Where am I...? Why does this place feel so familiar?
"Oh—Hiro?"
His eyes went wide the moment he saw Hashi. "Hey! What are you doing here?"
"Hiro... I need you to help me kill Devi..."
"Ouch! What the hell! You little pest—damn it, you bit my hand!"
He clutched his head, glancing around wildly. Just a dream.
Stepping outside, he found himself surrounded by people milling about. "Alright then... where do I go first? Guess I should head home."
He walked along, peering left and right as he went—until he plowed straight into someone. Hiro barely glanced back, but the guy yelled after him: "Hey! You little runt! Got no eyes or what?!"
"Sorry man... my head's all over the place right now."
"Tch... hey, why do you smell like—" The stranger looked him up and down, at his clothes. "Forget it. Wait, what's your name, kid?"
"Me? Hiro. You?"
"Takumi Hayashi."
"Wow, that's a pretty cool name, buddy. Alright then—see ya."
"Yeah, see ya. Hope we run into each other again."
They went their separate ways, and only then did Hiro stop to think: Why did I just tell him my name like that? Shrugging it off, he kept walking—and spotted his school in the distance. "Hmm... how would I even get in there at night though?" He chuckled to himself, curious about what lay inside the building after hours.
"Finally home... geez. Gotta find some way to make money for a new place—this one's way too small, right Hachi?"
He hopped in the shower first; the cool water was just what he needed. When he stepped out again, the sun was long gone, and the streets glowed under a blanket of silver moonlight. Hiro made his way to the park's edge, letting the crisp night air brush against his face.
Hiro climbed over the school fence and spotted the CCTV camera, then used his imagination to cause the system to malfunction.
"Alright, let's take a look around this school... Hmm, it's quite a mess. This classroom looks like it's been hit by a bomb... Huh? All the chairs and school items are scattered because of a disaster, right? I feel like someone's upstairs." Hiro headed toward the stairs leading up. He saw someone falling down the stairs – dressed in black, wearing black shoes, like a hitman with bloodstains on their shirt.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Huh? Why are there still students here in the middle of the night? Hey, get out of here – this place is dangerous!"
"Hey, who have you been talking to this whole time?" Thud thud... Thud – the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Hiro felt the presence of someone very powerful.
"Oh! Takumi? Huh? Hiro!"
"You two know each other? Heh... heh..."
"Oi Hiro, you'd better go home, stay out of this!" he said, staring at Hiro with sharp eyes.
"Hey Takumi, what are you, actually?"
"Tch... I already gave you a chance to run, Hiro!"
Takumi appeared in front of Hiro, pulling back his arm to strike – but the person in black managed to block his attack using Technique 21, named "Control the Enemy from a Distance".
"Tch..." Takumi vanished in the blink of an eye before both of them.
"Eh... Where did that devil
go?"
BAM!
The person in black crashed into the wall.
"Damn it!"
Takumi tried to attack again....
Crack! Boom!
"What's happening?!"
Takumi's arm snapped as easily as tearing paper. Takumi looked at Hiro.
"Hey, did you do that just now?!"
Hiro appeared quickly in front of Takumi. Takumi tried to punch him suddenly – but Hiro dodged and hit his ribs.
"Agh...!"
Takumi crashed outside the school, still flailing his broken arm as blood gushed out, as if trying to grab Hiro's heart. The blood splattered directly onto Hiro's body.
"Agh... aghh..."
He laughed bitterly. "Hey, how does it feel?"
"Hey... who are you, really?"
"Me?" Hiro grabbed the blood that had formed into the shape of a spear, speaking in a cold tone. "I'm Hiro."
The person in black started to get up. "Hey, watch out – that one's a King-level demon!"
"Huh? King?"
"I'll explain later – we need to deal with this creature first!"
Vanished
The spear cracked apart with a violent boom, shards of blood scattering across the hallway.
"How did you do that?"
"My thoughts… they don't just stay in my head anymore."
"What?!"
"Stop your chattering, both of you!"
BAM
"Aargh...." The blow hit Hiro in the face.
Takumi kicked the man in black, sending him flying and crashing through a school wall.
"Aargh... aargh... damn it!"
"Damn you, Hiro!" Hiro lunged with a powerful attack at Takumi, but Takumi easily blocked it and retaliated with a kick to Hiro's face that almost sent him crashing into the ceiling.
Whoosh!!
"Aargh... boom!"
Blood surge!
The blood on Hiro's body clung tightly to him.
"Hehe..." Hiro just smirked coldly. "Hey fool, that won't leave a scratch."
"What?"
"Doom!"
A powerful kick from behind Takumi sent him flying far away.
"Aaaah...!"
"Yo, damn it – you forgot about me!"
My name is Jeison Hoshizora – just call me Jeison.
Clap... clap... the sound of clapping hands "Hahahah! So you two are helping each other then?"
Takumi transformed his hand into the Blood Demon.
"Let's go!" Takumi disappeared for a moment, then suddenly slapped Hiro on the back.
"Watch your back, Hiro!" Jeison moved quickly to shield Hiro from behind.
"Hmph... Impossible! How could he catch my hand like that so easily?"
Crack!
Hiro quickly seized the chance to punch Takumi.
"Ouch... My ribs! I think they're broken!"
Jeison punched Takumi in the face as he staggered to the side, part of his face shattering and coming loose.
Crack! "Ouch... Ha... Haaa..."
"I can't anymore... I don't have the strength to fight two rats like you..."
Whoosh!
Sling!
What was that?
Thump... Takumi fell, hit by a sword attack
"Whoosh! Takumi!!!!" Hiro shouted!!
Huh? He's already dead....
Hey what's wrong Hiro?
What? How did he die?
It looks like someone killed him
Brrr...
Click.
Yes, it seems that demon has been killed by someone.... I'm not lying...
Alright then if that's the case
Beep....
Hey Hiro where are you going?
"Home—where else would I go...."
"Hey we'll meet again..."
"Ohhh... you were the beautiful girl from last night!"
"Ara... thank you."
"And you.... are you here?
Oi don't ignore me you bastard!"
"Hey Hiro do you know them?"
"Yeah we just met yesterday and she gave me an umbrella."
"Do you know her?"
"Aaaa...." Jeison hesitated to answer.
"Yes I know her, she's the leader of the Elite Hunters—her name is Ayame Kanzaki.
"Elite Hunter?"
"Yes. So your name is Hiro, how about you join the Elite Hunters? I'll give you everything you need, huh? Why do I need to join your group? Because you special?....."
"What?"
Ayame smiled sinisterly....