e Hunter Association Headquarters stretched like a palace of echoes. The grand hallway, lined with towering portraits of legendary hunters, reflected the dim, golden glow of the setting sun. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, echoed against the polished marble floor, lingering a moment before fading into silence. Most of the high-rank hunters had already left the meeting room, their hushed chatter disappearing into the distance. Only a handful remained: Daigo Ren, the Vice Chairwoman Elira, Shiori, and two hunters whose presence alone could fill the room with chaos—Ryuu, overconfident as ever.
Even in this quiet, the air was thick with tension—the kind that made the hairs on your neck stand on end.
---
Scene 1 – The Empty Hall Echoes
Ryuu, as if the quiet was an insult, didn't hesitate. With a casual swing, he climbed onto the massive meeting table, legs sprawled and arms crossed like he owned the place. A grin stretched across his face, obnoxious and unapologetic.
"Hey, old man! One leg already in the grave, huh? Don't you think it's time to stop babysitting a chair and start babysitting your grandkids?" he yelled, laughter spilling through the hall. The sound seemed to bounce off the marble walls, echoing almost mockingly.
Daigo Ren didn't flinch. He held his tea, sipping slowly as if Ryuu's words were nothing more than the faintest background noise. Calm. Unbothered.
Shiori's boots clicked sharply against the floor as she stepped forward. Her expression was hard, unyielding.
"Shut it, clown," she said. Her voice was low, but it carried the weight of authority.
Before Ryuu could react, Shiori's heel found its target—his foot. The boy's eyes bulged in shock, pain flashing across his face.
"Aaaaugh!! MY TOE!! I swear it's broken!! That was my fighting foot!" Ryuu yelled, hopping on one leg, his dramatics filling the hallway.
Elira leaned casually against a column, a faint smirk on her lips. "Which one? You've never fought with either," she said, voice teasing, amused.
"You people just can't handle my power and charisma!" Ryuu shot back, striking a heroic pose, hopping painfully on one foot.
The hallway went silent. For once, Ryuu's antics weren't met with laughter or counter-remarks. Only the faint clink of Daigo Ren setting down his tea cup broke the quiet, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
---
Scene 2 – The Lazy Shadow Appears
The heavy doors creaked, groaning under their own weight as Arzen, the Rank 2 hunter, entered. His hoodie was sloppy, half-on, hair sticking out in every direction like a chaotic nest. Rubbing his eyes lazily, he muttered.
"Oh… I think I'm too early. The meeting hasn't started yet, right?"
Elira's grin widened, crossing her arms. "You're three hours late, sleeping prince."
Shiori 's expression darkened, arms folding across her chest. "The meeting's over. What cave were you hibernating in?"
Arzen yawned, a deep, exaggerated stretch that distorted his face. "Oh… my bad. Goodnight, then."
Ryuu threw his hands into the air, incredulous. "WAIT—What kind of legend wakes up just to go back to sleep?!"
Finally, Daigo Ren placed a single finger on the table and knocked once. The sound, soft yet commanding, cut through the ridiculousness like a blade. "Enough," he said, voice calm but carrying weight.
Silence swallowed the room. Every eye turned to him, every movement paused, and even Ryuu's theatrics dimmed under the gravity of that one word.
---
Scene 3 – The Mission Is Set
Daigo Ren's eyes settled on Ryuu and Arzen. His gaze was piercing, measured, unyielding. "I have a mission… for you two."
Ryuu leaned forward, curiosity flickering through his otherwise smug expression. "Oh? A mission, huh? What's this? Saving kittens? Delivering lost mail?"
Daigo Ren didn't respond to the mockery. His voice remained calm, precise. "Find the boy who wielded the Emperor Blade. The student of Arvion."
Ryuu raised an eyebrow, lips twitching in disbelief. "That kid from the news? The 'Ghost Hunter'? Why us?"
Shiori's sly smile deepened. "Because you're the only duo ridiculous enough to make it either a complete failure or a miraculous success. Either way, it'll be entertaining."
Elira added her weight, voice firm and decisive. "He saved someone and vanished. Even our scouts lost his trail. If he's holding Arvion's sword, we need him."
Ryuu scoffed. "Oh great. Another brooding swordsman with a tragic past. What's next? A cursed eye? A lost kingdom? A secret bloodline?"
Arzen muttered, almost sleepily, "I have all three."
The room froze. Every pair of eyes locked on him, disbelief written plainly.
Ryuu's jaw dropped. "…You're kidding, right?"
Arzen shrugged. "...I don't remember. I was asleep."
A moment of absurdity hung in the air, balancing precariously against the gravity of their mission.
---
Scene 4 – City Streets, Public Reactions
The scene shifted to the city. Crowds gathered around electronics stores and café windows, eyes fixed on television screens. News footage looped relentlessly, showing the Ghost Hunter.
Reporter Taman's voice carried clearly. "People across the city are calling the mysterious hunter the Ghost Hunter, after he rescued a student from a Class B demon single-handedly and disappeared without a trace…"
The image was blurry but undeniable: a shadowed figure surrounded by violent, deep purple aura, cloak fluttering violently, eyes glowing. Darkness itself seemed to recoil from him.
A small child tilted their head. "Is he a superhero?"
An elderly man shook his head, squinting. "More like a demon-slaying ghost," he muttered.
Whispers and speculation spread through the crowd. The myth of the Ghost Hunter was already growing.
---
Scene 5 – A Quiet Walk…
Back at HQ, Ryuu and Arzen exited into the city streets. Neon lights reflected off puddles, painting the streets with flickering color.
"You know," Ryuu said, striding confidently, "if we find him, I'm taking credit. Maybe they'll make me the next Chairman—Ryuu the Great!"
Arzen barely lifted his head. "Just wake me up when we find him," he said, voice lazy.
Ryuu blinked. "…You didn't even hear a word, did you?"
Arzen smirked faintly. "Mr. Ren says I dream better than I listen."
Ryuu groaned, shaking his head.
---
Scene 6 – Final Panel Teasers
Elsewhere, shadows moved in silence. Four names appeared in whispers and glimpses:
Rank 1 – A tall figure stood on a frozen battlefield, frost forming beneath his boots, ice sword resting on his shoulder. Each breath crystallized in the air.
Rank 3 – A massive, furious hunter tore through demons with raw power, eyes blazing with wild rage.
Rank 15 – A carefree man skipped down the sunlit streets, arms outstretched, laughing, making airplane noises, masking lethal precision beneath the cheer.
The city waited, the calm before storms. Legends stirred, hunters moved.
---
Scene 7 – Mr. Ren's Monologue
In the upper floors, Daigo Ren stared at the city skyline. Purple sparks danced faintly in the distance, mana surges that even the most skilled hunters would notice. His fingers brushed the glass, feeling the pulse of the city.
If Arvion's student truly wielded the Emperor Blade, even the legends within this headquarters would have to wake.
Turning to Elira and Shiori, he spoke quietly. "The Festival of Light is approaching. But this year… the mana in the area has increased unusually. This is abnormal. I want you both to research why this is happening and report back."
Elira and Shiori exchanged a glance. They understood the weight of the task. Something was stirring, unseen, dangerous, and growing.
---
The city exhaled under the darkening sky. Hunters moved, legends stirred, and the unseen shifted in the shadows. Somewhere, the Ghost Hunter waited, carrying a destiny few could comprehend. Two hunters—one overconfident, one perpetually lazy—prepared to chase a legend they barely understood.
The pieces were set. The game had begun.