Akira lay sprawled across a stone bench on the first level of the Hunter Association, arms folded behind his head, eyes half-lidded.
His body still ached in dull patches—ribs, shoulders, spine—but the clean scent of polished marble and burning incense grounded him.
Safe.For now.
A heavy hand slammed into his back.
"Good job," a familiar voice said. "You passed."
Akira groaned and cracked one eye open. "Ito… do you have to hit that hard?"
Ito Yoru stood over him, red ponytail swaying as he grinned. "You survived the exam. You can handle a pat."
Akira pushed himself upright, stretching until his joints popped. "I wasn't failing a test that easy anyway."
The words came easily—but his smile faded a notch.
I wonder where Hinata ended up…And what happened to Jackson.
He shook the thoughts away.
No point worrying about monsters until I can stand on their level.
Ito cleared his throat and handed him a small folded slip of paper. "Oh. One of the boys asked me to give you this."
Akira unfolded it.
A crude little drawing of Hinata stared back at him. Beneath it, written neatly:
I figured you weren't a murderer. That old man was faking it.Instead of letting him pass, I pushed you through.Hope you enjoy being a Hunter.— Hinata Zen
Akira smiled.
Before he could think further, something sleek and black drifted into his vision.
A man in a tailored business suit stood before him, bowing slightly.
"Welcome to the Hunter Association," the man said. "Please channel your Tao into the card to activate it."
Akira pinched it between his fingers and focused.
The surface shimmered. Golden Tao pulsed through engraved symbols, and crisp white text etched itself into the card.
Name: Akira YamatoRank: 10,000,001
Akira blinked.
Then squinted.
"…Ten million and one?"
The man cleared his throat politely. "Hunters are ranked by overall ability and contribution. Since you've just joined, you're currently at the bottom. However—" he gestured to the card, "—your Tao output is exceptional for a new recruit. Once synced, your ID grants access to all Hunter data."
Akira flipped the glowing card between his fingers, grinning. "Bottom or not… this thing looks sick."
Ito sighed. "You still have my contact info, right?"
Akira scratched the back of his neck. "Uh… funny story. My phone kinda broke when I got hit by that Yokai. Never got around to buying a new one."
Ito stared at him.
"…Oh. Right."
He dug into his coat and shoved a small envelope into Akira's hand. "There's cash in there. Buy a phone."
Akira peeked inside. "You just… carry money around like that?"
Ito frowned. "Yeah. Why?"
Akira smirked. "Weirdo."
He turned to leave—then paused and grabbed Ito's sleeve.
"Real quick," Akira said. "Some of those Hunters had insane abilities. Reforming stone. Shooting Tao like cannons. When do I get something like that?"
Ito rolled his eye. "Bloodlines. Unique Tao manifestations. There are first-generation bloodlines and inherited ones. Same core ability—but power and form change depending on the user's Tao circuits."
A glowing crimson arch unfolded behind him—a radiant Shinto gate bleeding light into the hall.
"You'll manage from here," Ito said.
Akira waved lazily as Ito stepped through.
The portal began to close—
Then Ito's head popped back out.
"One more thing," he said, voice sharp now. "The closest city's been dangerous lately. If you sense anyone using Tao, avoid them. There's been a string of attacks by a terrorist group called Scissors."
He smiled faintly. "But you probably won't run into them."
The gate snapped shut.
Minutes later, Akira stepped into the city.
Neon lights reflected off rain-dark pavement. Vendors shouted over crowds. Music bled through the streets. The city felt alive—too alive.
He ducked into a cramped electronics shop, bought the cheapest phone available, and powered it on.
No signal.No contacts.No idea where he was.
"…Great," Akira muttered. "Could've at least given me his number."
He pocketed the phone and wandered the glowing streets.
Then—
"You look lost, kid."
Akira turned.
A short, greasy man stood there, smiling faintly. His eyes were sharp. Too sharp.
"I can take you wherever you need to go," the man said smoothly. "But you'll owe me a favor."
Akira narrowed his eyes.
A Tao user, he realized.But the man's energy was steady. No killing intent.
"…Sure," Akira said cautiously. "What do you need?"
The man gestured ahead. "I'm picking something up from a Hunter shop—a Tao Railgun. But first, I need groceries for my family. Just need help carrying them."
He scratched the back of his head, smiling warmly.
Akira shrugged. "Yeah. I got you, old man."
Minutes later, Akira was hauling bags through a crowded mall.
"I don't blame you for being cautious," the man chuckled. "City's tense lately. Those Scissors attacks have everyone on edge."
Akira nodded. "Yeah… about that. Who are the Scissors, exactly?"
The man frowned, surprised. "You don't know? Terrorist group. Founded by Stone Strickland and Kingston Tyler. Goal's to tear down the four kingdoms."
Akira nodded—
Then froze.
A black smudge stained the man's neck.
"…Hold up," Akira said. "You've got something there."
He tugged the collar down.
A dotted black X marked the skin beneath.
A woman screamed nearby. "Scissors!"
The man's smile vanished.
His eyes hardened. "Boy," he said coldly, "you've overstepped."
He tapped the mark.
Black liquid seeped out, crawling over his arm—twisting, thickening, forming a living mask of writhing darkness.
Akira slowly set the grocery bags down.
"…So much for avoiding trouble."