A black van rolled into District 101, its engine low and steady as it cut through the empty streets.
No chatter.
No footsteps.
No life.
Only silence.
The van slowed… then stopped.
The engine died.
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then the doors opened.
---
Three figures stepped out.
The first stretched his arms, glancing around with a frown. "This place is kind of empty for somewhere people actually live."
His voice echoed slightly.
Too clearly.
Too loudly.
---
The second figure folded his arms, unimpressed. "That's because there's a demon on the loose, you dummy."
The first snapped his head toward him. "Hey—don't call me a dummy."
The second smirked. "But you are."
"You wanna say that again?"
"I just did."
---
Before the tension could rise any further—
A third figure stepped forward.
Calm.
Quiet.
But heavy.
"You two… stop."
Just those two words.
And the air changed.
---
The other two immediately straightened.
No more jokes.
No more arguing.
---
"We're not here to talk," the third said, his voice steady. "We're here because there's a demon."
He glanced ahead, eyes sharp.
"Focus."
---
"…right."
"Yeah."
---
Without another word, the three moved forward into the dead streets.
---
Elsewhere — The Toy Store
The horse demon stood still.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
In front of it—
Caleb's body lay motionless.
Broken.
Silent.
---
Blood stained the ground beneath him.
His chest barely moved.
His eyes were closed.
---
Dead.
Or at least…
That's what it should have been.
---
Above him—
Something floated.
---
A heart.
Blue.
Unnatural.
Surrounded by dark blue energy that moved like liquid… like it was alive.
It pulsed.
Slow.
Heavy.
---
THUMP.
---
The demon's gaze sharpened.
"…no."
---
The heart twitched.
---
Then—
It moved.
---
Fast.
Too fast.
Straight toward Caleb.
---
"No!"
The demon lunged forward, reaching out—
---
Too late.
---
The heart slammed into Caleb's chest.
---
For a split second—
Everything froze.
---
Then—
BOOM.
---
A violent burst of dark blue energy exploded outward.
The force slammed into the demon, throwing it backward as its hooves scraped across the ground.
It skidded, digging into the concrete before finally stopping.
---
Dust filled the air.
The ground cracked.
The walls trembled.
---
And at the center of it—
Caleb.
---
The energy didn't fade.
It gathered.
It wrapped around him.
---
Like water.
Like something deep… and endless.
---
The demon slowly stood up, its red eyes locked on the figure in front of it.
"…he absorbed it?"
---
A pause.
The air grew heavier.
Harder to breathe.
---
"…is he going to reawaken?"
The demon narrowed its eyes.
"…no."
"That shouldn't be possible."
---
Then—
Caleb moved.
---
A small twitch.
Barely noticeable.
---
Then his fingers curled.
Slowly.
---
His body shifted.
---
And then—
He stood.
---
Unsteady at first.
Like a puppet learning to move.
---
But then—
Still.
Balanced.
---
The dark blue energy flowed around him, wrapping his body like waves.
---
The demon took a step back.
Instinct.
Something about this…
Was wrong.
---
Caleb's head tilted slightly.
His breathing was slow.
Deep.
Controlled.
---
"I…"
His voice came out quiet.
Distant.
---
"I don't understand…"
---
His fingers twitched again.
This time—
His nails began to change.
---
They didn't grow.
They sharpened.
Stretching into something more… something unnatural.
---
The demon's posture stiffened.
---
Caleb lifted his head.
---
His eyes opened.
---
Dark blue light filled them.
Cold.
Deep.
Endless.
---
His pupils shrank.
Thin.
Focused.
Predatory.
---
The store felt different.
Like the air itself had thickened.
---
Caleb took a step forward.
---
But it wasn't normal.
---
It didn't look like walking.
---
It looked like he was moving through something unseen.
Like the space around him had turned into water.
---
The demon's eyes widened slightly.
"…what is this…?"
---
Caleb's lips parted.
---
Revealing jagged teeth.
Sharp.
Too sharp.
---
"I don't know what I'm feeling…"
---
His voice was steadier now.
But something beneath it had changed.
Something deeper.
---
The demon shifted its stance.
Ready.
Alert.
---
For the first time—
It wasn't completely confident.
---
Caleb took another step.
Closer.
---
The dark energy around him pulsed.
---
THUMP.
---
His hand slowly clenched.
---
"…but for some reason…"
---
A faint whisper echoed in his mind.
Cold.
Hungry.
---
> [HUNGER DETECTED]
---
Caleb's expression didn't change.
---
His eyes locked onto the demon.
---
"…I think it's…"
---
Silence.
---
A single breath.
---
The air trembled.
---
"…hunger."
---
The demon froze.
---
Because in that moment—
It understood something.
---
The thing standing in front of it…
Was no longer human.
---
And for the first time since it arrived in this world—
---
The hunter felt something unfamiliar.
---
A faint.
Unsettling.
---
Fear.
---
The world around Caleb felt… different.
He stood there, staring at the demon, but something else was layered over reality.
Something unnatural.
Something cold.
---
Then—
Words appeared.
Not in the air.
Not in front of him.
But inside his vision.
Burning into his sight.
---
[HUNGER DETECTED]
[PREY IDENTIFIED]
[ELIMINATE AND DEVOUR]
[TARGET: NEIGMON — DEMON HORSE TYPE]
[STATUS: HOSTILE]
[TASK: ELIMINATE]
[TASK: DEVOUR]
---
Caleb blinked.
Once.
Twice.
The words didn't disappear.
---
"…I'm seeing things now…"
His voice was low, confused.
But his eyes didn't leave the demon.
---
"I don't know about the devouring part…"
His fingers tightened slightly.
"…but Neigmon…"
His gaze sharpened.
"…I'm sure I'm going to eliminate y—"
---
"Hoof Cannon."
---
A blast of black energy erupted toward him.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
---
BOOM.
---
The impact hit Caleb's head directly.
The toy store shook violently.
Shelves collapsed. Glass shattered. Dust filled the air.
---
Silence.
---
Neigmon lowered its arm slowly.
"…finished."
---
The dust began to settle.
---
And then—
Its eyes widened.
---
Caleb was still standing.
---
Blood streamed down the side of his head.
Dripping.
Slow.
But his body—
Didn't move.
Didn't fall.
---
"…what?"
---
Caleb lifted his head slightly.
His glowing eyes locked onto the demon.
---
Then—
He vanished.
---
In a single motion—
He moved.
Not running.
Not jumping.
---
Diving.
---
He crashed into Neigmon, grabbing it mid-motion and driving it forward.
Through a wall.
Through another.
Debris exploded around them as they tore through buildings like paper.
---
They landed back in the alley—
---
BOOM.
---
Caleb released him—
Then immediately followed with a throw.
---
Neigmon's body slammed into the wall, cracking it deeply.
---
Caleb stood still.
Looking at his hands.
Flexing his fingers.
---
"…have I gotten faster…?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"…stronger…?"
A small pause.
---
"…guess the gym really paid off."
---
"…you idiot."
---
Neigmon stood up.
Blood dripping from its mouth.
Its body trembling—not from weakness.
But something else.
---
"You didn't get stronger because of some stupid gym…"
Its voice darkened.
"…it's because of the heart."
---
Caleb's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"It's the heart of the—"
---
Neigmon froze.
---
Because Caleb was already in front of him.
---
A punch flying straight toward his face.
---
"Hoof Blast Barrage!"
---
Multiple black energy hooves formed instantly—
Firing toward Caleb from all directions.
---
Caleb moved.
---
One came from the left—
He shifted right.
Another from the right—
He flowed left.
---
His body didn't move like a human.
---
It flowed.
---
Smooth.
Effortless.
---
Like he was moving through water.
---
Neigmon's eyes widened.
"…his movements…"
"…they're unnatural…"
---
Caleb stepped forward again.
Closing the distance.
---
Neigmon jumped back—then leaped onto a rooftop.
---
"I can't take him…"
Its voice tightened.
"…I need to run."
---
"Hoof Boost."
---
Black energy wrapped around its legs—
Then it dashed.
---
Fast.
Very fast.
Jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
---
The wind howled around it as it pushed forward at full speed.
---
Then—
It felt something.
---
Behind it.
---
It turned—
---
Caleb.
---
Following.
---
Not running.
---
Swimming.
---
Through the air.
---
Closing the distance.
---
"…no…"
---
Caleb's voice echoed faintly.
"I think I have a move I want to try…"
---
"…no—!"
---
Caleb moved.
---
The air rippled as he surged forward—
---
"Predator's Dive."
---
He reached Neigmon in an instant—
His mouth opening—
Almost—
---
Neigmon reacted.
"Hoof Cannon!"
---
The blast collided with Caleb mid-motion—
Throwing him backward across the rooftop.
---
Neigmon staggered.
Breathing heavily.
---
"I'll end this…"
---
It raised its arm again.
---
"Hoof Blast Barrage!"
---
Multiple attacks fired—
Then—
"Hoof Boost!"
---
It vanished—
Reappearing behind Caleb.
---
"Hoof Cannon!"
---
"You're trapped."
---
The attacks closed in.
Front.
Back.
No escape.
---
Then—
Neigmon froze.
---
A presence.
Behind him.
---
"…what?"
---
Caleb.
---
A kick slammed into Neigmon's back—
Sending him flying to another rooftop.
---
Before he could recover—
Caleb was already there.
---
A punch—
---
Neigmon forced himself to react—
"Hoof Boost!"
---
He dodged—
Then fired again—
"Hoof Cannon!"
---
The attack hit Caleb directly.
---
And yet—
---
He stood there.
---
Unmoved.
---
"…how…?"
---
Caleb tilted his head slightly.
---
"All these things…"
A pause.
---
"…are really making me hungry."
---
Neigmon's eyes widened.
"…how…?"
---
Caleb moved.
---
Fast.
---
Too fast.
---
He grabbed Neigmon—
And tore through him.
---
Blood splattered.
---
Neigmon screamed—
Looking down—
---
His right arm—
Gone.
---
Caleb stood there.
Holding it.
---
Then—
He bit into it.
---
Tore.
---
Ate.
---
Silence.
---
Neigmon trembled.
"…monster…"
---
Caleb froze.
---
Then—
His eyes widened slightly.
---
"…did I just…"
He looked at the arm.
At the blood.
---
"…eat it…?"
---
"…disgusting…"
He stepped back slightly.
---
"My instincts…"
"…they're out of control…"
---
Then—
He looked at Neigmon again.
---
His expression changed.
---
Cold.
---
"…I need to finish this."
---
He slammed his hand into Neigmon's torso—
---
Sending him crashing off the rooftop—
---
Back into the alley.
---
Caleb followed—
Landing heavily.
---
Neigmon struggled to stand.
---
"I need to escape…"
---
Then—
He saw it.
---
Caleb.
---
Smiling.
---
Not wide.
Not crazy.
---
But wrong.
---
"…it's really him…"
"…he came back…"
---
"Hoof Cannon!"
---
But this time—
Neigmon aimed at the ground.
---
The explosion created distance—
A smokescreen—
---
Then he ran.
---
Fast.
Gone.
---
Silence.
---
Caleb stood there.
Breathing slowly.
---
"…he got away…"
---
A pause.
---
"…no big deal…"
He turned slightly.
---
"…I'm sure he won't try that again."
---
Then—
The words returned.
---
[MISSION FAILED]
[PUNISHMENT: RAPID HEARTBEAT]
---
"…what?"
---
His chest tightened.
---
Then—
Pain.
---
Sharp.
Sudden.
---
His heart began to pound violently.
---
Fast.
Too fast.
---
"W-what is this—"
---
He grabbed his chest.
---
"It hurts—"
---
Then—
---
SHINK.
---
A blade pierced through his stomach.
---
Time stopped.
---
Caleb's eyes widened.
---
Blood dripped from his lips.
The sword pierced through his stomach.
A golden blade—etched with strange sigils and glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.
For a moment, everything went still.
Caleb's eyes widened as blood slipped from his lips.
Slowly… painfully… he lifted his head.
Standing before him—
A boy.
Golden eyes. Cold. Unshaken.
"…what the…?"
His voice barely came out.
His strength faded instantly.
The world tilted.
Then—
He collapsed to the ground.
---
To be continued…....