Kai sat in the dim light of his cramped apartment. Broken furniture and half-empty bottles were scattered around him.
He held a crisp envelope embossed with the crest of the Hunter Academy, the seal stark against the surrounding mess. His fingers traced the edge of the paper before tearing it open. Inside, the letter was brief, almost mechanical:
Congratulations, Kai. You have been accepted into the Hunter Academy. Term begins in one week. Do not be late.
A grin tugged at Kai's lips, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Finally," he muttered, tossing the letter onto the table where it slid across a pile of old newspapers.
Leaning back in his chair, Kai stared at the cracked ceiling, his thoughts wandering. He remembered the first time he'd seen the academy's advertisement, scrawled on a crumbling wall in the city's underbelly. It was barely visible beneath layers of peeling graffiti, like a forgotten relic from a time long past.
The Hunter Academy: A Sanctuary for the Gifted. Three years of free academic training away from the ordinary world that will make your dreams a reality.
At the time, he'd dismissed it as he was not eighteen. There were also rumors that the Hunter Academy was the best institution in training young hunters.
And honestly, he didn't have many options left. His father was dead, murdered by enemies who had kept hunting Kai. Mercenaries and bounty hunters had tracked him for months, and though he'd managed to avoid most of them, the game was wearing thin. The academy was his last shot at peace—three years without the constant threat of death at his doorstep.
During the entrance exams, Kai had been careful—not too brilliant, but not too mediocre either. He'd answered just enough questions to pass, performed just enough magic to blend in. For the combat test, he'd faked weakness, just enough to ensure a few scratches but nothing serious—healers were given some exemptions, after all.
The Hunter Academy, here I come, he had thought as he slipped out of the hall, unnoticed.
A sharp knock at the door broke his reverie.
"Pizza delivery for you, sir."
Kai's lips curled into a sardonic smile.
"Really? This again?" He shifted in his seat, bracing for what was about to unfold.
Without warning, the door exploded inward with a deafening crash. Splinters flew, and smoke billowed through the opening.
A figure emerged from the wreckage, his eyes glowing with cold, malevolent intent.
"We meet again, boy. Good job hiding for three months," the man sneered, voice thick with disdain.
Kai's eyes narrowed, his pulse quickening. "Breaking and entering is a crime, you know," he said flatly.
The man didn't reply. Instead, he flung a red blade infused with raw mana at him.
Kai dodged, swift and controlled, but not without effort.
Behind him, the table erupted into splinters, the letter he'd just received torn apart in the chaos.
Kai responded with a fast punch to the man's stomach, but the blow barely seemed to faze him.
With unnatural speed, the man reached out, fingers grazing Kai's arm—a touch, but enough.
Pain flared through Kai's triceps as the skin split open, blood spilling onto the floor. His mind went cold, calculating. Both he and the man recoiled, taking a brief pause to reassess.
So, he can blast anything he touches and throw blades that explode on impact, Kai thought, glancing at the blood pooling on the floor. Great.
The man grinned, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "You can't hide forever, boy. You won't survive this time."
Before Kai could respond, the man hurled three blades toward his left, then three more to the right, both hands moving in tandem. With a step and a leap, he aimed directly for Kai's chest, his body a blur. Time seemed to slow.
Nice plan, Kai thought, watching the blades slice through the air toward him. You've made my movements restricted.
Just as the man neared, about to touch Kai, he vanished.
The man stopped dead in his tracks, confusion flashing across his face. What—what is this? Is this what he used in last time?
The words died in his throat as something sharp pierced his chest from behind. His eyes widened in shock as blood spilled from his mouth, dripping onto the floor. Agh… This kid…
Kai emerged from the shadows, a cold smirk tugging at his lips. "You thought I was weak, hiding like some coward? Guess you weren't paying attention."
The man tried to speak, but only a gurgling sound escaped as he collapsed, blood pooling beneath him.
Kai stood over him, eyes glowing a deeper blue than before, casting an eerie sheen in the dim light.
"Interesting magic," Kai said, his voice low and detached. "You should've used a stealth artifact, and waited for be to come out."
The man's body lay still, blood staining the floor, while Kai stood above him, completely unfazed.
One week later, Kai stood before the gates of the Hunter Academy. The massive iron doors were adorned with intricate runes that pulsed faintly with protective magic.
Beyond them, the academy's ancient walls seemed to breathe with history, yet a layer of sleek modernity hummed beneath the surface.
The opening ceremony was grand, with students in pristine uniforms and teachers in flowing robes.
Kai, dressed in his worn jacket and scuffed boots, stuck out like a sore thumb.
The headmaster, a towering figure, stepped forward, his voice booming across the courtyard. "Welcome, students. Today, you begin your journey as Hunters. But first, you must be sorted into your classes."
Kai's mind drifted during the speech. His eyes scanned the crowd, sizing up potential threats, looking for anything that might give him an edge. He noticed a few students from the entrance exams—those who'd aced every test, standing at the front with that unmistakable air of confidence.
When his name was finally called, Kai stepped forward, expression neutral, his heart racing in his chest. The headmaster glanced down at his file, nodded curtly, and spoke with little interest. "Class D."
A few students near the front snickered, their eyes gleaming with judgment. Kai didn't flinch. He didn't care. He'd gotten exactly what he wanted—three years of safety.
Kai's dorm room was small, functional, and cold. The bed was narrow, the desk a simple slab of wood, and the single window overlooked the academy's sterile courtyard.
He dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed onto the bed.
"Home sweet home," he muttered under his breath, the sarcasm thick.
A knock at the door interrupted the silence. Kai opened it to find a boy standing in the doorway. His piercing black eyes gleamed with amusement, and his smirk mirrored Kai's own.
"Good evening," the boy said casually. "Looks like we're neighbors."
Kai raised an eyebrow, sizing him up. "And you are?"
"Darius," the boy replied, extending a hand. "Welcome to the bottom. I'm also in Class D."
Kai took his hand, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Let's hope it's not a sinking ship."
Later, as Kai left his dorm room to explore the academy grounds, a chill ran down his spine. He spotted a shadowy figure at the end of the hallway, watching him with quiet intensity. The figure disappeared before Kai could react, but the message was clear: even here, within these walls, he wasn't truly safe.
"Three years," Kai muttered under his breath, his resolve hardening. "Better make them count."