There was a young man named Vaelen, seventeen years old.
He was fired from his job as a sword cleaner at a samurai academy,
after being falsely accused of stabbing a member of a prestigious family.
Vaelen returned home, heartbroken and furious, breathing in grief.
He opened the door to his little sister's room and found her sleeping like an angel.
An involuntary smile crossed his lips when he saw her.
He closed the door slowly behind him, then sat on a chair, crying from pain and rage.
His parents had died in a traffic accident, and he became the sole guardian of his sister.
He worked hard for her, gave her the life of a princess,
while he lived like a beggar—just to see that beautiful smile
that made him forget the weight of the world.
But on that rainy night, he felt completely powerless.
Helpless to do anything… his reputation had been destroyed.
Vaelen lowered his hands from his face, tears streaming down his cheeks.
He looked toward the fruit-cutting knife.
He picked it up slowly, his hand trembling as he stared at it in sorrow,
then spoke in a broken voice:
"What's the point of life… if it's only filled with hardship?
I'll kill myself, so the insurance money can go to my sister…
and she can live a better life."
He clutched the knife tightly, sobbing as if he were choking on all the pain in the world.
"I love you so much, Lulia… but in the end, I failed you."
He raised the knife and aimed it toward his neck —
but suddenly, someone grabbed his hand.
Vaelen opened his eyes slowly… and looked toward a tall figure.
A man with no face, wearing a European-style hat,
a long black coat, and a white shirt underneath.
The knife dropped from Vaelen's hand in shock.
He clung to the edge of the couch, lips trembling in fear, and asked:
"W-Who are you?!"
The stranger sat on the couch across from him, one leg crossed over the other,
holding his hat in his right hand, and spoke in a deep tone:
"I am your savior, Mr. Vaelen."
Vaelen froze—how did this person know his name?
A storm of thoughts raged in his mind, but he couldn't express any of them.
He spoke with a shaky voice:
"How do you know my name? And how did you get into my house?!"
"Calm yourself, Mr. Vaelen. As I said—I am your savior.
And without boring introductions… what would you say to becoming a hunter inside dreams?"
"A hunter…?"
Vaelen was stunned by the strange proposal.
And even more by the idea of hunting inside a dream.
"Yes, as you heard… a hunter who hunts monsters inside dreams,"
the faceless man replied, puffing on his cigarette in a bizarre way,
as if every movement had been rehearsed long ago.
Vaelen was overwhelmed by the presence of this strange figure,
even afraid to look directly at his face.
He whispered to himself, leaning back in his seat:
"I don't know who this man is… but he appeared out of nowhere, calls himself my savior?
I don't understand this 'dream hunting' idea… but if this is a real chance,
it would be foolish to throw it away."
"Let's say I agree… what would I get in return?"
The faceless man lowered his hat onto his knee and spoke with depth:
"You'll receive two things you've longed for all your life:
Money… and a luxurious life for your sister to live like a queen."
He continued:
"As soon as you accept to become a hunter,
your little sister will be taken from this filthy house
to a grand palace,
filled with servants… and everything she could possibly need."
Vaelen tried to absorb all of this in silence,
but the sheer weight of the offer made it hard to think clearly.
"To accept such a mission… and gain something I never even dared to dream of…
Am I already dreaming?"
He muttered this as he pulled his hair back from the shock.
"I don't know if what you're saying is true…
but I need proof of your sincerity,"
Vaelen said calmly, his fingers interlaced in front of him.
The faceless man snapped his fingers —
and suddenly, a crimson moon appeared, tearing the roof of the house apart.
Vaelen jumped back in fear, looking upward,
his face a mix of terror and disbelief.
"A… crimson moon?! How?!"
Then the faceless man snapped his fingers again —
and everything returned to normal.
The door creaked open slowly…
and his little sister stepped out of her room.
She had long blonde hair, wide green eyes,
and skin as white as snow.
She wore a long white nightgown.
She rubbed her eyes and spoke in a sweet voice:
"I didn't expect you back so soon… want me to make you dinner?"
She sat beside her brother, smiling warmly.
Vaelen looked at that beautiful smile —
one that his tears couldn't resist.
"Strange… didn't she notice the faceless man?"
Vaelen whispered to himself.
He gently patted her hair and replied softly:
"I already ate on the way home.
Go back to sleep—tomorrow's your first day of school.
I don't want you missing it like last year."
She stood up, stretching her back, and said warmly:
"Yeah, yeah… I know. Good night, handsome."
"Good night, beautiful,"
he replied, lips trembling with sadness.
Then he lifted his head and stared at the faceless man, answering confidently:
"I accept your offer… but on one condition:
You must promise that no harm will come to my sister while I'm away."
The faceless man tossed a coin into the air, caught it between his fingers,
and said with a solemn voice:
"Anyone who touches a single strand of your sister's hair…
has already dug his own grave.
So don't worry about that—your little gem is safe."
He continued:
"Now, Mr. Vaelen…
do you wish to become a:
Hunter Dreamer?"
Vaelen clenched his pants tightly.
After witnessing the power of this faceless being—
and seeing how hopeless his current life was—he answered firmly:
"I accept… I will become a Hunter Dreamer."
The faceless one exhaled smoke from his cigarette,
and spoke in a calm voice:
"Excellent. Then let us speak of dreams… Mr. Vaelen."