Smoke curled behind him as the Hunter stepped silently onto the rooftop across from the burning casino.
His coat fluttered in the wind. Blood dripped from a cut near his ribs, but he didn't flinch. His eyes—calm, sharp, and hollow—watched the chaos below.
The hero Naoto Yatsuki… he was different.
The Hunter touched his blade, the black steel humming slightly. "So they're getting close."
Another figure emerged from the shadows behind him. A woman in dark armor, her eyes veiled beneath a hood.
"You revealed yourself," she said.
"I had to," the Hunter replied. "They're getting too close to him."
The woman said nothing for a while, then: "Naoto Yatsuki… should we eliminate him?"
"No," the Hunter said sharply. "Not yet."
"Why?"
"…Because he might be useful."
He turned away from the rooftop edge, heading deeper into the darkness. The other Hunter followed.
"Did he notice it?" she asked.
The man paused, looking up at the red moon overhead.
"He noticed… part of it."
"But not the real reason we kill."
His hand clenched. "No… not yet."
The woman tilted her head. "They still think we're random murderers."
"Let them," he muttered. "Let them chase us. The more they dig… the closer they get to the truth."
He walked into the darkness of the alley, voice echoing like a whisper on the wind.
"Because when they learn why we really hunt heroes…"
He stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
"…it'll already be too late."
The hotel room reeked of burnt cigarettes and urgency. One by one, the doors slammed shut as every member of the team arrived—Kaien, Ash, Rei, Luna, Drax, Misaki, Koharu, and finally Naoto Yatsuki.
Kaien leaned against the window, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at the city skyline still glowing faintly from the casino fire.
Misaki dropped into a chair. "Two casinos. Two attacks. One clear message."
"We're being hunted," Rei said coldly, adjusting his gloves.
"Not just hunted." Luna glanced at Kaien, then at Naoto. "Tested."
Kaien remained silent. Ash paced, fuming.
"We still don't know who the hell the Hero Hunter leader is!" he snapped. "We're playing games while they strike again and again!"
"I told you," Naoto said calmly, sitting on the edge of the table. "They don't have a leader."
"Bullshit," Ash barked. "No group this organized works without a head."
Naoto's eyes flicked to Kaien. "Unless it's not a group. What if it's a cause?"
The room fell silent.
Koharu looked up, confused. "A cause?"
Naoto leaned forward, voice low. "What if they don't need a leader… because they all believe in the same thing?"
Drax muttered, "That would mean they've already won the minds of others. Maybe even heroes…"
Misaki stood. "Then what are we fighting? A rebellion?"
"No," Kaien finally said, turning from the window. "A belief."
Everyone turned toward him.
"They kill heroes... because they believe we're the villains," Kaien said, cold and quiet. "That's why we can't find the leader. Because he's not hiding…"
He looked Naoto in the eye.
"…he's waiting."
The city was quieter than usual tonight.
Ash pulled up his hood, stepped out of the hotel without a word, and disappeared into the shadows of the alleyway. No one stopped him. No one noticed. Just the way he wanted it.
He gritted his teeth, walking past neon-lit streets and half-burnt casino signs. His mind echoed with Kaien's words.
"They kill heroes... because they believe we're the villains."
"Then let me be the villain they fear," Ash muttered, his hand tightening around the handle of his hidden blade.
He had a plan. A reckless one. Follow the pattern of recent attacks, find the smallest casino left untouched, and bait the hunters.
No team. No backup.
Just Ash.
Midnight struck. The air turned heavy. He stepped inside a dingy casino at the edge of the city—no cameras, no guards, and barely anyone inside. A place forgotten even by the criminals.
Perfect.
He sat at a table. Played a few rounds. Waited.
Then, he felt it.
A presence.
One of the gamblers stood. Eyes too calm. Smile too sharp.
"You're not here to win," the man said softly.
Ash didn't respond.
"You're here to bleed."
The lights cut out.
Steel clashed.
And Ash smiled. "Finally."
The casino plunged into darkness.
Only the glow of neon lights flickering through broken windows lit the room in ghostly flashes.
Ash didn't move. His breathing steady, heartbeat calm.
A whisper of movement—then the glint of steel.
Ash ducked.
A blade sliced through the air where his head had been. He rolled, kicked the table upward, sending cards and coins flying. The assassin leapt over it with inhuman agility.
Ash was already on his feet.
"You don't talk much, do you?" the hunter sneered from the shadows, twin daggers gleaming.
"I talk after I win," Ash replied coldly.
They clashed.
Ash blocked the first strike, redirected the second, and struck with a knee to the gut. The hunter grunted but twisted out of reach. Sparks flew as a dagger met Ash's blade again.
"You're fast," the hunter said, circling.
"You're sloppy," Ash shot back, eyes narrowed.
The hunter vanished into the darkness again.
Ash closed his eyes.
Step. Wind shift. Breathing—there.
He turned, caught the hunter's wrist mid-attack, and slammed him into the ground with brutal force. Before the man could recover, Ash pinned him and drew a small stun dagger to his throat.
"I'm not here to kill you," Ash said. "You're going to tell me everything."
The hunter laughed through clenched teeth. "You think one of us will talk?"
Ash leaned closer. "No. But I think you're alone. And you know what we do to cowards who run out of time."
The hunter froze.
Moments later, he dropped his blades.
Ash tied his hands and dragged him outside just as the night rain began to fall.
Koharu knocked on the door.
"...Ash?"
No answer.
She waited a moment, then knocked again—louder this time.
Still nothing.
Worried, she opened the door slowly. The room was dim, the curtains drawn shut. The bed was untouched. No sign of him.
"Ash?" she called out, stepping inside.
She checked the bathroom. Empty.
Closet? Nothing.
She scanned the room—his jacket was gone, his weapon too.
He left without telling anyone.
Her chest tightened.
Koharu ran out of the room and down the hallway.
She burst into the meeting lounge where Kaien, Luna, Rei, Misaki, and Naoto were gathered, discussing the recent attacks.
"Everyone—Ash's gone!" she shouted, breathless.
They turned to her in alarm.
"What do you mean?" Kaien asked, standing.
"He's not in his room. I checked everywhere—he's not there. His jacket and weapon are missing."
Kaien's eyes narrowed. "He went alone…"
"That idiot," Luna muttered. "He's trying to find the hunters by himself."
Naoto clenched his jaw. "If he runs into the wrong group, he might not make it back."
Rei slammed his fist on the table. "We have to find him—now."
Kaien turned toward the window, eyes scanning the night city below.
"He's out there somewhere," he said quietly. "Alone. Hunting a ghost."
Ash moved through the narrow alleyways, his breath fogging under the moonlit sky. The city was quiet tonight—too quiet. Every step echoed off the stone walls, his senses alert, his eyes scanning every shadow.
He followed the faint trail he had found—unusual footprints, a broken rooftop tile, and a discarded weapon cartridge.
"They were here," he muttered. "And they're close."
Suddenly, a sharp click echoed behind him.
Ash spun around—but it was too late.
A sharp electric pulse struck his back. His body jolted with pain, muscles seizing.
"Gah—!"
He dropped to his knees.
Three figures emerged from the shadows—masked, cloaked in black.
"You've been stalking us, hero," one of them said coldly.
Ash tried to stand, gritting his teeth, but another blast hit his side. His vision blurred.
"You should've stayed with your friends," another muttered, stepping forward.
Ash reached for his blade, but one hunter kicked it away.
Then—darkness.
He was out cold.
Ash woke to the sound of dripping water.
Chains rattled as he tried to move—his wrists were bound above him, suspended. Blood dripped from a cut on his lip. His jacket was gone. His weapons stripped.
He was in a basement. Cold. Wet. Silent—except for the echo of footsteps.
A masked man entered.
"You're not dead yet. Impressive," he said.
Ash raised his head, weak but defiant. "Kill me, or let me go."
The hunter laughed. "Neither. You're going to be useful."
Ash narrowed his eyes. "You're not just killers. Someone's leading you."
The hunter leaned in close. "Maybe one day you'll meet him. Or maybe he'll meet you first."
The door shut again, and Ash was left alone—captured in the dark.