The chaotic aftermath of Ryusei's spell had deposited Nero and Eri into a world unlike their own—a world governed by the Hunters Association and the constant threat of dungeon breaks. But before their story could continue, fate had a meeting arranged with a soul whose potential was buried under a mountain of despair.
His name was Toki.
///
Seventeen-year-old Toki's life was a special kind of hell. His family was a nest of psychopaths, a chain reaction of madness started by his father—a man who had broken his wife and, in turn, his children. Somehow, Toki had managed to retain a sliver of his sanity, a fact that surprised even him.
In a world where your worth was measured by your Hunter Rank and skill, Toki was at the bottom of the barrel. Officially evaluated by the Hunters Department, he possessed an F-Rank skill: "Primordial Consecutive Shots."
On paper, it sounded decent: each consecutive hit increased damage output by 0.0067%, with a boost to 0.010% after the fifth shot.
The catch? It was brutal. If there was a gap of more than 0.4 seconds between shots, the entire effect reset.
It was a skill that demanded the impossible, rendering it utterly useless in any real combat scenario. 0.0067%? What a joke, Toki would think bitterly. It was a cruel trick, a "name big, work small" taunt from the heavens.
His current life was a reflection of his cursed skill. He worked at a convenience store, where a moment of initiative—trying to manage the cashier counter during a rush—earned him not praise, but the back of his boss's hand.
"Who told you to work the counter? You think you're my boss, you bastard?" the man roared, a faint aura of a Hunter's skill flaring around him.
"I was just trying to help... to prevent losses," Toki stammered, clutching his stinging cheek.
"Not your problem!" The boss kicked him out onto the rain-slicked street, the act of kindness punished as insolence.
///
Walking home through the pouring rain, Toki's frustration boiled over. "Why me?" he whispered to the uncaring sky, his voice choked with tears that mixed with the raindrops. "What did I ever do to deserve this? My dream was to be a great archer... an artist! And now I'm a slave to a drunkard who uses his own family."
He remembered the day his father had used his vile 'Slave' skill on him, shackling his will. He trained every day, harder than anyone, but it was meaningless. He couldn't even get a license for an F-Rank dungeon.
His lamentations were cut short by a sound that froze his blood—a spatial tear, ripping through the city center. A Dungeon Break.
Screams erupted as people fled in panic. "W-what's happening?" Toki stammered, grabbing the arm of a fleeing man. "Hey, wait—"
Before the man could answer, his head was cleanly severed from his shoulders by an invisible force. And he wasn't alone. Everyone running was being cut down in a grisly spectacle. Toki stood frozen, a statue of terror amidst the carnage, the only one left alive.
A monstrous figure emerged from the rift, its intelligence gleaming in its eyes. It slowly approached the paralyzed boy.
"H-hey, stay away! I'm warning you!" Toki cried out, his voice trembling.
The monster let out a deep, mocking laugh. "Huh? A warning? Hahaha!"
'An S-Rank...' Toki realized with dread. "Why... why did you leave me alive?"
In answer, the monster swatted him aside like a bug. Toki felt his bones crack upon impact, skidding across the pavement. Agony seared through his body. He tried to summon his skill, but a system warning flashed in his vision:
[Warning! Skill usage blocked due to heavy Karmic load on the user.]
The Slave skill. His father's curse was literally killing him.
With his last ounce of strength, he dialed his father's number. "Please... remove the slavement! Just for a minute! I'm going to die!" he begged.
The reply was cold and immediate. "I don't care about a loser bastard like you." The call ended.
Tears of pain and betrayal streamed down Toki's face. "You bastard... you dog..."
The monster loomed over him. "I guess you're not fun to play with anymore. How about I end your suffering?"
As it prepared to deliver the final blow, the sky above warped. An overwhelming, terrifyingly dense magic energy saturated the air, causing even the S-Rank monster to pause and look up.
A distortion opened, and two figures fell from the heavens.
"Hehhhhhh! Nero, save me!" a girl's voice cried out, as she covered the eyes of the man falling with her.
"Eri, I can't see anything like this!" the man, Nero, replied calmly.
They were falling at supersonic speed, heading straight for the ground, one kilometer above the monster.
"Hurry, idiot! We're too close!" Eri shrieked.
"Just give me a second," Nero said, unfazed. With a casual wave of his hand, the very magnetic field of the area bent to his will, cushioning their impact. The landing was still forceful enough to send a shockwave rippling through the city, shattering windows for blocks.
Through his haze of pain, Toki saw two figures standing in the crater. 'An S-Rank Hunter? Am I saved?'
As the dust settled, Nero's eyes met Toki's. He began to walk toward the injured boy.
But the monster was still alive. "Dodge!" Toki screamed a warning.
Nero didn't even turn. He effortlessly caught the monster's crushing blow with one hand. "Just because I lost my power, you think I'm weak?" Nero's voice was low, laced with a terrifying authority. "Don't forget. I conquered the Seven Calamities with my basic power alone."
With a single, casual punch, Nero struck the monster. A massive explosion engulfed the creature, obliterating it instantly.
///
Eri rushed to Toki's side, her hands glowing with diagnostic energy. "Unbelievable..." she murmured.
"What is it?" Nero asked, walking over.
"His willpower... it rivals yours, Nero. But his body... it's under a severe Karmic curse. His spinal cord is over 70% damaged, most of his bones are broken... and he's still clinging to life."
A faint smile touched Nero's lips. "Eri. Save him. No matter what."
Eri nodded. "Hmm." Dark, sacred energy swirled around her hands as she began her healing art.
///
Some time later, Toki groaned, consciousness returning. "Ugh... my head... it's numb."
"Oh, you're awake," Nero said.
Toki flinched, eyes wide with fear. "Where am I?"
"Are you an idiot like him?" Eri asked, pointing a thumb at Nero.
"Who are you calling an idiot? I'm smarter than you!" Nero shot back.
Toki could only watch, bewildered, as the two who had just saved his life devolved into a childish squabble. After they settled down, Nero offered Toki some food.
"Don't worry, we're just a safe distance from where that monster was. Your skill... it's amazing. Why didn't you fight back?" Eri asked curiously.
Toki looked down, ashamed. "Please, don't mock me. That cursed skill has caused me nothing but suffering."
Nero's eyes seemed to see right through him. 'He has no idea,' Nero thought. 'This 'Primordial Consecutive Shots'... if controlled, it could wipe out an entire army of S-Ranks in seconds. It's like a nuclear chain reaction—unstoppable once triggered.'
"You don't have to worry about the curse anymore," Nero said aloud. "I removed your father's Slave skill."
Toki's eyes widened, a flicker of hope igniting for the first time in years. But before he could speak, the sound of approaching footsteps put everyone on alert.
A figure emerged from the dust. Eri moved to attack but stopped abruptly.
"You... you're Sugeto. From Aryavarta," she said, recognizing the S-Rank Hunter.
The man bowed deeply. "Lord Nero. Queen Eri. When did you arrive in this world? Please, allow me to be of service."
Nero waved a hand. "Hey, no need for such formality."
"Why not? You crushed the generals of Aryavarta like ants. Thanks to that battle, I was able to return home to my family," Sugeto replied, his gratitude genuine.
Toki's memory finally clicked. He stared at Nero in awe. "You... you're the god-like being who destroyed a planet with a single strike! Forgive my rudeness, sir!"
"Relax," Nero insisted. "We're all friends here."
Eri, however, was suspicious. "Wait. How do you remember that battle? Obsidian erased the memories of everyone on this planet."
Nero intervened. "It's alright, Eri. Obsidian told me that at a mass level, a few individuals with extremely high Karmic effects might retain their memories. That's probably the case with him."
Sugeto nodded. "I'm on duty today, monitoring dungeon activity in this area. I also saw you two... fall from the sky." As he spoke, a faint glow in Nero's eyes confirmed the man was telling the truth.
///
After the explanations, Nero turned to leave. "Shall we go, Eri?"
"Wait, Brother Nero!" Sugeto interjected. "If you have no place to stay, please, be my guests. My home is yours."
Nero accepted the polite offer. But as they prepared to leave, Toki stumbled forward.
"Please, wait! I know it's rude, but... please, let me follow you, Mr. Nero! Please, make me your disciple!"
Nero looked at him. "What about your family? They'll be worried."
"I am already dead to them," Toki said, his voice firm with resolve. "They abandoned me at the worst moment. I have nothing left. Please... help me become strong. Like you."
As Toki pleaded, Nero's Primordial Eyes activated instinctively. He saw the color of Toki's soul—a blazing inferno of ambition and unbreakable willpower.
Impressive. Very impressive, Nero thought.
The sound of approaching Hunter teams echoed in the distance. "Brother, if we want to avoid attention, we should leave now," Sugeto urged.
Nero took a few steps, and Toki's heart sank, thinking he had been rejected. Then, Nero stopped and extended his hand.
"I won't accept you as a disciple," Nero said. Toki's face fell. But then Nero smiled. "How about we become good friends? Friends who look out for each other."
Tears welled in Toki's eyes and streamed down his face. It was an offer more meaningful than he had ever dared to hope for. As Nero helped the injured boy, and they sped away with Sugeto, leaving the other Hunters in the dust, a single thought echoed in Toki's mind.
'He... wants to be my friend.'
///
Later, at Sugeto's comfortable residence, after food, baths, and long conversations, everyone rested. The next morning, Toki was already training with fervor, while Nero was rudely awakened by a kick from Eri.
"It's 9 AM, you lazy bum! You'll never wake up at this rate!" she scolded.
After the usual morning banter, Nero joined Toki. But the young archer was frustrated.
"What's wrong?" Nero asked.
"It's impossible! The 0.4-second gap... even if I enhance my physical abilities, I could never match the speed of an A-Rank monster, let alone anything higher! My skill is trash!" Toki lamented.
As Nero pondered the problem, Eri approached.
"What are you thinking so hard about, idiot?" she teased.
"Don't interrupt! I'm thinking!" Nero retorted.
Eri bopped him on the head. "I've analyzed this world. Toki, your skill's name—'Primordial'—is the key. It's not a joke. Nero has skills from the same category. It's the power of the followers of 'The Primordial One,' the creator god."
Toki's eyes widened. "The Primordial One... the god of balance from my mother's stories... I've always believed in him."
"That's why you have this skill," Nero concluded. "But you're not using its true nature."
Eri took over. "Your skill has an Area of Effect passive, right? A tiny range."
"Yes, 29 centimeters. If enemies are touching, the hits transfer. The range increases by 10% if one dies. It's useless!" Toki said.
"Think of a nuclear chain reaction!" Eri insisted, hitting him lightly on the head. "You're not aiming at the monster! You're aiming at the atoms that make up the monster!"
A spark of understanding flashed in Toki's eyes. Nero explained, "If you hit one atom, the consecutive damage multiplies exponentially as it travels through the trillions of atoms in the body. The space between atoms isn't 29 centimeters. Your skill is beyond broken, Toki. It's world-shaking."
"Aim for that large rock," Eri instructed, pointing to a boulder over twenty meters tall.
Toki focused, his archer's eyes searching until he found a weakly bonded atom in the rock's structure. He drew his bow, took a deep breath, and released the arrow.
The arrow struck the rock and clattered to the ground. Nothing happened.
Toki sighed in defeat. "It's not working..." He turned away, disheartened.
But Nero, using his vision to peer into the atomic level, saw the truth. A force of 20 Newtons had been applied, and it was now multiplying at a monstrous rate as it collided with atom after atom.
"GET DOWN!" Nero yelled. He tackled Toki to the ground, erecting a powerful shield around them just as the boulder exploded.
The blast was cataclysmic, a roar that resonated across Japan and beyond, shattering glass for miles. When the dust settled, Toki's ears were ringing, but he was safe.
"Mrs. Eri! She was close!" he cried out, worried.
They saw Eri, completely unharmed, brushing dust off her clothes. She smiled. "Don't worry. I redirected most of the blast into outer space and masked the energy signature."
Sugeto came running. "Brother! What was that?!"
Nero looked at the crater, then at Toki, a proud grin on his face. "Nothing much. This country just gained a new National-Level Hunter."
Nero clapped a stunned Toki on the back. "We can't train out in the open anymore. From now on, we'll use my Private Dimension Space."
And so, a new chapter began for Toki, a boy with a god-level skill, now under the wing of a man who had conquered gods. His training had only just begun.
Bonus Scene:
As night fell, the mischievous giggles and playful whispers emanating from Nero and Eri's room suggested they were engaged in... private matters. It was best not to disturb them. Some things are better left to the imagination.
Good night.