Ch.01 A normal day

The news anchor’s voice trembled slightly over the screen.

*“We are still unable to identify the dead bodies—the heads have been completely destroyed. But it’s clear this is the work of the notorious serial killer known as Shinigami...”*

From the kitchen table, a boy chewing on his breakfast bread glanced at his younger sister. “Akari, can’t you change the channel? I’m trying to eat here.”

“Ah, sorry!” Akari quickly switched the channel, then refocused on her breakfast.

“Kuro Ni-san!” Akari noticed her brother pushing the capsicum away on his plate. “You should eat that! It’s full of vitamin C, it’s good for your immune system and your eyes.”

“Ah, just let it slide this time,” Kuro pleaded.

“No way! You need to eat it,” she insisted, adding the capsicum back onto his plate.

Changing the subject, Akari looked up. “By the way, Ni-san...”

“Hm?” Kuro nodded, waiting.

“About the Shinigami incident... I think you should quit being a shadow hunter. That person is targeting shadow hunters and killing them.”

Kuro grinned teasingly. “Oh? So, you’re worried about me?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” Akari pouted adorably.

“After Mom and Dad passed away, you’re the only family I have left. Of course I worry about you,” she added quietly.

Kuro stood, moved closer, and ruffled Akari’s hair gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll never leave you alone.”

“Stop it! I’m not a kid anymore. I’m already in middle school!”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, I’m heading out. Didn’t find anything valuable yesterday. Call me if you really need me, okay?”

“I will. And don’t worry—I’ll only call if it’s really, really urgent. Good luck today,” she said with a smile.

Kuro left the kitchen and headed to his room. At the window, he grabbed the edge of the ledge, rolled up, and jumped to stand on top of the roof.

“That spot looks good,” he muttered, eyeing a large building across from him.

He jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he reached his destination.

“Wonder if there’s any portals around here...” He shaded his eyes and scanned the area.

After a moment, frustrated, he muttered, “Like yesterday, no shadow realm portals nearby. Maybe I should join a guild for better intel.”

Suddenly, he heard noises nearby. Shadow creatures shaped like bees and wolves fought two struggling shadow hunters—a boy wielding a sword-like weapon and a girl with a staff.

“Two D-class shadows, huh? And those hunters must be E-class if they’re struggling,” Kuro said to himself. “Better than nothing.”

He took a step forward, then vanished.

The boy shielded the girl, their faces pale with fear as the wolf shadow growled, drooling as it lunged.

“D-D... don’t come near!” the boy shouted, trying to scare it off.

Distracted by the wolf, the boy didn’t see the bee’s sting flying toward them. He grabbed the girl and covered her with his body just as Kuro kicked the bee hard, sending it crashing into a wall. The shadow disintegrated into particles, leaving a brown stone behind.

Kuro then landed on the wolf’s muzzle, crushing it to the ground. The beast faded, dropping another brown stone.

The hunters turned to see Kuro, confusion written on their faces. The shadow was gone.

“Thank...” the boy started to say, but Kuro’s crimson eyes flared with a fiery aura, looking anything but human. The sheer intensity made the boy’s body tremble with fear, but the girl remained calm. She stepped forward and gently caught Kuro’s hands.

“Thank you! Truly—thank you! Because of you, we’re alive!”

Kuro noticed a black mist aura coming from the girl.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to stay silent for now,” Kuro said abruptly.

“Huh...?” The girl’s voice trailed off, her head dropping to the ground before suddenly exploding into particles. A golden crystal was left in her place.

“An A-class shadow... now we're talking,” Kuro muttered, turning his attention to the boy, who was visibly shocked and scared. He sat down in front of him.

“Name?” Kuro asked.

“...Yu...” the boy stammered.

“Yu-san, see that?” Kuro pointed to the spot where the girl’s headless body lay. “She wasn’t human, but a rare shadow beast. It can completely mimic a person it devours—from memories to voice and behavior. I arrived just in time...” Kuro extended his hand.

“What... what?” Yu looked utterly confused.

“Payment? I saved your life—it’s only fair,” Kuro said.

Yu checked his pockets and a small bag, pulling out five brown crystals. “This is all I have... please let me go.”

Kuro sighed heavily.

“Five, huh? I didn’t expect more from an E-class shadow hunter, but... it’ll do. Before you go...”

Kuro reached out and placed his hand on Yu’s head, purple sparks flickering as he cast a spell.

“Now, do you know who you are?”

“Yu Hasegawa... an E-class shadow hunter...” Yu answered with a blank expression.

“Good. You can go now,” Kuro said.

Yu stood and walked away like a zombie, clearly hypnotized by the spell.

“See ya,” Kuro waved, then turned to leave. “I should exchange these crystals for cash now.”

He jumped from the rooftop and sprinted off into the distance.

As Kuro reached his destination, he jumped down into a dark alley, cautious yet alert. The place he entered was shady, the air thick with whispered secrets and the faint glow of flickering neon. Suddenly, a cheerful voice broke through the gloom.

"Welcome... Oh! Isn’t our cute customer-san?"

An early 30s woman appeared, her long, fluffy blond hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore a crisp white shirt topped by a green apron, and her bright smile lit up the dim space. "Welcome back, Kuro."

Without hesitation, Kuro tossed the small bag toward her. Mei caught it effortlessly, her eyes gleaming as she inspected the contents—seven brown crystals and a single shimmering gold one.

"So, how much can I get for these, Mei-san?" Kuro asked, eyes hopeful.

Mei examined the crystals carefully before tapping numbers into her calculator. "Hmm, I’ll offer this," she said, stating the amount. Kuro’s face fell slightly at the offer.

"Won’t you increase it a little?" he tried, hoping for a better deal.

She shook her head with a fond smile. "I can’t. I’m giving you the best I can, especially since you’re not a registered hunter. Dealing with unregistered hunters like you is technically a crime."

Kuro sighed, acknowledging the truth in her words despite his disappointment. "Okay..." he murmured, accepting the price.

Sensing his frustration, Mei stepped closer and suddenly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. The unexpected gesture made Kuro’s cheeks flush bright red as he awkwardly tried to pull away.

"Hey! What’s with the sudden hug? I’m not used to this!" he exclaimed, face burning.

Mei chuckled warmly, brushing a strand of her fluffy blond hair behind her ear. "There, that’s more like the Kuro I know—back to normal." She pulled back slightly, her eyes sparkling with a secret. "And for my special customer, I have some big intel for you—a red shadow realm portal has opened near the old city ruins. Could be your next big hunt."

Kuro’s eyes widened with renewed interest as the weight of her words sank in.