"Wait—what do you mean battle?"
Ren's words froze the room like an invisible frost. The faint hum of machinery and the ticking of a wall clock were the only sounds left. Everyone turned toward him, confusion and unease flickering in their eyes. Captain Haru narrowed his gaze, while the other hunters exchanged uncertain glances, whispering under their breaths.
Ren took a long breath and let the silence linger. The weight of what he was about to say pressed on his chest like a mountain. Finally, he spoke, his tone steady but grim. "Something's coming. The signs are appearing again—the same as before the Great Collapse. The cave that pulsed with life… has gone silent."
The words hung in the air like a curse.
At first, some of them laughed uneasily, scoffing as if it were a bad joke.
"What nonsense is this?" one of them muttered. "The last incident was a century ago. You're saying it's happening again?"
Ren didn't respond right away. Instead, Daiki and Yume stepped forward, their expressions deadly serious.
"He's not joking," Yume said quietly. "I've felt it too. The mana distortion in the air, the sudden disappearance of shadow creatures—it's not natural."
Daiki crossed his arms. "The silence of the cave isn't a coincidence. It's the calm before the storm."
One by one, realization began to dawn on the others. The laughter faded, replaced by grim understanding. Fear crept into their eyes, but beneath it was something else—resolve.
Captain Haru was the first to speak again. "So… do you know where the battle will take place?"
Ren shook his head slowly. "Not yet. The location remains hidden, but the signs are spreading. It's like the earth itself is holding its breath."
Daiki clenched his jaw. "Then it's true… the balance is breaking again."
The room fell silent once more. The flickering light above them buzzed faintly as though afraid to disturb the moment.
"Then," Haru finally said, his voice low but firm, "are you all in?"
Every head turned toward him. His eyes scanned each face, testing their courage.
"Hmmm…" Haru's gaze hardened. "So, what are your orders, Captain?" one of his subordinates asked nervously.
Haru straightened his posture, his tone ringing like steel. "We stand with Ren—and we protect humanity from chaos. No matter the cost."
"Yes, sir!"
Their unified shout echoed through the hall, shaking the air with conviction. It wasn't the cry of soldiers—it was the cry of people who had already accepted death, if that's what it took to protect what mattered.
Ren's chest tightened. For the first time in a long while, he felt something warm—a fragile spark of hope. He allowed himself a faint smile. "Thank you," he murmured.
Haru turned toward him. "Are you happy now, Ren?"
Ren bowed slightly, his shadow bending with him. "I am. But before anything else… we'll need allies. As many as we can find."
He stepped closer and spoke quietly to Haru. "You have two months. Train them. Prepare them before the battle begins. I'll return before the storm hits."
Haru nodded once. "Understood."
One by one, the team dispersed, determination etched into their faces. The first spark of humanity's resistance had been lit.
The Council of S-Ranks
The organization wasted no time. Within days, a secret council was summoned—an assembly that hadn't gathered in decades. All twenty active S-Rank hunters were ordered to attend. For many, it was the first time they'd meet Ren Akatsuki face-to-face.
One by one, the names were called, their reputations heavy enough to silence nations.
Daiki Raikuro – First S-Rank, the Lightning God of the battlefield.Yume Akegami – Second, the master of illusions and emotion.Ryojin Hoshigami – Third, the spear-wielding dragon who once slew a Leviathan alone.Shiro Tenka – Fourth, a swordsman of flawless technique and zero wasted motion.Akari Tenjou – Fifth, the Flame Empress whose fire burned even in rain.Ryuu Kazan – Sixth, the volcanic powerhouse whose punches could crack mountains.Kaito Kurogane – Seventh, a master of shadows and silent kills.Misaki Kurohana – Eighth, the calm sniper who never missed.Arata Nozomi – Ninth, a strategist who never lost a battle.Oro Kiyoya – Tenth, a mysterious enchanter shrouded in alchemical secrets.Raiden Engetsuka – Eleventh, the fastest blade in the East.Kai Oborozuki – Twelfth, the moonlight warrior who moved like a ghost.Fuma Doku – Thirteenth, the master of poison and silence.Isamu Kaiden – Sixteenth, bearer of the unbreakable shield.Yuki Shiranui – Seventeenth, mistress of frost and serenity.Zyra Blackthorn – Eighteenth, assassin from the western lands.Astrid Valkrynne – Nineteenth, warrior queen of the north.Elysia Moonveil – Twentieth, sorceress of dreams and illusions.
And lastly, the legendary Kuro Daizen, a retired S-Rank who once defended an entire continent alone, was invited as an advisor.
When they gathered, the air in the council chamber grew dense with power. The faintest movement of one hunter could cause the ground to hum.
Daiki stood in the center. His usual calm expression had hardened into something unreadable. "There will be a battle unlike anything we've ever faced," he said, voice echoing through the chamber.
At first, a few chuckled.
"Is this another one of your dramatic warnings, Daiki?" someone teased.
Daiki didn't smile. "No. You'll understand when you see him."
"See who?" Akari Tenjou asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
Daiki nodded toward the door. "Mr. Ren. Come in."
The lights dimmed. Shadows seemed to ripple through the room as if reality itself bowed to his presence. Ren Akatsuki entered—his aura a storm of quiet darkness. Even among S-Ranks, his presence felt suffocating.
Every hunter stood instinctively, their battle instincts flaring. Power recognized power.
"Who is he?" Raiden whispered.
"This," Daiki said, "is Ren Akatsuki—the Ninth King."
A stunned silence swept through the room.
"You're joking," Misaki muttered. "A King? Here?"
"No." Daiki's tone was sharp. "And if you think I'm exaggerating, know this—I fought him with all I had… and lost."
Murmurs erupted. Daiki, the Lightning God himself, admitting defeat? The thought was unthinkable.
Ren finally spoke. His voice was calm, yet every word carried weight. "I understand your disbelief. To you, I may seem like a monster, or worse. But these powers were given to me for a reason—a reason I can't ignore."
He looked around, his eyes like burning shadows. "The balance between worlds is breaking. The demons are preparing. We don't have much time."
It took hours of explanation—Yume and the organization backed his words, presenting evidence, reports, and recordings of strange phenomena. Many argued. Some refused to believe. But one by one, realization took hold.
The demons were evolving—faster, smarter, deadlier. And for the first time in history, they were organized.
When the meeting ended, there was no laughter left. Only silence and grim resolve.
The Announcement
Days later, the world changed.
On live broadcast, all twenty S-Ranks stood together before millions of viewers. The air was thick with tension, the crowd silent.
"The threat is real," Daiki announced. "But we will not run. We will protect humanity, whatever it takes."
The nation fell into panic. Fear spread like wildfire, but the unity of the S-Ranks gave people something to cling to. Top guilds across the world pledged their forces. Emergency training camps opened overnight. Evacuation routes were mapped and tested.
For the first time, humanity was united—not out of ambition, but survival.
Watching from a rooftop, Ren folded his arms. His eyes softened. They're preparing… good. A whisper of relief passed through him. The first phase of his plan was complete.
The Weapons from Another World
Days later, Ren ventured into the outskirts—training, meditating, and searching for clues about the coming invasion. Yet, fate had its own agenda.
While sparring against his own shadows, he paused. The forest floor bore strange footprints—massive, twisted, and glowing faintly. Not human.
He followed the trail, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. The air thickened with energy.
Then he saw them.
Dozens of blades scattered across the ground, half-buried in the earth. Each one hummed with eerie light.
"These…" he whispered, kneeling. "These aren't from this world."
He touched one. Pain shot through his arm—a sting of raw energy. The weapon pulsed like a living thing. "They're designed to kill Kings," he breathed.
A shiver ran through him. If these blades could wound him, then humanity had hope—but who had brought them here?
Before he could investigate further, a low growl echoed behind him. The ground trembled.
A demon appeared—twice the size of a man, armored and snarling. In its claws, it held more of the same strange weapons.
It dropped them and lunged.
Ren's shadows erupted, tearing it apart in seconds—but more followed. Dozens. Then hundreds.
Each one wielded those same glowing blades. They weren't attacking humans—they were collecting.
"They're… retrieving the weapons," Ren realized. "They were ordered."
Then, a glimmer caught his eye—a faintly glowing portal in the distance. Without thinking, he hurled one of the enemy blades into it. A scream echoed from the other side before the portal snapped shut.
Somewhere beyond that rift, in a dark throne room, a figure stood.
"He killed one of ours…" the Demon King's brother growled, eyes burning. "Prepare the armies. The battle begins sooner than planned."
The Grim Discovery
Ren returned to the city that night, his expression darker than ever. His aura was unstable, trembling with anger and dread.
"Where have you been?" Yume demanded, running up to him. "You disappeared for hours!"
"Call Daiki. Call Master Kuro. Now."
"Ren, what happened?"
"Just do it," he said, voice low and sharp. "And bring the other S-Ranks too."
Within an hour, the headquarters was filled with the most powerful warriors alive. The tension was suffocating.
Ren set a bundle of the strange weapons on the table.
Shock rippled through the room.
"Where did you find these?" Kuro asked quietly.
Ren explained everything—the footprints, the battle, the portal, and the scream from beyond it.
Kuro rubbed his temple. "Do you realize what you've done? They know we're aware now. They'll accelerate their plans."
"I know!" Ren's voice cracked. "But if I hadn't taken these, we'd still be blind. Now we can study them, learn their structure, forge stronger armor—maybe even use them against their own kind!"
The old master sighed deeply. "You reckless fool… You might have just saved us—or doomed us."
Daiki picked up one of the blades. The metal pulsed faintly in his hand. His expression turned grave.
"Mr. Kuro," he said, "these weapons… can kill even Kings."
The room froze.
Ren met his gaze. Both of them understood what that meant.
"This changes everything," Daiki said quietly.
And as the room fell into silence, the faint hum of the demonic blade seemed to whisper of war.