Depressionface

It's the story of a man who hunts ghosts at night, but there's something mysterious about him—and his past. He takes down Ghosts. one by one, seemingly just to survive and earn money. But is that all there is to it? Or is something far more sinister lurking in the shadows of his own history?

THE GHOST HUNTER .

A young man sat near his boat, hat tilted low, his worn-out clothes dusted with dirt. A bass rested beside him, its silver scales catching the dim light.

"Ghost hunter… Emily—she's in trouble!"

A six-year-old girl wandered alone into the cursed forest—a place where neither sunlight nor hope could reach. Ghosts and demons lurked within, their whispers thick in the air.

Emily ran, heart pounding, as a towering monster—eighteen feet tall, with a single twisted horn—stalked after her.

"Where are you, little girl?" the creature called, grinning. "I won't hurt you… come out."

Emily ducked behind a wooden cabin, pressing her back against the rough walls. Silence. Then—two enormous, glowing eyes peered at her from a broken window.

"You ugly fatso!" she yelled in frustration.

"You dare call me ugly?" His laughter shook the trees. "Uhhahaha! Now you die!"

A flash of silver. A sudden cry of pain.

The monster staggered back, his arm severed cleanly from his body.

A young man stood behind him, sword gleaming in the moonlight.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on my treasure, bastard."

The monster's flesh twisted and reformed, his arm regenerating instantly.

"Hah! That's nothing to me! I'll kill you both in one swing!"

—but the ghost hunter didn't move.

Emily was injured. She couldn't run.

So instead of dodging—he took the hit.

The blade struck—but the hunter had already stepped past him. A shadow flickered.

The monster's entire body split apart.

The ghost hunter grabbed the severed remains and stuffed them into a bag.

"Ewww!" Emily groaned. "Are you seriously going to eat that?"

"Yeah," he said casually. "It's just meat. The ghost took on physical form, and ghosts can't exist in this world without a body. So technically, it's just… meat."

Emily gagged. "I don't care! I want noodles instead!"

"Tsk. Fine," the hunter muttered. "But listen up, kid—that thing wasn't the one that killed your family."

The hunter sighed. "Don't make me repeat myself. There are people who'd be devastated if something happened to you."

Emily smirked. "Aww, you care about me, huh? Huh? You—"

"Tsk! Stay away! Don't cling to me, you brat!"

A tiny girl—barely three years old—had crashed into him, tears streaking her face.

"Please! My parents—they're in danger! A ghost—she let me go to call for help!"

The young hunter had sighed. "Kid… to be honest, there's no chance they're still alive. Forget it. Come with me—I'll take you somewhere safe."

He had slaughtered countless high-ranking ghosts on the way. None had slowed him down. But when they arrived—

A woman wrapped in shadows. Crimson eyes glowing.

"Oh? You actually came back?" Her voice dripped with amusement. "Isn't this a surprise? The lost prince… the Apex Legend. The one who cuts through anything. The one who has never lost. The one they call the God of this world… What happened to you?"

Emily turned to look at the ghost hunter.

And for the first time—she saw fear in his eyes.

Chapter 1