Kazuki met himself in a bizarre dream realm, like an alternate dimension of the Kokuryūkai base.
But unlike his normal one he immediately noticed an irregularity in the area —the place was empty.
He strolled through the base wondering where the heck everyone went then stopped short, ahead of him was an apparition of a friend he'd lost many years ago.
" Haruto?" Kazuki called out. " It's I Kazuki, I trust you've been in good health" Haruto smiled.
" Where are you I could come find you Haruto and how's your wife?" Kazuki rushed.
" Dead my friend we're both dead but I have a son that lives and that's why I'm here, he's successfully unlocked his abyssal covenant and you know what that means" Haruto said.
" A holy war is upon us again" Kazuki said with a nod of acceptance. " This time it's against Kurogami no Shura The Dark lord of demons and brother to the shin'nen the god of the abyss." Haruto explained to Kazuki's utter shock.
" Good heavens!" Kazuki blurted. " The Dark Demon Lord wishes to extend his will over the living so you have to get my son and train him on how to control his demons without losing control of himself, I entrust him to you Kazuki"
" Wait Haruto, who is this boy and how long has he had his powers unlocked?" Kazuki asked.
" His name is Renji and he's gotten his power since he got killed while on a mission by a warhead your captain ordered"
Kazuki's eyes narrowed while his mind raced with the implications. " Since this boy is the bearer of the mark and he is your son it shouldn't be difficult for him to keep his humanity like you did"
Haruto gave a tight smile while the realm started to disintergrate " There's no easy way to face chaos my friend, the dark god already has a new human he reincarnated as his vessel get Renji Kurogane before it's too late"
Meanwhile Renji was already launching himself into a battle that would change his life.
Renji strode the dead streets of Hoshimari with the gait of a skilled hunter despite his casual appearance, eye's peeled and ear's highly perceptive of sound.
A sudden flash of vision in his head seared through warning him of a second presence. He took a sharp step back to avoid the brutal arc of a blade.
" You demons just keep getting rustier and rustier" he said and unloaded his rounds into the humanoid demon charging at him until the shot seemed to down it momentarily.
The moments of reprieve gave Renji enough time to reload before the demon rose slowly to it's feet.
The demon was humanoid and bare-chested clad in a pair of tattered trousers. It's mouth —if it could be called that— had no lips to conceal the rows of long vicious teeth it possessed.
Two long sharp blade like projections shot out of each forelimb. " I would enjoy feeding on your blood hunter"
" Get a dentition job done first" Renji retorted and raised his dual pistols unaware that he was being watched.
Takeda stood atop a nearby rooftop watching the ongoing battle. His fighting style was unmistakably Kokuryūkai and yet it wasn't.
Renji neatly avoided the demon's talons until it managed to slice both his pistols muzzles.
" Oh great" Renji murmured dryly and resorted to ducking each attack. The demon, emboldened by Renji's evasions began to strike harder until Renji caught the tips of a talon in-between his fingers only a few inches from his concealed demon right eye in a burst of strength just as his appearance morphed into the shadow ninja aura of a few nights ago.
A sudden gust of wind blew the hair which covered his right eye, exposing it to view momentarily. " Not the eye" He said while his right hand curled into a shadow imbued fist…
Takeda's eyes narrowed while he watched Renji kill the demon. " Let's find out who you are hunter"
Meanwhile a delegation of the Kokuryūkai laid in wait watching the scene unfold. The team of alphas were headed by Hikari herself, with her age one could almost be forgiven for mistaking her for a member of the team.
But her voice carried an unmistakable weight of authority when she spoke. " We begin on operation get the hunter in five"
" All set" Akihiro smirked. " Wait!" Hikari commanded…
" Step out Takeda" Renji said his eyes still fixed on the demon's corpse. Takeda dropped off the rooftop —saving his shock at being caught out so quickly for later— he approached Renji.
" It is the job of a demon hunter to kill demons, and as a rule that demon hunter has to be from a guild of the seven currents. Can you identify yourself hunter?" Takeda inquired, his voice hinted a dark layer of curiosity.
" I am affiliated with no guild Takeda" Renji replied. " Then can you explain how you are in knowledge of your current powers?" Takeda asked.
" I can read you like a book, that's not a question bothering you right now. So should I explain how I know your name or go ahead to explain my powers" Renji smirked.
" You shall follow me back to base to explain your powers" Takeda said menacingly.
Renji's laugh hinted loads of dark humour. " Sure you'll have a make an appointment though"
Takeda retrieved a simple iron staff in a quick flash of lightning. " You either come with me or bleed—" Takeda's eyes flashed blue. "—then come with me."
Tension cracked in the air between them like live wire. Renji's dual shadow forged katanas materialized in a quick motion.
" Are you ready for what comes after Takeda?" Renji said, voice cold as ice. " I guess that's something you don't know about me hunter, I was born ready!"
A bolt of lightning cracked overhead. Takeda shot forward as a streak of lightning and Renji, as a blur of shadow.
The both of them clashed in a flurry of steel and sparks and despite Takeda's earlier momentum, the effect nearly made his arms go numb.