiver around Jenn. Her aura exploded outward, invisible yet impossibly heavy. Jay could barely twitch a finger under its crushing weight.
He heard her footsteps, slow and measured, coming closer. Her boots stopped inches from his face.
"Jay," she said, her voice like frost creeping over glass, "what did I tell you?"
Jay's jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth might crack. He tried to force out words past the strangled tightness in his chest. "I… I'm sorry… Jenn…"
"Is that all?" Her tone was soft, almost disappointed. The pressure increased. Jay's ribs creaked. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Jenn crouched down so he could see her out of the corner of his eye. Her expression was terrifyingly cold. "Did you take my words lightly? After everything I've told you about staying out of this life?"
"N-no… it's not… like that…" Jay wheezed. In that moment, Jenn was far more terrifying than the demon he and Nathan had faced. That monster had been brutal, savage—but this was precise, controlled, deliberate. Like she could crush him to paste without even meaning to.
Suddenly another voice cut through the suffocating air.
"That's enough, Jenn."
A frail hand came to rest on Jenn's shoulder. Jay managed to roll his head enough to see their grandfather standing there, slightly hunched with age but eyes still bright and sharp. His other hand gripped his old walking stick tight enough that his knuckles were white.
Jenn didn't move. Her aura still pinned Jay helplessly. "Stay out of this, Grandpa. He needs to understand the consequences of defying me."
"He's just a boy," their grandfather said gently, though there was a note of steel under the softness. "Look at him. He's rank F… rank F, Jenn."
At that, Jenn's eyes flicked to the small metallic license that had fallen from Jay's pocket and skidded across the floor. The little card lay there, gleaming faintly under the hall light.
Her aura wavered, then snapped back into her like a receding tide. The pressure vanished. Jay gasped and curled in on himself, sucking in greedy lungfuls of air.
Jenn stood and huffed, folding her arms again. "Fine. I'll let it go… this time."
She turned on her heel, marching past them toward the narrow staircase. As she started up, she called over her shoulder in that same cold tone, "I'm taking a shower. Don't bother me."
Jay lay there for a long moment, trembling. His arms felt like rubber. His heart was still galloping in terrified spurts.
A warm hand settled on his shoulder. "Easy now, boy. Come on. Let's get you up."
Their grandfather's grip was surprisingly strong as he helped Jay to his feet. Jay swayed for a moment, holding his head. It still felt like someone had driven nails into his skull.
"You alright?" the old man asked, peering up at him.
Jay let out a shaky laugh. "Been better. Feels like I just got flattened by a truck."
"That's your sister for you," Grandpa sighed. He guided Jay to the old worn sofa in the living room. "Don't judge her too harshly. She's only hard on you because she worries. After… everything this family's been through, she just wants to keep you safe."
Jay slumped back into the couch cushions, his breath finally evening out. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't make her any less terrifying."
Grandpa chuckled, patting his knee. "That's the mark of a good big sister, I suppose. But you… be careful, Jay. Next time, she might not stop at a warning. Don't give her reason to fear for you more than she already does."
Jay nodded, eyes distant. Part of him still felt small, crushed under that phantom weight of Jenn's aura. But another part burned stubbornly bright—he was a Hunter now, even if only rank F. And he'd prove that her worry didn't have to turn to grief.
Jay lay sprawled across his bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling. His muscles still ached faintly from the crushing aura Jenn had unleashed, but that wasn't what kept his heart racing. It was the whisper of opportunity. Of power.
Don't ever provoke it, his grandfather had warned. She worries about you.
But that fear was like a chain. Jay knew it. And if he stayed weak, if he stayed helpless, nothing would ever change.
He exhaled slowly, then willed his system window to appear.
[Status]
[Name: Jay Orlen]
[Level: 1]
[Improvement Points: 0]
[Skill: Weapon Mastery (F)]
[Inventory: Healing Potion x10]
He tapped on the faint icon at the edge of the window. A new text glowed into existence.
[To gain Enhancement Points:
— Slay a monster.
— Or absorb a Skill Stone similar to your existing skills.]
Jay's eyes widened. Absorb a Skill Stone. Like the one Nathan had found. His heart thudded harder, mind racing.
That's when a reckless, dangerous thought crept in. His sister was powerful—far more than she let on. And someone that strong had to have resources.
What if she had spare Skill Stones?
Jay sat up, a nervous excitement bubbling under his skin.
What if he could sneak into Jenn's room… and search for one?
He swallowed hard. Even thinking it felt like signing his own death warrant.
But he couldn't stop the idea from taking root. He got up and left the room.