Episode 5: The Hunter Who Shouldn't Exist
The room was silent.
Not the kind of silence that came from hesitation or shock.
It was the kind of silence that felt like the universe itself was holding its breath.
Shiro stood at the center of the SS-ranked Guild Masters' chamber, his Void Shadow flickering beneath his feet. He had just refused the Guild Masters' offer—defying the entire Hunter Association.
Then, the world changed.
A distortion. A presence that wasn't supposed to be there.
The lights vanished. The walls disappeared.
The very concept of space itself twisted into pure darkness.
Then came the voice.
"He is not supposed to exist."
The words rattled through the void, sinking into Shiro's bones like an undeniable truth. It was deep, guttural—something ancient and all-consuming.
For the first time, Shiro felt something close to fear.
But he wasn't the only one affected.
Even the SS-ranked Hunters stiffened.
Ryujin Kaito, the strongest Hunter alive, instantly reacted. His Void Shadow erupted—Storm Shroud. Lightning split the darkness apart, crackling through the void.
The voice laughed.
"Let's see how long you can defy fate… Demon's Heir."
The darkness shattered.
The room snapped back into reality.
Shiro gasped, staggering back as the world returned to normal. He could still feel it—that overwhelming presence lurking just beyond his senses.
But something had changed.
The Guild Masters weren't looking at him as an E-rank anymore.
They weren't even looking at him as a Hunter.
They were looking at him like he was something else entirely.
Something that should not exist.
---
Hunter Association Headquarters – Aftermath
A heavy silence hung over the conference hall.
Shiro could feel twelve pairs of eyes burning into him.
Ryujin Kaito's expression was unreadable, but his blue eyes held a dangerous glint. "What was that just now?"
Shiro's fingers twitched. He knew what they were asking.
Who are you?
Shiro took a slow breath. He had two options:
1. Tell them everything—about the Demon King's soul, about his transformation in the Gate.
2. Lie.
Shiro smirked.
"I don't know."
Akechi Ren of Vermilion Phoenix grinned. "Liar."
Fujiwara Ayame of Silver Fenrir tapped the table. "That presence… it wasn't yours, was it?"
Shiro shrugged. "I don't even know what you're talking about."
Ryujin's gaze didn't waver. "Then you won't mind staying under surveillance for a while."
Shiro's expression didn't change, but inside, his mind was racing.
They were going to watch him.
Which meant he had to move carefully.
Mori Seiji of Golden Griffin scoffed. "We should eliminate him now. Before whatever that was comes back."
Shiro's Void Shadow flickered.
Instantly, the room tensed.
Mori's hand drifted toward his weapon.
A pulse of black energy crackled through the air.
For a moment—just a moment—Mori Seiji saw something behind Shiro.
A monstrous, grinning figure.
Mori's breath hitched. He froze in place.
Shiro tilted his head. "Go ahead. Try."
The entire room went still.
Then—laughter.
Akechi Ren chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Oh, I really like this kid."
Fujiwara Ayame smiled. "He's got bite."
Ryujin finally sighed. "Enough." He looked at Shiro. "Fine. You don't want to join a Guild?"
Shiro met his gaze. "No."
Ryujin's expression remained unreadable.
"Then survive."
---
A New Shadow Moves
Shiro left the Hunter Association headquarters feeling the weight of too many eyes on him.
The Guild Masters.
The Hunter Association.
And something… else.
As he walked into the Tokyo night, his Void Shadow pulsed.
A whisper brushed against his ear.
"Demon's Heir…"
Shiro's golden eyes narrowed.
He wasn't alone.
In the shadows of the city, something was watching.
And it wasn't human.
Tokyo – Shiro's Apartment
The moment Shiro pushed open the door to his apartment, a small figure crashed into him.
"Nii-san!"
A pair of thin arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
Shiro blinked before a rare smile softened his face. "Yo, Ren."
Shirogane Ren. His little brother.
The boy barely reached his chest, his messy black hair sticking up in all directions. His bright brown eyes were wide with happiness, completely unaware of the blood on Shiro's clothes or the silent war being waged around him.
Ren pulled back, grinning. "You were out late again! Did you finally get promoted?"
Shiro chuckled, ruffling Ren's hair. "Not yet."
The boy pouted but quickly brightened. "It's fine! I made dinner! You have to eat before bed!"
Shiro's heart tightened.
Even after losing their parents. Even after their older brother vanished.
Ren still smiled like nothing had changed.
Shiro forced a smirk. "Let's see if your cooking has improved."
Ren gasped. "It's already perfect!"
---
Dinner – The Past Resurfaces
The small dining table was cluttered with bowls of rice, miso soup, and grilled fish.
Shiro ate in silence, savoring the warmth of home after the night's chaos.
Ren, on the other hand, kept talking.
"Nii-san, did you hear? The Golden Griffin Guild cleared a high-rank Gate today!"
Shiro exhaled. Figures.
Golden Griffin was one of the top twelve guilds—led by Mori Seiji, the same man who wanted him dead earlier.
Ren kept going, eyes shining. "And you know what's even cooler? A new Gate appeared near Shibuya! They're saying it might be A-rank or higher!"
Shiro hummed, taking a sip of his soup.
Ren suddenly leaned forward. "Nii-san, do you think you'll get strong enough to join one of the big guilds?"
Shiro paused.
"…I used to think so."
Ren tilted his head. "You don't anymore?"
Shiro smiled bitterly. "The world's not as simple as you think, Ren."
The boy frowned. "Then tell me."
Shiro leaned back in his chair.
He didn't want to lie.
But he couldn't tell the full truth either.
So, instead, he told a different story.
---
Flashback – Shiro's Life as a Porter
"Before I became a real Hunter, I worked as a Porter."
Ren's eyes widened. "Eh?! You were one of the guys who carried stuff for Hunters?"
Shiro smirked. "Yeah."
He glanced down at his hands. They used to be covered in cuts, dirt, and exhaustion.
At the time, he had no choice.
Ren needed food. Rent needed to be paid.
And so, Shiro joined one of the big guilds—not as a Hunter, but as a Porter.
He followed real Hunters into Gates, carrying their extra weapons, supplies, and loot.
Ren listened in awe as Shiro continued.
"The first time I went into a Gate, I thought I was going to die."
Ren gulped.
Shiro smirked. "I was too slow. Too weak. The monsters weren't even after me, but I could barely move because of the fear."
Ren leaned forward. "But you survived!"
Shiro chuckled. "Barely."
---
Flashback – The Night Everything Changed
Shiro's expression darkened.
"Then came… the mission that ended it all."
Ren froze. "The dungeon break?"
Shiro nodded.
The day his parents died. The day his older brother disappeared.
He clenched his fists.
"I was assigned to a high-rank raid as a Porter."
His squad—the ones who were supposed to protect him—betrayed him.
They left him behind so they could steal the mining essence for themselves.
He should have died.
But instead, he woke up with the Demon King's soul inside him.
Shiro blinked, pushing those thoughts away. "That was the last time I ever worked as a Porter."
Ren's expression turned serious. "And after that…?"
Shiro smirked. "I became a real Hunter."
---
A Brother's Bond
Ren stared at his brother for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
"Nii-san."
Shiro raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
Ren's grin widened.
"You're cool."
Shiro snorted. "That's new."
Ren giggled. "No, really! Even though you're an E-rank, you're still the strongest Hunter I know!"
Shiro stilled.
For a moment, he forgot the weight of the world outside.
He forgot the Hunters watching him.
The enemies hunting him.
The darkness waiting in the shadows.
Because right here—right now—he was just Ren's older brother.
Shiro sighed, reaching out to ruffle Ren's hair again.
"Go to sleep, brat."
Ren pouted. "But—"
"No buts. Bed. Now."
Ren groaned, dragging himself toward his room.
Shiro watched him go, his smirk fading.
The warmth of family still lingered.
But so did the cold realization.
He couldn't stay here forever.
If the Hunter Association and the Forsaken were watching him… Ren was in danger too.
Shiro exhaled. He needed to make a move.
---
Midnight – A Visitor in the Shadows
As Shiro stood by the window, staring out into the Tokyo skyline, he felt it again.
A presence.
This time, he didn't need to turn around.
"I know you're there."
A low chuckle came from the shadows.
Then—a voice.
"Not bad, kid."
Shiro finally glanced back.
Standing in the corner of the dimly lit room was a man with white hair, sharp golden eyes, and a scar running down his left cheek.
A Hunter.
But not just any Hunter.
Shiro recognized him.
Kurosawa Jin.
A rogue S-rank Hunter.
Shiro's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
Jin smirked. "To warn you."
Shiro stiffened.
Jin's golden eyes glowed in the darkness.
"They're coming for you, Demon's Heir."
Shiro didn't move. His fingers twitched slightly, ready to summon his Void Shadow at any moment.
Kurosawa Jin.
A rogue S-rank Hunter.
But that wasn't the part that bothered Shiro.
It was what he had just said.
"They're coming for you, Demon's Heir."
Shiro's eyes narrowed. "Who's 'they'?"
Jin smirked, stepping forward into the dim light of the apartment. His golden eyes gleamed like a predator sizing up its prey.
"The Forsaken."
Shiro's breath caught for just a second.
The Forsaken.
A name whispered in the darkest corners of the Hunter world. A secret faction that shouldn't exist.
Even among Hunters, they were a myth.
And now, they were coming for him?
Shiro scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"
Jin's smirk didn't fade. "Believe whatever you want. But after what happened in that Gate, do you really think the Hunter Association is just going to let you walk around freely?"
Shiro clenched his jaw.
The Association…
The Guilds…
Even the world itself…
Something was wrong.
Jin continued, his tone casual but sharp. "They'll come at you in waves. Assassins, Hunters, maybe even Gates rigged just for you."
Shiro narrowed his eyes. "And why do you care?"
Jin shrugged. "I don't."
Shiro frowned. "Then why warn me?"
Jin's smirk widened. "Because I hate those bastards more than you do."
Silence hung between them.
Then—Jin turned toward the window, his body blurring into a dark mist.
"Survive, kid. If you're really the Demon's Heir, then prove it."
And just like that—he was gone.
Shiro stood there, staring at the empty space Jin had left behind.
His heartbeat was steady.
His mind, however, was not.
"The Forsaken."
And now… they wanted him dead.
---
Morning – A Normal Life?
Shiro woke up to the smell of burnt toast.
He groaned, rubbing his temples as he dragged himself out of bed.
In the kitchen, Ren was standing over the stove, looking way too proud of himself for a kid who just ruined breakfast.
"Nii-san! I made breakfast!"
Shiro stared at the blackened toast. "…Right."
Ren beamed. "Eat up before it gets cold!"
Shiro sighed, taking a seat.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Like he was just an ordinary Hunter.
Like he didn't have assassins after him.
Like the world wasn't closing in around him.
Ren chattered on, talking about school, Hunters, and how he was gonna be strong like Shiro someday.
Shiro smirked. "You'd better train hard then."
Ren grinned. "Obviously!"
For now… Shiro would let him dream.
But deep down, he knew—this peace wouldn't last.
---
Hunter Association Headquarters – A New Threat
Somewhere in Tokyo, in a room hidden from the public eye…
A man in a dark suit sat at a massive conference table.
His fingers drummed against the polished wood.
In front of him, a file was spread open.
A name.
A picture.
A threat.
Shirogane Tetsuya.
The man's eyes were cold as he spoke.
"This… anomaly needs to be dealt with."
A voice chuckled from the shadows. "Then shall we test him?"
The man didn't look up.
A single nod was enough.
The shadow vanished.
And somewhere far away—a new Gate appeared.
A trap.
For one person alone.