A Nightmare Awakening
(We begin in pitch blackness—only the sound of ragged breathing cuts through the silence. Then—light. Kota's eyes snap open as he jolts upright in bed, drenched in sweat. His small hands tremble as he grips his sheets.)
Kota (whispering): "Again… that dream…" (Flashback panels flicker—shadowy figures, screams muffled by darkness.)
(Across the room, Shin sits against the wall with one knee up, looking at his watch while on his computer)
(Shin's gaze flicks up as he hears Kota stir awake. His eyes remain trained on his computer screen as he speaks.)
Shin (calmly): "Another nightmare?"
Kota (nods silently, shivering): "The same one… with the shadows… and the whispers…"
(Shin closes his laptop with a quiet click before turning to Kota, his voice steady but heavy with unspoken horrors.)
Shin: "Nightmares like that are nothing new to me. The Agency… the Black Ops… they had ways of making sure we never slept easy." (His fingers tap against the metal casing—once, twice—before he continues.) "You get used to them."
(Kota swallows hard. The thought of getting "used" to such fear makes him feel sick.)
(Shin gets up and heads to his own bed across the room. Kota watches him go for a moment before looking back down at his own sweaty sheets. Shin slides into his bed with a weary sigh.)
Shin (muttering, almost to himself): "Never thought I'd be so grateful for a clean bed."
(Kota hesitates for a moment, then follows suit—sliding under the blankets and trying to shake off the lingering dread from his nightmare.)
(Shin's eyes soften as Kota begins to speak about his past. He's quiet, listening intently.)
Kota (voice shaking, tearful): "I… I'm an orphan. My foster parents… they were killed right in front of me."
Shin (softly, understanding): "By a Kaimon?"
Kota (nodding sadly): "Yeah… I've never had anywhere to call home… That's part of the reason I'm so scared all the time."
(Shin tilts his head slightly, curiosity glimmering in his eyes.)
Shin (quietly, trying not to sound too intrusive): "You said you were an orphan, but… what about your Hunter parents?"
Kota (hesitates, then shrugs, almost defeated): "I don't know. I never met them. I don't even know their names."
(The weight of his missing family hangs heavy in the air.)
(Shin senses a kindred spirit in Kota—the loneliness and pain of not knowing his parents is not completely unfamiliar to him.)
Shin (voice softening even more)—quietly: "I can understand what that's like… not having a family… being alone. It's tough."
Kota (looking over at Shin, surprised by his empathy), nodding: "It's hard to explain, but it's like a hole in my heart."
(Shin turns toward the window, the moonlight casting shadows across his face. His voice is quiet but firm—carrying an echo of something deeper, something almost sacred.)
Shin: "My mother used to tell me… 'All holes can be filled eventually.' No matter how deep the despair... hope follows."
(Kota stares at him for a long moment before finally nodding—slowly closing his eyes as sleep begins to claim him again. The words linger in the air like a promise.)
(Kota stands in the training room opposite Tenjo, panting heavily. He clutches the training sword tightly as sweat trickles down his forehead. Tenjo crosses his arms, eyeing him seriously.)
Tenjo (exasperated, but not without patience): "You're relying entirely on brute force again. Seishu is about precision, not power."
Kota (determined, but uncertain): "How am I supposed to do that, when all my instincts tell me to swing harder?"
(Tenjo exhales sharply before stepping forward, his posture shifting into something fluid—effortless. He raises a single finger, focusing on Kota.)
Tenjo: "Seishu isn't just energy—it's rhythm. Like breathing." (He flicks his wrist—a thin ribbon of blue energy dances between his fingertips.) "You don't force it… you guide it."
(Kota watches, mesmerized, as the energy weaves through the air like water.)
Kota (hesitant): "...So I stop thinking about strength?"
Tenjo (smirking): "Strength comes when you stop chasing it." (His eyes gleamed with challenge.) "Again. And this time—don't fight your own energy."
(Shin and Ryo are seated on a small hill, overlooking the training area. Shin turns to Ryo, curiosity in his eyes.)
Shin (simply, but genuinely interested): "I've been wondering something lately."
Ryo (raising an eyebrow, knowing what's coming): "And what's that?"
(Shin meets Ryo's gaze unflinchingly.)
Shin (holding his gaze): "What made you choose to become a Hunter?"
Ryo (quietly, almost amused by Shin's curiosity): "You're very curious, aren't you?"
Shin (smiling wryly, not backing down): "I guess you could say I'm… observant. So, why did you?"
(Ryo's gaze remains steady, his answer the same as it has always been—unchanged by time, unshaken by those who doubt him.)
Ryo (calm, resolute): "I fight to protect my family. To shield the innocent. And to change what it means to be a Hunter."
(Shin studies Ryo for a moment—processing the weight of his words.)
Shin (nodding slowly): "…That simple?" (He smirks faintly.) "I guess that makes two of us with impossible goals."
(Ryo regards Shin with a thoughtful frown, intrigued by his answer. Shin meets his gaze squarely, his eyes unreadable.)
Ryo (asking almost absently, curiosity piqued): "…And what impossible goal do you have?"
Shin (pausing for a moment before responding, almost reluctantly): "I… want to restore what I once lost."
Ryo (eying Shin closely, not missing the weight in his voice): "Which is?"
(Shin's expression clouds over as he answers.)
Shin (voice softer, haunted by old memories): "I want to find the people responsible for… destroying my family."
Ryo (eyes widening slightly in understanding, but not yet asking the question on his mind): "…Your family…"
Shin (nodding slightly, almost reluctantly confirming it): "Yes…"
(Ryo and Shin turn their attention back to the training field, both stunned by the sight before them. Kota's training area is engulfed in a chaotic dance of blue and yellow energy, the air itself thrumming with raw power.)
Shin (mouth agape, eyes widening): "…He's doing it."
Ryo (surprised and impressed): "He's channeling his energy outward. And on his own?"
(Tenjo leans back, arms crossed—a hint of grudging respect in his eyes.)
Tenjo (grudging pride in his voice): "Most Hunters never get this far with their energy. He's displaying an ability only a few have ever been known to achieve."
Shin (nodding, impressed by the display of strength): "…Who's the last person who could do this?"
Tenjo (answering, though the answer seems obvious): "…Gentoki."
(Ryo exhales quietly, unsurprised by Tenjo's constant reverence toward the legendary Hunter. The name itself carries weight—spoken with admiration even in passing.)
Shin (noticing Ryo's reaction, smirking slightly): "You seem used to this."
Ryo (nodding flatly): "Tenjo brings him up every chance he gets."
(Tenjo ignores them both—still watching Kota with a mix of intrigue and something akin to nostalgia.)
(Kota looks down at his trembling hands—blue energy crackling across his skin like lightning. His heart races as he struggles to process what just happened.)
Kota (whispering in awe): "I… I did that?"
(Tenjo steps forward, a rare smirk curling the edge of his lips.)
Tenjo (eyes gleaming with certainty): "You're going to be special, kid."
(The scene shifts to the darkened rooftops of Serenia—where three figures stand silhouetted against the blood red dusk. Rinze lounges lazily on the ledge, sharpening his dagger with an unsettling hum. Ayane leans against a crumbling pillar, her crimson kimono fluttering in the wind like fresh blood. Ginjiro stands motionless at their side—his sword already half-drawn, as if anticipating carnage.)
Rinze (grinning sadistically): "Ahh… nothing like a city ripe for chaos."
Ayane (cold amusement flickering in her eyes): "Patience. We move when they least expect it."
(Ginjiro uses his Seishu energy to lock onto Kujuro's location within the city. He closes his eyes for a moment, focusing on the subtle energy signature he picks up.)
Ginjiro (eyes still closed, quietly): "I have him."
Rinze (grinning, teeth bared): "Perfect."
Ayane (narrowing her eyes, a smile playing at her lips): "Lead the way."
(Inside a modest apartment, Rumi sits crosslegged on the couch, scribbling absentmindedly in her coloring book. Kujuro leans against the kitchen counter, scrolling through his phone—his expression tense despite the domestic tranquility.)
Rumi (humming to herself): "Daddy… what color should I use next?" (She holds up two crayons—gold and blue.)
Kujuro (distracted but gentle): "Gold. Like your mother's eyes."
(Something shifts in Kujuro's expression—his grip on his phone tightening as a flicker of unease crosses his face.)
(The couch cushion depresses slightly as Ayane lands silently behind Rumi—her presence announced only by the whisper of fabric and the faint scent of blood. Kujuro's head turns sharply, his body tensing instantly.)
Ayane (smirking, voice dripping with dark amusement): "Aww… What a cute little family moment." (Her fingers hover near Rumi's hair—not touching, but close enough to make Kujuro's blood run cold.)
Kujuro (voice dangerously calm): "Move away from my daughter."
(Kujuro's glare hardens, his jaw clenching at Ayane's comment. Rumi stares up at her with wide eyes, holding tight to her crayon.)
Kujuro (voice tight, words measured and sharp as a blade): "Former ally or not… she is a child. You will not taint her."
Ayane (chuckling softly, her gaze lingering on Rumi): "She's quite lovely. Like an innocent… little… doll."
(Ayane leans down slightly, her crimson-painted lips curling into a chilling smile as she locks eyes with Kujuro—her voice drops to a whisper.)
Ayane (softly, venomously): "But dolls… can break so easily."
(Rumi looks between them, unaware of just how much danger she's in… for now.)
⛓️💥🌌🪖End Of Chapter Fifty Seven