The Hashido estate was as calm as it always was. Servants moved through the halls, the wind rustled through the trees, and life carried on as if nothing in the world had changed. Outside, Kato was training with Arou and the others, pushing his body and mind like he did every day.
Then Yamato's voice broke the routine.
There was urgency in it.
They all stopped what they were doing and rushed inside. Yamato didn't waste time. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
The screen flickered to life.
And the headline that appeared, shocked every single one of them.
"JOSHUA EGOSHIN, THE LEVEL 1+ HUNTER, HAS BEEN KILLED BY THE TERRORIST GROUP KNOWN AS THE KAIMI DAJA."
"THE HUNTER FORCE ACADEMY WAS ALSO ATTACKED BY THE KAIMI DAJA TODAY. TWO OF THEM HAVE BEEN CAPTURED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY."
The news hit everyone like a ton of bricks. No one expected the Kaimi Daja to make such a bold move and bring themselves into the public spotlight.
Kato: (to himself) The Academy was attacked?? Is Takimo okay?
Suddenly, Isaiah stormed out of the room. Kato caught a brief glimpse of his face and realized that it was full of anger and frustration. The rest of the group understood, but Kato had no idea why Isaiah was so upset.
Kato: (to Mira) Why did Isaiah look mad just now?
Kenji: Wait, you guys haven't told him yet?
Kato: Huh? Tell me what?
Mira: Oh, that's right. I didn't tell you… Isaiah's angry because Joshua Egoshin was the one who killed his family. And from the looks of it, he's not happy that he wasn't the one to kill him first.
Kato: Oh…
Meanwhile, Isaiah wandered back to the training grounds and stopped there alone. The air felt heavier than before. His fists clenched at his sides as frustration and anger burned inside him.
Then, without warning, the memory of that fateful day began to replay in his mind.
*****
My life was once simple. I lived with my dad, mom, and my older sister, Kana. Our family, the Gushman Clan, was an important part of the shadow society, known for their ability to craft weapons used in the long-standing war between Shadows and Clarions.
But as the years went on, the clan began to shrink in numbers due to the ongoing war. Most of us left the shadow society, trying to live more peaceful lives.
My family was one of them.
My parents and sister always taught me that violence wasn't the answer and that it wasn't the way to end the hatred. But the world didn't see it that way. To them, shadows were all the same, and they kept on fighting.
I couldn't help but respect my father's way of thinking. And Kana, too, followed his beliefs. There was one time when I got into a fight at school with a kid who kept bullying me, and I ended up getting suspended. My parents couldn't pick me up, so Kana came instead.
Kana: (angry) Damn it, Isaiah! Why did you have to fight him?
Isaiah: (defiant) He had it coming. He was always picking on me.
Kana: You could have just reported him to a teacher you know?
Isaiah: Why would I let another person deal with my problems? It'll make me look weak. So I had to deal with it myself. Now he won't mess with me anymore.
Kana: Then I guess you feel really good about yourself huh? Was it worth getting suspended from school?
Isaiah remained silent.
Kana: You know, asking for help isn't a bad thing. It just shows how much you rely on people. It is never okay to attack people.
Isaiah: (sharply) Save the sermon for the Clarions who keep attacking us.
Kana: (sadly) Sometimes I wonder if you're really only twelve.
Then, June 14th came. I spent the whole day with Mira and her mom. We had so much fun that I lost track of time. Normally, my sister or mom would pick me up, but they didn't show.
So, I walked home alone.
The door was wide open when I got there and I immediately knew something wasn't right. I stepped inside, and the sight that greeted me shattered everything.
My dad, my mom, my sister, Kana, they were all lying on the floor, dead. And there was a hunter standing over them, covered in their blood and holding a sword in his hand.
They'd always called shadows "monsters," but here was a man who walked into a family's home, slaughtered them, and justified it by calling us monsters who need to be cut down.
The hunter started to walk toward me, probably to finish me off, but before he could, I screamed.
"They were different! They wanted to change! Why won't you give us a chance to change? Why kill us?"
For some reason, the hunter stopped. He didn't seem to want to kill me anymore so I took that opportunity to run, not daring to look back.
Mr Ervin, Mira and her mother took me in after they heard what happened to my family. Later, I found out that the hunter's name was Joshua Egoshin, a Level 1+ hunter and the heir of the fracture.
Every time I saw his face on the news, my hatred for him grew, reminding me of what he'd done to my family. And so, I trained every day. Pushed myself further than I thought I could go.
I PUSHED MYSELF FURTHER!!
I HAD LIMITS SO I SURPASSED THEM!!
BECOME STRONGER!
BECOME STRONGER!!
BECOME STRONGER!!!
PUSH MYSELF!
PUSH MYSELF!!
PUSH MYSELF!!!
I had to get stronger, to—
******
Ervin suddenly tapped Isaiah's shoulder, interrupting his thoughts
Ervin: Didn't I tell you not to carry hate and revenge in your heart?