Hunter Ascension: Reberu

Dzeth walked down the quiet road leading home from the academy. The evening air was cool, and the streets were mostly empty. His mind was still replaying the events of the day his clash with Hwang, his unexpected victory, and the lingering tension. But just as he reached the front door of his house, a message notification appeared on his Hunter device.

A mission?

He tapped the screen and read the details.

Mission: Exterminate the D-Grade Bat Curses in Hodigama Cave.

Solo Mission. Immediate Execution Required.

Dzeth let out a sigh. Of course, it was a solo mission. His teacher assigned it directly to him. Akanza was too far away to help, his classmates were too lazy to assist, and Hwang was still training.

"Fine," he muttered. "Let's get this over with."

Without wasting time, he grabbed his Heavenly Dagger and headed toward the mission location.

-

Hodigama Cave was located deep in the forest, a place shrouded in darkness even during the day. As Dzeth entered, he felt the cold dampness of the cave walls and heard the distant screeching of bats. The deeper he went, the louder the sounds became.

Suddenly, a swarm of Bat Curses lunged at him from the ceiling, their crimson eyes glowing in the darkness.

Dzeth's movements were precise. He dashed forward, slashing through the first wave of creatures with his Heavenly Dagger. The blade cut through them effortlessly, their cursed bodies disintegrating into black mist. More of them shrieked, diving toward him.

"Too slow."

In a flash, he sidestepped an incoming attack, spun mid-air, and unleashed Negative Reversal, blasting the creatures into the cave walls. The remaining Bat Curses hesitated, sensing something was wrong.

But before Dzeth could finish them off, a presence made his skin crawl.

Someone was watching him.

His ability to sense movements 10 seconds ahead triggered an alert. A figure was lurking in the shadows, observing him from a distance.

Dzeth didn't turn around immediately. Instead, he swiftly eliminated the last Bat Curses before finally speaking.

"You can come out now."

A slow clap echoed through the cave as a tall man stepped forward, his presence radiating confidence. His sharp eyes studied Dzeth, his expression unreadable.

"Amazing," the man said. "You handled those Curses like they were nothing."

Dzeth remained still, gripping his dagger. "Who are you?"

The man smirked. "I'm just a Hunter... a curious one. You see, I've been hearing rumors about a certain someone." He stepped closer. "A Hunter who took down an S-Grade Emperor Curse... alone."

Dzeth's expression didn't change, but inside, he was analyzing the situation. The man's stance, breathing, and slight muscle tension all signs of someone preparing for battle.

"Who sent you?" Dzeth asked.

The man chuckled. "No one. I came on my own. And honestly..." His eyes narrowed. "I thought you'd be someone stronger."

In an instant, he vanished.

Dzeth's ability activated—10 seconds ahead.

He saw it. The Hunter was going to strike from his blind spot, aiming a knife at his back.

Too slow.

Dzeth moved first. By the time the Hunter's attack arrived, Dzeth had already countered. He dodged, grabbed the man's wrist, and twisted it, forcing the weapon from his grip. With a powerful kick, he sent the attacker skidding backward.

The man landed on his feet, his eyes filled with shock.

"What ?!"

"You're not fast enough," Dzeth said calmly. "You'd need to move at least 100 meters in 10 seconds to avoid me seeing it coming."

The Hunter clenched his teeth. "You little—!"

He lunged again, this time activating his Hunter Technique. The ground beneath him cracked as his speed increased.

Dzeth's eyes glowed. 10 seconds ahead.

The moment the Hunter moved, Dzeth was already responding. He ducked, sidestepped, and landed a precise punch into the man's gut. Maximum Positive.

The force sent the Hunter crashing into the cave wall, causing dust and debris to rain down.

He groaned in pain but forced himself to stand. His mind was racing.

What is this kid?!

Sweat dripped from his forehead. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a device, quickly scanning something.

And then, he froze.

Hunter Rank: D

Grade D?!

His hands trembled slightly. He had expected someone powerful. A hidden Grade A or maybe even a newly promoted Grade S. But this? This boy was still officially a Grade D Hunter.

His gaze shifted back to Dzeth, who stood there, completely unfazed. The boy hadn't even broken a sweat.

The Hunter clenched his fists.

If he's only a Grade D... then what the hell is he truly capable of?!

-

Ending Scene

As the man retreated into the shadows, he knew one thing for sure—Dzeth was a threat.

He had to report this.

But even as he escaped, his heart pounded. If this was just the beginning of Dzeth's strength...

What would happen if he got even stronger?

To Be Continue...