Tokyo, Japan — 09/14/2022
The moon did not appear that night.
Black clouds covered the sky, blocking out any light.
The air felt heavy.
Wrong.
Then came the smell.
Blood.
Bodies were scattered across the ground… mutilated, unrecognizable.
This no longer looked like a city.
It looked like a massacre.
At the center of it all—
there was a creature.
Its body was black, almost blending into the shadows.
Dark scales covered its skin like armor.
And its face…
did not exist.
Only a skull.
Empty eyes stared at the sky.
Not at the bodies.
Not at the destruction.
But at the sky.
And in that gaze…
there was something unexpected.
Regret.
A drop fell.
Blood.
Then another.
And another.
Until it became rain.
The creature did not move.
It simply stood there…
like something trapped between what it is…
and what it once was.
—
Two years earlier
"REN!!"
The shout echoed through the forest.
Ren flinched—
—and fell off the branch.
"AH—!"
THUD
Headfirst into the ground.
Leaves scattered.
Birds fled.
His dignity too.
"Ren, you useless idiot! Sleeping again?!"
Itsuki came running, annoyed.
"We haven't even finished gathering the ingredients and the sun's already setting!"
Ren slowly raised a hand.
"I was… meditating."
"…You were snoring."
"…Spiritual breathing."
TOC
"Stop lying."
—
The two walked back toward the temple, arguing.
As always.
Until—
Ren stopped.
"…Whoa."
A group stood ahead.
Hunters.
His eyes lit up.
It was the first time he had seen one.
A man stepped forward.
"Tadashi Kawasaki."
Calm. Observant.
"And you?"
"Itsuki. And this is my brother, Ren."
Ren stepped forward, excited.
"You're a hunter? That's amazing."
Tadashi smiled faintly.
"…I am."
"We're looking for a monk named Kaien."
"He's our father. We can take you to him."
Ren pointed.
"This way!"
TOC
Itsuki smacked his head and pointed the opposite direction.
"…Sorry. He has no sense of direction."
Tadashi laughed.
"It's fine."
—
As they walked, Ren couldn't hold back.
"I've always wanted to become a hunter."
A pause.
"…Even without Reikon… is that possible?"
Silence.
Tadashi looked at him.
"I've never seen it."
Another pause.
"But it's not impossible."
Ren clenched his fist.
Hope.
Then—
"That necklace… where did you get it?"
Ren grabbed it.
"It was my mother's. She died when I was born. Kaien adopted me."
Tadashi grew serious.
"That symbol…"
"…You recognize it?"
"It belonged to a clan of hunters."
A pause.
"An extinct clan."
Ren's heart pounded.
"Then… she was a hunter?"
A smile appeared.
"Then my father might also be—"
"Or not," Itsuki said.
Ren ignored him.
"One possibility is enough."
—
"I want to become a hunter."
Kaien answered without hesitation.
"No."
Silence.
"…Why?"
"Because you will die."
The words were cold.
Direct.
"I won't—"
"You don't have Reikon."
"But I have my body!"
"That won't save you."
"I don't care!"
"You should."
Ren clenched his teeth.
"I finally have a lead about my parents!"
"I already said NO!"
Something inside him broke.
"You're not even my real father!"
…
Silence.
Heavy.
Ren ran.
—
Itsuki found him.
Punching a rock.
Once.
Again.
Again.
Cracks spread.
Blood dripped.
"You really are an idiot."
Ren stopped.
"…I know."
His voice was low.
"I just… wanted something to be real."
A pause.
"At least once."
Itsuki sighed.
"He just wants to protect you."
—
A scream.
They turned.
Something massive emerged.
Fast.
Violent.
Wrong.
Too many arms.
Too many teeth.
The creature grabbed a girl—
—and bit down.
Blood exploded.
Another froze in place.
Ren moved.
Without thinking.
Without hesitation.
He pulled the girl away.
"REN, STOP!"
"Itsuki, I had to save her!"
The creature turned.
It saw him.
Itsuki formed a seal.
A barrier appeared—
—and began to crack.
"It won't hold!"
Ren stepped forward.
"Take her."
"What?!"
"Take her and get the hunters."
"You're going to die!"
Ren smiled.
"Then I just need to stall it."
—
He picked up a stone.
Threw it.
BOOM.
The creature looked at him.
Perfect.
Itsuki hesitated.
"…Don't die."
"Not planning to."
Itsuki ran.
—
Silence.
Ren stood alone.
Facing the monster.
His heart raced.
His hands trembled.
His body screamed to run.
But he didn't.
He smiled.
And charged.
—
In the distance…
Tadashi watched.
"…Interesting."
—
Present.
The creature remained beneath the rain of blood.
Still.
Cold.
Inhuman.
And yet…
One question echoed:
What happened to Ren?