Chapter 5: First Mission
Carl's First Mission as a Hunter
The air reeked of burning asphalt and ozone. Sirens wailed in the distance as Carl adjusted the collar of his new hunter uniform, his black hunter badge clipped neatly to his chest. Across the destroyed overpass, chunks of broken road and overturned vehicles littered the scene. The rift crackled a few meters ahead—unstable, glowing red.
"This is it," muttered one of the older hunters beside him. "A mid-high A-level rift. First mission, rookie?"
Carl nodded. "First official one."
The older man gave a wry grin. "Stay close and don't do anything stupid. You're strong on paper, but experience is what keeps us alive."
Carl didn't reply. He was focused. Shadow tendrils curled loosely beneath his boots, twitching like muscles ready to spring.
The rift split open fully with a deafening crack, and from it poured a swarm of monsters—long-limbed, horned creatures with glowing eyes and jagged claws. Chaos erupted as the hunters charged.
Carl moved like a phantom.
His shadows lashed out, skewering one creature mid-leap and pulling another down before it could land on a wounded comrade. He was faster than he had ever been before, more precise, more instinctive. His desire to protect—burning white-hot inside him—sharpened his focus.
His teammates fought hard. The battle was long and rough. One hunter was nearly crushed by a horned beast until Carl's shadow surged in, forming a shield to block the impact just in time.
By the time the last monster fell, the street was drenched in black blood and the rift shriveled into nothingness.
Carl leaned on a broken light post, breathing hard, bruised but not broken.
The other hunters looked at him, nodding with silent respect. He had proven himself.
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AHCA Hospital — Post-Mission Evaluation
The AHCA medical wing buzzed with energy—healers moving briskly between rooms, monitors humming with power readings. This hospital wasn't for ordinary citizens. It was built exclusively for Awakened and hunters. Specialized equipment, specialized treatment.
Carl sat on a diagnostic bed, shirt off, while a nurse took samples of his energy signatures.
"Your vitals are stable," she said, frowning slightly at the monitor. "But your power output is… odd."
"Odd how?" Carl asked, wincing slightly as the scanner hovered near his shoulder.
She looked at him with wide eyes. "It's increasing."
Shortly after, Rosalind herself entered the room with a clipboard. Her expression, always controlled, was now tinged with something rare—curiosity.
"I reviewed your battle footage," she said calmly. "You were already strong before. But something's changed."
Carl nodded. "I didn't feel stronger, just more… sure. I didn't hold back."
She walked over and tapped a few buttons on the monitor. A holographic chart of his energy levels bloomed into the air—and it was clear.
Carl's energy wasn't just increasing. It had spiked.
Dramatically.
"I've never seen anything like this outside of mutation events," Rosalind murmured. "Your awakened core is evolving in real time. It's no longer at the A-level threshold."
Carl stared at her. "Then what is it?"
Rosalind met his gaze with something unreadable in her eyes. Then, slowly, she spoke the words that would change everything.
"You're now classified as an S-level Hunter."
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The room was silent.
Carl looked down at his hands. His shadow curled at his feet like a living thing—no longer just an extension of him, but a partner. His promise echoed in his mind:
To protect, not to avenge.
His body might've healed, but something deeper had awakened.
Rosalind turned to leave but paused at the door.
"You've changed, Haruki," she said quietly. "This world needs more like you. But remember—being an S-level means you'll face what most cannot survive."
He nodded, quietly determined.
"I'm ready."