Extermination order

The Sacred Chambers

Deep within the heart of the world, hidden from the eyes of ordinary men, stood the Sacred Chambers—a place untouched by time, where only the most powerful and influential figures of the Exterminator world convened. The air inside was thick with the weight of authority, a silent reminder of the responsibility that rested on the shoulders of those present.

At the center of the room, seated in a grand circular formation, were the Seven Grandmasters, the strongest Exterminators in existence, each ruling over one of the seven Exterminator academies spread across the world. Their presence alone was enough to make seasoned warriors tremble, for each of them held the power to destroy entire nations.

Flanking them were the representatives of the Five Branch Families, the oldest and most prestigious bloodlines in Exterminator history. Unlike the Grandmasters, these individuals did not necessarily hold great power, but their influence over the Exterminator world was absolute. They were the ones who dictated policy, controlled resources, and ensured the extermination order remained intact.

At the head of the chamber, standing before them all, was The Soothsayer.

A being shrouded in mystery, the Soothsayer had existed since the beginning of recorded history, appearing only in times of great upheaval. Their face was concealed beneath an ornate hood, and their voice echoed unnaturally through the chamber, as if spoken by many voices at once.

"The seal is weakening," the Soothsayer announced, their voice carrying a weight that made the room grow colder. "The darkness stirs once more."

A heavy silence fell over the chamber.

None of them needed to ask what the Soothsayer meant. They already knew.

The entity sealed away centuries ago—the Cosmic Eldritch Beast, Umbra—was stirring in its prison.

A being of pure destruction, Umbra was unlike any ordinary Eldritch beast. It was a primordial force, an entity whose existence defied reason. Its awakening would mark the beginning of the Age of Chaos, a period of catastrophe that could wipe out all of humanity.

For centuries, the seal that bound Umbra had held strong. But nothing lasted forever.

And now, the time had come again.

"How long do we have?" asked Rengoku Itsuya, the Grandmaster of Shinketsu Academy. His voice was deep and commanding, yet laced with controlled urgency.

The Soothsayer did not hesitate. "At most, twenty years. At worst… five."

Murmurs of concern rippled through the chamber. Even for warriors of their caliber, this was troubling news.

"There is another matter," the Soothsayer continued, their many-layered voice sending chills down the spines of even the most hardened warriors.

"The Apex Exterminator has been born."

The tension in the room sharpened instantly.

The Apex Exterminator—a being of unparalleled power, born once every six hundred years, the only one capable of standing against the strongest Eldritch beasts. They were not chosen. They were not trained into existence. They were simply born—marked by fate to either save or destroy the world.

"Where is the child?" asked Grandmaster Kaizen, the head of the Asakura Academy.

The Soothsayer's response was cryptic. "That is yet to be determined. The Apex must awaken to his power in time, but know this—he will not walk the path alone. Another walks the shadows beside him. One who defies destiny."

Rengoku narrowed his eyes. "And what does that mean?"

The Soothsayer did not answer. Instead, they simply said:

"The Age of Chaos has begun. Prepare yourselves."

Then, as if they had never been there to begin with, the Soothsayer vanished.

The chamber remained silent, but every Exterminator in that room understood one thing.

The war was coming.

The Seven Grandmasters sat in silence, their gazes heavy with contemplation. Across from them, seated with measured grace, were the Five Branch Families, their expressions unreadable.

The revelation of the Apex Exterminator's birth should have been a cause for immediate action. Instead, tension choked the room, thick with centuries-old grudges and ideological rifts.

Finally, it was Grandmaster Rengoku Itsuya of Shinketsu Academy who spoke first. His golden eyes flickered with intensity as he leaned forward.

"We all know what must be done," Rengoku said, his voice calm but edged with resolve. "We need to find the child. If the Apex Exterminator has been born, we cannot afford to sit idly by. The future of humanity depends on their survival."

A scoff came from Asakura no Kaizen, the Grandmaster of Asakura Academy, a man with silver-streaked hair and a cold demeanor. He tapped his fingers on the table.

"And what do you propose?" Kaizen asked, tone laced with skepticism. "That we blindly search for an infant among billions? That we throw our best warriors into chasing a myth while the Eldritch threat grows?"

"The Apex Exterminator is no myth," interjected Grandmaster Tenri Ozen of Sanzoku Academy, his deep voice like rolling thunder. "The Soothsayer has never been wrong. The child's existence alone is enough to alter the balance of power."

"And yet," spoke a smooth, aristocratic voice from the Branch Family's side, "we have no proof. Only prophecy."

All eyes turned to Lord Juro Hanzo, the head of the Hanzo Family, one of the five ruling bloodlines. Unlike the Grandmasters—warriors hardened by battle—the Branch Families had no need for physical strength. Their power lay in influence, wealth, and strategy.

"Let us not forget," Juro continued, folding his hands together, "that prophecies are open to interpretation. The Soothsayer tells us what may come to pass, not what is certain."

"You're suggesting we do nothing?" Rengoku's voice darkened.

"I'm suggesting," Juro said with a calm smile, "that we focus on what we can control. The seal is weakening, and Eldritch Beasts are growing more restless. If we waste our efforts on chasing this child, we leave ourselves vulnerable to a more immediate threat."

A murmur of agreement ran through the Branch Family representatives.

Rengoku's eyes narrowed. "You don't care about the Apex. You just want to maintain control."

Juro's smile did not fade. "Control is what has kept our world intact for centuries, Grandmaster."

A sharp sound cut through the air as Grandmaster Kiyoshi Meirin of Raijin Academy slammed her fist onto the table. Sparks of Essence Energy crackled from her fingertips, barely restrained.

"You spineless politicians," she snapped. "This is why we should have never let the Branch Families have so much power over the Extermination Order."

At her words, the atmosphere shifted dangerously. The divide between the warriors and the aristocrats had always been fragile, but tonight, it threatened to shatter completely.

"Careful with your words, Kiyoshi," spoke Lady Amaya Mori, head of the Mori Family. She was a woman of quiet elegance, but her eyes gleamed with hidden danger. "The Branch Families built the foundation of the Exterminator world. Without our leadership, your warriors would be nothing more than aimless swords, cutting without direction."

"And without us, your leadership would be nothing more than empty words," Kiyoshi shot back.

"Enough," Kaizen finally interjected, rubbing his temples. "If we argue among ourselves, we gain nothing."

A heavy silence followed.

Then, Lord Juro spoke once more.

"Here is my proposal." He straightened in his seat, his presence exuding confidence. "The Branch Families will not interfere with the Grandmasters' decisions—if you wish to seek out the Apex Exterminator, you may do so. However, we will not divert resources from the war effort. The search will be carried out by individual Grandmasters and their selected forces, not as a unified mission."

Rengoku exhaled sharply through his nose. "So you'll allow us to act, but only within your limits."

Juro's smile returned. "I believe it's called a compromise."

Another silence, but this time, it was not from disagreement—it was acceptance of an unspoken truth.

The Grandmasters had the strength, but the Branch Families controlled the logistics, intelligence, and politics. A war on two fronts—against the Eldritch Beasts and against their own rulers—would be suicide.

Rengoku glanced at the other Grandmasters. Slowly, one by one, they nodded.

The decision was made.

The hunt for the Apex Exterminator would begin—but not as a unified effort.

Each Grandmaster would choose how they acted, some believing in the prophecy, others ignoring it.

And in the shadows, beyond their sight, The Fallen watched.

The war had already begun.

The Gathering of Shadows,

Beneath the ruins of an ancient city long erased from history, deep within the labyrinthine halls where not even the Exterminators dared tread, The Fallen gathered. A vast underground temple, lined with grotesque statues of long-forgotten entities, served as their meeting place. The air was thick with the scent of burning incense and something fouler—something unnatural.

At the center of the chamber, seated on a black stone throne, was Vaelith—a towering figure draped in robes darker than the abyss itself. His face was obscured beneath a hood, save for two burning crimson eyes that glowed like dying embers. Around him, dozens of figures stood—some masked, others bearing marks of corruption on their skin, twisted reflections of what they once were.

A low murmur spread through the room as an elder member of The Fallen, Izekiel, stepped forward. His voice was dry and rasping, as though his throat had never known water.

"The soothsayer has spoken. The seal weakens. The Age of Chaos begins."

The murmurs grew into whispers of anticipation. Some licked their lips; others clenched their fists in excitement.

"And what of the Apex Exterminator?" A woman with silver tattoos snaking across her arms leaned forward. Her name was Liora, known for her ability to manipulate the very shadows she walked upon. "Has he been found?"

Vaelith's eyes narrowed. "No. Not yet. But he is out there." His voice was deep, commanding, an ocean of power restrained behind every word. "And if we do not act swiftly, the Exterminators will find him first."

Another figure scoffed. "Then we kill him before he awakens."

A chuckle rippled through the crowd. Izekiel shook his head. "Fool. If it were that simple, we would have destroyed every Apex Exterminator before they even drew breath. You cannot kill what has been chosen by the natural order. The Apex Exterminator will rise. The only question is..." He turned, letting his gaze sweep across the room. "Will he rise as an enemy—or as one of us?"

Silence followed.

Then, Vaelith rose to his feet.

"Send our spies to the Exterminator Academies. Send our hunters into the villages. The moment we find the child, we will make him see the truth."

A slow, wicked grin spread across his lips.

"If the mighty decide what is right and wrong, then we shall become mightier than them all."

The Birth of Kaito Tenshiro,

Far from the darkness that schemed beneath the world, in a quiet village resting between mountain ranges, a child's cry pierced the night.

A modest wooden house stood under the glow of countless stars. Inside, a woman lay on a futon, her face glistening with sweat as she clutched the small, wailing infant to her chest. Her name was Reika Tenshiro, and in her arms was her newborn son, Kaito.

Beside her, Shinzo Tenshiro knelt, his usually stern face softened by the sight before him. He gently touched the baby's forehead, feeling the warmth of new life, but his breath hitched when he saw it.

A mark.

Not the standard markings of an Exterminator.

Something... different.

A strange insignia, faint but distinct, rested just below the child's collarbone—a swirling, intricate pattern unlike any he had ever seen. His mind raced, searching through every text, every legend, every tale from his past life as an Exterminator.

Nothing matched.

Reika looked up at him, exhaustion in her eyes but also warmth. "What's wrong?"

Shinzo hesitated before forcing a smile. "Nothing. He's perfect."

He turned away, his mind far from ease.

A child born under the whisper of a prophecy. A birthmark that held no place in history. And a storm approaching on the horizon.

Shinzo clenched his fist.

He had abandoned the Exterminator world to protect his family.

But it seemed fate had no intention of letting him go.

Ominous Watchers

Unbeknownst to them, watching from a nearby cliff, a lone figure stood.

Wrapped in a thick cloak, the stranger observed the small home with calculating eyes. The moment the child's cry reached his ears, he sighed, muttering under his breath.

"So, it has begun."

The figure vanished into the night, leaving behind only the whisper of the wind and a lingering sense of unease.