Chapter 13 — Gathering Storms
Tokyo had never been a quiet city.
Even at night, the streets glowed with neon and motion. Cars slid through intersections like flowing metal rivers, restaurants buzzed with late conversations, and trains whispered across elevated tracks like mechanical serpents gliding through the sky.
But something had shifted.
Not visibly.
Not something a normal person would recognize.
Yet hunters felt it.
A subtle tension in the air.
Like the world itself had inhaled and hadn't yet decided whether to exhale.
Because one man had appeared.
One man who should not exist according to the rules humanity had believed in for nearly two decades.
Lucas Dilihavia.
The sixth Mythic Rank Hunter.
And possibly something even stranger.
---
Morning — The Price of Power
Sunlight spilled gently through Lucas's apartment window.
For a moment he lay there without moving, staring at the ceiling in complete silence. His chest rose and fell with a rhythm that felt too deliberate, too efficient. Even breathing had become something sharpened.
He could hear the city outside.
Distant traffic.
Footsteps in the hallway.
The faint hum of electronics.
Everything felt sharper now. His senses had grown stronger again overnight. He could almost count the heartbeats of the neighbors through the wall. He could smell the faint detergent from laundry two floors down. It was overwhelming, yet strangely… natural.
His muscles moved with a quiet, effortless precision when he finally sat up.
"…Still weird."
The bed creaked slightly under his weight as he stretched. His body no longer felt like his own—it felt like a weapon disguised as flesh.
Lucas checked his phone.
Immediately regretted it.
The screen exploded with notifications.
Messages.
Calls.
Emails.
Invitations.
Lucas scrolled for a few seconds.
Then stopped.
"…I regret becoming famous."
He tossed the phone onto the bed and walked into the living room.
Sarah and Anya were already awake.
Sarah sat cross-legged on the couch with a bowl of cereal, spoon dangling lazily from her lips. Anya had claimed the remote. And the television. Both of them looked far too comfortable for the chaos Lucas felt inside.
Lucas appeared on the screen.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every news station replayed the same footage.
"THE SIXTH MYTHIC HUNTER."
"JAPAN'S FIRST MYTHIC RANK."
"LUCAS DILIHAVIA SHOCKS THE WORLD."
Sarah glanced up, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Morning celebrity."
Lucas grabbed a glass and filled it with water.
"…Please don't call me that."
Anya pointed at the TV.
"They're analyzing your muscle structure."
Lucas choked on the water.
"…What?"
The broadcast zoomed into an image of Lucas during the evaluation test. A panel of experts was discussing his body composition like they were studying a newly discovered species.
"Based on the density of his musculature—"
Lucas grabbed the remote and muted the television.
"…I hate everything."
Sarah laughed, spoon tapping against the bowl.
"You'll get used to it."
Lucas leaned against the counter.
"…Doubt it."
Anya grinned, eyes gleaming with the kind of teasing that promised trouble.
"Also."
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"…Also what."
She held up her phone.
The paparazzi photo appeared again.
Lucas.
Elvanor.
Kissing under the city lights.
Lucas stared at it.
"…Seriously?"
Sarah smirked.
"You're trending for two reasons."
Anya counted on her fingers.
"Reason one: You're one of the strongest humans alive."
She raised another finger.
"Reason two: you kissed the Ice Saint."
Lucas sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
"…I should go back into the dungeon."
Sarah leaned back, amused. "You'd rather fight monsters than deal with gossip?"
Lucas muttered, "Monsters don't take pictures."
---
The Hunter Association Reacts
Several kilometers away, the Hunter Association Headquarters buzzed with tension.
Inside a large conference chamber, officials had gathered around a circular table. Screens displayed Lucas's evaluation data.
Energy output.
Mana density.
Physical metrics.
Every number was absurd.
One of the analysts adjusted his glasses nervously.
"…If this data is accurate…"
He looked toward the others.
"…he surpasses Sophia Laindrith."
A low murmur spread across the room.
Another analyst spoke carefully.
"And possibly approaches Thomas Andrea."
The room fell silent.
That name carried weight.
Thomas Andrea.
The current strongest Mythic Rank hunter in the world.
A walking natural disaster.
Chairman Jui sat calmly at the head of the table. His expression held quiet amusement, like a man watching a storm roll in from a safe distance.
An official leaned forward.
"Sir… what if the international guilds attempt to recruit him?"
Chairman Jui tapped the table gently.
"They will."
"And if he refuses?"
Chairman Jui smiled slightly.
"Then they will try harder."
A younger official asked nervously,
"Should we intervene?"
Chairman Jui shook his head.
"No."
The room blinked.
"…No?"
Chairman Jui stood slowly, his presence filling the chamber.
"That boy…"
He looked toward the window, where Tokyo's skyline shimmered.
"…does not belong to anyone yet."
Then he added quietly,
"And forcing a Mythic Rank hunter into anything…"
"…has historically ended badly."
---
Holy Grail Watches
Inside the towering headquarters of the Holy Grail Guild, Sir Lidion stood beside a massive glass window overlooking Tokyo's skyline.
His bodyguard waited nearby, tense as if expecting orders.
Lidion reviewed the reports on his tablet.
Lucas's combat evaluation.
Dungeon footage.
Witness testimonies.
The bodyguard spoke first.
"Sir… should we approach him again?"
Lidion shook his head.
"No."
"…Why?"
Lidion smiled faintly, eyes reflecting the city lights.
"Because predators hate cages."
The bodyguard frowned slightly.
"…You believe he's that dangerous?"
Lidion's eyes gleamed.
"I believe he doesn't understand how dangerous he is."
---
Visitors Arrive
Later that afternoon—
Lucas answered his door.
And immediately regretted it.
Standing outside were two figures that made the hallway feel smaller.
The first was enormous.
Broad shoulders.
Golden hair.
A presence like a mountain.
Thomas Andrea.
World Rank #1.
Beside him stood a tall woman with platinum hair and calm eyes.
Elegant.
Controlled.
Sophia Laindrith.
World Rank #3.
Lucas blinked.
"…Oh."
Thomas grinned widely, voice booming like thunder.
"Kid!"
His voice echoed through the hallway.
"You're Lucas!"
Lucas nodded.
"…Yeah."
Thomas clapped his hands once, the sound like a gunshot.
"Good!"
Sophia studied Lucas quietly. Her gaze moved slowly across him. Analyzing. Measuring. Her expression didn't change, but her silence carried weight.
"…You're stronger than the numbers suggest."
Lucas scratched his head.
"…Thanks?"
Thomas stepped forward eagerly, aura pressing down like a storm front.
"Fight me."
Lucas blinked again.
"…You just got here."
Thomas shrugged.
"So?"
Lucas shook his head.
"I literally just ate lunch."
Thomas crossed his arms.
"…And?"
Lucas thought for a moment. Then said casually,
"Give me a week."
Thomas's grin widened, eyes blazing with excitement.
"Deal."
Sophia watched silently. Then she asked Lucas something interesting.
"…Why aren't you nervous?"
Lucas shrugged.
"…Should I be?"
Sophia smirked faintly, a rare crack in her icy composure.
"…Interesting answer."
---
A Walk Through the City
After they left, Lucas needed fresh air.
The city felt different now.
People recognized him.
Some whispered.
Others stared openly.
Lucas ignored it, though the weight of their gazes pressed against his skin like invisible chains.
He eventually found himself wandering into a quiet park. Trees rustled softly in the wind. Children played in the distance. The laughter was grounding, reminding him of a world untouched by rankings and power.
Lucas sat on a bench.
For a few minutes—
Nothing happened.
Then the shadows moved.
Inside his mind—
Arcadrim appeared again.
The Demon Lord leaned against a pillar of darkness, crimson eyes glowing faintly.
"…You've made friends."
Lucas sighed.
"…They want to fight me."
Arcadrim smiled, teeth sharp.
"That is how warriors say hello."
Lucas stared at the sky.
"…Great."
Arcadrim studied him carefully.
"You're calm."
Lucas shrugged.
"…Should I panic?"
Arcadrim chuckled, voice like velvet wrapped around steel.
"No."
He leaned forward slightly, aura pressing against Lucas's chest.
"But you should prepare."
Lucas looked at him.
"…For what."
Arcadrim's crimson eyes glowed brighter.
"For the moment the world realizes…"
"…you might surpass them all."
---
Nightfall — The World Moves
Elsewhere in the world—
Powerful individuals began making decisions.
Guild masters reviewed Lucas's data.
Governments held emergency discussions.
Hunter networks updated rankings.
Planes were booked.
Meetings arranged.
Plans made.
Because a new variable had entered the equation.
And nobody liked unknown variables.
---
The Ones Who Watch
Deep underground.
Far from Japan.
A hidden chamber lit by ancient runes.
Several cloaked figures stood around a massive stone table. Each radiated terrifying power, their presence warping the air.
One of them spoke.
"…The sixth Mythic hunter has appeared."
Another replied.
"And he may already surpass the third."
A third voice whispered, dripping.
The end...