The Hero Who Cannot Rest
The world celebrated.
Tokyo survived.
Yet Shaun could not feel any of it.
He sat upright in the infirmary bed, staring out of the window at the city lights. They flickered like stars, glittering against the night sky-a city alive, unaware of how close it came to destruction.
A nurse finished checking his vitals.
"Your body's readings are unusual," she whispered. "Mana surged past your safety limits… your blood pressure crashed, and something in your aura has shifted."
Shaun didn't answer.
Because he could feel it, too.
Something inside of him was different now.
Heavy.
Awake.
Breathing.
A strange, warm pulse, unlike any mana he'd ever felt, seemed almost alive in his chest.
He touched his sternum, his brow furrowing.
"What… are you?"
Before he could think further, the door to the infirmary opened.
Daichi stepped in with a grin, attempting to repress how swollen his face still was from battle.
" BROOOO—YOU GOTTA STOP ALMOST DYING EVERY WEEK!
Shaun managed a tired smile. "I can say the same.
Daichi let himself drop into the chair beside him, sighing dramatically.
"Dude, have you seen the news? You are literally everywhere. Hashtags, memes, debate shows, conspiracy theories. My aunt in Osaka asked if she should buy your merchandise.
Shaun blinked. "I have merchandise?"
"Not officially," Daichi shrugged. "But trust me — you will."
They both laughed softly.
The first moment of peace since the battle.
But it didn't last.
In came Reina next, calm, composed, and controlled as ever, but her eyes softened as she saw Shaun awake.
"You scared us," she said quietly.
Shaun's smile faded.
"Sorry…"
"No," Reina cut in.
"You don't apologize for surviving."
Daichi choked on his water bottle.
"Wait—Reina complementing someone? Mark this day in history."
Reina shot him a deadly glare.
Shaun chuckled.
For a moment… they felt like a real team again.
A broken, scarred, but living team.
But outside the room, trouble brewed.
In the hallways, Guild staff were whispering.
Screens replayed Shaun's shining figure in an endless loop.
The headline flashed:
"THE GOLDEN ASCENSION: Is Shaun a New Class of Hunter?"
Another screen showed:
"Authority Demands Inspection: Unregistered Rank Growth Detected."
And on the far wall a video played—Hiroshi Tanabe speaking to reporters with a perfectly calm smile.
"Shaun Verma is in our care. His powers are closely tracked. We will guide his evolution to the benefit of humanity."
Daichi snorted upon seeing it.
"That snake doesn't guide people; he milks them."
Reina remained silent, eyes dark.
Shaun leaned back.
"My evolutions… aren't normal, are they?"
Reina stepped closer.
"No healer evolves into a destructive type. No hybrid mana forms spontaneously. And no one has ever shown output exceeding early SSS-rank bursts at SS-level mana."
Shaun glanced down at his hands.
"…So I'm dangerous."
"No, Reina said firmly.
"You're unpredictable."
Daichi crossed his arms.
"And unpredictable + powerful = a big fat threat to every political parasite out there."
Shaun swallowed hard.
"Is that why the Authority wants to 'inspect' me?
Reina nodded slowly.
"They don't know what you are. And what they don't understand. they try to control."
Shaun's chest tightened.
Again, the warmth inside him surged, stronger this time, as if in response to his fear.
His hands trembled.
Reina caught them gently.
"Hey. Breathe. Whatever changed in you… we'll figure out. Together."
Shaun looked up.
"Even if it's dangerous?"
Reina's eyes softened, a rare, fragile expression.
"That's why we stay.
A knock interrupted them.
A nervous-looking guild assistant poked her head in.
"Um… Shaun Verma… you have visitors."
"Visitors?" Shaun asked. "Who—
She swallowed nervously.
"The… International Hunter Authority."
Daichi's face fell.
"Oh great. The police of the world."
Reina's hand instinctively went to her blade.
Shaun felt his heart tighten.
"They're here? Now?"
The assistant nodded.
"Yes. And they're demanding a full interview. Immediately." Shaun slowly exhaled.
Of course.
Of course, peace wouldn't last more than ten minutes.
Daichi muttered,
"Bro, prepare yourself.These guys don't do interviews. They do interrogations."
Reina stepped in beside Shaun, standing tall.
"You don't answer anything alone," she whispered. "Hiroshi will twist this. The Authority will twist this. So we stay with you."
Shaun nodded.
"Let's go."
Reina put a hand on his back.
"We'll walk with you."
The assistant stepped aside, showing the waiting Authority agents in their black suits.
The badges gleamed.
Their expressions were cold.
Shaun stood, weak and sore, but determined.
Whatever evolution had awakened inside him…
The world was already reacting to it.
The Authority Interrogation
Outside the infirmary stood a line of five Authority agents in black suits laced with faint mana signatures; the chill in their expressions made the air heavier.
Their badges glinted with a crest known worldwide:
IHA means International Hunter Authority.
The tallest agent stepped forward.
"Shaun?"
Shaun nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"We need you here for a mandatory debrief of what happened in Tokyo Bay yesterday.
Daichi muttered under his breath,
"'Debrief,' my ass… They're here to break you."
Reina stepped forward, blocking the agent slightly.
"He is still recovering. You will conduct this interview with respect. And under no circumstance are you to pressure him into mana testing without medical clearance."
The agent's expression didn't change.
"Ms. Kurozawa, your concerns have been noted. The interview room is ready."
Shaun could feel his pulse quickening.
The warmth in his chest flared again - not pain, but something like agitation.
Calm down… not here…
Reina put a reassuring hand on his back.
"Stay with us. We'll handle this."
The Walk to the Interrogation Room
The hallways seemed colder as Shaun walked between the agents.
Reina walked at his left.
Daichi walked at his right.
Both glared at anyone who approached too closely.
Hunters whispered as they passed.
"That's him…"
"The one who killed the Variant…
"But a healer shouldn't evolve like that…"
"What if he becomes unstable?
"What if he's… dangerous?"
Shaun kept his head down.
The whispers tore at him like tiny blades.
Reina leaned towards him.
"Don't listen. Fear makes people stupid."
Daichi grunted.
"You saved thousands. They should be bowing, not whispering."
But Shaun felt every whisper.
He felt each one carve into his confidence.
Inside the Interrogation Room
The room was stark - a table, three chairs, walls lined with silencing magic.
Not quite threatening… but not welcoming, either.
Two Authority officers sat opposite of where Shaun would sit.
One of them, a woman with hair as gray as ice, stared directly at him.
"Mr. Verma. Sit.
Reina and Daichi took seats next to him, flanking him like two unmovable guardians.
The woman opened a file.
"Let us begin."
She placed a holographic projection on the table.
Tokyo Bay battle footage played — Shaun unleashing golden beams, shielding squads, detonating light.
The room reflected with flickers of gold.
The woman said, "Explain this."
"You are a healer-type Hunter, but you have shown destructive energy output equivalent to early SSS-rank metrics.
Shaun swallowed.
"I… don't know how. I was desperate. People were dying-
"So you're saying the power came from emotional trigger?
"I'm saying I only wanted to save everyone."
The man beside her leaned forward.
"Your ability mutated to something beyond documented healer evolution. It's never happened before.
Reina's voice snapped.
"Unprecedented doesn't mean dangerous."
The man glared.
"It means uncontrollable.
Shaun's chest tightened.
The woman tapped again. A still image showed Shaun's aura flaring.
"This energy signature — have you seen it before?
Shaun froze.
That warmth… that pulse… in my chest…
He shook his head.
"I don't know what it is."
The woman nodded slowly and wrote notes.
"Your rank increased unnaturally after absorbing Hell Ore, correct?
Shaun stiffened.
"…How do you know about that?"
The room fell silent.
She smiled slightly.
"The world watches you, Shaun. The moment you touched Hell Ore, sensors across Asia detected the spike."
Reina leaned forward, her voice icy.
"What exactly are you implying?"
"That his evolution is no longer natural," the woman responded calmly.
"Hunters evolve. Shaun Verma is transforming."
The agents were startled by Daichi slamming his fist onto the table.
"He isn't becoming a monster! Don't twist this!"
The woman didn't flinch.
"That is what we must determine."
Shaun's heart fell.
Then the real danger entered the room.
The door opened.
Hiroshi Tanabe walked in with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Ah, great, it appears my hunter is cooperating nicely, I see.
Shaun tensed.
Reina's hand inched subtly toward her blade.
Hiroshi bowed a little to the Authority officers.
"I believe I can assist with this conversation."
Daichi muttered,
"Of course he can. Snake."
Hiroshi walked behind Shaun, his hand falling gently on his shoulder.
Shaun froze in place.
The woman observed,
"Hiroshi, you say Shaun is stable?"
Hiroshi smiled warmly.
"Absolutely, he is loyal, he is disciplined, and he is under my personal guidance."
Shaun felt something brush his mind.
A whisper.
A pressure.
That ability again —
Neural Command.
Reina immediately grabbed onto Shaun's arm, grounding him.
Hiroshi looked amused.
The woman continued.
"Do you think Shaun presents a danger to anyone?"
Hiroshi smiled wider.
"To others?
No.
A pause.
Then, with softness, chilling:
"To himself?
Absolutely.
Shaun's breath caught.
Reina shot up from her seat.
"Stop using him as a weapon. Stop trying to control him."
Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.
"And light must be guided.Or it burns the world."
Shaun felt his pulse spike.
Something inside him reacted — violently.
A warmth, a throb, a flare of golden energy—His aura crackled with radiant sparks.
Reina whispered urgently,"Shaun, breathe. Don't react to him."
Daichi leaned close."You're okay, bro. Don't let that snake get in your head."
Shaun inhaled shakily.
The golden glow dimmed.
Hiroshi stepped back, eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.
The Authority woman closed her file.
"That is all for now. Shaun Verma, you are required to undergo remote aura monitoring for the next 30 days."
Shaun stiffened."Aura monitoring…?"
"Any sudden spikes will be reported. Any transformations will be assessed."
"Transformation?" Shaun echoed.
The man nodded."Your power is evolving in ways we cannot predict. We must ensure—"
Hiroshi cut in smoothly."—that he does not become a threat.Of course. We will cooperate fully."
Shaun looked down at his trembling hands.
A healer.A support-class.A nobody from India.
Now a specimen.A risk.A weapon to be contained.
Reina touched his shoulder gently.
"We're not leaving you alone," she whispered.
Shaun nodded, barely holding himself together.
But something else—someone else—was watching.
High above, on another floor of the guild tower…
A tall figure in a black coat watched the entire interrogation through a mana screen.
His aura was cold.Sharp.Powerful.SS-rank, maybe higher.
He smirked slightly.
"So that's the boy," he whispered."The healer who breaks the rules of power."
His eyes glowed faintly.
"I want to meet him."
The Power That Refuses to Sleep
The interrogation stopped, but the fear did not.
Shaun sat alone in his quarters, staring at the small black device the Authority left behind: a no-larger-than-a-coin, circular disk that pulsed with a faint blue light.
AURA MONITOR: ACTIVE
Detecting fluctuations… Measuring instability…
Every blink felt like a judge's eye.
Daichi scowled from the couch.
"They stuck a tracker on you? That's messed up."
"It's not just a tracker," Shaun whispered.
"It's reading my mana flow. If it spikes… they'll know."
Reina leaned against the wall, arms crossed tightly.
"It's surveillance disguised as safety. They want early warning if you evolve again."
Shaun touched his chest.
He felt the warmth again — a throb like a second heartbeat.
What am I becoming?
The thought scared him more than any monster ever had.
Reina noticed the fear in his eyes.
"Shaun," she whispered, "you are still you. Power doesn't erase that."
He nodded, but the doubt remained.
The First Monitoring Test
Later that afternoon, Shaun was escorted to the guild's testing chamber-a huge room with mana-absorbing walls meant for S-rank training.
Reina and Daichi weren't allowed inside.
Only Hiroshi.
Shaun entered cautiously.
Smiling like a serpent offering fruit, Hiroshi said,
"Relax, Shaun, we are just taking your baseline."
The room dimmed as the scanners activated.
Blue holograms circled Shaun's body, mapping his aura.
"Begin," Hiroshi commanded.
Shaun took a breath.
He let mana flow gently through his palms.
Golden light flickered.
The monitor beeped softly.
AURA LEVEL: 17% — Stable
He clasped his hands behind his back.
"Good. Now release a little more."
Shaun hesitated.
"Sir, I—
"Do it."
Shaun exhaled.
He expanded the aura.
AURA LEVEL: 32% - Mild instability detected
His chest tightened.
The warm pulse surged again.
A warning alarm chimed.
Hiroshi smiled wider.
"You see? Even at low output, your mana rejects control. Fascinating."
Shaun's breath quickened.
Sweat dripped down his neck.
"Sir… something feels wrong—
"Push further."
Shaun clenched his fists.
"I… I can't…"
Hiroshi's voice softened, deceptively calm.
"You must Shaun, for the world."
Shaun's hands shook.
The fire within him stirred-
AURA LEVEL: 56% — Instability rising
WARNING: Abnormal evolution pattern detected
His vision blurred.
Light flared around him uncontrollably.
The golden aura burst outward —
CRACK.
A wall panel shattered.
Shaun fell to one knee, gasping.
His heartbeat pounded erratically.
He had almost lost control.
Hiroshi clapped slowly.
"Impressive. Terrifying, but impressive."
Shaun stared at him, trembling.
"What if that happens during battle? Or near civilians?"
Hiroshi leaned close.
"Then we'll deal with it. Until then… you obey my instructions. Understood?"
Shaun didn't answer.
Hiroshi tilted his head.
"Shaun?"
Shaun forced the words out.
"…Yes, sir."
Outside the Chamber
Reina paced the hall nervously.
Daichi leant against a pillar, crossing his arms.
"He's been in there too long," Reina murmured.
"They're pushing him," Daichi growled. "Hiroshi wants to see how close Shaun is to exploding."
Just then, the chamber door opened.
Shaun stepped out, sweating, shaking slightly.
Reina rushed to him.
"Shaun! What happened?"
Shaun tried to smile.
"I'm fine…"
Daichi wasn't deceived.
"Bullshit."
Reina clasped Shaun's arm.
"What did they do to you?"
Shaun shook his head.
"I don't want to talk about it. Not here."
And they comprehended.
Because the walls had ears in this guild.
Nightfall — Something Watches Him
That night, Shaun was sitting alone on the rooftop.
Tokyo glittered below him, beautiful and far away.
The wind carried whispers of the battle.
The screams of hunters.
The Variant's roar.
Ayame's last words.
He closed his eyes.
The warmth in his chest pulsed again — stronger than before.
Like a presence.
A voice.
A being.
Let me out.
Shaun jerked upright.
"What… was that?"
He put his hand on his chest, breathing hard.
"You heard it too."
Shaun spun around.
A man stood behind him, tall, in a dark coat, with silver-colored hair and sharp eyes that were unreadable.
Instinctively, Shaun tensed.
"Who are you?"
The man stepped forward.
His aura rippled-
cold, controlled, immense.
SS-rank.Possibly beyond.
"I," he said, "am Ryuji Hayate, SS-rank Hunter of the Korean Guild Dragon's Breathe."
Shaun's eyes widened.
"What do you want from me?"
Ryuji smiled faintly.
"To give you a warning."
He walked closer, boots echoing softly on the rooftop.
"That power inside you… it is not mana. It is not healing energy. It is not something this world has seen."
Shaun swallowed."You… you can see it?"
Ryuji nodded.
"When you fought the Variant, your aura flickered into a higher plane. Something ancient took notice."
Shaun's blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?"
Ryuji's eyes sharpened.
"It means this:The thing inside you is awakening.And if you don't learn to control it…it will control you."
Shaun shivered.
Ryuji stepped past him, staring at the moon.
"Be careful of your guild master. He wants your power for himself.But what lives inside you… will devour anyone who tries."
Shaun swallowed, voice small.
"What… what am I becoming?"
Ryuji turned his head slightly.
"That, Shaun Verma… is the question that may decide the future of the world."
Wind howled behind them.
Ryuji vanished.
Shaun stood alone, heart trembling.
The warmth inside him pulsed again—
and for the first time…
It scared him.
The Night His Aura Tried to Kill Him
Shaun attempted to sleep that night.
He failed.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Variant's face.
He felt Ayame's blood on his hands.
He heard Hiroshi's voice whisper about control.
The warning from Ryuji echoed in his bones.
And worst of all,
He felt it.
That warmth pulsing deep in his chest, growing stronger, demanding attention.
A second heartbeat.
Shaun clutched his shirt, trembling.
"Stop… stop…"
But it didn't stop.
It only grew hotter.
Brighter
Alive.
The Aura Rupture
Shaun stumbled into the bathroom and gripped the sink.
His reflection appeared pale and exhausted.
Then, without warning—
FLARE.
Golden light burst from his eyes.
Shaun gasped as cracks of radiant mana crawled across his skin, glowing like veins.
His aura exploded outwards, shattering the light fixture, cracking the tiles.
WARNING AURA INSTABILITY DETECTED
A monitor on his shoulder blinked rapidly in red.
Shaun fell to his knees.
"N-No… I can't… control it…"
The warmth in him twisted, turned sharper, almost painful—
Then, a whisper echoed in his skull:
"LET. ME. OUT."
Shaun screamed.
His voice was drowned out by gold flames that erupted from his arms, swirling around him in wild, unstable fire.
He felt like he was burning alive from the inside.
He couldn't breathe.
He was unable to think.
He couldn't-
"S-Shaun?!"
Reina burst into the room, her eyes wide in horror.
"Shaun, stop fighting it! You'll tear your aura apart!"
He fell back into her arms, gasping as his aura pulsed uncontrollably.
The bathroom floor cracked beneath them.
Daichi burst in, hair rumpled, eyes wide.
"BRO—WHAT THE HELL?! YOU'RE GLOWING LIKE A SUPERNOVA!!"
Shaun shook uncontrollably.
"It's… talking to me… I can't… make it stop…
Reina held him tightly and her voice broke.
"Look at me, Shaun! Stay here—stay with us. Don't follow the voice!"
Shaun tried.
He really did.
But the voice only grew louder.
"YOU ARE MINE."
His aura surged once more, almost sending Reina backward.
Daichi grabbed Shaun's shoulders, screaming.
"HEY! SNAP OUT OF IT! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE IN!"
Shaun's breathing hitched.
Tears streamed down his face.
"I'm… scared…"
Reina embraced him, despite the burning heat.
"You are not alone. We're right here. We won't leave you."
Slowly. painfully.
The golden aura faded.
Shaun completely collapsed, unconscious, but the glow finally receded under his skin.
Reina brushed his hair from his forehead, eyes shaking.
"Daichi. his power. it's not only evolving. It's devouring him."
Daichi clenched his fists.
"We have to protect him. From that thing.
And from Hiroshi.
But neither of them knew…
Hiroshi watched the whole incident from behind a hidden surveillance rune.
Hiroshi's Secret Order
Hiroshi watched the glowing image of Shaun losing control from his private office.
He smiled, satisfied.
"He responds to emotional stress… how interesting."
He pressed a button on his desk.
"Security Division? Prepare an emergency containment protocol."
The voice crackled through the speaker.
"Sir? That level is reserved for dangerous SSS hunters—"
Hiroshi's smile grew wide and sinister.
"Exactly."
He leaned forward.
"If Shaun Verma loses control again…
we will capture him.
Not rescue him.
A pause.
"Yes, Commander. Understood."
"Good."
Hiroshi closed the file.
"Shaun…
your power is no longer yours.
Ryuji Watches
Ryuji Hayate narrowed his eyes from a faraway rooftop overlooking the guild compound.
He was half a kilometer away when he sensed Shaun's aura rupture.
"That is the second time," he murmured.
"It's growing faster than expected."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"But Hiroshi… you fool.
If you try to cage a rising sun…
you'll be the first one it burns.
He vanished in the night.
The Morning After
Shaun slowly woke, with sunlight spilling across his bed.
Reina slept at his bedside, sitting up with her head resting on her arms.
Daichi lay curled on the sofa, snoring loudly.
Shaun's throat tightened.
They stayed…
All night.
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Reina's face.
Her eyes opened instantly.
"You're awake," she whispered.
Shaun nodded weakly.
"I… I'm sorry I scared you…"
Reina shook her head.
"You didn't scare me, Shaun."
A pause.
"You scared yourself."
Daichi suddenly woke up with a loud snort.
"BRO YOU'RE ALIVE—THANK GOD—DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN—"
Shaun laughed, then winced.
His chest was still pulsating faintly.
But he felt… calmer.
Because he wasn't alone.
Reina put her hand on his shoulder.
"We'll figure this out. But… you need to prepare yourself."
Shaun frowned."For what?"
Daichi answered grimly:
"For the world realizing that you're no longer just a healer."
Reina whispered the rest:
"And for Hiroshi trying to steal you."
Shaun felt a chill crawl through his spine.
"What… what should I do?"
Reina took his hand.
"You survive.And you trust us."
Shaun nodded slowly.
But the voice inside him whispered again:
"You cannot cage light."
Shaun shivered.
Because he knew—
This was only the beginning of his evolution.
And the world would soon fear him for it.