The sun had barely risen over Tokyo, painting the city skyline with hues of gold and gray, when Katsuki Kairo adjusted the straps of his worn leather pack. The streets were already filled with hunters preparing for their morning dungeon raids. Most were chatting, laughing, or boasting about their ranks—D, C, B.
And then there was Kairo.
E-rank. Practically invisible in the hierarchy.
He smiled anyway. "Today… maybe I can finally earn enough for Hana's treatment," he whispered to himself, glancing at the small photo of his younger sister he kept tucked in his pocket.
"Ha! E-rank, joining a D-rank dungeon? You'll be eaten alive!" scoffed a nearby D-rank hunter, his smirk sharp and cruel. A few others laughed, making Kairo feel the familiar sting of ridicule.
Kairo's lips curved into a small grin, forcing his voice calm. "I'll do my best."
The D-rank dungeon loomed like a jagged wound in the earth, dark and foreboding. The group assembled:
Leader: D-rank, muscular man with a scar across his face
Members: Three other D-rank hunters and two more E-ranks, including Kairo
The air inside the dungeon was heavy, damp, and cold. The first room appeared normal—dimly lit, with ancient stone walls. A few low-level monsters lurked, and the hunters easily dispatched them. Kairo, despite his weak "Minor Luck" skill, managed to land a few blows.
"Not bad… for an E-rank," muttered one of the D-ranks, smirking.
Kairo's heart beat steadily. He wasn't strong, but he wasn't afraid. Not yet.
By the second room, the dungeon's atmosphere changed. Shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally, and a low, whispering growl echoed through the walls.
The first wave of monsters attacked—fast, stronger than the scouts had expected.
Screams filled the air. Two D-ranks fell instantly, their bodies crushed or impaled. The remaining hunters fought desperately, but the creatures seemed endless.
Kairo ducked under a swipe from a claw, his heart pounding.
And then… the shadows shifted.
A massive, humanoid silhouette appeared in the center of the room. Its presence radiated malice so potent it made the floor feel like it was sinking under him. Hunters screamed and ran, but it was too fast. One by one, they were cut down.
Kairo froze. His legs betrayed him. He tried to run… but the shadow's eyes glowed faintly. It lunged, and a wave of darkness engulfed him.
Everything went black.
Kairo woke with a sharp intake of breath. Machines beeped around him. White walls, sterile smells. He was alive.
An agent stood by his bed—tall, black-haired, S-rank, radiating authority.
"You survived… by luck, or something else," the agent said, his voice calm but piercing. "Tell me everything about the dungeon. Now."
Kairo's lips parted to speak, but words failed him.
That night, as the city slept, Kairo awoke again. A whisper echoed in the dark of his hospital room.
"Kairo… you are chosen…"
He sat up, heart hammering. A chill ran down his spine. The whisper came again, louder, more insistent. And this time… a shadow formed before him.
It moved slowly, deliberately, its presence oppressive and undeniable.
"You survived because of me," it said. Its voice was neither male nor female, neither human nor beast. "And now… your life belongs to something far greater than you can imagine."
Kairo's eyes widened, body frozen.
The shadow stretched its hand toward him.
And then—everything went dark again.
Who—or what—is this shadow? Why was Kairo spared? And what does it mean when his life is no longer entirely his own?