As we pulled to a complete stop, Haroku leaned forward against the dashboard, his earlier tension instantly evaporating into genuine excitement. He stared through the windshield at the perimeter guard blocking our path.
"Wow," Haroku said, taking in the tactical, streamlined uniform. "So they actually wear gear like that?"
"Yeah," I replied calmly, keeping my hands visible on the steering wheel. "Those uniforms are specifically engineered for high-mobility combat and spiritual defense."
Before we could discuss it any further, the hunter closed the remaining distance in the blink of an eye. He stopped mere inches from the front bumper. His posture was razor-sharp, his hand resting near his weapon. He had already sensed the massive spiritual density inside our vehicle.
The hunter narrowed his eyes, his voice cutting through the glass with absolute authority. "Who are you?"
I rolled down the window, adjusting my posture to show I wasn't a threat.
"My name is Symen," I answered respectfully. "This is my partner, Haroku Getsuge. And the presence you are sensing in the back is Makeno. She is a guardian spirit forged by the Eight Elite Spirit Hunters."
The guard's expression twitched at the mention of the Elites, but his hand didn't move away from his weapon. He didn't lower his guard for a second.
"I know the history of the ancient guardians," the hunter said coldly. "But how do you expect me to confirm that what you are saying is true?"
Before I could answer, the back door clicked open.
Makeno stepped out onto the dirt road with absolute, unwavering confidence. She stretched her shoulders slightly, a casual, almost mocking grin breaking her usual stoicism.
"Hi" Makeno said, her ancient voice carrying an effortless weight. "I am Makeno. If you doubt it, you are more than welcome to go confirm my energy signature with any of your Elite commanders."
The hunter tensed, his eyes locked onto her. He carefully observed the glowing aura radiating from her form. His expression shifted from strict suspicion to a hesitant, undeniable recognition.
After a brief, heavy pause, he gave a curt nod.
"Alright," the hunter said, stepping back from the hood. "Step out of the vehicle. Slowly. I need to run a full inspection on all of you. From this checkpoint forward, you proceed on foot."
Haroku immediately frowned, stepping out of the passenger side with a highly annoyed sigh. "How rude are you, bro? We just told you who we are."
I quickly turned to him, shooting him a lethal glare. "Haroku, shut up," I whispered sharply. "He has the operational authority to kill us where we stand if he suspects we're hostile."
Hearing that, Haroku's mouth snapped shut. He still looked visibly irritated, but he didn't utter another word.
One by one, we lined up by the car. The hunter thoroughly examined us, his sharp gaze moving from me, to Haroku, and finally settling on Makeno. His eyes lingered on her the longest, as if trying to comprehend the sheer scale of the power standing in front of him.
Once the inspection was complete, the hunter finally stepped aside and gestured toward the main path.
"You are cleared to proceed," he said. "Follow me."
We left the car behind and began walking into the heart of the Spirit Hunter Palace.
As we crossed the inner perimeter, Haroku looked around with wide eyes, completely unable to hide his amazement.
"Wow," he muttered, staring at the towering architecture. "Look at the monuments here."
I glanced around as well, keeping my expression composed. "Yeah. This place holds an immense amount of history."
The stone structures surrounding us stood as silent witnesses to centuries of violent battles and heavy sacrifices. Even without using spiritual sight, the sheer significance of the grounds pressed against you.
As we walked down the central path, the guard leading us spoke up again, glancing over his shoulder.
"So," he asked, looking directly at me. "How exactly are you connected to the late Commander Shinji?"
I didn't hesitate or sugarcoat it. I answered directly.
"I am the grandson of Sekonami Shinji."
The hunter stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened in absolute shock as his brain processed the weight of the bloodline I had just claimed.
"The grandson... of Sekonami Shinji?" he repeated quietly, staring at me as if he had just seen a ghost.
A brief, stunned silence blanketed the path.
At that exact moment, I noticed the anomaly.
A shadow resting against the base of a nearby monument began to detach itself. It was faint at first, but it clearly didn't belong to any physical object. The darkness shifted, rising upward before a voice emerged from the void.
"Hello, Makeno."
The voice was smooth, carrying a heavy, terrifying resonance.
"Finally, I get to see you in this lifetime."
Makeno immediately turned toward the shifting darkness. Instead of dropping into a combat stance, her casual smile returned.
"Yeah," Makeno replied smoothly. "By the way, what's your name?"
The shadow slowly condensed, stepping into the ambient light to reveal a tall, sharply dressed man.
"My name is Namino shiki" the man stated, his presence radiating an overwhelming pressure. "I am the 7th Lead Elite Hunter of this Palace."
He shifted his piercing gaze away from Makeno, looking directly at Haroku and me.
"And who exactly are these two men, Makeno?" he asked.
Makeno gestured toward me with a slight bow of her head.
"He is Symen," Makeno declared. "The grandson of Sekonami Shinji."
The absolute second those words left her mouth, Namino's entire demeanor shattered.
Without a single fraction of hesitation, the 7th lead Elite dropped straight down onto one knee, bowing his head toward the dirt in front of me.
The atmosphere in the courtyard violently shifted. The sheer respect radiating from one of the strongest hunters on the planet was staggering.
Namino kept his head bowed for a moment before raising his eyes slightly. "And who is your companion?"
"He is Haroku" Makeno answered. "Symen's partner."
Namino stood up smoothly, dusting off his knee, and looked toward Haroku. He offered a respectful nod. "Hello."
Haroku, who had been completely frozen in shock for the last sixty seconds, gave a small, highly awkward wave. He was completely out of his depth. Just moments ago, we were being treated like hostile trespassers, and now royalty was kneeling at our feet.
I remained perfectly calm on the outside, but my mind was racing.
Namino's immediate, visceral reaction confirmed the one thing I hadn't fully believed until now.
The name Sekonami Shinji still commanded absolute power within the Spirit Hunter Palace.
And now, that power belonged to me.