His strength is that of an SSS+ Devil Hunter
Two weeks earlier
A fragile boy with blue eyes like the sky or the ocean sat on a bench in the middle of a park. The sun was high in the center of the sky, and its rays shone directly through the trees. The boy looked like he hadn't slept in days. He had huge dark circles under his eyes. He was almost falling asleep on the bench, but at the last second, he shook off the sleep.
The boy had brown hair, ice-blue eyes, black pants, and a gray hoodie. But the most important thing was that he held a blue dagger in his hand. He took another sip from his water bottle and threw it into the trash can next to him.
Suddenly, someone shouted from a distance and waved toward him
"BLUE"
The boy on the bench looked up, surprised that someone had shouted his name. He saw the boy running toward him and didn't recognize him. The two looked each other in the eyes.
Blue asked politely"Do we know each other"
"You're Blue. And no, we don't actually. But you're here to kill the water devil in this lake, right"The boy pointed at the lake in front of them.
"Yeah… who told you that""The contractor, of course. He said you're an A-rank Devil Hunter, and I am too. So we're supposed to kill this B-rank devil. What's your plan, Blue"
Blue was speechless.He wasn't comfortable around people. He preferred to work alone.But he had no other choice.
"Alright. What's your name"
"My name is Sert"Sert reached out his hand, but Blue didn't take it and just nodded.
Then Blue said"Okay. I see you fight with a devil katana"
On Sert's back was a black katana surrounded by a mysterious aura.Sert drew it and said"Good. Shall we begin"
Blue rolled his eyes and answered in a bored voice"Fine. Let's just get this over with"
"Did the Hunter Dice Guild the mission contractor give you any information about the water devil"
As Blue spoke, he slipped under the fence around the lake area. Sert followed him."Yeah but not much. I only know the devil's rank and how to lure it out"
As Sert finished speaking, his eyes sparkled with excitement. He pulled a machine out of his backpack.
"The devil machine. Every hunter has one, right"
"Put it away. We don't need it"
Sert's face looked confused"W-What do you mean"
Blue put his dagger away and rolled up his sleeves. Then he stepped into the water. The water in front of him began to bubble. Blue jumped into the air, fist raised. When he landed again—all the water was gone.
"WHAT How did you do that"
"Don't worry. It's the ability of my devil machine. I can absorb matter for a short time but not the whole Earth"
The bottom of the lake was exposed. Wet sand, stones, and the curious eyes of people looking over the fence were all visible.
From the crowd you could hear
"A hunter""The reports were true""There was a devil here"
Then the ground vibrated and a giant worm came out of the mud. Its skin was armored. When it fully emerged, it opened its huge mouth and lunged at the two hunters.
Blue immediately drew his dagger and jumped toward the worm. Devil and hunter rushed at each other, about to clash. But Sert stepped in and slashed the worm's right side with his katana. It left a wound, but it wasn't enough to kill a devil.
Blue missed his attack with the dagger. The worm had enough time to react. It swung its whole side at them, smashing them both. They were thrown away, their weapons knocked from their hands.
The worm burrowed back underground.Blue was thrown farther than Sert. Sert looked at Blue with a guilty face.
"I-I'm sorry—"
Suddenly the ground under Sert collapsed and the worm swallowed him whole.Because the devil had now consumed another hunter, it became stronger. The wound healed, its skin thickened, and its teeth grew sharper.
The worm tried to disappear underground again, but Blue dashed toward it. He grabbed the half-buried worm with both hands and pulled it back out. He punched it repeatedly in the side, then sprinted toward his dagger, picked it up firmly, and prepared to attack.
But Blue's devil box made a ticking sound"Oh no not now..."
A second later, the entire lake area was flooded. Everything was underwater.Blue and the worm were now fighting beneath the surface.
The worm shot toward Blue. Blue swam to the side at the last second and stabbed his dagger into the worm's skin. It tore open a large wound, but it still wasn't enough to kill the devil.
The worm charged again.This time, it was successful.
Blue and the worm shot out of the water and into the air. But Blue managed to avoid being swallowed by holding the worm's jaws open. Its teeth sank into Blue's hands. He knew he couldn't let go.
But the worm's bite got stronger. Or maybe Blue was getting weaker.
He knew he was going to lose.
So Blue jumped inside the worm and got swallowed.As he felt the acid already, he quickly reacted and pulled out another dagger.
"That's why I always carry two"
Blue cut his way out from the inside and killed the devil.
All the people stood around the lake, watching anxiously and silently, waiting for the hunter to resurface.
And then the eyes of the people widened.
A hand stuck out of the water.Then a head, and then the rest of the body.Blue now stood on top of the water.
"There he is! The hunter!""Is it over?"
Reporters now lined the entire lake.Helicopters flew over Blue as he walked toward land.
"What can you tell us?"A female reporter asked Blue. She was equipped with a microphone.
"I'm wet."
"G-Good and ho—"Her sentence was cut off.
"The Hunter Dice Guild is here!" shouted another reporter.
Blue got into the guild's car and was now speaking with the guild's vice leader.
"Alright, Blue. The reward will be given tomorrow, yes?And tomorrow, you'll finally go to Devil Hunter training.It would be very helpful for the guild if you got more formal education..."
Blue only nodded and got out in front of his apartment.He pulled out the key to his place and was just about to unlock the door—when he heard a strange noise.
It came from the sky.
"A DICE?"
It really was a dice, right above Blue.Blue didn't even have time to react—the dice landed in front of him and exploded.
Dust swirled into the air.Blue took a fighting stance.
As the dust settled, he saw a red flower.A small flower.But it radiated a sinister aura.
Then, black roots shot out from the ground.They pierced through Blue.Blood sprayed everywhere.
Blue now had several roots sticking through him—but he lunged forward and, with all his strength, ripped the flower out of the ground.
Then Blue heard a voice.
"Stop that, you pathe—"
The voice faded, and hundreds of roots suddenly shot toward Blue.
Blue's arms dropped limply in the air, and he closed his eyes.
Blue fell to the ground.
And the last thing he sawwas the flower falling from his hand.