A New Beginning
The wind howled as Kael stepped onto the battlefield, the scent of blood thick in the air. The ruined city before him stretched endlessly, its broken towers standing like the last remains of a forgotten world. This was no ordinary mission—this was a test.
The Association had given him permission to hunt monsters, but they weren't sending him after weaklings. They wanted to see if he was truly capable.
Iria and Cain stood nearby, their expressions tense.
"This isn't going to be easy," Cain muttered. "They said a myth-tier monster appeared here. Even high-rank Hunters avoid those things."
Kael nodded, tightening his grip. "I need to do this."
Iria sighed. "Just don't get yourself killed."
Kael smirked. "No promises."
---
The Myth-Tier Threat
As they moved through the ruins, the ground trembled. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the streets.
Then, from the shadows, it emerged.
A massive beast, its body covered in thick black scales, eyes burning with violet energy. Its very presence distorted the air around it, warping reality itself.
Kael's breath hitched. This thing... It's stronger than anything I've faced before.
The monster roared, and in an instant, the battle began.
Kael surged forward, golden energy crackling around his body. He barely dodged as a massive claw slammed down, shattering the earth beneath him. He countered with a blast of power from Heaven's Gate—but the monster barely flinched.
Cain leaped into the fray, his sword flashing. Iria followed, unleashing a barrage of attacks. But even together, they were struggling.
Then, it happened.
---
The Awakening of Others
As Kael pushed himself to his limits, a sudden pulse of energy filled the air. It wasn't from the monster.
It was from a human.
Kael's eyes widened as a figure stepped onto the battlefield—a man radiating an aura disturbingly similar to his own.
But this man had no Heaven's Gate. No Hell's Gate.
And yet, his power felt equal to Kael's.
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. I'm not the only one.
The world had changed.
And Kael wasn't the only hunter evolving.