Ichiro could not stop thinking about Ryo. He had thought hunters were loved and respected, but realising everyone abandoned Ryo to fight solo was really giving him a negative view of things. Did they abandon Ryo because Ryo had been keeping him; a non-hunter close? Worse still was what Haki said. It bothered Ichiro, to see that a man with all of those achievements could only be a third level Low rank hunter meant it was also going to be the same for him. He thought he could handle it, but seeing Haki made him realise it was a lot harder than he thought. His phone vibrated and he picked it up. It was a message from Silver lining, Saku had been kind enough to add him to the group. The message was about the Ascension and assignment ceremony. [Greetings staff and hunters of Silver lining. This is to inform you that the long awaited Ascension and assignment ceremony will commence on the designated date for each battalion. Please find your battalion in the chart, and see the designated

Ichiro sat up picking the crystal. He didn't need more motivation to swallow the crystal, desiring to be strong as the others, or stronger was enough. What other reason did he need to swallow the crystal? "Here goes nothing" He put the crystal in his mouth. It was a dangerous activity, but he was going to go on with it. The crystal was too big, and was refusing to go down his throat but Ichiro forced it. It became a war of life and death, forcing Ichiro to stand up from the bed. His eyes were popping out of their sockets, and the crystal was only half way gone. He held his neck together, afraid of it bursting open due to the magnitude of what he was swallowing. "Ichiro!" Emiko called from downstairs. Worry, anxiety and fear was all Ichiro felt. He held onto the bedframe like it was himself he was holding together "Ichiro-san!" Emiko called again "dinner is getting cold!" 'eat without me' Ichiro wanted to say, but the words remained stuck in his throat. Then with a sudden m

[Ayumi Nagi] Ryo stood up grunting "wait here" he ordered Ichiro leaving. Ichiro nodded. [Ayumi Nagi] the artificial intelligence of the house announced once more. Ichiro began hunting for the speaker with his eyes, but all he could see were wooden panels fitted properly. [Ayumi Nagi] By now Ichiro already found where the sound was coming from. Just where two walls and the ceiling met, there was a small deliberately made hole about two centimetres big. Ichiro immediately guessed that was where the sound was coming from. Everyone had a mobile house these days, it was just him rotting in their old junk, with the landlord increasing the rent every two months. His thoughts immediately diverted from the mobile house to why Ayumi Nagi would visit Ryo, all he could think of was that the two media sweethearts found sweethearts in eachother. But if he remembered clearly, Emiko was always shipping Miss Nagi and the heir of the Shibata clan. He groaned rubbing his face, Yuto was the heir

Yuto scoffed glancing at Ichiro from head to toe, he was wearing a new armour and this time around it fit. Ichiro avoided his gaze joining Ryo. Ryo was fully clad in armour, except for his head. His armour was different as well, with crimson and purple crystals, and his badge stated proudly [Karma-408SL. Supreme level three. Ryo Subaru]. Ichiro wondered what his name would look like in those bold italics as he glanced at his own badge written with a font you could draw better with your own hands. 'Shitty classists' he cursed inwardly "Ichiro. You are early" Ryo whispered to Ichiro who breathed in "yes, I didn't miss my train..." His mind drifted to those days where struggling nine to fivers will push their way through leaving him who had no sheer strength behind even though he was there first. He scoffed amusing Ryo. "You just don't where you do not belong, huh?" Yuto asked loudly. Ichiro chose to be quiet and expressionless. "Go back to the gutters, picker"Yuto's clique h

"Ichiro!" Ryo called, his grip on the chain loosening. "Ryo-senpai, focus" Ayumi begged. Yuki nodded vigorously, and Ayumi continued "We have to pull, we need your strength" but Ryo could not focus, his mind was fixated on Ichiro. Ichiro did not charge at the beast immediately, he had to think, but all the grunting was distracting. A stone creature twelve feet tall, which could likely weigh three tonnes. How could he reach the eye of a monster that tall with his own height? On the other side, Kenta was pulling the chain as the main anchor. Ichiro had to think hard. How to get to the eye of a twelve feet beast. There was no time, the beast was pulling on Ryo's side now trying to unwrap the chain on its neck. Ichiro held Kenta's shoulder and jerked up, Kenta was the only one strong enough for him to use as a springboard. The captain was surprised, but all he said was: "do what you are doing fast." Ichiro nodded, the distance from Kenta and the beast was about two metres, and I