The Hunter and The Hunted

The encounter with Nyx had left Takami shaken. He had faced countless spirits before, but that… that was something else entirely.

It wasn't just power—it was control.

Even now, in the silence of his room, he could still feel the taunts of her presence pressing down on him. His hands clenched into fists. He had leveled up, reached High Grant Level (Red), yet she had made him feel like an insect.

His system remained silent, offering no guidance.

"If I want answers, I need to go looking for them."

Takami grabbed his coat and stepped out into the night, telling his family he wouldn't be gone long.

---

Chaos erupted behind closed doors.

"What do you mean an Avatar walked in and left unscathed?!"

A massive, muscular man slammed his fist against the meeting table. Daigo Shiba, one of the guild executives, glared at the shaken officers before him. A Rank-1 High grant level human, his tactical use of brute force superior to his peers earned him his position. His sharp eyes scanned the room, filled with silence and shame.

Then, a calm voice broke through.

"Nyx… The Sixth Seat."

All heads turned toward Rei Hanekawa, the second-in-command of Shurin Guild, Japan's 7th spirit keeper. Unlike the others, he was eerily composed.

"She didn't kill anyone," he continued, fingers interlocked. "She gave a message."

A hush fell over the room.

"She's looking for someone named Chronix."

The tension thickened.

"The problem isn't that she came and left," Rei said, his voice cold. "The problem is that she made every single one of you turn on each other like puppets… and you all let it happen."

Shame spread across the room like a disease.

A younger officer hesitantly spoke up. "W-What do we do?"

Rei stood. "We find out who Chronix is… and eliminate anyone who gets in the way. If Avatars are making moves, we don't have the luxury of hesitation." He scoffed. "You should be grateful the president isn't here."

He turned to one of the intelligence officers.

"There was an unusual report today. A high-class spirit was killed… by a rookie."

Silence.

"Name?"

"Takami Ryusei.", the officer replied 

"Guild?"

"None, sir. Says here he's a low grant level user… Rank 3.", answered the officer 

Rei's eyes narrowed. He smirked.

"A Rank-3 low grant level human killed a high-class spirit alone?" He leaned back in his chair. "If he didn't fake his status, then… it means he's not human at all."

He exhaled, a dark amusement in his tone.

"Looks like we found our starting point."

---

On a distant rooftop, Nyx gazed down at the streets, the wind tugging at her coat.

Her thoughts lingered on the young man she had passed earlier.

"Takami Ryusei, huh…"

She had barely leaked any Grant, yet he had felt it.

Even high-ranking guild members wouldn't have reacted that quickly.

"A High Grant Level human with a sharp sense for spirits…" She tapped her chin, a grin forming. "Or maybe… something more?"

Her fingers traced a dark, glowing sigil in the air.

"I'll test him."

Darkness swirled around her, and she vanished into the night.

---

Takami arrived at the Sub-Market, an underground black-market for spirit-related goods, information, and contracts.

He needed answers about Avatars and The 12 Seats.

But the moment he started asking, he felt eyes on him.

"New to the game, eh?"

A deep voice interrupted.

He turned. A man in a long coat and sunglasses leaned against a nearby wall, cigarette in hand.

"The name's Kurogane. I hear you're looking for information about Avatars."

Takami remained cautious. "You know something?"

Kurogane smirked. "Maybe. But knowledge isn't free." He flicked his cigarette. "You want answers? You do a job for me."

Takami clenched his fists. "What job?"

Kurogane pulled out a photo.

A spirit. High-class, maybe even high-class 2.

"Kill it."

Takami narrowed his eyes. "Why me?"

Kurogane exhaled smoke. "Consider it a test."

Something about this felt like a setup. But Takami was out of options.

"Fine. I'll do it."

---

Late that night, Takami arrived at the factory—an eerie, deserted structure at the city's edge.

Something was wrong.

The shadows shifted unnaturally. The air felt thick, heavy.

Then—

CLANG!

Metal pipes crashed behind him.

A twisted figure emerged from the darkness, its eyes glowing red.

But that wasn't the real problem.

The real problem was the second presence watching from above.

A cloaked figure stood on the rooftop, arms crossed.

Takami's gut twisted.

"Kurogane set me up."

The figure leaped down, landing with an effortless grace. The hood fell, revealing sharp features and piercing golden eyes.

Takami recognized that face—he had seen it in the guild rankings.

A Rank-2 High Grant Level user. A Shurin Guild assassin.

The man smirked.

"Orders are orders, mister."

Then, in a flash, he moved.

---

The assassin's first strike was lightning-fast.

Takami barely dodged.

"He's way above me."

The spirit attacked from the other side.

Takami was outnumbered.

Then—

A pulse of Grant erupted from his body.

His Eye flared—

And suddenly—

He could see everything.

Not just the attacks.

He saw intent.

The assassin's next move played out in his mind before it even happened.

Takami ducked. A blade missed his throat by inches.

The assassin's eyes widened. "Oh?"

Takami twisted mid-motion and countered—something he shouldn't have been able to do.

The assassin barely blocked.

Takami landed, panting. "What was that?!"

The system flashed.

[Skill Unlocked: Predator's Insight.|Allows the user to predict enemy actions based on their intent.]

Takami grinned.

"Alright then…" He cracked his knuckles. "Let's go for round two."

The assassin smirked, drawing a second dagger.

The battle intensified.

Takami dodged strike after strike, his instincts sharpening.

But he knew—he couldn't keep this up forever.

"I can't keep dodging… Even if the assassin tires, the spirit won't."

The assassin lunged."That all you got?"

Takami stood still with a rather unexplainable expression—then, effortlessly deflected his attack, as if training a student.

The assassin's eyes widened.

BOOM!

A devastating uppercut sent him flying.

Takami exhaled. "If your intent to kill hadn't gotten stronger… maybe I would've still struggled."

The spirit lunged—

Takami dodged, driving his Slayer Blade through its skull.

It disintegrated.

He walked toward the fallen assassin, blade at his throat.

"Why did they send you to kill me?"

The assassin smirked. "Kill me. I'll never tell."

Takami sighed, sheathing his blade.

"Ok, nice fight though "

Then, he disappeared into the night.

The assassin was shocked that Takami really let him live.---

From the shadows, Nyx watched.

She had planned to test him later.

But this?

This was better.

A dark chuckle escaped her lips.

"Oh, you're definitely interesting."

She traced a sigil in the air.

"Let's see how far you can go, Takami Ryusei."

And with that, she vanished into the night.

---

At the Sub-Market, Takami handed one of the assassin's dagger he took to an old liquor vendor as payment for answers.

The old man hesitated, then handed him a dusty book.

As Takami left, the old man picked up his phone and made a call.

"He's still alive."

---

-CHAPTER 8: BOUNTY HUNT-

END OF CHAPTER NOTES ✍️:

1. Another way each class of grant users were split was by a number rank,

• Rank-3 meant really weak in that level 

•Rank-2 meant an average in that level 

•Rank-1 meant an elite in that level 

2. What's Spirit vice? , A spirit vice is a camera made with specially grant infused lenses for taking photos of spirits as normal cameras couldn't.