Chapter 28
The Bureau command office was quiet, except for the soft hum of machines. A wide holographic screen glowed in the center, displaying data of hunters and unusual readings picked up across the city.
At the far end of the table, a man in a black uniform leaned forward. His name was Director Hoshino, one of the Bureau's oldest officers. His face carried deep lines from years of dealing with hunters and battles.
He tapped the screen. A single profile opened up.
Renji Kurogane.
The picture was simple a young man with messy white hair and tired eyes. Nothing about him screamed danger. In fact, he looked almost ordinary.
But the readings beside his picture were not ordinary at all. Strange energy spikes. Unknown waves. Things the Bureau's machines couldn't properly explain.
The director rubbed his chin. "He is not ranked. Not even registered as a hunter. And yet… this energy appears when he's nearby."
Another officer, a younger man with glasses, adjusted the screen. "We've tested three times, sir. Even more than three for a whole year we watched him but each result was the same. And yet the mana spiking that happened of recent eye witness saying it was caused by the s ranked tang shii and some unknown kid with a description that fits perfectly with Renji Whatever he is, he's hiding something. And we don't know if he's dangerous or not."
The director was silent for a moment, then pressed a button on the desk.
"Send her in."
The door opened, and Arisa stepped inside. She was dressed casually in a black jacket, her long hair tied back. Her expression was calm but sharp, her presence filling the room in a quiet way.
"You called for me," she said simply.
"Yes," the director replied. He turned the screen so she could see Renji's face. "We need you for a special task. Not a fight. Not a dungeon. Observation."
Arisa tilted her head. "Observation?"
The director nodded. "This boy. Renji Kurogane. He is… unusual. We don't know why. He doesn't belong to any guild, he has no hunter license, and yet our scans show… something inside him. Something that doesn't match normal humans."
Arisa looked at the image for a long moment. "So you want me to follow him?"
"Not just follow," the director said firmly. "Watch him. Stay close if you can, but don't reveal yourself unless necessary. If he's harmless, then we lose nothing. But if he's dangerous…" His voice trailed off, heavy with meaning.
Arisa's lips curved into a small smirk. "And if he's dangerous, you want me to deal with him."
The director didn't answer. He didn't need to.
Arisa's eyes lingered on Renji's picture again. He didn't look like much. Just another tired boy carrying his own problems. But she knew better than to judge by appearances.
"Fine," she said at last, slipping her hands into her jacket pockets. "I'll watch your boy."
When Arisa stepped out into the cool night air, she stopped for a moment under the tall streetlights. She exhaled slowly, watching her breath fade in the wind.
"Renji Kurogane," she whispered, testing the name on her tongue. "What are you hiding?"
The city stretched out before her, alive with neon lights and noise. Somewhere out there, he was moving the boy the Bureau wanted her to shadow.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint smile touched her lips.
This wouldn't be just another mission. Something about it felt… bigger.
She began walking, her footsteps steady and quiet, already blending into the rhythm of the city.
Somewhere not too far away, Renji sat with Choji and Lily, questioning himself, wondering who he really was. And now, without knowing it, another pair of eyes had joined his story.
Arisa's.