Aurora: "Now, I will take over your body and regain my freedom!
"Jiro: "You cursed wench!"
Aurora: "Didn't anyone teach you some manners? You know, insulting someone the first time you meet them is not very cool
"Jiro: "Curse you! Curse the beings who conceived you! Curse the almighty who chose to give you a soul!"
The boy was slowly getting submerged in a dark and dense liquid; as he drew, he closed his eyes to that sinister place. The space they were in was as dark as the abyss, and the only thing he could see was Aurora waving at him in mockery. His body tensed up as he was engulfed in the liquid in that desperate situation. The final words he heard after he closed his eyes were:
Aurora: "I, Aurora, Child of calamity, declare you as my host for all eternity until you choose to offer me your body, soul, and spirit."
After that, Jiro woke up in shock and gasped in terror. He looked around, trying to assess the situation, and realized he was at the edge of the same forest he had always ventured into. Beside him was a deer licking his face, and in the distance, he saw two snakes slithering deeper inside the forest.
Jiro: "Did I just hallucinate stuff? Did I just talk with someone? I can't remember, though."
He felt something disastrous had happened, but couldn't remember what he saw in that "dream," which seemed more authentic than nature.
While pushing the deer's head away from his face, he saw the vast pine cone tree, which he admired due to its age. He noticed the sun gradually setting and thought, 'I should probably head home.'.
Jiro is a quintessential tall and handsome teenager. He effortlessly draws attention with his easygoingness and laid-back charm. Standing at an average height, he is highly athletic and has a fit body, exuding a sense of vitality without the bulk of muscle. And that forest was the reason for his perfectly well-shaped physique since he would always go there to train his mind and body. And why would he train so hard? It's because Jiro dreamed of becoming a hunter to serve his country. Hunters are the highest-ranked warriors in a country; they serve as protectors of the population and defenders of the queen of their respective nation, and most importantly, they are a means to discourage any enemy attack on their lands. Jiro wished to become a hunter to serve his nation and protect the people he cherished, without knowing what hunters actually do.
Jiro slowly got up. As he stood up, the deer ran out in the opposite direction. He was heading to his house in the town of Artemis, where he was living with his family. He was the only child of a wealthy family; his father was a retired hunter who had served his country for 35 years.
Jiro: "The hunter examination is in one week, huh? I guess I won't participate since my father will be against it… I need a way to at least try it, or else I won't be able to become a hunter just like I always wanted."
His father, Denji Yamato, was against the idea of his son becoming a hunter for various reasons he never wanted to share with his son Jiro. He wanted his son to live a 'normal life' where he could just fit in society and stay out of anything that would endanger his life. For that reason, he always refused to sign the documents allowing him to participate in any hunter examination. He walked over to his village, and as he entered, everyone welcomed him back with utmost fervency, but it was never for the person Jiro was; it was always about the fact that he was Denji's son. He felt thirsty on the road and bought something in a small local shop.
Shop owner: "Welcome, welcome! Oh, it's Denji's son! What was your name again? Jairo? Jero?"Jiro: "It's Jiro! Anyway, what do you have to drink in here?
"Shop owner: "Oh I have some of the best drinks! Orange juice, grape juice, lemonade… I even have some drinks made of herbs!
"Jiro: "Herbs? Do I look like a cow to you?
"Shop owner: "Oh no no no! Certainly not, dear customer! I just…"
Jiro: "Fine, I'll try your garbage."
Shop owner: "I see, I'm sorry I even sug… Wait, seriously?"
And just like that, Jiro dropped three copper coins in the young man's hand and continued his road. After a few more awkward comments, he finally reached home. His huge house was located in an isolated place with a huge garden in the front. His mom was working in the garden, a short woman that was in her 30s, her smooth, silky, and tumbling black hair was usually left untied, was tied in a bun for her gardening work. Jiro didn't see her mother's face that day nonetheless, he was welcomed home by her in the most classical way as if Jiro was just a friend who came to visit her house. He didn't pay any attention to that since his father was the closest to him in his life, his mother was just a family figure, or at least that's how he analyzed the situation. He calmly entered his house and found his father lying on the sofa in a weird position.
Jiro: "I'm home da… Why are you lying in this weird position? At least be a normal old dirtbag!"Denji: "That's no way to talk to your old man you freak! Now come here I need to talk with you."
Denji sat on the sofa and invited his son to sit in front of him on the single sofa, separated by a low table. Jiro approached the single sofa just like his father asked him, but as he got closer, his father made a disgusted face.
Jiro: "What's wrong? Have you seen a ghost?"
Denji: "JIRO! GO TAKE A SHOWER GODDAMIT! YOU STINK!"
Jiro: "Don't just give me another task! You told me that you had something to talk about, so spill the tea!"
Denji: "I made your paper to take the hunter examination."
Jiro: "Of course, you won't do it you're stubborn as shit… Wait, did you actually say you DID do it?"
Denji: "Oh, you didn't want to? I can just go and tell them you didn't want to go for it."
Jiro: "No! But you always refused. Why did you suddenly agree to do it?"
Denji: "To do what every parent should do! Break your spirit and make you give up on that stupid idea!"
Jiro: "THAT'S NOT WHAT PARENTS DO! But now that you agreed to let me take the examination, I only need to pass the examination and shut your mouth for good."
Denji: "Not so fast, cowboy. I put down a condition before sending your admission."
Jiro: "You're as unreasonable as always, old man. So what's that stupid condition?"
Denji: "As you know, you need to spar with a real hunter in that exam, so I asked them to match you against the strongest hunter in the country… You're facing Hayato Seishii! Good luck shitty brat!"
Jiro: "Haya… Who's that? Usually, when we talk about the strongest hunter, it's always between Marigold Mackenzie and Mr. Arthur…"
Denji: "Huh? These second-class hunters? That's proof you have no idea about the world of Hunter's son. Hayato Seishii… He's the reason why I abandoned being a hunter. Sure, Mary and Arthur are good, but Hayato Seishii is the very definition of unfair!"
Jiro: "Hey! At least think about my safety!"
Denji: "Loser mentality! Instead of thinking about the worst outcome, think about how you will overcome this challenge. Either you become a hunter after getting acknowledged by the strongest, or you don't! That's how a winner thinks Jiro! NOW GET IN THE SHOWER BEFORE I BEAT YOU UP!"
He went to the bathroom and filled up the bathtub as he got inside, he started thinking about everything his father said.
Jiro: "You stopped being a hunter because of him and now you want me to face him myself? Why do I have to go through this? Is it really for the sake of being accepted by the strongest one out there? That's just unfair! I mean come on… Can I even do anything against that guy?"
A lot of questions came into Jiro's mind but he wasn't being pessimistic about it, he was just anxious. After all, he was a normal teenager who had a dream he wanted to pursue and now he is forced to face the strongest hunter in the country.
The following day, Jiro intensified his training in the forest. He fought any dangerous animal he came across and battled them until he reached exhaustion, the type of unhuman training that forced him to go beyond his limitations and as the day approached, his appetite began to fade away slowly as he had only one goal set in his mind: Success!"
The night before the big day, Jiro was unable to sleep as he was thinking about various scenarios of what was going to happen.
The next day:
Jiro woke up from his bed and got dressed. He went for the same outfit he usually wears for his training, a white V-neck T-shirt with gray cargo shorts, and paired it with black combat sneakers.
Jiro: "Well, mom, dad, I'm off."Denji: "Enjoy your short trip into the hunter life shitty brat! I'm waiting for you here."Jiro: "Just sit on your sofa and watch me overcome the biggest challenge you've put me through, old geezer!"
His father's gaze was between frightening and daring, pushing Jiro's excitement to the max.
Denji: "Prove me wrong, then starve-crazed kid! Your eyes are proof that you're my son."
With renewed confidence, Jiro was about to leave the house, but just as he opened the door, he heard his mother say something.
Jiro's mom: "Good luck, Jiro, wish you the best!"
He didn't even bother answering, waved goodbye to his parents, and closed the door behind him.
A family of assassins, the 'Hara' family, lived in the same village. This family has a reputation for producing brilliant hunters/assassins that followed the previous generation, and the youngest son of the Hara family, Akihiko Hara, was around Jiro's age and naturally became friends. Additionally, Akihiko was going to take the hunter examination, and Jiro himself also informed him that he had finally gotten approval from his dad. Together, they had decided to meet at the village entrance and move out to where the hunter examination was taking place.
Jiro finally arrived and saw Akihiko leaning on a rock wall as he was waiting.
Akihiko: "Yo… Took you long enough!"Jiro: "Oh, Akihiko! Long time no see!"
Akihiko and Jiro became friends only because there were few kids in that village. For that exact reason, the southern part of the country was known as "the antiquity." They had around an hour of walking in front of them before reaching the place where the examination was held. On the way there, Akihiko felt stressed and decided to talk with Jiro about his doubts.
Akihiko: "Say, Jiro… You know that this test is a spare against a real hunter tight?"
Jiro: "Yeah, my father talked about it."
Akihiko: "Aren't you a bit too calm, hot-headed? We're talking about a real hunter! Since you're so full of yourself, who will you pick as your opponent?"
Jiro: "To be honest with you, I was forced into this… But if I were to choose, my answer would remain unchanged. It's gotta be the strongest one among them, Hayato Seishii!"
Akihiko stopped walking for a second and looked at Jiro in the same way, a normal person would look at one who's stupid.
Akihiko: "ARE YOU AN IDIOT?! WHY WOULD YOU GO FIGHT A MONSTER LIKE THAT?!"Jiro: "At first, my father put up that condition, saying if I was going to be a hunter, I needed the approval of the strongest one out there, but then… I realized what he was saying was true."
Akihiko: "Yeah… Idiocy goes in the family tree, I presume."Jiro: "What about you?"Akihiko: "I haven't decided yet, I'll think about it when I'm there."
They continued their road, talking about various things that concerned them, and after a long walk, they finally arrived in front of the building that was going to host the main event. It was a big arena with the voice of the public resonating from everywhere.
Akihiko: "Do we go in, Jiro?"
Jiro: "Yeah… Let's do this! I'm gonna prove my father wrong and reach my goal!"
Just as they were about to enter the building, an imposing presence appeared behind them, and somebody started talking.
???: "Newcomers, I see… And who might you two be?"
Akihiko was wary as the imposing presence was coming their way.
Akihiko: "We're just applicants…"
???: "Hmm… I see. State your name and show me your invitations."
The boys executed themselves, giving each their name and presenting their papers, confirming their participation in the hunter examination.
???: "Alright, you two, follow me."
He returned their invitations and pointed his finger to signal them to follow him, but Jiro was intrigued by the identity of the suspicious man.
Jiro: "And who might you be?"
???: "Oh right, I always forget about that part… My name is Hayato Seishii, nice to meet you, young fellows."
Jiro's heart couldn't stop pounding as his future opponent, the strongest hunter in the country, was standing in front of him.