Morning light slipped through the leaves, painting the ground with light and shadow.
Aoki stood, bow in hand, body turned to the side.
His long, black hair was tied back, messy and loose. He was strong, handsome, his eyes sharp and wild. Black and white, clear as day.
Takina sat nearby, sorting arrows. Her head lifted, eyes flicking to Aoki, then back to her work.
Aomura Kazuhiko sat on a chair, a pipe in his mouth. He lit it, took a long drag, and a smile touched his face. Contentment.
Smoke curled from the chimney of the wooden house.
Thwack!
The arrow hit the center, a clean shot.
"Aoki, you're getting better!" Aomura Kazuhiko's voice was full of pride.
But Aoki's eyes showed something else. A flicker of disappointment, quickly hidden. He lowered his bow. "Master, when can we go back into the mountains?"
Aomura Kazuhiko tapped his pipe, knocking out the ash. "Easy, easy. Give it two days. I need to go to town today, get some tobacco. And your bow is ready!"
"My bow?"
Aoki's eyes lit up.
The one he used now was old, a hand-me-down. It worked, but it wasn't his.
Aomura Kazuhiko spoke again, "Aoki, come with me this time!"
Aoki's eyes narrowed, a question in them. "Master, is something wrong?"
"No, no!"
Aomura Kazuhiko waved his hand, a chuckle in his voice. "You've been stuck in these mountains all year. Training, hunting. You're young, no need to work so hard. There's a festival in town. Go with Takina, have some fun!"
"Dad, I have work to do!"
Takina looked up, her long, blue hair falling against her pale cheek. Her eyes were bright, her teeth white. Beautiful. Like a painting.
Aoki shook his head. "Maybe later, Master. I want to practice those traps you showed me."
"Ah, alright," Aomura Kazuhiko said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Aomura Rie came out of the house, an apron tied around her waist. She was a full woman, with a kind smile. She waved them over.
"Food's ready!"
"Coming!" they answered.
Aoki glanced at his System as he walked.
[Name: Aoki]
[Strength: 4]
[Constitution: 4]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Agility: 4]
[Profession: Hunter]
...
[Hunter]
Quality: ☆
Level: lv4 (397/400)
Skills: Hunting Instinct, Dexterity, Eagle Eye, Blood Boiling (Not yet learned)
Tasks: None
"Not even one point?"
Aoki shook his head, just a little.
A year ago, he woke up in this world.
The boy who lived here before was an orphan. He fell off a cliff, died in the mountains.
Aomura Kazuhiko found him, hunting in the woods. He took him in.
When Aoki healed, he became Aomura Kazuhiko's student. He woke up with the System, the Hunter inside him.
Since then, he'd been trying to level up.
Hunters get stronger by hunting.
The bigger the beast, the harder the fight, the more you learn.
At first, he could get a little stronger just by practicing. But since level three, nothing.
"Cluck, cluck!"
Next to the house, chickens pecked in a fenced-in yard. Three yellow hens, fat and happy.
Aoki looked at them. Could I kill them? Would that be enough? Three points...
Just three points to the next level.
It was like a stone in his shoe. Annoying. He wanted it gone.
"Gak?"
The hens looked up, wary. They saw nothing, went back to their pecking.
Breakfast was rice, miso soup, fried fish, and pickles.
Aomura Rie was a good cook. Simple food, but it tasted like love.
The four of them ate together.
Then, Aomura Kazuhiko picked up a bundle of furs and headed down the mountain.
Aoki went back to his archery.
It didn't give him points, not directly. But better aim meant better hunts. Faster leveling.
The next day.
Aoki practiced in the same spot.
Takina sat nearby on a small stool, working leather.
She looked up at Aoki. Then again.
Aoki lowered his bow.
"Just say it."
Takina's face went pink. But her eyes stayed on his. Serious. "I want to go to town with you. But... I want to make you clothes first. Winter's coming, and you don't have anything warm."
A smile touched Aoki's face.
"Then, when they're done, we'll go. Together."
"Okay." Takina brushed a few strands of blue hair behind her ear.
Aoki's mind went blank. He blurted, "Takina, why do you think Master wants us to go?"
He wanted to hit himself.
Master's thinking...? He wants us alone. To fall in love!
Stupid question.
Takina looked away, her ears turning pink. She spoke softly, "I know."
Aoki blinked.
She knows... and she's okay with it?
He knew his master and his master's wife wanted them together.
He knew she didn't hate him. But this... this was the first time she'd said it, really.
Aoki looked at the sky. "It's getting late... Why isn't Master back yet?"
Takina glanced at him, a small smile on her lips. "Maybe he's drinking with an old friend. It's happened before."
The mountains were dangerous.
Bears, wolves... top predators.
Even a good hunter wouldn't walk in the woods drunk.
But Master always tells us.
The thought flickered, then died. Aoki pushed it away.
Master was strong. Even if he met a beast, he'd be fine.
The mountain weather changed fast.
Dark clouds rolled in, covering the sky. Thunder rumbled, low and heavy.
Inside the wooden house, the candlelight flickered, dim and yellow.
Aoki, Takina, and Aomura Rie sat around the table. Working, talking.
Bang.
The door crashed open. A dark shape stood in the doorway.
Head down, face hidden in shadow. Hair a mess. One hand on his shoulder, like he was carrying something.
Patta patta.
Blood dripped from his arm, hitting the floor. Red flowers blooming on the wood.
Aoki knew him. They all did. Aomura Kazuhiko.
"Dad!" Takina stood, quick and scared.
Aomura Rie rushed forward, her voice full of worry. "What happened? What's wrong?"
"The smell... so much blood!"
Aoki frowned. Something felt wrong. Deep in his gut. His hand moved, reaching for the bow against the wall.
Crack!
Thunder split the sky, lighting up the room for a heartbeat.
Aomura Rie stopped. Takina took a step back.
A jolt of ice shot up Aoki's spine. His skin crawled. His heart almost stopped.