Two days before the Hunter Games
Gaku walked beside Akira through the crowded streets of the City known as Titan. People from every Kingdom filled the roads; Tao pressure bled through the air so heavily it almost felt physical. Some people laughed loudly with confidence, others sharpened weapons, and some simply stared at everyone around them like predators waiting for a fight to start.
The Hunter Games hadn't even begun yet, and already it felt dangerous.
Gaku glanced toward Akira. "You scared?"
Akira stayed quiet for a second before nodding. "Of course I am." He shoved his hands into his pockets, forcing out a laugh. "There are so many new people here, and every single one of them feels strong. I had to train just to stand a chance at surviving this thing."
He looked around at the crowds again, eyes narrowing.
"Everyone gets scared. Every time something dangerous happens, part of me wishes I'd just black out like some animal and let my body handle everything for me." Akira scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "But instead I usually just say something dumb and throw myself at the problem."
Gaku let out the smallest smile.
For a while, he used to hate Akira.
Back when Akira first joined Scissors, Gaku thought he was arrogant, loud, selfish, everything Gaku disliked in a person. Then Akira left Scissors almost as quickly as he joined, and Gaku thought that proved it even more.
But after traveling with him for this long, Gaku started realizing something.
Akira wasn't pretending.
Every stupid thing he said, every reckless charge into danger, every insane declaration about becoming King—he genuinely believed it. There was something weirdly honest about that.
You're not bad, Gaku thought to himself.
Suddenly Akira's eyes lit up.
"Oi!"
In the distance Lorenzo waved both arms over his head while Enma stood beside him, half embarrassed by how loud he was being. Leroy leaned against a wall nearby with his usual relaxed grin.
Akira instantly broke into a sprint toward them.
"Lorenzo!" Akira shouted.
"Finally!" Lorenzo yelled back. "You walk too slow!"
Gaku sighed before jogging after him. "You're literally the one standing still…"
Meanwhile, far away from the noise of the city, silence filled a dark meditation hall.
Hinata sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, breathing slowly as Tao drifted around him like flowing blood. Wooden walls and rivers of crimson moved through his thoughts as he focused deeper and deeper into meditation.
Then suddenly—
A figure appeared within his mind.
Kenji Sato.
Even within the vision his presence felt overwhelming. Calm. Heavy. Like a mountain staring directly at him.
Kenji slowly reached his hand toward Hinata.
The moment their hands almost touched, Hinata's eyes snapped open.
A cold sweat rolled down the side of his face.
Standing in front of him were two people around his age.
One was a tall boy with long dark hair tied behind his back, wearing the crest of the Taira clan proudly across his black uniform.
Miyabi Taira.
Heir of the Taira clan.
Member of Team Sato.
Beside him stood a much smaller girl with messy black hair and dragon-like eyes that almost glowed gold beneath the light.
Kirinaka Dorako.
Another member of Team Sato.
"Yo, Hinata," Miyabi said casually, resting his hands behind his head. "Sir Kenji wants to see us. It's about the Hunter Games."
Hinata quickly nodded before standing up.
"I'm coming."
The moment he spoke, the candles around the room flickered violently.
Meanwhile, on the continent of Kanpon, pink Sakura petals drifted softly through the wind.
One petal slowly landed in the lap of a young boy sitting beneath the tree.
Pink hair.
Blue eyes.
A lazy expression that somehow still carried arrogance.
A servant kneeled beside him carefully. "Young Master Shizuka… shouldn't you be training for the Hunter Games?"
The boy stayed silent.
Then suddenly—
The Sakura petals burst into flames.
The entire tree ignited in an instant, orange fire roaring violently into the sky. The servant stumbled backward in fear, but before the flames could spread to the grass below, the fire suddenly melted into water.
The burning tree became a cooling puddle. Then, almost impossibly, the water reshaped itself back into a perfect Sakura tree. Not a single petal missing.
The boy finally looked toward the servant. "What did you just say?"
The servant immediately lowered his head. "N-Nothing, Master."
Shizuka stared at him for another long second before smiling. "Servant. No pay for the next week."
The servant instantly started sweating. "W-Why, Master?"
Shizuka rested his chin against his hand, smiling even wider. "That's just the kind of man I am."
Meanwhile, back near Titan, Leroy stretched his arms behind his head while walking with the others. "I have a feeling this Hunter Game is gonna be easy."
Lorenzo immediately slapped the back of Leroy's head. "Stop being so cocky."
Leroy rubbed the back of his head. "Ow—what was that for?!"
Enma laughed softly before patting Leroy on the shoulder. "Since when did Lorenzo become the responsible one?"
Lorenzo rubbed his nose proudly. "What made me so bossy?" He pointed toward himself dramatically. "With this group, obviously I'm the boss."
The entire group immediately booed him.