EPISODE TWO

Episode Two : This is the day!

The hall was buzzing with energy, the air thick with the scent of leather armor, sharpened steel, and faint traces of mana residue. Hunters of varying ranks moved about, some laughing in tight-knit groups, others sharpening their weapons in tense silence. The walls of the gathering room were lined with holographic displays, flashing reports of recent expeditions, monster classifications, and the latest door anomalies. Kaede clutched his notepad and recorder tightly, his pulse quickening. This was the most exciting thing he had ever seen.

Weaving through the crowd, he approached a group of mid-tier hunters, their coats worn but their demeanor confident. He forced a smile. "Excuse me, I'm Kaede Tetsuo, reporting for Tanaka High, covering today's assignments. Mind if I ask a few questions?"

One of the hunters, a broad-shouldered man with a scar cutting across his jaw, snorted. "You a rookie?"

"Rookie - oh no, I am a reporter," Kaede replied, adjusting his glasses. "I want to understand how hunters feel before stepping into the unknown."

A smaller hunter, a woman with twin daggers strapped to her thighs, smirked. "You wanna know how it feels? Like flipping a coin—heads, you live; tails…" She mimed a slit throat and grinned.

Kaede swallowed but scribbled down notes anyway. "What do you think about today's door assignments? Any unusual tensions?"

"Yeah," the scarred hunter muttered, glancing at a distant corner where elite hunters stood apart. "Some high-rankers seem on edge. Can't blame 'em."

Before Kaede could press further, a sudden hush fell over the room. A presence commanded attention.

Himori. A hunter known for his quiet but ruthless efficiency. He moved through the room like a shadow, his expression unreadable, his long coat barely shifting as he walked. His rank was just below Sun Jia's, but some whispered that his battle instincts were sharper.

Kaede barely managed to keep his composure as Himori stopped beside a glowing mission board. On the board flickered an image—brief, but enough. A Class A monster. The creature's hollow eyes and jagged exoskeleton sent a chill down Kaede's spine.

Himori studied it for a moment, then exhaled slowly. "Tch. Nothing new," he muttered.

Kaede's instinct was to react—to press for more, to express shock—but he played it cool. Instead, he casually turned to the board as if he hadn't just seen something terrifying. "Routine, huh?"

Himori glanced at him, unreadable, before turning away. "Depends on who's fighting it." And with that, he walked off.

Kaede let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

A sudden alert rang through the hall. Conversations ceased. All eyes turned toward the large holographic screen at the front. The entry to the sub levels were now fully opened.

"Amazing!" one cried out.

"That has got to be close to a 100 doors!"

"The Kanagawa Castle is enormous!" another said.

DOOR ACTIVATION CONFIRMED.

DOOR SIX – SUB-LEVEL SIX

DOOR SEVEN – SUB-LEVEL SIX

SIMULTANEOUS OPENING DETECTED.

Murmurs broke out immediately. This wasn't normal. Doors didn't open in sync—not at these depths.

Sun Jia, standing with her team, exchanged a sharp look with another elite. Kaede caught her eye for a moment, but she was already moving toward the assignment board, determination in her every step.

In the control room above, Akihiko Kanagawa leaned against the console, watching the anomaly unfold. His expression was unreadable, but the slightest glint of intrigue flickered in his eyes.

"This is rare," he murmured.

Behind him, a general shifted uneasily. "Rare isn't always good," the man said. "You should reconsider sending hunters in so soon."

Akihiko smiled faintly, eyes still locked on the screen. "The unknown is what drives us forward. Isn't it?."

The general didn't look convinced.

Akihiko didn't say anything further. Instead, he tapped a finger against the control panel, zooming in on the door feeds. The doors pulsed faintly, energy fluctuating in patterns not yet documented.

Yes. There was more to this than anyone realized.

Kaede leaned against the railing, watching Sun Jia twirl her spear with effortless grace. She was refining her movements, each strike sharp, precise. He knew better than to interrupt her, but his nerves wouldn't let him stay silent.

"Sun Jia," he called hesitantly.

She didn't stop. "Hm?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "I was thinking… since you're practicing, maybe I could go check the assignment list in the observation room?"

Sun Jia arched a brow, finally lowering her spear. "Why?"

"Well," Kaede shifted his weight. "I mean, I can't really fight, right? But I can be useful in other ways. You focus on training, and I'll make sure we're properly assigned."

Sun Jia studied him for a moment, then exhaled. "Fine. Just don't get distracted or—"

"I won't!" Kaede cut in quickly, straightening. "I'll go, check the list, and be right back."

She smirked. "You're way too eager about an errand."

"Because I'm helping," he said, already backing away. "You'll thank me later."

Sun Jia shook her head but waved him off. "Go."

The observation room was dimly lit, the glow of multiple holographic screens reflecting off Kaede's glasses as he scanned the mission data. He had convinced Sun Jia that checking the assignment list was the best way he could help—after all, he wasn't much of a fighter. She had agreed, sending him up while she stayed behind to warm up with her team.

His fingers hovered over the interface, pulling up the hunter assignments. He read through quickly, his pulse steady—until he saw it.

TEAM ASSIGNMENT: DOOR SEVEN – SUB-LEVEL SIX.

That was their designated gate. No mistakes. No confusion. Sun Jia and the others were meant to go through Door Seven.

Kaede exhaled, leaning back slightly. "Alright. Simple enough," he muttered, preparing to relay the information.

Then he heard the voices.

Just outside the observation deck, two technicians spoke in hushed tones, their backs turned to him as they analyzed a separate data feed.

"…Door Seven is giving off much higher readings than expected."

"How high?"

"High enough that it should've been flagged for a raid team, not a regular hunter squad."

Kaede stiffened.

"This doesn't look right," the first technician continued. "The fluctuation is unnatural. Almost like something's… waiting."

"Should we report it?"

A pause. Then, "Not our call. If the higher-ups think it's fine, we don't question it."

Kaede swallowed hard. His eyes flicked back to the list.

Door Seven. That was where Sun Jia and the others were assigned.

His fingers curled into a fist.

For a moment, he hesitated. He could go back, tell them the truth, and let the mission proceed as planned. But that meant stepping into something unpredictable—something even the analysts were unsure about.

He thought of Sun Jia, the way she had brushed him off earlier, telling him to "stay out of the way." She didn't expect much from him. None of them did.

But if he changed their course… if he directed them somewhere safer, where he wouldn't just be a liability… maybe things would be different. Maybe he wouldn't just be dead weight.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Then, before he could talk himself out of it, he made his choice.

Kaede rushed back down, forcing himself to look calm as he approached Sun Jia and the others. She barely glanced up, still adjusting the grip on her spear.

"Door Six," he announced. "That's where we're assigned."

Sun Jia raised an eyebrow.

Kaede shrugged, keeping his voice steady. "Double-checked in the system. Six. No mistake."

One of the other hunters said. "Ugh. Door Six, my lucky number."

Sun Jia studied him for a second longer, then rolled her shoulders. "Alright then. Door Six it is."

Kaede let out a breath of relief. He had done it.

Now he just had to hope it was the right choice

Kaede adjusted his gear as they approached the massive, reinforced frame of Door Six. The air hummed with latent energy, the runes along the gateway flickering softly. As he turned his head, he caught sight of another group gathering near Door Seven.

Hayami stood at the front, her expression composed as she gave final instructions to her team. She noticed him watching and lifted a hand in a casual wave. Kaede didn't no what to make of it - how did she? How was she? Why was she?

Kaede hesitated, then waved back. "See you after," he mouthed.

Hayami gave a small nod before turning away, leading her hunters toward the glowing threshold of Door Seven.

Kaede's stomach twisted. He hoped she'd be okay.

As their own team readied to move, Kaede, eager to shake his nerves, started talking. A lot.

"So, what's the weirdest thing you've seen in one of these doors?"

No answer.

"Are death wolves actually wolves, or is that just a name?"

Silence.

"Do these portals ever, you know… glitch?"

One of the older hunters sighed. "Kid, stop thinking so much."

Another smirked. "Yeah, save your last words for when we actually need 'em."

A few of them chuckled, but Sun Jia just shook her head. "Kaede. Steady yourself."

He nodded quickly, falling silent.

The air grew heavy as the portal activated, a swirling distortion opening in the arch of Door Six. One by one, the hunters stepped through, their forms rippling and vanishing into the unknown.

Kaede swallowed hard. This was it.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The sensation was instant—like being submerged in cold water, a pulling force wrapping around his entire body. The world shifted.

Then, in a blink, he was through.

Kaede's Discomfort

The space beyond was vast and hollow, a cavern stretching in all directions. The walls pulsed faintly, veins of dim blue light running through them like the slow breath of something ancient. The energy here was weaker than expected, the silence unsettling.

"Cave outlay," one hunter muttered. "Not much of a challenge after all."

Another scoffed and nudged Kaede. "You look like you belong here. Go find a nice corner to cower in."

Kaede didn't argue. Before he knew it, his feet were already shuffling backward, positioning himself near the rock formations. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere safe.

Just in case.

A low, chittering sound echoed through the cavern, bouncing off the pulsating walls. At first, it was distant—a whisper in the dark. Then it grew. Fast.

Shadows spilled from the crevices. Razor Crawlers, their spindly legs skittering across the stone, emerged in swarms. Their elongated jaws clattered, sharp mandibles twitching hungrily. Behind them, Death Wolves—hulking beasts with black, smoke-like fur and glowing red eyes—prowled forward, their guttural snarls filling the air.

The first screech cut through the space. Then the horde charged.

"Contact!" a hunter shouted.

Swords were drawn. Spells ignited. The battle had begun.

Sun Jia Takes Charge

Before panic could settle, Sun Jia's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Healers, backline! Mages, control their movement! Brawlers, focus on the wolves—keep them from breaking our formation!"

She didn't wait for confirmation. Her spear flared with a burst of fire, and in a single fluid motion, she lunged forward.

The first Razor Crawler that leaped at her was reduced to burning ash before it even hit the ground.

The hunters moved in sync, following her lead. Fireballs erupted, illuminating the cavern. Arrows flew, striking creatures mid-lunge. Brawlers clashed with the wolves, their weapons ringing out against the beasts' thick hides.

Kaede watched, gripping his camera tightly.

Kaede's Awe

His hands moved on their own, snapping shot after shot. He couldn't look away.

Sun Jia was a force of nature. Every movement was precise, controlled. Her spear danced through the air, slicing through enemies with ease. Even the most seasoned hunters glanced her way in admiration.

Kaede had seen her train, had written about her abilities before. But this—this was different. This was real.

For the first time, he truly understood why people spoke of her as one of the best.

Kaede's Panic

A sharp clicking sound came from behind him.

He barely had time to turn before a Razor Crawler lunged.

His breath hitched. His legs moved before his mind could catch up.

He ran.

The creature scuttled after him, its jagged limbs scraping against the stone. Kaede stumbled, barely dodging as it swiped at him. His heart pounded. His vision blurred. He tripped over a loose rock, landing hard on the ground.

The Razor Crawler loomed over him, its mandibles snapping.

He let out a strangled scream.

The next second, fire flashed in front of him.

Sun Jia's spear tore through the creature, its body shriveling into blackened remains. She stood over him, eyes sharp with irritation.

"Find a safe spot," she ordered, flicking blood from her weapon.

Kaede nodded frantically, scrambling to his feet.

He could still hear the battle raging behind him. But at that moment, all he could think was—

I am so out of my league. He thought squeamishly.

The dim glow of holographic screens bathed the control room in cold blue light. Operators moved between stations, fingers gliding over touch panels, analyzing data streams from both Door Six and Door Seven.

Akihiko stood at the center, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on the displays. Each screen showed live feeds of the hunters in action—Sun Jia's team locked in battle with Razor Crawlers and Death Wolves, while Hayami's unit faced an equally dangerous onslaught on the other side.

"Energy levels fluctuating in both sub-levels," one of the analysts reported. "Door Seven is still showing a higher anomaly reading, we think its a glitch in the system, but Door Six's readings is okay."

Akihiko didn't react. He simply watched.

Whispers moved through the control room. The operators weren't just observing anymore—they were engaged, captivated by what was unfolding.

"Sun Jia is tearing through those creatures," one murmured. "She's like a war goddess out there, her ratings have been quite excellent!"

Another pointed at the feed from Door Seven. "Hayami's precision is unreal. Look at her movements—every strike is calculated, She may look really odd but the girl has been in top form."

"I hear she is getting reevaluated soon, she is quite a hunter!" another said.

"And Himori…" Someone exhaled. "I knew he was strong, but this is on another level. His form is almost flawless."

Akihiko let the words settle. He had expected Sun Jia to impress, and Hayami was already making a name for herself. But Himori? His technique was refined—almost too refined for someone of his rank.

Interesting.

The generals, watching from the back of the room, exchanged looks. One of them, an older man with graying hair, spoke lowly.

"These three… if they survive today, they might be the future of the Hunters' Guild."

Akihiko didn't turn. But his lips curled, just slightly.

Survival was always the first test. That was what his father taught him.