"So, tell me… will you help us in the upcoming battle?" Ren asked calmly.
"Please, everyone, calm down," another said, raising a hand. "We are discussing an important matter here. We don't have to fight among ourselves."
"Mr. Ren," one of the higher-ups said, bowing slightly. "We want to apologize for our earlier rudeness. And… if you have any proof, something we can truly believe…"
Ren didn't speak. Instead, he slowly shook his head, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers.
A dark portal formed before everyone's eyes. From within it, a severed head and a massive, blood-stained weapon dropped onto the floor.
The room went silent.
Everyone froze, staring in shock. The demons humanity had faced were nothing like this one.
"What… what is this, Mr. Ren?" one of them whispered, his voice shaking.
"This demon," Ren said grimly, "is one of the upper-ranked demons who will be fighting in the upcoming battle."
"What kind of demon is this?" another higher-up muttered.
Ren's expression darkened. "These demons can speak. They have their own emotions, strategies, and grudges. When I first fought him, he was relentless — stronger than anything we've ever faced. Even my two generals couldn't defeat him without unleashing their full power."
The council exchanged uneasy glances.
"Can we discuss this matter?" one of them asked nervously.
"Yes, you can," Ren replied.
They began discussing what they had just witnessed and how they should respond. Some suggested leaving the major threats to Ren and only assisting in smaller matters. Others opposed this, arguing that they should stand beside Ren in the coming battle.
Then, the higher-up who had stopped the earlier argument spoke again — saying something no one expected.
"Why don't we ask the shadows themselves?" he said. "They can confirm whether Mr. Ren Akatsuki speaks the truth."
The entire council went silent, then nodded in agreement.
An S-rank hunter was summoned — Ryojin Hoshigami.
When Ryojin entered and saw Daiki, Yume, and the council gathered together, she immediately sensed the tension.
Her gaze shifted and locked onto Ren. What on earth is an F-rank doing here? she thought.
"Yes, sir, why did you call me?" she asked.
"See this demon's head and this weapon," the councilman said. "Ask your shadow if it recognizes them."
"Yes, sir."
Ryojin knelt, placing her hand on the ground, and called upon her shadow.
The shadow emerged and spoke. "What do you need, Ryojin?"
"Look at this head and weapon," she said.
The shadow turned toward the severed head. The moment it saw the face, it trembled violently.
"This demon… how did he come to Earth?!" the shadow cried.
"So, you know him?" Ryojin demanded.
"Yes!" the shadow growled. "This is one of the upper-ranked demons. Not even the Four Demon Generals can easily defeat him! And that weapon — that is one of the sharpest blades in the entire demon realm! Who killed him so brutally?"
"I don't know," Ryojin replied.
"There were four figures," the shadow said slowly, as if sensing. "But one among them… he is the King. The King who slew Shnider."
The connection broke instantly.
Ryojin staggered backward, breathing heavily.
"Well?" the council asked. "Did you find out?"
"Yes," she said between breaths. "This demon's name is Shnider — one of the strongest demons alive… or rather, was alive."
Everyone turned toward Ren, their expressions filled with disbelief.
Ryojin continued, "The shadow confirmed that there was a King among the four who killed him. That King… is standing here, among the humans."
All eyes fell on Ren.
"Now," Ren asked calmly, "do you believe me?"
Ryojin frowned. "Sir, may I ask — why is an F-rank hunter even here?"
"Because he is the one who killed that demon," Daiki said.
The words struck the entire room like thunder.
"If he killed that demon… then he must be—"
"No way…" someone whispered.
Yume stepped forward. "So, you are the King."
"Yes," Ren said without hesitation.
Everyone remained silent for a moment. Then, the council collectively nodded and told Yume to keep this confidential.
"Mr. Ren," the head councilman asked, "how do you intend to fight this battle? And how will you tell the world what's coming?"
Ren sighed. "We have discussed this before coming here. We still don't know the location of the gate, but before it appears, we will build shelters to protect as many civilians as possible. When the gate finally opens, we will fight — and only take those who are capable into the main battle. Most demons will be low-ranked, but the upper-ranked ones will be fought exclusively by S-ranks."
"Hm…" the council murmured. "But how will you convince the people to listen to you?"
Ren smiled faintly. "Yume and Daiki will convince them. Their reputations carry weight."
"Very well," the council said. "For now, the organization will work with you and follow your lead."
Ren bowed deeply. "Thank you for accepting our request."
On the way back, Ren turned to Daiki. "We have to visit my old guild."
"Mr. Ren," Daiki said quietly. "Please forgive my rudeness earlier. I got carried away."
Ren chuckled. "No worries. You weren't wrong. Sometimes, we have to stand up to those who disrespect us. I used to be too weak to defend myself — but now, I stand for myself… and for others."
After this conversation, they started heading to Captain Haru's place.
Before Ren entered Daiki's car, Ryojin came running toward him.
"Is something wrong, Miss Ryojin?" Ren asked.
"No…" she said, bowing deeply. "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior. Please forgive me."
Ren nodded. "I forgive you. But remember — never disrespect the weak. Your job is to protect them, not humiliate them. If the weak can't come to you for help, then who will they turn to?"
Her eyes widened at his words, and she blushed slightly. He's kind… and handsome too, she thought.
"She shouted, 'So when you need me, call! I will fight by your side!'"
He smiled and said, "Thank you. I'll be glad to have you fight by our side."
Then they left for Captain Haru's guild.
When Daiki appeared at the guild's doorstep, the hunters inside were shocked — both excited and confused as to why the world's best hunter was there.
Then Daiki opened the door, and everyone gasped when they saw him letting in someone they once considered "the lowest of the low."
"Daiki," Ren said, frowning. "You don't have to be so formal. I'm not the kind of person who likes special treatment."
"U-Um… sir," one of the guild members whispered, "isn't that Ren Akatsuki? But he looks… different."
"Yes," Daiki said firmly. "And show him some respect. If you don't—" Daiki glared. "I will kill you."
"Is he always like this?" one of them asked nervously.
Ren chuckled. "Yeah, he's always been like that since childhood. He respects everyone — whether they're high rank or low rank. If someone needs help, he gives them the same respect."
Captain Haru finally came forward, smiling.
"Ren! Good to see you — it's been a while."
"Yeah," Ren said warmly. "It has been."
"Mr. Daiki," Captain Haru said, bowing. "It's an honor to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," Daiki replied politely.
"So, what brought you all here?" Haru asked.
Ren's expression turned serious. "There is an upcoming battle… and we need your help."