Episode 1

The sun was just beginning to dip behind the horizon, casting its golden rays over the bustling streets of the city. A wiry, 15-year-old boy named Sakamoto wandered into the local grocery store, G-Store, his thin frame swaying under the weight of his oversized hoodie. His clumsiness was his most defining feature; his gangly arms seemed to have a mind of their own as he accidentally bumped into a display of canned beans, sending them clattering onto the floor.

"Oh, come on!" Sakamoto muttered under his breath, crouching down to restack the cans. A passing toddler laughed at him, pointing as if mocking his misery. Sakamoto shot the kid a glare. "You think this is funny, huh? Wait till you grow up and have to pay for groceries."

Grumbling, he moved toward the produce aisle. His hand hovered over some fresh tomatoes, hesitating as if picking the perfect one required the precision of a brain surgeon. Finally, he grabbed a few, tossing them into his basket like a basketball player making a slam dunk. Next came vegetables, meat, and carrots—all essentials, though the carrots were an indulgence he would later regret.

As Sakamoto reached the meat section, his eyes locked on the price tag. "What the—?!" he yelped, earning a few curious stares from other shoppers. "Why are these prices so high?! Do they sprinkle gold on these cows or what? At this rate, I'm gonna die out of hunger!" He placed both hands on his head and dramatically dragged them down his face, groaning. "But Grandma needs to eat well, anyway," he muttered with a resigned sigh, tossing the meat into his basket.

At the checkout counter, a cheerful voice called out. "Sakamoto? Is that really you? Long time no see!" It was a girl around his age, her name tag reading Mika. She was practically beaming as she scanned the items.

"Oh, hey, Mika," Sakamoto replied, giving her an awkward wave and a crooked smile. He shifted on his feet, nearly tripping over his own shoelaces.

Mika giggled. "Still as clumsy as ever, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, watching the price climb on the screen. His heart sank as the total hit 400 yen. In his mind, an imaginary bank vault door creaked open, revealing a moth fluttering out of the empty chamber.

He scratched the back of his head. "Uh… you know what? Take the carrots off."

Mika raised an eyebrow. "Just the carrots?"

"Yeah, just the carrots," Sakamoto said, handing over 250 yen. He wasn't about to explain to her that carrots were his mortal enemy now. Mika packed the groceries into a bag, handed it over with a smile, and waved him off.

As he stepped outside, the sun was still shining brightly, almost mockingly. Sakamoto squinted up at the sky and sighed. "I've gotta work harder… or starve trying."

He trudged home, his mind a swirling mix of frustration and determination. When he reached the house, he clicked open the door and shouted, "Grandma! I'm home!"

An elderly woman's voice called back weakly from the living room. "Welcome back, dear."

Sakamoto headed to the kitchen, unpacking the groceries onto the counter. Turning on the gas stove, he placed a pot of water on to boil. Just as he started to chop the vegetables, the flame flickered and died.

"No… NO!" he yelled, staring at the empty gas cylinder. He banged the counter in frustration, then gave up and reached for a cup of instant noodles. Minutes later, he served it to his grandmother with a forced smile.

"Have you eaten?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Yep!" he lied through his teeth, ignoring the loud growl from his stomach.

Sakamoto stepped outside for some air, only to accidentally punch the brick wall next to the door in frustration. A crack spread across it, and he froze. "Oops… Hope I didn't break anything," he muttered, quickly walking away.

A few blocks down, the sound of a reporter's voice boomed through a loudspeaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The Great Tournament begins tonight! Win a grand prize of 5 million yen and get the chance to join one of the great hunter houses!"

Sakamoto stopped in his tracks, his head whipping toward the reporter. "Five million yen?!" His eyes lit up like fireworks. "Is that real?"

"Of course, it's real!" the reporter said, puffing out his chest.

"How much for a ticket?" Sakamoto asked, his heart racing.

"150 yen," the reporter replied.

Sakamoto rummaged through his pocket, pulling out 100 yen. "Will you take 100?"

The reporter's smug expression turned sour. "Get your broke ass out of here!"

As Sakamoto turned to leave, the reporter rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, give me the 100 yen. But you owe me the rest!"

"Deal!, Even if I'm unable to win the 5 Million if I get selected into one of the Hunter houses I can do Hunter business and make more money" Sakamoto said, grabbing the ticket and grinning like he'd just hit the jackpot.

With ticket in hand, he walked off into the sunset, the promise of 5 million yen fueling his steps. Little did he know, the Great Tournament was about to change his life forever.