The sky was gray.
Alarms screamed across the city streets:
> "C-rank Gate appeared in Sector 7! All hunters to your positions!"
Chaos erupted.
Monsters poured out from a glowing red gate, tearing through the night like living wounds.
People ran, hunters fought.
In a dark alley, a young man in his early twenties stood holding an ordinary katana.
His hands trembled slightly.
His name: Rin.
> "Again… the gate shows up here."
"Why am I always the weakest among them?"
A voice crackled in his radio:
> "Rin! Stay back! That gate is above your level!"
He ignored it.
Step by step, he approached.
The creatures' snarls grew louder.
His breathing quickened.
Fear and a strange thrill mixed inside him.
From the shadows, a massive monster lunged.
The katana sliced through the air — teeth met steel — the blade shattered!
Rin fell to the ground, blood dripping down his face.
> "Damn it… even my sword couldn't last a second."
The monster raised its claw to finish him.
Suddenly… a metal shard in his pocket glowed and emitted a strange mechanical hum:
> [Predator System activated.]
[To survive… kill.]
The voice echoed in his mind.
With the last of his strength, Rin grabbed the shard and plunged it into the monster's eye.
The creature screamed and collapsed, its body crumpling over him.
Rin panted heavily, trying to crawl,
When his body began to glow… his skin shifted for a moment… then returned to normal.
> [Partial Form Acquired: Shadow Creature – C Rank]
[Skill Activated: "Hunter's Eye"]
He looked around, suddenly seeing everything with crystal clarity.
The weak points of the monsters… the paths of their attacks… their next moves.
A faint smile appeared on his bloodied face.
> "I see now… this is my power."