The air was thick with tension, charged with expectation. A vast training field stretched before him, and there stood nineteen others - all young, all hungry, all destined for something.
Faces turned, eyes sharp and measuring, as the candidates sized each other up. Each one carried an aura that hinted at their potential.
Then, a deep, commanding voice echoed.
"Welcome."
From the far end of the ground, Elder Souten stepped forward - a legendary Field Watcher whose sight stretched beyond horizons, said to peer even into the unseen realms. His presence alone demanded silence.
At his side stood three figures, each radiating power in their own right:
Wataru, an elite gunman with a cold gaze and twin pistols strapped at his side.
Ryuu, the lightning fighter, crackling sparks dancing faintly around his fists.
Hinata, the medic, gentle yet resolute, carrying a satchel of charms and remedies.
"You twenty stand here today, chosen to face trials that will decide your worth," Souten declared. "Not all will endure. Some will fall. But those who rise will carry the title of Demon Hunter - protectors of mankind."
Nao's pulse quickened. He clenched his fists tighter. This is my chance. Father... I'll learn the truth.
The ground was filled with determination and quiet rivalry as the candidates stood side by side:
The air itself felt alive, every heartbeat syncing with the anticipation of the trials to come.
Souten's eyes swept across them, his voice low but thunderous.
"Your first trial begins... now."
The twenty candidates stepped into the Haunted Apartment, the building groaning as if alive. The smell of rot, old blood, and mildew filled their noses. The doors slammed shut behind them, and in the suffocating dark, they felt it - the presence of demons lurking everywhere.
Almost instantly, everyone got separated in the maze of endless halls and broken rooms. Their footsteps echoed like whispers, and the sound of dripping water mixed with something worse - a woman's weeping.
Two exorcists followed the mournful cry, unable to resist. The sound grew sharper, cutting into their minds, dragging them closer. At the end of a hallway, a figure hunched in the shadows - Nakime, the Weeping Demon. Her head tilted, her long hair covering her face. The exorcists barely raised their charms when she lunged forward. Her claws sliced through their chests, spilling organs across the floor. Their screams filled the corridor before silence fell again. Blood smeared the walls as Nakime's weeping continued.
Aoi one of the candidates clenched her teeth and called forth her Nekoma, the spectral black yokai cat. Its eyes glowed red, its claws like blades. She leapt onto its back, riding it through the hallway. A snarling demon dropped from the ceiling in front of them. Nekoma roared and swiped its claws upward, splitting the demon clean in half. The corpse fell in two twitching pieces, blood pooling on the tiles.
Further down, a crawling demon ambushed a lone shaman, sinking its jagged teeth deep into the man's back. The shaman screamed, thrashing as blood sprayed from the wound. Suddenly, One of the candidates Haruto appeared, his body flying through the air. With one powerful kick, he smashed the demon off the shaman. The crawling beast twisted, snarled, and lunged again - springing at Haruto. He spun and delivered another brutal kick, crushing the demon's head like rotten fruit. Its body twitched once before going still.
The shaman lay in a spreading pool of blood. His breathing slowed, eyes glazed - and he died, drained by the savage bite.
Tenzin one of the candidates , the veteran monk, stood calm amidst chaos. Two demons rushed him, claws slashing. He formed seals with his hands, chanting under his breath. Spiritual bindings lashed out like chains, wrapping around the demons' limbs and throats. They screamed, clawing in the air. With a final gesture, Tenzin's bindings tightened, and both demons choked violently, their necks snapping as their bodies fell limp at his feet.
In another hallway, two demons caught a fleeing exorcist. Their claws tore into his stomach and chest, ripping his body apart. The corridor walls dripped with his blood as his screams faded. The demons turned - and saw one of the candidates Daiki standing like a wall of iron. They pounced, claws digging into his flesh - but his ritual tattoos and charmed body made him unbreakable. Their claws screeched uselessly against his skin.
Daiki growled, seized each demon by the skull, and with a roar, smashed their heads together. The sound of cracking bone thundered through the hall, and both demons dropped, their faces shattered beyond recognition.
Hana one of the candidates moved through the halls, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Three demons tore into two hunters, ripping them apart with long, black nails. Flesh and bone scattered across the floor as the hunters screamed and went still. Rage burned in Hana's chest. She lifted her arm, flames surging at her fingertips. With a cry, she unleashed a roaring blast of fire, engulfing the demons. Their shrieks filled the apartment as their bodies burned to ash.
Elsewhere, three demons crouched around a still-living hunter, gnawing his flesh. His eyes rolled back, his throat half-torn as he gurgled his last breath. Beside him lay the shredded corpse of a shaman, already consumed. Before they noticed, One of the candidates Kaito appeared in silence. His katana gleamed in the dark. In one swift breath, his blade flashed - and all three demons' heads fell to the ground, their bodies collapsing in unison. Blood splattered across the walls, but Kaito's face remained calm, unreadable.
Meanwhile, other candidates Yuto, Shouta, Masaru, and Takumi moved cautiously together. Their formation is tight, weapons raised. The shadows stirred around them, but no demon dared to approach. For now, they stood untouched, their silence a fragile shield in the house of death.
Ren, one of the veteran hunters, stepped beside Nao, placing a hand on the boy's trembling shoulder.
"Your father... Shigeru... was no ordinary man," Ren said, his voice heavy. "When Shigeru entered the battlefield, every demon would tremble. I saw it with my own eyes - the day he summoned his mighty Dragon, demons scattered like insects. And when the Demon God descended... it was your father who stood tall. He shielded my life, then crushed the Demon God with his Angel Guardian. That was the power of Shigeru."
Nao's heart tightened. The name of his father burned like fire inside his chest.
Suddenly, the air froze. The walls cracked as the sound of sorrowful weeping grew louder. From the shadows, Nakime appeared, her long hair dragging against the blood-soaked floor, her clawed fingers twitching with hunger.
Ren stepped in front of Nao, sword drawn.
"Stay back! She's mine!" he roared.
Nakime moved at an impossible speed. Her claw shot forward, piercing Ren's chest. His eyes widened as blood poured from his mouth. With a savage twist, she shoved her hand deeper, ripping into his body. Ren let out a strangled scream before his body went limp in her grasp. She dropped him like discarded meat.
Nao stumbled back, horror flooding his veins. Desperate, he raised his hand to summon his Beast Dog - but nothing happened. Fear gripped the dog's spirit, keeping it from emerging.
"Come on... please... please..." Nao begged, his body shaking. But the beast refused to appear.
Nakime turned her head slowly, her weeping growing louder. She advanced on Nao, claws raised. He froze, his legs refusing to move. Death was inches away.
But in that moment - One of the candidates Riku appeared. Silent, cold, his twin short swords gleamed in the darkness. He slashed at Nakime from behind, his blades cutting deep. The demon shrieked and turned, but Riku was relentless - his swords striking from every angle, sparks flying as claws met steel.
Nakime released a screeching weep, a sound so sharp it shattered glass and drove needles into their skulls. Nao clutched his head, blood dripping from his ears. Even Riku staggered, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. His special blade glowed faintly.
"This ends now!" Riku shouted. With a final strike, he drove his sword deep into Nakime's chest. The wailing stopped. Her body convulsed, then split apart as shadows poured from her, dissolving into nothingness. Nakime, the Weeping Demon, was dead.
The silence didn't last long. Light flickered in the hallway. A group of men approached, each carrying glowing lanterns that warded off the darkness. At their lead was a tall man with calm, commanding eyes.